"How long will this expedition take? You usually need 2 days for one mountain. Are we going for 4 days?" said Jing Liu, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he watched Arthur busily checking a large backpack full of supplies.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, a small smile spreading across his face. "No! We're going on a 5-day adventure—maybe even 6 days!" His voice brimmed with confidence as his fingers tapped the surface of an old compass in his hand, its needle trembling before finally settling on east.
Jing Liu jumped excitedly, but suddenly his face scrunched up. "What?! Won't Uncle Jack worry if we're gone too long? We're still 6 years old, you know!"
Arthur let out a short laugh and shook his head. "I already convinced him that this will help me reach level 10! I even showed him that thing."
"Ohhh! So that's how!" Jing Liu smacked his forehead, his expression shifting to awe. "No wonder Uncle Jack agreed right away! That thing is perfect for escaping or ambushing!"
The thing they were talking about was a pair of spirit boots crafted by a Master Dwarf, capable of short-range teleportation—only 1-9 meters, depending on Arthur's current spirit power. Of course, Arthur had lied. He claimed he found them on a mountainside, but in reality... they were a spirit tool made by a "master dwarf." But after seeing its usefulness, Uncle Jack had allowed Arthur to venture out longer—on the condition that he didn't exceed the agreed-upon timeframe.
"So, which mountain are we exploring first? South or east?" asked Jing Liu, his fingers tapping the hilt of the small knife at his waist.
Arthur gazed at the horizon, the morning sun casting light on his face. "East first. Then we'll cut south and head back in 5-6 days... or Uncle Jack will send a search party."
"Got it! Let's go!" Jing Liu bounced around like a wolf pup catching the scent of prey. "I wonder what's waiting for us there!"
Arthur sighed, but his eyes gleamed. "Don't expect too much. Out of the five mountains I've explored, none had serious dangers. Except... those tiny poisonous bugs. So annoying."
"Ah, don't worry!" Jing Liu let out a short whistle, and instantly, a small silver-furred wolf appeared—Lumy. "She can repel them now, even without battle mode!"
It was true. Ever since accidentally unlocking that ability, Lumy could emit a faint intimidating aura, enough to drive away pesky little creatures without a fight. Even other animals—deer, birds, squirrels—continued to roam peacefully, unthreatened. They simply avoided Lumy when she approached, as if respecting her territory.
"This place... is so peaceful," Jing Liu whispered, his eyes scanning the sunlit forest around them. "I wish it could stay like this forever."
Arthur stopped, his expression serious. "If this peace lasts too long, they'll forget how to survive. Predators will starve, and their instincts will override fear. In the end, the balance will collapse." His voice was low, as if quoting something. "Great men create peaceful eras. Peaceful eras breed weak men. Weak men bring chaos. And from chaos, great men rise again. It's an inevitable cycle."
Jing Liu fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "You sound like a village elder. But you're right. We can only slow it down, not stop it."
They continued their journey, passing through rocky valleys, misty swamps, steep cliffs, and vast meadows dotted with wildflowers. Jing Liu, despite once being a spirit beast, was mesmerized by the beauty of nature. He even ran with his arms outstretched, laughing like a child, as if trying to fly. "This is so different from the snowy lands I used to live in!"
When they reached the foot of the mountain, Arthur raised his hand. "We'll climb to the summit today. Tomorrow, we'll spend two days mapping this area."
"You've been sketching the whole time. What's your plan?" Jing Liu asked, tilting his head.
"Not for us. But someday, the villagers might need it—for farming or avoiding danger."
What Jing Liu didn't know was that Arthur wasn't drawing manually. In his hand was the Soul Pen, a spirit tool capable of mapping terrain in detail by dispersing spiritual energy. Every stroke captured the land's contours, water sources, and even hazardous areas.
"I'll set up the tent. You gather firewood," Arthur ordered while unpacking gear from his bag.
Jing Liu frowned. "We didn't bring food... Should I go fishing?"
Arthur smirked slyly. "No need." With a dramatic wave of his hand, a fresh fish suddenly appeared in his grasp—as if plucked from thin air.
Jing Liu gasped. "What?! How—?!"
"It's a big secret... but I trust you." Arthur locked eyes with him. "I can access another dimension."
"SERIOUSLY?!" Jing Liu nearly shrieked, jumping in excitement. "Can I try?!"
"Later. Right now, your job is firewood," Arthur insisted, though his eyes twinkled with amusement.
"Fine, fine, I'm going!" Jing Liu dashed off, Lumy bounding happily behind him.
Atop the mountain, Arthur sat at the cliff's edge, watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of orange and purple. This wasn't his first time seeing such a view, but with Jing Liu by his side—everything felt different. More alive. More... meaningful.
TO BE CONTINUED...