Morning arrived with birdsong.
Sunlight filtered through layers of ancient branches, painting shifting patches of gold across the forest floor.
Xiao Feng slowly opened his eyes.
The campfire beside him had long since burned into warm ashes.
He stretched before standing.
A night in the mountains had been far quieter than he expected.
Not because the forest lacked danger.
Rather, every creature here seemed to understand an unspoken rule.
During the night, hunting belonged to predators.
Everyone else learned to stay quiet.
He dusted off his robes and looked toward the endless sea of trees.
Compared to Wu Tan City…
This place felt alive.
His spiritual sense quietly expanded.
Within a few hundred meters, countless lives revealed themselves.
A family of magical rabbits hiding beneath tangled roots.
Several birds fighting over berries.
A lone First-Rank magical beast sleeping inside a cave.
Farther away…
Human voices.
Xiao Feng immediately withdrew his perception.
Habit.
He disliked peeking into other people’s affairs unless necessary.
Following the old map, he continued deeper into the forest.
The road gradually disappeared.
Eventually there wasn’t even a trail.
Only towering trees and uneven ground remained.
Fortunately, the Spirit Step Technique proved surprisingly useful.
Instead of forcing his way through thick vegetation, Xiao Feng seemed to flow between branches and rocks with effortless movements.
Leaves barely rustled as he passed.
Even small animals rarely noticed him.
He couldn’t help smiling.
“This technique was practically made for forests.”
An hour later…
A faint medicinal fragrance drifted through the air.
Xiao Feng stopped.
His eyes scanned the surrounding terrain.
Growing beside a fallen tree was a small cluster of pale blue flowers.
Spirit Dew Grass.
Not particularly valuable.
Still useful.
He carefully dug out the entire plant instead of tearing it apart.
Herbs survived longer when treated with respect.
Besides…
Someone else might one day benefit from the seeds left behind.
The deeper he entered the forest…
The more traces of human activity appeared.
Broken branches.
Old footprints.
Knife marks on trees.
Ashes from abandoned camps.
This wasn’t untouched wilderness.
Countless mercenaries, herb gatherers and adventurers passed through these woods every day.
Some returned.
Others…
Did not.
Around noon, Xiao Feng heard steel clashing.
Voices shouted in panic.
He quietly climbed onto a nearby branch.
Looking through the trees, he found a group of five mercenaries.
Their equipment was worn.
Their movements experienced.
Unfortunately…
So was the beast surrounding them.
An Iron-Claw Bear.
A sturdy Second-Rank magical beast.
Its thick hide turned ordinary blades aside with little effort.
One mercenary already lay injured.
Another struggled to keep the beast’s attention.
The remaining three desperately searched for an opening.
Xiao Feng remained still.
He had no obligation to interfere.
This was the life adventurers chose.
Every expedition carried risks.
Still…
He continued watching.
Not with indifference.
With curiosity.
How experienced mercenaries fought was something books could never teach.
The bear suddenly charged.
Instead of retreating, the shield-bearing mercenary stepped forward.
He redirected the impact just enough for another companion to slash at the beast’s exposed shoulder.
The wound was shallow.
But enough.
The bear roared before retreating into the forest.
Silence followed.
One mercenary laughed weakly.
“We’re alive…”
The others collapsed onto the ground, equally exhausted.
Xiao Feng quietly left.
They had survived. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
There was no reason to reveal himself.
By late afternoon, the forest changed once again.
The trees became less dense.
A gentle breeze carried moisture.
Nearby…
Water.
Following the sound, Xiao Feng soon reached a beautiful stream winding between smooth stones.
Crystal-clear water reflected the blue sky above.
He knelt and washed his hands.
The cool water felt refreshing after an entire day’s journey.
“This is a good place.”
He decided to rest briefly before continuing.
As Xiao Feng sat beside the stream…
He noticed something drifting along the current.
A small woven basket.
Inside…
Fresh medicinal herbs.
His expression became thoughtful.
The herbs had been gathered only recently.
Someone was nearby.
Not a mercenary.
Not an adventurer.
The plants had been harvested too carefully.
Almost lovingly.
Xiao Feng picked up the basket.
A faint smile crossed his face.
“I suppose…”
“I’ve wandered into someone else’s workplace.”
He placed the basket safely on a nearby rock instead of carrying it away.
If its owner returned searching for it…
They would find it easily.
Without another thought, Xiao Feng continued deeper into the forest.
Completely unaware…
That the basket belonged to the very person fate intended him to meet.
Real life became a bit busy recently, and I wasn’t able to post as quickly as I wanted.
Thank you to everyone who waited patiently for the next chapter.
We’re officially entering Volume 2 now, and the story is about to leave the Xiao Clan and enter the wider world.
New characters, new locations, more diary reactions, and the first major butterfly effects are finally beginning.
Thank you for reading, commenting, voting, and supporting the novel so far.
Seeing people enjoy the story motivates me to keep writing.
I hope you enjoy the start of Volume 2.
Now, let’s continue Xiao Feng’s journey.
— Author