"Good afternoon. Thank you for receiving me and waiting patiently for my arrival. I am Ling Ye, the newly appointed village head sent by the Ling Clan. I look forward to working well with all of you."
Seeing Ling Ye's polite smile, all three men returned the gesture with courteous expressions. The man in red robes was the first to speak.
"Haha, good afternoon, Young Master Ling. I am Tiansheng Wu, a member of the Tiansheng family. I've been appointed to welcome you on behalf of our family head, who unfortunately isn't present in the village at the moment. I hope the young master can forgive his absence."
Ling Ye chuckled softly and replied with a warm smile, "There's no need for apologies, Sir Wu. My arrival and appointment as village head were both rather sudden. Naturally, the Tiansheng family head couldn't have anticipated this."
After responding, Ling Ye turned his gaze to the man in blue robes standing beside Tiansheng Wu and asked with a slight smile, "And you are?"
The middle aged man responded with a bright smile, "Good afternoon, Young Master Ling. This humble one is called Lifeng Jun, an envoy of the Lifeng family, entrusted with handling mortal affairs."
"An envoy?" Ling Ye thought, surprised. "Why would an envoy come personally to greet me? And more importantly, why did he speak after a member of the Tiansheng family? Shouldn't an envoy outrank a regular family member?"
Despite these thoughts, Ling Ye maintained his smile and responded calmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Envoy Jun. I'm honored to be greeted by a representative of the Lifeng family upon my arrival in Spring Village."
With those words, Ling Ye then turned his attention to the final man present, the one dressed in green robes, sent by the Chun family.
Seeing that Ling Ye was looking at him, the green robed man smiled nervously and, to Ling Ye's surprise, bowed his head slightly and offered a respectful salute.
Just as questions began forming in Ling Ye's mind, the man answered them himself.
"I greet Village Head Ling. I am Zhou Wu, the currently appointed Vice Village Head."
"Oh..." Ling Ye muttered quietly, surprised. "So he's the Vice Village Head, and not someone from the Chun family? Strange..." He couldn't help but wonder, "Is the Chun family not taking this seriously? Or do they already know they've lost their influence, so they no longer care who arrives?"
Although the questions lingered in his heart, Ling Ye didn't voice them. Instead, he smiled and responded warmly.
"Zhou Wu, is it? Then please, don't call me Village Head Ling. Call me Village Head Ye. After all, I'm no longer a young master of the Ling Clan. I'm just a regular mortal now, living a simple life here."
As he said this, Ling Ye noticed the red robed man, Tiansheng Wu, twitch his lips slightly, just for a brief moment, before returning to his polite smile. It was a small reaction, but it didn't escape Ling Ye's sharp eyes and focused mind. He saw it, analyzed it, but chose not to mention it. For now, ignoring it was the smartest move.
"Well then, gentlemen, thank you all for the warm welcome. However, I hope you'll understand, after a long journey from the inner regions of the Ling Clan, I'm quite exhausted. I'd like to rest today before beginning my duties as the new Village Head of Spring Village."
Ling Ye clasped his hands together respectfully and let out a naturally tired sigh. The three men all nodded in understanding.
"Of course, Young Master Ling should take time to rest and settle into his new home," said Envoy Jun with a light smile.
Tiansheng Wu nodded in agreement. "Yes, Envoy Jun speaks wisely. After such a long journey, it's only right to enjoy a warm bed and good food before taking up your new responsibilities."
"Haha," Ling Ye chuckled lightly at their words, nodding politely. Then he turned to the green robed Zhou Wu. "Vice Village Head Zhou, I'll be in your care. Please guide me to my new home."
Zhou Wu bowed with a respectful smile. "Of course, Village Head Ye! Tiansheng Wu, Envoy Jun, I wish you both a pleasant afternoon. Village Head Ye, if you've retrieved your belongings from the carriage, please follow me."
Ling Ye returned the smile and was just about to move when the other two men spoke up to take their leave.
"In that case," Envoy Jun said, his tone courteous, "this humble one will also take his leave and give the Vice Village Head and Village Head Ye some space."
Tiansheng Wu nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I shall also return now. I wish you a restful evening, Village Head Ye."
Ling Ye cupped his hands in farewell and nodded. The two men responded with polite bows before turning and walking away, leaving only Ling Ye and Zhou Wu behind.
Now that they were alone, Ling Ye finally approached the carriage. He retrieved his small travel bag and gave the interior a quick glance to ensure nothing had been left behind. The only other item inside was the notebook he had read during the journey, which he gently placed back into his bag.
With the bag in hand, Ling Ye stepped out of the carriage and walked over to Zhou Wu, wearing a faint but composed smile.
"Well then, Vice Village Head Zhou," he said calmly, "please lead the way."
"With pleasure, Village Head Ye!" Zhou Wu said with a smile, before turning and beginning to walk.
Ling Ye followed quietly behind him, and as they moved deeper into the village, he gradually gained a clearer view of Spring Village. He observed many villagers going about their daily routines, carrying goods, tending to small market stalls, or simply walking together and chatting under the afternoon sun.
Naturally, many of them noticed him. Dressed in his elegant blue robes, the very same robes he had worn during the Hall of Spirituality, he stood out like a noble among commoners. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to wear these robes, but aside from this formal set, he had only packed two simple outfits into his small bag.
The others weren't suitable for conveying authority, and this was the only robe he truly owned that bore the Ling Clan's style and mark.
The Ling Clan was strict when it came to possessions. Anything granted by the clan remained clan property unless explicitly gifted. That was the reason he had left with so little. If it had been up to him, he would've brought his entire personal library instead of spending two exhausting days cramming everything he could into memory.
Just thinking about it made Ling Ye frown in frustration, but he swallowed his resentment. In truth, he should still be grateful they let him leave with anything at all. After all, everything he once had was only his because the Ling Clan had expected him to become a cultivator, an investment that had ultimately failed.
"Sigh…" Ling Ye exhaled bitterly, brushing those thoughts aside. There was no use dwelling on what was lost.
As they walked, he continued observing the villagers and their way of life. He saw children playing in the streets, their laughter ringing out freely, until they noticed Zhou Wu approaching. Almost immediately, they quieted down, stepping aside and bowing respectfully.
The playful chaos vanished in an instant, replaced by reverence.
Ling Ye raised an eyebrow at the scene. "So Zhou Wu commands this much respect?" he thought, intrigued.
It wasn't just stiff politeness either, some of the children, after bowing, even spoke to Zhou Wu directly with innocent excitement, their eyes filled with curiosity rather than fear. Zhou Wu simply smiled and gently redirected their attention elsewhere before continuing on.
From that small interaction alone, Ling Ye could already sense how Zhou Wu was perceived in this village: not as a cold authority figure, but as someone familiar, respected, and approachable. It was a subtle, yet important piece of information, one Ling Ye quietly filed away.
It was as clear as day, Zhou Wu was well-liked by the common folk of Spring Village. That fact alone spoke volumes about his character, and Ling Ye silently made a note of it. Someone with that kind of trust and respect among the villagers would not be easy to overlook.
After a while of walking, they finally reached a small hill, no more than three meters high, with a short path of polished stone stairs leading up to a modest house.
Stopping at the base of the stairs, Zhou Wu turned around and offered Ling Ye a gentle smile.
"Village Head Ye, this is your assigned residence. It's built from sturdy wood and reinforced stone, one of the best homes in Spring Village outside of those belonging to the three major cultivator families. Aside from those, only a handful of houses like this exist here."
Zhou Wu chuckled lightly and glanced up at the sky, noting the fading sunlight.
"Ah, look at that, night is already falling. I'll have someone bring you food later. In the meantime, feel free to get familiar with your new home. If you need anything, my house is right next door."
Ling Ye nodded in response, accepting the arrangements without complaint, but Zhou Wu wasn't finished just yet.
"I'll come by tomorrow morning, two hours after sunrise. Until then, Village Head Ye, rest well. Good night."
With those parting words, Zhou Wu turned and walked away, leaving Ling Ye alone with his small bag in hand. Without wasting time, he turned toward the steps and began climbing, making his way into his new home.