Lin Shu was leaning towards that idea since climbing back up was near impossible with flying blood beasts circling above. But there was still one problem that could happen.
"What if it's not a solitary beast, but rather one that leads a pack of other lower-ranked beasts? Wouldn't that be more dangerous? And what's our guarantee we'll even find an Emberwake Realm blood beast?"
Yan Qing had thought of that but had no solution.
Ren Hao was thinking quietly next to them before finally saying, "What if we check other caves to see if they have any hidden passage that would lead out? Or maybe we can even find a way to climb from cave to cave until we leave this ravine?"
Lin Shu liked the first idea more. They could move between caves quickly before any beast caught them, and small caves would be safe from the large winged beasts.
"Alright," Lin Shu said, "that's a better idea. But we'll have to make foolproof plans. In the meantime, we'll need to heal ourselves. It might take a day or two before we're back at peak condition."
The days passed calmly inside the cave. But outside, the whole region was in turmoil.
The empire was sending troops left and right to hunt for the demonic cultivators who had taken the demonic beast with them—none other than Lu Heng, who was now the most wanted man alive alongside Jiang Wuyu. They were the ones responsible for a catastrophe that had been stopped by the empire. They had used a fake war to get their hands on the demonic beast.
The empire had initially tried to keep this a secret, but it was leaked by unknown individuals. Unable to suppress it, the empire disclosed the names of those suspected of being demonic cultivators, along with those already confirmed.
Jiang Wuyu's name was among them, though the public was told he had already been killed by one of the empire's generals alongside many of his clansmen. Lu Heng now had a massive bounty on his head for anyone who could provide information on his whereabouts—or bring him back dead or alive.
Other suspects also had bounties placed on them, including any surviving member of the Jiang Clan.
The list of criminals believed to have ties to Lu Heng included:
Yan Bai
Yan Hei
Lin Shu
Ren Hao
Yan Qing
Jun Fen
These names were now broadcast as enemies of the empire, wanted for capture or execution.
Inside one of the Empire's northern military bases, Xie Tianhun stood beside Lu Zhenhai and Zhao Lian. In front of them, Zhao Tianxue listened intently as they discussed the latest developments.
"We suspect a demonic organization's involvement—possibly remnants of the Deathpetals Demonic Sect, thought to be extinct," Xie Tianhun said. "I witnessed Jiang Wuyu using their Umbral Bloom Elixir with my own eyes, something believed to have vanished decades ago."
"That is a possibility we will begin investigating," Tianxue replied. "Unfortunately, none of the Jiang Clan's higher-ups survived. Their patriarch, Jiang Wuyu, self-detonated during my battle with him."
"I believe he did all of this for his son," Tianhun said.
"And I agree," Tianxue responded. "I saw him in a maddened state—so far gone he ignored pain and simply charged forward to self-detonate. We inspected what remained of the clan grounds and found several hidden passages leading outside. I doubt anyone used them, based on his words and reaction, but we'll assume the worst and investigate the possibility his son is still alive."
Tianxue's gaze shifted to Lu Zhenhai. "As for Lu Heng—tell me what you've discovered."
"I believe the war was orchestrated by Lu Heng and Jiang Wuyu to keep me pinned down, fearing the institute might be attacked if I left. That way, I wouldn't reach them in time," Lu Zhenhai said. "But there's also a chance they didn't start the war for this purpose. Tianhun and I found signs of the two fighting not far from the mine. This might suggest Lu Heng didn't know about the demonic beast and was instead offered a deal by Jiang Wuyu to split it. Either could be true—we can't know for certain without finding Lu Heng or someone who knew the
truth. Right now, he's our only lead."
Tianhun then said, "But in the meantime, we'll need to keep the sects in check. We can't allow them to twist the loss of the demonic beast into a weapon against us. If they sway public opinion, it'll be harder to contain the situation."
The others nodded in agreement.
Lu Zhenhai remained silent, his thoughts drifting back to his brother's words—the accusations, the bitter blame. Tianhun had claimed it was his fault, that he had forced him down this path. But why? What reason could justify those words? Or perhaps Zhenhai already knew the answer and simply refused to face it.
Back inside the ravine caves, Lin Shu was fully healed—Ren Hao and Yan Qing as well. They stood at the cliff's edge within the cavern, preparing for their next move. It was midday now, the sun at its peak, and enough light spilled through the jagged opening to let them tell a wall from a cave hole.
Far above, a narrow ledge jutted out from the cliffside. That was their target. But first, they had to climb.
Ren Hao went first, fingers finding purchase in the narrow cracks between the rock. The stone crumbled under his grip at times, but he moved steadily upward until he hauled himself onto the ledge. Lin Shu and Yan Qing followed, their breathing deep and controlled, the scrape of boots and cloth the only sound in the still air.
They moved from cave to cave for hours, searching for a path upward. Most tunnels were narrow dead ends, reeking of damp earth and mold. Several times, giant winged beasts swept out of the dark, their leathery wings whipping up bursts of stale air. The trio fought them off quickly, blades glinting in the dim light, leaving carcasses scattered along the stone.
By the time the sun began to sink, they had holed up in a cavern to avoid traveling in the dark.
"Well, I guess the plan's working," Yan Qing said, leaning back against the cold wall.
"Better than gambling on finding an Emberwake Beast down there," Lin Shu replied. "Climbing from cave to cave is slower, but we'll make the surface."
Days blurred together as they kept climbing, resting whenever the sky dimmed. When they were finally within sight of the open air, they shifted direction, moving sideways along the cliff face. If anyone was waiting above, they wouldn't be foolish enough to appear where they'd fallen.
Sure enough, at the original drop point, a small group sat near the ledge, their silhouettes sharp against the fading light.
The trio waited until full dark before making the final climb. The last dozen meters were a slow, tense haul, every stone shifting under their hands. Then—fresh air. Open ground.
They emerged without a sound, slipping into the night and vanishing toward safer ground.
Ren Hao was grinning as he ran with the wind at his back. Yan Qing laughed, while Lin Shu moved in silence. They only stopped when they were sure they were far beyond any chance of being tracked.
Yan Qing nudged Ren Hao with his elbow, giving him a look. Ren Hao took the hint, turning to Lin Shu.
"Hey, Lin Shu. Me and Yan Qing have been talking… we've decided to stick together, maybe find a sect to join—or just go rogue. We were wondering if you'd like to come with us."
Lin Shu looked at them, his tone flat.
"I'll have to refuse."
Ren Hao pressed on. "Come on, think about it. We're a great team. We've already made thousands of gold coins just from our first heist at the institute. Imagine what we could do if we kept going—we could grow strong, even start our own organization. It's a far better shot than staying alone and waiting for luck to smile on you."
Yan Qing stepped in, his voice more measured. "He's right. Our understanding of each other's fighting styles let us nearly overpower Han Yi. If she hadn't been as well-equipped with artifacts and techniques and pills , she would've lost. We could do so much more together. I know you don't trust us, and you probably still hate us for… the past. But be honest—wouldn't you have done the same, back then, to survive?"
Lin Shu thought to himself, I would have done exactly the same. But that doesn't mean I'll accept it happening to me.
"I still refuse," he said aloud. "I have my own plans. But we can always work together if our goals happen to align."
He held out his hand. Ren Hao sighed, realizing Lin Shu wouldn't budge, and took it. Yan Qing followed.
"Then I guess this is goodbye—for now," Ren Hao said. "But take this as advice: you can't rely only on yourself forever. Not when others have armies and clans at their backs. One day, you'll find yourself the only one standing alone while they shield themselves with countless allies."
Lin Shu smiled faintly. "Farewell."
He turned north. As he walked, the thought slid coldly through his mind: "I will use others when it suits me, but I will never depend on them. Creating an organization or joining one—sooner or later—it makes you lean on it. If you get too used to fighting with others, you forget how to fight alone. If you let others solve your problems, you forget how to claw your way out yourself. If there's always someone to lift you up when you fall, you never learn how to stand again on your own… how to move forward by your own strength. And I'll be damned before I let myself rely on anyone but me."