Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Rare Island Entry Order
"Kyle." Leah Chandler shot Faye Yardley an apologetic smile. ’My son is so reckless,’ she thought. ’His shouting just told all the villagers what we want.’
Faye Yardley smiled nonchalantly. "It’s fine."
She then addressed the villagers directly. "If any of you folks have spare Martial Arts Books you no longer need, you can bring them for a trade. But I want to be clear: not every Martial Arts Book is worth a puppet doll."
A villager mustered their courage and asked, "Do you accept other things? Like scrolls, for example."
It couldn’t be helped. No one knew how long a puppet doll could protect a child, but who wouldn’t want one for their own family?
Even the bachelors without children figured that owning a puppet doll might convince a woman to marry them and start a family.
The main reason was that in the short time Faye had been holding the puppet doll, her complexion had already started to grow rosy, and she looked so light she could practically fly.
"Bring them over for a look. You have nothing to lose by making the trip."
Many had already rushed home to rummage through their belongings.
To them, those things were just old junk. Some were so thin they weren’t even good for propping up a wobbly table leg.
After all, they were completely unable to practice Cultivation using Secret Manuals here.
Having been here for so long, they had already developed their own Cultivation System; otherwise, they never would have survived in such a harsh environment.
Faye Yardley was surprised that the person who ended up using the most puppet dolls for trades was Zephyr Sterling.
Moreover, the books and scrolls he acquired were all related to a Daoist’s Mystic Arts.
Faye Yardley had no interest in the more basic Martial Arts Secret Manuals, but they were perfect for Leah Chandler and her son.
Everyone truly got what they needed.
Aside from the initial trade with Faye’s family, Faye Yardley herself only traded one other puppet doll for a single, well-preserved scroll.
A system prompt appeared: Small Guild Residence Certificate.
The appearance of this item surprised Faye Yardley even more than the Martial Arts Secret Manuals.
Because of this, in addition to the puppet doll, Faye Yardley didn’t hold back on the food and even threw in a small bag of cotton seeds.
Whether they could actually grow them here was up to them.
’I wonder if my brother and his group have managed to qualify for creating a guild yet.’
She also traded some clothing for a number of locally made arrows with a paralyzing effect.
The total number of arrows wasn’t high, however. They stopped trading after a hundred, as the villagers needed to keep enough for their own emergencies.
Faye Yardley didn’t ask what the other three had acquired. In any case, everyone was very satisfied with the trip.
Seeing that they were ready to leave after finishing their trades, Reggie became anxious and hurriedly asked, "Divine Envoy, are you leaving already? Will you come again?"
"If the opportunity arises, we’ll be back." Faye Yardley’s words were as genuine as they come.
Although the gravity, polluted air, and other factors here had weakened them to varying degrees, the rewards had been substantial.
"Well, um..."
The young man from earlier voiced the words Reggie couldn’t. "Are you going to take the Wind Chime hanging on the old tree in the field?"
Faye Yardley chuckled. "Of course. It’s mine, isn’t it?"
"C-Could we ask you to leave it for us?"
Faye Yardley didn’t beat around the bush. "Do you have anything to trade for it? If not, I’m not leaving it for you for free."
"But didn’t you already take two bottles of the old tree’s blood?" the young man asked, a touch of naivety still in him.
"I gave it something to stop the bleeding, and I let you use the Wind Chime for this long. That’s more than enough to cover the cost."
Zephyr Sterling had already moved in front of Faye Yardley, taking a defensive stance.
Leah Chandler pulled her son away from the crowd, shrinking back behind Faye Yardley.
Some villagers pulled Reggie and the elder who had first accompanied him aside, asking about the Wind Chime.
Upon learning that it could not only repel evil but also refresh one’s Spirit—a benefit to the entire village—the gazes many villagers cast at Faye Yardley changed, becoming aggressive.
Faye Yardley smiled, her expression unconcerned, but inwardly she was already contemplating. ’Should I just bomb them all, or would a machine gun be better for this?’
She was all too familiar with this kind of close-quarters, one-versus-many fight.
Seeing the smile on her face sent an inexplicable chill down Reggie’s spine. He quickly moved to block the other villagers and shouted, "Everyone, think! What do we have in the village to trade with the Divine Envoy? Whoever has something good, bring it out! If you provide the item, you’ll get first pick of the best land in the village and the fields!"
Another elder stood with his back to Faye Yardley, facing the villagers. His expression was grim. His eyes, missing nothing, swept a warning glance over everyone who looked ready to resort to violence. Then, he turned around.
He spoke, his voice hoarse, like scraping metal. "Divine Envoy, this old man will trade this Token. Please see if it is enough."
Zephyr Sterling stepped forward, took the Token, and brought it back to Faye Yardley.
Rare Island Entry Order
The bright yellow Token was worn smooth with a patina of age, a testament to both its owner’s affection for it and his despair.
Faye Yardley looked up at the elder and broke into a brilliant smile. "It’s a deal. On another note, I also have some regular cabbage and soybean seeds. Would you have any need for them, Elder?"
With that, she took out two small bags of seeds, walked over, and placed them in the elder’s hands.
As for the other villagers, she honestly wasn’t afraid. She had faith in her own combat skills, not to mention more than enough firepower.
"Well then, we’ll be on our way. The Exorcism Wind Chime now belongs to this elder."
Faye Yardley said, giving the villagers a wave before turning smartly on her heel and heading back the way they came.
As she passed Leah Chandler, she added, "Let’s go, Ms. Chandler, Kyle. There’s no rush. Take your time."
The two of them didn’t have high Attributes to begin with. After walking for so long since coming ashore, they were exhausted, even if the gravity they experienced wasn’t as intense as what she and Zephyr Sterling felt.
The stop in the village to trade was the only real rest they’d had.
So, telling them to walk slowly now was also a way to prepare for the difficult path back.
As for what would happen to the villagers after they left—that was none of their business.
However, the path back was just as treacherous as the path in.
The bushes and weeds they had hacked down on their way in were already sprouting new shoots from the stumps.
Moreover, there were far more small animals and insects on the path back.
The four of them were wrapped up tightly from head to toe. They had taken special care to tie their pant cuffs, afraid that a stray bug might crawl inside unnoticed.
Even so, Leah Chandler and Kyle Lewis were bitten on their hands, necks, and ears. The bites were red, swollen, and itchy. After being bitten, they felt the ambient pressure intensify, making it increasingly difficult to walk.
Eventually, they were stumbling, on the verge of collapse.
Zephyr Sterling found a flat piece of ground and cleared the surrounding weeds. He then took out a sheet of Talisman Paper, recited a Spell that Faye Yardley didn’t understand, and then affixed a talisman to each of their backs...
