Unsheathed

Chen Ping'an had written a few incorrect characters on the Lock Slashing Talisman. If he had written the correct characters, then perhaps a bright moon would have risen from the sea the instant that the Wind and Snow Awl made contact with the talisman paper again.

With the incorrect characters, however, it was as if a red sun were rising from the sea. It was as large as the mouth of a well, yet it didn't radiate a scorching heat. Instead, it gave off a feeling of warmth and gentleness.

After Chen Ping'an uttered the words "The sages once said, dragons in the abyss," the red sun seemed to break free from the guidance of the True Qi. It swayed back and forth as it floated down to the surface of the sea. It then slowly sank into the Flood Dragon Trench, no longer causing any peculiar scenes above the surface.

However, without exception, all of the large creatures lying coiled at the bottom of the Flood Dragon Trench assumed human form. Some became old men and some became old women, and they all left their own dens to stand on the rock walls in the ocean trench. They bowed and paid respects to the talisman.

These were all elderly flood dragons in golden robes who belonged to the senior generation. Upon seeing this, many young and inexperienced flood dragons and their kin also emulated their seniors' actions, vigorously nodding and paying respects to the talisman.

These younglings were relatively weak, and some were still unable to assume human form. Thus, they hadn't participated in the battle against Osmanthus Island. Some had been forcefully held back and suppressed at the bottom of the sea by their elders.

Afterward, the senior figures who had lived for heaven knows how many years unleashed some secret technique, using the ancient sound of water to scold the flood dragons and their kin who had attacked Osmanthus Island. Their words were extremely harsh and severe.

The young water dragons and sea pythons exchanged glances, and they could all see the confusion, shock, and unwillingness in each other's eyes. However, the grand elders of their clans had stated that those who failed to return to the Flood Dragon Trench within seven minutes would be expelled from their clan and be subject to the torturous punishment of being skinned alive. They would then be forced to float aimlessly on the surface of the sea and be punished by the scorching sun for three entire years. Only if they survived would they have the opportunity to return.

When following the elderly golden flood dragon to attack Osmanthus Island just then, they had all received tacit approval from their grand elders. Many of them were young dragons who had suffered at the hands of cultivators in the South Sea and Southern Whirl Continent before, so they yearned to follow that elderly golden flood dragon in the hopes that they could unleash their destructive might in Southern Whirl Continent in the future. They wanted to massacre the disciples of the Pure Confucian Chen Clan and the Qi refiners who guarded the coast.

Now, however, their grand elders were ordering them to retreat, and the elderly golden flood dragon didn't oppose these orders either. Because of this, the young dragons could only leap away from the sky above Osmanthus Island and dive back into the sea. After swimming back to their homes, they would seek their grand elders out for an explanation.

It was after all this that the elderly golden flood dragon had unleashed a sword strike at the young boy. He had to obey the command, but he first wanted to kill this young boy who had ruined his hundred-year plan.

Decree of Lu Chen?

Who was Lu Chen?

The old flood dragon had naturally heard of this person before. According to his elders, Lu Chen was a paramount figure, one of the Branch Masters of the Daoist Sect. Before ascending, his favorite pastime had been to ride a small boat around the four seas. It seemed as if he didn't like staying on dry land.

There were also rumors about a boatman who had sailed the small boat for Lu Chen. He had only been in his thirties when heading out to sea, yet when he had returned to the land alone after Lu Chen achieved ascension in the North Sea, he had discovered that his hometown and even home nation had long since disappeared. His name had only been recorded on the clan genealogical record from 300 years ago. Afterward, the boatman had returned to the sea to search for Lu Chen. Following that, no one ever heard from him again.

Was the elderly golden flood dragon afraid of Branch Master Lu Chen?

Of course he was afraid. However, he wasn't so afraid that he would quake upon hearing Lu Chen's name.

This was because he was in the Majestic World, while Lu Chen was in the Heavenly World.

The loftier one's status, the more difficult it was for one to visit another world. Moreover, there were many complicated rules that restricted them, and their each and every move would be monitored by the Confucian sages.

If Lu Chen desired to personally target him, that would inevitably involve breaking the rules. At that time, the Confucian sages that the elderly golden flood dragon detested with all his heart would instead become the protectors of him and the Flood Dragon Trench. In fact, the person who helped them might even be the ancestor of the Pure Confucian Chen Clan who carried both the sun and the moon on his shoulders.

However, not fearing Lu Chen didn't mean that he would treat this matter carelessly. After all, provoking a sage was foolish, even if the sage was located in a different world.

The old flood dragon in golden robes sneered in his mind. The person who was born in Majestic World yet was acting as a Daoist Branch Master in another world had truly been given a good name[1].

As for the troublesome young boy who had summoned the pair of mountain and water seals to block the sword qi?

The elderly golden flood dragon pursed its lips. Such attacks could be launched once but not twice. Even though he absolutely detested the young boy in front of him, he was already prepared to relent. True victory and defeat wouldn't be decided in an instant.

Today's events went far beyond his expectations, and it was entirely possible that he had already attracted the gazes of the cultivators patrolling the seashore along Southern Whirl Continent. Thus, it would do him well to be prudent. Otherwise, his greater plans would be ruined if he allowed others to take advantage of his mistakes.

The old flood dragon clicked its tongue in wonder and chuckled, "What a pity for that seal. It managed to block the full power strike of an Unpolished Jade Tier sword immortal, and the value of this treasure isn't something that a crappy Dragon King Basket can compare to. Young boy, does your heart ache?"

Chen Ping'an sidestepped the question, replying, "If I have some high-grade snake gall pebbles from Jewel Small World at home, how many will be enough to buy a safe passage for Osmanthus Island?"

The old flood dragon in golden robes faltered for a moment before answering, "Are you talking about that Jewel Small World that existed in the sky above Eastern Treasured Vial Continent? To flood dragons like us, top-grade snake gall pebbles with abundant spiritual energy are just as important to us as Dragon Slaying Platforms are to sword cultivators.

"To flood dragons and their kin below the Nascent Tier, a single top-grade snake gall pebble will be enough to help them safely advance one major tier. Well, let me think... Osmanthus Island, Lady Gui, the lives of over 2000 Qi refiners... Young boy, you need an entire pile of snake gall pebbles."

The old man in golden robes extended a hand and raised two fingers, saying, "You need at least twenty snake gall pebbles. Do you have this many?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, "I already gave some away, so I no longer have this many snake gall pebbles."

The young boy stood up with some struggle. The osmanthus tree born from the osmanthus branch had already been annihilated by the old flood dragon's powerful sword qi.

Chen Ping'an put his Wind and Snow Awl and the lonely water seal away, returning them to his pocket treasure. After receiving a mental command from the young boy whose soul was shuddering violently, the flying swords First and Fifteenth rapidly flew out from his body and returned to the Sword Nurturing Gourd. Chen Ping'an didn't conceal his flying swords this time, especially since the old flood dragon had already seen through them.

The old man in golden robes squinted his eyes.

One of the swords in the sword case on the young boy's back made him feel very threatened.

A decree of Lu Chen that could turn the tables, a pile of snake gall pebbles from Jewel Small World, a pair of mountain and water seals, a calligraphy brush inscribed with "writing as if assisted by the gods," a Sword Nurturing Gourd of decent quality, and the surname Chen.

The old flood dragon became increasingly convinced that his decision to relent in a timely manner was a smart decision.

However, it was a great pity that he hadn't killed the young boy with a single sword strike just then. That would have been the best outcome with the least danger for the future. As for what consequences that would have brought about? He wasn't afraid of them at all.

In terms of cultivation base, he didn't dare be conceited as a pseudo-sage. In terms of backers, however, he genuinely felt like he wouldn't lose to anyone.

The old flood dragon looked at the old boatman whose soul was injured, now standing behind the young boy with an alert expression. He smiled and said, "You don't need to worry. That Lock Slashing Talisman has an immense background, and my courage is only enough to let me attack a single time."

The old flood dragon retracted his gaze and turned his attention back to Chen Ping'an. "Since you have snake gall pebbles, why didn't you say so earlier? That would have prevented this unnecessary battle and saved us from all the hurt feelings."

"You can't be serious. Are you serious?" Chen Ping'an retorted.

A dark expression spread across the old flood dragon's face.

"You had a firm grasp on victory back then, and you were all too eager to kill everyone to snatch their treasures. And now you want me to believe that you would have sat down with a young boy to talk business?" the old boatman said with a cold chuckle.

The old man in golden robes ignored the words of ridicule from the Golden Core Tier boatman. His eyes were firmly fixed on the young boy as he warned, "People who are too smart often tend to die early."

Chen Ping'an turned around and said, "Old senior, you can return to Osmanthus Island. I have some things that I want to discuss with this vile beast... I mean, this flood dragon senior one-on-one."

The old boatman shook his head and replied in a solemn voice, "Staying alive is the biggest source of hope and possibility. Chen Ping'an, you're still young. When it comes to cultivation, it's difficult to say whether these hardships will lead to fortune or calamity. There's no need to dwell on it too much..."

Perhaps this was a false perception, but the old boatman felt like the young boy in front of him was still immersed in the divine intent of that talisman. He was still yet to exit this peculiar state.

Chen Ping'an smiled and reassured, "Old senior, I know what I'm doing."

He wanted to raise his arms and cup his fists in gratitude, yet he only managed to raise his right arm. Meanwhile, he was completely unable to bend his left elbow. Upon realizing this, Chen Ping'an clenched his right hand into a fist and lightly tapped it against his chest. "I'll invite you for a drink when I return to Osmanthus Island."

The old boatman hesitated for a moment, but he eventually nodded in reply and returned to the neighboring small boat. He slowly rowed back to Osmanthus Island.

After the old boatman left, Chen Ping'an patted his Sword Nurturing Gourd and summoned First and Fifteenth, having them hover above his shoulders. He then took back the water seal.

"What, you want to fight to the death with me?" the old man in golden robes chuckled.

Chen Ping'an grinned and replied, "You just can't talk reason with some people, because they are unwilling to accept your arguments no matter how good they are. This is unless your fist is powerful enough. The Lock Slashing Talisman just then was a good example of this. Judging from this, my understanding of this principle is relevant when dealing with beings like you. So me ask you a question first. What rules did you, the Fan Clan, and Lady Gui agree on? Why did you feel like it was justified to kill over 2000 people?"

The old flood dragon was slightly irritated, and it replied in a somber voice, "I felt like the rule was unreasonable?"

It lightly stomped its foot whether consciously or unconsciously, blocking off all communication with the outside world.

It then smiled and continued, "Do you have any idea about our situation? Do you know how many of our ancestors died while being forced to migrate and settle down here in Flood Dragon Trench? And during all these years, how many more have died unjust deaths due to the dogshit rules imposed by the Confucian sages?"

"Perhaps you feel like the Confucian rules are incorrect, but what does this have to do with the rules that you set up and agreed on?" Chen Ping'an retorted. "Taking a step back, even if the sages were genuinely wrong, does that then give you the right to commit wrongs as well? Moreover, if you're so capable, then why don't you head over to argue and fight with the Confucian sages? Why take your anger out on Osmanthus Island?"

The old flood dragon roared with laughter. "Why? Simply to vent my anger. However, this is still far from enough."

"By the looks of it, the Confucian sages were wrong to spare you. They should have killed you with a single slap," Chen Ping'an remarked.

The old flood dragon wasn't enraged, and it instead chuckled, "Young boy, why are you going around in circles with me? What are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to brag about your backers? Are you trying to threaten me and inform me that your ancestor or your master will one day come here to cause trouble for me and the Flood Dragon Trench?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, "I don't have relatives, and I... don't have a master either."

The old flood dragon suddenly felt a little confused, and it asked, "Are you looking for death?"

It then nodded and continued, "This is very strange, but I surprisingly believe what you said. Alright, since you don't have any elders or a master to help you, I now have enough courage to kill you."

The old flood dragon was indeed a resolute individual, and its golden robes started to flutter even though there was no wind. It extended a hand and summoned a speck of golden light in the sky. The speck of golden light slowly hovered down, leaving a golden thread along its path.

Chen Ping'an paid no heed to this, and he took a step forward and walked to the bow of the small boat. He looked down at the deep seawater, as if he were searching for that Lock Slashing Talisman.

His voice was soft as he said, "Lu Chen, I know that you're observing this place. I can also guess some of your motives. However, I borrowed your name to push the enemies back, and you also used this opportunity to take advantage of me. In other words, the two of us are even regarding this matter. Even so, can I trouble you with delivering a message to A'Liang,beyond the sky? The culprit behind Chen Ping'an's death is the South Sea's Flood Dragon Trench."

After saying this...

Chen Ping'an clenched his right hand into a fist and forcefully struck his chest. Before talking to the old boatman just then, he had struck his chest in order to calm his mind such that he could properly say these words to Lu Chen.

This time, his strike caused his mind's realm to churn and shudder violently. In fact, even the divine talismanic intent coursing through his body was comprehensively shattered, reverting to the fist intent of the Mountain Shaking Fist. To put things simply, Chen Ping'an was giving Lu Chen no chance to channel a profound Dao power to speak to him.

Chen Ping'an's left arm was still limp and unusable, so he unclenched his right hand and reached over his shoulder to grab the sword that he should have delivered to that young girl.

However, he suddenly let go and grabbed the wine gourd, Jiang Hu, from his waist. He was purely drinking wine this time, and he wasn't using it as an opportunity to replenish his Qi. He wasn't using it to hide the presence of First and Fifteenth either. After drinking some wine, Chen Ping'an casually tossed the Sword Nurturing Gourd beside his feet.

A'Liang, Mr. Qi, Ning Yao, I'm so sorry, he silently said in his mind.

In the beginning, he had wanted to draw a Lock Slashing Talisman to give himself the right to hold talks with the elderly golden flood dragon. He had wanted to use all of his snake gall pebbles to buy a safe passage for Osmanthus Island.

After arriving at Stalactite Mountain, he would have definitely given Ma Zhi, the Golden Core Tier sword cultivator, a few extra grain rain coins.

Before leaving the island, he would have asked the Fan Clan for a geomantic map of Osmanthus Island as well. After leaving and settling down in Stalactite Mountain, he would have secretly used the mountain and water seals given to him by Mr. Qi to lightly stamp the geomantic map.

Like passing lanterns, all of these things flashed past in Chen Ping'an's mind.

————

At some unknown time, the extremely thin thread of golden sword qi had already vanished from the sky.

The elderly golden flood dragon was slightly pale, and it was extremely suspicious of the young boy's words. It was completely unwilling to believe the young boy. However, what if he was telling the truth?

What if?

It involuntarily turned around to face Stalactite Mountain, appearing extremely hesitant as if it wanted to say something.

In the next moment, a look of delight lit up the old flood dragon's face. It nodded lightly, and it roared with laughter as the golden sword qi reappeared in the sky. However, it wasn't only a single wisp, but dozens of wisps instead. The wisps of golden sword qi were like a lake of slender lotus stems swaying in the sea of clouds.

Somewhere else, on an upside-down mountain.

There was a tall and sturdy man dressed in Daoist robes standing on a cliffside and looking into the distance. His gaze reached further than the Flood Dragon Trench that he had casually created, and it reached even further than the steep cliff faces atop which the two statues of deities stood facing each other.

It extended past the young girl in green who was sitting on the rain god statue's shoulder and drinking wine, and it reached a sea of clouds amid which stood an elegant man in azure clothes and with a sword by his waist. The elegant man had set off from the shore near Old Dragon City just then, and it wouldn't be long before he arrived at the Flood Dragon Trench.

This man had already distanced himself from the human world for many years, and the reason for this was very interesting. The sword qi in his body was far too abundant and dense, so much so that he couldn't prevent it from leaking into the surroundings no matter how he suppressed it. Thus, everything around him would be disintegrated into dust.

As a result, this man would only travel to places with few people — among the sea of clouds, through the Five Lakes and Four Seas, in deep mountains and on steep cliffs, across rough lands filled with miasma...

There was a fervent look in the eyes of the tall and sturdy Daoist priest. This man was worth fighting against!

However, he quickly furrowed his brows. On the surface of the sea beneath the swordsman in Confucian robes, there was a man with a plain expression rowing a boat with a bamboo pole. The boat was as quick as lightning, and it could cover thousands of meters in an instant. It was surprisingly no slower than the widely-renowned sword immortal in the sky.

The man with a plain expression grumbled, "My teacher said that plotting against Chen Ping'an this time is for his own good. Otherwise, if Chen Ping'an arrived at Stalactite Mountain with Qi Jingchun's mountain seal, he would have suffered many hardships thanks to the short-tempered favorite disciple of Second Uncle. In any case, my master sincerely hopes that Chen Ping'an can find another way to head to Heavenly World. Master is willing to take Chen Ping'an as his final disciple."

The swordsman with an elegant aura and a handsome appearance didn't so much as bat an eyelid after hearing this. He simply peered down at the distant Flood Dragon Trench and said, "You're only an unofficial disciple of Lu Chen, yet you want to fight Little Qi for his junior brother? Alright then, why don't you eat my sword strike?"

The man with a plain expression didn't become angry, and he maintained his seemingly innate dullness as he replied, "I won't fight. I only know how to row my boat."

If there were seas of clouds in the swordsman's path, these seas of clouds would be automatically parted with a single slash. After a while, there was a hint of displeasure in his voice as he asked, "Then why are you following me?"

"To personally explain the situation to Chen Ping'an, lest he misunderstands my master," the boatman with a plain expression replied truthfully.

"But I feel like you're an absolute eyesore. Whatever shall I do?" the swordsman suddenly said in a serious voice.

The boatman pondered for a moment before replying, "Then I won't go anymore."

Sure enough, the small boat came to a sudden stop.

The swordsman nodded and remarked, "You're not a stupid one."

He then continued forward on the wind, an annoyed expression on his face as he mumbled to himself.

"Little Qi asked me to become your Dao guardian, but how could I agree? Little Qi became stupid from reading books, but I haven't suffered such a fate.

"So, I won't agree to his request."

The swordsman's mood seemed to take a turn for the worse, and he started to fly forward at an even quicker speed. In fact, the air warped behind him, and there was a loud rumble that was much like booming thunder tearing through the sea of clouds.

When he was about to pass the godly statues of the rain god and the divine general, someone loudly criticized him and prohibited him from impudently flying above the territory of the sect without permission. He needed to take a detour around the sect.

The swordsman casually lowered his head and took a glance before resting his thumb against the guard of his sword and giving it a gentle push. The sword plummeted toward the sea, yet it immediately turned around and shot upward when it was just several meters from the surface of the sea. The sword flew forth like a ray of light and directly sliced the statue of the divine general into two. Like the radiant sun rising from the east, golden light exploded into the surroundings.

The sword disappeared with a flash and quickly caught up to its owner, silently returning to its scabbard.

The swordsman continued forward.

Speak reason? The swordsman had never been a fan of this. If he was always supposed to speak reason with others, then what was the point of having a sword?

The swordsman suddenly looked up at someplace and said, "Unleashing sword qi in front of me? Do you truly think that you're A'Liang?"

The swordsman above the clouds was still 300 to 400 kilometers away from the Flood Dragon Trench, yet he still flicked his wrist and threw a slap.

The entire Osmanthus Island spun in the air and landed heavily in the sea several kilometers away, shuddering violently. As if being carried by strong winds, it then sailed on the wind and waves and rapidly shot forward, instantly shooting far away from the Flood Dragon Trench.

The swordsman then lightly snapped his fingers.

Above the Flood Dragon Trench, it was as if heavenly gates were opening one after another. And from each of these heavenly gates, a waterfall of snow-white sword qi crashed down.

In the Flood Dragon Trench, the coiled flood dragons and their kin near the surface of the sea were initially unsure about what this snow-white downpour was.

When they finally came to their senses, however, they had already become skeletons frozen in their final state.

As for the wisps of golden sword qi summoned by the elderly golden flood dragon, they were like a few dry bushes trying to face off against a flood coming from a broken dam. The wisps of golden sword qi were instantly scattered into nothingness.

One after another, the torrential bursts of sword qi flowed into the Flood Dragon Trench.

However, the elderly golden flood dragon and Chen Ping'an remained unharmed from the beginning until the end.

Inside the Flood Dragon Trench, the stifling suppression of the sword qi left countless corpses in its wake.

The elderly golden flood dragon dazedly stood there, unmoving and with an ashen expression.

Was this not a "what if?"

Did this count as a "what if?"

A swordsman in Confucian robes arrived at the outskirts of the Flood Dragon Trench. He trod on the surface of the sea and slowly walked forward, with his sword qi sweeping over the seawater and causing it to instantly evaporate into mist. As a result, the swordsman was still riding the wind and walking through the air.

He glanced at Chen Ping'an and said without expression, "Little Qi asked me to become your Dao guardian, but I didn't agree to his request. This is just like how Teacher asked me to protect Little Qi in the beginning. I didn't agree to that either. You're free to choose the Great Dao that you walk, so why do you need a Dao guardian?"

There was slight exasperation on his face, yet there was also the hint of a smile in his eyes. "However, you can be considered half my junior brother, and this relationship is something that I can't refute. Moreover, you dare to take responsibility for your own life and death, and you when you decide that it's time to die, you follow through with that decision. I feel like that is quite good. That is what I like to see, and that is why I came over to see you.

"Teacher is already so old, and Little Qi wasn't young either, yet they were both picked on by others. In the end, they only have their own stubbornness to blame for this. As for you, however.... You're still young, so it isn't right for others to pick on you like this."

While the swordsman was speaking in a nonchalant manner...

Rays of snow-white light slowly seeped out from the more than 300 acupoints in the elderly golden flood dragon's body. Its expression was wicked and its face was twisted in agony, yet the flood dragon whose combat power was equivalent to the Unpolished Jade Tier was unable to make a single sound from the beginning to the end.

"My sword intent is inferior to A'Liang's, but my sword techniques are a little better than his." novelbuddy.c om

The swordsman looked at the young boy called Chen Ping'an. He raised a thumb and pointed at the sky, after which he pointed at himself and chuckled, "Oh, that's right. My name is Zuo You, and I'm Little Qi's senior brother...and your senior brother, too."

1. Lu Chen's name is written 陆沉, which can literally be interpreted as "sinking land." ☜

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