The Legendary Journey in My Heart

Upon entering the second level of the Orc Cave, we were once again swallowed by darkness. The winding pathways twisted unpredictably, sometimes wide, sometimes narrow—some seemed naturally formed, while others were clearly man-made. Compared to the first level, this place felt even more chilling, as if a bone-piercing coldness permeated the air. A shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't help but wonder—was this an actual drop in temperature or just a psychological illusion?

"Do you guys feel it getting colder?" Chenxi pulled her purple robe tighter around her petite frame, shrinking slightly. Under the dim torchlight, she looked even more frail than usual.

"It does seem that way." Lu Xi rubbed his hands together, exhaling a cloud of white mist, a hint of unease flickering in his eyes.

"Qingming, what was this cave originally for? Why was it dug so deep? And what's the deal with the King's Tomb? Do you know anything about it?" I couldn't hold back my curiosity—this cave's origins had been puzzling me ever since we entered.

Qingming pondered for a moment before answering slowly, "I once heard my master mention that this cave actually existed long before the great war between humans and orcs. When the orcs were defeated, they fled into this cave, but the excavation predates even them."

I nodded, deep in thought. Grandpa Pan had mentioned something similar before, but I had always assumed the orcs had hastily dug this cave after their defeat. I never expected its history to stretch so far back.

"There's a King's Tomb within the second level," Qingming continued. "I've been here before. Inside, you'll find numerous stone coffins—each one housing a former great king of the orcs. This tradition continued until the humans finally vanquished the orcs. After their downfall, the remaining orcs scattered into the forests and mountains, never gathering as a kingdom again."

"So this place was originally more of a tomb… or maybe even a site of worship?" I followed his reasoning.

"Most likely," Qingming nodded, though his tone carried some uncertainty. After all, history this ancient had long since been buried beneath the dust of time.

"Are there deeper levels to this cave? A third, maybe even a fourth? Or is the King's Tomb the deepest part?" I pressed on.

"I don't know." Qingming shook his head. "The paths in the second level are extremely complex—it's easy to get lost. As for deeper levels, I've never explored further." Then, motioning for us to stay close, he cautioned against lagging behind at the turns.

However, as we walked and talked, an unsettling silence suddenly fell upon us—we realized that Lu Xi and Chenxi had disappeared without a trace, as if swallowed by the darkness. A cold sweat broke out on my back.

"What happened?" Qingming frowned and whispered.

I shook my head, about to call out their names when Qingming swiftly gestured for silence.

Moving cautiously, we retraced our steps. The flickering torchlight cast restless shadows against the uneven cave walls. It didn't make sense—Lu Xi and Chenxi had just been talking about the cold, and they hadn't taken more than a few turns. Plus, they each had a torch, so finding them should have been easy. Yet, no matter how far back we went, we saw no sign of their light.

Just as we were beginning to panic, Qingming suddenly pointed toward a nearby passageway, signaling for me to check it out. I followed him, holding my torch high to illuminate the path ahead.

In the dim glow, I finally saw them—Lu Xi and Chenxi, standing still with their backs toward us.

"What are you two doing?" I approached, gently tapping Lu Xi's shoulder.

"Shh!" They both turned around simultaneously, gesturing for silence.

"What's going on? And why did you put out your torches?" I whispered, puzzled.

"Look over there." Lu Xi's voice was barely audible as he pointed ahead.

Qingming and I followed his gaze—and in that instant, every hair on my body stood on end.

Ahead of us stood three white skeletons. Two of them were identical to the ones we had encountered on the first level—one wielding a wooden club, the other holding a battle axe. But the third one was unlike any we had seen before. It was clad in decayed armor, parts of which had turned dark gray, and in its bony hands rested an enormous scythe. Compared to the other two, this skeleton radiated a far more menacing aura. The three figures stood motionless, facing something in front of them, as if waiting.

But what truly filled us with dread was the being that stood opposite them—a skeleton bathed entirely in a sinister, blood-red glow.

Its skeletal frame emitted an eerie crimson light in the darkness, and it clutched a pair of deep-red tridents, the color so dark it seemed soaked in centuries of bloodshed. Even from a distance, the overwhelming stench of blood wafted toward us, stirring an unspeakable fear in my heart.

"What the hell… what are you guys staring at? We should be running!" I whispered urgently, my instinct screaming at me to flee.

"Wait. Just watch…" Lu Xi muttered, motioning for me to keep observing.

I was about to argue when suddenly, a strange sound echoed from ahead—the blood-red skeleton let out a low, guttural call.

A few more sounds followed. Then, silence returned.

Not long after, the sound of rustling echoed from all directions. Five or six more skeletal monsters emerged from various passageways—some wielding wooden clubs, others gripping axes or scythes—slowly gathering before the blood-red skeleton.

My eyes widened, and a chill ran down my spine. At that moment, Qingming suddenly drew his sword, a look of firm resolve flashing in his gaze.

"We need to strike now, before it gathers even more skeletal soldiers," he whispered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"What? Are you crazy?" I nearly shouted, panic rising in my chest.

"That blood-red skeleton is summoning reinforcements. If we don't attack now, we might not be able to fight our way out later," Qingming explained, his voice grave.

Without hesitation, Chenxi unsheathed her sword. Though her hands trembled slightly, determination burned in her eyes. Lu Xi also drew his blade in silence, his gaze steady and resolute.

With a low shout, Qingming charged forward, and the three of them lunged into battle. Qingming moved with incredible agility, leaping effortlessly toward the blood-red skeleton. Yet, instead of engaging, the blood-red skeleton turned and retreated. At the same time, several white skeletons emerged from the direction it had fled, blocking Qingming's path.

Gritting my teeth, I joined the fight. A skeleton wielding a wooden club was closest to me—its hollow sockets and bony frame exuded an eerie menace. However, their movements were sluggish, and their intelligence seemed limited, making them easier to handle. With a flurry of five consecutive slashes, my final strike severed its arm, sending the club and broken bones clattering to the ground.

I quickly surveyed the battlefield. Qingming and Chenxi's combat skills were nothing short of astonishing—their movements were fluid, their swordplay almost dance-like. The skeletons couldn't even graze their robes. However, I noticed that while their techniques were elegant, their strikes lacked raw power; it often took four or five precise hits to completely shatter a skeleton.

As the battle raged on, we managed to cut down two or three skeletons, easing the pressure somewhat. But just as I let my guard down for a brief moment, Lu Xi suddenly shouted, "Watch out!"

I spun around in time to see a skeleton in the distance hurling a throwing axe straight at Chenxi's back—she was completely unaware of the incoming danger.

At the last second, Lu Xi lunged forward, shoving Chenxi out of harm's way. The axe struck him squarely in the back, and he let out a muffled groan as he collapsed to the ground.

"Lu Xi!" My heart clenched, and fury surged through me.

Without thinking, I leaped into the air, gripping my sword with both hands and bringing it down in a powerful overhead slash toward the axe-wielding skeleton. At the same time, a fiery red light shot from Qingming's hand, streaking straight toward the skeleton's skull.

Boom!

Both my blade and Qingming's fire spell struck simultaneously, reducing the skeleton to a pile of scattered bones.

"Are you alright?" Chenxi's voice trembled with worry as she hurriedly helped Lu Xi up, concern filling her eyes.

Blood trickled from the corner of Lu Xi's mouth, but he forced a weak smile. "I'm fine… just hurts a little."

Qingming swiftly pulled out a talisman, holding it between his fingers as he muttered an incantation. The talisman ignited instantly, transforming into a silver light that enveloped Lu Xi. As the glow spread, his pained expression softened, and the tension in his body eased.

"This is a basic Taoist skill—Healing Technique," Qingming explained. "It allows us to quickly treat minor injuries during battle."

Lu Xi and I exchanged glances, both astonished. The power of Taoists was truly remarkable.

"The fire spell I used earlier is also a basic Taoist technique," Qingming continued. "By channeling spiritual energy into talismans, we can unleash elemental attacks on our enemies. Chenxi has been practicing this as well, though she's not entirely proficient yet."

I nodded silently, my admiration for Taoist abilities growing.

"Besides that, we also train in Spirit Sword Techniques and Poison Arts." Qingming glanced at Lu Xi, as if intentionally sharing this information with him. "Poison Arts require special powders, and different types of poison have varying effects. If we get the chance, I'll show you more."

Lu Xi remained silent, but a flicker of complex emotions crossed his eyes.

Qingming didn't press the matter. Instead, he refocused on the situation. "That blood-red skeleton just escaped. We need to pursue it now, or it'll summon even more undead."

Without wasting any time, we regrouped and hurried after the fleeing skeleton. Along the way, we encountered a few stray white skeletons, but they were quickly dispatched.

Suddenly, Qingming came to an abrupt stop.

"We've arrived at the King's Tomb," he whispered.