Chapter 66: An abandoned village

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: An abandoned village

Chen Xiaoyu quickly lowered her hands, still looking rather embarrassed. Chen Yichen watched her for a moment before laughing, "Relax. We haven’t even left yet, and you’re already this nervous?"

"I-I’m not nervous," Xiaoyu replied, though her fingers tightened around the strap of her pouch.

"Really? Then why are you stuttering?"

"That’s because... because you keep asking me things!"

Yichen laughed again, while Chen Yuexin gave him an unimpressed look.

"Stop teasing her. You were the one who agreed to let her come."

"What’s wrong? I’m just helping her get used to us."

Chen Minghao sighed. "Can we go now? The longer we stand here, the more likely someone else will decide to join."

Xiaoyu immediately looked around, as if worried that might happen.

Yichen noticed her reaction and grinned. "See? She’s already taking this mission seriously. Come on, let’s go."

He turned toward the road, and the other three followed.

They passed through the main gate and followed the mountain road for a short distance before leaving the paved path altogether.

Their destination lay far to the east, in a sparsely populated part of the eastern region.

Even at their current cultivation, reaching it would take considerable time.

They could travel faster by continuously using their spiritual energy to propel themselves, but doing so for weeks would exhaust them long before they arrived.

Instead, they planned to maintain a pace they could sustain, relying on their physical strength and spiritual energy reserve to cover the distance while allowing themselves time to recover.

Yichen was the first to leap.

His feet struck the ground, and his figure shot forward, crossing several dozen metres before landing on a broad tree branch.

The wood bent beneath his weight, but he had already pushed off again, rising between the branches and clearing the next stretch of forest in a single bound.

Minghao followed closely behind, his movements more controlled compared to Chen Yichen. He landed lightly on a thick branch, used it to redirect his momentum, then sprang toward another tree.

Chen Yuexin moved between them, her steps quiet and precise as she crossed from branch to branch without disturbing more than a few leaves.

Xiaoyu hesitated briefly before following. Her movements were less smoother than the others’, but she managed to keep pace, leaping from one branch to the next with a burst of spiritual energy.

A few times, she landed awkwardly and had to steady herself against the trunk before pushing off again.

Yichen glanced back and grinned. "You’re doing fine, Xiaoyu!"

"Th-thank you!" she called, quickly following after him.

Before long, the four had left the mountain behind.

They travelled through the forest at a steady pace, leaping between enormous trunks and the thick branches that spread above the ground.

When the trees grew too far apart, they descended and sprinted across the open land, their feet barely touching the grass before they were moving again.

They crossed shallow streams, passed over rolling plains, and occasionally used the sloping sides of hills to gain height before launching themselves forward.

The morning air was cool, and the journey went smoothly.

Yichen enjoyed the speed most of all. Every time they reached a stretch of open ground, he would pull ahead, only to slow down when Minghao called after him.

Yuexin had little interest in racing, but she kept pace without difficulty, her expression remaining calm even when the two boys began competing over who could cross a stretch of terrain faster.

After passing through another patch of forest, Yichen landed on a wide branch and looked back at them.

"How much farther?"

Minghao landed beside him. "We haven’t even reached the first settlement."

"That wasn’t what I asked."

"Then stop asking questions you already know the answer to."

Yuexin arrived a moment later, landing on the branch with a light step. She looked toward the open plain beyond the forest.

"There’s a city close to the place marked on the mission map," she said. "The location is several hundred kilometres north of Jade River City."

Yichen raised his eyebrows. "Several hundred kilometres north? That’s still quite far."

"Yes. And considering our current pace, reaching the place will probably take a month or more."

"A month?" Yichen looked at her. "I thought you said several weeks."

"Several weeks at the very least. A month or more is our best estimate, of course. We don’t know what the terrain will be like along the way, or whether we’ll need to take detours."

Minghao glanced at the map in her hand. "Is there anything else marked nearby?"

"Not much. The city is the closest major settlement shown on the map, but the mission location itself is quite remote."

Yichen looked toward the east, where the forest stretched beyond the plain. "It seems this mission must have been requested by one of the Ancestors. Otherwise, who would be interested in a place so far from the family?"

"That’s possible," Minghao replied. "I doubt an ordinary family member would choose somewhere this remote without a reason."

Yuexin folded the map and secured it again. "We won’t know until we get there."

Yichen grinned and pushed off the branch before calling back, "How about you, Xiaoyu? What do you think?"

Xiaoyu, who had been following a short distance behind, nearly missed her landing when she heard her name. She quickly caught herself against the trunk before jumping onto the branch below them.

"Me? Um... I think..." She glanced at the three of them, then toward the distant plain. "I think it’s quite far."

Yichen laughed. "That’s what we’ve been saying."

"I-I know! I just mean..." Xiaoyu lowered her head, searching for the right words. "I’ve never travelled this far from the family before. A whole month on the road sounds... a little difficult to imagine."

"Then this is a good chance to get used to it," Yuexin said. Her tone was gentler than before. "Just make sure you tell us if you’re tired or running low on supplies."

Xiaoyu nodded quickly. "I will. I brought enough food and medicine, and I can also help gather herbs along the way. I’m familiar with medicinal plants, so if we come across anything useful..."

"That’s good," Minghao replied. "Knowing how to identify herbs could come in handy."

Xiaoyu’s eyes brightened a little at the praise. "R-really? Then I’ll try my best."

Yichen rested a hand against the tree trunk, smiling at her. "See? You’ve already found a way to be useful. No need to look so worried."

"I’m not worried," she said, though her voice was still hesitant. "I just... don’t want to slow everyone down."

"You won’t," Yichen assured her. "And if you do, we’ll just slow down with you."

Xiaoyu looked at him, seemingly caught off guard by the answer. After a brief pause, she gave a small, grateful smile.

Yuexin glanced at Yichen. "Don’t make promises on behalf of everyone."

"What? It’s not like we’re in a hurry."

"We are travelling to a remote place on a mission."

"And we’ll still get there."

Minghao shook his head and pushed off the branch. "Can we continue before this turns into another argument?"

Yichen laughed and followed him. Xiaoyu hurried after them, her earlier nervousness easing a little as she joined their pace.

They continued east.

As the sun climbed higher, the forest gradually thinned. The trees became more scattered, giving way to open plains covered in tall grass. om time to time, they passed small groups of travellers or cultivators moving along the roads below.

A few noticed the three figures passing through the branches above them, but none tried to stop them.

They crossed another stretch of forest, then descended onto a grassy slope overlooking a broad plain. The wind moved through the grass in long waves, and a narrow river could be seen winding through the distance.

Beyond it stood another line of trees, their canopies rising above the surrounding land.

The three continued without difficulty.

They had not encountered anything that threatened them, and the journey was proving easier than expected.

They took short breaks whenever the terrain allowed, drinking water and checking the map before continuing.

When their spiritual energy began to run low, they relied more on their physical strength, slowing their pace until they had recovered enough to move quickly again.

The first day passed without incident. They found a suitable place to rest before nightfall, sheltered beneath a rocky outcrop near a stream.

The following days were much the same. They travelled through forests and plains, crossed rivers, and occasionally passed small settlements where they could replenish their supplies.

Whenever they stopped, Minghao checked their route while Yuexin recorded the distance they had covered.

Yichen, who had initially been eager to race ahead, gradually learned that maintaining a steady pace was more important than exhausting himself just to arrive a little earlier.

By the fourth evening, the terrain had changed. The roads had become less frequent, and the settlements were scattered farther apart.

They had spent most of the day crossing a wide stretch of woodland, occasionally emerging onto open plains before entering another forest.

The sun was already sinking when they reached a low ridge overlooking a valley.

Yichen slowed to a stop, breathing more heavily than he had earlier that morning. "We should find somewhere to rest soon."

Minghao looked toward the fading light. "Agreed. We have been moving since dawn."

Yuexin wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced at the map. "There should be a village somewhere along this route. It was marked on the map."

"How far?"

"Not sure. The mark is old, and the map doesn’t show much detail."

Yichen looked down into the valley. "Then let’s hope it’s still there."

They descended the ridge and continued through the remaining light, moving more cautiously as the trees grew thicker.

Their spiritual energy had not been completely depleted, but they had used enough throughout the day that none of them wanted to keep pushing themselves.

A proper rest would allow them to recover before continuing the next morning.

After crossing a narrow stream, they finally spotted the village.

It stood in a shallow depression between the forest and a stretch of open land. Several small wooden houses were gathered around a dirt road, with a few larger buildings near what appeared to be a central square.

A low wooden fence surrounded part of the settlement, though much of it had collapsed. The roofs were weathered, some had fallen in, and weeds had grown across the abandoned paths.

No smoke rose from the chimneys. No voices carried through the evening air, and there were no signs of movement among the buildings.

Yichen stopped at the edge of the path.

"Is that it?"

Minghao looked over the settlement. "It seems so."

"Doesn’t look like anyone lives here."

Xiaoyu leaned slightly to see past them, her amber eyes moving across the empty buildings. "M-maybe they moved somewhere else?"

"Could be," Minghao replied. "But we should find out why."

Yuexin studied the buildings, then checked the map again. "This should be the village marked here."

They approached slowly.

The closer they came, the clearer the signs of abandonment became. A wooden cart lay overturned beside one house, its wheels partly buried beneath weeds.

The doors of several buildings hung open, and a broken fence had fallen across the road. There were no footprints in the dirt, at least none recent enough to stand out.

Minghao crouched near the road and touched the ground.

"Nothing fresh."

"Could have been abandoned for years," Yuexin said.

Xiaoyu looked toward one of the open doorways. "But... if they left years ago, wouldn’t the buildings be in worse condition?"

Yichen glanced at her. "You think someone still comes here?"

"I-I don’t know. Some of the roofs are damaged, but not all of them. And that cart..." She pointed toward the overturned vehicle. "It looks old, but I can’t tell how long it’s been there."

Minghao stood and brushed the dirt from his fingers. "That’s why we check the buildings. We shouldn’t assume anything from the outside."

Yichen looked toward the village square. "Then we can rest here. At least there are roofs."

"Let’s check the buildings first," Minghao replied. "We don’t know why everyone left."

Xiaoyu nodded and moved a little closer to Yuexin. "I’ll... I’ll check with you."

Yuexin gave her a brief nod. "Stay close, then."

They entered the village together, keeping their senses alert. The first few houses were empty.

Some contained broken furniture and old household items, while others had been stripped bare. In one, a layer of dust covered the floor so thickly that their footsteps left clear marks. In another, a wooden bowl lay overturned beside a cold hearth.

They continued along the central road.

Then Yuexin stopped.

"Wait."

The other three turned toward her.

She was looking at a house near the far end of the village. Unlike the others, its wooden door was closed, and a faint yellow light shone through the gaps around its windows.

Yichen frowned. "Someone’s there?"

Minghao looked at the surrounding buildings. Every other house was dark.

"Could be a traveller staying for the night," he said, though his voice had grown more cautious.

Yuexin glanced at the abandoned houses behind them, then back at the lit window.

"Then why is the rest of the village empty? Isn’t that creepy?"

None of them answered.

The light inside the house flickered, briefly growing brighter before settling again.

Yichen shifted the bag on his shoulder. "Should we go and ask?"

Minghao looked toward the road they had just travelled. The sky was darkening quickly, and finding another place to rest would mean continuing into the forest at night.

"We need somewhere to stay," he said. "But let’s not walk straight up to the door. We should check the surroundings first."

Yuexin nodded.

The four moved closer, keeping to the side of the road. As they approached, they noticed a thin trail of smoke rising from the chimney.

Someone was definitely inside.

And in a village that appeared to have been abandoned for years, that alone was enough to make them cautious.