The plump gatekeeper, looking flustered, hurried inside, while the one standing beside him stood awkwardly. They seemed at a loss as to what to do in the unexpected situation. Fortunately, they did not attack out of frustration at their defeat.
After a moment, the plump gatekeeper came out and said,
"Follow me for a moment."
"Are we going to see the Master of the Pavilion?"
"No. Before meeting the Master, we need to clean up that dirty face of yours."
At first, I thought he was going to take me to a secluded place to beat me up. However, a little later, he led me out of the Guanzhong town and into an inn, where I was given a warm bath. As I was puzzled, the plump gatekeeper threw me some clothes from somewhere.
"Clean yourself up. If you don't, I'll be in trouble too."
The clothes fit me well. Although my body was thin, making them a bit loose, they were white and wearable. After drying myself, I followed the plump gatekeeper back to the Qinglong Martial Hall. This time, I noticed that disciples were standing around in various places.
The disciples' eyes were filled with unmistakable curiosity. They not only glanced at me but some even chuckled. The plump gatekeeper glanced at me and said,
"From now on, you will meet the Master. If you do anything disrespectful, your neck will be on the line, so be careful with your words and actions."
"Wait, are we not seeing the Master of the Pavilion?"
"The Master is busy. The Chief Instructor, who teaches the disciples, will decide whether to accept you as a disciple."
It made sense, so I accepted it. After all, a huge martial hall like the Qinglong Martial Hall would find it difficult for the Chief Master to personally evaluate each new disciple. It was probably a system where the Chief Instructor would screen for talent, and then the Chief Master of the Qinglong Martial Hall would decide whether to accept them as formal disciples.
"Master, I have brought him."
"Come in."
Creak -
I opened the door of the wooden building, which exuded a pleasant fragrance, and went inside. Inside, a young man with a shaved head was sitting calmly, drinking tea. He didn't look like a complete novice but rather a man in his mid-twenties. Still, I was a bit surprised that the Master was so young.
The 'Master' looked at me and chuckled.
"You defeated Fangyi in arm wrestling? That's quite impressive."
"......"
"Come and sit down. Let's have a chat."
Thud
After the plump gatekeeper, Fangyi, closed the door and left, I approached and sat down in front of the Master without hesitation. The Master's eyes showed a hint of interest, probably because I didn't show any signs of hesitation.
The Master then said,
"I am Jin So-cheong, the Master of the Qinglong Martial Hall. What is your name, boy?"
"......!!"
What?!
But despite my calm demeanor, I froze the moment I heard his name. I was taken aback by the unexpected name.
'What? What did he say? Jin So-cheong? Why did that name come up here?'
With a hint of doubt, I stammered,
"I, I am Baek Woong, from a village near the Mei Hua Escort Agency... By any chance, is your specialty the spear, Master Jin So-cheong?"
Jin So-cheong nodded, seemingly surprised by my question.
"Yes. My teacher mastered three weapons, known as the 'Three Excellences,' but I lack talent and can only wield the spear."
"......"
I knew his words were overly modest. He was undoubtedly a peak expert who could stand proudly in the martial world.
The reason I was flustered was not just that.
Jin So-cheong.
That name was the absolute master of spear techniques, one of the Ten Great Experts of the World, thirty years from now. He was often called the 'First Spear of Central Plains' and was a righteous hero who had eliminated over a hundred martial villains. His fame was so great that he was considered one of the top experts among the Ten Great Experts of the World.
A character of such caliber, far beyond a lowly escort like my future self, was sitting right in front of me.
Jin So-cheong, curious, asked,
"But Baek Woong, why did you think my main weapon was the spear? As you can see, this training hall is equipped with various weapons, including spears."
What should I say?
After a moment's thought, I came up with a plausible answer.
"Because of the calluses on your hands."
"Hmm?"
Jin So-cheong glanced at his hands and then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha... You're a talented one! Fangyi has finally caught a big fish."
It seemed my bluff worked. While it's true that calluses can reveal a person's level of training, I lacked the discernment to tell if they were from spear or sword practice. I just used common sense from my years as an escort, and it paid off.
As I sighed in relief, Jin So-cheong said,
"Let's check your internal strength. You seem to have considerable internal power. How did you acquire it, and why do you want to join our Qinglong Martial Hall?"
These were the questions I expected. After taking a deep breath, I answered calmly,
"I lost my parents at a young age and lived with the village chief. During that time, I was taught the Six Harmony Sword Technique and the Three Treasures Heart Method by a passing escort. I practiced diligently for several years. However, I wanted to delve deeper into the martial arts, so I came to the Qinglong Martial Hall, the largest and most famous in Guanzhong, to receive instruction."
This was the answer I had been thinking about during my journey. There was nothing wrong or suspicious about it. Jin So-cheong listened and then thought for a moment before saying,
"Extend your arm."
"Yes."
As I extended my arm, Jin So-cheong placed his fingers on my forearm and felt it. After a while, he said,
"You have considerable internal strength. How long have you been practicing?"
"About four years."
"Four years!! Hmm... Indeed, you must have trained diligently day and night. I'm impressed."
"......"
At that moment, I felt a bit deflated.
'He just accepted it...'
I had been worried that my internal strength, which was disproportionately high for my age, would raise suspicion. I had even half-expected him to test my strength to see if it was genuine. But when I gave the excuse of four years, he readily accepted it, which left me feeling a bit bitter.
My forty years of experience as an escort had not made me a particularly skilled martial artist. Jin So-cheong genuinely believed that four years of diligent practice could result in this level of internal strength.
Jin So-cheong said,
"Fortunately, the Three Treasures Heart Method is a basic technique, so there's no risk of you going into a state of madness if you learn other techniques. From today, you will be a first-line disciple and will learn the martial arts of the Qinglong Martial Hall."
"What is a first-line disciple?"
"Under the Chief Master, I supervise all the disciples. Below me are two Masters. The most senior disciples are third-line, and the next are second-line. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand."
Jin So-cheong was briefly explaining the hierarchy of the Qinglong Martial Hall.
At the top were the Chief Master and the Chief Instructor, followed by two highly skilled Masters. Below them were the disciples, with more seniority and better skills as they moved up the ranks. The scale was comparable to a major martial sect, giving me a new appreciation for the prosperity of the Qinglong Martial Hall.
"Finally, let's briefly assess your Six Harmony Sword Technique and conclude the interview."
"Yes."
"Take the wooden sword over there and stand facing me."
Swish...
A moment later, I took a large wooden sword from the wall of the training hall and assumed a stance. Jin So-cheong looked at my stance and smiled with interest.
"Haha... Where did you learn that stance?"
"From the escort."
"Interesting. That's a saber stance..."
"......"
I had no idea. In the escort world, one learns basic martial arts from the head of the agency and more advanced techniques from the middle-ranking leaders. My stance, which was taught by the head of the agency as practical, was actually a saber stance, not a sword stance.
"Alright, attack with all your might."
"Haah!!"
I shouted and attacked Jin So-cheong with the Six Harmony Sword Technique. The first move was the most basic, 'Mount Tai Pressing Down,' and I could feel my arm muscles tense. I then stepped into the true stance and attacked with the sword techniques I knew, one after another.
Swish, swish, swish...
After I had performed all the moves of the Six Harmony Sword Technique, Jin So-cheong, who had been dodging leisurely, suddenly grabbed my wooden sword with his fingers. Despite the powerful strikes, which could fell a large tree with three blows, he caught it effortlessly!
Jin So-cheong released the wooden sword and said,
"Interesting. Your technique feels well-practiced in real combat. Have you ever cut someone?"
My heart skipped a beat. Could he really tell everything just from watching my moves? I calmed myself and said,
"Yes, to defend myself from bandits and thieves."
It wasn't a lie.
I had indeed fought countless bandits and thieves during my time as an escort.
Jin So-cheong pondered for a moment and then said,
"Hmm... Then..."
A moment later, Jin So-cheong made a shocking announcement.
"I take back my offer to make you a first-line disciple. I will personally instruct you for one month."
"Wait?!"
"But if you don't improve, I will expel you."
Improve? What does he mean?
But Jin So-cheong didn't elaborate and said,
"Fangyi! Are you there?"
The door creaked open, and the plump gatekeeper, Fangyi, entered. I noticed that his uniform had two horizontal stripes, indicating he was a second-line disciple.
"Yes."
"I will personally instruct this boy for one month. Make sure the other disciples don't cause trouble."
"......!!"
Fangyi looked shocked, and there was a hint of resentment in his eyes. However, he composed himself and replied,
"Yes, I understand."
"You must be tired today, so rest well in your quarters. Come to this training hall at midnight tomorrow."
"Yes."
I followed Fangyi to my quarters. The room was much cleaner and more comfortable than the stable I had been in before. As I marveled at the clean room, Fangyi said,
"Personal instruction from the Chief Instructor... What did you do to get this?"
I turned to see Fangyi's eyes filled with unmistakable jealousy and hostility. With my fifty years of experience, I could tell he was deeply resentful of the fact that I would receive personal instruction from Jin So-cheong.
But I was just as bewildered. I had planned to start training calmly as a first-line disciple and learn top-notch martial arts, but this sudden turn of events was unexpected. Moreover, if I became the target of jealousy from other disciples, life in the Qinglong Martial Hall would be difficult, which I did not want.
"I don't really know."
"Hmph... Fine!"
Kahak
Fangyi spat on the ground and warned,
"Listen up. There are rules here. If you act recklessly like you did before, I won't let you off! Got it?"
I was speechless. It seemed that such people existed everywhere, regardless of the place. Normally, I would have bowed and let it pass, but this time was different. Since I had come back to life, I didn't want to live in fear and anxiety.
So I smirked and said,
"Haha. If you're a proper senior, I will naturally respect you!"
"......"
"Senior Fangyi must be tired too. Why don't you go to bed?"
"Kahak!"
Fangyi spat on the ground and left.
I smiled and lay down on the bed. The proper bed and blankets made me feel comfortable and warm, and I even thought that living here forever would be a good life.
'By the way, I haven't even seen the Chief Master, Li Guang, the Three Excellences. He must be very busy, being the head of a martial hall on par with a major sect...'
A short while later, I followed a first-line disciple who came to inform me that it was time for dinner. We ate together in a large dining hall. Fangyi had already spread the news, and I could feel the curious and somewhat hostile gazes from all around.
'Oh, I'm going to have a tough time from now on.'
The food was delicious, but I was worried. I knew how cruel people could be when they wanted to make someone's life miserable.
But I resolved myself.
My life in the Qinglong Martial Hall starts now.
I will grit my teeth and endure until I master top-notch martial arts!