The Skirt-Pressing Knife

Not long after the straw-sandaled youth left the room, the green-clothed girl stamped her foot and was about to follow him when the middle-aged man, who had gone from Master Ruan to Master Ruan, called her back. His expression turned stern. "Xiuxiu! If you meddle now, you'll only make things worse and harm Chen Ping'an. Then he'll truly be beyond redemption."

Ruan Xiu did not turn around. She merely whipped her head around sharply, her glossy black ponytail carving a beautiful arc through the air. Her gaze was fierce, her tone almost reproachful. "Father, you didn't meddle in Liu Xianyang's affairs either. And what was the result?"

The man hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. In the end, he still held back from revealing heavenly secrets and said heavily, "Trust your father. Right now, the greatest help you can give that young man is to tell him as much as possible about this Minor Cave Heaven's secrets and rules. Make sure he acts within the framework. Timing, terrain, and human harmony—he should seize as many as he can."

Ruan Xiu seemed to understand, yet did not, and hesitated indecisively. The man waved a hand and patiently instructed her, "Pluck one hair, and the whole body moves. You are my, Ruan Qiong's, daughter. No matter how large a stone that boy from Mud Bottle Alley throws into the pond, the splash it raises will be limited; it won't disturb the old turtles at the bottom. That means there is room to maneuver in all things. But you, Ruan Xiu, are different. Remember this: when great matters arise, keep a calm spirit. I keep telling you to read more, to read more, but you never listen! Your temperament is not even as good as that boy from a shabby alley, and you're supposed to be a cultivator."

The moment those last words left his mouth, the man regretted them somewhat. It could not be helped. Whenever it came to his own daughter, he could never restrain himself from adding one last remark that was bound to tear things down. Fortunately, the girl did not seem particularly aggrieved this time. She ran out of the room in quick strides, leaving behind a man with complicated feelings.

The man whose real name was Ruan Qiong pulled over a stool and sat down. Grasping the tall youth's wrist, he found a pulse like a tangled skein of hemp, terrible beyond measure. Already in a poor mood, the man's face darkened further as he grumbled furiously, "Qi Jingchun really is something else. Zhengyang Mountain acted so opportunistically. Even if he couldn't follow the rules and expel them from this place, he could at least have taught them a lesson—kill the chicken to frighten the monkeys. Even if he couldn't kill them, what would have been wrong with giving them a beating? Otherwise, with more and more newcomers pouring into this patch of heaven and earth, things will only become more of a jumble of fish and dragons. Won't everything descend into chaos? What, was he thinking that since he only had a few days left before stepping down, he could just leave me a total wreck to deal with? Where was the responsibility scholars always talked about..."

The clumsy old Director sat to one side, observing his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose. He absolutely did not dare interrupt, lest disaster befall him. The old man only dared mutter inwardly, What happened to keeping a calm spirit whenever great matters arise?

After venting his complaints, Ruan Qiong finally sighed. "You, Qi Jingchun, have no choice but to tie your own hands and feet. You can let my earlier words go in one ear and out the other, but don't you dare miss this sentence."

The old shopkeeper of the Yang Family Shop had actually been listening with pricked ears the whole time. Hearing that, he was immediately convinced. As expected of the Sage who would preside over the Cave Heaven next—his hide was thick enough to block flying swords.

Ruan Qiong suddenly looked toward the old man and asked, "They say a married daughter is water splashed out of the house. But damn it, nobody has even gotten married yet, and her elbow's already turning outward?"

The old man had been holding it in for a long while and could not resist speaking a few words of conscience. Otherwise, he would be letting down his own iron-boned, unyielding integrity. Gathering his courage, he said, "Master Ruan, could it be that this old man's eyes have grown dim? I somehow feel that young man doesn't seem to like your Xiuxiu all that much either."

Ruan Qiong looked at the old man with pity and said decisively, "Don't doubt it. Your eyes have indeed grown dim!"

The old man looked at the man with equal pity.

Neither spoke.

By the well, Ruan Xiu caught up with Chen Ping'an. She said nothing, as though she did not know how to begin.

Chen Ping'an smiled at her. He remembered their first encounter by the Green Ox, when he had thought she was mute, or perhaps unable to speak the local dialect of the town. Only now did he know that she simply did not like talking.

Following the straw-sandaled youth toward the Covered Bridge, the green-clothed girl finally gathered her courage and said, "Chen Ping'an, my name is Ruan Xiu, and my father is Ruan Qiong. He is a Sword Master. Ever since I was little, I followed him in forging iron and casting swords. This time, we came to your town because Father said he was bound by a sect's commission, and because the soil and water here were best suited to building a sword furnace, so he had come to wade through muddy waters. But I know in my heart that Father wanted to find an opportunity for me. My father is the sort who would rather die than lose face. Like your friend Liu Xianyang—Father actually wanted very much to take him as a disciple. You may not know this, but if Father chooses to Found a Sect here in the future, the choice of eldest disciple will be extremely important. So he did not stand by and watch someone die. Don't blame him..."

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I don't blame your father."

At that point, the straw-sandaled youth paused. He raised the back of his hand to wipe his chin and said bitterly, "I know I shouldn't blame others. But I'm angry inside. Very angry. Angry that your father didn't take Liu Xianyang as a disciple sooner. Angry that nobody stopped it when something happened to Liu Xianyang. Even though I know it's wrong, I'm still very angry."

Ruan Xiu nodded. "That is only human."

Chen Ping'an did not wish to linger here and asked, "Miss Ruan, did you need something from me?"

Ruan Xiu cautiously asked, "You aren't going to seek revenge against the people from Zhengyang Mountain, are you?"

Chen Ping'an said nothing, neither denying nor admitting it.

The girl had never been good with words, so she simply said whatever came to mind. "Don't be so reckless. Zhengyang Mountain is one of the great famous sects of our East Treasure Bottle Continent. That Old Ape's status is practically no different from Zhengyang Mountain's Old Ancestor. Even though the Old Ape cannot use Magical Power here, dealing with you would be easy! And after he severely injured Liu Xianyang, Mr. Qi will certainly punish him. At the very least, you don't need to worry that this matter will be treated as though nothing happened..."

Chen Ping'an interrupted her. "Miss Ruan, does the punishment you speak of mean that the murderer will be driven out of town?"

Ruan Xiu fell silent.

Chen Ping'an smiled and instead consoled the girl. His gaze was sincere, clear as a flowing stream. "Miss Ruan, I appreciate your kindness. Of course I won't stupidly rush over and fight some immortal to the death."

Ruan Xiu felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted. Out of habit, she patted her chest. Perhaps feeling that the gesture was a little childish, not refined enough, and unlike a proper young lady of a great household, the ponytailed girl smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

Chen Ping'an smiled along with her. "Last time, I only gave you three fish. I was too stingy."

Ruan Xiu looked a little ashamed, then quickly asked worriedly, "Your left hand?"

Chen Ping'an raised his tightly bandaged left hand. "It's nothing serious. It doesn't hinder me anymore."

Ruan Xiu arranged her thoughts and slowly said, "Chen Ping'an, don't act rashly. Mr. Qi from the school is in a difficult position right now, and when Mr. Qi hands things over to my father, the town will very likely undergo an earth-shaking new change. Whether it will be good or bad is still impossible to say, so it is better to remain still than to move."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "All right."

Ruan Xiu felt inexplicably anxious.

At the root of it, she herself was restless. By her nature, she should have been charging at that Old Ape of Zhengyang Mountain to demand an explanation. Yet now she had to turn around and earnestly persuade the youth not to take risks. It went against her own heart. But as she herself had said, the general tide dictated that it was better to remain still than to move. Her instincts told her the same.

If she, Ruan Xiu, went charging off to demand an explanation and stirred up trouble big enough to pierce the heavens, her father would certainly not ignore it. Most likely, he could suppress it as well.

But this Chen Ping'an before her could only bear life and death himself.

Chen Ping'an bid Ruan Xiu farewell and ran alone toward the Covered Bridge.

He had barely parted from one girl before he saw another.

At the stone steps at the southern end of the Covered Bridge sat a girl with sword and knife stacked together, her face solemn.

She wore a dark green robe. Her eyebrows were long and narrow, her lips pressed tightly together. Beside her lay two exquisitely woven Golden Threads embroidered pouches.

Chen Ping'an hurried toward the Covered Bridge. Just as he reached the foot of the steps, Ning Yao tossed down the two pouches of copper coins and said calmly, "Returning these to you."

Chen Ping'an stood beneath the steps and caught the two pouches with both hands, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Ning Yao kept a straight face. "I promised to keep Liu Xianyang safe. I failed. I, Ning Yao, have let you and Liu Xianyang down!"

The girl understood clearly that in this town, a youth whose body was still ordinary would be beyond saving once an immortal family figure smashed his chest apart with a single punch. Besides, if Liu Xianyang could be saved, even if there were only the slightest thread of hope, then with Chen Ping'an's foolishly kind temperament, even if he were to be beheaded at the blacksmith shop, he absolutely would not have left on his own.

Chen Ping'an walked up the steps and crouched not far beside her. He handed the two pouches back to the girl and said softly, "Miss Ning, keep the money. Take it all, along with the pouch hidden at my home in Mud Bottle Alley. I don't need it anymore. If possible in the future, please use the money to hire people to look after Liu Xianyang's and my homes."

The girl did not take the money pouches. So angry she laughed, she said, "Should I also help you put up spring couplets and Guardian Gods every Spring Festival?"

Chen Ping'an answered earnestly, "If you can, that would be best."

The girl nearly exploded with rage, smoke practically rising from all seven orifices. She cursed, "So what if you got slapped in the face by an ox's tail as a child?! Does that give you the right to do stupid things openly and honestly? You're driving me mad! In any case, Chen Ping'an, don't you interfere in this. Do you think that with your little three-legged-cat skills, you can deal with a Mountain-Moving Ape from Zhengyang Mountain? You can look after Liu Xianyang's lousy house yourself from now on, and go buy your own spring couplets and Guardian Gods too! I, Ning Yao, will not serve you!"

Chen Ping'an looked at the girl and said, "Miss Ning, I haven't known you long, but I can be certain of one thing. If you were confident you could avenge Liu Xianyang, you would never have returned these two pouches of money to me. At the very least, not at a time like this."

Chen Ping'an set the money between them on the steps. "Miss Ning, what time do you think this is? Do you think I'm in the mood to exchange courtesies with you? You, Liu Xianyang, and I only made a business deal. You never deliberately tried to cheat us. We simply encountered such a disaster, a calamity neither of us could have foreseen. How could we let you stake your life on it? Believe me, it isn't only Chen Ping'an who does not want to see that. That fool Liu Xianyang would not want it either. If he could speak, he would only say, 'Men's affairs are none of women's business...'"

The youth suddenly grinned. "Of course, I wouldn't dare say that to Miss Ning."

Ning Yao pressed both hands atop her white-sheathed sword and narrowed her eyes. "I only said half of what I meant earlier. Half of it is guilt. The other half is that ever since I left home, I, Ning Yao, have traveled the world and never once gone around an obstacle when I encountered one!"

The girl extended a thumb and pointed to her own chest. "Not here either!"

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment. "Miss Ning, before you do anything, could you let me find three people first? After that, we'll each do what we have to do!"

Ning Yao asked, "How long will you need?"

Chen Ping'an answered without hesitation, "Half a day at most!"

Ning Yao asked again, "Other than Qi Jingchun, who are the other two?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Miss Ning, please don't ask."

Ning Yao frowned. "The kiln affairs supervisory office cannot handle this. Do you really think this is some trivial matter like stealing chickens and dogs or fighting in the streets?"

Chen Ping'an was just about to stand when Ning Yao said heavily, "Take the money!"

Chen Ping'an could only put it away first.

"Chen Ping'an! Wait. Turn around first."

After making Chen Ping'an turn around, Ning Yao suddenly bent down, lifted her robe, and removed an ancient short knife bound to her calf. Rising to her feet, she handed it to the youth and said with incomparable solemnity, "This is a skirt-pressing knife unique to my homeland. Every woman has one. Urgent matters call for expedient measures, so I won't fuss over local customs. But don't forget: I'm lending you this knife, not giving it to you!"

Chen Ping'an was somewhat bewildered, but he reached out one hand to take the short knife.

The girl snapped, "Use both hands! Do you understand even a little etiquette?!"

The youth hurriedly raised his other hand, though he still looked puzzled.

Ning Yao said irritably, "Do you think a few shards of porcelain will be enough to kill that Mountain-Moving Ape? Cai Jinjian is merely someone who hasn't gone far on the path of cultivation. And that old beast from Zhengyang Mountain was born with a strange phenomenon; its hide is the toughest, its flesh the thickest. Forget porcelain shards—even ordinary immortal family weapons could not hurt that old beast in the slightest. At most, they might leave one or two scratches. What would that accomplish? It wouldn't do a damn thing!"

The youth, holding the knife with both hands and not knowing where to put it, wore a rather strange expression.

Ning Yao glared at him. "You're going to use a knife to chop people, and I'm not allowed to curse a few times?!"

Chen Ping'an had no answer. For some reason, he sat back down on the steps and looked up at the southern sky.

The girl stood beside the youth.

Chen Ping'an tried to persuade her one last time. "People will really die."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest. A sword hung at one side, a knife at the other. Her expression was indifferent. "I have seen more dead people than you have seen living ones."

Then, in a deliberately casual tone, she said, "You can bind that skirt-pressing knife to your arm later and hide it inside your sleeve."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "All right."

Chen Ping'an slapped his knee hard and rose to his feet. Suddenly, he said, "I'm very glad I got to know all of you."

The girl abruptly turned around and took the lead onto the Covered Bridge.

The valiant, captivating girl, the long sword in its snow-white sheath, the narrow knife in its pale green sheath.

Her figure at that moment.

Was the most beautiful sight the youth had ever seen in his life, without equal.

At that moment, the youth felt that even if he could leave the town, he would never see a scene more stirring than this.

This life had not been lived in vain.

So the youth, who had become somewhat more protective of his life and afraid of death because of Daoist Master Lu's words, became as he had been before—utterly unafraid of death.

If death came, then death came.