Unsheathed

After the event, Zhu Quan approached Cui Dongshan to ask him how the Flax Robe Sect could repay him. She told him that as long as he stated a price, the Flax Robe Sect would be sure to satisfy him, even if they had to sell off assets and borrow money.

Cui Dongshan didn’t pass up on this opportunity. He demanded that Du Wensi and Pang Lanxi had to become guest elders of Downtrodden Mountain after they reached the Nascent Tier. However, their guest elder status would only be an unofficial one, so Downtrodden Mountain wouldn’t make them do anything, unless they wanted to, of course.

At the time, Zhu Quan had been quite taken aback by how little compensation Cui Dongshan had asked for.

A guilt-ridden look had appeared on her face as she sighed. “It was truly wrong of Chen Ping’an not to have mentioned you to me at all! What a heartless bastard! I’ll be sure to give him a piece of my mind next time he comes to Skeleton Shoal!”

Tears instantly welled up in Cui Dongshan’s eyes as he accused in a pitiable manner, “Did you really have to bring that up again? I think you’re the heartless one, Big Sister Zhu!”

“Chen Ping’an should be proud to have a student like you,” Zhu Quan praised.

“Likewise, my teacher should be just as proud to have a friend like you,” Cui Dongshan replied. “It’s a complete travesty that a fine woman like you still doesn’t have a Dao partner.”

The two of them almost got into a fight after this exchange of backhanded insults, and Zhu Quan was still furious even as she traveled to Green Cottage Town.

Wei Yusong was a very shrewd and experienced businessman. Otherwise, with an unreliable sect leader like Zhu Quan and a bunch of just as unreliable elders like Yan Su, the Flax Robe Sect would’ve been slowly whittled down by Skeleton Wall City until there was nothing left. Whenever Wei Yusong went to attend meetings in the ancestral hall, he was always very stern and harsh, even to Zhu Quan and Yan Su, the latter of whom was his master.

Furthermore, he always liked to bring his account books with him, flipping through the pages one by one while making barbed remarks at everyone. Over time, his seniors in the ancestral hall grew accustomed to his scathing words, and they merely pretended not to be able to hear him.

Wei Yusong was naturally not opposed to the idea of helping the Spring Dew Garden transport its goods to the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, but some thought had to be put into the revenue share model.

As Wei Yusong pulled out his account books again, Yan Su and Pang Shanling began habitually tuning out what he was about to say next. Cui Dongshan didn’t see it fit to inject himself into the conversation, so he began making faces at Pang Lanxi, who was very apprehensive of him. He was still a young boy, and he was worried that his beloved childhood friend would develop feelings for someone as absurdly handsome as Cui Dongshan.

His concerns were further compounded when, during his last visit to her shop, she casually brought up Cui Dongshan in their conversation. Granted, all she said was that Cui Dongshan had a rather strange personality, but the fact that she had mentioned her at all was enough to make Pang Lanxi feel very uneasy.

Thus, he had been deeply concerned of late, and he really wanted to tell Chen Ping’an about his woes.

As Chen Ping’an began bartering with Wei Yusong, he discovered, much to his exasperation, that the latter was ridiculously stingy. In the pursuit of greater profits, it seemed that he didn’t care at all about his dignity as an elder of such a powerful sect.

Whenever he encountered any opposition from Chen Ping’an in the negotiations, Wei Yusong would immediately bring up another one of the ancestral hall’s old ancestors, who was currently away from the sect. He proclaimed that this old ancestor was extremely pedantic and strict when it came to the finances of the sect, micromanaging everything down to the very last snowflake coin.

Apparently, anyone who was even suspected of doing anything that harmed the interests of the sect would be subjected to a brutal dressing down from this old ancestor. Wei Yusong also painted himself in a very pitiful light, claiming that he was nothing more than a punching bag of the Flax Robe Sect ancestral hall.

Everyone was constantly demanding money from him, and if he refused to comply, then they would pressure him with their superior cultivation base or seniority until he was forced to cave to their demands.

If one were to believe Wei Yusong, then it felt like he may as well have been a doormat in the Flax Robe Sect, one that everyone in the sect could trample all over without any regard for consequences.

Powerless to do anything, Chen Ping’an could only set down his teacup before clearing his throat.

Cui Dongshan was on the verge of dozing off into a nap, but he immediately sat bolt upright as he declared, “There are actually still some more improvements that could be made to the mountain-protection formation.”

This seemed to have been precisely what Wei Yusong had been waiting to hear, and he immediately slammed a hand down onto the table as he declared, “We’ll do exactly as you say, Young Master Chen!”

“I hope this isn’t going to make things difficult for you in the Flax Robe Sect,” Chen Ping’an said in an earnest manner.

A proud look appeared on Wei Yusong’s face as he scoffed, “Nonsense! When it comes to the finances of the Flax Robe Sect, no one can tell me what to do, not even the gods, let alone Sect Leader Zhu!”

Chen Ping’an feigned a look of realization as he smiled and nodded, while Wei Yusong’s smile remained unchanged.

***

Wei Yusong, Yan Su, and Pang Shanling departed together.

Wei Yusong insisted on catching up with Cui Dongshan, so the latter could only go with him.

That left only Chen Ping’an and Pang Lanxi, the latter of whom sat down as he asked in a quiet voice, “Is Senior Cui really your student, Mr. Chen?”

Chen Ping’an nodded as he replied, “It’s very normal for you to be skeptical.”

Pang Lanxi wanted to say something, but was rather hesitant.

“If you have something to ask of me, but find it difficult to begin, then…” Chen Ping’an’s voice trailed off here as he raised his hands and made a gesture.

Pang Lanxi immediately understood what he was referring to, and he quickly departed from the courtyard, then returned shortly thereafter before setting a pair of wooden boxes down onto the table.

Additionally, there was also a letter from Cloudtop City. Pang Lanxi was the recipient, and it was to be passed on to Chen Haoren.

Chen Ping’an tucked the letter up his sleeve, then smiled as he asked, “Isn’t that better? Don’t you have much more confidence to state your request now?”

“I’m a little worried, Mr. Chen,” Pang Lanxi admitted in a quiet voice.

Chen Ping’an immediately realized the cause for Pang Lanxi’s concern.

He was an extremely talented young boy who didn’t have to worry about his cultivation. The other potential cause for concern for him was the survival of the Flax Robe Sect, but there was no ongoing crisis that currently threatened the sect’s existence.

Actually, it was more accurate to say that the sect was constantly under threat of destruction, so all of its cultivators had already grown accustomed to its perpetual state of peril. In that case, that left only one other possible cause for concern.

“Tell me what’s gotten you so worried, and I’ll help you analyze the situation,” Chen Ping’an encouraged with a smile.

Pang Lanxi told Chen Ping’an what had him feeling so worried, and it really wasn’t anything significant, but for a boy his age, it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Chen Ping’an had to suppress his amusement as he put on a thoughtful expression and said, “There’s no need for you to worry. The girl that you like definitely won’t abandon you for Cui Dongshan, and Cui Dongshan definitely won’t fall in love with someone like her, either.”

Pang Lanxi was furious to hear this.

“How could you say that, Mr. Chen? What do you mean by ‘someone like her?’ You make it sound like she’s unworthy of him or something!”

Since when had Mr. Chen become so callous? He wasn’t like this in the past!

Chen Ping’an was unable to suppress an amused smile, while Pang Lanxi scratched his head in embarrassment at his incensed outburst.

With that, his concerns had completely evaporated, and at the same time, a sense of newfound conviction had arisen in his heart. He was determined to work even harder in his cultivation and show her that she was right for choosing him, that this was a decision that she would never come to regret.

“That girl doesn’t like you because you’re a cultivation prodigy,” Chen Ping’an said. “However, if you can prove that you really are every bit the prodigy that you’ve been made out to be, then she’ll be even happier, both for you and for herself.”

“Really?” Pang Lanxi asked in a vulnerable voice.

“Really,” Chen Ping’an confirmed with a nod. “This is something that I’m absolutely certain of.”

Pang Lanxi sprawled down onto the table in an absentminded manner, while Chen Ping’an opened one of the wooden boxes and pulled out a divine maiden mural replica before spreading it out onto the table.

He carefully examined the portrait, and it truly was one of Pang Shanling’s finest works.

“There must be many girls who like you, right, Mr. Chen?” Pang Lanxi suddenly asked.

“Not at all,” Chen Ping’an denied with a shake of his head as he carefully placed the portrait back into the box.

“I don’t believe you,” Pang Lanxi said with an unconvinced shake of his head.

Chen Ping’an opened the letter from Xu Xingjiu, which was very concise, informing Chen Ping’an of Cloudtop City’s current situation. He also declared in his letter that he was ready to set off again and that he would visit the Great Emblem Sword Sect a second time after Liu Jinglong had fought his three challengers. This time, it would be a long journey going all the way up to the Great Emblem Sword Sect in the north and down to Skeleton Shoal in the south.

After reading through the letter, Chen Ping’an said, “The one who wrote this letter is a friend of mine. His name is Xu Xingjiu, and he comes from Cloudtop City. He may come to visit Wood Garment Mountain in the future.

“If you have some spare time when he comes to visit, you can perhaps meet him, but if you’re busy, then there’s no need to go out of your way to see him, and I’m serious when I say that. Just because he’s my friend doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll become your friend, so there’s no need to try and force anything.”

Pang Lanxi nodded as he replied, “Alright, I’ll send a letter to Cloudtop City later to arrange a time for us to meet. As for whether we’ll become friends or not, I’ll see when the time comes.”

At the same time, he was thinking to himself that any friend of Mr. Chen’s was surely at least worth meeting.

Even though Pang Lanxi had no involvement in the administrative affairs of the Flax Robe Sect, there were only so few cultivators in the entire sect, so he had come to learn some things, nevertheless. He knew that the Flax Robe Sect didn’t necessarily despise the Spring Dew Garden, but they definitely weren’t on friendly terms, either.

All of their dealings were strictly for business purposes. The Spring Dew Garden was a little too money-driven, and that was not a trait that cultivators of the Flax Robe Sect were very fond of. Hence, over the years, the Spring Dew Garden had constantly been trying to appease Wei Yusong, but they didn’t dare to go overboard in their approach.

Furthermore, Song Lanqiao, who was in charge of the Spring Dew Garden immortal ship, could barely even get a word in with Wei Yusong. After all, Wei Yusong possessed a very lofty status in the Flax Robe Sect, and he was also renowned for his stern, no-nonsense personality.

However, Pang Lanxi noticed that as soon as Chen Ping’an proposed an intercontinental collaborative business partnership between Downtrodden Mountain, the Spring Dew Garden, and the Flax Robe Sect, Wei Yusong had been receptive to the idea. Pang Lanxi was almost certain that Wei Yusong would’ve instantly turned down the idea had it been proposed by just about anyone else.

Pang Lanxi felt like this was also an area in which he had much to learn from Mr. Chen.

Interacting with others and the world around oneself was a very important skill, and one that wasn’t so easy to master.

“Did you know that the more concern you displayed over Cui Dongshan, the more pleased the girl you like felt?” Chen Ping’an asked. “That’s why she seems more cheerful whenever she brings up Cui Dongshan. You have to realize that the mention of Cui Dongshan isn’t what’s putting her in a good mood. Instead, it’s the anxiety that she could sense from you.”

A look of enlightenment instantly appeared on Pang Lanxi’s face, followed by a vibrant smile.

“What are you still doing here? This is the perfect time to go and see her!” Chen Ping’an urged.

“You always have such invaluable advice for me, Mr. Chen. I should’ve asked for an extra set of mural replicas from my great-grandfather for you,” Pang Lanxi said as he rose to his feet, then promptly departed.

Chen Ping’an was left to sit in the courtyard on his own, and some time later, Cui Dongshan returned, only to see a brick placed on the table in front of his teacher.

A sense of panic instantly rose up in his heart, and he immediately stopped cold in his tracks as he hurriedly said, “I had no idea that Pei Qian had taken up martial arts, Teacher! Zhu Lian, Zheng Dafeng, and Wei Bo were the ones who kept this a secret from you! It has nothing to do with me! I swear!”

“I never intended to blame you,” Chen Ping’an scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “I know who are the ones that are at fault here.”

A wide smile immediately appeared on Cui Dongshan’s face as he offered, “I’d be glad to help if you want to teach those three a lesson!”

Chen Ping’an ignored Cui Dongshan’s offer as he pointed at the brick from the Daoist temple, which still retained some of its water fortune and Dao intent, and said, “I’ve gathered a total of thirty-six of these bricks. I’m planning to pave them onto the ground on Downtrodden Mountain for six people to practice their fist techniques, namely me, Pei Qian, Zhu Lian, Zheng Dafeng, Lu Baixiang, and Cen Yuanji.”

Cui Dongshan was instantly distraught, pointing at himself as he wailed in despair, “What about me, Teacher? I’m your most prized disciple!”

“Fine, you can have my share,” Chen Ping’an sighed in an exasperated manner.

A wide grin instantly appeared on Cui Dongshan’s face as he said, “My tears of sorrow have just turned into tears of joy. Thank you, Teacher!”

Chen Ping’an glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and he immediately sat down in an obedient manner.

Chen Ping’an slid the brick across the table toward Cui Dongshan as he said, “I had an idea just now. You’re by far a better calligrapher than I am, so I want you to engrave some auspicious messages onto the underside of these bricks. Once we return to Downtrodden Mountain, we’ll plant the bricks down in secret when no one else is around.

“Perhaps someday, someone will stumble upon these messages, and it’ll be a pleasant surprise for them. It’s not that important, I just think it’ll be fun.”

Cui Dongshan nodded obediently as he sat on his stone stool with his legs crossed, then leaned forward to rest against the table.

He pressed both hands down onto the brick as he said, “We have to think carefully about what messages we want to inscribe, Teacher. We have to make the messages meaningful and astounding!”

“How about we inscribe a message each for everyone on Downtrodden Mountain?” Chen Ping’an suggested. “As for the rest, you can just use whatever phrases you like from different sagely scriptures.”

“What a brilliant idea!” Cui Dongshan exclaimed in an ecstatic manner.

“I’m now fully convinced that you’re the one responsible for turning everyone on Downtrodden Mountain into insincere suck-ups,” Chen Ping’an scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

“It wasn’t me! I swear!” Cui Dongshan yelled as he raised both hands in surrender.

***

It was only after Chen Ping’an and Cui Dongshan had boarded the Flax Robe Sect’s intercontinental ship did they truly begin their journey to return home.

While taking a break from his cultivation and fist technique practice, Chen Ping’an went to Cui Dongshan’s cabin, which neighbored his own, to ask him a question.

“The Confucian sages are such incredibly wise and learned individuals, so why don’t they go into more detail in their teachings about topics like mental cultivation, learning, and doing good deeds? Also, why are the teachings so diverse and chaotic? It feels like everyone is saying their own thing, and while that may be good for discourse, it almost feels like everyone’s arguing with one another.”

In response to this question, Cui Dongshan put on a rare display, giving a serious answer for once as he asked, “You feel like many people’s teachings are too convoluted and vague, thereby confusing the masses, right?”

Chen Ping’an considered the question momentarily, then nodded in response.

Cui Dongshan shook his head as he countered, “Some teachings and principles should be lofty and vague. They are the reason why humans are different from all other living beings. Of course, there must be practical and actionable principles that can be easily espoused and understood, but it would not be a good thing if there weren’t lofty principles that encouraged people to explore deeper concepts and the world around them.”

Chen Ping’an was silent for a long while before finally nodding as he said, “That’s valid.”

“Let’s go back to your original question now,” Cui Dongshan began.

However, Chen Ping’an raised a hand to interrupt him as he said, “It’s fine, I’ll think about it on my own for now to see if I can think of the answer for myself. How about we play a game of Go?”

“Your Go skills are far superior to my own, Teacher,” Cui Dongshan flattered. “I would be utterly embarrassed to display my lackluster skills in your presence.”

Despite his humble words, he had eagerly brought out a Go board and a pair of Go stone jars.

“I want you to speak as little as possible on Downtrodden Mountain from now on,” Chen Ping’an ordered with a stern expression.

“If the teacher does not speak, then the disciple certainly wouldn’t dare to utter a word,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile as he picked up a stone and held it aloft.

Chen Ping’an also picked up a Go stone.

As soon as Cui Dongshan sat down in front of the Go board, his entire aura and disposition instantly changed, and he proposed, “May I be so bold as to give you a handicap of twelve stones, Teacher?”

Chen Ping’an took a glance at the serious and focused Cui Dongshan, then silently put his Go stone back into the jar before departing without a word.