"A village..."
After wandering aimlessly down the treacherous mountain path for three whole hours, I had finally escaped the mountains.
I'd been fretting over how to talk my way out of it if there was some kind of checkpoint, but it looked like this wasn't a big enough settlement for that.
*Gurgle*
"First things first, let's get some food..."
It had been ages since I'd seen the outside world.
I wanted something tasty for once, not just the weeds I'd been forcing down.
Finding an inn wasn't hard. A little wandering around, and there one was.
"Welcome! Just one?"
"Yes."
What should I order?
Back on Earth, there'd at least be a menu, but no such luck in this world.
"I've been holed up in the mountains and just came down, so I have no idea what's on offer. Got any recommendations?"
I pulled a single silver ingot from my pocket and spun it idly between my fingers.
I didn't know the prices around here, but silver ought to cover a hearty meal, right?
"Of course! If you've just come down from the mountains, you probably haven't had anything spicy in ages, so I'd start with some cold noodles. Dishes like braised pork belly might be too intense."
"Sounds good. That'll do."
"Right away. Care for any liquor?"
"...A bottle of something decent, please."
"You got it! Coming right up!"
It was pay-in-advance, apparently. I got a hefty pile of change back.
Silver must be worth more than I thought.
"Ahh... Now this is living."
The flavors of worldly cuisine hit different after so long. Even plain cold noodles blew the mountain-grown slop out of the water, and the liquor... man, how long had it been?
"Yep, us humans need our booze..."
It was strong stuff—Chinese liquor, after all—but that just made it better.
And this body seemed to hold its liquor pretty well, too.
It was basically a first-timer, but with my adult soul inside, there wasn't even a hint of rejection.
One thing I actually like about it.
Yeah, the dantian was wrecked, the body was weak, I had to keep my face hidden... plenty of downsides. But finally, a upside.
I was tempted to order another bottle, but passing out pickled on day one off the mountain? No thanks.
To plot my next moves, I needed intel.
"Hey, you got a minute? I'll make it worth your while."
"Sure thing!"
The waiter—errand boy, whatever you call him—eyed the silver in my hand and lit up.
Perfect timing. No other customers around, so I could pick his brain in peace.
"Hmm..."
I figured he'd know a decent amount, but this kid was a goldmine.
Current martial world politics, bandit gangs, rising stars... plenty of useful bits.
And the most useful tidbit?
"An academy in Shaanxi, huh..."
There was this academy you could enter around age twenty.
Smack in the middle of orthodox territory, it drew ambitious young hopefuls from every corner.
Not that I planned to enroll. What could a guy without martial arts even learn there?
Even if it was scholarly stuff, with my three-year deadline to get back here, wasting it all at the academy would be a huge loss.
Besides, no guarantee sketchy sorcery like divination would even get me in.
So why the interest?
"Is the area around there safe?"
"Safer than most. With scions from the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects all gathered, you think the Murim Alliance would just sit on their hands?"
Safety. That's why.
Orthodox folks aren't all saints, but they at least fly the banner of righteousness, so law and order should be decent.
And that's not all. Foot traffic had to be insane.
Like a college town back in my past life.
Tons of hot-blooded youngsters milling about.
Prime customers for business.
Great clientele, solid security? No reason not to go.
The issue was getting there.
"Long trip?"
"The Central Plains are vast. If you're heading that way, chat up some escorts or merchants."
I tipped the kid and stepped outside. The sun was already dipping low.
Too late to hunt down an escort agency now.
I headed to the inn he'd recommended, rummaging through my coin pouch along the way.
Bad news: recent martial artist brawl had trashed the upper floors—no rooms available.
How'd a mountain hermit get his hands on cash, you ask?
...Where else? One spot.
Not stolen. Just borrowed temporarily.
A disciple's stuff is the master's, and the master's is the disciple's.
Who's gonna spend money in closed-door training anyway?
I'll use it, pay it back later. Done.
...If I get caught, I'm screwed.
So I had to hustle.
Goal: enjoy the world to the fullest for three years and get back before Master emerges.
I'd left a note saying I'd be back soon since I was bored, but who knows when that maniac might come hunting.
First step: head to Shaanxi.
Safe, business-friendly, plenty to do.
Details later. For tonight, crash here. I pushed open the inn door and—
"Whoa."
—spotted a guy radiating catastrophic bad luck.
Sword at his waist screamed martial artist.
Standing next to that guy's a recipe for trouble.
That level of misfortune? No way he's lived unscathed this long.
Being a martial artist and still alive? Miracle.
...Hold up.
Maybe he's from a powerful family, cushioned the blows.
Heaven assigns parents and fate separately at birth, so a top-tier clan could baby him through it.
That aura? In a normal family, he'd have lost a limb to some "accident" by now.
Now that I looked, his clothes were finer than the locals'. Real money, maybe?
Hmm...
Play my cards right, I could make bank before Shaanxi.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Greetings, young hero. Chilly day, isn't it?"
"If you're peddling drugs, I'm out."
"Haha, I get the rough look—circumstances—but I'm no shady character."
"Folks who show up looking shady and claim otherwise? Nine times out of ten, they're weirdos. Seven wanted to use me, three were assassins."
The man bristled at the mysterious figure approaching in a bloodstained cloak.
Given his life so far, it was only natural.
"To ease your suspicions, allow me to introduce myself. I'm a fortune teller fresh from mountain training today."
"Heh, fortune tellers train in the mountains now?"
"Of course. It's the art of reading heaven's energies from the records. Where else but closest to the sky?"
"...Makes sense, I suppose."
"I get where you're coming from, young hero. Anyone would be wary of a sketchy approach like this—even I would. So, grant me a moment to pique your interest?"
"..."
His getup screamed suspicious, yet there was something magnetic about him.
Some trick to the hood? Or just the angle? No matter how he turned, the face stayed hidden. Voice sounded off, too.
Hell, hard to tell man from woman.
"One incense stick's time. Annoy me after, and I won't hold back."
If this was an assassin, he was elite.
Zero personal info leaked, yet he'd hooked the interest. Impressive skill.
"Haha, that's plenty."
The fortune teller grinned oddly and reached into his bosom.
Hidden weapon? The man shifted into a ready stance.
But out came eight small wooden plaques.
"Ever had a reading before?"
"...I have no interest in your fortunes."
"Didn't you grant me one incense stick? Invest that much."
For someone just off the mountain, his people skills were pro-level.
Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth).
The eight symbols of all creation. The Eight Trigrams.
Qian is heaven, Kun is earth, Dui is...
"No time for theory. Too hard to explain anyway."
"Aren't you supposed to?"
"Talkative ones are con artists, young hero. Never heard real masters prove it with results?"
"..."
Compared to the shamans and Taoists he'd met, this guy had zero formality.
No pointless rituals... kinda refreshing?
"Result's in."
"Already?"
"Looks can deceive—ten years straight training in the mountains. Oh, if it feels too low-key, I can toss in some sparks."
"...Nah. Just tell me the result."
The more you engaged, the more exhausting he got.
Whatever. Better to wrap this up quick.
"Might sound harsh, so stay calm. Ever feel like life's been rough on you?"
"..."
The man, barely past twenty, had never once thought himself lucky.
Mother died young. His only brother despised and distrusted him as a half-sibling.
No talent for martial arts. Father, who bestowed the Namgung name, offered bare-minimum protection to keep the family honor intact—never a glance otherwise.
Eventually, whether due to surroundings or his own failings, he'd gone off the rails after passing scholarly exams.
Lived in brothels, seduced women using the family name.
When his antics reached the elders' ears, Father finally looked his way.
[Get out. If I'd known I'd sire trash like you, I never would've gone to that brothel...]
"Sorry to interrupt the flashback, but time's almost up. Just the key points."
"...Fine. Not a fond memory anyway."
"Good. From what I see, young hero, your misfortune is off the charts. Personally? I'm impressed you're alive."
Over-the-top gestures, but oddly not irritating.
"Beware water."
"...Water?"
"More details mean leaking heavenly secrets. This is the limit. Remember: beware water."
"...Tch."
Water's everywhere.
"Beware water"? Same as "watch your back anywhere."
The initial intrigue fizzled fast.
"Wasted my time."
Not worth hearing more.
He shoved back from the table and headed upstairs.
"Wait, young hero!"
"..."
He ignored the fortune teller's call from below and hurried to his room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Argh, not even a single coin..."
First gig, total flop.
And I thought I could make some quick cash.
"Sigh. He seemed interested, too. What a shame."
I sighed, gathered the eight wooden plaques from the table, and tucked them away.
"Well... bedtime for me."
My task was simple.
Find an inn as far from this one as possible.
Didn't want trouble on night one.