With Shorty leading the way, the group reached the imposing Qinling Mountains and entered a stone cave halfway up a steep cliff.
"This used to be a Blood Beast's den. Our team killed it a year ago, and I don't think any other Demon Beasts have moved in."
Shorty pushed aside the weeds growing at the cave entrance. It was pitch-dark inside, enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.
Attendant A Xin snapped his fingers, conjuring a flame that danced in his palm. He set it down on a pile of dry weeds.
The fire lit up the cave. Though it smelled unpleasant, it was mostly dry—a vast improvement over the cold rain outside.
Asharuiya told her two Attendants to watch the entrance, then took Liu Xian and He Yu deeper into the cave to change out of their soaked clothes.
A Xin noticed Shorty glancing toward the back of the cave again and again. He could not see anything through the rock wall, but A Xin still snapped at him.
"Keep looking, and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
"I wasn't looking! I'm just exhausted. That scare nearly killed me. If this young man hadn't struck with Thunderclap, I really thought I'd die back there."
Shorty protested and dropped onto the ground. He looked at Qin Shaoqing, who sat on a nearby rock with his back against the cave wall, resting with his eyes closed.
"We wouldn't have been in such a mess if the rain hadn't delayed daybreak."
Mo Fan found a place to sit as well and sighed.
"We shouldn't travel while it's raining. The Gray Garlic won't work."
Muscular Man looked around at everyone, his expression serious.
"If the rain keeps falling, we can't hide here forever, can we?"
At that, Xu Zhaoting glanced at Mo