Chapter 133: Departure

Yuan Wuji sensed the monkey hair he had left behind within the statue. Its aura was nearly identical to his own, yet with a key difference: because he had later benefited from the unique properties of the Charm Physique, his own aura had become refined and restrained, hidden from plain sight.

The aura emanating from the statue, however, was different—it projected itself with an overbearing intensity. It was precisely this unrestrained energy that had shaped the White Village into what it was today. Fortunately, White Tiger Ridge was desolate and uninhabited; otherwise, given the eerie nature of the current village, it would likely have been wiped out long ago.

"Do you still have contact with the outside world?" Yuan Wuji asked, looking at the buildings that seemed so out of place in the village.

"Since a major incident a century ago, we in White Village have ceased all travel. These offerings and items for the Great General were all carefully preserved from that time."

"Tell me about it." Yuan Wuji had a rough idea why the village had closed itself off, but he wanted to hear the details directly from them, especially since he intended for White Village to become part of his domain.

"When the Great General first left the monkey hair, our village served the temple with all our hearts. Every century, we would pool our resources and head to the town to make purchases. We never broke this tradition until one day, a demon attacked—as I mentioned to you earlier, Great General. Because of that, we worked even harder for the temple."

"But as our village underwent its profound transformation, we returned to the town once more. We encountered some Taoists who branded us as 'demon-folk.' Without a word, they attacked us. We were no match for them, and in a mere moment, nearly everyone was killed."

The village chief’s voice grew increasingly indignant, the murderous intent in his eyes revealing the depth of his rage.

"Nearly everyone? So, some survived?"

"Yes, Great General. The rest were taken away."

"How do you know this?"

"At the time, two of our elders had gone ahead to buy smaller items and were not with the main group, so they escaped the tragedy. When they returned and saw the corpses of our kin, they were devastated, and the villagers in town told them everything that had happened."

"When they returned to the village and told us what transpired, we resolved never to leave again. It is said that not all of our villagers were killed; some were captured, though we do not know the specifics."

"I understand."

Yuan Wuji had heard enough. He knew that the villagers who had been taken were undoubtedly those who possessed divine energy. Having been influenced by his aura even in the womb, they were born with exceptional talent. They were gifted individuals, and their inherent divine energy held a fatal attraction for the Taoists of the mortal realm. Since these Taoists practiced solely to ascend and achieve the Dao, the energy radiating from the villagers was an opportunity they could not resist.

***

"Have you ever managed to find out which sect those Taoists belonged to?" Yuan Wuji asked the chief.

"We are not entirely sure, but the villagers in the town should know."

"Since you revere me, I shall seek justice for you. Come with me to the mortal town."

"Yes, yes!"

The chief was so overcome with emotion he could barely speak. After all these years, the Great Divine Monkey General still remembered White Village. Not only had he bestowed power upon them, but now he was going to seek justice on their behalf. The chief vowed in his heart that White Village would repay this grace.

"I want to go too!"

"Me too!"

Two childish voices rang out, and two small figures appeared in Yuan Wuji's sight.

"Mingyu, Xika, this is no place for your nonsense! Go back at once!" the chief said in a panic, fearing they might offend Yuan Wuji. In his eyes, Mingyu and Xika were the future successors of the village, and he dared not risk taking them into an unknown danger.

"It is fine. Let them come," Yuan Wuji said. The chief dared not argue further.

"Thank you, Great Divine Monkey General!" Mingyu and Xika replied excitedly. They had never left the village in their lives, and to be traveling with Yuan Wuji—how could they not be thrilled? Born in White Village, they had grown up worshipping Yuan Wuji; their reverence was innate. Their parents were equally stirred.

"It is only a short trip; do you really need to go back and prepare?" Yuan Wuji was amused by the scene. The parents of the two children had already begun a ceaseless stream of instructions and were even debating what they should bring on the journey.

"Listen to the General! Stop causing trouble," the chief said, shooing the parents away and leading the children to Yuan Wuji.

***

"Great General, what should we do?"

"Just stand still."

Had he been alone, a single streak of golden light would have reached the destination instantly. But with three mortals in tow, it was more convenient to use the Cloud-Stepping technique. A white cloud formed beneath their feet, lifting them into the air.

"Just point the way," Yuan Wuji said as he stepped onto the cloud behind them.

"The town is to the south," the chief said hurriedly.

Yuan Wuji did not push the cloud to its full, extraordinary speed. Though the three were mortals with innate advantages, their bodies had not been tempered, and they could not withstand the pressure of his top speed.

"It’s right there!" the chief said, pointing to the market ahead.

Mingyu and Xika were exceptionally excited, as this was their first time flying. Though it was the chief's first time as well, he tried to appear composed to leave a good impression on Yuan Wuji, though the excitement in his eyes betrayed him.

"Hmm."

With a soft hum, Yuan Wuji transformed his appearance into that of an ordinary mortal, leaving the three of them stunned. The fervor in the eyes of Mingyu and Xika was especially intense; they were young and hungry for strength. Yuan Wuji took note of the lingering yearning in their eyes as they witnessed his divine power. If they craved power, they would strive for it—a quality he was pleased to see.

*I hope you do not disappoint me.*

"Great General, what should we do now?" the chief asked. Unlike the children, the chief was nearing his twilight years and his pursuit of power was not as fervent. He quickly shook off his shock and turned his focus to the task at hand.