“You must be talking about Old Master Pi. He’s the only one in town with that surname,” the man replied with a smile. “Why are you looking for him?”
“I heard his family has lived here for generations. I want to ask him about the Void Valley,” Xu Zimo said.
“Well, you’re asking the right person,” the passerby said proudly with a grin.
He continued, “When Void Town was founded, Old Master Pi was among the first settlers. Even before the town existed, he was already living around here. His family has been trading Void Wood since his grandfather’s time. They’re the oldest lineage in this town.”
“Where does he live?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Head east from here. The large old courtyard at the far eastern end of the town is his home,” the man said, pointing the way.
“But he hasn’t gone to the Void Valley in years. Rumor has it that both his son and daughter died there.”
Xu Zimo nodded slightly, then walked toward the eastern part of the town.
He looked around as he walked. Most of the people who survived in this town seemed to be lone cultivators with no backing. They risked their lives for Void Wood, which they then traded for cultivation resources.
When Xu Zimo reached the east side, he saw a few scattered homes.
Near the edge of town stood a courtyard made of bricks and earth.
Though the courtyard was large, it looked quite plain.
Compared to the other houses nearby, it seemed a bit shabby.
When Xu Zimo arrived at the gate, the wooden door was black and old.
He pushed it open, and it creaked noisily.
Inside the gate was a small passageway. On the right were many farming tools.
The courtyard ahead was spacious, with many edible vegetables growing. A grapevine stood in the middle.
An old man was crouched in the center of the yard, tending a pot on an iron rack over a fire. He seemed to be cooking breakfast and was sharpening a kitchen knife.
When he noticed someone entering, the old man looked up with his cloudy eyes and asked, “What do you want?”
“Are you Old Master Pi?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Everyone around here calls me that,” the old man nodded slightly.
“I’d like to ask you about the Void Valley,” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “They say you’re the most senior person in this town.”
“I’m old. I’ve forgotten many things. You’d better ask someone else,” Old Master Pi said, waving him off.
After saying that, he looked back down and continued sharpening his knife and chopping vegetables.
“How about we make a deal?” Xu Zimo offered. “You answer my questions, and I’ll do something for you.”
“I only have one request. If you can bring me the head of the Cosmic Sect’s leader, I’ll tell you everything I know. I’d even give up my life if needed,” the old man said calmly, looking up.
“Cosmic Sect?” Xu Zimo asked, puzzled. “Is it an imperial lineage?”
He didn’t seem to have heard of them.
“Imperial lineage? What a joke,” Old Master Pi scoffed. “They’re just a group of thugs who banded together.”
“Just tell me the basics,” Xu Zimo said.
“Hundreds of years ago, before any imperial lineages controlled this place, the Void Valley was chaotic. A bunch of shady people formed the Cosmic Sect. They robbed those who risked their lives to gather Void Wood. If you resisted, they’d kill you,” the old man said coldly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“In recent years, now that imperial lineages have moved in, these things happen less often, but they still go on in secret.”
“Where is the Cosmic Sect?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Ten miles south, on Cosmic Ridge,” the old man said, narrowing his eyes.
“Wait for me. I’ll be back before dark,” Xu Zimo said, then turned and left.
……
Strictly speaking, the Cosmic Sect wasn’t really a sect.
It was just a group of people gathered for personal gain. If nothing changed, once their interests were gone, they’d likely scatter.
Cosmic Ridge was just an ordinary mountain. But ever since the Cosmic Sect settled there, the mountain gained a name, and ordinary folks stopped going near it.
A breeze rustled through the thick forest. At the top of the ridge stood a village.
Aside from guards stationed around the edges, a group of seven or eight people were sitting in the center of the village.
Among them were a scruffy-bearded man, a flashy noblewoman, and a refined-looking scholar.
They were drinking and eating loudly, laughing without restraint.
“Big Brother, I’ve already negotiated with the Zhou Dynasty,” the scholar said excitedly. “Their representatives said if we offer 100 pieces of Void Wood every year, we can become their vassal force.”
“Damn, that’s outrageous. I only gather a few hundred pieces a year, and all our brothers need them for cultivation,” one man grumbled.
“Third Brother, don’t say that again,” the noblewoman quickly interrupted.
“The times are tough. We need Zhou’s protection. It’s like a shield.”
……
While they talked, a few thick wooden stakes were embedded in the ground nearby.
Each stake had a person tied to it, women and children included.
Their faces were full of fear. Their hair was messy. Some had already begun sobbing.
Among them was a young boy who didn’t stand out at first glance, but if you looked closely, his eyes were bright as stars.
It was as if nothing in the world could escape his gaze.
“Sister, stop crying. It’s annoying,” the boy in white said naturally, though he was also tied to a stake.
Next to him was a girl in a white dress, now stained with dirt.
Her long hair covered much of her face, but you could still see her delicate features.
“Little Yi, we’re done for this time. We’re going to die,” she said anxiously. “Aren’t you good with divinations and astrology? Can’t you calculate something for us?”
“I already did. Heaven won’t abandon us. A noble person will come and save us,” the boy in white replied calmly.
Perhaps annoyed by all the crying, the scruffy-bearded man stood up.
With a chain-blade in his hand, he looked at the captives and asked gruffly, “Boss, do we kill them now or have some fun first?”