### Chapter 99: Cave Opportunities (Twelve)
Lin Yi sprinted down the passage, his boots slamming against the stone floor. Peng Qingyun and Ji Li raced behind him, their breaths ragged but their resolve unshaken. The distant roar of demons and the clash of magic faded as they put distance between themselves and the chaos.
"Where are we going?" Ji Li panted, glancing over his shoulder.
"Anywhere but back," Lin Yi said, his eyes scanning the walls. They were unnaturally smooth, as if carved from a single block of 玄铁 (black iron)—his *Kuang Wang* sword had left no mark when he'd tested it earlier. "This place isn't natural. Stay sharp."
Peng nodded, his hand resting on his sword hilt. "You think that succubus, Wu, is dead?"
Lin Yi shrugged. "Doesn't matter. The nun's keeping the horde busy. We've got a window—let's use it."
They walked for another hour, the passage stretching endlessly. When Lin Yi finally deemed it safe, he held up a hand. "Rest here. I'll keep watch."
Ji Li collapsed immediately, fumbling for a *碧青丹 (Biqing Pill)*. Peng hesitated, then said, "Let me take first watch. You've been fighting nonstop."
Lin Yi smiled. "I've got a better way to recover." He shifted into the first stance of *Body Technique: Earth*, his muscles rippling as he cycled through the thirteen forms. A faint glow surrounded him, growing brighter with each repetition.
Peng watched, fascinated. "That technique… it doesn't use spiritual energy, does it?"
"Nope," Lin Yi said, his voice steady despite his exertion. "Builds something called *体力 (body force)*. Handy when you're out of juice."
Ji Li scoffed, but there was admiration in his tone. "Cultivators spend years refining spiritual energy, and you're over here punching demons with *muscles*."
Lin Yi laughed. "Survival's not about pride."
…
An hour later, they were on the move again, their steps lighter. Lin Yi's *body force* hummed in his veins, and Peng and Ji Li had replenished their spiritual energy with pills.
Then Lin Yi froze.
"Demons," he muttered, his ears pricking at a distant rumble.
Peng and Ji Li tensed. "How many?"
"Too many," Lin Yi said, grabbing their arms. "This way!"
He dragged them down a narrow side passage—barely wide enough for one person—and flattened himself against the wall. Peng and Ji Li followed, holding their breath.
A moment later, a tidal wave of demons thundered past, their claws scraping the stone. They were disorganized, screaming and shoving each other, as if fleeing a greater terror.
Behind them came the nun, her white robes stained with black blood, her sword glowing with holy light. A hundred-odd cultivators stumbled in her wake, their faces 混合着 (mixed with) exhaustion and relief.
"The nun's chasing them," Peng whispered. "She's winning."
Lin Yi shook his head. "She's *surviving*. Look at her aura—it's dimmer. She can't keep this up forever."
As the last demon vanished around the bend, the nun skidded to a halt, doubling over to catch her breath. The cultivators collapsed around her, too spent to move.
Lin Yi waited until their voices faded, then motioned to his companions. "Let's go. Before they realize we're gone."
They slipped out of the side passage, retracing their steps until they found a new岔 in the tunnel. This one was darker, its walls lined with 符文 (runes) that pulsed faintly.
"Careful," Lin Yi warned, touching a rune. It flared, then dimmed. "Magic. Old magic."
They proceeded slowly, their senses on high alert. When they rounded a corner, Ji Li gasped.
A 石室 (stone chamber) lay ahead, its ceiling domed and inlaid with glowing crystals. At its center stood a pedestal, on which rested a 玉简 (jade slip)—its surface shimmering with golden light.
"Treasure," Ji Li breathed, taking a step forward.
"Wait," Lin Yi said, grabbing his arm. He pointed to the floor, where faint lines crisscrossed the stone. "An array. Step on the wrong rune, and we're dead."
Peng studied the lines. "I recognize this pattern. It's a 迷踪阵 (Maze Array)—tricks the mind, makes you walk in circles until the traps activate."
Lin Yi grinned. "Good thing I've got a 破阵符 (Array-Breaking Talisman)." He pulled it out, infusing it with the last of his spiritual energy, and tossed it into the chamber.
*Crackle!*
The runes flared, then went dark. The array dissolved.
Ji Li whooped, rushing to the pedestal. He grabbed the jade slip, his eyes widening as he read its contents. "It's a 功法 (manual)—*玄冰诀 (Black Ice Technique)*! A 上品功法 (high-grade technique) for water spiritual roots!"
Peng clapped him on the back. "Congratulations. You've earned it."
Ji Li beamed, tucking the jade slip away. "What about you two? No treasure catches your eye?"
Lin Yi was staring at the pedestal. There was a faint indentation, as if something else had once rested there. "Maybe not here. But there's more to this cave, I'll bet."
As if on cue, a distant 震动 (tremor) shook the chamber. Dust showered from the ceiling.
"Yin Demon," Peng said, his voice grim. "He's waking up."
Lin Yi nodded. "Then we need to move faster. Find an exit, or find something that can stop him."
They left the chamber, the glow of the crystals fading behind them. The passage ahead was darker now, the air thick with 魔气 (demonic energy). But for the first time since entering the cave, Lin Yi felt a spark of hope.
*We're not just running*, he thought. *We're hunting.*
And whatever lay ahead, they'd face it together.