"Good…" the guard on the left said, clearly accepting Ling Ye's explanation. A kind smile appeared on his face as he nodded slightly.
"Although everything is clear now, I still ask that you follow me. I'll guide you to the village inn." Hearing this, Bai Da's face lit up with relief, while Ling Ye gave a respectful nod.
"Thank you for your consideration," Ling Ye said politely. "Bai Da and I are very grateful."
"Hehe." The guard chuckled lightly and waved a hand dismissively. "No need. I'm just doing my job."
With that, he turned and began walking into the village. Ling Ye and Bai Da followed closely behind and as they made their way through the entrance, the guard's curiosity seemed to grow. After a short moment, he glanced back at them.
"Do you travelers know which village this is?" At the question, Ling Ye instinctively looked at Bai Da.
Bai Da, however, only let out an embarrassed chuckle and shook his head and he didn't know. Back when he had traveled through these lands with his companions, they had been riding in a carriage, merely passing along the old traveler's path. He had only seen the village from a distance.
The only reason he knew anything at all about this route was because, at the time, he had been the one handling the horses. Naturally, he had mentioned this to Ling Ye before, but even so, Ling Ye hadn't expected this.
Throughout their journey, Bai Da had carried himself as if he knew the area well, as if he had lived here for months. Yet once again, Ling Ye realized he had overestimated him.
"Haha, Brother Guard Zhao," Ling Ye said with a polite smile, cupping his fists in greeting once more. "As you can see, my companion and I are unfamiliar with this place. If you would be willing to tell us more about the village, we would be very grateful."
The guard waved his hand, clearly pleased.
"No problem, no problem! I'm more than happy to talk about our humble village!" His face lit up with pride as he began to speak.
"Our village is called Green Path Village, named after its founder, Qing Dao!" Ling Ye listened carefully and at first, the name Green Path Village didn't stir anything within him. But the moment he heard Qing Dao, something faint surfaced in his memory.
This name is not entirely unfamiliar. Though he knew very little, Ling Ye recalled that Qing Dao was not just an ordinary man. He was known as Way of the Green, Qing Dao, a cultivator deeply devoted to the art of medicine.
Unlike most cultivators, he had not distanced himself from mortals. Instead, he had chosen to remain among them. Becoming a humble man, walking his own path and not only that, the reason Ling Ye even knew about Qing Dao's name was largely because of the books he had written.
They were texts about the human body, specifically the meridians and acupuncture points of mortals. Those writings had once helped Ling Ye greatly, especially during the time when he had been coughing up heart blood.
In fact, one could even say that without Qing Dao's work, Ling Ye might have needed years of his own research before he could successfully activate the Fate Guiding Compass, because of this, Ling Ye felt a faint sense of gratitude toward him.
For the first time since entering the village, Ling Ye looked around more carefully. Now that he knew this place had once been home to the legendary Way of the Green, Qing Dao, his interest was stirred.
He listened more attentively to the guard's words, hoping to learn something more about the man, but unfortunately, there was little to hear. Aside from mentioning that the village specialized in herbs and medicine, the guard had nothing particularly noteworthy to add.
Ling Ye couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed, but still, they continued walking.
Before long, they arrived at a small, modest inn. It bore no name, its wooden structure is simple and unadorned, yet sturdy enough to serve its purpose. The guard turned around with a smile.
"This is the only inn our humble Green Path Village has to offer," he said. "At the moment, there are six rooms available. Two are already occupied, by travelers, if I recall correctly."
Ling Ye smiled faintly and offered another polite salute. "Thank you, Guard Zhao, for guiding us here and for telling us about the founding ancestor. It was truly a pleasure speaking with you."
Ling Ye's polite words clearly caught Guard Zhao off guard and for a moment, the guard looked slightly flustered, unaccustomed to such courteous speech.
"Cough… cough." Clearing his throat twice, he quickly regained his composure.
"Let's head inside," he said, waving them forward. "I'll inform the innkeeper about your stay."
With that, Guard Zhao stepped ahead and pushed open the wooden door. Ling Ye and Bai Da followed him inside, finally entering the inn and the moment they stepped in, both of them instinctively looked around.
Ling Ye only gave the interior a brief glance, taking everything in at once. Bai Da, on the other hand, examined the place more carefully, his curiosity clearly stronger, but even he didn't need long.
The inn is simple, almost too simple.
At the front stood a wooden counter, and behind it a small shelf holding a few items. Several windows lined the walls, with small plants growing along their edges, adding a faint touch of life to the otherwise plain space.
Aside from that, there were only three chairs and nothing more.
It is clear that the inn saw little traffic or perhaps the innkeeper simply had no interest in maintaining anything beyond the bare essentials, but Ling Ye showed no reaction, keeping a calm smile on his face.
Guard Zhao, meanwhile, turned toward the counter, where an old man sat quietly behind it. As Guard Zhao stepped up to the counter, Ling Ye could hear him exchanging a few casual pleasantries with the old man. It is clear from their tone that they knew each other quite well.
Only after their brief conversation ended did the old man finally turn his attention toward Ling Ye and Bai Da.
He scratched his chin thoughtfully, his aged eyes studying them carefully. For a moment, he seemed to be considering something, measuring them in silence, before slowly nodding his head.
Seeing this, Guard Zhao smiled and let out a small chuckle. He turned back toward Ling Ye and Bai Da, gesturing for them to come forward.
Understanding the cue, the two approached the counter. Ling Ye stepped slightly ahead, a calm and polite smile on his face.
"Greetings," he said, giving a respectful nod. "My name is Ling Ye, and this is my companion, Bai Da. It is a pleasure to meet you."
For a moment, the old man froze. His expression changed instantly, eyes widened, not with curiosity, but with something closer to shock, even fear.
Naturally Guard Zhao noticed it immediately, his brows furrowing in confusion as he glanced between the old man and Ling Ye.
Then, the old man spoke, his voice unsteady. "L-Ling…?" he stammered. "As in… the royal Ling Clan?"
The words hung in the air and in that instant, Guard Zhao's expression stiffened. His eyes widened as realization struck him.
The memory of earlier flashed through his mind, how he and the other guard had stopped Ling Ye at the gate, how they had spoken to him with suspicion, even hostility.
A cold feeling crept up his spine and for the first time, he began to feel uneasy, but they weren't the only ones caught off guard.
Ling Ye himself was momentarily stunned by their reaction, the fear, the tension, the almost horrified look at merely hearing his name. It was something he had never experienced before.
However, it only took him a brief moment to understand and quickly realized what they had assumed and the mistake he had just made.
A soft chuckle quickly escaped him. Shaking his head lightly, Ling Ye spoke in a calm, almost amused tone.
"Please, don't compare me to the royal Ling Clan," he said. "I am nothing more than a mortal. Our names may sound the same, but the meaning is different."
He smiled faintly. "My name refers to a 'nightless sky.' It has nothing to do with the royal family… only with overly ambitious parents who wanted their son to sound a little more noble than he truly is."
His explanation eased the tension and the fear in their eyes faded, replaced by visible relief. Even so, their demeanor remained more cautious than before, more respectful and even more restrained.
"Haha… a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding," the old man said quickly, letting out an awkward laugh. His earlier composure was gone, replaced by a slightly forced smile.
"I must apologize to the two guests for my assumptions. Please… allow me to make up for it." He gestured politely toward the interior of the inn.
"You may stay here for two days food and lodging will be provided, free of charge."
"Haa…" Ling Ye let out a quiet sigh. For a moment, he didn't know what more to say. But seeing the old man's insistence, clear in his eyes, he finally gave a small nod.
"Old man, there is no need for this," Ling Ye said calmly. "But… since I can see you won't accept a refusal, I will accept your kindness."
Hearing this, the old man's expression brightened. He quickly bent down behind the counter and retrieved two keys. Placing them carefully on the counter, he handed them over with a slight bow of his head.
"I hope the two of you will have a good rest," he said politely. "Meals will be delivered three times a day, at sunrise, at midday when the sun is at its peak, and again at sunset."
Ling Ye nodded in acknowledgment. Taking the keys, he passed one to Bai Da without a word and with that settled, the two of them turned and began walking deeper into the inn, heading toward their respective rooms.