After a hearty breakfast at the Silver Lantern Inn, Luo Feng, Miya, Kael, and Lin Wang gathered their belongings and loaded the heavily packed ox-cart. The cart now carried bolts of cloth, sacks of salt, jars of medicine, tools, the new weapons and armor, and the remaining grape wine barrels.
They went downstairs where little Lila was waiting with her usual bright smile. Miya knelt down and gently hugged the five-year-old.
"Thank you for everything, Lila," Miya said softly. "We're leaving today. Take care of your mother, okay?"
Lila nodded, her eyes a little sad. "Come back someday! I'll serve you the best soup!"
Luo Feng patted her head gently. "We will. Stay safe and keep smiling."
Kael and Lin Wang also said their goodbyes. The four of them waved one last time to Lila and her mother, then stepped out into the morning streets of the capital. The ox-cart creaked as they began their long journey home.
The road back to Eden Village stretched ahead — three long months of travel. They walked at a steady pace, the Cosmic Trident Spear resting comfortably on Luo Feng's shoulder, occasionally crackling with faint purple lightning. Miya rode on the cart sometimes, her new katana at her side, while Kael and Lin Wang took turns guarding the rear.
One full month passed without major trouble. The days were filled with walking, camping under the stars, hunting small game, and quiet moments where Luo Feng and Miya slept close together each night.
Then, on a cloudy afternoon in the middle of a wide grassy plain, they heard the sound of battle — shouts, clashing metal, and monstrous roars.
In the distance, a group of Kingdom soldiers (about fifteen men) was desperately fighting a pack of powerful B-rank monsters: shadow wolves, spiked boars, and a pair of giant venomous serpents. The soldiers were clearly losing. Several were already wounded, their formation broken, and the monsters were pressing hard.
Luo Feng's eyes sharpened. Without hesitation he said, "They need help."
Miya drew her katana. Kael and Lin Wang readied their Mithril swords and new armor.
All four of them rushed forward.
Luo Feng moved like a shadow. He activated Stealth Specialist for a moment, then exploded into the fray. The Cosmic Trident Spear sang through the air, purple lightning crackling violently. One thrust pierced straight through a B-rank shadow wolf's chest, the lightning exploding inside the beast and turning it into charred meat in an instant. Another swing sliced a spiked boar clean in half, the void-cutting edge making the cut effortless.
Miya danced forward with her Adamantite katana, her movements graceful and deadly. She beheaded a venomous serpent with a single clean strike.
Kael and Lin Wang, now properly armed, charged in with newfound confidence. Their Mithril swords flashed, cutting down monsters left and right. The new armor easily deflected claws and fangs that would have killed them before.
The battle was over in minutes.
When the last monster fell dead, the surviving soldiers stared in stunned silence at the four travelers — especially at the young man holding the crackling purple trident.
The captain of the soldiers, breathing heavily with a deep gash on his arm, stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Thank you… thank you so much," he said, voice full of gratitude. "We were ordered to clear this area, but the monsters were stronger than reported. Without you, we would all be dead. Who are you?"
Luo Feng lowered the trident, the purple lightning calming slightly. "Just travelers heading home to our village. We couldn't ignore people in trouble."
The soldiers offered what little healing herbs and food they had as thanks. After a short rest and bandaging the wounded, the soldiers saluted them respectfully and continued on their way.
Luo Feng, Miya, Kael, and Lin Wang resumed their journey, the ox-cart creaking along the road once more.
Miya rode beside Luo Feng, leaning her head on his shoulder for a moment. "You really can't help but save people, can you?"
Luo Feng smiled softly. "It's what a farmer does. Protect the fields… and the people who live in them."
They continued their long walk back to Eden Village — now one month closer to home, with stronger bonds, powerful weapons, and another good deed behind them.