Chapter 13

Zhang Jian chuckled.

“Why don’t you learn it yourself if such a thing exists?”

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. The martial arts I can teach are only D-class. Anything above that would result in the execution of one’s entire family, including parents and siblings.”

“D-class, huh...”

As Zhang Jian’s expression stiffened, Zhu Yelang’s smile deepened.

“Yes. These are the martial arts that the Imperial Guard is allowed to teach to external disciples. They are also the basics of the Imperial Guard and are important martial arts that can give those aspiring to join the Imperial Guard an edge over others. The reason I didn’t learn them is... well, you know how picky the Imperial Guard is about taking on a disciple.”

“...A clear background, outstanding talent, and above all, loyalty to the emperor are the most important.”

Zhu Yelang nodded.

“I guess I didn’t meet that standard. They said I couldn’t be a disciple.”

“Then why do you think I can be one?”

“...They owe me. A debt so significant that they would accept you as a disciple and teach you martial arts, at least in name.”

Zhang Jian shook his head in contrast to her.

“You’re beating around the bush. If it was that simple, you could have become a disciple yourself, right?”

“Look, I know what I’m saying. To learn those martial arts, I would have to give up all the martial arts I’ve practiced so far. D-class martial arts aren’t that significant, are they? But you managed to drive away the Ji family’s warriors without even drawing your sword, so there’s something to learn from them, especially since they have been refined by successive emperors.”

Zhu Yelang shrugged and continued.

“It’s wiser to use the debt to learn in a different way rather than waste it on martial arts I can’t properly learn. Don’t you think?”

Zhang Jian leaned on the saddle and looked at Zhu Yelang with a serious expression.

In fact, he was also tempted by the Imperial Guard’s martial arts, regardless of whether they were D-class or A-class. Zhang Jian had learned various martial arts from different teachers in the Central Plains by paying them, and since arriving in the New Continent, he had been forging his own path with imagination and effort.

However, the emperor had been at the pinnacle of the empire for a thousand years.

Not all the emperors in history were the best martial artists, but to become a crown prince, one needed the approval and support of the Imperial Guard. Those who couldn’t surpass a certain level couldn’t even become a crown prince. Even after becoming a crown prince, if one couldn’t meet the emperor’s standards, they would be immediately deposed.

The emperor was a being created by the combination of the finest elixirs in the world, the guidance of the most outstanding martial arts teachers in the Central Plains, the excellent qualities and bloodline inherited from the founder who defeated the army of Zhen and the Demon King Xiang Yu, and the strongest will to become an emperor.

The first thing an emperor did upon ascending the throne was to inspect the martial arts of the Imperial Guard. Even the lowest D-class martial arts would have something to learn from if seen by a high-level expert. Moreover, being accepted as a disciple, even in name, meant there would be no need to worry about being interrogated about the source of the martial arts later.

Zhu Yelang’s helpers seemed to be retired members of the Imperial Guard or people associated with them.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Jian thought that if he was going to help, he might as well do a bit more and get a glimpse of the Imperial Guard’s martial arts.

“Where are these people you’re going to help?”

Zhu Yelang’s face lit up when she heard Zhang Jian’s words, sensing a change in his attitude.

“About two days away. There’s a valley and a river in between, so we can cover our tracks.”

“Then let’s go quickly. We’ve already wasted a lot of time.”

“Sure. I’ll guide the way.”

She quickly approached and grabbed the saddle of Zaozao.

“...What are you doing?”

“My horse died. It was that Ji Yuncheng’s doing. I’ll have to rely on you for a new one.”

Then she hopped onto Zhang Jian’s back, not facing forward but sitting backward. She turned her head and smiled at Zhang Jian, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

“Don’t worry. I’m light. Right?”

She lightly patted Zaozao’s buttocks, and the horse didn’t seem to mind, even though it usually looked grumpy. It seemed to be in a good mood with a beauty on its back.

“Let’s go.”

Zhang Jian nodded at the confident Zhu Yelang and Zaozao, and gave a kick to the horse’s flank. They set off, one looking forward and the other backward, leaning against each other on the horse in a strange formation.

* * *

Ji Yuncheng stood on a high tree branch, frowning as he watched the two figures in the distance. A large eagle perched on his left arm.

The creature, with a black body and a white head, had sharp eyes and a long red pattern, a beautiful eagle found only in the New Continent. Known as Xueliying, it was a crucial means of communication for the Ji family. Ji Yuncheng had decided to retreat because he thought he couldn’t defeat Zhang Jian and had received a signal.

Ji Yuncheng had just received an important message from the family through the Xueliying.

“Master?”

After a long silence, the masked man in black, who had been bowing on a nearby branch, cautiously raised his head and spoke. Ji Yuncheng finally let out a short sigh and spoke.

“...We’ll track them and attack tonight. We’ll assess their skills without overexerting ourselves.”

“Understood.”

The masked man bowed and dropped to the ground. As soon as he landed, the other masked men who had been lying in wait under the tree scattered. Ji Yuncheng continued to stroke the Xueliying’s head, deep in thought.

“Hmm. A passing knight or a deliberate encounter...”

The Xueliying, enjoying the stroking, nodded off.

* * *

Zhang Jian threw a piece of wood into the campfire and sat down, then looked at Zhu Yelang.

“Things are more peaceful than I expected. We even have a campfire.”

She was plucking a lute while sitting, and continued without stopping.

“We erased our tracks by crossing a river earlier. They’ll probably catch up eventually, but there’s no need to worry too much. Worrying too much is pointless. Besides, I’m not the one at fault. If I report them to the Imperial Martial Arts Alliance or the empire, they’ll be in trouble too. I know a lot of people in Ganshan.”

“Is that so?”

“Probably, they’ll find a nearby branch of the Martial Arts Alliance and bribe them. They might just pretend to detain and investigate me for a while, but I can’t do anything about it. The real danger is when we pass through the village tomorrow.”

She suddenly stopped and looked at Zhang Jian.

“More importantly, why did you really help me earlier?”

“...Didn’t I already say that?”

Zhu Yelang laughed.

“Like helping a passerby who fell? Are you willing to risk fighting the Ji family’s warriors?”

“Your analogy is amusing.”

She slowly wiped the smile off her face at Zhang Jian’s short answer.

“...You’re a unique person. People like you usually don’t live long. Especially in the martial world, where people carry weapons, it’s even more certain.”

Zhang Jian, in contrast, chuckled.

“How long is ‘long’? Five years? Ten years? A person who carries a weapon and does evil can’t live that long either. Their evil deeds will follow them like a shadow. In the end, it’s not about being good or bad, but the short lifespan of martial artists.”

“Whether good or bad, martial artists die by the sword?”

“It’s not about clearly distinguishing between good and evil.”

Zhu Yelang smiled again.

“I don’t know. You seem like a good person, though.”

Zhang Jian threw another piece of wood into the fire with a bitter smile. Zhu Yelang looked at him strangely and started plucking her lute again.

They hadn’t completely left the mountains, so the slightly chilly air and the dark trees surrounded the small campfire. With Zhu Yelang’s lute playing, it felt more like a camping trip than being pursued.

Then Zhang Jian heard a sound other than the lute.

“...It seems Ji Yuncheng is faster and more aggressive than you thought.”

Zhu Yelang stopped playing and looked puzzled. Only then did she hear the rustling sounds. Her face contorted, and she quickly drew the straight sword from her back.

“Damn it! If I really go to Ganshan, I’ll report to the empire, not the Martial Arts Alliance! I’ll report to the governor of Ganshan City, even if I have to give him all my wealth! Let’s see how great the ancient families are!”

As she drew her sword, the masked men in black appeared from between the trees. They had already surrounded Zhang Jian and Zhu Yelang and were closing in.

Zhang Jian, who had risen and grabbed his sword with his left hand, quickly counted them. There were about ten black-clothed men, and Ji Yuncheng was not among them. The black-clothed men had their faces and swords painted black, with only their eyes visible.

Zhang Jian and Zhu Yelang quickly stood back-to-back. Zhu Yelang glared at the black-clothed men and their swords.

“Really, you bastards... Are you really going to do this? You’re not planning to take me alive anymore...”

The black-clothed men, ignoring her curses, slowly crouched and gradually tightened the circle. They stopped at a certain point and glared at the two.

With the crackling campfire in the center, the black-clothed men in a circle, the sword-drawn Zhu Yelang, and the Zhang Jian who was still holding his sword, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. The only movement was the flickering shadows cast by the campfire. The slightly cool air seemed to stiffen with their tension.

Suddenly, one of the black-clothed men’s stances wavered and he moved. It was a very short moment, a split second between breaths, just before his trained muscles and inner strength exploded. In that instant, a throwing knife flew from Zhu Yelang’s hand. It flashed and embedded itself in a black-clothed man’s chest, and the others, taking it as a signal, rushed forward in a black line.

At the same time, Zhang Jian kicked the campfire.

The kick sent yellow and red sparks and ashes flying. The five black-clothed men rushing at Zhang Jian momentarily hesitated, and three of them immediately charged through the sparks, swinging their swords.

Their swords sliced through the air. Zhang Jian, who had leaped high and spun like a swallow, landed behind the black-clothed men. The two black-clothed men who had hesitated turned in surprise, and Zhang Jian’s sword was already out.

The blade, gleaming blue, swept across the upper bodies of the two black-clothed men. Blood spurted a moment later. As Zhang Jian brought down two of them, he saw Zhu Yelang beyond the three turning black-clothed men. She was about to stab one of the black-clothed men targeting her, but another’s sword was about to pierce her.

Zhang Jian lowered his stance, channeled his inner strength into his toes, and sprang forward like an arrow. He slipped past the men blocking him and transferred the momentum to his sword.

One black-clothed man fell, blood spurting from his chest. Zhu Yelang, startled by Zhang Jian’s sudden appearance, quickly turned and blocked the sword aimed at his back.

At the same time, Zhang Jian turned and stabbed the black-clothed man in the stomach. The man gasped and quickly retreated, and the other black-clothed men followed.

Zhang Jian and Zhu Yelang, still in their sword-drawn stances, surveyed their surroundings. In just a few swift strikes, five black-clothed men were down, bleeding and dying. They would die if not treated quickly.

Zhang Jian wiped his sword and stood up.

“More?”

The black-clothed man clutching his abdomen slowly shook his head. As he shook his head, the other black-clothed men slowly began to retreat.

Then Zhang Jian said,

“Take your friends.”

The retreating black-clothed men stopped. Zhu Yelang, who had been catching her breath, was startled.

“Are you crazy? They were trying to kill us!”

Zhang Jian sheathed his sword and picked up a fallen black-clothed man’s sword to inspect the blade. The blade, painted black, was quite dull. It was more like a metal club than a sword. While a trained martial artist could use it, it was inadequate for killing.

After inspecting the blade for a moment, Zhang Jian tossed it aside and said again,

“Take them.”

The black-clothed man, clutching his abdomen, looked at Zhang Jian with a silent gaze and nodded to the others. They quickly gathered the fallen black-clothed men and disappeared into the dark forest. After confirming they were gone, Zhang Jian turned to see Zhu Yelang looking at him with a very strange expression.

He said,

“We can’t camp here. Let’s just clean up and go.”

Zhu Yelang remained silent as Zhang Jian extinguished the scattered sparks and prepared Zaozao’s saddle. After a long while, she turned to him and said,

“You’re really a strange person.”

With that, she turned and led the way.