Chapter 74: Fire Dragon Runs into Water

Chen Ping'an returned to the smithy. After laboring, during a meal break, he approached Master Ruan, who was squatting with the young woman Ruan under the eaves. Chen Ping'an said he needed to borrow money, possibly fifteen or sixteen taels of silver. Ruan Qiong didn't even ask the reason for the loan, stopped eating, glanced askance at the straw-sandaled youth, and spat out two words, "Get lost."

Chen Ping'an quickly and obediently ran off.

Ruan Xiu frowned and said, "Father, couldn't you speak nicely?"

Ruan Qiong snorted coldly, "Not beating him is already speaking very nicely."

Ruan Xiu protested indignantly, "He's working so hard for you as an apprentice, not taking a single coin in wages. During those dark hours, everyone else was sleeping soundly in the house or chatting idly, but Chen Ping'an was still hauling dirt from the well, back and forth, busy with this and that, never idle. Who's been the most diligent worker these past few months, Father, don't you know in your heart? Put your hand on your heart and tell me, is it really too much for him to ask to borrow fifteen or sixteen taels of silver?"

Ruan Qiong, his face darkened, said nothing, thinking to himself that he knew too well, that's why he wanted to kill this little bastard who was trying to steal his daughter.

If this boy had the cultivation level of a Mountain-Moving Ape from True Sun Mountain, he would have learned from Qi Jingchun and beaten him half to death for his own peace of mind. But thinking of this, Ruan Qiong felt somewhat disheartened. Although he was certain that, even without his status as a Sage of this world, he was still superior to a Mountain-Moving Ape, achieving a decisive victory like Qi Jingchun was clearly impossible.

Ruan Qiong could only comfort himself that, although he was nominally a military strategist and swordsman, his true pursuit was not the strength or weakness of battlefield combat, but to become one of the foremost sword-smiths in the world, forging a living sword with the potential to nurture its own spirit, adding to the world a true being with life and death, capable of cultivation, reincarnation, and even the pursuit of the Great Dao.

Ruan Qiong put down his bowl and chopsticks, looked up at the sky, and inexplicably cursed, "Did you really think you could run wild after Qi Jingchun died? I've made my rules clear to you. Now that you don't abide by them, show me the ability to defy them. If you don't have it, then go to hell."

Seeing that no one was around, Ruan Qiong, who had been squatting, rose abruptly, like a snow-white rainbow exploding from the earth, shooting towards the clouds high in the sky.

Above the sea of clouds, several palace-dressed women, matrons, and men in brocade robes and jade belts were flying together, chatting and laughing, all elegant immortals, occasionally looking down at the panoramic view of the former Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, truly creating winds with their words.

A deafening roar echoed.

The head of a dignified woman with golden hairpins burst open. Then, a beautiful young woman beside her suffered the same fate. One after another, men and women alike, none were spared.

Ruan Qiong hovered in the golden sea of clouds, his eyes sharp, looking around and sneering, "What, you're only using these small fry to test my bottom line, Ruan Qiong? Are you looking down on me too much? Although I'm just a blacksmith, far inferior to Qi Jingchun, is it difficult for me, Ruan Qiong, to kill one or two ignorant tenth-floor cultivators here? From now on, there's another rule here, listen carefully. Even if you hide outside the border, coveting the Li Zhu Blessed Land, if I, Ruan Qiong, am in a bad mood one day, I'll still drag you into the sky above the Blessed Land and smash your head. Believe it or not, it's up to you."

As soon as Ruan Qiong finished speaking, he flashed towards the border. The next moment, he was seen holding an old man's head with one hand, dragging him back within the boundary, then pressing down with his five fingers. The immortal old man begged bitterly, "Master Ruan! Master Ruan! Let's talk this over! I am from the Purple Smoke River nearby..."

Before the old man could finish, Ruan Qiong crushed the immortal master's head, casually throwing the corpse outside the boundaries of his own Blessed Land. However, Ruan Qiong only glanced coldly at the emerald rainbow that escaped from the corpse, not bothering to kick him when he was down. The green rainbow, no more than three feet long, frantically flew nearly a thousand miles, plunging into a vast river shrouded in faint purple smoke, far surpassing even the largest rivers of the Great Li Dynasty in grandeur.

Ruan Qiong, his fingers still stained with blood, loudly declared, "For the next sixty years, it will be thus."

In the distant sea of clouds, a female cultivator, hiding her figure in the mist, resentfully said, "Such bloody and cruel methods are not what a Sage who sits in charge of a region's fortune should do."

Ruan Qiong laughed angrily, "Oh, you've gotten smarter, hiding so far away and whispering. You think I can't do anything to you, huh? Damn it, I'm not some bookworm like Qi Jingchun. You're talking about morality and etiquette to a military strategist and swordsman? Are you out of your mind?"

Ruan Qiong tilted his arm downwards, pinched his fingers together, and recited silently in his heart, "Celestial Fiery Wind, Terrestrial Thunder Pool Fire, hasten according to the law!"

In an instant, two places above and below the sky surged with rapid force, like two newly emerged springs.

Another gentle voice urgently warned, "Not good, it's Ruan Qiong's natal Wind and Thunder twin swords! Lan Ting, retreat quickly! Ruan Qiong's natal objects are different from ordinary ones. They are not nurtured in the acupoints, but exist within three thousand miles of him, wandering around with his two military strategist's Nether Gods..."

Above the sea of clouds, a dazzling green firefly desperately tried to escape, surrounded by crystal-clear peach blossoms, protecting its master.

The faint green light almost managed to escape eight hundred miles before being pierced through the head by a blue thread descending from the sky.

The man who had spoken up for her, seeing the situation was bad, had long since disappeared with his unique escape technique.

The sky fell silent, and no one dared to make another sound.

Ruan Qiong sneered, no longer bothering to argue with these insidious ghosts. He landed back near the stream by the smithy. The blacksmith, covered in murderous aura and blood, washed the blood off his hands in the stream.

Ruan Qiong sighed, feeling sentimental, "Qi Jingchun, if you had been half as unreasonable as me, you wouldn't have ended up so aggrieved."

On the bank, Chen Ping'an was practicing his walking exercises for an hour. On his way back, having finished practicing, he was stretching and relaxing his muscles. Chen Ping'an suddenly saw Master Ruan walking up from the stream. He hesitated, slowed his pace, and avoided making contact. For some reason, Chen Ping'an always felt that Master Ruan didn't think highly of him. The way he looked at him was a bit like Old Yao, with a hint of dislike.Ruan Qiong ignored the youth, striding back to his blacksmith shop.

Chen Pingan abruptly turned, gazing at the stream.

It was calm as usual, nothing amiss.

Yet, a moment ago, Chen Pingan felt a sudden tightening in his heart, a prickly sensation on his back, as if a vengeful water ghost was watching him from the stream – a ludicrous feeling.

But all he saw was the stream gurgling, cheerful and gentle.

Undeterred, Chen Pingan picked up a few stones of appropriate weight and walked downstream, scrutinizing the water, trying to find any trace of something unusual.

The more Chen Pingan looked, the more uneasy he felt. Under the broad daylight, the stream gave off a chilling aura. Even when he repeatedly ventured into the deep pit beneath Qingniu Mountain, he never felt such a distinct sense of unease. Chen Pingan was now certain that bizarre spirits, demons, and wandering ghosts existed. When Mr. Qi was in town, they were kept at bay, but now that he was gone, perhaps these entities were free to wreak havoc. He needed to be cautious, even if Master Ruan was the next so-called "Sage." Chen Pingan still trusted Mr. Qi more. He certainly respected Ruan Qiong, but felt no sense of closeness.

Chen Pingan dared to follow his instincts and investigate the stream's strangeness because Master Ruan had just left. He didn't believe any water ghost would dare to attack him under the Sage's nose. Besides, Chen Pingan now carried the pair of mountain and water seals gifted by Mr. Qi, one of which was the "Water" seal. This emboldened the youth even more.

After throwing two handfuls of stones, Chen Pingan bent to pick up more when a voice called out, "What are you doing?"

It was Ruan Xiu, the maiden with the green clothes and ponytail.

Chen Pingan had been so focused on the water that he hadn't noticed her approach. He didn't try to hide anything, unafraid of her mockery. He pointed at the stream and honestly replied, "I think there's something nasty in the water, so I was trying to scare it out with stones."

Ruan Xiu looked at the stream, her expression turning grave.

Chen Pingan asked, "Is there really something wrong?"

Ruan Xiu shook her head. "I can't see anything."

Chen Pingan laughed. "I must be imagining things."

Ruan Xiu whispered, "You go back first. I want to eat something here before returning to the shop. If my father asks, tell him you didn't see me."

Chen Pingan nodded. "No problem."

Remembering something, he picked up a sharp-edged stone from the ground and asked, "Miss Ruan, could I ask you what some words mean, how they're pronounced?"

Ruan Xiu looked panicked.

Reading?

Books were the most terrifying enemies in the world. Every character seemed like a powerful cultivator leading an army, intimidating her. She got a headache every time she saw them. When she followed her father, Ruan Qiong, to the town, she was supposed to attend the village school, not help with blacksmithing. But she refused, claiming stomachaches, headaches, the possibility of rain, a sprained ankle... Ruan Qiong grew tired of her excuses and let her off the hook.

But today, Ruan Xiu didn't want to lose face in front of the youth. She forced herself to remain calm and smiled weakly. "Write them down first."

When Chen Pingan carved two words into the ground, Ruan Xiu transformed. Her face shone with confidence as she laughed. "These two words? They're simple. I've known them since I was little. One is 'Shen' (Spirit), the other is 'Ting' (Court). Together, they're the name of a pressure point on the body, Shenting. These so-called pressure points are why humans are the lords of creation. Many powerful demons and spirits must eventually transform into humans because the human body is best suited for cultivation. The 365 major and minor pressure points are like gold and silver mines, treasures to be explored. The ancients said that pressure points are 'where the essence and energy travel in and out.' Our three souls and six spirits are like children eating from every household, taking a bowl of rice here, a cup of water there, constantly nourished and growing stronger."

Ruan Xiu spoke eloquently, then pressed a finger against her forehead, smiling. "As for Shenting, it's right here. Lift your hairline, and go up about half an inch. This pressure point isn't very important to martial artists and swordsmen like me and my father. In our jargon, it's not 'a strategic point to be contested.' It's optional. But for those who rely on incense offerings to survive, this pressure point is crucial. But my father said those gods and ghosts are useless. No matter how great their powers or how wide their paths, they're just pitiful creatures living under someone else's roof, not worth mentioning."

Chen Pingan didn't understand any of it, so he memorized it. Then, he asked about "Juque" (Great Tower Gate) and "Taiyuan" (Great Abyss).

Ruan Xiu answered each question. Although she didn't like reading, she only disliked the classic texts of Confucian Sages. She loved the military arts, cultivation, and sword forging. She knew these pressure point names by heart.

Before Chen Pingan could ask, she boldly laughed. "If I have time later, I'll tell you about all 365 pressure points, their locations, and their uses."

Chen Pingan smiled. "Thank you, Miss Ruan."

Ruan Xiu asked, "Do you think it's a bother when I ask you to buy pastries for me?"

Chen Pingan shook his head. It was no trouble at all.

Ruan Xiu happily smiled. "There you go."

She suddenly felt regretful and sighed. "Knowing about pressure points doesn't mean much. There are so many unorthodox and crooked paths in cultivation because everyone's methods of nurturing and refining their vital energy are different. A slight deviation can lead to great errors. My family has its own inherited methods of dispersing and nurturing vital energy, but they can't be shared. It's not a matter of whether my father agrees, Chen Pingan, I'm sorry."

Chen Pingan wasn't the type to take an inch and ask for a mile. He quickly smiled and explained, "It's okay. I just want to learn more words, I didn't think so much. Besides, I have my own boxing manual to practice. I can barely manage the stances, let alone anything else."

Ruan Xiu smiled in relief and patted her chest. "That's good."

They quivered slightly, a beautiful sight to behold.Chen Pingan hastily retracted his wandering gaze, stood up straight, and said with a serious face, "Miss Ruan, when you're free later, I can always return to Ni Ping Lane later."

Ruan Xiu also stood up, nodding with a smile, "Alright."

Chen Pingan trotted towards the blacksmith shop.

Ruan Xiu walked down the bank to the stream. First, she took out a handkerchief, tossed a piece of cake into her mouth, and slowly savored the flavor.

When Chen Pingan had probably reached the town, she reached out and rolled up a section of her sleeve, revealing the scarlet bracelet, and looked at the clear stream, saying in a deep voice, "Fire Dragon Walks Water."

The bracelet instantly liquefied, a living creature awakened, constantly struggling and writhing, eventually transforming into a small flood dragon wrapped in flames. It connected head to tail, perfectly encircling the girl's wrist.

With a command from the girl in green robes.

The crimson flood dragon, originally less than a foot long, leaped into the stream.

Ten feet, thirty feet, a hundred feet.

A fire dragon could indeed walk on water!

Ruan Xiu commanded, "That's enough."

The fire dragon, now a hundred feet long, ceased its growth, but all the nearby stream water evaporated. Not only that, the upstream water, like defeated soldiers scared out of their wits, dared not charge forward, but huddled and piled together, causing the water level to rise continuously, while the downstream water continued to rush away.

Ruan Xiu squinted.

Waiting for the truth to emerge.

She walked on the dried-up streambed, following the hundred-foot fire dragon forward.

Now that the blessed land was shattered, the restrictions carefully laid out by the four sages had also disappeared, so magical arts were no longer prohibited.

This was also the root cause of why Ruan Qiong had to establish rules and strike with thunderous force. Even though this place used to be the smallest of the thirty-six lesser blessed lands, and not known for its natural treasures, it was still a blessed land from a blessed land origin. The various benefits were still greatly helpful for cultivation. Now that there were no more restraints of the grand array, if there were no restrictions, foreign cultivators would flock in, a mixed bag of people with impure intentions. In the end, the six thousand people in the town, apart from those old turtles and big tortoises who were lucky enough to survive, the rest of the mortals would probably all die within a day.

The military, in fact, also emphasized rules, but focused more on flexibility, far more adaptable than the Confucianists, able to act expediently according to the circumstances and the location.

After about an incense stick's time, the fire dragon, constantly thrashing around on the riverbed, finally seemed to have caught its cunning target. One claw fiercely pressed down, and slowly lowered its head.

Ruan Xiu walked near the fire dragon's head and looked down. Under the fire dragon's claw was a curled-up woman, her waist firmly gripped by the claw. She had waist-length black hair, desperately protecting her whole body.

She asked curiously, "A mere river spirit dares to run wild at my doorstep? Didn't you hear that my father once beheaded six river gods? "

The river hag, who had changed from a withered old woman to a young woman, begged, "Immortal, Immortal, I was just passing by here, and I have no intention of harming anyone. Moreover, I boldly revealed the aura of a Yin spirit, hoping to help Saint Ruan increase the weight of the stream water, thinking I could contribute a little. Immortal, please don't be angry. If you find my appearance ugly, offensive, I will only dare to wander at night in the future..."

Ruan Xiu asked directly, "Do you know Chen Pingan?"

The river hag, her waist held down by the fire dragon, her appearance rapidly aging, dared only to whimper pitifully, nodding like a chick pecking rice, "I know him, I know him. I was originally from Apricot Blossom Lane, and Chen Pingan is an orphan from Ni Ping Lane. We occasionally interact, but there are no grudges. I just haven't seen anyone from the town by the stream lately. Today, I saw that young man practicing boxing and was curious, so I took a few more glances. Who would have thought that I would cause such a great disaster. Immortal, please have mercy on me for not knowing the rules..."

Ruan Xiu waved her hand, and the fire dragon transformed back into a red bracelet with ancient patterns, worn on the girl's wrist.

Ruan Xiu still stood in the distance, behind her was the surging stream water.

But a scene that frightened the river hag appeared. The stream water, as if encountering a supreme predator, surrendered without a fight, automatically detouring and flowing downstream.

Even more terrifying, the river hag could sense that the girl in green robes had not used any magic or supernatural powers at all.

Ruan Xiu smiled sweetly, "Don't be stunned, tell me about Apricot Blossom Lane and Ni Ping Lane, everything, tell me everything you know."

The river hag, who had regained her freedom, her appearance and skin began to slowly regain their youth, but the next moment, she suddenly screamed in fear, because her jet-black waterfall of hair was shrinking in length, she cried out in anguish, "Why is my cultivation flowing away!"

The girl in green robes ate her pastry, speaking indistinctly, "Ah? Is that so? Sorry, I forgot to tell you, I have a natural fire god body, and water is my nemesis."

The river hag forced herself to calm down, silently weeping and begging, "Please, Immortal, have mercy and forgive my unintentional offense."

Ruan Xiu thought seriously, "I'll ask you to come and tell stories in the future, don't worry, I'll hide my innate aura then."

The river hag wore a mournful face, not daring to refuse, and had to agree.

Ruan Xiu walked towards the shore, turned her head, and said, "Don't let it happen again."

The river hag said repeatedly that she wouldn't dare.

The girl went ashore, swaying her ponytail, and walked towards the blacksmith shop.

The river hag's body sank into the stream, her face filled with hideous resentment, but after suffering several losses, she began to understand how to suppress this anger.

A string of other people's thoughts, originating from elsewhere, resounded heavily in her heart.

"Fool, put away your ignorance, do you know what that girl's chance to attain enlightenment in the future is? It is to kill all the river gods in a continent, how dare you, a mere river hag, harbor murderous intentions towards her? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at? Even if she stretched her neck for you to kill, in the end, you would be the one to die! Do you know how sensitive she is to any Yin creature in the water? So, you're not wrong about what you're thinking right now, she will kill you, the first river god! So, think carefully about how to remedy this matter. This original disaster is also a seed for you to obtain a great opportunity."

"This is the last time I'm reminding you. If you have any actions that violate the rules, without anyone else taking action, I myself will make you wish you were dead! "

After the voice disappeared, the river hag hung suspended in the water, dazed, her body swaying gracefully, but lifeless.

The great path was ethereal and uncertain, leaving people discouraged.Inside the sword-forging chamber, Ruan Qiong saw his daughter skipping in, and said with annoyance, "So, bullying an insignificant River Matron makes you happy?"

The girl's smile was radiant as she replied, "Then I'll wait until she becomes a River God, then I'll bully her."

Ruan Qiong frowned. "Xiu Xiu, never underestimate River and Lake Gods. They are, after all, orthodox water deities registered in the ledgers of a continent's mountains, rivers, and lakes. Although they can't compare to the Five Sacred Mountains' true deities of the various kingdoms, killing them in the water isn't easy."

The girl replied with a casual "Oh," then said, "Then just leave them with no water to dwell in."

Ruan Qiong's heart jolted, and he quickly suppressed the smile that was about to appear at the corner of his lips.