Chapter 17. The Value of a Warrior (1)

The middle-aged man wore a pained expression.

"You must have suffered a lot. This is a historic shop passed down from your ancestors."

The owner of Choseongru let out a frustrated sigh.

"I just feel unworthy before my ancestors. I thought I had taken good care of it, but then this happened..."

"Hey, why blame yourself, Lord Ruju? Life is full of unexpected disasters. It's fortunate that you're unharmed."

"Huh."

You don't know how much your words of comfort mean to me. Moreover, this man, whom I've never met before, is mobilizing many workers to help restore the damaged area.

He may be younger than me, but he is no ordinary person.

"Here, take this."

"What is this?"

"It's not a large amount, but it should help with the construction costs."

"Oh no! Don't do that! I have some savings set aside..."

"Hey, would a wise person refuse such kindness? They say generosity comes from the granary. It will cost a lot to restore everything, and you'll need to buy high-quality ingredients as before, right?"

"Hmm..."

"Choseongru is one of the representative taverns in Anhui. People don't want its taste to change. Please continue to be a landmark of Anhui."

The owner of Choseongru's face was filled with gratitude.

He said he had savings, but in reality, there wouldn't be much left after restoring Choseongru.

Moreover, with the rumor of arson, the number of customers visiting Choseongru would likely decrease for a while. There's a risk that the business could fail.

He was at a loss about how to endure such a difficult time, but this help was a great relief.

"I won't refuse such kind words."

"Of course, you shouldn't. But don't think you can get away with just that. When I come back, you should give me a free meal, right?"

"How could I treat my benefactor so poorly? Come anytime, and I'll serve you the best dish I can make."

"Haha, I'm not that shameless."

The middle-aged man subtly asked.

"By the way, isn't your real benefactor someone else?"

"Huh?"

"The heroes who saved Choseongru."

"Oh... Yes, that's right."

The middle-aged man's eyes sparkled.

'Fear?'

From the owner of Choseongru's stammering face, he sensed fear more than gratitude.

"Why? Did they do something to harm you?"

"No, that's impossible! If it weren't for them, the annex of Choseongru would have been completely burned down. In my forty-two years of life, I've never seen such skilled warriors."

"Oh? That's quite a high praise?"

He heard that they extinguished the fire and evacuated people through the safest route before that.

"Yes."

"I also heard they looked quite young?"

"Ah! There were warriors who looked like the elders of the Hugai. Although I don't practice martial arts, they seemed to be very skilled."

"Very skilled..."

Gadeshang, the Hugai of the Kaebang, had eyes that sparkled like a new star.

'They must be the Cangying Team.'

The Cangying Team is one of the military organizations of the Bishan Yan family, one of the seven major families in the martial world. Given their well-known reputation, it's not surprising to hear such praise.

'But...'

Gadeshang looked at the southwest gate.

'The fire was large, but the damage was less than expected. For a fire of this scale, the central building should have burned down, but only the outer walls and a few warehouses were damaged. Did the Cangying Team extinguish it?'

It was astonishing.

Even martial artists panic when a fire breaks out. They may be stronger and faster than ordinary people, but in the face of a disaster, they are ultimately the same.

However, from the burn marks, the extent of the damage, and the testimonies, it seemed they secured an escape route in an instant, minimized casualties, and quickly extinguished the fire.

This was not something just anyone could do. Even a well-trained fire brigade would find it difficult to extinguish a fire so quickly.

Moreover, the leader of the Leihuo Fang, Ma Fang.

'Ma Fang was once one of the Thirteen Heroes of the Black Path. However, he disappeared ten years ago and resumed his activities last year. His exact martial skills are unknown, but it's said that even the late disciples of the martial world would find it hard to match him.'

Although the Black Path has lost its former glory, the Thirteen Heroes of the Black Path represent the best late disciples of the evil path. After ten years of further improvement, he would be beyond the reach of mediocre martial artists.

According to eyewitnesses, even the late disciples of the Zhuge family were consistently outmatched. Although Zhuge Yan fought hard, she couldn't gain the upper hand.

There was someone who defeated such a high-level expert in a one-on-one battle.

"Have you spoken to the eldest son of the Lian family?"

The owner of Choseongru was startled.

Gadeshang tilted his head.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Ah... No, it's nothing."

Although he said that, he didn't seem to want to talk about it further.

Gadeshang smiled and bowed.

"It seems I've complicated your thoughts with my idle talk. I apologize."

"Ah! No, how could you say that!"

"It will take some time to restore the tavern. If you need any help, feel free to contact the members of our sect. I'll be going now."

Gadeshang finished his brief farewell and left Choseongru. He could feel the owner of Choseongru looking at him with a complicated expression, but he didn't pay much attention.

"Yan Hozheng, the eldest son of the Bishan Yan family..."

Gadeshang stroked his chin.

"Was he not the son who was overshadowed by his younger brother's talent?"

It was intriguing.

As the successor of the Kaebang, one of the pillars of the righteous martial world and the pinnacle of martial information, he found this unprecedentedly interesting.

"Hmm, a gathering of late disciples? Well, even if it's not one of the seven major families, it doesn't matter. After all, I'm a beggar, so I can go anywhere to beg."

* * *

Whoosh!

The movement of the iron staff became smoother and more stable.

Yan Hozheng, holding the staff with both hands, thrust it forward with great force.

Thud!

A large tree shook.

The iron staff had penetrated seven inches into the tree. What was astonishing was the surface of the tree where the staff had pierced.

Normally, the bark around the hole should have split and cracked, but it was intact. The force of the iron staff was concentrated at the tip, giving it a needle-like penetration power.

'It's become more refined.'

Yan Hozheng's face showed a hint of regret as he pulled the iron staff out of the tree.

'It has become more refined, but it's still far from perfect. I need to work harder.'

Yan Hozheng slumped to the ground. His hands were still bloody, and his body was drenched in sweat.

Sitting in a lotus position, he completed his cultivation with the Bila Jin Jue and then drew the Xuanwu Qi.

Sssss.

A gentle moisture rose from Yan Hozheng's body.

Surprisingly, this moisture was not sticky. Instead, it was refreshing and holy. The Four Gods' martial arts are invincible, and the qi that forms them is always upright.

'But it's alive and vibrant. It feels like a long time since I've felt this way, even though it hasn't been that long.'

Xuanwu.

Xuanwu, one of the Four Gods, is the water deity of Guihai, symbolizing winter.

It also governs the kidneys among the five organs and six腑 (fu). The kidneys are the final organ through which waste products are expelled from the body. When the Xuanwu Qi is strong, the body remains clear of impurities.

Xuanwu's martial arts are described as impenetrable. Being the most robust among the Four Gods' martial arts, starting with Xuanwu enhances the overall refinement of one's martial arts.

This is why he could easily penetrate the tree with the iron staff. Although there was room for improvement, this level alone could erase many of the weaknesses in his offensive and defensive skills.

Yan Hozheng opened his eyes.

He muttered to himself.

"Although it seems too early to awaken it, I don't have much time. I need to recover my old martial arts as quickly as possible."

There's no time to complain about the amount of work. He needed to quickly awaken the remaining three gods in this momentum.

After finishing his practice, Yan Hozheng headed towards the forest where the group was resting.

"Have you arrived, Eldest Son?"

"Hmm."

Shen Mo bowed deeply.

Yan Hozheng looked around.

"Where is Jiping?"

"He said he wanted to be alone for a while..."

"Is that so?"

Well, it could happen.

He was at an age where emotions can be quite volatile. It's not unusual.

Yan Hozheng nodded and then suddenly looked at the Cangying Team members.

The members who met his gaze all bowed deeply. They seemed to be greeting him politely, but there was also a hint of fear.

Yan Hozheng tilted his head.

'Why are they acting like this?'

Did I do something to offend them?

They usually just nod when they see me, but today they seem different.

"Eldest Son."

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay? There's blood on your hands..."

"Oh, I'm fine. I must have reopened a wound during practice. It will heal soon."

"Ah, yes."

At that moment.

"Um..."

Yan Hozheng turned to look.

There stood Zhuge Yan with a haggard face.

"This is the first time I'm formally introducing myself. I'm Zhuge Yan from the Zhuge family."

"I'm Yan Hozheng."

Shen Mo's face stiffened.

Unlike Zhuge Yan, Yan Hozheng's tone was extremely arrogant, as if he were speaking to a much younger junior.

However, Zhuge Yan didn't seem to mind his tone.

"Where are we?"

She had lost consciousness due to internal injuries and had just woken up. Zhuge Jun was still unconscious.

Shen Mo explained.

"We are in a forest far from Hanshan. I tried to find a doctor, but it wasn't easy. Fortunately, your injuries weren't too severe, so I thought it would be better to move to Hefei."

It was a bit hard to understand at first.

When someone is injured, it's normal to find a doctor, regardless of their skill. But he suggested going to Hefei?

'Wait, he said the injuries weren't severe?'

Zhuge Yan closed her eyes and examined her internal condition.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Ah..."

Shen Mo's words were true.

She had suffered significant internal injuries due to the overuse of the Xianyuan Zhandan Gong and the enemy's attacks. But now, most of her internal injuries were healed.

'When did this happen?'

Zhuge Yan looked at Zhuge Jun.

"What about my brother? What's his condition?!"

"Don't worry. The poison has been removed. I didn't expect the Zhuge family's internal cultivation method to be so excellent."

"Ah!"

Zhuge Yan checked her brother's pulse.

'It's true.'

His pulse was steady. Although there were internal injuries from the poison, they were at a level that could be treated once he regained consciousness.

Shen Mo said, somewhat embarrassed,

"I'm sorry. I should have found a doctor first, regardless of your condition. But after the recent events, I felt the need to act quickly. I believed it would be safer for everyone to move to Hefei as soon as possible."

"No, no! You are all our saviors. How could I say such a thing?"

"Hehe, I'm just embarrassed."

At that moment, Yan Hozheng spoke.

"Zhuge Yan, right?"

"Huh? Ah, yes!"

"I need to talk to you. Follow me."

Yan Hozheng said this and walked into the darkness.

Zhuge Yan looked at Shen Mo, confused.

Shen Mo said in a hesitant voice,

"It's probably nothing."

"..."

"Probably."