Catalina escorted Jared and Ira out of Twilight Imperial City. Jared guided the elderly woman, the two of them seemingly floating mid-air as they made their way toward Rock Village.
As he looked out over the endless mountain ranges of the northern region, Jared was filled with nostalgia. He hadn’t been back to this part of the world in a long time-a place filled with so many of his memories.
Ira kept her eyes closed, feeling the wind rushing past her face. She could tell Jared was no longer the same young man who had once stayed in Rock Village. He had changed. He had grown.
“Mr. Chance, why’d you leave without a word? Are you abandoning us?”
A voice suddenly called out, and in the next moment, Orion and the others appeared, flying through the open sky.
As soon as they heard that Jared had left Twilight Imperial City, they rushed after him. He was their golden goose-they couldn’t afford to let him slip away.
“I was just taking care of a small matter. I didn’t need you guys tagging along,” Jared said when he saw them catching up, a little exasperated.
He was only visiting Rock Village. Even if there was trouble, he could deal with it with a flick of his wrist. After all, a place like Rock Village wasn’t exactly crawling with powerful cultivators.
But now, with Orion and his men-Ultimate Realm Level Nine cultivators-following him, they would seem like gods descending upon the mortal world in the eyes of the villagers.
“Mr. Chance, even if it’s just a minor issue, we can’t let you handle it alone. Now that we’re here, if you need anything, just say the word!” Orion declared, his loyalty unwavering.
Of course, he had to stay on Jared’s good side. Someone who could casually toss around ten thousand celestial crystals like it was pocket change was worth holding onto.
“Fine, you can come along,” Jared sighed, “but be careful. Keep your aura in check. Don’t scare anyone.” The last thing he needed was for these Ultimate Realm Level Nine cultivators to unintentionally terrify the villagers just by standing there. Their sheer aura would be overwhelming for ordinary folk.
“Understood, Mr. Chance. We’ll do exactly as you say,” Orion assured him, thumping his chest in confidence.
With that, the group headed toward Rock Village.
Over at the village, Percy sat in front of a small cauldron, fanning the flames. Inside, a mixture of medicinal herbs simmered as he read over a piece of paper.
“Sageleaf, phoenix feather flower…” he muttered under his breath, carefully going over the list of ingredients.
“Percy, how many days have you been at this?”
Emily walked over, setting down a bundle of firewood. “You haven’t made a single pill yet, but you’ve already burned through dozens of stacks of wood.”
“Jared told me before he left that I could become a great alchemist. So I have to keep practicing,” Percy said seriously. “When Jared comes back, I want to show him what I can do.”
Emily paused for a moment before asking quietly, “Do you think he will ever come back?”
Just then, a loud voice echoed through the village. “Mr. Antonio is back! Mr. Antonio is back!”
At the entrance, a group of people rushed forward as the elderly village chief returned with the young hunters. Each of them carried game slung over their shoulders, a hard-earned bounty from the wilderness.
Ali walked at the front, a massive wolf-easily over a hundred pounds-draped across his back.
“Ali, how come the game is so small this time?” Emily asked, puzzled.
Ali let out a frustrated sigh. “The Demon Seal Alliance has locked down the mountains. They declared that no one else is allowed to hunt up there. We had to stay at the foot of the mountain, where there’s barely anything worth catching.
Emily frowned. “Since when did the Demon Seal Alliance get so bold? They’ve never claimed the forests before.”
“No idea,” Ali muttered. “Why would they even care about a remote place like this? Maybe they’re running out of resources. The town is swarming with them now. If we go there to sell our game, we have to pay a protection fee. It’s ridiculous.”
Emily clenched her fists. “That’s so unfair. Just because they’re short on resources doesn’t mean they can steal from us! Life’s already hard enough, and now they’re making it worse. Those big bullies! I hope someone deals with them soon.”
