Xian Tiandi walked the northern trail with steady, unhurried steps. The path wound through dense pine forest, climbing gradually into the outer mountain range. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in scattered beams, painting the forest floor in patches of light and shadow.
The sect's protective formations had long since faded behind him. Out here, the spiritual energy was thinner but wilder, flowing in unpredictable currents through the natural terrain. It carried the untamed essence of the wilderness, unrefined by human hands.
He breathed it in and let his mind settle into the rhythm of the walk.
Two hours passed. The forest began to change. The trees grew sparser. Rocky outcroppings appeared more frequently. The path became steeper, cutting between stone cliffs and narrow ravines.
