บท 153: The Resource Collector
In the week leading up to the resource collector's arrival, the people of Tian Village entered an excitable mood. The coming visit became the talk of the village. No matter where he went or who he spoke to, the conversations surrounding cultivators and the resource collecting delegate of the Fragment Sect would enter Yaan's ears.
The villagers took this visit as an opportunity to clean up the village, coming together as a community and decorating their homes to make the place more hospitable for the esteemed Qi master. They all held great veneration towards the resource collector in their hearts. In the opinion of the villagers, the resource collector was someone incredible, so they needed to present themselves properly!
For some reason, Yaan found himself unable to join the villagers in their excitement. He put on a smile and helped out with all the busy goings on around the village, but in his heart, he secretly wished that the resource collector would not come.
He knew that this was impossible though, the resource collector visited Tian Village every three years. The best he could realistically hope for, was for this visit to be over with quickly and for everything to return to normal.
Finally, after a long and drawn-out week which left Yaan feeling exhausted, the day had arrived.
"Everyone, gather outside of the village hall to await the resource collector's arrival!" A young man excitedly ran around the village, calling out to each house, waking up the villagers early in the morning. The sun had only just risen and the resource collector was not due to arrive until mid-day, but the villagers unanimously agreed that they would prefer to wait for a few hours, rather than risk greeting the resource collector improperly in case he arrived earlier than expected.
"Yaan, it's time to go. Are you excited? You will finally be able to meet a Qi master!" Granny Ging seemed to have regained some of her younger vitality. She still needed to use a cane to support her body as she walked towards her front door, and Yaan quickly hurried over to provide her with additional help, but her eyes were filled with the youthful light of anticipation as she looked forwards to the arrival of the esteemed Qi master.
The forced smile that had been plastered across Yaan's face throughout this last week became even more forced. He didn't want to lie to Granny Ging, but nor did he want to ruin her and everyone else's good moods.
"Mm, I'm really curious to see just how amazing this resource collector is, granny. From what you've said, he really seems to be someone amazing."
"But of course!" Granny Ging nodded seriously. "He's a true Qi master, and a delegate of the legendary Fragment Sect! Did you know Yaan, the Fragment Sect owns all the lands for countless miles around? No matter how far you travel, even if you spent a lifetime travelling on horseback, you would never reach the ends of the Fragment Sect's lands!"
"Yes granny, I know, you've mentioned this every day for the past week…" Yaan smiled bitterly. Frankly, he was getting tired of hearing the same exaggerated rumours repeated by everyone he talked to, day after day.
Yaan could not wait for today to be over. After today, everything would return to normal…
Hours later, Yaan found himself standing amongst a large crowd. All 2,000 or so villagers had gathered together outside of the village hall, excitedly awaiting the resource collector's arrival. Even though they had been standing here for four hours now, and they could be standing here for another few hours, the excitement and energy within the crowd had not died down in the least. If anything, as time passed by and their anticipation built up further, the boisterous villagers only became increasingly excited!
"Do you think lord resource collector will take me on as a disciple?"
"What, you're seriously hoping for something so ridiculous to happen? Hahah!"
"Tch, what do you know Daran, maybe I have the talent to become a Qi master!"
"Keep dreaming! There's no way you will, hahaha!"
"…"
Yaan silently listened to the various conversations around him. He didn't particularly want to hear the children shouting about their fantastical dreams of grandeur, but it was impossible not to hear it when they were excitedly yelling all around him.
Noticing that Yaan was staying even more quiet than usual, Granny Ging looked at him in concern.
"Yaan dear, is something the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm fine, granny." Yaan put on a smile and shook his head. Seeing that she looked unconvinced, he laughed and added: "Really, I'm fine."
"Well ok, if you say so."
Time continued to pass by. Mid-day arrived, but the resource collector had not yet come. Despite this, nobody showed any reluctance towards waiting, though the younger children were beginning to get restless.
Yaan felt like all of this was a bit excessive. 2,000 people standing around for hours, all just to welcome a single individual who didn't even seem to care about arriving on time?
There were many instances in the past where the resource collector arrived a few hours later than the stated time. However, he always made sure to come on the correct day, he had never missed the allocated day. Because of this, nobody felt doubtful when another four hours passed by, but the individual in question was still nowhere to be seen.
Finally, after waiting outside for nearly half a day without getting a single break to sit down or eat, a trail of dust could be seen in the distance.
The crowd became lively again, re-kindling the excitement which had become subdued after so many tiring hours of waiting.
"Shush! Everyone, be quiet, we don't want to make lord resource collector think us impolite!" The village chief's words immediately silenced the crowd. Nodding could be seen amongst the sea of people, whilst the children held their mouths to stop themselves from making any noise.
As the distant cloud of dust drew in closer and closer, it became obvious that the resource collector had entered the village. A sudden silence overcame the people of Tian Village as the anticipation of the resource collector's arrival reached its peak.
The resource collector arrived.
This person's arrival was quite spectacular, he rode into the village whilst seated atop a horse…but this was no ordinary horse.
This horse was pure white in colour, whilst its size easily dwarfed any ordinary horse. Yaan had already expected to see such a thing though, as Granny Ging had informed him that the resource collector was always accompanied by his spirit beast, a magical creature with powers matching Qi masters.
However, it was still strange that Yaan felt neither awe nor wonder when he laid his eyes upon this beast. Even the other villagers, who had all seen this mount in previous years, still stared with amazement and reverence.
As the middle-aged man gazed down at the mortals below him with an aloof gaze, Yaan felt the same way as before; no reverence, merely a bafflement directed towards this entire situation.
The last week of excitement, this ridiculous greeting, was all to cater to this single, ordinary looking man?
As the middle-aged man swept out his aura, everyone in the village besides Yaan dropped to their knees in an instant. In fact, they all lowered their heads on instinct. Because of this, not one person amongst the crowd even noticed that Yaan was still standing!
"Greetings, lord resource collector!" The villagers welcomed him with profuse veneration.
Yaan looked around, feeling bewildered by all of this. He slowly returned his gaze towards the man atop his horse, meeting the man's gaze and frowning.
The middle-aged man looked startled for a second, before he focussed his attention on Yaan.
"Why are you not kneeling?" The man asked with an indifferent tone after regaining his stoic expression.
These words seemed to alert the villagers to the fact that Yaan was still standing. Granny Ging hurriedly turned to Yaan and looked up at him anxiously, whispering:
"Yaan, why are you still standing?"
As Yaan heard Granny Ging's words, he seemed to return to reality, realising that his actions were indeed very strange, as were his thoughts. Common sense dictated that mortals should kneel before Qi masters, everyone knew this, Yaan included.
So why then, did he feel such an aversion to kneeling right now? Why was it that he felt no awe as the resource collector's aura swept over him?
However, when Yaan looked down at Granny Ging and saw her anxious expression, he sighed to himself. He did not want to kneel, but nor did he want to make Granny Ging feel concerned.
As Yaan bent his legs, lowering his knees to touch the dirt floor beneath him, he felt a strange feeling well up in his heart…a feeling of unwillingness, a feeling that this was not necessary.
But he still kneeled. For Granny Ging and the other villagers who felt concerned by his actions, he kneeled.
Ignoring the feelings in his heart, Yaan kneeled.
"Greetings, lord resource collector…" Yaan spoke aloud, alone and distinguishing himself from the crowd.
After his knees hit the floor, after he spoke those words, the strange feelings in Yaan's heart seemed to dissipate, replaced by a serene calmness…no, perhaps this feeling would be better described as indifference.
Oddly, this feeling made him feel relieved. It was as if, by rejecting his own heart and not falling victim to the sense of pride that urged him to continue standing obstinately, he had unknowingly stayed true to himself…
But as he thought of this, Yaan felt bewildered once again, not knowing what 'self' he was staying true to exactly.
Confused by his own feelings, Yaan tried to understand what was going on with him right now, but this feeling was too illusive, gradually slipping away from his grasp.
"You may stand."
To the shock of the crowd, the middle-aged man appeared in front of Yaan like a spectre. Yaan slowly looked up and silently got to his feet, then calmly stared the man in his eyes, showing not a trace of surprise nor fear.
Right now, Yaan's mood could only be described by a single word; tired.
He felt tired of all this, he no longer cared about any of it. The resource collector, the anxiety and shock of those around him, the previous feelings of torment in his heart…it made him feel too tired.
To stand, to kneel, to be strong, to be weak, to care about others, to care about oneself, to care for nothing…
Yaan sighed as he thought about this life. He looked the resource collector dead in the eyes, but he said nothing. For some reason, right now, he no longer cared about any of this, he no longer cared about his own feelings, nor about what the outcome of this situation might be. He no longer cared to bother himself with it all.
For an instant, as he met Yaan's gaze, the resource collector shivered.
'This child…what is this child?!'
Unknowingly, the middle-aged Qi master took a step back and inhaled deeply. His expression became severe, causing his beard to flutter slightly as he unconsciously released his full aura!
The mortals in his immediate vicinity directly lost consciousness, they could not withstand the unrestrained and battle-ready aura of a True Yuan Qi realm Qi master. The villagers further out either fell face first down to the ground, or they looked up and stared at the scene before their eyes with shock and disbelief.
To those people who dared to look up, it was all too clear that the resource collector, this esteemed delegate of the Fragment Sect…felt terrified of Yaan from the depths of his heart.
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