The relentless pursuit persisted for a considerable duration, and the affliction inflicted upon Zhong Peng was mounting with each passing minute.
As time elapsed, the accumulation of injuries became more severe, causing Zhong Peng to curse inwardly.
Nevertheless, he pressed on, running at the peak of his velocity.
***************
a few hours ago
As he delved deeper into the cavern, he eventually found himself at a complete impasse.
There seemed to be no path ahead, only the option to retrace his steps.
Yet, it was at this juncture that he stumbled upon a diminutive alcove nestled within the larger cave.
Despite his predicament, he resolved to explore this newfound space, for having already journeyed so far, it seemed only fitting that he presses on.
As Zhong Peng embarked on his journey into the cave, he was met with a darkness so profound that not even a glimmer of light could be discerned.
However, he came prepared, and he produced a luminous orb that, upon activation, emitted a brilliant white radiance.
Despite this, Zhong Peng could only see a limited distance into the cave, as the orb's light could only illuminate a small area surrounding him.
The darkness that pervaded the cavern was so intense that it appeared to be an unnatural phenomenon, as though it had been caused by some sort of artificial intervention.
With the aid of the light orb, Zhong Peng was able to make out the faint outlines of the creatures that dwelled within the cave.
The walls of the cavern were riddled with tiny holes, while the ceiling was adorned with jagged cracks and spikes.
Zhong Peng also noticed a tiny claw mark etched into the wall, most likely the result of a tiny creature with razor-sharp claws.
Despite his best efforts, Zhong Peng was unable to identify which qi beast that could live in such surroundings, and he cursed the previous occupant of his body for possessing such a small amount of knowledge on virtually everything.
Upon realizing his inability to discern the type of Qi beast that could inhabit the surrounding area, Zhong Peng resolved to employ his spirit sense and scan the environs to detect any potential dangers that could pose a threat to him or the Qi beast dwelling within the cavern.
After conducting a thorough scan of the vicinity with his spiritual senses, Zhong Peng was unable to discern the presence of any living beings or potential dangers.
However, he couldn't shake the sensation that he was being observed from the murky depths of the cavern.
This feeling persisted ever since he activated the luminous orb.
Zhong Peng once again engaged his spirit sense to survey the surroundings, but this time he unleashed it to its maximum capacity.
Alas, he was unable to discern any probable entity that could be the source of his sensation of being monitored.
Seeing that his spirit sense was unable to detect any signs of life, this caused him to proceed with caution, taking slow and careful steps.
He clutched the luminous orb in one hand, while the other held onto the spatial token around his neck.
Despite his efforts to remain calm, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched by an unseen presence lurking in the shadows.
This sudden fear prompted him to prepare for the worst.
He was ready to crush the spatial token at any moment, in case of danger, and be teleported out of the perilous Thousand Beasts Valley.
This seemed to be the only solution he could think of at the moment.
After an extensive trek into the cave, Zhong Peng found himself unable to locate an exit or even the end of the cavern.
Instead, he was met with an unending abyss of darkness. The only source of light came from the luminous orb he clutched in his hand, which illuminated a gleaming object on the ground that was nearly obscured by dirt.
As he approached the object, Zhong Peng realized that it was a spatial ring.
As he stooped down to scrutinize the spatial ring, the radiance emanating from the luminous orb he held illuminated another object on the floor beside the spatial ring. As he drew the luminous orbs closer to this object, he was staggered to realize that it was a bone, resembling one that had originated from a human body.
Zhong Peng was utterly taken aback by the ghastly sight of the bone. As he lifted the luminous orbs to scrutinize his surroundings, he was astounded to find himself encircled by a plethora of bones that belonged to both humans and beasts alike.
The discovery sent shivers down his spine, and scattered around him were also tattered clothes that looked like they had been ripped apart by claws.
Upon closer inspection of the garments, he felt a sense of familiarity with them.
They resembled the uniforms worn by disciples of a certain clan or sect, and he distinctly remembered seeing one of them donning a similar outfit during the grouping stage of the cloud gathering contest.
That was where the sense of recognition stemmed from.
As he scrutinized the area, he stumbled upon three additional spatial rings.
He retrieved them and began to establish connections between the spatial ring and the tattered garments were strewn about.
It appears that the individuals who possessed the spatial ring and the torn attire recklessly delved into the cavern and were assailed and vanquished by the malevolent qi beast lurking within.
This realization was accompanied by a sudden surge of trepidation, for whatever entity inhabits this cave must be exceedingly dangerous.
As his mind continued to race with a flurry of thoughts, a sudden commotion caught his attention.
When he lifted his gaze, the ghastly sight that unfolded before him sent shivers down his spine and filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread.