Chapter 31
The group returned to the capital ’peacefully,’ a term that felt almost laughable given the trials they had just faced. The beasts they encountered were no longer as troublesome as before, they had grown stronger, sharper, and more attuned to their surroundings. Even the mist that had once caused them great distress was now easier to navigate. They knew what waited within its clutches, but that foreknowledge did little to ease the heavy tension in their chests as they traversed it. The heart, after all, was not so easily trained to ignore danger.
Feng Jiao Xue found herself closing in as she heard Lu Xi’s call. She moved with measured precision, her footsteps silent as a shadow on the cobblestones. Her gaze flickered briefly over the group, cataloging their positions and state of being with an instinct born of countless battles. Lu Xi’s voice carried a note of relief as she gestured for Feng Jiao Xue to join them, her usually guarded demeanor softening slightly. Feng Jiao Xue responded with a faint nod, her expression betraying nothing, but inwardly she noted the warmth in the gesture, it was rare for someone to truly see her as part of a group, even for a fleeting moment.
The road back to the city felt lighter, though not entirely free of unease. As they walked along the cobbled path, faint laughter and conversation echoed among the group. Bonds forged in battle were not so easily dismissed. Each person had left a mark on the other, even if they would never admit it outright. Cheng Rong laughed heartily at a joke from one of his companions, while another teased him about how many times he’d tripped during their journey.
"Honestly, you’re lucky that scorpion didn’t step on you when you fell face-first into the sand," one of his friends quipped, earning a round of laughter.
"Hey, I was distracting it!" Cheng Rong shot back with a grin, pretending to puff out his chest. "It was a strategy!"
Feng Jiao Xue listened to the banter in silence, her lips curving ever so slightly. For a moment, she let herself imagine what it would be like to be a part of such easy camaraderie. But the thought passed as quickly as it came.
By the time the city gates came into view, the sun had dipped low, casting the capital in a warm, golden glow. The towering walls seemed more inviting than ominous, as though they were beckoning the adventurers to return to the relative safety within.
Once inside, the group began to split off, each to their own destinations. Farewells were exchanged, some heartfelt and others brief, as the bonds of camaraderie gave way to the pull of individual paths.
"That was one hell of a trip," one adventurer muttered, adjusting the strap of his bag.
"Wouldn’t mind doing it again, minus the giant scorpions, though," another joked, eliciting chuckles.
"And the mist" A mage quiped in, shivering at the memory.