Unfathomable Senior

In a dimly lit cavern, four individuals found themselves frantically running away from shadowy monsters that lurked in the darkness. They clutched onto a single torch, its flickering flame providing the only source of light in the eerie underground space. The torch illuminated the rugged walls of the cavern, casting long shadows that danced and twisted with their every movement.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the cavern, creating an unnerving cacophony that mixed with the distant growls and hisses of the pursuing monsters. The sound that was previously muffled by the void-like darkness now produced a resounding echo. The torchbearer remained in the back of the group with a solemn expression on his face. This protective light was quickly dying out and the monsters just continued their pursuit with no end in sight.

“There has to be a safe room somewhere, spread your senses!”

“That’s easier said than done, Senior Brother!”

Huo Qiang called out while trying to incinerate one of the shadowy claws coming their way. While his flame was able to push the attacker away soon its form was replaced by another.

Their movements were swift and agile as they skillfully evaded obstacles that threatened to trip them up. The torchlight illuminated stalagmites and stalactites, which quickly started falling down in an attempt to bar them from going forward.

“Husband, the darkness is too thick, it’s impossible to tell where we should go…”

“If it comes to this, then I guess we’ll have to do something a bit drastic, Zhi give me the torch, and all of you, get ready to run.”

Zhang Zhi didn’t hesitate in giving the white torch to Zhang Dong who was determined to find a path in this treacherous depth. The area they found themselves in was a lot more spacious with nothing visible outside the ten-meter radius this torch was providing them. If they continued with this tactic in a few minutes the flame would be gone. Thereafter the shadowy fiends would have free reign to assault them from all directions.

“Get ready, it's going to get bright, there has to be a tunnel leading out.”

With a swift motion, he launched the torch up into the air, its flames dancing wildly as it soared higher and higher. As the torch reached its peak, a moment of anticipation filled the cavern. Zhang Dong infused a hefty amount of his own spiritual energy into the white stick of wood to overcharge it. Suddenly, with a resounding explosion, the torch burst into a brilliant display of light and illuminated the cavern they found themselves in.

To everyone's surprise, the place they found themselves in was a lot larger than they anticipated. It became clear that they would have never been able to discover the way out if they kept to the old strategy. Even as the light filtered through the darkness and pushed away the monsters inside no hidden passage was revealed. However, right at the end of the explosion of light, a tiny gleam of hope caught their eyes.

“There, I can see something!”

Liena called out while sprinting forth. A lone passage became visible in the vast distance to all of them. Without any discussion, the four marital masters activated their movement skills and tossed themselves toward their new destination. Time was of the essence as the light source they relied on was quickly fading. The previously dancing light that easily revealed the judged edges and crevices of the cavern walls was going out.

“This might feel strange but bare with it…”

Zhang Dong was still a lot stronger than the other three nascent soul masters here. By his calculations, the group would not make it into the passage before the light fully went out. Thus to not get attacked by an angry army of shadows he surrounded everyone in a bubble of golden light. With the help of this bubble, he could carry all of them towards their destination at an increased speed.

“Woah!”

“N-not so suddenly!”

Huo Qiang shouted out in surprise at the increase of velocity and Liena wasn’t far behind. The only one that remained silent was Zhang Zhi that just concentrated on not sustaining any damage.

The bright orb of golden light flew in the direction of the only exit from this place. The white blaze that illuminated the way forward began to quickly die out and soon the monstrosities that were hidden within the darkness started to approach. Yet, Zhang Dong’s speed could not be stopped even when the path darkened yet again he still continued to push through. On the way, he felt the clawing of the shadowy beasts but there was no stopping this golden train anymore.

With a resounding sound, the group squeezed through the darkened corridor and arrived in another safe room with more white light illuminating the area. The technique was canceled but the momentum wasn’t. He reached out his hand to catch Liena before she flew away into the wall. The other two gentlemen that he was carrying were out of luck as they were tossed into the distance and collided with some rock formations.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine but…”

“But?”

“Doesn’t this chamber look different than the others?”

After putting Liena down Zhang Dong’s attention returned to the problem at hand. They were still on the fortieth floor where they had spent a whole week at. They had followed a similar pattern of finding safe rooms with white torches for a while now. Each and every room looked the same with one large brazier of flames in the middle. Here on the other hand they could see a lot more of them.

“You are right, this might be it. There are also four torches this time around and they look a lot thinner than the other ones and then there is that…”

He along with Liena looked at a large stone gate that could be reached by going up a flight of stone stairs. On the side of these stairs, there were similar braziers that they encountered in other safe rooms that were unlit. It didn’t take a genius to realize that probably after lighting all of them the way forward would be open. Before they attempted clearing this floor they needed to strategize as the boss inside would probably be different than the ones they previously met.

“Qiang, Zhi we will take a small break, eat the ration pills, and recover as much of your energy as you can, this will probably be it.”

They had been inside this tower for around three months now. This was the amount of time it took them to get from the twenty-sixth level to this one. Time outside had not advanced that much and Bob continued to inform him about the changes. His grandfather had not been discovered but traces of their sect were found in the underground tunnels. Perhaps after they were able to clear up to the fiftieth floor, it would be time to continue their true mission and take care of the Long Clan once and for all.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, Patriarch. Would you allow me to?”

“Sure, go ahead, just be careful we’ll be right behind you.”

Zhang Zhi urged the leader to let him enter the chamber first. His fear of potential traps murdering him was there. On some previous occasions, Zhang Dong had walked into some hidden encounters that would have potentially cost him his head if he was not quick on his feet. Now when the stakes were a lot higher, Zhi felt like it was time to step up. If he was injured it was fine as long as their number one fighter remained in full health to clear the level. If they reached the safe zone at the end of the fiftieth floor then it wouldn’t matter if he lost a limb or two.

After lighting the path forward the four torches remain lit. The massive doors started to creek and swung open to reveal a darkened chamber with no lights just like everyone expected. The only light there was coming from the room the three were in and they knew that the moment they went inside, these large doors would close behind them. Zhang Zhi moved forward at the point of the formation, his eyes darting around as he tried to feel out any potential traps.

“Is this place empty? I don’t see any paths heading out…”

Huo Qiang called out while looking around. The chamber itself was mysterious, with ancient symbols etched into the walls, and the only source of light emanating from flickering torches. Soon just as they predicted the way behind them began to close and soon they were surrounded by a pitch-black void.

Suddenly, a low growl resonated from above, causing the martial masters to instinctively look up. From the ceiling, a shadowy figure began to materialize, its presence both daunting and ethereal. The beast emerged with a sense of grace, its form shifting and contorting as if made of smoke and darkness.

“Spread out, it's coming!”

This being had no true shape, it looked like an ooze made from obsidian water. It descended from above in a torrent of darkness that wanted to swallow up the light that they were producing. Even though this being was illuminated by their torches it didn’t seem to waver as the lesser shades that they encountered during their travels.

All of them jumped to a corner of the circular platform they were battling. The moment the creature's body slammed into the middle it erupted in a hail of some sort. Instantly Zhang Dong realized that the light they were holding on to was in danger. His instincts told him to protect the torches at all cost as they were the only thing that would allow them to fully perceive this monster.

“It’s trying to douse out the torches, don’t let its body touch the torches!”

His allies nodded as they performed techniques to protect themselves from the water-like discharge. When the darkness connected with their elemental techniques it quickly attempted to engulf them. The fact that it was in close proximity to the light source would not turn this darkness away, yet the room continued to shift. Losing this source would force them into an unfavorable position so they needed to finish it fast.

Huo Qiang let his fists roar and Zhang Zhi performed a thousand cuts with his blade. The chamber was quickly filled out with particles of water and fire that attempted to destroy the beast made of shadowy energy. Their combined efforts and teamwork at first seemed to push back the strange creature but the darkness persisted. The more they moved the quicker the flames died out and soon Qiang’s torch was gone leaving only three to illuminate the area.

‘This form is probably not its true body, this monster must have some type of core that is hidden where the light from the torches can not reach…’

Zhang Dong was sure that if they continued with a conventional approach then the battle would be lost. Before the torches went out they needed to locate this beast's true body and slay it…