Shui Bing'er did not reply. She turned to take one last look at the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, then followed Bing Yekong up the steep slope along the cliff's edge.
It took them nearly half an hour to climb back to the top of the cliff. Beneath the dense canopy of Sunset Forest, they paused to get their bearings.
Bing Yekong took out the map and studied it once more, confirming the route out of the forest.
As he put the map away, his fingertips brushed the Soul Bones in his storage pouch that he had not yet had time to absorb. The three from the Far North still lay quietly inside.
After some thought, he decided not to rush into absorbing those spare pieces. He would wait until they returned to the Shui Family and settled down.
"Head southwest from here, cross the edge of Sunset Forest, and in another three days we'll reach the outskirts of Heaven Dou City," Bing Yekong said. "Then we'll skirt around Heaven Dou City and take the official road back to Element City. That should take another five to seven days."
Shui Bing'er gave a quiet hum and followed his steps.
The two walked side by side through the afternoon light and shadows of Sunset Forest. Dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy onto their shoulders and hair, while the shifting daylight gradually drifted through the woods.
Now and then, one or two squirrels leaped across the branches, clutching pinecones as they darted into the underbrush and vanished.
The strange aura of the Icefire Yin-Yang Well had already dispersed completely, replaced by the forest scent of pine resin mingled with decaying leaves.
After walking for about an hour, Bing Yekong sat down to rest on a fallen dead tree by the roadside. He took out