Chapter 4: Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng
The first time Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng appeared in the jianghu was when I was in my early thirties. About twenty years before my death. I was living day by day, building up my reputation as a swordsman, and it was the most peaceful and leisurely time of my life.
The person who first discovered Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was a small family master from the Danmokse clan, Danmokso. The young martial artist Danmokso liked wandering in the mountains, and one day he stumbled upon a strange place in the Huangshan Mountains. Despite being in the mountains, it was said that the ice never melted there, and Danmokso harvested the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng from that place.
The problem began from that point on.
Danmokso was not alone in discovering the ginseng; he was accompanied by Oryong, a remarkable martial artist of the Orthodox Sword Faction. Oryong, a skilled martial artist, noticed the ginseng Danmokso obtained and started a fight to claim ownership. Over a month, they fought each other, with the martial arts clans in the Huangshan area getting involved.
Finally, the ownership of Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was settled by the leader of the Orthodox Sword Faction, and the conflict ended. I don’t know the details of how things got to that point, as I was merely a humble swordsman who avoided such entanglements.
“But one thing is certain. There is Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng in Huangshan, and I can find it before anyone else.”
I will find and consume the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng before anyone else!
Is there a more certain and powerful opportunity in the world?
Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, consumed, is a legendary elixir that instantly increases one’s internal energy by two ranks, ensuring eternal youth and longevity. Considering there were very few martial artists in the prime of their lives with the skills of a top expert, it was clear that Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was worth staking one’s life for.
Of course, just taking the elixir wouldn’t make one a top expert overnight. A supreme martial art was also necessary. But with the elixir, becoming a top expert was only a matter of time, and I was greatly comforted by this thought.
“Huangshan is far away. I need enough money and stamina.”
Huangshan was a distance that would require a horse and about a week’s journey. With my teenage body, the likelihood of starving or collapsing from exhaustion was high. Moreover, I wouldn’t be able to search the entire mountain for the ginseng with my current physical condition.
The answer was clear: I needed to gather enough money. With money, I could buy a horse, travel to Huangshan, and search for the elixir without worrying about hunger. Based on my experience as a swordsman, I calculated the amount of money I would need.
The result was ten silver taels. It was a considerable sum. Thinking about how to gather it gave me a headache. I would need to work for half a year as a lowly swordsman just to collect that amount.
Not knowing what to do to gather the money, I thought, “No, let’s think slowly.”
Historically, Danmokso had discovered Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng at least twenty years ago. This meant that if I could find it until that time, there was a good chance of monopolizing it. Realizing that my hurried attitude was to escape from my wretched life as a village servant, I let out a bitter smile.
“Sigh…”
I was still in shock. Why did I not die after being shot with an arrow and instead return to the past? Although I quickly adapted to reality and made plans, I had no idea what had happened to me.
There was one thing for sure.
I needed ‘power.’ And I needed ‘money.’
Only then could I figure out the reason for my reversal of fortune.
Being content with day-to-day survival as a lowly swordsman would not lead to anything remotely achievable.
It was something I could never accomplish by just being satisfied.
I went to the stable and finished cleaning up the cow dung. It took an hour to finish, and after that, I went to the stream to wash up and lay down to rest. My stomach growled from hunger, but since the village chief wouldn’t give me food, I just closed my eyes.
“It’s unrealistic to go straight to the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. First, let’s try persuading the village chief.”
Persuading the village chief.
It meant negotiating to escape my life as a servant in this household.
As I waited, the village chief’s son, Kim Manje, staggered in from his studies. The local elite’s sons gathered to prepare for the imperial examinations at the private school, renowned for its excellent academic teachers. However, I knew that Kim Manje, despite studying at the school, would often skip his studies and drink and eat meat with his friends. Seeing a young boy who already knew the taste of alcohol made me worry about his future.
Ignoring the filthy Kim Manje, I headed towards the house where the village chief lived.
The village chief was leisurely walking in the courtyard. Upon seeing him, I greeted him and spoke.
“Sir, I have something to tell you.”
“Hmm?”
The village chief, a middle-aged man with a goatee and a cunning face, squinted at me and raised his chin.
“What is it, Cow Dung?”
Gritting my teeth, I replied,
“That’s not my name. I am Baek Woong.”
Since becoming an independent swordsman, I lived under the name my parents gave me. The village chief was taken aback by my response.
“Hmph! You don’t even know your nickname, you foolish brat… psh.”
He sneered at me. He hadn’t called me Baek Woong in all the years I served here. It was undoubtedly deliberate to keep me as a dumb servant for life.
Before he could get angrier, I continued,
“I am going to the martial arts school to take the exam. Can I go to the city tomorrow?”
“What?”
The village chief looked incredulous.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Take the exam at the martial arts school!
These schools were known for teaching martial arts and producing skilled warriors to become renowned martial artists. They required a lot of money for training. However, there was a way to receive training without paying a hefty sum.
Even without money, there was a way to learn martial arts.
That was to take the entrance exam at a martial arts school and prove exceptional martial talent.
Although the martial school teachers pursued profit, fundamentally, they had a strong desire to greatly expand their martial arts lineage by accepting outstanding disciples. If a disciple had exceptional talent, it was common for them to be raised as a disciple even if they had no money, even if the master had to spend their own money.
I quietly said, “Isn’t it worth a try?”
“There are many things that are not possible. What talent do you have that makes you knock on the door of a martial school?”
The village chief chuckled, then said, “So, which martial school do you want to take the exam at? It’s interesting, so I’ll let you try once.”
“The Azure Dragon Martial Hall in Guanzhong.”
“……!!”
The village chief’s narrow eyes opened slightly wider. With a look of incredulity, he said, “What a stupid cow dung! Do you even know what kind of place the Azure Dragon Martial Hall is?”
He called me “cow dung” again, but I chose to ignore it.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“It was established by Yi Kwang, a former royal martial arts instructor. It is the largest and most famous martial school in Guanzhong.”
Yi Kwang was a highly respected figure in Guanzhong. He was so skilled in swordsmanship, spear techniques, and martial arts that he was known as the “Three Prodigies.” Many martial artists admired Yi Kwang’s martial arts and character.
“Well done!”
The village chief’s face twisted in a fierce expression, like an angry catfish. He extended his finger and pressed it on my forehead, scolding me.
“You, a nobody, dare to take the exam there? It is a place even esteemed martial artists cannot enter. You want to take the exam there?”
“……”
“If you become the laughingstock, not only will I be ridiculed for taking care of you instead of your parents, but I will also receive scorn. Don’t think foolishly; just go in and get some rest.”
I grabbed the village chief’s arm.
Crack!
“Ow, ow, ow!!”
The sudden pressure on his arm made the village chief cry out in pain. I didn’t break his arm, but I squeezed it hard enough to leave a mark. Startled, the village chief stammered, “You, you, you dare…”
“Behold my power.”
I walked to a nearby tree, grabbed a branch, and with a show of strength, snapped the thick branch in one go. It was a feat that even most adult men would find difficult. The village chief stared at me in shock. Despite the inferior Three-Refinements Heart Technique, training for nearly half a century could produce such power.
I smirked and said, “If I join the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, I won’t cause you any trouble. Instead, your reputation will soar, right? Even if I fail, I won’t disgrace you. So, isn’t it worth a shot?”
“……”
The village chief twirled his goatee a few times as if pondering. Then, with a resigned expression, he nodded.
“Fine, but if you become a disciple of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, you must repay the money I spent to raise you.”
“What?”
What was he talking about? I looked at the village chief in disbelief, and he casually said, “I spent two years taking care of you, and our household budget was tight, so it’s only fair, isn’t it? If you get one job done, you should earn the money.”
“How much are you asking for?”
“Fifty ounces of silver should do.”
I felt a surge of emotions. He neglected and overworked a teenager in the stables, barely providing food for two years, and now he demanded fifty ounces of silver for it? It dawned on me that this man was beyond reason.
Nevertheless, I decided to endure. I suppressed the rising anger and forced a smile.
“Haha! I’ll go tomorrow.”
We’ll see. Once I gain power, I will surely kill you and your despicable son.
While harboring such dark thoughts, I pretended to be genuinely pleased.
Although I could have killed these scoundrels on the spot, having gained a new life, I was determined to find my own path first.
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