Grace had no time to think it over. She immediately ordered the entire group to fall back toward the rock wall on the left. The group fought desperately, carving a bloody path through the swarm of beasts until they finally managed to retreat beneath the shelter of the cliff face.
Just as Dustin had predicted, the bests charged forward but stopped when they came within roughly 100 feet of the rock wall.
They stopped one after another, pacing restlessly and letting out agitated roars, yet none of them dared take another step closer. After circling for a short while, the entire pack withdrew like a receding tide, as though something about the rock wall inspired deep instinctive fear.
The remaining guards collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath as the tension drained from their bodies. When they counted their numbers, the grim reality became clear. Of the original group of more than 30, fewer than 20 remained, and nearly every one of them was wounded.
Scarlet’s injuries were the worst. A deep claw wound tore across her back, the gash so deep that bone showed beneath the torn flesh, and the bleeding had yet to stop.
“Scarlet!” Dustin hurried forward to examine her injuries. Although his cultivation remained sealed, his medical skill hadn’t diminished. He tore a strip from his clothing, pressed it against the wound, and wrapped it with practiced precision until the bleeding stopped.
She watched his focused profile as he worked. The warmth of his fingers lingered on her skin, and a faint, unnatural flush appeared on her otherwise pale face.
“I’m fine…”
“Don’t talk,” Dustin said as he tied the final knot, his voice low but firm while the concern in his eyes remained unmistakable. “Save your strength.”
Only after finishing the bandaging did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. Turning toward Grace, he said, “We can’t stay here for long, but everyone needs time to recover. I’ll take a look at that rock wall and see what’s unusual about it. There must be a reason the beasts won’t approach.”
She nodded and ordered two guards to accompany him for protection. Dustin approached the rock wall and began studying the strange markings carved across its surface. The patterns were ancient and intricately layered, resembling both a naturally formed array and the traces of a long-standing seal.
He reached out to examine the markings. The moment his fingertip touched the grooves, a gentle force pushed his hand away.
“This rock wall… There seems to be something behind it,” he murmured. Dustin continued to search carefully along the face of the cliff, tracing the stone until he discovered a concealed opening hidden behind a curtain of vines.
The entrance was narrow enough that someone would have to turn sideways to squeeze through. Beyond it, the tunnel descended into complete darkness, while a faint current of air drifted outward from within.
“Should we go inside and take a look?” one of the guards asked. Dustin considered it for a moment before replying, “Not yet. Let everyone rest and recover their strength first. This passage might become our way forward, but it could just as easily lead to greater danger.”
Once he returned to the group, he reported his discovery to Grace. She agreed with his judgment and ordered everyone to rest where they were while assigning several people to keep watch.
After eating the Vermilion Spiritfruit they had gathered, the group’s injuries and spiritual energy began to recover rapidly. Scarlet’s wounds began to heal under Dustin’s careful treatment, aided by the fruit’s medicinal properties.
Night fell, and a campfire was lit in the valley. The group gathered around the flames, relieved to have survived but uncertain about the road ahead.
“Dustin, do you think we can leave this mountain alive?” Scarlet asked softly as she leaned against him. He watched the flames flicker for a moment before replying calmly, “We will. As long as we stay alive, we will find a way out.”
“But your cultivation…” she began, then trailed off. Dustin smiled faintly. “Just because my cultivation is sealed doesn’t mean I’m useless. I still have my eyes, my mind, and all of you. Scarlet, thank you for risking your life to protect me today.”
Her face flushed, and she lowered her head as she replied quietly, “I… I only did what I should have.”
Grace watched the exchange from the side, a complicated look passing briefly through her eyes. She then walked over and sat beside Dustin on his other side before handing him a piece of roasted beast meat.
“Eat something,” she said. “We still have a long road ahead of us tomorrow.”
He accepted it and thanked her. As the night deepened, the group took turns standing watch while the others gradually fell into a deep sleep.
However, Dustin remained awake long after everyone else had fallen asleep. His gaze lingered on the ancient patterns carved into the rock wall. A strange premonition stirred in his mind.
This mountain, and the trial unfolding within it, seemed far more complex than he had imagined. Within that hidden depth might lie the chance for his cultivation to recover, but it could just as easily conceal dangers far greater than anything he had faced so far.
