Escaping from his hometown village, Kai went on his journey to become an immortal.
What awaited Kai was not a land of dreams and hope filled with happiness.
What awaited him was the beginning of a brutal journey marked by blisters, sweat, and utter discomfort.
Kai was walking for days, clutching the few coins from his father's stolen coin pouch and a few lumps of rice taken from the rice pot.
Without a compass, he couldn't determine direction, and without a map, he couldn't find his way, so he had to wander aimlessly along the faintly visible path in this wild forest, luckily there isn't any predatory animals.
What Kai believed in was the story of a slightly larger village he could encounter by following the path.
According to the village gossip, Mr. Wuyong if he follow this path, he will come across several villages. They were said to all be larger and more bustling than his hometown, places where you could find anything.
Mr. Wuyong's words were half to be believed and half to be taken with a grain of sand, but at least the story about the big village seemed credible. Because even the adults didn't particularly refute it.
Kai walked. He walked and walked again.
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"Where are the fucking bloody immortals?"
In the Moon Kingdom, the existence of cultivators is no secret.
The common people knew about the would-be immortals called cultivators and were aware that they were extraordinary beings.
Even if they didn't know much, they at least knew that much.
What Kai aimed for was that by asking around, he would eventually find a cultivation sect.
However, the common people were more ignorant about cultivators than he thought.
"Huh? A cultivation sect? I have some white powder, do you want some?"
"Immortals? I've heard there are people wanting to become immortals. Was it over there on that mountain peak?"
"Ah, a cultivation sect! You'd probably have to go to the capital to find out about that."
What era is it now?
The civilization level was akin to the Warring States period, so the communication network was rudimentary, and information transmission was barely more than oral storytelling.
The existence of cultivators wasn't a secret, but that didn't mean everyone was aware of it.
Many people were unaware, and even more had completely misguided notions.
What troubled Kai were the ones with misguided notions rather than those who were unaware. It was common to demand payment for information, and often, after paying, the information turned out to be absurd.
And when he went to find the mountain where immortals supposedly lived, it was just a local hill.
Several days were wasted like that.
"Damn motherf*ckers. If you don't know, just say you don't know. Pretending to know and saying all sorts of things just to earn money and make me buy some shady shit."
Then it was sheer luck that Kai met people who truly had accurate information.
They were a small group of peddlers.
The peddler team consisted of three young peddlers who look like they were triplets and one older peddler who doesn't seem to be their dad, traveling together for trade.
As peddlers, they had heard many things from different places, so they had a broad spectrum of knowledge.
Among them, one young peddler seemed particularly interested in immortals and cultivators, and shared a lot with Kai.
"You're looking for a cultivation sect? There are hardly any cultivation sects in the Moon Kingdom. But if you really want to find one, you should go to Manho. Manho has many mountain ranges and, what's it called, Spiritual Qi? They say it's abundant there. So, the cultivation sects are gathered there."
"Manho?"
"Yes, Manho. It's a rugged area in the southern part of the Moon Kingdom."
"You're saying the cultivation sects are gathered there?"
"Of course. Many people claim to have seen immortals there. They say they fly through the sky with ease. Sometimes they open the gates to recruit young men and women."
"Oh, so it's possible to join them?"
"Indeed. Those who dream of becoming immortals often go to Manho to test their fate. Why? Are you interested?"
Yes, I have a single Spiritual Root, of course I'm interested.
When Kai nodded, the peddler laughed heartily as if he saw the person in front of his clown with a red nose.
"Do you think immortals accept just anyone as disciples? The criteria for selecting a disciple are extremely strict. Stop dreaming and wake up to reality."
Look at this guy. Who does he think I am? I'm someone with the legendary single Spiritual Root, right? If they don't take me in, who the fuck are they going to take?
Kai held back, thinking what would this commoner know.
Don't you know of the single Spiritual Root? The single Spiritual Root! Even if he say this, there's a high chance they don't know about Spiritual Roots itself.
Kai, not expecting much since they wouldn't know, asked just to make conversation.
"What are the criteria?"
"Of course, it's the appearance of a sage and fighting spirit. Look at the immortals. They all have the demeanor of a sage or fighter. If one looks thin and so good looking like you, they won't be accepted in those sects. How about you join us and we'll introduce you some good people who'll take you in."
Would they really select someone based on appearance for cultivation? How does appearance help with cultivation?
And what's wrong with his appearance? He looks good enough.
Kai always believed that his appearance would benefit him rather than cause any harm.
Being handsome is always the answer.
Kai hummed a tune inwardly. Though those suggestive words of the peddler seems rather ambiguous, as if he want to sell him as a gigolo.
Jealousy from those who aren't good-looking can be tiresome for those who are. But since it's his first time being this handsome, even that feels pleasant.
The elderly peddler gently advised Kai as he strokes Kai back, giving Kai chills.
"It's not too late to return home now. There, you can at least make a living. If you venture out, you're likely to starve or get beaten to death. Abandon your dream of becoming an immortal and go back with us."
Of course, Kai had no intention of giving up on his dream despite the old peddler's advice.
How could he give up after obtaining the single Spiritual Root? Besides, he couldn't return home.
The cultivator who discovered Han Nana's single Spiritual Root must have turned everything upside down.
Han Nana's Spiritual Root disappeared, and so did her man, no ex-man.
There were too many suspicions with all pointing towards him.
In fact, he had no way out. He had no choice but to become a cultivator. If not, he would just have to work to gather capital for business or settle down somewhere.
For now, he would aim to become a cultivator as much as possible.
He is the possessor of a single Spiritual Root, the man who will soon become an immortal.
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"Ahhh! Just spare me!"
"Hand over everything you've got!"
The chivalrous hero of orthodox, Yan Mu, detected the commotion coming from not too far away.
Using her lightness skill, she approached and clearly saw the situation.
The bandits armed with swords appeared to be professional bandits preying on merchants. This traveler seemed to have been unlucky to get caught and was being threatened.
Of course, there were times when the supposed victim and bandits colluded to rob the person who came to help, but Yan Mu, with her years of experience as a chivalrous hero, had the keen eye to see through such schemes.
Moreover, she had the skills to overcome the bandits' tricks, so she was not afraid of them.
No matter what, could they be stronger than a cultivator who can fly and summon storms?
Would the people of Murim not know of the existence of cultivators?
They are beings who defy the heavens, transcending human limits.
Even at the very first stage known as the Qi Refining or Qi Condensation stage, they would surpass all the renowned experts in Murim.
Yet, Yan Mu did not feel inferior to them.
They are beings who defy the heavens, avoiding ties with the human world and distancing themselves from worldly affairs. To her, they felt more like natural disasters than people.
Moreover, the heroes of the martial world are 'people' who struggle to uphold justice and righteousness.
People live among people, not secluded on mountain tops, solely cultivating and seeking enlightenment.
Yan Mu was someone who held such beliefs.
That's why she embarked on this heroic journey.
'She cannot forgive those who commit wicked deeds.'
As Yan Mu rushed into the scene of the highway robbery, everyone's attention was drawn to her.
The five bandits, dressed in their own version of martial attire, and the somewhat shabby victim fleeing from them.
Yan Mu shouted loudly at the scene of wrongdoing.
"Stop right there! How dare you commit robbery in the great Moon Kingdom governed by King Moon! I will not forgive you!"
"Girl! Who are you!"
"I am Yan Mu, the Little Sword of the Chrysanthemum Sword Sect! If King Yama asks who sent you, tell him this name!"
The bandits were terrified by Yan Mu's declaration.
The name of the Little Sword was widely known across Murim, so even ignorant bandits had likely heard it at least once.
One of them turned around and shouted as they fled, wondering if anyone had heard of Little Sword name.
"The Little Sword of Chrysanthemum Sword Sect? She's a master! Run away!"
"Ugh! But there are five of us!"
"Five, you say! She is the one who destroyed an entire bandit hideout!"
Hearing that she had destroyed a bandit hideout before, the bandits scattered and fled in all directions.
One of them even dropped his sword in his haste, looking quite desperate.
"Are you all right?"
"Thank you, thank you!"
Upon saving him, the victim turned out to be quite a handsome young man.
Among the men that the renowned chivalrous heroine Yan Mu had seen, he was one of the most strikingly handsome.
She had seen Bai Ming, the famous swordsman known for his looks in Black Dragon City, and Ouyang Mao, the renowned handsome scholar from Sanhua, but they paled in comparison to this man.
Of course, it could also be a matter of her taste.
Yan Mu, who liked slender and delicate features, found this man to be her ideal type. Men with a boyish charm somehow triggered her protective instincts.
"Ahem, please be careful from now on."
"Well, I don't have much to offer, but…"
As the man rummaged through his belongings, he didn't notice that his collar had slightly come undone.
Yan Mu's gaze was captivated by the chiseled muscles that peeked through. His muscles, honed through labor, were finely defined and had their own charm without being excessive.
'He has quite a good physique. Even if he doesn't seem to know how to fight.'
Yan Mu's cheeks flushed red.
Traveling through the world, desires tend to build up. Yan Mu had suppressed all her desires until now, but meeting a man who was her ideal type made her feel those desires explode.
Why is this happening? It was an uncontrollable explosion of desire.
Sure, she is quite the beauty. Would this man be able to resist the allure of a beauty?
Indeed, Yan Mu was a stunning woman. Her martial arts training had sculpted her physique to be well-balanced and firm. With curves in all the right places, especially emphasizing her hips, her body was captivating enough to catch the eyes of men throughout the martial world.
Yan Mu suddenly grabbed the man's wrist.
"Could you come here for a moment? I think I've found a way for you to repay me."