Unsheathed

The old porter at the manor of the ghostly cultivator was looking a bit more lively lately, and all she did every day was hope for a visit from the young accountant from Cyan Gorge Island.

Whenever Chen Ping’an came to visit, he wouldn’t stay for long, and the only things that he said to her each time were a greeting upon arrival and to bid her farewell upon his departure, but even so, she still very much looked forward to his visits.

On this day, following Chen Ping’an’s departure, she remained standing at the entrance of the manor as she watched his departing figure recede into the distance.

She was so distracted by this that she didn’t even notice that her master had appeared beside her, and by the time she finally noticed his presence with an alarmed jolt, the ghostly cultivator harrumphed coldly, “Could it be that you’re hallucinating about catching his eye and being taken as a maidservant of his?”

She hurriedly extended a curtsey toward her master as she replied in a pitiable manner, “Surely you jest, Master. I wouldn’t dare to have such insolent thoughts.”

The ghostly cultivator tossed her a pouch of immortal currency and said, “Chen Ping’an will continue to visit our manor frequently over the near future. A snowflake coin a day will be enough for you to revert back to your physical appearance back when you were alive and maintain that for around ten days thereafter. That way, Chen Ping’an won’t think that I can’t even afford to hire a living porter in my Vermilion Chord Residence.”

Hong Su caught the pouch of immortal currency with a grateful bow.

Of course she didn’t have actual thoughts of catching the eye of the young and gentle accountant. When it came to the women of the world, they didn’t necessarily have to like a man no matter how good he was, and they weren’t guaranteed to dislike a man no matter how bad he was. Whoever the matchmaker of the heavens was, they had to have been a very mischievous character.

Hong Su was forced to reside in this deathly manor day after day, year after year, and it was so boring that she felt like she could go mad, so she was very appreciative of the presence of a young man like Chen Ping’an.

The ghostly cultivator normally wasn’t fond of conversation, but for some reason, on this day, he remained at the entrance of the manor, looking out at the lake scenery with a concerned look on his face.

The battle between Liu Zhimao and the master of the Heavenly Governess Island had concluded with a crushing defeat for the latter, but even though it appeared that morale had been significantly boosted for Cyan Gorge Island and its allies, all those in the know could tell that regardless of whether it was indeed Liu Zhimao who had orchestrated the tragedy on Hibiscus Mountain, the fact of the matter was that it was going to serve as a major roadblock to his bid to securing the title of ruler of the cultivation world. In the wake of the incident, he had lost the support of many small island masters.

As a result, the atmosphere on Cyan Gorge Island had become a little tense over the past few days, and far fewer banquets were being held on the twelve islands.

Chen Ping’an continued to pay frequent visits to the Vermilion Chord Residence, Moon Hook Island, and Jade Flagon Island. Among them, Yu Gui of Moon Hook Island was the easiest to deal with, readily agreeing to almost any deal that Chen Ping’an proposed. The Naturalist cultivator on Jade Flagon Island was also decent in this regard.

He wasn’t ever that enthusiastic or hospitable, but his practical, business-like demeanor was actually preferable to Chen Ping’an. In contrast, the ghostly cultivator with the Ma surname remained as stubborn as ever, refusing to discuss any business with Chen Ping’an unless he could convince Liu Chongrun of Bejeweled Hairpin Island.

Hence, Chen Ping’an was forced to serve as matchmaker, making occasional trips to Bejeweled Hairpin Island. Unfortunately for him, Liu Chongrun was even more stubborn than the ghostly cultivator.

As long as Chen Ping’an made no mention of the latter, he would be treated as an esteemed guest of Bejeweled Hairpin Island, showered with fine wine and women, but as soon as he mentioned the ghostly cultivator, he would immediately be asked to leave.

As a result, he would always end up only speaking briefly to Liu Chongrun at the dock before departing on his boat.

The two of them would actually have had plenty to talk about if Chen Ping’an had been willing to strike up a conversation. After all, Chen Ping’an had witnessed many matters related to the imperial court and imperial clans during the close to three hundred years he had spent in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land.

However, he simply didn’t have the time and energy to spare at the moment. If he were to leave Bamboo Scroll Lake someday, then he would be sure to visit Bejeweled Hairpin Island again and raise some questions to Liu Chongrun.

Even though Chen Ping’an wasn’t able to secure any yin souls from the ghostly cultivator with the Ma surname, the latter was willing to divulge his knowledge in ghostly techniques, so Chen Ping’an actually benefited more his conversations with him than with Yu Gui, who would always speak about random, inconsequential subjects instead.

As for the Naturalist cultivator from Jade Flagon Island, he was a very stoic man, and Chen Ping’an couldn’t get an extra word out of him even if he tried. On top of that, the Vermilion Chord Residence just so happened to be on Cyan Gorge Island as well, so it was the place that he visited the most out of the four.

One day, at around dusk, Chen Ping’an had just retrieved a letter from the sword chamber, and he wandered over to the Vermilion Chord Residence on a stroll.

The letter was from Fan Junmao, and it only contained a single word: “Confidential.”

There wasn’t much that Chen Ping’an could do about that.

The future formal god of the Great Li Empire’s Southern Mountain was going to be a top-tier continental deity on par in status with Wei Bo, and on top of that, Fan Junmao was far more petty than Wei Bo, so Chen Ping’an couldn’t afford to mess with her.

Having said that, in the letter that he had sent to her, Chen Ping’an had clearly stated that not only was he stating a request for her, it was also a business exchange, so it was rather surprising that this had been her response.

On this day, Chen Ping’an greeted the porter of the Vermillion Chord Manor as usual before striking up a conversation with her master.

Hong Su had already reverted to the appearance of a forty-year-old woman, yet Chen Ping’an hadn’t treated her any differently or even made any mention of her transformation. However, not only was Hong Su not disappointed by this, for some reason, it made her feel more at ease.

Following Chen Ping’an’s departure from the Vermilion Chord Residence, he noticed Gu Can and Tan Xue standing at the end of the small path. Gu Can asked if Chen Ping’an had time to join them for a home-cooked meal that night, to which Chen Ping’an responded that he couldn’t.

He still had to visit a couple of islands that were quite far away from Cyan Gorge Island, and it was definitely going to be very late by the time that he was back, so a meal would be out of the question.

Gu Can was a little disappointed, but Chen Ping’an spoke no further on the matter.

Gu Can accompanied Chen Ping’an to the room at the entrance of the island, then suddenly asked, “Chen Ping’an, you’re holding a grudge against my mother, aren’t you?”

Chen Ping’an patted him on the head as he replied, “Don’t think too much about such matters. If I have a problem with your mother, then I’ll find the time to speak to her about it, but rest assured, I won’t speak ill of your mother in your presence.”

Gu Can departed with Tan Xue, while Chen Ping’an returned to the books and files in his room.

————

In the tall building in Pond Water City.

Cui Chan set down a secret letter addressed to him as a contemplative look appeared on his face.

Cui Dongshan remained in the golden lightning pond, imitating Chen Ping’an’s Heaven and Earth Stance.

Cui Chan mused to himself, “One factor was that Chen Ping’an arrived earlier than anticipated. That was because Gu Tao and Chen Ping’an are both a little smarter than the Embroidered Flower River God. As a result, the possibility of a conflict breaking out between Ruan Xiu and Gu Can in Bamboo Scroll Lake has been completely eliminated.

“Having said that, that was always a part of the plan, and I wouldn’t have intervened even if he wasn’t here. Another factor is that I slightly underestimated Gu Can’s restraint. I thought that he would instruct his catfish to attack Ruan Xiu that night, but he held back the urge to do so. As for Ruan Xiu, her attention was diverted away from the catfish as soon as she sensed Chen Ping’an’s presence.

“On top of that, I also underestimated Liu Laocheng’s ambitions. None of these factors are insignificant. According to the outcome of the divination conducted on Dragon Riding Alley all those years ago, it can more or less be concluded that Ruan Xiu is someone that the old divine lord holds in very high regard, even more so than Li Liu and Fan Junmao.

“In fact, there’s a very good chance that she was one of the former Divine Dao great spirits, and that’s why she’s able to see the karma in a person. With her here to help Chen Ping’an, it will be like a scholar having the topic of the imperial examination tipped off to them in advance.

“The difficulty in the fourth hurdle lies in the fact that it encompasses countless hurdles, but her presence will reduce those hurdles by about half. Even so, I was still able to create a justification for Ruan Xiu to remain in Bamboo Scroll Lake, and I’ve beaten you fair and square.”

Cui Chan turned to Cui Dongshan with a smile as he spoke.

Liu Laocheng had secretly returned to Bamboo Scroll Lake, but he still hadn’t notified the Great Li Empire through any avenues.

This meant that after establishing ties with Sect Leader Gou Yuan of the Jade Tablet Sect, Liu Laocheng was already prepared to go all-in on a huge gamble, putting the entirety of Bamboo Scroll Lake on the line as a gesture of sincerity to try and convince the Jade Tablet Sect to establish its lower sect in Bamboo Scroll Lake.

Generally speaking, Liu Zhimao, Liu Laocheng, and many powerful figures lurking under the surface were all going to benefit if the Jade Tablet Sect chose to establish its lower sect in Bamboo Scroll Lake. It was just that Liu Zhimao and the Great Li Empire would reap most of the rewards.

However, the odds of success were around 50:50, which, for a bunch of vagrant cultivators, were already exceptional odds, so who wouldn’t take the gamble? Even though Liu Zhimao was currently at the height of his powers, Liu Laocheng had his roots firmly established in Bamboo Scroll Lake, and if the latter were to attempt to spoil the parade, the former may not be willing to opt for the route of mutual destruction.

This was the inevitable tide of fate, and it was under the control of Liu Laocheng.

It was extremely rare for a single person to wield such immense influence over the fate of a land.

In this regard, Liu Zhimao couldn’t even hold a candle to Liu Laocheng. Most of his accolades had been accumulated with a great deal of reliance on his disciple, Gu Can, and his catfish, so of course he couldn’t compare with Liu Laocheng, who was completely self-made and earned everything that he had with his own two hands.

There was simply no comparison between the two, whether it be in terms of cultivation base, mental qualities, or strategic acumen. Perhaps if Liu Zhimao had another century or two to cultivate his territory and accumulate connections, during which time he had to reach the Upper Five Tiers, only then would it have been reasonable for the two men to be mentioned in the same breath.

In contrast, Liu Laocheng was someone that even Cui Chan had a great deal of appreciation for.

Cui Dongshan was pacing back and forth in a handstand walk as he casually replied, “Even if Ruan Xiu remains in Bamboo Scroll Lake, you can still follow the tide of events. One or two major pieces making unexpected moves has no significant impact on the overall board state; you can still manipulate everything to conform to the inevitable tide that you envisioned.

“Just give the guy with the Song surname a reason and tell them to leave Green Parasol City right away.”

“Why would you suggest that?” Cui Chan asked with a smile. “You’ll be reaping some minor spoils from this; do you not want it?”

Cui Dongshan rubbed his own face vigorously as he replied, “I want to go all-in on a gamble of a lifetime! If I lose everything, then so be it. Even if I win, I’ll still leave Mountain Cliff Academy and help you orchestrate things in the southern region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.”

Cui Chan was truly perplexed this time, and he asked, “Why is that?”

“Because I enjoy it!” Cui Dongshan replied. “I enjoy seeing you make all of these meticulous plans, only for them to fall flat on their faces!”

“Then you’re going to be disappointed,” Cui Chan chuckled.

Cui Dongshan began flailing his fists around wildly, and it was his turn to ask why.

“Why don’t you take a guess?” Cui Chan encouraged with a smile.

“If Liu Laocheng kills Gu Can, then won’t that be a very anticlimactic conclusion to everything?” Cui Dongshan suddenly asked.

“Am I really the one who should be agitated? Shouldn’t that be you?” Cui Chan countered with a question of his own.

Cui Dongshan grinned in response.

A faint smile appeared on Cui Chan’s face as he said, “You won’t like what I’m about to say next. If Chen Ping’an begins to face the souls of all of those innocent victims in a composed manner, then many interesting things will be sure to happen.

“Consider this: if even a single one of those yin entities or one of their living relatives tells Chen Ping’an that an apology or compensation simply isn’t good enough, and that the only thing that can serve as consolation to them would be to have Gu Can pay with his own life, what would Chen Ping’an do then? How would he get over that hurdle? That is but one of the countless hurdles that will stand in his path.”

Cui Dongshan began jumping up and down while covering his ears with his hands as he once again began repeating in a singsong voice, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening…”

————

Over at the Vermilion Chord Residence.

On this day, Chen Ping’an was seated on the doorstep with Hong Su. For some reason, she chose to no longer rejuvenate herself using the spiritual energy in the snowflake coins that had been given to her, and thus, she quickly reverted back to her original, elderly appearance.

Chen Ping’an had suddenly pulled out a brush and some paper and asked her to tell him about her past. He told her that he didn’t know if it was appropriate to ask, and he assured her that he had no ulterior motives.

In response, Hong Su had stood at the entrance of the dark side room with a smile as she asked, “Mr. Chen, are you really a Fictionist?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head in response.

“No, but I have a friend who likes to write travel journals, and he wrote them very well. I want to record some of my own experiences as well so that I can show him the next time we meet.”

Hong Su quickly strode over to Chen Ping’an’s side, then asked, “May I take a seat?”

“This is your home, is it not?” Chen Ping’an asked in a slightly exasperated manner.

She sat down with a smile, but made sure to keep some distance between herself and Chen Ping’an.

A slightly embarrassed look then appeared on her face as she said, “Mr. Chen, I don’t have all that many stories to tell, so you’re most likely going to be disappointed. Also, can my name really appear in a book?”

“Of course, as long as you’re not opposed to the idea,” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile. “Also, once we’re done, you have to tell me which stories can be written and which can’t, and which events and people should have extra emphasis or less emphasis placed upon them. I’ll be sure to relay everything to that friend of mine.”

Hong Su folded her hands over her lap with an excited look on her face, while Chen Ping’an gazed upon her with a warm smile, as if he were looking at any normal young woman.

She hurriedly rose to her feet and extended a spritely and mischievous curtsey, then sat back down with a wide smile.

From there, she began to tell her story, and in the process, she recalled many people and events that she thought that she had already forgotten.

All the while, Chen Ping’an took notes meticulously.

Occasionally, she would grow weary from talking, and she would watch as Chen Ping’an wrote in silence, not feeling awkward in the slightest.

Finally, Chen Ping’an stowed his brush and paper away as he cupped his fist in a grateful salute.

Hong Su wore an excited smile as she said, “Mr. Chen, make sure to tell you friend to publish my story into a book. If the story’s not good enough to be published on its own, I’m willing to pay a few snowflake coins out of my own pocket.”

“I can’t take your money,” Chen Ping’an replied in a serious manner. “Rest assured, my friend has enough money for the job. Also, you have to trust his writing abilities. I’m sure there will be bookshops willing to buy your story.”

Following Chen Ping’an’s departure, Hong Su was still beaming with joy, and she couldn’t help but jump up on the spot in elation.

However, she then noticed her master standing beside her, and she hurriedly concealed her smile.

To her surprise, her master requested, “The next time he comes to visit, ask if he can write about my story with Liu Chongrun as well. As long as he’s willing to write the story into a book, I’m willing to give him a lesser heat coin as compensation.”

“What if I can’t convince him? Will you punish me, Master?” Hong Su asked in a fearful manner.

The ghostly cultivator immediately flew into a rage as he cursed, “If he doesn’t agree, then he’s clearly an idiot, and it’ll have nothing to do with you! How could your boring story even hold a candle to my riveting tale with Liu Chongrun? Also, make sure to ask him nicely, and if he refuses, don’t give up right away. Be a bit more insistent, you hear me?”

Hong Su hurriedly nodded in response, and she couldn’t help but wonder when her master had become so reasonable and lenient.