Even after setting our course, we clashed with the church's followers three times.
Fortunately, just like the ones we encountered earlier, they were unremarkable. Even so, their increasing numbers were unsettling—four, five, and eventually seven.
It wasn't an easy fight.
Despite their lack of skill, their numbers, the dark forest, and the fact that they were assassins made the situation difficult. Adding to the challenge, Arjan and I had to conserve our energy while they attacked with reckless abandon.
We ran without rest, finally reaching our first destination just before dawn.
"There," I said, pointing to a place with a gaping mouth like a monster's jaws.
Before us stood a giant cave, likely the Jewel Beast's home.
"It's enormous," I commented.
I had expected the cave to be large when I saw the map, but its oppressive size surpassed my expectations. It was surprising the mountain hadn't collapsed despite the enormous hole.
"I don't sense any traces of a monster," Arjan said, her voice heavy with suppressed fatigue.
As she noted, the entrance appeared safe for now, though we'd have to venture deeper to be certain. Given the cave's size, escaping would likely be feasible if necessary.
Arjan and I entered the cave.
It was cool, though not as cold as outside. Moss covered the rocks, and stalactites hung from the ceiling. The dampness suggested it was a limestone cave with underground water flowing somewhere.
I scanned the area and found a small corner, partially obscured by rocks, but offering a clear view of the entrance.
I walked toward it and then glanced at Arjan. "Arjan, get some sleep for now."
"Here? Now?" she asked in surprise.
"You are exhausted," I replied.
"No," she insisted.
What nonsense. Her eyes were so bloodshot that she resembled a rabbit.
Considering she had stayed up for three days and nights—and then fought from night until dawn—her condition was understandable. While she seemed to be holding herself together, I knew she was on the brink of collapse.
I pulled a blanket from my bag and spread it on the ground. "It is okay. Just sleep, Arjan. In your current state, you are more of a burden than anything else."
Arjan hesitated for a long moment before replying with a shaky voice, "I understand."
Then, she wrapped the blanket around herself and leaned against a nearby wall, quickly falling asleep.
You have done so much already. Just lie down and sleep. Why suffer like this?
Maybe she couldn't help it—perhaps it was how she'd been taught. Habits ingrained over time couldn't be changed overnight.
I clicked my tongue and sat cross-legged in a suitable spot.
There was something I needed to address, though it wasn't urgent. A searing heat radiated from the internal energy settled in my dantian as if I had swallowed a fireball.
During the earlier chase, I had been so tense I had nearly died.
Heat, not warmth—a subtle but critical distinction for someone like me, who wielded Fire Qi as a core force.
Feeling heat instead of warmth from my internal energy signified it wasn't yet fully mine. It indicated that the Yang Qi infused from Osel's poison still carried impurities that hadn't been expelled. This was why I couldn't delay the circulation of my internal energy.
There were no major problems right now. I had even managed to channel my internal energy in this state to perform the White Sun Eclipse's techniques. Still, leaving it unchecked was dangerous. I needed to assimilate this power into my body and refine it into my complete, true Qi.
Fortunately, this process didn't take long.
About half an hour later, I slowly opened my eyes. I slightly parted my lips and exhaled. Thick black smoke, foul-smelling but proof that the heat had been fully neutralized, flowed out.
It seems like there is nothing wrong—Huh? I suddenly noticed Arjan. She was shaking, her face pale and covered in sweat.
It wasn't that cold inside the cave, but her pale lips were trembling.
"Nothing should've happened..." I muttered.
Was she having a nightmare?
This didn't mean there was nothing I could do. She hadn't been asleep long, so forcibly waking her up felt unnecessary.
I placed my hand on her head and infused some warmth into her. Gradually, color returned to her pale complexion, and her breathing eased.
A familiar thought about Arjan's age crossed my mind. Her softened expression made her look much younger. Although I didn't know her exact age, that was the impression I had. She always wore a suit and gloves and stood tall for a woman, which gave her an older appearance.
Perhaps that was intentional.
It felt impolite to keep staring at her face as she slept, so I shifted my gaze and scanned the cave's interior.
Leaving her alone wasn't an option, but pacing around provided some clues, albeit vague ones.
Two hours later, Arjan stirred awake. She blinked at me, dazed.
I had never seen her make such a silly face before, and surprisingly, it suited her. But the dazed expression didn't last long.
She quickly composed herself, tidied her appearance, and resumed her role as the perfect butler. "Excuse my bad manners, Young Master Luan."
I opened my mouth to tease her about her earlier expression but held back. "Don't you need more sleep?"
"No. This is enough," she replied, though I could tell she hadn't fully shaken off her fatigue.
In truth, this wasn't a situation where I could afford to be overly considerate.
I nodded. "Okay. Then let's go inside now."
Arjan and I started entering the cave in earnest.
The cave formed a straight tunnel, so I didn't need a map and could remain alert. Oddly, there were no signs of monsters.
Still, we kept our vigilance.
As we ventured deeper, the tunnel grew narrower, and the naturally formed rock pillars twisted together, intensifying the cave's complexity.
Despite this, it was much larger than most caves, and there was no risk of getting lost.
However, there were some problems.
"Doesn't it seem like it is getting colder?" I asked her.
"Yes."
I found this fact unsettling. It should be pitch dark here, yet I couldn't shake my concern about the faint glow. Meanwhile, I sensed something but kept it to myself, unwilling to tempt bad luck by speaking carelessly.
We walked cautiously for about three hours, reaching what we believed to be the cave's exit. Perhaps this was where the opposite entrance lay.
There, Arjan and I discovered the ominous feeling's source—a monster blocking the exit with its body.
It was asleep, but its enormous, trembling form dwarfed any mutants we had encountered in the mountains. It resembled a giant snake, its scales intricate and beautiful as if carved from ice. It gleamed like a jewel in the darkness.
I couldn't help cursing, "Shit."
It was the worst possible situation. This monster wasn't one we could defeat.
***
Arjan and I quickly retraced our steps.
There was no need for words or signals; we made the same decision as if it had been preordained.
Only when we reached a place where the Sapphire Snake's chill no longer touched me did I release the bile I had been suppressing.
"Are all Jewel Beasts like that? That is just a wingless dragon," I exclaimed.
"That's not the case." Arjan also seemed surprised but explained with her usual calm, "Jewel Beasts are too unique to fit into a single category. They differ greatly in appearance, traits, and behavior."
"Then why call them Jewel Beasts?"
"It's due to the strange colors found in certain areas—pupils, teeth, claws, manes, scales, and even shells. This feature appears only in mutants from the Jewel Mountains," Arjan answered.
"I see."
"Please, let's go back, Young Master Luan," Arjan said grimly. "It would be better to confront the church."
"Is that so? I heard that my father defeated three of them," I said.
"That is different. The Jewel Beasts that the family head defeated in the past were the Emerald Scorpion, Garnet Crocodile, and Topaz Mouse. Those are mid to low-level monsters among the Jewel Beasts. The one we just saw is different. It is at least hundreds of years old, definitely more of a spiritual being than a monster."
Arjan was strangely knowledgeable about the Jewel Beasts, considering she didn't even know how to deal with trolls.
I was puzzled but decided it wasn't worth discussing further and let it go.
"It might be an S-grade monster," I commented.
"S-grade?" she asked, puzzled.
"This is the classification method used by mercenaries."
Mercenaries originally focused on rankings, which made their assessments relatively accurate.
I also knew that it was better to face the church than the Sapphire Snake. I understood this, but I had to set that mindset aside. It wasn't a fight if the odds of winning were zero; it was a gamble.
I'm strangely filled with excitement.
"Alright, then let's think about which side to break through first—" I said, pulling out the map, only to pause.
Arjan was also startled.
We exchanged glances before taking cover behind a nearby rock pillar, starting to listen closely.
How much time passed without even the faintest sound of breathing?
A black figure appeared at the cave's entrance.
At first, I assumed I was seeing things since there was no sound or movement. However, I realized I wasn't mistaken.
The first person to appear looked around and gestured. Behind him, a group of similarly dressed individuals emerged.
One, two, three... Eight, nine, ten...
I counted up to twenty before stopping. There were likely close to thirty, just by the look of it. Their clothing differed from the attire of those who had pursued us earlier—their hooded cloaks were dark red.
They were enemies I had heard of—the followers of the Demon King of the Blood Moon. They worshiped fresh blood, and the higher their rank, the darker the blood-red color of their attire.
We are fucked.
The worst possible scenario had come to pass.