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.

"No, let's head on," I said as the boy nodded as we headed towards the village head's home.

It wasn’t particularly hard to find the home. The home was located near the centre of the village, being one of the biggest homes around, with stone foundations laid in. Nothing luxurious, but a good home nonetheless. I noticed a man rushing outside and turning towards us.

“Heavens, honorable disciples, If you'd informed of your arrival, this humble servant would have prepared a much more suitable reception for one of your stature,” the man - the village head I assumed - said, wiping sweat off his head as he bowed deeply. The man looked to be in his early fifties, not too old, but not young anymore, either.

“Please, come in as this one prepares something suitable,” the man said, guiding us in. I turned to look at Yi Liuxiang, unsure of whatever courtesy I was supposed to follow. Liuxiang nodded, walking in behind the village head, and I followed. We headed inside what looked like a reception room, as I saw the village head pouring some tea into two cups.

I took my seat, much less gracefully compared to Yi Liuxiang, as the village head seated himself as well, serving us the tea.

“I’m Guo Zou, the head chief of the village of Taizhou,” the man said, introducing himself.

“This one is Yi Liuxiang, and this is Senior Lu Jie,” Liuxiang said, introducing us both as I simply nodded.

“I’m greatly relieved to see the two of you. The spirits have been getting unruly as time passes, and their presence has unsettled the village. We fear one may make its way into the village and without a cultivator around to protect us…” the man trailed off, and I nodded grimly. A high realm spirit, and an angry one could probably wipe the entire village out.

“Where is the Qi vein? Has there been any other cultivators who have scouted the vein before?” I asked the village head.

“Cultivators had arrived when the vein had first been found. It had been peaceful for months until recently, when a loud rumbling had come from it, soon followed by the restless spirits in the forest. We feared a bad omen at first, but the rumblings have only gotten worse with time, and spirits are appearing near the village,” the village head spoke, lines covering his forehead and I sensed his anxiety.

“Are the wards functioning, village chief? From what this one knows, a village near a spirit vein should have some formations to keep the spirits away,” Yi Liuxiang said.

“The village does have wards to keep the spirits away. The formation laid by our ancestors and expounded upon by the cultivators from the sect are all that keep the weaker spirits at bay. But the rumblings have been causing holes to appear in the wards. The formations are being repaired, but without an expert, I thought it best to reach out to the sect,” the village chief replied, nervously sipping his tea.

“This one can have a look at the formation, if need be,” Yi Liuxiang offered as the village chief bowed his head in thanks.

“Has no one gone to have a look at the source of the problem?” I asked the man, as I glanced lightly at the tea given. Yi Liuxiang hadn’t touched his, and I didn’t particularly care to touch mine either, having recently gained a taste for tea made from spirit herbs instead and elixirs. Nothing like drinking drug water.

“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.