Unsheathed

After returning to Zhu Fengxian's room, the disciple who had led Chen Ping'an and the others out of the Daoist temple wanted to say something yet couldn't help but hesitate.

Zhu Fengxian smiled and asked, "What's the matter? You're thinking about having Chen Ping'an accompany us out of the capital?"

"If he's willing to help us, then that will naturally be the best-case scenario," the man replied honestly. "Since he was willing to come here and visit Gang Leader Zhu, it shows that he's on friendly terms with the Great Marsh Gang. If we persuade him a little, perhaps..."

Zhu Fengxian sneered and cut off his disciple's fanciful dreams, interjecting with a cold chuckle, "How foolish. A person who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Are you pretending that you didn't hear Chen Ping'an's reminder for us to be careful when we leave the capital? What was he implying when he said that? He's already made his intentions very clear.

"Bringing me medicines was a gesture of goodwill to honor the relationship that we formed during that chance encounter in the mountains. After visiting and giving me the medicines, it can be said that he's already done more than enough to honor this relationship. Do you understand this? Don't try to take advantage of other people's kindness and treat their goodwill as a sign of stupidity."

How could the man not understand this? However, he still lowered his head and said, "But the situation right now is far too dangerous."

Zhu Fengxian sighed and said, "Thank goodness you stopped yourself and didn't try to gild the lily. Otherwise, if it's Ziyang who faces trouble while cultivating in the Golden Summit Daoist Temple in the future, do you think Chen Ping'an will help her even if he's coincidentally nearby?"

The man remained silent.

He understood all of this, but it was extremely likely that the Great Marsh Gang and his master, Zhu Fengxian, would be unable to overcome this perilous situation. From the Daoist temple to the main gates of the capital, and from there to the home base of the Great Marsh Gang, it was entirely possible that one section of the journey would be transformed into a journey to their demise.

There was a carefree smile on Zhu Fengxian's face as he remarked, "Alright, that's enough. A person should be responsible for their own life and death when they travel through the cultivation world. After all, is it the case that only other people are allowed to be weak and suffer death by my hands, yet I can't be killed in the cultivation world no matter what? Perhaps I'm the owner of the cultivation world, and this world is nothing more than a backyard pond for the Great Marsh Gang?"

"That was indeed the case thirty to forty years ago in the Azure Phoenix Nation," the man replied with a chuckle.