Chapter 41

The postures of the three people in the room were slightly different. The towering monk sat upright on the chair, gazing at Zhang Jian with half-closed eyes as if in meditation. The warrior Jinha, who hugged his sword, also looked at Zhang Jian, but in reality, all his attention was focused on the monk. Xue, the woman, seemed completely unbothered by the subtle tension between the two, and dozed off in the corner, leaning against the wall.

She woke up with a start when Zhang Jian turned around and spoke, and looked at him in surprise.

"Ah! Are you done?"

At her words, the monk's eyes snapped open, and Jinha also turned his gaze to Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian met their eyes, then sighed lightly and asked,

"…I don't understand what's going on here. Could you explain a bit?"

Xue wiped her mouth with her sleeve and stood up. She glanced at Zhang Jian's expression and said,

"Wow, you look fine? You've been in deep meditation for nearly four days, and you don't look tired at all."

"Four days?"

"Yes. Master Zhang, you've been in deep meditation for four days."

Zhang Jian looked at her and asked,

"Why are you here?"

"Oh, don't you remember? You agreed to help me with the research for my book, right?"

Zhang Jian remembered that, but they had agreed to meet at an inn.

"But you didn't show up at the agreed place. So, I followed the trail of these two and arrived here. After that, I guarded Master Zhang as per Master Jin's request."

"…He asked you to guard me?"

The fact that everything had gone smoothly so far meant that they had done a good job of guarding him. However, how could he entrust his protection to someone he had only met briefly in the evening?

"While guarding, about half a day ago, this monk appeared. At first, I tried to drive him away, but he said he was an Arhat from Shaolin. Moreover, he claimed that Jin was a criminal who had committed a crime in Shaolin and fled."

"Jin?"

"Jin? Ah… Jin…"

"I'll tell the story."

At that moment, the monk who had been sitting there slowly stood up and spoke. Jinha, who had been on guard, instinctively stood up and shielded Xue. However, the monk seemed to pay no attention to this and only looked at Zhang Jian.

"My name is Zhenjian. I'm a humble monk."

"Zhang Jian."

"Pleased to meet you, Zhang Jian. I hear you helped Zhen."

"If you mean Zhen, you're talking about Jin, right?"

"Jin is Zhen's name before he became a monk. At least he hasn't forgotten his rank, which is fortunate…"

The monk who introduced himself as Zhenjian said this, then lightly shook his head and looked at the girl lying behind Zhang Jian.

"Did you know that the girl swallowed a treasure from our temple?"

Zhang Jian nodded.

"Did you also know that Zhen took it out without the abbot's and his senior brothers' consent?"

"I had a rough idea."

Zhenjian nodded and asked again,

"How is the girl's condition?"

"She's fine. Thanks to the elixir, her qi and blood have been purified and strengthened. She will become a great martial artist if she learns martial arts."

Especially, the nine qi and blood channels that were corrected this time would give the girl's internal energy special power. Although it was hard to predict exactly what would happen, Zhang Jian could guess that it was a talent rarely seen.

"Then the girl has completely digested the temple's treasure?"

"Completely."

"Did you help her with that?"

"An innocent child should be saved."

Zhenjian looked at Zhang Jian in silence for a moment. Jinha and Xue, who were watching, felt a strange tension and held their breath. Jinha subtly moved his hand to the hilt of his sword.

Then Zhenjian slowly clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

"I am grateful on behalf of my unworthy disciple. It was no easy task to handle the power of the Great Revitalization Pill and guide the girl's body. To take on such a dangerous task without any reward is a great virtue. In the future, this virtue will be a great strength for you, Master Zhang."

This experience would indeed be a source of strength. Even without waiting for the future, new martial principles would emerge from Zhang Jian's hands given time.

Zhang Jian watched Zhenjian straighten up and asked,

"…You're not going to blame me, right?"

"How can saving a person be a sin? An object is just an object. I only hope that after hearing my story, Master Zhang will kindly offer his help."

"What kind of help?"

Zhenjian, still clasping his hands, looked up at Zhang Jian with a serious face.

"While Master Zhang was in deep meditation for four days, my unworthy disciple did something terrible. He sneaked into the Sword Dragon Sect at midnight, assassinated the sect leader, and harmed many disciples."

Zhang Jian involuntarily closed his eyes. He now understood the meaning of Zhen's words that someone had to pay for what Jin had done. Zhenjian continued,

"Zhen is still at large. After causing chaos at the Sword Dragon Sect, he fled west. The Sword Dragon Sect has organized a pursuit team of over a hundred martial artists. Zhen was severely injured during the fight, so it's uncertain if he can shake off the pursuit."

Zhang Jian opened his eyes and looked at Zhenjian.

"Do you need my help in this situation?"

"Yes. I knew Zhen would come to this Yanhu City and look for an old friend. That's why I could arrive here without much difficulty. But in the wilderness with no roads, I am not a guide. Zhen and the Sword Dragon Sect's pursuit team have been gone for a day."

Zhenjian straightened up, his appearance suggesting a general rather than a monk if not for his robes and shaved head.

"I heard you found Zhen's friend with a minor clue in half a day. Can you do the same this time? This is not about finding someone in the city but following a trail in the west."

"What do you plan to do after finding him?"

Zhenjian's eyes shone like solid diamonds.

"Zhen not only desecrated the remains of a master and fled during an important practice but also broke the precept of non-violence and harmed people. The sins of Shaolin belong to Shaolin. My disciple will abandon all his martial arts and spend the rest of his life in the Repentance Hall of Shaolin with me."

"…At least you won't let him die at the hands of the Sword Dragon Sect."

"The sins of Shaolin belong to Shaolin."

Zhang Jian looked at Zhenjian, who said this. For some reason, he saw a resemblance to Jin, or Zhen. Perhaps because they were senior brothers, he looked like an older brother. Zhang Jian fixed his gaze on Zhenjian's eyes and said,

"Miss Xue."

"Ah, yes, yes. What is it?"

Xue, who had been hiding behind Jinha and holding her breath, was startled and replied.

"Could you please take care of the girl for a while? Until I return. She should wake up soon."

"The girl? Sure. Then, it would be better to go to the inn where we agreed to meet. Jinha and I will take the girl and wait there. And… um…"

She trailed off, and Zhang Jian turned to look at her. She met his gaze with shining eyes and smiled. In her hand was a small book.

"In return, could you tell me the whole story of what happened when you return?"

"…Sure."

Zhang Jian turned to look at the girl, whose name he still didn't know. Her once pale face now had a rosy hue, and her breathing was steady. She looked like an ordinary girl who might throw a tantrum if her mother tried to wake her up.

But this girl had lost her parents in less than a month, and her home and property had been taken away, leaving her to die in a damp corner of a temple room.

After looking at the girl for a moment, Zhang Jian reached out and gently brushed away the messy hair from her face.

"See you when you wake up."

Zhang Jian nodded at Xue and Jinha, indicating that he was entrusting the girl to them, then turned and left the room. Zhenjian, sensing his agreement, followed.

After the two left, the room was quiet for a moment. Then, Xue suddenly tapped Jinha's arm and said,

"Ah! I told you! They definitely had a story!"

"Ah, yes…"

While Jinha made a dubious face, Xue clutched the slightly worn book and spun around to stop in the middle of the room.

"A Shaolin monk who stole a treasure and came to find his old lover, a wandering warrior who helps him for money, and his senior brother who wants to punish him himself! The cold gazes and blades of the three men facing each other… Yes, this is why I crossed the vast sea!"

Jinha sighed and shook his head, looking at Xue. The story she had concocted based on the appearances of Zhang Jian, Zhenjian, and Zhen was too far-fetched. Whether her imagination was correct would only be known when Zhang Jian returned. The real question was whether he and Zhenjian could deal with the over a hundred pursuers from the Sword Dragon Sect.

However, Xue, who had been playfully acting out the scene, suddenly became serious and looked at Jinha.

"…Um, Jinha."

"Yes, what is it?"

"…So, this girl. Both her parents are dead, and the local sect took all her inheritance."

Jinha, taken aback by her sudden serious question, hesitated for a moment before sighing and answering.

"Yes. According to the story of the renegade monk, whether he's Jin or Zhen. This tragedy could have been avoided if the Sword Dragon Sect had properly maintained order in the region."

Xue looked at the sleeping girl with a somber expression.

"…How can she live in such a place? Where armed ruffians enforce their own laws and take people's property. Was she so desperate for a new world and opportunities? Or was this chaotic world still better than the Central Plains? What exactly…"

"Miss."

Xue looked at Jinha, who called her. Jinha said,

"Not all places in the New Continent are like this. There are many better places to live. And over the past hundred years, and even now, most people who have crossed to this New Continent have come to own their own land. At least, they came by choice. But this girl hasn't had that choice yet. If she had the chance to choose, she would naturally live in the Central Plains."

Xue smiled at Jinha, who was trying to comfort her.

"Maybe not?"

"…Yes, maybe not. Then, let's plant the dream of the Central Plains in her as soon as she wakes up. Make it her dream to go there."

"Like me?"

Jinha laughed awkwardly. Xue smiled again and looked at the girl, who seemed to be having a good dream and looked peaceful.

*

Zhang Jian and Zhenjian crossed the bustling Yanhu City, heading to the inn first because Zhaozhao was there. The horse whinnied in annoyance when Zhang Jian saddled him.

"Enough playing for a few days. Let's go."

Zhang Jian mounted and rode out of the stable. Zhenjian, who had been waiting, looked at Zhaozhao and said,

"An excellent horse. It doesn't look like an ordinary one."

"Excellent, yes. Sometimes this guy gives me a headache."

Zhenjian, maintaining his serious expression, continued,

"Where do we start? We're already far behind."

"They went west, right?"

Zhenjian nodded, and Zhang Jian took the lead.

"Let's go."

At Zhang Jian's command, Zhaozhao whinnied and galloped forward. Zhenjian, slightly taken aback by the sudden speed, quickly followed. As they left Yanhu City and headed west, Zhaozhao's pace became even faster and smoother.

After a while, Zhenjian, catching up, shouted,

"Are you sure you know where you're going? You didn't even check the trail!"

Zhang Jian chuckled and replied,

"There was no need to get off and check! There's a clear path made by the over a hundred people who went ahead!"

Zhenjian looked at the ground and saw a clear trail of numerous hoof prints on the dry grass and earth, leading west, further and further west. He thought he could have followed this trail alone.

Of course, that thought didn't last long. The single trail of hoof prints split into three in the middle. Zhenjian thought Zhang Jian would get off to check the trail.

But Zhang Jian only slowed down for a moment, scanned the ground, and then chose one of the three trails and galloped forward. Zhenjian shouted,

"Why this one?"

"The other two are flanking to prevent Jin from escaping in another direction! If he runs into the mountains or valleys, we might lose the trail!"

Zhenjian, who knew little about tracking, nodded in understanding and thought it was a good decision to follow Zhang Jian, even if it was a bit late. They adjusted their speed to prevent the horses from getting too tired and steadily headed west.

Suddenly, Zhang Jian noticed something and increased Zhaozhao's speed. Zhenjian quickly followed and confirmed what Zhang Jian had seen. There were several bundles of something wrapped in white cloth. After a moment, Zhenjian identified them and murmured,

"Amitabha…"

What greeted them were bodies lying on the plain.