Chapter 48

(48)

Four days later.

Samshim entered the vast grassland.

It was a detour to avoid conflicts with the government troops guarding the fortress, heading in the direction of Yumen Pass.

The desolate landscape and the dry dust storms.

It felt familiar, as he had been here a few times in the past.

Samshim began to traverse the grassland with his lightness skill.

How long had he been running?

Suddenly, he was enveloped by a strange feeling.

His eyes sparkled as he stopped and looked around.

He had spotted a group of horsemen galloping from the horizon.

'Is this the effect of the Gongqing Shiyou?'

He was newly amazed that he could sense the presence of his opponents from such a distance.

Because it was impossible in the past.

Samshim took out a flag from his bosom and waved it.

Though somewhat faded and old, the flag with the hawk spreading its wings was still vivid.

"......?"

A look of puzzlement appeared on Samshim's face.

As they got closer, the horsemen, who should have naturally slowed down, instead spurred their horses to increase their speed.

When they were about fifty paces away.

"Huh."

Samshim inwardly laughed in disbelief.

The naked hostility emanating from their entire bodies!

He finally noticed the red collars of the horsemen.

'Blood Cloud Sand (血雲沙)!'

The death-bringing sand that carries blood.

Unfortunately, he had encountered the notorious bandit group as soon as he entered the grassland.

Each of them, known as Wugui (武鬼), had martial skills that rivaled the elite generals of the Jin Yi Wei.

They were infamous for their cruelty, plundering and killing not only people from the Central Plains but even their own kin.

How could they be compared to the locusts that leave not a single blade of grass in the grassland?

Moreover, it was said that their numbers were counted in the hundreds.

However, the horsemen in front of him numbered only about ten.

They seemed to be a vanguard for reconnaissance.

Suddenly, a bitter memory of his past encounter with them surfaced.

'Back then, it was really... reckless.'

Fifteen years ago.

Samshim smiled wryly as he recalled his first encounter with the Blood Cloud Sand.

No matter how notorious the Blood Cloud Sand was in the northern regions, he had the confidence to face them back then.

He thought that no matter how skilled they were in spear techniques and horsemanship, it was meaningless to him, a high-level martial artist.

Without hesitation, he charged at them.

But it didn't take long for him to realize how foolish his decision was.

Horses are often thought of simply as a means of transportation.

Samshim had believed this as well.

But he was wrong.

Horses were weapons.

The weight of the horse and rider, combined with the speed of the galloping horse, possessed terrifying power.

That day, he realized that a single cavalryman was more terrifying than a fairly renowned martial artist.

Especially when the spear was thrust, it was impossible for him to track it.

The trajectory of the spear falling from the horse was impossible to follow with his eyes.

His experience was woefully inadequate, and the attacks were equally unpredictable.

The power of the cavalry, where horse and rider moved as one, possessed unimaginable destructive force.

Moreover, they were specialized in group combat, resembling a well-organized military unit.

In the face of their swift pursuit on horseback and the overwhelming numbers, even he, a fairly renowned martial artist, had no way to counter them.

In the end, Samshim had to turn his back.

Although he felt ashamed to flee from the enemy, it was better than being left as a corpse in the barren wasteland.

Moreover, he was not alone at the time.

He had to survive for the sake of the young lives trailing behind him.

Fortunately, he discovered a crumbling ancient city nearby, which was a stroke of luck.

There were still many fallen walls, which he could use to obstruct the horses' movements.

Samshim held out inside the city, waiting for the horsemen to tire and retreat.

Several days passed.

Or rather, it felt like several days.

The horsemen were so persistent that it was hard to tell when the sun rose and set.

In the end, Samshim held out until the end.

And he accomplished his mission in the grassland.

He successfully handed over the children, who had been captured and sold as slaves during the northern campaign, to their tribe.

The flag in his hand was a symbol of that connection.

'But things are different now.'

Samshim raised his fighting spirit and stared at the front.

At that moment, one of the horsemen charged out from the group with the momentum of a lone rider.

Swish.

The spear blade, like a bolt of lightning, flew toward Samshim, barely missing him.

Samshim didn't block it but followed it with his eyes.

Unlike in the past, the movements and the trajectory of the spear blade were clearly visible to him.

His senses had become sharper after breaking free from the demonic transformation and his internal energy had greatly improved.

Thanks to this, he could avoid the spear blade by taking a half-step back and slightly turning his upper body at the critical moment.

"Chawas!"

The opponent, missing his target, immediately cursed and turned his horse.

In contrast, Samshim, understanding what he said, smiled slightly.

'The real hell is just beginning.'

Leaving the Blood Cloud Sand group, who were laughing from a distance, Samshim began to charge toward the approaching horseman.

"......!"

The opponent seemed momentarily taken aback by Samshim's unexpected response but soon glared viciously and swung his spear again.

Clang!

The spear blade, which scraped the ground, sending off blue sparks, pursued Samshim.

Samshim didn't dodge but extended his hand to meet it.

It was a full-strength strike, infused with all his might.

Boom!

Despite the clash between the spear and his bare hand, a loud explosion echoed.

At the same time, a fierce gust of wind swept around.

The shock traveled from his hand to his wrist and up to his shoulder, but Samshim immediately darted into the thick dust cloud.

He saw the horse fall and the rider, who was trapped underneath, groaning.

The rider, who met Samshim's eyes, hurriedly tried to draw a dagger.

But Samshim was a bit faster.

Smack!

With the momentum of his charge, Samshim's knee struck the rider's chin.

The blow knocked the rider unconscious.

'So this is the effect of Gongqing Shiyou, Gongqing Shiyou.'

At this moment, Samshim could vividly feel why martial artists would go to great lengths to obtain miraculous herbs.

It wasn't for nothing that Gongqing Shiyou was called a thousand-year-old miraculous herb.

The stark difference from his past struggles was evident.

'How many people in this vast martial world have experienced the effects of a miraculous herb like Gongqing Shiyou?'

Even experts like Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiewei had never seen one, so it was no surprise.

Gratitude for Dan Aoxian filled his heart once again.

At that moment.

"Look at this."

Samshim, noticing the strange aura around him, looked at the Blood Cloud Sand warrior lying unconscious under the horse with interest.

Upon closer inspection, it was a young man who had just reached adulthood.

But what was truly unusual was something else.

The Blood Cloud Sand group, who would normally charge without a second thought, were now circling around in a panic.

'This one seems to have enough value as a hostage.'

Their pale faces were enough to tell him that.

At that moment.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The sound of hooves that shook the earth reached his ears.

Turning his head, he saw a group of horsemen, numbering at least two hundred, galloping toward him, accompanied by a thick cloud of dust.

Seeing this, the Blood Cloud Sand warrior gritted his teeth and turned his horse.

He then spurred his horse and disappeared from sight in an instant.

Samshim waved the flag again toward the approaching horsemen.

Fortunately, they did not treat him as an enemy.

Instead, they were greatly surprised and muttered among themselves, then brought two riderless horses.

One was for Samshim to ride, and the other carried the unconscious Blood Cloud Sand youth.

Following their guidance, he arrived at a place.

It was a mobile tent settlement they called 'Ger.'

But its scale was enormous.

As Samshim dismounted, a tall, robust young man who had been waiting at the entrance embraced him.

"Did you come?"

Dan Aoxian greeted him with a smile brighter than the moon, and Samshim smiled back and bowed.

"Did you wait for me?"

"I was just taking a walk."

Then, Dan Aoxian immediately approached Samshim and began to feel his pulse.

Samshim laughed awkwardly at Dan Aoxian's actions.

"I'm fine, so you don't need to worry."

"Just in case."

Dan Aoxian, finding no abnormalities, finally relaxed and said,

"I'll try to be more frugal."

"Huh?"

"During your absence, I thought a lot. Our finances have been strained because I bought too many miraculous herbs without much thought."

Dan Aoxian apologized with a guilty look.

"Although I said it was necessary for treatment, it was indeed my greed. I'll be more restrained from now on."

Samshim shook his head and smiled.

"No, I feel fulfilled knowing that I can do something for you. So don't worry too much."

"Still, don't overdo it."

"Was that what you really wanted to say?"

Feeling the sincerity in Dan Aoxian's concern, Samshim's heart warmed.

That alone made his efforts worthwhile.

"Then rest."

"Yes, go in."

After exchanging greetings, Samshim turned around when Dan Aoxian's figure had completely disappeared into the hall.

At that moment, a chill ran down his spine.

Turning his gaze, he saw Fan Jiewei standing close by, glaring at him.

Samshim relaxed his guard and bowed.

"Have you been well?"

"Not at all."

"Huh?"

Fan Jiewei huffed, looking aggrieved.

"Since you disappeared, everything from cleaning to laundry, even feeding the pigeons, fell on me."

"Hehe, I see. You must have worked hard."

"Hehe? I see?"

Fan Jiewei asked with a bewildered look.

"What's this? The tone of a detached monk?"

"Did I? I apologize if it sounded disrespectful. But why did you end up with all the chores? If the three of you had divided the work, it would have been much easier."

Fan Jiewei's face darkened.

"I lost the draw."

At this moment, Chao Ailiang, who had appeared from somewhere, laughed and said,

"He dug his own grave. He was the one who suggested giving all the work to one person."

Ignoring the sulking Fan Jiewei, Chao Ailiang walked toward Samshim.

"Did everything go well?"

"Fortunately, I was able to handle it smoothly."

Nodding, Samshim took out a few flags and letters from his bosom.

"These are the emblems of the most influential tribe in the northern regions and a personal letter guaranteeing my identity."

"These two will serve as a pass, then?"

"The flag with Han's emblem is enough, but the letter is a precaution in case of unforeseen circumstances."

Admiration appeared on Chao Ailiang's face.

"Still, you're impressive. I knew you had connections, but I didn't expect you to have ties with the northern tribes."

Samshim smiled sheepishly.

"An old acquaintance I saved long ago is now leading his tribe. He is a close friend of Dalian Han, the leader of Beiyuan (北元). He told me they recently formed an 'anda' with each other."

"An 'anda'?"

"It means sworn brothers in their language."

At that moment, Fan Jiewei interjected.

"But to form a caravan, you need people, right?"

"I have someone in mind. I was going to ask you for help with this matter."

"Me?"

Fan Jiewei, tilting his head, exclaimed in surprise at Samshim's words.

"Ah! I remember them."

Fan Jiewei nodded with a smirk.

"Use them as you see fit. If they give you trouble, let me know."

"Haha, that won't happen."

Indeed, very few people could defy Fan Jiewei after experiencing his might.

"Then all three of you rest. I'll go in now."

"Right, rest. Wait, why are there three of you?"

Fan Jiewei, who had been about to respond, was startled and looked behind him.

He finally noticed Hansuelhua, who had been silently standing there.

"Exactly when did you get here?"

"......"

Amid the rare lively atmosphere, Samshim smiled quietly.

Though he didn't show it, he was touched by their unique way of welcoming him.

After wandering for a long time, he finally had a place to return to.