Li Yi could feel everything around him becoming clearer with his visualization. Now, he could distinctly perceive the existence of his soul. However, his soul was still very weak, unable to leave his body. Even if it could, he wouldn’t dare to leave recklessly.

As he visualized, his soul gradually grew stronger, becoming denser. The underground energy from the earth began to be drawn towards him, slowly entering his body in small amounts. The earth's energy was very gentle, like water, nourishing his soul.

In this state, Li Yi lost track of time. By the time he decided to stop and wake up, it was already the next morning. He could sense the passage of time in the outside world, and after a certain period, his body would automatically give him a reminder. It was like setting an alarm to wake up at 6:30 every morning. It wouldn’t be noticeable in the first week, but after a year, it would become habitual. Even if the alarm didn’t ring, you would still wake up.

When Li Yi woke up, the first thing he felt was a warmth in his chest. He took out the book page that he had tucked inside. Originally, he had just casually stuffed it there, but later it seemed to stick to his clothes like chewing gum. Of course, he could take it out if he wanted to, but even if he discarded it, it would always find its way back to him.

The world status showed as: ?????? Identity (Neutral): A traveling merchant who has entered the Great Wilderness, carrying many rare and exotic items. Identity Mission: None. Identity Items: A small cart used for business. Identity Rewards: Calculated based on total transaction funds upon completion of the mission. Return at any time; once returned, energy points can be used to re-enter this world.

The page hadn’t changed much from a few days ago, except for one small line at the bottom: "You may choose to return at any time."

Li Yi naturally wanted to leave. Life here had been difficult and uncomfortable. He had to adapt, and now that he had the chance, he wanted to go. But honestly, he didn’t want to just leave without notice. Since arriving in this world, Stone Village had helped him countless times. Although, in some ways, it was mutually beneficial, he felt he should inform them before he left.

More importantly, the fact that he could return after leaving made him want to go even more. He wasn’t sure what "energy points" were, but he guessed that they were a reward for completing trade transactions.

Li Yi stood up and made his final trade. He sold the furs, bones, and tendons, but without any beast blood, he only earned 173 points this time. The items he sold were not as valuable, and it seemed that they would be a bit lower in value from now on.

After selling those items, he had accumulated a total of 822 points, and a new set of items appeared in his cart.

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* A packet of wheat seeds.

* A packet of sugar (cost: 6 points).

* Huichun Dan (Healing medicine, 3 pieces) (cost: 40 points).

* Baishou Nai Zhi Guan (A jar that produces fresh milk from hundreds of beasts every 24 hours) (cost: 50 points).

* Chu Zhan Zhi Hua (A flower seed filled with vitality) (cost: 100 points).

Li Yi bought everything. He put the seed that contained vitality into an empty bottle that previously held medicine, and prepared himself to say his goodbyes. He was really going to leave.

He wanted to leave and return to modern society. However, in his heart, he was also preparing for his departure. If he were to return to this place, he would make sure to bring a little extra toilet paper. Everything else could be tolerated, but using stone pieces... that was unbearable. Fortunately, this kind of life wouldn’t last long. He wouldn’t get used to it, but he’d been enduring for a while now.

Li Yi needed to tell Stone Yunfeng about his departure, and he had to come up with a good reason.

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"I need to go out for a while. There are some matters I need to resolve. I've planted a lot of cabbage in the open space on the east side of the village. Once it grows, you can eat it directly. There are also some things on my table. You can take them and use them."

Li Yi didn’t specify what he was going to do. Over the past few days, he could tell that many people in Stone Village considered him a very strong expert who was just hiding away to recover from injuries. Since that was the case, he might as well keep them guessing about his true intentions. It was easier for them to believe and accept.

Stone Yunfeng listened and fell silent. He knew Li Yi’s injuries and could tell that he had recovered a lot recently. Stone Village didn’t have any precious healing medicine, and it was impossible for Li Yi to recover fully in a short period of time. Seeing his urgency, Stone Yunfeng realized there must be something important that required attention.

"Is there anything that can't be handled here in the village?" Stone Yunfeng asked, part question, part probing.

Li Yi, still injured, could have asked the hunting team to bring back any valuable medicine. He could have accompanied the hunting team or had them go without him, but since he insisted on leaving, it meant this wasn’t just about healing. It was likely that someone was after him, an enemy, maybe even a beast.

"What if something happens while you stay here?" Stone Yunfeng’s voice held concern, mixed with his own uncertainty.

Li Yi refused his help, "No, I’ll be fine on my own." He made it clear that he wasn’t asking for permission but was simply informing them.

Stone Yunfeng didn’t reply immediately. If he were younger, if he weren’t the village chief, he would have insisted that Li Yi stay and face whatever it was with the village’s help. But as the village chief, he couldn’t gamble with the lives of everyone else.

"Well, go ahead," Stone Yunfeng said, almost with his last bit of strength.

Li Yi noticed the unusual tone, but he couldn’t understand. He was still a man from the modern world, unaware of the depth of the feelings, beliefs, and worldview Stone Yunfeng held.

Stone Yunfeng’s concern for Li Yi was based on their shared connection as brothers who worshipped the same spirit. To them, it was a matter of life and death, sharing both good fortune and hardships together.

Li Yi didn’t fully understand, but he respected the old man’s feelings. After all, as a village chief, he had experienced many hardships.

"Be careful on your journey. Don’t let anyone see you," Stone Yunfeng added before Li Yi left.

Li Yi nodded and left, but just as he was about to leave, Stone Yunfeng called out to him, "Wait a moment."