Tristan approached the young miner. When people around him looked at him, they stepped back, creating a path for him to pass. It was as if an invisible force around him repelled everyone.

The miner, who was breathing heavily, swallowed nervously when the pale boy fixed his dark, deep eyes on him.

“What did the beast that attacked you look like?” Tristan asked the miner.

The young miner seemed confused by his question, but his posture changed when he noticed Tristan's attire. He trembled slightly, his face contorted with fear and terror before he spoke:

“I couldn’t see them well because, after the collapse, most of the torches went out. I could only tell there were countless of them.”

Pain showed on his face. “They made a loud, shrill sound that made me feel like my brain was going to explode.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes, noticing that the young man seemed to be struggling to speak, but he assumed it was due to trauma.

The miner continued, “They could also fly and were very fast. I almost thought they were ghosts.”

The young miner’s face grew paler as more memories flooded his mind. Although he was still far from being as pale as Tristan, he didn't look as good as a normal person.

“I… I saw those monsters… carrying my companions up and tearing them apart in the air… their blood scattered like rain…” His voice grew slower, and he seemed barely able to stay on his feet.

“Um, hey, are you alright?” Tristan asked.

The young man staggered and fainted on the ground.

“Ahhhh,” some people in the crowd screamed.

“What happened?”

“Why did he faint?”

“He’s cursed! He brought the curse here!” an old voice spoke.

Trying to ignore the commotion, Tristan knelt, placed his hand on the miner’s chest, and used his diagnostic skill on him.

[Tyrannical Eye]

He focused as he guided the essence of Light to flow through the fallen miner’s body.

Soon, Tristan frowned, a look of confusion appearing on his face.

He moved closer to the miner’s right leg and lifted his pants slightly. He found a wound that looked like a bite mark, with two large punctures likely from the main fangs and smaller marks around them.

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Yue approached and asked:

“What happened? Was he injured? Is that why he fainted?”

With a thoughtful expression, Tristan shook his head. “This wound is too small to cause an adult man to faint, and it’s not even bleeding. I don’t know why he fainted.”

Thinking further, he said, “Maybe the beast’s fangs had some sort of poison? Or he might have caught some fast-spreading disease.”

“Will he be okay?” Yue asked, looking at the miner with concern.

Tristan shrugged.

“Is there a healer around here?” he asked.

“We’ve already called Grandma NinpNin; she should be here soon,” a man among the group around them said.

Tristan nodded slowly. He examined the young miner once more and said,

“He doesn’t seem to be getting worse.” He figured the miner might survive, but he wasn’t about to give false hope so directly—that wasn’t his style.

He stood up and started to walk away, losing interest in the situation, his mind now on something he found more interesting.

‘Did the miners have bad luck and dig near a nest?’

He thought of the strange creatures the young miner had described in fear before fainting.

‘Flying monsters that live in caves, what kind of beast could it be? He said the creatures made a terrible sound, so maybe they’re related to the Air element? Or perhaps they’re other dark beasts since it seems they lived in the shadows.’ He doubted the latter slightly, ‘Nah, that kind of creature is very rare; what are the chances of encountering a dark beast just a few weeks after finding a tribe of that type?’

A feeling of curiosity began to stir in his mind.

He shook his head. ‘No, I should focus on my current mission; I need to find those herbs, improve my cultivation, and earn a lot of money.’

He decided what was best, yet something still wouldn’t let him set aside those thoughts.

‘What if it’s another dark beast? Seeing other creatures of that type could be an invaluable opportunity. Having real examples of how to use Darkness from a being that naturally learns it could greatly enhance my understanding of this element.’

While he thought deeply about what to do, the citizens outside the walls were also discussing their own dilemmas.

“Did you see what happened? He fainted out of nowhere.”

“Someone needs to check if the others are still alive!”

“They were attacked by a group of monsters; it’s more likely they’re all dead.”

“What should we do? We need to find the others!”

“What chance do we have if those creatures show up?”

“Isn’t it better to wait for the guards to deal with this?”

“Are you an IDIOT?”

"Spiritual Kings please grant us your blessings."

The quiet murmurs of the crowd reached Yue’s ears clearly. She clenched her fists, feeling her fingers damp with sweat and a chill in her stomach.

She took a deep breath and said:

“Citizens of Zaguhan! Do not worry—I, Zhou Yue, disciple of the Second Flying Dao of the Flying Sword Sect, will take responsibility for rescuing those trapped in the mines.”

Her words cut through the murmurs of the crowd like a knife slicing through paper, and silence settled over the place. Yue looked at all the people in front of her. If any normal person her age had said something like that, they would certainly have been ignored or mocked.

But the uniform of her sect caused the citizens to develop an almost illogical faith in her.

She felt discomfort seeing their eyes shining with hope as they looked at her.

On the outside, she kept a facade of confidence and courage, but inside, her heart was beating faster than ever.

She looked around, searching for some support.

Her eyes sought her only friend.