Unsheathed

The winter solstice was when the days were shortest and the shadows were longest, yet it was also the time when the yang energy of heaven and earth started to rise again.

The emperors and rulers of various empires and nations in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent would all worship the mountains on this day, and even if they couldn't attend personally, they would still send high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Rites to the mountain god temples to pay respects and offer incense.

In a similar manner to Dragon Spring Prefecture, the Plum Glaze Nation also had their own traditions and customs when it came to celebrating the winter solstice. Even the poorest of families would make dumplings, lamb soup, or glutinous rice according to their local traditions.

Chen Ping'an, Ma Duyi, and Zeng Ye snacked on glutinous rice balls that they had purchased from the markets as they embarked on their return journey from Banner State City which was located in the southernmost region of the Plum Glaze Nation.

Chen Ping'an stopped his horse at a border pass, telling Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi to cross first. He turned around and rode up a small hill by himself, and an old cultivator coincidentally walked to the peak slowly just as he arrived at the peak. Chen Ping'an dismounted his horse, and the old cultivator spoke using his non-fluent official dialect of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent as he chuckled, "You might not recognize me, but I'm already very familiar with you."

"Thank you for your hard work in watching over me this entire time," Chen Ping'an said with a faint smile.

The elderly Nascent Tier cultivator ignored the sarcasm in Chen Ping'an's reply. After all, it was normal for people to feel uncomfortable about being spied on.

The old cultivator smiled and said, "I was once a disciple of the Parasol Leaf Sect, so it was indeed hard work for me to endure silently this entire time."

"Was?" Chen Ping'an asked.

The old cultivator kept his aura suppressed to the level of Golden Core Tier earth immortals, with a glow flowing across the surface of his skin and appearing like a sun and a moon circulating around the small world that was his body. He didn't answer Chen Ping'an's question, and he looked the young man up and down as if he were trying to discern something. What had he relied on to become... friends with that great sword immortal? Were they junior and senior brothers from the same sect or studying under the same master? This was difficult to say right now, and anything might be possible. In any case, there was no such thing as enjoying fortune with no strings attached in this world, especially not in the mountains. A single mistake, and one could lose everything.

The old cultivator stood atop the small hill and looked around. The mountains and rivers of the Plum Glaze Nation were truly dull and boring, and the thin spiritual energy in the nation was also far inferior to that of Bamboo Scroll Lake.