After Qing Li left, Jing Lei slowly looked around the hut.
The entire place was built from rough wood, twisted branches, and dried leaves. Everything looked simple and handmade, yet strangely warm. The scent of earth and smoke lingered faintly in the air.
He pushed himself upright and carefully stepped off the wooden bed.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he realized the floor was nothing but packed dirt mixed with sand and small pebbles. There was no proper flooring at all.
His body still ached terribly.
When he glanced down, he noticed strips of cloth wrapped around his arms and shoulders, covering the bruises and wounds scattered across his body.
A few moments later, the girl from earlier returned.
"Sorry, I suddenly ran out before," she said sheepishly as she placed a wooden tray on the table nearby. On it sat a bowl of steaming white soup and a cup filled with warm milk. "Baba is on her way here."
She smiled brightly.
"You're probably hungry, so I brought this for you. It's just vegetable soup with goat milk."
Jing Lei stared at her for a moment, still confused.
"Who are you… and where exactly is this place?" he finally asked.
"Ah! I forgot to introduce myself." The girl scratched her head awkwardly. "I'm Qing Li. And this is Lingmu Village… well, I guess it's more accurate to call it the Lingmu Tribe."
"Lingmu…" Jing Lei frowned slightly. "I've never heard of it before."
That alone was strange.
The Jing family was one of the largest merchant families in the Yang Continent. Jing Lei himself had traveled through countless villages and cities since childhood.
Yet he had never once heard the name Lingmu.
Qing Li laughed softly.
"That's normal. We're only a small tribe hidden deep inside the Xu Forest. Most of us rarely ever leave this forest."
Jing Lei fell silent.
Xu Forest.
His heartbeat skipped.
How was that possible?
Just moments ago—at least, what felt like moments ago—he had still been near Four Peak Sect on the Yang Continent.
How could he suddenly appear in Xu Territory?
Could they really have been transported across continents?
Qing Li continued speaking, completely unaware of the storm inside his mind.
"We were really shocked when we found you both lying beneath the Lingmu Tree covered in bruises. At first, I thought you were attacked by wild beasts. This forest has lots of boars and wolves, after all."
Jing Lei immediately caught one word.
"Wait… 'both'?" He looked at her in confusion. "I wasn't alone?"
Qing Li's eyes lit up brightly again.
"Yeah! We found you and your husband unconscious beneath the Lingmu Tree."
Jing Lei froze.
His expression filled with pure confusion.
"Husband?" he repeated blankly. "But… I'm not married."
"Eh?"
Qing Li blinked several times before tilting her head thoughtfully.
"But Baba said the person with you was your…"
Then realization suddenly appeared on her face.
"Ohhh… so you two aren't married yet."
Jing Lei became even more confused.
(What exactly is this girl talking about…?)
Before he could ask further, the curtain covering the doorway was pushed aside.
An elderly woman entered slowly with a wooden cane.
Without hesitation, she smacked Qing Li lightly on the leg with it.
"You should be outside helping your mother instead of bothering guests," the old woman scolded.
"Ow! Baba, that hurts!" Qing Li complained dramatically before quickly escaping the hut.
Despite her age, the old woman still moved with surprising energy.
She slowly sat down beside Jing Lei's bed.
"How are you feeling, young man?" she asked gently. "Does your body still hurt?"
Jing Lei immediately straightened and cupped his fists respectfully.
"Thank you for saving me."
"There's no need for thanks." Baba smiled faintly. "I was quite surprised myself when we found you beneath the Lingmu Tree."
After hesitating briefly, Jing Lei carefully asked,
"Earlier… Qing Li said I arrived here with someone else…"
"Ah, the alpha who was with you?" Baba nodded. "Yes, he's outside speaking with the men in the village right now. I already told him you had awakened."
Just then, the curtain suddenly lifted again.
"Ahhh, finally awake?"
A familiar voice entered the hut.
It was Wu Zhen.
Relief instantly washed over Jing Lei.
"Senior Wu!"
Wu Zhen casually walked inside and crossed his arms.
"I woke up a day earlier than you."
Jing Lei immediately lowered his voice anxiously.
"Senior Wu… are we really in Xu Continent right now?"
Wu Zhen sighed.
"Yeah. I already asked the villagers. Looks like we really are in Xu Territory."
Baba slowly rose to her feet.
"You two should talk," she said kindly. "I'll leave for now and prepare lunch for you later."
After she left the hut, Baba spotted Qing Li outside milking a goat.
The moment Qing Li noticed her grandmother watching, she quickly ran over.
"Baba, how are they?" she asked curiously.
"You already saw them yourself, didn't you?" Baba replied calmly.
Qing Li giggled mischievously.
"Hehe… I heard they actually aren't a couple, so does that mean I can—"
SMACK.
Baba hit her leg again with the cane.
"Ow!"
"No."
Qing Li pouted.
"Even if they aren't together…" Baba narrowed her eyes slightly. "I can still see it."
Qing Li immediately understood what she meant.
"Oh… that power again."
"Besides," Baba murmured while glancing toward the distant lake, "they were found beneath the Lingmu Tree."
"The Tree of Fate."
…
…
Inside the hut, Jing Lei sat quietly while processing everything.
"Senior Wu… we need to find the others somehow," he said worriedly. "I'm concerned about everyone after what happened."
Wu Zhen nodded.
"I feel the same way. But right now isn't the best time."
Jing Lei frowned.
"Did something happen?"
Wu Zhen leaned back slightly before answering.
"Lingmu Village isn't exactly peaceful right now. Another tribe has been attacking them repeatedly to obtain the Lingmu Tribe's inheritance power."
"Another tribe?"
"Compared to the Lingmu Tribe…" Wu Zhen glanced outside the hut. "Most of their people are just farmers, hunters, elders, women, and children."
"But the opposing tribe is different. They have many warriors and skilled hunters. Lingmu Village has been at a disadvantage for a long time."
"Then why don't they just leave?" Jing Lei asked immediately. "Xu Forest is enormous. Surely they could relocate somewhere safer—"
"Because of the Lingmu Tree," Wu Zhen interrupted.
"The tree where we were found several days ago."
Jing Lei fell silent.
Wu Zhen continued quietly,
"This tribe believes the Lingmu Tree determines fate and protects their people. More importantly… it's also the source of their inheritance power."
"Inheritance power?"
Wu Zhen shrugged.
"That part, I don't fully understand either. We'll probably need to ask Baba directly."
"She's the elder of this tribe… and apparently the current inheritor of the Lingmu Tree's power."
…
…
By noon, the Lingmu Tribe had prepared a surprisingly large feast to welcome Jing Lei and Wu Zhen.
The tribe itself was small, but the people lived peacefully among their simple wooden huts.
Long wooden tables and chairs had been arranged carefully beneath the trees. The dishes were simple—fresh vegetables, roasted meat, warm soup, milk, and handmade bread—but everything smelled comforting.
"Welcome to the Lingmu Tribe," Baba said warmly. "I hope you can stay here until your injuries fully heal."
Jing Lei immediately cupped his fists respectfully once more.
"Thank you for your kindness and hospitality."
"Please, enjoy the meal."
Soon, the villagers began eating together while chatting happily with one another. The atmosphere felt peaceful and warm.
Then suddenly, Wu Zhen spoke.
"I heard from the others that another tribe is targeting the Lingmu Tribe's inheritance power." His gaze shifted toward Baba. "May we ask why they desire it so much?"
The moment those words were spoken, the entire gathering fell silent.
Even the children stopped talking.
After a long pause, Baba finally answered quietly.
"The inheritance power of the Lingmu Tribe…"
"The power I possess right now…"
She slowly lifted her aged hand.
"…is the power to see fate."
Jing Lei's eyes widened slightly.
Baba smiled faintly.
"I'm already very old. That is why they're likely targeting Qing Li, my granddaughter."
"If I die… this power will pass on to my bloodline."
…
Several days earlier…
"Baba! Baba! There are unconscious people beneath the Lingmu Tree!"
Qing Li ran through the village in panic.
Baba immediately stood despite her age and hurried toward the lake at the center of the village. Several villagers followed beside her, helping support her whenever she stumbled.
At the center of the lake stood the Lingmu Tree.
Its leaves glowed with a bluish-green hue beneath the moonlight, shimmering softly as though touched by spirits. Fireflies drifted peacefully around its branches.
The villagers stopped at the edge of the lake.
There, beneath the massive tree, lay Jing Lei and Wu Zhen unconscious on the ground.
Wu Zhen's arms were wrapped tightly around Jing Lei, as though shielding him from something even while unconscious.
Baba's eyes widened the moment she saw them.
"Their fates are intertwined."