Chapter 5: Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng
The next day, I received twenty taels of funeral expenses from the village chief and set off for Azure Dragon Military Office in Guanzhong. Kim Manje looked at me with disdain, and the village chief’s wife, concubine, and the concubine’s children also gave me mocking looks. I managed my twitching expression and set off.
‘Hmph. It’s better than before. Back then, I went to the escort agency without a penny.’
Although the village chief didn’t ask separately, thanks to my experience living as an escort in the escort agency, I knew how to quickly get to Guanzhong. It would take fifteen days on foot, with the risk of encountering bandits along the way, but by joining a well-run escort agency, the risks could be minimized. And the most suitable escort agency nearby was Samsong Escort Agency.
The escort agency I worked at for over fifty years, Plum Blossom Escort Agency, was similar in size to Samsong Escort Agency. Although they were competitors, there wasn’t much benefit in quarreling with each other, so they maintained a lukewarm relationship. I heard that Samsong Escort Agency had quite a few skilled escorts, so joining their journey would make the trip relatively comfortable.
After walking for half a day, I arrived in the city as night fell. The city’s night was a place where delinquents appeared and night robbers prowled, so I quickly headed to the traveler’s station. The traveler’s station was a temporary place prepared for travelers and guarded by soldiers. Travelers could stay there for one night, which was beneficial for avoiding the threat of thieves.
At the traveler’s station, two or three travelers were huddled together without saying a word, preparing to sleep. A musty rotten smell emanated from the beds. After gazing at the moon for a while, I organized my belongings and went to bed.
The next morning, I went to Samsong Escort Agency. The main gate, adorned with the agency’s signboard, was bustling with escorts and workers preparing for the journey even in broad daylight. I approached a middle-aged escort from Samsong Escort Agency.
“I’d like to join the escort journey. Is that possible?”
“Huh? Who are you?”
“I’m Baek Woong from the neighboring village. I’ve come on an errand from the village chief.”
The escort’s expression subtly changed.
“Hmm… How far are you going?”
“To Guanzhong.”
“A kid like you to Guanzhong… Do you have money?”
“No. But I can do chores, cook, and carry loads. Please let me join.”
The escort stroked his beard and said, “Follow me for a moment.”
He took me to the place where the escort leader was. The escort leader, who commanded about ten escorts, usually worked as a mid-level manager and possessed much better martial skills than ordinary escorts.
The escort leader of Samsong Escort Agency had a face like a horse, with a long lower jaw. He was reading a document when he glanced at me.
“Hey, who’s that kid?”
“Leader, this boy wants to join the escort journey while doing chores. He says he’s Baek Woong from the neighboring village.”
“Hmm…?”
The escort leader looked me up and down and said, “You look sturdy and capable. There’s no reason you can’t join, so manage him as you see fit.”
“Yes, sir.”
The escort leader didn’t bother asking about my identity or destination. That was the responsibility of the middle-aged escort. As such, I felt more grateful to the middle-aged escort than to the escort leader for his permission. He was taking on a troublesome task on my behalf.
As we stepped outside, I said to the escort, “Thank you.”
“I have a son about your age,” he replied with a grin. “But we aren’t going all the way to Guanzhong. We’ll turn off towards the Liangyun region. You’ll have to find your own way from Liuyue Valley. Can you manage that?”
“Yes, that’s fine. I’m just grateful for the company up to that point.”
“Good. Your duties will be preparing meals, washing dishes, and carrying loads. I’ll show you the ropes soon.”
“Yes, sir.”
The journey soon commenced. As I mingled with the escort team without any trouble, I felt things were going smoothly. On the first day, we walked for about six hours, taking breaks and crossing a mountain. At lunch and dinner times, I began to handle various chores. Since I had done such tasks for years, I performed them well without needing much instruction.
The escort was impressed. “You’re a hard worker! After this journey, why not consider doing odd jobs at the agency?”
It might have sounded like an impolite question, but it was a good suggestion. Kids in typical rural villages often lived in extreme poverty, sometimes going days without food. Just getting regular meals by doing odd jobs at the agency was a decent life. But I smiled and replied, “I’ll think about it once I’m done with my business.”
“Alright.”
First, I had to go to Azure Dragon Military Office in Guanzhong to test my current abilities. Could I become a disciple at Qinglong Military Office with the Six Harmonies Swordsmanship and Three-Refinements Heart Technique that I had honed for 40 years in my previous life?
I believed I could, which is why I forced myself out of the village. Given the time and effort I had put into my training, I was confident I was far better than other teenagers. I was so eager to learn top-notch martial arts at Qinglong Military Office that I couldn’t sleep.
About ten days and nights passed as I followed the escort journey. There were no bandits, and we encountered no accidents. As the Samsong Escort Agency’s journey was now heading towards the Liangyun region from Liuyue Valley, I had to part ways and head to Guanzhong.
“Thank you for everything,” I said.
“Wait a moment,” the middle-aged escort called me over and secretly handed me two silver taels. I was surprised at the large sum, and he scratched his oily hair with a laugh.
“Haha, it’s tough for a kid to travel alone to Guanzhong. If you encounter bandits or robbers, offer them this money. It should save your life in most cases.”
“…Thank you so much.”
I felt a slight sting in my nose. Having worked as an escort for decades, I understood why he gave me this money. Two silver taels was quite a significant sum for an escort. He probably felt a fatherly affection and generously gave me his own money.
Moreover, bandits and thieves often killed children out of inconvenience. Sometimes, they would capture and sell them as slaves, which was a fortunate outcome. At the very least, offering the silver to the bandits would likely spare my life, even if I ended up as a slave. Most bandits were former villagers or runaway slaves, so they had a basic sense of humanity.
In other words, these two silver taels were not just funeral money but a lifeline.
I wiped my nose slightly and asked, “I haven’t asked your name yet. What is it?”
“I am Jang Cheol from Samsong Escort Agency. Visit me later.”
“Yes, I will.”
I made a promise to myself. If I gained power and wealth in the future, I would repay Jang Cheol’s kindness tenfold.
Liuyue Valley was dotted with small villages in its gentle slopes. There were several scattered rural villages, and it seemed the farmers had formed a self-defense force, as there were no bandits in sight. After spending a night near Liuyue Valley, I steadily made my way towards Guanzhong.
I hoped no bandits would appear.
Just as I was thinking that, an incident occurred when I was a day’s distance from Guanzhong.
Swish.
Two bandits emerged from the bushes on the mountain path ahead. They were holding ring swords and had animal bone decorations on their belts, indicating they were bandits from the Green Forest. Realizing my mistake, I stepped back, and the skinny bandit grinned.
“Look, we caught a kid. What should we do?”
The one-eyed bandit scratched his chest hair and replied, “Take everything he’s got and let him go. The junior chief doesn’t want bloodshed these days.”
“Yeah… Killing a kid would bring bad dreams.”
The skinny bandit nodded in agreement and said, “Drop your pack and take off your shirt! We’ll spare you if you comply.”
“Yes…”
I had no choice.
Fighting two official Green Forest bandits to protect my meager possessions was too risky. While I could handle them with my martial arts, the odds weren’t in my favor. Official Green Forest bandits received systematic martial arts training and could be stronger than I was in my past life.
Though I might win if I fought with my life on the line, it was better to comply. Besides, I was weaponless, putting me at a severe disadvantage. If I had even a single sword, I wouldn’t have had to make such a humiliating choice.
The bandits found the two silver taels in my bundle and looked surprised.
“Wow, this kid had quite a lot of money!”
“Just let him go. We hit the jackpot.”
“You’re lucky. Heh heh… Put your shirt back on and go.”
The skinny bandit playfully slapped the back of my head and handed me my shirt. I hurriedly dressed in my tattered clothes and got away from there.
‘Damn it… This is humiliating.’
If I had been in a body in my late teens rather than a teenager, I might have been able to escape somehow. However, despite having internal energy, my muscles and bones hadn’t fully developed, so I couldn’t exert proper strength. I had to be thankful for just escaping with my life.
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
‘How long do I have to live like this?’
I wanted power.
It didn’t have to be enough to conquer the world.
I desperately wanted the power to have self-respect.
Having lost all my belongings and money, I now had to walk to Guanzhong while starving and sleeping in the open. Fortunately, it was only a day’s journey, so I just had to keep walking. Entering the city gates of Guanzhong and stepping onto the streets, I finally felt like I was alive.
I had another night of sleeping outdoors.
Though I had done it before, it felt especially cold in the early morning because I was hungry. I dug a spot under a rock and forced myself to lie down. The ground was slightly warmer, making it easier to endure the night.
‘Now, I just need to go to Azure Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong, learn top-notch martial arts, train hard, and gain strength. Then, I’ll eat the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng on Huangshan. This current hardship is nothing.’
Thinking about the future plans soothed the present cold.
The next day, I asked around and found my way to Azure Dragon Martial Hall. As one of the most renowned martial art schools in Guanzhong, it had walls that were about a jang high, and its plaque was written in prestigious calligraphy. Moreover, despite being just a martial art school, there was a gatekeeper at the entrance.
The gatekeeper was probably a low-level disciple. When they saw me standing in front of Azure Dragon Martial Hall, they said, “Hey kid, what are you doing here so early? Begging or seeking alms isn’t allowed, so get lost.”
“…”
I couldn’t help but sigh at my appearance. It was no wonder they mistook me for a beggar boy—I was filthy and covered in grime. But I mustered my courage and said, “I’m here to take the entrance exam for Azure Dragon Martial Hall.”
“Entrance exam? Hahaha, you’re a funny one.”
The gatekeepers laughed loudly, mocking me. But realizing I wasn’t joking, they looked at me with a mix of amusement and confusion. One of them spoke up.
“Kid, are you from one of the six great families of Guanzhong?”
“No.”
“Then, have you been cultivating your internal energy since childhood?”
“Yes.”
“Huh…”
The plump gatekeeper grinned cruelly.
“Well then, let’s test the internal energy of our prospective junior.”
“Go easy on him.”
Boom!
The plump gatekeeper stomped the ground with a strong shockwave and extended his hand to me.
“Kid, grab my hand.”
As soon as I grabbed his hand, he smiled smugly and placed his foot next to mine, setting up a stance similar to arm wrestling where one of us would be pushed sideways.
“If you can stand properly against me for even half a moment, I’ll report you to the master.”
“What if I win?”
“Hahaha! If you win? I’ll bow down and give you my respects.”
“Alright.”
Boom.
“…!!”
As the arm wrestling began, the plump gatekeeper’s expression turned troubled. The internal energy of the Three-Refinements Heart Technique started to overwhelm his strength. Concentrating so intensely that veins popped on my forehead, I managed to push him aside in one swift motion.
Thud!
“Uh… uh…”
The plump gatekeeper looked astonished. He had fallen sideways, landing on his butt. Though it wasn’t an easy win, as I was drenched in sweat and my face was bright red, I forced a smile and said,
“Forget the bowing, just speak well to the master.”
Despite having only learned the Three-Refinements Heart Technique, however, I had practiced it for decades. There was no way my internal energy would be inferior to that of a mere disciple of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall.