Chapter 30: Taizhou

Chapter 30: Taizhou

I walked through the dirt path that led into the village. Various homes dotted the area, with few people within them, mostly women and children, from what I could sense. From what I could tell from Lu Jie’s memories, Taizhou was a fairly big village compared to his own village. Being near the sect, and within the seven celestial peaks, probably helped the village there as well.

My gaze went to a group of kids playing nearby, their clothes dusty as they wrestled with each other and laughed, without care.

It felt strange to watch them play. I could sense the Qi present in their bodies, some with more of it than the others. None had the needed amount to become a cultivator, if they could even learn to control the Qi.

Yet, despite their small presence, and sluggish movements, and slower responses, I felt a bit envious of their carefree lives.

I'd somehow never noticed just how different cultivators were from non cultivators in certain ways. The conversations I had could happen at a distance of tens of feet away and it would feel natural due to the heightened senses. Communicating through the presence of someone's own Qi, announcing your arrival with it, or just walking at speeds that regular people wouldn't be able to keep up with even if they ran.

I'd noticed these things when I'd gone to the city to an extent, and I noticed it all over again when I arrived here. The only difference this time was how I found Lu Jie's memories playing in my mind. He'd had no connection to the people in the city, no memories tied there, but a village was where he'd grown up as a child.

I noticed one kid turning my way as the others stopped playing. His eyes shone with wonder as he poked his friends, pointing in our direction.

I turned towards him, smiling slightly as the kid stared in surprise, some with a worried expression on their face. Memories stirred in my chest, Lu Jie's emotions spreading through me. He had been there, as a kid, playing in the mud and being a child, when a cultivator had come and seen him and told him of the vast world that he could reach.

A strange mix of emotions filled me. The hopeful, naïve dreams that Lu Jie had started his journey with, the harsh reality he'd faced, the desperation with which he'd tried to change his so called 'fate' and the pitiful death that he'd had.

It had all started on a day like this one. Just a single cultivator’s arrival had been enough to change his life forever. Whether it was for the better or for worse, I couldn’t say.

From the corner of my vision, I saw a woman hurriedly pulling the kids away and bowing her head deeply as she hid them behind her back. It was enough to tell me what image the people here had of cultivators.

"Master is angry?" Labby asked, and I breathed out a tired sigh.

"A bit, Labby. Just a tiny bit at the world we live in." I felt Labby’s confusion, yet I didn’t feel like explaining right now.

"Is there something wrong, Senior?" Yi Liuxiang asked, and I shook my head. Breaking free of the thoughts.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

“My son had gone to check yesterday, alongside some other men, chasing a few spirit beasts away. None have returned home yet,” the man added in a pained voice and I grimaced. Well, this just turned into a rescue mission, assuming those people were even alive anymore.

“Why wasn’t that information given to the sect?” Liuxiang asked with a frown, as Zhi Zhu remained still, blending in with his long hair. I was getting better at spotting the little spider from its Qi.

“As shameful as this is to say... we couldn’t afford to ask for more help from the sect itself. I’d warned my foolish son against rushing in, but the recklessness of youth led him astray. I beg of you cultivators, please try to find my son,” Gou Zou said, bowing his head deeply.

I turned to look at Liuxiang, wondering what he’d be doing. We didn’t need to go out of the way to do anything here, but leaving someone we could save to die wouldn’t sit right with me, either.

“Please...” I heard another voice mutter as a girl walked out of about sixteen, as she joined her father in bowing her head. “Please bring my brother back!”

“Yin’er, I’d told you to stay in. Please forgive her interruption,” the man said, as his nervous eyes glanced towards us for a moment. For a moment, I sensed fear from the man as he watched the two of us and I realised what he was worried about as my eyes went to his daughter. I felt a bitter taste fill my mouth.

The man had been asking for a favour from two cultivators, and his young daughter came begging to save her brother. It took little thought to see what the man was so worried about.

“There are spirit lotuses that blossom within the Qi vein. The sect buys it from us at a cheaper price as a part of the trade. If honorable cultivators could bring my son out safely, I’d be willing to give you one of them,” the village elder said, as I felt Labby perk up at the mention of the lotus.

“That is acceptable. We’ll find your son,” I replied, as the man took a sigh of relief. “Now, I’ll be needing some more information on the vein itself.”

“Y-yes, I have a simple map the miners use here,” the man took out a map, handing it to us. I took the map, pocketing it as I got up.

“Let’s head out then,” I said, as I saw Yi Liuxiang give me a slight smile.

“Senior is kind. The task required the lotus collection. The chief had no choice in the matter. This one could tell Senior would’ve agreed even without the lotus being gifted,” the boy sent to me.

“Labby’s Great Master is the kindest!” Labby proclaimed proudly to Yi Liuxiang, and I felt like I heard a high pitched clicky laughter coming from behind Liuxiang.

I scratched my nose, ignoring the conversation as I walked out of the Village head's home and on to our quest.