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Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng

The next day, I received twenty taels of silver from the village chief and set off for the Green Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong. Jinhuanzai looked at me with a gaze that seemed to say, "What about you, a mere nobody?" The village chief’s wife, concubine, and the concubine’s children also looked at me with mocking eyes. I tried to maintain a calm expression as I set off on my journey.

' Humph. It’s better than before. Back then, I went to the escort agency without a single penny. '

The village chief didn’t ask any questions, but thanks to my experience as an escort agent, I knew how to get to Guanzhong quickly. It would take about half a month on foot, and there was the risk of encountering bandits along the way, but if I could join an escort convoy, the risks could be minimized. The most suitable escort agency in this area was the Three Pine Escort Agency.

The escort agency I had worked for over fifty years, the Plum Flower Escort Agency, was of similar scale to the Three Pine Escort Agency. Although they were competitors, there wasn’t much benefit in constant rivalry, so they maintained a distant relationship. I had heard that the Three Pine Escort Agency had many skilled agents, so joining their convoy would allow me to travel relatively comfortably.

After a day and a half of walking, I arrived in the city as night fell. The city at night was a place where ruffians roamed and night enemies wreaked havoc, so I quickly headed to the inn. The inn was a temporary accommodation for travelers, guarded by soldiers. Travelers could stay for one night but were safe from bandits.

A few travelers were huddled together in the inn, preparing to sleep without a word. A musty smell of decay came from the beds. I gazed at the moon for a moment, then tidied up my belongings and went to sleep.

The next morning, I went to the Three Pine Escort Agency. The gate, adorned with the agency’s sign, was bustling with agents preparing for a convoy and the workers accompanying them. I approached one of the middle-aged agents.

"I want to join the convoy. Is it possible?"

"Huh? Who are you?"

"My name is Baek Woong, and I’m from the village across the river. I’m here on the village chief’s errand."

The agent’s expression changed strangely.

"Hmm... Where are you going?"

"To Guanzhong."

"A kid like you to Guanzhong... Do you have money?"

"No. But I can do odd jobs, cook, and carry luggage. Please let me join."

The agent stroked his beard and said,

"Follow me for a moment."

He led me to where the convoy leader was. The convoy leader, who commanded about ten agents, was usually an experienced agent serving as a middle manager. They were much more skilled in martial arts than regular agents.

The convoy leader of the Three Pine Escort Agency had a horse-like face with a long lower jaw. He glanced at me as he read a document.

"Hey, who’s this kid?"

"Sir, this kid wants to join the convoy and do odd jobs. His name is Baek Woong, from the village across the river."

"Hmm...?"

The convoy leader scrutinized me and said,

"He looks strong and capable. There’s no problem. You can manage him."

"Yes, sir."

The convoy leader didn’t ask about my identity or destination, leaving that to the middle-aged agent. I was grateful to the middle-aged agent for taking on this troublesome task.

I followed the agent outside and said,

"Thank you."

"I have a son your age."

The agent smiled and said,

"However, we’re not going all the way to Guanzhong. We’ll turn off at Yangwen and head to Liuyue Valley. You’ll have to find your way from there. Can you do it?"

"Yes, I can. I’m grateful for your help this far."

"Alright. Your job is to prepare meals, clean up, and carry luggage. I’ll tell you more later."

"Yes."

The convoy set off soon after. I felt things were going smoothly as I joined the convoy without any issues. On the first day, we walked and rested for about six hours, crossing mountains, and I started doing various odd jobs during meal times. Of course, I had done this for years, so I knew how to do it well without much instruction from the agents.

The agents were surprised.

"You’re good at this! How about staying and doing odd jobs at the escort agency after this convoy?"

It seemed like a rude question, but it was a good offer. Kids from poor rural villages often went hungry for days. Getting food regularly by doing odd jobs at the escort agency was considered a good life. However, I smiled and replied,

"I’ll think about it after I finish my errand."

"Sure, sure."

First, I needed to go to the Green Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong to test my current abilities.

Would I be able to become a disciple at the Green Dragon Martial Hall with the Six Harmonies Sword Technique and the Three Elements Heart Method, which I had honed for 40 years in my previous life?

I was confident I could, which was why I had forced myself to leave the village. No matter what, I had trained for years, so I was sure I would be better than other teenagers. The prospect of learning top-notch martial arts at the Green Dragon Martial Hall kept me from sleeping well.

I traveled with the convoy for about ten days. No bandits appeared, and the journey was uneventful. The Three Pine Escort Agency’s convoy was heading to Yangwen via Liuyue Valley, so I had to leave halfway and go to Guanzhong separately.

"Thank you for everything."

"Come here for a moment."

The middle-aged agent secretly gave me two taels of silver. Surprised by the unexpected amount, I was taken aback, and he scratched his greasy hair, laughing.

"Hahaha. It must be tough for a kid to travel to Guanzhong alone. If you encounter bandits, give them the money. You’ll probably survive."

"... Thank you very much."

I felt a lump in my throat. Having worked as an agent for decades, I understood his motives. Two taels of silver was a significant amount for a regular agent. He must have felt like a father and given it out of his own pocket.

Moreover, bandits often killed children out of annoyance or sold them into slavery, which was considered a stroke of luck. At least, if I offered the silver to the bandits, I could avoid being killed outright. Even bandits, who were often outlaws or runaway slaves, had some sense of humanity.

In other words, these two taels of silver were not just money but a lifeline.

I wiped my nose and said,

"By the way, I haven’t even asked your name. What is it?"

"I’m Zhang Tie from the Three Pine Escort Agency. Come visit me later."

"Yes, I will."

I made a mental note.

If I gained power, wealth, and fame in the future, I would repay Zhang Tie tenfold for his kindness today.

Liuyue Valley was a place with small villages scattered throughout a gentle valley. There were several remote villages, but I didn’t see any bandits, possibly because the farmers had formed a self-defense force. I spent a night in the wild near Liuyue Valley and then steadily made my way to Guanzhong.

I hoped no bandits would appear.

Just as I was thinking this, with only one day’s journey left to Guanzhong, something happened.

Swish!

Two bandits emerged from the bushes on the mountain path, wielding ringed blades and wearing animal bone decorations on their waists. They were bandits from the Green Forest. I took a step back, and the thin-faced bandit grinned.

"Caught a kid. What should we do?"

The one-eyed bandit scratched his chest hair and replied,

"Take everything he has and let him go. The young master doesn’t like to see blood these days."

"True... Killing a kid would bring bad luck."

The thin-faced bandit nodded and said,

"Put down your luggage and take off your shirt! If you behave, we’ll let you live."

"Yes, sir..."

I had no choice.

Fighting two official Green Forest bandits for a small amount of money was too risky. My martial arts were not weak, but the odds were not in my favor. Official Green Forest bandits were trained systematically, possibly even stronger than my past self.

I didn’t know what would happen if I fought for my life, but it was better to comply. Besides, I had no weapons, which put me at a significant disadvantage. If I had at least a knife, I wouldn’t have made such a humiliating choice.

The bandits were surprised to find two taels of silver in my luggage.

"Wow, this kid has quite a bit of money!"

"Let him go. We’ve made a profit."

"You’re lucky. Haha... Put your clothes back on."

The thin-faced bandit playfully hit the back of my head and handed me my shirt. I quickly put on my tattered clothes and left the scene.

'Damn... I’m so frustrated.'

If I had been in a late teenage body, I might have been able to escape. However, my bones were still growing, and I couldn’t use my full strength. I was lucky to have survived.

I wondered,

'How long do I have to live like this?'

I want power.

Not enough to rule the world, but enough to have self-respect.

I desperately want the power to achieve that.

With all my belongings and money taken, I had to travel to Guanzhong, starving and sleeping in the wild. Fortunately, it was only a day’s journey, so I just had to walk hard. When I passed through the city gate of Guanzhong and entered the main street, I felt a glimmer of hope.

I spent another night in the wild.

I had been doing this all along, but the cold morning wind felt especially harsh due to hunger. I dug into the ground under a rock and forced myself to lie down. The ground was slightly warmer, making it easier to spend the night.

'Now I need to go to the Green Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong, learn top-notch martial arts, practice, gain strength, and eat the thousand-year snow ginseng on Mount Huang. This suffering is nothing.'

The future plan warmed me up.

The next day, I found my way to the Green Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong. As befitting a renowned martial hall, the walls were about ten feet high, and the sign was written in elegant calligraphy. Moreover, there were gatekeepers at the entrance, which was unusual for a martial hall.

They were probably junior disciples. When they saw me standing there, they said,

"Hey, what are you doing here so early in the morning? No begging allowed, so scram."

"......"

Seeing my appearance, I could only sigh. I was so dirty and ragged that they mistook me for a beggar. However, I mustered the courage and said,

"I’m here to take the entrance exam for the Green Dragon Martial Hall."

"Entrance exam? Hahaha, what a joke."

The gatekeepers laughed at me. But when they realized I wasn’t joking, they looked at me with uncertain eyes. One of them said,

"Kid, are you from one of the six major families in Guanzhong?"

"No."

"Then did you practice internal energy from a young age?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

The fat gatekeeper smiled cruelly.

"Then, let’s test your internal energy, little one."

"Be gentle."

Thud!

The fat gatekeeper stomped the ground with a powerful foot stomp, then extended his pot-like hand.

"Kid, grab my hand."

When we clasped hands, the fat gatekeeper aligned our feet side by side, creating a form similar to arm wrestling.

"If you can stand against me for even a moment, I’ll go tell the hall master."

"What if I win?"

"Hahaha! Win? If you win, I’ll bow to you."

"Okay."

Thud!

"......!!"

As the arm wrestling began, the fat gatekeeper looked puzzled. My internal energy from the Three Elements Heart Method started to overwhelm his strength. I concentrated so hard that veins bulged on my forehead, and I pushed him aside in one go.

Thud!

"Wh... What...?"

The fat gatekeeper looked bewildered as he fell to the side, landing on his buttocks. I was not easily victorious, as I was sweating and my face was red, but I forced a smile and said,

"No need to bow. Just go tell the hall master."

Even though I had practiced the Three Elements Heart Method for decades, I wouldn’t lose to a junior disciple of the Green Dragon Martial Hall.

============================ Author's Note ============================

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