Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 71: Chapter 71 — Peaceful

Chapter 71 — Peaceful

Victor walked into the hut.

He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside.

Then he stopped.

For a moment, he simply stood there.

After spending so long inside the Mana Lock Prison, the difference was almost difficult to process.

The hut was enormous.

The interior opened into a wide circular space, with thick wooden support beams rising toward the high ceiling. Everything had been constructed from dark wood.

Every surface had been carefully shaped.

The walls were covered with intricate carvings. Some depicted strange beasts moving through the forest, while others showed scenes of figures standing beneath enormous trees.

The craftsmanship was incredible.

Victor slowly walked farther inside.

A massive beast hide covered nearly the entire floor.

The thick fur was soft beneath his feet, and Victor couldn’t help but imagine the size of the creature it had once belonged to.

Near one side of the hut sat a large bed.

It had been constructed from layers of hides and carefully arranged materials, creating something that looked far more comfortable than anything Victor had slept on since arriving in this world.

Victor stared at it.

Then he slowly walked over and sat down.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Victor allowed himself to take a proper breath.

He inhaled deeply.

Then slowly let it out.

The events of the day came flooding back all at once.

Victor closed his eyes.

For several seconds, he didn’t move.

His hands trembled slightly.

Then his breathing had slowly become steady again.

For the moment, his mind was finally at peace.

His gaze lowered.

The feather was still in his hand.

Victor held it up.

The feather was beautiful beyond anything he had ever seen.

It was black.

Not an ordinary black, but a deep, almost unnatural shade that seemed to absorb the light around it. Faint ancient markings ran across its surface.

The feather itself was enormous.

Victor slowly ran his fingers along its edge.

Despite its size, it was incredibly smooth.

He continued examining the strange markings for several moments before finally placing it carefully beside him on the bed.

Then his eyes slowly moved toward the empty space beside him.

Nala wasn’t here anymore.

Victor couldn’t help the strange feeling of emptiness that settled inside him.

The little bird had been with him for more than a month.

Somehow, through everything that had happened, she had become a constant presence beside him.

He had gotten used to her sleeping against him.

To her small chirps breaking through the silence.

Somewhere along the way, the little creature had stopped feeling like a strange bird that had simply decided to follow him.

She had become his companion.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

She would be back before long.

Victor leaned back slightly.

Then he closed his eyes.

It had been far too long since he had been able to cultivate properly.

Inside the Mana Lock Prison, his connection to his Core had been severed. He had spent weeks unable to feel his Spiritual Energy.

Victor had almost forgotten how peaceful cultivation could be.

He slowly settled into a comfortable position on the bed.

Then his consciousness turned inward.

Spiritual Energy answered him almost immediately.

His shoulders slowly relaxed.

The tension that had been buried inside him for weeks began to fade.

Time passed quietly.

Victor focused on his cultivation, allowing himself to simply exist in the moment.

For the first time in a long time...

He simply cultivated.

Hours passed.

Eventually, Victor slowly opened his eyes.

The light inside the hut had changed.

He took a deep breath and stood.

Victor looked around the hut once more before noticing another door toward the back.

Curious, he walked toward it.

When he opened it, cool forest air immediately drifted inside.

Victor stepped out.

Behind the hut was a narrow path leading into the forest.

Victor followed the path.

The trees rose high overhead, their massive branches creating a natural canopy that filtered the light coming from the strange luminescent stones scattered throughout the area

Leaves rustled gently in the breeze.

The distant sound of water could barely be heard.

Victor continued walking.

After about a minute, the path opened into a small clearing.

A simple wooden bench sat near the edge.

Victor walked toward it and sat down.

Then he looked around.

For several moments, he simply enjoyed the view.

Massive trees surrounded the clearing, their trunks wider than anything Victor had seen back on Earth. Strange plants grew near their roots, some with faintly glowing leaves that provided small points of light among the shadows.

The air smelled clean.

Victor slowly leaned back against the bench.

Then movement caught his attention.

Two creatures were racing through the trees.

Victor watched them carefully.

At first glance, they looked almost like squirrels.

Almost.

They were much larger than any squirrel Victor had ever seen.

Each one was roughly the size of a full-grown duck, with thick tails and powerful little bodies. They jumped from branch to branch with incredible speed.

One chased the other.

Victor watched as the two continued through the trees.

They almost looked like children playing tag.

A small smile appeared on Victor’s face.

For once, he didn’t feel the need to understand everything around him.

And strangely enough...

It was peaceful.

Victor looked deeper into the forest.

The leaves moved gently overhead.

Small pieces of light filtered through the branches.

The entire world seemed calm.

Victor slowly started accept that, somehow, against every possible expectation...

He was still alive.

Then—

Rustling came from behind him.

Victor turned.

His eyes immediately widened.

Someone was walking down the path.

Moonlight.

Victor hadn’t expected to see her.

She walked slowly between the trees, a faint smile resting on her face.

Her long hair moved gently with the breeze as she approached.

The soft luminescent light from the stones scattered throughout the forest fell across her face, highlighting her features as she moved through the shadows.