Chapter 539 (1): Chance Encounter, Silent Departure

Among Daoist Qi refiners, the time around 10PM at night was considered to be one of the most ideal times in the day for cultivation, granting the serenity required for one to focus wholeheartedly on their cultivation.

However, Chen Ping'an had to return to the ship by midnight, so he had no choice but to pass up this prime cultivation timeframe. He withdrew his consciousness from his inner small world, no longer observing the spectacular sight of the sword qi raging against the indomitable pass as he prepared to return to the ship.

To his surprise, he was approached by the shopkeeper of the teahouse, who stopped some distance away from the lakeside pavilion with a porcelain tea jar in her hand.

Chen Ping'an hurriedly made his way over to the shopkeeper, who extended a curtsey to him before offering him the exquisite tea jar with a smile as she said, "These are some of the tea leaves that were picked from our old tea trees this year. I hope you'll accept this small gift, Exalted Immortal Chen."

Chen Ping'an accepted the jar from the shopkeeper, then asked, "Do you have any more tea leaves on hand? I'd like to buy some."

The shopkeeper shook her head in an apologetic manner as she replied, "We only have twelve tea trees in total, and there are many backorders to fulfill. Our teahouse is only allotted a certain amount of tea leaves, and we don't have much left."

"In that case, I'll take this jar of tea leaves for free," Chen Ping'an said with a smile.

The shopkeeper smiled and nodded in response.

"Does your Peach Blossom Ferry Station have any recent newspapers that I can purchase?" Chen Ping'an asked. "I've come all the way from the Green Oriole Nation's Dragon Head Ferry Station, and I haven't been able to keep up with the news."

"We have some in the teahouse, and they're useless for us to keep anyway, so you can have them for free," the shopkeeper said.

Chen Ping'an raised the jar of tea leaves with a resigned expression as he said, "I've already had some free tea with Senior Wu, and now, I'm taking this free jar of tea leaves. Surely it would be going too far for me to take your newspapers for free as well."

"As the saying goes, the third time's a charm," the shopkeeper said with a smile.

"I suppose I can't argue with that," Chen Ping'an sighed in a resigned manner.

Even the smallest and pettiest of favors were still favors.

Sun Jiashu of Old Dragon City, the female shopkeeper of the Green Beetle Shop who had intentionally concealed her identity, and the shopkeeper of this teahouse were all very good at having other people owe them these small favors.

While it was a pain to have to repay these favors, he would just have to make sure to remember them. There was always so much to be seen and done in life that such trivial favors could easily be forgotten.

The shopkeeper asked Chen Ping'an to wait for a moment, then brought him three newspapers.

Chen Ping'an departed from the teahouse, reading through the newspapers as he walked.

He knew why Wu Qun had gone out of her way to be so hospitable to him.

It had to have been because of the scene that he had caused, releasing his flying swords after Qi Jinglong.

It seemed that no topics were off-limits for the brazen newspapers of the Northern Complete Reed Continent, but in reality, there was an unwritten rule, which was that in the case of any sword immortal perishing at the Sword Qi Great Wall, no newspapers were to report on who had released their flying swords to pay homage to the fallen sword immortal.

Qi Jinglong had explained to Chen Ping'an that this was because it was a serious and solemn matter that shouldn't be made into the stuff of entertainment and gossip.

Over at the lakeside pavilion near the teahouse, Wu Qun had returned to sit in her original spot, but Chen Ping'an was already gone. She had no interest in drinking on her own, and she merely sat in silence, looking out at the rippling water of the lake under the light of the moon.

The shopkeeper was standing outside the pavilion.

"Not even a single immortal sect managed to gather any information on what happened at the capital of the Great Seal Script Empire for their newspapers?" Wu Qun asked.

The shopkeeper shook her head as he replied, "Apparently, the emperor of the Great Seal Script Empire strictly forbade any information from being leaked. At the time, there was barely anyone spectating the battle.

“The academy sage personally went to keep an eye on the proceedings, and even fewer people dared to spectate the battle in his presence, not even through the use of mystical abilities from afar."

An amused smile appeared on Wu Qun's face as she mused, "That sage does have a rather fiery temper, but it's undeniable that that the central region of the Northern Complete Reed Continent has become a much safer place after he intervened on those two occasions."

"Why didn't you just give Mr. Chen a top-tier Dao robe, Senior Wu?" the shopkeeper asked in a curious manner.

Wu Qun gestured for her to sit down, and after the latter obliged, Wu Qun smiled as she explained, "It's all a matter of catering to different tastes. Clearly, Mr. Chen is someone who holds rules and manners in very high regard, so we should also follow the rules when dealing with him. If, instead, he were someone motivated by greed and lust, then I would've adjusted accordingly."

"Even though it was only a jar of tea leaves, Mr. Chen appeared genuinely delighted by the gift," the shopkeeper said in a thoughtful manner.

Wu Qun took a glance at this clever junior of hers.

The fact that she had been made the shopkeeper of the teahouse that served all of the Rainbow Sparrow Residence's most esteemed guests was a clear testament to her stellar intelligence and attention to detail.

However, it was also an indication that she no longer had a future in cultivation, placing her in a similar awkward position to the vast majority of administrators that served on immortal ships.

Wu Qun didn't want to elaborate on that.

The shopkeeper clearly possessed sufficient self-awareness to understand her situation, so pointing out her cultivation limitations to her would be both redundant and hurtful.

In any case, she was very attentive in her handling of guests and never did anything unnecessary, and that was enough for someone in her role.

Wu Qun heaved a forlorn sigh as she wondered to herself whether the head of their residence had managed to encounter Liu Jinglong.

When it came to Liu Jinglong of the Great Emblem Sword Sect, there were far too many noteworthy stories to count.

Many of the stories surrounding him were too far out of reach for a third-rate sect on the Northern Complete Reed Continent like the Rainbow Sparrow Residence, but that didn't stop the head of their residence from developing feelings for Liu Jinglong over the course of their journey together.

Furthermore, the head of the residence had never tried to hide her feelings for Liu Jinglong, and she often enquired her seniors, including Wu Qun, on matters related to romantic relationships, and as a result, even Wu Qun had become full of curiosity and admiration toward Liu Jinglong.

It was often the case that women admired sword immortals, while men were infatuated with celestial maidens, and Wu Qun was very curious about how immortal Dao partners were able to remain together for so long. In the face of a calamity, would they really be willing to put their lives on the line for each other?

Wu Qun didn't know the answer to that question, and she didn't ever want to find out. All she wanted was to be able to focus wholeheartedly on her cultivation. However, she was aware of the limitations of her aptitude, and she knew that advancing beyond her current cultivation base would be a near-impossible task.

This was a rather sobering thought, and it prompted her to instruct the shopkeeper to bring her two flagons of wine.

An awkward look appeared on the shopkeeper's face, as if she were debating with herself whether she should lie or come clean.

Wu Qun was rather amused to see this, and she chuckled, "So what if you serve wine at a teahouse? Besides, I'm the disciplinary elder of the Rainbow Sparrow Residence, who's going to tell me what I can and can't do?"

Only then did the shopkeeper depart to fetch some wine.

Even Wu Qun had to turn to wine to drown her sorrows every once in a while, the same naturally also applied to the shopkeeper, who was an Abode Tier cultivator that had completely tapped out her potential and would have to spend the rest of her life looking after this teahouse.

Right at this moment, a streak of rainbow light descended from the heavens, drifting down onto the surface of the lake before darting into the lakeside pavilion, where it was revealed to be a stunningly beautiful woman.

She sat down across from Wu Qun with a glum expression as she harrumphed, "I'll have a drink as well."

"I'm guessing it didn't go smoothly?" Wu Qun asked with an amused smile. "Is Mr. Liu still as dense as you always make him out to be?"

The woman sitting across from Wu Qun was none other than the earth immortal head of the Rainbow Sparrow Residence, the vastly renowned Sun Qing.

Sun Qing shook her head as she replied, "Mr. Liu has changed a lot. I managed to meet him this time, and he was very candid and open with me, telling me some things straight from his heart. I know that he's right and that he's looking out for my best interests, but it's still a bit of a bitter pill to swallow."

"What did he tell you?" Wu Qun asked in a puzzled manner.

"I don't wanna talk about it. It's a little embarrassing," Sun Qing said in an evasive manner.

Wu Qun didn't know how to respond.

You went all that way to intercept him, yet you're getting embarrassed now?

Wu Qun was truly a little perplexed. Sun Qing wasn't exactly among the most exceptional prodigies under the heavens, but she had still reached the pinnacle of the Golden Core Tier before a hundred years of age, and she was also ranked among the ten finest celestial maidens of the Northern Complete Reed Continent.

No one would've found it strange even if a sword immortal of the Upper Five Tiers had taken the initiative to ask for her hand in marriage. Then again, if one were to look at things through such a purely superficial lens, then they would have to admit that Sun Qing was inferior to Celestial Maiden Lu Sui of Water Scripture Mountain.

Not only did she rank alongside Liu Jinglong as one of the continent's top ten young prodigies, she also had Sun Qing beat in the looks department as well.

"Have you completely given up on Mr. Liu now?" Wu Qun asked.

"Of course not!" Sun Qing exclaimed as she burst into laughter. "I've only become more in love with him!"

Wu Qun slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

Liu Jinglong was renowned for his penchant for preaching, but it seemed that no amount of preaching would get through to Sun Qing.

The three women gathered together to drink.

Initially, the shopkeeper was feeling demure in the presence of these two senior figures, but the three women intentionally sealed away their cultivation bases in order to fully enjoy the effects of the alcohol, and their cheeks soon took on a rosy red complexion.

In the end, it simply became a gathering of three women, and all concepts of seniority and hierarchy were thrown out the window.

————

Qi Jinglong was on his way back to the Great Emblem Sword Sect, and he had to travel rather slowly so his new disciple, Bai Shou, could keep up.

At some point, they had a "chance encounter" with Sun Qing.

At this point, Qi Jinglong had become quite confident in matters related to relationships, and he essentially regurgitated what he had heard before, making his feelings clear to Sun Qing.

The entire time, Sun Qing didn't display much of a reaction to his words.

Following her departure, Bai Shou shook his head in dismay as he mused, "I can't believe such a pretty big sister would have feelings for you. She must be blind! If I recall correctly, Residence Head Sun is one of the ten finest celestial maidens of our Northern Complete Reed Continent. How could you turn her down? You must be as dense as a brick! I reckon she would've agreed to be your woman, even if you didn't agree to take her as your Dao partner."

After turning Sun Qing away, Qi Jinglong felt as if a heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders, and he continued flying alongside Bai Shou as he chuckled, "It's completely pointless to preach principles to you, particularly ones about love and romance."

"Then why the hell did you take me as your disciple?!" Bai Shou snapped in an indignant manner. "Just let me go back to Deer Cutter Mountain!"

"Compared with a swordsman who kills people for a living, I think it'd be much more of a blessing for the Northern Complete Reed Continent to have a righteous young sword immortal," Qi Jinglong replied. "Rest assured, even after you've had your name marked down in our sect, you don't have to refer to yourself as a disciple of the Great Emblem Sword Sect when you're out in public, and you certainly don't have to admit that you're disciple of mine if you don't want to.

“As long as you tread within the boundary of the rules, you can do as you please. Neither the Great Emblem Sword Sect nor I will try to excessively restrain you. However, you must clearly know what the rules of the sect are. I don't want you claiming ignorance when I punish you in the future."

Bai Shou fell into a disgruntled silence.

He was certain that Liu Jinglong and the Great Emblem Sword Sect's rules had to be extremely boring and dogmatic, and he didn't want to learn about them at all, nor did he have any interest in becoming an official immortal or a sword immortal.

In his mind, there was no better life to lead than as an assassin of Deer Cutter Mountain.

Vagrant cultivators were supposedly free to do as they pleased, but even they had to worry about their reputations and the rules of the cultivation world. In contrast, the assassins of Deer Cutter Mountain didn't have to care about anything. They killed people in exchange for money, and they were the ultimate masters of their fate. That was true freedom in the eyes of Bai Shou!

Qi Jinglong was silent for a moment, then said, "Regardless of whether you want to hear it or not, let me tell you this: as long as you follow the rules, you can come to me even if you’re defeated or beaten by someone, and I'll back you up. I'll seek out the one who wronged you, and I'll preach to them in your stead until they learn their lesson."

"That's not gonna happen," Bai Shou scoffed as he crossed his arms in a conceited manner. "How could an unprecedented prodigy like me possibly lose to anyone else? Alright, I'll admit that I'm still no match for a sword immortal for now, but as long as it's someone my age, I can split anyone into two with just a single swing of my sword!"

"You're going to be a lot more humble once you actually begin training as a swordsman," Qi said with a smile. "As for whether you need me to stand up for you, of course it would be better if you could stand up for yourself at all times without relying on me."

Bai Shou turned away with an unconvinced expression, and he was struck by a strange feeling as he snuck a glance at Liu Jinglong out of his peripheral vision.

He felt like a young child in ragged clothes in the midst of a cruel winter, but the heavens had blessed him with a ray of warm and nurturing sunlight.

However, this feeling only lingered for an instant before fading away.

"How about you let me drink wine if I manage to memorize the rules of your Great Emblem Sword Sect's ancestral hall?" Bai Shou suddenly yelled.

"I'm too poor to afford wine," Qi Jinglong replied with a shake of his head.

"Then borrow some money from that Chen Haoren guy!" Bai Shou snapped.

Qi Jinglong considered it for a moment, then replied, "It's not worth it. He'll definitely try to convince me to drink again."

He had to borrow money from Gu Mo last time in order to buy wine for Chen Ping'an.

Qi Jinglong truly didn't bring any money or unnecessary items with him on his journeys.

The light of the celestial bodies and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth were sufficient sustenance for cultivators, and as a swordsman, he had no need for any Dao robes or powerful treasures.

While borrowing money from Gu Mo, he had almost blurted out something, but caught himself just in time and decided against it, knowing that it would only cause a misunderstanding.

He had intended to tell her that he would repay her when he next passed by Profound Dawn Mountain, but he immediately realized that saying such a thing could lead her to believe that he was harboring ulterior motives, using borrowing money as an excuse when his true objective was to get close to her.

Hence, he decided to simply remember the debt, rather than make any verbal promises.