Qin Mu nodded silently, signaling his men to obey Mu Feng's command. In an instant, the Sunrise Empire soldiers began distributing the pills to the fallen and wounded survivors. The faint aroma of medicine filled the air as color slowly returned to the faces of the injured.
"Sigh… I need to head into the Starry Sky River Forest as well," Mu Feng muttered, rubbing his long white beard thoughtfully, his gaze distant.
Hearing his voice, Qin Mu turned toward one of the Starry Sky River Forest soldiers who was helping a wounded man rise from the mud.
"Well, you heard the elder—let him in!" Qin Mu barked.
The soldier hesitated, his expression turning uneasy. "B-but… sir, we don't have that authority," he said softly, bowing his head. "Only those with reservation are permitted to enter the forest. Even for temporary objectives, we still need Captain Hang Chao's approval… but he's already deep inside the forest."
The words made Qin Mu's brow twitch. The air between the two armies grew heavier once again.
Qin Mu's face darkened. "How dare you!" he barked, fury erupting in his voice as he reached for the sword at his waist, ready to cut the soldier down where he stood.
"Ah, ah—no, no, no," Mu Feng said quickly, stepping forward with a light grin, blocking Qin Mu's hand before steel could flash. "There's no need for all that."
He reached into his sleeve and slowly drew out a small golden badge. Its surface gleamed faintly in the sunlight—circular in shape, adorned with a large deep-blue star at its center. Around the circle, nine smaller blue stars shimmered faintly, like fragments of the night sky trapped within the gold.
"This," Mu Feng said calmly, "should be enough, shouldn't it?"
The nearby soldier's eyes widened as soon as he saw it. His voice trembled. "Oh my heavens… it's—it's a Star Badge! With nine stars!"
Murmurs spread instantly. "The… the legendary Starry Night Badge! I've heard of it… but I've never seen one before!"
The entire area fell into stunned silence. Even the Sunrise Empire soldiers, mid-motion handing pills to the wounded, froze in place. Some of the injured men, despite their pain, stared wide-eyed at the shining badge.
"Well then," Mu Feng said, flashing a proud smile, "can we enter the forest now?"
"Ah—yes, yes, Elder Mu Feng! Of course, you may go," the soldier stammered, hastily returning the shining badge with both hands before bowing halfway in respect.
"Haah… good. Now that's settled," Mu Feng said as he tucked the badge back into his sleeve. He turned toward the still-stunned Zixiao and grinned. "Come on, hero. Let's go."
Zixiao blinked, his mind still spinning from what he'd just witnessed, but he quickly followed. Together, they started toward the massive black gate, their footsteps echoing softly against the muddy ground.
Behind them, Qin Mu—his armor still splattered with mud—forced a crooked smile and bowed halfway, his teeth showing in an awkward grin as the two walked past him.
As they approached, a soldier stationed on the right side of the top guarding hall shouted to the left, "Open the gates!"
"Understood! Opening the gates!" a soldier on the left responded. He yanked down a large brown wooden lever, and a red light bulb atop it flickered to life.
Immediately, a series of mechanical gears inside the wall groaned and creaked, sparks flickering like tiny fireflies from the clockwork. Chains began to rise and coil neatly into the upper hall, lifting the massive wooden gates inch by inch with a grinding, metallic sound that echoed through the area.
As the colossal gate began to rise, Zixiao watched in awe, his eyes reflecting the glimmer of the moving chains. Inch by inch, the enormous doors lifted, revealing the shadowed world beyond. Within a minute, the gate stood fully open — towering like the mouth of some ancient beast.
Mu Feng and Zixiao stepped through, their boots sinking slightly into the muddy road as they crossed to the other side.
The moment they entered, the massive gate slammed shut behind them with a thunderous clang, the metallic echo rumbling through the forest like distant thunder. Flocks of birds burst from the nearby trees, their cries scattering into the cold, misty air.
Zixiao flinched at the deafening crash, his eyes shutting instinctively.
When he slowly opened them again, his gaze softened, glistening with wonder.
Before him stretched a vast forest draped in twilight. Thick canopies wove together above, blocking most of the sunlight — yet faint beams slipped through, scattering golden dust across the mossy earth. The muddy road had vanished, replaced by soft grass that swayed with the breath of the wind.
Towering trees reached endlessly toward the heavens, their roots twisting like ancient serpents. Tiny insects hummed in the air, and birds darted between the branches, their wings leaving ripples of light.
To Zixiao, it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen — a place untouched by human hands, as if no one had stepped into this sacred wilderness for countless years.
Mu Feng glanced at Zixiao's awed expression, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as they walked deeper into the thick forest. The air grew cooler, and the scent of damp earth filled their lungs.
"Aren't you going to ask me?" Mu Feng said calmly, his eyes still fixed on the path ahead.
"Huh?" Zixiao blinked, clearly confused.
Mu Feng chuckled softly and stroked his long beard. "I meant, aren't you going to ask the questions that have been bottled up inside you all this time?"
"What do you mean?" Zixiao asked softly, almost in a whisper, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Mu Feng chuckled under his breath. "Ever since the day you met me, I've been watching your face. Most of the time, it looks like you have countless questions trapped inside that little head of yours."
As he spoke, Mu Feng reached into his wide sleeve and pulled out a long, worn machete. Its blade glinted faintly under the scattered sunlight that seeped through the canopy. With steady movements, he began cutting through the thick plants that blocked their way. Each swing sliced through the dense vines with a sharp swish, clearing a narrow path ahead for the two of them.
Zixiao didn't reply. He simply hung his head, shy and hesitant, unsure if he could even put his thoughts into words.
A slight smirk crossed Mu Feng's face as he grunted, swinging the machete to cut through another thick vine blocking their path. "Don't worry, Hero," he said gently. "I won't judge you. Ask me anything you want. Ask me anything."
He paused for a moment, then added, almost knowingly, "Besides… I can probably guess some of what's been weighing on your mind. After all, you've spent your whole life in the Jie family, haven't you?"
Zixiao swallowed hard. His throat tightened, but he forced himself to gather his courage. "Gulp… then… can you tell me… where I truly am?" His voice quivered, barely audible over the forest's ambient sounds.
"We are… in the depths of the Starry Sky River Forest, of course," Mu Feng said, a hint of confusion in his tone.
Zixiao hesitated, then spoke louder than before, his voice trembling slightly. "No… I mean… where I truly was. I mean… the place where I woke up years ago. I… I was in the Jie family…"
Mu Feng stopped chopping to catch his breath and leaned against a massive tree. "Oh… you mean that. Alright, I'll tell you from the very beginning—you need to know what the true reality is," he said, exhaling heavily.
"You… know about the multiverse?" Mu Feng asked, his tone calm but serious.
"The multiverse…?" Zixiao echoed, confusion flickering across his face. He didn't know what it meant, but somehow, the question sparked his curiosity.