The dark light of the figure began to turn hazy and retreated back into the big boulder. And with its swift departure, the sinister and malicious intent left as well.
It was only after a few moments, did Grey realize that he could move again. He was no longer constricted in one place.
'Huh, what did I just witness?'
He just witnessed a illusionary figure in dark light cut down a foundation building creature in one swift slash that his eyes couldn't even follow.
A scrowl appeared on his face when he realized that this was the second time he was being saved by a strong cultivator.
The first time, he was being chased by spirits but before they could do him any harm, a cultivator in the Nirvana realm appeared and dealt with them. Turning the dreadful spirit into autumn leaves before scattering and turning to dust.
Now he was attacked by another creature in the corroded zone and right when it seemed he could not escape, a figure covered in dark light stepped out from a boulder and cut down the insidious looking creature in one slash.
'I don't know if I'm just lucky or do I have a heavenly protector?'
He then chuckled as the sound of that. He knew that was not possible and maybe he was graced by luck.
But there was probably no one who had been lucky on such account twice. At least not anyone he knew.
Because he was already close to the crevice in the boulder before, he reached it in just a few steps but contemplated whether he should really hide inside something that the unknown person came out of.
To satisfy his curiosity, he decided to check out the boulder and noticed that probably because he was standing by the other side, what he thought was a boulder was actually a part of an underground cave.
The crevice was a small opening which was bound to take him deeper into the earth.
Seeing there was nothing to be fearful of... not yet at least. He decided to risk it and enter the weirdly shaped cave.
The inside of the cave was dark and the sound of dripping water could be heard. Grey could partially see in the dark after becoming a cultivator so he was able to make out some shapes even in the pitch black cave.
There were countless bones littered on the ground floor. The bones indicated they were all creatures long before this area turned into a corroded zone.
His feet dipped into cold water and shivered. Luckily these creatures had died long ago and none of the bones looked like it had it been added recently so he heaved a sigh of relief.
The pool of water he dipped his leg into seemed to become bigger the more he walked forward. Suppressing the urge to follow the water and see where it goes, he gripped his blunt knife and advanced forward.
He walked for many minutes but there was no sign of the water receding. Instead, the water beg to get deeper and deeper... until it was at waist level.
He kept the knife back but that didn't mean his cautiousness had reduced. But seeing nothing had attacked him... yet warranted for him to relax a bit and take some time to examine the underground cave he was now in.
He brushed his hand against the side of the wall and it felt cool to the touch. He felt several engravings or what could've been words on the wall but since he didn't have light to be able to examine, he focused on feeling the walls.
After some time when the water was at chest level and he was now swimming, the walls by his side felt cooler and cooler and he could even feel some moisture in the walls.
"Am I going into an underwater river?"
The water whiched had previously been calm and still were now beginning to move like he was in a slow moving current.
Several hours had passed by with no end to this river. He was starting to get tired now after all... doing nothing but swimming for hours was tiring.
When he finally felt like he would not be able to find anything and wanted to turn back, he saw a light up ahead.
He swam even faster and the light seemed to become brighter and brighter until...
Splash
He fell from a waterfall into a larger pool of water. Sunlight touched his pale skin.
The sun was already high in the sky which means he had spent the whole night within the cave.
But to him it hadn't felt that long. He swam towards the shore and minutes later, he was lying by the side of the river.
His breathing heavy as lay on the floor completely tired.
'So the water lead to another river.'
Taking some time to rest and replenish his already spent spirit energy, he stood up to take a look at where he was.
Taking some time to dry his clothes and check his belongings, he sighed in relief and then turned to face the Forest. But he was shocked when he saw the monumental structures that laid not too far away. Their walls overridden by the forest and the ground covered in grass.
'Is this... an ancient ruin?'
Of all the things he had expected, he never thought an ancient ruin would be one of them because finding one was so rare.
And this one was slightly in a better state. But it had long been taken over by the forest so it looked dilapidated and abandoned.
Even then it was still impressive that it had lasted for so long.
After a thousands of years it was still standing.
The historical and magnificent walls and buildings, now desolate and weather worn. The once venerable and mighty columns, now decayed and dust filled.
Now reduced to remnants and wreckage. It was a melancholics sight indeed. And all Grey felt was sadness when he looked at the huge arches and battlements and inscriptions.