The village head raised his hand, silencing the villagers’ cheers. His eyes, though aged and weathered, held a sharp intelligence as he gazed at Yun Lintian. "Honored guest. Your offer is most generous, but I must respectfully decline."
A ripple of confusion spread through the villagers. They exchanged puzzled glances, wondering why their village head would refuse such a valuable opportunity.
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Yun Lintian, too, was surprised by the village head’s response. He tilted his head slightly, his brow furrowed in curiosity.
"May I ask why, Village Head?" he inquired, his voice gentle and respectful.
The village head’s gaze remained fixed on Yun Lintian as he spoke. "Honored guest, your power is far beyond anything we have ever encountered. Your aura... it speaks of a realm beyond our comprehension. I fear that accepting your teachings would disrupt the balance of our village, that it would lead us down a path we are not prepared for."
He paused for a moment, his eyes searching Yun Lintian’s face. "Forgive my bluntness, honored guest, but I sense that you are not from this world. Am I correct?"
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Yun Lintian was surprised slightly by the village head’s perception. However, he could understand that his behavior was too strange. It was easy to arouse suspicion.
"You are indeed perceptive, Village Head," Yun Lintian admitted, his voice laced with a hint of admiration. "I am not from this world. I come from a distant land, a land far beyond the mountains."
The village head nodded slowly, his expression grave. "I suspected as much. Your power, your aura... it speaks of a realm far beyond our own. A realm of gods and demons, of celestial beings and primordial forces."
He paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on Yun Lintian. "Tell me, honored guest, do you come from the God Realm?"
God Realm? Yun Lintian was surprised slightly. Perhaps it was similar to the Divine Realm? Anyway, Yun Lintian could only play along for the time being, as he didn’t want to truly arouse the village head’s suspicion further.
"Yes, Village Head," Yun Lintian confirmed, his voice steady and resolute. "I come from the God Realm. I’m taking my time to travel around to find an opportunity."
The village head’s expression softened slightly. In his eyes, Yun Lintian was indeed telling the truth.
"I see. We are honored to receive you today," he said.
Yun Lintian cupped his fists and said apologetically, "Please forgive me for causing unrest, Village Head. I have no intention of harming anyone here. I simply noticed that everyone possesses a high-quality physique suitable for cultivation. I think it would be a pity not to practice."
He paused for a moment and asked curiously, "I’m curious, Village Head. How come there are no cultivators in your village?"
The village head’s expression turned solemn. He gestured towards Yun Lintian and said, "Honored guest, please come with me."
Yun Lintian nodded slightly and followed the village head, leaving the curious villagers behind.
As they walked through the village, Yun Lintian couldn’t help but marvel at the physical prowess of the villagers. Though they were not cultivators, their bodies were incredibly strong and agile, their movements fluid and graceful. It was as if they had been born with an innate understanding of martial arts, their every action imbued with a natural power and precision.
He realized that this was likely due to the unique environment of this timeline, the abundance of pure spiritual energy that permeated the world, nurturing and strengthening every living being.
Lost in his thoughts, Yun Lintian soon arrived at the village head’s house. It was a modest dwelling, built from wood and stone, with a thatched roof and a small garden filled with herbs and vegetables.
The village head invited Yun Lintian inside, leading him to a cozy living room with a fireplace and comfortable seating. He gestured for Yun Lintian to sit, then busied himself preparing a pot of tea.
As the aroma of the tea filled the air, the village head sat opposite Yun Lintian, his expression thoughtful. "Honored guest, you seem surprised by the lack of cultivators in our village. Perhaps... you have been in seclusion for a long time and are unaware of the current state of the world?"
"Indeed. Please explain to me, Village Head." Yun Lintian played along.
The village head nodded slowly. "In this world, cultivation knowledge is a closely guarded secret, monopolized by the powerful sects and clans. Those born outside these privileged circles have little to no chance of obtaining cultivation techniques or resources."
He sighed, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "Many of our young ones, filled with dreams of becoming powerful cultivators, have left the village to seek their fortune. They journeyed to distant lands, hoping to join a sect or clan, to learn the secrets of cultivation. But alas, most of them failed. They were either rejected for lacking talent or were simply... disposed of, their lives deemed insignificant by those in power."
Yun Lintian remained calm on the surface, but he was surprised inwardly. It was normal for the strong to prey on the weak, but he didn’t expect them to monopolize the cultivation techniques to this extent. There were abundant resources, yet there weren’t many available techniques. This was indeed surprising.
The village head continued, his voice heavy with regret. "We have lost many promising young men and women to this cruel system. They left the village with dreams of glory and power, only to return in coffins, their bodies broken, their spirits crushed."
He paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on Yun Lintian. "Honored guest, I appreciate your kind offer to teach our villagers your martial arts. But I fear it would only bring them harm. They would become targets, prey for the powerful sects and clans who would stop at nothing to protect their monopoly on cultivation knowledge."
"Village Head," Yun Lintian said, his voice filled with remorse, "I apologize. I did not think things through. I failed to consider the potential consequences of my actions."
Originally, Yun Lintian didn’t think much of it, as he had tons of cultivation techniques at his disposal. Giving out one or two in exchange for information wasn’t bad at all. Unfortunately, he didn’t understand the situation here from the beginning and assumed it was similar to the world he came from.
The village head smiled gently, his eyes filled with understanding. "There is no need to apologize, honored guest. Your intentions were noble, and your offer was generous. It is simply... the reality of our world. We are but a small and insignificant village, with no power to protect ourselves against the might of the sects and clans."
He paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Yun Lintian. "But tell me, honored guest, what brings you to our world? You must have a reason for venturing so far from your homeland."