Qi Jingchun's Night at the Covered Bridge
Knowing his end was near, Qi Jingchun sits alone on the covered bridge from night until dawn to persuade the ancient Sword Spirit to protect Chen Ping'an.
Overview
On the eve of the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven's collapse, aware that his time in the human realm was rapidly running out due to the impending Heavenly Dao backlash and Great Li National Master Cui Chan's overarching "Great Exam" scheme, the local sitting sage Qi Jingchun made a silent, profound arrangement to protect the orphaned boy Chen Ping'an. In the hidden town, Qi Jingchun went to the covered bridge—which famously hung the "Wind Born, Water Rises" (风生水起) plaque—and sat there alone from the dark of night until the break of dawn.
Beneath this very stone arch bridge hung an ancient, rust-flaked sword (老剑条), which housed an immensely powerful, ancient Sword Spirit. For nearly ten thousand years, this Sword Spirit had coldly observed the world, viewing the brutal battles of sages and the fall of the last true dragon as mere child's play. By sitting on the bridge in quiet companionship and silent persuasion, Qi Jingchun sought to convince this aloof, ancient entity to finally open her eyes and truly look at the destitute young boy from Mud Bottle Alley.
Outcome / Consequences
Qi Jingchun's night-long vigil at the covered bridge successfully moved the ancient Sword Spirit to acknowledge Chen Ping'an. This quiet, localized event had monumental consequences for the timeline, as it secured the young boy his greatest early protector and most formidable weapon, ensuring that Chen Ping'an could survive the perilous cultivation world and the deadly machinations of Cui Chan that awaited him after the sage's death.
References
- 剑来4：草长莺飞时，第一章 — 去开山: Details the ancient Sword Spirit's true origins beneath the stone arch bridge, her aloof perspective on the town's three-thousand-year history, and confirms her eventual choice to manifest and stand beside Chen Ping'an following Qi Jingchun's guidance.
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