When they arrived at the cave entrance, they paused briefly and lit their torches in unison.
The flames cast light on the shadowy passage before them.
Before they began, the old man explained that it was wiser to use the natural glow of torches rather than rely on spiritual power, which might attract unwanted attention inside the cave.
Using torches made them less likely to disturb the other creatures inhabiting the cave.
They continued their journey in silence, the only sound echoing from their footsteps.
Deeper inside, an arched stone corridor sheltered thousands of bats, resting undisturbed near the cave's entrance.
When Li Haoran noticed this, he halted and signaled the old man to stop as well. The old man froze, not daring to make a move.
Li Haoran turned to him and whispered, "The torch is too bright; it's disturbing the bats."
The old man didn't reply, simply gazing at the torch's flame. Li Haoran stepped back and snapped his fingers sharply.
Immediately, the flame extinguished, leaving only the smoldering wooden handle in the old man's grasp.
The surroundings were swallowed by darkness, like an endless tunnel stretching into the void.
Thanks to Li Haoran's exceptional ability, he could see clearly, no matter how thick the darkness grew.
He reached for the old man's hand and guided him with care.
"Old man, we need to keep moving through this darkness," he said calmly.
The old man murmured, "But... it's so dark. We might lose our way."
Li Haoran gave a short snort. "Trust me. I can guide us."
The old man fell silent. Slow and frail, he was nonetheless grateful for the support—even if there was no promise of safety.
Cautiously, they slipped past the bats, moving quietly without mishap.
Soon, they arrived at a section of the cave faintly illuminated. Beyond this corridor, daylight awaited them.
In the distance, light glittered like diamonds scattered across the stone walls.
They continued on, crossing a threshold into an opening that revealed a breathtaking, hidden lake.
The cave's rocky formations resembled sharp, translucent fangs, glistening in the dim light. The air was chilly, and the lake below lay pristine, untouched by even the slightest trace of dirt.
At its depths rested a blend of crystal stone and what appeared to be solid ice—a sight so exquisite, it calmed the soul.
The place was utterly silent. Li Haoran felt the chill bite through his sleeves.
He glanced at the old man, whose face was awestruck, then gestured for him to move on.
After taking in the remarkable scenery, darkness engulfed them again as they crossed another threshold.
This time, instead of a crystal landscape, they discovered a vast sea of treasure piled in the tunnel's center—so much that one could easily be lost or buried beneath it.
Mounds of gold, ancient relics, diamonds, and countless gemstones—all authentic and of the highest quality—filled the chamber.
The old man's face lit up with mysterious joy when he spotted the treasure. He slowly descended the cold stone steps, and upon reaching the trove, his happiness was complete—he picked up a gold coin and bit it to test if it was real.
He looked up to see Li Haoran standing on an upper ledge, watching him with a serious, unreadable expression.
He called out softly, "Young man, come here! This is real!" He held up the gold coin as proof.
A faint smile appeared on Li Haoran's lips, pleased by the old man's delight.
"We're rich, we're rich!" the old man exclaimed, kissing the gold coin.
He scooped up handfuls of gold, letting them pour back into the pile with a gleeful laugh.
Li Haoran noticed a wide threshold not far away, where faint light filtered in from outside.
He left the old man to his excitement and approached the threshold.
He discovered an ancient altar—vast and spacious—overlooking a complex, empty, and ruined village.
He walked along the edge, peering over the high cliff. A fall from here would surely be fatal.
He let out a sigh and turned his attention to the surroundings. There, he noticed the enormous, sprawling magical tree—its leaves as large as palms, shining like silver.
In addition to its stunning appearance, the tree bore bell-shaped flowers, their petals a blend of red and orange, each with a purple stamen at the center.
To be certain, Li Haoran raised his hand and opened his palm. A translucent, spectral-like figure appeared—the so-called Phantom Lily Leaves. But what he saw was not only the leaves, but also their status and the beautiful flowers.
The leaves sparkled like stars, casting extra light upon the altar.
Such was the beauty of the ingredient needed for the poison medicine.
A smile spread across Li Haoran's lips. At last, he would obtain the third ingredient. Only two more were missing, and then he could return to the healer's manor for an additional temporary suppressant antidote for his master.
Just moments ago, the place had been peaceful. But suddenly, a rumbling noise echoed from deep within the cave.
He heard a scream—the old man who was with him shouted.
"Get away from me! Don't come near me!" he cried out.
Li Haoran turned back and saw the old man clutching himself, halfway up a stone pillar in the cave.
Below him were piles of gold, but what really caught Li Haoran's attention were the creatures. At least ten of them crawled below, trying to reach the old man with their long metasoma.
Li Haoran's brows furrowed as he thought. According to descriptions, the telsovore was as large as a giant. Yet what he saw now were only the size of calves.
If that was the case, this wasn't the only monster living in the cave. It meant the telsovore had laid eggs, and these were its offspring.
"Don't! Get away!" the old man screamed, clinging tightly to the pillar, clutching a few gold coins in his clothes.
"Let go of the gold coins first! Save yourself!" Li Haoran shouted, noticing that the telsovores remained aggressively persistent.
He immediately wondered how the creatures had managed to track them.
He looked at the amulet around his neck.
Before they entered, the old man had him wear the necklace—a protective charm meant to keep them hidden from the telsovores by masking their presence and scent.
He couldn't believe it. He was utterly confused.
How?
And why?
He considered the desperate situation.
Suddenly, it struck him—gold.
No matter how well-crafted the amulet was, if it came close to gold, it would lose its effectiveness.
He called out, "Old man, throw the gold away! The amulet doesn't work!"
But the old man didn't hear him, too busy fending off the telsovores as he tried to climb higher.
Frustration flashed across Li Haoran's face—he had no choice but to go down to where the old man was.
Descending the stone steps, he unleashed his powerful spiritual energy, destroying the carnivorous insects in an instant.
With the danger gone, Li Haoran hurried to the old man and helped him down.
"Thank you, son," the old man said gratefully, giving a slight bow.
Li Haoran frowned, scolding him. "Old man, are you really willing to risk your life for that gold?"
The old man just bowed his head in shame, saying nothing. He knew he'd been wrong, and it had nearly cost him his life.
Li Haoran's face was still stern as he removed the amulet necklace from his neck.
"Do you see this?" he said, holding it up. The old man looked at him. "Do you know why I shouted for you to throw away the gold first?"
The old man remained silent, simply listening.
"I was thinking of your safety, so you could save yourself. If you keep holding on to that gold, you'll fall. In this place, our amulet is useless!" Li Haoran explained, sniffing in annoyance. "We're surrounded by gold, and that amulet has the opposite attraction to it. Gold absorbs its energy, so it becomes useless."
After that, he tossed the amulet to the old man.
The old man caught it before it hit the ground.
Li Haoran turned away, hands on his waist.
"Don't do that again," he said with a sigh. "Maybe you haven't explored this part of the cave before. You were so surprised to see gold," he added calmly.
The old man slowly approached. "You're not wrong. But the gold you found is a fortune. With it, your life would be prosperous."
Li Haoran snorted at his words.
"What's the point of prosperity if those insects are feasting on you? It's a good thing I'm here—otherwise, you'd have been nothing but an appetizer for the telsovores."
The old man forced a smile, his embarrassment plain to see.
"I know that. Thank you, son," he said, scratching his bald head.
Li Haoran just glanced at him and turned away.
"I don't want to waste any more time. I need to get the antidote. Tomorrow is the last day of authorization, and there are still two ingredients left." Li Haoran paused, then suddenly turned to the old man and pointed at him. "If I fail my mission and my master dies, you'll be held responsible," he said, eyes narrowing.
The old man was stunned, staring at Li Haoran's pointed finger. He tried to answer, "I understand."
Li Haoran composed himself, then left without another word.
The old man looked around nervously, then hurried to follow Li Haoran. It was safer that way.
They returned to the ancient altar, where the Phantom Lily Trees awaited.
When the old man saw them up close, he was even more amazed. The trees were even more beautiful than they had appeared from a distance.
"Magnificent!" the old man exclaimed, his eyes widening at the breathtaking view.
Meanwhile, Li Haoran's focus was unwavering—obtaining the ingredient and completing his mission were all that mattered.
He approached the tree and gripped its massive trunk, preparing to climb. Suddenly, the ground trembled violently.
The cliff shook as if struck by a tremendous force.
The old man stumbled from the powerful tremor. Their eyes met in alarm.
After a moment, the shaking ceased. Li Haoran glanced around, his face etched with surprise.
How did an earthquake happen here? It felt as if it was confined to just this part of the cave.
He looked back at the old man and was startled by the old man's expression.
"I know this is a signal," the old man said, fear in his voice. "It happened three years ago too—whenever there's an earthquake, something terrible follows."
"Speak clearly," Li Haoran demanded.
"The queen of the telsovores will emerge."
Li Haoran fell silent. Judging by the force of the tremor, the creature was not only enormous—it was even larger than he had imagined.
He sniffed the air, urgency returning, and dashed toward the cluster of Phantom Lily Trees. Quickly, he snapped off a branch heavy with leaves and placed it carefully in his bag, securing it behind him to prevent any loss.
Without hesitation, Li Haoran hurried to the old man. "Let's go," he urged.
The old man, still clutching gold to his chest, followed as quickly as he could.
They were just about to reach the threshold when another earthquake struck—this one even stronger than before.
The old man was thrown against the stone wall, while Li Haoran braced himself against the cave's massive foundation as rocks rained down from above.
This tremor was longer, more dangerous, and even more terrifying.
As the shaking continued, Li Haoran spotted a massive rock tumbling down from above—directly in the old man's path.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward like a flash, grabbing the old man and pulling him to safety.
The moment they moved, the huge boulder crashed to the ground, fragments scattering in every direction.
The old man realized they were now in the middle of the chamber, close to the altar. He stared at Li Haoran in shock. This was the second time Li Haoran had saved his life in such a dire moment.
After a while, the tremors subsided. They thought the danger had passed, but an even more violent quake was about to strike—one they never expected.
Suddenly, the threshold above them exploded, raining down rock shards. One struck the old man in the leg.
He dropped his gold and collapsed to his knees, groaning in pain as he clutched his wounded leg.
Li Haoran immediately rushed to his side. "Old man, your leg is bleeding," he exclaimed, worry etched on his face. He drew the dagger from his boot and tore the hem of his robe.
With the strip of cloth, he quickly bandaged the old man's leg to stop the bleeding.
Helping him up, Li Haoran led the old man onward—but another tremor struck, this one accompanied by a thunderous explosion as the cliff split and a wide crack opened through the ancient altar.
Then came a deafening noise—an onslaught of tapping and clicking.
They froze, witnessing a true disaster.
Like a living tide, a swarm of telsovores surged forward, so numerous they seemed endless.
Li Haoran and the old man's eyes widened in shock.
They hadn't expected that their challenge would become even more severe.
Behind them, a deadly cliff loomed. With nowhere else to go, they faced a terrible choice: stay and be devoured, or risk the precipice.
Li Haoran slowly backed away with the old man. He glanced back, then met the old man's terrified gaze.
"Young man, I don't want to die. Not now!" the old man cried, his toothless gums exposed in panic.
Li Haoran pressed his lips into a thin line, frustration washing over him.
He replied, "Who said you're going to die?" and let go of the old man.
Taking a step forward, Li Haoran slashed his own palm with spiritual power. His wound glowed with an otherworldly light—his blood a shimmering mix of blue and red.
The old man stared in disbelief.
From the wound, Li Haoran drew forth something extraordinary—a sword forged from his own blood, its blade shining, blazing with his energy.
The old man noticed the intricate carving on the hilt: a monarch butterfly—the emblem of an ancient legacy, feared even by all demons.
Because of that symbol, even the wicked would kneel.
Speechless, the old man could only watch in awe.
As Li Haoran revealed his blood sword, his clothing transformed—becoming jet black and elegant, as befitting a noble. Most striking of all, a glowing butterfly sigil appeared on his forehead, radiating a mysterious purple light.
He no longer seemed the same young man the old man once knew. Now, Li Haoran exuded a strange and powerful aura, utterly transformed.