Chapter 271 - Village in the Wilderness
Chapter 271: Village in the Wilderness
Lu Bin was indignant. He really wanted to meet this great Curator but he ended up missing the opportunity.
Especially when he later learned that Curator had led a group of villainous experts in a grand mission to slay the jade dragon deity. Although he wasn’t there to see it, Lu Bin knew it must have been a dangerous situation.
But now, everything was resolved.
He went to find Lin Jin but to no avail. Lu Bin didn’t think too much about it. Since Curator had personally appeared to take care of this, Lin Jin’s absence must mean that he had left with Curator or he already returned to Maple City.
Thus, he would just have to visit Lin Jin at Maple City to thank him after He Yu’s coming of age ceremony.
Lu Bin didn’t forget about this promise either. He picked out an eagle beast and planned to deliver it personally to Maple City in a few days.
Inside Sixth Princess He Yu’s room, being able to get out of bed and walk again, He Yu was dressing up, getting ready to go outside.
He Yu had learned about what had happened from He Qing and Lu Bin so she knew who had saved her.
Although things had already come to a close, He Yu still found it unbelievable.
“Uncle Lu, do you think everything’s resolved, and so flawlessly at that?” He Yu asked Lu Bin who came to visit her.
Lu Bin smiled. “I didn’t believe it either but facts are facts. Master, you’ve finally been released from this curse that has weighed you down for so many years. This calls for a celebration. I’ll be sure to make your coming of age ceremony a grand one.”
He Yu smiled back. “Father’s already preparing for it. You only have to show up, Uncle Lu. And don’t call me ‘Master’ anymore.”
Despite being freed from this burdening curse, He Yu was somewhat still worried. But this was only her character. The pessimism in her eyes was already gone and replaced by traces of hope.
“Your mother was the patriarch of a pharmacy back in the day and I’ve decided to serve her after receiving her grace. You are Lady Gu’s only daughter and a daughter inherits her mother’s legacy. I’m only addressing you as ‘Master’ so I don’t forget that I owe my life to your mother.” Then, Lu Bin added, “But since His Majesty has already taken charge of preparations, I’ll just come and have a meal.”
“As you should.” He Yu flashed him a smile befitting her age. Lu Bin felt comforted by this and mused how he would even sacrifice his life just to protect this smiling face.
Subsequently, He Yu asked about Curator and Lin Jin. It was a pity that Lu Bin didn’t know much but fortunately for him, Seventh Princess He Qing came just in time to ease his dilemma.
By now, Lin Jin had arrived at a village. The royal capital was several hundreds of miles away from Maple City. Riding an eagle could allow them to easily cover this distance in a few hours but walking back would take two days.
Even if Lin Jin traveled swiftly, he couldn’t possibly arrive in one day. Moreover, it was his first time walking back so going the wrong way or accidentally taking longer routes was inevitable.
He found a village before dark. At least he now had a place to rest. However, this village wasn’t very big. From the slopes until the bottom, there were only about thirty houses so this was considered an incredibly tiny village.
As he was carrying a coffin around, Lin Jin thought it inconvenient to enter the village, and maintaining Camouflage was troublesome too. He found a deserted house somewhere nearby and thought it would be better for him to stay there instead.
As for food supply, he didn’t have to fret with Xiao Huo and White Ape around. They could just catch something from the wild.
As the sun began to set, Lin Jin felt exhausted from all that walking. He found a stone slab in the abandoned yard and sat cross-legged to recuperate.
He was using the Exhale-Inhale Technique.
Lin Jin had been using this technique more frequently so he was now proficient in it. After getting into position, he began regulating his breath. Although there was no natural spirit energy left, the technique was able to help him concentrate. Meditating for several hours equated to getting a good night’s sleep for him.
While Lin Jin was resting, a commotion was happening in the little village.
Lin Jin had entered with Camouflage so no one knew that someone had come into the village, or chose to stay in the deserted house.
The problem appeared later after dark. Not only were the dogs inside the village barking madly, but some villagers even noticed a light flickering in the yard.
News spread quickly in a village this tiny.
“What’s going on?”
“There’s movement inside that house and it’s really creepy.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. It’s been so many years now so how could there be anything inside? Don’t scare yourself.”
“It’s true, I’m not lying. If you don’t believe me, talk a look for yourself.”
This conversation came from the village chief’s house. Soon, a few men braced themselves and came out. As the abandoned house was on the opposite slope, with the help of the moonlight, they could see what was going on inside the yard.
And sure enough, they saw a faint light coming from here.
At this, many of the villagers gasped.
“That house has been deserted for many years now and our people definitely wouldn’t dare get close. Even outsiders wouldn’t go there. Now that there’s strange movement, trouble is bound to happen,” an elderly man of the village commented darkly with a frown.
“Could that family of outsiders’ soul still remain and they’re here for vengeance?” someone suddenly asked.
The moment he said this, a night breeze abruptly swept past, making them shudder. Everyone was pale as a sheet.
“Old Yang, don’t spout sh*tty nonsense,” the village chief reprimanded. The others echoed as well, “Yeah, even if they’re here for vengeance, why did they have to wait so long?”
The man called ‘Old Yang’ felt aggrieved. “Fine, fine, fine, I was wrong, okay? Then go on and tell me what’s going on.”
No one could answer him.
“Even if that family of outsiders’ soul comes back, we have nothing to fear. Our village hasn’t done anything wrong back then and instead, many of our people were dragged down by them, dying unknown deaths. Still, we have to be cautious about this strange phenomenon. Everyone, gather your weapons and meet back here. We have more men on our side so there’s no need to fear them!” the village chief announced decidedly.
The thirty over families in the village were terrified, but now that they had mental support, they immediately complied by preparing weapons and bringing their pet beasts over if they had any. Although it wasn’t much, they still had a few mastiffs so they could hold their ground against fierce wolves and tigers.
Lin Jin had no idea this was happening in the village. He had now entered the deepest level of concentration. He could sense if someone intruded the yard but if it was several hundreds of meters away, he couldn’t feel anything.
As for why there would be light in the yard, that was because Xiao Huo was playing on top of a dead tree.
With his Dharma body, Xiao Huo’s body was glowing with a faint light so from afar, he looked like a ball of flickering light.
As time passed, Xiao Huo got bored so he jumped back down to Lin Jin’s side. White Ape was already sound asleep, exhausted from carrying the coffin around all day.
In the dead of the night, Lin Jin abruptly opened his eyes.