As soon as Adrian got a clear handle on his current situation, he quickly scurried away from the hole. Who knew if any other beast was aware of the hole, or worse still, if there were more scorpions that could return soon?
The ground beneath his boots was softer than the desert sands he had grown accustomed to—dark soil mixed with ash, warm to the touch, as if embers still slept beneath the surface.
Only when the cavern entrance was completely out of sight, swallowed by foliage and distance, did he finally slow.
He bent forward, hands braced against his knees, drawing in ragged breaths. Each inhale burned faintly, the air tinged with fire-aspected Qi. It wasn't hostile, but it was dense—thick enough that even breathing felt like cultivation.
