Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Journey Onward

After Zhang Xuan finished speaking with Zhao Yun, he walked straight over to Old Master Tong. "Old Master Tong, what was the name of that person you mentioned? Tell me, will you? If I ever run into him, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson. How could someone act like that, leaving a luminous pearl right in front of him and instead picking up a stone—a rough, pitted stone at that!" Old Master Tong glanced sideways at Zhang Xuan. "Let it go, it's all in the past. No need to bring it up again. With your skills, you might not even be able to take him on."

"Old Master Tong, that's exactly the point! So, shouldn't you teach me a few moves? That way, if I do meet him, I can handle him properly." Zhang Xuan rubbed his hands together, looking at Old Master Tong with eager anticipation. Old Master Tong looked at Zhang Xuan and simply raised his middle finger, saying nothing. That gesture alone eloquently conveyed all he meant to say.

"Old Master Tong, you spent so long touching Zhao Yun earlier—I almost thought you had some strange fixation. Honestly, what do you think of this kid Zhao Yun? Isn't he pretty good?"

"Yes, he's quite good, but he'll need to be observed and tested further. If he lacks perseverance and determination, even the best foundation is worthless." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. There were many stories of wasted potential, but he had confidence in Zhao Yun before him.

Then, as if struck by a thought, Zhang Xuan said, "Leave it to me; I'll temper him myself. I just hope he doesn't fall behind. But Old Master Tong, if Zhao Yun manages to keep up with me, will you accept him as your disciple? Aren't you worried I might go easy on him?"

"Go easy? Would you really?" Old Master Tong retorted. "Even if you did, you'd only be hurting yourselves. I don't think I'd lose anything. If you want to go easy, go ahead—at worst, it just means a longer journey home! But, Xuan, I've always wondered, what's your real goal? If you don't wish to say, you don't have to; even if you told me, I doubt I'd believe it." With that, Old Master Tong left Zhang Xuan behind and walked over to Yang Bo and the others, leaving Zhang Xuan standing alone.

"My goal?" Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. If he really said he wanted to claim a throne amidst the coming chaos, he'd surely invite only ridicule and scorn—chaos and ambition, what nonsense.

"Xuan, what are you thinking about? We're moving out!" Old Master Tong and the others were already calling everyone to the road, and only Zhang Xuan remained behind. Yang Zaixing called out to him.

"Coming," Zhang Xuan replied. He watched the backs of Yang Zaixing, Yang Hu, and Zhao Yun, smiling and nodding. Although he was unsure whether Yang Zaixing was a result of some temporal disorder, the future achievements of the Yang Zaixing before him would surely be impressive. As for Zhao Yun, that needed no further mention; he would meet Old Master Tong earlier than history records, and with Zhang Xuan's own training and guidance to come, his future would be dazzling. Yang Hu, too, with the right people beside him, could easily hold his own as a regional defender. Looking at these companions, his cadre, Zhang Xuan felt his ambitions of a future king's career might be worth pursuing after all.

With Zhao Yun now among them, Zhang Xuan and his party continued their journey onward. (It felt a bit like a scene from a pirate adventure, gaining a new companion and continuing the quest. A comical grin.) Zhang Xuan, Yang Zaixing, and Yang Hu, still recovering from their injuries, spent the week after meeting Zhao Yun occasionally jogging to acclimate their bodies; otherwise, they traveled as usual, and did basic stretching and sit-ups to maintain a level of activity. Because of this easy pace, Zhao Yun had worried he might fall behind, but soon he began to doubt Old Master Tong's earlier warning; could anyone really fall behind like this? Old Master Tong and the others sensed Zhao Yun's change in attitude and said nothing more.

But a week later, once Zhang Xuan and his companions had mostly recovered, Zhang Xuan clapped Zhao Yun on the shoulder. "Feeling relaxed? Think you won't fall behind? Everything so far was just an appetizer—no, not even an appetizer. Today, it truly begins. Don't lose pace." Zhao Yun nodded, promising he wouldn't fall behind. Zhang Xuan smiled at him, "I hope so. Don't cry when the time comes." Yang Zaixing came over and patted Zhao Yun's shoulder, then Yang Hu did the same, leaving Zhao Yun bewildered.

On the first day after they resumed their running pace, Zhao Yun nearly fell behind, and that was before Zhang Xuan and the others were back in peak form. Of course, they were intentionally holding back, or Zhao Yun really might have lost them. That night, Zhang Xuan took Zhao Yun aside to give him a warning. "The real show is just starting. I remember how long it took my older brothers to adapt. You're the youngest, so you'll get some extra time. After all, you have to eat one bite at a time. Get a good rest tonight. Unless something special comes up, this will be our rhythm from now on. Don't let me down."

The next day passed without incident. In truth, Zhao Yun only managed to keep up because Zhang Xuan and the others were still holding back, but he was improving. Over the following days, though they still went easy, it was within reason. After several days of recovery, training, and sparring, Zhang Xuan felt his condition was nearly restored, so he prepared cloth bags filled with dirt or stones, tied them to his calves for weighted training. Yang Zaixing and Yang Hu followed suit. Zhao Yun wanted to do the same, but Zhang Xuan stopped him with, "Kid, you haven't learned to walk yet and want to run?" That day, the tables turned, and it was finally Zhao Yun's turn to watch Zhang Xuan and his companions get thoroughly berated by Old Master Tong.

Another ten days passed. During those days, Old Master Tong seemed to be in excellent spirits, perhaps because they were nearing their destination. Zhang Xuan and the others observed his changing mood, whispering among themselves, but none dared ask why he was so happy. If Old Master Tong wanted to share, he would; since he didn't, they let it be. After all, it wasn't their home.

One evening, Old Master Tong called everyone together. "Tomorrow we'll reach our first destination. Tomorrow, don't rush on ahead. I have some business to attend to here. Once it's done, we'll head to the next place."