Unsheathed

“It’s your turn to make a choice again,” Chen Ping’an said. “You can kill me, but the spiritual energy of Bamboo Scroll Lake will be sucked dry into this jade tablet that you don’t dare to take. Even if you take it, you won’t be able to activate or deactivate it. You can beat me half-dead, but I’ll absorb half the spiritual energy and water fortune of Bamboo Scroll Lake if you do that. Finally, we can each take a step back and negotiate normally, striving to maximize the benefits for each party.

“However, the condition is that you allow me to leave Palace Willow Island and place restrictions on the jade tablet after I safely return to Cyan Gorge Island. That way, the jade tablet will automatically activate if I’m killed. When all of that is done, we can sit down again to negotiate, and it doesn’t matter whether that’s at Cyan Gorge Island or Palace Willow Island.”

Liu Laocheng smiled in ridicule and scoffed, “Do you genuinely think I believe you when you say you have the ability to control this jade tablet?”

With a single thought, Chen Ping’an caused the jade tablet in his hand to gradually slow down its speed of absorbing spiritual energy, no longer causing spiritual energy to funnel toward him like howling wind and rushing clouds. This caused all of the confused vagrant cultivators in a fifty kilometer radius of Palace Willow Island to feel utterly terrified, mistakenly thinking that Liu Laocheng was about to advance to the Immortal Tier and thus planning to wantonly absorb the water fortune of Bamboo Scroll Lake and leave the other vagrant cultivators for dead.

Liu Laocheng smiled and said, “Chen Ping’an, you truly are ruthless. I hunt eagles all year long, yet I was almost blinded by the beak of an eagle just now.”

He then waved a hand and said in agreement, “We’ll have another meeting after you return to Cyan Gorge Island and finish dealing with your matter.”

However, Chen Ping’an made another request, saying, “I feel like Island Master Liu should accompany me to Cyan Gorge Island, or else I’m afraid that Island Master Liu might have secretly paid a visit to Cyan Gorge Island before I arrive. At that time, would Liu Zhimao still dare to activate the formation of Cyan Gorge Island to conceal my secrets for me? Would he still dare to obstruct you, an Unpolished Jade Tier immortal, from using your mystical observation techniques to see whether or not I truly possess the ability to control the activation of this jade tablet with my life and death?”

Liu Laocheng clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “You truly are cautious. No wonder you’ve managed to live until today. However, aren’t you admitting to not possessing the necessary ability by doing this? Otherwise, why would you be worried about me using a mystical observation technique to confirm your capabilities?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “The more related to the Great Dao something is, the more one should gamble on the possibility. This is something that Island Master Liu also alluded to before. What if I truly give Island Master Liu a huge and unexpected surprise in the off-chance that I actually die?”

Liu Zhimao clapped and laughed loudly, replying, “Even though I’m almost certain that you’re bluffing and don’t possess the necessary ability, this doesn’t matter. I’m willing to personally accompany you back to Cyan Gorge Island. When we arrive at Cyan Gorge Island, you should do two things. Use the two small items that you stole or snatched from whatever place to deliver a message to Liu Zhimao before we arrive. Tell him to activate the mountain and water formation, and you can make up whatever reason you want. If you can’t think of anything, I can even help you think up an excuse, lest he be too cowardly to even activate the formation. The second task is for you to visit the Vermilion Chord Residence and bring Hong Su to someplace near the island entrance. I want to see her.”

Chen Ping’an asked in a serious voice, “What if you’ve been lying to me this entire time and you actually don’t want to kill Hong Su? Yet, after you see her slightly close relationship with me, you become jealous and end up wanting to make me suffer a little? What should I do then? It’s not like I can get angry and activate the jade tablet because of this, and I’m even more unable to reason with you and ask for justice.”

Liu Laocheng faltered for a moment, seemingly never have considered this possibility before. He smiled and shook his head, asking, “Who did you learn Go from? Mr. Qi from the Jewel Small World, the person who almost ripped a hole in the heavens?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head in response.

Liu Laocheng smacked Chen Ping’an’s head, causing him to stumble forward. He then said, “Let’s go. Rest assured, there’s no need for me to feel any jealousy.”

The old man and the young man left together, with Chen Ping’an using his bamboo pole to row the boat. They were going quite quickly, but in Liu Laocheng’s eyes, they were naturally taking a slow and leisurely boat trip to Cyan Gorge Island.

However, Liu Laocheng didn’t complain, and he allowed Chen Ping’an to return using his own methods. During the trip, he smiled in ridicule and said, “It looks like you’re pulling no stops, even going as far as to borrow my might. Tens of thousands of vagrant cultivators are opening their eyes wide and staring at this boat right now, so will they still dare to turn down your requests in the future?”

“I’m simply making the most of the situation and reaping as much benefit as I can get,” Chen Ping’an replied.

Liu Laocheng dismissed this with a smile, not thinking anything of it. Sitting on the opposite end of the boat, he asked in curiosity, “Since you have this jade tablet already, why don’t you directly absorb half of Bamboo Scroll Lake’s water fortune? At that time, there’ll be at least eight thousand if not tens of thousands of vagrant cultivators kneeling down and kowtowing to you, begging you to return the spiritual energy to them.”

“There are certain things that one shouldn’t do, and only then can one do other things,” Chen Ping’an said slowly. “Doing that would lead to immediate results, but only in the short-term and not in the long-term.”

Liu Laocheng thought for a moment and remarked, “What lofty ambitions. It’s a true shame that you didn’t join us and became an unrestrained vagrant cultivator.”

Chen Ping’an became slightly adrift.

It was as if he had never considered this before. Could he be regarded as a vagrant cultivator?

He indeed didn’t have a proper master and sect that he belonged to.

Liu Laocheng suddenly smiled and said, “You’re not as brave as I thought, huh? You’re wearing a Dao robe under your cotton robe, and your back is already drenched in sweat?”

“I’m not an idiot, so it’s inevitable that I became anxious when my life was hanging by a thread,” Chen Ping’an replied.

Liu Laocheng shook his head and said, “It’s not exactly the same. I’m very curious as to what the pillar in your mind is. Being afraid of death is one thing, but your fear didn’t stop you from having a battle of wits and courage with me.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “If this were the time when Island Master Liu had just shattered the heavenly demon, then I’m sure that Island Master Liu would have also pushed the thought of life and death aside even if he were to immediately face an Ascension Tier cultivator.”

Liu Laocheng smiled faintly and said, “By the looks of it, you faced quite some hardship at Cyan Gorge Island.”

Chen Ping’an used his breath of True Qi to control the boat, and he deliberately tried his best to take a detour around all of the islands in their path, lest the jade tablet affect the water fortune of any island as it absorbed spiritual energy.

Liu Laocheng could barely watch on, shaking his head and saying, “I take back what I said earlier. It looks like you’ll never be able to become a vagrant cultivator in your lifetime.”

Chen Ping’an raised a hand and pointed at Sword Immortal which was strapped to his back, replying, “I’m a swordsman.”

Liu Laocheng took a glance at the pseudo-celestial tool. Sitting at the bow of the boat, he then made a casual grabbing motion, obliterating the mountain entrance of an island located several kilometers away. On the island was a sect founder at the Golden Core Tier, and he immediately deactivated his secret mystical ability in fear. The sect founder hadn’t been spying on them using an observation technique, and he had instead been trying to eavesdrop on their conversation using a fish that had a listening talisman embedded inside its body.

Sitting cross-legged, Liu Laocheng said, “What kind of person haven’t I seen after all these years? However, I still don’t understand why so many people like to seek death. Why are there so few people like you and me?”

“Perhaps in Du Mao’s eyes, my actions in Old Dragon City were a form of seeking death as well,” Chen Ping’an replied. “In the eyes of some powerful figures, and during time periods that I’m unaware of, perhaps Island Master Liu’s actions were also regarded as seeking death.”

“It might appear the same, but in reality, it’s far from the same,” Liu Laocheng said.

Chen Ping’an nodded, a gloomy look in his eyes.

“You dared to enter Palace Willow Island to seek an audience with me, so apart from the jade tablet and some matters that both you and I are aware of, I speculate that there are some other reasons, right? It’s just that I haven’t figured them out yet,” Liu Laocheng suddenly said.

Chen Ping’an didn’t hide anything, nodding and replying, “It’s a very important reason, but it’s also a very minor matter.”

Liu Laocheng had nothing better to do right now, so he started to contemplate this small matter as if he were trying to guess a riddle.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “You won’t be able to guess the answer, Island Master Liu, so don’t bother.”

Liu Laocheng gently patted the gunwale of the boat and replied, “I’ve already solved the riddle.”

Chen Ping’an was slightly skeptical.

That matter was indeed very minor.

Over at Wasp Tail Ferry Station, there coincidentally lived a tall, sturdy, and good-looking young man. He was coincidentally acquainted with Chen Ping’an as well, and he was none other than the fortunate person who had obtained the fated opportunity from the Jewel Small World’s Iron Lock Well. He had told Chen Ping’an where to buy the most authentic well-water immortal wine.

Afterward, Pei Qian had commented that he was a good person.

Chen Ping’an also felt the same way.

Meanwhile, Wasp Tail Alley was coincidentally the place of origin of Liu Laocheng, the only Upper Five Tier vagrant cultivator in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

A master who could produce such a good person as a disciple wouldn’t necessarily be a good person themself, but they would definitely possess very clear principles that they abided by. This was an unbreakable rule.

One had to realize…

Worldly matters were extremely complicated, and according to the large circle composed of six segments that Chen Ping’an had drawn, the speech and actions of each person were a result of their ever-changing minds. Delving even deeper, Chen Ping’an increasingly discovered that there might be one or two fundamental factors that propped up everything else. This related to the notion of sequence disorder that Cui Dongshan had once mentioned before, as well as the notion of sequential order that the old scholar promoted. Both notions used similar approaches, so as long as one viewed the derogatory sequence disorder in reverse, one would be able to use this to discern the human mind.

One could then use the Scholarly Sage’s theory of sequential order to more specifically scrutinize any given matter.

There was a slight conflict between the theory of sequence disorder and the theory of sequential order, yet there was an even greater sense of mutual complement.

Chen Ping’an had taken the risk to visit Palace Willow Island because he wanted to personally see and hear things by himself. He wanted to confirm the sixth path pertaining to Bamboo Scroll Lake.

This path began with Hong Su and ended with Jiang Yun, the tall and sturdy young man who had taken the iron chain from the Iron Lock Well.

The more Chen Ping’an knew the better.

Knowing more would allow him to think over more, thereby allowing him to make fewer mistakes.

Cui Dongshan had once asked Chen Ping’an a question during his time at Mountain Cliff Academy: If someone used an incorrect method to achieve the correct result, would they be right or wrong?

Chen Ping’an was still unable to answer this question.

However, the thread of thought that he had formed in Bamboo Scroll Lake was gradually starting to become clear. This pertained to the methods with which he could minimize wrongdoings as well as the mentality with which he could correct or rectify wrongdoings.

This was an intangible and mystical feeling, and it was as if… the mountain was tall and the moon was small, the water was receding and the rocks were revealed.

“Are you not curious about why I was willing to explain my process of Dao integration in such great detail?” Liu Laocheng asked. “Is it truly because I wanted to get it off my chest after holding it in for so many years?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “Of course I’m very curious. However, I can’t figure out the answer no matter how I wrack my brains, so I’m not curious anymore.”

Liu Laocheng sighed with emotion and said, “A person will never know which fated matters lead to positive outcomes and which fated matters lead to negative outcomes.”

Chen Ping’an replenished his breath of True Qi, not appearing stiff or apprehensive in the least.

If Liu Laocheng genuinely wanted to kill him, he could have easily done so with a snap of his fingers or a flick of his wrist.

The jade tablet, Sword Immortal, his Sword Nurturing Gourd, his Dao robe, his fist technique, and his sword techniques…

Cyan Gorge Island’s Liu Zhimao, Millet Grain Island’s Tan Yuanyi, and the Great Li Empire’s heavy cavalry…

Of course, there was also that small matter that gave Chen Ping’an even more courage to visit Palace Willow Island.

Like many small rocks gathered together, these matters accumulated to form a mountain from where wind and rain were stirred.

All of this was for the sake of guaranteeing Hong Su’s safety first. Only then would Chen Ping’an work to further his own plans.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t skip this first step. Otherwise, his mind wouldn’t be at ease.

To Chen Ping’an, the notion of friendship entailed drinking wine under the peaches and plums in spring, and it also entailed risking life and limb for those he held dear.

“Is this worth it for Hong Su, someone who you’ve only known briefly?” Liu Laocheng asked.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “To say nothing of you, even I feel like this isn’t worth it.”

Liu Laocheng faltered upon hearing this.

Chen Ping’an immediately added, “But it makes me happy.”

Liu Laocheng glanced at the young man’s eyes before retracting his gaze and patting the gunwale as he smiled. He didn’t offer any comment on Chen Ping’an’s decision, and he simply looked around at the surroundings and said, “When one has spare time, one is like the owner of all scenery and joy in the world. However, only after becoming an immortal does one truly realize that immortals have even less spare time.”

Chen Ping’an wanted to say something, but he couldn’t help but hesitate. In the end, he asked, “If I say something that’s true but unpleasant to the ear, can Island Master Liu please show some magnanimity?”

Liu Laocheng shook his head and replied, “If that’s the case, then you’re better off keeping your mouth shut and holding it inside. I don’t want to hear it.”

Sure enough, Chen Ping’an kept his mouth shut.

He had wanted to scold Liu Laocheng and say, ‘Enough with the nonsense, of course that’s easy for you to say.’

Sitting on the small boat, the two of them fell silent.

Many islands in Bamboo Scroll Lake personally witnessed this scene or heard about it, and spirited discussions were already sweeping through the islands.

Liu Laocheng was resting his mind with his eyes shut, yet he suddenly opened his eyes and said in amusement, “Oh? Your mind is in disarray? What a rare sight to behold. What are you thinking about, Chen Ping’an?”

Heaven and earth were vast.

A lone boat drifted forward with two minute beings.

Chen Ping’an stopped rowing, placing the bamboo pole horizontally across the boat before taking a swig of wine and falling silent.

Even though he couldn’t practice fist techniques or sword techniques in his current state of mind, this didn’t imply that he was giving up and making a last-ditch attempt.

Quite the contrary, in fact, with Chen Ping’an truly delving into the fundamental nature of fist intent and sword techniques for the first time.

This was different from before, where he simply worked hard without considering the benefits.

While on the lake outside Cloud Pagoda City, Chen Ping’an had still managed to kill the Militarian cultivator with a single punch even though his body and soul had already been on the verge of collapse. Even though it had been grueling to throw the punch due to the limits of his physique, and he suffered many side effects afterward, it was a completely different story for his mind and punch. From the moment that Chen Ping’an decided to throw the punch to the moment that his punch landed, his mental state had never before flowed so smoothly, and his fist intent had never before flowed so naturally.

This was the state that was praised highly by both martial artists and Go players: To have no one in front.

Chen Ping’an didn’t dare to say that he had fully advanced to this level already, but it was definitely no exaggeration to say that he had taken half a step or a full step into this level.

This allowed Chen Ping’an to feel slightly at ease.

Having worked so hard both physically and mentally, he naturally couldn’t accept a scenario where he unknowingly committed another wrongdoing after going through so many difficulties to rectify a previous wrongdoing.

Otherwise, all of the severances and delineations that he made in Bamboo Scroll Lake and all of his observations of the fifth path and sixth path would end up becoming nothing but huge jokes.

Chen Ping’an rested for a moment before standing up to row the boat again, saying slowly, “Liu Laocheng, even though I dislike your manner of interacting with people and dealing with matters, your story with her makes me feel very…”

Chen Ping’an thought for a long time, but he was ultimately unable to come up with the right words to describe his emotions. In the end, he decided to give a thumbs up to the Unpolished Jade Tier cultivator, continuing, “But if it were me, and if I were to face the same dilemma as you, I would definitely do better than you.”

The thin and pallid bookkeeper with sunken cheeks was still rowing the boat as he spoke, but tears immediately rushed down his cheeks at this moment. “Since I’ve come across such a good lady, how can I possibly bear to let her down?”