Chapter 90: Torrential Downpour
Although Chen Ping'an still harbored suspicions about A Liang, there was no denying that A Liang was a very interesting person.
He had a donkey that he never rode. He bickered endlessly with the little brat Li Huai. He was fixated on tricking Lin Shouyi into drinking with him, saying that the best things under heaven were nothing more than fine wine and beautiful women. When Chen Ping'an practiced his walking stance, he would circle around the youth, claiming that once this fist technique was perfected, it would be extremely domineering, allowing one to wildly pummel opponents. But unfortunately, when traveling the martial world, one must observe the etiquette of not hitting the face, as that ruins harmony and character. It's best to be like him, convincing people with virtue and defeating enemies with appearance.
He would also boast to Zhu He about his unparalleled swordsmanship, saying that once he held a sword, it was terrifying, even to himself, let alone his opponents. Zhu He would nod and agree with a smile, but the young girl Zhu Lu refused to believe this nonsense. She insisted that A Liang demonstrate with that bamboo knife. He didn't need to display earth-shattering sword techniques; if he could cut down a tree as thick as a bowl, she would admit defeat. A Liang then said that today was not suitable for displaying swordsmanship. Although he had long reached the Earth Immortal realm where everything could be used as a sword, he had to be in the right mood to draw his sword. Was a true expert without some eccentricities still an expert? So only on days with strong winds, heavy snow, or torrential rain did he have the interest. For instance, in a pouring rain, after he unsheathed his sword, he could move so fast that not a single raindrop touched him.
Zhu Hu spat on the ground and ran off. A Liang wasn't angry; he just smiled and told Zhu He, "Little Zhu, your daughter's temper isn't too good. Of course, if she really can't find a husband in the future, don't worry. I, A Liang, can let you take a huge advantage. You can call me son-in-law."
After that, Zhu He stopped hovering around A Liang offering pleasantries. A Liang, left to drink alone in silence, felt a bit lost.
Unfortunately, a few days later, as they neared the Tiehe River, a light drizzle began to fall. Though not heavy, it was still rain.
Zhu Lu immediately stopped A Liang, who was leading his donkey with his head down. He looked confused and asked the girl, "Young lady, what are you doing? Oh, oh, you're talking about me practicing swordsmanship for you when it rains? Haha, I remember, I remember. Little girl, don't look at me like I'm a swindler, alright? You're just too young. You don't know the countless rules of reclusive experts. Do you understand? The rain is too light. Even if I just use a wild grass as a sword, I'd feel sorry for the grass. Oh no, I mean I'd feel sorry for my supreme swordsmanship. So when the rain gets heavier, I'll make a move. I guarantee I'll cut that Tiehe River in half. By then, even if you cry and beg me to take you as a disciple, I might not nod."
Zhu He didn't say a word and dragged his daughter away.
The drizzle was hazy, not hindering their journey. A Liang adjusted his bamboo hat, shook his head, and sighed. Leading the white donkey at the front, his silhouette at that moment looked somewhat lonely.
Even more unfortunately, two days later, as if heaven had opened its eyes, a heavy downpour came.
As a result, A Liang bellowed, "What are you looking at?! Do I have flowers on my face?! Why aren't you taking shelter?! What if our Baoping catches a cold?! When can't you watch me draw my sword?! Don't you have any compassion or pity?! Can't you see our Baoping is freezing to death?!"
In the end, when everyone was huddling together under a towering tree to avoid the rain, they all stared intently at A Liang.
Li Huai gave a sarcastic smile, imitating his mother's tone, and said earnestly, "A Liang, it's a good thing it's only raining today and not thundering, otherwise the first lightning bolt would strike you, Sword Immortal."
Zhu Lu just sneered repeatedly.
Even the cold-tempered Lin Shouyi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Zhu He had now completely stopped wanting to deal with this so-called big shot from the Wind and Snow Temple. He chewed on his dry rations. After many subtle and covert tests along the way, Zhu He felt that this weird A Liang, even if he were a cultivator from the Military Clan's ancestral court, could never be an Earth Immortal using a sword. If it were true, not only would he let A Liang call him father-in-law, he would have no problem calling A Liang father-in-law himself.
Along the way, Li Baoping had become much quieter compared to when they first left the blacksmith's shop. She silently followed beside her little martial uncle Chen Ping'an, unwilling to let Zhu He or Zhu Lu carry her small backpack.
Chen Ping'an was practicing the Sword Furnace fist stance, which the others had long since gotten used to.
A Liang, feeling uncomfortable under the stares of Li Huai and the others, turned his back to them, took off the silver wine gourd at his waist, and drank mouthful by mouthful.
The heavy rain gradually stopped. A Liang suddenly stood up and said he was going to find a suitable branch and insisted on showing them his supreme swordsmanship. However, as everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, A Liang added that if he couldn't find one, then there was nothing he could do. For a Sword Immortal to find a suitable tool was like a commoner finding a wife—no easy task.
Everyone watched A Liang, whose bamboo hat was slightly askew, but no one was willing to speak.
A Liang walked alone up the slope. The ground was slippery from the rain, and he nearly stumbled. He quickly pretended to strike a few fist poses, as if warming up for his sword draw.
The moment A Liang's figure disappeared from view, the rain suddenly intensified without warning, catching everyone off guard.
Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and saw the donkey not far under the tree. He thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'm going to find A Liang."
Zhu He also stood up. "I'll go with you. This weather can easily cause accidents."
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "No need. I've encountered this kind of weather many times when burning charcoal and gathering herbs in the mountains. Don't worry. Besides, Uncle Zhu, you need to stay here and watch over everyone so I can feel at ease."
Zhu He thought for a moment and nodded. "Chen Ping'an, be careful yourself."
Chen Ping'an rubbed Li Baoping's head and said softly, "I'll be right back."
—
Not only did Wu Yuan have to personally oversee the construction of the government office on the east side of the town, but he also had to finalize the site selection for the Wenchang Pavilion and the Martial Saint Temple. The local magistrate, Wu Yuan, was busy from morning till night with no time to rest. Of the Four Surnames and Ten Clans, six had already moved their entire clans out of the town, leaving eight. Dong Hu, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, relying on the matter of making rubbings from the memorial archways, had overshadowed the local snake Wu Yuan. Now, those native old-timers from Fulu Street and Taoye Alley were all watching Wu Yuan's embarrassment. Yet he still had to visit each family door to door. By the time he returned to the Supervisory Office, Wu Yuan was exhausted, his lips chapped, his throat nearly smoking. He collapsed into a chair, tugged at his collar, and stared blankly at the carved ceiling beams, his expression dark and uncertain.
Beside him stood a literary secretary from a powerful clan. Today, he had accompanied Wu Yuan to visit the various family heads. They hadn't been outright refused entry, but they had encountered many soft rejections. Everyone passed the buck. One said that whether the Old Porcelain Mountain could host the Wenchang Pavilion needed to be asked of Master Liu. Another said that the Immortal Tomb was mostly occupied by the Wei family; only if Old Master Wei nodded could they sit down and talk. Then the Liu and Wei families said that matters involving ancestral foundations were too important; they had to gather everyone for careful deliberation, otherwise they would be cursed by the neighbors.
This secretary was also fuming, but having grown up immersed in officialdom, he knew the rules well. He understood that being an official was not easy, and being a local magistrate was even harder. So he didn't lose his temper. He gently shook his head at the few colleagues who had rushed over upon hearing the news, signaling them not to add fuel to the fire and to give Lord Wu some peace.
Wu Yuan suddenly smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. Right now, I just crave some wine from our capital."
The scion of the noble family then sat down and said regretfully, "It's a pity the Li family has already moved to the capital. Otherwise, we could have asked their patriarch, Li Hong, to help bridge the gap. Some matters are easier to settle privately. My family has a good relationship with the Li family in the capital. If they spoke up, the Li family here in the town would definitely have to give face."
Wu Yuan glared and scolded, "Are you stupid?! The connections your family has built up are not your personal connections. Every time you use them, your standing in the family drops a notch. This isn't as simple as when you asked for a plaque inscription before. So don't meddle."
The scion smiled and said, "I was just worried that Lord Wu might be stuck in a dead end."
Wu Yuan snorted. "If I were the type to get stuck in a dead end, I would have long since broken that old man, the Supreme Pillar of State's legs, and eloped with his precious daughter."
The hall fell silent.
The scion suppressed a laugh and said quietly, "Such big talk, Lord Wu can boast here all he wants."
Wu Yuan comfortably leaned back in his chair, showing no embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, he chuckled, "Of course. If my father-in-law really deigned to visit, I would have long since run to bow, serve tea, and offer water. I'd even ask the Supreme Pillar of State if he's tired and if I should rub his shoulders."
Laughter broke out in the office hall.
Even the two martial secretaries at the door, with embroidered golden knives at their waists, exchanged smiles.
The moment Wu Yuan sat up straight, everyone in the hall instinctively held their breath. Wu Yuan spoke unhurriedly, "The Li family has already moved out. The Lu family is determined to be turtles, pulling their heads in and ignoring everything. The Zhao family claims the old ancestor is ill, and nothing can be decided until she recovers. The Song family in town has the deepest waters. These four great clans of Fulu Street together own ten large dragon kilns. The Li family's two kilns have already been transferred to the Wei and Liu families of Taoye Alley."
"Today, you will consolidate all the scattered documents in the office into a relationship map of the Four Surnames and Ten Clans. I want to see how this small pond is so mixed up with fish and dragons. If we can't do anything about the top families, then we'll target the second-tier ones. Besides the bottom few of the Ten Clans, there's also the very wealthy Ma family, who have always adhered to their ancestral teachings and refused to move to Fulu Street or Taoye Alley. They own two kilns. Since I'm also the Supervisor of Kiln Affairs, the scale of these dragon kilns is up to me, isn't it? We'll win over and support these families. At the same time, I'll pour money into it. I don't care if I empty the office's entire treasury. I don't believe you can hold onto Old Porcelain Mountain forever. And as for the Immortal Tomb, such a large piece of land, once the spoils are unevenly divided, how long can you protect it?"
"Shallow waters breed many turtles; small temples harbor strong evil winds." When the pond dries up and the small temple collapses, I want to see how these old foxes come to apologize and make amends.
The county magistrate, at this point, should have been brimming with ambition. But instead, he sighed and collapsed back into his chair. "This life is unbearable. When will it end?! Teacher?! What about the 'sleeping on a beauty's lap' you promised?! In this office, there's nothing but old women and children—not a single attractive young woman! What about the 'talented people and beautiful women' you said this place abounds in?!"
Just then, a handsome youth with a mole between his eyebrows was stopped at the door by two attendants. The youth smiled and said, "Lord Wu, how about I write a letter to ask the Pillar of State Yuan in the capital? I could get you two cute little maids with lovely eyes."
Wu Yuan immediately stood up, his face awkward. He didn't dare to expose his teacher's identity as the National Preceptor, nor did he have the nerve or courage. To avoid suspicion, he couldn't openly rebuke his teacher.
Wu Yuan was filled with confusion, wondering why his teacher had come to the office and seemed unconcerned about revealing his identity.
Cui Chan couldn't be bothered with those literary and martial secretaries. He turned and tossed out a line, "Come with me."
Wu Yuan gestured with his hand twice to everyone inside, signaling them not to make a fuss. He then quickly stepped out of the threshold. When the two martial secretaries, who had come from the battlefield, tried to follow closely, Wu Yuan waved them off.
Walking on a secluded gravel path, Cui Chan asked, "Have the Lu convicts already entered the mountains?"
Wu Yuan shook his head. "There are still six hundred convicts who haven't reached the mouth of the northernmost Jun Shen Mountain. This group has the most distinguished backgrounds—mostly descendants of meritorious officials and powerful clans from the Lu Dynasty. They are also young, between fourteen and twenty years old."
Wu Yuan asked doubtfully, "Wasn't this arranged by you earlier, Teacher?"
Cui Chan said irritably, "The weather is unpredictable. Your teacher is now a dragon stranded in shallow waters. So I need to confirm with you again. Put aside everything else right now. Ride fast to the entrance of Jun Shen Mountain. Find a young convict named Xia Yulu and arrange for him to go to the capital."
Wu Yuan cautiously asked, "This time, Song Changjing's trusted subordinates are escorting them to Longquan County. If I just go and demand the person, will those ruthless soldiers obediently hand him over?"
Cui Chan waved his hand dismissively. "I have a backup plan on my end. You just need to show up."
Wu Yuan asked worriedly, "Teacher, what about you here?"
Cui Chan snorted coldly. "I won't die!"
Wu Yuan hesitated no longer. He immediately called for the two martial secretaries and rode out on horseback.
The teacher moves his mouth, the student runs his legs off.
After Wu Yuan left, Cui Chan walked alone on the office paths, his face dark. "One wrong move and the whole game is lost... Not completely lost yet, but the whole board is in disarray. That's the truth. But it's fine. As long as there's still a sliver of a winning chance, I can endure. Consider it cultivation of the mind and nature. I can always change the board and start over."
"Didn't I just outlast my teacher? And then outlast you, Qi Jingchun?"
"Huh? Why does it feel like I'm describing myself as a turtle?"
Cui Chan finally sighed. "Her luck has always been good. She comes crashing in at this very moment, neither early nor late. I can only do my best to salvage a few pieces from this crippled game before she sweeps them all away. Infuriating!"
Later, an office servant passing by heard a handsome youth muttering loudly, "I'm not angry. No need... I'm not angry. No need... Damn it! No need my ass! I'm furious!"
—
At the blacksmith's shop, three new bamboo chairs were placed under the eaves, verdant and pleasing to the eye.
The young woman in green had already stood up and left in indignation, leaving behind Ruan Shi with a calm expression and a seductive woman with an unchanging smile.
By the distant creek stood a woman holding a sword, an old man in wide sleeves, and a burly man.
The woman sitting on the small bamboo chair withdrew her gaze from the departing figure of the ponytailed girl. She had used a small trick to deliberately provoke the girl into leaving. Now she got straight to the point and asked, "Did Ruan Shi have an agreement with Mr. Qi? Is that why there are Li family martial artists following Chen Ping'an?"
Ruan Qiong replied bluntly, "No."
The woman asked again, "Then did Ruan Shi agree to protect Chen Ping'an because of the three mountains?"
Ruan Qiong nodded. "Right. I promised him that I would ensure nothing major happens to them before they leave Da Li."
The woman looked up at the darkening sky, heavy with imminent rain, and said, "Ruan Shi, I'll have someone buy the four hills around Shenxiu Mountain and gift them to you. Consider it a welcome gift from Da Li. What do you think?"
Ruan Qiong sneered. "You still need to spend money to buy them? Those bags of gold essence copper coins are just the Da Li Emperor's left hand giving to his right hand. Why bother with the pretense?"
The woman shook her head and smiled. "Rules are rules. It's not that I like following rules, but right now, your rules, Ruan Shi, or the Emperor's rules in the capital, are all bigger than my status. So I have no choice but to comply. I may not be a good person, but I always act within my means."
Ruan Qiong made no comment on this. He asked, "Why are you so determined to kill that boy? And why at such a great cost, in such a hurry that you can't even wait until he leaves the Da Li border?"
The woman's tone was light, but her eyes were exceptionally firm. "He must die. If he dies, even if there is such a thing as Buddhist karma that that bald donkey talks about, the matter of killing his father back then, and the affair of him helping my son Mu'er gain more opportunities, would all stop with me..."
Ruan Qiong said calmly, "Is it because you have some heretical divine power that can sever karma?"
The woman smiled, neither denying nor confirming.
Ruan Qiong shook his head. "But that's not a reason for you to be in such a rush to kill him."
"My son Mu'er is about to enter the Da Li capital. A great opportunity will befall him there. To avoid unnecessary complications, I must uproot the weeds and eliminate the source as soon as possible."
Seeing the man across from her remain unmoved, she had no choice but to reveal some heavenly secrets and be candid with this Military Sage. She explained in detail, "My son's heart knot, if it were on an ordinary cultivator, might be manageable. The path of cultivation is long. Even if he couldn't resolve it himself before breaking through the Middle Five Realms, Da Li has plenty of means to forcibly remove it with external force. At worst, it would leave a heart nest of a Heavenly Demon of unpredictable size, making the breakthrough to the Upper Five Realms extremely dangerous. But now the opportunity in the capital waits for no one. I cannot afford any carelessness. On top of that, that waste Cui Chan, the supposedly infallible National Preceptor, lost. Clearly, in the end, he also failed to ruin that boy's pure state of mind. I have no choice but to settle for the next best thing: use Chen Ping'an's head to forcibly twist my son's state of mind back."
When the woman said this, she added helplessly, "It's not that I didn't think of deceiving my son, telling him that Chen Ping'an had become a vulgar commoner in Cui Chan's great examination. I could even fabricate all the details perfectly and present them to him. But I can't bear the risk. If my son learns the truth in the future, his talent is now too great. Once he obtains that opportunity, it would become a huge hidden danger. His Dao-heart could shatter in an instant."
At that moment, the sky was about to unleash a heavy rain.
The curtain of rain was like iron.
Ruan Qiong ignored the torrential downpour outside and asked, "What heart knot is so troublesome?"
"That old bastard Yao played a trick on me. He told the boy the truth: his parents couldn't possibly have been harmed by yang energy just because he was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, preventing them from reincarnating as humans. So the boy, who had broken his mother's vow, was dumbfounded. He ran madly from the dragon kiln back to the town. Then that boy, filled with grief and a desire to kill, do you know what he did, Ruan Shi? He neither went to find my son nor went home. He waited outside Ni Ping Alley until he had a chance to catch my son alone. He cornered him, chased him down, and finally in Ni Ping Alley, he pinned my son against the wall and nearly choked him to death. Of course, he didn't kill him in the end. And even if he truly wanted to kill, the only one who would die would be him. But those damned death warriors and spies hidden in the shadows, they stubbornly followed the Emperor's rules: as long as my son wasn't dead, they could not interfere. Wastes! Deserving of death, every single one of them!"
After revealing this secret in as calm a tone as she could muster, the woman showed a rare moment of fatigue and helplessness. "In this world, there is such a strange-minded bastard! His actions became my son's greatest heart knot, nearly a death knot. For so many years, my son has woken up from nightmares many times because he can't understand: 'You, Chen Ping'an, why didn't you kill me? Why did you choose a time when Zhigui wasn't around? If it were me, Song Jixin, I would have chopped you into pieces and still not be satisfied. The best would be to do it in front of your closest loved ones.' In the end, I suppose I am caught in my own trap."
The heavy rain, like soybeans, pounded the ground, like the tears of two children of the same age back then.
One was sitting limply on the ground, hands clutching his neck, crying in fear.
One was a poor child in straw sandals, walking toward the mouth of Ni Ping Alley, using his arm to shield his face.
Like a mirror: the more flawless and bright, the more it can reflect the blemishes of the one looking into it.
After a long silence, the woman withdrew her thoughts, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Ruan Shi must have some guesses about that covered bridge, right?"
Ruan Qiong's face was full of disgust. "If I had known this earlier, I wouldn't have come here."
The woman raised an eyebrow and said in a deep voice, "So before my son left the town, he had to go there to burn incense. Because everything he has today is because the Da Li imperial family lost one golden branch and jade leaf after another, one imperial relative after another! The four characters 'Feng Sheng Shui Qi' on that covered bridge's plaque—however many strokes they have, that's how many people died. These people exchanged their lives for his achievement!"
Ruan Qiong's face darkened, as if he no longer wished to speak.
The woman slowly stood up, full of vigor. She looked down at Ruan Qiong, her voice low and seductive, slowly saying, "Ruan Shi, if you feel that four hills still don't match the value of your promise to that boy, no problem. Just name your price. As long as you speak, we can negotiate. For example, here in Da Li, after I return to the capital, I can persuade His Majesty the Emperor to open the doors wide for your daughter's future enlightenment. I don't know exactly what it is, but I can promise you on behalf of His Majesty that the Da Li court will do its utmost to help! Besides myself, National Preceptor Cui Chan, even Song Changjing, can all lend a hand for your Ruan Xiu's enlightenment opportunity!"
Ruan Qiong said calmly, "From now on, do not enter within a thousand li of Longquan County. If you are discovered, don't blame me for hitting a woman."
The woman sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll just wait until we reach the Da Li border then."
As she stepped down from the stairs, Ruan Qiong said, "That bamboo chair was made by Chen Ping'an's own hands."
The woman was taken aback for a moment, then deliberately twisted Ruan Qiong's intended meaning. She smiled seductively, "Oh? Is Ruan Shi implying that that boy named Chen Ping'an indirectly touched my butt?"
The woman laughed loudly and left, walking straight into the rain, letting it soak her entire body.
Her figure was graceful, her curves clearly visible.
Ruan Qiong didn't look at her. His expression was blank.
—
Another heavy rain.
Chen Ping'an, now a youth, reached the top of the hill and saw, on the back slope, a man in a bamboo hat slowly sheathing his bamboo knife. He turned around with a brilliant smile and said, "Before coming here, I met a young hero much more interesting than you. I often heard him recite a poem. It's really good. You should listen too: 'When the wild man sees injustice done, the ancient blade in his chest is worn.'"
The man who called himself a swordsman, A Liang, walked slowly toward the youth, pointed at the top of the youth's head, and said, "But I'm no chivalrous hero. I just feel that this poem is very fitting for reciting after killing someone in such weather. The real reason I came to find you is twofold: first, I'm collecting Sword-nurturing Gourds along the way; second, it's that hairpin on your head. The latter is a hundred times more important than the former."
Behind the man, whose bamboo knife was now sheathed, lay two corpses on the slope, their expressions peaceful.
Both were martial artists and cultivators of the highest rank in Da Li.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Who exactly are you?"
The man walked slowly, stopped in front of Chen Ping'an with the hilt of his knife pressed against his palm, raised his bamboo hat slightly, and said with a smile, "My name is A Liang. Liang as in kindness."