He looked up at the sun again, its blazing golden disc already beginning its slow descent toward the horizon.
The sky had started to stain orange at the edges, and shadows grew longer across the jagged rocks. "I only have two hours at most before Ding Mei starts to worry about me," he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with frustration.
He scratched at his head, ruffling his hair roughly, as if the motion might somehow bring clarity to his tangled thoughts.
Time was slipping away from him, and yet he remained caught here, stalled before a cave that reeked of danger.
"Hehehe… Darling, why do you want to run?" The honeyed, mocking voice slithered out of the cave once again, dripping with seduction. "Come inside. I will show you heaven. I will please you with every part of my body until you forget the outside world…"
Xue Wen exhaled heavily through his nose, not even attempting to mask his disdain. "Is this lady stupid?" he muttered aloud.
"She knows that I've already figured out this is a trap, so why keep trying so desperately? Doesn't she realize her persistence only makes me more certain?"
His eyes narrowed as he turned them toward the massive skull half-buried in the dirt before him, its hollow sockets staring at him like some ancient sentinel.
'The only chance I see lies with this skull,' he thought grimly, gripping his saber tighter.
'If I don't risk it now, I might never make it out of here. This place will become my tomb, and I'll never keep my word to Ding Mei.' His chest tightened at the thought, but his decision had already been made.
As if reading his intent, a sudden shrill voice cracked from the cave's darkness, harsher than before. "Don't you dare touch that skull!"
Instead of fear, a faint smile tugged at Xue Wen's lips.
That panicked outcry only strengthened his confidence. "So this is your weakness," he whispered coldly.
With a sudden burst of power, he bent his knees, then leapt high, bringing his saber down with the full force of his body.
The strike landed with a resounding crack, and fissures immediately spread across the weathered surface of the giant skull.
"Ahhhh!" A harrowing, ear-piercing screech erupted from the cave, echoing like a tortured soul. "If you do anything more, I will come out and tear you apart!" the disembodied voice threatened, its tone no longer silky but jagged with fear.
Xue Wen snorted derisively, eyes flashing. "What a stupid demon. You've already lost." He leapt again, higher than before, channeling every ounce of his strength into his swing.
The saber cleaved down like judgment itself, and this time, the skull could no longer endure.
Cracks multiplied, webbing across its surface, until finally the entire structure collapsed with a thunderous sound.
Among the fragments lay something unusual, a small red skull, no larger than a cherry, glowing faintly as though it had been carved from congealed blood.
Xue Wen landed lightly, frowning in suspicion.
Still, he crouched and picked the strange object up.
The instant it touched his palm, his canines buzzed violently, his teeth aching as though alive.
Before he could resist, his mouth snapped open, and a powerful suction force erupted from deep within his throat.
"Cough! Cough!" He gagged, trying to fight it, but the little skull had already been pulled into his mouth.
He swallowed involuntarily, and the strange item slid down into his stomach, vanishing inside him before he had a chance to react.
From within the cave, the furious scream returned, this time accompanied by pounding footsteps. "You wretched human! I will kill you!"
"Shit!" Xue Wen's eyes widened, and he spun around without hesitation.
His legs moved before thought could catch up, propelling him forward at a blinding pace.
He tore through the wilderness, vaulting over fallen logs, darting between boulders, every muscle in his body straining as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Unlike before, he didn't dare slow down.
The oppressive aura behind him chased at his heels, and he knew that if he stumbled once, it would be the end.
An hour later, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, he finally stood before the familiar sight of his small wooden house.
He bent over, hands braced on his knees, chest heaving. "I… escaped…" he whispered to himself in disbelief.
With trembling hands, he pressed against his stomach and focused inward. His spiritual sense immediately discovered the change: the red skull had already dissolved into pure marrow essence, which was being hungrily absorbed by his canines.
A shiver ran through him as power surged through his bones.
"Ha… I broke through!" His lips split into a wide, unrestrained grin.
He clenched his fists, marveling at the new strength coursing through his body.
The barrier had shattered, he was now firmly in the Bone Cracking Realm.
"Maybe… maybe being trapped was worth it after all," he mused, though the bitter memory of that haunting voice made him quickly add, "No. I'd rather climb slower than ever face something like that again."
Straightening his clothes and calming his ragged breaths, Xue Wen finally pushed open the door to his home.
Inside, the warm glow of a small oil lamp lit the simple room.
Ding Mei sat perched on a chair, her slender leg bouncing anxiously, fingers twisting together in restless fidgets.
Her brows were furrowed, and her lips pressed tight, the worry in her expression painfully clear.
The moment she heard the door creak, her head snapped up.
When her eyes found Xue Wen standing there alive, even smiling faintly, a shuddering breath of relief left her lips.
"Dear!" she exclaimed softly, rising so quickly that her chair scraped the floor.
She hurried forward, and before he could say a word, she flung her arms around him.
Her body trembled against his, her warmth soaking into his weary frame as if she was afraid he would vanish if she let go.
Xue Wen closed his eyes and allowed the tension to bleed from his body. His smile deepened as he lifted a hand and gently stroked her head. "I'm back," he whispered.
After a long moment, Ding Mei finally pulled away, though her eyes still shimmered with unshed tears.
She looked up into his gaze, her face full of affection and lingering fear.
"Come," she said softly, squeezing his hand tightly. "I'll prepare a bath for you." Without waiting for his reply, she tugged him toward the back, unwilling to let go even for a second.