Seeing the place Bai Da had described so many times finally appear on the horizon stirred something within both of them.
For Ling Ye, it was relief, but not only that, alongside it came a wave of lingering thoughts, quiet worries that had yet to fully fade. Even now, his mind remained active, turning over everything they had experienced on their journey.
Bai Da, however, is different and his emotions were simple and pure, filled with relief and anticipation.
His eyes shone as he looked ahead, a grin already forming, as if all the exhaustion of the past days had been washed away the moment he saw the village. Though their feelings differed, they also shared something the same, they had made it.
After everything, they had finally reached the place they had been aiming for. The place they had hoped to arrive at and now, it is right in front of them and for a moment, they both stopped walking.
Ling Ye lowered his gaze, looking down at himself.
His dao robe was worn and stained, still marked by their journey despite his earlier efforts to clean it. The fabric, though improved, could not hide the traces of dirt and dried blood completely.
He let out a quiet sigh amnd normally, he would never allow himself to appear in such a state before others, but today, there was no choice and so he accepted it.
Comforting himself, Ling Ye focused on what little dignity he still had left and though his clothes were worn and stained, enough to make him look like a beggar who had crawled out of hell, his face and hair told a different story.
Clean, composed and even somewhat looking maintained, one might say and at least, he hadn't completely lost his appearance and with that thought, Ling Ye reached for his dagger.
He loosened it from his belt, the sheath still firmly bound, and carefully tucked it into the folds of his dao robe, hiding it from sight. After all, that dagger is not something he could casually display.
Even at a glance, it was clear that it held value, far more than an ordinary weapon. To the eyes of mortals, it would fetch an impressive price and in truth, It is worth far more than that, priceless, even.
Without hesitation, Ling Ye hid his sheathed dagger within his robe. Then his gaze shifted to Bai Da.
Compared to his own weapon, Bai Da's sword, though well maintained and clearly cared for, is nothing extraordinary. It was a good Sword, yes, but still just ordinary iron. Not something worth attracting trouble over.
Even so, Bai Da treated it with more care than most would give a lover and Ling Ye chose not to comment, as it isn't his concern and seeing Bai Da glance back at him, Ling Ye simply gave a small nod and began walking toward the village, but after only a few steps, "DAMN!"
Bai Da's sudden outburst shattered the calm and Ling Ye immediately turned back, his expression sharpening. For a brief moment, his mind raced´, had Bai Da noticed something? Is there danger ahead? Had the village… become something else entirely?
"What happened?" Ling Ye asked quickly, already on guard, but Bai Da's next words dispelled all those thoughts at once. "Village Head Ye, I… I think we forgot your dagger back at the stones!"
Silence.
Ling Ye didn't respond. Instead, he calmly raised his hand and pressed lightly against his robe, revealing the faint outline of the hidden dagger beneath the fabric and Bai Da froze.
Then his eyes widened, first in shock, then in relief. A breath he hadn't realized he is holding escaped him and Ling Ye finally spoke, his tone calm and matter of fact. "One should never display their wealth openly."
Hearing Ling Ye's words, Bai Da immediately understood. His gaze dropped to his sword, then to his clothes, clearly searching for a place to hide it. He shifted slightly, trying to find a way, but his robe simply wasn't large enough.
After a moment, he gave up and instead, he tightened his grip on the sword, holding it close to his chest. A wary look appeared in his eyes, as if he feared someone might try to take it from him at any moment.
With that settled, Ling Ye turned and continued walking, with Bai Da followed closely behind and the village is now less than an hour away.
As they moved along the old traveler's path, something new appeared ahead, a fork in the road. One path led directly toward the village, while the other stretched off into the distance in a different direction.
The difference between them is obvious, with the old path toward the village looked newer, better maintained, its surface more even and frequently used. The other path, in contrast, seemed older, less maintained.
Without hesitation, they took the path toward the village, they drew closer, Ling Ye lifted his head and a small, weathered wooden wall came into view, surrounding the settlement. At its entrance stood an old wooden gate, left open, but not unguarded.
Two men stood there- Dressed in simple leather armor, each holding an iron spear, they watched the approaching pair with sharp, unfriendly eyes and by the time Ling Ye and Bai Da reached the gate, the guards stepped forward and blocked their path.
"HALT!" The guard on the right stepped forward, his voice sharp and commanding. His grip on the spear tightened as his eyes narrowed, scanning both Ling Ye and Bai Da with suspicion.
"Who are you? And what do you want here?" The question was direct and sounding almost somewhat aggressive. Yet Ling Ye showed no sign of offense and Instead, he smiled calmly and brought his hands together in a polite fist salute. Beside him, Bai Da quickly followed his example, offering the same respectful gesture.
"Greetings, guards," Ling Ye said in a composed and courteous tone. "My companion and I are travelers, wandering these lands. We came upon your village and hoped to rest here for a few days before continuing our journey."
His words were smooth and neither submissive nor arrogant. He Just gave them enough respect without lowering himself.
Bai Da stood quietly at his side, his earlier wariness still present, but his posture steady as he waited for the guards' response.
"I understand." This time, it is the guard on the left who spoke and unlike his companion, his expression had softened. A polite smile appeared on his face as he slightly lowered his spear, though his posture remained alert.
"However…" he continued, his tone calm but firm, "what exactly happened to you two to end up in such a state?"
His eyes moved over their worn clothes and disheveled appearance before returning to Ling Ye.
"Forgive me," he added, "but I hope you understand. For the safety of the village, I'll need a clear explanation."
Ling Ye nodded immediately, showing no resistance. "Of course," he said, his tone respectful. "That is only natural. I will answer your question."
As he spoke, his expression shifted. The calm composure remained, but now, a trace of fatigue, frustration, and lingering discomfort appeared on his face, as if recalling something unpleasant.
"During our travels," Ling Ye began slowly, "my companion and I decided to explore the Great Forest…"
The moment Ling Ye mentioned the "Great Forest", both guards immediately understood and didn't need further explanation. A single glance at the dried blood staining their robes was enough.
The guard on the left even shook his head slightly, his expression softening, as if he could already imagine the hardship behind Ling Ye's words.
"In the Great Forest," Ling Ye continued, his voice steady but carrying a trace of exhaustion, "we ventured a little too deep. At first, we only encountered a few animals…"
He paused briefly. "But one became two. Two became three and before we realized it, there were too many for the two of us to handle."
His expression tightened, recalling the struggle.
"We had no choice but to grit our teeth and endure. We fought, retreated, and fought again… somehow managing to survive without suffering any fatal injuries." As he finished, Ling Ye let out a quiet sigh, the frustration and lingering tension clear in his voice.
"Covered in blood, we forced ourselves out of the forest and continued walking… until we finally found this village." He shook his head lightly.
"Fortunately, it didn't take us days to reach a place like this." Silence followed and the two guards exchanged a brief glance at each other. and the suspicion in their eyes faded, replaced by understanding and even some sympathy.
Their expressions softened, as if they could feel the weight of what Ling Ye and Bai Da had just endured.