After restoring his body, Bai Tian did not rush to leave. He sat cross-legged for a moment, regulating his breath, then began to observe the forest around him. Every curve of the land, the direction of the river's flow, and even the density of the trees, he carefully examined. In his mind, he slowly pieced together a larger picture of the geographical structure of this place.
"Cloud Herb... such a spiritual plant cannot possibly grow just anywhere," he murmured inwardly.
Based on ancient records he had once read, the plant was more often found in open highlands, where sunlight could directly reach it. The closer it was to a source of clear water, the greater the chance it would thrive.
After some consideration, Bai Tian finally determined the most logical location: the river's source, right behind the waterfall. Besides being elevated, the place was always shrouded in moisture and light, the ideal conditions for the growth of the Cloud Herb.
Without further delay, he stood up and strode quickly along the river. The murmur of flowing water grew clearer with each step. Time passed unnoticed—half an hour later, a faint mist from the waterfall's spray began to greet him. Bai Tian quickened his pace, his eyes gleaming with hope.
He then sought out a tree tall enough. With a light leap, he landed on one of its large branches, standing straight atop it. From that height, his gaze swept in all directions, observing the contours of the land and the winding river below.
From above the branch, Bai Tian noticed a heated quarrel. Some disciples had already placed their hands on their sword hilts, their eyes flashing with murderous intent. But before the fight could truly break out, Bai Tian leapt lightly, landing soundlessly behind a thicket not far from the crowd.
With calm movements and steps as light as a shadow, he slipped between the quarreling sect disciples, his presence unnoticed at first. Only when he stood in the empty space between the two groups did several pairs of eyes finally catch sight of the stranger.
"Who are you?!" one of the disciples shouted, his brows furrowed in suspicion.
Bai Tian gave a faint smile, as if completely unfazed by the sharp gazes of dozens.
"No need to panic. I am merely a wanderer who happened to catch the scent of a rare herb from this cave. My intention is simple—to confirm what truly lies inside."
The two groups of disciples exchanged wary glances. Their vigilance thickened, yet Bai Tian's calm and confident tone made them hesitate to strike immediately.
One disciple in blue robes snorted coldly.
"Hmph! Do you think an outsider can casually meddle in sect affairs? This cave was discovered by us first!"
Still smiling, Bai Tian met their eyes one by one with a penetrating gaze.
"If that's the case, then why are you still arguing? Did they not," he glanced at the other sect's group, "also discover this cave at the same time? In that case… would it not be fair for us to inspect it together, and let fate decide the rightful owner?"
His words left both sides silent for a moment. Though they clearly did not fully trust Bai Tian, his reasoning was hard to refute.
The disciples exchanged reluctant looks. Their faces betrayed their unwillingness to share, yet Bai Tian's words had pierced the weak point of their logic. If they continued arguing outside, they would only waste time, while the scent of high-grade herbs grew stronger from within the cave.
Finally, a senior disciple in blue robes stepped forward. With a cold face, he said,
"Very well… we will check it together. But don't think you can take advantage of this, outsider."
Immediately, the rival group—disciples in black robes—also nodded, their tone no less sharp.
"Hmph! We are not afraid either. Whoever dares to cheat inside, our swords will do the talking."
Bai Tian merely smiled faintly, unbothered by the threats from both sides. Inwardly, he felt satisfied. This way, he could enter without raising further suspicion.
Step by step, the group entered the cave. The air inside was damp, filled with a fragrance so thick it made their breathing warm and slightly heavy. The dim glow of naturally luminous stones along the cave walls lit the winding path, while the sound of dripping water echoed in the darkness.
Some disciples grew increasingly uneasy. Some lit torches, while others summoned spiritual energy to illuminate the way. Yet Bai Tian walked calmly in the middle of the crowd, his sharp gaze fixed ahead, as if calculating every step.
"A high-grade herb…" he thought to himself,
"if it truly exists here, this fortune is too great to miss."
But deep within the cave, a faint hissing could be heard… as if something was awakening due to their arrival.
Venturing deeper inside, the group froze at the sight before them. From the outside, the cave looked ordinary, its mouth narrow, seemingly fit for only a few people at once. But who would have thought that within lay a vast chamber, as if they had stepped into another hidden world.
The faint glow of the luminous stones lit the cave walls, revealing their rough texture mixed with mineral glimmers. After walking dozens of steps, the narrow path finally opened into a grand hall, large enough to hold hundreds at once.
At the center of the vast chamber, nine branching corridors loomed, arranged like the gaping maw of an ancient beast. Each corridor radiated a different aura—one searing hot, like the belly of a volcano; another exuded a bone-piercing cold; yet another carried a sharp gale, as if filled with unseen blades. One was silent and pitch dark, yet gave a suffocating feeling, as though hiding something dreadful.
The sect disciples whispered among themselves—some hesitant, others eager to proceed. Tension rose higher as one group after another decided which corridor to enter. Footsteps echoed, vanishing into different darknesses.
The corridor Bai Tian entered was silent, only the faint sound of his footsteps echoing against the stone walls. At first, it seemed ordinary, almost too calm. But the further he went, the clearer grew the strange feeling creeping from within the stillness.
Suddenly, a grinding noise rang out. From the walls, several stone spears shot forth at great speed, blocking the path ahead. Bai Tian employed his light steps, his body flickering to the side, barely avoiding their tips. With a single leap, he cleared the trap and landed lightly on the ground.
Moments later, the floor beneath him trembled. An ancient circular formation lit up, firing a sharp beam of light toward his body. But Bai Tian was already alert; stomping his foot, he launched himself into the air just before the beam exploded into empty space.
"As I thought…" he murmured with a faint smile, "…the corridor that appears safest is in fact filled with hidden dangers, just as the novel described."
He continued forward cautiously, evading more ancient mechanisms—spiritual arrows whistling from the darkness, collapsing walls, and poisonous mist seeping from stone cracks. With his experience and vigilance, Bai Tian overcame them all without serious injury.
At last, the corridor opened into a hidden spacious chamber. The moment he stepped inside, Bai Tian immediately sensed the change in atmosphere. The air was no longer oppressive with pressure and traps, but warm and moist, wrapping around his body like the gentle touch of spring.
What stunned him was the sight before his eyes—the chamber bore no resemblance to a cave, but instead resembled a simple courtyard. A flat patch of grass, an old wooden chair beside a stone table, even a small stove in the corner, as if once used for boiling tea. Everything felt natural, tranquil, and aged in silence.
Yet that very tranquility stirred a sense of strangeness within. Bai Tian could feel lingering emotions in this place—a long solitude, the silence of one who awaited the end of life.
He stepped slowly, brushing his fingers over the moss-covered stone table. "This place…" he whispered softly, "is like a home built by someone… who long ago resigned themselves to death."
A faint spiritual aura still lingered in the air, leaving behind a bittersweet feeling difficult to describe.