### Chapter 105: Cave Opportunities (Eighteen)
Lin Yi settled into meditation, the *Condensation Dew Pill* dissolving on his tongue. Warm spiritual energy spread through his meridians, mending the 耗损 (exhaustion) from battle. Beside him, Zhang Ziyan stood guard, her whip coiled in her hand, her gaze soft but vigilant.
Around them, the remaining 31 cultivators scattered: some searched for treasure, others meditated, their faces etched with weariness. The Core Formation nun sat cross-legged in a corner, her aura slowly 恢复 (recovering) as she swallowed a 高阶丹药 (high-grade pill). Peng and Yu Xianzi had found quiet spots too, their eyes closed in concentration.
The chamber, once echoing with screams, now hummed with a fragile peace.
Lin Yi's thoughts drifted to the *Five Spirits Tempering Technique*. His *body force* was gone, drained in the fight with Li. But repeating the *Body Technique: Earth* stances had reignited a spark—*a new way to grow stronger*, separate from spiritual energy.
*If I master this, I won't be so reliant on pills or artifacts*, he mused.
An hour later, he opened his eyes, his spiritual energy replenished. Zhang Ziyan smiled, relief washing over her. "Feeling better?"
"Much," he said, standing. He stretched, his muscles 发出轻响 (creaking) pleasantly. "Ready to find a way out?"
She nodded, taking his hand.
They joined Peng, who was already up, his sword cleaned but still stained with demon blood. "Any sign of an exit?" Lin Yi asked.
Peng shook his head. "The others are checking the far end, but… this place feels like a tomb. No doors, no passages—just that altar." He nodded toward the black stone structure at the chamber's center, its runes still pulsing faintly.
Yu Xianzi approached, her expression 凝重 (sober). "That altar isn't ordinary. The runes… they're 献祭 (sacrificial). This cave wasn't built to hide treasure—it was built to 封印 (seal) something."
"The nun said Yin Demon is here," Lin Yi said.
"Then the altar is his 核心 (core)," Yu Xianzi said. "Break it, and maybe the cave collapses. Or maybe we free him. Either way, we can't stay."
A commotion erupted at the altar. A Foundation cultivator had pried loose a stone, revealing a small 玉盒 (jade box) beneath.
"Treasure!" he shouted, greed blazing in his eyes.
Others swarmed toward it, shoving and cursing. The nun opened her eyes, frowning, but didn't intervene.
"Fools," Peng muttered. "After everything we've been through…"
Lin Yi watched, unsurprised. Greed drove cultivators to risk their lives—why stop now?
But as the first cultivator touched the jade box, the altar 震动 (shook). The runes flared, and a 黑气 (black mist) erupted from the box, 缠绕 (coiling) around his arm. He screamed, his flesh 枯萎 (withering) before their eyes.
"退后!" the nun shouted, springing to her feet.
But it was too late. The mist spread, 腐蚀 (corroding) any cultivator it touched. Panic erupted—those who'd rushed for the box now scrambled away, tripping over each other.
Lin Yi grabbed Zhang Ziyan, pulling her back. "Stay clear!"
The nun unleashed a wave of holy light, 驱散 (dispelling) the mist, but the damage was done. Five cultivators lay on the ground, their bodies 化为灰烬 (turning to ash). The jade box, now empty, 炸裂 (shattered) into dust.
"Told you," Yu Xianzi said, her voice flat.
The survivors stared at the altar, horror-stricken. Treasure hunts forgotten, they gathered around the nun, their faces 混合着 (mixed with) fear and urgency.
"Senior, we have to leave," a Foundation cultivator pleaded. "Yin Demon… he's waking up."
She nodded, her gaze sweeping the chamber. "There must be an exit. These ruins—they were built to 囚禁 (imprison), but prisoners need a way in… and out."
Lin Yi's eyes narrowed. He walked to the wall where the altar's shadow fell, running his fingers over the stone. It felt 不同的 (different)—smoother, as if worn by time.
"Over here," he called.
The others crowded around. Lin Yi pressed his palm against the wall, channeling a trickle of spiritual energy. The stone 发出轻响 (clicked), and a 暗门 (hidden door) swung open, revealing a narrow passage.
"Bingo," he said.
The nun smiled faintly. "Sharp eyes."
They filed through, the door closing behind them with a 沉闷的响声 (thud). The passage was dark, but torches flickered to life along the walls, revealing carvings of 古代修士 (ancient cultivators) battling demons.
"These are 近古 (Near Ancient) runes," Yu Xianzi said, pausing to study them. "They tell of a 大战 (great war)—humans versus demons. Yin Demon was their leader."
Lin Yi frowned. "And this cave was his 监狱 (prison)?"
"Or his 坟墓 (tomb)," Peng said.
They walked for another hour, the passage sloping upward—toward the surface, they hoped. The air grew fresher, the 魔气 (demonic energy) thinning.
Then, ahead, light spilled into the passage.
"The exit!" a cultivator shouted.
They ran, emerging into a sun-dappled clearing. Yin Moon Mountain loomed behind them, its peaks wreathed in 黑雾 (black fog), but the cave's entrance had vanished, as if it had never existed.
The survivors collapsed onto the grass, laughing and crying, their exhaustion finally catching up.
Lin Yi pulled Zhang Ziyan close, breathing in the fresh air. "We made it."
She nodded, her head resting on his shoulder. "Together."
Peng clapped him on the back, grinning. "To survival."
The nun stood apart, watching the mountain. "Yin Demon isn't dead. Just 沉睡 (sleeping). He'll wake again."
No one spoke. They'd survived, but the threat lingered—like a shadow over their victory.
Lin Yi met her gaze. "When he does, we'll be ready."
She nodded, a flicker of approval in her eyes. "Farewell, young cultivator. May your path be 光明的 (bright)." With that, she turned and walked away, her figure vanishing into the distance.
The others began to disperse too, exchanging 告别 (farewells) and cautious smiles. Some headed for nearby towns; others vanished into the forest, eager to put Yin Moon Mountain behind them.
Yu Xianzi hesitated, then approached Lin Yi. "That jade slip… it's still in the cave, isn't it?"
He nodded. "You came for it?"
"To 研究 (study) it. Not to use it," she said. "But some things are better left buried." She smiled, a rare genuine smile. "Farewell, Lin Yi. May we meet again in 和平的 times (peaceful times)."
She left, her green robes blending into the trees.
Lin Yi, Zhang Ziyan, and Peng were the last to go.
"Where to now?" Peng asked.
Lin Yi thought of the *Five Spirits Pagoda*, of the *Body Technique: Earth*, of the power still waiting to be unlocked.
"Home," he said. "But first—we train. Because the next time demons come, we won't just survive. We'll win."
Zhang Ziyan squeezed his hand. Peng nodded.
Together, they walked away from Yin Moon Mountain, toward a future uncertain but full of promise.
The cave was closed, but their journey was just beginning.