CHAPTER 523: (2): ENCOUNTERING A TERRESTRIAL FLOOD DRAGON ON THE RIVER BANK

Sword of Coming

The next day, the two steeds visited the neighboring mountain god shrine and water god shrine before continuing their journey north.

They were already getting close to the Green Oriole Nation, which was located on the eastern shore of the Northern Complete Reed Continent.

The two steeds traveled slowly, and Chen Ping'an sighed with emotion and remarked, "Heaven and earth like a scorching kiln, the heat of summer like blazing coals; all matter melted and tempered, no human spared from the suffering."[1]

Sui Jingcheng was already on the verge of dozing off, but upon hearing a rare remark from the senior sword immortal, she immediately regained her spirit and asked, "Senior, is this a saying from the mountains? Is there some profound meaning behind this saying?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head, replying, "No, this is a saying that one of my best friends heard from the old teacher who taught us pottery firing. We were both young at the time, so we simply treated this as an amusing saying. The old man never said these things in front of me, and in reality, it's more accurate to say that he was almost never willing to even speak to me. Even when we ventured deep into the mountains to search for suitable clay for making pottery, staying in the wilderness for ten days to half a month, we would still seldom say more than two or three sentences to each other."

"Senior's immortal force even needed to fire pottery?" Sui Jingcheng exclaimed in astonishment. "These kinds of immortal forces actually exist in the mountains?"

Chen Ping'an suppressed a chuckle and nodded in response, replying, "Yes, of course they exist."

"If that's the case, then doesn't this mean that Senior's good friend possesses even higher cultivation talent?" Sui Jingcheng asked in a careful voice.

"It's hard to say for sure regarding cultivation talent, but my pottery firing skills will never catch up to his in my lifetime," Chen Ping'an replied with a smile. "He might understand the required techniques and processes with a few glances, but I'll need to slowly investigate things for an entire month to reach a decent level of understanding. Even so, my understanding will still be inferior to his."

"Senior, won't there be a lot of pressure being friends with these kinds of people?" Sui Jingcheng asked.

Chen Ping'an merely smiled and offered no response.

The two steeds crossed the border of the Northern Swallow Nation and the Green Oriole Nation, making their way to the immortal ferry station that was only one hundred or so kilometers away.

The ferry station was called Dragon Head Ferry Station, and this ferry station was the private property of the Grain Rain Faction, a top-notch immortal force in the Green Oriole Nation. It was said that the founding ancestor of the Grain Rain Faction had played a game of Go with the founding emperor of the Green Oriole Nation before, and it was through this founding ancestor's exceptional Go skills that he had won this piece of land.

There was no relationship between the Grain Rain Faction and grain rain coins, and the name of this immortal force instead pertained to the fact that their grain rain cards and grain rain posters were extremely popular outside the mountains. The former was sold to wealthy families in the mortal world, with the posters categorized as either calligraphy posters or picture posters. These posters possessed some minor abilities of immortal talismans, allowing them to dispel sinister auras and safeguard clans and families better than the ordinary posters of door gods.

As for grain rain tablets, these were higher-grade items that could be worn beside the waist. All of the low-level Qi refiners in and around the Green Oriole Nation would make sure to obtain a grain rain tablet before venturing into the mountains and rivers. These tablets were quite dear, but all of the nobles and officials in the Green Oriole Nation also possessed at least one.

In fact, the imperial court of the Green Oriole Nation didn't prohibit high-ranking officials from wearing these tablets to the court assembly, and the emperor of the nation would even use these tablets as a reward and frequently bestow them upon meritorious officials.

Dragon Head Ferry Station was a large ferry station. There were very few Qi refiners in the Great Seal Script Empire and the dozen or so nations in the south, and there were no immortal ferry stations apart from the small ones located in the Great Seal Script Empire and the Golden Scale Palace. Moreover, both of these ferry stations only serviced relatively short routes.

On the other hand, the relatively small Green Oriole Nation was a pivotal hub in the easternmost region of the Northern Complete Reed Continent, with everyone in the nation being extremely familiar with cultivators from the mountains. As a result, the customs and traditions in the Green Oriole Nation were vastly different from those in the Great Seal Script Empire and the many nations in the south, where martial artists swaggered around and immortals needed to step aside in respect.

Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng sold their two horses to a large bodyguard agency in the prefectural city.

They traveled on foot, and Chen Ping'an handed his hiking pole to Sui Jingcheng.

Chen Ping'an's outfit was becoming increasingly simple, and he was wearing nothing but a bamboo hat and an azure robe at this moment, with even his hairpin removed and put away. He was no longer carrying his bamboo case, and he had even put away his Sword Nurturing Gourd and his pseudo-celestial sword, Sword Immortal.

Meanwhile, Sui Jingcheng was also speaking less and less.

The two of them walked along the bank of a thundering river that flowed into the sea. This river measured several kilometers wide, yet it surprisingly wasn't the river that was renowned throughout the continent. It was said that the surface of that renowned river was vast and stretched for further than the eye could see, and many residents of the Green Oriole Nation would never have the opportunity to travel to the opposite bank in their lifetime.

A cool river breeze brushed over their faces, completely dispersing the scorching summer heat.

"Senior, if that mighty figure never appears, then I still hope that I can become your disciple in the future," Sui Jingcheng said. "I can become an unofficial disciple first, and Senior can remove the prefix of 'unofficial' whenever Senior feels like I've earned the right to become an official disciple. As for whether Senior Cui is willing to teach me immortal techniques and provide me with guidance, I won't forcefully ask for anything. I've already cultivated alone for thirty years anyway, so I don't mind waiting for Senior to return from his travels."

Chen Ping'an turned around to observe the turbulent river water, replying with a smile, "You'll regret your decision if you don't become his disciple. I can guarantee this."

"I won't!" Sui Jingcheng shook her head and replied resolutely.

"If we assume that your Dao mentor never appears, then the person whom I'm proposing you become a disciple of is a genuine immortal who's far superior to me in every aspect that you can think of, from his cultivation to his disposition and then to his vision."

Of course, this person was also his disciple regardless of how high his cultivation base was.

Chen Ping'an hadn't thought much about this in the past, and he had even treated it as a burden most of the time. Looking back, however, it actually felt quite... satisfying?

"Can such kind of person really exist in the world? I refuse to believe this!" Sui Jingcheng exclaimed in a firm voice.

"It's up to you whether you believe this or not. Seeing is believing, so you'll naturally understand my words when you meet him in the future," Chen Ping'an said.

Wearing her veiled hat and holding Chen Ping'an's hiking pole, there was a skeptical look on Sui Jingcheng's face as she looked at the senior sword immortal. She felt slightly gloomy at this moment. So what if Senior Cui truly possessed godly Dao power and was a paramount immortal from the mountains?

Sui Jingcheng understood that cultivation was a long and time-consuming journey. That being the case, could cultivators from the mountains have the same amount of encounters and experiences as martial artists from the cultivation world even if they were one hundred years old or several hundred years old?

When cultivators in the mountains stepped inside a cave abode to cultivate in seclusion, they could easily remain in seclusion for several years at a time. When they left the mountains to train in the outside world, they would also choose to distance themselves from mortal matters to avoid attracting karmic fate. After venturing through the world alone, seldom interacting with any mortal matters, they would then return to the mountains again without any mortal ties. Could one truly enjoy immortality with no anxieties by cultivating like this?

In any case, it wasn't a given that Qi refiners would face no hardships and catastrophes on the path of cultivation simply by cultivating in a secluded and tranquil manner. They would still face hardships and insurmountable barriers, and they would still face the risk of dying before attaining Dao. Perhaps mortal humans were unable to witness the magnificent sceneries in the mountains, but regardless of how majestic and mystical they were, would one truly not grow tired of them after dozens of years or one hundred years?

Sui Jingcheng felt slightly distracted and agitated.

Chen Ping'an stopped and picked up a few stones, casually tossing them into the river.

Sui Jingcheng stood facing the river, with the strong breeze blowing the veil against her face and causing her dress to billow.

There were a number of people walking on the path beside the river, with most of them being Qi refiners traveling to and from Dragon Head Ferry Station.

A burly man rode past on his horse, but his eyes lit up as he pulled back his reins. He then thumped his chest loudly and exclaimed with booming laughter, "Young Lady, why don't you come with me to enjoy life? That pretty boy standing beside you is clearly not good enough for you."

Sui Jingcheng completely ignored the burly man.

The burly man leaped down from his horse and landed beside Sui Jingcheng, swinging his hand diagonally down at her shapely chest.

However, the burly man was thrown into the river before he could succeed.

Chen Ping'an had placed a hand on the burly man's head and pushed lightly, causing him to crash heavily into the river.

The splash caused by this "stone" was quite large.

The burly man swam hard and made his way upstream, catcalling and whistling as he did so. His steed also started to charge forward, and it didn't look like the burly man had any intentions of exacting revenge.

Sui Jingcheng was extremely anxious as she asked, "Are there more assassins feeling us out?"

"Not at all. He's just an uncouth man who can't keep his hands to himself," Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his head.

There was an aggrieved look on Sui Jingcheng's face as she asked, "Senior, we've already come across such a scoundrel just walking along a normal path, so what if the cultivators on the immortal ships and intercontinental ships also possess ill intentions? Senior won't be traveling with me, so what should I do then?"

"Didn't I tell you before? I'll make sure to organize everything after we arrive at Dragon Head Ferry Station," Chen Ping'an replied.

There was a look of grief in Sui Jingcheng's eyes as she stressed, "But there are so many accidents and unknowns of the path of cultivation."

Chen Ping'an didn't say anything and continued to walk forward.

Sui Jingcheng caught up to him, walking beside him as she asked, "Senior, are immortal ships similar to ordinary ships on the rivers?"

Chen Ping'an nodded and replied, "The two are quite similar, and immortal ships will also rock and undulate like ordinary ships when they come across strong winds. However, there aren't any big issues, and immortal ships can safely navigate through thunderstorms as well. You can just treat this as an opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Indeed, there are many decent sceneries to enjoy when the immortal ships travel through the seas of clouds, and you might even see immortal cranes flying behind the immortal ship. You can also witness the mystical phenomenon of the surrounding mountains and waters when you fly past the mountain-protection formations of some immortal forces."

"Rest assured, Senior, I'll definitely look after myself," Sui Jingcheng replied with a smile.

"One's Dao Heart and Great Dao are like unpolished jade, so it definitely won't feel comfortable when using a carving knife to shape and polish these pieces of jade," Chen Ping'an said slowly. "However, being able to endure and overcome this discomfort will allow one to attain so-called success and mastery in cultivation. This is just as important as you cultivating immortal techniques one step at a time in the future. Otherwise, you'll be walking forward like a cripple, greatly increasing your chances of tumbling down the mountain.

"Might is often right in the world, while reason is too often pushed to the side. Similarly, many people cultivate strength but don't cultivate the mind. Of course, many people can also become happy and content, reaching a state of equilibrium with the world and allowing them to handle matters in a calm and indifferent manner.

"Regarding the rights and wrongs of these matters, you can observe more and contemplate more by yourself. Good people will still have bad habits, while bad people will also have good principles and reasons. There's only one thing you need to keep in mind — always ask your own conscience. This vague principle is something I learned from a person whom I once strongly desired to kill."

"I'll remember it," Sui Jingcheng replied with a nod.

Chen Ping'an raised a hand and pointed in two directions as he walked forward, continuing, "This is the strange nature of worldly matters. I've pointed out a cultivation path for you following our encounter, yet this path is slightly different from what another person might point out to you. For example, the semi-Dao mentor who gifted you three fated opportunities back then will have pointed you onto a different path. If this mighty figure were to personally teach you Dao, then...

"...You would have become a completely different Sui Jingcheng. The more possibilities that exist, the more different Sui Jingchengs that could have existed."

Chen Ping'an pointed at one place and then another, saying, "Be it me, a spectator, or you, Sui Jingcheng, no one knows which Sui Jingcheng would have reached a greater height or lived a longer life. However, do you understand your true feelings? Because this is something that can be known at any given instant."

Chen Ping'an followed one direction for a dozen or so steps, eventually coming to a stop and pointing in the other direction as he explained, "Walking to a certain point, and then setting off from this point, your footsteps might remain firm and resolute regardless of whether you enjoy fortunes or suffer hardships. However, after reaching a certain stage, especially if you've suffered a huge misfortune, you'll definitely start to question yourself and begin to look around.

"You'll look at the possibilities that you didn't take up in the past, and you'll slowly contemplate matters and mull over your choices. The answers that you obtain at that time will reflect your conscience and your true feelings. The path that you choose to walk from then on will entail a process of asking your conscience and asking your heart.

"However, let me tell you this. You'll face a trap at that time, and this trap pertains to our subconscious instinct to persuade ourselves using the principles and reasons that we're most familiar with. This is a very natural and easy process. After all, as long as a person is able to stay alive and reach a certain point in their life, there's definitely something that others can learn from them. However, what's difficult is accepting new principles and reasons while maintaining one's conscience and true self."

"But what if a person's conscience and true self are aligned with evil?" Sui Jingcheng asked in a timid voice. "If that's the case, then won't their resolve to maintain their true self make the world a worse and worse place? If these people are further able to learn their lessons, then won't things become increasingly dire?"

Chen Ping'an nodded and replied, "Of course. And this is why I only say these things to those close to me. There's no need to explain these principles to normal people, and my fists and swords are enough for some other people."

Sui Jingcheng was stunned upon hearing this.

She fell silent for a long time, and as they continued to walk forward slowly, she eventually asked, "Then what can be done about this?"

Chen Ping'an's expression was calm as he replied, "This is a question that the Confucian academies and the Hundred Schools of Thought need to contemplate.

"The Three Teachings and the Hundred Schools of Thought have a myriad of principles, with these principles being like heavy downpours that descend upon the world during different seasons. Perhaps these downpours can alleviate long droughts, or perhaps these downpours will lead to catastrophic floods.

"What we, as individuals, can do is to maintain a heart like flowers and always seek out the light."

A young man wearing Confucian robes had just walked past Chen Ping'an and Sui Jingcheng, and he stopped in his tracks and turned around to say with a faint smile, "I feel like your assessment is correct, but it can't be regarded as the most correct."

Chen Ping'an also stopped, turning around to ask with a smile, "Why is that?"

Sui Jingcheng hurriedly shuffled behind Chen Ping'an as if she were facing a formidable enemy.

The young man smiled faintly and explained, "There also exist many major principles in the mortal streets and alleys. As long as mortal humans adhere to these principles for their entire lives, then they won't need to lower their heads even if they come across sages, immortals, deities, and Buddhas."

"What if a fist smashes down and leaves the people bruised and battered? Do the principles still exist? Are the principles still useful? Isn't it the most natural and logical principle that might is right?" Chen Ping'an asked.

The young man smiled and replied, "Principles aren't food, nor are they a shield used to block other people's fists. It's indeed the case that there exist many hardships and much suffering in the world, but is there any lack of peace and prosperity in the world? Why are these relatively weak people able to enjoy a peaceful life? There are many cultivators seeking absolute freedom in the mountains, and there are many empires seeking dominion in the mortal world. However, by and large, why are they also able to maintain peace and stability?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "Those with power don't need to speak reason, yet are revered and followed by countless weaker people. How should this be explained? If you deny that this principle is a principle, then perhaps principles and reasons are forever grasped in the hands of a small number of powerful beings?"

The young man wearing a Confucian robe shook his head and replied, "This is only a surface-level observation. You clearly have the answer in your heart, so why do you still ask such questions?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and didn't say anything.

The young man continued, "My name is Qi Jinglong, but the genealogical records in the ancestral hall of my immortal force have me down as Liu Jinglong. This pertains to my clan matters, so I won't go into the details regarding why this is."

Sui Jingcheng was very confused at this moment.

She had never heard the name Liu Jinglong before.

"Then let's walk and talk?" Chen Ping'an suggested.

1. This is an extract from Dai Fugu's poem, 大热五首·其一, which describes the punishing summer heat. Dai Fugu was a poet from the Southern Song Dynasty. ☜