Chapter 42: Human Settlement, Meeting the Village Guardian

Watching Yan Mo ride his sword into the distance, Mo Fan felt both envious and speechless.

He envied the man’s ability to traverse the heavens, yet he was speechless at how easily the fellow had trusted him, even going so far as to entrust him with returning the human child, Bao'er.

Was he really that naive? I’m a demon, for heaven’s sake!

With this thought, Mo Fan sighed helplessly. Beside him, Bao'er’s curious voice rang out, "Big Brother, that bad man could fly just now. Is he a demon?"

"He isn't a demon; he’s a demon hunter," Mo Fan replied.

"Oh? That bad man is a demon hunter? That’s not what Village Chief Grandpa said. Grandpa said demon hunters are capable, good people who make it their duty to hunt demons and are highly respected!" Bao'er scratched his head, too young to grasp the contradiction.

"Perhaps it is because he isn't a very qualified demon hunter."

Mo Fan grinned. He actually quite admired the human cultivator Yan Mo; he seemed different from the stories he had heard about such people, possessing an unconventional air of detachment and freedom.

Mo Fan didn't dwell on the matter. Although Yan Mo was unique, they belonged to two different worlds, and it was destined that they would never walk the same path.

Mo Fan hoisted Bao'er back onto his shoulders and continued his journey over the mountains. He didn't actually know where the so-called Cloud Ridge Village was. He had considered asking Bao'er, but decided against it, simply heading east. In his view, Bao'er was only a six-year-old child; how could he possibly know the way home?

However, after traveling dozens of miles to the east, Bao'er pointed excitedly in one direction and said, "Big Brother, over there! That’s our village!"

"How do you know?" Mo Fan asked, surprised.

"Because our village has many giant ancient white apricot trees. Their leaves are white, so from far away, they look like a special patch of clouds." Bao'er explained, "Big Brother, look, isn't that a very special cloud formation over there?"

Mo Fan looked where he pointed and indeed saw a unique patch of mist. It was "special" because it hung remarkably low, clinging to the ground as if stuck, swaying and drifting without ever truly moving away.

"Cloud Ridge Village... I see," Mo Fan murmured to himself, finally understanding. His pace quickened.

Although the village was in sight, it took another ten miles of travel before they reached it. The village was indeed built atop a mountain ridge. This was the first human settlement Mo Fan had ever seen in this world, and as he watched the cooking smoke drifting up from the village, his emotions were somewhat complex.

"Big Brother, come on! Let’s go into the village. My mom will be so happy when she finds out you saved me!" Bao'er was beaming, tugging on Mo Fan’s hand toward the village entrance.

But as they reached the gate, Bao'er realized he couldn't pull his Big Brother any further. Curious, he looked ahead. A figure had appeared at the village entrance.

"Village Chief Grandpa!" Bao'er let go of Mo Fan’s hand and ran excitedly toward the figure.

Mo Fan stood silently outside the gate, staring at the man. He was an old man, not particularly tall and somewhat hunched. His hair was grey, and he wore ragged clothes, yet the skin exposed by his robes revealed clearly defined, powerful muscles. Mo Fan saw a contradiction in the old man: the frailty of age and the presence of underlying strength. He knew this was no ordinary elder; he was a practitioner, or perhaps, a "Village Guardian."

The old man patted Bao'er’s head but kept a wary eye on Mo Fan. Seeing that Mo Fan made no hostile move, he said to the child in his arms, "Bao'er, your mother is looking for you everywhere. Go on home and check in."

"Okay, Village Chief Grandpa!" Bao'er nodded obediently. He was about to run into the village when he remembered something. He turned back to Mo Fan and said to the Chief, "Village Chief Grandpa, this Big Brother saved me! He brought me out from the depths of those terrifying mountains!"

"Yes, Grandpa knows. You go on ahead; I have a few words for your Big Brother," the old man said with a kindly smile.

"Okay!" Bao'er nodded and waved at Mo Fan. "Big Brother, I’m going home first. I’ll come find you after I see my mom. You have to come have a meal at our house!"

"Alright, hurry home!" Mo Fan smiled at the little one.

"Village Chief Grandpa, goodbye... oh, wait, see you in a bit!" Once back in the village, Bao'er seemed much more talkative, skipping away into the village.

When the boy was far enough away, the Chief let out a breath and frowned at Mo Fan. "I am grateful you brought Bao'er back instead of eating him, but you are a demon nonetheless. Our human village does not welcome demons, so forgive me for not inviting you in."

"I understand," Mo Fan nodded. "Are you the Village Guardian of Cloud Ridge?"

"Indeed!" The Chief nodded. Suddenly, a surge of powerful energy erupted from his body, causing his hair to flutter. "As a Village Guardian, protecting this village is my duty. If you intend to trespass, you will have to step over my dead body!"

The Chief stared at Mo Fan, his aura intensifying significantly.

Mo Fan shrugged, feeling no fear, only amusement. "You’re just a Village Guardian; don't act like you’re as powerful as those cultivators." He added, "To be honest, compared to that guy Yan Mo, you’re far behind."

With that, Mo Fan turned and began walking back toward the Demon Spirit Mountain Range. He called out over his shoulder, "And by the way, old man, I have no interest in stepping over your corpse. I finally did a good deed—don't make me regret it by being disgusting!"

Watching Mo Fan disappear below the ridge, the elderly Chief let out a heavy breath. His aura collapsed instantly, and he slumped to the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Just a moment ago, he had felt an unprecedented pressure coming from that demon—a pressure he had only ever sensed from true cultivators. It was terrifying!

After sitting for a long while to calm his fear, the Chief pulled a yellow talisman from his robes and muttered to himself, "A demon from the mountains has come out. It seems the world is about to become chaotic again... I must report this to the superiors to be certain."

Walking along the mountain path, Mo Fan glanced back at the village, which had once again become a patch of mist. He now had a rough estimate of the distance and route from Black Wind Mountain to human territory. He also had a better understanding of these "Village Guardians." They were merely innate martial artists, not even qualified to be called cultivators. While they might seem powerful to ordinary people, they were no different from mortals in the eyes of a true cultivator.

The Chief of Cloud Ridge had appeared fearless, but Mo Fan had clearly sensed his strength—it was roughly equivalent to the third stage of demon transformation. He might be able to handle small demons, but to Mo Fan, he was nothing.

With this thought, Mo Fan’s pace lightened. He felt the trip was well worth it; at the very least, he had gauged the strength of a "Village Guardian." When the time was right, he could return to snatch a few literate scholars. By then, surely no one would be able to stop him.