The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 208: Lingering Presence

Chapter 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.

The clearing before him showed the unmistakable signs of the confrontation with the first raging boar. Fresh droppings of blood were scattered around, remnants of his and Bai Mo’s standoff, marked the unrestrained encounter.

Xu Feng recognized a change within himself.

The forest seemed to pulse with renewed life, its colors more intense, its sounds more distinct, and even its scents more pronounced. Every detail was heightened, almost exaggerated, and Xu Feng couldn’t help but be bombarded by the increased sensitivity within him.

The world around him seemed clearer, sharper, and unfortunately, even the less pleasant odors were more vivid.

Something within him yearned to plunge deeper into the forest, the tantalizing scents luring him forward, and his senses more attuned to hidden treasures.

Surprisingly, the mischievous golden ring adorning his finger, usually a restless instigator in moments like these, remained oddly content, perhaps satiated by the energy it had absorbed within the Xuan ancestor’s space.

The realization once again struck Xu Feng—this ghostly cultivator must indeed be an ancestor of the Xuan family. The cultivator’s similarities to Xuan Yang in character and appearance even with the lack of a desire to humor him, was spot on.

Xu Feng understood that his good relationship with Xuan Yang had something big to do with Xuan Jian, the iceberg was like the key to Xuan Yang’s heart, seeming to warm up his colder personality traits.

It was like Xuan Jian was the doorway to Xuan Yang’s heart, allowing him more human emotions. This knowledge didn’t disturb Xu Feng though. While the Xuan young master was cold, he wasn’t heartless, just very detached from humanity...like an immortal or like the ghost he’d just met...

Xu Feng connected the dots, piecing together the peculiar favoritism he seemed to get from the Xuan young master, Xuan Yang. Despite the complexities of their relationship, whenever Xuan Yang spoke, he never ignored Xu Feng—never once dismissing his presence.

It was a subtle acknowledgment, but an acknowledgment nonetheless, a token of recognition that wasn’t lost on Xu Feng.

There was much more going on in the Xuan family than what was immediately visible. So much more. And what was surface level was already disturbing enough.

The encounter with Xuan ancestor and the gift he had received were pieces of a puzzle yet to be unveiled—a puzzle that held the potential to aid him in ways he couldn’t yet understand.

Xu Feng bit his bottom lip, once again wondering what he had gotten himself into. If he were to run now, how far could he get on his own?

He should have saved all the gold and silver he spent in the winter months, and taken the money to start a new life somewhere far away. But that wouldn’t be right.

He should at least have a bun in the oven, before he ran. That was the correct order of things...

As Xu Feng paused in the middle of his retreat from the forest, an impish glint danced within his eyes, igniting an almost devilish sparkle. His smile, wickedly charming, curved at the corners, lending an air of playful mischief to his expression.

The silver strands of his hair, tousled and framing his face, added to the allure of his face, accentuating the mischief brewing within.

Despite the disheveled state of his clothing, after the wear and tear of three weeks spent without the luxury of a bath, there was an undeniable radiance about him. His features carried an otherworldly glow, an inner luminosity that seemed to emanate from within, casting a captivating shine despite his location.

As he moved closer to the actual edge of the forest, step by step, a playful joke escaped his lips, directed at the unseen presence he imagined lingering in the depths of the forest.

"Don’t forget me," he quipped into the void, mischief lacing his voice, his dimples illuminated with amusement. "Return and cultivate soon."

...

In the following silence, Xu Feng froze. He wasn’t expecting a reply, or the fact that the Xuan ancestor was still present.

It wasn’t just Xu Feng that froze, the animals in the forest that had just seemed to resume their movement once again froze as if being hunted by a large beast. Like the animals shivering in fear of some large prey, Xu Feng stood motionless.

The cultivator watched the previously haughty little ger, standing with eyes wide open, mirroring the rabbit only a few feet away. As if, if the ger didn’t move, he wouldn’t be seen by him.

Unknowingly, a small smile graced the barely visible corners of the cultivators’ lips. This was an interloper in his affairs of the past and present. Affairs of the heart shouldn’t be meddled in, but perhaps the ger had better manners in this lifetime?

The unexpected voice that echoed in Xu Feng’s mind—a response, a whisper carried by an unseen force—had shaken him to the core. The ancient cultivator, the Xuan ancestor, seemed to be observing him.

Xu Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief; uncertainty crept in, yet before he could rationalize, he raised his hand in a wave, a mix of shock and bewilderment across his features.

As he bolted toward the forest’s exit, a sense of urgency propelled him forward, all Xuans were weirdos!

At least with his nominal husband, there was a predictability around Xuan Jian. He couldn’t help but realize how great his polyamorous relationship was. Without Xuan Jian’s warmth, maybe his husband would show the same level of cold detachment as this mysterious Xuan ancestor.

He hastened towards the forest’s edge, Xu Feng’s thoughts swirling, leaving him with more questions than answers. Yet, an indelible impression lingered—a sense of being watched, observed by an ancient presence, lingering like a mystery yet to unravel.