As I was heading back to Zhenlang Valley to meet Wangliang, I noticed a massive dark cloud suddenly rolling in from a distance, about seven days' travel away from Zhenlang Valley.
'What is this? A rain cloud?'
Thanks to my excellent eyesight, I could see that it was indeed a very large dark cloud. It was clearly a massive rain cloud mixed with thunderclouds, and it seemed like it would reach where I was standing within an hour. It was holding an enormous amount of moisture, so if I were to enter that area, a torrential downpour would likely ensue.
Of course, even with my swift lightness skill, I couldn't move fast enough to avoid a cloud formation in the sky, so I entered a nearby village. I then asked the villagers:
"Can I take shelter from the rain for a while?"
The attention of the villagers turned to me.
"Rain? It's so clear, what are you talking about..."
A middle-aged man who had been resting under a tree after farming laughed heartily. However, before he could say more, a strong dampness hit my nose. Gradually, people began to notice the dark clouds gathering in the distance.
"It's rain, it's rain!"
"Trouble! Quickly, gather the crops that are drying!"
The villagers started bustling about, frantically collecting their crops. The middle-aged man, who had been standing there in a daze, shouted at me:
"Kid! I'm sorry, but can you help me? I need to get these bales inside quickly."
"Of course. Can I stay here to avoid the rain for the day?"
"Sure! I'll even give you a meal."
I moved swiftly, quickly transferring the bales of hay that the man had been drying in the sun to the inside. Before he could catch his breath, the heavy bales were already inside, and he seemed genuinely surprised. After all, it would have taken several strong adult men a considerable effort to move that much in such a short time. Before the rain even started, I had some time to help others.
Swishhh -
Rumble
Shortly after, a thunderstorm hit the village, bringing a fierce downpour. The amount of rain was far from a simple shower. Fortunately, many of the buildings in the village were well-prepared for flooding, so the damage didn't seem too severe.
The middle-aged man, who had invited me into his home, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said:
"Phew... really, thank you. By the way, you're really strong. How did you know it was going to rain?"
"I have good eyesight."
"Ah, I see. There's some congee in the kitchen, so I'll bring it out. You can stay here for the day."
Tap...
"Damn... the fire won't catch."
"Just a moment."
When the dry firewood wouldn't ignite, I used the Thundercloud Technique to light the hearth. As I forced the fire onto the wood, the middle-aged man looked surprised. In his experience, it was impossible to use dry firewood as kindling.
"Wow... are you a martial artist?"
"I'm just traveling and practicing."
"Still, I can't thank you enough. Do you have a destination?"
"I'm heading to Zhenlang Valley. I planned to walk all day, but things have gotten complicated."
The middle-aged man then said:
"Zhenlang Valley is quite far. You must be having a tough time."
"It's not that tough."
"Ah, right! Since you're a martial artist, I'll share something good with you."
"Huh?"
The middle-aged man glanced around and whispered:
"There's a place called Zhangling Valley, which you can reach by crossing two mountains from here. They say the wealthy man living there likes to pose riddles to people. If you solve them, you get gold."
"Just for solving a riddle, you get gold?"
"Exactly! That's why in recent years, scholars and martial artists with exceptional knowledge have been secretly heading to Zhangling Valley."
"Hmm..."
I found this intriguing. Gold is not a common item and is a symbol of wealth, so it was surprising that such a valuable prize was offered for solving a mere intellectual game.
At the same time, I sensed that Zhangling Valley was not an ordinary place. If the rumor of giving out gold had reached even a simple villager, it was likely that bandits, thieves, or martial arts sects would have targeted the wealthy man's fortune. However, I hadn't seen any martial artists moving in this area during my travels. The wealthy man in Zhangling Valley must have the ability to protect his wealth.
'Well... I don't need to go there now. Meeting Wangliang is much more important.'
I had seen enough gold ingots when I obtained the Seven Stars' secret. I wasn't tempted by the gold; instead, I was eager to find Wangliang with the secret. I could visit later, but for now, I wanted to hurry on my way.
That day, I was treated to a meal and spent a comfortable night with the middle-aged man's family. However, the next morning, I realized something was wrong.
Swishhh -
The rain showed no signs of stopping. When I woke up, the village was ankle-deep in muddy water, and the rain was pouring down heavily. The villagers had already been up since dawn, trying to clear the water.
Swishhhhhh!!
"Move quickly! Clear the water!"
"Little So's house is flooded, what should we do?"
"Ah! The river is overflowing, what can we do..."
The villagers were panicking. After all, the water usually drained through the village's waterways, but with such a heavy downpour, the river would overflow and cause flooding. In the worst case, they might have to abandon their village and homes to survive.
'This isn't good.'
Despite the odd situation, I felt the need to act. In my memory, such a massive rain had never occurred before. Moreover, I had a connection with this village, so I needed to help.
I carefully observed the surroundings and identified a potential drainage point.
'If I break that rock, the water should drain. And if I guide it to the side...'
Once I had a plan, I shouted to the panicked villagers:
"Move aside! I'll try something."
"What? What can a kid like you do..."
"Shut up and move aside!"
I used my internal energy to command, and the villagers were startled. Although I hadn't used it to harm or suppress them, the sheer force of my voice must have felt like a thunderclap to ordinary people. As they slowly backed away, I gathered my internal energy in my palms and focused.
"Haaaaa..."
I took a horse stance and concentrated my energy. A mist-like aura began to rise from my body, and soon, a crackling energy emerged. Once my internal energy reached its peak, I used the Thundercloud Palm's Pushing Technique and thrust forward.
Boom!!
A thunderous sound echoed, and all the rocks and boulders within a five-meter radius were shattered and scattered. Even a massive rock about ten meters in size was reduced to pieces. I could hear the sound of a small hill collapsing. Simultaneously, the water that had pooled in the village began to flow through the newly created waterway, and the rainwater that had reached knee-level dropped to ankle-level.
Rumble
The floodwater rushed down like mud. Because of the valley-like terrain, breaking the rock significantly reduced the burden. A few cows that were about to be swept away returned to the villagers.
"......!!"
"Wowwww!!"
"Thank you, really, thank you!!"
The villagers, seeing the water recede like a tide, shed tears of joy and danced. This eliminated the immediate risk of drowning. However, I realized that this rain wouldn't stop soon and would likely last for at least four days and nights. It was indeed a massive downpour.
I looked at the villagers and said:
"Is there a village elder around?"
"I am."
An elderly man in his sixties, who looked quite robust and authoritative, stepped forward. I told him:
"This is only a temporary solution. You should pack your belongings and evacuate immediately."
Given the intensity of the rain, it was already too late to save the village. Without a levee or dam, the village's destruction was inevitable. This was based on my experience as a bodyguard.
"Hmm... Is there no other way?"
"If you don't pack and leave within two hours, it will be difficult to leave the village safely. Especially the elderly and weak will be at risk."
"There's no choice..."
The elder then shouted to the villagers:
"Everyone! Evacuate quickly! Hurry!"
"Oh... all our possessions are going to be lost..."
"Don't be extravagant. We're saving our lives thanks to this boy."
The villagers, though sad, quickly gathered their belongings. I ran around, helping them. After confirming with the elder that no one was left behind, we all left the village together.
Rumble
The villagers' faces darkened as they watched their village, which had been their entire fortune, slowly submerge in water. However, they were grateful to have saved their lives, so they didn't complain.
I looked at the elder and asked:
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"No... with over seventy villagers, I don't know how to take care of so many people."
"Maybe you should go to the nearest government office and report the flood."
The elder chuckled bitterly.
"I doubt the officials will listen... they won't even meet people from a small village like ours. And other villages won't take in so many people, either."
"... You'll have to rebuild the village after the rain stops."
"Ha... after days of exposure to the rain, everyone will be too weak and may die. What can we do?"
I could see the villagers were in a difficult situation. Even if the rain stopped in a few days and they returned to the village, they would have lost their crops and faced a desperate situation.
I wanted to help these people, but there was little I could do in this situation. I had the Seven Stars' secret, but what could I do with it? I felt a bitter smile on my face.
'Why am I doing this? I must be a fool...'
Normally, I would have left out of annoyance, but this was strange. The elder, wiping his tears, whispered to me:
"... I heard the story of Zhangling Valley from the villagers. I think someone named Baijia might have tipped you off. He's always interested in other villages' affairs..."
"Why do you say that?"
The elder's next words contained unexpected information.
"Don't go to Zhangling Valley. My cousin is a martial artist, and he said that Zhangling Valley is now known among martial artists as a 'dead zone.' It's true that they offer rewards for solving riddles, but dozens of people have lost their lives trying to solve the three riddles. They say the master of Zhangling Valley is extremely powerful."
"......!!"
"You're a benefactor to our village, so please come back. I will definitely repay you."
"Sure. Goodbye."
I parted ways with the villagers and started walking on the road cleared by the rain. The road was a mess due to the floodwaters. I used the Thundercloud Technique to leap around the mountain paths, thinking.
'Zhangling Valley... a reward for solving riddles, but death if you fail...'
I had a hunch that Zhangling Valley held some strange secret. This area was a vacuum, far from the influence of major sects, but it was odd that someone like the master of Zhangling Valley could act so recklessly without any restraint.
However, I smiled and muttered:
"Maybe next time."
The danger of death was enough from the Seven Stars' ruins. I could solve the mystery of Zhangling Valley later, once my martial arts were strong enough. I hurried along, knowing the heavy rain had delayed my journey by at least seven days.
I ran and ran.
It felt like I was seeing mud all day.
Ultimately, I arrived at Zhenlang Valley at least seven days later than expected. The road was blocked by flood damage, and I saw many villages affected by the heavy rain.
Fortunately, Zhenlang Valley was well-prepared for heavy rain, with sturdy levees and dams, so it seemed to have suffered minimal damage. Wangliang, being an expert in geomancy and civil engineering, must have taken great care to protect his base from natural disasters.
I climbed the stairs to meet Wangliang.
This time, Wangliang wasn't distracted. He seemed to be consulting with a 'guest' on a bench in front of his thatched cottage.
"... According to my observations, this is indeed ominous, but it's clearly due to the movement of the Heavenly Stems... there will be no additional cold or disaster."
The plump middle-aged man in fine silk robes was repeatedly expressing admiration.
"Hmm... Indeed, you are Master Wangliang..."
"Don't worry. It's not a sign of misfortune, so you can recover next year... to reduce the farmers' discontent, you should show some consideration."
"I will pay attention to that. Thank you for your advice."
"Hahaha... No need to thank me... Oh?"
Wangliang, who had been discussing matters, seemed to notice me standing at the entrance. He called out, surprised:
"Who are you to break through the Wangyun Formation and enter?!"
Swish!
Swish!
"Who are you?!"
"Reveal yourself!"
The four bodyguards standing next to the plump middle-aged man drew their swords. I knew they were first-class experts and was tense, but from their aura and stance, they were just at the level of bodyguards from a security agency. They had combat skills far beyond ordinary people, but by martial artist standards, they were average.
'Have my standards become too high? They're quite good by ordinary bodyguard standards.'
Perhaps, after facing peak experts and the Imperial Guards, my standards had become more luxurious. I smiled bitterly and said:
"I'm also a guest. I have no intention of causing trouble, so I'll wait until the first guest is done."
Wangliang seemed to understand and fell silent, fanning himself. He then whispered something to the middle-aged man. The man waved his hand.
"Put away your swords. That child doesn't seem like a wicked martial artist."
"Understood, sir."
The bodyguards sheathed their swords. The man, called 'sir,' stood up and bowed to Wangliang.
"Thank you, Master Wangliang. I will show my gratitude to Zhenlang Valley in the future."
"No need, sir. I'm glad I could help with this misfortune."
"Hehe... Let's go!"
Thud thud
Shortly after, the man and his four bodyguards descended the stairs and left. I stared at Wangliang sitting on the bench. He fanned himself for a while, then spoke:
"From the way you broke through the Wangyun Formation unscathed, you seem to be a skilled martial artist. What brings you to Master Wangliang?"
"..."
I felt a lump in my throat.
'I know...'
I knew his name was Wangliang, that he was a true disciple of the real Wangliang, that he hadn't learned martial arts, that he had no talent for magic, but possessed the sharpest mind in the world, that he loved studying but also enjoyed playing and women, that he was a righteous hero who would risk his life to fight evil, a great strategist, and a former royal astronomer. I even knew that the fan he held was actually the precious Wu Huo Qi Jin Fan.
But Wangliang had never seen me before.
Seeing this person, who was almost the only one I trusted and who died because of me, I felt a surge of emotion. My throat burned, and I wanted to kneel and weep and atone.
[Well... I had a good time.]
Wangliang's resigned smile.
The sensation of cutting him down with my own hands still haunted me.
But I managed to compose myself and said:
"I... I am Bai Xiong. I've come to request your help, Wangliang."
"Hmm, if a martial artist like you has a request, it must be significant. Let's hear it."
He seemed to think I was a returning martial artist. I calmly said:
"... Can you interpret the oracle bone script on this item?"
I approached Wangliang and held out the ancient sword.
Zzzz - !!
As I infused it with my internal energy, the oracle bone script engraved on the blade glowed intensely. Wangliang, upon seeing the script, looked utterly shocked. He stammered:
"T, t, this...?!"
Wangliang snatched the sword from my hand and knelt, examining it as if he could see through it with his eyes. His gaze was filled with the passion of a child. After a long while, he calmed down and said:
"Of course, I can interpret this... but what is the reward?"
"Reward..."
"This is a truly remarkable item, so I can't interpret it immediately. Hmm... no, I'll make an exception this time! I'll do it for free!"
Wangliang's reaction suggested he believed this sword was related to the Seven Stars or was a treasure in itself. As a scholar and practitioner of magic, he would likely risk his life to study it.
I smiled bitterly and said:
"I appreciate the free service. I'll come back in a few years to hear the interpretation."
Wangliang seemed to be holding back his excitement.
"Sure... when do you plan to come back?"
"..."
"Hey?"
I couldn't meet his eyes.
Finally, I managed to say:
"When I become strong enough to overcome my shame, I'll come back."
"Huh? Do you like poetry? What kind of poetic talk is this?"
"..."
Wangliang was bewildered, but I remained silent.
Wangliang grumbled:
"Anyway, things have suddenly piled up. The magistrate asked for an astrological reading, and now a unique person like you shows up. Living a peaceful life is my goal, but it's tough these days."
"Sorry."
"Not what I meant... Hahaha, anyway, do come back! I'll definitely have the interpretation ready."
My heart was boiling.
My own weakness was boiling...
Hearing Wangliang's hearty laugh, I couldn't hold back my tears.
I had been trying to suppress my emotions, but seeing this person who had sacrificed