Unsheathed

Chapter 51: Confrontation

After returning to Fortune Street and engaging in a brief fight with Song Changjing, Bai Yuan didn't stay in the Li Clan's residence for too long. He sprinted out of the small town and came to a momentary stop at where Chen Ping'an had entered the mountain. Bai Yuan then chose to retreat to where he had thrown the punch before, and he carefully examined the footprints that Chen Ping'an had left in the mud.

Apart from Chen Ping'an's footprints, Bai Yuan also noticed the shallower footprints of an adult. He speculated that these footprints were most likely left by the young swordsman from Wind Lightning Field. When he had thrown a punch at Chen Ping'an, that young man had clearly wanted to seize the opportunity to attack him, with his sword intent leaking for a split-second. However, he had immediately suppressed it, and most people wouldn't have noticed anything untoward.

However, Bai Yuan had experienced countless battles, and he had also cultivated for a thousand years in Sun Scorch Mountain which possessed a "sweeping sword qi that can cut through the Treasured Vial". Thus, he was far too familiar with sword intent and sword qi.

Bai Yuan had lived for a long time, so he had naturally seen and experienced many things as well. He had seen sword immortals who were skilled in nurturing top-notch flying swords, and there were those who possessed dozens of mini flying swords that could fit in their sleeves. These were flying swords that were as small and fine as hair. He had also seen a bonded flying sword that was as large as a mountain, with its power so immense that it could sever a river with a single slash.

Bai Yuan stopped and contemplated for a while before deciding to continue forward. The foot of the mountain was filled with overgrown grass, and after a while, he was greeted by the sight of a bamboo forest. The ground was filled with withered leaves from last autumn and winter. However, because this closest bamboo forest was the closest to the small town, it didn't appear too desolate or disorderly. Following the vaguely perceptible footprints, the old ape discovered that he was soon going to exit the bamboo forest.

However, Bai Yuan chose not to directly exit the bamboo forest, and he instead observed his surroundings. He found that there were no more footsteps from the young boy. He looked up at the stalks of green bamboo, and he found that there were no marks on these either. Even so, Bai Yuan still refused to directly climb the mountain to give chase.

Instead, he leaped up and landed on the tip of a thick bamboo stalk with a single foot, slightly exerting some force and causing his body to lean forward. The bamboo bowed, and just as it was about to snap, Bai Yuan suddenly retracted his aura and caused his body to become as light as a feather. With no more weight on it, the bamboo instantly shot back upright. Like an immortal soaring through the wind, Bai Yuan stood on the tip of the bamboo stalk and gently swayed with it, observing the surroundings as he did so. He looked down, and he finally discovered a small clue.

The corners of his mouth curled up, and he turned to his left and peered into the distance. Pricking up his ears, he could hear the faint sound of flowing water in the distance.

Bai Yuan smiled coldly and said, "As cunning as always."

Using the stalks of green bamboo as footholds, Bai Yuan sprinted toward the small creek to his left, leaving a trail of snapped bamboo stalks in his wake. He stopped again after arriving at the creek, unsure of whether Chen Ping'an had traversed deeper into the mountain forests or whether he had fled downstream.

His brows were knitted in a deep frown, and there was a slight hint of anger on his face. If this were a mountain with some spiritual energy in the outside world, Bai Yuan could have made a grabbing motion with his hand and easily forced the God of the Land to show himself and accept his orders. A simple question, and he would have been able to learn Chen Ping'an's whereabouts.

This was also one of Bai Yuan's innate mystical abilities. Otherwise, regardless of how powerful or mighty a cultivator was, they definitely wouldn't have the ability to order the local God of the Land or God of Water around. This was quite similar to the empires and imperial courts of the mortal world, where it was extremely difficult for the minister of war to command a measly external official from the ministry of revenue. Most importantly, the minister of war and the external official from the ministry of revenue weren't even from the same imperial court.

Bai Yuan fell deep into thought as he listened to the sound of the flowing water.

Thinking from a logical perspective, Chen Ping'an had most likely developed his skills and stamina by climbing the mountains and swimming through the creeks from a young age. Perhaps he had even experimented with elementary breathing techniques before, and maybe it was because of this that he possessed such an exceptional physique, with his body light and his bones sturdy. This then allowed him to play the cat and mouse game with Bai Yuan on the rooftops. If this were the case, it made sense for Chen Ping'an to venture deeper into the dense forests to find a hiding spot.

If he were nothing more than an ordinary young boy, however, then he had most likely been acting on an impulse to seek revenge before. After witnessing Bai Yuan's strength and calming down a little, it would only be natural for him to feel a sense of lingering fear. As such, it would be no surprise if he ran to the blacksmith shop in the south to seek protection from Master Ruan.

If Chen Ping'an had chosen the former option, this would only waste some of his time. If Chen Ping'an had chosen the latter option, however, this would waste not only his strength and energy, but it might even use up some of Sun Scorch Mountain's goodwill.

Bai Yuan uttered his sincere thoughts at this moment, saying, "Chen Ping'an must die."

He didn't hesitate any longer, and chose to venture downstream to look for Chen Ping'an.

The was a winding mud road to the south of the small town, and both sides of it were decorated with the rice paddies and crop lands of the town residents. Halfway up the winding road, there was a rundown temple with white walls and black roof tiles. It was called a temple, but in reality, it was nothing more than a resting spot for the residents. This was especially the case when the weather became scorching hot or when the heavens unleashed torrential rain upon them. During these times, it would make a huge difference whether there was a resting spot or not.

Right now, Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao were resting and discussing their plans here.

Ning Yao was born a sword prodigy, and she could easily see things even in the dark. This allowed her to quickly discover the childish graffiti on the broken walls of the temple. Written using charcoal crayons, most of the graffiti was the names of people.

The characters near the bottom of the wall had already become smudged and unclear, and perhaps they had been rubbed off or written over by others. Only the characters higher up were still clear and intact, and she could easily make out the names of several people — Song Jixin, Zhi Gui, Zhao Yao, Xie Shi, Cao Xi, and so on.

Perhaps they had sat or even stood on the shoulders of their friends to write their names up so high. In fact, Ning Yao even saw Liu Xianyang, Chen Ping'an, and Gu Can's names written on the uppermost left corner of the wall. Their names appeared slightly distant and disjointed from the rest of the names.

Ning Yao retracted her gaze and said, "No matter what, we've successfully completed the first stage of our plan. We forced that old ape to replenish his qi once. Anyway, are you really planning to return to the small town to retrieve your wooden bow? Won't that be too risky? What if the old ape is extremely cautious and didn't go up the mountain to look for you? Won't you be running straight into his maw?"

Chen Ping'an was quietly practicing his breathing technique, with the length of each inhalation and exhalation varying depending on his feeling. What he sought was the "most comfortable" state. Hearing Ning Yao's question, he replied with a resolute expression, "I have no choice; I have to retrieve my wooden bow. Otherwise, we would have wasted all our previous effort! Moreover, just like you said, shooting him is useless unless I can hit him in the eye. I shot him from close range in Clay Vase Alley, but the damage it caused was negligible."

Ning Yao was slightly irritated, and she said, "I already told you! Your trifling skills are useless against him! You didn't believe me before, and you stubbornly insisted on doing things your way. So I said fine, and I let you do things your way. Since you believe me now, it's time to follow my plans, right?"

Regarding how to deal with Bai Yuan, Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao had initially decided to each do their own thing during their discussion on the covered bridge. Chen Ping'an had simply told Ning Yao to wait for him to talk to three people first. However, he had suddenly changed his mind, and he had caught up to Ning Yao just as she reached the steps on the northern end of the covered bridge.

Afterward, the two of them had a huge disagreement. Since Chen Ping'an wasn't a cultivator and couldn't even practice a simple fist technique, Ning Yao insisted that he stay out of it and simply observe things from the sidelines. If he wanted to, he could clap and cheer her on as she killed the old ape and exacted revenge for Liu Xianyang. However, when Chen Ping'an had asked her about the details, Ning Yao had refused to elaborate on how she would kill Bai Yuan. She simply said that she had a powerful trump card. Otherwise, without some trump cards, how could she go on an adventure through the world?

Hearing this, Chen Ping'an had rejected her proposal.

Afterward, he had gone to look for the three people.

Chen Ping'an stood up and stretched his back, with his movements barely inhibited anymore. "Alright, that should be enough rest."

Ning Yao was astonished, and she said, "The medicine from the Yang Family's medicine shop is that effective?"

A hint of despondence flashed through Chen Ping'an's eyes. However, he quickly nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, it's very effective."

"Will the old ape see through your escape plan?" Ning Yao asked.

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment before cautiously replying, "Possibly."

Ning Yao used the scabbard of her saber to draw two circles and a line in the dirt before asking, "This is the path between this temple and the Li Clan's residence on Fortune Street. Where is your wooden bow hidden?"

Chen Ping'an squatted down and drew a circle, saying, "It's near the east, around here. It's not too far from Clay Vase Alley."

Ning Yao nodded and said, "Alright then. Even if that old ape directly comes here, I'll engage with him and try to buy enough time for you."

Chen Ping'an drew another small circle in the middle of the line, and he said, "Ning Yao, if the worst-case scenario really does play out, can you lead him to this place? This is where I entered the mountain before. If you guys are there, then it won't take me too long to head over after I retrieve my wooden bow."

The young girl in green leaned on her saber and said in a proud voice, "Perhaps I'll be waiting for you with the old ape's head in my hand at that time."

Chen Ping'an shook his head and said, "Don't try to show off. You need to be careful!"

Ning Yao genuinely wanted to rap his head with the scabbard of her saber. Just who was trying to show off?

She glared at him and exclaimed, "Oi! The person standing in front of you is Ning Yao, someone who's going to become the number one sword immortal in the world in the future! Understood?!"

Chen Ping'an stood up before glancing down to check the two pouches of coins on his waist. As a precaution, he tightened them again. He then looked up and said, "Yes, yes, I understand. So you definitely can't die in a small place like this, right? Otherwise, just how unfortunate would that be? As your friend, when you become a powerful and mighty sword immortal in the future, I'll also be able to bask in your glory."

Ning Yao sighed with emotion and said, "Chen Ping'an, you're as fussy as an old woman and you're also so hesitant and indecisive. I suggest that you don't look for a wife in the future. Just marry some random girl and call it a day."

Chen Ping'an didn't retort her, and he simply replied with a chuckle. Just as he was about to leave the temple, Ning Yao said, "I'll go with you to the creek first. After that, I'll head northwest to avoid having that old ape become worried about the little girl. Otherwise, what will we do if he doesn't find you after leaving the bamboo forest and therefore decides to give up and return to the small town?"

Chen Ping'an thought about this for a moment, and he didn't reject Ning Yao's proposal.

They ran toward the creek. Ning Yao's breathing was like the flowing water of a magnificent river with incredible depth and surging undercurrents, while Chen Ping'an's breathing was like the flowing water of a creek that was long and steady.

Their auras were vastly different.

Ning Yao suddenly couldn't contain her urge, and she asked, "Will the herbal medicine you want to apply to the arrowhead really be effective?"

"Well, it's effective against wild boars that weigh over 100 kilograms, so I assume that it should be effective against that old ape as well," Chen Ping'an replied.

Ning Yao didn't say anything else.

When they arrived in front of the creek — this was the location where Chen Ping'an had come onshore before — they both bent their knees and leaped up at almost the exact same instant, flying through the air and landing on the opposite side.

Ning Yao slowed down and grabbed her scabbard after landing. Meanwhile, after sprinting and leaping over the creek, Chen Ping'an continued to dash forward in a continuous motion, instantly overtaking the young girl. Just as he was about to turn around, Ning Yao said, "Don't worry about me. You return to the small town first."

As Chen Ping'an continued to forge ahead, he glanced back and said, "I'm going to take a detour and find a quieter alley to enter the small town, so I might return a bit later."

Ning Yao nodded in understanding. When Chen Ping'an disappeared into the distance, she let go of her sword hilt and started to walk slowly toward the west.

After a short while, she came to a stop and peered into the distance at the upper reaches of the creek.

A tall and burly figure suddenly leaped off a large rock in the creek and shot toward its northern banks, landing 20 or so steps away from the young girl. His aura was intense and domineering.

However, Bai Yuan was slightly puzzled, as he couldn't sense Chen Ping'an's aura in the surroundings. He unconsciously glanced at the sword by Ning Yao's waist, and he said with a smile, "Young girl, you were the person who caused a ruckus in Fortune Street a short while ago, correct?"

Ning Yao remained silent as she rested her hands on her sword hilt and saber hilt.

Bai Yuan wore a curious expression as he said, "Young girl, even though you hid your identity the entire time while we were coming to the small town, I can tell that your background isn't simple. You're definitely not like the trash from Light Breeze City and Old Dragon City. However, what puzzles me is why you're targeting me like this even though there's no grievance or grudge between us. Or perhaps someone from your clan or sect has grudges against Sun Scorch Mountain?"

Ning Yao didn't say a word as she unsheathed her sword and saber in unison, leaping forward in a flash.

The slender saber arrived first, slashing down at Bai Yuan's head.

Bai Yuan casually raised an arm to forcefully deflect the blow.

Ning Yao used this momentum to spin around, slashing her sword at the old ape's neck as she did so.

Bai Yuan once again used his arm to forcefully block this strike.

After failing to take Bai Yuan down with her two strikes, Ning Yao didn't choose to further engage in close-quarter combat. Instead, she created some distance between them before slowly pacing around.

After using his incredibly powerful physique to gauge the sharpness of Ning Yao's weapons, Bai Yuan ignored the bloody gashes on his forearm and said with a smile, "Your weapons are fairly impressive. Moreover, you dare to carry two of them around with you, so it's quite clear that you're the disciple of an impressive sect from the mountains. Otherwise, you're the direct disciple of a first-rate power outside the mountains. In fact, I almost thought you were another swordsman from Wind Lightning Field, one who was lying low."

Tracking the pacing young girl with his gaze, Bai Yuan said in a solemn voice, "Young girl, I know that you won't give up even if you fail in a moment. So I'll give you one last chance to reveal your identity and background before I kill you. However, Sun Scorch Mountain won't apologize because of this matter, nor will it care where you're from and what your identity is."

Ning Yao completely ignored his remarks. From the beginning to the end, she was observing him and looking for his weak points.

After all, she wasn't Song Changjing, someone who had already discovered the path to the 10th Tier. She couldn't face this Mountain-moving Ape head-on.

Feeling like he had already conceded too much ground, Bai Yuan chuckled coldly and said, "Since you're unwilling to accept my kindness, then so be it."