She never expected her daughter to have such an extraordinary encounter.
Zhen Lingrong desperately wanted to ask Shen Xiaoyan how she obtained this spatial ability, but the words remained unspoken.
Although it was merely curiosity, even between mother and daughter, each had their own secrets, and one couldn't simply lay bare all their secrets before the other.
With that thought, Zhen Lingrong set the question aside.
Time in the space felt incredibly long, making Zhen Lingrong feel as though she had made up for the lack of maternal affection over the past decade.
Finally, as dawn broke outside, Shen Xiaoyan and the others immediately exited the space.
They hadn't forgotten that they were still unsure of their current location and whether dangers lurked nearby.
Even though the space was safe, they couldn't remain in it forever.
While they enjoyed life within the space, pressing matters outside had to be dealt with first.
Once they returned to a safe place, they could leisurely enjoy their time in the space.
Outside the space, the scene before Shen Xiaoyan and the others was the same as what they had seen the previous day.
Various unknown flowers bloomed in abundance, emitting a faint fragrance, drawing butterflies and bees to dance around them.
Not far away lay green mountains and clear waters, as well as tall, sturdy trees.
In her previous life, Shen Xiaoyan rarely saw such sights; that planet had been too severely damaged.
However, ever since her transmigration, such scenes had become commonplace in Great Chu.
Wasn't Baiyun Manor, where she lived previously, a place like this?
Therefore, seeing such a scene again, Shen Xiaoyan felt indifferent. She merely glanced at it before turning her gaze away.
Zhen Lingrong and the others showed little interest in this scenery. Compared to Changqiudian, this was truly a pale imitation.
If this were a paradise, then Changqiudian would truly be a heavenly realm.
Lacking interest in the scenery, the group, after a brief observation, all frowned.
This profound tranquility and auspiciousness, while relaxing, also instilled a sense of caution.
When things are too good to be true, something is bound to be wrong.
They had endured so much pain to arrive here, only to be shown such scenery?
Yet, they didn't particularly like it.
After much thought and no clear answers, the group unanimously decided to press onward.
Perhaps they would be able to leave this place if they walked a bit further!
With this hope, they slowly began to walk forward.
Although the surroundings felt safe, they did not truly believe it to be so, remaining cautious at every step.
Ruǎnruǎn and the other two were carried directly in their arms, ensuring their safety in case of any sudden events.
After walking for about an hour, they had transitioned from a flower-filled garden to a forest of towering ancient trees.
The trees in the forest were exceptionally thick and tall, their dense foliage forming a natural giant umbrella.
Sunlight could only filter through the gaps between the leaves.
Despite it being mid-morning with bright daylight, walking through the forest felt like approaching dusk, dim and unclear.
Occasionally, a gentle breeze would rustle the leaves, creating a soft, whispering sound.
This sent a shiver down Shen Xiaoyan's spine. For some reason, after entering the forest, she felt an unsettling sensation.
However, seeing that the others' expressions were calm and showed no signs of abnormality, she dismissed it as her own overthinking.
They continued walking like this for another half an hour when Lu Taobao suddenly spoke, "Huh, why are there no bird calls in such a large forest?"
Hearing his confusion, Yi Zhiye chuckled, "What time is it, and you're still thinking about food!"
Lu Taobao felt speechless, "When was I thinking about food? I'm just curious, why are there no bird songs in such a vast forest? Aren't you all strange about it?"
Upon hearing his explanation, Yi Zhiye also realized something was amiss.
It wasn't just Yi Zhiye; the faces of the others also changed.
That's right, they had a feeling something was off; it turned out the problem was right here.
A forest this large should not be devoid of bird chirps and insect hums; it was inherently strange.
They hadn't noticed it earlier, perhaps because it felt quiet and safe, but now, they realized it was precisely the opposite of safe.
Glancing around cautiously, Yi Zhiye spoke, "Should we retreat? I have a bad feeling about this."
Zheng Wei shook his head, "It might be too late to retreat now."
Yi Zhiye was about to ask why when he saw Zheng Wei turn his head to look in the direction they had come from!
Following Zheng Wei's gaze, Yi Zhiye's face instantly paled.
Clearly, when they had arrived, there was a forest path about three meters wide.
But now, there was no path to be seen. Behind them, there was only an endless expanse of trees, with no sign of a road.
Turning their gaze forward again, they could still see the three-meter-wide path extending forward, its end unseen.
Seeing this, even the broad-minded Lu Taobao broke out in a cold sweat.
There was no longer any doubt; they had entered, but they could not leave.
After a long silence, Zhen Lingrong spoke, "Since we have no way back, no matter what lies ahead, we must press forward."
Shen Xiaoyan and the others nodded in agreement. At this point, they had no other choice.
They continued their journey, becoming even more cautious, stepping forward almost inch by inch. Yet, even so, they encountered nothing further along their path.
The surroundings were eerily silent, making everyone's hair stand on end.
"What kind of damned place is this!" Yi Zhiye couldn't help but curse softly.
But the moment his words fell, the surrounding trees began to sway from side to side.
It was as if a great wind had suddenly swept through.
The trees swayed violently, making it seem as though they would be uprooted in the next second.
However...
Shen Xiaoyan and the others watched the scene with grim expressions.
They felt not a wisp of wind.
These trees were moving without any breeze.
Faintly, they even heard a whistling sound.
The sound was intermittent, but Shen Xiaoyan and the others could discern that it was saying: This is a damned place~
The voice seemed to carry a hint of joy, as if it were pleased to be recognized.
However, upon hearing this sound, Shen Xiaoyan and the others turned ashen.
Could someone explain to them what was happening?
It wasn't just Shen Xiaoyan; even Lin Xinmi, Le Fo, and Zhen Lingrong, who had lived for so long, had never encountered such a phenomenon.
With their experience, they felt no fear, but the complete unknown of their current surroundings still unsettled them.
Shen Xiaoyan and the others formed a circle back-to-back, cautiously observing the windless swaying trees.
However, after a long wait, they detected nothing further out of the ordinary.
"What's going on?" Shen Xiaoyan asked curiously.
The others all shook their heads; they didn't know either!
As time ticked by and the surrounding forest fell silent once more, as if nothing had happened, Shen Xiaoyan and the group felt a heightened sense of alert.
Yet, they knew that staying put would not yield any solutions.
So, however unwillingly, they could only continue their journey forward.
However, as they continued, their hearts were filled with unease.
After not much longer, the group stopped, the reason naturally being hunger.
The entire morning had been spent in tension and anxiety, and they had even forgotten to eat.
If it weren't for Ruǎnruǎn and the other two complaining that they were hungry, none of them would have realized how famished they were.
After carefully observing their surroundings and finding them unchanged, Shen Xiaoyan conferred with the others. Then, one by one, they entered the space.
Due to the time difference, she prepared a lavish meal in the space. By the time she brought the food out, only a short time had passed outside.
The group sat at the table, eating quickly, their eyes frequently scanning their surroundings.
The reason they didn't eat inside the space was that they couldn't always hide away; they had to face the external challenges, didn't they?
Even knowing that the forest was problematic, some things were unavoidable.
After a nervously eaten meal, Shen Xiaoyan took the finished food, plates, bowls, and tables back into the space. After tidying everything up, she emerged from the space once more.
Outside the space, it was now noon, when the sun was at its fiercest. However, due to the canopy of leaves overhead, they did not feel the sun's rays.
Only occasionally could they see sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, letting them know the time.
Yi Zhiye looked around and cursed softly again, "This damned place."
As soon as his words fell, the same scene as before occurred again.
The surrounding trees swayed without wind, and the leaves rustled incessantly.
That ethereal voice echoed in their ears once more.
"This is a damned place~"
The voice was already faint, and it drew out the words, like a specter.
Shen Xiaoyan instinctively looked at Ruǎnruǎn and the other two, fearing they would be scared.
However, upon seeing their excited expressions, she found herself at a loss for words.
These three children were incredibly brave; not only were they unafraid of such a spectacle, but they were also thrilled.
"Mama, is someone playing hide-and-seek with us?" Ruǎnruǎn asked excitedly.
Shen Xiaoyan was dumbfounded, "Daughter, who would play hide-and-seek with you in this place?
Besides, they have no idea what it is; what's there to play hide-and-seek about?"
Perhaps it was because it was the second time, but the group was much calmer.
Zhen Lingrong said coldly, "Are you human or ghost? What is your purpose? Why don't you show yourself?"
As soon as his words fell, there was another eerie silence. Just as Shen Xiaoyan and the others thought no one would answer, they heard that ethereal voice again.
"Don't you see me already."
As the voice faded, Shen Xiaoyan and the others saw the leaves rustling again.
In an instant, Shen Xiaoyan and the group understood something.
"Are you... these trees?" Lu Taobao asked in surprise.
As his words fell, the trees shook even more violently, as if expressing their delight.
"Yes, yes, you're so smart."
Shen Xiaoyan: "..."
Everyone: "..."
"You are all so amazing, to be able to recognize me! Unlike those people before, they were all too scared to speak to me."
The voice had become somewhat aggrieved, and Shen Xiaoyan and the others felt a chill down their spines.
They didn't dare to say that with its greeting method, who would dare to speak to it?
Given the slightest opportunity, they would run as far away as possible.
Clearly, the voice did not realize that its actions were somewhat inappropriate; it remained very excited.
Listening to it chatter on about its past experiences and what the people before them had gone through, Shen Xiaoyan suddenly felt as though she understood something.
With a slight movement of her heart, a emerald green lotus leaf suddenly appeared before Shen Xiaoyan.
Earlier, when they were in the space, Xiao Rongrong had wandered off somewhere, so Zhen Lingrong and the other two had not seen it.
Upon seeing the suddenly appearing lotus leaf, the three were greatly surprised.