"This old and humble servant named Ma of the Xu family. I'm the chief of this village, responsible for managing it and usually greeting other heroes," the village chief spoke, his voice raspy yet carrying a sage-like timbre.

His eyes were heavy-lidded with wrinkles at the corners, conveying a lifetime of wisdom gained. Though stooped slightly, his posture remained remarkably erect for a man of his advanced years, defying the typical hunched stance of the aged.

His short gray hair had faded to an almost silvery hue, paler than Ji Wuye's brilliant white locks. Yet his gaze held a piercing sharpness as his wise eyes subtly appraised Ji Wuye, avoiding direct eye contact out of respect. The leathery skin of his face was carved with deep creases, each line a roadmap etched by the years.

'The village chief...' Ji Wuye mused inwardly, his crimson eyes swiftly taking in Xu Ma's form before him. "It's nice to see a formidable person like you as chief, Mister Xu," he complimented with an elegant sweep of his hands forming a cupped gesture of greeting.

"I am Wuye of the Ji family, an Outer Disciple from Kunlun. Pleased to meet you." As the words left his lips, Ji Wuye caught the briefest flicker of surprise rippling across Xu Ma's weathered features before it was swiftly masked.

"My name is Jia of the Song family, also an Outer Disciple. Pleased to meet you," Song Jia chimed in from the side, hands cupped in a similar deferential posture though held slightly lower than Ji Wuye's.

"Young and vigorous heroes!" Xu Ma exclaimed, rubbing his calloused palms together in an almost childlike display of delight. "Please don't flatter me. Hero Ji, may I call you Young Master Ji instead? Your demeanor and elegance remind me of those from noble clans!"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Ji Wuye's mouth. "I'm honored," he responded.

Now that formalities had been exchanged, Xu Ma gestured towards a thick, plush cushion with an inviting sweep of his hand. "Please, heroes, have a seat and rest."

Surprisingly, the interior space revealed itself to be surprisingly spacious despite the village's remote location.

The bamboo roof overhead had been recently repaired and replaced, its fresh scent mingling with the flickering warmth of candles hung along the wooden walls. Black ink paintings depicting stunning mountain vistas of Kunlun adorned the slightly curved surfaces, whispers of the majestic scenery beyond.

The guest residence's first floor contained only a long wooden table flanked by chairs, their cushions appearing blissfully comfortable after the travelers' long journey.

A young woman around Song Jia's age entered the room, her steps light yet purposeful across the hardwood floors.

In her hands she carried a circular wooden plate laden with steaming ceramic bowls - the unmistakable aroma of savory noodles intermingled with the tantalizing scent of freshly steamed dumplings. A ceramic pot of piping hot green tea completed the simple yet enticing spread.

"This is the best we can offer for now. Please forgive our rudeness in serving such a basic meal to esteemed heroes of Kunlun," Xu Ma said, an apologetic note in his gravelly voice as he gestured towards the newcomer.

"No, this is more than enough," Song Jia replied, her brow furrowing slightly as discomfort played across her delicate features at such modest accommodation.

"Sister Song is right," Ji Wuye added, a polite smile gracing his lips though his crimson eyes remained serious. "The people of Tianmu village have already suffered enough. We fear accepting too much food would put you in a difficult position."

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"No, no, what kind of hosts would we be if we couldn't provide tea and food for our guests, especially heroes from Kunlun who saved our village? Please don't hesitate!" Xu Ma vigorously shook his head, the loose folds of his robe swaying with the vehement motion. He then turned to introduce the newcomer with an inviting sweep of his arm. "This is Li, my daughter. Li'er, this is Young Master Ji and Miss Song from Kunlun."

"Greetings, heroes of Kunlun," Xu Li said, still holding the laden plates as she cupped her hands and lowered her head in a deferential bow. She was clad in a simple yet elegant hanfu of plain blue cotton, her shining black hair neatly secured in a braided bun at the nape of her neck.

Though slightly taken aback by the sudden introduction, Ji Wuye's expression betrayed no confusion as he simply offered a faint smile. "Nice to meet you, Miss Xu."

Song Jia merely nodded, unable to tear her hungry gaze from the steaming noodles on the table - the audible sound of her swallowing loud in the silence.

This drew a soft chuckle from Xu Ma.

"Please don't hesitate, Miss Song," Xu Ma gestured with an amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Yet Song Jia shifted her attention back to him resolutely.

"It's okay, let's focus on our main topic first," she replied and simply smiled back, not even embarrassed by how she was now holding the bowl in her hands.

...

As daylight faded into the burnished hues of afternoon, Song Jia had taken the opportunity to meticulously clean her white martial robe. Both she and Ji Wuye had finally managed to rest, even if briefly.

"Let's go," Ji Wuye's deep voice broke the stillness as he opened his piercing crimson eyes, alerted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Unfolding his lean frame from the cross-legged meditation pose, he rose fluidly to his feet just as Song Jia descended the wooden stairs, her white martial robes crisp and freshly cleaned. Without a word, she fell into step behind him.

Long story short, the Dungeon had been under the watchful guard of Kunlun disciples these past few days. But even the most formidable of martial artist were still mere mortals - fatigue an inevitable foe that could dull both blade and focus.

The creatures had seized their opportunity to emerge precisely when the Kunlun guards departed, their relief having not yet arrived, leaving the village vulnerable in this perilous window.

'That's strange. With their strength, it's impossible for them to have died on the road,' Ji Wuye thought, his brow furrowing as Xu Ma recounted the bizarre turn of events.

The sent disciples were predominantly Official Disciples with mostly at 4th martial realm. With the appearance the Tower, surely they would have been imbued with even greater metaphysical abilities.

'Not to mention, the timing of the current guards' sudden departure seems odd,' he pondered inwardly, his crimson gaze becoming unfocused as he lost himself in contemplation.

Why wouldn't they simply wait for reinforcements before abandoning their pivotal post - leaving the village defenseless against the gathering horrors?

More peculiar still, based on this dereliction of duty, one would expect the villagers to seethe with anger and resentment to them, Kunlun.

Yet...

Ji Wuye's finely honed instincts detected not even a whisper of malice in their solemn demeanors. 'Their eyes are too sincere. There's not even a speck of malice,' he realized.

...

Finally, as the sun began its vibrant descent, staining the sky in hues of fiery orange and crimson, they arrived at the entrance to the Dungeon.

A towering cavern mouth yawned before them amidst the thick forest, the verdant trees appearing to form a natural barrier around the periphery. Yet this cave was no ordinary rockface - its interior comprised entirely of wood, with trees and tufts of grass incongruously sprouting from the outer layer.

This Dungeon seemed to almost camouflage itself within the forest, its immense shadowed maw beckoning like the gate to an ancient imperial palace despite its organic construction.

'It's really a wood attribute Dungeon. Strange,' Ji Wuye's thoughts resonated, but his attention quickly shifted to Xu Ma and Xu Li who stood amongst the other villagers carrying sacks of supplies and lit torches.

"Are you sure about this, Young Master Ji?" Xu Ma asked, his deeply creased features etched with confusion and concern as he raised his graying brows quizzically at Ji Wuye's urgency to plunge into the Dungeon having just successfully defended against an onslaught of the same very creatures.

And those thoughts were aligned with Ji Wuye's gruesome performance and how he didn't even look tired, now aligning with his current expression.

'Since when are Outer Disciples this strong?' Xu Ma thought inwardly.

Not only that, night would be rapidly descending, draping the forest in deep shadows that limited visibility. Logically, it would be prudent to wait until first light before venturing into the unknown depths of the Dungeon.

On the other hand, at the rear, Song Jia remained characteristically silent, casually swiping the back of her hand across her mouth as she chewed on a strip of dried meat.

As per their prior agreement, her role was to follow Ji Wuye's lead without questioning his decisions overtly. Yet her eyes still glinted with an undisguised eagerness as she fixed her gaze upon the yawning black maw of the cave entrance before them.

"This is just a sort of investigation, Mister Ma. No need to worry," Ji Wuye offered a reassuring smile, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture as if to physically banish Xu Ma's concerns from the air.

"Then, I won't question your decision, Young Master. But please take these, in case of emergency," Xu Ma responded. Ji Wuye accepted the proffered gift with a polite cupping of his hands.

...

A couple moment later...

"I know I shouldn't ask anything, but doesn't this really look like a bad decision?" Song Jia finally spoke up once they had parted ways with Xu Ma and the villagers, her words hanging in the stillness as they arrived at the dark Dungeon entrance.

"Say it with a more convincing face," Ji Wuye replied casually, his tone one of wry amusement.

For despite her skeptical words, Song Jia wore a broad, eager smile - her hand gripping the hilt of her jian with a white-knuckled intensity. She didn't even spare him a glance as she issued her dubious query, her focus utterly transfixed by the inky blackness stretching out before them into unknown depths.

"Light the torch,"