45. Overwhelming Fame
"Hey, everyone, calm down for a moment..."
The crowd had surrounded us in an instant. It seemed one of the folks I'd healed back in Wuhuan must have been hanging around Yangyang.
That was exactly why, ever since my face became known as the head of the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group, I'd only traveled by carriage. Once word spread that I was rich, beggars, people short on cash to cure their sick mothers, scholars wanting to buy books, and greedy officials all came flocking.
Of course, the people gathered here now weren't after my money.
"Hubei Divine Physician, can you heal my child too? He's had a fever for a full fifteen days now, and it just won't break."
"My mother comes first!"
I'd never even offered to treat patients.
Back in Wuhuan, it was a disease so infamous that everyone knew about it, and I'd cured it because I knew the treatment. And that was for my own sake, not some act of charity for the common folk.
Yet these people saw me as some master healer with incredible medical skills, a paragon of virtue who bestowed his gifts for free.
"Your fame is even greater than I imagined."
Cheonghwa chuckled heartily. He'd probably swing his sword if it were Safa warriors surrounding us, but against commoners, even he was at a loss.
"What do you plan to do? You can't cure them all."
"I have no intention or ability to heal them."
Most of their ailments weren't terminal; they just lacked a bit of coin for treatment. I couldn't handle every case like that—my own situation was precarious enough. It might sound a tad heartless, but my life came first.
"Ahem. Still, with all these desperate commoners begging for help, running away feels a bit off, doesn't it?"
"Then we run. This Hubei Divine Physician title never suited me anyway, and it wasn't one I asked for."
"But aren't you a Wudang lay disciple? If you bolt, what does that do to our sect's reputation?"
"So the sect's honor matters more than my name to you."
"Isn't that obvious?"
Sect totalitarians, the lot of them. But I was an individualist—I'd do as I pleased. Pushing through awkwardness with shamelessness was one of a merchant's virtues, after all.
"Make way, everyone!"
As I steeled myself to bolt, a booming voice rang out from behind the crowd. The resonant tone vibrating right through their chests carried infused inner energy.
The people sensed it too and parted left and right. At the end of the split stood men in archaic blue robes. From the fabric to their haughty expressions, anyone could tell they were from the Zhuge Clan.
"Zhuge Clan."
"Did the Zhuge Clan invite the Hubei Divine Physician?"
"Then there's no helping it."
The swarm that had engulfed me like clouds dispersed in moments. Blocking the Zhuge Clan's procession in Yangyang was as good as declaring you wanted to move out of town. It also proved no one here was truly desperate.
"Your fame as the Hubei Divine Physician and the Infinite Divine Sword must be too great—you've suffered for it."
One of the Zhuge clansmen finally relaxed his stern face and approached us. To be precise, it was just for me, but lumping Cheonghwa in preserved his dignity. A man with fine social graces.
Cheonghwa greeted him casually, as if they knew each other.
"It's been a while, Clan Leader."
"I trust the Infinite Divine Sword has been well."
"Life's been splendid, save for these headache-inducing disciples."
"Haha. Calling yourself that when your disciple's already made a name as the Hubei Divine Physician—quite the jest."
"Introduce yourself. This is Zhuge Chan, head of the Outer Clan."
The welcomer was the Outer Clan's leader. With Cheonghwa coming personally, they'd sent their top man out of respect.
Myeong-il, Myeong-seong, and I clasped our hands in unison. Zhuge Chan returned the gesture.
"We got word of a disturbance in Yangyang streets and came running. Figured it might be Wudang folk."
"Didn't expect this. Seems my disciple's built up some useless fame."
Cheonghwa couldn't go a day without ribbing me. He still held a grudge over my white lie that let me start the merchant group. Narrow-minded for a Daoist master.
"Even if it's not from martial prowess, it still elevates Wudang's name. How's that not good? Come, let's go."
Zhuge Chan led us to the Zhuge Clan estate. Finding it in Yangyang was easy. Even on clear days, a perpetual haze clung to one spot—that was their vast compound. They shrouded it in formations to obscure the interior from outsiders. Easy to locate, hard to enter.
"Come to think of it, even I've never been inside the main compound."
"The inner clan doesn't open it up much."
"Because of the formations?"
"Exactly. We don't want to fish people out who get trapped gawking around."
"Such troubles."
I half-listened to Cheonghwa and Zhuge Chan, then whispered to the kids beside me.
"Better not wander. They say the Zhuge Clan's formations have some nasty ones—sudden gales or tidal waves inside them."
"Not planning to. This isn't a field trip."
Myeong-il shot back coldly. What a spoilsport kid. Myeong-gyeong would've nodded fearfully, but Myeong-seong showed no interest in exploring either.
"From here on, walk in a straight line and follow me closely."
Zhuge Chan led us through the grand main gate, not some side entrance. Fitting for Wudang guests.
I'd never entered the Zhuge compound myself, not even in my past life. The clan tangled with merchants plenty, but at root, they were a martial house—not a place for traders.
So experiencing their formations firsthand was a first. I put Myeong-il and Myeong-seong ahead and brought up the rear.
As Myeong-seong ahead of me crossed the threshold, he vanished into thick mist. Alarmed, I stepped through—visibility zero. Thankfully, he reappeared soon enough.
"Follow carefully, now."
Zhuge Chan's amused voice drifted from ahead. He was all smiles from the greeting. Whether that made him affable remained to be seen.
The formation was uncanny. Directions blurred; I couldn't tell which way I faced. Peering through the fog, clouds slipped between my fingers like water.
How long had we walked? A fierce gust rushed from ahead—but oddly, no hair fluttered. It parted the mist instead, revealing the sprawling Zhuge Clan compound.
"Welcome. Apologies, but the Clan Head's away. Straight to the Outer Clan, then."
"Splendid. The Clan Head makes me uneasy anyway."
"Haha. He's a tough one, true."
Cheonghwa and Zhuge Chan shared a laugh. I didn't know the current Clan Head, but if he unsettled Cheonghwa, he wasn't ordinary.
As descendants of the Sleeping Dragon, the Zhuge excelled at scheming. Smart folk were tough opponents. Never drop your guard here.
"It's an honor to meet Wudang's future pillars in person."
"Exchanging like this is good."
"Indeed. The Inner Clan rarely mingles. Our clan's a bit different from the others."
"A fine martial house. Zhuge Liang's legacy just sways opinions."
"Grateful you see it that way."
Zhuge Chan smiled wryly. The clan labored under perceptions of favoring civil over martial arts, thanks to their brilliant ancestor-strategist. They had produced imperial scholars aplenty.
"Infinite Divine Sword, join me for tea first? We must catch up."
"Ahem, I'd love to, but the kids..."
"I've arranged escorts for the young heroes. This is the Zhuge Clan—no threats here."
"True enough."
Refusing now would imply distrust. Zhuge Chan had neatly cornered him and led Cheonghwa to the Outer Clan offices.
A servant immediately ushered us to a pavilion. Inside waited kids Myeong-il and Myeong-seong's age—and mine.
"Nice to see you."
One my age I knew. What was there to say? Who else would I know here? Naturally, Zhuge Yeon from before.
"Not thrilled to see you."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Why do you think? You dug into my background and snitched to Wudang."
"You got one over on me first. That's just playful payback."
Zhuge Yeon covered her mouth, giggling behind her sleeve. I turned away.
"We came for martial exchange, so why's Lady Zhuge here?"
"Can't I be?"
Thinking on it, I'd never heard Iron-Faced Zhuge Yeon was a martial powerhouse. Clan blood probably meant decent skills. Direct lineage would grant talent.
"No reason you can't."
"Right?"
She shrugged.
"But I'm not sparring. These folks beside me will. I'm here as Outer Clan Vice Leader—responsible for Wudang's outer guests."
What? So no fighting after all. Infuriating way to put it. I swallowed my retort, flashing a smile instead. Someone like her could read volumes into that. Good enough.
Only then did I look away from Zhuge Yeon. A sturdy young man sat ramrod straight—but his gaze wasn't friendly.
"The young hero next to you seems displeased."
"Displeased."
"I'm Muk Hwi-yeong, Wudang lay disciple."
"Zhuge Hyeon."
Despite my tact, Zhuge Hyeon's scowl held.
"Frankly, it rubs me wrong. The Zhuge Clan invites you personally, and you send a lay disciple? It's an insult. I'm not blaming you—it's on Wudang."
His gripe made sense. Likely direct lineage, he saw a lay disciple—branch family equivalent—as beneath him. At least he wasn't blunt like Zhuge Yeon.
"His talent rivals any core disciple. He beat me in under six months of training."
To my surprise, quiet Myeong-il spoke up in my defense.
"Beat you in six months? Myeong-il?"
Zhuge Hyeon sounded incredulous. He knew Myeong-il—the top prodigy among the third-generation disciples.
"Yes. So I'm confident. You'd lose too, Young Master Zhuge."
What? Zhuge Hyeon and I stared at Myeong-il. Shameless as ever, his face didn't twitch.
"...Ho. You that sure?"
Zhuge Hyeon bristled slightly. Myeong-il just nodded, wordless.
He'd picked the fight, yet somehow Zhuge Hyeon now glared at me.