The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon when Long Tian, after hours of exhausting travel, finally spotted the small village in the distance. It was humble, with wooden houses topped with thatched roofs, surrounded by fields and low trees. Far off, a few figures moved along the dirt paths. A nearby river meandered peacefully, and a soft breeze carried the scent of dry wheat.
His body was at its limit. The wounds hadn't worsened, but physical and mental exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Still, he couldn't afford to stop.
As he approached, the system activated once more.
[Sub-mission completed.]
[Reward received: Basic information unlocked.]
A translucent screen appeared:
> Region: Zhenlong Valley
Territory: Kingdom of Tianlu
Status: Rural borderland with no fixed military presence
Threat level: Low to moderate (occasional wild beasts)
Inhabitants: Common humans. Culture based on spiritual cultivation.
"Tianlu Kingdom? Spiritual cultivation?" Long Tian frowned. It was just like the novels he had read during his research. Only now, it seemed he was trapped inside one.
Upon reaching the edge of the village, he was met with a few curious glances. The villagers, dressed in simple robes and straw hats, eyed him with caution. An old man with a white beard and a walking stick stepped forward.
"Young man, you came down from the mountain, didn't you? No one usually returns from there alive…"
Long Tian took a deep breath. He couldn't tell the truth, but he needed to blend in.
"I had an accident... and woke up there. I barely remember anything. I just need water... and a place to stay."
The old man looked at him with both suspicion and compassion.
"Follow me. There's a humble inn at the center of the village. But be warned… not everyone here welcomes strangers."
As they walked, Long Tian watched everything closely. If this was a world of cultivation, he had to understand its rules quickly. The system had saved his life… but it had also thrown him into a dangerous reality.
As they walked along the dusty path through the village, Long Tian decided it was time to ask.
"Excuse me, elder," he said respectfully. "Is there a doctor in the village? I was wounded by a… wild beast while I was on the mountain."
The old man glanced at him sideways, pausing to examine the bandaged hand where dried blood still clung.
"A beast, you say…" he muttered with a doubtful tone. "Strange. The wild beasts around here rarely attack without reason. But yes, we have a healer. Old, but skilled. He lives near the central well."
They continued walking until they reached a small square, where a worn stone well stood at the heart of the village. Around it, children played and women carried buckets of waterbut all of them stopped to eye the outsider with suspicion.
The elder pointed toward a slanted-roof house made of sturdy wood.
"That's where Healer Yao lives. You can see him now, but don't lie to him. He has a sharp eye and can tell when someone's hiding something."
Long Tian nodded, grateful. He knew he had to choose his words carefully. The last thing he needed was to raise suspicions about his origins or the true nature of his woundinflicted by a creature that shouldn't even exist.
"Thank you. I'll go right away."
As he walked away, a window on the second floor of the inn creaked open quietly. From behind it, a pair of glinting eyes watched with interest. A hooded figure studied the newly arrived young man, as if already sensing that something unusual had just entered the village...
The wooden door creaked as Long Tian gently pushed it open. A wave of pungent smells dried herbs, smoke, and freshly boiled roots flooded his senses as he stepped inside.
"Who's there?" growled a raspy voice from within.
"Sorry to bother you," Long Tian replied politely. "Are you the healer Yao?"
"Hmph, that's what they say," the old man answered as he stirred something in a bowl over a small fire. His white hair was tied into a knot, and his skin was worn with age. Yet his eyes still gleamed with sharpness.
Long Tian raised his injured hand, showing the dirty bandage.
"I was wounded by a beast in the mountain. I was hoping you could help me treat it… though I must be honest, I don't have any money."
Old Yao stared at him in silence for a moment before letting out a short huff. He turned back to his table without a word.
"Tch… You don't even know what kind of wound you've got, and you're already asking for help. But fine… that hand's infected. If you don't treat it today, you might lose it by tomorrow."
He opened a small drawer and began pulling out bottles and dried leaves.
"I don't work for free, boy. But I won't let someone die on my doorstep either. You'll pay me in another way. There are always herbs to collect, wood to chop, or errands no one else wants."
Long Tian nodded without hesitation.
"I'll do it. I'll repay you however I can."
"Good," the old man grunted as he ground some roots. "If you survive this, then we'll see what you're worth."
As the healer began applying a thick, bitter-smelling paste to the wound, Long Tian clenched his teeth. The pain was sharp, but he could feel the fever slowly fading. Maybe he had found the right place after all.