Chapter 380: Parting and Then Reunion
Chen Ping'an arrived at the Chen clan patriarch's dining table, took Zhang Shanfeng's seat, and briefly told Xu Yuanxia that Zhang Shanfeng had been taken away by his master. The big-bearded wanderer was not one to fuss over parting; having come from a military background in his early years, he was accustomed to even life and death. There wasn't much sentimentality. Chen Ping'an accompanied Xu Yuanxia for a few drinks. Before entering the house and taking his seat, Chen Ping'an had brought two jugs of osmanthus wine. He gave one to the elderly man in the long gown and shared the other with Xu Yuanxia.
This old man had spent his life drinking home-brewed sorghum liquor. His impression of wine was roughly that it burned the throat and scalded the intestines. Being a straightforward fellow, he had the academy teacher beside him explain to Chen Ping'an in Vase Bottle Continent refined speech that this wine must be very expensive, but its texture was soft and lacked kick—it fell a bit short. It would be just right for the village women to drink. Chen Ping'an was helpless about this. Xu Yuanxia, however, knew how precious the osmanthus wine was—a truly immortal's brew capable of extending the lifespan of ordinary mortals. This small jug alone was worth more than all the sorghum liquor in the entire village combined. Hearing the old man in the long gown dismiss it so harshly, the big-bearded man nearly choked on his drink.
After the meal, Chen Ping'an and Xu Yuanxia strolled around the quiet village. Chen Ping'an handed over the short knife, and Xu Yuanxia put it away. After hearing Chen Ping'an's description of Zhang Shanfeng's master, he was greatly astonished. "The ability of Qi refiner's 'shrinking the ground to an inch' is originally derived from Daoist pace-walking. Zhang Shanfeng is a surname outside the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect, so it's not strange that his master is skilled in this art. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal skill. The key is how far one can teleport with one use—a few dozen feet versus several dozen miles is a difference like clouds and mud. But to say that someone can draw talismans underfoot and take others along while leaving? I've never heard of such a thing."
Xu Yuanxia continued, "That aside, what kind of sorcery is it to draw a talisman on Zhang Shanfeng's palm and then fetch the True Martial Sword and the short knife from a thousand miles away?"
Chen Ping'an sighed, "I don't know."
Xu Yuanxia laughed, "Regardless, it's a good thing. Zhang Shanfeng has a master with vast powers. But that kid isn't straightforward—he hides things. I've been thinking all along that he was just an outer disciple of some low-grade mountain sect in North Julu Continent. After all, the so-called Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Masters descend the mountain to slay demons and monsters, and there are plenty of frauds. I've been worried this whole way, probing him several times to see if he'd joined some swindling sect. If he'd actually apprenticed himself to a half-baked charlatan, he might as well turn back early and not return to North Julu Continent at all. Good thing I wasn't there at the time, or I'd have had to pick my eyes up off the floor."
Chen Ping'an laughed with a hint of schadenfreude.
Xu Yuanxia hesitated for a moment.
The two walked slowly along the bluestone path by the pond. Chen Ping'an said, "Brother Xu, speak your mind. Why be so formal with me?"
Xu Yuanxia replied, "This trip to the Qingluan Kingdom started with Zhang Shanfeng accompanying me to deliver that jar of a comrade's ashes. Later, I accompanied Zhang Shanfeng to watch the Water and Land Dharma Assembly and the Great Grand Ritual. Now that Zhang Shanfeng has gone with his master to the Celestial Master Mansion in the Central Earth Continent, I'm starting to feel a bit homesick."
Chen Ping'an smiled, "Then go back early."
Xu Yuanxia stopped, extended his palm, and stroked his thick beard. "After wandering outside for so many years, aside from sending back my military pay and letters regularly, I don't know what my hometown has turned into."
Chen Ping'an asked softly, "Want me to go with you? If you think Wei Xian and the other four aren't suitable, I can just take Pei Qian and accompany you back, and let Wei Xian and the others head to the Qingluan Kingdom capital first to look around."
Xu Yuanxia waved his hand with a laugh, "You're not some pretty girl, why would I want you to accompany me home? Just follow your planned route; don't disrupt your schedule for me."
Chen Ping'an chuckled, "I never had a plan anyway. What, is there something shameful in your hometown? Afraid I'll see through your secrets?"
Xu Yuanxia sighed, crouched by the pond, and tapped the bluestone with the short knife's handle. "My family is fairly well-off, barely considered a local notable in our county. I had an arranged marriage in my early years. Before I left home, I secretly took a look at that girl—she was quite pretty, and I actually liked her. Back then, I had high ambitions. I thought I'd make a name for myself in three to five years, then marry her in style. But before I knew it, I'd been out here for over ten years."
Chen Ping'an crouched beside Xu Yuanxia and comforted him, "Brother Xu, you're a solid fifth-rank martial artist, and you're well-versed in battlefield tactics. Back home, it shouldn't be hard for you to secure a general position in the court, right?"
Xu Yuanxia nodded. "Not hard."
He sighed again, "It's that nervous feeling about returning home. Just thinking about it makes my heart uneasy. Back when I was young and fighting for my life on the battlefield, I never felt this tangled."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. Since Xu Yuanxia preferred to return alone, he must have his reasons. So Chen Ping'an said softly, "Next, I plan to go to Qingsia Island on Bookish Lake to find a child named Gu Can. He used to live with me on Mud Vase Alley. His current master is the River-Sealing True Lord Liu Zhimao. If all goes well, I'll then go to the Great Sui Academy to find a few other children who also left our hometown. Brother Xu, if you run into trouble back home that's hard to handle alone, don't forget you have two good friends from the jianghu. Since Zhang Shanfeng is hard to find now, look for me, Chen Ping'an. You might just need to send two letters at the same time to make sure I don't miss them."
Xu Yuanxia patted Chen Ping'an on the shoulder, then pointed at the pond before them. "My hometown has a pond just like this. It's hardly the jianghu. A fifth-rank martial artist with two decent magical weapons is more than enough for me to throw my weight around. Even if a regional governor of the kingdom meets me, he'll treat me as an honored guest. Do you think everyone is like you, Chen Ping'an?"
Chen Ping'an handed over the Sword-Nourishing Gourd. "Take a sip of this wine. This is truly good wine. If you like it, you can take the wine, but the gourd stays."
Xu Yuanxia took the "crimson wine gourd" with some skepticism and drank a mouthful of the medicinal wine refined from the golden core of the old flood dragon at the nascent soul level. Instantly, his face flushed crimson. A surge of pure true qi roiled within him, crashing through various qi mansions and acupoints like giant waves against stone cliffs. Xu Yuanxia quickly regulated his breath, finally managing to digest the force. He burped, expelling a mouthful of stale turbid qi that had long been trapped and never purified. He wiped his mouth, eyes gleaming. "This wine—for a martial artist, one sip is absolutely incredible."
Chen Ping'an didn't hurry to take back the Sword-Nourishing Gourd. He crossed his arms and smiled. "You think everyone is Xu Yuanxia, able to drink the refined wine from this gourd?"
The big-bearded man laughed heartily, not standing on ceremony with Chen Ping'an. He took another big gulp of the medicinal wine to help cleanse the mixed turbid qi from his pure true qi. Savored it, then took a third sip. He sat cross-legged on the spot, remaining still like an old monk for a long time. When he opened his eyes, he handed the gourd back to Chen Ping'an. "Alright, three times is enough. At least now I have something to look forward to, a hope of glimpsing the sixth-rank martial artist realm. Three sips are enough; any more would be overdoing it. My foundation as a martial artist isn't solid enough to handle such good stuff. But let's make a deal—when I break through the final bottleneck of the fifth rank, I'll come asking you for a drink."
Chen Ping'an was puzzled. "Then take the wine with you! That saves you the trouble of asking me later."
Although Chen Ping'an still needed the refined medicinal wine to nourish his body and soul, his martial arts cultivation had now entered the right track. Not drinking the wine would only slow his progress; it was no longer the life-saving aid it had been when he received it at Old Dragon City after being severely injured by the Immortal Soldiers' Sword-Swallowing Boat. Now it was just an enhancement. But for Xu Yuanxia, this priceless medicinal wine was far more significant. In the small kingdoms of the Vase Bottle Continent outside the Great Li Empire, a fifth-rank and sixth-rank martial artist—just one rank difference—could mean a world of difference in treatment. In a secluded small kingdom, a seventh-rank martial artist might even influence the nation's martial fortune. So a sixth-rank martial artist who could potentially reach the Golden Body realm would naturally be a treasure in the eyes of a small kingdom's ruler.
Xu Yuanxia glanced at Chen Ping'an. "This kind of medicinal wine boosts cultivation without side effects—it's top-notch stuff. But it's not necessarily good for a martial artist's mental tempering during breakthrough. With the wine, you can't help but harbor luck. When you practice boxing, your hands might not slacken, but your mind will relax, and the principles of boxing will naturally loosen. Chen Ping'an, do you think anyone in the world, when their realm is within reach and a single sip would advance them, could truly resist drinking a drop?"
Xu Yuanxia looked into the distance and sighed. "Even knowing it might ultimately hinder the chance for breakthrough, I, Xu Yuanxia, admit I can't hold back. Besides, when a drunkard's craving hits, who cares about bottlenecks? Drink first and ask questions later."
When it came to mental fortitude on the path of cultivation, Xu Yuanxia admitted he was inferior to Zhang Shanfeng, and even more so to Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Then when Brother Xu reaches the sixth rank, I'll send you the wine as a celebration."
Xu Yuanxia suddenly said, "On your way north, if you have a chance to pass through the Colorful Garment Kingdom or the Comb Water Kingdom, don't forget to visit Old Sword Saint Song, and the pair of children in Rouge Prefecture, and of course the couple from that haunted house."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Of course. I still owe Old Song a hotpot meal, and I want to see how those two children are doing with their cultivation. Finally, I'll go to that old house and try the old woman's bamboo shoot braised pork."
Xu Yuanxia laughed heartily. Yes, Chen Ping'an was still the same Chen Ping'an. He patted the fellow on the shoulder again, his hand a bit heavy. "Chen Ping'an, you and Zhang Shanfeng both have to make good. Get some fame and reputation so I can hear about it back home. Then I'll brag to people, make them beg me to drink with them, and I'll tell them stories about you two."
Chen Ping'an clasped his fists and joked, "Brother Xu, I hope your words come true!"
Xu Yuanxia stood up. "Alright, earlier I was fine just wandering around without any worries. But now that I'm thinking of home, it's like the liquor worm in my belly is rebelling. I can't stand it without a drink. Haha, hometown is that old jar of wine. I'm off to drink it!"
Chen Ping'an also stood. "Then I'll go with you to get your luggage and see you off a ways."
Xu Yuanxia glared. "So fussy! On this point, you should learn from Zhang Shanfeng. He just up and left—so refreshing."
Chen Ping'an rolled his eyes. "Him? Right now, if he isn't crying, that would be an achievement. Want to bet on it?"
Xu Yuanxia rubbed his chin. "I'd bet that Zhang Shanfeng is secretly bawling his eyes out behind his master's back."
Chen Ping'an also rubbed his chin. "You and I, great minds think alike?"
Xu Yuanxia laughed and strode away, refusing to let Chen Ping'an see him off. The big-bearded wanderer suddenly remembered that the village might already have women and children asleep, so he kept quiet. With his back to Chen Ping'an, he waved farewell without any hesitation.
Chen Ping'an stood there, a bit melancholy.
About two incense sticks later, Pei Qian came running over drowsily. Running through the alleys at night was a bit eerie, but she had that yellow paper talisman stuck to her forehead. She found Chen Ping'an and asked curiously, "Why did the big-bearded uncle run off? Did he owe you money, couldn't pay it back, and was too ashamed to face you, so he sneaked away in the middle of the night?"
That thought made Pei Qian quite upset. She stomped her foot and smacked her fist into her palm. "That poor bearded guy, he's really not loyal. If he couldn't pay his debts, he could have borrowed from me in private. I wouldn't have told you about such an embarrassing thing."
Although Pei Qian didn't know why, she felt that ever since Chen Ping'an met that young Daoist with little skill and that big-bearded man with the loud voice, he had been especially happy during this journey. Happier than if he had earned a lot of money. But in reality, ever since they encountered that yellow ox in the mountain hollow, her master had been losing money—always losing money. Hadn't he just given Zhang Shanfeng a green wooden box that seemed to be some kind of seal? And on the way from Old Dragon City to Bee Tail Ferry, when had her master ever been willing to take out osmanthus wine and Well Immortal brew every day?
It seemed that making friends in the jianghu was pointless; all it did was cost money.
Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head. "Your big-bearded uncle just missed home. We can find him later. Someday, when you're out wandering the jianghu yourself, you can look him up. By then, you should be old enough to drink. Remember to bring some good wine."
Pei Qian shook her head. "The jianghu is dangerous, and wine is too expensive. I've decided not to wander the jianghu."
Chen Ping'an twisted her ear. "So young, and you're talking to me about the dangers of the jianghu?"
Pei Qian stood on tiptoe, begging for mercy. "Old Wei and the big-bearded uncle both said that. I just thought it sounded like something a jianghu hero would say, so I repeated it casually."
Chen Ping'an released her ear and smiled. "Six-step walking stance. Go back to sleep."
Pei Qian's walking stance was now quite good, but she still couldn't grasp the essence of the sword furnace stance. As for the Heaven and Earth stance, she wanted to learn it but couldn't, as she couldn't even hold the basic frame.
The night passed without incident.
The roosters crowed very early in the village. After getting up, Chen Ping'an didn't go out for a stroll, because in about two quarters of an hour, the village's martial artists would gather for practice—twice daily, morning and evening, year after year, unshakable. All men, whether strong or young, participated. Women who wanted to join were also welcome without any taboos.
After all, in the escort business, without solid martial skills, you couldn't earn a golden reputation. According to the academy teacher, the Chen clan's descendants had built a strong reputation in this prefecture of the Qingluan Kingdom thanks to the patriarch's nickname, "Chen Memorial Arch."
Chen Ping'an had passed by the Chen clan's training ground yesterday. Unlike his approach in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, where he had watched the martial arts school practice, he had walked straight by quickly.
Not only that, but he had also told the four from the scroll, especially Lu Baixiang and Sui Youbian, not to carry weapons while walking around the village.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
This morning, everyone gathered for breakfast. After eating, they would leave the village. Chen Ping'an planned to go to the Qingluan Kingdom capital to witness the grand Buddhist-Daoist debate that the Tang emperor had heavily promoted before moving on. Besides the Bee Tail Ferry bordering three kingdoms, there was also a ferry in the east of the kingdom said to be slightly larger than Bee Tail Ferry. Earlier at Bee Tail Ferry, he had learned that the central part of Vase Bottle Continent was now in chaos, with both cultivators and mortals uneasy. Many ferry boats to that area had temporarily stopped. Moreover, there was no ferry on Bookish Lake. The two ferries near Bookish Lake were located at a kingdom's capital and a mountain sect, both of which had recently suffered disaster under the trampling hooves of the Great Li cavalry, leaving bloodstains everywhere. So Chen Ping'an decided to try his luck at the eastern ferry. Otherwise, walking to Bookish Lake would be far too long a journey.
As they sat around the table drinking porridge, everyone turned their heads toward the courtyard outside. A flash of white emerged from the shadows of the corridor. After stopping, the figure showed a brilliant smile.
It was a divine young man in white robes.
Even more ethereal than Chen Ping'an.
Pei Qian stared blankly at the uninvited guest. For some reason, as if possessed, she took out the Pagoda-Suppressing Demon Talisman and quickly stuck it on her forehead.
Chen Ping'an put down his chopsticks and let out a sigh.
The four from the scroll all looked puzzled.
Apart from his striking clothes and appearance, this person's cultivation base was impossible to gauge—whether he was a mountain immortal or a pure martial artist was unclear.
But the more unclear it was, the more unsettled they felt.
Chen Ping'an stood up, stopped near the threshold, and asked, "Why are you here?"
The young man in white was brimming with tears, his lips trembling. It was quite moving. He rushed toward Chen Ping'an with a wail, as if he wanted to embrace him and pour out the pain of separation. "Your student arrives late to rescue you, allowing Master to suffer so much injustice. Your disciple Cui Dongshan can never atone..."
Before he finished, Chen Ping'an directly kicked the nauseating "disciple" back.
Pei Qian's eyes widened. Where did this guy come from? Was he trying to snatch her master and teacher?
The young man in white spun countless times in the air, his sleeves fluttering gracefully, like a cloud pushed away by an immortal.