The next day, Fengbai Village.

The Water Village assassin, Shui Rou, was released from imprisonment under the decision of Han Zhan.

Her lips were sealed too tight. Whether it was Huo Lie's threats or Feng Pingcheng's persuasions, no matter how much they inquired, Shui Rou simply wouldn't reveal the true location of Water Village.

Moreover, she had already been injured by Han Zhan, temporarily unable to use the Water Concealment Technique.

Thus, under Han Zhan's suggestion, they finally decided to release Shui Rou, allowing her to live like a normal resident of Fengbai Village and Flame Village.

The polite term for it was "rehabilitating the enemy."

When Shui Rou saw herself being released from the prison, she was somewhat stunned.

She originally thought that she would either spend her days in the cell, be killed by them in frustration, or even be...

Thinking of this, Shui Rou instinctively glanced at Han Zhan walking ahead.

No, I can't let this happen. This man is the one the High Priest mentioned as the One Who Bears the Calamity. The Divine Dragon will die because of him. I must do everything I can to stop him! With this thought, her gaze became determined once more.

During the day, Fengbai Village was bustling with activity.

In recent days, all the villagers were engaged in one singular task: processing Calamity Beast meat.

The quantity was simply too vast. Despite everyone being mobilized, there was still a lot left unprocessed.

Just yesterday, after Han Zhan resolved the Phoenix Perch Wood issue, the villagers of Fengbai Village and Flame Village woke up overnight with Wind and Fire abilities, making Fengbai Village bustling with life the next morning.

A group of Fengbai Village children led by Feng Hao were running around the village, laughing and playing.

Beneath their feet, gentle whirlwinds formed. With the boost from their Wind Element abilities, their speed even surpassed that of a Low Tier Calamity Beast.

"Hahaha." "Hahahaha." "Faster!"

Their laughter echoed from their blurred figures. When Han Zhan brought Shui Rou there, they seemed to have noticed the pair and dashed over like the wind.

"Good morning, Brother Zhan!" Feng Hao greeted loudly.

"Who is this pretty sister next to you? Wow, she's so beautiful!"

"Let me see, let me see, wow, she's really so beautiful! Her skin is so white, even whiter than Er Ya from our Fengbai Village!"

"You're talking nonsense! Er Ya is the whitest!"

"Hehe, you can't catch me, you can't catch me, bleh bleh bleh!"

The rambunctious children circled around Han Zhan and Shui Rou relentlessly, forming a small whirlwind as they trailed one after another.

Er Ya was Feng Pingcheng's granddaughter and the "dream girl" of these boys. To receive such a compliment from them, Shui Rou's appearance was certainly remarkable.

Indeed, it was true.

Unlike Feng Ya, who had a childlike innocence capable of accepting everyone and everything, Shui Rou's looks were more intellectual and serene, more ladylike.

Her skin was as white as mutton fat jade, making her look like a fairy stepping out of a painting.

The children's innocent and pure compliments brought a gentle smile to Shui Rou's previously somber face.

"Do the children of Water Village play as wildly as them?" Han Zhan, who had been observing the changes in Shui Rou's expression, suddenly asked.

Hearing Han Zhan's voice, Shui Rou's face instantly restrained any hint of a smile, and she remained silent.

Han Zhan shrugged indifferently.

After playing around Han Zhan for a while, Feng Hao and the others went off to other places.

Suddenly, Shui Rou, who had been silent all along, spoke, "In Water Village, from the time each child becomes sensible, they can only do one thing."

Shui Rou's voice was clear and calm, like the bubbling of a mountain spring.

Han Zhan turned his head in surprise and looked at her. "What thing?"

"Training." Looking at the children laughing and playing in the distance, Shui Rou's eyes showed an indescribable expression. "Training the Water Transformation Technique." She added.

The Water Transformation Technique is a compulsory method in Water Village, its purpose being to transform into a water form, allowing one to walk and live in water.

From the time she could understand things, Shui Rou had diligently trained in the Water Transformation Technique because the High Priest once said that Water Village would sink underwater at some time in the future.

All villagers of Water Village would maintain their water-transformed states and continue living underwater.

So they had no time to play or frolic; they must master the Water Transformation Technique—it's a matter of life and death.

This is the childhood for all children in Water Village!

The topic plunged them into silence again as they continued walking forward.

Not far away, another lively place caught their attention.

People from Flame Village, a group of robust young men, were using their newly acquired Fire Ability to grill the sliced Calamity Beast meat into steaks.

The breeze carried the delicious aroma of grilled meat everywhere around.

Many people came drawn by the smell, each receiving a free piece of grilled meat and leaving satisfied.

Han Zhan and Shui Rou each received a piece as well.

Looking at the slightly warm thing in hand, Shui Rou suddenly asked, "What kind of meat is this?"

"Calamity Beast Meat?" Han Zhan replied matter-of-factly.

Shui Rou surveyed her surroundings and noticed everyone was tearing into the grilled steaks, gnawing and chewing heartily, then had a sudden realization.

"This is the food you eat?"

Her question was a bit odd, prompting Han Zhan to reflexively ask, "What type of food does your Water Village eat?"

"Fish, shrimp, crab, and various other water plants." Shui Rou paused and added, "We don't use fire to grill them; we eat them raw."

Han Zhan: "?"

Isn't this even less advanced than primitive people? They don't even cook with fire, really?

Seeing Han Zhan's puzzled expression, the increasingly talkative Shui Rou explained once more, "The High Priest says we must adapt early to life underwater, where fires can't be lit. So, we shouldn't eat processed food."

This High Priest must be mad.

Han Zhan frowned, he could pretty much tell from his conversation with Shui Rou that the High Priest held the most authority in Water Village, brainwashing its people.

Denying the children's childhood, forcing everyone to eat raw food—sometimes, self-righteousness is terrifying beyond measure.

Shui Rou placed her piece of Calamity Beast steak into her mouth, tearing off a chunk and chewing it.

She froze.

Since birth, she had only ever eaten cold, raw meat, never imagining how delicious grilled meat cooked with fire could be.

Her first bite made her eat in rapid succession, the second bite, then the third…

Seeing Shui Rou's slightly unrestrained behavior, Han Zhan handed her his portion of Calamity Beast meat.

"Eat slowly, there's plenty more if we run out."

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