บท 208: Lingering Presence

The vibrant and verdant forest that previously seemed full of life, motion, and opportunity, was momentarily still. It was like the forest was placed in a void where it could no longer reach the outside world.

As Xu Feng stood in this piece of the unnaturally still forest, time seemed to pause for a fleeting moment. One heartbeat, then two, and the world around him burst into life once again. 

The stagnant façade dissolved, revealing a lively expanse of foliage, the afternoon sun filtering through the canopy above, painting the forest floor in a mosaic of light and shadow.

Yet, this wasn't the same surreal realm he had traveled back from just moments ago. Gone were the endless ancient trees that seemed to have served as a gateway as they stretched endlessly into that otherworldly abyss. 

Instead, he found himself standing at the very beginning of his journey—an almost nostalgic familiarity settled upon him.