A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel

“Father… I’ve avenged our vendetta.”

Mok-kyeong knelt towards the ruins as Hye-ryeong and I leaned against the wall, quietly watching from a distance.

“Vendetta…,” she murmured.

Her quiet words hung heavily in the air, spoken in front of the remnants of the Yunnan Dan family. It was true; she had directly avenged the grudge.

Though the Demon Sect was the root cause, it wasn’t as simple as attacking them outright.

Mok-kyeong sat for a long time, gazing silently at the ruins.

Was she reminiscing about the past, or perhaps making a new resolve? We couldn’t be sure, but it was evident she needed time to herself.

Even when faced with towering tasks, reflection is essential.

Just like how I reflected on my past and ascended the path of mastery.

“I suppose waiting around here is fruitless. We should prepare camp,” I suggested.

“I’ll help,” Hye-ryeong offered.

“You go gather firewood, and I’ll prepare the meal.”

With quiet pretenses, we moved away to give Mok-kyeong her space.

Behind us, as we quietly left the ruins, a sorrowful cry echoed.

“Where to now, Mister?”

“The Martial Alliance. Mok-kyeong needs to rest properly until she’s fully recovered.”

We hadn’t taken a proper break for months amidst various affairs.

I also needed to submit the information extracted from the Blood Suction Sect’s office to Haomen, and consider what to do with the Four Winds Sword.

While I could theoretically learn it, it would mean re-learning meditative techniques, which was challenging. Passing it to someone else wasn’t an easy decision either. Though I had read it, it didn’t truly resonate with me, though perhaps some of its energy control could be useful.

However, I decided finding another Sword Manual would be more beneficial for enhancing my skills.

Until then, this could either be sold at an auction or taught to a worthy disciple.

The rare sword technique from the West was sure to fetch a handsome price from collectors or martial artists alike.

“Isn’t it going to be chaotic at the Martial Alliance? After all, Mister dismantled the Blood Suction Sect and freed Yunnan from the evil sects’ dominance. Won’t the righteous sects give you a new nickname?”

“Hmm.”

Truthfully, while the Blood Suction Sect still exists, the righteous sects in Yunnan, which have been dormant for years, will need some time to regain their influence.

Ten years of being uprooted, combined with the Blood Suction Sect’s growth, won’t be easily erased. But once their internal conflicts settle, the righteous sects will eventually resurface.

“Speaking of which, I wonder what the descendants of the Jiantang Sect are up to?”

“They’re probably managing fine.”

“They’re likely hiding somewhere, refining the ‘Feng Guang Shi Ba Jian Fa.’ If they succeed, the Jiantang Sect might re-emerge in Yunnan; otherwise, they’ll remain just written records.”

Either way, it’s none of my concern. I have my own mounting tasks ahead.

The Demon Sect.

And the traces of the mysterious furusiyya now appearing in Zhongyuan.

Is this mere coincidence, or intentional?

How did the Demon Sect obtain it and pass it to the Blood Suction Sect’s leader?

Even though the Islamic forces’ interaction with the Demon Sect isn’t unusual given the geographical proximity, it still raises suspicion.

My history with them was never pleasant, and their alliance—or lack thereof—with the Demon Sect is crucial to understand.

The worst possibility is the Demon Sect aligning with a faction of the Mamluks for an invasion. While the Mamluks having a direct reason to come to Zhongyuan seems unlikely, their involvement would drastically reduce our odds of victory.

“What are you thinking about, Mister?”

“Various things. There’s too much to think about.”

“Can we not rest for a bit?”

“You’re right. We’ve been running day and night for months.”

Indeed, considering our travels alone, it’s been close to a thousand li. A journey that deeply reveals why the martial realm places such high importance on Light Treading skills.

“Let’s think about everything once we return to the Martial Alliance.”

“I just want to go back, relax, and sleep. Camping is fun, but it’s a bit inconvenient. Bugs keep crawling on me…”

It’s true that we often wake up to find caterpillars and such crawling on us.

“…Upon our return, we should focus on recovering.”

“Exactly.”

Mok-kyeong’s condition, in fact, was dire enough to consider returning home for treatment. Her visible wounds are bad enough, but her internal injuries are even worse. If she weren’t a martial artist, she would’ve long been reduced to ashes or bones.

It is a clear testament to the power of internal energy.

“I want to go back, brag to my seniors, train some more… and shop for clothes!”

“Clothes?”

“Traveling across the martial realm has torn my outfits!”

Hye-ryeong, dramatically raised her hands while pointing to the fabric covering her chest.

“This side is fraying a lot…”

What is she implying?

Is she trying to tempt me?

I averted my eyes from the nearly transparent fabric and looked at the campfire instead, fearing an awkward situation.

We’re not alone—Mok-kyeong is nearby, after all.

“Keep staring, it’s fine,” she teased.

“Mok-kyeong is here. What are you thinking?”

“But isn’t it the same for Mok-kying?”

“For whom?”

There’s no way Mok-kyeong would do something like that.

Annoyed at my comment, Hye-ryeong pouted.

“Even Mok-sojer…”

“Me? Romantic feelings between men and women aren’t strange,” Mok-kyeong softly confessed, holding my sleeve and lowering her head.

What is this about?

I sighed, looking at the women on either side of me. Everything’s fine, but the world is just far too complicated.

Until I deal with the Demon Sect and everything else, moving forward in any relationship isn’t wise.

Given my wandering life, I don’t even know when I’ll meet my end, let alone if I’m qualified to take responsibility for someone.

There will come a day when I settle down, but I prefer it to be after everything’s resolved.

“…Both of you relax, and let’s get some sleep.”

“Can I sleep on your arm?”

“Do as you wish.”

She’s not the type to listen to me anyway.

I chuckled softly as Hye-ryeong brought her blanket next to mine.

—

Our return journey to the Martial Alliance was slow.

With Mok-kyeong being essentially an invalid, I had to carry her, which naturally slowed our pace.

We also couldn’t find any suitable horses. The good ones were all requisitioned for border defense, leaving only small horses or big but weak ones.

As former cavalry, I couldn’t tolerate purchasing a poor-quality horse. A horse isn’t a disposable item after all.

Even if it costs a fortune, I’d rather secure Arabian horses later.

Compared to those, even our larger local horses seem like ponies.

These local horses couldn’t support my build either.

“Uncle, we’re almost to Changsha!”

“Indeed, our relentless pace has already brought us here.”

“Will we be able to rest properly in Changsha?”

“Yes.”

As one of the major cities in Zhongyuan, we could indulge in some luxury for a few days.

We’d consult skilled doctors for Mok-kyeong, replace our tattered clothes, enjoy good food, and also repair our weapons.

There’s much to be done.

“It would be great if the Haomen branch had more money.”

As we need to retrieve funds from Haomen, having some cash on hand would help.

I stepped towards the entrance of Changsha, quietly contemplating these small concerns.

---