The small wooden pavilion was quiet, lit only by an oil lantern swaying in the night breeze. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs.The sliding door creaked open as Li Wei and Mei Lin struggled to drag Kael’s battered body inside. The sound of their footsteps instantly drew the attention of an elderly man with long white hair, a thin beard, and piercing hawk-like eyes despite his frail frame—Elder Shen, guardian of the medicine forest.“What are you doing?!” he barked, slamming his wooden staff against the floor. His gaze immediately locked onto Kael’s blood-soaked body. “Li Wei! Mei Lin! Where did you bring this stranger from?”Mei Lin trembled, almost in tears. “M-Master… he was lying in the forest… If we didn’t bring him, he would’ve died…”Elder Shen was about to scold them, but the words froze in his throat. His eyes lingered on Kael’s face. Though battered with wounds, his skin was smooth, his features sharp and refined—like a jade carving. This was no common villager’

Their steps came to a halt in front of a large house with a simple design—dark wooden walls and a neatly thatched roof. Despite its modest appearance, it was clearly sturdier and more spacious than the other homes around. Two red lanterns hung by the doorway, marking the family’s standing as one of importance in the village.The moment Elder Shen tapped his staff lightly against the threshold, the door swung open. A weary-looking man in his forties appeared, thin beard framing his tired face, eyes clouded with worry. Beside him stood a woman of similar age in plain clothes, her eyes red as if she’d been crying for hours.“Ah, Elder Shen!” the man exclaimed in relief. “Thank the heavens you came so quickly. We… we didn’t know what else to do.”The woman quickly bowed, her voice trembling. “Thank you for coming, Elder. Our son… his condition has gotten worse.”But soon, their gazes shifted toward the unfamiliar figure who had come along. Kael. Wearing the simple robe Li Wei had lent him

The village market was alive with noise. Merchants called out from every direction, the scents of spices, sweet pastries, and roasting meat mixing in the air. Round lanterns hung above the street, adding to the festive atmosphere.Kael looked around curiously. In his hand, he held three gold coins Elder Shen had given him not long ago.He handed one to Mei Lin. “Buy as much meat as you want,” he said calmly. “Spend it all.”The three of them immediately froze. Mei Lin’s eyes spun in disbelief, and she quickly shook her head. “Brother Li Xin… that’s way too much. One gold coin is worth four whole cows. Do you expect me to carry four cows on my own?”Kael finally realized his mistake. A single gold coin was worth far more in this world than he had imagined. No wonder Elder Shen had been so shocked earlier when the village chief handed over three of them.He paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. “You’re right… my mistake.” He quickly corrected himself. “Then just buy enough meat, an

Hu San sobbed like a child who had just lost his mother, his body trembling so violently he was about to collapse. But Kael didn’t care in the slightest. He grabbed the man by the collar and dragged his massive body across the crowded market like a rotten sack of garbage.“Take a good look,” Kael’s voice was sharp and icy, each word like a whip crack. “This is the right-hand man of the Eastern Mountain Wolves you’ve all been so afraid of.”Deliberately, he shoved Hu San’s head down, grinding his face into the dirt and filth of the street. Choking gasps and panicked sobs burst from the bandit’s toothless mouth.“Get up!” Kael suddenly yanked his hair, forcing him to kneel with his body bent low. “This is the terror everyone’s been whispering about? Nothing but a stray dog begging for mercy.”The crowd shivered with dread. Some swallowed hard, others covered their mouths, but none could tear their eyes away. They knew Kael was tearing Hu San’s pride apart, shredding it to pieces for eve

The morning air in the forest, usually crisp and refreshing, now felt suffocating. The moment the pavilion door swung open, hundreds of bandit eyes locked onto Elder Shen—eyes filled with murderous intent, stripped of the slightest trace of mercy.Hou Yi stood at the very front. His massive frame loomed like a wall of iron, while the iron staff resting on his shoulder gleamed sharply under the sunlight. A vicious grin split across his scar-ridden face, making him look even more terrifying.“Elder Shen,” he growled, his voice hoarse, like the howl of a wolf. “Is this supposed to be some sort of sacrifice? You step out, alone, to face the Eastern Mountain Wolves… all for that arrogant brat named Li Xin?”Elder Shen planted his staff firmly into the ground. His gaze was steady, not wavering in the slightest. “Yes. You could say that.”Hou Yi burst into booming laughter, the sound echoing so loud it sent birds scattering from the trees. “A beautiful sacrifice. But sadly, a useless one. Af