C4 A Storm Was Brewing.

The Unfamiliar Village was located in a low-lying area of the Shattered Domain's Drunken Dream Rainforest. It was like a pearl that was hugged by the forest.

Although it was called a village, it was small. The entire Unfamiliar Village was about ten miles in radius, and the population was about eighty thousand people.

The Unfamiliar Village had no name fourteen years ago. This was because the villagers only sent a few representatives to Flame Town to pay tribute yearly during the winter solstice. The rest of the time, they lived a peaceful and secluded life.

Outside the relative safety of the village, the wilderness was a realm of danger that most villagers dared not venture into. Only a select few hunters, equipped with advanced cultivation skills, risked hunting within a mile of the community. Anyone else stepping beyond the village borders faced the grim possibility of never returning.

Fourteen years ago, an alchemist called Meng Ying brought a woman and a baby into the village and named the village Unfamiliar Village.

The villagers of Unfamiliar Village had always been wary of outsiders, a sentiment rooted in age-old beliefs that their community was cursed. This conviction was so strong that even adults from nearby towns avoided the place.

When Meng Ying and her two companions first arrived, the villagers brandished their farming tools, as if preparing to chase off wild beasts.

In a community that valued reciprocity, this goodwill was not easily forgotten. When Meng Ying later introduced a few outsiders into the village, the villagers chose to turn a blind eye.

Nestled atop the highest mountain to the north of Unfamiliar Village sat a courtyard, arguably the grandest structure in the community. Positioned at the village's highest point, the courtyard offered a panoramic view of the entire Unfamiliar Village.

Back then, when Meng Ying wanted to build a courtyard here, he was unanimously opposed by the villagers. They said it would suppress the dragon head and destroy the Feng Shui. Meng Ying had to fight to prove that he had the right to build this courtyard here.

Upon his return to Unfamiliar Village, Meng Ying wasted no time. He headed straight for the alchemy room to concoct a Medicine Pill aimed at treating the concealed injuries of Feng Lian and Mengjie. Wu Yun, whose injuries were more severe, retreated to her room for healing.

Unexpectedly, a thunderclap resounded through the clear sky, followed by a bolt of lightning that struck the tallest six-story wooden building in the courtyard. A figure plummeted from the top, only to be caught in the nick of time by Ma Wei, the chef, who had been holding a plate of food. Had it not been for this timely intervention, the falling person might have suffered far graver injuries.

"Old Qiu, attracting lightning must be even harder than childbirth, don't you think? Why so careless?" Ma Wei, sporting a large belly, jabbed at Qiu Shaan, who was smoldering with black smoke, as he teased him.

Qiu Shaan growled, "I don't want to joke with you. Hurry up and find the others and go to Little Meng's room."

Ma Wei knew that something big had happened, so he didn't dare to tease Qiu Shaan anymore. He put down Qiu Shaan and turned around to find the others.

Qiu Shaan waited for a long time before Meng Ying walked out of the alchemy room.

Seeing the anxious Qiu Shaan, Meng Ying was about to speak when Qiu Shaan said anxiously, "Little Meng, something big has happened. Take a look at this."

Meng Ying did not take the stones and tortoise shells from Qiu Shaan and said, "I don't understand what you are talking about. If you have anything to say, just say it. Haven't you been troubled for the past few years? I can handle it."

Qiu Shaan took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know about what happened at the Broken Soul Cliff? Did you participate in it?"

Meng Ying shook his head and said, "You are always busy doing nothing. You only know how to divine my past. Can you divine the future for us?"

Qiu Shaan dabbed at the cold sweat on his forehead before replying, "I've been divining our fates. Another Astrology Master has calculated your and Wu Yun's locations. They may plan to open a space channel to locate you here in Unfamiliar Village."

Meng Ying's face took on a grave expression as he questioned, "That's hard to believe. I did my own investigation back then, and nobody who was pursuing my sister and brother-in-law survived. How could they possibly know I was involved?"

Qiu Shaan scoffed, "If even a novice like me can be discovered, what makes you think you'd escape the notice of an Astrology Master from Star Pupil Building?"

Meng Ying chuckled, "No need to be anxious. We'll deal with it when the time comes. What's there to fear? We're in control here in Unfamiliar Village. Besides, are these Astrology Masters truly that formidable? I've gone to great lengths to erase all traces of our presence."

Sighing, Qiu Shaan explained, "The issue isn't really about you or Wu Yun. It's the spiritual weapon that the Yin Family gave to Feng Yan. That weapon has a mark from the Yi Family, and they've likely sold that information to the Hui Avoiding Sect or some other powerful family."

Meng Ying gritted his teeth and said, "Hui Avoiding Sect? We haven't even settled the score with them yet. If they come, they will kill some people."

Qiu Shaan said, "Although I cannot detect the sects and aristocratic families participating this time, the Hui Avoiding Sect is not the main character. They are only hired by the sects and aristocratic families behind them."

Meng Ying knew that Qiu Shaan was not exaggerating. Qiu Shaan had been in the Shattered Domain far longer than him so he couldn't know about the battle at the Broken Soul Cliff. It was even more impossible for him to know about Feng Yan. In Meng Ying's impression, Feng Yan rarely showed his true face to others. In the Divine Martial Continent, there were less than ten people who knew Feng Yan.

Seeing Meng Ying silent for a long time, Qiu Shaan said, "Let's go to the living room and discuss with everyone."

Just as he walked out of the door, he heard waves of happy laughter coming from inside.

In the living room, Wu Yun, Fu Shi, Ma Wei, and Dao Ba, who taught Feng Lian and Mengjie their movement techniques and battle skills, were chatting about exciting things from the past.

Seeing Meng Ying and Qiu Shaan walk in together, Wu Yun asked, "Little Meng, what's wrong?"

Meng Ying appeared aged beyond his years, resembling an old man at the end of his life. His hair was white. To concoct the medicine for Feng Lian and Mengjie, he not only purged the toxic blood from his system but also used his life force to refine fresh blood. On top of that, he had ventured out to gather medicinal herbs and crossed the perilous Black Water River. Now, he was left with only a flicker of life force, and his vision had deteriorated to the point where he could barely see anything beyond two meters.

Wu Yun, who had been treating Mengjie's loss of blood and Qi, had also sacrificed her own vitality in the process. She continuously donated her blood for Meng Ying to refine into blood essence. As a result, strands of white hair had started to appear at her temples. Despite this, her face and physique still resembled that of a woman in the prime of her life. Although her name was Meng Ying, the same as the alchemist, those present had known her for over a decade and still found it odd to hear the shared name.

Qiu Shaan told everyone what he saw through the divination.

"Why worry? If one comes, kill one; if two come, kill both. Our suppressed cultivation levels mean they can't do much to us," Dao Ba said, brandishing his long blade dismissively.

"What do you know? Old Meng isn't afraid; he's just concerned about not bringing calamity to this village. And what about the kids? You're always thinking about fighting and killing, unlike us, who act with kindness," Ren Jian retorted, seizing the opportunity to chastise Dao Ba.

"Do you have an itch to spar or something?" Dao Ba made as if to lunge at Ren Jian, but was halted by Fu Shi.

"Enough, let's focus on the matter at hand," said Fu Shi.

Her aura still conveyed a sense of grace and nobility despite her age. She had once been a well-known socialite with far-reaching connections across the continent.

The reasons for her presence in Unfamiliar Village were known only to her and Meng Ying, but her influence was such that both Dao Ba and Ren Jian respected her. Whenever she spoke, they listened.

Wu Yun weighed in on the situation, "The people who pursued us a decade ago had significant backing, involving multiple sects and families. A head-on confrontation isn't wise. We should evade them for now, play a cat-and-mouse game."

Meng Ying shook his head, "If you all stay here, I'll take the Yin Family's Spirit Treasure and leave. That should throw them off our trail."

Qiu Shaan shook his head and said, "The Spirit Treasure will stay here for a long time. I think they have obtained the coordinates of the Unfamiliar Village. It's useless for you to leave. You should think of a way to settle the two children first. After that, we will leave together."

Meng Ying and Wu Yun whispered for a long time. Meng Ying suddenly stood up and announced, "Feng Lian and Mengjie should be back in two days. Ten days later, we will hold the engagement ceremony for them. After that, we will leave the Unfamiliar Village."

Qiu Shaan asked, "What about the children? Are they going to leave with us?"

Wu Yun shook her head and said, "Traveling across the Black Water River on a Spirit Treasure is too exhausting. The two children have been weak since they were young. Let's leave them here. This paradise is quite suitable for them."

Fu Shi frowned and said, "Then, what about their illness?"

Wu Yun spoke in a voice tinged with sorrow, "When Feng Lian was born, he floated down the mystical Black Water River. I was weak at that moment, so Little Meng had to use his mental power to activate the Spirit Treasure. If it weren't for a residual strand of soul energy in his consciousness that stabilized him, he would have been lost. This very act drained all of Feng Lian's spiritual energy. His Spirit Crystal, which was in its budding phase, withered away. He can no longer become a cultivator. Over the years, Little Meng has been working on reviving that Spirit Crystal. Rest assured, unless a natural disaster strikes, they will both be fine."

Fu Shi inquired further, "And what about Xiaojie?"

Meng Ying responded, "I found her near the banks of the Black Water River. A dying middle-aged cultivator was carrying her. He used the last of his life force to form a protective shield around her. Sadly, he was too weak to save himself. With his final breaths, he entrusted her care to me. He advised that Xiaojie should live in seclusion for her entire life, warning that if she didn't, dire consequences would follow."

Wu Yun spoke with a tone of concern, "The issue with Xiaojie's health is puzzling. Her blood and soul force fluctuate unpredictably; sometimes she's stable, sometimes not. Her incomplete sea of consciousness hints that this condition may be tied to her mysterious background. But she's grown now; she needs to learn how to fend for herself. Parents can't be there for their children forever."

Meng Ying nodded in agreement, and everyone present sensed that the situation was far more complex than they let on.

Dao Ba turned to Qiu Shaan and queried, "Master Qiu, you're known for your expertise in astrology. Why haven't you foretold the fates of these two young ones?"

Qiu Shaan replied, visibly frustrated, "I wish I could. But someone has tampered with their destinies. In Little Boy's case, the tampering is crude and obvious, a dark presence within his consciousness. For Xiaojie, however, it's so intricately done that it's nearly undetectable, and it wasn't even accomplished through astrological means but by some unknown technique."

Ren Jian chimed in, "Is there really no way to remove that dark presence from Little Madman's consciousness? Doing so might enable him to cultivate."

Both Wu Yun and Meng Ying shook their heads. "It's not that simple," said Wu Yun. "The shadow exists in a different dimension; it's not something we can easily approach, let alone remove."

Dao Ba declared, "Since we're all in agreement, I and the bitch will start building a new house for them immediately, aiming to finish it in three days. After that, I'll properly torture them a bit ewhether they like it or not."

Ren Jian retorted, "Watch your mouth, Dao Ba, or you might get a taste of my hand!"

The two continued bickering as they left the hall, followed by Ma Wei.

Fu Shi said, "I'll consult the village priest about arranging the wedding according to local customs. It should help them blend in with the community."

Wu Yun agreed, "I'll accompany you. The villagers are still wary of outsiders."

Back inside, Meng Ying and Qiu Shaan discussed the decisions. "Don't you think we're rushing things with the kids' future?" Meng Ying asked.

Menh Ying said, "Whose fault is it for sounding the alarms and causing a panic?"

Qiu Shaan shot Meng Ying a stern look and said, "Have I given you bad advice? If you think so, feel free to ignore me."

Meng Ying handed over a map, grinning, "Well, Master Qiu, since you know so much, could you please enhance this formation blueprint for the kids?"

Qiu Shaan examined the map, his face mixed with frustration and disbelief. Just as he was about to unleash a tirade, he realized that Meng Ying had vanished from sight.