Chapter 267: Approaching Stalactite Mountain

Chapter 267: Approaching Stalactite Mountain

When Chen Ping'an woke up on the rooftop, there was a robe draped over his body. His Sword Nurturing Gourd was placed beside him. If this were in the past, Chen Ping'an would have definitely leaped off the roof immediately after waking up from his drunken snooze, especially one that had lasted the entire night. He would have entered his room to make sure that the locust wood sword case was still on the table.

Today, however, Chen Ping'an slowly removed the robe covering him and carefully folded it up. He was in no hurry, because he trusted that the sword case was still exactly where he had left it.

Chen Ping'an trusted that old boatman.

Chen Ping'an tied the Sword Nurturing Gourd to his waist and sat down cross-legged, turning his head to the east where the iridescent morning clouds were dazzling and beautiful.

His mental state was completely different from when he had left the Flood Dragon Trench to pursue Osmanthus Island. His mind had been restless and erratic back then, but it was calm and stable at this moment.

Chen Ping'an stood up and shielded the sun with his hand as he enjoyed the brilliant colors of the clouds. He had once read such a line in some travel journal — the scattering colors of iridescent morning clouds put the wardrobe to shame[1]. He truly didn't know how scholars and literati could come up with such beautiful imagery.

Chen Ping'an suddenly turned around to look outside the Guimai courtyard. There was a young girl dressed as an osmanthus girl standing under an osmanthus tree that offered scattered shade. She looked extremely bored, and she looked up and pointed her finger at the osmanthus leaves on a certain branch. She was most likely guessing the number of leaves on the branch. Chen Ping'an followed her gaze and observed the branch for a moment. He then grinned and loudly announced, "Young miss, there are thirty-two leaves!"

The young girl dazedly turned around, and she flushed bright red when she saw the young sword immortal standing on the rooftop. By the looks of it, the iridescent morning clouds in the sky would also give more favor to beautiful people.

After her slacking was exposed, the osmanthus girl suppressed the embarrassment and shyness in her mind and asked, "Young Master, do you want some breakfast?"

"Sure thing! Can I trouble you with bringing me a bit more? I'm quite hungry right now," Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

The osmanthus girl blinked as she looked at that figure drifting to the ground and suddenly vanishing from sight. Her mood immediately improved.

Even though the young sword immortal had been very polite, she had still been extremely scared of him. She had felt that he would remember her mistakes, no matter how small. Thus, even though it was almost certain that he wouldn't report her to Aunt Gui, she had been very afraid of him.

When Chen Ping'an had asked her to turn away all visitors, she had respected his request and diligently turned away many visiting guests. She had summoned her courage to turn away numerous immortals from the mountains, and she had ended up receiving many supercilious looks and scoldings because of this.

After eating breakfast, Chen Ping'an started to practice fist techniques in the courtyard. He practiced the Mountain Shaking Fist's walking meditation for the entire morning, and he started to practice sword techniques by himself in the afternoon. He still practiced without a physical sword, and he simply feigned holding a sword as he focused on practicing the offensive Avalanche Technique. Chen Ping'an focused on this sword technique because he felt like it was extremely satisfying.

After advancing to the fourth tier and having his energy, essence, and spirit become increasingly hidden, his six-step walking meditation now appeared especially light and nimble as if he were a wild goose trodding over snow. However, each subtle but sudden pause would cause his fist intent and astral energy to pour outward in a swift and ferocious manner.

After starting to practice the sword, Chen Ping'an discovered that the Qi channeling route for fist techniques and sword techniques were completely different. However, the so-called intent behind them shared things in common, and this allowed Chen Ping'an to feel increasingly at ease. This was because he came to realize that earnestly practicing fist techniques was indeed a form of cultivation. Moreover, it was a very good form of cultivation.

Back then, Li Xisheng had stated that drawing talismans was also a form of cultivation while drawing talismans on the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain. After being smashed into the mortal world by a single punch, A'Liang had also stood on the kun ship and told him that upon reaching the pinnacle state, practicing the fist was equivalent to practicing the sword.

In the past, Chen Ping'an would have felt completely lost if he were to continue down the fourth tier of martial arts like this. He would have felt like he was walking on empty air. Now, however, he was already feeling much more confident than before.

Chen Ping'an practiced standing meditation at night.

When it was time for his midnight snack, Lady Gui didn't ask the osmanthus girl to deliver the food. Instead, she personally came over with the food and snacks.

There seemed to be something weighing on Aunt Gui's mind, yet it was as if she didn't know where to begin. At this moment, Chen Ping'an had already broken the silence and said, "Aunt Gui, I've saved Osmanthus Island for Little Fan this time, so can you help me deliver a message to him using a flying sword? Tell him that I'm very fond of this Guimai courtyard, so can this courtyard belong to me in the future? Also, I feel like Little Fan won't be too stingy. However, the elders in the Fan Clan most likely won't agree to my request. Can you help me persuade them when the time comes?"

Lady Gui was extremely puzzled by Chen Ping'an's request. She carefully observed the young boy, yet she found that his expression was seemingly genuine and sincere. She felt a myriad of emotions, and she replied with a smile, "If the ancestral hall of the Fan Clan dares to disagree, then I'll drag Little Fan along with me and cry out about the injustice. I'll scold them loudly, while Little Fan will roll around on the floor. We'll definitely change their mind."

Aunt Gui sat beside Chen Ping'an and watched him wolfing down the food. As if amused by her own words, she covered her mouth and giggled, saying, "Giving away an independent courtyard is a rare thing that Osmanthus Island has never done before. I'll head off to personally draft a title deed right away. According to the rules of the government office, we need two copies of this deed. The two of us can sign the deed first, and this way, we can act first and ask for permission later. Afterward, we can get Little Fan to toss the deed into the ancestral hall and sprint away before they can do anything. Who cares whether those old geezers agree or not."

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Aunt Gui, there's no need for a title deed. There's no need to keep such a document between us."

Aunt Gui gazed at the young boy's eyes and asked, "You really don't need one?"

Chen Ping'an also looked her in the eyes, replying with a nod, "Really."

Aunt Gui sighed softly before suddenly dragging the young boy over and holding him in an embrace. This woman with an ordinary appearance but a graceful manner smiled and said in a soft and gentle voice, "Even though you're a similar age to Little Fan, you appeared especially gallant when rowing the boat with the bamboo pole back then. And what you're doing today... Sigh, all women in the world would feel truly touched by your actions."

Chen Ping'an was still holding his chopsticks, but his body was leaning over a bit like the crooked old willow tree on the bank of the Iron Talisman River. He didn't think much about this, and he simply felt like Lady Gui was praising him in some way. However, Chen Ping'an genuinely didn't know what she was praising him for, especially regarding how his actions would touch all women. What was this all about? Was this another metaphor employed by scholars and literati?

Moreover, Aunt Gui's manner of displaying friendship and kindness was indeed a little inappropriate. Fortunately, there was a huge gulf between their seniority and age, so others most likely wouldn't think much about this even if they saw the two of them...

Aunt Gui had already released Chen Ping'an while he was thinking about this, and she smiled faintly as she looked at the young boy who was neither blushing nor having his heart beat faster. The dazed expression in his eyes made him loko rather adorable.

Aunt Gui squinted her eyes and revealed a rare expression of seductive charm. There was amusement in her voice as she teased, "Oh, as it turns out, you're also the same as Little Fan. You're still just a child."

From the beginning to the end, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but feel a little awkward. As such, he could only lower his head and eat, also drinking some wine from time to time.

Aunt Gui smiled as she stood up and left.

When she arrived at the door, however, she saw the old boatman with an amused smile on his face. He reeked of alcohol, and he swirled his wine pot as he strode into the courtyard. As he walked, he didn't forget to exclaim, "Wine is the drink of joy, ridding worries and bringing delight; even toads and rabbits are moved, the shade of osmanthus trees shake."

An exasperated smile appeared on Lady Gui's face, but she didn't think much about this as she calmly walked away, accompanied by the shade of osmanthus trees the entire time.

The old boatman suddenly exited his drunken state, a serious expression on his face as he said, "Chen Ping'an, my master suddenly arrived at Osmanthus Island, and he's specifically asked to meet you. He said he has something to tell you. Do you want to meet him? I can only confirm that my master isn't a bad person. He's always been kind and compassionate. However, I can't confirm whether such a good person will decide to do one bad thing. In terms of why he isn't willing to climb the mountain and come to this small courtyard..."

The old boatman suddenly appeared to be in a difficult spot, and he continued, "As a disciple, I should logically respect my master and avoid mentioning his name or titles. However, because of the situation right now... Forget about it, I'll just tell you about this.

"Master was once the first boatman for Osmanthus Island. Whether it's the Dragon Beating Poles or the folded paper carriages, horses, and buildings, all of these were rules created and passed down by my master. However, he quickly disappeared after that, and he only appeared once 500 years ago, taking me as his unofficial disciple. I can tell that... Master misses Lady Gui a little. However, it's a shame that he somehow annoyed Lady Gui, so she's prohibited him from ever setting foot on Osmanthus Island."

The old boatman suddenly added, "I suspect that Master is the boatman mentioned in the Daoist classics. He'll go out to sea for hundreds of years at a time, and he was the boatman for... that person that you mentioned. So, now that he's here to visit you, all I can do is deliver the message for him. As for whether you meet him or not, that's something for you to carefully think about."

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment before nodding and replying, "I'll go and meet him. That Lu..."

The old boatman hurriedly signaled with his eyes and eyebrows, stopping Chen Ping'an from going any further. He lowered his voice and warned, "If you directly mention the names or titles of some people, such as supremely powerful sages, they can detect their names being mentioned. Just think about it. Why do ordinary people always warn others not to directly mention the names of deceased elders? Is this simply due to etiquette? No, it's not that simple."

Chen Ping'an nodded in understanding. He then descended the mountain with the old boatman.

"Aren't you afraid that I have ulterior motives?" the old boatman asked in a joking manner.

This was because he was correct again.

Chen Ping'an stood up with a smile, not acting mystical or pulling theories out of thin air anymore. Last night, he had a dream. In his dream, he read for an entire night. That was a hazy and mystical experience.

Seemingly realizing that he had been toyed with, a slightly irritated expression appeared on the middle-aged man's face. He scratched his head, but he didn't take his anger out on the young boy.

Chen Ping'an winked and said, "Lady Gui is still watching us. What impression will she have of you if she sees you treating your own disciple like this? Isn't that right?"

The middle-aged man instantly came to a realization. His eyes lit up, and he hesitated for a moment before retrieving a golden book that was strung together using a simple straw rope. "It took me a great deal of effort to retrieve these texts from the bottom of the sea. Here, give them to Little Water Bucket. Remember, you definitely have to hand them to him in front of Lady Gui, okay? Can you do this?"

"Of course!" Chen Ping'an replied with a nod. "I can even put in some good words for you if you want."

"Then I won't hold a grudge against you for toying with me just now," the middle-aged man said with a smile.

Chen Ping'an accepted the golden book and carefully placed it in his sleeve. He didn't so much as take a glance at it. He looked at Lady Gui who was seemingly nearby but was actually beyond their small world, and she was currently gazing at the bright moon above the sea with a slightly adrift expression.

Chen Ping'an retracted his gaze, and he was a little curious as he asked in a soft voice, "You are a man of great seniority, and you've already lived for so many years, so why are you still so stubbornly in love with Lady Gui? Moreover, you're clearly aware that the notion of affection is an obstacle to your Great Dao, so why does it seem like you're actually enjoying this?"

This struck a sensitive chord, and the middle-aged man snapped, "That's none of your business!"

Chen Ping'an paced back and forth along the shore with his wine gourd in hand.

"Lady Gui can't hear our conversation, right?" he asked.

The middle-aged man nodded in response.

However, Chen Ping'an still lowered his voice as he said, "Lady Gui's disposition is naturally top-notch. In terms of her appearance, however... It can't be considered too... outstanding, right? What's the story between you two? Care to tell? Why did you fall for her, and why does she dislike you? What can be considered liking a person, and how do separation and reunion work? How did you anger Lady Gui? I need to take this as a warning...uh, I meant to say that I'll help you come up with a plan! You might not know this, but I'm actually acquainted with many girls. I'm extremely knowledgeable when it comes to relationships and romance!"

The middle-aged man rolled his eyes and replied, "If there are so many specific reasons for liking a person, then what kind of crappy affection is that? Speaking to a vulgar person like you is so boring. Little Water Bucket must be blind to drink with someone like you."

Chen Ping'an grimaced.

The middle-aged man suddenly reached up and thumped his chest, saying with confidence, "Also, in my eyes and mind, Lady Gui is a breathtaking beauty with no equal! She's the most beautiful person in the world. Be careful of what you say in the future, little brat. If you dare to say another bad word about her, then I'll smack you stupid with my bamboo pole! "

He angrily spat at Chen Ping'an and scolded, "What kind of crappy tastes do you have? You're completely unable to differentiate between beautiful and ugly!"

The middle-aged man spun his boat around using his bamboo pole. He then rowed away by himself, traveling hundreds upon thousands of meters in an instant.

Chen Ping'an patted his chest and happily called out to Aunt Gui. "Let's go, I managed to obtain a secret text for the old senior from his master."

He didn't forget to put in some good words for the middle-aged man, going as far as to offer two sentences of praise. "He's a magnanimous and genuine person. However, he's a bit too honest."

Lady Gui nodded with a wide smile, saying, "Mhm, but his appearance can't be considered too outstanding."

Chen Ping'an gulped upon hearing this, with his neck stiff as he turned around to search for the man and boat that had already disappeared into the distance. That middle-aged man was truly disloyal...

Lady Gui lightly smacked the young boy's head, and it was clear that she wasn't genuinely angry with him. "What are you looking at? Let's go," she said in a gentle voice.

The two of them walked along the mountain path together, and Lady Gui casually asked, "We'll arrive at our destination in one month. Chen Ping'an, do you have any acquaintances at Stalactite Mountain? If you don't, then it will be a little troublesome if you want to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall. The reputation of the Fan Clan and Osmanthus Island doesn't hold much weight there. Moreover, when you arrive at Stalactite Mountain, there are some things that even money can't solve. That's because..."

Lady Gui paused for a moment before continuing in an exasperated voice, "That's because the Dao Ancestor's second disciple created some strange rules that have never been broken, not once in tens of thousands of years."

Chen Ping'an was slightly skeptical, and he challenged, "Never? Not by a single person?"

Lady Gui sighed and replied, "Many people have tried in the past. However, their corpses and souls were all tossed into a small lake of lightning in Stalactite Mountain by some Daoist Heavenly Lord. Almost all of the victims were top-notch cultivation prodigies, descendants from powerful clans in the nine continents, disciples of immortal sects, or impressive figures from the Hundred Schools of Thought... However, none of them came to a good end. No one can change that Daoist priest's decision."

When that golden Dao Manifestation had appeared near the Flood Dragon Trench before, the Daoist priest's true body that was far away in Stalactite Mountain had also used a mystical ability to isolate heaven and earth, preventing Osmanthus Island from seeing his true form.

Chen Ping'an was filled with worry as he roughly described the Daoist priest's appearance.

"How did you become familiar with this Great Heavenly Lord from Stalactite Mountain?" Lady Gui asked in astonishment.

Chen Ping'an grimaced and smiled bitterly.

Right at this moment, a streak of white light cut through the night sky and passed over Osmanthus Island, announcing, "All passengers on Osmanthus Island are exempt from paying the toll when entering Stalactite Mountain. If anyone wants to travel to the Sword Qi Great Wall through Stalactite Mountain, they'll also be exempt from paying the toll."

Chen Ping'an suddenly raised his arms and clenched his fists, exclaiming with joyful laughter, "He won!"

One month later, the passengers on Osmanthus Island could already see the majestic silhouette of the hovering Stalactite Mountain in the distance.

Moreover, every so often, they would come across other intercontinental ships that were also impressive in size and spectacular in appearance.

As time passed, Stalactite Mountain also drew closer, making it appear increasingly lofty and majestic.

After getting Lady Gui's approval, Chen Ping'an woke up before sunrise and secretly left the Guimai courtyard. Afterward, he sat on a tall branch of the osmanthus tree located on the mountain peak, swinging his legs as he craned his neck and looked up.

He heard other people say that Stalactite Mountain was the border pass between two worlds.

However, Chen Ping'an was a pure martial artist at the fourth tier, and he wasn't a grandmaster at the Far Roaming Tier who could soar through the air. As such, he could only take an intercontinental ship or take things one step at a time.

There was already such a great distance between the northernmost Great Li Empire and the southern Old Dragon City. If someone wanted to travel from one world to another world, the distance between the two would be even more immense.

Sitting on the tall branch, Chen Ping'an smiled as he casually threw punches, causing him to sway left and right.

Beneath the tree, a young girl had arrived atop the mountain peak very early in the morning. She sighed and murmured, "I still feel like this boy is an absolute idiot."

1. A line from Shen Quanqi's 七夕曝衣篇. Shen Quanqi was a Chinese poet and government official active during the Tang dynasty. ☜