The youth pondered thus, while in the distant ranks, the elderly man hesitated to speak and dared not approach… Once a respected family member of the cultivators, he was now in dire straits, a fallen phoenix no better than a chicken.
It's hard to say they were entirely innocent; in their past lavish lives, who knows how much compensation they had enjoyed? Due to the influence of the Quanzhen Sect, the folk customs in Shan Country were generally stern, and little tolerance was shown towards such matters.
Besides, they were worried that staying in Jin City would expose them to revenge from impulsive individuals, the disdain of neighbors, the indifference of the government, the abandonment by the cultivation world… Under such circumstances, it might indeed be better to start anew in Anhe, where at least they would not have to live in fear every day.