Episode 11: Jueul Village

Tang Mujin was completely absorbed in his meditation practice.

With the help of the mysterious Gwai, he had successfully opened his energy channels and begun to build his internal energy, gaining momentum with each passing day.

Despite being exhausted from walking all day, he cut down on sleep to focus on cultivating his energy. He moved the small amount of energy he had accumulated around his body, much like a child playing with a new toy.

Gwai, whose real name was Lee Chung, hadn’t taught him any sword techniques or martial arts moves, so his internal energy had no practical application yet. At best, he felt a bit lighter on his feet.

Still, Tang Mujin was captivated by the learning process because he could see clear progress every day.

“My internal energy has increased a bit since yesterday.”

The act of gradually building something was enjoyable in itself.

Gwai didn’t rush to teach him anything. He simply observed Tang Mujin’s meditation and answered his questions.

“This is the time to lay a solid foundation,” Gwai would say. “There’s no need to rush and cram everything in.”

“Sir, you said I have talent, right?”

Gwai had accepted the title of “sir” without objection, though he had mentioned it was a temporary measure until a more fitting title came to mind. Judging by the current situation, it seemed unlikely that a new title would be needed.

“Talent? It’s not bad. Most people take about three days to fully sense their energy and ten days to complete their first energy cycle.”

Tang Mujin had sensed his energy on the first day and completed the cycle on the second. What took others ten days, he had accomplished in two.

Yet, Gwai’s assessment was merely, “It’s not bad.”

“Why are you so lukewarm about it? It seems like a remarkable talent to me.”

“In terms of sensitivity, yes. But your talent is skewed in one direction.”

“Skewed?”

“Yes. Your ability to sense and move energy is excellent. But your speed in accumulating internal energy isn’t particularly fast. It’s about average.”

“Does that mean I can’t become a master?”

“Not necessarily. I don’t have a large amount of internal energy either. But you should avoid direct confrontations where you clash weapons and rely solely on power.”

“What happens if I do?”

“You’ll find out. Go fetch a sturdy branch.”

Tang Mujin broke off a branch from a nearby tree, snapping off the smaller twigs. He whittled it down with a small knife until it resembled a decent club.

When he handed the branch to Gwai, Gwai passed him the sword he had been carrying at his waist.

“Try swinging the sword at me.”

Tang Mujin looked at Gwai with skepticism.

He knew Gwai was skilled, but he had no idea how good he really was. In truth, Gwai’s appearance was quite ordinary.

“Are you sure it’s okay to swing at you?”

“If you manage to cut even a thread of my clothing, I’ll carry you on my back until we leave Sichuan.”

Of course, Tang Mujin didn’t seriously think he could win.

But Gwai’s attitude was infuriatingly confident.

Tang Mujin gripped the sword handle with both hands. If he was lucky, he might at least cut the hem of Gwai’s robe.

“Here I come.”

He raised the sword high and swung it down with all his might toward Gwai.

To increase his chances, he angled the sword slightly.

Gwai, with a playful expression, raised the branch in his right hand to block the sword.

But a branch couldn’t possibly stop a steel sword. Tang Mujin put more force into his swing, determined to cut through the branch.

Yet, the sword left not a scratch on the branch. It was as if two pieces of metal had collided.

“What?”

“Brace yourself.”

With Gwai’s warning, a powerful force surged through the branch and the sword.

Tang Mujin’s mind flashed back to a memory.

A few years ago, during a summer when it rained for days, the banks of the Min River near Chengdu had burst, causing a flood.

Young Tang Mujin had watched as the massive waters swept away countless homes.

The sensation from Gwai’s sword was similar. A flood of Gwai’s overwhelming energy surged toward him.

The difference was that back then, he had watched the flood from a hill. Now, he had to face Gwai’s torrent head-on.

The energy from the branch pushed against his sword, flowing through his hands and shoulders into his body.

Tang Mujin tried to use his meager internal energy to resist, but it was futile.

His head spun, and his stomach churned. In the end, he vomited up the food he had eaten earlier.

“Ugh!”

Gwai watched him with amusement, laughing heartily.

“See? Now you understand how important the amount of internal energy is?”

Tang Mujin continued to retch, tears welling up in his eyes.

“This is ridiculous! So, in the end, the one with more internal energy always wins?”

The gap in internal energy he had just experienced was staggering. It seemed that the amount of internal energy was indeed crucial for a martial artist.

And Gwai had said that Tang Mujin’s rate of accumulating internal energy wasn’t particularly fast.

Tang Mujin felt a sense of defeat even before he had properly started learning martial arts.

Even if he diligently built up his internal energy, it would be meaningless if others could do it faster. Especially if they had started at a much younger age.

Gwai chuckled and twirled the branch.

“If martial arts were that simple, the one who consumed the most elixirs would be the best in the world. Try again, this time I won’t use my internal energy.”

“Here I come!”

Tang Mujin swung the sword faster and harder.

Having just experienced the vast difference in their skills, he didn’t hesitate.

Gwai’s branch intercepted Tang Mujin’s sword.

But this time, it wasn’t a direct block. It was a slight deflection, a guiding motion.

The sword in Tang Mujin’s hand slid off the side of the branch.

Tang Mujin tried to channel his energy through the sword like Gwai had, but the contact was too brief.

Before he could even attempt to push his energy through, the sword was deflected into the air.

And before he could recover, Gwai’s branch tapped his forehead, throat, and solar plexus in quick succession. It was so fast it seemed simultaneous.

“I could have killed you three times over. Right?”

Gwai wore a smug smile, while Tang Mujin stared at him in disbelief.

“How did you do that?”

“There are two tricks for someone with less internal energy to fight someone with more. Avoid direct clashes and minimize contact time. It’s true that having more internal energy is advantageous, but it’s not everything.”

Gwai tossed the branch aside and sat on a tree stump.

“Your rate of accumulating internal energy isn’t fast. You don’t have a special constitution that allows you to handle large amounts of energy at once. But you do have strengths. Your sensitivity to energy is sharp, and your control is quick and precise. You instinctively know how to use your energy. When I pushed my energy through the sword, you tried to resist by channeling your own energy, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Reacting instinctively like that is something only a martial artist of at least second-rate caliber can do. You should be proud.”

“Does that mean I’m already a second-rate martial artist?”

Gwai’s expression turned incredulous, as if Tang Mujin had said something absurd.

“Get real. What good is energy control if your swordsmanship is below third-rate, your energy reserves are below third-rate, and your strategic thinking is below third-rate?”

“Ugh.”

Seeing Tang Mujin’s dejected face, Gwai patted him reassuringly.

“Don’t be too disappointed. That’s just your current level. You’ll improve over time. You’ve only been at this for less than ten days. You’re doing great.”

“Are you saying I’m a genius?”

“This kid… I can’t even compliment you without you getting carried away…”

Their conversation ended with a short exchange of playful banter. They shared a laugh and then prepared a simple meal.

Dried meat, a bit of roasted grain powder, and some berries they had picked along the way made up their modest dinner.

As they were finishing their meal, Gwai suddenly stopped and looked into the forest. He seemed to sense something unfamiliar.

Having experienced similar situations before, Tang Mujin asked calmly.

“Is it a wild animal? A wolf? A wild dog?”

“No. It’s on two legs. A person.”

“Are they dangerous?”

“They’re not heading directly for us, and they’re moving slowly. I don’t think they’re a threat.”

A moment later, a person appeared. He was a young man, around Tang Mujin’s age.

His face was unremarkable, and he was small in stature.

He was about half a head shorter than Tang Mujin, and his clothes were worn and tattered.

The only thing on him that seemed intact was a pair of straw sandals, meticulously woven from straw.

Around his waist hung a piece of twine with three knots tied in it.

Gwai muttered to himself.

“Three knots?”

“What’s that?”

“See the knots on the twine? It’s a way to indicate rank in the Beggars’ Sect. Three knots mean he’s a third-rank member.”

“The Beggars’ Sect?”

“Yes.”

The Beggars’ Sect was a martial arts group formed by beggars.

Beggars were scattered all across the central plains, so naturally, there were some from the Beggars’ Sect in Chengdu as well. However, since Tang Mujin lived right next to the Chengdu branch of the Qingcheng Sect, he rarely encountered them.

Even though the Beggars’ Sect lived freely, as martial artists, they were cautious about wandering into the territories of other sects.

On the other hand, those living farther from the Chengdu branch often found themselves troubled by the Beggars’ Sect.

Members of the Beggars’ Sect had a habit of approaching people without any sense of shame, begging for alms at the slightest eye contact.

If they were ordinary beggars, people might have simply shooed them away. The problem was that some of them knew martial arts.

People often found themselves half-robbed, reluctantly handing over food or coins.

“Is being a third-tier master considered high?”

“There are exceptions, but usually, it’s about the level of a branch leader.”

“A branch leader!”

The only branch leader Tang Mujin knew was Huang Lingzi, the top master of Qingcheng.

But unlike the much older Huang Lingzi, this beggar seemed to be around Tang Mujin’s age.

“Are you saying that beggar is a top master?”

“No, the branch leaders of the Beggars’ Sect aren’t as skilled as those from the major sects. Still, being a third-tier master at that age is quite impressive.”

Tang Mujin’s perception of the beggar shifted.

Just moments ago, he was merely a shabby beggar. Now, in Tang Mujin’s eyes, he was a legitimate martial artist. A remarkably talented one at that.

‘He’s hiding his skills. There’s something unusual about him.’

The beggar shuffled along, and upon spotting the two, he approached them.

Tang Mujin watched the beggar’s every move with heightened tension, while Gwai sat at an angle, observing him.

When the beggar was about three paces away, Gwai spoke up.

“Hey there, Beggars’ Sect fellow. What brings you all the way out here? There’s no village nearby, so you can’t be looking for someone to give you alms.”

The beggar stopped and introduced himself.

“I am Hong Jusan, the branch leader of Jueul Village from the Beggars’ Sect.”

“Jueul Village? That’s at least two hours from here.”

When Gwai questioned him, Hong Jusan’s expression crumpled.

“Two hours? I’m embarrassed to say it took me a day and a half to get here from Jueul Village.”

“What on earth took you so long?”

Hong Jusan hung his head, his ears turning red with embarrassment.

“I’ve never left Jueul Village in my life, so I got lost in the forest. It’s such a remote place, there’s no clear path to other villages…”

“I see. So, what brings someone who’s never left their village all the way out here?”

“I need to bring a doctor back. But I don’t know where the nearest village is. If you could at least point me in the right direction, I’d be grateful.”

Hong Jusan knelt and bowed his head.

Even for an ordinary person, kneeling before others is rare. He must be truly desperate.

Gwai tapped Hong Jusan’s shoulder lightly.

“Get up. Let’s go.”

“What? There’s only Jueul Village in that direction. I need to find a doctor from another village.”

Gwai chuckled and pointed at Tang Mujin.

“Both this guy and I are doctors. Don’t worry, just lead the way.”

Hong Jusan stared at Tang Mujin in disbelief, then broke into a bright smile, as if all his worries had vanished.