Black Snake felt the cave might not be safe. A steep, solitary peak would be more comfortable.
This environment was better suited to lurking beasts than roosting birds.
Black Snake said nothing, remembering clearly the advice He Ning had repeated several times: speak less when interests were at stake. Speaking frankly now would only make Black Snake seem overly attached to this spiritual site and invite needless suspicion.
The exploration was complete. Black Snake would leave once the rain stopped.
Black Snake raised that great head and quietly absorbed the fresh, moist Rain Essence.
The rain qi did taste slightly different in a new place, but that did not interfere with breathing exercises or cultivation.
Perhaps Black Snake had grown accustomed to the Rain Essence and did not enjoy the spiritual energy here as much as expected.
Xiao Yu stayed at the cave entrance.
Every so often, she turned to preen a feather. That was how she passed a rainy day.
Around noon, Black Snake abruptly turned that great head to one side, tongue flickering and trembling at high speed to catch the faint scents in the air.
Thermal Sensing swiftly mapped out the surroundings.
Seeing this, Xiao Yu immediately looked in that direction, alert. Yet the mountain forest was a gray blur in the rain, its branches and leaves swaying. She saw nothing.
Black Snake knew that some cultivators excelled at concealing their presence. All that was needed was to find a gap in the surroundings.
A slight fluctuation in temperature appeared in one area, where some presence had caused an obstruction and a deviation.
Someone really was hiding there!
"Hiss-!"
Black Snake arched up and hissed a warning toward a nearby ridge.
The other party remained hidden, neither showing himself nor withdrawing. That meant hostility. Black Snake judged