111: Villagers go up the mountain for shelter

However, even if it doesn't have any offensive capabilities, it doesn't matter, since Chu Shengfan can now contract a second Source Beast.

For this second Source Beast, the Chu Family will definitely not allow him to contract one without combat ability again. In a world like this, combat capability is extremely important.

"Family: Chu Family

Rank: Ninth-Rank Humble Family

Family Members: ...Family Assets: One eighteen-mu Courtyard Residence, jurisdiction over four villages: Fuhe Village, Chen Family Village, Tuwozi Village, and Qingsha Village, 325 Source Spirit Stone, 43,000 Origin Rune Stones, one Medicine Beast Shop, three mu of Mortal Rank Medicinal Fields, and various other items.

Family Location: ...Family Prestige: 45 points (among villages)

Family Luck: White, Three Cun

(The quantity of Family Luck affects the rise and fall of the Family. The number of Family members, their conduct, the size of the Family's territory, the number of subordinate residents, commercial prosperity, and so on, are all closely related to Family Luck.)"

Looking at the newly added "Family Luck" entry at the bottom, this was why Chu Mu had asked Chu Jingyu to save those Villagers.

If they stood by and watched those Villagers be killed by Source Beasts, the Family Luck would inevitably decline repeatedly. No one could predict what kind of disaster the Family would face under decaying Family Luck.

Chu Mu materialized a lounge chair and sat down, wondering distractedly how Chu Jingyu would arrange the Villagers of the four villages under these circumstances.

...Having received Chu Jingyu's order, Chu Jingyu descended the mountain with his two Source Beasts and first arrived at the nearest Fuhe Village.

When Chu Jingyu arrived at Fuhe Village, almost every household had its doors tightly shut, and the streets were deserted, with no one in sight.

They must have seen the Towering Rift Channel that opened in the back of Qixia Mountain. Although they didn't know what had happened, as ordinary people in this world, they were best at hiding and praying that they and their families would survive.

Chu Jingyu went straight to the home of the Village Head. He merely knocked gently on the door. Through the crack in the gate, he could see a small slit opening in the door of the Main Hall in the courtyard.

Apparently seeing Chu Jingyu's figure, the Main Hall door was quickly opened, and the Village Head directed a half-grown young man to run into the courtyard and open the main gate.

"Main Family, why have you come at this time..."

Chu Jingyu raised his hand to interrupt the Village Head and quickly instructed: "The channels between the Interior of the Realm and Beyond the Border have opened wide, and many Source Beasts are flooding into the mountains. From now on, Fuhe Village may not be safe.

Go notify the Villagers and ask if anyone is willing to ascend the mountain now and live near my Chu Family Courtyard Residence. Being closer will make it easier for us to give you shelter."

The Village Head's cloudy eyes flickered. Seeing Chu Jingyu's urgency, he dared not ask more, simply replying, "Understood, I will go arrange it immediately."

He turned around, called his three sons and three grandsons out of the house, and instructed them to notify the Villagers to gather at the village entrance.

Chu Jingyu nodded and walked towards the small plaza at the head of the village.

As the Village Head's sons and grandsons went door-to-door knocking on courtyard gates and giving notice, the entire silent village seemed to come alive, and moving figures gradually appeared on the streets.

However, not many people came out from each household. Unlike the grand occasion when the 'Road' was being built, where figures filled both ends of the village, this time only one person who could make decisions came out from each Family.

Some families even let their doors be knocked upon, but no one came out to answer.

Therefore, the 'small plaza' beneath the ancient tree at the head of the village still seemed spacious enough to accommodate these people.

However, the Fuhe Village Villagers standing there were slightly surprised when they realized it was the Main Family Clan Chief, Chu Jingyu, standing among them. Their worried gazes gained a measure of stability.

Since the Main Family Clan Chief had appeared, perhaps the sudden rift in the back mountain, the subtly emerging mist, and the massive Umbrella-shaped Source Beasts floating in the air—all these problems could be resolved.

After waiting for about Half a Quarter of an Hour, Chu Jingyu didn't know if everyone from every household in the village was present, but time was limited, and he wasn't planning on waiting any longer.

"The channels between the Interior of the Realm and Beyond the Border have opened wide. For a long time to come, Source Beasts will run rampant throughout the entire Heyu Town territory. If anyone is worried about Source Beasts accidentally entering the village,

you can go home now, pack your luggage, and follow me up the mountain to receive the immediate shelter of my Chu Family."

Chu Jingyu scanned the crowd, taking in all their changing expressions, and continued:

"I will only wait here for Half an Hour. Those who do not come will have their lives and fortunes decided by fate."

After saying this, Chu Jingyu fell silent. However, having recently undergone his Breakthrough to the Spirit Rank, the Aura emanating from him was still somewhat intense, causing the Villagers to avoid looking directly at him, and even their discussions with those nearby were extremely quiet.

Some Villagers quickly made their decision, practically sprinting back home. Others, still undecided, stood on the village Road further from the Village Head, quietly discussing something intensely with close neighbors.

Time passed little by little, and gradually, Villagers carrying large and small bags of luggage, bringing their entire families, gathered at the head of the village.

The number of people at the head of the village increased. Chu Jingyu estimated the time, and as soon as the Half an Hour was up, he glanced at the Villagers carrying a lot of luggage and said concisely, "Let's go."

From that glance, Chu Jingyu could roughly estimate that only about half the households in the entire village were willing to obey his command and ascend the mountain.

As for the remaining families who hadn't come, Chu Jingyu could roughly guess their reasoning.

Some perhaps didn't trust them, while others might have already taken their families to other places to avoid disaster during the time the rift first appeared.

Perhaps some Villagers suspected that the Chu Family might be planning to use them, ordinary Villagers, as food for the Source Beasts.

Chu Jingyu had no intention of explaining himself to those who didn't trust the Chu Family. He could use this opportunity to filter out a large portion of Villagers who genuinely trusted the Chu Family.

Moreover, if the number of people was smaller, it would be easier to settle them around the Chu Family residence.

As they began walking up the mountain path, the thin mist accompanying the "Floating Jellyfish" and the Colorful Cloud Jellyfish gradually thickened.

For these ordinary Villagers, visibility was certainly affected, causing those who were already uneasy about the unknown path ahead to become even more apprehensive.

Chu Jingyu glanced at the Golden Armored Jade Pupil Beast. It immediately understood, and the three Prismatic Eyes on its head instantly lit up, projecting light into the air.

Jade-like light converged in the air, slowly condensing into three three-dimensional eyes. Under the control of the Golden Armored Jade Pupil Beast, they positioned themselves at the front, middle, and rear of the Villager procession.

Azure light emitted from the three eyes. This highly penetrating light pierced through the mist, illuminating the surroundings of the Villagers clearly.

"Follow the eye at the very front. Don't worry, those Jellyfish Source Beasts floating in the sky and among the trees are generally gentle Source Beasts. As long as you don't provoke them, they won't harm you."