Unsheathed

Li Er fell silent for a long time, seemingly recalling some matters from the past. He sighed with emotion in a rare sight. “Going beyond realism, and the intent of implied meaning — this was what Zheng Dafeng said after learning fist techniques in the past. He mumbled the same thing many times, and I remembered it even though I didn’t think much about it. You can think about it and see if it’s useful. Zheng Dafeng’s method of learning fist techniques was quite different from mine, and there’s no notion of whose fist principle is superior or inferior. If you have the chance, you can discuss these matters with him when you return to Downtrodden Mountain.

“It’s only because Zheng Dafeng’s fist intent is weaker than mine that his fist techniques appear inferior to mine. When he started learning fist techniques back then, he always complained about our master showing favoritism, believing that our master was purposely slowing him down when guiding us along our paths of mastering fist techniques, with one delayed step causing him to perpetually fall behind.

“However, he eventually understood the situation by himself afterward, although he was never willing to verbally admit to it. So, I’m actually quite annoyed at his crappy mouth. He’s a gatekeeper, yet there’s never a gate on his mouth, regardless of whether it’s morning or night. Because of this, I’ve beaten him up quite a lot during our sparring sessions.”

Li Er clenched his hands into fists, with his body leaning forward ever so slightly. However, just this simple and habitual movement caused his spine to arch like a majestic and towering mountain.

This was fist intent.

“When a person achieves initial success with fist arts, fist intent will slowly flow through their body as they sleep, instantly waking them when an enemy appears, almost as if a deity is watching over them,” Li Er said slowly. “This is the case when they’re asleep, to say nothing of the case when they’re awake. That being the case, do martial artists need any accompanying immortal treasures? This is the same principle as sword cultivators not needing any other weapons.”

Li Er smiled and threw a gentle punch at the mirror, after which he changed his fist into a palm before clenching it into a fist again. “Holding up the sky with one’s head, gripping the earth with one’s feet, and retracting one’s fists as if carrying an infant. This is a state of combining strength with gentleness. Blindly pursuing one extreme has never been the true essence of fist principles. By combining the two, one can achieve better flow and control the longer one practices fist techniques.

“Why do I feel like Cui Cheng’s Deity Drumming Technique is a good fist technique? In fact, why can it be regarded as one of the best fist techniques in the world? This is because it looks vicious, but it also captures the essence of a person throwing punches rather than a person following their punches.”

Chen Ping’an felt slightly puzzled and curious, but it wasn’t especially appropriate to ask the question in his mind.

This was because Chen Ping’an wanted to know how Li Er viewed Senior Cui, who was residing on the second floor of Downtrodden Mountain’s bamboo building. What kind of pure martial artist did Li Er see him as?

Having mentioned the Deity Drumming Technique, Li Er naturally needed to talk about that old man as well. He gazed into the distance and said, “Old Senior Cui is a peculiar person, and it can be said that the fist technique he’s taught you is a true inheritance, something beyond just sparring and teaching fist techniques. Cui Cheng has seemingly taught you nothing more than the firmest and most vicious fist techniques, but in reality, it has complemented your gentle personality, which can’t be regarded as firm at all. This is the ability of a true grandmaster. I’m unable to do the same.”

After saying this, Li Er shook his head and stressed, “I definitely can’t do the same.”

Chen Ping’an heaved a faint sigh.

Thinking back to that torturous period on the second floor of the bamboo building, even someone like Chen Ping’an, who wasn’t afraid of pain, had to obediently lie on the wooden bed on the first floor and secretly cry into his blankets one time.

“In other words, when it comes to you learning fist techniques, it’s genuinely the case that only Cui Cheng can teach you the fundamental principles first, while I can help you mend your fist intent afterward. This is the correct path. If I taught you first and Cui Cheng taught you afterward, then you would have spent ten kilograms of seeds to yield seven kilograms of crops. That would have been pointless and ineffective,” Li Er said.

Another question popped into Chen Ping’an’s mind.

Why didn’t Li Er spar with Cui Cheng?

Li Er had visited the Dragon Spring Prefecture once after leaving the Jewel Small World.

However, the two tenth tier martial artists who were standing at the pinnacle of the martial arts world hadn’t exchanged punches with each other.

It was a pity that Li Er didn’t mention this matter.

Li Er patted his knee before standing up and chuckling. “Alright, that’s about everything I wanted to say. I’ve spoken more today than the sum of what I’ve spoken in the Northern Complete Reed Continent over the past few years. Now, I’ll use the strength of a ninth tier martial artist to face your Mountain Shaking Fist. Rest assured, I won’t mix in punches at the tenth tier. However, I suggest you don’t get too happy just yet. This ninth tier will be very solid.

“In any case, your Aunt Liu wanted you to stay for a few more days at the fabric shop, but I didn’t agree to her request. After all, that would delay your journey, no? However, you’ve asked for these sparring sessions yourself, so it’s your own fault even if you’re pummeled to a state where you have to slowly rest and recuperate for two or three months, finding it difficult to even walk. You can’t blame anyone else.”

Chen Ping’an was stupefied.

Seriously?

However, a fist immediately blasted toward him.

Chen Ping’an knew that things were bad, and he attempted to raise his arms to block the attack. Even so, he was sent tumbling back by the punch, directly falling off the colossal mirror and plummeting into the water.

————

Not only did Cui Cheng not teach Pei Qian fist techniques today, but he even dressed in Confucian robes and no longer went barefoot. Instead, he wore a pair of boots that Chen Ruchu had helped prepare earlier and walked down from the second floor of the bamboo building, arriving at the first floor with his hands clasped behind his back and looking at the characters on the walls. These were the talismanic characters that Li Xisheng had written in the past. The characters were written extremely well.

Cui Cheng was the old clan leader of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent’s Cui Clan, and Cui Chan’s earlier studies had all been under the guidance of Cui Cheng, so the old man was naturally very knowledgeable about the quality of essays and calligraphy characters in the world.

The characters written on the bamboo building were filled with abundant intent, or else they wouldn’t have caused the entire Downtrodden Mountain to sink down when they were completed.

At the same time, it was thanks to these characters that Cui Cheng was able to break free from his fate as a pitiful madman, which had already plagued him for close to one hundred years. In fact, he was even able to maintain a sense of clarity.

Pei Qian had already run off to play, accompanied by her little follower, Zhou Mili. She said she was going to Dragon Riding Alley to check out the two stores, seeing if they lost money due to her absence. She also needed to carefully go over the account books, lest the temporary shopkeeper in Shi Rou take advantage of her position to pocket some of the earnings.

The old man didn’t stop her. She was only a young pipsqueak, so should she not have some spirit and vigor? Perhaps she should copy old relics like him, becoming spiritless and lacking vitality?

Cui Cheng pushed open a bamboo door on the first level. This was both a study and a bedroom.

The room was sparkling clean thanks to Chen Ruchu, with not a speck of dust to be seen.

After leaving the room, Cui Cheng paid a visit to Cloud Drape Mountain’s Forest Deer Academy. When he returned, he sat beside a stone table near the cliff. Chen Ruchu hadn’t left the mountains with Pei Qian, seeing that there were still many matters in the mountains to attend to. She would attend to all of these matters in a timely manner.

When Chen Ruchu saw Mr. Cui leaving the bamboo building, she hurriedly brought him a large red box of food, placing the pot of wine as well as the various dishes on the stone table. Cui Cheng smiled and asked why there weren’t any roasted seeds, causing the little girl in pink to blush and smile in embarrassment as she grabbed several large handfuls of roasted seeds from her pockets and placed them on the table.

Chen Lingjun still liked to aimlessly wander around by himself, and when he saw the old man sitting on a stone chair and drinking by himself today, he furiously rubbed his eyes before looking over again. He discovered that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him.

Chen Lingjun didn’t dare to act friendly with this old man, especially since Cui Cheng belonged to the type of person who could kill him with a single punch in the Dragon Spring Prefecture.

However, Cui Cheng unexpectedly beckoned to him and said, “Come here and take a seat.”

There was a bitter expression on Chen Lingjun’s face as he asked, “Old Senior, will you beat me up if I don’t go over?”

Cui Cheng nodded in response.

Chen Lingjun immediately sprinted over. A great person knew when to yield and when to stand tall. Otherwise, how could he have survived in the Dragon Spring Prefecture until today? By relying on his cultivation base?

“Is it very fun to purposely lose money from time to time?” Cui Cheng asked with a smile.

“What?” Chen Lingjun asked as he blinked his eyes.

Cui Cheng didn’t press any further upon seeing him play dumb, and he casually asked, “Has Chen Ping’an not encouraged you to draw a clear boundary between you and your brother river god from the Imperial River before?”

Chen Lingjun shook his head and lightly raised his sleeve to wipe the surface of the stone table that was already cleaner than a mirror, replying, “He’s even more of a foolishly kind person than I am, blindly displaying chivalry and carelessly giving away money. He won’t say such things to me. In fact, he’ll even help me show off at my own cost.”

“Half of Chen Ping’an’s reason for traveling around the Northern Complete Reed Continent is because of you. Walking several thousand kilometers along the Plenty River is no easy task,” Cui Cheng said.

Chen Lingjun fell silent.

Cui Cheng picked up an empty wine cup and poured some wine, handing it to the little boy in azure sitting opposite him.

“Old Senior, this isn’t punishment wine, is it?” Chen Lingjun asked in fear and trepidation. “I work diligently at Downtrodden Mountain every single day, slaving away and genuinely not doing a single bad thing.”

“Just drink it,” Cui Cheng said with a chuckle.

Chen Lingjun accepted the wine cup, appearing extremely pitiful as he took a small sip.

“Chen Ping’an is treating you very well, so are you able to treat other people half as well in the future?” Cui Cheng asked.

“Perhaps I can?” Chen Lingjun replied in a quiet voice.

“This is enough,” Cui Cheng said with a smile.

It was Chen Lingjun’s turn to feel puzzled, and he repeated, “This is enough?”

Cui Cheng smiled and didn’t say anything.

“You’re not Chen Ping’an, so what you say won’t necessarily be accurate,” Chen Lingjun mumbled.

“Do you want to make a bet?” Cui Cheng asked in amusement.

“I truly don’t have any spare money left!” Chen Lingjun wailed in grief. “I only have the untouchable money set aside for my future marriage left, and not even a single copper coin can be taken away from these savings. I genuinely can’t use this money!”

“Have you thought about why you’re trying so hard to pretend that you fear me, even though you aren’t actually very scared of me?” Cui Cheng asked. “When you come across a person or a matter that you’re unable to deal with, perhaps you’ll even dare to think about coming to me for help, no?”

Chen Lingjun lowered his head and clenched one hand into a fist, drawing circles around the wine cup as he replied in a quiet voice, “That’s because of my kind-hearted master.”

“Then have you thought about why Chen Ping’an was willing to let you stay at Downtrodden Mountain, not treating you any worse than he treats other people?” Cui Cheng continued to ask.

“Because he’s a foolishly kind person,” Chen Lingjun replied in a glum voice.

Cui Cheng smiled and said, “Because you’re also not bad in Chen Ping’an’s eyes.”

“Bullcrap,” Chen Lingjun retorted in a quiet voice.

“What was that?” Cui Cheng asked.

Chen Lingjun immediately looked up and held the wine cup with both hands, putting on a dazzling smile as he suggested, “Old man, how about a toast between us two brothers?”

However, he immediately froze after saying this.

Us two brothers? Was he asking for death?

Sigh… His habits from the martial world not only made him the butt of jokes, but it was even going to cost him his life.

However, Chen Lingjun would have never imagined that not only did Cui Cheng not become angry, but he even raised his wine cup and said with a chuckle, “Bottoms up.”

Chen Lingjun still felt uneasy after downing the wine.

Cui Cheng didn’t keep the little bastard for too long either, saying, “Chen Ping’an isn’t someone to speak very politely to those close to him, so you can think more about whether you’re looking down on yourself too much. There are definitely some qualities you possess that Chen Ping’an feels like he can’t emulate or achieve.”

Chen Lingjun nodded earnestly before standing up and bowing respectfully as he bade farewell. He walked away slowly, after which he suddenly started to frenziedly sprint into the distance. After running far away, he couldn’t help but stop and look back.

Old Man Cui seemingly appeared slightly strange today.

Cui Cheng continued to drink by himself.

When he was young, he felt like there was a blade in his heart that was peerlessly sharp and would remain undamaged forever.

————

After another fist training session…

Today was a rare case where Chen Ping’an was only caked in blood but still able to sit up. In fact, he was even able to cup some water to wash his face.

Li Er was sitting nearby.

Chen Ping’an retrieved two pots of rice wine, one for each of them, drinking as they chatted casually.

This was because Li Er said that they didn’t need to drink immortal wine.

This was a so-called casual conversation, but it was actually just Chen Ping’an rambling on about the past.

Before he knew it, he had already moved on from the Northern Complete Reed Continent to the Parasol Leaf Continent, and then to the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent and his hometown.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “I remember the first time I went to Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Alley to deliver letters and earn copper coins. I was accustomed to walking along the dirt paths of Clay Vase Alley and the dragon kilns, and that was my first time setting foot on streets paved with bluestone slabs. At that time, I was afraid of my straw sandals dirtying the street, so much so that I almost forgot how to walk.

“Afterward, when I was accompanying Li Baoping, Li Huai, and the others to the Great Sui Nation, we were guests at an old assistant minister’s residence in the Yellow Court Nation, and I felt much the same way when we sat down to eat. When I stayed at an immortal inn for the first time, I pretended to be calm and composed as I forced myself to control my gaze. It was quite difficult.

“There was also a meal at Bamboo Scroll Lake organized by Gu Can, and at the table was a fleeing prince, the son of a great general, and also the disciple of an esteemed immortal. If I disregarded my disappointment in Gu Can, then I would have felt slightly happy in the depths of my heart when I saw that snotty little kid being able to interact with them so calmly and naturally. This is the selfishness that Spiritual Master Fire Dragon was talking about. Back then, I felt like the snotty little kid who always followed me around could seemingly live a good life even without Chen Ping’an. During my time at Bamboo Scroll Lake, that was the one and only time when I felt the strongest urge to leave without dealing with the mess. It surprisingly wasn’t during any of the later interactions.

“There are many matters that I’m not used to. However, I can only adapt to them regardless of whether I like them or dislike them.

“What is the martial world? And what are immortals?

“I’ve widened my eyes and looked intently at all of the unfamiliar people and unfamiliar matters. There were many things I didn’t understand in the beginning, and there are also some things I understood afterward but still didn’t accept.”

“It feels fairly bad?” Li Er asked.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “I just feel a bit annoyed. However, there are times when I think to myself that my journey to this point involves more than just bad experiences. In any case, I’ve personally witnessed so many people suffering more hardships than me in the world, yet they’re still unable to enjoy any improvements to their lives. Rather, it’s as if hardships will never stop seeking them out. Who can they complain to? They have no option but to endure it, facing the hardships one day at a time.

“If they can’t endure it, then they’ll be like the many people from the small alleys in our hometown, becoming very sick and drinking some medicine in a performative manner, dying very soon afterward. Their relatives will understand, and the bedridden victim of the suffering will understand even better. It’s not that they don’t feel grief, but rather that they truly can’t say anything to help.

“If I have to leave this world one day, then I definitely want the others to remember me. They might feel sad, but they definitely can’t feel nothing beyond sadness. When they don’t feel so sad anymore and are able to go about their own lives, they can occasionally think about the person called Chen Ping’an with whom they were acquainted before. There were some things in the world, no matter big or small, that only Chen Ping’an was willing to do, and succeeded in doing.”

In the end, Chen Ping’an sipped wine and gazed into the distance, saying with a faint smile, “I feel very happy whenever I think about being able to eat a dish of stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots each winter. It’s as if winter will depart and spring will arrive when I put down my chopsticks.”

Li Er turned around and looked at the young man.

He had a feeling of deja vu.