Yun Xi's words made the other three tense up, their scalps prickling. Just as someone was about to speak, Liu Haotian said,
"The entrance is here."
He stepped forward, and his figure vanished from sight. The other three didn't have time to speak. With a flicker of light, they disappeared through the same spot.
Right before entering, Yun Xi deliberately adjusted her cultivation to the early Foundation Establishment stage. Among the four, she had the youngest bone age, the softest features, and the shortest stature. This realm fit her best for playing weak to catch the strong.
More importantly, she worried that if the bronze mirror sensed she was a Golden Core cultivator, it might stay dormant. And if it didn't act up, how were they supposed to catch it?
When the four of them regrouped, they found themselves in a hidden paradise. It looked exactly like the Taoyuan Village Yin Yong had described.
A forest of peach blossoms stood in full bloom before them. For a moment, everyone was entranced.
But Yun Xi narrowed her eyes slightly and said,
"The scenery here is lovely. Let's walk in a bit and take a look."
"Let's go," someone replied.
Liu Haotian put away his compass and took the lead. Yun Xi followed behind, with Yu Qingcheng and Xia You bringing up the rear.
After they passed through the vibrant peach blossom forest, they saw a scattered arrangement of houses. Though the homes weren't luxurious, they had a quaint, rustic charm.
Yun Xi blinked and lightly tapped the little creature sleeping in her robes. She sent a mental transmission to Dian Dian.
"Dian Dian, take a sniff. Is there anything strange here?"
Dian Dian poked its head out of Yun Xi's collar, rubbed its eyes with its paws, and sniffed the air. After a long moment, it replied in a low voice.
"Master, there's a strange scent. It's not good or bad. Just... odd."
"You don't smell any evil energy?"
"There's a trace. Very faint. Almost nonexistent. Like an evil cultivator passed through, but didn't linger."
Dian Dian's response was honest.
"Let's head into the village and take a look."
Liu Haotian was the first to speak.
The four walked toward the village. Their pace looked leisurely, but their steps were swift and light.
"Excuse me, the four of you, please wait a moment."
A voice called out from behind them, making the group stop.
Yun Xi turned her head and saw an old man with white hair carrying a bundle of firewood. He leaned heavily on a thick wooden staff as he hurried toward them.
When the old man reached them, still catching his breath, Xia You asked politely,
"Elder, is there something you need?"
The old man steadied his breathing and replied,
"That's what I should be asking you. What are you here in Taoyuan Village for?"
He scrutinized them from head to toe, looking cautious and alert.
Yun Xi smiled and said,
"We're outsiders. We bought an ancestral house from someone. It's located right here in Taoyuan Village. We're here to take ownership."
"Ancestral house? I've never heard of anyone selling an ancestral house. That would be a disgrace to one's ancestors."
The old man's face showed clear displeasure.
Yu Qingcheng rolled her eyes and said,
"Elder, we paid real silver for that house. We have the property deed too. The seller only did it to survive. Houses are dead things. People are alive. If he gets back on his feet, he can rebuild the ancestral home anytime. If you don't know the situation, then don't speak so harshly."
Yu Qingcheng's words were already rather blunt.
Sure enough, the old man's face flushed red with anger. He opened his mouth but couldn't get a word out.
Liu Haotian didn't even bother responding. He just turned and walked away. The other three followed suit, leaving the old man behind stomping his feet in frustration.
At the same time, Yun Xi sent a voice transmission to the others.
"This old man acts like a gatekeeper."
Yu Qingcheng replied, "Too nosy. Good thing you came up with a solid excuse."
Xia You added, "They seem awfully unfriendly toward outsiders. Something feels off."
Liu Haotian simply said, "Once we're in the village, be extra careful."
The four continued walking into Taoyuan Village while maintaining a steady stream of voice transmissions.
It was now early afternoon. The sun was mild. A group of children was playing in the village square. When they spotted strangers, they stopped and curiously gathered around.
"Who are you? What are you doing in our village?"
Yun Xi had the softest features of the four, so she stepped forward to speak.
"We'd like to meet the village chief. Can you tell us where to find him?"
A shy little boy at the front of the group said,
"Pretty big sister, come with me. I'll take you to the village chief."
"Thank you," Yun Xi smiled.
Surrounded by a group of curious kids, the four followed the boy to the village chief's home.
The village chief was a man in his fifties, with a weathered, sun-darkened face, clearly someone who had spent a lifetime working the land. He was holding a long-stemmed pipe. Upon seeing the four strangers, his eyes showed surprise.
After inviting them inside, the village chief greeted them politely.
"Taoyuan Village hasn't seen any distinguished visitors in a long time. May I ask why you've come?"
Liu Haotian answered,
"We bought a house in Taoyuan Village from someone. Our elder family members plan to retire here. As their children, of course we want to make sure everything is prepared."
The village chief frowned slightly before asking,
"Which family's ancestral house did you buy, and from whom?"
"We bought it from a man named Yin Yong. He told us that all his family members had passed away, so he sold off the land and left to make a living. He entrusted the old house to you for safekeeping."
The village chief was clearly stunned and asked quickly,
"You met Yin Yong?"
"Yes."
"Where is he now?"
Liu Haotian gave the village chief a long look before replying calmly,
"That, I'm afraid we can't say. He told us that since he sold the ancestral home, he no longer had the face to return. He asked us not to reveal his whereabouts."
The village chief let out a heavy sigh and tapped his pipe against the table before speaking.
"You might have been tricked."
"What do you mean?" someone asked.
"Yin Yong's family is doing just fine. They recently divided up the household. His eldest and second brothers both built their own homes. The old residence is now occupied by the parents. How could he have sold it?"
"But we have the property deed," Liu Haotian said evenly.
He reached into his sleeve and produced a freshly issued deed, placing it on the table.
The village chief glanced at it, then shook his head.
"That disgraceful child. He must have stolen the deed from home. I always wondered why the Yin family's third son suddenly moved out. In our village, it's rare to divide the household while the parents are still alive. Now it all makes sense."
Judging by the village chief's expression, Yun Xi was fairly convinced he wasn't lying. She spoke up.
"Even if everything Yin Yong said was false, this deed is real, and the silver we paid was real too. We can't just let it go to waste. Even if this went to the magistrate, we'd be within our rights to take the house."
"No need to worry," the village chief said. "Yin Yong was out of line, but his parents are good people. They won't deny the debt. I'll go invite them over. We'll all sit down and discuss this properly. I promise you won't be shortchanged."
Liu Haotian, speaking on behalf of the group, nodded.
"Alright. We'll wait."
The village chief then sent his young grandson to summon the family.
In less than half an hour, a crowd of villagers came pouring into the courtyard.
The village chief frowned and tapped his pipe against the doorframe.
"Get back to whatever you were doing. No gawking around here."
He had his son drive the onlookers out of the yard.
Then he turned to two reserved-looking elders in their fifties and said,
"You two, come in."
Once the Yin family members entered the house, the village chief began the introductions.
"These are Yin Yong's parents. That over there is his eldest brother Yin Shan and his family. The other is his second brother Yin Chuan and his family. Yin Yong is the youngest. When he left the village, he wasn't even married yet."