Shangzhou Village. Darkness was creeping in.
The old chief stared at the sunset, his wrinkled face showing worry. His daughter had not returned since she went off to visit her friend in the nearby village, and he feared for the worst. "Father, you should not be outside like this. You are stressing yourself for nothing. Is this about sister? I am sure she is safe. She probably decided to spend another night over at her friend's place… Come on now, let's get you inside," a slender young man comforted the old man before leading him back to the house.
The old man let out a heavy sigh, saying, "You are too naïve, son. You still don't know the dangers of the world." Just as they were entering the hut, they heard the kids shouting, "Sister Shing Xi is back!"
The old man quickly turned around, almost twisting his back, to see his daughter. "Father, take it easy," the young man said, supporting the old man. "I must see my daughter," he said, rushing outside.
And there she was. Her clothes were slightly torn, but apart from that she looked fine. Behind her was a young man in a sorry state. His clothes were tattered and covered in blood, let alone the wounds that covered his body from head to toe, and yet he seemed fine.
He Yue had accompanied Shing Xi all the way to her village. On the way, he had learnt a lot from her about this world. Most people who lived here were mortals, with very few cultivators, most having left for the capital to look for opportunities.
He also came to learn about the village. It was a small encampment formed a long time ago by their ancestors, which gradually grew over time. The dominant clan was the Shing clan, the ancestor's bloodline, while other minor clans joined later, forming the current Shangzhou Village.
Upon arriving at the village, they were received by the villagers as children surrounded them, staring at him. They walked straight to the center of the village where the chief's hut was. "I must see my daughter," they heard a voice cry out from the house before an old man shot out of the house.
"Oh, my daughter, you are well!" he cried, hugging her. "Yes, father, all thanks to this man," she replied, looking at He Yue. "Hm, what happened?" Old Man Shing asked, raising his brow.
Shing Xi proceeded to narrate the events that had transpired. By the time she was finished, the old man's face was wrinkled ten times more than usual in anger. "Damn those Baiying Brothers! They dared to steal from my daughter and attempt to rape her," the old man said in a sore voice. "Calm down, father," Shing Xi said, clearly worried about her father's illness.
The once great chief of Shangzhou Village had now been reduced to an old, skinny, and weak man by old age and an illness that sometimes rendered him unable to get out of bed.
Old Man Shing slowly turned his head and gazed over to He Yue, who was standing there watching the drama unfold. He bowed slightly before saying, "Thank you very much for saving my daughter. You are now our village's esteemed guest. Please feel free to ask for anything. As long as it is in my power, I will grant it to you."
Although he was a ruthless killer who loved seeing people kneel before him, he did not remember this. And so, when he saw the old man bow, he quickly told him to rise up, adding that it was due to circumstances that he saved her. As for gifts, he was not in need of much… but he needed a place to stay before he figured out his next course of action.
"Might as well ask for a place to stay," he thought, and said, "Thank you very much for your kind offer, but I do not need much. All I need is a place to stay for a while."
The old man couldn't hide his joy as he smiled, showing his tooth-deprived gum, saying, "Very well then. From today, you are now an esteemed guest of our village. You can stay here for as long as you like. Elder Jiang, please show this kind young man to his new living quarters." "Thank you for your kindness," He Yue said. He left the father and daughter duo to catch up.
His room was expensively furnished with wolf skin and other beast skins. It was obvious that this was a hunter's village. He jumped on his bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to recall his past, but gave up quickly before drifting to sleep.
The next morning, he was woken up by a knock on his door. He opened it a few seconds later and found Elder Jiang standing at the door. "Esteemed guest, you are invited to attend a feast held in your honor later in the evening by the chief," he said in a polite tone. "Alright, I will attend," he said, going back into his room.
He sat on his bed, slowly feeling his body. Most of his injuries were healed, and the remaining ones were not that serious. He felt this power surging inside his body, but he could not control it. He could only use it subconsciously to heal himself.
The sun's rays pierced the dark clouds that had formed above the village, as if battling to deliver its light to the people, forming multiple golden pillars. The village was lively as the time for the banquet was near, so the villagers were moving here and there making preparations. Lambs lost their heads, the finest wine was taken from the store, and various delicacies were cooked that day.
He Yue came out of his room for the first time since morning and met Shing Xi, who had come to accompany him to the banquet. "Brother He Yue, come, let's go. Everyone is waiting at the venue," she said when she saw him coming out of his room.
He had changed his clothes and was wearing plain white robes he had gotten from the elder. "Alright, let's go," he said with a warm smile.
Shing Xi was dazed by his appearance. It was the first time she had seen him since they parted. After he changed his clothes, showered, and combed his hair, he looked even more handsome. His aura glowed around him, and he gave off this air of comfort. He was like a celestial descended from heaven.
They headed to the feast together, chatting casually.
Aahhh! A scream suddenly echoed throughout the small village. Everyone turned to look at the source.