While speaking, he raised the spiked club and smashed the incense burner to pieces.

Olivia Thompson was stunned for a moment, still somewhat indignant. “So you used us too!”

William Foster fumbled around and pulled out a silver ingot. “How about... I pay you?”

Olivia Thompson was so angry she almost spat blood, nearly drawing her gun, but Ethan Thompson waved his hand to stop her. “Brother Foster warned us about the strange tiger on the mountain long ago. It was my own decision to check it out, and I willingly became the gun in Brother Foster’s hand. Who can I blame? But from the looks of it, is this fierce tiger bound here by Brother Foster?”

William Foster nodded. “I can’t let it hurt anyone.”

Ethan Thompson said, “There’s another grievance in the mountains. Brother Foster, a single pill from you can resolve it. Plus, you’re familiar with such special things and know the formations to bind monsters, so you’re truly a learned practitioner of the arcane arts. May I ask who your master is?”

“I just fumbled around on my own, hardly a real practitioner...” William Foster could only say, “Does Brother Thompson have any advice?”

“Oh, it’s like this.” Ethan Thompson sighed softly. “In recent years, my father has been deceived by some charlatan practitioners, abusing elixirs and causing his health to decline. As his children, we see this and are deeply worried. Since Brother Foster possesses true skills, could you, for the sake of our filial piety, come down the mountain to set things right and distinguish truth from falsehood? As for the reward, it will surely satisfy Brother Foster.”

He paused, then added, “Because of this, Olivia Carter has always disliked fraudulent practitioners and may have acted too aggressively. Please don’t take offense.”

It seemed he thought that when his sister gave William Foster trouble earlier, William Foster must have suffered, so he apologized. Olivia Thompson lowered her head and said nothing, and William Foster didn’t know what to say either, so he could only reply, “I’m just a recluse, used to a carefree life in the countryside. I’m afraid I’ll disappoint Brother Thompson.”

Ethan Thompson said, “Then let this be my repayment to Brother Foster for removing the tiger. How about that?”

William Foster choked for a moment, then laughed. “So Brother Thompson had this all planned when dealing with the tiger.”

Olivia Thompson glanced at her brother. No wonder he didn’t mind being used as a pawn—he clearly intended to be the gun this time, using this favor to persuade William Foster to leave the mountain.

Only she herself was kept in the dark, like a fool.

On this side, William Foster still wanted to refuse. He was a homebody by nature and felt quite content in the village, so why would he want to get involved in disputes among practitioners? He hesitated for a moment, then took out the antidote pill he had just made and said, “Let this medicine be my thanks to Brother Thompson for removing the tiger.”

Ethan Thompson sighed and was about to persuade him further, but Olivia Thompson couldn’t hold back anymore and snapped, “If you don’t want to go, then don’t! What’s the big deal! We’ll find someone else. I don’t believe Charles Reed has only one practitioner!”

Ethan Thompson gently reassured her, “Olivia Carter, you know that looking for someone else will only delay things further.”

Olivia Thompson retorted angrily, “He’s so full of tricks—how do we know he’s not another Samuel Wright!”

William Foster had already turned to leave, but when he heard the name “Samuel Wright,” he suddenly stopped in his tracks and spun around. “Who did you say you’re dealing with?”

The original soul had already been devoured by Alice Carter, but the body still retained its strongest obsession and hatred. That lingering resentment was etched with a deep hatred for the so-called “Imperial Preceptor,” wanting to ask “why.” This powerful obsession had haunted William Foster’s nightmares. In recent days, William Foster had naturally inquired: the Imperial Preceptor of Nanli, Daoist name Samuel Wright!

Seeing William Foster’s expression change, Ethan Thompson felt a bit of regret. William Foster had already looked unwilling, and now that he knew their target was the Imperial Preceptor, he’d be even less likely to go. He had planned to coax him first, but his sister couldn’t keep her mouth shut and let it slip.

He looked helplessly at William Foster and said slowly, “The Imperial Preceptor of Nanli, Samuel Wright. If Brother Foster is afraid, then I’ll have to seek someone more capable.”

“No.” William Foster said, word by word, “I’ll go with you.”

Ethan Thompson was stunned. “Brother Foster, this is...”

William Foster coldly pointed at the shattered incense burner on the ground. “I want to ask him a question for someone—why!”

Even Olivia Thompson stared at William Foster in astonishment. She never expected this seemingly unserious man to show such a cold and fierce expression, as if he could devour someone whole.

Chapter 7 Leaving the Mountain

“You’re really going out with them?”

Once he decided to leave, there was no need for hesitation—he could just pack up and go.

In the room, William Foster was packing his things, the spiked club leaning against the wall. Alice Carter watched William Foster bustling about and asked languidly.

William Foster replied casually, “Isn’t this just what you wanted? Haven’t you always said the medicine isn’t enough, the furnace isn’t good, and tried to coax me to go out?”

“Heh.” Alice Carter sneered. “I want you to go out for a broader world and more resources, not to get involved in conflicts—especially those involving the powerful Imperial Preceptor. With your current skills, you wouldn’t even know how you died.”

“So?” William Foster stopped packing and said coldly, “If Samuel Wright sends someone to bury that so-called demon miasma here again, what then? If it happened once, it can happen again. If the root isn’t removed, how can there be peace? Before, I had no way to get close to the Imperial Preceptor, but now, with the help of the Thompson siblings, maybe this is the best chance to settle things once and for all.”

Alice Carter said indifferently, “You’re leaving anyway, so why care about this place? Honestly, it’d be better if someone destroyed the village—then you’d have nothing holding you back.”