Chapter 23: Locust Shade

Having spoken, the scholar gave a self-deprecating smile. What value could there be in Qi Jingchun's disciples these days? A room full of novice students, each paying a meager three hundred copper coins in tuition per year. For some impoverished families, it was merely three strips of cured meat.

Qi Jingchun looked at the boy, who stubbornly refused to let go, and asked, "Deep down, you don't truly want to kill him, but the problem is that this person seems determined to kill you, no matter what. So, do you kill him, making a clean break and temporarily preserving your own life, leaving tomorrow's problems for tomorrow? Or do you hope to quell the matter, turning a major issue into a minor one, and a minor one into nothing? Am I right?"

The boy, who often eavesdropped on the poetry recitations from the neighboring study, blurted out, "Master, what should I do?"

Qi Jingchun smiled and said, "Chen Ping'an, why don't you try releasing your right hand first, then decide whether or not you want to take a walk with me. Some things are my responsibility, and I must give you an explanation."

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment. After releasing his right hand, he was astonished to find that Fu Nanhua remained motionless. His eyes, hair, and breath were all frozen.

With Qi Jingchun activating the grand formation, the small town returned to a standstill.

Qi Jingchun softly said, "Stay close behind me, and try not to stray more than ten steps away."

The middle-aged scholar, his robes fluttering and his form ethereal, took the lead, heading towards the end of the alley. Chen Ping'an followed closely behind, glancing down at his left palm, which was a bloody mess, with the bone visible. Yet, the blood, so clearly visible, had ceased to flow.

Qi Jingchun walked ahead, smiling as he asked, "Chen Ping'an, do you believe that gods, immortals, spirits, demons, and monsters exist in this world?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "I do. When I was little, my mother often told old stories, urging me to believe that good is rewarded with good, and evil with evil. She said that sentence the most, so I remember it clearly. Other things, like the water ghosts in the stream that drag children down, the judge in the ruined temple north of the city who presides over cases at night, and the door gods we paste up that come to life at night to protect our homes. I didn't really believe these things before, but...now, I think they're mostly true."

Qi Jingchun softly said, "Some of what she said is true, and some is false. As for the saying 'good is rewarded with good, and evil with evil,' that's hard to say. The definition of good and evil differs greatly between common folk, emperors and generals, and immortal cultivators. Therefore, their conclusions will be very different."

Chen Ping'an hid the porcelain shard, quickened his pace, and walked alongside the scholar, looking up to ask, "Master Qi, can I ask a question?"

Qi Jingchun seemed to see through the boy's thoughts, calmly saying, "This small town is the final resting place, the burial ground, of the last true dragon in the world. Countless Jiaolong believe that this place possesses the most flourishing Qi, destined to 'produce a dragon' one day. In fact, for three thousand years, the 'dragon birth' has been delayed, but the children born in this town do possess superior foundation, disposition, and opportunities than their peers outside. Even the offspring of renowned immortal couples from the Eastern Treasure Continent are no better. Of course, not every child in the town has astonishing talent."

Qi Jingchun smiled, not delving deeper into the matter, perhaps fearing it would hurt the boy's feelings. He changed the topic, "The senior cultivators who participated in the Dragon Slaughtering Cataclysm were almost all heavily wounded. Many settled here, building huts to cultivate, as if calmly awaiting death. Some couples were fortunate enough to survive, and some naturally formed a bond after fighting side by side. After over three thousand years of breeding, the small town has grown to its current size. On the territory of the Great Li Dynasty, this place was first called Daze Township, later renamed Longyuan by a sage. After that, to avoid the 'yuan' character of a certain Great Li Emperor, it was modified again..."

The boy, who had been holding back his question for so long, finally couldn't resist. He interrupted Qi Jingchun softly, clenching his fists, filled with longing and anticipation, "Master, the question I actually want to ask is, what kind of people were my parents...?"

Qi Jingchun fell into thought. "Since that wandering Daoist has already revealed some secrets to you, I can follow the opening he created and tell you some things. In my memory, your father was a simple and gentle man, with mediocre talent. He wasn't worthy of being taken away from the small town, and naturally became a burden in the eyes of some. He was seen as a losing investment. Perhaps out of anger, or perhaps because life was too difficult, the porcelain buyers outside the town tampered with your father's 'Destiny Porcelain.' After that, not only did he suffer many misfortunes, but he also caused you and your mother to suffer. Later, he somehow learned the secret of the Destiny Porcelain, knowing that once it was fired and taken away from the town, he would become a puppet for life. So, he secretly smashed the Destiny Porcelain that belonged to you. If I remember correctly, it should have been a porcelain paperweight."

Qi Jingchun said in a deep voice, "You must know that every infant born in the town each year has a code name stored in a secret file. There are also people in town who specialize in using a unique technique to extract a drop of heart's blood and inject it into the Destiny Porcelain that will be fired later. It takes six years to fire a girl's Destiny Porcelain, and even longer for a boy's – nine years. The kiln fire must not be extinguished for a single day. The child's talent is like the quality of ordinary kiln-fired porcelain, depending on fate and luck. But the prices for betting on the 'porcelain gamble' are very high. Although your talent is also mediocre now, you can imagine the outrage of the porcelain buyers outside the town when your father resolutely smashed that porcelain paperweight."

"As for your mother, she was a woman of gentle disposition."

Qi Jingchun suddenly smiled as he said this, "Back then, when your mother married your father, many of the people your age in town were very depressed. But to be honest, it would be difficult for me to tell you the details of your parents' lives when they were alive. After coming here, I have many things to do besides teaching."

The boy hummed in acknowledgement, lightly turning his head away, and clumsily wiping his face with his hand. The boy probably forgot about the poor condition of his left hand, smearing blood all over his face. But he also really couldn't bear to use his sleeves to wipe.

The two passed the twelve-foot archway tower.Qi Jingchun did not look at him, but spoke frankly with the boy, "A True Dragon fell here in the past. Four Sages personally appeared and established a covenant, stipulating that every sixty years, a person would be replaced to sit here, helping to look after the remaining aura left by the True Dragon after its death. In fact, there was debate at the time about whether to completely eradicate the roots... But telling you these unspeakable secrets would only harm you. Generally speaking, people from the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, plus a strategist, are the main forces. The other schools of thought, blessed lands, immortal sects, and powerful clans of Eastern Treasure Continent all have a certain share and opportunity to divide the benefits here. It's laughable, but whether one has a quota to 'buy porcelain' within a hundred years has almost become a marker of whether a sect or family is first-rate."

Chen Ping'an said, "I don't understand what you're saying, sir, but I've remembered it all. But I'm content knowing that my parents were good people."

Qi Jingchun laughed, "I don't expect you to understand right now. These are just preparations. Otherwise, if I simply told you not to kill Fu Nanhua, you definitely wouldn't listen. The reason I don't want you to kill is not because I, Qi Jingchun, feel pity for him, or anything like that. Nor is it because I hope that Fu Nanhua and Old Dragon City will be grateful and give me benefits in the future. It's not like that at all. In fact, it's the opposite. We Confucian disciples advocate entering the world and are most opposed to the recklessness of cultivators. The two sides have fought openly and secretly for countless years. If I, Qi Jingchun, were still at the age when I went to Cliff Academy to seek knowledge, then whether it was Liu Zhimao, the Intercepting River True Lord, or Fu Nanhua, the young city lord of Old Dragon City, they wouldn't have a chance to live. I would have reduced them to ashes with a single palm."

The boy noticed that at this moment, although Mr. Qi's tone was still gentle and his walking posture was still elegant, the feeling he gave was completely different.

It was like when Old Yao was drunk and said that the porcelain we fire is for the emperor, who can compare?

When Mr. Qi said he could reduce others to ashes with a single palm, his tone was different from Old Yao's, but his expression was exactly the same.

Qi Jingchun frowned, looked up at Clay Lane, as if listening to someone speaking. Although he did not show any annoyance, the displeasure in his eyes was unconcealed.

He finally said coldly, "Leave quickly!"

Chen Ping'an looked blank.

Qi Jingchun explained, "It's the storyteller, whose real name is Liu Zhimao, with the Daoist title of Intercepting River True Lord. He is actually a heretical Daoist with decent cultivation but low character. Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua's grudges against you were mostly stirred up by him. In the end, he even planted a crooked talisman in your heart, a four-word mantra, secretly carving '一心求死' (一心求死 - single-mindedly seek death) into your heart. The means are extremely vicious."

Chen Ping'an silently memorized the name Liu Zhimao.

Qi Jingchun sighed and asked, "Aren't you curious as to why I didn't intervene?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

Qi Jingchun said to himself, "This world is like an old porcelain vessel that has been weathered for three thousand years, on the verge of falling apart. You are ultimately outsiders, and you have the protection of a great formation. As long as you don't go too far, it won't cause the vessel to shatter. But I am the one holding the porcelain vessel. Any action I take will affect the cracks in the vessel. In fact, no matter what I do, it will only cause those lines to increase and spread. If it were just the porcelain vessel breaking, then so be it. But the fate of the five or six thousand people in this town, both in this life and the next, is in my hands. How can I be careless?"

However, Mr. Qi spoke these long-suppressed words too quietly. Chen Ping'an strained his ears but could not hear clearly.

Qi Jingchun looked at the boy, who occasionally wiped his face with his right hand. The two had already reached the iron-locked well in Apricot Blossom Lane, where a woman was bending over to draw water. Qi Jingchun asked, "If a stranger fell into the well, and you would die if you tried to save them, would you save them?"

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and asked, "I want to know, can I really save that person?"

Qi Jingchun did not answer the boy's question but smiled, "Remember, a gentleman does not save."

The boy was stunned and asked doubtfully, "A gentleman?"

Qi Jingchun hesitated, squatted down, first straightened the boy's clothes, then used his hand to wipe away the blood, and said softly, "When encountering misfortune, first have compassion. But a gentleman is not a pedantic person. He can go to the well to save people, but he will never put himself in a deadly situation."

Seemingly stirred by the question,

The boy asked seriously, "Mr., can I still live? If so, how long can I live?"

Qi Jingchun thought carefully, slowly stood up, and said decisively, "If you are not afraid of a difficult road ahead and suffering great hardship, then you will definitely be able to live."

The boy immediately smiled brightly and said matter-of-factly, "I'm not afraid of hardship!"

Qi Jingchun thought about the boy's composure along the way and felt relieved. "Come, I'll take you to a place. Although I, Qi Jingchun, can't help you much, since things have come to this, letting you overcome this calamity is not a violation of the rules. In fact, I should have compensated you with an opportunity."

The boy was bewildered.

The two came to the old locust tree. For some reason, the town was silent, except for this old locust tree, which seemed to be the only exception, its leaves swaying gracefully.

After Qi Jingchun stopped, his face was solemn. He bowed and looked up, asking, "Can Qi Jingchun ask you for a locust leaf so that the boy can leave the town safely in the future, and at least within three years, be free from the disaster and misfortune that will come back?"

The thousand-year-old locust tree was silent.

Qi Jingchun asked again, "Qi Jingchun has been sitting here for fifty-nine years. Even if there is no merit, there is hard work. Is it impossible to ask for a single ancestral locust leaf? Moreover, the boy is originally from your town. Why are you so stingy, venerable predecessors?"

The old locust tree still did not respond.

The silence was like silent mockery.

You, Qi Jingchun, are powerful, but you are ultimately just one of the people in this world, and even more so the pitiful person who is in charge of the key to the great formation. What can you do if we are unwilling to give away this favor for nothing?

Qi Jingchun's face was uncertain. Finally, he could only sigh and look down, full of guilt.

The boy grinned and instead comforted, "Daoist Lu said that as long as I go to the south side of the town and find a blacksmith named Ruan and become his apprentice, there is hope for me to live. Mr. Qi, even without this... locust leaf, I believe there won't be any problems!"Qi Jingchun smiled and asked, "The honest truth?"

The boy scratched his head, bashfully saying, "A lie."

Qi Jingchun smiled knowingly.

Suddenly.

A vibrant, emerald green locust leaf, fresh and tender, drifted down from the very highest branches of the tree.

The boy simply extended his palm, and the leaf landed on it of its own accord.

Upon the leaf, a golden character flashed and disappeared.

Qi Jingchun was somewhat astonished, and after a moment, said in a deep voice, "This character is 'Yao'. Chen Ping'an, are you willing to repay the Yao family's kindness, regardless of life or death?! To be frank, even without this leaf, you might not be without a chance of survival. I can tell you that plainly. So you must think this through carefully!"

The boy asked, "Is it the 'Yao' in Master Yao's name?"

Qi Jingchun nodded, "Precisely."

The boy pressed his palms together, gently holding the locust leaf between them. He raised his head and declared loudly, "As long as I live, as long as it concerns anyone surnamed Yao who is connected to him, as you said before, even if they fall into a well, even if saving them means certain death, I, Chen Ping'an, will save them!"

A heavenly silence descended.

Qi Jingchun smiled, "Let's go."

As he led the boy away, he quietly turned his head to look at the highest branches of the locust tree. Qi Jingchun's face revealed a look of mockery.

Locust leaves bearing the surname "Chen" were not absent; in fact, there were more than just one or two. But in the end, knowing that this place was about to collapse, the tree preferred to find another host, even if they didn't bear the surname "Chen," still, not a shred of ancestral blessing was willing to favor the straw sandal boy from Mud Bottle Lane.

Qi Jingchun turned back, patted the boy's head, and joked, "If it were Song Jixin, Zhao Yao, or Gu Can, and they made such a grand vow as you did just now, it might have resonated with heaven and earth."

The boy smiled brightly, "That's not my concern. I'll just do my own thing well."

Qi Jingchun asked again, "Was that the honest truth?"

The boy smiled, "It is!"