(Southern Region- Xercopolis Empire)
(Huren Province)
"Please have more! Have more!" a kind elderly woman with a slightly plump body walked over to Xu Lu and handed over a large plate of food.
"You look so skinny! Listen girl you need more food! Take! Take!"
Everything looked incredibly delicious.
The skin of the meat was a crispy golden-brown colour, juices pooled below the meat, and one could smell a delicious scent of herbs and spices.
Fresh green vegetables were served alongside the meat and in the corner of the plate she could see a rice-like substitute with a sugary scent.
The entire village was here for the celebration.
Old and young. Men and women.
The hunters and the homemakers.
It was an event that involved all the residents of this small town.
Everywhere that Xu Lu looked she could see wide smiles and happy expressions. There was a real sense of community in this isolated village which she supposed made sense.
When you lived far away from the rest of civilisation in the jungle, internal conflict would threaten the survival of the entire group.
Xu Lu took a few steps to the side and narrowly avoided a group of laughing children who nearly barreled straight into her body.
"Can't catch me! Can't catch me!" a young girl no older than ten yelled as she was being chased by two young boys.
"I'll get you Qin Da! Then you'll be the one with the stinky touch!" one of the boys cried out as he stretched out his hands to grab her.
"Nah! You are the stinky one! Stinky! Stink!" the girl replied mischievously as she darted behind a woman who looked like her mother.
A small smile flashed across Xu Lu's face as she watched the warm scene. Those kids reminded her of her little cousins during her life as Sui Li.
Those mischievous brats...
Sometimes she would wonder what they were doing now. Would they still remember her? Or would her death fade with the passing of time.
Xu Lu shook her head and tossed those unpleasant thoughts to the back of her mind. There was no point in lingering on the past.
She had made her decision and she did not regret it.
Well...she did regret it just a little bit but there was no other choice.
It was the only way to kill the monster that had stolen her brother's body.
Besides... maybe it turned out for the best.
Xu Lu felt a light touch on her arm and looked down to see Jiang Xin staring at her with a cheerful glint in her grey eyes.
"Not going to eat?" Jiang Xin asked curiously as she pointed at the large plate of food in Xu Lu's hand that was untouched.
"Oh... I'm just saving it for later..." Xu Lu replied nervously as her fingers subconsciously touched the corner of her mask.
"It looks delicious, so I want to enjoy it during the rest of my journey."
"I'll let the chefs know about your kind words," Jiang Xin smiled as she leaned closer until her head rested on Xu Lu's shoulder.
For once the disguised expression that she wore on her face slipped for just a moment. This female cultivator... her body felt warm.
Leaning against her... for a brief second Jiang Xin had the illusion that she had done this act many times in the past.
But that was clearly nonsense.
She would never interact with one of those arrogant monsters unless it served a purpose towards her greater goal.
The eradication of all cultivators.
"I'm sure you have seen better celebrations than this one on your travels," Jiang Xin suddenly spoke to change the subject.
"I have seen grander ones but... there is something special about the warmth and intimacy of a festival in a small village," Xu Lu thoughtfully replied.
"Everyone knows everyone. It may sound a bit like a clich?? but as an outsider... you all seem like one big happy family."
"I think in the cities... it is a bit different. It's hard to find a human connection or a shared sense of community."
Jiang Xin looked startled as she didn't expect to hear such a mature answer.
Why would the saintess of a large sect care about a sense of community when she was used to being worshipped and adored?
Bang! Bang!
Jiang Xin opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a loud booming noise coming from the corner of the square.
Several of the village men arrived holding large drums made from deer skin stretched over wooden vessels.
These instruments looked fairly simple but judging from the sounds that they could produce, Xu Lu was sure that skilled craftsmanship was needed to make one.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The men began to vigorously beat the drums and soon the celebratory atmosphere got even wilder than before.
"Oh, this is my favourite part!" Jiang Xin happily spoke as she leaned forward and watched as a large circle was cleared out in the centre of the square.
Several pairs of men and women walked in the middle of the circle and began to dance with their bodies pressed up tightly against one another.
The dance was passionate and fierce.
Xu Lu clapped along as the men raised up their partners in the air before letting them fall and catching them at the last moment.
She was so preoccupied by the dance that she didn't notice a very handsome young man approaching.
"Excuse me," the man spoke in a deep baritone voice.
"May I have the honour of this dance? Jiang Xin from the moment you returned to us... I remembered our childhood days..."
The handsome man with a simple smile continued to talk and Xu Lu could feel her heart slowly drop.
She didn't know why but she suddenly had the urge to run through this man's stomach with her sword.
Why was she feeling this way?
Xu Lu didn't say anything but nervously looked at Jiang Xin hoping to see her refuse the offer and tell the strange man to get lost.
The man continued to talk for a solid five minutes about their shared history and childhood spent together all the while Jiang Xin looked at him with a cheerful expression on her face.
Xu Lu could no longer focus on the dancing happening in the circle as her attention was now fully directed at what was going on in front of her.
"Sorry," Jiang Xin finally spoke up and interrupted the man.
"I'm not interested in any relationship right now."
The cheerful smile on her face did not change but Xu Lu could swear that a flash of irritation briefly surfaced in her eyes.
Well... maybe that was her delusion...
The man coughed awkwardly and then made up an excuse and left. He was not the only one to try.
Xu Lu watched with increasing unhappiness as more men from the village came to propose a dance to Jiang Xin who would continue to politely decline them.
Still, that did not deter the prospective suitors. If anything, the challenge seemed to attract them to at least come and make an attempt.
Xu Lu could understand exactly how they were feeling. Jiang Xin had looks that matched those of immortal female cultivators.
No... her beauty surpassed that of immortals. No one else in the universe looked as pretty as she did.
She was a prize.
"Listen why don't you give me a chance and I promise..." another man tried to change Jiang Xin's mind but now Xu Lu finally had enough.
"Come dance with me!" Xu Lu angrily spoke up as she set down her plate on one of the tables and gently grabbed Jiang Xin by her hand.
The saintess led the beautiful village girl to the circle just as the drums began to play a gentler and more melodic rhythm.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦