HISS
SHA~
A soft hiss echoed as the cloth at the top of the torch caught fire, burning with an eerie gray flame. The light was dim, almost invisible in the gloom, yet its presence was profound. Even the surrounding Baleful Energy seemed to hesitate, rippling uncertainly as if confused by the sudden anomaly.
The wind stilled.
Lin Mu took one final glance over his shoulder. Daoist Chu, Monk Hushu, and the others stood watching from afar, their figures outlined against the faint glow of the weakening wall. Then without another word, Lin Mu turned back toward the marsh and took his first step forward.
The ground beneath him was soft, sinking slightly under his weight.
HISSA
The gray flame flickered, its light struggling against the oppressive haze. The instant his foot crossed the invisible boundary, the air thickened like a living thing, pressing against his body with immense force.
