Lin Feng and his companions made their way back to the cave, their pace brisk yet cautious. The evening air was thick with tension from the recent confrontation, yet the forest around them was eerily calm, as if nature itself had no idea the battle that had just transpired. The glow of the setting sun cast long shadows across the underbrush, and the rhythmic chirping of crickets provided a soothing backdrop, a stark contrast to the adrenaline still coursing through their veins.
As they approached their makeshift shelter, the cave loomed ahead, dark and familiar. The flickering light from a fire left behind by Shi Gong earlier cast shadows that danced along the jagged walls, creating a sense of both security and isolation. Lin Feng exhaled slowly, feeling the tension ease from his shoulders, though his mind remained sharp and focused. The day had been taxing, both physically and mentally, and now, he needed to regroup and prepare for what lay ahead.
Inside the cave, Shi Gong got to work roasting the magical beast they had caught earlier, skewering it on a spit over the crackling flames. The aroma of roasting meat filled the air, and Lin Feng's stomach growled in response. Despite the chaos of the day, his body reminded him that even cultivators needed to eat.
Elder Shui, sitting cross-legged on a stone slab, held a flask of medicinal tea to her lips. The tea, infused with calming herbs, was meant to help her recover from the intense battle earlier. She had taken a few hits, but her powerful Rank 5 aura now hummed gently around her, a testament to her natural resilience and disciplined control over her water path aura.
Lin Feng sat nearby, his gaze unfocused as he contemplated the swirling threads of fortune only he could see. His unique ability painted the world in a web of possibilities, each thread connecting to fates unseen by ordinary cultivators. The threads around Elder Shui and Shi Gong were strong and bright, their fortunes tied to his own. Yet the encounter earlier with the girl and her guards still lingered in his mind. He had made enemies, but in doing so, he had taken another step toward understanding his own power and the dangers that came with it.
Shi Gong finished cooking and passed out portions of meat, though the silence among the trio remained unbroken for a while. The crackling of the fire and the rustle of the forest wind filled the gaps in conversation, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
Elder Shui set down her empty flask and looked at Lin Feng, her expression calm but curious. "Young Master," she began, "you've been leading us with a purpose, yet I sense there's more to your plan than you let on. Where do we go from here?"
Lin Feng considered her words carefully. He was never planning to tell them about his ability to see the threads of fortune, a secret that gave him an advantage no one else possessed. His instincts told him to be cautious, even with trusted allies.
"Elder Shui," he replied, his voice steady, "tomorrow we move out. I have a lead, something that could be crucial to our preparations before we leave for the Divine Beast Academy."
Elder Shui's brow furrowed, but she said nothing. Shi Gong, ever loyal, merely nodded, though he wore a perplexed expression. The loyalty they had shown him so far was enough to keep their questions in check, but Lin Feng knew that the more he asked of them, the more they would expect answers.
The night deepened, and one by one, they drifted into a light, uneasy sleep. Lin Feng remained awake the longest, staring into the fire until the embers glowed low. His thoughts churned with visions of golden threads, of the complex web of destiny he was trying to manipulate. And of the one thing he knew to be true: fortune always came at a price.
The following morning broke with a chill, the forest shrouded in a mist that clung to the ground like a restless spirit. Elder Shui emerged from her meditation looking fully recovered, her aura pulsing with renewed strength. She gave Lin Feng a nod, signaling that she was ready for whatever lay ahead.
Lin Feng wasted no time. "Elder Shui," he said, "cloak our presence. We're heading into unfamiliar territory, and I want no one to sense our movement."
With a practiced motion, Elder Shui raised her hands, and a veil of water-like Qi shimmered into existence around them. The cloak of energy was nearly invisible, bending the light and sound around them to keep them hidden. Shi Gong tensed, ready for action, while Lin Feng stepped forward, following an invisible path of threads only he could perceive.
The forest grew denser as they traveled, the sunlight filtering through the leaves in broken patterns that danced on the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and each step brought them deeper into the wilderness. Lin Feng kept his senses sharp, every nerve on edge as he followed the tug of fortune that pulled at his consciousness like a magnetic force.
"What are we looking for, Young Master?" Shi Gong finally asked, his deep voice breaking the eerie silence.
Lin Feng hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he considered how to answer. "An opportunity," he said finally. "Trust me, it's something we can't afford to miss."
They pressed on, the hours slipping away until they finally reached the border of the Yang Family's territory. Here, the forest began to thin, opening up into a wide clearing bathed in an unnatural, ominous light. The air grew heavy, tinged with the metallic scent of blood.
Lin Feng held up a hand, signaling for the group to stop. Ahead, in the clearing, a grim scene unfolded. A man stood among the bodies of fallen cultivators, his robes stained crimson and fluttering in the wind. The Bai Family crest adorned his attire, and his eyes burned with a feverish, almost manic intensity as he swung his sword in wide, reckless arcs.
The man's aura was weak, perhaps Rank 1 peak at best, but something about the scene made Lin Feng's skin crawl. It wasn't the bloodshed or the man's unhinged expression—it was the shimmering threads of fortune that surrounded him. Lin Feng's heart stopped as he took in the sight. Above the man, where there should have been golden fortune, there was something far more extraordinary: rainbow-colored threads that shimmered with a power beyond anything he had ever encountered, this rank 1 was more fortunate than Lin Wei!
Lin Feng felt a shiver run down his spine. The rainbow aura was both beautiful and terrifying, and it seemed to twist and pulse with a life of its own. For the first time in a long while, he felt genuine uncertainty. What kind of power is this?
"This… this is beyond fortune," Lin Feng whispered, his voice unsteady. The sight left him unnerved, his usual calm shaken. The rainbow-colored threads were unlike anything he had ever seen, and they spoke of a destiny that defied even his comprehension.
Elder Shui and Shi Gong remained vigilant, though they exchanged worried glances. "What is it?" Elder Shui asked, her voice low. "What do you see?"
Lin Feng clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay composed. "Elder Shui, Shi Gong," he commanded, "stay alert. Full focus."
Elder Shui frowned. "Against a mere Rank 1?" she asked, clearly puzzled. But she obeyed, her instincts honed by years of service. Shi Gong, ever the warrior, shifted into a defensive stance, muscles coiled and ready.
The man in the clearing turned toward them, as if sensing their presence despite the cloak. His wild eyes fixed on Lin Feng, and for a split second, there was a glint of something else—an intelligence, a force that seemed almost divine. The rainbow threads pulsed as if reacting to Lin Feng's presence.
"Elder Shui!" Lin Feng barked, his voice cutting through the tension. "Activate the Boundary-Breaking Talisman. Now!"
Elder Shui's eyes widened in shock. "But, Young Master—"
"No time for questions!" Lin Feng snapped, his tone brooking no argument. He could feel the danger closing in, an invisible force that made his heart pound. "Do it!"
Elder Shui didn't hesitate further. She pulled out the Boundary-Breaking Talisman, a precious artifact inscribed with runes that shimmered ominously. Shi Gong tensed, bracing himself for whatever would come next. The talisman flared to life, its energy bursting outward in a wave of shimmering light.
In an instant, Lin Feng, Elder Shui, Shi Gong, and the shocked Bai Xuemin, who had been observing from a distance, were enveloped in the talisman's power. The world around them blurred, and they were whisked away, the landscape bending and warping until they landed roughly on a hill nearly 1000 miles away.
The impact left them winded and disoriented. Bai Xuemin stumbled, his face pale with confusion and shock. "What… what just happened?" he gasped, clutching his chest as he struggled to comprehend the situation.
Lin Feng's gaze darkened, the weight of what he had just witnessed pressing heavily on his mind. Whatever that rainbow aura was, it represented something far more dangerous than he had anticipated. He had encountered a force beyond his understanding, and it would not be the last time.
But he wouldn't let fear or doubt stop him. His journey was only beginning, and he would face whatever came his way with the fire and cunning that had brought him this far. Lin Feng stood tall, his resolve unbroken, even as the threads of fate swirled around him.