The Thousand Mist Forest was silent as death. It was nightmare in the cultivation world, so there was no one at the entrance and probably very little chance of meeting anyone.
Liam sighed and walked into the forest. He walked carefully, every footstep crunching against damp leaves and stone. Hours passed as he searched. His eyes scanned the twisting roots and gnarled trunks for a place that felt both secluded and defensible.
At last, he found it: a cavern mouth, jagged and dark, yawning like the maw of some ancient creature. He pulled out his phone, switching on the flashlight, and stepped inside. The beam of light swept over damp walls and long shadows. The deeper he went, the colder the air grew.
He observed his surroundings, spreading out his senses and making sure that he was careful. He had walked for a couple of minutes before he started hearing the sound of heavy breathing.
It was like a deep rumbling of breath, vibrating against stone.
