End of mission

The towering trees of the Qinxu Forest seemed less menacing now, their gnarled branches swaying gently in a soft breeze. The once oppressive atmosphere had lifted slightly as Li and his group pushed toward the forest's edge. With the mission complete and their storage bags brimming with rare herbs, the urgency to escape the forest's dangers was replaced with cautious relief.

Li, however, was far from relaxed. His eyes darted to every shadow, his hand never far from his sword hilt. Each rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sent his heart racing. Every step felt like a test, a gamble against the fate he had seen in his vision.

"Li, would you stop looking over your shoulder?" Mei Ming said, her voice tinged with amusement. She walked beside him, her usually composed demeanour more at ease now. "The last beasts we saw were the shadow beasts , and we're almost out of the forest. You don't need to act like we're being hunted."

"I'm just being careful," Li replied tersely. "We can't afford to let our guard down."

Mei Ming tilted her head, giving him a skeptical look. "There's careful, and then there's… whatever this is. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," he said quickly, though his tight grip on his weapon betrayed his words. He turned his gaze forward, avoiding her probing eyes.

Zhang Wei, walking slightly ahead, slowed his pace to join them. His sharp eyes scanned Li, not missing the tension in his posture. "You've been acting strange, Li," Zhang Wei said, his voice calm but firm. "Ever since you woke up, you've been jumpy, on edge. Are you hiding something?"

Li hesitated, feeling the weight of Zhang Wei's scrutiny. "I'm just tired. The fight with Lu Heng took a lot out of me."

"That fight was days ago," Zhang Wei pressed. "This isn't just exhaustion. You've been watching over us like a hawk, especially Mei Ming and Yu Yan. If there's something we should know …."

"There isn't," Li interrupted, his tone sharper than he intended. "I'm just making sure everyone gets out of here safely. Isn't that what we're supposed to do?"

Zhang Wei frowned but didn't push further. Instead, he exchanged a glance with Mei Ming, who shrugged, her expression unreadable.

Ahead of the group, Lei Chen and Lei Yun chatted quietly, their voices carrying a hint of relief. "I can't believe we all made it through," Lei Yun said, brushing a stray leaf from her shoulder. "All those ferocious beasts we battled, then there's Lu Heng."

"Zhang Wei is a true leader," Lei Chen replied, shooting a grateful look at their leader. "And Li… you were incredible throughout our journey through the forest. I initially underestimated you at the beginning of the mission because of your age and cultivation level, but you proved yourself. And your power…" He trailed off, realizing the attention his words had drawn.

Li glanced at him briefly but said nothing, his jaw tightening. He hated how his actions had drawn attention. He had had no control over the use of his powers yet, but his act of protection was driven by the Sovereign's haunting warnings, he didn't want to explain that to anyone.

"Let's just focus on getting out," Li muttered.

By midday, the forest began to thin, sunlight piercing through the canopy in scattered patches. The oppressive energy of the deeper forest dissipated, replaced with the familiar sights and sounds of the outer regions. The group's pace quickened, their spirits lifting with every step.

"Look!" Yu Yan called out, pointing ahead. "The path is clearer. We're getting close to the outer trails."

The group collectively sighed in relief, the tension in their shoulders easing. Even Li allowed himself a small exhale, though his vigilance didn't waver.

"I can't wait to get back to the sect," Lei Yun said, her tone lighter now. "A proper meal, a real bed—no more sleeping on roots or worrying about being eaten alive."

"Not to mention," Lei Chen added with a grin, "The amount of sect points we'll get. Do you know how rare some of these herbs are? The elders will be impressed."

Mei Ming smiled faintly. "Let's hope they're also forgiving about the few days we spent wandering in circle."

Yu Yan chuckled, the sound musical in the quiet forest. "I'm just glad none of us ended up as beast food. That's accomplishment enough for me."

The group laughed softly, the mood growing lighter as the forest's edge came into view. Li couldn't bring himself to join in fully. His focus remained fixed on their surroundings, his protective instincts overriding any sense of humour.

Although Yu Yan and Xiao Ping were happy with and laughing with the others, they were secretly glad that they had made it out alive and not experienced the fate of their other two comrades, Tian Rong and Mei Lian, who had succumbed to the wickedness of Lu Heng in the forest.

As they reached the more travelled trails, the sound of voices carried through the trees. Another group from their sect appeared ahead, their robes dirtied from the mission but their faces bright with relief.

"Zhang Wei!" called one of the cultivators, a tall boy named Fan Lin. "You made it out too, huh?"

Zhang Wei stepped forward, clasping Fan Lin's forearm in a gesture of camaraderie. "Barely. Qinxu Forest lived up to its reputation. How was the mission, harvested plenty rare herbs?"

Fan Lin groaned dramatically. "Gruelling. But we got enough and are sure to win the mission. Although we lost most of our supplies to a swarm of spirit wasps, and our healer got stung so badly we had to carry him half the way back. What about you?"

"Different types of demon beasts," Lei Yun interjected, her tone making the words sound like an epic tale. "Dozens of them. But we fought them off."

Fan Lin whistled, impressed. "Demon beasts? We also had our fair share, though not like yours obviously. My team and I didn't venture too deep into the forest."

Zhang Wei nodded solemnly. "It was… challenging. But we're all here, with plenty of rare herbs and beast part to show for our troubles, and that's what matters."

Fan Lin's group fell in step with Zhang Wei's, the combined chatter filling the forest as they continued toward the sect entrance. The atmosphere grew even lighter, jokes and stories flowing freely between the groups.

Li remained at the edge of the conversation, his focus split between the path ahead and the Sovereign's words echoing in his mind. The camaraderie was heartening, but he couldn't shake the fear that danger still lurked nearby.

"Li," Mei Ming said softly, breaking him from his thoughts. "You're overthinking again."

"I'm just being cautious," he replied, his voice clipped.

She sighed, her patience wearing thin. "You don't have to carry everything alone, you know."

He didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Mei Ming frowned but didn't push further. She knew better than to press him when he was like this.

By late afternoon, the forest opened up fully, revealing the wide plains that marked the sect's outer boundaries. The sight of familiar landmarks brought a collective cheer from the group.

"We're out!" Lei Chen exclaimed, throwing his arms up in mock celebration. "Home, here we come!"

Even Li felt a small wave of relief. The suffocating energy of the forest was gone, replaced with open skies and the promise of safety. Yet the weight on his shoulders remained.

As they walked the final stretch toward the sect, the conversation shifted to lighter topics such as the quality of the food waiting for them, the potential rewards for their efforts, and the rumours of upcoming sect events.

"What do you think the elders will say?" Yu Yan asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"I don't know but I know that we need to report Lu Heng's turning to the dark arts," Lei Yun said more seriously.

"Yes, and Gao Yen's treachery" Chimed in Mei Ming.

The thought of the comrades they lost during this sect mission dampened the mood of the group slightly

"I just hope they don't assign us to another mission like this anytime soon," Mei Ming said. "I need a break."

This seemed to break the sombre mood as the group laughed, their spirits high once again. Even Li managed a faint smile, though his thoughts remained elsewhere.

As the gates of the sect came into view, Zhang Wei slowed his pace, allowing the others to walk ahead. He fell into step beside Li, his expression serious.

"You're hiding something," Zhang Wei said quietly. "I don't know what it is, but it's weighing on you. Whatever it is, don't let it consume you."

Li glanced at him, his jaw tightening. "I'm fine."

Zhang Wei didn't press further, but his eyes lingered on Li, his concern evident. Li looked away, his mind churning. He couldn't tell them, not yet. The Sovereign's warnings, the visions of betrayal and sacrifice… it was his burden to bear.

As they passed through the gates, greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of the sect, Li vowed silently to protect his friends at all costs. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them.