Chapter-7

The fresh air hit his face, and he felt slightly better, but the heat persisted. It was not only his outside body that was heating up but also inside. He continued to run, pushing himself despite the discomfort. He ran past the village instead of passing through it since he didn't want to be seen. He didn't wan to be seen as a madman running like crazy.

As he ran, green fields and distant mountains came into view which he would have appreciated if he were to see them but not at this moment as all of his focus was put on to running. He pushed himself to keep running, the sweat pouring down his face. His heart pounded, and his muscles ached, but he didn't stop.

As he ran and ran, he didn't see that there was no longer any pathway below him. He was only able to realize it when he went into the meadow fields. He realized that his speed was getting faster and faster and even though he wanted to move back to the path before, he felt the heat would eat him alive though the system ensured him that he would be fine and it was only a temporary mental effect which was felt.

His heart pounded, and his muscles ached, but he didn't stop. He ran past the fields, into a small wooded area. As he ran through the forest trail, he could feel the impurities leaving his body through his pores and the heat reducing significantly. The discomfort began to lessen, and he started to reduce his speed slowly.

After running for what felt like an eternity, he stopped holding his body with the nearby tree as his body wobbled as his legs could no longer hold on. He sat down with his back on the tree.

'Are the pill effects finished'

[Yes, host]

He sighed in relief as he rested for a while. After he was ready, he stood up. his legs were sore and his throat was dry. HIs entire body felt drained of energy. He heard the sound of water falling.

"A water fall?" He didn't hear it before maybe because all he could hear was the thumping sound of his heart but after he had caught a hold of himself and his breath, he could hear the sound of it. He went towards the origin of the sound, using the tree as support.

After moving through the bushes which were in his way, he could finally see what it was. It was indeed a water fall. Seeing the waterfall, it sparked some memories from his childhood. He had been here before. Though only once and that time, it was a mistake as he arrived here.

__ __ __

Flash back

As a child, during his stays here, while he was in the village, Li Wei was fascinated by the eastern woods, not because of their beauty, but because of the rumours he had heard in the village.

"Did you hear about the cave in the eastern woods" Two men were talking as Li Wei walked by and couldn't help but hear it.

"They say it's haunted. A man went in there and never came out." Li Wei listened, wide-eyed, as the villagers exchanged tales whether exaggerated or not, he couldn't tell. The idea of the cave both terrified and intrigued him.

One day, during his visit, his curiosity got the better of him. He ventured into the eastern woods, determined to find the cave. The forest was dense, and the further he went, the darker it became. The trees seemed to close in around him, and every sound made his heart race.

The sound of birds flapping away scared him and he ran till he was out of breath, finally stopping at the edge of a clearing. In front of him was a waterfall, its clear water cascading down into a small pool which was connected to a stream which lead to somewhere but where, he didn't know.

He was thirsty, so he knelt down and drank the cool water. As he was catching his breath, he heard something rustling in the bushes behind him. As he was catching his breath, he heard something rustling in the bushes behind him.

He froze, his heart pounding again. He didn't know what it was but he tried to run again but he saw that the trees were not even coming close to him and he felt that his feet was not touching the ground and he looked down to see that it was not. He felt something holding him up from his collar.

He froze, his heart pounding again. He slowly turned around and saw the thing which was holding him which was an old man. All of his hair was white and and his clothes were clean. His eyes were kind but sharp, and he looked at Li Wei with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"What are you doing here, boy?" the old man asked, his voice stern but not unkind.

"Are you lost?"

Li Wei nodded, too scared to speak. The old man sighed and shook his head.

"You shouldn't be wandering around these woods alone. Come on, I'll take you back to the village."

The old man put him down and lead the way, going away from the waterfall. He guided him through the forest, pointing out landmarks and giving him directions in case he ever got lost again.

"This way," he said, pointing to a narrow path that Li Wei hadn't noticed before.

"Follow this path, and it will lead you back to the village."

Li Wei thanked the old man and hurried down the path. When he looked back, the old man was gone, as if he had never been there. He got chills as he quickly ran back to his uncle's house. He didn't tell anyone about his encounters nor him going the east woods to his uncle otherwise he would be in big trouble.

End of Flashback