The mine shaft was dimly lit, with only a few slants of fading sunlight streaming in through the entrance, barely illuminating the chaotic mess on the ground. Rotten timber, rusted fragments of mining picks, and scattered rubble lay everywhere, silently telling the tale of this place's abandonment. The air grew thicker with a mixture of mustiness, dust, and a faint, fishy stench.
Zhang Xiaoshan followed closely behind Lin Xuan, almost step for step, breathing softly as his eyes darted nervously around, terrified that something terrifying might dart out of the darkness.
"Lin... Senior Brother Lin, are we really going in? What if... we just look around near the entrance and call it a day?" Zhang Xiaoshan's voice trembled with fear.
Lin Xuan offered no reply. His gaze swept the ground, walls, and overhead rock layers with the precision of a ruler. Blurred claw marks extended into the cavern, while deep gouges etched into the rock walls suggested the passage of some sharp-clawed creature. His ears twitched slightly, straining to catch faint sounds carried on the wind—besides their footsteps and breaths, deep within the cavern, there seemed to be a distinct rustling movement, and... faint, damp panting.
"Stay close," Lin Xuan uttered, his words echoing faintly in the cavernous mine shaft. He stepped forward into the darkness, his pace unhurried yet marked by an odd rhythm, as if each footfall balanced precariously on the edge between safety and peril.
Zhang Xiaoshan dared not speak further, forcing himself to follow.
As they descended deeper, light faded almost entirely, darkness enveloping them like thick ink. Zhang Xiaoshan fumbled for his fire starter in his pack, trembling as he tried to light the small torch he'd brought.
"Don't light it," Lin Xuan stopped him. "Some things... love light. Hate light."
Terrified, Zhang Xiaoshan hastily blew out the newly ignited sparks, plunging them back into utter darkness. He could only gauge their direction by the barely audible footsteps and faint breath of Lin Xuan ahead. Fear, like icy tendrils, coiled around his heart.
In the darkness, Lin Xuan heightened his senses to the utmost. In his past life as the Tribulation-Crossing Demon Sovereign, his divine perception had been formidable. Even now, though only a fraction remained, his intuition for detecting auras and danger far surpassed that of ordinary men. He could sense that this mine shaft was not lifeless. Instead, it harbored a... or rather, a group of living beings. Their auras were cold, violent, and brimming with animalistic ferocity.
After advancing another incense stick's worth of time, the faint drip of water echoed ahead, and the air grew heavier with dampness. Lin Xuan abruptly halted, his hand shooting out to halt Zhang Xiaoshan, who nearly collided with his back.
"Shh."
Zhang Xiaoshan instantly held his breath, his heart pounding wildly.
Lin Xuan tilted his head slightly, as if listening intently. Moments later, he murmured, " To the left front, thirty paces. Something's there. The aura isn't strong, but there's more than one."
His voice was eerily calm, as if he were discussing something entirely unrelated to himself.
Zhang Xiaoshan looked in the direction Lin Xuan indicated. He couldn't see anything in the darkness, but the faint sound, like claws scraping against rock, sent a chill down his spine.
"What... what is it?" Zhang Xiaoshan's voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Sounds like 'Bone-Eating Rats,'" Lin Xuan deduced from the scent and surroundings. Bone-Eating Rats were low-tier demon beasts, typically traveling in packs. Individually, they possessed strength equivalent to cultivators at the first or second layer of Qi Refining, but their teeth were sharp and carried a faint poison. When numerous, they became extremely troublesome. For them, unarmed and still recovering from severe injuries, they were indeed a deadly threat.
Zhao Hu had counted on precisely this. Without lifting a finger, he could use these demon beasts to deliver their "accidental" demise.
"Wh-what should we do? Senior Brother Lin, let's retreat immediately!" Zhang Xiaoshan was utterly panicked.
"Retreat?" A cold edge flickered in Lin Xuan's lips. "The rear might not be safe. Besides, these creatures... might be useful."
"Useful?" Zhang Xiaoshan was dumbfounded. What possible use could these man-eating rats have?
Lin Xuan offered no explanation. He began rummaging through the scattered rocks at his feet. Soon, he picked up several stone fragments with relatively sharp edges, weighing them in his hand. He then motioned for Zhang Xiaoshan to break off a small piece from the meager dry rations in his backpack—primarily that half-hard cornbread.
"Listen," Lin Xuan's voice was hushed yet commanding, "I'll draw most of their attention. You hide behind that boulder over there. Whatever happens, don't come out. Don't make a sound."
"No! Senior Brother Lin, you're injured! If anyone should distract them, it should be me!" Though terrified, Zhang Xiaoshan felt a surge of courage when he heard Lin Xuan was willing to risk himself alone.
Lin Xuan glanced at him, and that look made Zhang Xiaoshan's words freeze in his throat. It wasn't gratitude, but a kind of... almost appraising calm.
"Do as I say." Lin Xuan's tone brooked no argument. "Your strength will only slow me down. "
The words were blunt, even hurtful, but undeniably true. Zhang Xiaoshan paled, bowed his head in shame, and relented. He silently retreated behind the massive rock Lin Xuan had indicated, curling up into a ball.
Once Zhang Xiaoshan was concealed, Lin Xuan took a deep breath, forcing down the searing pain and exhaustion coursing through his body. He crushed the small piece of cornbread, smearing it onto a sharp stone flake, then flicked his wrist with a sudden jerk!
"Whoosh!"
The stone flake whistled faintly through the air, shooting toward the opposite end of the mine tunnel. It struck the distant rock wall with a sharp "snap."
Instantly, the rustling sounds to his left front ceased. Immediately after, a more intense, frantic chorus of clawed footsteps and shrill squeaks surged toward the source of the noise!
It worked!
Lin Xuan's eyes sharpened. He knew the scent and sound of the cornbread had successfully drawn the attention of most of the Bone-Eating Rats. Yet he remained motionless, holding his breath and focusing his senses. Sure enough, two or three more cautious auras lingered behind, seemingly observing.
This was exactly what he was waiting for!
His figure blended into the darkness like a ghost, hugging the rock wall. In a near-crawling posture, he silently crept toward the direction of those lingering auras. Thanks to countless hunts and counter-hunts in dire straits from his past life, his movements produced not a single unnecessary sound.
Soon, he spotted his targets. Three Bone-Eating Rats, each about the size of a house cat, paced restlessly in place, their eyes glowing a eerie green in the darkness, their long, pointed noses twitching constantly.
Lin Xuan calculated distance, angle, and his own strength. In his hand, he clutched two more razor-sharp stone blades.
Now!
He burst from the shadows with such speed he left only a faint black streak! The blade in his left hand shot forth like a flying knife, sinking precisely into the eye socket of the outermost bone-eating rat!
"Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Lin Xuan neither dodged nor retreated, charging straight at one of them. At the instant of contact, his body slid sideways at an impossible angle, evading the attack. The stone blade in his right hand shot out like a venomous snake, slashing viciously across the relatively soft neck of that bone-eating rat!
Warm beast blood spurted forth.
Simultaneously, the last Erosion Rat lunged from the side, aiming for his calf! As if seeing behind him, Lin Xuan planted his supporting leg, spun his body, and delivered a fierce back kick that slammed into the rat's skull!
"Thud!" A dull thud echoed, accompanied by the sound of cracking bones. The Erosion Rat was sent flying, crashing into the rock wall. It twitched twice before going still.
In the blink of an eye, the three remaining bone-eating rats were dealt with. The entire sequence was clean and precise, without a single wasted movement, showcasing the pinnacle of combat skill and timing.
Hidden behind a boulder, Zhang Xiaoshan heard only a few brief screams and clashes, followed by dead silence. His palms were drenched in sweat from nervousness, yet he dared not peek out.
Lin Xuan breathed heavily, the brief yet intense exertion aggravating his wounds. Fine beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. Yet his eyes remained sharp, even gleaming with satisfaction.
He crouched down, skillfully slicing open one of the bone-eating rats with a stone blade. From its body, he extracted a gray crystal core the size of a soybean, faintly pulsing with energy—a demon core. Though of poor quality, it was better than nothing for his current needs.
He stowed the three demon cores, then swiftly cut off some relatively intact fur and sharp teeth. These items might fetch a few of the most basic resources.
Only after finishing this did he call softly toward Zhang Xiaoshan's hiding spot: "Come out. It's done."
Zhang Xiaoshan cautiously peered out. In the faint, almost negligible light filtering through the cave entrance, he saw the three Erosion Bone Rat corpses on the ground and Lin Xuan standing beside them—pale-faced yet standing tall.
"Senior Brother Lin! You... you're incredible!" Zhang Xiaoshan rushed over, his eyes brimming with near-worshipful admiration. He couldn't fathom how his senior brother, still recovering from severe injuries, had managed to eliminate three vicious demon beasts with such precision in the darkness.
Ignoring his adoration, Lin Xuan handed him the smallest demon core and several rat pelts: " "Keep these. They might come in handy."
Zhang Xiaoshan took them blankly, feeling the faint energy fluctuations from the demon core. His eyes suddenly stung with heat. At Qingyang Sect, no one had ever given him anything of value—only endless humiliation and exploitation. Yet this tiny demon core felt heavier than a thousand pounds in his hands.
"Thank... thank you, Senior Brother Lin!" His voice cracked slightly.
Lin Xuan waved him off, his gaze shifting deeper into the mine shaft. Though the immediate trouble was resolved, his mission remained unfinished. Since this abandoned mine had once been exploited by a sect, it might hold useful remnants—like discarded spirit stone fragments or rare minerals.
"Rest a moment, then we'll press onward," Lin Xuan said. He found a relatively dry spot to sit, closed his eyes to regulate his breath, and began attempting to refine the meager energy within the two demon cores he'd just acquired.
Zhang Xiaoshan now obeyed Lin Xuan without question. He sat obediently nearby, clutching the demon core tightly. His heart brimmed with an unprecedented sense of security and a deep reliance, as if he'd found his anchor.
However, just as Lin Xuan began channeling the faint energy within the demon core to repair a blocked meridian within his body—
"Hum..."
An extremely faint vibration, as if emanating from the depths of the earth yet simultaneously resonating directly within the soul, arrived without warning!
This vibration was not physical, but a peculiar energy fluctuation!
Lin Xuan's eyes snapped open, a flash of sharp light darting through his pupils! He distinctly sensed that his Immortal Demon Soul, dormant as stagnant water, had at this very moment produced an imperceptibly faint... resonance!
Deep within this mine shaft, something was drawing him in!