At that moment…
Vincent Fox rode his tall warhorse back into the same village from before.
There hadn't been much to eat at the bandit camp, so he returned to the village to grab some dry rations for the road. He also wanted to ask for directions.
Just as he approached the village gate, he spotted the village chief standing there with a few villagers, each holding a woven basket, clearly waiting for him.
Vincent smiled faintly at the sight.
This village chief was a sly old fox, sharp both emotionally and intellectually.
He must have seen the flames lighting up the valley the night before and guessed that Vincent had taken care of the bandits. So, this morning, he'd brought the villagers to wait in hopes of offering something in goodwill.
If Vincent passed through, they'd hand him some supplies and pray he'd spare the village further trouble.
And if Vincent simply left without returning?
Even better.
"Morning, Chief!" Vincent dismounted with a smile and called out.
The chief instantly recognized the horses they were all bandit-owned. His heart skipped a beat, but he plastered on a wide, flattering smile.
"You're the hero who wiped out those bandits in one night. A real savior of the people!"
Then, quickly motioning to the others, he added, "You must be exhausted and thirsty. Why not come inside, rest your feet, and enjoy some breakfast?"
Vincent waved it off. He wasn't in the mood for small talk or meaningless pleasantries.
"No need. I just need some food, dry rations, and clean boiled water."
The village chief nodded eagerly. "Already prepared!"
As he spoke, the villagers began opening their baskets.
Inside were steamed buns, flatbreads, preserved meats, and even a good number of eggs.
"Forget the eggs. Just pack the rest," Vincent said bluntly.
This had all been agreed on last night his services in exchange for supplies.
Vincent killed the bandits.
The village fed him and sent him on his way.
The chief ordered the food wrapped in clean cloth, then pulled a few silver dollars from his robes and carefully offered them to Vincent.
"Sir, this is a small token from the villagers, for your journey. We hope you won't mind."
Vincent shook his head and chuckled.
He'd already looted a small fortune from the bandit camp. He didn't need a few scraps from this poor village.
"Keep it. Life's hard enough here already."
The chief beamed with gratitude.
Then Vincent added, "But I do need one more favor. I need directions."
"Oh? Where are you headed, good sir?"
"Do you know where in the area foreigners are most active?"
The chief didn't even have to think. "That would be the provincial capital. Especially around the docks. Foreign ships arrive there daily."
Vincent's eyes lit up.
Moments later, with the chief pointing the way, Vincent and Autumn Summer mounted their horses and galloped off toward the provincial capital.
…
Meanwhile…
At the funeral parlor, Uncle Nate was frowning at the group of young people who had just arrived.
"What do you need from me?" he asked curtly.
Damon lawson and Elias Vale exchanged glances. Finally, one of the more silver-tongued youths stepped forward.
"We've been sent by Master Ren to investigate the corpse theft."
Uncle Nate's expression tightened.
After all, the corpse had gone missing from his funeral parlor. That was on him.
He didn't doubt their identities. In fact, he figured these unfamiliar faces had been arranged by Master Ren to push him into solving the case quickly.
"The body disappeared under my watch. I'll take responsibility."
He gave a respectful nod. "Please tell Master Ren I'll recover the corpse no matter what."
Of course, none of these students were actually from Master Ren's household. They had no intention of leaving.
The smooth-talking young man grinned. "Actually, Master Ren gave strict orders. If we don't see the body, we're not leaving."
Uncle Nate looked utterly exasperated.
"Fine then. You'll come with me to track it down."
The students perked up instantly.
So this Daoist priest did have a way to locate the body.
What followed next left them awestruck.
Uncle Nate set up a ritual table. On a slip of yellow paper, he wrote down Old Master Ren's birth details, folded it into a paper figure, and dripped fresh rooster blood on top. He placed it in the center of the altar and began chanting ancient incantations.
The spell was deep and cryptic.
When he finished the final phrase, he opened his eyes wide and gave a sharp command:
"Divine Guidance!"
Suddenly…
A strange and eerie phenomenon occurred.
The paper figure trembled, then slowly stood upright like it had come to life.
Its hand raised and pointed in a specific direction.
Exactly the same direction Vincent and Autumn had taken yesterday, when they fled with Old Master Ren.
The students Damon, Elias, Serena were stunned.
Uncle Nate's Daoist skills were beyond anything they had imagined.
"Wesley, Ellie, I'm heading out to retrieve the corpse. You two stay here and watch the parlor," Uncle Nate instructed his disciples.
"Yes, Master," they replied immediately.
Uncle Nate then turned to the students. "Well? Are you coming with me or staying behind?"
"We're coming," Elias Vale answered without hesitation.
"Good. Let's go."
----------------------------------------------------
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The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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