The sun had set low, casting eerie shadows on the forest around Bai Cheng. His breathing was shallow and hurt terribly from the previous battles he had fought. But before him, that secret cave everyone kept talking about now stood, its opening half-hidden with thick vines and sharp rocks.
His dog, Fang, growled softly, his ears up as if he could feel something odd.
Bai Cheng hesitated for a moment, his hand resting on Fang's head. "It's either this or spending the night in the open with those lunatics sniffing around for me," he muttered.
The cave was alive; it seemed as though it was breathing. He slowly walked into the cave and heard his footsteps coming off the old walls.
The air was thick and unbreathable; Bai Cheng could feel the strong urge to walk back, but his curiosity and need for a safe place to sleep made him inch forward.
The moment Bai Cheng took a few steps into the cave, there was a deafening rumble off the walls. Bright runes lit up the place, casting a strange glow on the rough surfaces.
A wave of energy swept through the entrance, and suddenly, a shining barrier closed off the way out.
"Fang, stay close!" Bai Cheng called out, his voice strained as he turned back to the now-closed entrance. He reached out cautiously, but his hand recoiled as the barrier crackled with energy.
The dog barked once, then growled softly, sensing Bai Cheng's unease.
"Well, great," Bai Cheng sighed, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "No turning back now.
Let's see what kind of nightmare we've walked into."
The deeper he moved into the cave, the heavier the air became, tinged with a strange metallic scent. The walls were etched with unfamiliar symbols that pulsed faintly, their patterns shifting subtly as Bai Cheng passed.
He muttered under his breath, "Ancient symbols, glowing runes, and traps? What is this, some kind of rune?" Fang barked in response, his tail wagging uncertainly.
"Not funny, right? Yeah, I'm not laughing either," Bai Cheng said while rubbing the back of his neck.
Quiet whispers floated from deeper inside, like voices from hidden sources. He stopped and tried to listen, but the sound seemed to come from all around him.
"Okay, that's creepy," he said, holding his staff tightly. "But I've faced rogue cultivators and illusion traps today. This? Just another Tuesday."
Far away, Gerald knelt on one knee, his keen eyes looking at the forest floor. Mei Feng stood next to him, her forehead creased with worry.
"This is where he fought," Gerald said softly, pointing to the messed-up ground and broken branches. "And it wasn't just one person. These tracks. he faced many."
Mei Feng nodded, her voice strained. "Do you think they caught him?"
Gerald shook his head. "No. Bai Cheng is not someone who gives up easily. He is still out there." He stood up, his jaw tight. "We will follow the trail. He will need our help before this ends."
Back in the cave, Bai Cheng and Jin came across a new view: a path lined with what looked like ancient lanterns. The flickering glow from these lanterns illuminated a dilapidated structure ahead—a large, shabby house built into the rock.
Its crumbling walls bore the same glowing runes as the cave, and the air around it pulsed with malevolent energy.
Bai Cheng felt a strong urge to turn back, but his curiosity kept him from doing it. "Did people really live here?" he whispered as he moved closer. "What type of people would build a house in a cursed place?"
Jin barked loudly, and Bai Cheng stopped. The ground under his feet had small, detailed tiles.
With each step he took, the tiles lit up, showing a path to the house.
Fine," Bai Cheng said gruffly, his grip on his staff tightening.
The voices grew louder with every step closer he took toward the building. Now no longer just a distant muttering, they sounded almost as if chanting- low, guttural tones in some language Bai Cheng could not even remotely decipher.
Somewhere else, in the forest darkness, Da Ru and the renegade leader sat at a fire, faces sullen.
"You're saying we let a kid without any spirit power make us look bad like this?" Da Ru said angrily, throwing a stick into the fire.
The leader's eyes shone with anger. "Enjoy your break, Da Ru. When the sun comes up, we will find him, and I will make sure he wishes he was never born."
"What if he doesn't leave the cave?" Da Ru asked nervously.
"He'll come out," the leader said in a cold voice. "People always do. And when he comes out, he'll wish he had stayed lost."
Bai Cheng stood at the entrance of the old house. The doors were partly open, showing a dark inside that seemed to take in the light instead of bouncing it back.
The chanting voices became louder as he walked in, his heart beating fast.
The interior was sparse yet overwhelming. A central altar dominated the space, its surface etched with deep grooves that glowed faintly. Surrounding it were strange artifacts—broken weapons, shattered crystals, and tattered scrolls, all radiating faint traces of power.
Fang barked again, his tail tucked as he pressed against Bai Cheng's leg.
"I know, buddy," Bai Cheng whispered. "This place gives me the creeps too."
As he got closer to the altar, the chanting voices suddenly stopped, leaving a loud silence. The air felt tense and full of excitement.
Bai Cheng paused, his fingers close to the top of the altar. He didn't know what he was facing, but he couldn't ignore the feeling that something important was here.
"Okay, let's see what you're hiding," he said softly.
But before he could reach the altar, the ground shook under him, and the chanting started again, louder and stronger than before.
The walls of the house felt like they were closing in, and the glowing symbols changed into different shapes. Bai Cheng stepped back, holding his staff tighter.
"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have done that," he said, his voice trembling.
Fang growled, showing his teeth as the air around them looked strange. The bad energy grew stronger, and Bai Cheng felt a strong pull toward the altar, as if something—or someone—was trying to bring him closer.
"Not today," Bai Cheng said, standing his ground. "I've had enough of being pushed around by creepy caves and rogue cultivators."
Even though he sported a gruff facade, sweat droplets were there on the forehead. There was no letting him go without a fight here.
Bai Cheng looked around the room, seeking an exit or a clue. The house came alive, and its walls started beating like a heart.
What was deep within this cave was not just some old relic-it was a hidden truth that had been buried for centuries. And Bai Cheng was going to find it, whether he was ready or not.
He did not know that the rogue cultivators were close behind, and the cave was set to test anyone who tries to wake it up.