Walking Alone

Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao parted ways near the Twelve-Pillar Archway Building. Chen Ping'an went to Mud Bottle Alley and knocked on the door, calling out, "Song Jixin, are you home?"

The young girl, who was drawing water with a gourd ladle in the kitchen, hiccuped repeatedly. After drinking the water, she felt much refreshed. She put down the ladle, walked out of the kitchen, and went to open the courtyard gate. Feeling a bit strange, she replied in her usual measured tone, "My young master isn't home. Chen Ping'an, why are you knocking? Don't you usually just stand in your own yard and chat with us?"

Chen Ping'an replied through the courtyard gate, "It's about something."

After opening the door, Zhi Gui teased, "A rare visitor, a rare visitor."

She glanced at Chen Ping'an's expression and asked, "What are you looking for my young master for? If it's not urgent, I can pass on a message later. If it is urgent, you'll probably have to go to the Supervising Official's yamen to find him. You saw it yourself before, my young master has a good relationship with the new Supervising Official, Lord Song."

She noticed Chen Ping'an standing still as if rooted to the spot and rolled her eyes. "Come in, why are you just standing there?! Is my home a dragon's den, or will I charge you a silver tael for a drink of water?"

As she said this, the young girl covered her mouth and giggled, "For you, the latter is definitely scarier."

Chen Ping'an tugged at the corner of his mouth, his smile strained, and said softly, "Actually, I came to find you. I called out like that earlier to avoid Song Jixin misunderstanding."

Zhi Gui smiled knowingly and asked, "Then tell me, what is it? Let's get the unpleasantries out of the way first. Neighbors are neighbors, and friendships are friendships, but I'm just a maid living under someone else's roof in Mud Bottle Alley. I can't carry heavy loads or lift anything, so I can't help much. However, if you, Chen Ping'an, are looking to borrow money, and it's a problem that can be solved with money, you're lucky, as I might have a small way."

Chen Ping'an gave a wry smile, "It's really not about money. I'll be straight with you. Liu Xianyang has been severely injured at the Covered Bridge. The old shopkeeper at Yang Family Shop went to see him, but he couldn't do anything."

Zhi Gui looked bewildered, "How have I not heard about this? Who did Liu Xianyang get involved with?"

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "He's an outsider, from a place called Zhengyang Mountain."

Zhi Gui tentatively asked, "Then are you looking for connections to arrange a good burial plot for Liu Xianyang? That's not difficult. I can ask my young master to put in a word with the Supervising Official, and then have the yamen officials or doorkeepers arrange for that old man Wei from Taoye Lane to find a place. As long as it's not claiming a mountain in an area forbidden by the court, it shouldn't be hard."

Chen Ping'an's already dark face grew even darker.

Perhaps Zhi Gui realized she had misunderstood. She habitually bared her teeth, revealing her white, neat set of teeth. Leaning against the couplets on the wall, she tilted her head, a playful smile on her face, "Chen Ping'an, do you want me to repay your life-saving kindness? But I'm just a maid. Even the old shopkeeper at Yang Family Shop couldn't do anything, what can I do?"

After an internal struggle, Chen Ping'an slowly said, "Wang Zhu, I know you're not an ordinary person. That year, during the heavy snow, I saw you at my doorstep, and I knew you were different from us. Later, you were also the first to notice that the Snake Gallstone was unusual. Thinking back now, the way you looked at us neighbors back then was essentially no different from how those outsiders look at us now."

The young girl grinned, "Actually, there is a difference."

I don't just look down on you common folk, I look down on immortal cultivators too.

However, Zhi Gui did not say this out loud.

Some truths were self-evident to her, but to others, they would be seen as arrogance and unruliness.

Chen Ping'an asked, "I'm looking for you to ask if there's any possibility of saving Liu Xianyang. I used a Sophora Leaf, and at the time, it could only barely keep Liu Xianyang's last breath from fading. Although it wasn't very useful, it was at least something. So I wanted to ask if you have any Sophora Leaves, especially any spare ones?"

The young girl pointed to her nose and asked, "Are you asking if my young master Song Jixin has Sophora Leaves, or if I, an orphan maidservant?"

Chen Ping'an stared intently at the young girl and said directly, "Even if Song Jixin had them, he wouldn't give them to me. I'm asking you, Wang Zhu. If you have them, are you willing to lend them to me? If not, do you know of any other way to save Liu Xianyang?"

The young girl, who had been consistently called Wang Zhu, rubbed her chin with one hand and gently patted her abdomen with the other, shaking her head. "No more, really no more. I'm not lying to you. If you had come earlier, maybe there would have been a few Sophora Leaves left. As for other methods, of course not. I'm not an Immortal, how would I know how to bring the dead back to life or regrow flesh on bones, right? Chen Ping'an, you can't force me. Sigh, I really misjudged you, I thought you were different from them, not the kind of person who uses favors to demand repayment."

Chen Ping'an was still unwilling to give up, "Really none? Tell me, regardless of whether I can do it or not."

Zhi Gui shook her head, her tone decisive, "I don't have any!"

Chen Ping'an smiled, "I understand."

The young man turned and left, his thin figure quickly disappearing into Mud Bottle Alley.

The young girl stood in the alley at her home's entrance, watching the boy's receding back with a complex expression. There was a hint of disappointment in her gaze, mixed with anger at his lack of ambition. She huffed, "Those Sophora Leaves you finally got your hands on, you just wasted them like that? Then you might as well go die with Liu Xianyang. It's better to die early and be reborn. If you're lucky, you'll be brothers in misfortune in your next life. That's better than those poor souls who don't even have a next life."

The young girl walked back into the courtyard. As she crossed the threshold, she accidentally burped again and sneered, "A bit too full."

She suddenly quickened her pace, stomped down heavily with her foot, and then slowly squatted down, staring at the earthy yellow four-legged snake with horns on its head. She reprimanded, "There's no difficulty in borrowing again if you return what you borrowed. If you five little beasts dare to run up a tab and refuse to pay in the future, I'll skin you, dismember you, and stew you!"

The four-legged snake under the maidservant's foot struggled desperately, emitting faint hisses, as if begging for mercy.

After leaving Mud Bottle Alley, Chen Ping'an ran all the way to the schoolhouse. However, an old man responsible for cleaning the schoolhouse informed him that Mr. Qi had gone to the deep mountains outside the town the day before with three guests from out of town. They were said to be exploring for wonders, and the trip would take at least three days. Chen Ping'an left with a sense of disappointment. As he turned to leave, the old man holding the broom suddenly remembered something and called out to the boy, "Oh, right. Before Mr. Qi left, he told me that if anyone from Mud Bottle Alley looked for him, I should tell that young man that he had already said what needed to be said, and whether he was here or not today wouldn't change the outcome."

The young man seemed to have expected this outcome, his eyes dull and lifeless.

The stagnant water rippled slightly, devoid of vitality.

However, the young man still bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, old sir."

The old man quickly moved a few steps away, stood to the side, and waved with a smile, "I can't bear the title of 'Sir'."

The old man watched the young man slowly walk away. After walking a distance, he seemed to wipe his eyes.

The old man shook his head gently, thinking of two other scholarly prodigies of similar age, Song Jixin and Zhao Yao. Looking at this boy now, their life experiences were worlds apart.

Truly, some people were in high spirits, while others faced times of trouble.

Chen Ping'an went to Mud Bottle Alley, picked up the last bag of copper coins hidden in the ceramic jar, and with three bags of money, walked into Fulu Street and found the Yamen of the Kiln Affairs Supervising Office.

The doorkeeper was a bit confused when he heard the introduction. The neighbor of Song Jixin in Mud Bottle Alley wanted to see both Song Jixin and the Supervising Official, Lord Song?

Chen Ping'an secretly handed him a Golden Essence copper coin he had prepared earlier. He said nothing. The doorkeeper looked down, weighed it, and rubbed it between his fingers. He understood, but didn't rush to respond. The young man quickly handed over another golden coin. The doorkeeper smiled but didn't take it. "Since you're a sensible person, I'll be happy to introduce you. Otherwise, if I lose my job because of you, I'd be a real fool. Keep this copper coin for now. If the steward at your residence agrees to let you enter the yamen, then give it to me. If not, I can't help you, and we'll just pretend this copper coin and I had no fate, what do you think?"

Chen Ping'an nodded vigorously.

Not long after, the elderly steward and the doorkeeper arrived together. The doorkeeper gave the young man a look, signaling him not to pull out a copper coin at this moment, as bribery was a serious offense. Fortunately, the boy didn't do anything foolish and followed the steward towards the back hall of the yamen.

The doorkeeper sighed, feeling a bit strange. Why did the steward agree as soon as he heard it was the young man surnamed Chen from Mud Bottle Alley? When did the threshold of the yamen become so low?

The doorkeeper felt a little guilty. In fact, when he saw the steward just now, he had implicitly advised the steward to avoid trouble and not let the young man into the yamen. He hadn't said it directly, believing that with the old steward's profound cultivation from years of service in officialdom, he would surely understand.

The young doorkeeper's original plan was to get a copper coin for free without taking any risks, and to feel at ease about it.

Now, he just hoped that the poor, scruffy boy wasn't some troublemaker.

In the main hall of the yamen's back area, the tall man in the white robe sat in the main seat, drinking tea.

Song Jixin sat in the guest chair on the left, idly playing with a bamboo folding fan in one hand, opening and closing it repeatedly as he smiled at the straw-sandaled youth brought in.

Dark, black chair, snow-white robe, a stark contrast.

The steward withdrew, and the man in the main seat put down his teacup, smiling at the youth, "Chen Ping'an, have a seat anywhere. We actually met before in Mud Bottle Alley, but I didn't recognize you then, or I would have greeted you."

Song Jixin found it a bit amusing; only he knew that the man sounded a bit awkward when he referred to himself as "I."

The youth sat in the chair opposite Song Jixin.

The man got straight to the point, "Chen Ping'an, are you here about Liu Xianyang being injured?"

The youth stood up and said, "I hope Lord Song will severely punish the culprits from Zhengyang Mountain, not just deport them."

The man chuckled, "Actually, this town is a 'lawless land,' meaning no dynasty's laws apply here. Supervising Officials are already in an awkward position, with no right to interfere in local affairs. Moreover, this town has always adhered to the principle of 'the people don't report, the officials don't investigate.' Whether it's a wealthy family killing a maidservant or a minor scuffle causing injury, no one comes to this yamen to file a complaint. So, Chen Ping'an, you've come to the wrong temple with a pig's head, praying to the wrong Bodhisattva."

The man's demeanor was amiable and pleasant, without any hint of arrogance or condescension.

Chen Ping'an took out three bags of copper coins and placed them on a high stool next to the chair. Then, he said to the composed man, "Lord Song, I know you are very powerful. I want to know if you can save Liu Xianyang, or at least give him justice, so that the murderer doesn't just leave town as if nothing happened."

The man laughed heartily, "I am very powerful? That must have been told to you by that black-clothed girl from your village, right? Well, that shows her martial arts talent is excellent, even better than your friend Liu Xianyang. To be honest, I only know how to kill people; saving them is not my forte. Besides, why should I break a thousand-year-old rule here for a youth I've only met once?"

The man pointed to the three bags of copper coins, "Liu Xianyang, without his Treasure Armor and Sword Scripture, his life isn't worth this much money. As for buying my favor, this amount is far from enough. Would Great Li fall out with Zhengyang Mountain over three bags of money? Absolutely not; it would be a laughingstock across all of East Treasure Bottle Continent. Chen Ping'an, you might not understand this now, but if you have the chance to travel in the future, you'll realize this is the absolute truth."

Chen Ping'an gritted his teeth and said, "Lord Song, can you tell me what needs to be done? Even if you think I can't do it, Lord Song, please tell me."

The man didn't think he had revealed any clues. A hint of surprise flickered in the eyes of this powerful prince. He smiled and said, "Chen Ping'an, I'm not looking down on you or deliberately making things difficult. On the contrary, I find you interesting, which is why I'm willing to spend time talking to you calmly and rationally, like making a deal, understand?"

Chen Ping'an nodded.

Song Jixin sat casually, cross-legged on the chair, gently tapping his knee with the closed folding fan.

Watching from the sidelines, detached from the situation.

Song Changjing didn't mind Song Jixin's flippancy. In this town, this prince possessed a vast amount of information, second only to Qi Jingchun. He finally revealed the truth, "Chen Ping'an, you don't need to feel too guilty, thinking your friend died because of you. Liu Xianyang was already trapped in a dead end. As long as this youth refused to hand over the Sword Scripture, it would only lead to a dead knot, because Zhengyang Mountain was determined to kill him. Neither Qi Jingchun nor Master Ruan could stop it. It's not that no one has ever fought that old ape, but the price would be too high, not worth it."

The man took a sip of tea and said leisurely, "Chen Ping'an, have you ever considered why even you, who least deserves ancestral blessings, received a Sophora Leaf, yet Liu Xianyang, with his excellent talent and roots, didn't get one? Have you thought about this?"

Chen Ping'an said, "I've bothered Lord Song."

The straw-sandaled youth put away the three bags of copper coins and took his leave of the Supervising Official.

Although Song Changjing didn't ask him to stay, he personally got up to see him off. Just as Song Jixin was about to reluctantly stand up, he saw his uncle shake his head slightly and smoothly sink back into his chair, leaning comfortably against the backrest.

As he reached the threshold, Song Changjing said without warning, "There are two things I can do, but I cannot do them. So, if you accomplish either one, I might consider helping you teach that old ape a lesson."

The youth quickly stopped and turned around, his face solemn.

The man said calmly, "One is to find an opportunity to kidnap the little girl from Zhengyang Mountain who is close to the old ape, to disrupt his mind and force the old ape to remain in the town. The other is to secretly cut down that old Scholar Tree at night and pull out the iron chain from the Iron Lock Well. You can do both, or just one. If you accomplish one, I will help you severely injure the culprit. If you accomplish both, I will kill the old ape from Zhengyang Mountain for you."

Song Changjing smiled and promised, "A word spoken is a promise made!"

Then, the immensely powerful prince of Great Li uttered a cryptic remark, "Chen Ping'an, I believe you can sense the truthfulness of a statement."

The youth left in silence.

Not seeing or hearing the youth boast loudly, Song Changjing found it quite normal. Standing at the door, with his back to Song Jixin inside the room, he asked, "You know him better. Do you think he will do it?"

Song Jixin shook his head, "It's hard to say. Under normal circumstances, it would be very, very difficult for him to do something against his conscience. But for Liu Xianyang, it's a bit uncertain."

The man stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky, and asked, "Suppose the youth surprises us. If I use this opportunity to intervene, whether it's to befriend Zhengyang Mountain or form an alliance with Wind Thunder Garden, I can only choose one. It might even lead to enmity with the other party. Compared to me standing by and letting Great Li remain indifferent to these two forces, never interacting with them, which outcome do you think is better for Great Li?"

Song Jixin stood up, tapping his other palm with the folding fan, pacing slowly. After thinking, he said, "In times of peace, choose the latter. In times of chaos, choose the former."

Then the youth smiled, "Whether the world outside this town is one of peace or chaos, it seems you, Uncle, have already made your choice."

Song Changjing scoffed, "What are we warriors of the battlefield supposed to do in times of peace? Be lapdogs guarding the homes of scholars?"

Song Changjing turned to look at the stiff-faced youth, "I can see that this youth is the true knot in your heart, and you won't be able to untie it easily. If you leave town with this knot, it will be detrimental to your future cultivation. So, you can witness firsthand how a pure youth with an innocent heart becomes full of resentment and worldliness. Then, you'll realize that arguing with someone like that is meaningless."

Song Jixin opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing in rebuttal, falling into deep thought.

The man walked back into the room, sat in the main seat, and drank the tea in his cup in one gulp. "Most importantly, by playing these boring little games, besides finding a flimsy excuse to fish in troubled waters, I also want you to understand a principle: on the path of cultivation you are about to embark on, anyone could be your enemy... for example, your own uncle, me, Song Changjing."

The youth was stunned.

Song Changjing sneered, "Because of obsession with a knot, if it's not thoroughly removed by your own hand, it will lead to endless trouble, like wild grass in the plains, growing back with the spring breeze."

Song Changjing said with mocking disdain, "Song Jixin, soon to be a prince of Great Li, are you filled with indignation? But what can you do now? So, do you think you are any better than Chen Ping'an, who is being toyed with in the palm of my hand?"

Song Jixin stared intently at the man with a calm and indifferent expression. The youth's fingers gripping the folding fan showed bulging veins.

The man sat upright in his chair, his gaze deep, looking out the window as if talking to himself, "As you meet more people in the future, you'll discover an interesting thing. What about karma, quick revenge, a common man's rage spilling blood, or talented scholars and beautiful ladies ending up together – these are all gratifying fantasies concocted by the useless. Therefore, your own fists must be strong. Relying on me? Relying on your own parents? I advise you to give up that idea as soon as possible. Otherwise, taking you away from this town would be no different than taking your corpse to a mass grave. In the imperial family, one must face life and death alone."

The youth broke out in a cold sweat and slumped onto the chair.

Although the youth had hidden his newfound pride very deeply after learning his true identity, and behaved no differently when dealing with people at the yamen, to Prince Song Changjing, it was like holding a demon-revealing mirror, seeing a spirit that had just transformed into human form. Thus, it could be annihilated with a mere word.

Song Changjing looked into the distance, his gaze seemingly extending to the southernmost tip of East Treasure Bottle Continent, to the distant Old Dragon City.

For some reason, the prince recalled a saying, "The human heart is like a mirror; the cleaner and more unblemished it is, the less it can withstand scrutiny and testing."

Song Changjing felt that although the scholars in the imperial court were garrulous and detestable, sometimes the great principles they spoke of were things that they, as sword-wielding warriors, could live for a thousand years without ever thinking of or fully understanding.

Song Changjing withdrew his thoughts, pointed south with his hand as if holding a spear or halberd, his sharpness fully revealed, "Song Jixin, if you think what I've said today is wrong, you can disagree, but endure it. Only when we switch places in Old Dragon City in the future will I consider whether to listen respectfully!"

Prince Song Jixin of Great Li had regained his composure and smiled, "I look forward to it."

At the entrance of the yamen, the straw-sandaled youth handed the second copper coin to the doorman as promised.

The Twelve-Pillar Archway Building loomed, and Chen Ping'an spotted the black-clothed girl, quickening his pace towards her.

Ning Yao stood beneath the plaque that read "Qi Chong Dou Niu" and asked, "How did it go?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I looked for all three. I met two of them. I couldn't see Mr. Qi, but I knew the answer from the start."

A gentleman does not save himself.

Mr. Qi had indeed said as much before.

Ning Yao frowned, silent.

Chen Ping'an then warned the girl to be careful before sprinting away.

He first went to the Yang Family Shop. Using a Golden Essence copper coin, he bought a large pile of medicine bottles, salves, and herbs for treating bruises and internal injuries from an old man who knew him well. The young man was familiar with how to use and prepare these remedies. Working at the Dragon Kiln, a job that depended on the mountain's resources, often involved accidents. Although Old Man Yao found Chen Ping'an, his semi-disciple, somewhat irritating, he had to admit the youth was quick on his feet and straightforward, so many errands and money-related tasks were given to Chen Ping'an, such as buying medicine and brewing it for the injured workers at the kiln.

Chen Ping'an returned to the ancestral home in Mud Bottle Alley. After closing the door, he began brewing medicine, a prescription for internal injuries. While waiting for the right temperature, he spread a washed-out but still clean shirt on the table and tore it into strips for bandages. The straw-sandaled youth, known for his stinginess, felt no pangs of regret. He then tied the skirt-pressing knife Ning Yao had lent him to his arm, and also wrapped layers of thin cotton strips around his lower legs and wrists.

Chen Ping'an took down the homemade wooden bow from the wall. After a moment's hesitation, he decided against taking it. Instead, he retrieved his slingshot and a bag of pebbles from the windowsill.

His determination to act despite knowing the odds were against him, and his lack of regret after hitting three dead ends, was a stubbornness unique to him.

If he didn't try, the young man would never be content, just like when he pleaded with the old blacksmith at the blacksmith shop one last time to try again.

His first priority was to find the oddly-situated Zhi Gui, hoping to find a sliver of hope for Liu Xianyang. Then, he sought out Mr. Qi, holding onto a sliver of hope that he would uphold justice. Finally, seeking out Ning Yao's so-called martial arts grandmaster, the Supervising Official Lord Song, was a clear indication that he was willing to risk everything for this transaction.

The young man had thought it through from the beginning, so while he felt dejected now, it wasn't soul-crushing.

In reality, the feudal lord Song Changjing and his neighbor Song Jixin didn't truly understand Chen Ping'an.

Some things must be done, even if it means death. But some things must not be done, even if it means death.

The young man squatted in the corner, quietly waiting for the medicinal soup to be ready. This pot of medicine was peculiar; it served no other purpose than to relieve pain. There was once a man at the Dragon Kiln who suffered from a strange illness. He lay in bed for half a day, not only half-dead but also in such agony that his entire face and limbs were contorted. Later, the Yang Family Shop provided this prescription. The man died soon after, but he did not suffer. He even had the strength to sit up, give his last words, and under Old Man Yao's support, take one last look at the kiln.

Chen Ping'an felt he would likely need it too.

The young man saw some scraps of cloth on the table. He took off his worn-out straw sandals, pulled out a pair of brand-new shoes he had always been reluctant to wear, brought over a pottery jar, and took out some broken ceramic shards from it.

About half an hour later, having finished everything, the young man opened the door and silently slipped out of Mud Bottle Alley.

As dusk approached, the sunlight was no longer harsh. Layers of fiery clouds stretched across the horizon, incredibly brilliant.

The straw-sandaled youth walked towards Fulu Street.

On the bluestone street, there were no longer any passersby. The young man walked alone.