It was becoming increasingly clear to Zhang Nu that this village was far from ordinary, and every strange occurrence only fueled his determination to uncover its hidden secrets. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that something sinister lay beneath the surface, something that could not remain hidden for long. Zhang Nu was resolute---he would get to the bottom of this.
Meanwhile, in a place where neither Zhang Nu nor Liu Hai could see, the mysterious woman was still lurking, observing their conversation. Amused by their naivety, she found their efforts almost laughable. If they stepped outside now, Zhang Nu, with his cultivation skills, would undoubtedly be able to sense something unusual in the air---something that might have eluded Liu Hai's perception.
"How dull," she murmured softly, her voice laced with amusement. And then, with an almost ghostly movement, she vanished into the shadows.
None of them noticed her departure, and moments later, the mysterious woman reappeared in front of the village chief. The village chief's expression did not change upon seeing her, as though he had expected her arrival all along.
"Old man, it seems your village has attracted quite a few outsiders," she said with a bemused tone.
The village chief raised an eyebrow, surprised. He had clearly ordered that no outsiders be allowed in, and the villagers would not dare disobey him. So why were there strangers wandering about?
"How could that be? I explicitly gave orders to keep outsiders away. Are my villagers no longer listening to me?"
The woman smiled slyly, her lips curling into a mocking grin. "Those bumbling fools, they couldn't even tell those two apart from their own people, just because they changed clothes."
For now, though, they were still far too weak to be of any concern.
"The village may no longer see peaceful days. That man's arrival here will surely bring endless trouble. I have a feeling he's not as simple as he seems, and one day he'll grow into a formidable force."
The village chief, though unsure of the full meaning behind the woman's words, understood the potential threat. If this man had the capability to grow and become dangerous, it would be better to eliminate him now rather than let him continue to develop.
"If he will one day rival you, why not stop him now while we can, and nip it in the bud??"
The woman, however, found the chief's mindset incredibly dull. The only reason the chief found life interesting was because he had an entire village to protect. If the village chief no longer had anything left to protect, he would likely become as lonely and desolate as she was.
"I just want to see how far he can grow," she said. "The omens suggest someone will emerge to challenge us, a youth who may ultimately destroy us."
"I'm curious whether that youth is him."
Upon hearing her words, the village chief found her logic absurd, as if she were a madwoman. Knowing full well that destruction could be on the horizon, she remained indifferent and nonchalant. If that was her mindset, there was nothing more to be said. Let her pursue her folly, and when she meets her end, the village would rejoice.