Chapter 120: Journey Afar

Chapter 120: Journey Afar

After this incident, the snobbish owner of the large ship immediately rushed over, saying that he had prepared the finest second-floor private rooms for the distinguished guests, and that even if they wanted to bring the donkey inside, it would be fine—it was an honor for his humble vessel. There were also some wealthy travelers who had come out of admiration, most of them carrying horizontal sabers rather than swords, clearly trying to get close. Chen Ping'an was not good at handling such matters, so it was Lin Shouyi who stepped forward to politely decline. He was, after all, a youth who had grown up in the Supervisorate of Construction; his words and actions were flawless, and even when he refused them, those people still left with pleased expressions.

The swordsman whom the old man had called "White Whale" was a moderately famous rogue cultivator in the southern part of Great Li. His sword, named Lingxu, was a genuine magical artifact, a divine weapon of the Daoist talisman lineage. It was rumored to have been left behind by an itinerant master who had been cultivating his mind while wandering, and who had passed away and dissolved his body in the wilderness. The white-robed swordsman had acquired it by chance, and with his already considerable swordsmanship, he had grasped the true meaning of the sword, thus gaining fame. However, his nature was not fond of restraint, so he had not been recruited by the Great Li government or border forces; instead, he preferred to travel the martial world with his sword. For a man like this to have his name remembered in the Great Li martial world, where dragons lurked and masters emerged in droves, was already no small feat.

In the end, he hadn't even been able to unsheathe his sword. He had been toyed with from start to finish, suffering a defeat so humiliating that his sword heart might be clouded and his sword intent stained. This allowed the onlookers to gauge the depth of the straw-sandaled youth's background. Most of the people on the ship were well-traveled scholars, merchants, and martial heroes; regardless of their character, there were very few fools among them.

Lin Shouyi saw that no one else was coming over to make small talk, so he rubbed his temples, feeling a bit flustered. If it weren't for the fact that during his breaks he could watch the emerald-green book chest gradually take shape in Chen Ping'an's hands, Lin Shouyi—with his naturally indifferent and aloof temperament—might have been unable to resist showing a hostile face.

Chen Ping'an felt a bit sorry for him and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely make this book chest to your satisfaction."

Lin Shouyi sat cross-legged, his face full of exhaustion. For the first time, he opened his heart and said softly, "I really want to find a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, to cultivate alone facing a wall, spending sixty years in the mountains while a thousand years pass in the world. But A Liang said that this kind of mind cultivation is called 'withered tomb.' It's feasible, but it's only suitable for qi cultivators who have reached a certain level of cultivation. I've only just started; if I did that now, I would definitely go berserk and fall into heresy without even realizing it."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's true, you do need to be careful."

Li Huai was squatting nearby, propping his chin on his hands, grinning. "Lin Shouyi, maybe A Liang was just scaring you. I think Qi Dun Mountain is pretty good. It would be suitable for you to become an immortal there. When you're bored, you could chat with that land god Wei Bo, ride the big turtle, or ride the black serpent and white python—that would be awesome. But if that's the case, since you're not going to Great Sui with us, you could leave this book chest to me, right? I can't carry it now, but in a few years, when I'm taller and stronger, I'll be able to switch my small book chest for a big one. I'll remember your kindness, and when I return from my travels in Great Sui, I'll give it back to you."

Lin Shouyi glanced at Li Huai sideways, who was clearly scheming, and sneered, "Even if I stay on Qi Dun Mountain to cultivate the method of immortality, I won't leave the book chest to you."

Li Huai said, "Oh, then you'd better continue coming to Great Sui with me."

Lin Shouyi rubbed his brow, feeling that only A Liang could handle this Li Huai.

No, Li Baoping could, and it seemed Chen Ping'an could too.

Was he the only one who couldn't manage Li Huai?

In a bad mood, Lin Shouyi stared at Li Huai until the latter felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly pledged his loyalty, "What's with you, Lin Shouyi? I actually want you to come to Great Sui with me. I'm just a bit envious of your book chest because it's bigger than mine—I won't deny that. But if you really want to get off the ship and return to Qi Dun Mountain, I definitely won't be happy about it. Think about it: among the four of us, you're the most sanctimonious and full of cunning schemes. In the future, if we run into bad people who don't have 'bad' written on their faces—like those with hidden malice—only you would be able to see through them at a glance, right? Am I right, Chen Ping'an? Li Baoping?"

Li Huai looked around, seeking support.

Chen Ping'an was focused on crafting the book chest, paying no attention. Li Baoping seemed to be thinking about some strange question, her mind wandering far away, completely absorbed.

Lin Shouyi felt a bit heavy-hearted. "Do you think this trip to Great Sui for study will be easy? Besides the natural obstacles, there will definitely be many unexpected troubles we can't even imagine."

Li Huai blinked.

Lin Shouyi slowly continued, "Our Great Li was founded on martial prowess, and the martial world's influence cannot be underestimated. There are very few literati who have been expelled from the ranks. Before our master's Cliff Academy was established, the entire East Treasure Bottle Continent called us a land of barbarians."

Li Huai nodded. "I know that. Master Qi never shied away from talking about it; he's told us about Great Li's situation before."

Lin Shouyi sighed. "I remember when I was little, Director Song of the Supervisorate once told me a story. He said that back in the early days, a scholar from Great Li barely managed to get into Guanhu Academy through his own ability, but he suffered humiliation from all sides. It wasn't just verbal abuse; according to Director Song, two scholars from the Great Sui Gao and Lu dynasties had set up a series of traps, which shattered our Great Li scholar's mind, driving him insane. Years later, when he finally regained his sanity, he was stabbed again in a matter of love, and then he drowned himself in a lake."

"This incident enraged the entire Great Li, both in the court and among the people, sparking a war that gambled the nation's fortunes against the Lu dynasty. Before that, Great Li had always endured the various harassments from the Lu dynasty, which had once been our suzerain. Now, of course, things have changed a lot. More and more scholars from Great Li are emerging, and qi cultivators from the mountains are beginning to descend, serving the Great Li court and fighting bravely at the borders."

"This has created a new situation: the literati of Great Li are very noble. When scholars become officials, they look down on others. For example, that man who claimed to be the magistrate of Wanping County was probably someone sent from the capital to a local post, a genuine imperial examination graduate. So now I'm worried that when that man gets off at the dock in Wanping County, whether out of scholarly pride or a desire to make an impression as a new official, he might choose to show his true colors and turn against us."

At this point, Lin Shouyi smiled. "Fortunately, although he is a civil official from a scholarly background, we have an 'immortal from the mountains' among us who hasn't shown himself yet. He might be able to intimidate him. After all, no matter how precious scholars are in Great Li, they still can't compare to qi cultivators. But I'm afraid that the magistrate might not be smart enough, or even if he's from the capital, he might never have truly seen the power of a qi cultivator. Then we'll have a string of troubles."

Li Huai looked worried. He turned around and slapped the white donkey lying on its side behind him, cursing, "Troublemaking little white donkey! Do you think you're some precious young lady, throwing a tantrum just because someone touched you?"

Li Baoping suddenly spoke up, "Right now, that old man is definitely a guest of honor for the Wanping magistrate, both complaining to each other. I believe that the higher the old man's status and the better the swordsman's skill, the less likely the Wanping magistrate will dare to act openly. My big brother said, 'A scholar will never succeed in a rebellion, even after three years.' As for secretly tripping us up, we're not afraid of that. As long as he doesn't dare to use the power of the court, we'll deal with whatever comes. What are you afraid of, Lin Shouyi? Don't lose your composure!"

Lin Shouyi thought it over carefully and nodded. "That should be the case."

After saying that, Li Baoping looked at Chen Ping'an seriously and asked, "Right, Little Uncle?"

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "How would I know about all these twists and turns of scholars and officials? Anyway, if trouble comes, you and Lin Shouyi can discuss it and figure it out."

Last time, when the old tutor Ma Fu entrusted his children to them, the few children managed to not only return safely to the town but also completely fooled the coachman who claimed to be a Great Li spy. It was Lin Shouyi who initiated the plan, Li Baoping set the general direction, and Lin Shouyi filled in the details. It was flawless, showing a maturity far beyond their peers.

Chen Ping'an suddenly stopped what he was doing, thought for a moment, and even set down the firewood knife at his feet.

When his mind wasn't calm, Chen Ping'an would do nothing; he would rather set things aside first than make a mistake. That had been his approach when firing ceramics, and it was even more so now with his fist training.

Li Baoping, Li Huai, and Lin Shouyi almost simultaneously sensed something unusual. Even Li Huai quickly straightened his posture.

Chen Ping'an saw the three suspicious-looking kids and smiled wryly. "What's with you? I was just thinking about something. Why are you so nervous?"

Li Baoping said, "Little Uncle, tell us."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I was just thinking, besides learning to read from you, should I also learn some of the knowledge from your books?"

Li Baoping was stunned. "But what we learned from Master is just basic enlightenment education, nothing profound. Besides, we're just children ourselves; how could we teach you, Little Uncle? And even Master Qi couldn't answer some of the simple questions I asked him. How could we teach you? If we gave wrong answers, that wouldn't be good!"

Li Huai muttered, "Master didn't fail to answer; he just answered a bit late. By then, you didn't want to listen anymore."

Li Baoping suddenly turned and punched Li Huai on the forehead.

Li Huai wasn't hurt much, but he still grabbed his head and howled, "This life is unbearable! I want to learn fist techniques too. Li Baoping's strength is getting bigger and bigger. One day, she'll accidentally kill me."

Lin Shouyi asked curiously, "Chen Ping'an, what's the point of learning from books?"

Chen Ping'an said slowly, "I'm afraid that one day, when I reason with people, I'll realize later that what I said made no sense. So I hope that besides the principles that Old Man Yao and A Liang taught me, I can learn some from your scholars' books."

Li Huai was baffled and exclaimed in shock, "Chen Ping'an, you're already so good at fighting, and you train so hard every day. Isn't it so you can be unreasonable with people?"

Lin Shouyi hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Chen Ping'an, I don't think you need to reason about everything. After all, everyone in the world has their own path to walk. We just need to stay true to our hearts. Otherwise, you'll only get bogged down, and too much is as bad as too little."

Li Baoping looked very serious. "Little Uncle, don't rush. Let me think about this for a while. I feel this matter is very important. I need to take it seriously and think it through carefully!"

Back in the town's school, Qi Jingchun used to be like this. Whenever Li Baoping asked a seemingly simple question, he would fall into deep thought and often take several days to give an answer.

Chen Ping'an felt even more helpless. He looked up at the blue sky, and after a moment, he lowered his gaze. For some reason, a smile suddenly spread across his face.

"The reason I want to go to all this trouble is actually selfish. Maybe it's because you haven't truly practiced fist techniques, so you don't have this feeling yet. Ever since I got that fist manual, I've had a feeling—I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me—but whenever I face an opponent, as long as I feel that my reasoning is right, whether I can express it or not, as long as I feel I am right! Then deep in my heart, it's like someone is constantly telling me, 'This punch of yours can be very fast!'"

The three of them seemed to see a completely different Chen Ping'an.

This poor youth from the Mud Vase Alley was now radiating energy, his fists clenched on his knees, more confident than ever. "And next time I throw a punch, it will definitely be faster! No matter who stands in front of me, I, Chen Ping'an, can throw this punch. No matter who!"

Lin Shouyi stared at him, dazed, and murmured softly, "This shouldn't be martial arts going berserk, right? It's quite righteous and imposing. It reminds me of when Master was in the school, explaining the most subtle parts of the sages' great path."

Li Baoping was busy thinking about the earlier question.

Chen Ping'an had already picked up the firewood knife again and continued making the small bamboo book chest for Lin Shouyi.

Li Huai was somewhat dazed, taking a long time to snap out of it.

That moment of Chen Ping'an felt familiar to him.

Li Huai seemed to remember something from his childhood. Once, his mother, who was unbeatable in quarrels, got into a fight and was scratched all over her face. She was rolling around at home, throwing a tantrum. His father, whom the neighbors called a useless coward, just squatted quietly on the doorstep. He and his sister Li Liu cried along with their mother. In the end, his mother said she was blind to have married such a spineless man, who couldn't even say a word when his own wife was beaten. Li Huai's father never said a word. Li Huai, who had always been closer to his mother, was so angry that he ran to the door and kicked his father twice in the back, saying he would never acknowledge him as his father again. Later, his mother tired herself out from crying and her anger subsided. She took her son and daughter to bed, grabbed her husband by the ear, and threw him out the door, saying he was banished to the yard for the night. But after she closed the door and turned off the lamp, she told Li Huai to open the door and call his father back to bed. Li Huai was reluctant, but under his mother's urging, he opened the door. He saw his father still squatting obediently in the yard, which made Li Huai so angry he almost turned around and left.

Then, at that moment, the short, stocky man slowly stood up. "Son, I need to go out of the mountains tonight. Tell your mother I'll be back soon."

If he hadn't said that, Li Huai would have still hoped his father could come back to bed and sleep peacefully. But avoiding his mother and them like that—was that being a man? Hearing these cowardly words made Li Huai tremble with rage and cry out, "What son? I am your father, Li Er!"

The man wasn't angry at all. He laughed and scolded, "You little brat! You really are my Li Er's son!"

At that moment, Li Huai was stunned. In his memory, his father never spoke like that. He always seemed inferior to others. Besides snoring like thunder when he slept, he was just a silent gourd. Even with him and his sister Li Liu, he never acted like a head of the household. He was indeed a useless coward who feared the heavens, the earth, people, ghosts—everything.

But that night, when the man left, he strode away with determination, very much like the wealthy gentlemen from Fortune Street or Peach Leaf Lane.

Li Huai didn't think much of it at the time. He just held a faint hope that maybe his father was going to curse people out on the street for his mother in the dead of night.

But the next day, Li Huai was very disappointed. The family of the woman who had scratched his mother's face still acted arrogantly toward them. His father didn't appear for a long time after that. He had probably gone into the mountains to burn charcoal to earn money for the family. Li Huai thought that "out of the mountains" must have been a slip of the tongue.

However, when his father returned, it seemed he had woken up. He brought home a greasy roast chicken, bought a box of rouge and powder for his mother, and brought gifts for him and Li Liu. His mother stood with one hand on her hip and pointed at his father's forehead, saying, "You're still a coward, but at least you have a heart, Li Er." After that, this Li Er, whose parents had named him carelessly, went back to being that cowardly man: "Go ahead and scold me; if I talk back, you win. Go ahead and hit me; if you kill me, you win."

But somehow, as Li Huai grew older, the memory of his father's smile, the tone of his voice, and the way he walked that night before "going out of the mountains" became increasingly blurred and yet more vivid.

Li Huai suddenly said, "Chen Ping'an, when we get back to town, I want to invite you to my home."

Chen Ping'an was puzzled. "But didn't your parents and sister already leave town? You said before they won't be coming back."

Remembering this, Li Huai's eyes suddenly reddened, his lips trembled, and he was about to cry.

Chen Ping'an had to comfort him, "Don't cry, don't cry. Didn't you say your father promised to visit you once you truly became a scholar?"

Li Huai said plaintively, "But I'm lazy and can't endure hardship. I like to slack off and fall asleep when I study. I'm far behind Li Baoping and Lin Shouyi. I'm afraid I won't become a scholar, and my parents will never want me again."

Lin Shouyi and Li Baoping were already teenagers and came from large families, but Li Huai was really still just a child. Like Chen Ping'an, he came from a poor background. Being a bit timid was normal. So Chen Ping'an had always been the most patient with Li Huai. Even on Qi Dun Mountain, when Li Huai was stomping in the mud, splashing Chen Ping'an, the latter never felt the slightest irritation.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Don't talk nonsense. If your parents didn't care about you, would they have sent you to school? They would have put you to work in the fields or sent you to herd cattle. Wouldn't that be better?"

Li Huai's mood improved a little. He wiped his face and said gloomily, "My family is poor. We can't afford a cow."

Chen Ping'an said softly, "Are you still poor now? Let alone the strange things in that 'Duan Shui Da Ya,' the book itself is worth ten taels of silver, isn't it?"

Li Huai's face brightened. He turned to look at the white donkey and grinned. "And I still have a donkey!"

Lin Shouyi suddenly tensed up. He lowered his voice and said to Chen Ping'an, "The water yin spirit told me that someone has come to see us. He says he knows A Liang and that A Liang entered the city ahead of time just to ask him some questions. So the yin spirit asked me how to handle it—should we refuse to let them board the ship, or...? He also said that the man has a river god with him. If I'm not mistaken, it's the deity of this Embroidery River who receives offerings from the people."

Chen Ping'an was troubled. Finally, he said sternly, "Let the yin spirit senior protect us. Whether we let them on the ship or not doesn't make much difference. You all need to be careful. Follow the same old rules: I'll handle things first. If it comes to the worst, Lin Shouyi, you can use those yellow paper talismans."

Lin Shouyi nodded. "Alright."

Lin Shouyi focused his mind and murmured softly.

A moment later, the large ship sailing on the Embroidery River trembled slightly. If Chen Ping'an and the others hadn't known in advance, ordinary people wouldn't have noticed the anomaly.

Although they couldn't see the yin spirit with their naked eyes, the area around the bow had clearly become a few degrees colder and more sinister.

Then Chen Ping'an noticed a young swordsman sitting cross-legged not far from the bow. A long sword was slung horizontally behind his waist, and he held a long, cloth-wrapped object in his arms that looked like a sword or a saber.

He stood up, walked over to Chen Ping'an's group, and smiled faintly at the hidden yin spirit. He didn't come closer but got straight to the point. "I have brought travel documents for the four of you. They bear the red seal of the Household Registration Bureau of Longquan County, Great Li, and the official permission for your outbound journey. As for who I am, it's not important. Just know that I know A Liang, so I will absolutely not be your enemy. As for the little conflict on the ship earlier, you need not worry. That Wanping magistrate will not interfere with your journey of learning."

Finally, the young swordsman handed over the items in his hands. He looked at the little girl in the red cotton jacket carrying a small book chest and smiled. "You must be Miss Baoping, right? This saber was entrusted to us by A Liang, who instructed us to return it to you intact."

Though Li Baoping's heart was racing with excitement, she remained motionless.

Chen Ping'an stepped forward alone, took the auspicious symbol narrow saber from the young swordsman, and said, "Thank you for your trouble, senior."

The young swordsman laughed heartily. "You are all friends of A Liang. I dare not call myself senior."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Is A Liang doing well?"

The young swordsman's expression didn't change. He nodded. "Don't worry. He's fine."

This saber had been sent by Prince Song Changjing himself through a trusted confidant from the capital, eventually reaching his hands. The young swordsman felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. "I'll go and say a few words on the second floor. You all can continue your journey with peace of mind. From here until you reach the border pass at Yefu Pass, as long as it involves the court or the government, there will be no obstacles. However, beyond that, Great Li will not interfere in any way. Of course, if you do encounter trouble or unexpected events, as long as you inform the border troops or local officials, the court will be willing to do its best to help."

Chen Ping'an looked into the man's eyes and nodded. "We understand."

The young swordsman took four travel documents from his sleeve and handed them to the straw-sandaled youth. Then he swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue, substituting a few polite remarks. He clasped his hands. "I'll take my leave then. I'll go to the second floor, say a few words, and be on my way."

Chen Ping'an returned the gesture somewhat awkwardly.

In an elegant private room on the second floor adorned with fine porcelain, the old man and the white-robed swordsman looked grim. The incoming Wanping magistrate, his wife, and children were trembling with fear, barely daring to breathe. They were all standing.

Only a single uninvited guest sat there, drinking alone. He was burly, with a green serpent coiled around his sleeve. Every breath he took emitted swirling white mist. The man emanated a divine aura, far from an ordinary mortal.

When the man saw the "young" swordsman, he immediately stood up, bent over, and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, saying not a word.

The young swordsman waved his hand. He didn't even glance at the old man or the swordsman famous in the southern martial world of Great Li. He said to the Wanping magistrate, "When you reach the territory under your jurisdiction, just do your duty as a parent official. As for today's events, don't say a word. Let it end here. The court can pretend nothing happened. But if there's the slightest ripple, I may not come myself, but this Embroidery River god can twist your head off."

The young man didn't want to say more. He just smiled at the Embroidery River god, who still didn't dare to sit down, and said, "Keep an eye on things for me. I'll head back now."

The Embroidery River god said solemnly, "Then I won't see you off, sir."

After the young swordsman left the private room, he walked to the outer corridor, looked at the river, and thought of the straw-sandaled youth's words. He was quite touched.

Then his figure vanished in a flash.

The reason the martial path was considered inferior to the qi cultivator path was that most pure martial artists in the mundane world regarded their foundation—whether fist manuals or swordsmanship, the eighteen weapons and eighteen martial arts—as mere "martial skills." From the perspective of the qi cultivators in the mountains, these had nothing to do with the word "Dao."

If martial skills never rose to the level of the martial path, they would just be rolling around in a mud pit.

That boy from the poor alley probably didn't even know that his heartfelt words about how to throw a punch—

This was a question that should have been pondered only by a grandmaster at least at the sixth level of martial arts, who needed to ask himself and answer himself.

—

On Qi Dun Mountain, a plain-looking woman, under the secret orders of her superior, was leading a beautiful young girl from a boatman's family, beginning a hike north.

This was the girl's first time traveling far from home, so she kept looking back along the way, reluctant to leave.

The woman said nothing more; it was only natural, and there was no need to criticize.

Besides, the Changle Palace lineage to which she belonged was somewhat peculiar. They cultivated the mind through emotions, and what ordinary qi cultivators regarded as burdens and taboos—emotional entanglements—was actually the ladder to enlightenment for her lineage. So the girl's homesickness as soon as she left home was actually a good thing.

But why they had to walk through Qi Dun Mountain—the superior hadn't made it clear, and she didn't feel it was convenient to press for an answer.

Along the way, they crossed mountains and rivers, the scenery delightful.

The girl was innocent and lively by nature. Though a bit tired, she was in high spirits. As she walked, she casually broke off a flowering branch from the roadside and swung it gently, humming a folk song passed down through generations.

The Changle Palace woman frowned but said nothing.

In the distance, a strikingly handsome young man walked slowly, like a mountain spirit or goblin. He kept his eyes fixed on the girl beside the woman.

The girl's voice was ethereal and melodious. Even though the folk song's lyrics were sad, sung by her, they had a unique charm—sorrowful but not grievous.

The young man softly hummed in harmony with her song, his pitch slightly different, more mellow and more sorrowful.

The girl was like an oriole darting through spring grass, the man like a solitary raven standing on a grave—one chirping happily, the other moaning low.

Finally, on the lonely post road paved with bluestone slabs along the ridge.

The girl suddenly looked up and saw a young man in white walking toward her from afar. He was extraordinarily handsome, beyond compare.

They met on the narrow road. The young man lowered his head, said nothing, and silently brushed past her.

The girl couldn't help but look back.

She saw him standing at a distance, neither moving forward nor turning around, his back to her.

The girl found it strange. She shook her head and continued on her way.

(End of Chapter)