It hasn't been long since I returned home, but my pouch has become much lighter, as if it has a hole in it. Five silver taels to buy the house, and 730 coins for the deed, household tag, and broker's fee. Repairing the house cost another silver tael.
Ordering food for one meal every afternoon has already cost me about half a silver tael. Could I save money if I stopped ordering and cooked myself? After calculating, I found that buying ingredients and firewood would cost even more.
I've never cooked in my life, so if I tried to stir-fry and pan-fry things, I would just waste my money and end up eating terrible garbage. Just a moment ago, I spent another five silver taels to buy a willow blade. The income I got from killing Jang Ho-dal was a mere 70 coins.
Now, all I have left is six silver taels and a few hundred coins. This isn't a small amount. If I spend it wisely, I can get by for about two years.
But it bothered me that my hard-earned money was being spent so quickly. I felt it was about time I did something. Decent jobs don't just appear every day.
If I wait until I run out of money to look for work, I might have to force myself to do something I hate. It's better for my body and mind to earn a little whenever I can. Besides, I was getting bored being cooped up at home all the time.
To find a job, I needed a reliable informant who knew the goings-on in this neighborhood and, most importantly, wouldn't stab me in the back. Fortunately, I had one such connection.
“A job that pays well? My goodness, if there was something like that, I would have taken it first… Ah, now that I think about it, the Dragon Sky Escort Agency is looking for people.”
“An escort agency? Forget it.”
I shook my head while chewing on the snack Gu-sam brought out. It was so difficult to return to my hometown. I never wanted to leave again.
I hated walking all day, and I was sick of sleeping outdoors in the mountains, exposed to the cold dew. If I carelessly went on an escort mission, I could be struck by a stray blade and never return.
“They aren't recruiting escorts for a mission, but guards for businesses. All the larger shops in the Western Village entrust their security to the Dragon Sky Escort Agency.”
Gu-sam suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice conspiratorially.
“The Deep Fragrance Pavilion is one of them. Word is that you might get assigned there if you're lucky, so every martial artist with a sword and every good-for-nothing thug has rushed over to the agency. Look. The inn is completely empty.”
“Deep Fragrance Pavilion…”
The magnificent eight-story building that made me realize, on the first day of my return, that the Western Village was no longer the hometown I once knew. As I silently drank my tea, lost in thought, Gu-sam grinned.
“What? Why are you smiling?”
“It's nothing. Hehehe. Hero, even if you do get into the Deep Fragrance Pavilion, you must not forget this humble disciple.”
“Tsk, tsk. A young punk like you, still wet behind the ears, will wear out your bones if you're already thinking like that.”
“No, it's not that. If you could just let me listen from outside on the day Ye Hyang plays her pipa, I will truly consider you my benefactor for life.”
“Is Ye Hyang that famous?”
“I don't know if she's a peerless beauty, but her pipa performance is said to be breathtaking. There are regulars who come from far away just to hear it…”
For someone who had never even been near the high walls of the Deep Fragrance Pavilion, Gu-sam sure talked a lot. The more I listened, the stranger the sense of unease became. Why would such a popular brothel be in a place like this?
* The Dragon Sky Escort Agency was situated on a wide mountain slope where a mountain range split in two. Several buildings built with their backs to the rugged mountain range. A high, thick brick wall like a fortress.
A main gate wide enough for two cargo carts to pass through side by side... It couldn't compare to the large escort agencies in Hubei or Henan, but it was still quite sizable. The front of the agency was crowded with dozens of criminals and murderers carrying swords and blades.
The menacing sight, reminiscent of a market for wandering swordsmen, made me let out an involuntary laugh. Swordsmen don't usually hang around escort agencies unless they're truly desperate. Escort missions are very arduous and dangerous work.
The pay isn't that great either. Unless one was a wanderer born with a restless fate who couldn't stay still, it was rare for someone to make a living this way. It didn't seem like they came to become escorts.
Just as Gu-sam said, they must have been lured by the Deep Fragrance Pavilion. Escorts wearing indigo uniforms with the character for 'Dragon' embroidered on the left chest were lining up the martial artists.
Since they were here for an interview, most of them obediently followed instructions, but martial artists are a rough and crooked bunch who live for their own pride. All sorts of trouble kept breaking out, from those who openly defied orders or tried to cut in line, glaring and gripping the hilts of their swords when caught.
Yet, no sword fights erupted, all thanks to a giant of a man, who appeared to be an escort leader, guarding the main gate like Zhang Fei at the Battle of Changban. Whenever there was a commotion, he would walk over, dragging his massive body that was a head or two taller than everyone else.
It was as if a mountain was moving. Being looked down upon at close range by his rock-like face covered in sideburns was incredibly intimidating. The killing aura he exuded was so fierce it seemed he could cleave a man in two from head to groin the moment he drew the broadsword at his waist.
Even swordsmen who killed people for a living were intimidated. Escorts are martial artists too. They do not hesitate to kill if necessary.
That escort leader looked like he would have bathed himself in blood without hesitation even in unnecessary situations. He might just look impressive and not be as much of a master as he seemed. But no one drew their sword to test him.
The insignificant low-level fighters immediately tucked their tails, and the decent swordsmen did not forget their original purpose for coming to the escort agency. They must have also calculated that it would be difficult to stay in the Western Village if they clashed with the Dragon Sky Escort Agency.
As I stood waiting at the very back of the line, someone came storming out of the main gate.
“Hey brother, did you pass the interview?”
“Don't know!”
“Kekeke, pass? Look at his face. Looks like he got a proper beating.”
“Looks like the hands here are heavier than at the Deep Fragrance Pavilion.”
“It seems like not a single one has passed. Are they really hiring gatekeepers?”
It was obvious what kind of interview it would be. I had worked as a guest guard once before, so I had a general idea of how things worked. With so many applicants, the bar for passing would be high.
The martial artists at the front of the line disappeared through the main gate one by one. A moment later, they would return, brushing the dust from their clothes, and head toward the city to find a tavern to soothe their bruised egos. It wasn't until late afternoon that my turn finally came.
I followed an escort through the main gate. After passing through a paved path, the interviewers were waiting for me in a wide training ground.
“Take that wooden sword over there and show your skills to Escort Leader Pung here.”
They went straight to the test without even asking my name. Then again, since the previous applicants had all been beaten to a pulp and failed, knowing their names would have been meaningless. I unfastened my willow blade, placed it on a rack, and picked up a wooden sword.
Its length was similar to the willow blade, but it weighed less than a third as much. I warmed up, swinging the wooden sword, which was so light I didn't even need to worry about its center of gravity. It was my first time holding a wooden sword carved for training.
When I learned my sword art in Zhejiang, I had, of course, used a real sword. But a wooden sword was not to be taken lightly. A solid hit from this could still break bones or even kill.
The middle-aged martial artist named Escort Leader Pung, who was acting as the examiner, didn't even take a sword stance.
“Come. I'll give you the first move.”
I slowly gripped the wooden sword with both hands and raised it to eye level. The distance to my opponent beyond the sword's tip was about twenty paces. In a real battle, I would move with utmost caution, but there was no need for that now.
After quickly calculating how to approach and attack, I kicked off the ground and charged. I closed the distance in an instant and unleashed the most domineering offensive form of the Nameless Saber Technique. Escort Leader Pung sneered and readjusted his grip on the wooden sword.
He must have judged that I was charging thoughtlessly, just like the others before me. He didn't dodge my strike, instead swinging his wooden sword to block it.
Clack!
The moment the wooden swords clashed, I let mine slide diagonally along the direction of the force and twisted my body to the left. I twirled the wooden sword over my head and aimed for his neck.
Escort Leader Pung parried the blow aimed at the back of his head and countered with a wide swing of his own wooden sword. His wrist strength was considerable, and his reactions were swift. I quickly lowered my stance and used my footwork to move into his blind spot.
Whoooosh!
A heavy sound of parting air, like the buzzing of a bee, passed over my head. From a crouching position, I thrust the wooden sword toward his lower abdomen. Escort Leader Pung kicked the blade with his foot and hurriedly retreated.
I followed him with quick steps, unleashing a merciless series of thrusts at his thigh and ankle. My opponent's footwork became disordered, but his feet didn't get tangled, nor did he fall.
In a real battle, most would be startled by this, get hit in the leg, and fall on their backsides, but Escort Leader Pung calmly evaded the tip of my sword. It was the movement of proper footwork, ingrained in his body through endless training and real combat.
I crouched down and then leaped toward him explosively, thrusting my wooden sword. Escort Leader Pung was about to strike my shoulder but quickly bent his upper body back and threw himself backward. It was definitely a surprise attack, yet he managed to evade the rising sword tip by a comfortable margin of more than a handspan.
Still, it wasn't enough for him to reverse the momentum. The Nameless Saber Technique is a martial art of relentless offense that hounds the opponent until they break. It's not that it has no defensive methods, but it heavily favors attacking.
When it works well, it's unrestrained and thrilling. When it doesn't, it becomes as desperate as a suicidal attack. It's not something you can master just by memorizing and practicing the forms.
The guts and courage to fight fiercely are basic requirements. You also need good eyes and fast hands. Fortunately, it worked reasonably well against Escort Leader Pung.
I moved freely across the training ground, relentlessly pushing my opponent. After a dozen exchanges passed in an instant, one thing became certain. This man is a master.
He is definitely not weaker than me. He should have taken at least one hit, but Escort Leader Pung somehow dodged or blocked everything and eventually turned from defense to offense. To think a master of this level is just an escort leader…
In a small or medium-sized sect, he had more than enough skill to be an instructor or a hall master. If the escort leader was this strong, I couldn't even begin to imagine how powerful the agency master, who was said to be a lay disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, would be.
But it wasn't to the point where I couldn't win. I didn't survive until now by luckily only meeting opponents weaker than or similar to me. I have defeated countless foes who were stronger or more vicious.
If this were a real life-or-death battle, I would not have hesitated to use any means necessary. I would have used all sorts of killing moves, stomped on his feet, thrown daggers, and even scattered the lime powder hidden in my left sleeve. Right now, this is a spar to show my skills.
There was no reason to use dirty tricks. My opponent also refrained from using despicable methods. I didn't feel any murderous intent from him to kill me.
The forms of the Nameless Saber Technique, which I had only practiced alone, finally met their match and came alive. For the first time in a while, I felt excitement, and my blood boiled. Opportunities to cross blades with a true master don't come easily.
Even if I lost and was rejected, just having a duel with a master like this made the trip to the escort agency today worthwhile. A gambler is someone who keeps playing with tiles even after losing a few fingers and selling off his wife and children. A merchant is someone who makes a profit even from a losing trade.
A scholar is someone who never gives up the delusion of passing the state examination, even if he fails his entire life and dies of old age. A martial artist is someone who wants to become a dignified master by any means necessary and make their name known throughout the world.
From the rising generation raised like fighting cocks in great sects to the man-eating demonic sect warriors and the wandering swordsmen who live by the sword, all martial artists are of that breed. Take away the ambition to grow endlessly stronger from a martial artist, and all that's left is messy violence and the nauseating smell of blood.
I wanted to become stronger too. I wanted to become a master, wash away all the resentment I'd held, and live a dignified and satisfying life, no longer persecuted or starved. If not for that desire, I would not have lived by the sword for this long, even if it was just to make a living.
As Escort Leader Pung went on the offensive, my hands and feet became busy. His powerful wooden sword cut fiercely through the air, aiming for my vital points and pressure points. He was no longer just testing my skills.
He too was now using his full strength. Escort Leader Pung's eyes burned with the will to defeat his opponent. It seemed it had been a long time for him as well since he had a proper fight like this.
His fierce aura, full of fighting spirit, was that of a true martial artist. I was the same, so I had no intention of stopping here. Forgetting that this was an examination at an escort agency, we exchanged fierce attacks and defenses.
Whoosh! Clack! Clack!
The wooden sword was light, and my palms tingled every time they clashed. It was a wooden sword, so it had no edge, but a wrong move could result in a cracked skull or shattered bones, so the tension was no less than a duel with real swords.
We moved ceaselessly, trying to gain an advantageous position, slashing, blocking, thrusting, and dodging. My breath grew ragged, and my entire body, down to my fingertips, was taut with tension. As I crushed his sharp sword strike with a continuous form from the Nameless Saber Technique, an opening of about a handspan finally appeared at his side.
I sent a feint toward his face to distract his vision, then lowered my body, moved into his blind spot, and slashed horizontally.
Got him!
It was too late to dodge. It wasn't in a position to block either, so this was the end. It was a strike filled with conviction, but what the tip of my wooden sword met was not flesh and bone.
Caught off guard, Escort Leader Pung's eyes widened. He threw his body in the opposite direction and, using only the strength of his wrist, turned his wooden sword to barely strike my sword tip away. Even in that moment, he had put proper strength into it, as my wrist throbbed.
I used the Eight Directions Step and swung my wooden sword wide to shake off the remaining force. Before my opponent could correct his posture, I charged again.
“Hap!”
Escort Leader Pung did not evade the incoming strike, instead letting out a spirited shout as he thrust his wooden sword forward. Just before they clashed, he skillfully coiled the tip of his sword inward, pressing down on my wooden sword before continuing with a long thrust. The technique was so exquisite it sent a chill down my spine.
It was a form I had never seen before, yet it looked strangely familiar. As I hurriedly twisted my body to dodge, I suddenly realized. This isn't a sword art.
It's definitely not a sword technique either. If what I saw was correct…
This is.
A spear technique. Piercing Spiral Thrust. A basic form of all spear arts, as widely known as the Three Talents Sword Forms.
I have never seen the Piercing Spiral Thrust performed with a sword. It seems he just happened to be using a sword; he must have originally been a spearman. The fact that a spear technique emerged after he had been wielding a sword for so long meant he was cornered.
The Piercing Spiral Thrust performed with a spear is tricky to block with a sword, but its power when performed with a wooden sword was not as great. I gripped the wooden sword with both hands, stepped forward with my left foot, and swung upward with all my might using a form from the Nameless Saber Technique.
Crack!!
As a rule, one hand cannot defeat two. Escort Leader Pung's terrifying thrusting wooden sword, like a snake struck on the head, lost its path and wobbled. Not missing the opportunity, I kicked off the ground and charged.
Escort Leader Pung also stared at me grimly, as if about to unleash his final secret art, and raised his wooden sword above his head.