Cave

Though he had decided to act alone, Lin Qing did not search without direction.

Powerful ferocious beasts possessed an intense sense of territory, especially high-tier beasts that occupied heavenly treasures. They would never easily stray far from the core area where those treasures were born.

With Azure Sun Mountain's recent disturbance and high-tier ferocious beasts appearing one after another, the source of it all had to lie within this battlefield.

According to the Martial Suppression Office's original deployment, Zhao Feng would lead several Second-Tier Peak experts in a frontal siege against the ferocious beast, while the rest would swiftly establish defenses five li beyond the battlefield and form a ring-shaped encirclement.

First, to keep the other wandering demon beasts in the mountains from entering the battlefield; second, to guard against the local Demon Hunting Teams and prevent outsiders from reaping the fisherman's profit.

Lin Qing tapped lightly off the ground. His Yellow-Rank Low Grade bodily control turned him into a faint, nimble shadow. His toes skimmed over rugged rocks and interwoven branches, barely touching the ground, and he moved far faster than ordinary Martial Suppression Office warriors.

By the time he had rushed there at full speed, the Martial Suppression Office's forces were still gathering on the move. The defensive encirclement covering five li had yet to take shape.

Without pausing in the slightest, he flashed forward and easily passed through the unsealed defensive line, entering the battlefield zone completely.

The deeper he advanced into the battlefield, the clearer the sounds of combat became.

The ferocious beast's frenzied roars shook the valley, interwoven with Zhao Feng's deep, heavy, fierce shouts. The muffled booms of brute-force collisions exploded again and again, like thunder continually bursting among the mountains.

Lin Qing reined in his entire aura. His breathing was long and steady, his footsteps light and soundless. Using the dense forest and jutting boulders as layers of cover, he carefully weaved through the battlefield in search.

He deliberately avoided the heart of the battle, his gaze meticulously sweeping across the valley's rock walls, sunken stone pits, and blind corners of the forest as he patiently searched for unusual traces.

This painstaking search continued for a full half hour.

The sounds of fierce battle by his ears never ceased; they even grew more intense. Clearly, Zhao Feng and that high-tier ferocious beast had reached the white-hot stage of their struggle. Both sides had suffered losses, yet they remained locked in a deadlock.

Just then, Lin Qing's gaze abruptly fixed on the rock wall at the foot of the mountain ahead.

It was an exceptionally well-hidden cave entrance, a full zhang tall. Vast curtains of year-round drooping green vines completely concealed it, blending perfectly into the surrounding rock wall.

Even if an ordinary person passed by, they would take it for nothing more than vegetation growing on the cliffside, utterly unable to notice the hollow hidden behind the vines. Its concealment was superb.

Lin Qing slowly stepped forward and gently parted the heavy curtain of vines. A cool, damp breath washed over him. Behind the vines, the pitch-black cave mouth lay silently in wait, deep and bottomless.

After confirming that there was no danger nearby for the moment, Lin Qing cautiously entered the cave.

The moment he stepped inside, the deafening clamor of battle outside was cut off by more than half. Only a profound silence remained within the cave, broken solely by the faint whisper of airflow passing through it.

Beyond the entrance was not an open space, but a narrow, sloping passage leading downward. The rock walls on either side were slick and icy, and the light was exceedingly dim. Only the faint daylight filtering in through the entrance could barely illuminate a zhang or so ahead. Further in lay darkness thick as ink, where one could not see one's fingers even with a hand held before one's face.

The passage sloped gently but stretched on endlessly, its floor littered with fine gravel that made slipping easy. Lin Qing placed each foot firmly and steadily, his gaze constantly sweeping the walls on both sides and the depths of the passage, guarding against hidden danger.

This dark downward passage was not particularly steep, but it was extraordinarily long.

Proceeding with utmost caution and slowness, Lin Qing walked for the time it took to drink a cup of tea before finally reaching the end of the slope.

After turning through two winding bends in the stone passage, the view suddenly opened up before him, and the oppressive darkness was swept away.

A natural karst cave over ten zhang long, wide, and high appeared before his eyes.

This cave dwelling was formed wholly by nature, square and spacious in layout, with a lofty dome overhead. Natural fluorescent stones of varying sizes were embedded in the cracks of the ceiling rock, giving off a soft, warm pale azure glow. Like scattered stars, they covered the dome and cast the entire cave in crystalline brightness. The light was not harsh, yet it was clear enough to reveal everything within.

A shallow underground river wound through the low-lying portions of the cave floor. Its waters were clear and flowed exceedingly slowly, silently winding between the rocks. The river's surface reflected the faint glow of the fluorescent stones overhead.

Countless stalactites and stalagmites of every shape rose from the cave walls and floor. Some hung straight down from the dome, thick and majestic; others grew upward from the ground, slender and delicate. They rose and fell at varying heights, displaying a thousand forms and poses.

Quite a few stones lay scattered across the ground, crushed and shattered by brute force. Several flat patches of stone had been repeatedly rubbed smooth until they gleamed. Dry fur shed by ferocious beasts had accumulated in the corners, and the air still carried a dense, rank beastly stench.

Lin Qing straightened and slowly surveyed the entire cavern, his gaze carefully passing over every corner as he attempted to find traces of treasure.

Yet as far as the eye could see, there was nothing in the cave besides unusual stones, the underground river, and stalactites.

He did not grow impatient. He slowly searched through the cave, his nostrils subtly flaring as he caught the various mixed scents within. The rank smell of demon beasts, damp earth, and the cold hardness of stone intertwined layer upon layer, forming an exceptionally chaotic blend.

Just then, an extremely faint, elegant, sweet fragrance pierced through the dense clutter of odors and quietly entered his nose.

It was the scent of Earthheart Marrow!

The fragrance of Earthheart Marrow was pure and refined, carrying a hint of sweet coolness that refreshed the heart and lungs. Once inhaled, it made one's chest and abdomen feel clear and warm. This was the unique aura of spiritual liquid nurtured by the spiritual essence of heaven and earth—pure and clean. The bottle of Earthheart Marrow Sun Shaoping had given him back then carried this exact same scent.

Lin Qing immediately cast aside all distractions and steadily followed the faint fragrance.

The scent drifted unpredictably and was extremely difficult to pin down. He wound about the cavern for a while before finally locating its source atop a thick, gigantic stalactite at the innermost part of the cave dwelling.

This stalactite was rooted in the ground and extended directly to the dome. Its entire body was lustrous white and warm, its surface bearing a natural, delicate sheen. At a glance, it was clearly unlike the others.

Yet when he carefully examined it from top to bottom, he did not see any Earthheart Marrow.

Could it have all been devoured by the demon beast already?

Lin Qing reached for the hilt of the blade at his waist, intending to split this stalactite open with a single strike. If there was nothing outside, then he would cut it open and see what lay within!

Just as he was about to act, two exceedingly light footsteps suddenly sounded from the bend near the cavern entrance.

The footsteps had been deliberately softened, landing without a sound, accompanied by several subdued voices speaking in low, faint murmurs.

Someone was here!

Lin Qing's heart tightened. With a sidestep, he quickly hid behind a gigantic stalactite the height of two men. Using the strange stone's perfect cover, he concealed himself completely, held his breath, and silently observed the newcomers.

Within only a few breaths, five figures dressed in ordinary fitted clothing, their auras restrained, cautiously passed through the bend and entered the cavern.

At the rear of the group, a young warrior could not suppress his curiosity any longer. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Captain, does this cave really hide a treasure that can help ferocious beasts advance?"

The middle-aged captain at the front looked calm. His sharp gaze swept across the entire cavern as he said in a deep voice:

"Azure Sun Mountain has remained peaceful for years, and the ranks of its ferocious beasts have long been fixed. Yet within just a few months, two high-tier ferocious beasts whose strength surged dramatically have appeared in succession. That is no coincidence. There must be a peerless treasure capable of tempering the flesh."

Behind the stalactite, Lin Qing fell into thought upon hearing this.

Previously, he had always believed that the Earthheart Marrow Sun Shaoping obtained was the root cause of the ferocious beasts' mutation in Azure Sun Mountain. But after hearing the captain's words, he began to seriously consider the oddity of it all.

Earthheart Marrow's true effect was to nourish the Divine Soul, clear the mind, and enhance a warrior's comprehension—not to temper the physical body. Logically, it should have almost no effect on raising a ferocious beast's rank.

With that, the truth became clear.

Earthheart Marrow was indeed a treasure here, because he had already caught its scent. But it was not the treasure that had caused Azure Sun Mountain's ferocious beasts to advance. There was another great treasure here!

At the same time, the five Demon Hunting Team members spread out and began investigating the cavern. Their gazes carefully swept over every stalactite and every inch of rock wall, overlooking no anomaly.

Their movements were crisp and efficient, revealing their seasoned experience.

As they slowly searched, they drew closer and closer to the gigantic stalactite where Lin Qing hid. The middle-aged captain leading them even walked directly toward it with steady steps.

Lin Qing silently raised his right hand and gently pressed it against the hilt at his waist. His knuckles tightened slightly, every muscle in his body taut as he prepared to strike at any moment.

The instant they came close, he would attack first and seize the initiative.

But just as the middle-aged captain came within a few steps of the stalactite, the entire cavern suddenly began to tremble lightly.

A faint vibration rose from underground. The ground swayed slightly, fine stone dust and grit scattered down from the ceiling, and the fluorescent stones in the dome flickered gently with the motion.

The sudden tremor made everyone halt at once and warily inspect their surroundings.

Fortunately, the tremor came quickly and passed just as quickly. Within only three to five breaths, the disturbance underground completely subsided. The cavern returned to calm, as though the shaking just now had been nothing but an illusion.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to continue searching, a shout suddenly came from a corner near the underground river on the other side of the cavern. The voice was kept extremely low, but its trembling excitement could not be concealed.

"Captain! I found it! I found the treasure!"

Everyone immediately turned toward the voice. Even the middle-aged captain, who had nearly reached Lin Qing, instantly spun around and hurried toward the source of the shout.

Lin Qing glanced sideways. He saw a Demon Hunting Team member crouching beside the underground river at an inconspicuous hollow in the rock wall, his eyes shining and his face flushed with excitement.

Before the captain could ask, the man hurriedly pointed at the rock wall and explained in a rushed voice:

"Captain, look! During the tremor just now, a lot of black liquid suddenly seeped out from the cracks in this rock wall. This must be it! That high-tier ferocious beast has been guarding this place for this!"

The middle-aged captain immediately waved his hand, his tone urgent.

"Don't stand there! Quickly! Collect every drop you can! Don't leave behind any that remains in the cracks of the rock wall!"

The crisp clinking of bottles and jars immediately rang out. Several people swiftly took out the jade bottles and porcelain jars they carried with them and carefully collected the black spiritual liquid seeping from the rock wall. Their movements were nimble, their expressions greedy.

A short while later, all the spiritual liquid had been collected.

The middle-aged captain swept his gaze around and urged them in a deep voice:

"Leave at once! That Centurion outside has been fighting the ferocious beast for a long time, and the battle could end at any moment. Once the Martial Suppression Office warriors close their encirclement, escaping will be difficult. Then not only will we lose the treasure, our lives will be in danger!"

At his words, the group immediately stopped what they were doing, turned, and prepared to follow their captain out of the cave dwelling.

Watching from the shadows, Lin Qing knew he could no longer remain hidden.

They had already found the great treasure and had no intention of continuing their search in his direction. There was no point in lurking any longer. It was time to reveal himself and intercept this stroke of fortune.

As the thought settled, Lin Qing slowly stepped out from the shadow of the gigantic stalactite. He stood tall, his expression calm, his gaze tranquil as he looked at the Demon Hunting Team before him.

He had originally planned to ambush them, but they had not come any closer to his hiding place. The chance for a sneak attack had already slipped away.

"Someone's there!"

A member on the outer edge of the group caught sight of Lin Qing emerging from the corner of his eye. His face changed drastically as he shouted sharply. The aura around his body tensed, his vigilance reaching its peak.

The middle-aged captain reacted even more swiftly. The instant he glimpsed the unfamiliar figure from the corner of his eye, he did not hesitate in the slightest. A chilling killing intent flashed through his eyes. He clenched his teeth, and one icy word burst from his lips:

"Kill!"

Before the word had even faded, he had already shot forward. A fierce wind howled as his broadsword, wrapped in powerful force, hacked straight toward Lin Qing's face. His opening move was a killing strike!