The way back took us a few days, just like it did for us to get to the ancient tree. We marked the way, cutting some trees, making small dots for us to find our way back when the time was right.
We traveled during the day. Camped during the night. It was the smartest decision, as most of the spiritual beasts liked to attack during the night. The forest had lots of dead trees we could use as a house — sleeping inside those trees was not comfy but safe — and it also had caves for us to use.
The only thing we had to watch out for was the usage of fire. Fire easily attracted the beasts or other cultivators that might be in the area, so we used it with care, and throughout thinking.