When they were far enough away, Shi ZhenXian fell to the ground again and Lin JingYu followed him immediately. Their martial skills were much better than those two disciples; therefore, they had no problem hiding their presence.
"The story thickens." The Taoist commented.
Shi ZhenXian approached the tunnel again and pricked up his ear, hoping to hear something.
"I don't hear anything, it must be quite deep. We won't have any concrete answers if we stay here. Should we go in?" Shi ZhenXian asked that question as if it were the most natural thing in the world and not as if they were putting themselves at risk.
Lin JingYu, whose gaze had always been fixed on the other, even if the other in question never seemed to notice him, didn't seem at all convinced by that choice. However, even though they had only known each other for a short time, he had now understood that he couldn't say anything to make him change his mind. So, he followed Shi ZhenXian without arguing.
The cave extended downwards quite steeply. The tunnels were very wide, three or four adults could easily walk through them side by side.
Shi ZhenXian approached the walls to inspect them better. He had already turned on a palm torch to illuminate the room and only after having placed it against the wall he realized the "cave" did not have a natural shape.
In fact, deep holes could be seen in the ground, with diameters of about ten centimetres. The most curious thing was that they were small groups of these holes close together.
They looked like marks left by claws.
"Shi ZhenXian" Lin JingYu called to him, a little timidly, "Ahead there's an atrium."
Shi ZhenXian turned his attention away from those signs and took the path that had been indicated to him.
It was not that in this situation he trusted Lin JingYu enough to untie him and let him walk around alone.
However, he was more confident in his abilities and knew that he would be able to stop him, if anything happened.
Lin JingYu knew this too.
The two continued until they found themselves in front of a large room. It was so big that the bottom could not be seen.
The two advanced along the walls. As they approached the bottom, the human remains became more and more numerous.
As expected, only the bones of skulls, rib cages and spines remained, intertwined in a mosaic of broken lives. Along with those, a few axes or other work tools, some new, some worn.
"Shi ZhenXian, there are also chains," Lin JingYu said in a whisper.
Shi ZhenXian approached where he was directed and illuminated the area better. Under the heat of the reddish flame, chains and metal manacles glistened.
"They fed him with prisoners, then."
Shi ZhenXian remembered having seen them also on some of the limbs planted outside the cave.
"I wonder where they came from." He continued with a mixture of sadness and curiosity.
They advanced towards the back of the den for a little longer. Awaiting them was a second tunnel that led to another room.
Now near it, they began to hear something new.
Is it breathing?
Shi ZhenXian wondered, entering the second corridor.
The room was smaller this time and at the end of it slept a huge beast.
Its presence was masked by the stench of death that hung in the air. Furthermore, since it was sleeping soundly, it was difficult to distinguish any kind of killing intent.
Shi ZhenXian approached to better identify it. From its muzzle protruded fangs as large as tree trunks. Its breaths moved masses of air so large that they shook its long hair. Shreds of flesh and clothing could still be seen between its teeth, and its body was completely covered in thick dark fur.
Its paws!
Shi ZhenXian took a few steps back when he bumped into something. Lin JingYu had been standing there inside him for a while.
"It's a mole," Shi ZhenXian whispered, approaching his ear.
He heard a gulp.
"I have never seen such a monstrous being," he continued, keeping his distance this time.
"Your sect has never had to deal with such beasts," he asked this time.
"Yes. But I have never seen one so close." Lin JingYu whispered, keeping his distance.
The two walked away from the mole. Lin JingYu continued.
"But none of them reached this level of ferocity. Usually, beasts of this level have a grudge against someone."
"From what we heard, it should be the brother of the sect leader? It sounds rather absurd to me, we knew he had died many years ago and instead it's… that thing?" said Shi ZhenXian.
"How did he transform? You demonic cultivators can do things like that, perhaps he fought with one of yours."
"If he was a person before, or rather, a cultivator, I might know what curse was used on him," Lin JingYu continued.
"It is a curse that is not used often. Too difficult to acquire so few knew about it, including my master. And even fewer are those willing to use it."
Shi ZhenXian was all ears. Lin JingYu could only take notice and continue.
"I have never seen anyone who has used it, nor anyone willing to teach it. When you cast curses, if your cultivation level is not sufficient, the effects will also affect you."
Shi ZhenXian nodded. This was something everyone knew well. At the moment, he was more surprised by the fact that all those words came out of Lin JingYu's mouth.
The sound of footsteps did not give them any more time to think. Shi ZhenXian immediately turned off the light.
They are already coming back! I did not realize that so much time had passed.
Lin JingYu grabbed the Taoist's arm and dragged him into a hole in the wall, half covered by a pile of bones. From there, they could get a good view of the entire room.
"Master, Yang ZhiLong is there."