The forest had grown darker as the evening approached, the sun dipping behind the thick canopy above, casting long shadows across the worn path Lin Feng and the woman now followed. The air was cool, the scent of damp earth mingling with the faint perfume of wildflowers. Lin Feng's thoughts were still swirling from their earlier conversation, trying to piece together the fragments of understanding the woman had offered.
She moved silently beside him, her cloak fluttering ever so slightly in the breeze, her pace unhurried but confident. There was a tranquility to her presence, a peace that seemed to settle even the chaos within his own mind. Yet, beneath that calm exterior, Lin Feng could sense an undercurrent of something deeper, something far more complex.
He had asked her name earlier, but she hadn't answered. Instead, she'd only smiled mysteriously and told him that names, in this world, carried more weight than they appeared. They were not simple identifiers; they were vessels of power, tied to one's fate. And in that moment, Lin Feng understood: she was not yet ready to reveal herself fully to him.
The wind whispered through the trees, and for a moment, it seemed as though the very forest was alive, listening to their every step. Lin Feng found himself wondering how much of the world around him was as it appeared. How much of what he had assumed was real, and how much was simply a reflection of his limited understanding?
He glanced sideways at the woman, who had remained silent for several minutes, her gaze fixed ahead. There was something about her, something unearthly. Her poise, her grace, even the way the forest seemed to respond to her… it was unlike anything Lin Feng had encountered.
"You never told me your name," he said, breaking the silence, his voice softer than he intended. He was no longer asking out of mere curiosity; it had become a part of the growing puzzle he was trying to solve.
The woman didn't look at him immediately. Instead, she paused for a moment, as if considering her response. The moment stretched long enough that Lin Feng wondered if she would answer at all.
Finally, she spoke, her voice low, almost a whisper. "Names have power, Lin Feng. In this world, more than in any other, your name binds you. It shapes your destiny in ways you cannot yet understand." She turned her gaze to him, and for the first time, there was a hint of something—something far more vulnerable—in her eyes. "You may call me Xiang Yu."
The name was simple, but it carried an undeniable weight. It resonated with Lin Feng, as though it were ancient, tied to something deep within the fabric of this world. Something about her name felt… destined.
"Xiang Yu," he repeated, testing the sound of it. "It's a beautiful name."
Xiang Yu's lips twitched into a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It is a name that has been spoken by many, but few understand its true meaning." She continued walking, her steps light and sure. "Perhaps one day, you will understand it, too."
Lin Feng felt an odd sense of reverence for her words. She was more than just a stranger in the forest—she was a piece of the world itself, woven into the very threads of its existence. But how much of her past remained hidden? How much did she know, and why was she here, walking alongside him?
They walked in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The path ahead seemed endless, the trees growing thicker and the underbrush more tangled. As they moved deeper into the forest, the light began to fade, leaving only the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the canopy above.
"Where are we going?" Lin Feng finally asked, his voice filled with the weight of his curiosity. "What's next?"
Xiang Yu's steps never faltered as she responded, her voice steady. "We are heading toward the mountains. There is a place there—a hidden temple—where many secrets are kept. There, you will find the answers to some of the questions you've been asking."
Lin Feng's heart quickened. A hidden temple? Secrets? It was as if the very air around them thickened with anticipation.
"And what secrets are those?" he pressed, his thoughts racing. "What am I supposed to find there?"
Xiang Yu's smile was almost imperceptible. "You will find what you need, Lin Feng. What you seek will reveal itself when you are ready to accept it." She glanced at him, her eyes soft but knowing. "But remember this: Not all truths are kind. Some truths will challenge everything you believe in. Are you prepared for that?"
Lin Feng hesitated, the weight of her words settling in. Could he truly be ready to face whatever lay ahead? He had already confronted so much—betrayal, hardship, pain—but the promise of answers, of understanding who he was and why he was brought here, was a temptation he couldn't ignore.
"I'm ready," he said, his voice steady despite the storm of thoughts raging in his mind.
Xiang Yu nodded slightly, the faintest trace of approval in her eyes. "Very well." She took a deep breath, as though preparing herself for something far greater. "Then we will continue. But do not forget—this is only the beginning. The journey ahead will change you, Lin Feng. And the path you choose to walk will define who you become."
They continued onward, the moonlight casting long, haunting shadows around them. With each step, Lin Feng felt a sense of inevitability pulling him forward, like he was walking toward something he had always known, even if he hadn't yet fully understood it.
The forest around them seemed to close in, the trees pressing in from all sides. But there was no fear in Lin Feng's heart. There was only the certainty that, whatever lay ahead, he was no longer alone.
As they reached a clearing, Xiang Yu stopped and turned to face him. Her gaze was more serious now, her expression hardening as if she had shifted into a different mode entirely.
"Beyond these trees, Lin Feng, lies a world you have never seen. The mountains are not just a physical place—they are a realm where the boundaries between the known and the unknown blur. Only those who are truly prepared can enter, and even then, only if the world permits it."
Lin Feng felt a shiver run through him. The uncertainty of what lay ahead had never felt so sharp, but beneath it all, there was a thread of excitement—something was stirring within him, a sense of purpose he couldn't ignore.
Xiang Yu reached out and touched his shoulder lightly, her fingers cool against his skin. "Trust in yourself, Lin Feng. Trust in your path."
And with that, she began walking forward, the light from her presence cutting through the darkness, leading the way to the unknown.
Lin Feng stood still for a moment, watching her silhouette vanish into the night, before following. Whatever was to come, he knew he had no choice but to walk this path, step by uncertain step.
The journey had truly begun.