The forest remained quiet.
Lian sat beneath the tree near the edge of the outer forest while spiritual energy slowly circulated through his body.
Thin streams of Qi entered through his meridians before being carefully guided according to the circulation method Wa Shi had taught him.
Slow.
Weak.
But stable.
Time passed quietly.
Then—
suddenly—
Lian's eyes opened.
He had sensed something.
A sound.
Very faint.
Branches moving somewhere deeper within the forest.
The boy stiffened instantly.
His heart tightened.
Carefully—
he turned his head toward the darker sections of the trees.
Silence.
Nothing appeared.
Lian swallowed nervously.
"…Probably just a rabbit…"
He tried to calm himself.
But before he could relax—
CRACK.
A branch snapped clearly this time.
Closer.
Lian immediately stood up.
Fear instinctively rose inside him.
Then—
from between the trees—
a figure slowly emerged.
A man.
Thin.
Middle-aged.
Wearing rough leather armor stained with dirt and dried blood.
A curved blade rested at his waist while a bow hung across his back.
One eye was clouded white with blindness.
The remaining eye landed directly on Lian.
The man looked mildly surprised.
"…A child?"
Lian froze slightly.
Not a beast.
A human.
But somehow—
that didn't ease his tension very much.
The one-eyed man carefully studied him afterward.
Then his gaze narrowed faintly.
"…You're cultivating."
Lian hesitated briefly before nodding cautiously.
"…A little."
The man glanced around the surrounding forest for a moment.
Then laughed dryly.
"You've got courage sitting here alone."
"Or stupidity."
Lian awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"…Probably both."
The man snorted faintly before stepping closer.
Lian instinctively tensed again.
The man noticed immediately.
"…Relax."
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."
The words were calm.
Casual.
Yet they immediately sent a chill down Lian's spine.
The man's remaining eye studied him again afterward.
Then suddenly—
"…You're from the nearby village?"
Lian nodded carefully.
The man clicked his tongue.
"…Then don't stay here too long."
His tone had grown noticeably more serious.
"The outer forest's been getting restless lately."
Lian blinked.
"…Restless?"
The man's expression darkened slightly.
"Spiritual beasts have been moving around more than usual."
"Some stronger ones too."
"Something deeper within the mountains is probably disturbing them."
Lian's heart tightened slightly.
Stronger beasts…
The one-eyed man glanced deeper into the forest afterward.
Then muttered quietly—
"…Wouldn't surprise me if cultivators start showing up soon too."
Lian immediately thought of Lizarius.
And the terrifying pressure the creature naturally carried.
Could something related to him be happening deeper inside the mountains?
The thought made Lian uneasy.
Eventually, the man looked back toward him again.
"You should head home before dark."
Then—
without waiting for a reply—
he walked past Lian and continued toward the village path.
Lian remained standing there silently afterward.
The forest suddenly felt quieter than before.
He slowly looked deeper between the trees again.
Dark.
Still.
Unknown.
Then quietly—
he sat back down once more.
But this time—
his cultivation no longer felt calm.
—
Lian nearly fell backward from fright.
The sudden weight that appeared atop his head sent his heart into chaos instantly.
"AHHH—!"
He violently jumped to his feet while stumbling away from the tree.
Leaves scattered beneath him.
His chest pounded wildly.
But despite the panic—
the weight remained.
Then—
the familiar calm voice sounded above him.
"Stop moving around."
Lian froze instantly.
Breathing hard.
Then slowly—
very slowly—
his eyes widened in realization.
"…Lizarius?"
The boy exhaled so hard it almost sounded painful.
Relief crashed into him so suddenly that his legs nearly weakened.
"You—!"
"You scared me to death!"
The invisible lizard remained calmly resting atop his head beneath concealment.
"You frighten easily."
Lian's face twitched.
"You suddenly appeared on my head!"
"What reaction did you expect?!"
The lizard ignored the complaint entirely.
Instead—
he spoke calmly.
"That human from earlier was also a cultivator."
Lian blinked slightly.
Then his expression shifted.
"…Really?"
"Fourth Stage Spirit Refining."
"Only slightly stronger than the old human."
Lian immediately understood.
Village Head Wa Shi.
His eyes widened slightly afterward.
"That hunter?"
"He didn't feel like a cultivator at all…"
The lizard answered calmly.
"It concealed it poorly."
Lian stared blankly ahead for a moment.
Another cultivator.
Outside the village.
Simply wandering through the forest casually.
The world suddenly felt larger again.
More dangerous too.
Then another thought surfaced instantly.
Lian quickly asked—
"…Where were you?"
"It's been an entire week!"
"…I thought you left."
The lizard remained silent briefly before answering.
"Elsewhere."
"That tells me nothing."
The calm voice continued anyway.
"Hunting."
Lian blinked slightly.
"Hunting…"
Right.
Spirit beast.
Of course.
Then—
hesitating slightly—
"…Were you watching me the whole time?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"I arrived recently."
Lian paused afterward.
Strangely—
that answer disappointed him slightly.
Which immediately confused him.
Why would he feel disappointed about that?
The creature terrified him.
Completely.
Yet somehow—
during the past week—
the silence had begun to feel strange.
Lian slowly lowered himself back against the tree afterward.
"…I thought maybe you disappeared because I didn't go deeper into the forest."
The lizard answered calmly.
"That decision was yours."
Lian blinked.
"…Really?"
"You are weak."
"Entering deeper currently would likely result in death."
Lian sighed helplessly.
"…You really don't soften your words at all."
The wind drifted softly through the trees afterward.
For a while—
neither spoke.
Then the lizard suddenly asked—
"You exhausted your pills."
Lian immediately looked surprised.
"…How did you know?"
"You smell like medicinal residue."
Lian's expression became complicated.
That somehow sounded slightly insulting.
Still—
he nodded honestly.
"…The last one was yesterday."
"And cultivating now feels way slower."
Lian dusted dirt from his clothes before lightly stretching his sore shoulders beneath the fading afternoon sunlight.
"…I need more pills somehow."
His voice now carried quiet frustration.
"The last three helped a lot, but cultivating without them feels painfully slow."
The invisible lizard rested silently atop his head beneath concealment while listening calmly.
Lian continued walking away from the tree afterward.
Branches shifted softly overhead while distant village smoke drifted faintly through the air.
"I need materials to exchange with Village Head Wa Shi."
He lazily stretched his arms behind his head while continuing down the dirt trail.
"And I can't spend all day cultivating anymore."
The lizard remained silent.
Lian sighed afterward.
"I've barely helped at home recently because of cultivation."
"Mom's been handling almost everything herself."
The boy awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"…So today I'm going to work instead."
The lizard's calm voice sounded above him.
"Work?"
Lian blinked slightly before answering.
"Fishing."
The two continued down the trail quietly afterward.
Soon—
the sound of flowing water faintly reached them from ahead.
A lake rested near the outskirts beyond the village fields.
Not large.
But deep enough for fishing boats and water gathering.
Several villagers often worked there during the afternoons.
Lian spoke again while walking.
"Someone's waiting for me there."
"Hm."
"A friend."
The lizard became quiet briefly.
Then calmly asked—
"Temporary associate?"
Lian nearly choked.
"…You actually remembered that?"
The lizard did not answer.
Lian laughed helplessly afterward.
"Humans usually just call that friendship."
The invisible white lizard remained still beneath concealment.
Interesting.
Eventually—
the trees opened.
Sunlight reflected across the lake's surface ahead while wooden docks stretched quietly over the water.
A few villagers worked nearby pulling nets or washing buckets along the shore.
And sitting near the end of one dock—
a girl around Lian's age immediately waved after spotting him.
"Lian!"
She quickly stood up.
Long dark-brown hair swayed behind her while rolled-up sleeves revealed slightly wet arms from handling fishing nets earlier.
Beside her sat a taller boy lazily chewing on a grass stem while repairing part of a torn net.
The moment the girl called out—
Lian instinctively waved back.
"Mu Yun!"
The boy glanced up afterward.
"Took you long enough."
Lian laughed awkwardly while approaching the dock.
"I was busy with something."
Shen Jian snorted.
"Again?"
Mu Yun quickly stepped closer afterward while carefully looking Lian over.
"…You actually look healthier now."
Lian grinned slightly.
"Told you I was injured."
Mu Yun immediately crossed her arms.
"That's not what people were saying last week."
"They said you came back covered in blood."
Lian's smile stiffened faintly.
"…People exaggerate."
Shen Jian finally stood up afterward while rolling the repaired net over one shoulder.
"You really shouldn't go near the forest alone anymore."
Lian awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"…Yeah."
Above him—
the invisible lizard calmly observed the three humans.
The same human children from before.
Hm.
Mu Yun suddenly frowned while stepping closer toward Lian again.
"…Why are you talking to yourself?"
Lian froze instantly.
Cold sweat nearly formed immediately.
"…Huh?"
"You've been mumbling quietly while walking over here."
The girl tilted her head suspiciously.
"…Are you practicing speeches now or something?"
Above him—
the lizard calmly spoke into only Lian's hearing.
"You are careless."
Lian nearly twitched visibly.
Shen Jian raised an eyebrow.
"…You alright?"
Lian immediately forced out an awkward laugh.
"Y-Yeah."
"Just tired."
Mu Yun still looked unconvinced.
But eventually she sighed.
"Well, whatever."
She pointed toward the fishing nets afterward.
"If you're late, then you're carrying twice the baskets."
Lian's expression immediately changed.
"…That's unfair."
"You're late."
"That's because I was busy!"
Shen Jian snorted.
"Then keep those arms busy too."
Mu Yun burst into laughter immediately afterward.
Lian groaned helplessly while stepping onto the dock beside them.
Above him—
the invisible white lizard remained motionless.
Silently watching the humans resume their strange, noisy interactions beneath the warm afternoon sunlight.
—
The lake shimmered beneath the afternoon sun while the wooden dock creaked softly beneath their movements.
Mu Yun handed Lian a spare fishing net with a grin that clearly meant trouble.
"Since you're so 'busy,' you can handle the far side."
Lian stared at the net.
"…That's the hardest spot."
"Exactly."
Shen Jian leaned back lazily while tying another knot into a rope.
"Consider it compensation for being late."
Lian sighed, already regretting coming.
Still—
he accepted the net.
Beside him, Mu Yun crouched near the water's edge, dipping her fingers into the lake while checking the current.
The surface rippled gently.
Peaceful.
Almost too peaceful.
Above Lian's head—
the invisible white lizard remained silent.
Observing.
The movement of the water.
The coordination of the villagers.
The faint traces of spiritual energy naturally drifting upward from the lakebed.
Then—
his attention paused slightly.
"…Spiritual residue."
Lian nearly dropped the net.
He whispered under his breath—
"Can you not suddenly say things like that…"
Mu Yun tilted her head.
"…Say what?"
Lian froze.
"…Nothing."
Shen Jian frowned slightly.
"You really are acting weird today."
Lian forced a laugh.
"Just tired, I said."
But inwardly—
his thoughts were spiraling again.
*Only I can hear him… right?*
*Right?!*
Above him, the lizard calmly continued—
"There is faint spiritual energy beneath the lake."
Lian lowered his voice even further.
"…Is it dangerous?"
"Considering."
A pause followed.
Then—
"Low probability of immediate threat."
Lian exhaled slightly.
"That's not comforting at all…"
The lizard ignored him.
Instead, his gaze shifted toward the center of the lake.
Something felt… layered.
Not strong.
But unusual.
Like something was slowly gathering beneath the still water.
Meanwhile—
Mu Yun clapped her hands once.
"Stop spacing out, Lian. We're starting."
Shen Jian had already begun pulling his section of the net outward, wading slightly into the shallow water near the shore.
"Try not to fall in this time."
"I didn't fall in last time!"
"You absolutely did."
Mu Yun laughed again.
Lian groaned but moved forward anyway, stepping into the cool water near the dock's edge.
The lake brushed against his ankles.
Cold.
Refreshing.
He grabbed his section of the net and pulled.
At first—
nothing.
Then—
a sudden resistance.
"…Huh?"
He pulled harder.
The net tightened sharply.
Shen Jian immediately noticed.
"Oi, don't tell me you already messed it up—"
The net tightened again.
Lian gritted his teeth and pulled harder.
The water beneath the surface suddenly churned—
small ripples becoming violent splashes as something struggled within the mesh.
Mu Yun's eyes widened.
"…We caught something big this time!"
Shen Jian immediately stepped in and grabbed the opposite side of the net.
"Don't let it tear through!"
Lian adjusted his stance, feet pressing firmly against the wooden edge of the dock.
"I'm trying!"
The net surged once more—
then finally—
the resistance stopped.
A heavy, wet silence followed.
Mu Yun exhaled in disbelief.
"…We actually did it."
Slowly, together, they dragged the net upward.
Water cascaded downward in streams, splashing back into the lake as the catch finally came into view.
Fish.
Dozens of them.
But not ordinary fish.
Their scales shimmered faintly beneath the sunlight—some carrying silver streaks while others possessed a soft blue glow near their fins.
Spiritual fish.
Lian blinked.
"…Wait. Those aren't normal fish."
Shen Jian leaned closer, eyes narrowing slightly.
"…Those are worth at least triple what we usually catch."
Mu Yun immediately smiled brightly.
"Lucky day!"
Lian stared at the net for a moment longer.
Then quietly muttered—
"…Or something else is wrong with the lake."
Above him—
the invisible white lizard observed silently.
Its golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"It is residual spiritual energy influencing aquatic life growth."
Lian whispered beneath his breath—
"…That sounds like 'something is wrong' but explained in a scarier way."
The lizard gave no response.
Meanwhile, Mu Yun had already begun counting excitedly.
"We're splitting this evenly, right?"
Shen Jian shrugged.
"As usual."
Lian nodded.
"Yeah."
The three worked together for a while longer, tightening the net and securing the fish so none escaped.
Eventually, the catch was fully gathered into woven baskets brought from the shore.
The weight was noticeably heavier than usual.
Even Lian looked surprised while lifting one of the baskets.
"…This is going to earn a lot."
Mu Yun grinned proudly.
"Enough to make Granny Mu proud of me for once."
Shen Jian snorted.
"Keep dreaming."
She immediately kicked his shin lightly.
"Hey!"
Lian laughed softly at their bickering, tension slowly easing from his shoulders.
For a brief moment—
everything almost felt normal.
Simple.
Peaceful.
Above them—
Lizarius remained still.
Observing quietly.
Then softly speaking into Lian's hearing—
"Return."
Lian blinked slightly.
"…Yeah. We should head back."
Mu Yun immediately nodded.
"Alright, let's leave before someone else tries claiming the catch."
Shen Jian hoisted his basket onto one shoulder.
"Too late for that if they show up."
The three finished packing the remaining nets before beginning the walk away from the dock.
The village path stretched ahead beneath sunlight slowly fading into softer evening tones.
As they walked, Mu Yun chatted freely.
"So, Lian, you've really been disappearing a lot lately."
"I haven't."
"You literally did."
"I was training."
Shen Jian glanced sideways toward him.
"…Still on that?"
Lian nodded.
Mu Yun sighed dramatically.
"Honestly, I still don't understand why people willingly suffer through cultivation."
Lian smiled slightly.
"…Because it's better than doing nothing."
Shen Jian shrugged.
"Fair enough."
Above Lian's head, Lizarius remained silent.
Listening.
They continued walking.
Soon—
the village gates came into view.
Smoke from evening cooking fires drifted above the rooftops while villagers gradually returned from the fields.
People waved casually toward them.
"You kids back from fishing?"
"Good catch today?"
Mu Yun proudly lifted the basket slightly.
"Better than usual!"
Pleased murmurs followed them as they passed through the gates.
Shen Jian noticed Lian's sudden hesitation.
"…You alright again?"
Lian quickly nodded.
"Yeah. Just tired."
Mu Yun rolled her eyes.
"You're always tired lately."
Lian gave a weak laugh.
"Maybe I should sleep more."
Eventually—
they reached the point where their paths separated.
Mu Yun waved casually.
"Same time tomorrow?"
Shen Jian nodded.
"Don't be late again."
Lian smiled awkwardly.
"I'll try."
Mu Yun grinned.
"That means you *will* be."
"Hey!"
She laughed before turning away.
Shen Jian followed behind her, lifting one hand in a short wave.
"See you."
Lian remained standing there briefly, watching them leave.
Then slowly turned toward his own home.
As he walked alone now, the village noise gradually softened behind him.
And above his head—
the lizard finally spoke again.
"Now."