As Hei Long stepped out of the cave, the oppressive heat of the battle gave way to a sudden burst of cool forest air.
Sunlight filtered down through the dense canopy above, golden beams slicing through the misty undergrowth and illuminating the blood and soot smeared across his tattered robes.
"…" Hei Long paused for a moment at the cave's entrance, tilting his head upward as the light hit his face.
He could feel the residual sting in his meridians, the faint pulse of the monster core tucked safely within his robe, and the heaviness in his limbs from pushing himself to the brink.
But more than anything—he felt satisfied.
Then his expression shifted, eyes narrowing with a calculating glint.
'It's time,' Hei Long thought to himself:
'Now that the protagonist is distracted somewhere else… Ji Yao should be in danger right about now.'
A small knowing smirk curled across Hei Long's lips:
'Which means… I'll be the one to rescue her.'
The gears turned swiftly in his head.
