Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Formatting

Without looking back, I headed towards Guanzhong. It was there that the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, the origin and foundation of my martial arts, was located. I forgot all the trivial matters like Jangryeong Valley, tragedies, and Luoyang, and fiercely rushed towards the school. Something inside me had changed after experiencing Mang-ryang’s death, despite having somewhat strayed due to the benefits of my reincarnation.

Whish!

Focusing solely on running, my lightness skill accelerated like a flying tiger, not stopping for a moment. Ignoring the limits of the human body, my straw shoes broke five times, but I never felt tired. Whenever my muscles showed signs of fatigue, they would instantly regenerate, recovering vitality.

Swoosh

I leaped to the summit of a mountain, half a day’s journey from the Azure Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong. From here, I didn’t need to take shortcuts through the mountains. It was better to travel through the crowded roads to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Breathing in the fresh mountain air, I gazed at the distant horizon and pondered.

‘What was that tremendous downpour all about?’

Strange.

Artificial.

In the midst of meeting Mang-ryang, I hadn’t thought about it, but the dark cloud that hit me on my way to Jinrang Valley was clearly abnormal. In my eight lifetimes, I had never experienced such a massive downpour. There must be some ‘reason’ behind such a powerful weather change.

My regression has a clear premise: [If there is a cause, the past changes].

Then, what could be the reason?

I thought about asking Mang-ryang, but I soon dismissed it. There was no guarantee he would know the reason, and I didn’t want to be distracted anymore. I had already prepared for death, so it was something I could find out later.

‘Hmm. There sure are a lot of bandits and thieves around here…’

It’s a matter of life and death.

“Please, save me!”

“Hahaha!!”

From the mountain top, I saw a few bandits emerging on a secluded mountain path, waving their swords, threatening to kill the passersby. About forty ‘zhang’ (about 400 feet) away, I thought I wasn’t too late and kicked a pebble with my internal energy.

Snap!

“Aaargh!”

Two of the bandits’ heads burst open upon being struck by the pebble, likely dying instantly from the concussion. As the other two were startled by this sudden turn of events, I kicked another pebble.

Thwack!

“Arghhh!!”

The remaining bandits fell dead, bleeding on the spot. I had killed four bandits in an instant, but I didn’t feel guilty. By dealing with the bandits, I had saved that passerby’s life. However, I’ve always felt that this area is unusually rife with highway robbers and murderers.

Why are there so many bandits roaming around?

Muttering to myself, I soon encountered another bandit preparing for his ‘business’ in the woods. He seemed to operate alone, looking bold and well-built.

“Hehe… Kid, hand over everything you have…”

The bandit grinned at me, thinking he had found easy prey, but soon knelt down, trembling with his teeth clattering, after being hit with two punches. I extended my fist towards him and said,

“Sorry. All I have is this fist.”

“Sir… I apologize… Please spare my life…”

I had already killed four bandits today. Although they deserved death for being murderous thieves, the idea of killing without hesitation was becoming repulsive to me. So, I nodded and asked him a question.

“Hey, why are these mountain paths swarming with thieves and bandits? It’s been strange for a while now.”

“Do… Do you not live around here, sir?”

“Yes, I do. If there’s a reason, explain it to me. If you solve my curiosity, I’ll let you go.”

“Oh, I’ll tell you everything! I know it all very well!!”

With a servile expression, the bandit eagerly began to explain while rubbing his hands together.

“Sir, you seem to be a martial artist from Jianghu. Have you heard of the ‘Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds’?”

I responded indifferently,

“I’ve heard of it. A gathering of Green Forest trash.”

The Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds.

This referred to the fact that there were a total of seventy-two bandit strongholds in the Green Forest, a general term for bandits and thieves. Of course, there weren’t exactly seventy-two, but it was a sarcastic way to express how infested the Central Plains were with bands of thieves. In reality, bandit bases widely known to people were soon subdued by the government forces.

“Ah, well, you can think that… But although the seventy-two strongholds are an exaggeration, the Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds are absolutely real! And I believe there are five of them in this Guanzhong region alone.”

“What? The Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds?”

“Yes, yes. I’m not affiliated with them, but the strong ones flock there to serve under their command…”

“Hmm…”

I felt astounded.

‘When I was young, Guanzhong was a place with terrible public order.’

Even during the time I was active as a courier, there were official Green Forest strongholds, and the people there taught martial arts at the level of a courier. However, they usually acted independently and were not referred to as the ‘eighteen strongholds’ or such. Curious, I asked,

“Even if there aren’t many reputable martial arts sects in Guanzhong, shouldn’t martial artists, especially from the righteous sects, be eager to make a name for themselves by defeating these eighteen strongholds?”

“Well… The eighteen strongholds don’t act separately but always cooperate. Moreover, the leaders and sub-leaders of the strongholds are said to be stronger than the average martial artist. After several martial artists suffered harsh defeats, everyone started to avoid them.”

“……”

Bandits were often peasants or commoners who couldn’t endure excessive taxation or the tyranny of landlords and fled. Many were slash-and-burn farmers or runaway slaves. That’s why there were many murderous thieves who formed their own groups. They couldn’t dream of cooperating with each other, and it was common to see bandits killed in fights among themselves. I remember seeing this often during my courier life.

In short – they’re usually disorganized mobs.

But the bandits of this era are unusually strong.

Even during the era when I was active as a courier, bandits practiced martial arts, but they weren’t considered very strong. If they were a bit powerful, couriers would pay them off to pass, but if the couriers resisted fiercely, the bandits could suffer heavy losses.

It was very rare to find bandits with martial arts skills above the level of an average courier. Even those who had such skills would eventually join the evil sects or the Eight Gates of the Demonic Path and become middle managers. There was no reason to remain a bandit if one had decent martial arts skills.

However, I had never thought that as many as eighteen strongholds would be active and even defeat the smaller sects sent to subdue them. It’s hard to believe that bandits, even if they learned martial arts, could be stronger than those formally trained in martial arts sects.

‘Could it be that the bandits have learned advanced martial arts?’

That was the only explanation. The leaders of these strongholds must have at least the martial arts skills of an average courier to maintain such a force. That would explain why the government forces were hesitant to subdue them.

Curious, I asked,

“Is there someone who leads all eighteen strongholds together?”

“Well… I’ve heard there’s a self-proclaimed ‘King of the Green Forest’. But that’s just a rumor, so I don’t really know.”

“The King of the Green Forest?”

“He’s said to wear tiger skins and wield a sword. The ‘Tiger King Stronghold’ he leads is rumored to be the strongest among the eighteen…”

I surmised that the rumors about this ‘King of the Green Forest’ must have spread due to his high personal martial prowess. I thought this information might be useful someday. After all, the more one knows about the current situation, the better.

“Alright. You can go now.”

“Uh uh uh, thank you, young hero…!!”

I then left the scene.

“Hand over the money!”

“Eeeek.”

And from a hidden spot, about a meal’s distance away, I watched as the bandit threatened another passerby with his knife. I sighed.

‘Bandits are all the same, after all.’

Why are there so many slick-talking thieves? Of course, lecturing robbers, who resort to theft due to hardship, about morality is futile. Having spent half my life dealing with bandits while working as a courier, I knew all too well the depravity of their character.

I flicked a small stone, no bigger than a thumb.

Snap!

“Gah!”

Crack

The stone hit precisely on the hand holding the knife, causing the bandit to drop it. As the startled bandit hurriedly picked up his knife, he realized that I was watching him from hiding. Glancing around nervously, he then sheepishly spoke.

“Ah… Just go.”

“Eeeek.”

Disgusted by the sight, I retreated from the scene and thought to myself,

‘I must catch this so-called Bandit King someday. It’s because of him that the common people suffer.’

Soon after, I entered the city of Guanzhong.

Guanzhong city was as bustling as ever. This was my third time entering the city, so I didn’t feel particularly nervous. Instead, I relaxed after a comfortable wash and rest, using the money I had acquired from a few bandits. My clothes and straw shoes were dirty, so I bought new ones.

While resting on the second floor of the inn and gazing out the window, I sensed the presence of several first-class experts.

‘Hmm… It must be Namgung Hwan and Moyong Yeon, and the elite martial artists secretly trailing them.’

Sure enough, there was that incident.

The Heavenly Yin Body Tracking Case!

It was the incident where Namgung Hwan and Moyong Yeon were being pursued due to rumors that violating Moyong Yeon, a peerless beauty from the Moyong family with the Heavenly Yin Body, would grant immense internal strength. Namgung Hwan had no choice but to seek help from the executioner Jin So-cheong.

It seemed I had arrived just in time for that event. Unless something unusual happened, it was an inevitable incident that was ‘bound’ to occur. I could have helped Namgung Hwan if I wanted to, but I didn’t feel the need to.

After all, the whole situation was due to Namgung Hwan’s reckless talk, and it had little to do with me, nor did it offer any benefit. Moreover, once the executioner got involved, those types of scoundrels couldn’t even put up a decent fight. I decided to prepare myself for a smooth entry into the Azure Dragon Martial Hall the next day.

After a hearty meal and good rest, I headed to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall. There I saw the familiar faces of the Bang brothers. They were Bang-il and Bang Gok, second-line disciples of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall. Especially Bang-il, I remember having a fairly deep connection with him, though it wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. An enemy is also a connection, after all.

I smiled wryly and said,

“I’ve come to take the entrance exam for the Azure Dragon Martial Hall.”

This was my third time saying this. It felt nostalgic.

“Entrance exam? Hahaha, you’re quite the clown.”

This was also the third time I heard Bang-il’s response. Watching him laugh, I thought it was as expected.

I didn’t resist the flow and quietly started to recreate the events of that time.

Grrr!

Eventually, Bang-il and I engaged in an arm-wrestling match, which I won, leading him to guide me to the Reclining Dragon Hall.

While following Bang-il to Reclining Dragon Hall, curiosity struck me, and I asked him a question I had never asked before.

“Senior brother Bang-il.”

“Hmph, already using the term ‘senior brother’, you’re a cheeky one.”

His tone was brusque but not sharp. As expected, Bang-il was bad at expressing himself to others. I chuckled inwardly and continued the conversation.

“Senior brother Bang-il, did you enter the martial arts school aspiring to become a master in the martial world?”

“Huh? Why ask the obvious? It’s a given for a first-line disciple, but even from the second-line onwards, one needs a strong resolve. Reaching the third line is almost like staking one’s life.”

“By putting in so much effort, can one definitely become a master?”

Bang-il snorted.

“Of course, we believe so. Our headmaster and chief instructor, along with the two instructors, have exceptional martial skills. We too can achieve that with effort.”

“I see.”

I responded as if convinced but felt bitter inside.

‘No, no, Bang-il, you’re mistaken.’

Bang-il’s talent wasn’t outstanding either. At best, he was only about as skilled as I was.

As far as I knew, Bang-il barely managed to reach the first-rate level even after five years, barely hanging on. Of course, that was enough to be a courier in any courier agency, but it was a miserable return for sacrificing his entire youth in his twenties.

When I was an instructor, I even felt sorry for Bang-il at some point, so I avoided picking fights with him. His skills were barely sufficient to aspire for an instructor position in the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, making him more pitiable.

He entered with dreams of becoming a master but eventually gave up and was often seen drinking. Without the power of Heavenly Tome of Dark Mysteries, I would have been no different from Bang-il, a chilling thought.

How many like Bang-il are there in the Azure Dragon Martial Hall? Probably half of the second-line disciples and above are no different from him, tirelessly training day in and day out. Only a few among the third-line disciples might barely recover their investment.

I could only lament the harsh reality of talent and effort.

What is effort?

What is talent?

Stopping in my tracks, Bang-il looked at me curiously.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and follow me.”

“Brother Bang-il. I look forward to working with you.”

At that, he awkwardly shouted,

“Ah, you rascal! Just follow me. It’s not even confirmed yet, and you’re already counting your chickens…”

His grumbling made me smirk. Having lived several lifetimes, such matters seemed trivial. I decided to avoid unnecessary conflicts with Bang-il in this life and followed him.

Soon, I arrived in front of the Reclining DragonHall.

“Headmaster, second-line disciple Bang-il has brought an applicant for the entrance exam.”

“Come in.”

Then a somewhat spacious area opened up, and the headmaster of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall was sitting on a chair. He seemed to be reading at the moment, with a study nearby.

The headmaster’s demeanor was the same as before. After looking at me with clear eyes for a moment, the headmaster asked,

“Bang-il, what’s this boy’s name?”

“Uh… well…”

As Bang-il hesitated and looked at me, I stated my name.

“My name is Baek-woong.”

I knew this flow of events.

“Alright… Bang-il, you may leave.”

“Yes.”

Thud

As Bang-il closed the door and left, the Azure Dragon Martial Hall School headmaster, Threefold Expert Lee Gwang, watched me silently for a long time.

Then he suddenly asked,

“Baek-woong. Did you come from the White Lotus Sect?”

In the past, I was so flustered by this question that I desperately made up various excuses, risking my life. Looking back, I seemed to have gambled recklessly. But now, I responded calmly without showing any pathetic discomfort.

“No. Instead, I would like to demonstrate my martial arts skills to the headmaster. That should clear all doubts.”

“Ho.”

“Is there a good spear or sword in the training yard?”

Seeing me calmly counter-asking, Threefold Expert Lee Gwang looked at me with interest. Having been taught by him for years, I knew that look in his eyes was his intense curiosity about something.

“Of course. Show me your skills.”

“Then.”

Whish

I executed my lightning step technique with full power and went outside. A faint shadow seemed to overlap several times, creating an illusion, and Threefold Expert Lee Gwang seemed quite surprised by that alone. I then picked up a spear and sword from the training yard, sequentially displaying the techniques of the Thunder Spirit Eight Styles, Lightning Shadow Sword Technique, and Thunder Cloud Palm.

Finally, the power of the Thunder Cloud Palm roared, resonating the air throughout the training yard.

Threefold Expert Lee Gwang, who had been quietly observing from in front of the Reclining Hall, sent me a soft telepathic message, as if whispering in my ear.

[Are you a disciple from the Thunder God Sect? Impressive level.]

This time, without resorting to any pathetic stories about the White Lotus Sect or Sacred Lotus, Threefold Expert Lee Gwang didn’t doubt me. To him, a successor of the Thunder God Sect, my demonstration and application of the Spiritual Thunder techniques were evidence of reaching a mature level. I nodded and replied,

“I would like to discuss the details inside.”

Threefold Expert Lee Gwang’s face lit up with a content smile.

He showed no hint of doubt.

“Seeing a disciple of the Thunder God Sect is a delightful day. Perhaps I should bring out some light wine.”

I realized that my third entrance attempt had successfully ended.

Fetching light wine –

That was something Threefold Expert Lee Gwang did only when he was in the best of moods and with a guest he truly trusted.