It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 16: The Little Girl

Though there had been many twists and turns, I finally managed to join Zhang Yang’s forces, and we advanced together with Wang Kuang, the Governor of Henei.

As we marched, a vast army bearing various banners appeared in the distance.

The weather was still cold.

When I exhaled, my breath quickly disappeared into the frigid winter air.

But over there, where tens of thousands had gathered, smoke filled the air.

Baekrang and Haryeong were quietly mesmerized by the majestic scene.

I understood their reaction.

Seeing such a massive gathering of people, like a swarm of bees, was overwhelming.

Even though I didn’t show it, I felt a shiver of awe run down my spine.

They were steadily gathering in Chenliu Commandery, where Cao Cao had raised his army when the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition was formed.

Upon arriving in Chenliu, I came face to face with numerous warlords.

And among them, I couldn’t help but feel out of place, especially when I noticed the colorful attire of the women present.

Among these notable warlords, something felt off.

“Quite a remarkable sight, isn’t it?”

Zhang Yang, who had come to stand beside me without my noticing, said with a smile.

She had once collapsed suddenly, leaving me in quite a panic.

In hindsight, choosing to side with this woman might have been the biggest mistake of my life.

Thankfully, at least in public, she displayed the dignity her position required.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“······Didn’t we agree to never speak of that day again?”

Since then, we had grown closer through casual conversations, to the point where we could speak informally without much reservation.

“It’s just that it left a strong impression. I didn’t know you were so inexperienced with men.”

“W-What are you talking about······! As someone responsible for my subordinates, maintaining propriety is only natural······!”

“Is that so?”

I smirked and shrugged, and Zhang Yang trembled with frustration, glaring at me.

“Enough. Whenever I talk to you, Unryong, I feel like a fool.”

Well, judging by her usual demeanor, she already seemed like one.

Although I hadn’t known her for long, I had quickly realized what a foolish woman she could be.

Rumor had it that even when dealing with a traitor attempting rebellion, she couldn’t bring herself to execute him and ended up crying.

Though she appeared stern, she was, in reality, far too soft.

How she planned to survive this chaotic era and hold onto her position was beyond me.

Tsk, tsk.

Anyway.

The Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition had finally been formed.

Now, all that was left was to march on Luoyang.

The important part begins now.

I had to think about how to build my reputation, how the situation would unfold, and what strategies to employ.

For a simpleton like me, even thinking about one thing made my head feel like it would explode.

“Well, I’ll take my leave now. You must have a lot to do, right?”

At times like this, it was best to clear my head by swinging a sword.

After all, if I neglected my martial arts while focusing too much on other things, my life would lose its meaning.

“Are you going to engage in that strange meditation again? You’re not a Daoist sage, so why do you meditate so often?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? It’s the process of channeling qi through the meridians and accumulating it in the dantian, thus solidifying my inner power.”

“······You really do talk about incomprehensible things. Fine, it’s not like all the armies have gathered yet, so do as you please.”

Even when the armies did gather, no one would care about someone like me, a mere beggar.

Governors, lords of provinces—they wouldn’t bother with someone like me, not when there were more important matters to attend to.

I didn’t say this aloud, but a faint smile crossed my lips.

With that, I made my way to an open plain, far from prying eyes.

It was the perfect place for training.

In martial arts, there are two primary forms of training.

One is cultivating inner strength, fortifying oneself from within.

The other is external training, honing one’s techniques and moves to be more precise and effective.

Right now, I needed external training.

Lately, I had been neglecting it due to lack of time.

I grasped my sword.

The sword technique I practiced, the *Phantom Sword*, consisted of seven distinct forms, collectively called the *Heavenly Extreme Linked Seven Forms*.

Despite its grandiose name, it wasn’t a mystical technique like *Heavenly Demon Divine Arts*, but rather a simple martial skill.

In fact, it was incomplete.

To properly utilize even one of these forms, one needed to unlock the *Gate of Entry*.

Beyond that, the Gates of *Opening*, *Blood*, *Life* , and *Death* all had to be unlocked to fully master the Seven Forms.

Thus, all I could do now was execute the movements.

I began with the first form—*Linked Illusion Sword* (연환검, 連幻劍).

This was the fundamental technique I had used in my life-and-death duel against Qing Niujiao.

The key was in the elbow, utilizing sudden bursts of motion to rapidly change the trajectory of the blade.

Though it was a basic technique, if one reached the level where they could harness sword qi, even this *Linked Illusion Sword* alone could make someone the strongest in the world.

After all, I was the only martial artist in this world.

With such idle thoughts in mind, I slowly went through the Seven Forms.

Starting from the *Linked Illusion Sword*, to the *Six Flashing Illusions*, and *Phantom Soul*, up to the *Thousand Mile Phantom Sword*.

Without channeling any qi, I could only perform the incomplete movements, and the fourth form, the *Thousand Mile Phantom Sword*, was my limit.

At this rate, when would I ever master the *Heavenly Extreme Linked Seven Forms* and learn divine martial arts?

The path ahead seemed bleak.

Just then—

“That’s a peculiar sword technique.”

What the—?!

I jumped in surprise. Where had that voice come from?

No matter how I turned my head, I couldn’t find the source of the voice.

“What are you searching for?”

Finally, when I lowered my gaze, I saw a small girl standing before me.

She had striking silver hair and reddish eyes that gave off an ominous vibe.

The girl, wrapped tightly in a blue cloak, was craning her neck to look up at me.

“What’s a kid doing out here?”

I asked with a sigh.

The girl’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised.

“······Hmm.”

Then, with a small smirk, she nodded.

“I was just taking a stroll in the breeze. I happened to have some time.”

“Huh? And you think this is a place for a stroll? Have you lost your mind? Go home quickly.”

“What? Is there some law that says children can’t set foot in Chenliu? That would be quite inconvenient.”

She chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

“What about you? Why are you out here alone? Judging by your attire, you don’t seem like an official.”

“Oh, give me a break. Do you even realize how dangerous this place is? Can’t you see those scary soldiers over there? Stop talking nonsense and go inside.”

“To my eyes, you don’t look all that different.”

This little brat…?

I gritted my teeth, barely restraining my anger.

No matter how annoying, it wasn’t right to lose my temper at a kid.

Calming myself, I spoke in a gentler tone this time.

“Look, kid, I get that you want to play. I was like that too. Running around in the mountains, following the adults with swords. But trust me, it’s a dangerous game. See this scar on my elbow? I got it when I was seven, from a bandit. It still stings like hell at night.”

“That’s quite unfortunate.”

Wait, why was this kid talking to me in such a casual tone?

After all this explanation, shouldn’t she be saying, ‘I understand’ and nodding?

Could this be… that pattern again?

Like with Lü Bu, Zhang Yang, and all those others?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

No, no way.

There’s no chance this little girl is some warlord, right?

I needed to rein in my suspicions.

I had been burned so many times by now that I’d developed a paranoid streak.

As I was rationalizing things and nodding to myself, I noticed a burly man running towards us, panting heavily.

“What are you doing here, Mengde? Yuan Shao is looking for you!”

“Oh, Yuanyang.”

The girl extended her short arm and waved.

“So, Benchu has been searching for me? It seems all the lords have gathered.”

“Yes! You disappeared suddenly… And who’s this beggar?”

“He was just a brief diversion. Pay him no mind.”

With that, the girl tossed her cloak aside, and the man naturally lowered himself to catch it.

“More importantly, you shouldn’t be so casual in calling him Benchu. It could bring serious trouble.”

Hearing their conversation, I froze on the spot.

Mengde. Mengde…

Wasn’t there someone known as Cao Mengde?

Wait, what?

“You there, don’t just stand around. Join the army. If you keep wandering on your own, you’ll only draw attention, as I have.”

“······.”

“Oh, and don’t worry about what just happened. I’m not that uptight. Sure, I was called a kid and all, but people make mistakes. I can forgive that.”

“Kid? Mengde, what’s this about?”

“Fufu, I told you, it was just a little fun.”

“Mengde… You’re still playing these mischievous games…”

The man called Yuanyang sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead.

He then cast a pitiful glance my way.

This… This was…

A truly unfortunate encounter…