Unsheathed

Lin Shouyi wasn’t surprised when he saw Chen Ping’an.

In reality, he had already learned of Chen Ping’an’s arrival earlier. However, he had hesitated for a moment before eventually deciding against going to the guest rooms to look for Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an gave Lin Shouyi the incomplete lightning technique scripture that he had purchased from Ganoderma Inn. This scripture was annotated with the note, “a solitary copy that is unfortunately missing dozens of pages, else the scripture will be priceless.”

Lin Shouyi didn’t turn down Chen Ping’an’s gift.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Xie Xie asked me to deliver a message to you. If you don’t mind, she’s extended an invitation to you to cultivate at her place every day.”

Lin Shouyi thought about this for a moment before nodding and replying, “Alright, I’ll go there in the mornings whenever I’m free.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t stay for long, and his chair was yet to become warm in the few minutes that he had sat there. He stood up and took his leave. Before Lin Shouyi had opened his door just then, he had clearly been sitting on a straw mat and practicing a breathing technique.

Lin Shouyi suddenly smiled and asked, “Chen Ping’an, do you know why I’m willing to accept such a valuable gift from you?”

Chen Ping’an stopped and turned around, asking, “Why?”

Lin Shouyi never invited anyone to his dorm, yet he surprisingly made an exception today, walking over to the table and pouring two cups of tea. Seeing this, Chen Ping’an also returned inside and sat back down.

Lin Shouyi had already become a handsome and elegant young man, and he fell silent for a moment before replying, “Because I know that I’ll definitely repay the favor with something more valuable in the future.”

Chen Ping’an nodded with a smile.

Sure enough, Lin Shouyi was still as aloof as always.

Lin Shouyi turned his head and glanced at his bamboo bookcase, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he said, “Also, there’s one matter where I can’t thank you enough. Guess what it is.”

You’ve already made it so obvious, so what do I still need to guess?

Chen Ping’an felt slightly exasperated as he replied, “I merely gave you a bamboo bookcase. Even though the bookcase is made using bamboo that I obtained from Go Table Mountain back then, truth be told, it’s definitely nowhere near as valuable as this scripture pertaining to lightning techniques.”

Lin Shouyi smiled faintly and shook his head, saying, “Guess again.”

Chen Ping’an thought back to their trip to the Great Sui Nation and replied in an uncertain voice, “Was it that time in the inn?”

Lin Shouyi shook his head again, laughing heartily as he stood up to shoo his guest away. “Don’t think that you can waste my time and delay my cultivation simply because you brought me a gift,” he joked.

Chen Ping’an was completely stumped as he left Lin Shouyi’s dorm.

After visiting Xie Xie, Yu Lu, and Lin Shouyi, Chen Ping’an didn’t return the same way that he had come.

He had delivered all of the gifts one hour quicker than initially planned, so he silently took a detour and walked through some silent areas of Mountain Cliff Academy.

Chen Ping’an coincidentally walked past the dorms, and he immediately noticed Li Huai furtively running over by himself.

Li Huai picked up his pace after seeing Chen Ping’an, and he said in a hurried voice, “Chen Ping’an, I especially came here to ask you a question. Otherwise, I won’t be able to fall asleep tonight.”

“Is it regarding Pei Qian? Ask away,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

“I initially thought that Pei Qian was lying, but the more I listened, the more I felt like Pei Qian was truly amazing,” Li Huai said in a quiet voice. “Chen Ping’an, tell me from the bottom of your heart, is Pei Qian truly a princess who became lost in the common world?”

Chen Ping’an could easily visualize Pei Qian’s stern expression and internal delight as she sat there and made up these stories. In fact, it was entirely possible that she had been laughing at the stupidity and gullibility of Li Huai and his roommates as well.

To say nothing of Li Huai, even the three experienced guards at the Great Quan Empire’s Fox Town had been tricked by Pei Qian’s intricate lies back then. Thus, it was only natural that the three little children, Li Huai, Liu Guan, and Ma Lian were tricked by her as well.

However, Chen Ping’an wasn’t planning to expose the innocent and playful tricks between children, so he naturally wouldn’t tell Li Huai the truth about Pei Qian’s boasting.

He patted Li Huai’s shoulder and replied, “You can guess yourself.”

Li Huai nodded earnestly, a look of realization spreading across his face as he exclaimed, “Alright, I understand now!”

“What do you understand?” Chen Ping’an asked with a smile.

Li Huai crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, replying, “No wonder that tanned young girl had a look of disdain on her face when she saw my painted wooden puppet. No, I can’t let this be, I have to compare wealth with her tomorrow. When elites clash, it’s their aura that really matters! Let’s see who has more treasures at that time! So what if she’s a princess? She’s still a tanned little kid, so what’s so impressive about her? Tsk, tsk, she’s so young, yet she’s already equipped with a bamboo sword and bamboo saber on her waist. Just who is she trying to scare? Oh, that’s right, what does the princess like to eat?”

Chen Ping’an reached over and placed a hand on Li Huai’s head, gently turning him toward the dorms before saying, “Hurry up and go back to sleep.”

Li Huai was extremely satisfied after having his questions answered, so he immediately ran back to his own dorm to sleep.

However, it wasn’t long before an angry shout traveled over from the distance.

There was no doubt that Li Huai had been caught by a teacher on night patrol duty.

Chen Ping’an was just about to head over to help Li Huai, yet he soon saw the young boy swaggering over with Zhu Lian by his side,

As it turned out, Zhu Lian had already found an excuse for Li Huai, saying that he was a distant relative of the young boy and was unfamiliar with the layout academy, especially at night. Thus, he needed Li Huai’s help to return to his guest room.

Li Huai raised a thumb and said to Chen Ping’an, “Big Brother Zhu is truly chivalrous! Chen Ping’an, you’re so fortunate to have a steward like him.”

Li Huai then turned around and smiled at the hunchbacked old man, saying, “Big Brother Zhu, you can look for me, Li Huai, if Chen Ping’an treats you badly in the future. I’ll help you seek justice.”

Zhu Lian looked left and right. This young boy called Li Huai appeared quite simple-minded, and he indeed didn’t look like someone who was good at his studies.

Zheng Dafeng, Li Er, Li Baozhen, and Li Baoping…

By the looks of it, he had finally come across someone from the Jewel Small World who wasn’t an absolute freak.

Zhu Lian felt like he needed to cherish this moment, so he immediately found Li Huai much more likable. Because of this, Zhu Lian’s expression also became increasingly kindly.

Hang on a second, why did Li Huai look a bit like Li Er, that tenth tier martial artist who visited them in Old Dragon City? They both had the surname Li, so… perhaps they were from the same family? Surely not, right?

As a pure martial artist, he fully understood the terrifying nature of a superior grandmaster at the End Tier.

No matter how conceited Zhu Lian was about his martial arts talent, he only dared to say that he could advance to the ninth tier with relative ease if he had grown up in the Majestic World instead of the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. However, advancing to the tenth tier would still be incredibly difficult.

Zhu Lian turned around and looked at Chen Ping’an with an inquisitive expression.

Chen Ping’an nodded with a smile.

Zhu Lian was angered to death, and he lightly kicked Li Huai on the backside and scolded, “Why are you still wandering around at midnight as if you’re trying to catch lone ghosts or something? Hurry up and scram.”

Li Huai was given a huge fright, and after running forward a few steps, he pointed at Zhu Lian and announced, “You helped me once and you kicked me once, so the gratitudes and grievances between us have been settled. If we come across each other in the academy tomorrow, then whoever runs first is the greatest!”

Zhu Lian raised his leg again.

Li Huai quickly disappeared into the distance.

Meanwhile, inside Li Baoping’s dorm…

Li Baoping and Pei Qian were sitting opposite each other and transcribing texts on the same table.

One calligraphy brush was a blur as it glided across the page.

The other calligraphy brush was like a turtle slowly ambling along the page.

Each time Li Baoping filled a page, she would exclaim “Off you go” at the page before putting down her calligraphy brush and twisting her wrist, also walking over to glance at Pei Qian’s progress.

Pei Qian remained silent, but her forehead was already filled with sweat.

————

Inside a provincial city that neighbored the capital of the Great Sui Nation, an esteemed guest of extremely high seniority visited the residence of the Cai Clan, a clan that had just moved here not long ago.

The visitor was none other than Cui Dongshan, and he had relied on the myriad of treasures in his minimization treasure to win himself the title of Cai Clan Patriarch following his battle against Cai Jingshen in Mountain Cliff Academy.

It was midnight, yet the young boy in white furiously hammered the courtyard door of the Cai Clan, creating a deep booming sound as he shouted, “Little Cai’er, Litter Cai’er, hurry up and open the door!”

There was a short and strong-looking man standing behind Cui Dongshan, and there was also a yellow bull standing beside the man.

The old immortal from the Cai Clan who was a guest elder of the Great Sui Nation and had once camped near Mountain Cliff Academy walked out of a secret room with a livid expression. With a leap, he then landed on the street outside the residence, asking, “Cui Dongshan, what are you doing here?!”

Back then, Cui Dongshan and Cai Jingshen had engaged in an intense battle above “Little East Mountain,” the nickname that residents in the capital commonly used for East Mountain.

Cui Dongshan had shot to fame after that battle, and it was as if he had provided a free fireworks show to the residents of the capital. That night, countless people had delightedly looked up toward East Mountain where the Confucian academy was located.

There was an old ancestor at the Nascent Tier guarding the Cai Clan, so members of this clan had initially been extremely haughty and impressive in the capital. Following the battle, however, it wasn’t long before they moved out of the capital, only leaving a single member who was working as an official in the capital to look after the extremely large residence. In fact, the residence was so large and extravagant that it could rival the residences of high-ranking nobles.

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily and replied, Oh my, how polite of you, Jingshen, you’ve personally come out to welcome me? Come on, let’s go inside our house to sit down and chat. I entered the city quite late, and there’s also a night curfew being enforced, so I’m pretty bloody hungry right now. Hurry up and get someone to make me some midnight snacks. In the meantime, this grandfather can have a good chat with his grandson.”

“You’re not welcome here,” Cai Jingshen replied with a dark expression.

Cui Dongshan suddenly jumped up and pointed at Cai Jingshen, scolding, “Bastard, you’re even trying to disown your ancestors now? Have you no shame? Come, come, come, let’s fight again. This time, I’ll call you ancestor if you manage to defend against fifty immortal treasures of mine. If you fail again though, then you can ride a horse around the city tomorrow and shout ‘I’m Cui Dongshan’s obedient grandson’ one thousand times!”

Cai Jingshen gritted his teeth and spat, “I would rather die than be humiliated like that! You can kill me tonight if you want, but I definitely won’t take a single step outside the Cai Clan’s residence!”

Cui Dongshan used a land-shortening mystical ability and vanished in a flash. His mystical ability appeared unremarkable, yet it was actually different from ordinary Daoist techniques. Cui Dongshan quickly reappeared in his original spot and asked, “Made up your mind? Do you want to cut your own neck and commit suicide? You’re very unfilial as a grandson, but this ancestor has no option but to admit that you’re my descendant. That being the case, I can offer to lend you a few immortal treasures, lest you complain about not having a handy weapon to commit suicide with…”

The young boy with a birthmark on his glabella continued to ramble on and on.

Cai Jingshen, the tall and sturdy old man, was so enraged that the Qi in his dantian started to become chaotic. At the same time, his aura also rose explosively.

Cui Dongshan suddenly wiped the smile from his face and narrowed his eyes, saying in a sinister voice, “Little Bastard, you most likely think that your ancestor had a big advantage in the academy, so you were very discontent with the loss, am I right?”

Cai Jingshen’s mind suddenly became chaotic, and in the moment before a life-and-death battle was about to ensue, he was shocked to discover that Cui Dongshan’s pupils were surprisingly vertical. Not only that, but they also radiated with a blinding golden radiance.

It was as if an unrestrained primordial flood dragon had set its eyes on Cai Jingshen.

It was as if its eyes were piercing through his soul.

Cai Jingshen rapidly withdrew his aura and extended a hand, saying, “Please come inside!”

The old steward who was peeping at the commotion through the gap between the doors had initially been feeling quite sleepy, but he quickly felt an ice-cold chill before feeling a sense of extreme grief as if he had lost his parents again. His entire body was trembling as he opened the courtyard door.

Cui Dongshan walked in front and swaggered inside first.

Cai Jingshen followed closely behind him.

Wei Xian and the yellow bull also walked inside the Cai Clan’s residence.

The old steward sighed in his mind after closing the door. After avoiding this troublemaker with great difficulty, their ancestor had furiously unleashed his abilities in the provincial city and helped the governor dispose of an elusive river demon, also using this fear to finally re-establish the dignity of the Cai Clan. Yet, they had barely been able to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet, and this troublemaker was already at their place again. They were truly having a bad run with unwelcome guests. Right now, they could only hope that tonight’s meeting would end up as a win-win situation where both sides would benefit. They truly didn’t need any more trouble.

Cui Dongshan kept asking for midnight snacks prepared with sincerity, so Cai Jingshen forcefully suppressed his displeasure and offered a pot of the most expensive wine in the provincial city to that pure martial artist called Wei Xian. Not only this, but the yellow earth bull that was only a measly Dragon Gate Tier cultivator also asked for its own courtyard in the residence. Cai Jingshen couldn’t tolerate this, but he had no option but to tolerate it anyway.

Cai Jingshen waved his hand and dismissed two maidservants who were looking over here with curiosity. With no one else present, he asked, “What do you want? Just cut to the chase!”

Cui Dongshan raised a leg and placed his foot on the chair, holding a pot of wine in one hand while using his chopsticks to stuff his mouth with snacks with his other hand. While eating and drinking his fill, he replied in a muffled voice, “You’ve been a powerful and influential figure in the capital of the Great Sui Nation for more than one hundred years, so tell me, who are the fools pulling the strings behind the assassination plot right now?

“There’s General Tang Zhuangshan who looks after the agile cavalry, Assistant Minister Lang Taojiu from the Ministry of War, and also Dragon and Bull General Miao Ren. I’m already aware of these people’s involvement, so there’s no need for you to tell me about them again. However, both you and I are well aware that they’re not the true masterminds from the imperial court and mountains of the Great Sui Nation. So tell me, who else do you know about?”

Cai Jingshen’s eyelids shuddered slightly when he heard this.

Cui Dongshan tossed away a delicious duck leg coated in secret marinade and licked his finger. He then shot a sideways glance at Cai Jingshen and said with a faint smile, “I give you permission to say a name completely unrelated to the scheme with each mastermind’s name that you reveal. These names can be of your long-time nemeses, or they can also be of random clan members whom you’ve disliked for a long time.”

Cui Dongshan burped loudly before continuing, “This offer will stand while I enjoy midnight snacks. Once I finish eating, then the Cai Clan will lose this opportunity once and for all. Perhaps you’re unclear about this, but the descendant with the surname Gao whom you’ve left in the capital — mhm, that scholar who’s working in the imperial academy — is also a sacrificial pawn.

“He’s a scholar, after all, so he’s naturally unwilling to see the Great Sui Nation fall and lower its head to those barbarians in the Great Li Empire. This is entirely understandable. The Gao Clan had nurtured scholars for hundreds of years, so I also appreciate their desire to sacrifice themselves to repay their nation. However, my understanding and appreciation won’t do any good. So, Cai Jingshen, the decision is yours to make now.”

Cui Dongshan started to stuff his face with food again.

“I need to confirm one thing first,” Cai Jingshen said in a solemn voice. “Is it true that Cai Feng is deeply involved in this matter?”

“Do I need to waste my breath to explain Cai Feng’s scholarly disposition and grand ambitions to you?” Cui Dongshan asked with a sneer. “Do you genuinely view me as the old ancestor of the Cai Clan now?”

There was a pained expression on Cai Jingshen’s face.

He was indeed a Nascent Tier earth immortal who could peer down at the nobles of the nation, and he was indeed one of the few great guest elders in the imperial court.

As the ancestor of a clan, however, it was only natural for him to feel the need to protect his descendants. Their deceased ancestors could only rely on mystical and intangible hidden virtues to protect their descendants, while cultivators like Cai Jingshen could act carefully and give their full support to talented descendants of the clan without detrimentally affecting their own cultivation. As for whether these descendants embarked on a path of scholarly research, military pursuit, or cultivation, and as for whether they brought prosperity and honor to their clan and ancestors, this was further a responsibility of the clan ancestors.

In the past one hundred or so years, the Cai Clan had only managed to produce a single mediocre Qi refiner. Even though this Qi refiner had received a fair amount of guidance from Cai Jingshen as well as a large number of immortal coins, he was still stuck at the Abode Tier right now and faced very limited potential in the future.

Thus, Cai Jingshen had placed more of his hopes in Cai Feng who had achieved second place in the imperial examination. In fact, Cai Jingshen had already made the necessary preparations for everything — Cai Feng’s promotions in the next fifty to sixty years, his honorary title bestowed by the emperor after his death, the appearance of his yin soul in some place, the imperial court of the Great Sui Nation appointing him as the city god of some prefectural city, his work as a city god for the next one hundred or so years, and his gradual promotions to become the city god of a provincial city.

Everything was planned, so Cai Feng simply needed to fulfill his responsibilities and go with the flow. That way, he could enjoy a smooth sailing journey and eventually become a high-ranking city god of a provincial city. This was the most that a Nascent Tier cultivator could do for their descendant. Afterward, it would be up to Cai Feng himself to fight for more fated opportunities pertaining to the Great Dao.

The tides of fortune always turned, and it was incredibly difficult for mortals to seize the fluctuating fated opportunities. It was possible that they would only have a single chance in their entire lifetimes. However, it was a different situation for Qi refiners, and they would eventually enjoy a period of fortune as long as they were able to live for long enough.

At that time, they could use secret immortal techniques and try their best to retain the fortune in their clans, allowing them to continually accumulate wealth and power just like how mortal humans accumulated gold and silver. Should they succeed, they would then be able to nurture incense person after incense person.

Yet, Cai Jingshen had never fathomed that Cai Feng would actually throw away his bright future just like that. As if he had become braindead, Cai Feng was actually acting behind his and the entire clan’s back and involving himself in such a huge scheme.

Cui Dongshan lightly put down his chopsticks.