The Open Sect was functional again. Although the incident had left a crater in the middle of the ground, a broken Pagoda, and sent some disciples in the medicinal hall. Other than that, everything was alright.

  Repairing the podium and carrying the now “broken” golden statue of the jade dragon were the senior disciples of the Open Sect.

  “Are you in there, Baek Cho?!” A hushed voice echoed in the medicinal hall. The culprit of the entire incident was secretly knocking on the window of the medicine hall.

  “B-a-e-k Cho!” Fluffy was restlessly looking around. Fearing that someone might come. Usually, he would avoid visiting the centre of the Sect for at least a few days until the flames were cooled down, but right now, he seemed urgent.

  In the early morning, Fluffy was kicked out the Open Sect. So, meeting at the main entrance was simply impossible.

  Inside the medicine hall, a handsome man answered, “Shhh! Coming! Just a moment Fluffy!”

  He was Baek Cho. A smart, elegant, but quite disciple. Fluffy’s only friend at the Sect and an amputee.

  There was a lot of work for him. During the incident, a lot of students fainted while a few got injured in the chaos. Baek Cho had no choice but to attend all the patients due to the shortage of physicians.

  In the world of Jianghu, unless someone was gravely injured or poisoned, or had no Qi to cure themselves, then only the physicians were required. So, it was a rarely sought after job.

  Baek Cho calmly opened the window and said in a hushed voice. “Fluffy, I will keep the door open at the night, enter and go to the basement directly.”

  “Don’t come from the window—it will break.” He added.

  ***

  During the night, the Sect members, tired from the ordeal slept soundly and there were rarely any guards taking shifts.

  The gates of medicine hall were slightly open.

  [Inside the basement.]

  The dark basement was lit up with candles. After finishing his work, Baek Cho appeared with a slight smile on his face.

  Walking through the hallway while carrying a candle lamp in his hands, he reached the basement. However, his smile froze as he saw Fluffy.

  Baek Cho’s only friend was looking at him with eyes filled with excitement while carrying a large bag hung on a stick, lying on his shoulder.

  “Come here Baek Cho! I have something to tell you.” From Fluffy’s voice, it was evident that he was extremely excited.

  However, Baek Cho’s body jerked a little. He was fatigued. But more than fatigue, a sense of loneliness crawled over him. He knew this day would come someday and after the graduation ceremony, it was only natural to leave the Sect whenever the disciple wished to.

  But still…

  “There is something super-duper bumper-dumper secret, close the doors and…” At that moment, Baek Cho woke up from his stupor.

  Fluffy’s voice was tinged with worry.

  “Huh? Umm, yeah.” With limping steps, Baek Cho closed the door behind and turned to sit across Fluffy on the alchemy table, but he staggered.

  “Hmm? Baek Cho?!—”

  “—Why are you walking like that? Where’s your prosthetic leg?” Fluffy hurriedly went to support Baek Cho as he noticed his missing prosthetic leg.

  “Haha… Don’t worry about it. It was old and broke a while ago.” Baek Cho said with a dull smile on his face. Fluffy sensed clear lie in his words.

  “Who dared to do so?” Fluffy asked with a furious tone.

  “No one did it on purpose, Fluffy. One of the new kids couldn’t control Qi and slammed into me. It broke at that time.”

  The commotion Fluffy had caused, traumatised many in the Sect. Qi outburst was a common occurrence during panicked situations.

  “Where are you going now?” Baek Cho asked, changing the frown on Fluffy’s face into a gigantic smile.

  “I don’t know.” But his answer left Baek Cho speechless. He frowned.

  If Fluffy didn’t know where he was heading to, why was he so happy?

  But Fluffy wasn’t done speaking. “I don’t know where or how, but I know what I will be doing after the graduation.”

  Fluffy answered with a confident and radiant smile across his face. Saying so, he took something out of his pocket.

  At first Baek Cho was worried that Fluffy might return to his home town and would never fulfil his dream of becoming the greatest Martial Artist.

  He might follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and run the noodle shop back in his home town. The Plan B he always talked about.

  “Honestly, I was going to give up on my dreams and go back to my hometown. But then, this happened.” Fluffy opened the golden scroll and passed it to Baek Cho.

  [Letter of recommendation to the Heavenly Jade Divine Dragon Cult.]

  Baek Cho read the words written on the scroll carefully.

  He read it again and again just to make sure that it wasn’t a scam. Who knows? The old coots at the district were all scammers. Did they scam Fluffy again?

  After confirming the insignia of the Heavenly Jade Divine Dragon Cult for the seventh time, Baek Cho looked at Fluffy in disbelief.

  It was THE real deal.

  “No way… Who gave you this?” He asked carefully.

  “The Grand Elder did.” Fluffy answered sincerely.

  “The…what?! The GRAND ELDER?!” Baek Cho was flabbergasted.

  “Yeah, even I was surprised.” Fluffy continued his tale and told Baek Cho everything with details. From his talk with mun-mun to the sudden gust of wind and even the stolen dumplings.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Everything.

  After listening to Fluffy’s details, Baek Cho thought for a while. Then, he asked something that was bugged.

  “So, I can see that this a letter of recommendation but…” He looked at Fluffy in the eyes and asked.

  “Where exactly is the Heavenly Jade Divine Dragon Cult situated?” At that question a silence enveloped the room.

  Both, Fluffy and Baek Cho were staring into each other’s eyes. No one making a move.

  “That… I don’t know.” Fluffy answered honestly.

  “Then where are you going with all your belongings packed?” Baek Cho continued his interrogation.

  “No clue.” Fluffy’s eyes did not waver.

  “Did the Grand Elder not mention any place? Any time you should be present at? Or anything when or where this letter of recommendation can be used at?” Baek Cho did not lose a beat, while his temples formed an eight on his forehead.

  “Absolutely not. No knowledge. Nothing that I recall.” Fluffy was as honest as ever.

  The silence continued yet again. None of them ready to give up.

  “Sigh… Fluffy, are you sure you weren’t scammed?” Baek Cho let out a sigh.

  “I mean, this letter of recommendation does not give any information about the place and time you should be at. Nor does it tell you anything about your role you have to perform there!” Baek Cho took something out of his bosom and showed Fluffy.

  There were three letters of recommendations. From a bronze, silver, and a gold.

  “You got three letters of recommendation?!” Fluffy’s jaw dropped. He was ecstatic to learn about Baek Cho’s letters.

  Baek Cho was a scholar, unlike him. Albeit an amputee, he was still a medicine student to boast.

  Looking at the format of the letter of recommendation, Fluffy understood what Baek Cho was asking for earlier.

  “Everything is given in these letters… ugh.” From place to time and the duration, everything was written in detail in the letter of recommendation.

  “Ehhh? But why did you choose the silver one when you have a golden one?! Huh? Will you be working in our Open Sect then?” Fluffy’s eyes widened as he continued to read through the terms and conditions.

  “Yes Fluffy. The bronze one wants just free labour at the government office. While the golden one wants me to be performing surgeries at Zu-tan Sect. So, I chose our Sect, the silver one.”

  “I will be working in the Grand Heaven Open Sect. As an apprentice of Medicine and Alchemy.” Baek Cho sighed and answered with a bit of bitterness.

  Even for a scholar like him, without the backing of a strong family, it was impossible to achieve anything in this world.

  Usually, the government offered opening positions to all the physician candidates. Thereafter, one can continue to give exams and increase their ranks and status, a vicious and filthy cycle.

  It was a job many desired but not Baek Cho. To him, there was a little to no research and room for the growth of the candidate sponsored by the government.

  Meanwhile, the golden letter from Zu-tan Sect was a better opportunity. But it was for a surgical level, also, Zu-tan was a relatively new Sect with little to no recognition. Many a times, such Sects closed even before reaching popularity and proper fundings.

  So, he chose the safest option.

  “Then, how are you going to find the Heavnely Jade Divine Dragon Cult? And what will you do after leaving the Sect.” Baek Cho asked curiously while passing some rice cakes he had brought up on his way.

  He knew how his friend worked. As soon as Fluffy saw the food, his mouth watered and he started eating without even a second thought.

  “Firstly, I will send a letter to my hometown to grandpa. I cannot waste any more time here. I am kicked out anyway—”

  “—This opportunity is everything for me right now.” He started sharing his plans.

  “After that, I will head to some places to find any clues regarding Heavenly Jade Dragon Divine Cult.” Putting the scroll back inside his pocket, Fluffy answered.

  This was his gamble. A mad gamble.

  A place he had no knowledge about. He didn’t even know if it exists in the first place or not, but Fluffy believed the eyes of the Grand Elder.

  There was no lie in it.

  “Should I ask the Sect Leader and around regarding the location?” Baek Cho asked shyly.

  “Oh! That would be great if you can! But I doubt anyone knows about this place.” Fluffy said with a bitter smile.

  “There were no mentions about the Heavenly Jade Dragon Divine Cult in the history lessons they taught us.”

  “Even in the Legendary Jade Dragon book, there was no mention of such cult.” Fluffy was an admirer of the Heavenly Jade Dragon, who later became the hero by defeating the Sun.

  “Still, asking won’t hurt.” He added.

  “And what about you, Baek Cho?” Finally, Fluffy asked. He, as a friend knew that Baek Cho hated this Open Sect.

  The people here were never friendly to those less talented. The only reason he was not picked like Fluffy, was because of his status as an assistant in the medicinal hall.

  “Well, I will be here for another year or so before I head to Sichuan.” Baek Cho talked about his future.

  “Whoa! Sichuan!” Fluffy’s eyes widened. For even someone like Baek Cho, Sichuan was a very difficult place to be at.

  “The Tang family of the Sichuan is where the best physicians, researchers, and poisons are made. Isn’t it right?” Fluffy asked in excitement.

  “Yes. That Sichuan Tang family.”

  “Wow… But, their entrance exam is tough, isn’t it?” Fluffy was a bit concerned.

  “Yeah.. It is tough…Very tough.” Baek Cho gave a cynical laugh. The mere thought of entering the Sichuan Clan excited and scared him at the same time.

  “Given how strict their entrance is, my chances of getting accepted are very thin.” Baek Cho smiled bitterly. He was someone who severely underestimated himself.

  But Fluffy jumped in and said with a puffed chest, “You can absolutely get in there, Baek Cho! You are the best scholar and physician I am aware of!” Gulping the entire bowl of rice cakes in a go, Fluffy continued.

  “I believe in you!” His eyes were as innocent as a puppy.

  Maybe that’s why Baek Cho never wanted Fluffy to leave and see the “true” world of Jianghu. What if this innocent and warm man was turned into a cold, sharp, and bloodthirsty demon? Baek Cho shook his head and thought about something else.

  He left his seat and took something out from a nearby shelf.

  “Take this with you, Fluffy.” Baek Cho shoved something into Fluffy’s hands.

  “Thanks—for everything. For taking on those bullies, for being my friend. An amputee like me… you were the best thing here.” Baek Cho, hiding his face underneath his bangs spoke in a soft voice.

  This was a goodbye. The two who shared years together, were now separated because of this Jianghu.

  In this world, people often crossed boundaries with weak and disabled people. After all, they were considered the useless pieces of trash.

  Baek Cho was a man with few words. The only time he spoke to someone, it was for either work or only to Fluffy.

  And tonight, might be the last night he shared a heartfelt conversation.

  The world was a scary place.

  There were monsters, bandits, and most dangerous—humans, who were crazier than monsters. No one knew if they would live to see tomorrow. No one knew if the light would shine, yet—

  “Is there something to eat inside?” There was occasionally someone like him—the stupid but innocent one.

  Throwing his thoughts outside the window, Baek Cho looked at Fluffy, who was about to open the box, with a face that said, ‘Is there dessert inside?’ written over it.

  “No!” Baek Cho stopped Fluffy from opening the box.

  “Don’t open it now.” He slowly sat down and said with a stern voice.

  “Promise me Fluffy, you will only open this box, only and ONLY when you are in extremely dire situation.” Baek Cho was dead serious.

  “Remember, only when you are in life or death danger.” Baek Cho warned Fluffy again.

  “Like, super—duper danger?” Fluffy asked innocently.

  “Yeah, like super—duper bumper-dumper danger. Until, do not open it.” Baek Cho’s eyes were covered by his bangs as he said those words. But his voice was shaky.

  The room remained silent for a while before Fluffy stood up. He came closer and hugged Baek Cho tightly.

  The two stood for a moment before parting their ways.

  “Then, I am off, Baek Cho!” Fluffy said as he put the small gift from Baek Cho inside his pocket.

  “I hope, that we meet again and when we do, I will be the best Martial Artist in the world and you will be the Best Physician in the world!”

  Fluffy said while pumping his fists and with his signature smile. He was prepared to leave. It was time for him to leave.

  Slowly, the both climbed up and silently waved distanced.

  As Fluffy took off, his figure kept getting smaller from the gate where Baek Cho stood.

  Baek Cho, who saw Fluffy’s wide back getting smaller, couldn’t hold back his tears any longer.

  Until now, hiding underneath his bangs, but now, those tears glowed underneath the moonlight.

  It was a feeling of losing the only support an amputee could ever have.

  The fate of the one he was watching go, was definitely the greatest one.

  His best friend—Fluffy.

  One day, the best martial artist would visit his clinic. Baek Cho was sure of it.

  Just as Baek Cho’s emotions were stirring him up, he saw Fluffy turn back and wave his hand one last time—but,

  -BAM!

  He tripped and fell.

  The sound of something massive fall on the ground echoed and the guards started shouting.

  “Who goes there?!” The already tired people were woken up again.

  “N-no one! M-meow! It’s a me! A cat!” Fluffy got up and started running while making cat noises.

  Baek Cho, who watched this all, couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh.

  Maybe the best Martial Artist was still a far fetch dream.

  Jianghu:

  2. Cult: A powerful and often mysterious martial sect, usually strict, elite, and driven by specific beliefs or goals.

  3. Clan: A martial family with a shared bloodline and heritage. They pass down techniques through generations.

  4. Open Sect: A more public, accessible school of martial arts that accepts a wide range of disciples, regardless of background or bloodline.