Unsheathed

Chapter 247 (1): Parting Ways

In the wake of Zhou Ju's departure, morale in the villa had plummeted to rock bottom, but the arrival of Song Yushao lifted everyone's spirits slightly. After all, Lake View Academy was very far away, and with the departure of Zhou Ju, there was nothing left for everyone to worry about for the time being.

On top of that, the academy hadn't brought any substantial accusations toward Sword Water Villa, which ensured that the villa would be escaping punishment for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, so long as Song Yushao remained alive, Song Fengshan's status as the alliance leader would remain unchallenged, even if Song Yushao didn't constantly remain in the villa.

All of a sudden, Song Yushao swung around and took a few steps to the side, seemingly intentionally positioning himself in front of Chen Ping'an in a protective manner. He then strode straight back out of the villa while smoothing down his robes. As he exited, he extended a slight bow and cupped his fist in a salute in Zhou Ju's direction.

Only then did everyone in the main hall discover that an elderly man in a Confucian robe had appeared in the sky outside of the villa. What was most remarkable about the old man was that he was standing at around ten meters tall, and there was an ethereal quality about him.

A sage had arrived at the villa in person.

Zhou Ju had sensed the arrival of the elderly sage an instant before Song Yushao, and he hurriedly looked away from Chen Ping'an, then rustled his sleeve slightly to remove the cocoon of wind that he had conjured up around his jade pendant.

As a result, the jade pendant was revealed. As it turned out, the words "curb your temper" were engraved upon it. After that, he hung the jade pendant from his waist again, and right as Song Yushao was extending his salute, he also extended a deep bow as he greeted, "This humble student pays his respects to his teacher."

The old man resembled a giant deity statue, the type that was worshiped in temples, and he looked down upon his disciple in an expressionless manner as he declared, "I'll assign someone else to take care of Han Yuanshan, you return to the academy right away."

Zhou Ju heaved a faint sigh, then stood up straight again with a sullen expression as he asked, "Is there any chance I can convince you to change your mind, Teacher?"

"No," the sage replied in a direct and straightforward manner.

"Fine," Zhou Ju sighed with a resigned expression.

The sage cast his gaze toward Song Yushao, then cupped his fist to return the salute. He then clasped his hands behind his back with a smile and said, "I can see a breakthrough is imminent for you, Villa Master Song. I must offer you my congratulations in advance.

“I've heard that whenever you go out to travel, you always make it a point to visit the Confucian temples in the areas that you pass through, and that's truly commendable. If you ever get some spare time, you can come to our academy to cultivate for some time after you make your breakthrough so you can consolidate your Vajra Body Tier cultivation base."

Song Yushao's admiration for the elderly sage grew even further upon hearing this, and he maintained his cupped fist posture as he said, "Thank you, esteemed sage."

Lake View Academy was a vast distance away from Sword Water Villa, yet the elderly mountain master had somehow managed to make it here in the blink of an eye. It was as if any distance for him could be covered with just a single step, hinting at his unfathomable power.

A smile appeared on the elderly sage's face, and due to the fact that he was hovering in mid-air and possessed an enormous stature, everyone inside the main hall of the villa was able to see him in his full glory. He took a long glance at Chen Ping'an, and a series of mixed emotions flashed through his eyes, including acknowledgement and approval, a hint of melancholy, and some reminiscence.

In the end, he looked away without saying anything, then turned back to Zhou Ju as he warned, "Do not even try to delay your trip. Return to the academy as soon as possible. I have another important duty to assign to you once you get back."

Zhou Ju's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this. "Is it something to do with the north?"

The elderly sage paid no heed to Zhou Ju as he didn't want to discuss such confidential matters in front of outsiders. Instead, he turned to all of the people gathered in the main hall of the villa as he declared with a smile, "There are many paths that one can pursue to reach the Great Dao, and practicing martial arts is also a form of self-cultivation.

“If you can glean the wonders of the Heavenly Dao, then that'll reciprocate your Martial Dao foundation. I hope that all of you will continue to walk the path of righteousness, and our Lake View Academy is open to all of you at any time to come and further your cultivation."

Despite his lofty status, the sage didn't display any haughtiness or arrogance, and he spoke in a tone as warm and comforting as spring rain, striking everyone with a sense of tranquility.

This was the disposition of a true sage, and a hint of genuine admiration instantly welled up in the hearts of everyone in the hall. All of the important figures in the hall had already risen to their feet, and regardless of their background or allegiance, all of them extended a collective respectful bow toward the esteemed sage.

As opposed to the respect that they had displayed toward Zhou Ju, which was born out of fear, this gesture of respect was far more genuine and heartfelt.

Shortly thereafter, the elderly mountain master vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a few rays of rippling golden light.

Prior to his departure, the sage took one final glance at Chen Ping'an with a myriad of emotions in his eyes. It seemed that Qi Jingchun of Mountain Cliff Academy really had chosen this young boy to serve as the guardian of his direct disciples.

There were very few people in Lake View Academy aware of this, and even for the elderly sage, he was only able to glean some things after seeing Chen Ping'an for himself.

At the same time, he cautioned, "Juran, regardless of what you see in that young boy, do not do or say anything reckless. Make sure to be prudent with your words and actions at all times."

Zhou Ju smiled as he replied, "Rest assured, Teacher. He may not be all that remarkable right now, but I know better than to judge him as he currently is."

The sage had already departed, and only then did Zhou Ju notice that the jade pendant hanging from his waist had disappeared, having been taken by his teacher.

He continued to make his way out of the hall, and only after he had emerged from the entrance of Sword Water Villa did he turn back with a smile as he mused to himself, "My eyes have truly been opened."

Even though he was only a virtuous scholar of Lake View Academy for now, even someone like Cui Minghuang, who was a vastly renowned noble scholar on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, didn't dare to take him lightly at all. This wasn't just because he possessed very formidable Confucian powers, nor was it only because he had once been a noble person, only to be demoted back to a virtuous scholar due to past transgressions.

Instead, it was because he was able to see some things that even his teacher couldn't, and due to his unique and exceptional talents, even the sage of the three Confucian schools had personally instructed the mountain master of Lake View Academy to be meticulous and diligent in his guidance of Zhou Ju so that the young prodigy didn't stray down the wrong path.

In the eyes of Zhou Ju, all of the people of the world were truly diverse and varied. All cultivators, particularly those who followed the teachings of Confucianism, liked to take some forms of energy, essence, and spirit that possessed special meaning and visualize them as certain strange phenomena, such as a series of miniature people the size of grains of rice.

Zhou Ju could see all of these miniature figures on the bodies or inside the acupoints of others.

For example, a virtuous scholar of the academy who appeared to be thriving and full of vitality on the outside could have a miniature figure that was hobbled and hunched-over, as if it were bearing the weight of a mountain on its back.

A scholar who was renowned for their strict and meticulous demeanor could have a beautiful celestial maiden flying around near his head.

An academic scholar with a boring and dogmatic personality could have a little swordsman whizzing around in their body between their acupoints without a care in the world.

When it came to the virtuous scholar that Zhou Ju had beaten, he was constantly virtue-signaling and was renowned in the academy for his rigorous attitude and exceptional writing talent. However, when Zhou Ju gazed upon that virtuous scholar's writings, he saw that the pages were filled with fluttering butterflies and romantic bees, as well as a honey-coated sword that was constantly whizzing around in a chaotic and directionless manner.

This was the type of person that Zhou Ju detested the most, but out of respect for his teacher, he suppressed his own temper time and time again. However, he finally reached a breaking point during an incident not long after Mountain Cliff Academy was stripped of its title as one of the 72 Confucian academies.

At the time, word had only just begun to spread that Qi Jingchun had met his demise, and that Mountain Cliff Academy was moving from the Great Li Empire to Great Sui Nation. That virtuous scholar saw this as the perfect opportunity to strike, and he vehemently denounced Qi Jingchun's teachings, trying to appeal to certain esteemed Confucian figures who espoused the same negative views of Qi Jingchun.

In doing so, he was hoping to earn the approval of those esteemed figures to aid in his promotion to become a noble scholar. Zhou Ju's views on Qi Jingchun were quite neutral, but he truly detested that pretentious and sycophantic virtuous scholar from the bottom of his heart, particularly as he was only speaking out against Qi Jingchun now that he was dead.

In the end, Zhou Ju gave the virtuous scholar such a brutal beating that he was too embarrassed to show himself in public for half a year.

In Cui Minghuang, Zhou Ju saw a vast territory with borders that stretched far and wide, but it was severely ravaged and war-torn. There was not a single miniature figure to be seen in his heart. As for Cui Minghuang himself, despite the flair that he possessed and how vastly renowned he was, his true form was a simple and honest old farmer who tended diligently to his fields.

Zhou Ju had always possessed this strange ability from birth, and he also had exceptional memory and writing ability. At nine years of age, he entered the academy in secret, and under the teachings of the academy's sage, he was able to become a virtuous scholar at just fourteen years of age. After that, he continued to stay in a study room that had been personally constructed for him by his teacher, and he kept a very low profile, only ever meeting his senior brothers and sisters.

After becoming a noble scholar at twenty years of age, he was appraised by a ceremonial artifact in a Confucian temple, which deemed him to possess the potential to become a Righteous Figure, one that would rank alongside the likes of Cui Minghuang.

As Zhou Ju made his way down the road that led from Sword Water Villa to the town, he suddenly sighed to himself, "I can't help but feel a sense of inferiority."

All of a sudden, a figure appeared beside Zhou Ju out of thin air, and he asked in a gentle voice, "Did you see something worthy of interest, Juran?"

Zhou Ju smiled as he said, "Can you please not scare me like that, my good teacher? What if you give me such a massive fright someday that my brain stops working and I turn into an idiot? You'll be kicking yourself then!"

The mountain master of the academy paid no heed to Zhou Ju's complaints as he walked along in silence.

Zhou Ju smiled as he continued, "You know what? I'm not going to tell you this time, Teacher. Your curiosity will never be satisfied, and there's nothing you can do about it."

The elderly sage burst into laughter. "Fine. I'll just have to beat you once you get back to the academy."

Only then did the elderly mountain master truly depart, while Zhou Ju continued to think back to what he had seen with an amazed look on his face.

He possessed a scholarly core that had clearly been given to him by someone else, yet it coexisted in perfect harmony with his soul without either one rejecting the other. Hence, despite his young age, he already possessed the makings of a noble person.

He walked with a gentle breeze blowing through his sleeves, and atop his shoulders was a meadow filled with sunflowers and golden orioles, presenting a breathtaking sight to behold.

There was a little person seated on the meadow, burping loudly between swigs of wine from his red gourd.

There was a little person in a pair of straw sandals, practicing standing meditation by a river or walking meditation through the mountains.

There was a little person with his hair arranged into braids, flipping through the pages of a book. It seemed that the reading was not progressing very smoothly, and the little person's brows were tightly furrowed as he scratched his own head in befuddlement.

There was also a little person seated with his legs crossed, counting money with a wide smile on his face. Occasionally, he would pick up a coin and bite down onto it to verify its authenticity, or polish it with his sleeve to give it a bright gleam.

There was a little person glowing radiantly with treasured light, running around everywhere while handing things off to others, as if he were constantly giving away the possessions that he treasured the most...

He had so many diverse and wonderful ideas, as well as countless deep-rooted desires, yet his heart was as pure as pure could be. It was incredible to think that such a strange boy could exist in this world.

Zhou Ju's smile faded as he heaved a faint sigh. While it was true that he was in awe and admiration of what he had seen in Chen Ping'an, he didn't want to become like Chen Ping'an at all. In his eyes, living like that had to be very tiresome.

Having said that, it would be great if he could become true friends with someone like that.

All of a sudden, a thought occurred to Zhou Ju, and he abruptly sprang up from the ground and rose up into the sky. Water Combing Nation was laid out beneath him, and through the gaps in the clouds, he could see the undulating mountain ranges down below.

He murmured to himself, "Now that I've seen the Daoist Heavenly Lord of Complete Reed Continent, perhaps I should heed that person's advice and pick a larger blessed land to visit as a transcendent immortal. Otherwise, it feels like I'm going to remain stuck at this bottleneck in my cultivation for the rest of eternity!"

————

Chen Ping'an was naturally oblivious to the fact that Zhou Ju had already gleaned so many of his secrets thanks to that unique ability of his.

For the people of Water Combing Nation, a visit from a sage of Lake View Academy was an extremely rare occurrence, one that may not occur even once in a generation. However, Chen Ping'an wasn't all that astonished. He had seen far too many incredible things back in Jewel Small World and during his subsequent trip to Great Sui Nation.

Despite his young age, he had witnessed things that the people of Water Combing Nation couldn't even imagine in their wildest dreams, not least of which was the mountain god of Tassel Mountain, whom he had seen in the scroll of the Scholarly Sage and even attacked with his own sword.

Chen Ping'an didn't linger for too long in the main hall of the villa. This was because Song Yushao had promptly departed after making a declaration, one that had created a massive stir among everyone present.

"The army sent by the imperial court to bring down our villa has already retreated."

The mama of the ancient temple had actually returned to the villa alongside Chen Ping'an and Song Yushao, but she didn't dare to face a Confucian sage, so she had observed everything that had just taken place from the shadows. Fortunately for her, neither the sage nor Zhou Ju paid any heed to her, and she was feeling extremely relieved.