Anhui (1)

We had agreed long ago that we would leave on the day Zhuge Yang became a Peak Realm master, so all that remained was to go down to the city the next day and sign the contract.

We each packed our own bags. Mine was spare — though its importance was beyond all measure.

I sealed the Mystic Elixir pills and the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng inside a wooden chest, and wrapped the manuals in oiled paper to keep out the rain.

From the Mystic Elixir pills to the snow ginseng, every item was a treasure any member of the murim would covet. The Mystic Elixir Sutra and the Hwan-gol-tal-tae Sutra would be wasted on anyone who couldn't actually put them to use, granted.

As for the Practical Martial Arts Record, that was a booklet I'd picked up in the city — a light read that simply listed the names and defining traits of martial arts actually known to exist in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the world. As a treasure it was nearly worthless. But then, I had the Treasure Locator. And when you're building a family from the ground up, the more exceptional martial arts in your possession, the better — no?

The next day, we set out for Anhui.

The journey there took considerably longer than it needed to. We could have struck a straighter course, perhaps, but any treasure lying along our path simply had to be picked up.

"That spot... I'm getting a feeling."

"Again?"

We gathered more elixirs. Anything of the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng class — worth roughly five years of internal energy to a martial artist — we left behind if it strayed even slightly off our route, and yet our carrying nets grew bulgier by the day.

"There's something over there, I think."

"Elixirs again this time?"

We obtained ownerless secret manuals as well. Among them were outstanding advanced techniques fully capable of training up a Peak Realm master.

Honestly, there were so many treasures sitting unnoticed right under everyone's noses that if all I aimed for was founding the greatest family under heaven, I figured I could get there someday on elixirs and manuals like these alone.

Namgung Jinchen led a squad of warriors on patrol through the streets of Anhui City.

It was hardly a duty befitting the Young Master of the family, but on the advice of his father — Family Head Namgung Hyeok, who had told him he must win the hearts of the clan's warriors — he occasionally accompanied the patrols.

'How tedious.'

In Anhui City, the heart of the great Namgung Family's domain, there was not a soul bold enough to run wild, so the patrol proceeded as it always did. Peaceful to the point of boredom.

Such was the Namgung Family's prestige that every merchant who caught sight of him bowed low, and the maidens of marriageable age flushed pink at the sight of his handsome face.

"That gentleman is Lord Namgung Jinchen."

"Oh my! No wonder he's so gorgeous! He didn't earn the name Jade Qilin for nothing!"

Every word of the women's whispered chatter reached Namgung Jinchen's ears with perfect clarity — and his handsome face twisted.

He did not care for the epithet 'Jade Qilin.' He had always dreamed of becoming the next greatest master under heaven; he longed to be acknowledged for his sword.

'This time the age limit barred me from competing, but at the next Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, I will seize the title of Sword Dragon — no matter what!'

Only prodigies aged twenty to twenty-nine were eligible for the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament. When the next one opened the following year, he would still be nineteen — and nothing galled him more than being shut out.

"Young Master. We have covered the entire district. Shall we head back?"

The captain of the patrol ventured cautiously. No doubt he had noticed his young master's sour mood.

"Mm... we return."

Namgung Jinchen judged that this much was sufficient and turned to go. No — he tried to turn. If only he had not caught sight of the girl standing at a shop stall, pretty enough ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to make his eyes shine. Her clothing was ordinary, yet an inexplicable grace seemed to flow from her.

"You men go on ahead."

Unable to tear his eyes from the girl, Namgung Jinchen sent the patrol on its way.

"Do you have this in a larger size?"

"Well now, how much larger?"

"About this much?"

"Not for your husband, I take it?"

"Ah, no — I'm traveling with companions."

Zhuge Yang was selecting shoes for the group. They had swapped out footwear any number of times on the road, and before anyone noticed, the current pairs had worn through again — it was time for new ones yet again.

Mount Jiuhua — where Ma Won said his instincts were tingling — lay a good ten days from here, so they had to lay in ample supplies in the great city of Anhui.

Ma Won had taken Yeon Hwa with him to the apothecary, intending to sell off part of the elixirs they had gathered and raise travel funds. So that no one would take them lightly, he moved with Yeon Hwa at his side, while Zhuge Yang went about procuring the other supplies.

Then she sensed someone approaching.

"My, welcome, young master!"

Seeing the shoe shop's owner bow with great courtesy to the newcomer, Zhuge Yang turned her head as well.

'The Namgung Family?'

A handsome young man stood there with an oddly old-world air about him, clad in splendid martial robes embroidered with the Namgung Family crest.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady. I am the Namgung Family's Jade. Qilin. — Namgung Jinchen."

He leaned into each syllable of his epithet, introducing himself with a face brimming over with pride.

Zhuge Yang had heard of Namgung Jinchen. The Young Master of the family, if she recalled rightly?

His station aside, the man was simply too smarmy.

Still, she could hardly refuse to give her own name.

"My name is Ma Yang."

"Ah — might you be the daughter of some notable family?"

They seemed close enough in age, yet even the way he spoke was unbearably greasy.

"No, we're not from any family of particular renown."

"Is that so? You wear a sword at your hip, so I take you for a woman of the murim. I should love to pass the time trading tales of the kangho."

"I'm afraid my companions are waiting on me."

"Haha, then while you wait for them, would you care to join me for a cup of tea?"

Zhuge Yang longed for Ma Won and Yeon Hwa. She wanted nothing more than to shake off this leech of a man, but he had kept his smiling face and crossed no line — so smile and play along she must.

"My companions will return shortly, so I really can't leave this spot."

"Hm. And where might these companions be?"

"At the apothecary. They'll be along soon."

"Then we shall talk when they arrive. If you are on the road, you are welcome to lodge at the Namgung estate for a few days before continuing your journey."

Namgung Jinchen was relentless. Now that he had proposed hearing her companions out, she could no longer simply brush him off on her own.

Zhuge Yang wanted to cry.

'What did I ever do to deserve this?'

Of course, facing the Namgung Family's Young Master in the heart of his own city, her composure was immaculate.

Zhuge Yang offered a faint smile.

Inside the apothecary sat an old man who looked remarkably crusty. The moment he noticed us stepping through the door, however, he broke into a warm, easy smile — so kindly that one would think the gruff face we'd imagined was never the real him at all.

"Good day to you."

"Welcome, welcome."

With a face scarred by burns, he was hardly a cheerful sight — yet he seemed a far better man than his looks suggested.

"Here to buy, or here to sell?"

"Here to sell."

And at that, his expression flipped in an instant, hardening right back into its gruff mold. Was this... combat mode?

"Show me."

Blunt as a hammer. My card was the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng, but this was shaping up to be no easy haggle.

"Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng."

"Now hold on — whether it's truly a hundred years, that I'd have to see for myself. Every so often someone walks in here with a ninety-year root and calls it a Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng."

Ten years' difference hardly mattered, surely. But this root came certified by the Treasure Locator itself, so I stood my ground with confidence. Five hundred nyang should be well within reach.

"Hm... four hundred nyang in silver."

"That's all?"

This was a root that would have fetched five hundred nyang without a blink even back on Mount Heng. Four hundred was a shameless lowball.

At that moment, Yeon Hwa gave her martial robes the slightest shake.

For an instant, the hilt of a long sword peeked out from beneath her outer garment — then vanished back under the cloth.

Yeon Hwa's expression was far colder than usual.

"Ahem... five hundred nyang."

Well, what do you know? So he had been lowballing me.

The moment he realized Yeon Hwa was a martial artist, the price had leapt to five hundred on the spot — and with it, any thought I'd had of settling for five hundred evaporated.

"Make it six hundred."

"Out of the question! Five hundred and fifty. Not a coin more!"

"I have several more roots. Six hundred, and they're all yours."

"Five fifty."

I could probably wring out more. If he was buying up Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng here, then his shop was the only place in town to sell it anyway, wasn't it?

"Yeon Hwa, we're leaving. It seems we'll have to sell directly to the Namgung Family."

"Now, now! Wait! Six hundred! I'll pay six hundred!"

"Very well, then."

We had no ties whatsoever to the Namgung Family, and for fear that someone might recognize Zhuge Yang, I had never intended to approach them at all. It was pure bluff. But the apothecary owner swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

In the end, we sold five Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng roots and walked out with three thousand nyang — in drafts issued by a local money house.

Whatever he bought would only fatten his own resale margins anyway, so my conscience rested easy.

"Thanks to you, Yeon Hwa, we weren't taken for fools and the deal closed without a hitch. Thank you."

"...Spare me the thanks. All I did was let a sword show. Hardly worth praising."

Brusque as ever in words, but Yeon Hwa was fond of me. Unless something urgent interrupted the road — a sudden cloudburst and the like — she saw to everything ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠herself, from pitching camp to preparing our meals.

"I will help."

"It is fine. Stay by the Young Miss's side."

Her manner of address toward me hadn't changed, but with Zhuge Yang at my side, I had a feeling she was extending me a regard of her own in small ways. Not that I had ever confirmed it in so many words.

Having sold a few more elixirs to the now-gleeful apothecary owner and secured ample traveling money, we made for the shopping street where Zhuge Yang was waiting.

And then I saw it.

Zhuge Yang, smiling, chatting pleasantly with a handsome young man.

The chatter of passersby nearby drifted to my ears.

"I hear the Young Master broke into the Peak Realm this time."

"At that age, no less... But say, do you know who the woman beside him is?"

"Couldn't say — never seen her before. A match made in heaven if ever I saw one, eh?"

If he was the Namgung Family's Young Master, then he could only be the Jade Qilin, Namgung Jinchen.

The passersby had it right. Both of them were Peak Realm masters, and truly, no finer pair of faces could be found. Anhui's shopping street seethed with crowds, yet the two of them standing side by side looked for all the world like a painting.

Watching Namgung Jinchen laugh heartily and Zhuge Yang smile at him, what welled up in me was shame.

The joy of walking again, and Zhuge Yang's effortless acceptance of my burn-scarred body, had kept it buried all this while — but now that ugly feeling about my appearance lifted its head.

Caught in that thought, I stopped dead in my tracks — and Yeon Hwa, not noticing, walked on toward Zhuge Yang.

"Oh, it seems your companions have arrived. Why, your companion is quite the beauty as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well."

At the sound of Namgung Jinchen's voice, I found I could not take another step. Some part of me was certain that walking out now would only bring embarrassment upon Zhuge Yang.

"Won!"

But when Zhuge Yang spotted me, flung her hand high in the air, and called my name with such delight, I felt — somehow, against all reason — relieved.