Life in the Deep, Hidden Valley
Life in the mountains was quietly busy. To sustain life, one needed food, clothing, and shelter, and in the wilderness, these had to be procured by one's own hands. It was not without reason that cultivators shut themselves away in deep mountains, mysterious valleys, or dark caves to train their minds and bodies. For the uninitiated, mountain life itself was a form of asceticism. This was especially true for someone like Yoo Jeong, who had a dependent; it made his daily routine even tighter and busier.
He rose early in the morning to prepare meals and wash the dishes. Afterward, he tended to the vegetable garden, made preparations to collect protection fees, and cooked yet again in between. Far from resting, it was difficult to carve out even a single moment to practice his martial arts. Yet, Yoo Jeong never complained. This place, Muo Valley, was where he had grown up since his earliest, haziest memories. His current life was as natural to him as breathing.
Of course, even Yoo Jeong had his share of perplexing moments.
"Hello? What is your name?"
Perhaps wild animals had paid a visit. Even as he cleaned up the heavily disarrayed vegetable garden, Yoo Jeong's eyes constantly drifted toward his master. Perhaps she had grown bored of waiting; he saw her crouched down, chatting endlessly with a tiny wild flower.
She had a tiny frame, looking like a fragile girl who might break at the slightest touch. Her silver hair, shining brilliantly in the sunlight, dragged in the dirt because of her crouched posture, getting caked with soil.
She looked barely ten years old. Yet, she was Yoo Jeong's master—the legendary Sword Empress, once revered as a living myth of the sword, now reduced to a child suffering from severe amnesia.
Though her martial prowess was something even the current Yoo Jeong could not dare to match, she could not use that power properly. She had forgotten it all. It was not just her mind that was ailing, either. Her physical condition was so unstable that it was hard to believe she was a master who had achieved rejuvenation. Though she smiled brightly during the day, she groaned in silent pain when night fell. Her pure, clear blue eyes, which once held the reflection of flowers and butterflies, had faded slightly compared to before—a grim sign that her eyesight was failing.
She was his master, and like a mother to him. Since her regression, he had cared for her, wondering if this was what it felt like to raise a daughter he had never had. Thus, she was the only "reverse scale" of the usually unflappable Yoo Jeong. Because she was entirely unpredictable, she was also the only source of trouble in his quiet mountain life.
At least she is quiet today. Sighing in relief inwardly, Yoo Jeong straightened his bent back.
Should I build a fence?
Lately, the number of beasts penetrating the formation and entering Muo Valley had increased. Of course, it happened from time to time. No matter how absolute the labyrinth formation was, it was designed to deal with humans. A beast's instinct was entirely different from the qi-sensing of a martial arts master, so wild boars and other beasts would occasionally breach the formation and wander into Muo Valley.
No. It's better to just hunt them.
No matter how much she had regressed due to her dementia, his master was still a master. And not just any master, but an absolute master who had cleared her Governor and Conception Vessels and achieved the Union of Heaven and Earth, possessing internal energy that ordinary people could not even fathom. Moreover, just as her steps circling the flower now resembled the Wudang Sect's Seven Stars Evasion Form, her ingrained martial arts naturally blended into her movements even without intent. Thus, the possibility of her being harmed by wild beasts was low.
However, just as rejuvenation had unexpectedly turned her into a dementia patient, anything could happen in this world. Since it was a matter concerning his master, Yoo Jeong believed he could not afford even a one-in-a-million chance of danger.
Meanwhile, his master, who had been whispering secrets to the modest wild flower next to the garden, sprang up as soon as Yoo Jeong stood. Her tiny hand was tightly clutching something, and Yoo Jeong soon realized what it was.
"…Master?"
"Jeong-ah worked hard, so you have to eat a snack."
Her smile was completely devoid of malice. However, Yoo Jeong could not bring himself to rejoice at his master's goodwill.
"Mmm. A snack, you say."
If anyone saw a finger-sized caterpillar wriggling on a palm and had it shoved in their face to eat, even the Arhats of Shaolin who had mastered the Immovable Mind would lose their composure, Yoo Jeong thought.
"It's good for your body. Baek-ah told me. So Jeong-ah must eat it."
"By Baek-ah, do you mean that butterfly friend from before?"
He was referring to the pure white butterfly she had allegedly befriended while dancing a sword dance early in the morning. When he asked, recalling that beautiful scene which was still vivid in his mind, her tiny face nodded vigorously.
"Yes, yes. Baek-ah. He said he wants to be friends with Jeong-ah too, and told me to take care of you."
A small bead of sweat formed on Yoo Jeong's forehead at her excited chatter. Did he really have to eat this? The way it wriggled so vigorously was hard to bear.
"As your disciple, how could I only take care of myself? I will accept your friend's kind thoughts, so please eat it, Master."
Thus, Yoo Jeong decided to refuse gently, mixing half-jest and half-sincerity. However, his eyes widened at his master's subsequent reaction.
"Master?"
His hesitating master slyly avoided his gaze. And then, she whispered in a very tiny voice.
"…No."
And then, she stretched her arm holding the caterpillar straight toward Yoo Jeong. It was a silent protest urging him to eat it quickly. Yoo Jeong, watching this, was shocked.
"Jeong-ah has to eat it to get healthy."
"Your health is more important, Master."
"No. I'm healthy even if I don't eat it. Jeong-ah has to eat it and grow big and strong."
"Master."
Yoo Jeong said firmly.
"You don't want to eat the caterpillar either, do you, Master? Such pranks are not right."
Lately, his master's food-related pranks had increased significantly—such as making mud dumplings and telling him to eat them, or turning the vegetable garden upside down because she disliked vegetables. Thus, Yoo Jeong intended to use this opportunity to give her a long lecture. That was, until he saw his master's expression suddenly shift.
"…It's not a prank."
Like a betrayed person, her face crumpled, and she looked on the verge of tears. Yoo Jeong's heart sank.
"Really. They said it's good for the body. I went all the way to get it for Jeong-ah."
Seeing her large eyes welling up with tears, he realized. Oh dear. She was being serious.
Yoo Jeong's subsequent action was swift. Snatching the still-wriggling caterpillar from his master's palm, he popped it into his mouth without even blinking.
The writhing sensation on his tongue. The body fluids bursting out with a crunch every time he chewed. Even the terrible bitterness that paralyzed his mouth.
The taste of the caterpillar Master gave me. I will never forget it.
Though all sorts of terrible things were happening in his mouth, it was still a gift from his master. Yoo Jeong swallowed the caterpillar with the mindset of drinking restorative medicine. Seeing him silently chewing and swallowing, his master stopped tearing up and watched with her mouth agape.
"…"
"…"
"I've eaten it all."
When he even opened his mouth to show her, his master burst into a bright smile as if she had never cried.
"Good job, Jeong-ah."
Standing on her tiptoes to pat his head, her touch made Yoo Jeong smile softly.
"By the way, Master."
"Yes?"
"When did you go to get this?"
"At night! I went with Baek-ah."
He had clearly told her not to go out without telling him. Though he had warned her several times, her reply was excessively innocent. Yoo Jeong also smiled brightly and said,
"I'm not buying meat today."
"Uwahhh! Jeong-ah is a meanie! Cruel! Bad!"
The life of the innkeeper, Jang, was very leisurely. His establishment was the only inn in a fairly large clan village of the Jang family at the foot of Mount Kuaiji. All Jang did was wander between tables to point out dust or urge the kitchen if the food was late. He had been spending a rather boring daily life, but today was a bit different. It was because of a special—or rather, slightly strange—guest.
"Hey, innkeeper. Have you never seen an old beggar before? You're staring so hard you'll put a hole in my face."
"Ahem. My apologies."
"Bwahaha! A beggar who pays to eat can be a strange sight, indeed. Is it not so?"
Had he read his mind? Startled, Jang quickly shook his head. It was just as the beggar said. Even though he was the filthiest beggar Jang had ever seen, his boldness in casually tossing down silver was naturally surprising. Nevertheless, the reason he hurriedly shook his head was simple: he didn't want to needlessly offend him.
Although he was not a martial artist, since it was the only inn in the village, Jang had met many martial artists and heard stories from them. Among them, of course, was the Beggars' Sect. Their numbers were so vast that ordinary sects could not dare to compare, and thus they were the great sect that performed the most righteous deeds. Their most prominent feature was the cloth tied around their waist, which served as a kind of identification tag indicating the status and rank of a Beggars' Sect disciple.
Disciples who joined the Beggars' Sect first received a pure white cloth, and except for special cases, they always wore this cloth. When their rank rose, they would cut a piece of the hem from the clothing of a higher-ranking disciple and sew it onto their cloth to indicate their elevated rank. Depending on the number of patches, they started as white-clothed beggars, then one-knot, two-knot, and so on.
However, the beggar in front of Jang had as many as seven patches. A seven-knot disciple! That was the mark of an Elder of the Beggars' Sect, also known as the world's greatest sect. No matter how righteous the members of the Beggars' Sect were and how they did not harm commoners, it was natural to be cautious in one's behavior.
"Smack, smack. The food here is quite good."
"Th-thank you."
"It's very tender, so it goes down smoothly."
The front teeth of the beggar, who smiled as he picked up and tore into a gently roasted chicken leg, were exceptionally yellow.
"By the way. Smack, smack. This is a very quiet town."
As he said that, the old beggar scratched his head, and salt-like dandruff fell in showers over the food and the table alike. However, the old beggar, seemingly used to it, calmly picked up the other leg of the chicken with that same hand. Jang, who was watching, tightly bit his lips to suppress the rising urge to vomit.
"Yes, indeed. It's just a common village where the Jang family gathered. Still, thanks to those who go to Mount Kuaiji over there, a guy like me can make a living."
Having started, Jang continued as a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Still, like that Taoist elder earlier, we have quite a few outside guests today."
"Smack. Did that old Taoist happen to have large ears?"
"Oh, yes, he did. I thought Emperor Xiaolie had descended. Do you happen to know him?"
"Bwahaha. Of course I do. Just because this old beggar got a little drunk, that wicked old man dumped me and ran away."
"Oh dear. Is that so."
"Right. Did he happen to say where he was going?"
"Let's see..."
What had the old Taoist said? Jang retraced his memory, but his silence seemed to be misinterpreted by the old beggar.
*Clack.* The old beggar rummaged through his purse and placed a silver tael on the table. Jang, startled, quickly waved his hands in refusal.
"Oh dear! How could I expect money from a hero of the Beggars' Sect? It's just that an old man's memory is a bit dim."
"Oh? Is that so? I thought it was something else. Bwahaha! And my good man, calling yourself an old man. Are you trying to show off wrinkles in front of a pupa? In my eyes, you're still in your prime."
"He-hehe. Ah, that elder said he had something to look into and headed toward Mount Kuaiji, but he said he would stop by again."
"Tsk. Always so diligent. Is there any... Huh?"
While picking his teeth with a chicken bone, the old beggar's eyes grew as wide as lanterns just as he was about to ask something more.
*Whoosh.* The old beggar's head snapped toward the entrance of the inn.
"Uncle Jang. I've come to collect the protection fee."
There, Yoo Jeong was entering with several wild animals loaded on his A-frame carrier. At that moment, the face of the Beggars' Sect Elder, Goegelgae, was dyed with utter astonishment.