Unsheathed

Chapter 345 (2): Six Talismans from the Noble Scholar, Petrifying Ghosts and Suppressing Swords

After pondering for a moment, Zhong Kui made up his mind and said in a solemn voice, "I'll draw a Five Lightning Talisman for you, the type that the heavenly masters from Mount Longhu are extremely skilled at. Lightning techniques are paragon among the myriad techniques, and Mount Longhu enjoys a position of orthodoxy among the various broad and shallow schools of lightning techniques.

"My teacher visited Mount Longhu several times during his travels, and he met the Great Heavenly Master one time and was fortunate enough to learn a Five Lightning Talisman—Five Dragons Holding Jewels. This talisman contains thunder and lightning, and its aura is so powerful that it soars through the sky..."

However, he quickly noticed the strange expression in Chen Ping'an's eyes.

"Hey, come on, can't you let me rest for a moment first?" Zhong Kui asked in a pitiful voice. "I'm completely beat after drawing three high-grade talismans in a single go. How was I supposed to know you'd take out another three pieces of high-grade talisman paper? I would have piped down a little if I had known this earlier."

Chen Ping'an smiled and sat down. "Take your time, have some wine, and relax. I won't pester you."

Zhong Kui breathed a sigh of relief. He drank a large mouthful of wine before grabbing the golden talisman paper on top and neatly placing it on the table.

There was rumbling thunder and flashing lightning on the tip of the Wind and Snow Awl as it hovered a foot above the talisman paper, and the arcs of purple and white lightning radiated with a vast heavenly might as they lit up a small area in the air.

The water goddess was extremely startled by this.

After drawing the Five Dragons Holding Jewels Talisman that contained astonishing might, Zhong Kui continued by drawing a guidance talisman as per Chen Ping'an's request.

He then plonked down on his chair and dazedly stared at the final azure-colored talisman paper on the table.

Chen Ping'an nodded in understanding, and he reached over to grab the final piece of talisman paper. He smiled and said, ''Alright, I won't frighten you anymore. The previous two talismans were already enough."

There was a serious expression on Zhong Kui's face as he grabbed Chen Ping'an's arm, the one in which the young boy was holding the azure talisman paper with two fingers. "I definitely have to draw this talisman. However, I need to prepare for a while so I can draw the talisman carefully. Otherwise, if I stuff up, I'll scold myself even if you don't rush over to pummel me."

"Can you succeed?" Chen Ping'an asked.

"Why can't I succeed?" Zhong Kui retorted. "Of course I can succeed. However, it will be an absolute waste of this precious talisman paper if I draw an ordinary Dry Well Talisman that can only restrict the bonded flying swords of cultivators under the Nascent Tier."

"Zhong Kui, you're far better at drawing talismans than me," Chen Ping'an praised.

"You're a pure martial artist, so do you think I should be happy that I'm better at drawing talismans than you?" Zhong Kui asked in slight exasperation.

Chen Ping'an was rendered speechless. After remaining silent for a moment, he decided that he wouldn't disturb Zhong Kui's rest anymore. He allowed the noble scholar to nurture the aura of righteousness in his body.

However, he also made a decision in his mind.

Zhong Kui took a deep breath before turning to the water goddess and saying, "Tell all of the spirits and ghosts to leave Green Roving Residence. You can allow them to return after I finish drawing this talisman."

Even though the water goddess wasn't sure why Zhong Kui was requesting this, she still used her position as the deity of Burial River and her unique mystical power as the owner of Green Roving Residence to instantly expel all of her stewards and maidservants from the residence.

Zhong Kui stood with one hand behind his back and one hand holding the Wind and Snow Awl. Gusts of righteous wind swirled in his sleeves.

Green Roving Residence suddenly started to tremble violently in the next moment, with the underground water veins becoming turbulent and chaotic.

The water goddess immediately felt difficulty breathing, so she stepped back in retreat and tried to get as far away from Great Subduing Academy's Noble Scholar Zhong Kui as possible. However, she still felt extremely uncomfortable, so she eventually decided to leave the hall altogether. Only then did she feel slightly better.

She bit her lips and appeared dazed.

Zhong Kui was definitely more than just a noble scholar!

While Zhong Kui drew the talisman, he also recited, "Flicking the sleeve and raising the sword, making the rivers clear and shattering the mountains, the seas of the nine continents do churn in turbulence."

When talismans were created, the talismanic core would usually be concealed within the talisman. Now, however, it surprisingly materialized in midair, assuming the form of a sword immortal in white as tall as a finger. The mini sword immortal hovered above the talisman and thrust its sword forward in a lively manner, causing sword qi to furiously surge forth.

Zhong Kui was slightly pale as he put the Wind and Snow Awl away. He drank a large mouthful of wine, and there was a wide smile on his face even though he was completely exhausted. "This talisman can also be regarded as one that I invented. It's my proudest creation, and I've named it the Sword Suppressing Talisman.

"Using the boundless sword intent of an ancient sword immortal, this talisman can suppress the bonded flying swords of all cultivators under the Upper Five Tiers. This talisman paper is far too high quality, and the talisman that I drew is also quite impressive.

"Unlike the Dry Well Talisman or whatever, my Sword Suppressing Talisman can directly capture the bonded flying sword of a Golden Core Tier cultivator. Of course, it won't be able to trap a Nascent Tier cultivator's bonded flying sword for too long, and it's only a matter of time before their flying sword manages to break free.

"However, you need to keep one thing in mind. Don't carelessly take out this talisman and allow outsiders to see it. My teacher once warned me that this Sword Suppressing Talisman doesn't abide by the rules because it targets sword cultivators too harshly. Because of this, revealing its existence might cause you a lot of trouble."

"Thank you for your hard work," Chen Ping'an said with a slightly guilty expression.

Zhong Kui shook his hand and spoke to Chen Ping'an using his mind's voice, saying, "This talisman paper is the manuscript paper that sages use to write down their fundamental knowledge. Do you know how rare and precious it is? Even my teacher only possessed a mere three pieces of this azure talisman paper when he left Middle Earth Divine Continent.

"He used one when crossing the seas, and he used another one upon arriving in Parasol Leaf Continent, so he only has one left right now. My teacher treats his azure talisman paper like his dear child. In fact, even I'm not allowed to touch it. I'm only allowed to look at it.

"In other words, the might of the Sword Suppressing Talisman would have been far inferior if it were drawn on a piece of golden talisman paper. Such a Sword Suppressing Talisman would have only been able to capture the bonded flying sword of a Golden Core Tier sword cultivator. Moreover, it would have only been able to capture it for fifteen minutes at most."

Zhong Kui exclaimed in delight and started to drink again.

Chen Ping'an flicked his wrist and silently handed Zhong Kui a piece of talisman paper.

Zhong Kui’s eyes were wide with shock as he exclaimed, "Have you gone crazy? So be it if you didn't understand the value of this talisman paper. Yet, you're still treating it so carelessly after I explained its value to you? Hurry up and take it back!"

However, Chen Ping'an didn't say anything as he directly let go of the azure talisman paper, allowing it to drift to the floor. Zhong Kui had no option but to hurriedly catch it and quickly put it into his sleeve.

Chen Ping'an grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd and raised it into the air, chuckling softly and saying, "I wish you success in your trip to Peace and Tranquility Mountain to slay demons and eliminate fiends."

Zhong Kui wanted to say something, but he couldn't help but hesitate. In the end, he remained silent as he raised his wine bowl and lightly clinked it together with Chen Ping'an's Sword Nurturing Gourd. They both drank a large mouthful of wine.

After finishing the beautiful wine in his bowl, Zhong Kui stood up and said, "I'm leaving now."

Chen Ping'an cupped his fists in farewell.

Zhong Kui was just about to leave.

However, Chen Ping'an said in reminder, "You're not going to ask Miss Water Goddess for a pot of wine?"

Zhong Kui's eyes lit up, and he raised a thumb at Chen Ping'an.

The water goddess was a straightforward and generous person to begin with, so she naturally wouldn't be stingy about something like this. She brought two pots of wine over, yet Zhong Kui gave one of them to Chen Ping'an instead. Chen Ping'an didn't refuse Zhong Kui's act of goodwill, especially since he had already finished the green plum wine from the border inn. He slowly poured Green Roving Residence's one-hundred-year-old wine into his Sword Nurturing Gourd.

Holding the pot of wine in his hand, Zhong Kui disappeared in a flash, soaring through the air and arriving on the banks of Burial River. He was just about to cross the river, yet he suddenly ground to a halt. As it turned out, he had seen his teacher's yin soul standing there and seemingly waiting for him.

Zhong Kui hurriedly hid the pot of wine behind his back.

The mountain master of Great Subduing Academy was a middle-aged man with little emotion on his face, and Zhong Kui obediently followed behind him as he slowly walked along the bank of Burial River.

There were seventy-two mountain masters corresponding to the seventy-two Confucian academies in Majestic World, but their cultivation bases varied a lot. The most powerful mountain masters could be transcendent individuals at the Immortal Tier, yet there was no lack of mountain masters only at the Nascent Tier either.

For example, Mao Xiaodong from Great Sui Nation's newly founded Mountain Cliff Academy was only at the Nascent Tier. However, Nascent Tier mountain masters had the power of Unpolished Jade Tier cultivators when they fought in the territory of their Confucian academies. Because of this, no one dared to underestimate their cultivation base.

The mountain master of Great Subduing Academy had come from the residence of a sage who was worshiped in the Confucian temple, and his cultivation base could be regarded as middling among the seventy-two mountain masters. He was at the Unpolished Jade Tier, and he could reach the Immortal Tier if he were to fight in Great Subduing Academy.

However, he was heading to the West Sea located to the west of the Planchette Writing Sect to hunt that great demon this time, so he would remain at the Unpolished Jade Tier since he had left the territory of his Confucian academy.

"Our opponent most likely has a trump card, so I'm not asking you to shrink back and refuse to advance, but I'm hoping that you can plan before you act," the mountain master said in a quiet voice. "You shouldn't become careless even if you're only subduing the demons wreaking havoc around Peace and Tranquility Mountain."

"I understand," Zhong Kui replied with a nod.

The mountain master of Great Subduing Academy stopped and extended a hand, atop which a piece of azure talisman paper was hovering. "Here, take it. Use it to protect yourself."

Zhong Kui didn't reach over to accept it, and he instead revealed, "Teacher, you didn't use your mystical powers to observe the situation inside Green Roving Residence when you were standing by the river just then?"

"You recklessly summoned an errand ghost from the netherworld when standing near the bank of Burial River before, so taking into account my responsibility as the mountain master of Great Subduing Academy, how could I not use my mystical powers to observe the situation?!" Zhong Kui's teacher scolded.

"However, you were simply interacting with friends in Green Roving Residence, so I naturally didn't invade your personal privacies to observe the situation! If it weren't for the fact that it would be careless to hand you this talisman paper in front of outsiders, my yin soul would have already left this place long ago."

Zhong Kui smiled and replied, "Teacher is truly noble and unsullied, and your moral integrity is even higher than mountains and longer than rivers. I'll remember this valuable lesson!"

The mountain master paid no heed to this, and he asked, "Why aren't you accepting the talisman paper?"

Zhong Kui could only tell the truth and reply, "Apart from the calligraphy brush that has a strong affinity with me, my friend also gifted me an azure talisman paper."

The mountain master frowned and put his azure talisman paper away, appearing a little displeased as he asked, "Why did you calmly accept such a valuable gift?"

Zhong Kui was rendered slightly speechless, and he carefully mulled over this for a moment before replying, "I don't know why, but it felt like the correct choice to accept it. Please punish me, Teacher."

The mountain master also fell silent for a short moment before saying, "You don't need to hide that pot of fine wine from Green Roving Residence. Since you've made a good friend, is this not a cause for a drink to celebrate? However, keep in mind that drinking is okay, but you can't let it delay your trip to Peace and Tranquility Mountain. Also... don't let this happen again."

Zhong Kui scratched his head in puzzlement. His teacher wasn't possessed, was he?

His teacher was famous for being stubborn and pedantic, and he would always follow the rules and abide by etiquette no matter the situation. He was also extremely good friends with that mountain master from Complete Reed Continent who would either remain calm and uninvolved, or become incredibly ferocious and destructive once he made a move.

With a snap of his fingers, the wandering yin soul of the mountain master instantly returned to his physical body located extremely far away.

The mountain master felt a slight sense of melancholy.

Looking at his disciple interact with that young boy, he was involuntarily reminded of his own youth. Back then, he had mingled with many descendants of scholars who had lived in the sagely residences, and he had also mingled with many descendants from wealthy clans and powerful sects. Most of them had been around the same age as him, and many of them had felt a sense of jealousy—whether strong or slight—toward that person with the surname Qi.

This was because they admired that person who called himself A'Liang the most.

However, A'Liang loved to tell others that Little Qi was his friend, so if anyone dared to bully Little Qi, he would pummel them until even their ancestors started to roll in their graves.

————

In Green Roving Residence, the water goddess' first remark after Zhong Kui left was truly quite astonishing. "I know that you've met the Scholarly Sage before. Moreover, it definitely wasn't a fleeting moment where you simply walked past each other in a chance encounter!"

Chen Ping'an was unfazed, and he replied, "How come I'm unaware of this myself?"

The water goddess snickered and said, "You're still trying to lie? Zhong Kui might not recognize your status and see through your knowledge, but that's because he doesn't belong to the Scholarly Sage's scholarly lineage. He doesn't belong to the scholarly lineage of Mountain Cliff Academy's Qi Jingchun!

"But who am I? I'm someone who has read all of the Scholarly Sage's works without skipping over a single word! I've read the Scholarly Sage's works countless times. Moreover, I'm well aware of just how divinely impressive the Scholarly Sage was when he attended the debate between the three teachings those two times!

"One who is filled with knowledge naturally behaves with elegance. One's aura of righteousness will naturally manifest differently depending on what books one reads. And just who am I? I'm the water goddess of Burial River, after all, and observing the auras of other people is my strong suit!"

Looking at the supremely confident water goddess, Chen Ping'an smiled and asked, "So what?"

The water goddess' air of confidence instantly fell apart, making her appear completely deflated as she asked, "You've genuinely never met the Scholarly Sage before?"

"I've met him before," Chen Ping'an replied with a nod.

The water goddess rested her arms and head on the table, with a deep sense of grief lingering in her eyes. However, she suddenly leaped up and exclaimed, "What?! You've met him before?!"

Chen Ping'an raised a finger to his lips, gesturing for the water goddess to speak quietly.

The water goddess dazedly stared at the young boy who had indeed met the Scholarly Sage before.

Holy moly, how can there be such a handsome little brother in the world?

Perhaps I should get him drunk and... become sworn brothers with him? That way, won't I also have a modicum of connection with the Scholarly Sage?

She wiped her mouth and started to stupidly chuckle to herself, thinking that her schemes were indeed unparalleled in their effectiveness. This was as expected of someone who had read the works of the Scholarly Sage countless times. She hadn't read those sagely books in vain, and definitely wouldn't embarrass the Scholarly Sage!

Chen Ping'an was starting to regret the fact that he had revealed his acquaintance with the Scholarly Sage.