It could be useful for running away, at least.
Anyway, while I, the disciple, was this pathetic, my master was anything but.
She spent most of her time lounging around, but whenever she went out, she'd vanish without a trace and return with a few beasts she'd hunted—definitely not the work of an ordinary person.
At first, I thought she might be a Taoist, but I quickly dismissed that idea—someone like her couldn't possibly be a Taoist. Now, I just assume she's a reclusive martial artist.
"…Alright. It might get lonely on your own, but I'd appreciate it if you could hold out for a bit. I'll be back soon."
"It's fine. Time flies when I'm watering the crops. Haven't ten years already passed in a blink? Three years will go by quickly, Master."
"I'm grateful you think that way."
Master patted my shoulder.
"Do you see that tree? We planted it when you were just a child, and now it's grown taller than you. Back then, it barely reached your knees."
"…By the time you come out, it might even bear fruit."
"Has that much time passed already…?"
Ten years.
Long enough for my memories of life on Earth to grow hazy.
I'd spent most of that time with Master.
"Once I come out…"
"Master, don't say what comes next. It's bad luck."
"…Even until the moment we part, you're still so much my disciple."
To stop her from raising any flags, Master pulled me into a tight hug, resting her head on my shoulder.
Squeeze.
"…"
"…"
We stayed like that, embracing silently for a while, before I headed to the kitchen to prepare one last meal for her.
By the time I finished cooking and brought the food out, Master's room was sealed tight with dozens of layers of sacred ropes and talismans.
'…Three years.'
It's a long time if you call it long, short if you call it short.
I've lived here for ten years already—waiting three more didn't seem so bad.
Sure, it'd be a bit lonely without someone to talk to, but still.
I'd grumbled about her eccentric personality every day, but deep down, I knew there was affection for me in her heart.
She'd nag when the rice was slightly burnt,
complain when the stains didn't come out completely,
scold me when the meat wasn't cooked enough,
eat eight-tenths of the snacks she'd hidden away to savor later after a rare trip outside,
berate me for failing at fortune-telling, saying I couldn't even do that right,
and tease me with casual harassment whenever she was bored…
'Let's get out of here.'
Ugh, forget it.
Live well and eat well on your own.
I'm going to live out there.
"Hmm!"
I double-checked my preparations for heading out and slung a bundle over my shoulder.
Beneath my giant cloak, which hid my body and face, I wore regular clothes.
"Master! Look at this! Can you see my face?"
"What a wondrous item. Where do you keep finding these strange things?"
This cloak was incredibly hard to come by.
I'd invested more than half of those ten years into acquiring it.
But no matter how wondrous an item is, it's meaningless if you don't use it.
Finally, this cloak had found its true purpose.
No one would dare pick a fight with someone wearing such a suspicious cloak, right?
"Well then, Master, this unworthy disciple is off to see the world for a bit."
Dash dash dash!
I hurried my steps, just in case she might follow me.
A new land.
New people.
Food, alcohol, entertainment.
All the experiences I'd missed out on were waiting for me.
And so, my journey into the martial world began.
…
…
"Is anyone there?"
After Yuseong left, the deep mountain dwelling showed no signs of life beyond the tightly shut door.
A merchant stood in front of it, his cart loaded with goods.
"Is this not the place?"
The man set his cart down for a moment and pulled out a map from his robes.
Not long ago, a breathtakingly beautiful woman had approached him out of the blue, handing him a decorative trinket and entrusting him with a request.
"I'm about to enter secluded training, and I'm worried about leaving my disciple alone. The crops will be fine, but please bring some meat and snacks to this mountain periodically."
The woman was stunning, but the trinket she offered was no less impressive.
It was obvious at a glance that it could fetch dozens of gold taels if sold.
"He likes beef the most, and for snacks, he seems to enjoy pancakes. I noticed he liked candied fruit too… If there's money left over, bring some books so he won't get bored. He seems curious about the world, so books with stories from various regions would be good."
"Uh… but I've heard there are dangerous beasts in that mountain…"
"Follow this map, and you'll be fine. I've already taken care of it, so no beasts will come near for at least three years."
She had a cold demeanor at first glance, but she clearly cared deeply for her disciple.
It was true—he hadn't seen a single wild animal on the way here.
He almost regretted the money he'd spent hiring a guard, just in case.
"This should be the right place, though?"
In the end, the merchant stood there for a while longer before reluctantly setting down his cart and heading back down the mountain.
"A village…"
After wandering aimlessly downhill for three hours, I finally escaped the mountain.
I'd been worrying about what excuse I'd use if there was a checkpoint, but it didn't seem to be that big of a village.
Growl.
"Let's eat first…"
It's been a while since I last saw the outside world.
I wanted something tasty, not just weeds.
Finding an inn wasn't hard—it didn't take long to spot one after a bit of walking.
"Welcome! Are you alone?"
"Yes."
'What should I order?'
Back on Earth, there'd be a menu, but there's no such thing in this world.
"I just came down from living in the mountains, so I don't know what food's available. Could you recommend something?"
I pulled a silver coin from my robes and spun it between my fingers.
I didn't know the local prices, but surely a silver coin could cover a hearty meal, right?
"Of course! If you've just come down from the mountains, you probably haven't had much strong-flavored food, so I'd recommend starting with plain noodles. Meat dishes like fish or pork might be too intense."
"Then I'll have that."
"Alright. Would you like some alcohol too?"
"…A bottle of something decent, please."
"Yes, sir! I'll bring it right out!"
It must've been pay-up-front, because I got a handful of change back.
Looks like a silver coin was worth more than I thought.
…
…
"Now this feels like living…"
The food of the secular world was a delicacy in itself after so long.
Even simple noodles tasted leagues better than the crops I'd grown in the mountains, and the alcohol—how long had it been since I last had some?
"Humans really do need alcohol…"
Being Chinese liquor, it was a bit strong, but that made it even better.
It seems this body can handle its liquor pretty well, too.
It's practically the first time this body's had alcohol, and even though my mind's that of a seasoned adult, there's no real adverse reaction.
'This is one thing I like about it.'
A broken dantian, a weak body, having to hide my face—what an inconvenient body. But I've finally found one perk.
I wanted to order another bottle, but I couldn't let myself get plastered and pass out on my first day off the mountain.
I needed information to plan my next steps.
"Hey, if you've got a moment, can I ask you something? I'll tip you."
"Of course!"
The waiter—or whatever they call them, maybe a server?—lit up at the sight of the silver coin in my hand.
With no other customers around, I could ask freely.
…
…
"Hmm…"
I figured he'd know a lot, but this server knew more than I expected.
The current state of the martial world, the Green Forest bandits, the young prodigies—it was all useful info.
And the most useful piece of information was—
"A training hall in Shaanxi…"
A place where someone around my age could enroll—a training hall.
Located in the heart of the righteous faction's territory, it drew young hopefuls dreaming of justice from all over.
I had no intention of enrolling. What would I learn there with a body that can't even practice martial arts?
Even if I studied something intellectual, I'd have to return here within three years, so spending that time solely at the hall would be a huge loss.
Besides, I wasn't even sure I could get in with something as ambiguous as fortune-telling—neither fully righteous nor unorthodox.
So why was I interested?
"Is it safe around there?"
"Much safer than other regions! With the heirs of the Five Great Families and the Nine Sects gathered there, do you think the Martial Alliance would just sit back?"
It sounded safe.
I wouldn't naively assume the righteous faction was all good, but since they outwardly championed justice, the area's security was likely decent.
And that's not all—the floating population would be massive.
In my past life, it'd be like a university district.
A huge crowd, mostly young, passionate, and full of energy.
Perfect for business.
Lots of good customers and solid security—why wouldn't I go?
The only issue was getting there.
"Does it take long to reach?"
"The Central Plains are vast. If you're planning to go, you should talk to some escorts or merchants."
I handed the server some money and stepped outside, noticing the sun had already set.
Finding an escort agency at this hour would be tough.
As I headed to an inn the server recommended, I rummaged through my money pouch.
Unfortunately, that inn couldn't house me on the second floor—apparently, some martial artists had fought there recently and wrecked it.
And where did a guy who'd only lived in the mountains get money from, you ask?
…Where else but the obvious place?