Phoebe picked up the smaller pendant and hung it around her neck.
The silver chain complemented her pale collarbones, and the pendant glowed softly under the gentle light.
She then handed the larger pendant back to Bai Xuan, who took it and carefully stored it in his Space Ring.
“Is this your mother's?” Bai Xuan asked softly.
Phoebe shook her head slightly, then nodded. She pointed to herself, then to the altar.
This pendant had been left for her by her mother, hidden within the altar all this time, waiting for her to retrieve it.
“Have you always lived here alone?” Bai Xuan asked again.
Phoebe nodded, then pointed to the vegetable patch, making a watering gesture, before pointing to the stream and mimicking drawing water.
She had always lived here in solitude, growing her own vegetables, drawing her own water, and cooking her own meals, enduring countless days and nights.
“Is it because you haven't spoken to anyone in so long that you forgot how?” Bai Xuan's voice softened.
Phoebe looked at him, her lips trembling slightly. This time, she finally made a sound.
It sounded like the rustling of wind through leaves—halting and rusty, like a long-neglected tool being put to use once more.
“...Can't... speak.”
Bai Xuan froze for a moment before realizing what she meant.
She had simply gone without human contact for too long, and her speaking skills had grown incredibly rusty.
During her time with him, she had been quietly listening and learning, and now she could finally squeeze out a few words.
“Take your time,” Bai Xuan comforted her gently, slowing his speech.
“No rush. We have plenty of time ahead of us.”
Phoebe nodded softly and fell silent again, turning to look toward the distant wilderness shrouded in thick fog and dense forest.
The ceiling was incredibly high and the light was so gentle that if Bai Xuan did not know they were deep underground, he would have thought they were on the surface.
Phoebe stood beside him, the small pendant around her neck swaying gently.
“Is there anything else left to do here?” Bai Xuan asked softly.
Phoebe raised her hand and pointed toward the distant thick fog.
Bai Xuan followed her finger. Under the soft light of the ceiling, the fog shimmered with a faint, grayish-white hue.
The dense forest canopy layered over itself, dark and deep within, concealing everything from sight.
“What is over there?” He turned to Phoebe and asked softly.
Phoebe withdrew her hand, her fingertips gently caressing the pendant on her chest.
She raised her finger toward the fog again, her voice quiet but steady.
“Ke... y.” She paused, then added, “Door.”
Bai Xuan's heart stirred. Whatever Phoebe was looking for was over there, and it was undoubtedly closely linked to the Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant in his possession.
As for the exact purpose of the pendant, he had a vague suspicion.
Perhaps this was where the empire's treasury was sealed.
If that was true, just how many coveted resources would be hidden inside that treasury?
Visions of rare treasures filling the treasury flashed through his mind. Bai Xuan hesitated no longer and nodded gently.
“Then let's go.”
Phoebe glanced at him, her lips parting as if to say something, but she ultimately just gave a soft, quiet grunt of agreement.
Bai Xuan quickly checked his gear and filled his waterskin while Phoebe stood quietly by, watching him work.
“Let's go,” Bai Xuan said once he was ready, nodding to Phoebe.
She hoisted her double-bitted battleaxe onto her shoulder, her silver ponytail draping down her back as the small pendant around her neck swayed gently.
The two of them set off toward the dense forest shrouded in thick fog.
As they reached the edge of the vegetable patch, Bai Xuan noticed a faint mark on the ground, resembling a boundary line drawn by something.
He had noticed it earlier but hadn't paid it much mind at the time.
The next second, he bumped into a wall.
It wasn't a real wall, but an invisible, immovable barrier.
He raised his hand to press against it. His fingertips met a slightly cool resistance, but the barrier remained completely still, without even a ripple.
Bai Xuan froze. Behind him, Phoebe blinked softly as she watched his slightly embarrassed expression.
Bai Xuan turned to look at her, his tone laced with uncertainty.
“Is this... a barrier?”
Phoebe nodded gently. She lowered the axe from her shoulder, pulled a simple stone crest from her tunic, and held it out to Bai Xuan.
The crest felt cool to the touch, its edges worn smooth and round, with the crest of the Glay Royalty carved on its face.
Phoebe pointed to the crest, then to the invisible barrier, gesturing for Bai Xuan to walk through it.
Bai Xuan took the crest, hung it around his neck, and walked toward the barrier once more.
This time, his body passed through without any resistance, as if walking through a thin layer of morning mist.
Looking back, he saw Phoebe pass through right behind him, silently taking her place by his side.
“So there's a key to get in and out. I was just wondering how I was going to break this barrier,” Bai Xuan said with a laugh.
“I... forgot.”
Phoebe pointed to her head, then to the barrier, shaking her head slightly.
She had lived here alone for so long that she hadn't used this stone crest in ages.
Normally, she never even thought about leaving.
“Do you have another one for yourself?” Bai Xuan asked.
“Yes.”
Phoebe replied, pulling out another identical crest from her tunic to show she had one too.
Bai Xuan walked ahead carrying the Staff of Guidance, while Phoebe followed behind with her axe on her shoulder.
For the first quarter of an hour, the dense forest was quiet save for the occasional chirp of insects. Not a single monster was in sight.
Bai Xuan's guard began to slip slightly. Perhaps this area was just vast, but didn't actually have many monsters.
But just as he relaxed, a shadow suddenly lunged out from behind the bushes, its crimson eyes locking onto the two of them.
Its information immediately popped up on his status panel:
【Shadowmane Wolf Lv.7 (Practitioner)】
“Get back!”
Bai Xuan immediately gestured for Phoebe to stay behind him. Gripping his staff tightly, he charged forward.
The Shadowmane Wolf growled low, its body tensing like a coiled spring as its ferocious gaze locked onto Bai Xuan.
Rather than waiting for it to strike first, Bai Xuan took the initiative and stepped forward.
Golden light quickly gathered at the tip of his staff as he swung a heavy Redemption Strike toward the wolf's head.
The Shadowmane Wolf reacted with incredible speed, nimbly dodging to the side and sweeping its razor-sharp claws toward Bai Xuan's left arm.
Bai Xuan couldn't pull back his strike in time, and having not yet fully adapted to the oppressive pressure of this environment, his movements were slightly sluggish.
Caught off guard, his forearm was grazed by the tips of its claws, leaving a shallow scratch that immediately welled with tiny beads of blood.
Having suffered this minor setback, Bai Xuan cast aside all carelessness. He reversed his grip and thrust the spike at the end of his staff hard into the Shadowmane Wolf's belly.
The Shadowmane Wolf twisted its body frantically to dodge, but it was a step too slow. The spike ripped through the fur on its flank, and fresh blood instantly stained its gray coat red.
Roaring in pain, the Shadowmane Wolf lunged fiercely at Bai Xuan.
Bai Xuan's eyes narrowed. Golden light gathered on his staff once more, and he unleashed a second Redemption Strike right onto the top of its head.
The golden light exploded. The Shadowmane Wolf was sent flying, crashing heavily against a tree trunk. It twitched twice before falling completely still.
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