Chapter 267 - 34: Seclusion in the Deep Mountains, Amassing Power

Chapter 267: Chapter 34: Seclusion in the Deep Mountains, Amassing Power

"Don’t be nervous, child. We mountain folk may not deal much with outsiders, but we’re not fools."

"Your carrying pole is real, and your goods are real, but you... you are a fake."

"Old man, I don’t understand what you mean." Chen Ye ultimately decided to play dumb.

The old clan chief seemed to expect this and didn’t get angry. He simply pointed to Chen Ye’s hands and said slowly, "A real peddler carries a heavy load all year round, through wind and rain. His hands and shoulders would have thick calluses."

"You’ve intentionally made your hands rough and dark, but that’s just on the surface. You can’t fool these old eyes of mine. Deep down, you lack the mark left by years of hard labor."

Chen Ye’s heart jumped, and he subconsciously glanced at his own hands.

He had indeed used the Power of the Divine Soul to change the texture of his skin, but he never expected it wouldn’t be enough to fool the old clan chief.

"And another thing." The old clan chief then used his flint and steel to light the bowl of his pipe. He took a deep drag and, after exhaling a smoke ring, continued.

"The way you drink isn’t like a common man, either. Our mountain liquor is strong. An ordinary person would be dizzy after three or five bowls, yet you’ve had more than ten and are completely unaffected. This shows that your constitution is far stronger than you look."

"And the most important point is..." The old clan chief paused, a strange glint flashing in his deep-set eyes. ℴ

"These eyes of mine were once blessed by the Mountain God, allowing me to see things ordinary people cannot. And on you, I see a very strong... killing intent."

"You’ve suppressed that killing intent well, but it’s like a Treasure Saber wrapped in cloth. No matter how you hide it, you can’t conceal its edge. A common peddler would never have an aura like yours."

After hearing the old clan chief’s words, Chen Ye fell completely silent.

He knew there was no point in pretending anymore. The old man wasn’t guessing; he had seen through his flaws for what they were.

’These mountain folk are truly something else.’

Chen Ye took a deep breath, set down his wine bowl and roasted meat, and offered no further excuses. Instead, he met the old clan chief’s gaze frankly and nodded.

"You have sharp eyes, old man. I am indeed not a peddler."

Since he’d been exposed, hiding and hedging would just seem petty. He might as well see what this old clan chief was really up to.

Seeing Chen Ye admit it so readily, the old clan chief’s face broke into a smile of approval. "A straightforward man. I like dealing with straightforward people."

All around them, the merriment continued with laughter, singing, and dancing. No one noticed the conversation in the corner, while the bonfire’s light flickered across their faces, making them alternate between bright and dim.

"Old man, since you’ve seen through me, what do you plan to do?" Chen Ye asked calmly. "Are you going to tie me up and hand me over to those people outside?"

By "those people outside," he was naturally referring to Celestial Sword Manor.

"Hand you over?" The old clan chief chuckled as if he’d heard something hilarious and shook his head. "Young man, what do you take our Kawa Village for? We are the children of the Mountain God. We are not governed by the outside Government Office, nor do we listen to any of those so-called great Sects."

"We have our own rules. As long as you’ve entered the gates of our Kawa Village and bear us no ill will, you are our guest. So no matter how much trouble you’ve caused outside, it has nothing to do with us. Our village does not welcome outsiders coming here to capture people."

The old clan chief’s words were resolute, filled with an unshakeable authority.

Hearing this, the stone that had been hanging in Chen Ye’s heart finally fell.

He hadn’t expected that not only did the man mean him no harm, but he actually intended to shelter him.

"Why?" Chen Ye asked, a little confused. "We’re not related, and we’re not friends. Why would you help me?"

"We aren’t helping you," the old clan chief said, shaking his head to correct him. "We are upholding the rules of Kawa Village. These have been passed down from our ancestors, and no one is allowed to break them."

"Besides..." The old clan chief glanced at Chen Ye again, his tone profound. "Although I don’t know who you really are, I can sense that you are not a bad person. Your killing intent is heavy, but it is not evil. It is the aura of someone who has only killed those who deserved to die."

"And what’s more, this old man is quite happy to see those smug bastards on the outside get taken down a peg."

As he finished, a gratified smile spread across the old clan chief’s face.

Chen Ye finally relaxed completely. He cupped his fists toward the old clan chief in a sincere gesture. "Thank you, old man."

"Don’t thank me." The old clan chief waved his hand dismissively. "Since you’re not a peddler, don’t pretend to be one anymore. Just be yourself in our village. And you can stay as long as you like. No one will chase you away."

"Alright." Chen Ye nodded, then picked up his wine bowl again and raised it to the old clan chief. "Old man, let me toast you a bowl."

"Good."

The two coarse pottery bowls touched lightly in the air, making a crisp sound.

In the distance, the bonfire continued to blaze, and the songs and laughter of the mountain folk still echoed through the night sky.

But Chen Ye’s state of mind was completely different from before.

The next morning, Chen Ye shed his peddler’s outfit and changed into a set of coarse, short-style clothes common in the village.

He gave his peddler’s carrying pole and all the goods inside to the villagers.

This act earned him a great deal of goodwill.

Since he had decided to stay for a while, Chen Ye had no intention of living off their charity.

He began to work alongside the young people of the village.