Evil MC's NTR Harem

Chapter 1268: Chapter 1268 Stick

The town they had settled in was called Falling Leaf Town. It was a small, unremarkable settlement that existed on the outer edge of a larger cultivation region.

Compared to the towering immortal cities or ancient sect territories, Falling Leaf Town was almost laughably ordinary.

Its streets were made of packed earth and simple stone, its buildings mostly wooden with only a few reinforced structures used by minor cultivators.

The strongest individuals here were only low-level cultivators and people who had barely stepped onto the path of immortality.

For them, breaking through a single realm might take years, even decades. In the grand scheme of this world, they were no different from ants struggling beneath the feet of giants.

For Ross, however, this place was perfect. He had chosen not to immediately seek out the grand immortal cities filled with powerful sects, hidden monsters, and ancient schemes.

Those places would be boring to jump into fast. He wanted to take a slower approach on things. And frankly, he found that kind of environment dull.

Starting from a humble town allowed him to build things slowly, naturally, and without unnecessary interference.

It also gave him the rare opportunity to observe this cultivation world from its lowest layer upward, step by step, as if climbing a mountain from its base rather than appearing suddenly at its peak.

This was his first true experience in a xianxia world. And he intended to enjoy every part of it. Until he eventually reached the summit of all existence.

Once the group had fully settled into their assigned residences, the first major issue immediately became obvious.

Communication.

The language barrier between Ross’s group from Earth and the inhabitants of this world was absolute.

The words spoken by the townspeople sounded completely alien to them, and likewise, the Earth group’s speech was equally incomprehensible to the locals.

At first, confusion dominated every interaction. Simple greetings turned into awkward silence. Requests turned into gestures. Misunderstandings were frequent.

Even basic transactions required Servant Lin or other intermediaries to translate. Ross himself, however, experienced none of these difficulties.

He quickly grasped the structure of the language simply by listening. Within a short period of time, he could already understand and respond without hesitation.

The same could not be said for the rest of his group. His family, followers, and Earth-born companions struggled daily with frustration and embarrassment.

Many of them felt isolated in conversations, unable to express even simple thoughts. Recognizing this, Ross issued an order.

Servant Lin would take responsibility for teaching everyone the language of this world. Naturally, Servant Lin did not refuse.

He immediately organized a structured learning process, beginning with the most basic vocabulary and pronunciation.

He also used various communication tools and jade slips, translation talismans, and simple spirit-infused recording devices to assist in the process.

Such artifacts were not uncommon in this world. In fact, cultivators often relied on them when dealing with foreign regions or ancient ruins.

Daoist Plague Swarm himself had once used similar methods for communication when dealing with outsiders from Earth at first. However, Ross did not want his people to rely on temporary solutions.

External tools could fail. Artifacts could break. Techniques could be disrupted. But knowledge learned directly would remain forever. So the training continued.

One day passed. Then another. Then an entire week unfolded within the quiet rhythm of Falling Leaf Town. Each morning, lessons were held in open courtyards.

Words were repeated, meanings explained, pronunciation corrected. In the afternoons, practice sessions were conducted where people attempted simple conversations.

At night, some continued studying while others reviewed what they had learned during the day. At first, progress was slow. Some struggled with pronunciation. Others mixed up basic sentence structures.

A few grew frustrated and nearly gave up. But gradually, improvement began to show. Words that once sounded alien became familiar. Simple conversations began to flow.

Confusion slowly gave way to understanding. Throughout all of this, Ross remained largely uninvolved. He observed occasionally, but did not interfere. There was no urgency in his actions.

Time, for him, had already lost its weight. As a true immortal, he could afford to wait endlessly. Days, weeks, or even years meant little compared to the endless lifespan he possessed.

Patience was not something he practiced… it was simply part of his existence.

While others struggled to adapt to this new world, Ross stood apart, calm and composed, watching everything unfold like a slow-moving river. And deep within him, anticipation quietly grew.

***

Time passed quickly, flowing like a river. Soon, a full month had gone by.

During that time, Ross’s people had finally begun to adapt to this new world.

They could now understand and use simple words like “hi,” “hello,” “good morning,” and “stop,” along with other basic phrases needed for daily life.

It was slow progress, but at least they were no longer completely lost in communication. Ross had even started to think that this peaceful period might last longer than expected.

Perhaps life in Falling Leaf Town would remain quiet for a while, giving them time to settle in properly without any disturbances. But reality rarely followed such expectations.

Trouble always arrived at the most unexpected moments. It began with a faint sound in the distance. The rumbling of horse hooves. At first, it was low and distant, almost like rolling thunder.

But within moments, it grew louder and heavier, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The birds in the nearby trees suddenly scattered into the sky.

Villagers who had been going about their daily lives paused and turned toward the source of the noise. And then they saw them. A formation of riders emerging from the horizon.

One hundred warriors on horseback.

They moved in tight formation, disciplined and precise, their horses kicking up clouds of dust as they advanced toward Falling Leaf Town.

Each of them was armed with swords, their blades resting at their sides or held firmly in hand. Their armor gleamed under the light, cold and intimidating.

Their expressions were stern and serious, filled with killing intent that could be felt even from a distance. They looked like trouble.

The kind of trouble that never arrived without a purpose and never left without consequences.