I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

"Thank you for informing me, Elder Qin." Zhou Yuan nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Seeing that he seemed to have taken it to heart, Elder Qin said to the middle-aged man who had led the way, "Tie Yong, take young friend Zhou and Miss Mei to find an empty stone house to settle down. You can explain the rules and what needs to be done tomorrow to them in detail later."

"Yes, Elder." The middle-aged man named Tie Yong replied, turning to Zhou Yuan and the other man, "Gentlemen, please follow me."

Tie Yong led the two out of the hall, and after winding through the village, they arrived at a stone house located on the edge of the village.

The stone house was small, built of black stones, with only a narrow door and a small window.

Pushing open the door, the room was empty except for a simple stone bed against the wall, also made of stacked stones and covered with some dry grass, and some miscellaneous items piled up in the corner.

Clearly, Tie Yong had arranged for Zhou Yuan and Mei Ning to be a couple in distress.

"This will do for now. There's not much open space in the village, so we'll have to make do for now. Get up early tomorrow, and I'll take you to familiarize yourselves with the work we'll be doing," Tie Yong said gruffly, turning to leave.

"Thank you for your help, Brother Tieyong."

Zhou Yuan stopped him, his tone still calm, "I'm new here and would like to inquire whether there is anyone in the village who was once a cultivator from the outside world? Perhaps we can have something in common to talk about."

Upon hearing this, Tie Yong frowned and was about to reply when a slightly cold, mocking voice rang out from outside the stone house:

"Heh, a cultivator?"

"Here, a cultivator's worth is less than a piece of dry rations to fill one's stomach!"

Before the words were finished, a figure blocked the entrance to the stone house, casting a long shadow against the light.

The man was about forty years old, with a thin face, high cheekbones, and thin lips. He wore a scholar's long gown that was washed and faded, which was out of place with the rugged style of the village.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with a condescending scrutiny. He first swept over Zhou Yuan, and then his gaze locked firmly on Mei Ning, a hint of undisguised fervor and possessiveness flashing in his eyes.

"Elder Feng!"

Upon seeing this person, Tie Yong immediately showed a respectful expression and bowed deeply.

"Well, you can go ahead and get busy. I have something to say to these two new 'distinguished guests' privately." Elder Feng waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Tie Yong dared not say more, but looked at Zhou Yuan with some sympathy and said in a low voice, "Elder Feng is one of the most skilled martial artists in the village, and he is also an elder. You two... speak kindly."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

Inside the stone house, only Zhou Yuan, Mei Ning, and Elder Feng, who was blocking the doorway, remained.

Elder Feng's gaze was almost glued to Mei Ning's delicate face and slender figure, completely ignoring Zhou Yuan beside him, and he spoke directly, his voice deliberately softened:

"This young lady must be Miss Mei Ning, right? She is truly a sight to behold. My surname is Feng, and I am an elder of this village. You must be feeling frightened and helpless upon arriving here. But there is no need to worry. As long as you follow me, I dare not promise anything else, but I can easily guarantee that you will have no worries about food and clothing in this village and live out the rest of your life in peace."

He actually revealed his intention to take Mei Ning as his own right in front of Zhou Yuan, speaking in a flippant tone as if it were a matter of course.

"You're dreaming!"

Mei Ning blushed with anger and refused sharply without thinking.

She's seen the world and has high aspirations, especially with the unfathomable Nascent Soul senior Zhou Yuan by her side.

She had long regarded Zhou Yuan as her only hope and best support for leaving this place.

How could they possibly be interested in a crude and vulgar warrior from this dark and gloomy place?

Even if the other party is some kind of elder.

Elder Feng's face suddenly darkened. He was used to bullying others in this village, and he had never been contradicted like this before, especially by a woman he considered his own.

His sinister gaze finally turned to Zhou Yuan, and he said coldly, "Boy, it seems your woman is rather naive. My martial arts are the strongest in the entire village! Crushing you is no different than crushing an ant."

"If you know what's good for you, get out of here and leave this woman behind. Perhaps this elder might spare you a meal. Otherwise..."

He took a step forward, his aura intimidating. "I wouldn't mind breaking your legs first and making you crawl out. Here, strength is the rule, and nobody dares to say anything!"

"Ha ha……"

Zhou Yuan suddenly laughed. The laughter wasn't loud, but it made Elder Feng feel a sudden pang of unease.

He sized up the white-clad man before him, and memories of the original story surfaced in his mind—it seemed that in the village where Han Li obtained the Spirit-Subduing Talisman, there was an elder surnamed Feng, who was highly skilled in martial arts, acted domineeringly, and coveted women… It seemed that this was the man.

Since this person is here, the clues to the spirit-summoning talisman are most likely also in this village.

"What are you laughing at?"

Enraged by Zhou Yuan's laughter and feeling further humiliated, Elder Feng's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "You're courting death!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly lunged forward, his speed creating a gust of wind. His right hand, with its five fingers bent like hooks, grabbed Zhou Yuan's shoulder with a sharp force, intending to subdue him first and then slowly torture him.

This seemingly simple grab blocked Zhou Yuan's path to dodge left and right.

His strength was contained and not released, clearly showing that he had been immersed in martial arts for many years and had extraordinary abilities.

However, in Zhou Yuan's eyes, his movements were ridiculously slow.

Zhou Yuan didn't even move a step. Just as the other's hand was about to touch his clothes, he moved. He moved later, but arrived first!

There are no complicated tricks, just a simple half-step forward, twisting the waist, extending the shoulder, and punching!

His punches were as swift as lightning and as powerful as thunder; these were the basic boxing techniques he had honed over the past few months on the island.

Driven by his superhuman physique and martial arts comprehension enhanced by his equipment, this punch was incredibly fast, accurate, and ruthless!

"Bang!"

A dull thud, like the sound of leather being struck, exploded inside the stone house.

Elder Feng's forward-leaning figure suddenly stopped, and the sinister smile on his face instantly froze, turning into boundless horror and disbelief.

He looked down at his chest, where Zhou Yuan's fist was pressed against. The next moment, a violent, unparalleled, and steel-like force, like a volcanic eruption, pierced through his body, instantly destroying his heart and shattering his meridians!

"Heh...heh..."

Elder Feng gasped for breath like a broken bellows, the fierce light in his eyes quickly faded, his body swayed, and he fell backward.

Zhou Yuan withdrew his fist, his expression unchanged, as if he had simply swatted a fly.

He bent down, grabbed Elder Feng's collar with one hand, and dragged the still-warm body to the door of the stone house like a bundle of straw, then casually tossed it out.

With a "thud," the body fell onto the stone pavement outside the door, raising a little dust, and then fell silent.

Mei Ning's heart was in her throat when Elder Feng made his move, but now that she saw Zhou Yuan kill the arrogant Elder Feng so easily, she felt both shocked and relieved.

As expected, a senior is a senior!

He had been practicing ordinary martial arts diligently on that deserted island every day, all to prepare for the situation here!

He had anticipated everything and made thorough preparations!

Mei Ning looked at Zhou Yuan's tall and straight back, her eyes filled with trust: Senior Zhou must have a way to get me out of this hellhole!