Chapter 70

"Shinma's Selection (70)"

"Doctor Dan."

"Yes."

"Enjoy it while you do it."

"Huh?"

"Our master said that. He said we learn martial arts ultimately to live happily."

Fan Jiewei snatched the Zimei Kun from Dan Yakesan's hand.

Dan Yakesan, who had his Zimei Kun taken away in the blink of an eye, looked bewildered.

Fan Jiewei said to Dan Yakesan.

"Let's eat the roasted duck now. After that, I'll practice with you and make it enjoyable."

"But..."

"Why do you practice martial arts, Doctor Dan? Isn't it to be happy?"

Dan Yakesan nodded.

The content was a bit different, but the conclusion wasn't wrong.

"Yes, that's right."

"Then you shouldn't miss out on the happiness you have now."

Fan Jiewei smiled and continued.

"How can someone who doesn't know how to enjoy the happiness given to them now, enjoy the happiness in the future?"

"Huh?"

Surprise appeared in Dan Yakesan's eyes.

"You're right, sir."

"Here, eat!"

Dan Yakesan smiled at Fan Jiewei, who offered the roasted duck.

"I think we'll be happier if we eat together."

"Alright, I'll allow it just for today."

Fan Jiewei nodded readily.

As they sat down to eat together, Chao Ailiang looked at Fan Jiewei with renewed interest.

He had tried to persuade Dan Yakesan several times but always failed due to Dan Yakesan's stubbornness.

"I didn't know you had such a way with words..."

Fan Jiewei, who was chewing his food, replied nonchalantly.

"It was something our master said. Back then, it was chicken, not roasted duck."

Fan Jiewei's expression suddenly turned gloomy.

"Ah, I suddenly miss our master."

The wistful look in Fan Jiewei's eyes clearly showed his longing. At that moment, something suddenly appeared before him.

Dan Yakesan had torn off a large piece of duck leg and offered it to Fan Jiewei.

"Thank you."

"Huh? For what?"

"For the cooking and the advice. Thanks to you, my anxious heart has eased."

Fan Jiewei's face brightened again as he brought the duck leg to his mouth.

"Really? Then it's all good. Hahaha."

Fan Jiewei's hearty laughter echoed through the Shinma Valley.

* * *

On the last day of the twelfth month, late in the afternoon.

The fierce wind that had been blowing harshly seemed to calm down a bit, and the heavy gray clouds that had been hanging low began to sprinkle snow.

People welcomed the snow that marked the end of the year.

However, as time passed, the amount of snow increased, eventually turning into a heavy snowstorm that covered Wuyi.

People who had gone to the market to prepare for the Spring Festival hurried back home.

Merchants who were about to have a busy season did the same.

Wuyi quickly became deserted due to the fierce snowstorm. So, Xiao Jishan was surprised when a person entered through the thick snowstorm.

The man, wrapped in a thick cloak, revealed only his eyes and smiled quietly.

"Are you well?"

"......!"

Xiao Jishan, recognizing the voice, jumped up from his chair.

"Supervisor!"

It had been six months since their last meeting.

Xiao Jishan handed a warm cup of tea to Shang Wuxin, who was shaking off the snow from his head and shoulders.

"Thank you. I'll drink it well."

Xiao Jishan waited until Shang Wuxin had finished his tea and his body had warmed up before speaking cautiously.

"You came earlier than expected. Didn't you say it would take more than a year?"

"We traveled together on the way there, but I hurried back alone. I felt I had been away from here for too long."

Xiao Jishan asked with a worried look.

"Is it alright?"

Shang Wuxin was concerned about the caravan members who had returned without him.

"Don't worry. The caravan is traveling with Western Region merchants, so they should be fine."

Xiao Jishan nodded in relief.

Shang Wuxin asked.

"Has anything happened while I was away?"

"There hasn't been any major incident... Oh! That's right."

Xiao Jishan reported in detail about the past incident where the Zhang Luofang group had infiltrated Wuyi.

"What happened then?"

"Well, they just disappeared..."

Shang Wuxin smiled faintly.

Since he had informed the Shinma Valley, the seniors must have handled it well. It didn't seem to be a major concern.

"Anything else?"

"Recently, there were many outsiders searching for the son of the god, investigating the area."

Shang Wuxin had guessed this might happen. What puzzled him was the tone in Xiao Jishan's voice, which suggested the matter was resolved.

"Was it resolved?"

"Yes. The beggars from the Gai Fang drove the outsiders away."

"From the Gai Fang?"

"Yes, though the details are unclear, they are not investigating but merely keeping an eye on outsiders. It seems they are protecting Wuyi."

"Hmm. Are they protecting Doctor Dan?"

The Gai Fang's goodwill was appreciated, but it also caused some awkwardness.

"More importantly, how did the matter I entrusted to you go?"

Xiao Jishan smiled.

"I have replenished the staff of the caravan as you requested."

"Good job. I'll gather and teach them soon, so tell them to eat well, rest, and build up their strength before then."

"I already have."

Shang Wuxin was inwardly satisfied with Xiao Jishan's handling of the matter.

"Oh! I almost forgot this."

Shang Wuxin, remembering something, took something from his robe and handed it to Xiao Jishan.

Xiao Jishan, surprised to receive it, asked curiously.

"What is this?"

"It's a famous liquor from the Western Region."

"Really? This is too much..."

Shang Wuxin smiled warmly at the moved Xiao Jishan.

"I'll bring more when we make money."

Shang Wuxin patted Xiao Jishan's shoulder in encouragement and put on his cloak again.

Before leaving, he gave a final instruction.

"Contact me immediately if anything happens. Don't overexert yourself investigating, as they are martial artists."

"I will keep that in mind."

"See you again soon."

Xiao Jishan cautiously suggested as Shang Wuxin was about to leave in the heavy snow.

"It will be night soon. Why don't you wait until the snow stops?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll decline."

Shang Wuxin smiled.

"Still, I want to spend the New Year at home."

* * *

"Heaven is helping me."

Shang Wuxin's steps toward the Shinma Valley gradually quickened.

As he left the village and entered the mountains, the snowfall began to subside as if by magic. Urging his steps, he could see the entrance to the Shinma Valley in the distance.

The familiar landscape and scenery, which he hadn't seen in a long time, felt especially welcoming.

It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

As if he had returned home.

However, as he got closer to the entrance of the Shinma Valley, strange sounds began to reach his ears.

Shang Wuxin quickened his pace. For some reason, various wild animals, including tigers, bears, and wild boars, had gathered at the entrance of the valley.

On the opposite side, Neng Suomi was fighting a bloody battle against the wild beasts alone.

Shang Wuxin, who had quickly closed the distance, swung his hand at the tiger in front of him.

"No, Brother! Don't kill them!"

Neng Suomi shouted in surprise.

"......?"

Shang Wuxin, taken aback, hastily retracted his hand.

Neng Suomi, who had pushed the beasts back, beamed and greeted him.

"Welcome back, Brother."

"What's... What's going on here?"

"This?"

Neng Suomi laughed awkwardly.

"These beasts are a bit excited now, but they'll calm down soon. I'm using them for practice in the meantime."

"Why are the wild beasts here?"

Neng Suomi pointed inside the Shinma Valley instead of answering.

Only then did Shang Wuxin turn his head to look inside the valley.

'What is this?'

A strange energy that drew people in.

At the center of it was Dan Yakesan.

Sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, Dan Yakesan had Fan Jiewei and Han Xuehua standing behind him, pressing their palms against his back.

Chao Ailiang was guarding them.

A benevolent aura swirled around them.

"These beasts must have been drawn by this energy."

Neng Suomi nodded.

"Yes. It will be over soon."

"Oh, right. I'm late in greeting you. It's good to see you again."

"Yes, it's good to see you... Huh, hold on. Let me deal with these beasts first..."

Neng Suomi panted as he spoke, as if his energy was being drained. Then, he was hit in the face by a bear's paw.

"Ugh!"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes! It's nothing. This level doesn't even tickle."

Shang Wuxin pointed to Neng Suomi's face.

"You're bleeding from the nose?"

"......?"

Neng Suomi wiped his nose with the back of his hand and grimaced.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you..."

"No, Brother. This is a daily occurrence."

Despite his words, the power of the cudgel he swung at the beasts was incomparably fierce.

"You! Come here!"

Neng Suomi, ignoring his defense, grabbed the surprised bear.

"I told you to go easy!"

Shang Wuxin, finding it absurd, chuckled and turned to look inside the Shinma Valley.

The mysterious energy that had created all this was being absorbed by Dan Yakesan, as if being sucked in.

Shang Wuxin, standing before Chao Ailiang, bowed respectfully.

"I'm back, Senior."

"Welcome back. Did everything go well?"

"There were some difficulties, but I managed to resolve them safely."

Chao Ailiang nodded without asking for details.

"If you say so, then it must be. You must be tired from the long journey, so rest a bit."

"I'll greet them first."

Dan Yakesan opened his eyes after about an hour.

'Just half a year?'

Dan Yakesan's eyes were as deep and calm as clear tea water.

Shang Wuxin was almost shocked by the development. He could clearly feel that Dan Yakesan's internal energy was not just surfacing but being fully contained.

It was an incredible rate of progress, hard to believe even with his own eyes.

Considering Dan Yakesan's innate talent and the teachings of three great masters, it was still remarkable.

Dan Yakesan, spotting Shang Wuxin, ran over with a bright smile.

"Welcome back! Supervisor, are you alright?"

Shang Wuxin felt a warm feeling deep in his heart as Dan Yakesan greeted him with a handshake.

'You're still the same.'

The only change was in Dan Yakesan's physical appearance; he was still the same Dan Yakesan.

"Thanks to you, I returned safely."

Dan Yakesan's height, which was around Shang Wuxin's solar plexus before, now reached just below his collarbone.

"You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."

Shang Wuxin, smiling, took something from his robe and offered it to Dan Yakesan.

"What is this?"

"Open it and see."

Dan Yakesan's face lit up as he opened the wooden box Shang Wuxin had given him.

"This is!"

Shang Wuxin smiled and nodded.

"These are the Longyan Xiang and Zhang Honghua you've been longing for."

He had brought the highest-grade medicinal herbs through the caravan as a gift for Dan Yakesan.

"Wow! This must be incredibly expensive."

The beautiful color of the dried red petals immediately captivated Dan Yakesan.

"About one tael of this is the unit for measuring the herbs, and it takes over two thousand flowers to get that much."

"Thank you, Supervisor."

"You're welcome. I'm the one who should be grateful."

"Huh?"

"Seeing you so happy, it feels like the long journey was worth it."