With each passing minute, the forest grew quieter, it become too quiet and with that silence, the strangeness of the Great Forest seemed to deepen, pressing in on them from all sides.
Ling Ye could feel it clearly, with his heart raced, unease turning into something closer to fear. Every instinct told him to leave, to escape this place as quickly as possible.
Though both of them increased their pace, they couldn't maintain it for long. Or rather, Bai Da couldn't and compared to Ling Ye, his stamina is clearly lacking.
After a while, they were forced to stop and Bai Da leaned against a tree, breathing heavily. Sweat covered his forehead and soaked into his clothes as he lifted his water pouch and took a long gulp.
"Haa… haa…" he exhaled, trying to catch his breath. "Village Head Ye… do you really think the forest has become strange?"
He wiped his forehead, still panting. "Maybe… you're overreacting?"
Ling Ye didn't even look at him and simply shook his head. "Trust me," he said quietly. "I'm not overreacting."
"Haa…" Bai Da sighed, but didn't argue further. Instead, he chose to trust Ling Ye, remembering how he had handled difficult situations before.
"Alright… fine." Nodding to himself, Bai Da took one last sip of water before sealing the pouch and fastening it back to his belt. Then he pushed himself off the tree and started walking again and a moment later, Ling Ye followed.
"Pff." Ling Ye let out a quiet snort, amused by his own wishful thinking."As if… It's better to expect the worst than hope for the best."
Shaking off the thought, he forced his mind back to reality. His focus shifted to his aching legs, each step sending a dull pain through his body. Gritting his teeth, he endured it, continuing forward despite the exhaustion.
Another half hour passed and in all that time, they hadn't seen a single animal, not even one and while Bai Da gradually relaxed, Ling Ye felt the opposite. The silence only deepened his fear, but he swallowed it, refusing to speak about it again.
It didn't matter anymore and all that mattered is getting out and eventually, Bai Da's poor stamina caught up with him again, and they stopped beside a nearby tree. Leaning against it, Bai Da pulled out his water pouch and took a drink.
Seeing that they would rest for a few minutes, Ling Ye did the same. He leaned against the tree beside Bai Da and took out his own water pouch, drinking slowly.
They rested in silence and after the five minutes passed quietly, there is still nothing with no sounds or any movements, with that silence weighed heavily on Ling Ye, but all he could do was sigh and endure it.
After a while, Ling Ye pushed himself off the tree and stood up. He looked at Bai Da, who gave a quiet nod before standing as well. Without another word, they resumed their journey.
The path out of the Great Forest remained quiet. They stopped occasionally to rest, ate small portions of their rations, and drank water to keep themselves going and because no animals appeared their journey, for once, was easy, somehow too easy.
With their journey turning unexpectedly calm and free of danger, their pace quickened.
Now, as they rested for what Ling Ye believed would be the final time, he calculated that only half an hour remained before they would finally leave this dreadful forest behind.
For the first time in a while, Ling Ye allowed himself to relax. Lifting his head, Ling Ye looked up through the countless layers of branches and leaves. Between them, he could just barely make out the sun, its light faint but steady.
It had already risen high with the wind was weak and quiet, and the sky above was clear, almost entirely free of clouds and for a brief moment, Ling Ye simply stood there, gazing upward.
He forgot about the dangers of the forest and forgot about everything. Even Bai Da's confused stare didn't disturb him and looking at the sky somewhat calmed him, but the peace didn't last.
A light tap on his shoulder brought him back and reality returned. Ling Ye lowered his gaze and nodded, understanding and he pushed himself up and prepared to move again.
This would be their final stretch and yet this time, before leaving, Ling Ye paused. He turned his head and gave the tree behind him one last look.
Then, he walked on and though their bodies were exhausted, aching for rest, both Ling Ye and Bai Da continued forward without stopping. Step by step, Ling Ye became closer and then they saw it. Light, they saw real light and not filtered through branches, but open and clear. Growing brighter with every step they took, until finally, they stepped out.
Before them now layed the open grass field they had crossed the day before, its green stretching endlessly under the sky and they had made it out.
It had only been a single day and yet it felt like far more, as too much had happend and now standing at the edge of the forest, seeing the open world once again, Ling Ye felt a deep sense of relief wash over him.
A faint smile appeared on his face and Ling Ye stopped for a moment.
Beside him, Bai Da broke into a wide grin, even letting out a loud chuckle before suddenly running forward, his exhausted body moving as if all its fatigue had been forgotten.
"Sigh…" Ling Ye let out a quiet breath, watching him.
There was something almost childish about it, Bai Da running ahead like someone who had finally returned home after a long, terrible journey, just steps away from his door. It looked foolish, but Ling Ye couldn't help but feel amused.
He said nothing, with no mockery or comment be heard from him, only silence and then he continued walking. Step by step, he moved forward, leaving the forest behind him and with each step, the weight that had pressed on his heart began to fade.
The unease and the fear, the suffocating tension. All of it slowly slipped away and when he finally stepped out, when the forest no longer surrounded him, with the world opened up.
It is bright and clear, somehow he feelt the World seemed alive, with warmth spread through his chest, replacing the cold that had lingered for so long. The sky stretched endlessly above him, a deep, unbroken blue.
For a moment, Ling Ye simply stood there and began peacefully Breathing.
The journey had brought him nothing but disappointment, fear, and doubt. There had been moments, more than he cared to admit, where he had wanted to run without looking back.
Moments where everything had felt meaningless and the hopeless devouring him, but now standing beneath the open sky, Ling Ye felt something return. Hope, he feeled a slight glimmer of hope.
Ling Ye's restless heart finally began to calm, and for the first time since entering the forest, his thoughts and emotions were no longer at war with each other, they were clear.
Standing there, Ling Ye allowed himself a small smile. For the first time in a long while, his eyes, once clouded and uncertain, were clear, focused and free.
Slowly, he raised his hand toward the sky.
Ling Ye's fingers stretched upward, as if trying to grasp something just out of reach and for a brief moment, his palm covered the vast blue above him, blocking it from his view.
He lowered his hand, his gaze shifted forward, to the world before him, "Even if fate has mocked me with giving me the Fate Guiding Compass or even if the heavens rejected me, not giving me a spiritual root, even if my clan has already forgotten me…"
His voice is calm, but unwavering. "I will not give up."
There is no hesitation in his words or doubts. The heavens had rejected him and fate had toyed with him, with neither had given him a path to walk.
So, his eyes sharpened, a quiet fire burning within them, "I will create my own path."