242: Chapter 24 Wild Grass in the Spring Breeze_2 242: Chapter 24 Wild Grass in the Spring Breeze_2 Chen Jingxuan spoke slowly, “In this way…
as incense, as river water, what ordinary people can see and hear are also what the ‘Supreme One’ hopes they see and hear.”
“You say so much, only to suggest that all that is mundane is ignorance.”
Xie Xuanyi, uncharacteristically patient, listened to the entirety before drawing a conclusion.
“…
Most of mundane life is ignorance.”
Chen Jingxuan shook his head and corrected, “There are always special cases.
Even those Heavenly People, before they awaken and begin their cultivation, are just members of the mundane populace.”
“So you don’t need to worry, their fear of you today, their slander, it’s all temporary…”
The Little National Master looked down at these people and said sympathetically, “The Imperial City has seen many storms, and over the years, the moss on the blue stones of the streets has been replaced time and again.
In a few days, it won’t be long before they will forget you.”
“So the reason you asked me to meet here is just to comfort me?”
Xie Xuanyi laughed.
“These days in the library tower, I have encountered some thorny troubles.”
Chen Jingxuan also smiled and said, “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you prove your innocence earlier…
The case with the Lin Family and the feud with the Northern County’s family, perhaps we can only wait until the Northern Hunt ends to resolve them.
But those people are not foolish; they won’t let Yuan Jimo use them as pawns without reason.”
“There’s no need to apologize to me.”
Xie Xuanyi shook his head and calmly said, “The case with the Lin Family, I don’t care about.
The library tower gave me an identity, and I am already grateful for that…
Such trivial matters, there’s no need for you to intervene.”
The Little National Master was speechless.
The two sat in the teahouse amidst the spring light, silently sipping tea.
“I thought you would only stay in the library tower all the time.”
After a long time, Xie Xuanyi broke the calm, “I heard from the foolish…
Lord Jiang, that over these years, you have hardly ever set foot outside the library tower.”
“Actually, half of what comes from Qihu’s mouth about me can be believed.”
Chen Jingxuan laughed and said, “After all, letting him know everything about me would be far too frightening.”
Just as in the principle of ‘using the upper to control the lower’ previously mentioned.
In the library tower, what Jiang Qihu saw and heard were mostly what Chen Jingxuan wanted him to see and hear.
This wasn’t a nasty “deception.”
But rather because he was too straightforward and easily baited by Qin Baihuang.
If Chen Jingxuan wasn’t cautious around Jiang Qihu, it wouldn’t be long before a second biography of the library tower’s anecdotes would become popular in the Imperial City.
“To speak of a distinction between immortals and mortals is also just a guise.”
Chen Jingxuan lamented, “This set of lofty lies can deceive others, but not oneself…
Heart Tribulation, Asking Dao Tribulation, Heavenly Person Tribulation, which tribulation isn’t one that the mundane beings must cross?
Cultivators, too, have their seven emotions and six desires.
Even if one becomes an overseer or the new State Preceptor, one would still seek to find the meaning of ‘living.’
Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow.
“So you’re not always in the library tower?”
In his memory.
Chen Jingxuan was a very “still” person, like a tough stone.
Once settled in a place, he could root deeply and for a long time.
“Just for a better way of ‘living.’
Chen Jingxuan smiled, “I love being in this place, watching the sunlight, the heavy rain, the wind and snow.”
This situation had already lasted for ten years.
“Have you ever thought about leaving the Imperial City?”
Xie Xuanyi looked into the eyes of the Little National Master, inadvertently throwing out a question.
Chen Jingxuan was silent for a moment, then shook his head.
“The world is vast, far more than just the Great Chu Imperial City.”
Xie Xuanyi laughed softly, “If I were you, I would probably go out more often, not just to see the world, but also to see its people.
Apart from light, wind, snow, and rain, there are always some people in this world that you ought to meet.”
“…”
With those words,
the teahouse fell into silence once again.
This time, it was Chen Jingxuan who broke the peace.
“By the way…
I also asked to meet you for another matter.”
The Little National Master steered clear of the topic Xie Xuanyi had broached earlier.
He smiled, lifted his sleeve, and gently waved it.
Swish!
On the table, there appeared a long, narrow black object.
It was an umbrella.
No…
to be precise, it was a sword, a sword sheathed in an umbrella cover.
Xie Xuanyi’s gaze was fixed on the umbrella cover.
The cover was decorated with patterns of dark lotus flowers and mottled thin frost-white snow marks.
Years ago.
The Refining Department’s Qin Baihuang wanted to make a [Thousand Mechanism Umbrella], and at that time Xie Xuanyi had persistently tried to force Qin Baihuang to make a sword sheath for him!
But the latter utterly refused to comply, and the matter had to be dropped.
With a “clang,”
Chen Jingxuan gently pressed on the umbrella cover, exerted force, and drew the sword body, displaying its sharp edge—
Bright silver light suddenly illuminated the whole world.
It had been a long time since he had seen such a mesmerizing sword.
Xie Xuanyi felt somewhat dazed, took two deep breaths, and then he calmed down his heart lake, pretending to be confused, “This is…?”
“The Thousand Mechanism Umbrella has not yet been introduced.”
Chen Jingxuan said softly, “Your master had a great suggestion years ago, which Qin Baihuang accepted.
They made the sword’s body the umbrella’s spine, and the umbrella’s body the sword sheath.
This is the Refining Department’s first ‘finished product.’ It was supposed to be sent to Lotus Peak, but since you were in the Imperial City, it just so happened to be handed to you.”
Xie Xuanyi’s emotions reached a peak of complexity.
He looked at the man before him, unsure of what to say.
But the Little National Master merely smiled gently, pushing the umbrella and sword toward the young man in front of him.
Xie Xuanyi looked at the umbrella sheath and sword body pushed in front of him.
He shook his head and said, “I cannot accept a reward without having earned it.
I cannot accept this gift.”
He had accepted the All Living Beings before.
This time.
Chen Jingxuan had brought a sword made from the modified Thousand Mechanism Umbrella.
“For the upcoming Northern Hunt, you will surely need a handy weapon.”
The Little National Master pleaded earnestly, “I hear you are now in the Golden Body Realm, surely the second path of the Sword Dao…
it would require this.”
Seeing Xie Xuanyi unmoved.
The Little National Master sighed deeply, “Don’t worry, it’s not worth much.
If you don’t accept it, Qin Baihuang wouldn’t know who else to give it to, and those guys in the Refining Department all have their quirks.
The things they cast are either treasured or thrown out like scrap.”
“…
You wouldn’t want this sword to be thrown away in a corner, right?”
This last phrase had an effect.
Xie Xuanyi appeared helpless, merely looking at the umbrella and sword in front of him.
He hadn’t yet reached out.
When the umbrella and sword resonated together.
This sword sheath seemed to have gained Spirit Wisdom, trembling slightly, making a light ringing sound as it swung the sword.
After a short moment.
Xie Xuanyi finally sighed lightly, reaching out to hold the umbrella sword.
“Primarily, the sword sheath is precious, being a fledgling version of the ‘Thousand Mechanism Umbrella,’ able to transform according to the Divine Thought and will.”
The Little National Master smiled upon seeing this and said warmly, “I casually took a sword from the Refining Department to fit it…
The name of this sword is ‘Wild Grass,’ but the sheath is yet unnamed.”
Xie Xuanyi shook his head.
He knew all too well that Chen Jingxuan was deceiving him.
Both the sword and sheath were crafted with extreme care; from several feet away, one could feel the oppressive sharpness!
He held the long sword and inserted it into the sheath.
Upon drawing it, there was a continuous thundering roar.
This private room was surrounded by talismans, yet still reverberated with the long cries of Sword Qi!
Xie Xuanyi realized that the sword sheath was indeed more precious…
Apart from ‘Wild Grass,’ it could fit other swords as well, even his own “Chen Ke”!
This sheath was clearly custom-made for his younger self from ten years ago!
Now, it had been delivered to him in another way.
The Little National Master asked with a smile, “Would you like to name the sword sheath?”
Xie Xuanyi hesitated, sincerely trying to decline, “I may not be the best at naming…”
But under Chen Jingxuan’s persistent persuasion, he eventually could not resist.
Xie Xuanyi fell into deep thought.
He stared at the sword sheath.
On the sheath, lotuses were carved.
Among the lotuses, there was intermixed frost-white fine snow and grass leaves tinged white by the snow.
After pondering for a long time, Xie Xuanyi had his answer.
He earnestly said, “Why not call it…
Spring Breeze?”
“It really is good…”
The Little National Master, who had prepared words of praise, suddenly had a rigid smile.
Looking strangely at the sheath, he took another look and asked, “A curious name indeed; why call it Spring Breeze?”
The sheath had lotuses, snowflakes, and grass leaves.
But there was no sign of a spring breeze.
“…”
Xie Xuanyi did not directly answer the question.
He merely quietly pushed open the wooden window.
As winter left and spring arrived, the withered snow melted, and the willow catkins filled the city, whiter than snow.
Without the spring breeze, how could there be resurgence from the dead?
It was the season of falling blossoms.
There was no sight of the spring breeze, yet it was everywhere.