Up ahead was a primitive little mountain village.
Watching the simple villagers coming and going, a glimmer of light gradually returned to Tian Fanâs eyes. Upon arriving here, he suddenly sensed a powerful five-element spiritual energy. But the moment he tried to probe it with his divine sense, the energy vanished without a trace.
“This is…”
He muttered to himself but still stepped forward, walking toward the village.
It was an old village, almost like a crumbling small town. Not very bigâmaybe about a hundred people lived here. As Tian Fan walked in, he noticed how clean the air was. Even the spiritual energy in the air was much richer than outside.
When the villagers saw him, they became fearful, keeping their distance. Some children even burst into tears, crying loudly.
He lowered his head and finally realized why. For the past half-month, he had been wandering without reacting to anything around him, following some faint inner guidance. Now, he was still covered in bloodâso much that even his hair was matted and clotted with it.
He let out a bitter smile and, with a whoosh, disappeared from the spot. When he reappeared, he was clean from head to toe, dressed in pristine white robes, his black hair gently falling behind him. He walked quietly through the village.
The villagers were simple and honest. Though they had been terrified by his bloody appearance at first, now that they saw his gentle and handsome face, they slowly relaxed and stopped being afraid.
“Youth, where are you from? Why were you covered in blood just now?”
An elderly man with a grizzled beard and patched coarse clothes approached him, hunched over and leaning on a wooden cane.
“Uncle, hello. I ran into some wild beasts on the way, so…” Tian Fan quickly stepped up to support the old man, forcing a small smile.
“I see. There really are a lot of beasts outside the village. Even our strongest hunters have to be very careful. Youâre not hurt, are you?”
The old man was very genuine and didn’t question Tian Fan’s explanation at all. Instead, he expressed concern, which made Tian Fan feel a little guilty. He quickly assured him he wasnât injured.
“Heh, youth really is a blessing!”
The old man chuckled, full of emotion and envy. He said he wished he could return to his younger days to go hunting in the mountains again. Now, he could only tend to his small patch of farmland.
When he learned that Tian Fan wasnât from the village and had nowhere to stay, the old man warmly brought him to a small thatched hutâa spare room he had, now offered to Tian Fan. Tian Fan repeatedly thanked him and settled in peacefully. He wanted some quiet time anyway.
“You look tired, child. Get some rest. Iâll call you for dinner later.”
The old man smiled kindly as he left, like a grandfather speaking to his grandson. The warmth touched Tian Fanâs heart.
The hut was very simple. If he wanted, he couldâve blown it down with a single breath. Inside, there was only a plain wooden bed. Now alone, he couldnât help but recall the pastâthe image of that beautiful woman once again floated before his eyes.
The girl who always pouted, pretended to cry to get her way, and was so kind-hearted that she wouldnât let him kill even an enemy. His heart ached just thinking about her.
“Zi Ying…”
He murmured, lost in memories of the happy times they had shared. He pictured her cute pout, and his eyes misted over.
âYoung man, time to eat…â
Just then, the old man next door called out. Tian Fan quickly got up and walked over. By now, the sky had darkened. Inside the old manâs home, a green lamp flickered softly, and a few simple dishes were laid out on a small wooden table.
Seeing him enter, the old man cheerfully waved him over. “Nothing fancy in this home, just some simple food. Hope you donât mind, young man.”
“Uncle, you’re too kind. This is already more than enough.”
Tian Fan was very polite. The old man chuckled in return. He had lived alone for many years, with no family around. Having someone to accompany him now made him genuinely happy. Over a bit of wine, the two chatted pleasantly. Tian Fan slowly began to forget some of his worries.
Night deepened. Though the hut was crude, the kind and thoughtful old man made sure to place extra layers of thick straw and a mat for him. It was soft and very comfortable. Tian Fan was an easygoing person and never cared much for luxurious living. Just having a place to sleep made him feel grateful.
The next morning, he rose early and wandered along the outskirts of the village. As he walked, he took in the sights around him. The village was surrounded by a grove of ancient locust trees, each one aged and weathered. Some had cracked bark, others had hollowed trunksâit was impossible to tell how long theyâd been growing.
Beneath the dense canopy, rich spiritual energy lingered in the air, surprising even Tian Fan. The village wasnât bigâjust a few dozen households. Their ancestors had lived here for generations, never relocating. According to the villagers, the ancient trees had been here longer than anyone could remember. They were already part of the landscape when the villagers were born.
Beyond the village flowed a large river. The villagers often fished in it, and strong young men hunted in the nearby mountains and forests. This truly was a peaceful little village.
Tian Fan had now spent several days here and gradually got used to the pace of village life. He grew familiar with the people, and from their conversations, he learned that the old manâs surname was Feng. He had no wife or children and was the villageâs oldest elder.
To the villagers, Tian Fan was a hardworking, kind-hearted young man. Besides helping Old Man Feng with farming, he was always willing to lend a hand whenever anyone needed help.
In his free time, he joined the young men of the village in hunting and fishing. To think that someone who had uprooted a legacy of tens of thousands of years was now going huntingâit was like digging with gold. Yet he never showed off and acted as though he knew nothing. It even made a few people chuckle, though no one laughed at him. They just found it amusing.
Over these few days, he âlearnedâ everything very quickly. Whether it was fishing or hunting, he mastered the skills in no time. After just three days, he brought back a massive tiger weighing several hundred pounds, earning him great praise from the villagers. Old Man Feng was especially delightedâhis home life had greatly improved thanks to Tian Fanâs efforts.
As time passed, Tian Fan slowly integrated into life in this small mountain village. He found it quite relaxing. At night, he would sit on the straw bed, gazing at the full moon through a hole in the roof. It seemed to reflect a beautiful face smiling playfully down at him.
Just as his emotions were stirring, the peaceful village suddenly erupted into chaos. Something seemed to have happened. Tian Fan sat up from the straw bed, wondering why it was so noisy this late at night. Had something happened in the village?
He gently leapt out of bed, opened the door, and walked out…