After obtaining the power of the thousand-year-old ginseng, I felt as if I could fly. For a martial artist, internal strength is the foundation that allows one to exert superhuman power. Generally, having more internal strength means possessing a level of skill that is in a different league. Of course, combat techniques and martial arts skills are also important, but with a solid foundation of internal strength, one can accomplish almost anything.
'Now that I think about it, how much has my lightness skill improved?'
I glanced up at the cave entrance high on the cliff. Normally, the right thing to do would be to leave through a side path, but I wanted to test how much my lightness skill had improved. Besides, I was suddenly very hungry, and I strongly wanted to get home quickly.
Originally, when I used my lightness skill, I could jump about five feet, which is about the height of an average person. This was already impressive, but I felt that I could do even better now. I stood in front of the cliff, gathered my strength in my legs, and leaped.
Whoosh!
"Whoa! Yeah!"
I was startled as I suddenly soared up to the height of the cave, flying gracefully. Fortunately, I quickly grabbed the cave wall with my hands, thanks to my reflexes. Surprisingly, my lightness skill had improved by more than double compared to before!
At this level, it would be no exaggeration to say that there are almost no cliffs or walls I cannot jump over. I walked into the cave, trying to calm my surprised heart.
'Is this... even more powerful internal strength than I expected?'
As far as I knew, the thousand-year-old ginseng was a legendary medicinal herb that could grant tremendous internal strength with a single dose. However, I never imagined it would be this powerful, and it felt almost unreal. Now, I felt that I could unleash world-class power with a simple palm strike.
Whoosh!
"Fast..."
I ran through the mountain valley as if I were flying, feeling that my senses had reached a whole new level. I easily jumped over rugged rocks and narrow paths without any difficulty, and it felt as if time had slowed down, allowing me to leisurely observe the surroundings. It was as if I had a third eye on the back of my head, sensing what was happening behind me.
Even when my feet landed on a slippery rock, I didn't feel any slipperiness because of the internal strength in my feet. It felt as if the world belonged to me, and I could fly freely like a bird.
How long would it have taken me to achieve this level of internal strength through normal martial arts training?
Fifty years? A hundred years?
What was certain was that I had obtained the thousand-year-old ginseng through my own efforts and received its benefits. Now, all that was left was to use this power as I wished. I had a premonition that even if I were to die, the early stages of my life would not be as miserable as before.
Thanks to my speed, which was five times faster than usual, I arrived at my thatched cottage before sunset. It was sturdy enough to protect me from wind and rain, and after three years of occasional repairs, it was as solid as a regular house. I opened the wooden door and flopped onto the straw pile.
"Ouch."
The part where my fingernails had been pulled out hurt. If it touched the straw, the wound would likely get infected and start to fester, so I wrapped it in a cloth. Since I had already gathered all the necessary supplies, it was convenient at times like this.
As the pain subsided, I began to think about what I should do next.
I had longed for power, but now that I had it, I felt overwhelmed by the many things I could do.
'I want to take revenge on the village chief. But...'
The first thing that came to mind was hiring an assassin to kill the village chief who had ordered my death. I had decided to seek bloody revenge, but for some reason, I didn't want to make it my top priority. While it would be satisfying to crush the village chief with my newfound power, what would happen [next]?
In the past, just before I died while facing the Black Night Sect's assassins, my only thought was that [the world is terrifying].
Indeed, the world is terrifying.
In my second life, I had only threatened the village chief, but it still led to a group of assassins, who were far beyond my level, being dispatched.
If I were to wipe out the village chief's family and the entire village, it would feel satisfying, but the government would send investigators to look into the massacre, and the Plum Flower Escort Agency or the Beggar Sect, who had business dealings with the village chief, would also conduct investigations. If my identity were revealed, I would become a new notorious figure in the martial world, and I might have to fight continuously against righteous martial artists from all over.
The world is not a place where one can live alone. There are rules and order. If you break them, you will face the corresponding punishment. The stronger you are, the easier it is to ignore these limits, but you still need to be mindful of others' influence.
I didn't want to spend the rest of my life running from the law just to eliminate the village chief's family. I didn't want to equate the village chief's life with my own. If I were to seek revenge, I wanted to do it after securing a solid foundation in my life and crushing the village chief like a bug.
To achieve this, simply using brute force to destroy everything wouldn't be enough. I needed to ensure that my actions would face minimal interference or restraint from the world. I needed to have enough power, status, or reputation to do so. Wealth would also be beneficial.
"Ha ha."
I chuckled. I should have thought about these things before I found and consumed the thousand-year-old ginseng. However, I was under extreme physical and mental strain, searching through 30 peaks, and thinking about the future only drained my energy. When you focus on one thing, it's hard to think about the future.
"Don't overthink it. Let's start with the most 'necessary' thing to do."
Revenge was no longer a priority.
What was the next most important thing for me?
After much thought, I came to a conclusion.
"Deciphering the Tian'an Secret Book."
This was the priority. While it would be tempting to immediately seek wealth and fame, the Tian'an Secret Book's ability to reverse time was too mysterious. Even if the two reversals I experienced were the end, and there would be no third, I had no complaints. I knew nothing about the content of the Tian'an Secret Book except for its title.
The ability to reverse time, if used wisely, could make one the ruler of the world. I needed to at least understand the nature of this reversal ability.
To do that, I needed to find the wisest sage in the world.
Where would the wisest person be?
After much thought, I decided on my destination.
Luoyang.
The most populous city in the world and the capital where the emperor resides. I didn't know much about complex matters, but I believed that the smartest people would be concentrated in the place with the most power and wealth.
'Come to think of it, I also need to repay my debt to Mr. Song at the cloth shop.'
He was the kind person who had given me food and new clothes when I first arrived in Huangshan. Although I hadn't seen him during my search for the thousand-year-old ginseng, I clearly knew that I needed to repay his kindness.
I thought about giving him the money I had earned from delivering wood to the lumberyard. But I shook my head.
The kindness I felt back then was more than that.
I wanted to repay him with something greater.
Whether it was a favor or a grudge, I wanted to return it with more than just a token of appreciation.
I decided to ask him first, regardless of what I would give. Since I needed a new set of clothes anyway, I tidied up my thatched cottage the next day and left Huangshan. I then went to find Mr. Song at the cloth shop.
Mr. Song was still in business at the same location, even after a long time. I approached him with a smile.
"Hello. It's been a while."
"Uh... Who are you again?"
"Thanks to the meal you provided, I was able to find my way to the Shagong Escort Agency."
"Oh! That boy!"
He seemed to remember me clearly. I was even more pleased and chatted with Mr. Song.
"Oh, so you became a bodyguard after that."
"Yes."
"But why do you look like a beggar again?"
"Lost my way in the mountains..."
Mr. Song clicked his tongue.
"Sorry, but I'm not in a good position to give you clothes for free these days..."
"No, no, not for clothes. I haven't even repaid your kindness yet..."
I asked casually.
"Why are you not doing well?"
"Nothing special. Clothes always sell well, but the tribute money keeps increasing, you know."
He took out a pipe and started smoking, which seemed to indicate his frustration. Although it was common for merchants like Mr. Song to pay tribute money to someone, the amount seemed excessive.
"Who are you paying tribute to?"
"What do you think this place is?"
"Huangshan."
Mr. Song tapped his pipe on the ground.
"Then it's the Huangshan Sect."
"Ah..."
Although it seemed like a play on words, I realized the immense influence of the Huangshan Sect. There were many martial arts sects around Huangshan, and I knew of more than ten, but the fact that they all paid tribute to the Huangshan Sect showed its power.
"How much do you have to pay that you're struggling?"
"Don't even ask. I might earn two silver taels a month from selling and tailoring clothes, but the Huangshan Sect demands one silver tael every month. They're worse than bandits."
"......!!"
That was indeed bandit-like behavior. Even a well-known righteous sect would stop demanding tribute if it became excessive, as it would damage their reputation and invite government intervention. Evil sects or demonic sects would use violence to prevent such intervention.
That's why I was confused and asked,
"Is it only you who has to pay?"
"No, everyone in this village and nearby villages pays the same."
"What happens if you can't pay?"
"You can't survive in this village. The Huangshan Sect pressures the landlords to evict tenant farmers or prevent them from doing business. There's nothing you can do about it."
"......"
I asked cautiously,
"Can't you report this to the government?"
"Hah... If it were that easy, I would have done it long ago. Don't you know that the Huangshan Sect's influence extends from the local government to the city governor?"
Mr. Song sighed deeply.
"Even if they are temporarily restrained, the person who reports them will surely face retaliation from the Huangshan Sect. Who would risk their life to report them?"
"I see..."
The Huangshan Sect, despite being a righteous sect, follows a tyrannical path. While they might not openly use force, it's easy for them to deal with a single civilian. Even if they came disguised and used martial arts to beat someone up, no one in the area could challenge the Huangshan Sect, so no one could hold them accountable.
I realized that the Huangshan Sect's tyranny was worse than I thought and sighed.
'Even though they are one of the Nine Great Sects and a righteous sect, they are going too far. Even the lay disciples of the relatively tyrannical Diancang Sect wouldn't do this. What are they up to?'
At the same time, I felt that the time to repay Mr. Song's kindness had come sooner than expected. Reducing the Huangshan Sect's interference would be a greater favor than giving him a few silver taels.
Of course, directly confronting the Huangshan Sect would be foolish. Even with the internal strength from the thousand-year-old ginseng, I couldn't match a true supreme expert. I needed to use my intelligence to solve this problem.
'Ah! That's it!'
I smiled, having a good idea. I then said to Mr. Song,
"Just wait and see. I think you'll have good news within four days."