It’s been fifteen or sixteen years already!
His daily ascetic cultivation had long made Wang Ping forget about the County Magistrate of Shu County. Back then, he and Feng Miao had almost plotted to kill the man. ’Considering the ti that’s passed, he must be almost sixty by now,’ Wang Ping thought. ’If he weren’t a Qi Cultivator, a man that age would already have one foot in the grave.’
’He’s still causing trouble at this age?’
Grumbling was one thing, but the matter still had to be investigated. Wang Ping was actually quite curious to know what this County Magistrate—no, this Assistant Governor—was plotting this ti.
However, his Foundation Establishnt was at a critical stage, making it impossible for him to investigate personally. After a mont’s thought, he settled on a candidate: his apprentice, Yang Zhiping, who was currently out gaining experience.
With this in mind, Wang Ping had an acolyte bring him paper and a brush. He wrote two letters: one for Guangxuan of Sanhe Temple, and the other for his apprentice, Yang Zhiping. He instructed Yang Zhiping to go to Sanhe Prefecture, find Guangxuan, and ask him to help pull so strings so he could investigate the case.
He believed that with Sanhe Temple’s influence, even if Yang Zhiping ran into trouble during his investigation, the worst that could happen would be his expulsion from Sanhe Prefecture. His life shouldn’t be in any danger.
The letters were sent out the following morning.
The next day, Wang Ping had just finished practicing ’Every Plant a Soldier’ and returned to his small courtyard on the peak when an acolyte ca to report. A cultivator from the Upper Dan Sect nad Cheng Ji was looking for him.
Wang Ping thought he had misheard, because Cheng Ji should have been in seclusion within the sect, focused on his Foundation Establishnt.
"I failed my Foundation Establishnt..."
After Cheng Ji and Wang Ping exchanged greetings, Cheng Ji’s first words explained his presence. "My master told to get out and clear my head. I had nowhere else to go, so I just wandered until I reached Shang’an Prefecture."
Wang Ping was just calling for soone to fetch wine from the cellar. He was so taken aback by Cheng Ji’s words that he paused for a mont before asking, "Did you attempt your Foundation Establishnt ahead of schedule?"
"Yes. I couldn’t wait any longer," Cheng Ji said with a bitter smile. "After more than a decade of ascetic cultivation, my mindset shifted. I steeled myself and decided to try for an early breakthrough. I thought I would succeed—I’d never failed at anything before. But reality slapped hard across the face..."
He let out a long breath. "I was so close," he said, his smile still bitter. "Just a sliver of Spiritual Qi away from success. But by then, my Qi Sea was empty, the Spirit Gathering Array was depleted, and I’d used up all my Foundation Establishnt and Qi Gathering Pills... If my master hadn’t shown up just in ti, I might have had to start my cultivation all over again."
Wang Ping was rendered speechless. ’To endure more than ten years of hardship only to fumble at the finish line...’ He asked uncertainly, "So, your cultivation now is...?"
"Like I said, I’m just out clearing my head. Then I’ll go back and try for Foundation Establishnt again. I got lucky—I only lost so resources, and the Spirit Gathering Array was destroyed. But it’s no big deal. I’ll go into seclusion, refine elixirs for five or six years, and I’ll earn back everything I lost!"
Hearing this, Wang Ping could only offer a sympathetic smile.
Just then, an acolyte brought over a jar of yellow wine. The sight made Cheng Ji’s mouth water. "Feng Miao was right about you," he said. "This place is incredible. Not just the scenery, but you have good wine, too..."
The two began to chat about recent events. Wang Ping didn’t have much to share, so Cheng Ji did most of the talking. It was from him that Wang Ping learned Feng Miao had also entered seclusion for his Foundation Establishnt a decade ago.
The conversation then turned to their demon-slaying mission in Shu County back in the day, which naturally led to the news Wang Ping had just received the day before. Cheng Ji’s interest was imdiately piqued. He asked Wang Ping for a flask of wine and a letter of introduction, then left to rendezvous with Yang Zhiping.
’He’s clearly looking for a distraction to forget his failure,’ Wang Ping realized. So, he didn’t try to stop him.
「Half a month passed peacefully.」
One day, as Wang Ping was practicing ’Every Plant a Soldier’, the sound of hurried footsteps broke his concentration.
He looked toward the sound...
It was Zhao Qing, rushing toward him with an anxious expression.
Wang Ping’s eyelid twitched at the sight. He quickly took out his divination blocks and cast a reading, but the result was perfectly normal.
Yu Lian noticed the shift in Wang Ping’s emotions. Using Tengyun, she flew from the stream and landed at his side.
’The shrimp in the creek are gone.’
’I’ll have the temple acolytes put more in another day.’
’How about today? I’ll remind you when you head back.’
’Fine!’
While the two conversed in their Spirit Sea, Zhao Qing had already drawn near. He took a mont to compose himself before speaking. "A ssage ca by carrier pigeon from Sanhe Temple..."
He handed a thin bamboo slip to Wang Ping and continued, "Zhiping has gone missing in Sanhe Prefecture, and Fellow Daoist Cheng Ji is slightly injured!"
Wang Ping’s first reaction was disbelief. He scanned the ssage as quickly as he could, a tide of negative emotions washing over him. In his Spirit Sea, Yu Lian quickly interjected, ’Stay calm. You can only handle this if you’re calm.’
"Are there any more details?" Wang Ping exhaled sharply. He cast another divination, but again, the reading revealed nothing amiss.
"I don’t know either..."
Before Zhao Qing could finish, a young Inner Sect Disciple ca running up, interrupting their conversation.
"Master, Martial Uncle..."
"What is it?" Wang Ping said, stopping the disciple’s bow.
"Senior Brother Zhiping is back! But... he was brought here by a Jianghu Traveler. The man is asking to see you specifically, Senior Uncle..."
...
Wang Ping t Yang Zhiping in the main hall of the Inner Courtyard. His apprentice was completely unhard. The man who brought him back was a Jianghu Traveler dressed in martial attire. Upon entering the hall, he had been searched and six hidden weapons were found on his person.
Yang Zhiping pulled away from the Jianghu Traveler and tried to explain, but Wang Ping signaled for him to wait. He then waited in silence for his guest to enter.
"Which of you is Daoist Changqing?" the Jianghu Traveler asked, cupping one fist in his other hand as he scanned the people in the hall.
"I am," Wang Ping replied at once.
"Greetings, Daoist."
The Jianghu Traveler cupped his fist again. "Your apprentice was ddling in affairs that did not concern him in Sanhe Prefecture. By my lord’s command, I have brought him back to you, completely unhard. Furthermore... my lord wished for to relay a ssage: the matter you are investigating will bear no fruit."
"And your lord would be the Assistant Governor of Sanhe Prefecture, Lord Shen Dong?" Wang Ping asked.
"Correct."
The answer was so direct it left Wang Ping montarily at a loss for words.
After a brief silence, the Jianghu Traveler spoke again. "And if I’m not mistaken, my lord is already dead."
"What do you an?"
"My lord said... he was at a dead end. He was acting on behalf of so powerful figures whose nas he could not reveal. At the sa ti, he could not afford to offend those investigating him. He knew it was only a matter of ti before he lost his head. So, he chose to sacrifice himself to guarantee his family’s survival. Are you... satisfied with this outco?"
Wang Ping quickly processed the information. "Is that all?" he asked.
The Jianghu Traveler smiled. "If there were anything more, do you think I would have made it to Qianmu Temple alive? My task is complete. May I leave now?"
Wang Ping fell silent once more. Then, with a wave of his hand, he dismissed the man.
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