The wind moaned through the narrow canyons of Irontooth Pass as Adrian stood atop the jagged cliff, the Bound Star Core pulsing faintly beneath his robes. Behind him, the newly rescued disciples huddled in silence—young men and women from forgotten villages, scattered remnants of the old Mistshroud Sect, their eyes still hollow from trauma, but glimmering with something new.
Hope.
Bella approached from the rear, her boots crunching against gravel. "The scouts returned. No signs of pursuit for now. But we need to keep moving."
Adrian nodded. His gaze fell on a weathered stone tablet partially buried under vines. The markings etched across its surface were unmistakable—Mistshroud glyphs. He brushed his fingers across them, activating a ripple of qi that surged into the cliffside.
With a low groan, the cliff wall shuddered and split open.
A hidden entrance.
Bella raised an eyebrow. "You've found another ruin?"
Adrian gave a thin smile. "No. I think this was meant for me."
