The village chief walked up to Su Han and asked, "May I ask what brings a cultivator like yourself to our Lei Gang Village?"
Su Han replied, "So this village is called Lei Gang Village. I'm just passing by and want to rest here for a while, have a good meal."
As he spoke, Su Han took out a silver ingot and handed it to the Lei Gang Village chief.
The Lei Gang Village chief did not refuse and directly accepted the silver.
"Cultivator, my family is just preparing a meal. If you don't mind, please come in and have a good meal with us."
Having accepted the silver, the Lei Gang Village chief led Su Han into a mud house.
Inside the house, the center served as a combined living room, dining room, and kitchen. Adjoining the main hall were bedrooms with doors facing outwards.
As soon as Su Han entered, he saw an old woman cooking.
Upon entering, the Lei Gang Village chief said, "Wife, we have a distinguished guest. Kill a chicken to entertain them."
The Lei Gang Village chief's wife immediately began to kill a chicken for their guest.
It was evident that the village was very poor. The chairs were as unsightly as the tables. These tables and chairs were crudely made with just a knife and saw, lacking any paint.
The Lei Gang Village chief said, "Cultivator, please have a seat!"
Su Han did not mind and sat down on one of the chairs. The chair was very crude, and as Su Han sat down, he worried it might fall apart.
As it turned out, the chair, though ugly, held firm.
Then, the Lei Gang Village chief opened up the conversation, "Cultivator, I am the chief of Lei Gang Village. My name is He Shi Hu. May I ask your Daoist name?"
Su Han shook his head, "Village Chief He, I haven't chosen a Daoist name for myself yet. After all, my cultivation level hasn't reached that stage. My name is Su Han, and you can simply call me Su Han."
In this world of cultivation, only those at the Golden Core stage or above were permitted to bestow themselves with a Daoist name. Su Han, being only at the Qi Refining stage, naturally couldn't. He decided to adhere to this common convention of the cultivation world. This was also why Su Han didn't suggest that the Lei Gang Village chief call him something like "Little Su."
The Lei Gang Village chief continued, "I will still address you as Cultivator. I've heard that cultivators have many sects. May I ask which sect you belong to?"
Lei Gang Village was the closest village to the Xuanmen. Since there might be future interactions, Su Han decided to tell the truth, "I am from Xuanmen."
The Lei Gang Village chief said, "Xuanmen? I am ignorant and have never heard of this cultivation sect."
Su Han replied, "Indeed, our Xuanmen is practically neighbors with your Lei Gang Village. Xuanmen is located about two hundred li south of here."
The Lei Gang Village chief remarked, "Two hundred li away? I never knew there was a cultivation sect so close. Well, perhaps not that close. Two hundred li is still a considerable distance. However, I've always heard that cultivation sects are thousands of kilometers away, so two hundred li could be considered close."
Two hundred li is equivalent to one hundred kilometers. That's how the calculation works.
Su Han said, "Yes, compared to other sects, we are indeed close. But in terms of sheer distance, it's still considered far."
The Lei Gang Village chief continued, "From what this old man knows, the south is a vast forest that stretches for over a thousand li. I've never heard of any sect within it. May I ask about your sect, Cultivator?"
Su Han explained, "Our Xuanmen has always been in a state of seclusion. We have only recently emerged from it. It's understandable that you haven't heard of our sect."
Hearing this, the Lei Gang Village chief eagerly asked, "You've only recently emerged from seclusion? Then, Cultivator, your sect must be recruiting disciples. Can the people of Lei Gang Village join Xuanmen?"
Su Han replied, "Certainly, but to join Xuanmen, one needs affinity, perseverance, and talent. Without these three, it's impossible to join Xuanmen."
The Lei Gang Village chief nodded, "Yes, that makes sense. I've heard that joining cultivation sects requires great perseverance. It seems difficult for the villagers of Lei Gang Village to join Xuanmen. By the way, when will Xuanmen open its sect entrance examination? We can have the villagers of Lei Gang Village go and participate."
Su Han shook his head, "The date hasn't been set yet. However, the forest is full of fierce beasts. It would be very dangerous for your villagers to travel there."
The Lei Gang Village chief's face showed determination, "We still have to try. When the time comes, we'll have the men of the village escort the children to give it a shot."
Su Han looked at the Lei Gang Village chief, sensing a sense of urgency in his expression.
Su Han inquired, "Village Chief Lei Gang, you seem very eager to join a cultivation sect. Traveling through that forest is very dangerous. Isn't it safer to stay in the village?"
The Lei Gang Village chief shook his head, "Cultivator, you are unaware. Our village is close to the Juebi Mountain Range, so the government doesn't reach us. We don't pay heavy taxes, and our lives are quite good. However, precisely because we are too close to the Juebi Mountain Range, every three years, a phantom palace appears near the mountains. After the phantom palace appears, numerous bolts of lightning descend from it. Even at our distance of twenty li from the mountains, lightning strikes. We have sent people to investigate the palace, but upon approaching it, a voice tells us that one must be at the middle stage of Qi Refining or above to enter."
Su Han said, "I see. You wish to cultivate to resolve the lightning strikes, is that it? If so, why don't you simply move away from here?"
The Lei Gang Village chief shook his head, "It's hard to leave one's homeland. Besides, outside of here, our lives wouldn't be as good. And we only occasionally get struck by lightning."
Su Han continued to ask, "Is that palace so miraculous? Have no cultivators come here to investigate?"
The Lei Gang Village chief replied, "Our place is so remote that those cultivators haven't passed through here. How could they come here to investigate? I wish for cultivators to investigate that palace and deal with the lightning within it, but no cultivators have ever come."
The Lei Gang Village chief suddenly said, "Ah, Cultivator, would you like to go and take a look at that palace?"
Su Han replied, "Hmm, I am quite interested. However, I don't have time to stay here for an extended period. I will come again when the palace is about to appear."
The Lei Gang Village chief said, "Coincidentally, Cultivator, you've come at just the right time! That palace will appear tomorrow."