I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, but my legs ache with every step. The narrow cave passage twists and turns, forcing me to crouch low at times, my body pressed against the cold stone. Strange carving of plants adorn the passage ways. The weight of the jade mountain in my hands is a constant reminder of the unexpected encounter in the shrine. It’s still warm, as if it’s alive in some way, pulsing with a subtle energy that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

The silence is unbearable. No birds, no rustling leaves, no sounds of life at all. It’s like the world outside doesn’t exist anymore. I keep my eyes on the path ahead, my breath shallow and steady, but every now and then, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched.

I reach another bend, and as I round the corner, I see something that makes my heart skip a beat—a sliver of light.

It’s faint, just a glimmer in the distance, but it’s enough to push me forward. The air feels fresher here, less stifling. I take a deep breath, the coolness filling my lungs, and quicken my pace. The jade mountain is still warm, its energy almost vibrating in my palms. The hum I thought I heard earlier is louder now, a soft whisper in my ears, like a call that I can’t quite understand.

And then, just as I’m about to turn another corner, I see it.

The entrance.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Light pours in from above, the daylight cutting through the darkness of the cave. I squint against the sudden brightness, my eyes not yet used to the contrast. The cave opens up to a clearing, a wide space that feels… different. The air here is thick with energy, but it’s not like the dense weight of the cave. It’s lighter, almost refreshing, as though the very ground itself is breathing.

I take a tentative step forward, my eyes scanning the area. The clearing is small, no more than a few paces wide, surrounded by tall trees whose trunks stretch up far beyond what I can see. Vines hang loosely from the branches, swaying in a breeze I can’t feel. The ground beneath my feet is soft, covered with moss, but there’s something more to it. It’s as if the soil itself is alive, humming with an energy that makes my skin tingle.

I stop dead in my tracks.

In the heart of the clearing stands a towering mountain, its slopes covered in lush greenery. The peak rises so high that it vanishes into the mist above, obscured from view. Surrounding the base of the mountain is a circle of ancient stones, each glowing faintly with an ethereal light. As I draw closer, I realise these aren’t ordinary rocks; they hum with a quiet energy, a light that mirrors the soft radiance emanating from the jade mountain in my hands. I freeze.

The jade mountain… it’s reacting. The warmth intensifies, and I feel a strange pull toward the spirit peak. The connection between the two is undeniable, like they’re calling to each other. I can almost hear the hum again, louder now, as though it’s urging me to do something, to move.

My heart races, and for a moment, I’m afraid. Afraid of what this place might be, afraid of what the jade mountain is doing to me. But then, something inside me pushes the fear aside. This is the opportunity I’ve been searching for.

The jade mountain is meant for this.

I step forward, and the ground beneath me seems to shift, responding to my every movement. The air is charged with energy, crackling with the potential of something ancient, something powerful. As I approach, I can feel the energy of the spirit peak calling to me, reaching out through the jade mountain, pulling me closer.

I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I know this is where my path begins.

This is the start of something new.