After returning to his cave abode, Qing Chen saw the old town chief standing outside with a woman, a bamboo basket in hand.
"Didn't I tell you to send someone only after a month? Why have you hurried over before the month is up?"
Qing Chen frowned slightly, looking at the old town chief in displeasure.
These past few days, he had been worrying about his shortage of blood essence and had to ration even his cultivation. How could he spare any attention for mortals?
"Please quell your anger, exalted immortal! Quell your anger!"
Looking terrified, the old town chief hurriedly explained, "This old man was truly worried that living here would be inconvenient for you, exalted immortal. So I wished to send a maidservant ahead of time to tend to your daily needs.
"Please rest assured, exalted immortal. This maidservant is my daughter-in-law. Because my simple-minded son cannot look after himself, she is very skilled at caring for others in her everyday life. Please rest assured."
With that, the old town chief stepped aside and gestured toward the woman standing beside him.
Qing Chen's gaze fell on the woman.
She wore a blue cloth blouse washed pale, her hands folded in front of her and her head lowered, like a frightened rabbit.
Her features were delicate, with a gentle air about her brows and eyes.
"No need."
Qing Chen's voice turned cold. "I cultivate immortality and severed my ties to worldly affairs long ago. I need no one to care for me. Just have her deliver my meals every day. She needn't concern herself with anything else."
He muttered inwardly: This old town chief is suddenly being so attentive. Could there be something fishy going on?
I've only been on the island a few days, and he's already offering me a woman. Is he trying to forge a connection?
Or has someone sent him to sound me out?
At the thought of Mo Qiuxian, Qing Chen's guard rose again.
The old town chief's face instantly fell, but he dared not argue and could only force a smile. "Yes, yes, yes! Your realm is lofty indeed, exalted immortal. This old man was foolish!"
As he spoke, he secretly signaled his daughter-in-law with his eyes to step aside first. He himself did not leave, however, fumbling inside his robe as his gaze darted evasively.
"What else is there? Why are you hemming and hawing?"
Qing Chen narrowed his eyes. The old man was dawdling like this; there had to be something else.
At those words, the old town chief dropped to his knees with a thud, displaying an agility utterly at odds with his age.
"Save me, exalted immortal!"
"Exalted immortal... this old man does indeed have a favor to ask... it's just... I don't know how to put it..."
Tears and snot streamed down the old town chief's face, and his voice carried a pleading note.
Qing Chen gazed quietly at the old town chief, his eyes indifferent, as though watching an inconsequential performance.
He said nothing, merely waiting quietly for the old town chief to continue.
Seeing that Qing Chen had not become angry, the old town chief felt slightly reassured and hurriedly continued:
"Please save my family, exalted immortal! My whole family, young and old, has fallen into peril. Only you can come to our rescue."
Qing Chen still said nothing, merely looking impassively at the old town chief.
At this, the old town chief's heart tightened. He hurriedly took two spirit stones from inside his robe and offered them to Qing Chen with both hands:
"Exalted immortal, this old man has two spirit stones used by immortals. I am willing to offer them to you. I ask only that you save this old man's life!"
Hearing that there were two spirit stones, a gleam flashed in Qing Chen's eyes.
He nodded slightly, signaling for the old town chief to continue.
Seeing Qing Chen nod, the old town chief hurriedly poured out his woes through tears. "This old man's life has been bitter. I have only one son, yet he is simple-minded. Fortunately, I know some martial arts, which has allowed me to keep the villagers in line out here at sea.
"But a few days ago, the eldest of the Wang Household, a family of a different surname in town, suddenly became a second-rate master! Now he brings his four brothers and more than twenty men who have trained their internal force to block the town entrance every day, saying they want to seize my position!"
He wiped away his tears, his voice growing more urgent. "Actually, I could simply give up the position of town chief. But I fear they'll be ruthless and cut out the grass by its roots! Please show great mercy, exalted immortal, and save this old man's life!"
"There is actually a second-rate master among them? Are there any other martial artists?" Qing Chen asked.
When he was on Immortal-Severing Island, he too had possessed the foundation of a second-rate master, and knew how robust the vital blood of someone at that level was.
The old town chief hurriedly nodded and bowed, answering fearfully, "Yes, yes, yes. There are five brothers, and the eldest is a second-rate master. The other four are also strong among third-rate experts, and their skills are no trifling matter.
"Among their followers, there are also more than twenty men whose internal force is not weak. This old man truly has no strength to resist them and can only seek your help, exalted immortal."
At these words, a sharp gleam flashed in Qing Chen's eyes, as though he had caught some crucial piece of information.
He continued asking, "Then, since you've held on to this position for so long, you must have some strength and followers of your own, surely?"
The old man gave a bitter laugh. "You are quite right, exalted immortal. This old man has been town chief for thirty years and does indeed have some men under him. I have a disciple who, like me, is a second-rate master.
"However, this old man's vital blood has declined, and my fighting strength is far below what it once was. Aside from that, I have some ordinary third-rate experts and unranked internal-force martial artists under me. Though they are not strong, they still count as a considerable force on this island."
Qing Chen rubbed his chin. He had not expected martial practice on this island to be fairly strong, with so many people who had trained their internal force.
But on reflection, that was only natural. After all, this place was under the rule of a great Golden Core sect. Without some martial strength, they could not even handle ordinary, unranked sea beasts.
It was not strange for an island of seventy or eighty thousand people to have this many such men.
It seemed that the old town chief did indeed have some ability, to have held his position securely for thirty years.
The old town chief's side had two second-rate masters and a dozen or so small fry;
The Wang Household's side had one second-rate master, four third-rate experts, and more than twenty small fry.
If I intervened, the Sword Control Art or Fireball Spell would be more than enough to deal with these mortal martial artists.
In the cultivation world, the strength of a second-rate master certainly could not compare with that of an early Qi Refining stage cultivator.
But their internal force, tempered over many years, was deep, and their vital blood was vigorous.
To demonic beasts, this powerful vitality was undoubtedly an irresistible attraction, far surpassing that of ordinary mortals.
And those at the very pinnacle, who had joined the ranks of first-rate masters, were even more extraordinary!
Their internal force was so deep that it had almost reached an inconceivable degree, and their vital blood surged like the tide.
Every attack they unleashed carried astonishing power, already approaching that of spells cast by ordinary early Qi Refining stage cultivators.
If I refined them all into flesh and blood, how enticing would that be to demons!
Unfortunately, the Brahma Demon-Refining Art can only refine vital blood whose strength isn't too far from my own. Otherwise, there would be potent medicine everywhere.