"Old Heavenly Master, somehow this plan of yours doesn't sound solid to me. If that peachwood sword means that much to Elder Liu Baiyi, and I so much as touch it, won't he cut me in half?"

The old Heavenly Master shook his head. "He won't. As long as that peachwood sword is in your hand, you tell him east and he won't dare go west."

Ning Chen still couldn't make himself trust it.

"Old Heavenly Master. If I fought Elder Liu Baiyi, how many moves would I last?"

The old Heavenly Master held up one finger.

"One move?"

The old Heavenly Master nodded. "One move... and you're dead."

Ning Chen: "..."

Better not to touch that peachwood sword at all, then. Too dangerous.

The thing that mattered now was finding Liu Baiyi.

All he knew was that the man lived in a peach grove, and how many peach groves were there under heaven?

It looked like a trip to the Great Beginning Pavilion after all.

"Old Heavenly Master, I'll have to trouble you to go on to the capital ahead of me. I'll go and find Elder Liu Baiyi."

"And where will you look?"

"If the Great Beginning Pavilion could rank Elder Liu Baiyi in the top three masters above the ranks altogether, then they must know where he is."

The old Heavenly Master nodded.

He picked up the water skin. "This is good stuff. This old man is doing you a very large favor. A few more jars wouldn't be out of line, would they?"

Ning Chen laughed. "A few jars? Not nearly enough. The old Heavenly Master's wine is on me from now on."

A smile came over the old Heavenly Master's face. "You, boy... Good. You know how things are done."

The old Heavenly Master was handled. Ning Chen let out a small breath at last.

They talked a while longer, and then Ning Chen got up. "Old Heavenly Master, I'll take my leave. I'll see you in the capital."

The old Heavenly Master said, "It's late. Stay the night in the temple and go down…