Chapter 513: Meeting My Cui Dongshan
Zhu Quan was silent for a long time, then opened her mouth to tease: "Aren't you still short one realm? Do you really think you're a Wind Riding realm martial artist?"
Chen Ping'an, who no longer had that sword immortal beneath his feet, lightly stomped. The sea of clouds condensed like solid substance, like white jade flagstones. Immortal arts were indeed profound. He smiled and said, "Thanks."
Zhu Quan laughed, "After saying it out loud, do you feel a bit more relieved inside?"
Chen Ping'an clasped his hands behind his head, "Much better."
Zhu Quan shook her head, "Speaking a few words and spitting out a few breaths of turbid qi won't truly fix things. If you keep going like this, you'll crush yourself. A person's essence, energy, and spirit aren't fist intent. They aren't something you can temper and refine down to a mustard seed, then unleash with one punch that shatters heaven and earth. Long-lasting spirit and qi must be upright and proper. But some words, coming from an outsider like me—even if I think they're good words—are still somewhat like standing and talking without back pain. Take this pursuit of Gao Cheng for example. If it were me, Zhu Quan, assuming I had the same cultivation and the same situation, I would have died dozens of times by now."
Chen Ping'an said sincerely, "That's why I admire Sect Leader Zhu. The Great Way is arduous, yet you walk it with openness."
There weren't many cultivators standing at the mountaintop who, having done their utmost and best, would say, "I was wrong, I owe you a huge favor."
Zhu Quan pulled out one hand and waved it grandly, "Spare me the flattery. I don't have a few sets of Palace Examination Copy Divine Maiden Paintings to give you."
Chen Ping'an smiled, "I'll lie down for a bit. Sect Leader Zhu, please don't think I'm being disrespectful."
Zhu Quan stretched out a hand, "There's no Zhu Quan in the world that one pot of wine can't settle."
Chen Ping'an was about to take wine from his dimensional storage when Zhu Quan glared, "It must be good wine! Don't try to fool me with market rice wine. I, Zhu Quan, grew up on the mountain; I can't pretend to be a commoner. In this life, I'm stuck with the skeletons in Ghost Valley at my doorstep, and I have no homesickness!"
Chen Ping'an was a bit troubled. There weren't many immortal brews in his dimensional storage. With Zhu Quan's style and variety of demanding drinks, he really couldn't afford her reaching out a few times.
But he still had to bring out the wine. Not only that, Chen Ping'an directly took out three pots of different origins: Old Dragon City's Osmanthus Brew, Well Immortal Brew from Bee Tail Ferry, and Purple Piebald Sweat from Letter Study Lake. He gently tossed them over one by one. As expected, Zhu Quan first put away two pots into her sleeve's dimensional space, a bit embarrassed, "That's a bit much. How can I accept this?"
Chen Ping'an lay on the cloud sea that seemed like jade slabs, just like lying on the green bamboo corridor of Cui Dongshan at Cliff Academy back then. Neither was his hometown, but both felt like home.
Leaving Skeleton Beach this whole way, he was indeed a bit tired.
Zhu Quan sat beside him, gently placing the little girl in black beside her. She lightly brushed her sleeve, making the heavenly gale wind around like water encountering a pillar, bypassing the little girl. She still slept soundly, carefree so she could be worry-free.
Zhu Quan drank wine and said worriedly, "If according to what you said earlier, if by some chance Gao Cheng knew he was doomed and took the attitude of jade and stone burning together, not hesitating to drag Jingguan City and Ghost Valley down with him, not only would Muyi Mountain be shattered, but Skeleton Beach would also be about destroyed. The river transport of Yaoye River would necessarily be implicated. Plus the yin sha qi of Ghost Valley, spreading upstream... those countries with millions of people, who knows how many would die. Truly 'fight him until heaven and earth are overturned.'"
Chen Ping'an said, "It's not 'by some chance,' it's 'definitely.'"
Zhu Quan sighed, "Yes."
Chen Ping'an said slowly, "Sect Leader Zhu, do you know the daily flow of people in Mural City, the commoners at Naihe Pass Market, the number of sects on Skeleton Beach? Do you know the population of the countries upstream of Yaoye River?"
Zhu Quan was stunned, "What would I know that for? I really can't be bothered. I have to crawl like a turtle in cultivation, and work hard as a sect leader—it's very tiring."
Chen Ping'an said, "When I passed through Skeleton Beach along the way, I saw, calculated, inquired, and looked it up in books. So I know."
Zhu Quan said helplessly, "Chen Ping'an, not to criticize you, but what exactly is going on in that head of yours all day?"
Chen Ping'an pillowed his head with both hands behind his neck, "After leaving Muyi Mountain, I saw Gao Cheng in everyone. After arriving at the haunted house in Suijia City, I saw Chen Ping'an in everyone. So I'm also very tired."
Zhu Quan asked doubtfully, "Then why did you come to Northern Jizhou? This is a place where people love to fight to the death. You, who are so afraid of death, couldn't you come after you were at a higher realm? Besides, your escape methods are still too few. Your foundation is still that of a pure martial artist, so at most, relying on a half-immortal weapon and a Square Inch Talisman, you can instantly create some distance. But not to mention us upper fifth realm cultivators, even ground immortals and qi refiners—which one isn't a brat who can run a few thousand miles in one go? Once you can't get close and quickly decide victory or defeat, you'll be worn to death."
Zhu Quan slapped her forehead, "Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything. You're a freak."
Wearing a dharma robe, and damn it, wearing two of them. Hanging a Sword Nurturing Gourd, hiding flying swords that weren't his lifebound objects, and damn it, two of them.
He could pretend to be a lower fifth realm cultivator, or a sword cultivator, or occasionally a fourth or fifth realm martial artist. All kinds of tricks, every kind of camouflage. Once in a life-and-death fight, it would be a sudden close approach, a random punch to beat the old master, plus Square Inch Talisman and a few sword thrusts. An ordinary Golden Core really couldn't withstand Chen Ping'an's three initial moves. Plus, this kid could really take a beating. Zhu Quan's hands itched a bit. On the ferry, a Golden Body realm martial artist from Daguang Dynasty hit Chen Ping'an like a little girl scratching an itch?
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Actually, I haven't yet broken into the Golden Body realm. Although I suffered heavy losses in the tribulation cloud sea at Suijia City, using up almost all my good talismans, tempering my physique gained great benefits. The effect was even better than the bamboo tower back home. After all, being fed punches by one's own people, you still know they won't really kill you; it's just a bit painful. Not like being deep in the tribulation cloud sea—you really could die. But even so, I'm still two points short of breaking the Golden Body realm bottleneck. One point is that I haven't yet formed a Hero's Gall. The other is because my fist techniques are mixed; I bite off more than I can chew, which inevitably causes the fist frames to conflict. So I've never been able to achieve the two different paths that lead to the same goal: 'spring thunder exploding' and 'one punch splitting a mountain.'"
Zhu Quan asked curiously, "You're still a sixth realm martial artist?!"
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Zhu Quan laughed angrily, "Then shouldn't all the seventh realm martial artists in our Northern Jizhou just go die?"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, "Can't say that. Otherwise, besides Cao Ci, all pure martial artists below the mountaintop realm in the world might as well die."
Zhu Quan took a gulp of wine, "Cao Ci—even someone like me has heard of him. What, you actually know him?"
Chen Ping'an hummed in affirmation, sat up, "On the Sword Qi Great Wall, I lost three fights to him in a row."
Zhu Quan's eyes widened.
This time it was Chen Ping'an's turn to be a bit embarrassed, "It's a bit shameful."
But soon Chen Ping'an's eyes were firm, his face carrying a smile, breeze on his face, two sleeves retaining the clear wind, "It's okay. On the martial path, as long as Cao Ci doesn't pull two realms ahead of me, as long as the difference is within one realm, I have hope to win back in this life!"
Zhu Quan knew he had misunderstood her. How many young martial artists in the world could have Cao Ci accompany them for three consecutive fights? Like chess players in the world, how many would the City Lord of White Emperor City be willing to play several games with? Only that disciple who betrayed his master, Cui Chan. Of course, even more impressive was the scholar who could make the City Lord of White Emperor City voluntarily leave the city and actively invite for a game: Qi Jingchun. The literary sage lineage—indeed few in number, but every one of them formidable. When Qi Jingchun shouldered that shocking catastrophe back then, because Skeleton Beach was at the southernmost part of Northern Jizhou and Great Li was at the northernmost of Vase Jewel Continent, at Muyi Mountain, Zhu Quan had seen some clues. And that sword cultivator who started training swords very late, had extremely long sword qi, destroyed countless people, was said to have visited immortals overseas, far from the human world... Zuo You had once appeared overseas near the territory of Northern Jizhou. At that time, four sword immortals went consecutively, but after the latter three challenged with swords, everyone was silent. Only the first one to go intercept, a Jade Pool realm sword immortal—one of the most outstanding Jade Pool realm sword immortals in the continent in terms of killing power—after returning, directly announced to the entire Northern Jizhou: "Jade Pool realm, don't go! Start from Immortal realm!"
There were actually many more stories about the disciples of the literary sage lineage. Compared to the second sage lineage's abundance of talents and spectacular scale, the literary sage lineage, which had almost cut off its incense, had few disciples but many stories. And Northern Jizhou was probably the continent in the world with the most goodwill toward the literary sage lineage.
The reason was simple: they could fight. Zhu Quan especially admired that Zuo You. He didn't chatter. His explosive temper—tsk tsk tsk—more Jizhou than Jizhou itself. A hero. Heard he looked decent, seemed quite refined... But he could fight. He fought so well that even the sword immortals of Northern Jizhou felt that such a figure, not born in Jizhou, with such a solitary nature, not liking the human world, was a pity. Otherwise, they could spar swordsmanship every day.
Zhu Quan laughed, wiped her mouth. If she could meet him once, that would be great.
As for the kid beside her misunderstanding, thinking she was mocking him for losing three times in a row, let him think that.
Wait!
Zhu Quan turned stiffly, looking fierce, "Chen Ping'an, who did you say is your senior brother?! Which Mr. Qi?!"
Damn it, at first she was a bit intimidated by his momentum—a tenth realm martial artist owing money, his students and disciples being Nascent Soul or something, and some kind of half-master, also a tenth realm pinnacle martial artist, already making her head spin. Plus she was more worried about his state of mind possibly shattering on the spot. Now she finally came to her senses. Zhu Quan angrily asked, "How is Zuo You your senior brother?!"
The white-clad scholar blinked, "Sect Leader Zhu, what are you talking about? Drinking and talking drunk?"
Zhu Quan stood up, full of smiles, then sat down beside Chen Ping'an, whispering, "Let's make a deal. Later, have that senior brother of yours, uh, the one who uses swords, come visit my Muyi Mountain? Say someone wants to invite him for a drink. If he doesn't want to come ashore to Muyi Mountain, no problem, I can go find him at sea. You, Chen Ping'an, can be the matchmaker, help arrange a place. Then I'll invite Pang Shanling to accompany me. I'll stand beside him and let Old Man Pang hold the brush to paint a picture of the two of us. Oh my, I'm really quite embarrassed."
Chen Ping'an rubbed his forehead. If you're embarrassed, don't say it out loud.
Zhu Quan got angry, "Don't play dumb with me! One word: will you or won't you?!"
Chen Ping'an rubbed his cheeks with both hands. This was really a headache. And such matters weren't something to joke about, so he told the truth, "He said he doesn't think he's qualified to take me as his junior apprentice brother. He said that to my face. That's why I said earlier I need to go beg him—it might not work."
Zhu Quan swung a palm at him. Chen Ping'an leaned back, and after the arm swept over his head, he straightened up.
Zhu Quan withdrew her hand resentfully, smiling, "What if I return your wine?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "Really can't."
Zhu Quan slapped her knee, "Hesitating like that, no wonder Zuo You won't acknowledge you as his little apprentice brother."
But until this moment, Zhu Quan somewhat understood.
Why that young man said that to the head disciple of the temple master.
If Zuo You came to Northern Jizhou, he really wouldn't give a second glance to that Little Profound Capital Temple's Nascent Soul Daoist, not even half a glance.
It wasn't purely a matter of realm difference. Other Central Earth sword immortals were hard to say, but for Zuo You, it wasn't that he would look at you if you were Flying Ascension realm, nor would he not look at commoners.
This was also the key reason why sword cultivators in Northern Jizhou especially revered Zuo You.
It was still about the nature of the heart.
Zhu Quan looked at the sky, annoyed, "No, I have to go. I said I was coming to chat about personal matters, didn't expect to stay so long. If I'm late, with those two sanctimonious uncles of mine, what do I know about their character? They'd be clapping happily as long as any blind man was willing to marry me. They might even squeeze out a few tears, then treat that man like a buddha. Damn it, when I get back, those two old farts will look at me and definitely think I had a fling with you in the cloud sea. My whole life's reputation ruined. The reputation of an old cow eating tender grass is bound to spread through Muyi Mountain."
Then, before Zhu Quan could feel how unjust it was, she saw the young man panic even more than she did. He quickly stood up, took two steps back, and said seriously, "I beg Sect Leader Zhu to definitely, absolutely, certainly, must nip these rumors in the bud! Otherwise, I will never set foot on Muyi Mountain in this life!"
Zhu Quan found it strange. This kid feared nothing under heaven. Dealing with Gao Cheng, he didn't even frown. Now his face turned pale?
Was she that unattractive? Well, she wasn't much to look at.
Zhu Quan hadn't even reached out yet when that little bastard immediately pulled out a pot of immortal brew. Not only that, he said, "I really don't have many left now. Let me owe you some. After I finish walking through Northern Jizhou, I will definitely bring you more good wine, Sect Leader Zhu."
Zhu Quan waved her hand. She had already taken three pots of good wine from him, and the one in her hand wasn't finished yet.
But then the person had already tossed the wine back, "Sect Leader Zhu, the rest are on credit. We'll talk when I have a chance to visit Muyi Mountain. If I really don't get the opportunity to visit the Burial Linen Sect, I'll have someone send the wine to Muyi Mountain."
Then he raised his hand, summoned the sword immortal back under his feet, directly flew off on his sword, and quickly disappeared.
Zhu Quan gently picked up the little girl in black, frowning, "This kid doesn't lack for girls liking him, right? And he's so opinionated, young, with considerable skills. Why is he like this?"
Zhu Quan shook her head and stopped thinking about it. With Gao Cheng eating such a big loss, Ghost Valley probably wouldn't be peaceful.
She flew south.
As for some words, it wasn't that she didn't want to say more, but she couldn't.
Only one can untie one's own heart knot.
Especially for someone who seems least likely to be stubborn, but is exactly that stubborn.
Really, even immortals find it hard to resolve.
At the ferry.
The white-clad scholar had his sword on his back, landed on the railing, touched his toe, and with snow-white sleeves fluttering, directly glided through the window back into his room. The window closed by itself.
Ding Tong, who had been sitting motionless "watching the scenery," finally relaxed his taut nerves and fell backward, thudding onto the deck.
The second-floor viewing platform was already empty. In fact, all the guests on the second floor had retreated to their rooms.
The ferry even feared a sudden sword strike that would end it all.
That overseer who had sold the little water monster a stack of official gazettes felt no better than Ding Tong.
They were brothers in misfortune.
The most terrifying part wasn't the young sword immortal's high cultivation.
It was his unpredictable temperament.
Otherwise, after one sword strike, life and death would be straightforward. Just kowtow, beg for mercy, pay compensation, or give a life.
But when someone who could casually decide life and death looked at you smiling like a father at his son, spoke amiably like brothers, and had an endless array of unpredictable methods—what could you do? And what dared you do?
Over at Wei Bai's group, the atmosphere was heavy, trapped in this dilemma.
According to reason, with the death of a great guest elder from Iron Warship Mansion, for the entire Wei clan, losing a Golden Body realm martial artist from a military background was no small loss. Wei Bai should have weighed their strengths. But after discussing with the old matron in the room, it seemed they couldn't come up with a suitable countermeasure. Everything they did or