Shadow Cultivator

Li Yuan took his first step through the massive gates. The cold air of the settlement, heavy with the scents of wood smoke and fresh herbs, greeted him. Two guards standing on either side of the entrance slowly shifted their gaze to the stranger. Their eyes showed neither hostility nor curiosity—just the weary indifference of men accustomed to seeing outsiders. Silently, they scrutinized Li Yuan, as if trying to discern his intentions, but they said nothing. The steel tips of their spears gleamed in the light of the torches, and their simple yet sturdy armor hinted at their battle-hardened experience.

"A place always ready for defense," Li Yuan thought, masking his unease. His footsteps echoed on the stone-paved road as he crossed the threshold of the gates.

The main street of the settlement was lively but not chaotic. Li Yuan moved forward slowly, glancing around. Children laughed and ran between houses, playing their games. One boy stopped near him and looked up:

"Where did you come from?" he asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"From far away," Li Yuan replied with a smile. "The place I lived in is nothing like this."

The boy seemed ready to ask more, but his mother, holding a basket of herbs, called him over. She cast a cautious glance at Li Yuan before silently pulling the child away. Women, gathered in small groups, sorted bundles of herbs on doorsteps, occasionally casting wary looks at the stranger. Men with serious expressions repaired tools or hauled heavy loads. The scene reminded Li Yuan of old villages he had seen in movies, but here everything felt more united, more authentic.

The houses, made of wood and stone, appeared sturdy and well-built. Each one was adorned with simple ornaments—wood carvings or symbolic flags fluttering in the light breeze. Some doors bore paper talismans with intricate symbols, while others were decorated with clusters of dried herbs. The air was filled with the aroma of hearth smoke, freshly baked bread, and the earthy scent of herbs, evoking a sense of warmth and comfort.

Li Yuan suddenly felt someone's gaze on him. Turning his head, he noticed an elderly man with sharp features watching him intently from beneath thick gray brows. The man stepped forward and asked in a low voice:

"Who are you, stranger?"

The voice was raspy yet calm, as though the man was used to asking this question over and over again. Li Yuan hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words.

"I… got lost in the valley and happened to find my way here," he finally replied, trying to sound confident.

The man squinted, as if searching for deceit in his words, then simply snorted.

"There are plenty of lost souls here. But not everyone gets a second chance," he muttered, walking away into the shadow of a nearby house without waiting for a reply.

The brief interaction left Li Yuan with the distinct impression that nothing in this settlement went unnoticed.

He continued to explore the streets. His attention was drawn to a small shop with a sign carved to resemble a tree branch. Through the window, he saw tables piled with wooden items—bowls, figurines, and intricately decorated boxes. The shopkeeper, a stout man with a short beard, worked silently but turned toward Li Yuan after dropping a tool.

"You're new here?" he asked, quickly picking up the tool.

"Yes, I just arrived," Li Yuan replied.

"Newcomers don't stay long here," the man said, turning back to his work with a hint of wariness in his voice. All the goods looked remarkably well-crafted, as though they were made not just for practical use but for something more meaningful.

Moving on, Li Yuan noticed a street vendor with a basket full of rare herbs. The man loudly advertised his wares to passersby, but the moment Li Yuan stopped, the vendor turned his attention to him.

"Fresh! Straight from the mountains!" he shouted. "Perfect for medicines, infusions… and perhaps something stronger."

Li Yuan recognized some of the plants. They were clearly used for cultivation, but he hesitated to approach and continued on his way.

The longer he walked the streets, the more he noticed: this place had its own independent rhythm. People laughed, discussed business, argued, and reconciled. Li Yuan saw a small creature dart out from behind a house—it looked like a fox with a long tail but had dark patches on its fur. One of the men quickly grabbed a stick and chased the creature away, sending it scurrying into the nearby bushes.

"These pests always sneak in for food," the man muttered to a friend standing nearby. "We need to reinforce the fence." The children kept playing, and in one corner, Li Yuan spotted a training ground. Two young men, armed with wooden swords, practiced their strikes. Their movements were precise and quick, a testament to good discipline and training.

"They're not just surviving," Li Yuan whispered. "They're thriving."

By evening, Li Yuan felt tired. He headed toward the main square, where a small fountain stood. Sitting on the stone edge, he observed the villagers as they continued their activities. Soft laughter echoed nearby, and the air was filled with the aroma of hot food. Li Yuan realized that, for the first time in a long while, he felt somewhat at peace. He thought back to his life in his world, filled with the noise of machines, the cold glow of screens, and the relentless race to nowhere. Here, everything was slower, calmer. But this calm felt deceptive, like the stillness before a storm.

"Maybe I can start something new here…" he said quietly, looking into the fountain's water. Yet deep down, he knew this tranquility was only a surface illusion. As his gaze fell on the guards by the gate, he noticed a strange amulet hanging from one of their belts. Its shape resembled a coiled snake, and its surface shimmered as if coated with a thin layer of mist. Suddenly, a faint chill ran down his spine. "What could that mean?" he thought, deciding to remember the detail.