Nightfall descended like a heavy curtain, choking out the last traces of light. The forest seemed eager to engulf them in its darkness, and the shadows, now denser, moved as if they had a life of their own. The group was gathered by the lake, their confusion palpable, but time was not on their side.
They had returned to the same spot where they had camped the night before. No one understood how or why, but the night offered no respite to seek answers. The only certainty was that the darkness brought danger.
Xia Ruyen stood firm in the center of the group, her amber gaze scanning every face. There was tension, fatigue, and something that was beginning to resemble fear.
—We have no choice— she said in a cold voice —We will stay here tonight.
She pointed to the clearing by the lake.
—Defensive formation. I want everyone surrounding the spirit beast; the contractors are the priority. No one lets their guard down.
Without a word, the men moved quickly. They formed a circle around the mountain-shell turtle, which this time did not burrow into the ground but remained upright, as if it, too, felt the threat in the air. Its colossal body was a natural bastion, but even with that protection, the sense of danger was inescapable.
Bai Xuebing took his position, his spear resting on his shoulder. His icy blue gaze kept scrutinizing the shadows, watching the trees that seemed to lean toward them as if stalking.
—Why here again...?— murmured one of the guards, gripping his sword hilt with trembling hands.
—Shut up— snapped another, his harsh tone barely masking the tremor in his voice —We don't need more nervousness.
Liang Cheng, standing at the edge of the group, crossed his arms with a forced smile.
—Well, at least we know last night's formation worked. If we activate it again, we'll be fine.
Xia glared at him.
—Do you have enough energy left in that artifact for another night?
Liang Cheng looked at his artifact, and his smile crumbled.
—...No.
—Then keep your unnecessary comments to yourself.
Silence fell like a shroud, broken only by the sound of the wind whispering through the branches. Yet the forest was too quiet. There were no bird songs, no insect hums, not even the echo of some distant creature. Only the sound of the wind and the crunch of leaves.
The formation held steady. No one moved, no one spoke. As the hours passed, the tension mounted like a weight on their shoulders. It was as if the forest itself was watching them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
When the first rays of dawn began to filter through the trees, the atmosphere lightened slightly. Yet no one fully relaxed.
Xia Ruyen remained still, arms crossed and her gaze fixed on the surroundings. The morning calm was deceitful, and she wasn't going to let it catch her off guard.
—Maintain the formation. We still don't know if we're alone.
The men nodded, tense but obedient.
—Han Brothers and Lin Feng. You have star fragments with stealth and speed abilities, right?
—Yes, leader.
—Good. Scout the area, same as last night. Three different directions. If you find anything strange, return immediately. You have three hours. If you don't return, we'll assume the worst.
—Understood!
The three were about to depart when Liang Cheng stepped in, his tone laden with skepticism.
—Are you sure about this decision, Xia Ruyen? Are you going to weaken our defense by sending three men away from the group? What if they don't come back?
Xia shot him a glare as sharp as a blade.
—What worries you, Liang Cheng?— she said, her voice a blade of ice —No one will touch you while you're with us. And my men are the fastest after me.
—Hmp. That confidence... just how fast are they?
A sly smile appeared on Xia's lips.
—The three possess the Lightning Claw Fragment. They're as fast as a Nebulous Lightning Tiger.
Liang Cheng swallowed hard at that. He was well aware of the monstrous speed of that spirit beast and the exorbitant value of an A-rank fragment. But the most surprising thing was that three men in the team possessed it.
Before he could say another word, the three men crouched, adopting a quadrupedal stance. Their bodies began to emit electric sparks, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished in a flash of light. They leaped from tree to tree with a speed that seemed impossible for human eyes.
The group watched in silence until the lights disappeared into the forest's depths. Xia Ruyen kept her gaze fixed on the point where they had vanished.
—I trust they'll return. And if they don't... we'll know.
The wind blew, cold and cutting, as if the forest itself was listening.
Not even an hour had passed when the three men returned, panting, their faces a mix of confusion and fear.
—What happened?— Xia asked, her amber eyes alight with concern.
The eldest of the Han brothers caught his breath, his voice broken by exhaustion.
—There's nothing. No sound, no movement, no life. Just trees... and us. But the worst part is...
—What?
—There's no way out. I tried moving straight ahead... but I ended up here again.
The other two nodded quickly.
—It happened to me too. No matter the direction, we always end up back here.
The group stood still, the weight of the words crushing what little calm they had left.
Bai Xuebing, with his spear in hand, observed the trees in silence.
—The forest is a trap— he finally murmured.
And this time, the wind seemed to respond, carrying a chilling whisper that sent shivers through everyone.
—So, what do we do?— Liang Cheng's voice broke the silence, laden with irritation —We can't escape, but we also can't stay like this. We can't hold out indefinitely in this situation.
The pressure in the air seemed to grow with every passing second, as if the forest itself was tightening an invisible noose around the group. Everyone remained tense until Bai Xuebing's calm voice broke the stillness.
—Actually, no...
He had murmured it to himself, but in the absolute silence, everyone heard it. All eyes turned to him, waiting for answers.
—What do you mean, Bai Xuebing?— Xia Ruyen asked, her tone firm but with a hint of interest.
Bai slowly lifted his head, his icy blue eyes meeting hers before scanning the group.
—Mmm... well, it's not that we're safe— he began, speaking calmly —but I also don't think we're in immediate danger. This is a trap, yes, but I don't think whoever set it is still here.
Bai's words only deepened the confusion. Murmurs spread among the mercenaries, and Xia raised a hand to silence them.
—What does that mean? Explain.
Bai Xuebing rested his spear on the ground and crossed his arms, thoughtful.
—Before departing, I spent a month preparing for this journey. I didn't just train, but I studied every route we would take. With Mei Lin's help, I managed to gather detailed information about this particular forest.— He paused briefly, his eyes fixed on the lake as if recalling something distant. —In one of our conversations, I heard something interesting about this route.
A month earlier...
Bai Xuebing sat in a small room, a cup of hot tea in his hands while an old leather map lay on the table before him. His eyes scanned every detail of the layout, memorizing each curve and marker. Beside him, Mei Lin watched him with a faint smile, quietly enjoying her tea as she observed his concentration.
—Green route... Qingyun Forest— Bai murmured, his fingers sliding across the map. —Why doesn't this route appear on other maps?
Mei Lin let out a soft laugh, leaning slightly toward him.
—Hehe, Bai, you seem stressed about this. Don't you want to know why that route no longer appears on the newer maps?
Bai looked up, his expression showing slight curiosity.
—Is there a reason it's no longer listed?
Mei Lin smiled broadly, taking the opportunity to lean closer to him in her seat. She delicately pointed to a specific spot on the map.
—Two hundred years ago, two sects fought in this area. It was a brutal war, and this path was the battlefield. Both sects perished in the end, destroying each other— Her finger traced the forest area. —What's curious is that this route used to be barren and infertile, but the immense concentration of natural energy left by the battle allowed the forest to grow from its remains.
Bai squinted his eyes, intrigued.
—And were there any remnants of it left behind?
—They say that during the war, both sects left trap formations in their territories to protect themselves. Over time, those traps activated and deactivated unpredictably, and travelers stopped using the route. No one wanted to take the risk. That's why, over the years, this path disappeared from the maps.
Bai remained silent, processing the information. Mei Lin, noticing his seriousness, added in a lighter tone:
—If you ever have to go through there, just make sure not to let your guard down. Who knows what that war left behind.
Bai Xuebing finished his story, his cold gaze meeting Xia Ruyen's once again.
—It all makes sense. We walked into a trap formation left by that war. That's why we can't move forward, and why we keep returning to the same spot.
The group fell silent, each person processing the words. Liang Cheng, as expected, was the first to break the moment.
—A trap formation? That could be it, but... how is it still functioning after 200 years?
Bai Xuebing looked down at the ground, where small stones with a faint glow were partially buried in the dirt.
—Natural stones. Many formations use cores made of minerals rich in natural energy. If the forest has grown by absorbing the energy left from that battle, it makes sense for those formations to still be operational.
Xia Ruyen nodded slowly, but her eyes remained filled with uncertainty.
—Then how do we get out of here?
Bai Xuebing stayed silent for a moment, evaluating the situation.
—First, we must identify the core of the formation. If we find it and disable it, we can leave. But...— his eyes hardened, reflecting the gravity of the situation. —That also means we must be prepared. A formation of this level doesn't deactivate without consequences.
The wind blew again, stronger this time, as if the forest had heard his words and responded with a challenge.
—Then we prepare for the worst— Xia Ruyen said finally, with a flash of determination in her voice. —No matter what, we'll find that core and get out of this damned forest.
Xia Ruyen made a quick decision after hearing Bai Xuebing's explanation.
—Half the group will search for the core's location. Once they find it, we'll decide on our next move.
The men nodded, and within minutes, the selected members dispersed into the forest depths, leaving the rest at the campsite to protect the clients.
Xia Ruyen watched them leave before turning her attention to Bai Xuebing, who seemed prepared to move as well.
—Ah, it's a relief to have this information. Bai, you...— She stopped upon noticing him starting to move away from the camp. —Where are you going?
Bai Xuebing barely turned to respond.
—Just taking a look around the area, in case the core is near the camp.
Xia Ruyen observed him with narrowed eyes, though her tone remained light.
—Haha, very well, Bai Xuebing. Just don't go too far. This big sister doesn't like it when you're away from her for too long.
—Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, leader— he replied in a tired voice, waving his hand nonchalantly.
The group watched him leave, his figure slowly disappearing among the trees. From behind, he looked like the same Bai Xuebing as always: calm, distant, focused. But if they had seen his face as he walked away, their suspicions would have been aroused.
Beneath his seemingly tranquil expression, a sly smile began to form on his lips.
"These fools have no idea where they're standing... they're on a gold mine."
His thoughts were as clear as the gleam in his eyes.
"Natural stones everywhere. I'll take as many as I can. After all, the reward will barely cover the trip's expenses. And that sect I'm heading to for information... I've heard their prices are ridiculously high. It doesn't hurt to secure a little extra, does it?"
As he moved further from the camp, his mind was already planning the next steps. He extended a hand, and from his blood, a tool slowly emerged: a crimson pickaxe, its edge dripping with spiritual energy.
"Hehe, what they don't know won't hurt them."
The forest, silent and dark, surrounded him as if watching, but Bai Xuebing remained unfazed. His steps were calculated, and his smile persisted, reflecting the cold, cunning aura of someone always seeking to take advantage of any situation.
The wind blew again, whispering through the branches, but Bai Xuebing barely glanced up. His gaze remained fixed on the ground, searching for the faint glow of the natural stones that hid the secrets of that ancient formation.