With this inn now established, the passersby who occasionally traveled through in recent days were overjoyed. From now on, they no longer had to spend the night in that drafty old tea shed, and it was much safer—they didn’t have to worry about wild beasts lurking in the surrounding mountains and forests. With a place to rest and recover along the way, they could also bring more goods, and the couriers wouldn’t just sit down for a cup of tea and leave. If they weren’t in a hurry, they could even stay here for the night.

Naturally, some people were surprised to see a small village and an inn suddenly appear here, but everyone was a seasoned traveler and knew what to ask and what not to ask. No one questioned it aloud—after all, as long as they were comfortable, why bother with so many details?

Evan Parker also found the inn a bit amusing. He had only wanted something small, but Mr. Thompson had gone ahead and built it to the largest scale in the county. It was already rare for even one person to pass by here every two days—was such a big inn really necessary? But Mr. Thompson meant well, so there was nothing much to say. At worst, it would just sit empty; it wouldn’t affect him in any way, so he might as well leave it there.

As for the little village, it was even more laughable—there wasn’t a single resident, so what was the point of building so many courtyards? Even if they were for rent, who would come to such a remote and impoverished place? Fortunately, Mr. Thompson promised that in a few days, some people would be relocated here, so these houses could be considered prepared for them. After living alone for several years, Evan Parker had gotten used to it, and the thought of suddenly having neighbors made him feel a bit uneasy.

But it wasn’t a big deal. In fact, having people around would be nice—they could help look after the inn, and he could spend more time at Fist Mark Lake. Evan Parker was still preoccupied with the so-called monster in the lake. What kind of creature could turn a hundred-mile radius into a place of such ominous energy? And it was even something the old immortals at the emperor’s side in the capital could divine—this was no ordinary monster.

Evan Parker had long heard of those old immortals at the emperor’s side. The emperor was a devout Daoist, often accompanied by a few old Daoist priests who would lecture him on scriptures and philosophy. It was said they were all highly accomplished cultivators. They never left the capital, yet somehow knew there was a place of evil energy here—truly, they had some remarkable abilities.

However, to think that simply sending a general with a thousand men could resolve the issue was to underestimate the monster in Fist Mark Lake. With Evan Parker’s cultivation back then, he still ended up with damaged meridians and lost his powers—wouldn’t those people fare even worse? What kind of demon could possess such a deadly aura?

While Evan Parker was hesitating about whether to enter Fist Mark Lake again, chaos erupted in the county town. Suddenly, people arrived from the capital, including an imperial eunuch bearing an edict and several guards. The county magistrate had served for years but had never dealt directly with such people from the capital and was so flustered he didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, Mr. Thompson took charge on the spot and managed to complete the edict-receiving ceremony properly.

The imperial edict was very simple: the entire area was granted to Evan Parker. The reason for not issuing the edict directly to Evan Parker was probably because the higher-ups knew he wouldn’t care even if they did, so they simply notified the local officials to register it. There was also a strict order that whatever Evan Parker did in that area, the local officials were not to interfere for any reason or excuse.

The emperor’s golden words, stamped with the imperial seal, now sat on the county magistrate’s desk. Looking at the bright yellow edict, the magistrate nervously wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Luckily, he had flattered Evan Parker in advance, and Evan Parker was satisfied with everything he had done. In hindsight, that was a stroke of genius. Still, he wondered what kind of relationship Evan Parker, a mere commoner, had with the general to persuade him to get the emperor to grant such a large tract of land.

Evan Parker knew nothing of all this, but even if he did, he wouldn’t care. If what the youngest had said was true, then granting him that land was simply a way to tie him down to it—it wasn’t necessarily a sign of special favor.

From the emperor to the general, everyone attached such importance to this place. Could it be that the monster here was truly that significant? Then why not send people to eliminate it directly, instead of just stationing troops and having Evan Parker hold the fort?

Chapter Five: Training in the Lake (Part One)

Evan Parker didn’t care about any of this. What troubled him now wasn’t why the emperor was so interested in this place, but rather the monster in Fist Mark Lake that he had never seen.

He believed that people would soon gather here to live, and after that, there might not be such a convenient time to go down to the lake. Evan Parker finally made up his mind to venture into the lake once more.

This time, Evan Parker was well prepared. Well, mentally prepared, at least. As for weapons, he only had a special kitchen knife. Anyone seeing him heading to the lake to hunt a monster with just a kitchen knife would probably laugh their heads off. The professionals, at the very least, would don Daoist robes and carry a few talismans and a peachwood sword—looking every bit the part of an immortal. How could he look so out of place in comparison?