Gasping for breath, Eldris staggered through the dense underbrush, each step a testament to his determination. He found himself at the mouth of a secluded and long-forgotten cave, its entrance concealed by the overgrown foliage, a relic amidst the sprawling ruins of what once was a formidable ancient battlefield.
As he collapsed against the cool, rough entrance of his hidden sanctuary, relief and anticipation warred within him.
"Risky, yes, but undoubtedly worth it," he whispered through labored breaths, his voice a hoarse echo in the shadowed stillness. His eyes, heavy with exhaustion yet burning with an indomitable spirit, glittered as he gazed upon the prize cradled in his weathered palm.
The Yin Essence, no larger than a child’s fist and glowing with a soft, ethereal gray light, shimmered enticingly. About three inches across, it pulsated gently, as if harboring the very breath of the moon, its mysterious light casting faint, dancing shadows on the cave’s ancient walls.
A heavy sigh escaped him, laden with sorrow over the loss of his companions. "The price was steep."
With a determined grunt, he resolved, "Once I assimilate this Yin Essence, my cultivation will skyrocket. That witch will rue the day she crossed me." Muttering to himself, Eldris assumed a meditative posture, legs crossed, as he prepared to replenish his runic energy.
However, a frown quickly marred his concentration. Sensing an intruder, he realized someone was steadily approaching his hideout. This person marched with a purposeful stride, exuding confidence, as if guided by knowledge of his exact location.
Eldris’s face darkened. Who could it be? Other than him, only Brita and Zhang Wei knew of this place, and both were now dead.
Suddenly, his face turned ashen. Could someone have placed a tracking mark on him? But how? He had checked himself thoroughly more than twice before arriving at this cave.
Nevertheless, he decided he should first deal with the immediate threat and figure out the ’how’ later.
He moved his hands like a maestro, beginning to draw multiple arrays simultaneously, covering every inch of the cave.
"That should be more than enough," he thought to himself. He had already set up four seventh-order arrays of varying functions.
Soon, quiet and deliberate footsteps began to echo through the cave. The person was already here! Eldris became alarmed; this couldn’t be a coincidence.
The sound of footsteps grew closer, stopping just three steps away from the range of the arrays he had set. The person halted their advance.
Did they notice the arrays? Eldris’s mind raced, but how? When it came to hidden arrays and formations, he was second to none. He was very confident in his abilities.
"Brother Eldris, are you here?"
Suddenly, a loud shout resonated throughout the cave, making Eldris’s eyes widen.
He recognized the voice; it was quite familiar.
"Brother Eldris, are you here?"
After a moment’s thought, he decided to respond to the call. With the arrays protecting him, he had nothing to fear. Secondly, if this person was who he thought it might be, it could potentially be beneficial.
"Is this you, Brother Liang?" Eldris called out, his voice echoing in the cavernous space, recognizing the familiar tone.
"Hahaha, indeed, it’s me. It’s a relief to see you’re still breathing, Brother Eldris," Liang replied, his laughter bittersweet as his eyes, filled with a cocktail of emotions, rested on Eldris.
"And I, too, am grateful to see you’ve eluded death’s grasp, Brother Liang," Eldris responded calmly as he observed Liang closely, now only steps away from the protective arrays he had meticulously set up.
"Sadly, Sister Brita and Brother Zhang..." Liang’s voice trailed off, burdened by the weight of their loss. His sigh seemed to carry the depth of their shared sorrow.
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Eldris inhaled deeply, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with Liang, "Brother Liang, how did you come to find this cave? I’ve not breathed a word of it to another soul."
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Liang’s face. "You haven’t? But... it was Sister Brita who mentioned this place to me."
At this, Eldris’s eyebrows drew together slightly, a spark of confusion mingling with suspicion. Could Brita really have placed such trust in Liang in their brief alliance?
"And what exactly did she divulge, Brother Liang?"
"She said, should misfortune befall us, I was to seek refuge here, with you," Liang explained, his voice tinted with a hint of despair.
Eldris’s expression softened marginally. Indeed, Brita’s heart was always a beacon of hope; it was both her strength and her Achilles’ heel.
"Come in then, Brother Liang. In times like these, the company of friends is a rare treasure," Eldris gestured, and with a wave of his hand, the protective arrays began to fade.
Gratefully, Liang advanced, halting only a half meter from Eldris before settling onto the cave floor.
Observing this, Eldris allowed himself a mental nod. Liang’s actions suggested no malice; had there been any, he would have seized the opportunity the moment the arrays were disengaged. Still, Eldris had safeguarded themselves with two additional, concealed arrays, just in case.
Breaking the ensuing silence, Eldris inquired, driven by a blend of curiosity and concern, "So, Brother Liang, how did you manage to elude the clutches of that fiendish witch?"
Liang paused, his expression melting into a half-smile tinged with regret as he shared his secret. "It was my last resort—a special teleportation array. Sadly, it’s designed solely for personal use. Otherwise..."
Eldris listened, his voice softened by a heavy sense of resignation, "Don’t harbor guilt, Brother Liang. It’s the whims of fate. The threads of life and death are woven long before we come to face them—no one can dodge their entanglement."
Acknowledging the bitter truth, Liang released a heavy sigh, his eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and sorrow. "I see." He then shifted his inquisitive gaze towards Eldris. "And what about you, Brother Eldris? How did you find your way out?"
With a calmness that carried the weight of survived adversities, Eldris responded, "My escape mirrored yours, Brother Liang—a Teleportation Array."
"A Teleportation Array? But..."
Eldris anticipated the bewildered curiosity lacing Liang’s voice. With a slight nod, he elaborated, "Yes, I understand the surprise. However, this array demands a steep price for its service. To activate it, I had to sacrifice all of my runic energy. It’s name the Heaven-Evasion Array—a desperate measure for desperate times."