I am the Main Character? No Thanks! (Volume 3): Chapter 3

Near the borders of the Southern region and the Eastern region, there is a small town that acts as the diverging point for various paths that lead to various parts of the continent.

As this town exists at such an important place, it is obvious that, over time, it has accumulated a relatively tame but still good enough wealth and power.

This could be seen from how people of different origins, including loose cultivators and cultivators from prominent sects and forces in the region, moved about in the town, going about their business, while the local guards kept watch over the town in the name of the mayor, the strongest person in this village and the one who holds absolute authority over this region.

Normally, this would not be the case as the position of a mayor is considered to be on the lower end of the political ladder, just above that of a Village chief. Above the Mayor, there would be the local Imperial officer, above which is the regional Imperial officer, then comes the Noble family that oversees the region, above which there would be another Noble family that oversees multiple regions, and finally, the Imperial family that supervises the entire Empire.

However, as this town was established outside the borders of the Yin Long Empire and the Baihu Empire, while also not falling under the jurisdiction of any sects or clans, this town, simply called the Border town, existed as a place with no other force supervising it aside from its mayor.

It also helps that the mayor of this town is a Nascent Soul realm expert, making him the strongest cultivator in the surrounding area, so much so that even the local sects and influential families need to tread carefully while in this town.

And yet, just like everywhere else, there will always be someone stronger lurking in the shadows.

For the mayor, Han Ruilan, said person, or rather, the powerful force that called the south home, happened to be the Crimson Realm Holy Land.

Within his manor, Han Ruilan did not dare to look up from his kneeling position as the young man wearing the robes of a core disciple sat in his chair.

Within his heart, Han Ruilan couldn’t help but curse the young man and all of his ancestors for disrupting his peaceful life with their problems.

Ever since this boy from the Crimson Realm Holy Land showed up a few days ago, life had been hell for the poor mayor of the Border town.

First, it was his unreasonable demands for cultivation resources and lavish lifestyle that nearly bankrupted all the wealth that Han Ruilan had accumulated in the nearly two centuries he had been alive.

Then, it was this boy’s brazen and heinous actions where he abducted women from across the town to have fun, which he said was for ‘his cultivation’.

Of course, nobody was fooled by his words since everyone could tell what kind of person he was.

Already, the commoners and influential families of the town were in open revolt against his acts, which Han Ruilan had the unfortunate job of managing.

Then, it was his blatant way of taking control of the town and its armed forces by using the name of the Holy Land for his benefit.

Hell, even Han Ruilan and his family were not spared from his greedy hands as the old Cultivator’s son was turned into the boy’s errand boy, and one of his daughters was turned into his servant.

If Han Ruilan were a sentimental person, all of this would have been bad enough to drive him to suicide or to attack the boy with reckless abandon.

However, Hand Ruilan was not such a man. He is a scheming and practical person who only sees profit and loss in everything that he does.

It was the only reason why he tolerated the boy’s actions so far. Because this boy was his one and only opportunity to make ties with the Crimson Realm Holy Land. Especially after the Holy Land’s recent upheaval, where they lost a lot of influential territories and were looking to bring in ‘new blood’ into their fold.

“So, any update yet?”

“No. My men have been looking through everyone that gets in or out of the town, but they have not spotted even a single person from the portraits that you gave us.”

The boy gave an annoyed look at Han Ruilan at those words.

“This is the Border Town, the only safe passage to or out of the Southern territory. If that bitch and her servants did not pass through here, do you expect me to believe that they camped out in the wilderness? Especially with the state that we left them in?”

“…..I apologize. I will increase the number of guards in the town. We will definitely catch them.”

“Do that. If you succeed, who knows? Maybe my master will reward you quite well for your contribution.”

“Of course! But, I do have one question.”

“Speak.”

“While it is common knowledge that Yan Huo’er’s cultivation has regressed drastically and is not much of a threat to us, I am still worried about her servants since they are both in the Soul Transformation realm-“

“Were in the Soul Transformation realm.”

Han Ruilan ignored the way the boy interrupted his question and focused on the context of his words.

“You mean-?”

“I will not tell you the details since you are an outsider. Suffice it to say, Yan Liehuo and Yan Xinyan are no longer in the Soul Transformation realm. Even someone of your cultivation level should be able to handle them quite easily as they are right now.”

“…..I see. In that case, I will get to work.”

“Do that. Also, send me that wine that you got yesterday, I like its taste.”

“……Of course.”

Unknown to the duo of the young master from Crimson Realm Holy Land and the mayor of Border Town, the target of their words was hiding out right under their noses in rather unconventional ways.

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Within one of the taverns frequented by the commoners of the town, a group of four people sat around a table, drinking simple wine and eating noodles just like any other commoner around them. Their distinctive features were masked by the artifact that the youngest of their group used to make them appear like regular mortals.

“…..Once again, thank you. Jin Tianrui. For helping us, despite your enmity with my servants.”

Jin Tianrui glared at the three people, two of which did not dare meet his glare since they knew that they had no right to say anything in this situation.

“Make no mistake, Yan Huo’er. If it were not for the teachings of my master, I would have left you three to die on that rock. Especially you two, Yan Liehuo and Yan Xinyan. You threatened my senior sister, and if it were not for the defensive formation my master created around the village, who knows what you would have done back then?”

Yan Huo’er, the woman who was the master of the Crimson Realm Holy Land until recently and was someone who had never been talked to like this, could only give a wry smile towards the young man who defied her so openly despite knowing her former status.

“I assure you, master Jin, my servants were only doing their duty back then. I just wanted to reunite with my niece-“

“Look, I don’t want to hear your explanation. As far as I am concerned, my senior sister does not acknowledge the blood bond between you two, which means that neither I nor my master will acknowledge it as well. So, in our eyes, your actions, and the actions of your servants, were nothing more than an invasion.”

Jin Tianrui leaned forward on the table and continued glaring at the beautiful woman who could take a man’s breath away despite being disguised as a mortal.

“Even now, the only reason I am taking you three back home is because I am stumped on what to do with you three, and I need the advice of my master. I will tell you right now, you will not find my senior sister at the village since she is now living with my master and his wife, so don’t even try to pull any stunts while we are there.”

This time, Yan Huo’er could not help but glare back despite knowing that this man could do anything he wanted to her since she was no different from a mortal right now. Even her servants could not protect her right now since they, too, had suffered serious blows to their cultivation during the rebellion and ended up regressing to the Foundation Establishment realm.

“Jin Tianrui, I am truly thankful for your help, but please understand that the issue between Yan Ling and I are something that only we can talk about.”

“See? That’s what I am talking about.”

Jin Tianrui gave the stubborn woman a helpless look.

“If you speak like that while we are in the village, you will definitely get beaten up by the old folk of my home. Those guys have doted on my senior sister ever since master took her in, so they don’t tolerate any kind of disrespect towards her.”

Instead of acknowledging his words, Yan Huo’er looked away from the young man, making Jin Tianrui sigh once again.

‘Serious, what am I doing? Maybe I really should have let these three bleed out on that rock. Damn you! Master! For making me follow your code of morality!!’

With no further words exchanged, the table that housed the former master of Crimson Realm Holy Land, her two enforcers, and the second disciple of the Emperor of Yin Long Empire was filled with silence as they ate their meals.