My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

The mountain road is rugged, and the forest is dense and lush.

Ye Qingfeng had been wandering around this seemingly endless mountain range for almost two hours.

The slight sense of pride that remained after initially using "Shrinking the Earth" was still there.

The frustration of wandering around in circles without ever finding a soul in sight has long been replaced by the feeling of being overwhelmed.

As the sun rose higher, the dampness in the forest rose up, clinging to our bodies, making us feel sticky and adding to our stuffiness.

"Serves you right for showing off! Serves you right for trying to be cool! Talking about 'wandering the world and doing whatever you please'!"

Ye Qingfeng couldn't help but curse himself under his breath, kicking away a piece of pebbles that was in his way.

"Well, that's great. He's wandered off into the deep mountains and forests on a whim, and can't even tell which way is which!"

He stopped and leaned against an old tree, catching his breath.

My stomach started rumbling again; the dry food I ate at the temple that morning was long gone.

What's more troublesome is that he has gained a clearer understanding of his half-baked "shrinking the earth to an inch" skill.

This ability is fine for short-distance movement and fooling people, but can it be used to traverse mountains and determine directions?

Totally impossible!

Each time it is used, a trace of the faint Qi in the body is consumed, and now there is not much left, so I dare not squander it anymore.

"We must find a way, find people." He steadied himself and forced himself to calm down and observe.

Unfortunately, the original beggar had no recollection of this place, and he himself was completely directionally challenged.

With no other option, I gritted my teeth and chose a path that looked like it was frequently trodden by people, and continued to walk forward, one step at a time.

After walking for about half an hour, just as he was about to doubt whether he was going in circles.

The rhythmic clanging of felling trees could be faintly heard from ahead.

someone!

Ye Qingfeng felt a surge of energy, and his fatigue dissipated somewhat.

He quickened his pace following the sound, passed through a dense forest, and suddenly the view opened up before him.

This is a sunny hillside with sparse trees.

A middle-aged woodcutter, dressed in a coarse cloth jacket and with his trousers tightly bound, was standing with his back to him, swinging his axe and forcefully chopping down a dead tree as thick as a bowl.

A small bundle of chopped firewood was already piled up next to it.

Finally, he saw a living person! A huge weight was lifted from Ye Qingfeng's heart. He was about to call out when a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

Why not... take this opportunity to further solidify your "master" image?

In this desolate wilderness, a stranger who walks up to you is never as important as a Taoist priest who "suddenly arrives."

It's also easier to gain the other person's subconscious attention and...trust?

Once the thought arises, it's hard to suppress.

He looked at the distance between himself and the woodcutter; it was about thirty meters, with some bushes and pebbles in between, but no major obstacles.

The Qi within the body should be barely enough to support a short-distance teleportation.

He held his breath, recalling the subtle feeling of taking that first step at the temple gate that morning.

It's not about using muscle strength, but rather about using your mind to guide the Qi within your body, creating a brief "resonance" and "folding" with the ground beneath your feet.

The objective was clear: a flat meadow three feet away from the woodcutter.

"Walk!"

He silently recited the mantra, then took a seemingly casual step forward—

The sound of the wind brushed past my ears very briefly, and the scenery blurred slightly and then became clear in an instant.

He felt his feet firmly planted on solid ground, and he was standing steadily in the pre-arranged position, facing the side of the woodcutter.

Precise distance, silent landing.

However, the energy within his body had weakened further, leaving him with a faint sense of emptiness.

The woodcutter was completely unaware that someone had appeared beside him. He was cleaving the tree trunk with all his might when a "crack" sounded, and wood chips flew everywhere.

He took a breath, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and only then did he catch a glimpse of a grayish-blue shadow next to him.

"Hmm?" The woodcutter turned his head subconsciously.

Eyes facing each other.

The woodcutter's expression froze instantly.

Sweat still clung to the tip of his nose, his mouth was slightly open, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He clearly remembered that he had scanned his surroundings before swinging his knife, and there were only trees and rocks. The hillside was empty, and there was definitely no living person there!

Not to mention he was a complete stranger dressed in a Taoist robe!

But this Taoist priest stood silently and abruptly three feet away from him, with a faint... indifferent smile on his face?

"A ghost...a ghost—!!!"

A piercing, broken scream suddenly rang out, and the woodcutter looked as if his backside had been burned.

He sprang backward, the wood-chopping knife clattering from his hand and falling to the ground, his face ashen white.

My body trembled like a leaf in the wind, my legs went weak, and I almost collapsed to the ground.

He pointed at Ye Qingfeng in utter terror, his fingers trembling violently.

Ye Qingfeng was also startled by his overreaction, not expecting the effect to be so "good".

He quickly suppressed his smile, revealing a gentle and harmless expression, and raised one hand in a Taoist salute.

The voice was clear and calm, carrying a soothing quality:

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. Benefactor, do not be alarmed. I am a wandering cultivator."

It is neither a mountain spirit nor a wild demon, nor a ghost. We apologize for disturbing you.

His voice seemed to carry a peculiar calming power, coupled with his old but neat Taoist robe.

His polite demeanor finally brought the woodcutter back to his senses from extreme shock.

But the fear had not completely subsided. The woodcutter's eyes were still full of vigilance and suspicion as he looked Ye Qingfeng up and down, muttering to himself.

"A person?... You, you're really a person? How... how could you suddenly..."

Suddenly, as if remembering some ancient legend, he abruptly lowered his head and looked down at Ye Qingfeng's feet.

The afternoon sun slanted through the gaps in the trees, casting a clear, slightly swaying shadow on the ground belonging to Ye Qingfeng.

"There's...there's a shadow!"

The woodcutter, as if grasping at a straw, let out a long, trembling breath.

His tense body finally relaxed a little, but the surprise in his eyes turned into deep curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible awe.

"There really is a shadow... It's not a ghost... But, but there's definitely no one around here!"

He pointed around, then looked at Ye Qingfeng, who was right next to him, his face full of disbelief.

Ye Qingfeng chuckled inwardly, knowing that the initial deterrent effect had been achieved.

He naturally wouldn't go into detail about "shrinking the earth to an inch," but simply smiled and downplayed it as if it were a trivial matter.

"I am merely using some minor escape techniques, please forgive my ignorance. I, Ye Qingfeng, was traveling in the mountains when I lost my way due to a moment of carelessness."

Could you please tell me what territory lies ahead? And where is the nearest village?

Escape technique? The woodcutter was momentarily shocked.

Isn't this the kind of skill that only those who have attained enlightenment can master?

He didn't think the other party would lie to him, because he was quite certain that there hadn't been any living creatures within his ten-meter radius just now.

The Taoist priest's sudden appearance could only be due to this legendary escape technique!