Translator: Myuu Editor: Kelaude
Yan Liqiang was in a daze the entire time until he left the Military Governor’s Office. After his courageous act yesterday at the city gate, he had managed to make enemies with the Shatu people in Pingxi’s prefectural city. In addition, he was then abruptly chosen as a personal bodyguard of the Military Governor of Pingxi Prefecture, all in a day’s time. This experience itself was a rollercoaster ride — he was in an abyss and then suddenly high up in the clouds, which caused him to feel like everything was as unreal as a dream.
He touched the Military Governor Office’s bodyguard army token stashed in front of his chest. The icy and solid sensation of the metal tag finally calmed his racing little heart down from cloud nine and his mind once again returned to the swaying two-wheeled horse carriage that he was riding on.
Shi Changfeng advised Yan Liqiang on the carriage. “Two of the bodyguards of the Military Governor are outstanding Martial Warriors who came to the Pingxi Prefecture Martial Arts Academy back then. The fact that the Military Governor has chosen you as his bodyguard today could be regarded as bestowing protection upon you. Such an opportunity is hard to come by. Even I didn’t expect for you to be met with such an opportunity after bringing you to the Military Governor’s Office today. But you cannot feel too complacent about this. Seize the opportunity and definitely work hard so that you can advance as a Martial Warrior soon. With this, the kindness and high regard that the Military Governor has for you will not be in vain!”
“I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Teacher!”
“Very well then. The longest a student is allowed to study in the martial arts academy after they have joined is six years. Whether or not one advances as a Martial Warrior, they will still have to leave the academy after six years. You are fourteen years old, still a young man. As the Military Governor’s bodyguard who can walk his horse for him, no one will comment on it. But if you can’t advance as a Martial Warrior within the next six years, do you think you are still fit to walk the Military Governor’s horse for him at the age of twenty?”
Yan Liqiang shook his head. “Of course not. If that time really comes, even if the Military Governor doesn’t say anything, I wouldn’t have the face to stay by his side as his personal bodyguard and continue serving him either!”
“I am glad you understand!” Shi Changfeng nodded. His expression turned grave again. “Furthermore, those Shatu people are arrogant, unruly, cunning, and ruthless. If they really want to revenge, they will do it, even if they know you are the Military Governor’s bodyguard. They’ll at most just make sure that things are done meticulously so that no one can catch them. They will not even give you the chance to expose them to the Military Governor again. It is also impossible for the martial arts academy and the Military Governor to assign you a guard to protect you at all times, so you will still be on your own…”
Yan Liqiang suddenly felt a chill in his heart. “Teacher, are you saying that those Shatu people would dare to openly murder someone in Pingxi City?”
“I believe you have already witnessed what those Shatu people are like at the city gate. This is a vast city within the Pingxi Prefecture. The number of missing cases the Law Enforcement Office receives every year is unimaginable. If you mysteriously go missing one day, who would even think about them? So don’t forget what you said just now. Only people who continuously move on are capable of responding to spontaneous situations.”
Yan Liqiang nodded heavily.
“Also, consider this as a warning from me. In the martial arts academy, if you feel that you aren’t powerful enough, it’s better if you don’t let too many know your identity as the Military Governor’s bodyguard without reason. You should know that there are all kinds of people at the martial arts academy. So it’s inevitable that the good and the bad will be mixed. Not everyone is happy to see someone faring better than themselves. Jealousy can very often change someone into a very horrible person…”
“Understood. From now on, besides going to the Military Governor’s Office or only when needed, I will not groundlessly flaunt my status!”
“Good. Remember, the wind will always damage the flourishing trees in the forest [1]. Your identity as first among the top three from Qinghe County alone is eye-catching enough. Sometimes, there’s no harm in keeping a low profile at appropriate times!”
“Teacher, I have a question. But I am uncertain if I am allowed to ask…”
“Go ahead.”
“The Pingxi Prefecture Martial Arts Academy suddenly recruited a bunch of candidates this time. On top of that, there are also special recruitments for candidates gifted in cultivating the art of archery. Are we preparing for a war?”
Shi Changfeng stared without blinking at Yan Liqiang for a full ten seconds before he slowly nodded. “You are certainly a sharp one. The Great Han Empire and the Silver Continent are indeed growing restless. Last year, a war nearly broke out at the northern side with the Chaman people. Although it didn’t happen in the end, the Chaman people have been basking in the glory of their achievements so they definitely will not give up like this. We are predicting that they will make a move again after they have completely conquered the Silla Kingdom. The Dark Ram Tribe of the West has also been taking frequent action. The number of times their cavalries have trespassed the borders of the Gan Province and Feng Province is increasing. This is definitely not a good sign. Hence, the Feng Province and Gan Province have both increased their martial arts academy’s recruitment efforts this year…”
“So we are not allowed to initiate an attack on them and can only wait for them to invade us?” Yan Liqiang purposely pulled out a question that was very likely for a youth his age to ask.
Shi Changfeng smiled wryly, shaking his head before he let out another sigh. “Many things are not as easy as you think. To resist foreign aggression, we must first get rid of the enemies within. There is still a good deal of turmoil within the Great Han Empire. This isn’t something that can be resolved with just one word. Perhaps you will slowly come to understand this when you grow up. A century ago, the Chaman people and the Black Ram Tribe wouldn’t dare to bare their teeth against us even if we gave them ten guts. However, circumstances have changed. For now, it’s best for you to focus on your cultivation. There’s nothing you can do right now even if you know about the rest…”
In the middle of the conversation with Shi Changfeng, the horse carriage finally arrived at Pingxi Prefecture’s martial arts academy.
“You will go down there and report yourself according to process. I won’t be joining you as I still need to report back to Headmaster Long about your incident today…”
“Alright. Take care, Teacher!”
Bidding his farewell to Shi Changfeng, Yan Liqiang grabbed his luggage and quickly hopped off Shi Changfeng’s horse carriage.
The horse carriage immediately alongside another road at the side as soon as the coachman shook the reins. Yan Liqiang stood in front of the martial arts academy’s main entrance with his head lifted, staring at the magnificent entryway of Pingxi Prefecture’s martial arts academy that was more than three zhang in height.
The main entrance of the martial arts academy was located at the foot of a mountain. The courtyard walls were red and the glazed roof tiles were blue. There were pine trees everywhere on the lush mountain as far as the eye could see. Interesting, alluring, ancient-looking Chinese buildings were hidden among those forests. From the outside, this place looked like a national park or one of those luxurious holiday resorts. Putting the rest aside, just the fact that it could occupy a peaceful and quiet spot like this in the midst of the noisy bustle in the Pingxi City was enough to express the position and caliber of this martial arts academy.
The vermillion colored main door of the Pingxi Prefecture Martial Arts Academy was wide open. There was a table at the entrance and a relatively short queue was already forming in front of it. In line were youths between fourteen and eighteen or nineteen years of age. They seemed to be students who were reporting in today.
Yan Liqiang walked over and conscientiously queued up at the end of the line.
In just less than ten minutes, it was Yan Liqiang’s turn to be served.
“Full name? Hometown?” The receptionist at the entrance robotically asked two questions without so much as lifting his head.
“Yan Liqiang, from Qinghe County!”
After Yan Liqiang gave his answer, that person flipped through the register in front of him at lightning speed and found Yan Liqiang’s name in just the blink of an eye.
“Qinghe County, ranked first among the top three, Yan Liqiang?” That person only lifted his head in surprise when he saw the record on his register and sized up Yan Liqiang with his eyes. His attitude also suddenly improved significantly. “Right, please leave your fingerprint here.” He handed over a box of red ink to Yan Liqiang.
Yan Liqiang was no stranger to this kind of procedure. He very quickly left his thumbprint at the end of his name. That person then compared the thumbprint that Yan Liqiang had just left to his previous one for a moment before he gave him a nod, passing the register to an old man beside him. The old man quickly scanned the two thumbprints again and then signed a few words at the end before he returned the register to the person in front of him again. He then retrieved a metal identity pass that was about the size of half a palm from the drawer and handed it over to Yan Liqiang. “This pass is for verification purposes at the martial arts academy from now on. If lost, you’ll need to pay ten taels of gold for a replacement. Lessons will officially commence on first of the ninth lunar month. The monthly schedule and lesson locations will be updated on the course bulletin board in front here. You may use these three days to find a place in Pingxi City to settle down.”
The token that he accepted was an evidence that he had reported to the academy. Everything was much simpler than Yan Liqiang had expected — the martial arts academy would only hold one class every week and students were free to use the remaining time however they wished. Arranging the students’ accommodations and meals were not part of the martial arts academy’s responsibilities, so the students would have to arrange everything themselves. After the six years, the ones who succeeded would soar high into the skies like a dragon while the ones who didn’t succeed would roam the fields like snakes. Everyone would resign themselves to their own fates.
Yan Liqiang was still in a daze when a voice suddenly rang out from behind him. “Yan Liqiang!!”
Yan Liqiang turned his head around and saw Shi Dafeng immediately leap off a rhinodrake steed, waving at him excitedly…
