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“I headed straight for Guanzhong without looking back.”

That was where my martial beginnings lay, at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. I fiercely charged forward, forgetting all about trivial matters like Jangryeong Valley, tragedies, or Luoyang. Until now, I’d been a bit reckless, benefiting from my past life’s gifts, but witnessing Mangnyang’s death changed something within me.

Whoosh!

As I focused solely on running, my light body technique sped me up like a flying tiger, not pausing for even a moment. Ignoring the natural limits of the human body, my straw sandals broke five times without tiring me once. Whenever my muscles felt slightly fatigued, it was as if I instantly regained vitality like some sort of super regeneration.

Flip!

I leapt to the mountain peak, just half a day’s distance from the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. From here, there was no need to take shortcuts, as moving along the official road would avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings later. Breathing in the clear mountain air, I gazed towards the distant horizon.

‘What exactly was that tremendous downpour?’ I wondered.

Strange.

Artificial.

The dark clouds that had engulfed me on my way to Jinrang Valley were undeniably odd. Having lived through eight lifetimes now, I couldn’t recall a storm of such magnitude. There must have been a reason behind such a drastic change in weather.

My rebirth came with the premise that [if there’s a cause, the past can change].

So what was the reason?

I briefly thought of asking Mangnyang, but dismissed the idea. He likely didn’t have the answers, and I didn’t want to get distracted further. I was already prepared to face death, and whatever the truth, I could discover it later.

‘Hmm. There seem to be quite a few bandits and thieves around…’

Life was in danger.

“P-please, spare me!”

“Hahaha!!”

Standing at the peak, I saw a few bandits brandishing knives, attempting to kill pedestrians on a remote pathway. They were about forty paces away, so I thought I could intervene without delay, launching a stone with my internal power.

Thwack!

“Gah!”

Two bandits’ heads shattered upon being struck by the stone, likely killed instantly from the impact. The remaining two, stunned by the sudden turn of events, hesitated, and I kicked another stone.

Thwack!

“Gahhh!!”

The last two bandits collapsed in a pool of blood. In an instant, I had killed four bandits, but guilt didn’t wash over me. By taking care of the bandits, I had saved a life. However, it had always felt like this area had a disproportionate number of bandits and murderers wandering around.

Why were there so many bandits?

I muttered under my breath, and moments later encountered a lone bandit ready for action in the mountains. He seemed tough and formidable.

“Heh heh… Little brat, hand over everything you’ve got…”

The bandit grinned menacingly at his ‘lucky catch,’ but after two swift blows to his legs, he knelt, trembling.

I extended my fist toward him, saying, “Sorry, all I have is this fist.”

“I-I’m sorry, Young Hero… please just spare my life…”

Having already dispatched four bandits today, I knew they deserved it, but it felt awkward to go on a killing spree any further. I nodded and asked, “Hey, why are there so many bandits roaming these mountain paths? It’s been bothering me.”

“W-weren’t you living around here?”

“Yeah. If you have a reason, spill it. If you satisfy my curiosity, I might let you go.”

“Oh, I can tell you! I know all about it!!”

Rubbing his hands with a cowardly expression, the bandit began explaining fluently.

“You must be a martial artist; have you heard of the 72 Houses of the Green Forest?”

I replied nonchalantly, “I’ve heard of it. Just a bunch of trash in the Green Forest.”

The 72 Houses referred to the joint gathering of bandits within the Green Forest; there were supposedly 72 of these nests. Of course, it wasn’t precisely 72, but a metaphor indicating that bandit groups swarmed all over the Central Plains. In reality, any notorious bandit hideout would soon be hunted down by the imperial forces.

“Well, you can think that if you want… but while the 72 Houses might be an exaggeration, the Eighteen Houses of the Green Forest are entirely real! I believe there are about five right around Guanzhong.”

“What? Eighteen Houses?”

“Right, right. I’m not among them, but those with some might flock there and serve under their bosses…”

“Hmmm…”

I felt astonished. ‘So, Guanzhong was such a lawless place when I was a kid.’

Even during my days as a temporary escort, there were formal Green Forest Groups, and those members were trained in proper martial arts. However, they usually kept to themselves, rarely banding together under names like Eighteen Houses. My curiosity piqued, I asked, “Isn’t it strange that even in Guanzhong, martial artists don’t come down hard on those Eighteen Houses? Especially the orthodox sects; it would be a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves.”

“That’s because the Eighteen Houses don’t operate individually; they always unite, and their leaders are said to be stronger than most martial artists. After a few of them have had their fill of it, the atmosphere around here tends to get a bit dodgy.”

“……”

Many bandits were often former farmers or refugees who couldn’t bear to endure excessive taxation or the landlord’s oppression. Many of them were also runaway slaves or Hwa Jeon Min (a specific class of peasants), resulting in a high occurrence of killings and theft. Cooperation amongst bandits was a rare dream; I vividly remembered seeing them fighting among themselves, leaving bodies strewn around during my escorting days.

In short, they typically were a rabble of misfits.

But something felt different about these bandits in this era; their power seemed unnaturally strong.

In my time as an escort, bandits had indeed begun to learn martial arts, but it wasn’t anything to be scared of. In the case of a particularly powerful bandit group, the escort crews would pay tribute to pass through, and even then, those escorts could fight off bandits with their lives if needed, often inflicting significant harm on them.

Finding a bandit exceeding the prowess of a formal martial artist was more common than not. Such individuals usually found themselves marginalized and ended up joining heretical sects or groups like the Eight Demons of the Demon Path as lower-level henchmen.

However, having multiple Eighteen Houses active and even subduing smaller sects wasn’t something I had ever anticipated. Regardless of their martial skills, it would be hard for bandits to match up to artists trained in a formal martial school.

‘Could it be that the bandits have learned superior martial arts?’ That was the only conclusion I could draw. The leaders of these houses must possess at least the level of formal martial arts to maintain such power. This understanding made it clearer why the imperial forces were hesitant to hunt them down.

I became curious and asked, “Is there someone who oversees those Eighteen Houses?”

“Hmm… I’ve heard of a guy who calls himself the Green Forest King. But that’s just gossip; I don’t know much.”

“Green Forest King?”

“Yeah, they say he wears a tiger skin and wields a sword. His gang, the Tiger King’s Stronghold, is said to be the strongest among the Eighteen Houses…”

I figured that rumors about the Green Forest King likely stemmed from his impressive martial prowess. I knew I’d find a use for this intel sooner or later. At the very least, gathering information was always a good idea.

“Alright, you can go.

“Uhh, th-thank you, Young Hero…!!”

I turned to leave.

“Hand over the money!”

“Eeep!”

After watching from hiding for about a meal time, when I saw that same bandit trying to stick a knife to another passerby, I sighed.

‘Of course, bandits are like that everywhere.’

Why do so many thieves have such big mouths? Well, lecturing thieves struggling to survive about morality would be futile. Having spent half my life mingling with them during my escort duties, I knew better than most how scummy their nature could be.

I flicked a little pebble the size of my thumb.

Thock!

“Ack!”

As the pebble struck the bandit’s index finger holding the knife, he dropped it. He hurriedly picked it back up but realized I was watching him from my hiding spot. He started looking around nervously and said in a creeping voice, “Ah… just go on.”

“Eeep.”

Not wishing to see any more of his pathetic display, I walked away and thought, ‘I must catch that bandit king someday. He’s the one causing harm to the common folk.’

Before long, I could enter the bustling city of Guanzhong.

This was my third entry, so I wasn’t as nervous this time. Instead, I began to wash and rest comfortably with the money I earned from dealing with the bandits. Since my clothes and straw sandals were filthy, I even bought a new set.

While lounging on the second floor of the inn, admiring the sky outside, I sensed the presence of first-class experts among the martial artists nearby.

‘Hmm… Namgung Hwan and Mo Yong-yeon, along with the elite martial artists secretly tracking them.’

This was bound to happen. The Heavenly Yin Body incident! If one were to forcefully violate the peerless beauty Mo Yong-yeon of the Mo Yong Clan, they would gain immense power, leading to Namgung Hwan getting caught up in trouble, eventually seeking help from the older brother Jin So-cheong.

It seemed I arrived just in time. This would likely be an inevitable event unless something unexpected happened. I could aid Namgung Hwan whenever I wanted, but I didn’t feel the need to.

After all, this mess was primarily his fault due to his carelessness, and it had little impact on me, so there was no gain in getting involved. Besides, if the older brother stepped in, dealing with such folk wouldn’t even be a challenge. I decided to prepare my mind for entering the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School smoothly the next day.

After a hearty meal and good rest, I headed towards the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School in Guanzhong. There, I was greeted by familiar faces, the Bangil brothers. They were the second line disciples of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School—Bangil and Banggok—especially Bangil, whom I remembered had a close connection with me. It wasn’t the best of encounters, but it had become a memorable link.

I smiled warmly and said, “I’ve come for the entrance exam at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.”

This marked my third time saying it, and it felt nostalgic.

“Entrance exam? Hahaha, what a funny fellow!”

Hearing that same response from Bangil again, I couldn’t help but think of how predictable it was.

Instead of resisting the flow, I quietly followed along with the psychological current and started to recreate the moments from before.

Bang!

Before long, Bangil and I were arm wrestling, and I ended up winning, prompting Bangil to lead me to Waryong Hall.

As I trudged behind Bangil toward Waryong Hall, curiosity sparked, leading me to ask a question I hadn’t previously dared to pose.

“Bangil, older brother.”

“Huh? Using ‘older brother’ already? You’re such a brat.”

Though the response was brusque, there was no malice. As expected, Bangil was awkward with expressing himself. I chuckled inwardly and continued,

“Are you here to become a martial arts master in Jianghu?”

“Huh? Why even ask that! A first-line disciple might get by, but becoming a second-line disciple requires quite a resolve. By the time you hit the third line, putting your life on the line wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”

“So if you put in that much effort, can you really become a master?”

Bangil snorted.

“Of course, we believe that. The Sect Leader and Grandmaster, along with the two other Masters, are incredibly skillful. If we try hard, we can reach that level.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded as if convinced, though I felt a sense of bitterness.

‘No, no. Bangil, you’ve got it wrong.’

Bangil’s talent wasn’t all that impressive either. He was barely at my level.

From what I knew, it had been five years since Bangil entered, and he barely scraped by at a first-class level. Though that’s more than good enough for most escort standards, it felt pitiful given the youth he’d squandered.

When I worked as a master, I became a bit sympathetic toward Bangil, finding it prudent not to annoy him. It was a tough quest even to target a master position in Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, making his reality appear even more sorrowful.

He stepped in with dreams of becoming a master but often found himself turning to drink after disillusionment. If I didn’t have the strength of the Heavenly Secret, I might have been in his shoes. Such thoughts sent shivers down my spine.

How many people in the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School might be like Bangil? Day after day, the half of the second-line disciples training diligently would probably fare no better than Bangil. Among the third-line disciples, just a few would barely manage to recoup their input.

Only sorrowful thoughts remained as I pondered the harsh realities of effort versus talent.

What exactly is effort?

What is talent?

Suddenly, pausing in my tracks, Bangil looked back at me, puzzled.

“What are you doing? Come on, hurry up.”

“Bangil, older brother… I look forward to your guidance.”

He shouted back sheepishly, “Ah, come on! Just follow me, don’t get ahead of yourself!”

His grumbling made me chuckle. Having lived through multiple lifetimes, such situations felt trivial. I resolved not to ruffle Bangil’s feathers this lifetime and walked beside him.

Finally, we arrived in front of Waryong Hall.

“Sect Leader, this is Bangil from the second line; he has brought in an entrance exam applicant.”

“Come in.”

A slightly spacious area appeared, with the Sect Leader seated. Nearby was a study, and it seemed he had been reading.

The Azure Dragon Sect Leader’s impression remained unchanged since last time. The Sect Leader stared at me for a moment with his transparent gaze, then spoke.

“Bangil, what’s this child’s name?”

“Uh… well…”

Bangil mumbled and exchanged glances with me, leading me to say, “My name is Baek Woong.”

Knowing the flow, I continued.

“I see… Bangil, you can leave.”

“Yes.”

As Bangil closed the door behind him, the expert Samjeol Lee Kwang scrutinized me for what felt like an eternity.

Then, he suddenly said, “Baek Woong, are you from the White Lotus Sect?”

In the past, I would have been taken aback by that question, anxiously crafting excuses as if my life depended on it. It felt like I was gambling with my life back then. But now, I didn’t show any signs of that discomfort as I calmly replied, “No. Instead, I wish to demonstrate my martial arts skills to you. I believe that will explain everything.”

“Oh?”

“Do you have good weapons at the training ground?”

Seeing my calm demeanor, Samjeol Lee Kwang looked at me with curious eyes. Having received years of guidance from him, I recognized this gaze as a sign of his strong interest.

“Of course, show me your skills.”

“Then.”

With a swift motion, I executed the Thunder Shadow Step and darted outside. My movements blurred together, forming overlapping shadows, causing Samjeol Lee Kwang to be visibly surprised. I made my way to the training ground, grabbing the poles and swords, showcasing the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms, Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, and Thunder Cloud Palm Techniques one by one.

Finally, the vibration from the Thunder Cloud Palm shook the entire training ground, echoing powerfully.

Meanwhile, Samjeol Lee Kwang, who had been quietly watching in front of Waryong Hall, seemed to send a soft transmission as if it echoed in my ears.

[Are you a disciple from the Thunder God Lineage? Such a remarkable realm.]

This time, Samjeol Lee Kwang had no reservations about questioning me over the White Lotus Sect or Sacred Lotus; he seemed genuinely impressed by my martial display and mastery of the Thunder Spirit.

I nodded and replied, “There are details I wish to share inside.”

I could see a satisfied smile spread across his face.

He expressed no doubts whatsoever.

“What a pleasant day to witness the Thunder God Lineage. Perhaps I should bring out some liquor.”

With that, I realized my third entrance exam was successfully coming to an end.

He was pulling out the liquor—

This was an action Samjeol Lee Kwang reserved for trusted guests when he was in high spirits.

 

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