Completely immersed in pain, Henry Carter did not notice that the dark gourd, under the erosion of his tears, began to emit faint black rays of light. The black glow kept expanding, and in just an instant, it enveloped Henry Carter. Surrounded by this black light, Henry Carter drifted off into a deep sleep.

Chapter Two: Python-Ox Qi

The morning sun rose, and a new day began. Walking out of the old house, Henry Carter still had traces of pain on his face, but there was now a hint of peace on that melancholy face.

“Dad, Mom, don’t worry. I will live well, get married, have children, and live a steady life.”

Facing the crimson sunrise, Henry Carter seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps comforting his parents far away in the sky. However, even though he spoke with such conviction, there was still a trace of bitterness in his voice.

Henry Carter said it, and he did it too. He found an old broom that was about to fall apart and thoroughly cleaned the dusty house and yard, inside and out, front and back. Looking at the house, now full of new life, Henry Carter felt much better inside.

“Dad, Mom, now I’m going to take back the land that belongs to our family. Don’t worry, I won’t fight desperately with Uncle.” As Henry Carter spoke, a look of absolute confidence appeared at the corner of his mouth. He reached out, picked up the black gourd from the table, and headed straight toward the east side of the village.

“Auntie, good morning!” “Good morning, Third Granduncle!”

It was as if he had instantly regained the sunshine of his youth. Henry Carter greeted familiar villagers all along the way. Some who knew him well even warmly invited him to their homes for a meal. The simple villagers could only express their goodwill in this way.

However, as Henry Carter got closer and closer to his uncle David Carter’s house, those who greeted him began to look a bit unnatural, and the atmosphere grew stranger with every step Henry Carter took.

David Carter, Henry Carter’s uncle, was considered the richest man in the entire Yi family village. With money comes power, and with power comes influence, so David Carter was the local tyrant of the village. Although he didn’t go so far as to bully men or harass women, there was no one in the village who dared to cross him—especially since his wife was also known as the “tigress” of the village.

David Carter had seized the land belonging to Henry Carter’s family, and no one in the village dared to say anything, nor could they. At the time, everyone thought Henry Carter was dead. Although David Carter had forcibly taken the land, it was, in a way, understandable. No one expected Henry Carter to return alive. Could he really get his land back? After all, David Carter was known for never letting go of any advantage he’d gained.

He would never spit out the meat he’d already swallowed—this was the consensus of the entire village regarding the matter.

“Oh my, isn’t this Chu boy? I heard you came back from the army. Uncle was just about to come see you.” David Carter looked at Henry Carter, his fleshy face breaking into a greasy, cockscomb-like smile.

When Henry Carter returned to the village, David Carter had already made up his mind. The reason he hadn’t gone out today was to wait for Henry Carter. Want to take back the good land? No way!

“Uncle, I’ve been away serving in the army for three years. Thank you for taking care of things at home. When my parents were buried, it was you who handled everything. I really appreciate all your trouble!” Henry Carter expressed his gratitude sincerely, cupping his fists in salute to David Carter.

In fact, when Henry Carter’s parents passed away, what worried David Carter most was what usable things were left in Henry Carter’s house—he quickly took them home. As for the rest, he was no different from the other villagers. Hearing Henry Carter thank him, he accepted it calmly, his face immediately taking on a look of weariness as he said, “Hey, Chu boy, we’re family, no need to be so formal. Your dad was my cousin—if I don’t look after you, who will? Come, come, let’s talk inside.”

As Henry Carter entered the house, David Carter’s wife also came out. The woman was somewhat attractive, but her thin lips made her look anything but kind.

She glanced coldly and sideways at Henry Carter, then forced a dry smile onto her slightly plump face and said, “Chu boy, you’re finally back. If it weren’t for your uncle, no one would have even known your parents had died.”

“Yes, my parents were able to rest in peace thanks to all the trouble and effort you and Uncle put in. I came today just to thank you both.” Henry Carter wore a gentle smile, looking nothing like someone here to reclaim his family property.

Seeing Henry Carter’s demeanor, David Carter felt even more confident and affectionately said to Henry Carter, “Chu boy, come sit down. Today I’ll tell you about your family’s land.”

“Uncle, you’re being too polite. I just got back, there’s no rush to talk about that. I just wanted to come and chat with you.” As Henry Carter spoke, he moved to sit in the chair David Carter offered him.

“Crack!” Before Henry Carter could sit down properly, the chair snapped with a crack, and he fell hard to the ground, completely unprepared.

“Oh dear, this chair really isn’t sturdy. Come, come, Chu boy, sit here.” David Carter was startled, but quickly laughed and hurried to fetch another chair.

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Uncle, you sit too.” As Henry Carter spoke, he once again moved to sit in the chair.