8 Hours Later
Xiao got up and prepared by completing his daily challenge. He only had to do the push-ups, squats, and sit-ups since he had already completed the run while escaping from the boar.
Afterward, he gathered food and made preparations to leave. Now that he was aware of hidden dangers, he relied on his other senses to detect threats and trusted his instincts as much as possible.
After a few days of travel and surviving a couple of hidden dangers, Xiao came across a trail that led out of the forest.
He examined the trail and noticed cracks running through it, stopping abruptly, as if someone had attempted to build through the forest but failed.
At the spot where the trail ended, Xiao found a stone tablet marked with red letters:
"Turn Back or Certain Death Awaits Those Who Dare Go Further."
Xiao stared at the letters, puzzled. "How am I able to understand this?" Then, a realization hit him. "Oh, it's because I inherited Chen Xiao's memories." He wondered, "Does this mean I can speak the language too?" But he knew he wouldn't know for sure until he spoke to someone in person.
Xiao turned away from the warning and continued down the trail, hoping to find whoever had been traveling ahead.
Suddenly, a deep voice broke the silence.
"Who goes there?"
The voice, slightly angered, seemed to come from a figure that had been forced to stop.
Xiao looked up and saw an old man with a fully white beard, resembling a traditional grandfather figure.
"Xiao," Xiao said, then started eyeing the old man with a mixture of suspicion and hope, as if questioning whether this was the right decision.
"All right, Xiao. State your business and tell me why you're in the Veil of Thorn Forest."
Xiao decided to be honest. "I'm lost, and I don't know where to go to find the nearest village."
Just then, a voice from within the carriage called out, young and feminine. "Let him in. I want to speak to him."
"But Lady Meilin," the old man, Grandpa Yong, protested, "we need to find the old master."
"Grandpa Yong, that can wait. We'll help this young cultivator first," Meilin responded with a virtuous tone.
"If you say so, Lady Meilin, but if we're late, you're taking responsibility," Yong grumbled.
"I'm fine with that."
Xiao, still listening, was relieved to find that he could actually understand their conversation and that he'd be able to speak to them.
"Come here, boy," Yong said as he opened the carriage door, allowing Xiao to step inside.
Xiao entered and saw a beautiful young woman with a veil covering her face. Before he could entertain any thoughts, a voice from outside the carriage interrupted.
"If you touch the Lady in any way, you'll be dead before you know it."
"I wasn't going to," Xiao replied quickly.
"Calm down, Yong," Meilin interjected. She then turned to Xiao. "Now, what is your reason for being here?"
Xiao, looking thoughtful, replied, "I'll tell you, but I want to know yours first."
Meilin gave a quick answer, "We're here to visit my master, who lives deep within the forest. Now, tell us your reason, and we'll see if we can help."
"Oh, I'm here for training, sent by my father," Xiao lied effortlessly, showing no emotion.
"As a mortal?" Meilin asked, already having assessed his qi with a curious look.
"Yeah, my old man's a bit strange," Xiao said casually.
"To each their own, I suppose," Meilin replied, as if she had seen much stranger things in her life.
Xiao scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward. "Uh, can you help me find the nearest village?" he asked, shyly, as though it was his first time talking to a woman.
"Sure," Meilin replied. "But the village I'll guide you to is a bit... strange, to say the least."
"That's no problem. Just tell me where to go, and I'll be on my way."
"Follow this trail and take the eastern path up ahead. You'll find yourself at Lost Soul Village. Just don't stay too long—people tend to disappear there," Meilin said, her expression turning mischievous.
"Oh, and take this medallion of the Yang family," Meilin added, handing him a medallion with an engraving of a young soldier holding a spear.
"Oh, okay," Xiao said, accepting the medallion. He thanked Meilin and prepared to leave the carriage.
As he stepped outside, a voice called from behind him.
"Boy," Grandpa Yong said, "I don't know why she gave you that medallion, but treat it with care." He handed Xiao a sword, glancing at the makeshift spear Xiao was carrying. "This sword will serve you better than what you have now."
"Thank you, Yong. I'll repay your kindness tenfold for everything you've done," Xiao promised, taking the sword and walking away.
A Few Hours Later
As Xiao neared Lost Soul Village, back in the carriage, Grandpa Yong asked Meilin, "Why did you give him the only medallion of the Yang family? There were other ways to bring him to us."
"Because my instincts told me to," Meilin replied, still a bit confused by her own decision, but trusting her instincts as always. The Yang family, known for its military strength, had survived and prospered thanks to these very instincts.
"I hope you don't regret it. That boy seemed like a mortal hiding many secrets."
"Even if I do regret it, I won't feel too bad," Meilin said. "I saw something in his eyes—a hunger for power. If he can unlock the true power of that medallion, he might be able to help the Yang family during the upcoming Hundred Year Festival."
"That's a big hope, considering the past patriarchs couldn't unlock its secrets."
"My instincts have never been wrong before, and I don't think they'll be wrong this time either," Meilin said quietly, as the carriage continued deeper into the forest.
Whether or not she questions the decision now, Meilin would later realize that offering him the medallion was the best choice she ever made.