Glancing around cautiously, Max noted with relief that he had yet to encounter any black dogs. The stories about their pack mentality and viciousness were still fresh in his mind. Taking a deep breath, he continued forward, his guard slightly lowered but his senses still alert.
However, unbeknownst to him, he wasn't the only person in this abyss.
In a deeper section of the Black Dog Abyss, a stocky figure suddenly stopped mid-step, turning his head sharply in Max's direction. If Max had seen him, he would have been shocked, for this figure was none other than a monk of the Bright Buddha Palace.
The monk's eyes, small and piercing, glimmered faintly as he muttered under his breath, "It seems someone else has entered the Black Dog Abyss. I wonder what his purpose is. Hopefully, it's different from this humble monk's…"
His words trailed off as his figure blurred, his speed increasing dramatically as he disappeared into the thick black fog that clung to the abyss walls.
