Rebirth

Leaving his home, Jiang Ping drew a deep breath.

It was as though he had cast off his shackles and was about to begin a new life.

But when he thought of how his martial arts training would be delayed, he found himself troubled again.

"If I keep doing hard labor and saving money like before, it'll still take another four years. That'll leave me only four years of my Golden Age for martial arts training."

"What's a quick way to make money?"

Jiang Ping wandered aimlessly, his train of thought churning.

"Robbery? Become a Greenwood Hero?"

"No. These are prosperous times, the Imperial Court and the great clans are powerful. Anyone daring to make a living from that is renowned far and wide. Even if I learned martial arts, a little rookie like me would probably get beaten to death on the first day."

"Become a male prostitute?"

Jiang Ping recalled a coworker who often visited male brothels mentioning that male prostitutes earned quite a lot. Their monthly earnings were fifty percent higher than the women in ordinary pleasure houses.

But that coworker had also said that male prostitutes were all fair-skinned and tender, with long legs and handsome faces.

He looked down at his own dark complexion. Forget it.

Though Jiang Ping was confident that his face lost to no one, he wanted to practice martial arts. His essence, vitality, and spirit had to be full; too much Great Void would easily harm his body.

Grrumble.

At that moment, his stomach growled.

"Food first." Jiang Ping touched the only Ten Coins he had left and headed toward the bustling streets.

These were prosperous times for the dynasty, with peace in all directions.

Yang City was still fairly bustling and lively at night.

Jiang Ping found a noodle shop and pondered ways to make money while he ate.

Yet even after he finished his noodles, he had not come up with a single idea.

He gave a bitter smile and shook his head slightly.

Of course. If money were so easy to earn, he would not have gone into hard labor.

"The key is still that I have no strength. If I became a martial artist..."

Jiang Ping murmured.

The Da Li Dynasty ruled through martial prowess, and practicing martial arts had practically become the finest path upward.

The several martial arts halls in Yang City, for instance, were flourishing and never lacked business.

But he was alone and without support now, so entering a martial arts hall was difficult as well.

"It would be great if I could practice martial arts while earning money."

Jiang Ping muttered, then suddenly froze.

He remembered something.

The Four Seas Escort Agency was recruiting new Escort Runners.

Come to think of it, he had done odd jobs for that escort agency before and knew a little about its workings.

Leaving aside everything else, any escort who could go on an Escort Mission earned at least a hundred coins per trip.

When he had learned that, he had been filled with longing.

But when the escort agency truly began training New Drafters, Jiang Ping hesitated again.

There was no other reason. Escort runners traveled north and south, and danger was easy to encounter.

Of the few low-ranking escorts he knew, practically none still had all their body parts intact.

All he could say was that the trade paid well, but it was dangerous too.

Still, because these were peaceful and prosperous times, there were few Greenwood Heroes, and casualties were uncommon.

"I don't have many paths left. Four years... can I really wait?"

Jiang Ping pondered.

If he kept doing hard labor as before, he would have to start from scratch. He would need to work steadily for four years to save enough for martial arts hall tuition, and during that time he could not afford to fall ill or suffer any accidents.

That also meant wasting another four years of his Best Training Time.

But if he went to the escort agency, things would be different.

The Four Seas Escort Agency had a Nourishing Life Technique. Once practiced to Great Accomplishment, it could make one a martial artist.

It was also something every escort had to learn.

It perfectly matched Jiang Ping's desire to practice martial arts while making money.

"But the Nourishing Life Technique is still only a Nourishing Life Technique. It falls far short of the Stance Techniques taught by martial arts halls. Within the Four Seas Escort Agency, there are only a handful who have cultivated qi and blood through the Nourishing Life Technique."

Jiang Ping found himself in a difficult position.

The escort agency's treatment suited his current predicament perfectly, but the Nourishing Life Technique was famously difficult to practice. Coupled with the dangers of escort work, it left him hesitant.

After thinking for a long while,

Jiang Ping's gaze turned resolute.

"I'm doing it!"

"The escort agency gives new recruits a six-month buffer period to improve their strength. Once it's time for escort missions, I'll only pick easy, relatively safe jobs. The moment I earn enough money, I'll go to a martial arts hall for further study."

"Six years since I crossed over, and I've got no golden finger. If I keep playing it safe and never touch the Martial Dao, there's no point. I can't waste the Golden Age for martial arts training any longer. When you're young, you have to take a gamble—murder and arson bring golden belts, while those who build bridges and mend roads die without even a corpse to bury!"

"Customer, have you gotten yourself into some kind of trouble?"

Seeing Jiang Ping's expression as if he were ready to face death, the Noodle Shop Owner could not help asking.

"No."

"Then you've come down with a serious illness?"

"Who are you cursing?"

"That makes no sense."

"To hell with you. This young master is going to the Four Seas Escort Agency to become an escort."

"So that's it. May you rise through the ranks soon and become a master of your generation."

"Now that's more like it."

"Don't leave yet, customer. You haven't paid."

"Oh."

Looking at the horizontal tablet above the courtyard gate, Jiang Ping drew a deep breath and stepped forward to knock.

After a moment, a young servant opened the door.

Once Jiang Ping explained the whole story, the servant welcomed him inside and said, "If it were anyone else, getting through this door would not be so easy. When the escort agency trains New Drafters, it investigates their backgrounds too. It's best if their history is clean."

"But Big Brother Jiang is different. We all know you and know your reputation. I remember Escort Master Yang even invited you once."

Jiang Ping nodded without saying much.

Over the years since crossing over, he had gained nothing else, but he had built a reputation for being hardworking and dependable.

When he had done odd jobs at the escort agency, he had gotten to know several escorts. He had acquaintances here, at least.

Unfortunately, as the old gave way to the new, those escorts had all resigned and retired.

That had been one of the reasons he had not wanted to come here in the first place.

Yet only a few days later, Jiang Ping had come anyway.

There was no helping it. For martial arts, he had to take a gamble. Maybe he would succeed.

At this moment,

The escort agency was brightly lit, and everything inside was clearly visible.

A cobblestone path stretched ahead. In the flower beds on either side, Golden Chrysanthemums bloomed in splendid clusters, while covered corridors, pavilions, and streams lay scattered in harmonious arrangement in the distance.

Other than the Government Office and several martial arts halls, the Four Seas Escort Agency was the grandest place Jiang Ping had seen in Yang City.

Of course, this was not his first time here, and the scenery no longer surprised him.

The servant led him past the Training Ground, through a Moon Gate, and into a reception hall.

There were already people in the reception hall.

Jiang Ping saw three strong men inside, dressed much like him and with similar complexions.

They were probably here for the same reason.

Those who chose escort work either came for the generous pay or, like him, wanted to use the Nourishing Life Technique to knock open the gates of the Martial Dao.

Without exception, they all came from poor backgrounds and knew only how to do physical labor.

Even his younger brother knew that one had to go to a martial arts hall to train. If life was manageable, who would come run escort missions?

Jiang Ping had no choice at the moment either.

"Head Escort Liang."

Jiang Ping stepped forward, lined up with the three rough men, and respectfully greeted the middle-aged man seated before them.

He knew a fair bit about the escort agency's structure and several of its well-known Head Escorts.

This Head Escort Liang had run escort missions for thirty years. His Martial Dao attainments were among the best in the entire escort agency.

The Head Escort glanced at the newcomer and nodded slightly. He had already learned of Jiang Ping's background from the servant.

A local man from Yang City, and a hardworking, dependable one at that—naturally, he was among the finest candidates for the escort agency to train as a new escort.

Still, according to custom, his information had to be recorded.

Once Jiang Ping finished registering, Head Escort Liang produced a contract.

Jiang Ping looked it over. It was nothing more than the escort agency's rules, with the key point being the term of employment: ten years!

Naturally. It was said that training New Drafters cost the escort agency money, so how could it allow recruits to leave whenever they pleased?

He paused briefly, then signed his name and pressed his fingerprint and seal.

If he truly achieved something in the Martial Dao, the contract would be no more than waste paper.

Even if he failed, once he earned enough money, he could study at a martial arts hall while continuing to run escort missions.

The escort agency did not object to that either. They hoped their escorts would grow stronger, after all, and it would not cost them any money.