Chapter 9

"Master, there's a village up ahead!"

After the mist, a village of moderate size appeared before the master and servant. The young book boy was taken aback and involuntarily took a few steps back.

Wang Lu patted his shoulder: "What's wrong? Haven't you been complaining about being thirsty and hungry for a long time? This is a ready-made supply point."

The book boy frowned, showing fear: "Master, don't you find it strange that there's a village here?"

"Having walked for two hours, being tired and hungry, of course there should be a village. Otherwise, we deserve to starve to death?"

"But... it still feels so strange. Look! There are people in the village!?"

The book boy pointed, and on a small path in the village, an old woman carrying firewood was walking slowly.

"Master, that old woman just looked at us!?"

"So what? Did her gaze make your heart race like a deer?"

"I mean, she's a living person!"

"Rubbish, if not a person, then a ghost!?"

"I always feel that in a place like this, encountering a ghost is more normal than encountering a person..."

"Then go over and greet the old ghost."

Wang Lu sighed: "If you're afraid, just follow me obediently. I guess this village has many stories. Take it slow, we don't need to rush."

————

The village hidden in the mist was not as mysterious and terrifying as the book boy had imagined. After talking to the villagers, they learned that the village was called Taoyuan. The villagers had been living in seclusion for hundreds or even thousands of years, not involving themselves in the outside world. The resources in the immortal mountain were abundant, and life had been prosperous and peaceful for thousands of years.

The people of Taoyuan were热情好客. On the day they arrived, the village chief hosted a banquet for the master and servant at his home, and more than half of the villagers came. The scene was lively, and Wang Lu and the young book boy feasted and drank sweet wine made from mountain springs and wild fruits, washing away the fatigue from the Cloud Wave Map.

At the table, besides eating and drinking, there was laughter and conversation. According to Wang Lu, this was a great opportunity to gather information. However, strangely, Taoyuan's isolation exceeded imagination. Not to mention the Nine Provinces Continent, the people didn't even know they were living in an immortal mountain. For the villagers, the surrounding green mountains and clear waters were the entire world.

More bizarrely, the villagers showed little curiosity about the sudden appearance of outsiders. They were热情好客 but had no interest in the outside world.

"What? There are immortals outside? Flying immortals and sword riding are amazing! Here, try this yellow fish, a village specialty..."

"Emperor? What's an emperor? Bigger than the village chief? What, you have to kneel to the emperor, and you might get your head cut off if you're not careful? What a barbaric village! Try the steamed buns my wife made..."

Wang Lu's experience was roughly the same. Even with the intention to guide the conversation, it was impossible to expand the topic. The villagers' minds were as stubborn as if they had eaten too much clay.

That night, the two stayed at the village chief's house. The old village chief specially cleared out a room in the backyard, which was even better than the best room in an inn. However, both the master and servant were somewhat distracted.

The book boy was uneasy. How could there be such a feast on the path to immortality? In the stories, which poor boy didn't go through countless hardships to achieve success? Could they really walk into the Ethereal Peak by eating, drinking, and playing? Weren't the two blue and white from the Free and Easy Peak a bit too pitiful?

As for Wang Lu, he was puzzled by the villagers' reactions during the day.

According to the theory of adventurers, if the path to immortality is considered an adventure, Lingxi Town is undoubtedly the beginner village, and the Golden Bridge and the mist are the first long adventure. After that, Taoyuan Village is a crucial turning point, the beginning of many main and side quests, equivalent to the main city in many adventure stories. However, the villagers' closed-minded reaction clearly ruled out any possibility of quests.

At the evening banquet, he had talked to most of the villagers, but there was no sign of any quest starting.

"Tsk, this feels like a half-finished work."

Wang Lu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next morning, when Wang Lu was brushing his teeth by the river with a toothbrush and a tooth cup, things took a turn.

"Truly, life is full of unexpected encounters."

Seeing the person who walked out of the forest outside the village, Wang Lu almost swallowed his mouthwash.

"Xiaohai!?"

Hai Yunfan's smile became somewhat awkward: "Xiaohai... just Xiaohai, Brother Wang Lu, I didn't expect to meet you here."

Wang Lu put down the toothbrush and tooth cup, looking puzzled: "I didn't expect to meet you either. I thought this was a small side quest, but you, a random NPC, appeared. Or have we unknowingly formed a team?"

——

At the same time, the person in charge on Ethereal Peak was almost driven mad.

"Where did this Taoyuan Village come from!?"

"…Master, even if you ask me, I can't answer."

The black and white disciple, under the intense pressure of the red-eyed Ethereal Peak master, almost had to summon his spirit sword to maintain his form.

Not long ago, a strand of the master's anger swept through the mist array. Now, Liu Xian seemed to have a competitive spirit, and in his anger, his primordial spirit power was released, causing the entire Ethereal Sword Hall to tremble continuously. The sea of clouds around the mountain peak boiled and churned, as if being torn apart by countless invisible hands... Within a hundred meters of Liu Xian, anyone below the Void Core realm could not stand.

"Senior Brother, calm down."

Zhou Ming, also an elder of the sect, shook his head and patted Liu Xian's shoulder, infusing a cool sword intent. Liu Xian's eyes immediately cleared: "Sorry, I lost my composure."

Zhou Ming smiled bitterly: "I can't blame you for being angry. This Taoyuan Village... it's really laughable and cryable."

At first, it was thought that the village was just a prank by someone. However, when the second group of people who emerged from the Cloud Wave Map were also sent to Taoyuan Village, Liu Xian realized that things were getting out of control.

Someone with a twisted sense of humor had completely altered the path to immortality, forcefully inserting a mysterious village between the Cloud Wave Map and the Netherworld Path, creating an insurmountable obstacle. No matter what choices were made in the Cloud Wave Map, the next stop would always be Taoyuan Village.

Although... the ability to modify the grand array of the Ethereal Peak without anyone noticing was truly impressive, but using this genius to create obstacles for the sect was just too ridiculous.

Zhou Ming sighed: "…I wonder what the master has to say about this."

Liu Xian snorted: "Say what? For so many years, has the master ever truly said anything to me!?"

"…Sigh, I wonder what the fifth senior sister is up to. This Taoyuan Village is just too strange."

Liu Xian was somewhat impatient: "Probably just some prank that no one can understand..."

"Tsk, do you think my genius design is just a prank? Senior Brother, your taste in burning the lute and cooking the crane hasn't changed in a hundred years."

"Ooh, it's you!!!"

Hearing the familiar voice that had appeared countless times in his nightmares, the calm and composed spirit of the Ethereal Peak, cultivated by Liu Xian, instantly vanished. The sword in his hand flashed, and a force capable of moving mountains and filling seas surged out, striking the back with a mighty boom.

Zhou Ming's eyes lit up: "What a powerful strike in anger, the power of the Metal Sword Qi has already surpassed the peak of the Nascent Core… It seems Senior Brother will break through to a higher realm within fifty years."

Unfortunately, such a transcendent sword qi met the wrong opponent.

The brilliant and sharp Metal Sword Qi melted like snow in front of the white figure, becoming calm and silent. The white-clad woman, who had walked up from the mountain, shook her wrist: "Senior Brother, what are you doing? Demolishing the place?"

Liu Xian, having struck his sword, calmed down but remained angry: "Look at what you've done! The Immortal Ascension Conference is a mess!"

"What are you talking about? I've been working hard to make the Immortal Ascension Conference more efficient. To set up this Taoyuan Village, I even used my precious high-grade spirit stones, which I paid for myself. I even applied for overtime pay, but Senior Brother rejected it…"

Liu Xian, furious, said: "Who will pay for your nonsense! You must understand that although the Spirit Sword Sect hasn't held an Immortal Ascension Conference for many years, the procedures were established hundreds of years ago, and every step has been refined countless times…"

Before he could finish, he was rudely interrupted: "Refined by mediocrities countless times, it's still just a mediocre procedure. The Cloud Wave Map determines direction, the Red Spine Mountain and the Netherworld Path determine height. The idea is good, and it can indeed determine a person's various qualities. But you've been cultivating for hundreds of years and are famous Nascent Core elders. Don't you understand that the most important part of cultivation isn't talent or spirit roots, nor is it temperament or opportunity!"

Faced with such a righteous and forceful rebuttal, Liu Xian's气势 slightly weakened: "Then what do you think it is?"

"Of course, it's emotional intelligence!"

"…"

"Right now, it's not a war between immortals and demons. The main theme of the Nine Provinces Continent is peace and development. Being brave and fierce is outdated. Making many friends is the foundation of standing in the cultivation world! I'm sure you've all heard the story of the unparalleled military god on Junhuang Mountain a hundred years ago. With near-Great Multiplication realm cultivation, unparalleled in the Nine Provinces, he was destroyed by the heavenly tribulation due to having too many enemies… Without sufficient emotional intelligence, how can you survive!"

On the side, Liu Xian and Zhou Ming were speechless.

Emotional intelligence? Making many friends? You… You, the rat running down the street, have the nerve to say this!?

"Moreover, my Taoyuan Village isn't that simple. The village connects the results of the Cloud Wave Map, and the trial participants will receive different starting points. Then, based on their personality and opportunities, they will trigger different quest chains. They will receive different rewards based on the completion of the quests. For example, if you max out the village chief's favor, you will receive a reward of reduced stamina consumption when entering the Red Spine Mountain route… Hey, are you listening?"

————

In Taoyuan Village, Hai Yunfan, who had unexpectedly met Wang Lu, was very envious of his luck.

Both had emerged from the Cloud Wave Map, but as the second group to enter the village, Hai Yunfan's treatment was much worse than Wang Lu's. Although the villagers were热情好客, there was no banquet, and he stayed in a regular house.

Especially when walking with Wang Lu, the difference was particularly obvious. The villagers' smiles were all for Wang Lu, and Hai Yunfan felt like a transparent person.

"But, just thinking that the people who came later had even worse treatment, my heart can be somewhat balanced."

Wang Lu looked disgusted: "There are more?"

Hai Yunfan smiled: "Those who can emerge from the Cloud Wave Map should be around fifty to sixty people. However, it seems that the longer it takes, the harder it is to get along in this village… Strange, what's going on with this village? I've never heard of it."

Hearing this, Wang Lu frowned—Hai Yunfan's commentary on the path to immortality was too familiar: "Do you know about the path to immortality?"

"Including the entire Immortal Ascension Conference, I have some understanding… Brother Wang Lu, are you interested in hearing it?"

"No."

Hai Yunfan was not surprised: "Then, what do you think of this village?"

"Before, I didn't, but now I have a clue… But I need to wait to confirm it."

Hai Yunfan nodded: "Then I'll leave it to you. I really don't have confidence in doing well in this village."

"Wait, what do you mean by leaving it to me? I don't plan to support you!"

"Ha ha, we're friends, right!"

"Ha ha, we'll be friends for life."

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