"This is…"
Grey's words trailed off as his breath was taken away by the sight before him. The underground cavern was far more magnificent than anything he had imagined. The walls shimmered faintly with crystalline veins that reflected dim golden light, while the ceiling arched like the heavens themselves, lined with countless luminous crystals that hung like inverted stars. It was beautiful, breathtaking even, yet beneath that beauty lingered something else, a silent weight that pressed upon his chest, an unseen force that made the very air feel heavy.
A cold, unseen energy drifted toward him, seeping through his skin and into his meridians. It flowed of its own accord, as though it possessed will and intent, circling through his body and brushing against his cultivation base. Instinctively, Grey steadied his breathing, but before he could analyze the strange current, a sharp gust of wind swept across his cheek.
