"A congenital spirit body! It's truly a natural spirit body!"
"No wonder that old fellow would stoop to kidnapping. So it was all for a congenital spirit body!"
"It's a shame you shouldn't have killed that old fellow! Now my future cultivation techniques have no direction!"
"Since you've blocked my path to cultivation, you'll be used to aid my practice with your congenital spirit body!"
The man licked his lips, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty glint.
However, he made no move. After glancing at Jian Sheng a few times, he quietly retreated from his spot.
While the congenital spirit body held immense temptation for him, he wasn't so blinded by rage and desire.
Since that old fellow had met his end at the hands of this congenital spirit body, it meant that this young brat must surely have a more formidable figure guarding him.
However, the guardian wasn't present at all times, otherwise, the old fellow wouldn't have been able to abduct the congenital spirit body so easily.
Thinking of this, the man couldn't help but let out a sneer.
The old fellow was truly senile. For such a congenital spirit body, he didn't immediately refine and absorb it, but instead, he took it around everywhere.
He deserved to be found by this brat's guardian.
"Send a message to my few fellow disciples, telling them I've discovered a congenital spirit body and am following it, preparing to strike."
Taking out his phone to send a message, a hint of mockery flashed in the man's eyes.
In such a harmonious and friendly sect, when there's something good, how could one not share it with their fellow disciples?
Upon arriving at the location, Jian Sheng came back to his senses and suddenly looked in the direction the man had disappeared, as if sensing something.
Finding nothing, he withdrew his gaze.
The village celebration was scheduled to begin at noon, and Jiang Bin's earlier claim about needing to work that day was naturally false.
The program team wouldn't really make these guests work all afternoon and then continue to exploit them the next day.
Furthermore, for such an important event, the program team didn't quite trust these guests, who had rarely done manual labor, to participate.
Instead of helping, they might just become a hindrance.
Everyone arrived in front of a two-story Western-style house, where an elderly person was already waiting for them.
Jiang Bin stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with the elder, and it was then that everyone learned this elder was the village head of Dongle Village.
After a brief chat, the village head called over a young man in his early twenties wearing glasses.
The young man was named Wu Qi, the village head's grandson.
Wu Qi was known as the village's pride and joy. He had been admitted to Jingda University two years ago, and ever since, people from all over the surrounding villages knew that Dongle Village had produced a top student from a prestigious university. He was now back for the summer break.
It was fortunate for them that they arrived just in time. If they had come a week later, Wu Qi would have already started his new semester.
Wu Qi appeared somewhat shy and walked over a bit awkwardly to greet everyone.
"Hello everyone, I will be guiding you around the village on behalf of my grandfather."
Jiang Bin nodded and, led by Wu Qi, walked towards a mountain path.
However, they soon found that this path gradually led them into an area completely devoid of human activity.
Zhu Danni was the first to give in to her curiosity and asked, "Teacher Jiang, what are we going to do?"
Jiang Bin didn't beat around the bush and directly said, "This is our next task, to go around the village with Xiao Wu."
Xiao Yufeng questioned, "What kind of task is it just to stroll around?"
Jiang Bin explained, "The program team chose this place as a stop with a certain charitable purpose."
"As you saw from yesterday when you arrived, this is the lifestyle here."
"Although this area is barely considered part of the capital's surrounding region, due to its geographical environment, it is much more primitive than other places."
"Dongle Village still retains the habits of original farming and self-sufficiency. Over the years, the village has considered developing its own industries, but with little success."
"Our presence here is to advertise Dongle Village."
"After all, with the current reach of our program team, places we visit easily become trending check-in spots."
"Once more people become interested in this place, it will be easier for Dongle Village to develop."
Dongle Village is located at the northern foot of the Taihang Mountains, an undeveloped mountainous area, and its geographical location is extremely remote.
But the advantage was that walking along such primitive, undeveloped mountain paths, the air was as fresh and invigorating as it was free from Beijing's severe smog and pollution.
It was the end of summer, and the mountains were lush and green, with the occasional chirping of crickets from the dense foliage.
— I’m so sorry, I won’t curse the unscrupulous program team anymore. They actually have a conscience.
— This perspective is truly broad.
— I have nothing to do this weekend, so I might as well go play in Dongle Village. Such a good environment is much better than being crowded at other scenic spots, right?
— Mountainous areas without environmental pollution are truly beautiful.
— I’m afraid that once people flock here and it develops, the environment won't be as serene as it is now.
— That’s unavoidable. Both for Dongle Village and for our country, some trade-offs have to be made for economic development.
— Looking at the rolling green mountains in the distance, I feel my mood becoming peaceful.
— Young Master Wu Qi is also quite handsome. I didn't expect such a backward village to produce a scholar who got into Jingda.
— Comparing myself to him, after attending various cram schools since childhood, I only got into a regular university, making me feel like a complete failure.
As everyone walked along the mountainside, below them were rice fields cultivated in a terraced manner, a patch of verdant green mixed with slightly yellowing rice stalks rippling in the wind.
In the distance, houses nestled in the mountains could occasionally be seen.
Zhu Danni found it somewhat unbelievable, "The roads here are so difficult to travel, yet people still live here?"
Wu Qi, acting as their guide, introduced them, saying:
"These houses were originally built to guard the mountain. Later, many young people went out to work and settled in the county town, and these mountain-guarding elders were also taken to the city to enjoy their retirement, leaving the mountains deserted."
"There are still some elders who are sentimental and are used to living here. They paid people to renovate their homes and continued to live there."
Zhu Danni still found it hard to imagine. Dongle Village was already remote and inconveniently located.
Now, there were people living in the mountains where the roads were difficult to navigate. Wouldn't it be troublesome to go up and down the mountain whenever they needed something?
Distracted by her astonishment at the distant houses, Zhu Danni didn't notice a raised stone on the ground where she was about to step.
Everyone present was prepared for the program team's penchant for causing trouble, so they hadn't worn inconvenient footwear like leather shoes or high heels when they came here.
However, Zhu Danni, being shorter, had worn a pair of height-increasing shoes.
They only added two or three centimeters, which didn't affect her movement during normal walking.
But she never expected that today she would be going up the mountain and walking on uneven mountain paths.