Rain Gear

Departure was the next morning, so that day was for preparations. I put a tarp and poncho made from Gōyō thread, along with a change of clothes and other items, into a large pack. The weapons I would bring were three: the Serpent-Blade Goat Broadsword, the Thunder Piercing Hammer, and the black steel dagger. Once I finished preparing, I told Haoxuen and the others that I was going to the royal capital, then went to sleep.

The next morning, we gathered in front of the Main Hall. Elder Mon was not wearing her usual splendid clothes, but something more like traveling attire.

“We’re all here. Let’s go.”

Elder Mon called out. Only the elder rode a horse; the rest of us were on foot. We also brought a donkey to carry luggage. That donkey was loaded with Elder Mon’s large baggage. First, we headed for the town of Boushin.

Kanru and Chenfa were carrying large packs like mine. Something like blankets was sticking out a little. Do they really need blankets? I had not heard that we would be sleeping outdoors.

“It looks like we’ll have good weather today.”

At Elder Mon’s words, the three guards nodded. When we arrived at Boushin, we headed east from there toward the royal capital. On the way, I asked Elder Mon something I had been wondering about for some time.

“In stories, I’ve heard of Immortals flying through the sky. Can they really fly?”

Elder Mon nodded at my question.

“When a Taoist practitioner advances far enough in training to reach the later part of the Spirit Formation Stage, they can learn immortal arts. Flight arts are among them.”

“Can you use them, Elder Mon?”

“No. The only one in Gyorei Cave who can use them is Sect Leader Wei.”

Sect Leader Wei had apparently reached the Core Formation Stage, one level above the Spirit Formation Stage. If the Spirit Formation Stage was the period of developing spiritual power, then the Core Formation Stage was the period of producing the bud of a spirit core, nurturing it, and establishing it as a true spirit core.

I still did not even have spiritual power, so I did not understand what something like a spirit core actually was.

“Kou, have you ever been to the royal capital?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“It’s a huge city. You’ll be surprised.”

Elder Mon told me about the royal capital. On the first day, we traveled about forty kilometers toward the royal capital east of the commercial city of Boushin, and arrived at a small town called Moldou.

“We’ll get rooms here for today.”

Kanru told us. Since it was a small town, the inn was low quality as well. Only Elder Mon was able to secure a room to herself, while the three of us had to share a room.

When we returned to the room after dinner, it was beginning to get dark outside. As we started getting ready for bed, I realized that the bedding provided by the inn was shabby. There was only a thin mattress and a small blanket.

“Kanru-shixiong, is bedding at inns really like this?”

When I said that while lifting the thin blanket, Kanru nodded.

“At inns in small towns, this is how it is. That’s why I make a point of bringing one blanket of my own.”

I wanted to tell him that he should have said so beforehand. Hearing that, Chenfa gave a faint smirk.

“You didn’t bring a blanket?”

He seemed to be implying that it was my fault for not bringing one. Kanru probably just had not thought of it, but Chenfa seemed like he had deliberately chosen not to tell me. Well, whatever. I took out the tarp from my pack and decided to use it instead of a quilt.

“What is that cloth?”

Chenfa asked.

“It’s cloth woven from thread made out of yōma hair. It’s useful in a lot of ways, so I brought it.”

“Oh, if it can even be used in place of a blanket, it does seem useful.”

Kanru sounded impressed, but Chenfa looked displeased. If his emotions showed so clearly on his face, he still had a long way to go.

When I folded the tarp in four and used it instead of a quilt, it was warm enough. It seemed this tarp could also serve as a quilt. That said, it probably would not be enough for use in midwinter. In winter, a proper quilt would still be necessary.

When I woke the next morning and looked up at the sky, it was cloudy. It was the kind of unpleasant weather that looked ready to rain. We set out after breakfast, and around noon, the rain began to fall.

“Let’s take shelter from the rain over there.”

Elder Mon pointed at a towering tree by the roadside. We hurried beneath it.

“This is some terrible rain. Do you think it’ll stop?”

Kanru said. Elder Mon looked up at the sky with a grim expression.

“At this rate, it doesn’t look like it will stop soon. Did everyone prepare rain gear?”

“I only brought a hat, but I did bring one.”

Chenfa answered. By hat, he meant a woven rain hat worn on the head. In this country, straw rain capes and woven rain hats were the usual rain gear. There were also things like Japanese umbrellas, but those were not often used on journeys. At that moment, Elder Mon noticed my luggage.

“Kou, did you forget your rain hat?”

“No, I brought different rain gear, so I’ll be fine.”

“In that case, that’s good… but it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop. It can’t be helped. Let’s put on our rain hats and continue.”

Elder Mon took out a stylish rain hat from her luggage and put it on.

“Won’t you get wet with a hat like that?”

I asked Elder Mon. With that hat, it looked like everything from her shoulders down would get wet.

“That can’t be helped.”

After letting out a sigh, I took out the poncho and handed it to Elder Mon.

“Please use this.”

Elder Mon tilted her head as she looked at the poncho.

“Will something like this cloth garment really be all right?”

“It’s woven from Gōyō thread made by combining Silver Sheep wool and Gōrō fur. It won’t let water through, so it’ll be fine.”

“I see, that was clever. But if I use this, what will you do, Kou?”

“I have another piece of cloth made from the same Gōyō thread, so I’ll drape that over myself.”

“Then use this.”

Elder Mon handed me her stylish rain hat. It probably did not suit me, but I put it on for the time being.

The rain continued for about two hours, but Elder Mon and I got through it almost without getting wet. However, only our shoes at ground level were completely soaked. Even so, Elder Mon thanked me. Since Kanru and Chenfa had rain hats, their heads did not get wet, but everything else on them was drenched.

“Did you tell Elder Min about this Gōyō-thread cloth?”

Elder Mon asked after returning the poncho.

“Yes, I did.”

“…If something this useful exists, he could have told me.”

Elder Mon murmured. She was probably talking about Elder Min.

Two days later, we safely arrived at the entrance to the royal capital.