Human Clan Defender
Chapter 66 Luotan Layman

Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Luotan Layman

Shen Changqing rode lightly, sitting steadily on horseback; the jolts and jostles of the journey barely caused his figure to sway. Previously, when he traveled from the Demon-Subduing Division to Lin’an City, he had also been on horseback, but his relentless pace without rest had exhausted the horse to death before he even arrived.

This time, Shen Changqing bought another horse. With money on hand, he naturally wouldn’t skimp over a mere few silver coins. However, it was difficult to find any good horses in a place like Lin’an City, so Shen Changqing eventually picked a random one to serve as his mount.

The horse galloped swiftly. Having learned his lesson from the previous journey, Shen Changqing no longer dared to travel day after day without respite. At each stop, he would rest for a day before continuing towards the Demon-Subduing Division.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a clap of thunder echoed from the clear sky, startling the horse. It reared up on its hind legs, but Shen Changqing gripped the reins tightly with one hand and clamped his legs, managing to stay mounted.

By then, the once-bright sky had darkened unnoticed.

Is it going to rain? Shen Changqing thought, looking up at the sky, his brows involuntarily knitting together. With no village ahead or inn behind, finding shelter would be difficult. Although the rain itself had little effect on him, getting soaked through was not something he desired.

"HYAH!" he urged, clamping his legs forcefully, and the horse beneath him took off at a gallop. Before the rain could truly set in, Shen Changqing needed to find shelter.

About a quarter of an hour passed. A fine drizzle began to fall from the sky. The already dim visibility worsened as the rain impeded it further. Braving the downpour, he spurred his horse into a furious race. Another quarter of an hour passed before the horse finally slowed to a stop.

In the distance, Shen Changqing saw a faint, flickering light, suggesting a household not far ahead. However, only a narrow, thorn-littered path lay before him—not ideal for riding.

After some thought, he dismounted, led the horse under a large tree, and tied it up. Conveniently, the surrounding grassland was lush and green, providing fodder to sate its hunger.

"Hold strong, horse, and don’t run off with someone else," he cautioned, patting its back before heading towards the light.

Before long, an aged and somewhat dilapidated courtyard came into view. The light, which had appeared dim from afar, was now clearly visible as he approached.

A courtyard appearing so suddenly in such a secluded wilderness is quite out of the ordinary, no matter how one looks at it, Shen Changqing thought, his expression growing solemn. Standing before it, he sensed the surroundings. Feeling no Yin Evil Aura, his unease settled somewhat. Places where Demon Evil lurked would more or less emanate such an aura. Though the courtyard’s appearance was abrupt, the absence of this aura meant the likelihood of Demon Evil residing there was low. Moreover, the territory of Great Qin was not entirely peaceful, so it wasn’t unheard of for people to settle in remote areas.

He took a couple of steps forward and knocked on the courtyard door.

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Is anyone there?"

No sound came from inside, but Shen Changqing could hear faint footsteps, as if someone had been startled by the sudden noise. He patiently repeated himself, "I am a traveler, and the rain has caught me unprepared. I seek to shelter at your esteemed place for the night!"

After speaking, he waited patiently. A few moments later, the tightly secured courtyard door creaked open, and a scholar-like individual peered out. Upon seeing Shen Changqing alone, the nervous look on his face relaxed slightly, only to tighten again when he noticed the sword at Shen Changqing’s waist. Despite his nervousness, he did not close the door.

Exercising caution, the scholar opened the door further and asked with a slight bow, "Shelter from the rain is certainly no issue. Might I inquire how to address you, Sir?"

"Shen Changqing," he replied, returning the bow while appraising the scholar. His life force is calm, not like a martial artist’s. His mannerisms and behavior are indeed those of a learned man, Shen Changqing observed.

"So it is Brother Shen. I am Mo Zijin. Please, Brother Shen, come in," said the scholar, Mo Zijin, nodding and stepping aside.

"Thank you very much!" Shen Changqing nodded and stepped inside.

The courtyard was small, with a large shade tree planted in front and a long corridor that offered good shelter from the rain. At the end of the corridor was the main hall, from which the firelight he had seen was cast.

"Please follow me, Brother Shen," Mo Zijin said, walking ahead and leading Shen Changqing into the hall.

Immediately, a rich scent of ink wafted over them, mingled with the pungent aroma of medicinal herbs.

Looking around, Shen Changqing saw many calligraphy scrolls and paintings hanging in the hall. A desk was set with white paper and writing brushes; a half-finished calligraphy piece lay on top, its ink not yet completely dry. He was just writing, Shen Changqing deduced. On the far right of the hall, numerous medicinal herbs were arranged, along with a stone mortar and pestle.

"Please have a seat, Brother Shen," Mo Zijin said, clearing calligraphy and paintings from a stool.

Shen Changqing sat down, his gaze involuntarily lingering on the mortar.

Noticing his guest’s gaze, Mo Zijin smiled. "Brother Shen may not know, but when one lives alone, ailments are inevitable. It’s always wise to prepare some herbs in advance."

"I see," Shen Changqing said, understanding. He’s not wrong. Given how secluded this place is, medical attention might not arrive in time if illness strikes, he thought.

He then smiled lightly and asked casually, "Brother Mo, do you not fear living here alone?"

"To speak of fear, I naturally felt some in the beginning, but one gets used to it over time," Mo Zijin replied with a hearty laugh. "I’m but a destitute scholar, owning nothing of value; even bandits would disregard this place. It’s peaceful here, which suits me well to focus on my preparations. If I can pass the examinations to become an Elementary Scholar next year, nothing could be better. If I really fail, then being content as a physician helping the world wouldn’t be too bad either."

"Brother Mo, you have quite an open mind," Shen Changqing remarked with a smile, surprised by the other’s free-spirited attitude.

One should know, Shen Changqing mused, that in Great Qin, passing the imperial examinations is one of the few paths to advancement available to common folk. An ordinary physician could never compare to a scholar with official recognition. Let’s not even talk about achieving the top ranks; even becoming a mere Elementary Scholar would set one a cut above the rest in society. Just like Shi Qingsheng, who only had the qualification of an Elementary Scholar, yet managed to secure the position of Principal Clerk at the Yamen.

"’All pursuits are of Lower Quality; only scholarship stands high.’ Should one pass the examinations, that would definitely be much better than being a physician," Shen Changqing mused aloud, genuinely moved.

Upon hearing this, Mo Zijin’s eyes lit up, and his demeanor became notably warmer. He involuntarily murmured, "’All pursuits are of Lower Quality; only scholarship stands high—’" His expression grew excited. "What Brother Shen said makes perfect sense! Scholarship is indeed the only way out. How could we scholars abandon literature for martial arts! Alas..." He ended with a long sigh.

Mo Zijin’s demeanor sparked Shen Changqing’s curiosity. "Brother Mo, you seem troubled by something?"

"It’s a matter I would normally hesitate to mention," Mo Zijin began, hesitating for a moment before continuing, "but Brother Shen, your words have made me feel as though I’ve met a kindred spirit. Since you’ve asked, I might as well speak freely!" He moved some books from another stool to the side and sat down.

"All my life, I’ve immersed myself in studying the books of sages, solely to gain official recognition. Unfortunately, with my limited talents, I’ve failed the annual examinations year after year. For four or five consecutive years, I was unable to become an Elementary Scholar, depleting a significant amount of my family’s silver coins in the process.

"Therefore, my father opposed my continued studies and found a martial arts school for me to join. But after three years of training, I had little to show for it. During a training excursion, I accidentally blinded one of the school’s masters in one eye. For that, I had to pay a hefty sum of silver and was eventually expelled from the school.

"Since then, I’ve been adrift, achieving nothing in either scholarship or martial arts. Seeing this, my father sought another livelihood for me, arranging for me to apprentice with a town physician for several years, hoping I could eventually earn a living."

Mo Zijin recounted his past in bits and pieces, and Shen Changqing listened intently. It has to be said, his experiences have been quite rough, Shen Changqing thought. Years of frustrated scholarly pursuits, then abandoning literature for martial arts, only to find no success there either, and finally turning to medicine.

"Unfortunately, I’m not naturally suited for medical study either," Mo Zijin continued with a deep sigh. "I still yearn to gain some recognition—not to glorify my ancestors, but to fulfill my own aspirations." He then looked at Shen Changqing. "Speaking of which, my experiences must seem amusing to you, Brother Shen!"

"You’re being too hard on yourself, Brother Mo," Shen Changqing said with a comforting, slight smile. "The fact that you haven’t lost sight of your original intention is admirable. You are studying diligently now; perhaps next year you will succeed in becoming an Elementary Scholar."

Mo Zijin’s face also broke into a smile.

"Brother Shen, your view is truly the same as mine! It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone I could converse with so freely. I suppose you must be hungry, Brother Shen. I’ll go cook something for you to eat and to help you warm up."

With that, he stood up and walked out of the hall. Shen Changqing wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

After Mo Zijin left, Shen Changqing turned his attention back to the hall. Rising, he approached the hanging calligraphy scrolls and paintings. He wasn’t very knowledgeable about these arts, but he instinctively felt that the calligraphy and images were quite good.

Indeed, it seems that no matter the world, people who write like to express themselves freely. It looks nice, but I can’t understand the meaning, he thought, smiling helplessly after a long look. The characters were well-written and evoked a pleasant feeling, but he couldn’t discern what they said.

Only the signature at the end was somewhat legible to Shen Changqing: "Great Qin, Year 136, composed by Luotan Layman."