the village market

Feng Tian and Hei Wu settled into a small house at the edge of the village. It was a modest wooden home with a thatched roof, surrounded by a small yard where wildflowers bloomed. The air was fresh, birds chirped in the distance, and the sound of the river flowing nearby added to the serenity of the place.

For the first time in thousands of years, Feng Tian felt at peace.

Hei Wu, however, was still uneasy. He stood near the doorway, scanning the area as if expecting an ambush at any moment.

"My Lord… are you truly comfortable living in such a place?" he asked, his voice carrying the weight of disbelief.

Feng Tian chuckled. "It's perfect. Look at this, Hei Wu." He gestured toward a small wooden table inside the house. "No golden throne, no endless prayers from followers, no gods kneeling before me… Just a simple life. Isn't it wonderful?"

Hei Wu was silent. To him, this place was too quiet. His lord—who had ruled over all of existence—was now living in a simple hut in the middle of nowhere. It was absurd.

But seeing Feng Tian so relaxed, Hei Wu could only sigh inwardly. If this was his lord's will, then so be it.

Feng Tian stretched lazily. "Alright, first things first… we need food. Let's go to the village market."

Hei Wu frowned. "My Lord… You mean to say, we're going to buy food?"

"Of course." Feng Tian smiled. "What, do you expect me to conjure food out of thin air? That would be cheating."

Hei Wu nearly choked. His lord could create entire worlds with a mere thought, yet now he wanted to live like an ordinary human? This was beyond comprehension.

Still, he followed as Feng Tian leisurely made his way to the village market.

---

The market was lively, with villagers bustling about, selling vegetables, fruits, and freshly caught fish. The scent of grilled meat wafted through the air, and children ran around playing. It was a simple, peaceful scene—something Feng Tian found refreshing.

As he and Hei Wu walked through the market, the villagers couldn't help but steal glances at them.

"Who are they?" a woman whispered.

"They must be travelers," another said.

"Look at their appearance… they don't look like ordinary people."

Indeed, Feng Tian's refined features and noble aura stood out, even though he wore simple clothing. Hei Wu, with his sharp gaze and imposing presence, looked even more intimidating.

Ignoring the whispers, Feng Tian approached an elderly fruit seller.

"Good morning, sir," he greeted with a warm smile. "I'd like to buy some apples."

The old man blinked in surprise. Usually, travelers from the city were arrogant, but this young man was surprisingly polite.

"Ah, of course! Here you go." The fruit seller handed him a basket of fresh apples.

Feng Tian reached into his sleeve and pulled out a gold coin.

The fruit seller's eyes widened. "T-This… this is too much!"

"It's fine." Feng Tian waved a hand dismissively. "Consider it a small gift."

The villagers who saw this were stunned. A single gold coin was worth a fortune in their village! Who exactly was this man?

Hei Wu sighed. Even when trying to be low-key, my lord still stands out.

---

Just as Feng Tian was about to leave the market, a commotion erupted.

A group of men in dark robes walked into the village, their presence instantly casting a shadow over the cheerful atmosphere. They were bandits—known troublemakers from a nearby town who often extorted the villagers.

The leader, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, sneered. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite village. You all know the drill—hand over your goods, or things will get ugly."

The villagers trembled. They had no way to resist.

Feng Tian frowned. "Is this a common occurrence?"

An elderly woman beside him whispered, "Yes… they come every month and take whatever they want. We have no choice but to obey…"

Feng Tian's expression darkened slightly. He turned to Hei Wu. "What do you think?"

Hei Wu's eyes gleamed coldly. "Should I deal with them?"

Feng Tian smiled faintly. "Go ahead. But be gentle."

Hei Wu nodded. Then, without warning, he vanished.

In an instant—

BAM!

The bandit leader was sent flying, crashing into a wooden cart and shattering it to pieces. The other bandits barely had time to react before Hei Wu appeared behind them, grabbing two of them by the neck and slamming them into the ground.

The villagers gasped.

To them, it looked like the bandits had been struck by a sudden storm.

Hei Wu dusted off his hands. "That should do it."

The bandits groaned, barely conscious.

Feng Tian walked over and crouched in front of the leader. "Listen carefully. I don't want trouble in this village. If you ever come back here… you won't be able to leave next time. Understand?"

The bandit leader, still dizzy from the impact, could only nod frantically.

"Good." Feng Tian smiled. "Now, get lost."

Without hesitation, the remaining bandits scrambled to their feet and ran as fast as they could, disappearing into the forest.

The villagers were speechless.

Then, a moment later—

"W-Who are you?!"

Village Chief Liu rushed forward, his expression filled with disbelief. "That was… incredible! Those bandits have terrorized us for years, but you defeated them in seconds!"

Feng Tian rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, it was nothing. Just a little self-defense."

The villagers, however, looked at him with awe.

To them, this young man and his companion weren't ordinary travelers. They were experts—perhaps even legendary warriors!

Unknowingly, the rumors began to spread.

And thus, even though Feng Tian only wanted a peaceful life…

His name was destined to shake the world once more.