The morning sun cast long shadows across the Bamboo Staff's deck as Gustave prepared for his departure. Two days had passed since their return from the tennis training camp, and he found himself curious about how Zhang Zhiwei was settling into life in Lin Jiu's world.
"Take care, Gustave," Po called out, waving from the ship's railing. "Give Master Zhang and Master Lin Jiu our regards."
Gustave wasn't the only one departing that day. Jun had also decided to return to his world, though this time he wouldn't be traveling alone. Daigo and Camearra stood beside him at the Gate of All Worlds, their faces set with determination.
"Are you certain about this?" Daigo asked his girlfriend quietly. "The darkness in Jun's world... it's different from what we've faced."
Camearra's dark eyes gleamed with interest. "That's precisely why I must see it for myself. As a warrior of darkness, I need to understand the nature of these dark giants. Besides," she added with a slight smile, "you could use more combat experience to better control your powers."
Daigo sighed but nodded. Where Camearra went, he would follow.
After bidding farewell to his departing friends, Gustave stepped through the Gate and emerged on the outskirts of Renjia Town. The familiar sight that greeted him made him pause in amazement.
WTF, he thought, taking in the bustling activity before him. This place has transformed completely.
The last time he'd visited, Renjia Town had been prosperous for a rural settlement. Now, it rivaled the grandest county seats in the province. The town walls had been rebuilt and heightened, their fresh stonework gleaming in the afternoon light. Merchants' carts rolled steadily along widened roads, while the sounds of construction echoed from multiple directions. What had once been a modest town now sprawled like a small city, alive with commerce and growth.
Intrigued by the dramatic changes, Gustave approached a vegetable vendor who was hurrying toward the town gates, two large baskets balanced on a shoulder pole.
"Excuse me" Gustave called out, stepping into the man's path. "Might I ask you something?"
The vendor's initial irritation at being delayed melted away the moment he turned to westerner face of Gustave. The chef's well-tailored clothes and confident bearing clearly marked him as someone of importance.
"Of course, honored sir!" the vendor said, quickly setting down his baskets and bowing. "How may this humble merchant assist you?"
Gustave pulled a silver coin from his pouch and pressed it into the surprised man's palm. "The last time I visited Renjia Town was nearly a year ago. While it was prosperous then, it was nothing compared to this." He gestured at the bustling activity around them. "The population seems to have tripled, and the entire place has the feel of a major commercial center. What brought about such remarkable change?"
The vendor's eyes lit up at both the generous coin and the chance to tell a good story. "Ah, honored sir, you've asked about something truly miraculous! You see, about a year ago, there was a battle of the gods in the mountains a hundred li from here."
The man's voice dropped to an awed whisper as he gestured dramatically. "Some folks witnessed it with their own eyes—a giant made of pure thunder, tall as a mountain, fighting against a creature of living fire! The earth shook like it was the end of days, and lightning split the sky brighter than the sun! The roar of their battle could be heard for dozens of li in every direction..."
Gustave recognized the battle immediately—his own fight alongside Zhang Zhiwei against the Fat Doll demon. But as the vendor continued his increasingly embellished account, complete with wild gestures and sound effects, Gustave realized this could take hours.
"I'm sorry," he interrupted gently. "I'm familiar with that particular... event. What I'm curious about is how it led to Renjia Town's current prosperity."
"Ah yes, yes, of course!" The vendor nodded eagerly. "You see, ever since that night when the gods descended, Master Ren Fa has been blessed with incredible fortune. His business ventures have flourished beyond imagination—he now has shops throughout the entire province!"
That made sense, Gustave mused. With the feng shui master's curse lifted and the Ren family's stolen luck restored, their natural business acumen could finally shine through.
The vendor continued enthusiastically, "But Master Ren didn't forget his fellow townspeople when prosperity came. Together with his daughter, Miss Ren—such a brilliant young lady, educated abroad—they established modern factories and schools. Merchants from dozens of counties now come here to trade!"
Gustave nodded approvingly. Ren Tingting's foreign education was clearly bearing fruit, introducing modern industrial concepts to the traditional town.
"Moreover," the vendor went on, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "with all the war conflicts and bandit troubles plaguing other regions, Master Ren and the other wealthy families pooled their resources to purchase Western weapons and train a militia. We now have several thousand armed men protecting not just Renjia Town, but all the surrounding villages!"
"A wise investment," Gustave agreed. In these troubled times, security was worth more than gold to common folk.
"But honored sir," the vendor said, his voice taking on a note of genuine reverence, "while all these improvements matter, the real reason people flock to Renjia Town is because of the Old Immortal."
"Old Immortal?" Gustave raised an eyebrow, though he suspected he knew who this might be.
"About a year ago, a Taoist master took residence near Master Lin's cemetery outside town. He doesn't preach or recruit disciples, but if anyone brings him a problem—whether it's a sick child, a haunted house, or crops failing mysteriously—he helps them."
The vendor's chest puffed with pride. "Within a hundred li of Renjia Town, demons and ghosts no longer dare to show themselves! For the first time in generations, common folk can sleep peacefully without fear of supernatural terrors. My own family has a shrine dedicated to the Old Immortal in our home!"
Gustave chuckled softly. Zhang Zhiwei had clearly found his calling as Renjia Town's guardian. No wonder he and Lin Jiu hadn't visited the Bamboo Staff recently—they were too busy being local heroes.
"Thank you for the information," Gustave said, pressing another coin into the vendor's hand. "You'd better hurry along before your vegetables wilt."
"Thank you, honored sir! Thank you!" The vendor bowed repeatedly before shouldering his baskets and hurrying toward the town gates, humming cheerfully.
Gustave had originally planned to head directly to the charity cemetery to visit his friends, but seeing the transformed town sparked his curiosity. Besides, it would be poor manners to arrive empty-handed. He decided to explore the new Renjia Town and find suitable gifts for Lin Jiu and Zhang Zhiwei.
As he approached the town gates, he noticed the security guards maintaining order with professional discipline—a marked improvement from the corrupt and lazy bunch he remembered from his previous visit.
"Uncle Master! Uncle Master Gustave!"
A familiar voice called out excitedly. Gustave turned to see Awei rushing toward him, resplendent in a captain's uniform that actually fit properly this time. The man's face beamed with genuine joy as he hurried over.
"Awei?" Gustave said with surprise. "You look... remarkably more respectable than last time."
"Uncle Master, it's really you!" Awei said, practically bouncing with excitement. "You don't know how much I've been hoping you'd return!"
Gustave blinked at the form of address. "Uncle Master?"
Awei grinned proudly. "After you left last year—following that terrible battle where you were injured—Master Lin calculated our karmic connections and discovered we were destined to have a master-disciple relationship. He accepted me as his disciple!"
The hell, Gustave thought with amusement. Lin Jiu actually took Awei as a student? The man must have hidden depths.
Despite being fellow disciples under Lin Jiu, Gustave noted that while Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai simply called him "Master Gustave," Awei had chosen the more respectful "Uncle Master"—acknowledging Gustave's seniority and higher standing. The man was more politically astute than his bumbling exterior suggested.
"Congratulation," Gustave said warmly. "I'm sure Taoist Lin has been an excellent teacher."
"Oh yes, Uncle Master! He's taught me so much about cultivation and the proper way to protect people. And you—" Awei paused to look Gustave up and down admiringly, "—you look even more distinguished than before! Have you come to visit Master and the Old Immortal?"
Gustave smiled at the genuine warmth in Awei's greeting. "Indeed. I thought I'd stop in town first to purchase some appropriate gifts. I imagine Renjia Town's new prosperity means better shopping opportunities?"
"Absolutely!" Awei said eagerly. "Uncle Master, you wouldn't recognize half the shops now. Let me escort you personally—as the security captain, I know all the best merchants, and they'll give you the finest goods at honest prices!"
As they walked through the town gates together, Gustave marveled at how thoroughly the place had been transformed. Where once there had been simple wooden buildings, he now saw sturdy brick structures housing everything from silk merchants to Western-style bakeries. The streets bustled with activity, but it was organized chaos rather than the random confusion of a market day.
"Uncle Master," Awei said proudly as he guided Gustave through the crowded streets, "Master Lin always said you were destined for great things. Seeing you now, I believe he was right!"
Gustave chuckled, adjusting his coat as they made their way deeper into the remarkably transformed Renjia Town. It seemed Zhang Zhiwei and Lin Jiu had built themselves quite the comfortable little kingdom. He looked forward to seeing just how much his old friends had changed along with their adopted home.