Unsheathed

Between the small boat hurriedly giving chase and Osmanthus Island slowly drifting forward, there was a severely wounded old man waiting for Chen Ping'an on the sea.

Chen Ping'an grinned when he saw the old man. It was the old boatman with powerful mystical abilities.

The two of them rowed the small boat across the sea and quickly caught up to Osmanthus Island. After mooring the small boat, they saw Lady Gui standing alone on the dock with a deeply apologetic expression on her face. She looked at Chen Ping'an and said, "I'll report today's matters to the Fan Clan's ancestral hall. Young Master Chen, I'll remember your life-saving grace for as long as I live!"

Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly before shaking his head and replying, "I was simply saving my own skin."

Lady Gui was rendered speechless. She sighed and walked to the mountain peak of Osmanthus Island with the old boatman and the young boy.

The old boatman needed to rest and recuperate, so he bade farewell to Chen Ping'an before returning to his own courtyard. Chen Ping'an and Lady Gui walked to the Guimai courtyard together. Lady Gui hesitated for a moment before explaining, "Ma Zhi led the charge when defending Osmanthus Island just then, so he also suffered some injuries. He won't be able to practice the sword with you in the near future. He asked me to inform you about this, and he asks for your kind understanding and forgiveness."

Chen Ping'an nodded and said, "It's naturally more important for Senior Ma to rest and recuperate."

There was slight helplessness on Lady Gui's face as she continued, "Osmanthus Island is in a delicate state right now, so I truly don't trust other people entering this courtyard. Even if it's Jin Su, it still seems inappropriate for her to enter. If you don't mind, I'll take over the responsibility of looking after the Guimai courtyard and your daily needs."

Chen Ping'an hurriedly shook his hands and replied, "There's no need, there's no need, it's fine to keep things the way they were. Delivering three meals a day is enough. If it weren't for the fact that there's no kitchen here, I could have actually cooked for myself."

Lady Gui smiled and bade farewell, saying, "There are still many matters for me to deal with. Make sure to rest well, Young Master Chen. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. There'll be an osmanthus girl awaiting your orders near the courtyard."

Chen Ping'an sat down on a stone chair by himself, closing his eyes and resting his mind.

It wasn't long before someone knocked on the door. It was the osmanthus girl, and her voice was soft and gentle as she explained, "Young Master Chen, there are two guests from Pure White Continent. Lady Gui said that it's up to you whether you want to entertain the guests or not."

Chen Ping'an stood up and walked over to open the door. Apart from the osmanthus girl, there was also a beaming young boy in green as well as a solemn-looking old woman with white hair.

The young boy didn't beat around the bush, and he directly said, "Savior, my name is Liu Youzhou, and I'm from the northernmost Pure White Continent. I won't enter your courtyard to disturb your peace. I'm simply here to thank you in person."

"Okay," Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

The two of them fell silent.

Curiosity filled the face of the young boy in bamboo clothes as he looked at Chen Ping'an. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was thinking about when this young boy would leave.

The old woman broke the silence and explained, "The evil flood dragon in golden robes launched two sword strikes at you back then. One of them was completely unexpected, so I had no way to block it. The other strike was far too powerful, so I couldn't have blocked it unless I sacrificed my life. However, my task is to protect my young master. So, my Young Master needs to thank you, while I need to apologize to you."

Chen Ping'an smiled and cupped his fists, replying, "I appreciate it!"

The old woman nodded, and there was a hint of a smile on her face as she offered, "Thank you for your benevolence, Young Master. If you visit Pure White Continent in the future, you definitely have to pay a visit to our Liu Clan."

Chen Ping'an smiled and remained silent.

The old woman and Young Master Liu thus bade farewell and left.

The two of them brushed past a young and beautiful girl. When she saw Chen Ping'an, she looked into his eyes and smiled, "So it was you."

Chen Ping'an was slightly befuddled, but the young girl had already turned around and left.

Only then did Chen Ping'an turn around and return to his courtyard. However, he suddenly stopped and turned to the uneasy osmanthus girl, saying with a faint smile, "If anyone looks for me after this, can I please trouble you with turning them away?"

The osmanthus girl nodded vigorously in response.

For the next two days, Chen Ping'an surprisingly didn't practice any fist techniques or sword techniques. Instead, he retrieved some books and bamboo slips and bathed in the sunlight as he read them.

Late at night, Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and climbed out of bed. He walked out of his room and leaped onto the roof, grabbing the Sword Nurturing Gourd from his waist and starting to drink wine.

He suddenly turned around, and it wasn't long before a figure dashed over and sat down beside him. This uninvited guest had two pots of old wine in his hands.

There was a sincere smile on Chen Ping'an's face as he asked, "Old Senior, looking for a companion to drink with?"

This person was none other than the old boatman who had fought against the elderly golden flood dragon without retreating. He laughed heartily and asked, "What's wrong? Is this old man too slovenly for you?"

"Of course not," Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his hand.

The old boatman cracked the clay seal on a pot of wine, then tilted his head back and taking a large swig. He then fell silent for a long time, and when he finally started speaking, his voice was calm and quiet. "Before that calamity, the passengers on Osmanthus Island were like a mixed bag of fish and dragons in a pond. However, there was still order amid the chaos, and no party would disturb another.

"Yet, that calamity was like a bamboo pole mindlessly beating the creatures in the pond, causing it to become murky and chaotic. Your decision to stay in this small courtyard these few days is correct. You can't be too careful. Even though the large majority of people know that it was you who blocked that evil creature and deterred the entire Flood Dragon Trench, I still have to give you this unsavory warning — occasional favors bring gratitude, while constant help breeds grudges."

The old boatman appeared resigned as he continued, "Not to mention, there are all kinds of cultivators walking on the path of the Great Dao. Quite a few of them can't stand to witness the success of others."

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment before nodding and concurring, "This is just like how some people can't stand seeing their neighbors become rich. They'll become green with envy. This is all the same."

The old boatman sighed and took a large swig of wine.

"What actually is Osmanthus Island? Old Senior, is it alright for you to tell me about this?" Chen Ping'an asked.

The old boatman smiled and replied, "Why would it not be? It's actually Lady Gui's true form."

A look of realization spread across Chen Ping'an's face.

The old boatman smiled and asked, "Then have you considered the passengers on Osmanthus Island? What kind of people are these?"

"People from the mountains and Qi refiners?" Chen Ping'an answered in an uncertain voice.

The old boatman shook his head and corrected, "Osmanthus Island is an intercontinental ferry, so what kind of passengers does such a ferry carry? Business people."

Chen Ping'an faltered upon hearing this. However, he quickly nodded and said, "That makes sense."

"Wandering north and journeying south, what do business people yearn to obtain?" the old boatman asked.

Chen Ping'an replied very quickly this time, answering, "Money."

The old boatman slowly drank a mouthful of wine before asking again, "Obtain money for what?"

"To spend," Chen Ping'an answered with a smile.

The old boatman sighed with emotion and remarked, "That's right. Working hard to earn money is for the sake of spending money to obtain enjoyment. In other words, one has to stay alive to obtain this enjoyment. Just how many Qi refiners and disciples of the Hundred Schools of Thought exist in the world?"

Chen Ping'an scratched his head, and there was a faint smile on his face as he started to drink wine. He was drinking more and quicker than normal this time, so he eventually decided to lean back and lie comfortably on the roof. "Old Senior, I'll tell you something personal, so can you keep this between us? Also, if I say this and if you listen to it, there might be some troublesome issues..."

The old man crossed his legs and leaned forward, swirling the wine pot in his hands as he did so. There was half a pot of wine left, and the wine loudly sloshed around. The old man smiled and said, "Go ahead and tell me. After all, when you drink, how can you not say some drunken words? What's the point of drinking wine if you don't? Young boy, I might look much older than you, but I'm actually missing a nerve and foolishly brave.

"In any case, I've already lived for so many years, and I've only held on for so long because I still want to see my master again. Moreover, there are some things that won't change much whether you talk about them or not. I was standing next to you at the time, so I heard some things loud and clear anyway. And so, I'm here to listen to your drunken stories, aren't I?"

Chen Ping'an pointed at the sky and began, "Back then, I met a young Daoist priest in my hometown, and our relationship was quite good in the beginning. He was none other than that Lu Chen. In the intense battle before, he plotted against me two times. Or perhaps it was three times. However, I'm only certain about two times. One time was when my mind was 'blessed by fortune' as I struggled to write the characters 'rain god.' At that time, I decided to take a gamble and write 'Lu Chen' instead. The second time was when I faced the elderly golden flood dragon alone. Back then..."

Chen Ping'an placed the Sword Nurturing Gourd on his belly before resting his hands behind his head as a pillow. "That kind of feeling was extremely strange. It was as if I could see and hear the mind's realm, the mind's lake, and the mind's voice of every single person. And it was exactly like you said: occasional favors bring gratitude, while constant help breeds grudges.

"At the time, I discovered that eighty or ninety percent of the passengers on Osmanthus Island were either feeling plain indifference and numbness or a sense of schadenfreude. In fact, it was as if they wanted to see me die on the spot. Of course, there was also a lot of envy and jealousy...

"Afterward, I was unable to understand why this was no matter how I thought about it. This was until you enlightened me just now, old senior. This is Osmanthus Island, and the passengers are all business people. Moreover, everyone wants to stay alive. Thinking back, that makes a lot of sense! After living for all these years, it's the desire to live on that's pushed me to where I am today."

Chen Ping'an grinned. "See, I have a friend, and he's a very impressive swordsman. Lu Chen plotted against me, so I plotted against him as well. I asked him to deliver my final words to my friend. I gave Lu Chen two options — either abandon his face and pretend that he didn't hear me, or pinch his nose and deliver my final words to that friend. If he chose the latter option, then my friend would have definitely given him a really good beating. Thinking about that instantly made me feel less fearful of death."

However, there were some things that Chen Ping'an ultimately didn't dare to reveal. This was because they pertained to Mr. Qi.

Mr. Qi had asked him not to lose hope in the world regardless of what he encountered. At that time, however, Chen Ping'an had only felt disappointment toward this world.

It was very likely that this was Lu Chen's true objective. As for what this pertained to specifically, Chen Ping'an only had a very fuzzy idea.

Lying on the roof at this moment, Chen Ping'an finished by saying, "To not lose hope in the world is a very difficult thing..."

The old man continued to drink wine as he slowly said, "You keep calling the Daoist Branch Master by his name, and you also mentioned a friend who can give him a good beating... Well, I won't tell you about the shock in my mind. After all, I was also a terrestrial immortal back then, so I still care a little bit about my face. However, since you've told your story, I feel inclined to spit out the words accumulated in my belly as well."

Chen Ping'an was just about to sit up, but the old man turned around and chuckled, "It's okay to remain lying down. It's just some grumblings that no one has listened to for several hundred years. There's no need to treat it so seriously."

However, Chen Ping'an still sat up, explaining, "It's hard to drink while lying down."

The old man smiled and wrapped his arms around his pot of wine. He then gazed at the distant night sky above the sea, where the moon was bright and beautiful.

"Back then, I was also a prodigy in the eyes of others," the old man recounted slowly. "My temper was very bad, and if you had come across me at the time, perhaps I would have been the type of person to disappoint you. However, my personality right now is quite different from before. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here and drinking with you.

"Chen Ping'an, let's ignore the good and bad of the passengers on Osmanthus Island first. To borrow your words, every single one of them is certain to have a strong point that we can learn from, seeing that they've made it to where they are today. Also, if you do something right, but others fail to do the same thing, this doesn't necessarily mean that they're wrong. Similarly, if you do something wrong, and others also do the same thing, this doesn't necessarily mean that they're also wrong. This might sound a bit convoluted..."

Chen Ping'an nodded and said, "I understand!"

The old man raised a thumb and chuckled, "Of course, you were the most right during the fight back then. Your actions were flawless!"

Chen Ping'an smiled happily.

To receive approval from someone whom he approved of was something worthy of a drink.

Thus, Chen Ping'an took a large swig of wine. There was a wide smile on his face as he casually said, "Old senior, you are correct. I shouldn't use my principles to judge everyone else. Perhaps my principles are correct, but perhaps they're also incorrect. Or perhaps they're correct, but not fully correct. It's also possible that they're too narrow... Haha, this is also pretty convoluted! Isn't that right?"

"Very convoluted," the old man replied in amusement.

Chen Ping'an pointed into the distance, and the head of the young boy who smelled of alcohol swayed back and forth. By the looks of it, he had genuinely had too much to drink. He didn't conceal the joy and pride on his face as he chuckled, "Old Senior, I'm acquainted with many extraordinary people. For example, that supremely powerful sword immortal who arrived afterward. I could have referred to him as Senior Brother. I'm also fairly impressive, aren't I?"

"Yes, yes, yes, you're all very impressive," the old man smiled and replied with a nod.

Chen Ping'an was bleary-eyed as he turned around and semi-consciously asked, "Old Senior, your praise doesn't seem very sincere?"

The old man roared with laughter. No wonder he could get along with this young boy. They shared the same tastes, and they were both foolishly stubborn.

The young boy fell back in a drunken stupor, murmuring to himself on the rooftop.

The old man helped Chen Ping'an put his wine pot away. While doing so, he inadvertently heard a few drunken words from the young boy. He nodded and guarded the young boy for the entire night.

This was what the young boy had said — "Mr. Qi, I understand now. When it comes to not losing hope in the world, one part of it is to stay alive and live well. However, there's actually another part. When we show goodwill to the world, yet we receive no goodwill in return and even receive hostility, the ability to not lose hope is the most genuine hope in the world. Mr. Qi, I already understand this now. However, I'm not able to do this right now. After having a drink, I'll try my best starting from tomorrow..."

In reality, the old boatman was already close to 500 years old. He had seen countless people, and he had also experienced countless things and heard countless remarks. However, he still felt like these words from the young boy were very worth ruminating on. They would pair well with wine, although two pots of wine were not quite enough.

————

Inside the Sword Nurturing Gourd, and inside the flying sword Fifteenth...

There was an elementary Confucian book that the old scholar had given to Chen Ping'an. At this moment, the simple characters in the book started to freely swim around.

In the end, completely new rows of characters appeared on the title page.

"Sequential Order. Chapter One: Understanding Order. Chapter Two: Reviewing Magnitude. Chapter Three: Determining Good and Evil. Chapter Four: Unity of Knowledge and Action."

On the bank of a large river in Southern Whirl Continent, there was a large stone cliff atop which two old men in Confucian robes stood side-by-side. One carried a bright moon on his shoulder, and one held a round sun in his hand.

The impoverished old scholar who was swirling his hand and spinning the small sun in his palm smiled and asked, "Chen Chun'an, what do you think about my final disciple? Is he good?"

The elegant scholar with an exquisite full moon on his shoulder nodded but remained silent.

The impoverished old scholar could only answer his own question, saying, "Good, I think he's very good."

"You're a shameless person anyway, so you can say whatever you want," the elegant scholar replied indifferently. "You always say this is good and that is good, but is this truly suitable? Perhaps you've already admitted defeat? Perhaps you feel like you're wrong and my teacher is correct?"

The impoverished old scholar shook his head and chuckled, "Sigh, why are things like this, Chen Chun'an? Hasn't Chen Ping'an already answered this question for you? You both have the surname Chen, and your abilities are naturally a bit stronger than his for the moment. In terms of comprehension ability, however... Forget about it, let's not talk about this. If I truly say it, then I'll immediately lose a friend."

The elegant scholar chuckled coldly and retorted, "I, Chen Chun'an, have never been friends with you."

There was a look of sincere agreement on the old scholar's face as he nodded and concurred, "Indeed. Not only am I your senior but the gulf between our knowledge is also immense. Just like that old boatman said, I still care a little bit about my face."

"Get to the point," said Chen Chun'an, the clan leader of the Yingyin Chen Clan.

The old scholar extended his hand and returned the round sun. No longer joking around, his voice was slightly solemn as he said, "I hope you can make your move later. The later the better."

Chen Chun'an accepted the round sun and placed it above his shoulder. Now carrying both the radiant sun and moon on his shoulders, the old man calmly replied, "It's all the same."

"Scholars... are all the same," the old scholar sighed with emotion.

————

In the Heavenly World, atop the White Jade Capital that was located in the important central region of the world...

A young Daoist priest with a lotus flower hat surprisingly had one hand behind his back as he slowly walked along a dangerous jade-white railing and observed his other palm with his head lowered.

In the corridor next to the railing, there were two Daoist immortals at the Ascension Tier. They respectfully stood there in an attentive manner, and they definitely didn't dare to make any sound and disturb their branch master's thoughts.

The young Daoist priest retracted his hand and lamented, "Ahhh, I might as well die and get everything over with."

He suddenly leaned to the side and directly plummeted into the sea of clouds beside White Jade Capital, just like that.

The two Ascension Tier immortals remained unmoving and simply exchanged a smile. They were already used to this.