A Gift of Thanks

Fear, oppression!

A tense atmosphere hung over the tiny Wang Family Village, which had never witnessed any great spectacle.

For those villagers who had spent their lives within the village and had never ventured more than thirty li beyond it, when had they ever seen such a scene?

Corpses stood everywhere, blood flowed into rivers!

The villagers were all at a loss, panicked and bewildered.

They could not understand why the Black Wind Bandits, who had occupied Black Wind Mountain for years and had left them in peace so long as they paid the customary silver, had forced their way into the village today to slaughter them!

Still less could they have imagined that the young man brought back a few days ago, who claimed to have lost his memory, possessed such terrifying martial strength that he had slaughtered every invading Black Wind Bandit!

One had to know that the Third Boss was a true Entry Realm Warrior!

He was a lofty, important figure!

Yet he had died here, at the hands of a young man who had looked utterly ordinary!

The minds of the village's young and able-bodied men were a chaotic blur, and none dared make a sound.

They all turned their gazes toward the old village chief.

The old village chief was nearly sixty. Having weathered wind and rain throughout his life, he could be considered experienced and well-traveled.

Yet even his hands and feet could not stop trembling.

But as the pillar of the village, he ultimately had to be the one to speak first.

His throat bobbed as he prepared to say something.

But at that moment,

"Disaster! Disaster!"

"The people from Black Wind Mountain died here—even the Third Boss is dead! We're doomed! When the Black Wind Iron Cavalry comes, I'm afraid our entire village will be wiped out, not even chickens or dogs spared!"

Among the crowd, a gaunt man's legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground. His face was filled with terror as he shouted in a trembling voice.

It was as though he had already seen the Black Wind Bandits' retaliation, seen every person in the village slaughtered to the last!

"Ah! What do we do now?!"

"We didn't kill them!"

"Do you think the Black Wind Bandits will reason with you?"

"Those Black Wind Bandit heroes might only have come to have a little fun. Maybe they would have left after having their fun. They shouldn't have been killed."

The gaunt man spoke in terror.

As his words fell, the surrounding villagers began whispering among themselves. Some of the gazes directed at Yang Qingyun began to turn strange.

But before matters could develop any further,

the old village chief immediately shouted sternly:

"Er Laizi, shut your mouth!"

"Without Young Master Yang, those Black Wind Bandit scoundrels would have chopped you down with one slash long ago! How could you still have the breath to speak here?!"

"And all of you! What are you doing?! Young Master Yang saved your lives, and this is how you treat your lifesaver?"

The old village chief viciously planted his cane against the ground. His eyes were wide as he pointed at the villagers around him and angrily berated them one by one.

"Do you not know what kind of people the Black Wind Bandits are?! They charged in and began killing people. How could they merely be here for fun? They clearly came intending to destroy the village and wipe out its households! Had Young Master Yang not stepped in to help, you would all be lying on the ground already. How could you still have breath enough to speak here?!"

"A pack of ungrateful wretches! Drag this Er Laizi away!"

The old village chief possessed immense authority in Wang Family Village.

After that furious scolding, the surrounding young men all lowered their heads. The villagers, however, calmed down somewhat, as though they had found a pillar to lean on. Several people then hurriedly dragged Wang Er Laizi away.

The old village chief panted heavily and glanced at Yang Qingyun in the distance. Seeing that Yang Qingyun showed no great reaction, he finally let out a breath of relief.

He felt the fortunate relief of having survived a calamity.

Having lived for sixty years, he had seen far more than these ignorant village men and women who had spent their whole lives without seeing the world beyond.

He had witnessed Yang Qingyun cutting down the Black Wind Bandits as easily as chopping melons and vegetables!

For a fool like Er Laizi to dare speak in accusation—

Did he think that because the Black Wind Bandits could kill them, Yang Qingyun, who held the blade, could not?!

No matter what, they had to establish the fact that the Black Wind Bandits had come to burn, kill, plunder, and slaughter them all, while Young Master Yang had drawn his blade in the face of injustice and saved their lives!

The Black Wind Bandits had certainly committed every evil imaginable,

while Young Master Yang had acted with chivalry and righteousness!

"Many thanks to Young Master Yang for saving our lives. That boy Er Laizi is merely an idle good-for-nothing from the village, and his mind was muddled for a moment. Please do not take offense, Young Master. Everyone in the village is deeply grateful that you rescued us from fire and water!"

The old village chief respectfully cupped his hands toward Yang Qingyun, who stood amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

He had attended a private school in his youth, and combined with his decades of life experience, his manner and speech gave others the feeling of a spring breeze brushing over them.

Anyone could sense the sincerity of his gratitude.

Yang Qingyun turned to look.

Beneath his hunched body, the old village chief bowed his head even lower,

making himself appear still more respectful!

The surrounding villagers also bowed their heads deferentially, not daring to look too much.

Among them was Wang Zhu, the honest, simple middle-aged man who had brought him back several days ago. He stood respectfully within the crowd, trembling as he bowed deeply like everyone else, utterly inconspicuous.

Perhaps when Yang Qingyun had claimed to have lost his memories and stayed in the village a few days ago, they had exchanged a few words and spoken to one another as equals.

But after what had happened today, no one dared regard him as an ordinary young man any longer!

Between them,

there was now a deep gulf that could never be crossed!

Seeing this scene,

Yang Qingyun could not help but shake his head inwardly.

With the long life experience of his Previous Life, he naturally saw the fear in the old village chief and the villagers' hearts, as well as their little calculations.

"No need for courtesy. Those Black Wind Bandits simply had the misfortune of provoking me, so I dealt with them in passing."

"You need not resent me for bringing disaster upon your village either. If I remember correctly, several nearby villages were also wiped out by the Black Wind Bandits. The old and young were all killed, while the able-bodied were abducted and reduced to slaves. If you do not believe me, you can go investigate the nearest Cuihua Village."

"Had I not taken action, you would not have escaped this calamity either."

Yang Qingyun waved a hand and spoke calmly.

Having lived again, seeing the villagers before him being so respectful and trembling with fear, he could not help but sigh deeply within his heart.

In this world, the fate of the weak ultimately rested upon a single thought of the strong!

Things were still acceptable now. The Chu Kingdom had not yet fallen, and there was still some semblance of order. But in the future, when the Spiritual Qi Resurgence came and the Xuantian Realm invaded, that would be true misery!

When chaotic times arrived, as far as the eye could see, there would be nothing but disorder.

In this life, I will definitely seize my fate in my own hands!

I will live well, live until the very end, reach the pinnacle of the world. Only I can control my life!

Yang Qingyun's fists clenched unconsciously!

"So that is how it is. I never imagined those Black Wind Bandits could be so utterly heartless and insane. This old man thanks you on behalf of everyone in Wang Family Village for coming to our aid!"

At his words, astonishment appeared on the old village chief's face. Clearly, he too was shocked by Yang Qingyun's news that Cuihua Village and several other villages had been wiped out by the Black Wind Bandits.

But soon, a broad smile climbed over his aged face again. He deeply cupped his hands and bowed to Yang Qingyun in thanks.

"This place is a filthy mess. Let the younger ones in the village clean it up. Please come inside and rest awhile, Young Master. Allow this old man to prepare a modest gift to thank you for saving our lives!"

"No need. I still have matters to attend to. Let us meet again someday in the martial world!"

Yang Qingyun waved his hand. He had no intention of remaining in Wang Family Village for long.

Next, he planned to take the spoils from this battle to a nearby town and sell them all for silver.

Then he would purchase Medicinal Herbs and refine Blood Essence Pills.

He would use them as Foundation Material to refine his Qi and Blood and enter the Martial Arts Entry Realm as soon as possible!

Though he possessed the peak techniques cultivated in his Previous Life, this body's weak sensation of possessing not the slightest trace of Qi and Blood power

made Yang Qingyun feel somewhat uncomfortable and somewhat lacking in security.

"Young Master, please wait!"

Just as Yang Qingyun was preparing to leave, the old village chief suddenly called out to stop him.

"Not long ago, the villagers found a Mountain Treasure in the mountains. We have no way to repay the life-saving grace you have shown Wang Family Village. At the very least, please accept that Mountain Treasure!"

The old village chief hurriedly called from behind him.

Hearing this,

Yang Qingyun paused, halting his departing steps as he turned around.

"Oh, a Mountain Treasure?"

In this world,

anything that could be called a Mountain Treasure could only be an Old Mountain Ginseng over three hundred years old!

Such Old Mountain Ginseng had grown deep within the mountains and forests for many years, and it might even have condensed a trace of spiritual qi!

This spiritual qi

was of great use in laying the foundations of martial arts!

Even if it had not,

an Old Mountain Ginseng over three hundred years old could still lay a much more solid foundation for him!

It would allow him to step onto the Martial Path with a far more robust foundation!

"That's right, it is a Mountain Treasure—a thousand-year-old Old Mountain Ginseng!"