"One bottle of Bamboo Leaf Liquor and one serving of Fish-Fragrant Meat Slices here."
"Yes! Great hero!"
A classic order I'd always wanted to make in a wuxia world.
Luckily, even though it was my first time, it didn't feel awkward at all.
Feeling a bit proud over something so trivial, I casually scanned the inside of the inn.
Truth be told, this place wasn't exactly pleasant.
The wooden tables were old and poorly maintained, sticky in a gross way, and the floor was littered with food scraps.
And thanks to my heightened senses, I could detect rats scurrying in the corners and a fair number of bugs crawling around.
Best to ignore it. Ignoring it is good for my mental health.
This is medieval China. Can't expect too much.
Is the Ming Dynasty really medieval? Feels like it, but I'm not entirely sure...
Anyway, sitting in this kind of inn brought back memories of things I'd seen before.
Stuff like internal energy brunch or carbonara pizza—those kinds of jokes.
The thought made me chuckle to myself, but I held it in. Laughing alone would make me look like a lunatic.
Just then, the waiter brought over a bottle of liquor and a cup, setting them in front of me. I poured some and took a sip, full of anticipation.
Honestly, nothing special. No overwhelming sensation.
It didn't taste bad or anything, but it wasn't something I'd go out of my way to drink either.
Still, the coolness soothing my throat felt nice. Must be the alcohol content.
Anyway, after 67 years, having something other than Rock Grain Pills slide down my throat felt strangely satisfying.
My first food after Bone Transformation and Marrow Shedding, and it's liquor.
I didn't put too much meaning into it, but it was a little disappointing.
Not long after, the food plate arrived.
Fish-Fragrant Meat Slices. Spicy-looking sauce. Thinly sliced pork. Those are bamboo shoots? Mushrooms too.
Anyway, one bite in, and I definitely felt alive.
Couldn't call the taste excellent. But to me right now, everything tasted good.
The flavor I'd forgotten for so long.
Thanks to that, I enjoyed the pleasant stimulation, savoring a cup of Bamboo Leaf Liquor and chopsticks full of Fish-Fragrant Meat Slices with delight.
"Where you from, brother?"
As I was eating and drinking, a man approached and spoke to me.
I thought he was just passing by, but no—he was targeting me?
"Why do you ask?"
"That there. Ain't that a sword?"
The man nodded toward my Dark Radiance Sword.
I'd wrapped it in spare Martial Robe cloth, but the length and shape made it obvious to anyone it was a sword.
Plus, I was wearing a Martial Robe myself. No room for misunderstanding.
"Yeah."
"So, where you from?"
"Does it matter? I'm just here to quench my thirst and hunger."
"Ha. Fuckin' prick. Dodgin' the question and spoutin' bullshit."
Rough speech. He was openly picking a fight.
Why was this guy asking me this?
And looking closer, he wasn't alone.
Five men in the corner watching me. And several more around the inn paying attention this way.
Not a simple question. This was... like a patrol check with hostility mixed in.
But thinking it over, I had a hunch.
A wandering warrior. No Martial Robe markings, no sect insignia.
So they wanted to confirm who I was.
Maybe I walked into the wrong inn.
Otherwise, why would this happen?
Still, it was puzzling.
This era is the Ming Dynasty.
I didn't know the reign title or emperor's name, so not exactly when, but probably early on.
And this is Shaanxi Province. Luotian in Shaanxi.
I wasn't great with Chinese geography, but with my wuxia reading experience, I knew two famous sects here.
Mount Hua Sect. And Zhongnan Sect.
Plus, not far from here, Shaolin Temple and Wudang Sect.
Meaning this was absolute Righteous Faction territory.
Righteous Factions that valued justice, chivalry, face, and propriety—no matter their true nature.
So I hadn't expected this situation.
A Righteous Faction warrior wouldn't hassle a wanderer like this. They'd be more polite.
Or was my image of the Righteous Factions an illusion? Had I been too influenced by wuxia novels?
"Normally, don't you introduce yourself before asking others? Could you kindly share your esteemed name?"
My slightly sarcastic remark. And this guy in front of me wasn't dumb enough to miss it.
"You little shit?"
His thick, hairy arm shot out to grab my collar.
But I'm not idiot enough to let myself get caught like that.
I flicked his arm away.
Just lightly. But the guy spun around and crashed to the floor with a thud.
What? Why'd he fall that hard?
I definitely didn't overdo it.
"You fuckin' bastard!"
Even from the ground, he scrambled for his sword, swinging it at me.
Unfortunately for him, I was faster.
My chopsticks jabbed precisely at his throat, and he froze, trembling in place.
"Causing a ruckus here would upset the innkeeper, right? So let's step outside. Settle it there. Hey! You lot eyeing me? Come out together! Anyone else wanna join? Spectating's free!"
At my shout, the men I'd spotted earlier jumped up.
The five in the corner. Three or four watching from elsewhere. Total twelve.
Ah. Plus this one makes thirteen.
I hadn't finished all the Bamboo Leaf Liquor and Fish-Fragrant Meat Slices, but it was enough. Not like I scraped the plate clean.
"Waiter. Here."
I pulled out a silver piece, placed it on the table, and leisurely gathered my gear and Dark Radiance Sword, standing up.
"What're you waiting for? Let's go."
Three of the five from the corner headed out first.
The remaining two and the other seven positioned themselves to surround me.
"I won't run."
With that, I calmly walked out of the inn.
The thirteen men encircled me, heading out of town.
"Huh? This way?"
A few shot me glares at my words.
But this was that mountain path. Where the guys who'd paid me for their "reformation" were.
Sure enough, soon I spotted two dragging themselves along the ground in the distance.
The men surrounding me flinched at the sight, while the crawling pair looked like startled rabbits, faces draining of color when our eyes met.
"Congrats! Some friends joining you in the same boat!"
"What? Shut up!"
One man snapped at me.
I just gave him a bright smile.
Well, this was far enough. Not many people pass through here.
It didn't take long.
These guys were third-rate. The two who'd gotten it earlier—now cowering ahead—were third-rate too.
Pack hunters like wild dogs. Useless without their gang.
So breaking their limbs one by one and forcing them to kneel was about as effortless as sipping that Bamboo Leaf Liquor earlier.
"Now. Spill everything you know. Got it?"
I had one burning question.
How could these thugs run rampant in Shaanxi Province, the front yard of the Righteous Factions?
And the answer was a bit shocking.
I kept a cold expression to avoid tipping them off that I didn't know, but inside, I was stunned.
About twelve years ago.
The Demonic Cult and Black Dao evil sects formed a pact and raided the Righteous Factions' sects.
The infamous Righteous-Demonic Great War.
Some call it the Righteous-Demonic-Evil Great War depending on whether they see the Demonic Cult as the evil overlord or independent, but the essence is the same.
The Nine Great Sects and Eight Schools—the core of the Righteous Factions—suffered damage close to sealing their gates.
Of course, the Demonic Cult and evil sects weren't unscathed either.
The Righteous Factions had power. They didn't go down easy against the Demonic Cult and riffraff.
The Demonic Cult retreated, and the Black Dao evil sects lost much of their might.
But not as bad as the Righteous Factions, who bore the concentrated assault.
They were too busy preserving their own sects and forces.
That was why these third-rate scum could strut around in the Righteous Factions' front yard.
An era of great chaos.
Many masters dead, prestigious sects and powers scrambling to survive.
That's how these thugs sprouted like weeds.
The Righteous-Demonic Great War—or Righteous-Demonic-Evil—was such a common trope, nothing surprising.
But that wasn't what bothered me.
It was the timing: twelve years ago.
What if I'd mastered the Obliterating Origin Divine Art and entered the jianghu right away?
And sided with the Righteous Factions?
It wouldn't have been this bad.
I'd bet the Righteous Factions wouldn't have been beaten this thoroughly.
Of course, I didn't have to side with them.
That was my choice.
But the Obliterating Origin Divine Art, despite its rough name, was a righteous art.
Rooted close to Daoism, actively incorporating Buddhist thought and teachings.
So if I'd just mastered it and come out, I'd naturally have joined the Righteous side.
Then I wondered if I was jumping to conclusions.
Did I stay fifteen extra years sorting my enlightenment, causing this? Is that fair?
No way to know. No right answer.
Hell, it was ridiculous.
It took me 52 years and 5 months to master it—how could anyone predict that?
Could they even predict it?
Some entity that pulled a healthy guy from the future, let him learn this art?
Anyway, the questions deepened. And I felt a tiny prick of conscience.
Of course, I didn't need to.
Not my responsibility. No one told me it'd happen.
But being human, the thought creeps in.
Do I bear even a little blame? Did I stray from the script and change the outcome?
Then I looked at the thugs before me.
Pathetic. Couldn't comprehend why they even lived.
"Sigh."
So I stopped beating them and just took a modest "fee."
Can't skip the reformation service charge. When would these guys get such "higher education" again?
"Next time we meet, try not hurting others. Okay?"
"T-take care!"
"Safe travels! Urk."
"Th-thank you!"
With their send-off, I left the spot and re-entered the city.
Man, lots of coming and going today. Hope no more trouble pops up.