Book 1 Chapter 20

Zhongyang Escort Agency was his lifelong sustenance.

A month had passed since the day of the uproar.

Beyond the region of Sichuan, in the martial arts world, whispers spread that Zhongyang Escort Agency, which held the top position among the ten great escort agencies of the Central Plains and was located at the foot of Mount Emei in Sichuan, had been destroyed by an unknown group of thugs.

The truth of the rumor that Zhongyang Escort Agency was completely destroyed was not precisely ascertained. The escorts' cargo was unharmed, not even a scratch on them, and for some reason, the number of escorts who stayed home, confined to their rooms and outside the agency, increased, yet there were no casualties. It was true that they were attacked by unknown thugs, but all the escorts' cargo was safe, and there were no casualties.

Instead, the rumors danced in a bizarre direction. The escort agency was attacked by unknown thugs aiming for the cargo, but because all the escorts of Zhongyang Escort Agency bravely defended the cargo at the risk of their lives, the unknown intruders who came for the cargo failed to achieve their goal and retreated with their tails between their legs. The truth was distorted, faded, then re-dyed and colored through a complete process of adaptation, and spread throughout the martial arts world.

However, no one knew that within that truth lay the sacred sacrifice of most of the wealth that the agency head, Zhang Wuyang, had painstakingly accumulated with tearful effort. Moreover, people did not know about the existence of Bi Liuyan, the man who extorted a significant portion of that wealth as compensation for damages. Since such a dishonorable and deeply hidden secret could never be revealed to outsiders, all the former escorts of Zhongyang Escort Agency firmly zipped their lips and remained silent. Their jobs and lives were important.

Thus, the rumor was adapted to say that if one entrusted their cargo to Zhongyang Escort Agency, the agency would protect the cargo steadfastly, even if it suffered damage or faced the brink of annihilation. Consequently, the number of merchants and martial arts sects entrusting their cargo to Zhongyang Escort Agency doubled, even surpassing its former glory. There was even a ludicrous situation where people lined up outside the agency to entrust their cargo, and Zhongyang Escort Agency enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. The scale of its business grew even larger than before.

Bi Liuyan and his disciple, Tang San, who were the instigators of the incident, were in good condition and on the verge of recovery, despite not being particularly interested in the story of Zhongyang Escort Agency but having a profoundly close relationship with it. The remaining members of the Vermilion Bird squad also felt that the time to leave was approaching through the final preparations over the past month. However, there was one big problem, and that problem was causing Bi Liuyan a great deal of trouble.

'Aaargh, I'm broke.'

Money, money was always the problem. It was a problem in the past, it was a problem in the present, and it would likely be a problem in the future. After all, financial issues were directly linked to one's livelihood and could not be taken lightly.

'What do I do, what do I do… What do I do!'

Bi Liuyan rolled twice to the left. It was the floor of his room, so he didn't get any dirt on himself. The floor of the dormitory training facility was made of wood, but there were no mats. However, it seemed to be made of high-quality paulownia planks with fine grain, so it didn't make Bi Liuyan feel uncomfortable.

'Money, money. Mo-ney!'

Bi Liuyan rolled twice to the right again. Bi Liuyan was struggling in a swamp of worry, tearing at his hair and rolling around on the floor. As the time for worry grew longer, the number of hairs that detached from his body increased. If this situation continued, the number of Bi Liuyan's hairs would gradually decrease, and in the worst-case scenario, the forcibly removed hairs might not regenerate. In that case, there was a possibility of becoming completely bald, which was the worst-case scenario. The number of hairs forcibly detaching from Bi Liuyan's head was that high. However, no solution emerged no matter how much he grabbed and pulled his hair. It seemed that an increase in thinking ability did not correlate with the number of hairs pulled out. Bi Liuyan, having tearfully confirmed this fact through human experimentation, stopped pulling his hair and began to seek other solutions to resolve the situation.

Naturally, sending the children back to Tianwu Academy required travel expenses for the journey. So far, so good. But the problem was that there was no money. The budget had already been exhausted, and not a single cent, not a single coin, remained. Of course, the money that had already gone into Bi Liuyan's own pocket was not included in these expenditures. Bi Liuyan's philosophy was that money that entered his pocket became his money, regardless of its origin, actual use, or history.

According to a letter found in the pocket of an old man who died for unknown reasons in the valley, the expenses needed to teach the children for three months as a master were enclosed, and if the money ran out while teaching the children, they were to request additional funds from the Silver Depository under Tianwu Academy, as written in the letter. But now, even that was impossible. This was because a significant amount of money had already been withdrawn for return travel expenses two months ago. Since the scheduled training period was three months, no further support could be received after three months. Therefore, the last money was withdrawn for return travel expenses before the deadline. Of course, that money went straight into Bi Liuyan's pocket.

It was a journey that would take at least a month even if traveled by horse. Walking would naturally take longer, and taking longer meant requiring more expenses. However, buying horses was too expensive, so he had no choice but to find a way to use the divine transportation method he was born with: his feet.

However, no matter how much he ran using his new techniques and Qinggong to the point of breaking a sweat, it would be difficult to shorten the journey beyond a certain limit. In any case, the expenses for sixteen people to travel for over a month would undoubtedly be a large sum of money. Still, he couldn't just not send them…

So, Bi Liuyan was now racking his brain, deep in thought. He was agonizing over it, trying to come up with a groundbreaking, progressive, and useful method to resolve the situation, even using his hidden talents until smoke seemed to come out of his ears.

'Aaargh! For free, for free, for free. If not, then at least minimal expenses… What do I do? How do I send them without spending a single penny? And sixteen of them, too. Is there no clever plan?'

Trying to use even the mental tricks he usually didn't use made him feel like he was going to die.

"Isn't there any good idea? Travel, return journey, 16 people, free, expenses, Tianwu Academy, Poyang Lake, Nanchang, martial artists, martial arts…"

As if chanting an incantation, Bi Liuyan, enumerating fragments of thoughts, suddenly stopped his murmuring thoughts as something struck him.

'Strength? Soo… strong. Click, yes, that's it! Haha. Now everything is solved, everything is solved. No objections? If you have any, you'll die, you'll die. Hahaha.'

A thought, like a shooting star, like a flash of lightning, passed through him. It was an extraordinary method that would cut through all the problems Bi Liuyan had been agonizing over like a sharp knife through tangled hemp. Finally, Bi Liuyan was ready to send his disciples back without any burden. Now that he had thought of a method, only execution remained.

'I'll have to go to the village again tomorrow.'

Bi Liuyan organized the tasks for tomorrow, looking at the stars in the night sky that seemed about to fall like shooting stars. A light adorned in the heavens was falling to the ground, leaving a trail. It was a shooting star.

The groundbreaking and useful clue to solving the problem that Bi Liuyan had found while racking his brain was none other than Zhongyang Escort Agency. Or rather, what did this even mean? Had Bi Liuyan decided to become Zhongyang Escort Agency's eternal enemy? It wasn't an idea to storm the agency again with his disciples and forcibly extract travel expenses. What Bi Liuyan thought of was an escort mission.

The destination for his sixteen disciples was the Poyang Lake bank in Nanchang, where Tianwu Academy was located. It had become the undisputed center of the righteous martial arts world due to the existence of the great Tianwu Academy. As a result, Nanchang was further on the path to prosperity. As cities grow larger, the amount of consumables and goods consumed increases, which is the law of the world. If it is called the center of the righteous martial arts world, it is natural that countless people gather there seeking profit. Therefore, there was a constant, unbroken stream of inquiries about escorts and escort missions flowing into the escort agencies for the bustling and active city of Nanchang. Nanchang was a place where vast amounts of wealth were repeatedly traded.

Nowadays, Zhongyang Escort Agency inexplicably had more escorts and larger quantities of escorts than before, but the number of escorts was significantly lacking compared to the incoming escort missions, creating a shortage of labor. Furthermore, many escorts were crippled with broken bones due to the unpleasant incident a month ago, making them unable to be properly utilized. Even if they were to hire new escorts, it would be very difficult to find good escorts with high martial arts skills.

The escort agency was suffering from a labor shortage, and there were many escort missions to Nanchang scattered about. This was the part Bi Liuyan focused on. Thus, Bi Liuyan once again knocked on the door of Zhongyang Escort Agency. Of course, from the perspective of Zhongyang Escort Agency, this was undoubtedly an unwelcome matter.

At the end of autumn, on a pleasant afternoon with neither cold nor heat, two escorts stood guarding the main gate of the escort agency in the peaceful end of autumn. The main gate, which had been damaged by someone's kick a month ago, was now neatly repaired, except for the sunken spot in the center of the gate. With the gate behind them, Zhang Pal and Yi Sam were currently on guard duty. Today was the day that Zhang Pal and Yi Sam themselves were paired up to take on guard duty.

Upon confirming the shadow of Bi Liuyan walking towards the escort agency from a distance, ordinary escorts Zhang Pal and Yi Sam intended to faithfully carry out their guard duty.

"What is it… Cough!"

The two escorts suddenly clutched their chests as if they were patients with acute myocardial infarction and stopped breathing. Their pale faces, unable to straighten their legs, looked exactly like critically ill patients whose bodies were seriously unwell.

"Ah, have you been well? It's been a while. Is the agency head inside? Tell him I'd like to see him."

"……"

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

"Cough… Hack… Cough… Cough……"

As if their stopped breathing had returned, Zhang Pal coughed violently and rushed into the escort agency like a horse with a burning tail. Cursing his fate for being chosen for escort duty on this particular day among so many days. The remaining ordinary escort, Yi Sam, trembled and barely managed to speak.

"P-please come inside. W-wait a moment… I'll contact you… soon…"

As he tried to move his stiff tongue with a pale face, his words kept stumbling. Cold sweat flowed down his pale cheeks.

"Are you not feeling well?"

Bi Liuyan asked with a look of pity. At his expression, Yi Sam became even more frightened and could only tremble with an even paler face.

For Agency Head Zhang Wuyang, this was the most bewildering event he had ever experienced, apart from that day a month ago. The door to Zhang Wuyang's office, where he usually handled his affairs, was kicked open with such force that it broke, and an escort rushed in. Where did an ordinary escort dare to kick open the agency head's office door without any prior notice? One wouldn't even open their own front door so rudely. Moreover, Zhang Wuyang was currently grappling with a mountain of documents piled up before him, preparing for an unprecedented large-scale escort mission for Zhongyang Escort Agency in two days.

Therefore, his nerves were on edge. The escort mission to Nanchang in two days was scheduled to be the largest in the history of Zhongyang Escort Agency, in terms of its scale, the value of the entrusted goods, and the number of escorts mobilized. It was during this time, while agonizing over it, that a fearless escort, committing an unparalleled act of rudeness, kicked open the door of his paulownia office.

Agency Head Zhang Wuyang's mood seemed so unpleasant that it was about to explode. Anyone who knew the atmosphere of the agency at the moment and his psychological state would not have done such a thing, valuing their life above all else. Moreover, the one who had just rushed in was Zhang Pal, an ordinary escort he knew well. He was perceptive and shrewd, and knew how to get out of trouble on his own…

"How rude! Where do you think you are!"

"D-Director… T-terrible news!"

Zhang Pal's struggle to move his stiff tongue looked pitiful. The sweat beading on his pale, white forehead and his soaked back clearly represented Zhang Pal's current state of mind. If his mood had been even slightly less bad, he would have asked, "Are you alright? Have you seen a doctor? You should rest for a few days," with concern.

"What's all the fuss? What's so terrible?"

"The old master has returned."

"What! Bang!"

With the force of his hands slamming down, the low table placed in front of Zhang Wuyang shattered into pieces. As a result, the documents piled high on the table were scattered in the air, filling the room. It would take a considerable amount of time to separate them by category and reorder them.

Since that day, there was only one person referred to by the title 'Old Master' in this Zhongyang Escort Agency. They had considered calling him a mere crazy old man or a monstrous old geezer, but out of fear that such a title might reach the ears of the monstrous old geezer, causing him to have another outburst and show up again, they abandoned the nickname 'crazy old man' and adopted the more respectable title of 'Old Master.'

"Ding ding ding."

The bell, announcing a first-class emergency system, rang loudly throughout the escort agency.

"Rumble…"

Fully armed escorts rushed out into the training ground in an instant. In their hands, shining white spears and white swords glinted conspicuously in the sunlight. It was a dazzling sight.

"I know you're happy to see me, but this welcoming ceremony is a bit too extravagant. You don't have to do all this."

Bi Liuyan scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. Agency Head Zhang Wuyang, who had rushed out before the emergency bell even rang, was the first to offer a bow and greet him.

"Old Master, why have you graced our escort agency with your presence again?"

Zhang Wuyang could clearly feel his voice trembling. He definitely did not want to repeat the nightmare from a month ago. As he thought this, his heart grew heavier.

"Oh, what happened to your shoes? Did you sell them off somewhere? Oh, it's not just you? That one too, and that one… No, this one too. Did you exchange your escort agency shoes for candy? As if you conspired together. How is it that there are so few people wearing proper shoes? I haven't heard that the escort agency's financial situation is so dire that you have to sell your shoes to eat."

"Huh?"

With a bewildered expression, looking at Bi Liuyan as if he were a strange person, Zhang Wuyang looked down at his feet and immediately blushed. He was barefoot. In his haste to rush out, he had forgotten to put on his shoes. His face turned even redder, like a volcano on the verge of eruption, as he scanned the lower bodies of the crowd. This was because many escorts, like Zhang Wuyang, had rushed out barefoot without putting on shoes. With his face flushed with embarrassment and his head bowed, Zhang Wuyang spoke. His tightly clenched fists trembled faintly.

'This old man, what has gotten into him this time, why has he shown up again!'

This heartfelt thought remained only in his mind and lips. He didn't speak it aloud, as thoughts alone had no effect. Life and one's lifespan were precious, so there was no need to be stingy. Zhang Wuyang cleared his throat a couple of times and composed himself. He couldn't continue to present such a sorry sight.

"Excuse me, what brings you here…"

"Ah, I heard that your Zhongyang Escort Agency is short of staff these days? I came after hearing the rumors circulating around. You're having a hard time because you're short of staff."

'And who do you think is the reason for that? Do you even know?'

Zhang Wuyang suppressed the urge to curse with immense patience. The powerless could only swallow their resentment inwardly. With an awkward smile, Zhang Wuyang replied respectfully.

"Yes, our business has suddenly grown, and we are very short of staff. It is all thanks to the Old Master that our business has grown this much."

"Is that so? The rumors were true. That's good, that's good. So, as someone who knows you, how can I stand by and watch your difficulties? I came here to offer my help. You could call it a helping hand."

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're saying. I only desire the Old Master's teachings."

His tone was very polite and respectful. However, perhaps because his inner self was more honest than his outward appearance, his stomach ached as if he had been punched in the gut a month ago, and he felt nauseous.

"Simply put, I'm offering my assistance. How about that? It's a good thing, isn't it? It's not just a good thing in martial arts novels. You're short of hands for the Nanchang journey, aren't you? I'll gladly lend you my disciples, sixteen of them. For the Nanchang escort mission. Don't refuse. It's for mutual convenience, isn't it? You all know their skills from experience… So, I won't say anything about their skills. Well then, what do you say? Oh, of course you'll agree! I knew you would. Then it's settled. It's decided."

'I didn't say a word…'

Bi Liuyan was doing all the talking and singing by himself. Zhang Wuyang hadn't been able to say a single word yet. He hadn't had the chance. What power, what courage did he have to argue with the monstrous old man chattering away in front of him, to say, 'I have an objection'?

Zhang Wuyang still had no choice. Moreover, for Zhang Wuyang, this condition was not so bad. How anxious he had been when this monstrous old man suddenly appeared without any prior notice. How worried he had been, wondering if someone had heard about the cargo for the escort mission leaving in two days and had come to demand it. He felt he would not be able to escape indigestion and stomach medicine for a while. He resolved that if today passed safely, he would immediately send someone to call Physician Huang of the Huang family.

Physician Huang was rumored to be the best physician in Sichuan, renowned for his Huang family secret medicine and his skills in treating stomach ailments. What if this monstrous old man demanded it? He would have to give it. What could a powerless person say?

However, if that happened, the escort agency would naturally go bankrupt. The business passed down for three generations would close. But Heaven and Earth blessed him, and destiny averted the worst situation. The person who appeared like a god of disaster, for some unknown reason, transformed into a god of fortune and offered help instead. And not just anyone, but people whose skills he had seen with his own eyes and experienced with his own body a month ago. At present, Zhang Wuyang desperately needed the help of skilled, top-tier experts.

"If you would do so, I am deeply grateful. How could I possibly object? I will never forget this kindness from the Old Master."

Zhang Wuyang bowed respectfully, bending his waist at a right angle. He seemed genuinely delighted.

"Well, it's not really a matter of kindness. But when does your escort mission to Nanchang depart?"

"Yes, it is scheduled to depart at the hour of Mao (8 AM) the morning after tomorrow."

"Is that so? Then I will see you then. When you arrive safely in Nanchang, give the children some money for the escort mission. Let them use it to buy drinks. For drinking, and as pocket money, you know, we help each other live."

Bi Liuyan particularly emphasized the words 'some money.' Anyone who heard this would certainly not be able to give them only a small amount. For fear of future repercussions, they would have to give them a significant amount of glittering coins to feel at ease.

"Yes, is there any question? Please do not worry."

"Give them generously. They'll earn their keep. They're quite capable, you know. They're my disciples."

Bi Liuyan, who was about to leave the escort agency, waving his hand, suddenly stopped. He then suddenly spun around once and added abruptly.

"Ah, and they are one-way escorts. I will ensure their safe passage to Nanchang, so don't worry. But they will have to part ways there. You'll have to come back alone. Then, I bid you farewell…"

"Th-that, ah, Old Master, Old Master!"

Leaving behind the bewildered Agency Head Zhang Wuyang, without listening to a single word, Bi Liuyan vanished. Behind him, the escorts of Zhongyang Escort Agency stood barefoot, holding spears and swords in their hands, blankly staring at the harsh afternoon sun. They considered it a great fortune that the storm had passed safely by their side…