Breaking through the illusion of the mortal world

Chapter 25 The Covenant by the Campfire

After Nangong Yu and the others left, the forest returned to silence, leaving only a faint smell of blood and a mess.

Lu Ming examined the medicine that Nangong Yu had brought and applied it to Qin Feiyu. Sure enough, the wound on Qin Feiyu's arm healed much faster.

Lu Ming had mixed feelings; he was grateful for the gift of medicine, but also resentful of his previous humiliation.

"What do we do next?" Hu Zhen asked softly, her voice still carrying a hint of lingering fear.

Lu Ming surveyed the dark jungle around him, his gaze resolute: "We can't stop. We're lagging behind in points, and the road ahead is unknown. We must find a stable source of water and food as soon as possible, while also looking for opportunities to gain points."

They continued along the direction they had previously determined, but with even greater caution.

Perhaps by sheer luck, they found a winding stream in the woods before it got completely dark.

The stream water was clear, and although it still needed to be handled carefully before drinking, it at least solved the immediate problem.

More importantly, they found a small patch of cloud flower, with as many as seven or eight plants, on a wetland at a bend in the stream.

After carefully collecting the Cloud Mist Flowers, the three of them finally relaxed a little.

They chose to camp in an open area not far from the stream, backed by a huge rock, where the view was relatively open and they were less likely to be ambushed.

Night fell, and the chill deepened.

They dared not start a large fire, but gathered some dry branches and lit a small campfire. The orange flames flickered, dispelling some of the darkness and cold, and bringing a long-lost warmth.

The three sat around the fire, drying their soaked shoes and socks, eating dry rations with water, the atmosphere somewhat somber.

"If only Senior Brother Lin Feng were here, he knows a lot and would definitely know how to get by in this godforsaken place."

Qin Feiyu gnawed on the hard, dry rations and said sullenly.

Just then, from the edge of the campfire's glow, came a faint sound from the woods.

The three men immediately grabbed their weapons on alert. Lu Ming hissed, "Who?"

"Don't be nervous, it's us."

A slightly tired but familiar voice rang out. Lin Feng emerged from the shadows of the woods with three other disciples.

Lu Ming vaguely remembered these three people; they were disciples who usually cultivated in a low-key manner and did not show off their talents. Their names seemed to be Zhao Qian, Li Yun, and Zhou Ming.

They looked equally disheveled, bearing the marks of battle, yet remained composed.

"Senior Brother Lin!" Qin Feiyu exclaimed in surprise. He had just been talking about Lin Feng, and now he saw him in the blink of an eye.

Lu Ming and Hu Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got up to greet them.

In such an environment, encountering a reliable companion is undoubtedly a godsend.

"We found our way here by following the marks you left behind."

Lin Feng gave a brief explanation, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, lingering particularly on Qin Feiyu's bandaged arm and Lu Ming's wounded shoulder. "It seems you've been through quite a bit too."

The two sides exchanged information. Lin Feng and his group encountered several waves of monsters and also collected some Cloud Mist Flowers. They had more points than Lu Ming and his group, but they also felt the difficulty and risk of moving forward.

"This secret realm is more dangerous than imagined. It's very difficult to make it to the end, whether you're fighting alone or in a small team."

Lin Feng looked at the leaping campfire and said calmly, "I sensed battle fluctuations and firelight over here just now, and guessed it might be fellow disciples, so I came to check. I didn't expect it to be you."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the seven people present: "My proposal is that we temporarily unite."

There is strength in numbers. When in danger, we can help each other and be more confident in hunting monsters and exploring dangerous places.

The points earned will be allocated through negotiation based on the amount of effort contributed and the demand. How about that?

Lu Ming did not hesitate at all.

He trusted Lin Feng's character, and what he said was indeed the truth.

He looked at Qin Feiyu and Hu Zhen, and the two nodded in agreement.

"We agree," Lu Ming stated on behalf of the three.

Zhao Qian, Li Yun, and Zhou Ming seemed to follow Lin Feng's lead and nodded in agreement.

And so, on this cold night in the secret realm of Yunmengze, a temporary team of seven was formed around the campfire.

There was no blood oath ceremony, only the shared predicaments and the desire to pass the test that bound these teenagers from different backgrounds and with different personalities together.

Lin Feng had clearly made more preparations; he took out a more detailed map than the one provided by the academy, which marked some potentially dangerous areas and resource points.

He even knew some simple insect-repelling and early warning formations, which he set up around the camp, greatly increasing everyone's sense of security.

The group gathered around the campfire, sharing their meager food and information, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Zhao Qian didn't talk much, but his eyes were sharp, and he seemed to have a lot of experience in tracking and setting traps.

Li Yun, with her calm and collected nature, carefully filled everyone's water pouches and cast a simple purification spell on them.

Zhou Ming, on the other hand, was quite talkative, vividly describing the group of troublesome poisonous toads they had encountered before.

Qin Feiyu started talking, which drew chuckles from the crowd and dissipated the previous tense atmosphere.

Hu Zhen listened quietly, occasionally adding firewood to the fire. The firelight illuminated her profile, making her appear gentle and serene.

Lu Ming looked at her and smiled unconsciously. The secret feelings in his heart quietly grew in the brief peace of this difficult environment.

However, this tranquility didn't last long. Late at night, Zhao Qian, who was on night watch, suddenly whispered, "There's movement! Quite a few people, they're approaching!"

Everyone snapped to attention, grabbed their weapons, and peered warily into the dark forest.

Suddenly, more than ten figures emerged from the forest, and the one leading them was none other than Nangong Yu!

The disciples following behind them also possessed considerable auras, clearly indicating that they had gathered together along the way.

The two teams met by the campfire, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Nangong Yu's gaze swept over Lu Ming and the others, lingering briefly on Lin Feng, and he nodded slightly as a greeting.

"It seems everyone has thought of joining forces." Lin Feng stood up, his tone still calm.

Nangong Yu nodded and said bluntly, "The situation ahead is unclear, and one person can't hold on alone. This area is relatively safe and suitable for rest. Since we've run into each other, let's leave each other alone, rest, and go our separate ways tomorrow."

His proposal was practical, avoided unnecessary conflict, and drew clear lines.

Lin Feng agreed.

Thus, around the campfire, two distinct yet peaceful groups emerged.

No one spoke again; they were all silently recovering their strength, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, and secretly assessing the opponent's strength.

Looking at the group of disciples opposite him, most of whom came from extraordinary backgrounds, Lu Ming noticed that they possessed better magical artifacts and exuded greater confidence.

On their side, although they had joined forces with Lin Feng and others, their overall strength was still at a disadvantage.