Chapter 798: One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Techniques
As the ferry neared Parrot Island, Chen Ping'an turned his head to look at the Tender Daoist, who was currently spitting saliva while chatting with Liu Chicheng, and asked, "Senior, I heard you're acquainted with Gold Emerald City?"
The Gold Emerald City's craftsmanship in refining dharma robes was so exquisite and unparalleled that it shook the wilderness. Otherwise, the ink-colored dragon robe worn by the throne-ranked great demon Yang Zhi would not have employed Gold Emerald City's unique secret method of dividing yin and yang through waterways.
It was thanks to a single dharma robe from Gold Emerald City—obtained by Chen Ping'an and then transferred through Mi Yu—that Colorful Sparrow Mansion had turned into a goldmine. This windfall had helped the once-remote Colorful Sparrow Mansion show signs of rising among the first-rate immortal mansions in Northern Julu Continent. In the Great Li dynasty alone, through the connections of the Piyun Mountain's Lord Wei, they had commissioned over a thousand dharma robes from Colorful Sparrow Mansion in one go, bestowed by the Song clan of Greater Li upon various mountain and water deities and the civil and military temples of city gods. This had earned the female cultivators of Colorful Sparrow Mansion the nickname "Weaving Maids." After all, sewing and refining dharma robes was already part of the cultivation practice for the qi refiners of Colorful Sparrow Mansion.
Forsaken Mountain also profited handsomely through a predetermined profit-sharing arrangement with Colorful Sparrow Mansion, reaping a huge return with little investment. Every five years, a large sum of Grain Rain coins would fall into their coffers, recorded by Wei Wenlong and deposited into the treasury.
Wu Jun, the law-enforcing elder of Colorful Sparrow Mansion, would tremble with fear every time she delivered money to Oxhorn Mountain Ferry. On the ferry, she would be especially nervous, worrying about encountering bandits among the Upper Five Realm cultivators. After boarding the cross-continent ferry of the Hemp-clad Sect, it was slightly better, but the journey from Colorful Sparrow Mansion to Skeleton Shoal still made her particularly anxious, because the only companion by her side was a "Golden Core sword cultivator named Yu Mi." Every time he escorted her to the Skeleton Shoal ferry, Wu Jun would repeatedly ask if they truly didn't need help from Hemp-clad Sect cultivators for protection. After all, Forsaken Mountain had a good relationship with Hemp-clad Sect; hiring someone to make a trip to Colorful Sparrow Mansion for safety wasn't too much, was it? But Mi Yu would say, why waste money? And he would add that he didn't want to squander the mountain lord's goodwill with Hemp-clad Sect; with him around, they were fine.
Wu Jun couldn't help but ask that man—who looked like he belonged to the Upper Five Realm but was only at the Golden Core stage—if someone robbed them midway, whose fault would it be?
Mi Yu smiled and replied, "If we really lose the money, count it as mine."
A handsome man, when boasting, truly was hard to dislike even if one didn't particularly like him.
Wu Jun felt helpless. The money belonged to Forsaken Mountain; if Forsaken Mountain itself didn't care, why should she worry?
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened during her several trips to deliver money to Forsaken Mountain. After all, the Hemp-clad Sect ferry and the Great Li's northern sacred mountain Piyun were both talismans of protection.
As for the legends of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the "Mi the Waist-cutter" of the Middle Five Realms, the "Mi the Embroiderer" of the Upper Five Realms—these were tales of distant mountains and rivers. The man before her, surnamed Yu, named Mi, hailed from Forsaken Mountain, but there was no connection whatsoever.
Chen Ping'an was well aware that the dharma robe, now the biggest treasure trove for Colorful Sparrow Mansion and Forsaken Mountain's largest "windfall from a side path," had a grade similar to the lowest divine man dew-collecting armor among the military alchemical armors. It could even take another step upward. How was this achieved? Naturally, by tracing the lineage back to Gold Emerald City in the wilderness, refining the crafting techniques to reach an even higher level.
However, Gold Emerald City cultivators had never crossed the Sword Qi Great Wall to the Righteousness world. In the small booklet that had been delivered to the Great Li dynasty on his behalf, Chen Ping'an had warned the Great Li to seize as many dharma robes produced by Gold Emerald City on the battlefield as possible, the more the better. They needed to dismantle and study more spell prohibitions. Ideally, they should capture a few Gold Emerald City cultivators, the higher the realm, the better.
The Tender Daoist felt like he was facing a great enemy and quickly denied, "Not familiar—several hundred or thousand years without contact; how could we be close? For the opening ceremonies of all the Gold Emerald City Golden Core female cultivators' branch mansions, and even the celebration three hundred years ago when the city master advanced to the Immortal realm, that old woman Yang Zhi personally attended the ceremonies. Did the Hidden Official ever hear of Peach Pavilion showing up to congratulate? Nothing of the sort."
Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile, "I see. The secret archives at the Summer Retreat Palace didn't write it that way, but I probably misread. I'll go back and look carefully to see if there's any misunderstanding about you, Senior."
The Tender Daoist's face twisted in a look of frustration, like someone who hadn't gotten to eat warm shit.
The heroic spirit he had earned from Ascension Realm cultivator South Light was forcefully returned to this black-hearted Hidden Official.
The Tender Daoist quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind and tentatively asked, "Does the Hidden Official hold a grudge against Gold Emerald City? None of Gold Emerald City's cultivators have ever harassed the Righteousness world."
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Neither for public nor private reasons do I have any enmity. I've always simply admired the crafting of Gold Emerald City's dharma robes."
In fact, back in the year when he traveled north on the Sword Qi Great Wall's carriage, there was a group of female cultivators, chattering like orioles and swallows. Among them was both a junior of the great demon Residence Lane's clan and a female cultivator from Gold Emerald City, whose dharma robe was very eye-catching.
The Tender Daoist suddenly realized, "Ah, that makes sense. I heard the Hidden Official tends to wear a lot whenever he goes into battle."
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then said through his mind, "If Senior can produce enough secret methods of Gold Emerald City's crafting, I can give you half a percent of the profit share."
The Tender Daoist raised a hand to wipe his mouth. The Hidden Official really knew how to tell jokes; he almost laughed his teeth out.
And only half a percent share? You kid, treating me like a beggar, huh? Fifty percent would be more like it.
Chen Ping'an continued, "Over at the Confucian Temple, besides mass-producing and crafting certain military alchemical armors, there's a possibility they'll create three to five types of standard dharma robes. Since they'll still be mass-produced, the grade doesn't need to be too high, similar to the early robe workshops on the Sword Qi Great Wall. In Northern Julu Continent, there's Colorful Sparrow Mansion, which has a chance to occupy one of those types. Daoist Nen, I know you're not short of money, but for wealth in this world, clean and steady is the most precious. I believe you understand this principle even better than I do. Besides, on the Confucian Temple side, making money this way also earns a bit of merit. Even if you, with your noble spirit, don't want the merit, the Confucian Temple will probably remember the favor."
Peach Pavilion of the wilderness certainly wasn't short of money—he was at the peak of the Ascension Realm. He wasn't lacking in realm or cultivation either. So, what did "Righteousness world's Tender Daoist" lack now? Simply peace of mind in the Righteousness world.
When it came down to fear, at the root, Peach Pavilion was still afraid that, as an outsider, he wouldn't be well received at the Confucian Temple. For matters that could go either way, the Confucian Temple might favor the great cultivators of the Righteousness world.
So now, this young Hidden Official was essentially helping the Tender Daoist pave a winding path of incense-burning—a path made easier by taking the long way around, showing more sincerity, and making the year's end pass more smoothly.
The Tender Daoist's expression became solemn. He slowly said through his mind, "Gold Emerald City is a place that doesn't compete with the world. I'm not talking nonsense about that. As for the city master, Yuanhu, she's even less fond of fighting and killing—again, I'm not fabricating that. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken the Daoist name 'Five-Flower Scribe.' The Summer Retreat Palace must have detailed records. So, Hidden Official, is it possible?"
His words were ambiguous.
Chen Ping'an understood and smiled slightly. "It's hard to make any promises now, otherwise, even if you believed me, I'd think it was insincere. But if you, Senior, help Gold Emerald City secure a retreat path, just in case something happens, whether City Master Yuanhu takes that path is her own choice. On your part, Senior, that's already very generous and nostalgic."
The Tender Daoist thought for a moment and said, "I'll have to talk with Li Huai's master about this later. The matter is too big for me to decide on my own."
In fact, what was there to talk about? Did the Old Blind Man care about such trifles? It was just that Peach Pavilion felt this whole casual conversation had been led by the young Hidden Official by the nose, which made him lose face.
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Senior is older and more experienced in the ways of the world—prudent and steady."
The Tender Daoist recalled something and cautiously asked, "Hidden Official, back when I snuck out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains to congratulate that little woman Yuanhu on advancing her realm, how did the Summer Retreat Palace find out? I remember I was extremely careful on that trip and shouldn't have left any trace for you to detect."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "I've never written about it. I was just making it up."
The secret archives at the Summer Retreat Palace only recorded that Peach Pavilion of the Hundred Thousand Mountains had a good relationship with Gold Emerald City's Yuanhu. Then there was a note from the previous Hidden Official, Xiao Xun, in crooked handwriting: "Definitely a lover."
The Tender Daoist gave an awkward smile.
Whether to believe it or not? Either option seemed bad.
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Senior, don't you have any objections to that half-percent profit? I actually hoped you'd bargain for a whole percent."
Just as the Tender Daoist was about to speak, Chen Ping'an continued with a sincere expression, "I never expected you to be so generous and open-minded that you wouldn't even mention it. I truly admire your mountaintop bearing—rare in the Righteousness world."
What else could the Tender Daoist do but stroke his beard and smile while cursing in his heart?
But after a moment's thought, the Tender Daoist felt he wasn't losing out; he'd made a big profit—though the young man beside him would only make even more.
After holding back for a while, the Tender Daoist said through his mind, "Doing business with the Hidden Official really clears the mind."
Chen Ping'an shook his head and laughed. "I'm far inferior to you, Senior. After all, you're not a businessman at all, which is why you can handle people and matters so calmly and leisurely."
These words were true.
This time, the Tender Daoist truly felt refreshed.
The ferry arranged by the Confucian Temple sailed slowly and couldn't pick up speed. Along the way, several ferries that had set off later for the Parrot Island Bazaar had already arrived at the docks earlier. They were all private ferries from various mountains. When passing by, they deliberately or unconsciously altered their routes to avoid them slightly. Obviously, they had developed a huge psychological shadow from the ill-tempered green-robed sword immortal and the even more ill-tempered "Tender Daoist." Who wanted to become the next Immortal Yunmiao or Ascension Realm South Light? Might a simple exchange of glances offend them, and then their ferry would receive a sword strike?
Only one private ferry, from the Qiu clan in Yuzhou of Flowing Xia Continent, approached instead of keeping its distance. Chen Ping'an took the initiative to clasp his fists in greeting from afar.
Lin Qing, a guest elder of the Qiu clan, threw something over to the figure in green robes on the opposite ferry—a newly carved landscape Seal with Suit-Shape. The old man chuckled through his mind, "Welcome, Sword Immortal, to Old Pit Blessed Land when you have time."
Chen Ping'an caught the seal, clasped his fists again, and smiled, "I will. Besides learning about epigraphy from Mr. Lin, I'll shamelessly ask for a few Seal Impression Manuals from Jade Xuan Studio. And I must eat a world-beating Yuzhou hotpot before I leave. The manuals I'll definitely pay for. But if the hotpot doesn't live up to its reputation and disappoints me, don't expect me to spend a single copper coin. Maybe I won't even come to Yuzhou again."
Lin Qing laughed, "No problem."
The two ferries parted ways.
Lin Qing told the Qiu brothers about the sword immortal wanting to eat hotpot. Qiu Shengong and Qiu Xuanji, the two outstanding talents of the Yuzhou Qiu clan, exchanged glances. Their hometown Yuzhou was known for many things, but hotpot was what kept people around.
Qiu Shengong asked, "Mr. Lin, is this unknown sword immortal deliberately using Yuzhou hotpot to get close to us, or is he a true food connoisseur?"
Lin Qing smiled, "A sword immortal who doesn't even take Yunmiao seriously, would he need to deliberately curry favor with the Yuzhou Qiu clan? Don't forget the backing of the Nine True Immortal Hall is that Song Zi of Zhuolu who is currently at the Confucian Temple's council—did you see him show any courtesy?"
Qiu Xuanji laughed, "That's good. Our old master is right—outsiders who like Yuzhou hotpot are mostly not bad people and worth befriending."
Chen Ping'an examined the seal. It was made from top-grade old pit field stone, very heavy in the hand. To mountain immortals and literary scholars who loved such things, one tael of field stone was equal to one tael of Grain Rain coins, and it was hard to come by at market price.
The seal inscription read: "To the west of the Golden Heaven, where the white sun sinks, the immortal gets drunk, from the moon cave comes, flying sword like rainbow, feet pushing South Dipper to open earth's veins, hand turning North Dipper to shine on heaven's gate." The bottom seal read: "Once Saw the Green Robe."
Chen Ping'an fell in love with it at first sight and immediately felt the seal grow heavier in his hand.
The ferry docked at Parrot Island's ferry terminal. Some people were already waiting there—a group of young boys and girls, all carrying swords. They were several of the Eighteen Sword Children of Dragon Elephant Sword Sect.
After Chen Ping'an and his group disembarked, one of the girls plucked up her courage, left the group alone, and blocked the path.
The Toasted Face Lady, a guest elder of Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, pretended not to recognize this girl with excellent talent in sword training. Within the sect, she was the boldest, the most unrestrained in speech with her master Qi Tingji, and Lu Zhi had high hopes for this little girl.
Chen Ping'an stopped and asked, "You are?"
The girl blushed slightly. "I am a disciple of Dragon Elephant Sword Sect. My name is Wu Manyan."
Chen Ping'an nodded lightly, indicating he understood. And then?
He waited for her to continue.
The girl's face instantly turned bright red. Afraid that this Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the Mr. Chen in her heart, might misunderstand her name, she quickly added, "It's 'yan' as in 'a hundred flowers contending in beauty,' the 'yan' of 'beauty and ugliness, fairness and foulness.'"
Chen Ping'an had no choice but to nod again. He knew that character.
As soon as she said it, she regretted it. Had she just pulled off the most embarrassing opening line in the world? Whatever she had rehearsed in her mind, why had she forgotten it all? How could she not remember a single word?
Seeing that the girl neither spoke nor moved aside, Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Is there something you need from me?"
The girl's forehead was beaded with fine sweat. She shook her head vigorously. "No!"
But she still didn't move.
The few steps she had taken here had already exhausted all her courage. Even as her inner voice kept telling her to get out of the way and not delay the Hidden Official's business, she found she couldn't move her legs at all. The little girl's mind went blank. She felt her life was over—now the Hidden Official would definitely see her as someone who didn't know her limits, had no manners, and was ugly to boot. She would just stay in the sect obediently, practice her sword for ten years, decades, a hundred years, hiding on the mountain, never going out again. Apart from practicing swordsmanship, what meaning did her life have?
Chen Ping'an showed no impatience at all. Instead, he said softly with a smile, "Practice your sword well."
Wu Manyan finally snapped out of it. Her smile was worse than crying. She sniffled, stepped aside, and murmured with her head down, "Okay."
Chen Ping'an was also quite embarrassed. He forced himself to add another sentence to the girl. "Later, you can ask Mr. Lu for advice on any difficult sword techniques."
Wu Manyan looked up slightly but still didn't dare to look at that warm, smiling face. She just hummed in acknowledgment.
The Toasted Face Lady sighed inwardly. What a silly girl. At this moment, it seemed as if a drifting cloud had settled on the girl's cheeks, turning her lovely face into rosy morning clouds.
Fortunately, a boy came to her rescue. He said to the young Hidden Official through his mind, "My name is He Qiusheng. After I break into the Upper Five Realm, I'll challenge you to a sword duel, Hidden Official!"
Chen Ping'an turned to look at the spirited, sword-carrying boy and nodded with a smile, "All right."
It seemed he was quite popular with the younger generation.
The two groups parted ways.
Wu Manyan wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked the boy, "What did you say to Mr. Chen just now?"
He Qiusheng said, "We made an appointment. Once I reach the Jade Marrow Realm, we'll have a sword duel."
Wu Manyan was puzzled. "By the time you leisurely break into the Upper Five Realm, Mr. Chen should already be at the Fourteen Realm. What's the point of fighting? Why ask for a sword duel?"
The boy's heart was wounded. "Senior Sister!"
Sister, just because I like you, you don't have to bully me like this.
Wu Manyan flicked her head, her ponytail lightly swaying. She looked at the back of the green-robed figure and suddenly felt that practicing swords on the mountain was incredibly interesting.
Before they even reached the Parrot Island Bazaar, Chen Ping'an stopped and turned around, looking toward a distant high place. Two beams of sword light dispersed, each going to a different location.
One of those sword beams—was it heading to this very Parrot Island?
Chen Ping'an was a little puzzled. Why had Senior Brother Zuo You drawn his sword? And it seemed like he was targeting two people? One at Parrot Island, the other at Panshui County Town.
Chen Ping'an saw that sword beam, trailing a scabbard, land not far away.
As for ordinary cultivators with insufficient realms, they had already instinctively closed their eyes or turned their heads away, not daring to look at that dazzling sword light.
Parrot Island itself didn't show too many abnormalities, except that the river surrounding it suddenly became shallower, causing the originally modest island to seem to emerge from the water, revealing many mountain roots and earth veins.
All the cultivators who had just arrived from Mandarin Duck Islet complained bitterly. What was going on today? Everywhere they went, someone was fighting?
The Tender Daoin patted his friend on the shoulder. "Daoist Liu, it's all thanks to you."
Wherever Pavilion Master Liu went, there would always be trouble.
Liu Chicheng smiled. "Well said, well said."
At a mansion on Parrot Island, the Ascension Realm great cultivator Feng Xuetao, whose Daoist name was Qingmi, was discussing matters with several mountain friends. These so-called friends were like Yan the Great Flunky by South Light's side—people who knew how to talk and could read the room. They were discussing how to spread their influence across the Parasol Leaf Continent. In their conversation, aside from needing to show some respect to the Baili Continent's Liu clan, what was the Jade Signet Sect? Not worth mentioning.
Meanwhile, at Panshui County Town, the Flowing Xia Continent great cultivator Jing Hao, the sect master whose Daoist name was Qinggong Taibao, was in a similar scene. However, compared to the itinerant cultivator Feng Xuetao, he had more hangers-on—over twenty people. They were all chatting and laughing with the old Sect Master Jing, who sat in the seat of honor. Earlier, the group had used the watching-in-the-palm art at Mandarin Duck Islet and looked down on sword cultivators, who topped the list of the four most troublesome types on the mountain. Someone said they might dare to test their strength against Yunmiao, but if they came here, they wouldn't even get through the door.
A drawn long sword broke through the mansion's mountain-and-water prohibition and hovered in the courtyard, its tip pointing toward the mountain heroes inside the house.
Jing Hao set down his wine cup, squinted toward the long sword outside the house, and found it unfamiliar. Which sword cultivator was so discourteous?
Inside the house, someone stood up and began cursing loudly, walking toward the door. "Which blind fool dares to disturb Old Jing's drinking pleasure?!"
A figure descended into the courtyard, reached out to gently grasp the long sword, and said calmly, "Zuo You."
The man at the door felt as if his throat had been grabbed. His face turned pale, and he couldn't utter another word.
Zuo You said, "I'm looking for Jing Hao. All irrelevant people can leave."
Zuo You glanced at the man at the door. "You can stay."
That man was caught between a rock and a hard place, wanting to say to this Great Sword Immortal Zuo, "Don't do this—really, I can leave. I'll be the first to go."
Everyone present might not have seen Zuo You before, but they had certainly heard of his reputation.
The man outside was hailed as the highest master of swordsmanship in the Righteousness world, and was universally recognized as the Confucian scholar with the worst temper. There wasn't much competition on either count.
Jing Hao stood up, twirling his wine cup, and smiled. "Mr. Zuo, since we don't know each other, you're obviously not here for a drink. But to say you've come to challenge me to a sword duel, that doesn't seem likely, either?"
Zuo You said, "After the sword duel, whether I drink or duel again is up to you."
He was too lazy to waste words.
Zuo You stepped forward, casually swung his sword, and delivered the first strike to this "Qinggong Taibao," who was said to have reached the pinnacle of the Eighty Great Dao.
The man at the door and the people inside the house all used their ace-in-the-hole escape techniques, frantically fleeing from this trouble spot in all directions. All kinds of techniques and divine powers flashed in a dazzling display.
But only the man at the door suddenly came to a halt on the wall, trapped as if in a cage—a stern realm created entirely from sword qi.
After delivering that first sword strike, Zuo You didn't turn his head. He said to that man, "Aren't you going to admit your mistake before leaving?"
The man immediately clasped his fists and bowed his head. "I was wrong!"
In an instant, that Jade Marrow Realm cultivator was seized by the sword-qi cage and slammed onto a rooftop several hundred zhang away in Panshui County Town. Fortunately, his dharma robe was merely shredded. After getting up, he clasped his fists from afar in thanks before vanishing in a teleportation.
Jing Hao flung the wine cup from his hand. The cup instantly transformed into a miniature mountain dharma image, and the wine within turned into a green river, encircling the mountain like a belt. At the same time, a small world of a hundred miles appeared between him and Zuo You.
With a wave of his hand, he had manifested the greater Dao of "A Sleeve Contains the Cosmos."
But all was cleaved apart by a single sword strike. In the space of a hundred miles, the sword qi arrived in an instant.
Jing Hao extended two fingers, pinching an unusual, azure talisman.
He barely managed to deflect that slender sword qi. In his hand, the priceless talisman paper, eroded by the residual sword qi, quickly burned away. The small talisman gave off a spectacle as brilliant as a galaxy.
But how much of Zuo You's sword technique had been used in that casual strike?
Zuo You stepped across the threshold, sword in hand, and reminded him, "Set up a world."
Jing Hao, as if compelled, had no choice but to unleash several interlocking small worlds.
A moment later, this famous Qinggong Taibao sat within his own world, deploying all his eighty great techniques. But Zuo You simply delivered one sword strike after another, each either breaking one of Jing Hao's techniques or several.
As for Jing Hao's endless techniques, even if a few lucky ones slipped through the net of sword light, they couldn't get close to Zuo You. The moment they neared him, they shattered on their own.
In the end, Zuo You, just as he had told his junior disciple—what's so complicated about fighting? You just throw one more strike—walked out of the house with his sword. He took to the wind, intercepted an Ascension Realm great cultivator who had seen the situation and fled, and asked, "Where are you going? Want me to see you off?"
Feng Xuetao didn't stop, only moved faster than thunder, and said loudly, "I wouldn't dare trouble Mr. Zuo."
Zuo You casually kept pace with the great cultivator whose Daoist name was Qingmi, whose true form was flying alongside him, and said, "You can trouble me."