The forest was quiet now, only the soft rustling of branches above him.

  Jin Yu had been riding for hours, but the steady rhythm of his horse’s hooves eventually slowed. The exhaustion in his bones was undeniable, and the weight of the dead girl lingered like an anchor.

  He found a small clearing, a pocket of peace amidst the towering trees. With a quiet grunt, he dismounted, leading the horse a little further into the protective cover of the forest.

  The air was still, and there was a sense of isolation that settled heavily over him. He knew the slavers’ base would be hard to find on his own. But it wasn’t impossible.

  “Not impossible…” he muttered under his breath, trying to shake the growing unease. The night wasn’t an enemy; it was just a veil, darkness had its own way of revealing things, even if it often took time.

  His gaze shifted to the sky. The moon had dipped behind the clouds, leaving only a hint of its pale light filtering through the canopy.

  He hobbled over to his horse, carefully tending to the beast before crouching to the forest floor. A quick sweep of his hand and he found a dry patch of ground. He needed to rest. Even the mental strain of the journey had worn him down more than he liked to admit.

  The flicker of a fire was the last thing he wanted right now, but the cold of the night crept into his bones faster than he’d anticipated.

  “I’ll sleep here tonight,” he muttered as he sat on the cool earth, gathering his thoughts.

  Before long, exhaustion overcame him. He leaned back against a tree, his eyes slipping shut despite the looming sense of danger.

  ---

  The early light of dawn broke through the gaps in the trees, casting muted golden beams across the forest floor.

  Jin Yu stirred, blinking against the bright rays that filtered through his lashes. He groaned slightly as he sat up, the stiffness in his back reminding him how much he’d missed a proper rest.

  “Didn’t even realize how tired I was.” he muttered, rubbing his face.

  His stomach gave a growl of protest, a sharp reminder that in all the chaos of the previous day, he hadn’t eaten. The thought of food made his mouth dry.

  With a resigned sigh, he stood up and stretched. It was time to gather some breakfast.

  Jin Yu focused for a moment, gathering his Qi. He reached out to the elements, allowing his energy to flow around him. From the trees, to the wind, to the faint rustling in the underbrush, he could feel the life around him.

  His spiritual sense fanned out across the forest like a silent net, alert to every rustle and heartbeat.

  And there, beneath the shade of a nearby ridge, he felt a small herd of wild horned boars, nosing through the underbrush.

  “Good.” he muttered, rising.

  They were fast, but not fast enough.

  He raised his hand and shaped his Qi into thin, razor-like threads. With a flick of his wrist, they shimmered across the air like invisible blades.

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  Thwish! Thwish!

  Three of the boars collapsed before they even registered danger. The rest scattered, squealing into the woods.

  Jin Yu walked to the fallen beasts and let out a slow breath, calming the pulse of power that still buzzed in his veins.

  He reached into his spatial ring and retrieved a long vine-rope. With swift motions, he secured the carcasses together, hauling them across his shoulder with ease.

  Back at the clearing, he summoned the orb from his ring. The blue glow pulsed faintly as the miniature mansion shimmered to life, nestled in the open space like a hidden sanctuary.

  He reached out and touched the orb gently. With a breath of Qi, he sent the three boars inside.

  "That should last them a while." he muttered.

  The orb pulsed once in response.

  Inside, the men would find the carcasses clean and fresh, and the mansion kitchen well-equipped to prepare them. The children would wake to the smell of meat roasting, not hunger clawing at their bellies.

  Jin Yu took out a smaller cut he’d kept for himself, lean, meaty, and still warm. He wrapped it in leaves and skewered it on a sharpened stick.

  As he chewed thoughtfully on the roasted meat, Jin Yu gazed at the fire, the heat warming his hands. It had been a rough journey. He wasn’t just fighting against the slavers. No, this time, the battle was with himself.

  The slavers had led him this far. But now, there were no more guides. He was completely alone.

  His thoughts wandered back to the girl. He could’ve saved her. Could’ve stopped the slavers earlier, done something.

  He balled his fist, pushing the thoughts away. He needed to focus on the kids still alive. They were the only thing that mattered now.

  He finished the last bite of the meat, wiping his hands on his pants. There would be no more regrets, no more distractions.

  Jin Yu stood, brushing the dirt from his pants. His Qi surged again, a clear signal of resolve. It was time to continue. He needed to find their base.

  There was no more waiting.

  With the sky gradually lightening to its full glow, Jin Yu mounted his horse again, making one last glance around. The forest had already started to wake up, but the stillness that enveloped him seemed too complete.

  The horse snorted, shaking its mane.

  “Let’s go.” Jin Yu muttered, urging the horse forward.

  The path ahead was uncertain, but his heart had already steeled itself for what was to come.

  ---

  Jin Yu eventually found his way back to the road. The faint grooves and wheel marks embedded in the dirt caught his eye, and he nodded.

  As expected, others had taken this path.

  After all, only a shady person would leave the main city and deliberately take this forested route.

  Following the trail, Jin Yu considered countless scenarios: possible camps, hideouts, ambushes, but above everything else, he was prepared to fight. Whatever it took, as long as his companions remained safe, he’d endure.

  Minutes passed. Then hours.

  He rode on in silence, lost in thought. Occasional ambushes leapt out of the woods, but he handled them all with barely a pause.

  Still, he had to admit… the silence was hard to get used to.

  Since arriving in this world, he’d always had Haozi tagging along. Then Min Li joined, loud and dramatic as ever. Their bickering, jokes, and chaos used to fill the air with life.

  But now—

  He was alone.

  Wait…

  When did I become so attached? It’s barely been a week.

  Jin Yu frowned, caught off guard by the realization.

  Back on Earth, he’d never craved company. Being alone had been his comfort zone, his preference.

  And yet…

  He shook his head firmly.

  I must never grow so soft that I can’t stand my own company. Never.

  Resolved, he pushed the thoughts aside and trudged on.

  Eventually, a thought tugged at him. He reached into his spatial ring and flipped to the pills section.

  The others can use this quiet time to cultivate.

  He summoned the orb and retrieved six vials. Four contained blue pills tailored to the Mortal Realm, the remaining two vials held Red pills, the same type of soul-tempering pill that had made Rainbow sluggish after ingesting one.

  The only pill I actually know the use for. He thought, inspecting them.

  Not like any of this is useful to me.

  His innate ability rejected all external Qi. A curse, but also a blessing.

  Still… curiosity itched at him.

  How would I know it doesn’t work unless I try?

  He tossed one of the blue pills into his mouth.

  It melted like snow on his tongue, releasing the odd taste of dozens of mingled herbs. He swallowed, waited…

  Nothing.

  I knew it. Useless.

  He smirked to himself.

  Best I can do is use these to piss people off, steal their pills and chew them in front of their faces. They’d cough blood from rage. I will definitely earn many Influence Points.

  Good plan.

  He gave himself a nod of approval.

  Then he peered into the Orb to check on the others.

  Inside the dining room, two adults and six children sat stiffly at the long table. The chairs nearly swallowed the kids' tiny frames. Their heads were bowed, hands clenched on their laps.

  They looked obedient, but clearly terrified. One was even crying softly.

  Min Li awkwardly tried to console them, offering clumsy pats and forced smiles that didn’t help at all. Haozi sat nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

  Jin Yu sent his voice into the mansion, his tone flat.

  “What did you tell them?”

  Everyone inside flinched, startled by the sudden voice. The already rattled children looked around in full-blown panic.

  Min Li answered without shame.

  “Master, I only told them we saved them from their kidnappers and that there’s nothing to fear since the beasts have eaten the slavers.

  Then I told them we’re going to save the rest and send them back home. But these little twerps still won’t believe me and keep crying. I think it’s better to drug them than let them cry like this, so annoying.”

  Jin Yu: “…”

  “You actually said that?”

  “Yes.” Min Li answered with a straight face.