After a round of conversation, Violet finally gained a rough understanding of Zengjia Village and the surrounding area.

This was a remote village located in Yangyuan County, in the southern region of Western Origin Spirit Kingdom.

In Western Origin Spirit Kingdom, which revered ancestral bloodlines, it was common for villages to form around clusters of a hundred or so families with the same surname. Villages like Zengjia, with a population of around 100 households, were scattered around, with the nearest major city, Yangyuan City, serving as their center. Across the region, there were likely hundreds of such villages.

The cities of Western Origin Spirit Kingdom followed a hierarchical structure: villages supported towns, towns supported cities, and the cities, in turn, collectively safeguarded the kingdom’s central capital.

Although Zeng Xianzhi was a native of Zengjia Village, his position as the village chief wasn’t a result of local election or hereditary succession. Instead, he was officially appointed by the magistrate of Yangyuan City and held a properly registered government position recognized by the kingdom’s capital.

*A minor official is still an official, after all…*

Though he didn’t elaborate in detail, Violet could infer from his words that his backstory likely followed a pattern she was familiar with: ‘As a child, the villagers pooled their resources to send him to study in the city. After completing his education, he willingly returned to take on the role of village chief, repaying their kindness.’

If this were true, Zeng Xianzhi could indeed be considered someone who valued gratitude over wealth. While his formal education might have made him adopt a slightly scholarly tone in official settings, he remained inherently simple and easy to get along with.

As for this place… it confirmed her earlier suspicions: this land was indeed the [Ancient Spirit Realm].

Although Zeng Xianzhi was just a small village chief, his experiences studying in Yangyuan City’s academy had exposed him to knowledge beyond the common villager’s grasp. During their conversation, Violet subtly probed for confirmation, and Zeng Xianzhi verified the name without hesitation.

“Miss… Violet, is it? Your name is truly unique, and your hair, so perfectly black… You must not be a local, correct?”

“Black hair?”

The priestess unconsciously tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she glanced sideways, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

“Why emphasize black hair specifically? Does it hold some special meaning?”

In their earlier conversation, Violet had provided a fabricated background for herself: she claimed to have spent her life in seclusion, training in the mountains since childhood, with no exposure to the outside world. Now, having achieved some progress in her cultivation, she had decided to venture beyond the mountains for experience.

This wasn’t because Violet had any intention of concealing her true identity, but rather because Zeng Xianzhi’s limited knowledge made overcomplicating her story pointless. After all, her primary objective was simply to gather information.

According to the village chief’s description, although his personal encounters with such individuals were rare, it was clear that this continent was home to extraordinary individuals who are different from ordinary people. If Violet could confirm that this was indeed the homeland of figures like Mr. Dead Soul and his colleagues, she could use the situation at the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild as a reference point to deduce the general outline of the power system here.

Whether they were called cultivators, seekers of immortality, or something else entirely didn’t matter. What mattered was crafting a plausible explanation for her sudden appearance and her apparent ignorance of the local surroundings.

“Hmm… Miss Violet doesn’t understand the significance of black hair? Does that mean you’re also unsure of your origins?”

“Well… I suppose you could say that,” she replied nonchalantly.

A brief flash of surprise crossed Zeng Xianzhi’s face, but he quickly shook his head with a resigned smile and patiently began to explain.

“Our [Ancient Spirit Realm] is vast and fertile, divided into four major nations: Western Origin Spirit Kingdom, the Southern Origin Sacred Kingdom, the Northern Origin Cosmic Kingdom, and the Eastern Origin Mysterious Kingdom.”

“The four nations of the [Ancient Spirit Realm] occupy over ninety percent of the land and were established by the legendary First Four Saints, who bestowed their blessings and protection upon these lands.”

“The power of the Four Saints pervades every corner of the four nations, shielding us from evil threats and plagues. Over time, this power has gradually become ingrained in the bloodlines of the four nations, transforming us into four distinct branches with variations in appearance and hair color.”

As he spoke, Zeng Xianzhi gestured toward his hair ornament.

“You see, people from our Western Origin Spirit Kingdom are mostly under the protection of the [Spirit Saint], and over time, our hair color has evolved to be predominantly gray or darker shades. In contrast, the people of the Southern Origin Sacred Kingdom, influenced by the [Origin Saint], tend to have brighter hair with a golden hue.”

“According to the ‘Chronicles of the Four Nations and Saints’, over a thousand years ago, when the Four Saints descended to vanquish demons and bring peace to the chaos, the [Ancient Spirit Realm] was not yet divided into four nations. Back then, all people belonged to a single lineage, known as the [Origin Vein], which was considered a symbol of purity and primal origins.”

“And the most distinctive characteristic of the [Origin Vein] was black hair.”

“…So, what makes this [Origin Vein] special?”

“Special? Nothing at all.”

“?”

Seeing the black-haired girl tilt her head with a perplexed expression that seemed to say, “Are you joking?”, the village chief chuckled again, somewhat helplessly.

“The [Origin Vein] is just the [Origin Vein], a name, nothing more. Why must it have some extraordinary trait? Having the Origin Vein simply indicates that a person’s lineage is ancient and unbroken, stretching back over a thousand years… a heritage of enduring continuity.”

“Of course, if you must find something remarkable about it, the ability to maintain an unaltered, primal bloodline over a millennium and pass it down to the present day is, in itself, quite extraordinary. In truth, the [Origin Vein] is now extremely rare. Particularly someone like Miss Violet, with such flawless, pure black hair. This is something I have never encountered in my life.”

“Alright then…”

It was clear that this village chief had done his utmost to share all the information he knew. Considering she was a complete stranger of unknown origin, his openness was a rare courtesy. There was no need to push him too hard.

Though she didn’t expect much, Violet decided it was worth asking.

“Then, have you heard of a place called [Spirit Veil Immortal Island]?”

At her words, Zeng Xianzhi froze momentarily, his expression slightly stunned.

Violet had assumed that something so secretive would be entirely beyond the knowledge of a low-ranking village chief. She was already prepared to drop the subject, but to her surprise, Zeng Xianzhi chuckled and shook his head.

“Miss Violet, are you joking with me? The name [Spirit Veil], who in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] wouldn’t know it? Even someone as rough and simple as Uncle Zeng Zhuang in the village grew up hearing tales of the Immortal Island.”

“Oh…?”

The unexpected response caused the black-haired girl to raise an eyebrow in interest.

After a brief moment of thought, Zeng Xianzhi turned around and retrieved a slightly worn, timeworn, and bookmarked ancient tome from the bookshelf behind him. He placed it on the table in front of Violet.

Violet glanced at the text on the cover, but she couldn’t understand the [Ancient Spirit Realm]’s script. Maintaining her act, she looked up and gave him an inquiring gaze.

“[The Spirit Veil Quest for Immortality], they say this was written hundreds of years ago by a great figure from our Western Origin Spirit Kingdom who once set foot on the Immortal Island. While I can’t guarantee the contents are entirely factual, it should provide some useful insights. Consider it my gift to you, Miss Violet.”

“A gift… for me?”

Violet frowned slightly but didn’t reach for the book. She was well aware of the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” For someone she had just met to go to such lengths seemed excessive, no matter how she thought about it.

Noticing her hesitation, Zeng Xianzhi didn’t seem offended. He simply sat back down across from her and smiled.

“I’m thirty-two this year and have served as the village chief for ten years. I’d like to think I’ve seen a fair bit of the world. But I can confidently say that, even counting the time I spent studying in Yangyuan City, your beauty and bearing, Miss Violet, are unmatched among all the women I’ve ever encountered.”

“A gentleman appreciates beauty, I won’t deny that part of this gesture is an attempt to please someone as extraordinary as yourself. But there’s another, more important reason.”

Zeng Xianzhi’s tone grew more sincere as he continued, “I can tell that you’re no ordinary person, Miss Violet. From the moment we met, you’ve carried yourself with an air of aloof detachment, like someone far removed from this world, high above the clouds, keeping others at a distance.”

“But when the topic turned to the Immortal Island, I noticed a subtle trace of tension in your expression, something not easily detected. I imagine there must be something there of particular importance to you, correct?”

Zeng Xianzhi patted the cover of the ancient book and sighed softly.

“I am well aware that you are no ordinary individual, Miss Violet. To have the honor of meeting you today is a blessing for me. While this [The Spirit Veil Quest for Immortality] is rare in the market, it isn’t particularly valuable.”

“So, why not give it to you? In the future, if you ever happen to read this book and recall having met someone named Zeng Xianzhi, a humble village chief, that would be enough for me.”

“Is that so…”

The reasoning wasn’t too abrupt. Nodding slightly, Violet chose to skip over the slightly awkward part of the conversation. She shifted her gaze to the neatly organized desk in front of the scholar. The translation device she wore on her ear could only convert spoken language, so the script used in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] was still incomprehensible to her.

However, the reason behind the village chief’s desk work was likely related to the items laid out there.

“Speaking of which, you mentioned earlier to Zeng Zhuang about some preparations. May I ask what they’re for? As a gesture of thanks for this book, perhaps I could offer some assistance within my abilities.”

This didn’t seem to be a secret. Zeng Xianzhi nodded and opened his mouth to explain.

“Actually…”

But at that moment—

The wooden door of the hut was once again knocked on, this time with an unusually forceful and abrupt rhythm. It seemed that Zeng Zhuang had returned. His booming voice suddenly filled the room!

“Village Chief! Village Chief, it’s urgent! You need to come outside right now! Ergouzi has been possessed!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com