Fleeing from famine? Not a chance; the divine healer's wife made her fortune.

Entering the Misty Forest, the Battle of Guarding Things

Su Yunlan gazed at the misty forest before her, her heart filled with vigilance.

The thick fog, like a huge gray wall, swallowed up all light and sound, leaving only a suffocating silence.

The dampness on my face brought a slight chill, but also added to my unease.

She unconsciously gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly; the warm, broad palm gave her a reassuring strength, making her feel a little at ease.

Xiao Yuhan grasped her hand in return, his calm gaze sweeping over the surroundings as if assessing potential dangers.

The exiles around them also looked fearful.

The eerie atmosphere of the misty forest, coupled with the fright from the previous downpour, made their already fragile nerves even more tense.

The children's cries rose and fell, interspersed with the adults' whispered comforting words and curses, creating a cacophony of whispers.

The air was thick with fear, crashing against everyone's heart like waves.

"Ah! A wild beast! Help!" A terrified cry shattered the silence of the forest.

The crowd erupted into chaos, and the panicked exiles scattered in all directions, bumping around like headless flies.

Granny Sun gripped Young Master Xiao's hand tightly, her face pale, her lips trembling as she murmured words of blessing for his safety.

Su Yunlan immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The shout was too abrupt, and she didn't hear any wild animal.

Her sharp gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on a furtive figure—Old Liu.

He pretended to be terrified and shouted loudly, while using the chaotic crowd to approach the carriage where Su Yunlan stored supplies.

A greedy expression flashed across his face in the mist, like a venomous snake lurking in wait.

"Fourth Master..." Su Yunlan said in a low voice, gesturing to Xiao Yuhan to pay attention to Old Liu's actions.

Xiao Yuhan nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in his deep eyes.

Old Liu was almost at the carriage. He stretched out his withered hand, trembling, as if trying to grasp some precious treasure...

"Stop!" A low shout rang out like a thunderclap in Old Liu's ears.

Old Liu was so frightened by the sudden angry shout that he trembled and his outstretched hand froze in mid-air.

He slowly turned his head and met Xiao Yuhan's icy gaze, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, the chill penetrating to the bone.

Xiao Yuhan was tall and imposing, like a towering mountain peak, looking down at Old Liu with an overwhelming sense of oppression that made it almost impossible for him to breathe.

"What...what do you want to do?" Old Liu stammered, his voice trembling violently. The feigned fear he had shown earlier had now turned into genuine terror.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Yu sneered, his tone full of disdain. "You know perfectly well." He grabbed Old Liu by the collar and lifted him up like a chick.

"If you dare to covet my Xiao family's supplies again, I'll make you regret ever being born!"

Old Liu struggled desperately, his feet leaving the ground, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—completely futile.

His face flushed red, he had difficulty breathing, and he stared at Xiao Yuhan in terror. The exiles around him gradually quieted down, and all their eyes were focused on them.

Some people whispered among themselves, while others watched with schadenfreude as Old Liu looked so pathetic.

At this moment, Su Yunlan slowly walked over.

She ignored Old Liu's pleas for mercy and calmly said to Xiao Yuhan, "Fourth Master, put him down."

Xiao Yuhan glanced at Su Yunlan, while Old Liu fell heavily to the ground with a muffled groan.

He clutched his chest and coughed violently, as if he were coughing up his lungs.

"Cough cough...cough cough..." Old Liu struggled to get up, glaring venomously at Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan, his eyes flashing with hatred.

"You...you just wait..."

Su Yunlan ignored his threat and turned to look at the still-shaken crowd.

She cleared her throat and said loudly, "Don't panic, everyone. It was just a false alarm. There was no wild beast."

The crowd gradually calmed down, and many people looked at Su Yunlan with gratitude in their eyes.

Young Master Xiao also walked over with Granny Sun's help. His face was still pale, but his eyes were much more determined.

He walked to Su Yunlan's side and said in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, thank you."

Su Yunlan smiled slightly and patted his hand to comfort him.

Just then, a strange sound came from the depths of the mist...

"What was that sound?" Widow Zhou asked in terror, her voice trembling.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts...

Seeing how Xiao Yuhan was protecting her and the Xiao family, Su Yunlan felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

She walked over, gently wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her head in his chest.

Xiao Yuhan's warmth seeped through her thin clothes, dispelling the last trace of chill in her heart.

He gently stroked her hair, his deep voice whispering in her ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." Those four simple words were more powerful than a thousand, making Su Yunlan feel incredibly at ease.

Although the exiles around them dared not look directly at him, their eyes revealed envy.

Even in dire straits, the bond between these two was like the warm spring sun, warming each other and the cold, misty forest.

However, the dangers of the Misty Forest go far beyond this.

The rugged mountain path, the slippery rocks covered in moss, and the tangled tree roots were like traps, making the journey extremely difficult.

The thick fog obscured visibility, allowing only a small area to be seen in front of you; a slight misstep could cause you to slip and fall.

The air was filled with the damp smell of decaying leaves and soil, making it difficult to breathe.

From time to time, the sharp cries of unidentified birds echoed through the mist, adding to the eeriness of the place.

The Xiao family members, young and old, were gradually losing their strength.

Young Master Xiao was pale and unsteady on his feet, almost unable to stand.

Grandma Sun was getting old and was panting heavily, making each step seem particularly strenuous.

The children cried and fussed incessantly, making the already exhausted adults even more frustrated.

Seeing their exhausted appearance, Su Yunlan felt extremely anxious.

She knew that if things continued like this, they might not make it out of the forest.

"This road... is so difficult to walk on..." Grandma Sun gasped for breath, barely able to stand by holding onto the tree trunk beside her.

Young Master Xiao coughed a few times and said weakly, "I...I can't walk anymore..."

The children cried out for food and drink, their voices sounding particularly shrill in the mist.

Su Yunlan bit her lip, her gaze resolute.

She absolutely cannot let the Xiao family members fall here!

Just then, she felt as if she stepped on something, making a crisp "crack" sound.

Su Yunlan looked down and saw a strangely shaped stone at her feet, with some odd patterns carved on it...

She bent down and reached out to touch the stone...

"Wait!" Xiao Yuhan suddenly called out to stop them.

Su Yunlan's hand stopped a second before it was about to touch the stone.

She looked up at Xiao Yuhan, her eyes questioning.

Xiao Yuhan frowned, his gaze fixed on the stone, and said in a deep voice, "Be careful, this stone looks strange."

Su Yunlan nodded and withdrew her hand.

She looked around; the thick fog still lingered, obscuring her vision and making it impossible to see her surroundings.

The rugged mountain path, slippery rocks, and tangled tree roots are like traps, making it difficult to move forward.

The Xiao family members were exhausted, and the children were crying incessantly.

"This can't go on any longer," Su Yunlan thought to herself.

She subtly slipped her hand into her sleeve, her fingertips touching the coolness of the spatial bracelet, and her heart immediately calmed down.

With a thought, a sharp entrenching tool appeared in his hand.

Su Yunlan gripped the shovel handle and began clearing the road ahead.

She removed the tree roots blocking the way, pushed the slippery stones to the side of the road, and smoothed out the uneven surface a little.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Yuhan immediately stepped forward to help.

He was strong and quickly cleared a large area of ​​land.

Granny Sun and Young Master Xiao also joined in, clearing the road together.

The children stopped crying and watched the adults busy themselves with curiosity.

With the road cleared, the road ahead became easier to travel.

Su Yunlan then took out some food and water from her spatial storage to replenish their energy and distributed them to the Xiao family members.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and regained some energy, smiles appeared on their faces.

"Yunlan, you are truly our lucky star!" Grandma Sun said gratefully, tears welling up in her eyes.

Young Master Xiao looked at Su Yunlan with gratitude, his heart filled with warmth.

He was initially dissatisfied with the marriage, but now he is filled with admiration and dependence on Su Yunlan.

Su Yunlan smiled slightly, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.

She knew she had to protect these people and get them out of the forest safely.

However, just as everyone was taking a short rest, a strange sound suddenly came from the depths of the mist.

"Thump...thump...thump..." The sound was deep and powerful, as if some huge creature was approaching.

"What was that sound?" Widow Zhou asked, her face pale with fear.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.

The sound grew closer and clearer, as if it were echoing right next to my ear.

"Hurry up!" Xiao Yuhan shouted, grabbed Su Yunlan's hand, and ran forward.

Everyone got up and followed Xiao Yuhan and Su Yunlan, running into the depths of the mist.

"Thump...thump...thump..." The loud sound grew closer and closer, and my heart suddenly raced...

Su Yunlan felt a powerful sense of oppression coming towards her. She gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly, her expression grave...