Unsheathed

Zhang Ye, who had traveled over from faraway, and Chen Ping’an, who was leading his horse, walked together along the bubbling river that was like an emerald green silk ribbon.

Perhaps the scenery in this beautiful area was truly peaceful and serene, or perhaps he felt slightly reassured by the presence of the bookkeeper who could be regarded as part of their island. No matter the reason, Zhang Ye had experienced countless significant events in his lifetime and gradually started to calm down, slowly recounting to Chen Ping’an the sudden change that had swept through Bamboo Scroll Lake.

As it turned out, everyone had underestimated Su Gaoshan’s appetite. He was one of the great generals of the Great Li Empire’s heavy cavalry, and his eyes had been trained on the Luminous Vermilion Empire the entire time. After conquering the capital of the Stone Brush Nation with almost no effort, he surprisingly turned around with his army to invade another vassal state of the Luminous Vermilion Empire. Even though the war was bloody and tragic, Su Gaoshan still had the time to personally visit Bamboo Scroll Lake in a seemingly leisurely and carefree manner.

Su Gaoshan showed himself in public without trying to conceal anything, announcing to everyone that he was going to crush Bamboo Scroll Lake. Those who obeyed him would live, while those who disobeyed him would die. It was as simple as that. The concept of obeying him or disobeying him was even simpler. The vagrant cultivators who were willing to hand over all of their belongings could live and leave Bamboo Scroll Lake with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Those who were willing to hand over half of their belongings and join the army of the Great Li Empire as the lowest-ranked accompanying cultivators to attack the Luminous Vermilion Empire could also live and temporarily stay at Bamboo Scroll Lake. However, the ownership of the islands and mountains and whether or not they would have to relocate their forces and ancestral halls in the future was completely up to the discretion of the Great Li Empire.

Meanwhile, a new group of secretive cultivators from outside of Bamboo Scroll Lake had arrived at Palace Willow Island at the end of spring this year, becoming esteemed guests of the island. Following Su Gaoshan’s public appearance and loud proclamation to the tens of thousands of vagrant cultivators in Bamboo Scroll Lake, Liu Laocheng had personally led a group of cultivators to launch a surprise assault on Cyan Gorge Island last night.

Among the group of cultivators, one old cultivator had displayed paramount mystical abilities after Liu Laocheng shattered the protection formation of Cyan Gorge Island. He was undoubtedly at the Upper Five Tiers, and his full-power attack was shockingly able to annihilate the entire Hengbo Residence in a single go. Afterward, the other cultivators lying in wait had unleashed a dozen or so immortal treasures to create a formation, capturing Liu Zhimao who had been attempting to flee following his defeat in battle.

As Liu Zhimao was being marched to Palace Willow Island, Zhang Ye didn’t rush over to seek death upon realizing the dire nature of the situation. Instead, he had secretly fled through a tunnel hidden under the lake, rushing to the Stone Brush Nation as quickly as he could and using the guest elder jade tablet to find Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an didn’t say anything, allowing Zhang Ye to finish his explanation before he asked, “What is Liu Laocheng’s attitude toward all of this?”

Zhang Ye shook his head and replied, “I only learned afterward that Liu Laocheng never spoke a single word to anyone from the moment that the group of cultivators who were almost all earth immortals arrived at Palace Willow Island to the moment that our island master was caught and brought to Palace Willow Island. He didn’t meet with any cultivator from Bamboo Scroll Lake either.”

Zhang Ye sighed with emotion and continued, “Even though I resent Liu Laocheng immensely, I have to concede that he possesses the power and might expected of an Upper Five Tier vagrant cultivator.”

“I suppose that many vagrant cultivators in Bamboo Scroll Lake are viciously cursing Liu Laocheng in their minds right now, accusing him of being a traitor and a lapdog of the Great Li Empire,” Chen Ping’an said.

Zhang Ye smiled bitterly and replied, “The tens of thousands of vagrant cultivators in the one thousand or so islands have all been scared witless already, so just the mention of Liu Laocheng or Su Gaoshan is probably enough to make them shiver in fright right now.”

He then shook his head lightly and continued, “The little backbone and courage that remained in Bamboo Scroll Lake has been shattered once and for all. There was that perilous but perfect cooperation in the past, where the forces of Bamboo Scroll Lake all joined together to hunt and kill that Nascent Tier cultivator and Golden Core Tier sword cultivator from the outside. However, we’ll no longer be able to drink and discuss this matter with pride in the future.

“Liu Laocheng! Old Bandit Liu! I genuinely can’t imagine what kind of immense benefit he’s receiving to betray and sell out the entire Bamboo Scroll Lake like this! Back then, I was the one who received the command and spent almost ten long and difficult years searching for Hong Su, the woman guarding the entrance of the Vermilion Chord Residence. I finally found the reincarnation of the previous ruler of Bamboo Scroll Lake and brought her back to Cyan Gorge Island, and it’s because of this that I know that Liu Laocheng’s feelings toward Bamboo Scroll Lake aren’t as cold and apathetic as rumored in the outside world.”

Zhang Ye’s expression was pitiful as he stopped and squatted beside the river, appearing slightly adrift as he washed his face with river water.

The current situation seemingly made Zhang Ye feel even more anxious and helpless than the time his and Liu Zhimao’s island had been destroyed and sunk to the bottom of Bamboo Scroll Lake when they were still young and fighting their way to the top.

As one grew older, it was inevitable that one’s fighting spirit and ambition would start to wane.

This was especially the case since Zhang Ye only had sixty years left to live. Even if he wanted to sacrifice himself to take down his enemy, would his enemy entertain his fanciful wishes? Just a flick of their fingers, and Zhang Ye who was a relatively powerful Dragon Gate Tier cultivator in Bamboo Scroll Lake would disintegrate into ashes on the spot.

Walking forward with his horse and carrying a sword and saber on one waist, Chen Ping’an said calmly, “Being the kind of person that he is, Liu Laocheng definitely cares about more than just the title of ruler of Bamboo Scroll Lake now that he’s decided to return. When he visited Cyan Gorge Island and suppressed Gu Can as well as that flood dragon, he was simply putting up some smoke and mirrors. This was something that he didn’t necessarily need to do.

“In reality, all of the vagrant cultivators in Bamboo Scroll Lake could only wait for death and the judgment of these external forces regardless of whether Liu Laocheng did that or not. After all, Liu Laocheng was one of very few people who foresaw the unstoppable trend of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent sweeping over to Bamboo Scroll Lake.

“On the other hand, many vagrant cultivators mistakenly believed that Bamboo Scroll Lake could stand isolated from the unstoppable trend, feeling like things would be best if the outside world became increasingly chaotic. That way, they could seize the opportunity to make a profit just like they’re doing in the wartorn Stone Brush Nation right now. I’m sure that many of them have eaten their fill thanks to this calamity. However, they never imagined that they would become the next target right after making a huge profit. After working hard and saving for tens upon hundreds of years, who have they actually been working for?”

Zhang Ye was still squatting beside the river, and he could only say in helplessness, “We can’t completely blame Bamboo Scroll Lake for lacking foresight and vision. To put things bluntly, with the exception of Cyan Gorge Island and the opposing Azure Mound Island and Heavenly Governess Island, the remaining islands need to rely on the mood of the Great Li Empire’s heavy cavalry to see whether they’re willing to extend a coattail for them to ride on. They won’t necessarily be able to join the forces of the Great Li Empire regardless of how much they offer.”

Chen Ping’an nodded and concurred, “That’s indeed the case.”

Zhang Ye stood up and exhaled, continuing, “If the vagrant cultivators were truly smart and courageous enough to make big gambles, then they would have come to the Stone Brush Nation and made contact with the heavy cavalry of the Great Li Empire earlier, voluntarily pledging their loyalty. They would then simply need to become familiar with some generals in the army, allowing their names to be recorded in the official documents by the spies of the Great Li Empire’s Green Ripple Pavilion. That way, they would be making a huge profit right now, and they would also obtain many benefits when Bamboo Scroll Lake is divided up again in the future. That would be a true case of maximizing profits and obtaining as much as they could.

“In any case, Cyan Gorge Island did very well already, and our defeat can be attributed to the fact that we failed to make contact with Su Gaoshan the entire time, with our attention stagnating at Millet Grain Island’s Tan Yuanyi. In addition to that, there was also the sudden interference from Liu Laocheng. We were aiming for lofty heights, yet all of these factors came together and made us fall short.”

Chen Ping’an frowned and fell deep into thought, falling silent for a moment before asking in puzzlement, “Senior Zhang, do you know of any large sect-level immortal forces in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent that are intending to relocate their sect in the next ten years? Even if it’s only a vague sign or something that appears like a rumor, have you heard anything like this at all?”

Zhang Ye shook his head in dejection, replying, “No, I haven’t heard anything of the sort. For example, Sect Leader Qi of the Divine Edict Sect, the strongest sect in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, just became a Heavenly Lord and is enjoying great stability. The Divine Edict Sect is also a Daoist Sect full of Daoist immortals cultivating in tranquility, and they’ve never displayed any sign of wanting to expand outward.

“Listening to someone else’s casual conversations with the island master before, it seems like the Divine Edict Sect even recruited a group of official Daoist priests. This is very abnormal, and the island master went as far as to speculate whether the Divine Edict Sect has uncovered a new blessed land that they need to send people into.

“Apart from them, none of True Martial Mountain, the Wind Snow Temple, the Cloud Forest Jiang Clan, and Old Dragon City are showing any signs of wanting to expand or relocate.”

“I understand,” Chen Ping’an said with a nod.

Zhang Ye’s heart strings were extremely stretched and tense in the beginning, yet after they suddenly relaxed, his expression immediately reflected his extreme exhaustion and anxiety.

However, Zhang Ye smiled when he saw the young bookkeeper beside him. Even Mr. Chen wasn’t complaining about having a hard time yet, so wouldn’t he have wasted hundreds of years of his life if he wallowed in misery like a little girl now?

Zhang Ye recounted to Chen Ping’an his final conversation with Liu Zhimao in Hengbo Residence. He wasn’t putting in a good word for Liu Zhimao, and he was simply recounting things as they were.

The older generation of Bamboo Scroll Lake passed away one after another, while the younger generation of Bamboo Scroll Lake were each more domineering than the other. Having started off as an official immortal, Zhang Ye could no longer find someone to chat with. As he approached the end of his life, however, he unexpectedly came across another cultivator just like him, someone who endured hardships for seemingly no benefit. He couldn’t stop talking once he started, but he still made sure to pay attention to the skinny young man’s expression. Seeing that he wasn’t becoming annoyed or impatient, Zhang Ye finally felt at ease.

Chen Ping’an listened patiently the entire time.

When Zhang Ye finally ran out of things to say, Chen Ping’an warned in a quiet voice, “Senior Zhang, it’s best that you don’t return to Bamboo Scroll Lake. Nothing can be done to rectify the situation, so you’re better off staying far away to silently observe the progression of events.”

Zhang Ye shook his head, sighing with emotion and asking, “Where can I go? Cyan Gorge Island is my home. If these sudden changes hadn’t taken place, I wouldn’t have minded finding a place beside Bamboo Scroll Lake similar to the summer resorts of wealthy nobles to live out the rest of my life in peace.”

Chen Ping’an hesitated briefly before replying, “Senior Zhang, can I ask you something slightly off-topic? In the eyes of experienced Dragon Gate Tier cultivators like you, are you able to vaguely sense with your heart the… aura of a place when you pass by? Or has Liu Zhimao ever mentioned something like this before?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “The island master has never mentioned something like this before, and I’ve never had the ability to detect any such aura either. Regarding the observation of fortunes and auras in an area, this is the core ability of deities of the mountains and waters. I surmise that even earth immortals aren’t able to observe these things clearly.

“As for powerful cultivators like Island Master Liu Zhimao who are only a single step away from advancing to the Upper Five Tiers, it’s difficult for me to say whether they possess such abilities or not. After all, even immortal observation techniques will only allow one to observe physical matters. These techniques are unable to communicate ethereal and intangible matters like aura and fortune.”

Chen Ping’an was extremely hesitant, wanting to say something but deciding against it in the end.

Zhang Ye suddenly laughed loudly and remarked, “What’s wrong, Mr. Chen? This is the difficulty that comes with being a good person. You’re clearly working for the benefit of other people, yet you’re weighing things up even more carefully than when you’re working for the benefit of yourself? Mr. Chen, there’s a saying that I couldn’t tell you because we weren’t that familiar with each other before. Now, however, we’re not necessarily friends yet, but it’s hard to say whether I’ll be alive or dead tomorrow. So, excuse me for speaking these principles to you.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Please go ahead, Senior Zhang.”

Zhang Ye looked at the young man in front of him, remaining silent for a long time before chuckling and saying, “I suddenly have nothing to say anymore. What should I do now?”

Chen Ping’an felt slightly helpless, and he could only grab his Sword Nurturing Gourd to drink some wine and lift his spirits.

Just listening to Zhang Ye recount the sudden changes that had swept through Cyan Gorge Island had already been incredibly exhausting. This sudden change would force changes in all other areas, so Chen Ping’an would definitely become even busier and more exhausted when making plans in the future.

“There’s a small immortal force that only just moved into the easternmost side of Descending Falcon Mountain, and I detected a strange aura in that area when I was passing by,” Chen Ping’an said. “If Senior Zhang is willing to trust me, then why don’t you settle down in that area first? Just treat it as a way to calm down and relax your mind. The worst-case scenario right now is Liu Zhimao being killed in Palace Willow Island to serve as a warning to everyone else in Bamboo Scroll Lake. At that time, no one will be able to stop Senior Zhang from doing what he wants. I definitely won’t try to stop you either.

“No matter what, this is better than returning to Cyan Gorge Island right now. Your return might be viewed as some sort of formless provocation, and it’s entirely possible that you’ll be captured and thrown into the water dungeon in Palace Willow Island as well. Perhaps Senior Zhang isn’t afraid of this, and you might even feel happy to see Liu Zhimao again.

“However, only Hengbo Residence has been targeted right now, and Cyan Gorge Island is yet to completely collapse. Including White Fish Island, none of the other vassal islands have been affected either. This means that Cyan Gorge Island needs someone to stand up and lead if there’s a positive turn in the future. I’m not a suitable candidate, and I’m not willing to take this role either. However, Senior Zhang is the person whom Liu Zhimao trusts most in Cyan Gorge Island, so you’ll be able to convince and lead the island even if your cultivation base isn’t very high.”

Zhang Ye thought about this carefully before nodding and saying in self-ridicule, “I’m destined to have a toilsome life.”

Zhang Ye suddenly used his mind’s voice to tell Chen Ping’an, “Be careful of Palace Willow Island trying to use me as bait. If this is true, then why are they taking this extra step? Why don’t they directly use Gu Can and the Spring Courtyard Mansion as bait? I can’t make sense of this, but I’m sure that there are many considerations to justify such a decision. Of course, Mr. Chen has most likely realized this already, so I’m simply pushing my luck and trying to put myself at ease. From the moment that I left Cyan Gorge Island, the weight was already lifted off my shoulders and placed by me onto Mr. Chen’s shoulders instead.”

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly and replied, “Even so, there are some words that still need to be said. At the very least, saying these words will make both sides feel much better. This is a small principle that I just learned from a young man with the surname Guan.”

“Mr. Chen needs to learn principles from other people?” Zhang Ye teased.

Chen Ping’an pointed at Zhang Ye, following which he pointed at Ma Duyi and Zeng Ye. He then casually drew a circle around the village located at the foot of Descending Falcon Mountain and said, “There are countless principles that exist beyond the books, and to use a small example from just then, even the villagers over there understood the etiquette of giving way and allowing others to finish crossing the bridge first. However, how many lofty cultivators from the mountains are willing to adhere to these minor principles?”

The gloominess in Zhang Ye’s mind cleared slightly as he replied, “Then I’ll listen to Mr. Chen’s suggestion and head to that small mountain first. I’ll also wander around and look for some principles. How does that sound?”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly and replied, “That sounds like a good plan.”

Zhang Ye looked around at his surroundings. How many years had it been since he had last calmed down to observe the scenery of the mortal world beyond the mountains?

“I won’t immediately rush back to Bamboo Scroll Lake for the sake of Liu Zhimao. I still have my own things to do first, and even if I go to Bamboo Scroll Lake, I’ll only do what’s within my ability,” Chen Ping’an said.

Zhang Ye nodded and replied, “I would have definitely been riddled with extreme worry if I had heard this answer from you right after we met. Now, however, I don’t have the heart or the fighting spirit anymore, nor do I dare to force others to cater to my whim. Mr. Chen, please deal with this situation as you see fit.”

“There are some polite words that still need to be said,” Chen Ping’an and Zhang Ye said in unison.

The two of them exchanged a smile.

Zhang Ye straightened his collar and took his leave, not soaring away on the wind but instead walking across the small bridge over the river, slowly and steadily.

Chen Ping’an, Ma Duyi, and Zeng Ye walked along the small bluestone paths of the village with their horses, and after climbing up the mountain, the mountain gate of Descending Falcon Mountain didn’t turn them away. In fact, the mountain gate was just a small archway building that didn’t even have a guarding cultivator.

Descending Falcon Mountain maintained a single lineage system, and even if there was more than one lineage in the ancestral hall of the sect, it was still only a very small number. Disregarding the guest elders, there were probably fewer than twenty actual cultivators in Descending Falcon Mountain. However, atop Descending Falcon Mountain was a place similar to the Parasol Leaf Continent’s Sky Calling Street and Pond Water City’s Ape Crying Street. After all, it was an ironclad principle that immortals needed to use silver to forge a path when they cultivated. As such, Descending Falcon Mountain didn’t appear too deserted even though there were so few cultivators.

Chen Ping’an turned around and looked back.

Zhang Ye was already nowhere to be seen.

Was Zhang Ye not disappointed? He hadn’t received the answer he wanted to hear from Chen Ping’an, and Liu Zhimao was now in grave danger as a prisoner of Palace Willow Island. In fact, it was extremely likely that his path of the Great Dao would be severed just like this. With all this in mind, Zhang Ye was naturally as disappointed as could be.

However…

Being disappointed was one matter, and being able to push aside the disappointment to carry out one’s responsibility was another matter altogether. This was a test of one’s character and willpower.

Because of this, Chen Ping’an felt respect for people like Zhang Ye, Guan Yiran, the ghost general he had encountered by chance in the Daoist enforcer temple, Yellow Barrier Mountain’s Su Xinzhai, and so on.

When one walked along a muddy path full of hardships, one would never know whether one would come across stronger winds and snowstorms, or whether one would come across one or two good people who were like flickering lights in the world.