Chapter 45. The Journey to Shaanxi (2)
"You—what in the world were you doing in there that took you so long… Hmm?"
Tang Jincheon, who had been narrowing his eyes at me, suddenly paused and let out a dry chuckle.
"Well, this is ridiculous. I was about to say something, but now I can't even complain."
"Didn't you receive a Gongjin Pill from the Hao Clan, Father-in-law? It's all thanks to that."
"Hah. Gongjin Pill is indeed a fine elixir, but its effects are limited to boosting internal energy. When did this happen?"
Long ago.
Of course, I couldn't say that, so I forced a wry smile and answered vaguely.
Fortunately, I had already shown glimpses of sword energy before.
"I had already grasped the concept while crossing swords with the Demonic Cult. After experiencing real combat until I collapsed from exhaustion, I had no choice but to internalize it."
"To be honest, that's hard to believe. How many people at your age could reach this level? Even I wasn't this skilled back then."
"I'm still incomplete. I have the realization, and I have the internal energy, but my body hasn't caught up yet."
"That part can't be helped. The only solution is to take the time to train properly."
Tang Jincheon let out a small laugh before gesturing toward the two people standing behind him.
"I was planning to assign a proper escort this time so you wouldn't come back injured again, but… maybe that was unnecessary."
"About that…"
"I'm joking. Whether you like it or not, I'll be assigning them to you. Don't even think about shaking them off."
"I'll keep that in mind."
As I nodded, Seol Lihyang, who had just finished exchanging greetings with Tang Sowol, approached me.
"Cheon Hwi-da. That talk just now… I don't understand all of it, but… you got stronger, right?"
"That's right."
"Congrats. And, um… make sure to stay safe."
"Even you are saying that now?"
"I heard you always come back injured whenever you go out."
…I can't deny that.
Even before taking the Gongjin Pill, I wasn't someone who would just get beaten up.
But how could I control the way events unfolded?
It was a little unfair to think about how others might perceive me, but since it was technically true, I decided to change the subject.
"Just make sure to keep up with your training while I'm gone. If you overdo it again like last time, you'll only end up hurting yourself."
"I already got scolded for that once. I won't do it again, so don't worry."
"Good."
With a nod, I turned my gaze toward the middle-aged woman standing a bit further back.
This wasn't the first time I had seen her.
I had briefly exchanged greetings with her during the banquet after the engagement ceremony.
I couldn't recall her name, but I was certain she was the vice-captain of the Blood Venom Unit.
"Don't tell me the vice-captain is assigned to be our escort?"
"With your skills, it would only be fitting for a vice-captain to accompany you as a guard, don't you think?"
If the Dark Soul Unit was composed of assassins specializing in hidden weapons, then the Blood Venom Unit was a force made up of warriors who specialized in poison arts.
Naturally, only first-rate martial artists could join, and a vice-captain was someone who had reached the peak master level.
Assigning such a high-level escort meant that Tang Jincheon truly valued Tang Sowol—and that he had been deeply anxious during the time he lost contact with her.
This time, he must have wanted to ensure her journey through the martial world went smoothly.
He likely hadn't mentioned it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had also arranged for people to secretly report back on our movements—just like he did the first time Tang Sowol set out.
Not that it mattered, since we weren't heading anywhere particularly dangerous.
***
We departed from the Tang Clan, making our way toward Shaanxi Province.
This time, there was no need to rush.
Since this was, in name, a continuation of Tang Sowol's unfinished journey through the martial world, we didn't take a carriage.
Instead, we traveled on foot, carrying only what could fit in a single travel bag.
Of course, with plenty of money on hand, it wasn't exactly an ordinary journey.
As we walked and chatted, Chengdu gradually shrank into the distance.
At some point, when the city had become just a small speck behind us, the vice-captain moved closer and asked,
"So, you're traveling to Shaanxi. Is there anything in particular you wish to see?"
"Well, since we're going to Shaanxi, I was thinking of visiting Zhongnan Mountain and Mount Hua."
The elixir I had heard about in my past life was supposedly hidden in a cave at Daemang Mountain, slightly below Zhongnan Mountain.
By setting our destination as Zhongnan and Mount Hua, we would naturally pass by it.
The vice-captain seemed to consider my words for a moment before speaking again.
"Before that, I'd like to ask something. Now that you are officially part of the Tang Clan, would you mind speaking more comfortably? You're casual with Lady Sowol, yet you still address us formally."
"If that's what you prefer. But I recall Tang Sowol using honorifics when speaking to you."
"She speaks formally to everyone, so it's fine."
"…I see."
"Also, I'll send letters ahead to Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect. While it wouldn't be difficult to prove Lady Sowol's identity, suddenly showing up without notice might be inconvenient for both sides."
"Wait. I was only planning to look around the foot of the mountains."
Zhongnan Mountain and Mount Hua had long been revered as sacred lands.
Now, with Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect flourishing as the dominant sects of Shaanxi, countless people flocked to them.
I had only intended to blend in with the crowd and take a casual look around.
But the vice-captain shook her head.
"Since I'm traveling with you, it would be better to send a letter and at least exchange greetings."
"…Hmm?"
The Sichuan Tang Clan was part of the Five Great Families.
Naturally, they maintained good relations with other orthodox sects, including Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect.
If a Tang Clan heiress visited a village at the foot of their mountains without even a formal greeting, it wouldn't be rude, but it would still be seen as somewhat improper.
"…Is that so?"
"Yes. Of course, if you wish to quietly admire the mountains, we can simply say so. There's no need to worry about a lengthy visit."
"The orthodox sects are as complicated as ever."
"You'll get used to it soon enough."
As I scratched my head, Tang Sowol, who had been giggling behind her hand, suddenly spoke as if she had remembered something.
"Oh, even if we only briefly greet Zhongnan Sect, could we stop by Mount Hua for a longer visit? I have a friend there that I'd like to see."
"I don't mind. We'll send the letters regardless."
After that, just as planned, we sent letters from the next village and continued traveling toward Shaanxi, taking time to sightsee along the way.
Since Tang Sowol's first martial world journey had been cut short by her kidnapping, she seemed eager to make the most of this trip.
As for me, I spent my time training movement techniques, getting accustomed to my increased internal energy, and occasionally drawing out sword energy—all while watching Tang Sowol's delighted expressions up close.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
But that was to be expected.
One reason young martial artists were sent on journeys was to gain real combat experience.
This also meant that the martial world of the Central Plains was constantly plagued with large and small incidents, forcing martial artists to gain real combat experience whether they wanted to or not.
There were scammers who specifically targeted naive young martial artists, disputes between warriors that dragged in bystanders even during a quiet meal at an inn, and bandits lurking beyond Sichuan Province.
Of course, most of these were swiftly handled by the vice-captain escorting us, but there were times when Tang Sowol or I had to step in as well.
If the danger wasn't too great, there was no reason to pass up an opportunity for practical combat experience.
After traveling for quite some time, we finally arrived at a village near Daemang Mountain.
It was my first time seeing it in person, but the location and surrounding terrain matched exactly with the descriptions I had heard.
As the sun began to set, I pointed toward the small village.
"Let's stay there for the night."
"Oh, perfect timing. Now that I think about it, we always seem to reach a village just when we're getting tired or when night is about to fall. Is it just my imagination?"
"No, you're right. Unless a village is too remote or intentionally planned, there's usually another village within a day's travel."
"That's fascinating."
"There's nothing strange about it. People's walking pace and endurance haven't changed much over time. Naturally, settlements formed in places that fit those distances.
"Of course, if we used lightness techniques or rode mounts, the pattern wouldn't match as precisely."
Tang Sowol tilted her head in thought.
"Still, I expected that we'd have to camp out a few times or, if our timing was off, rush with lightness techniques before nightfall."
"Oh, that's because we have an excellent guide."
I smirked and gestured toward the vice-captain, who was still following us silently from behind.
Receiving our gazes, the vice-captain simply nodded without a word.
"I traveled through Shaanxi frequently in my younger days."
"Oh? So you started your martial world journey here?"
Now that I thought about it, Tang Sowol had originally planned to start her journey in Hubei, not Shaanxi.
Her initial route was supposed to take her through Hubei, Anhui, Henan, and then Shaanxi, before returning to Sichuan.
She had intended to see nearly seventy percent of the orthodox martial world—only to get kidnapped right away.
Considering that, it made sense why she was still excited despite having been away from the Tang Clan for quite some time now.
The vice-captain of the Blood Venom Unit gave a nostalgic nod.
"Yes. At the time, I was about to join the Blood Venom Unit, so I wanted to experience the world one last time before fully committing myself."
"Wow. What was Shaanxi like back then?"
"The trends have changed, and there are some new buildings, but overall, not much is different.
"Martial artists still fight every single day, and the powerless still suffer in the chaos."
"Uh… We haven't seen anything that bad on our way here."
Tang Sowol blinked, confused.
I shook my head.
"That's because we didn't stay to see the aftermath."
"The aftermath?"
"Yes. When martial artists start a fight at an inn, who do you think pays for the damaged furniture and buildings?"
"The ones who broke them, of course."
"But what if they're already dead?"
"Hmm… I guess their sect or family would be contacted?"
"And if their sect refuses to take responsibility? After all, their disciple wasn't the one who started a fight—they just got caught up in one.
"If it were me, I'd shift the blame elsewhere. Especially if my disciple was the one who died or got injured."
Even if that wasn't the case, the sect might have already suffered heavy losses from another conflict, leaving them unable to pay.
Or maybe they were simply too far away for the victims to seek justice.
Of course, the local authorities would try to mediate, but… the chances of receiving full compensation were slim.
"More importantly, to ordinary people, martial artists are terrifying. Just demanding compensation could be dangerous for them."
"…Oh."
For someone like Tang Sowol, who was raised in the Tang Clan—one of the top five most powerful forces in the martial world—this was probably a foreign concept.
She stared at me, mouth slightly agape, as if she had just realized something.
Raising a finger, I briefly summarized what we had encountered so far.
"The fact that bandits exist means someone has already been robbed.
"The fact that scammers are still thriving means plenty of people have already fallen for their tricks."
"Strength alone isn't power, is it…?"
Tang Sowol nodded, looking slightly disheartened.
Perhaps feeling sorry for her, the vice-captain smiled faintly and spoke up.
"But not everything in the martial world is bad.
"For example, I met my husband during my journey."
"Wait, really?"
"It's true.
"I once ran out of travel funds and had to take a caravan escort job. During that mission, I suffered a serious injury, and the person who treated me was…"
The vice-captain began recounting her past in a calm voice.
Watching Tang Sowol's eyes light up again, I suddenly felt a little guilty.
Maybe I had focused too much on the negatives.
As I silently listened to the vice-captain's story alongside Tang Sowol, a thought suddenly struck me.
"…Hmm?"
A natural way to lead them to the cave where the elixir was hidden had just come to mind.