C66 The Mysterious Cave

The voice was masculine, with a touch of hoarseness, authority, and an air of unfamiliarity.

I spun around, nearly wetting myself in fright when I saw a pair of eerie green eyes. At first, I mistook them for the Evil Taoist, but upon closer inspection, I realized they were not.

The eyes of the Evil Taoist were not nearly as large. Those glowing green orbs flickered like light bulbs, inching closer to me.

As the eyes drew near, my shock intensified. Before me stood a massive wolf, its green eyes staring back at me!

This wolf was larger than a lion, its coat a mix of gray and white, standing taller than I was. If this colossal wolf were to stand on its hind legs, it would tower four or five meters high.

But what truly astonished me was the wolf's eyes; they were as human as they come, devoid of any wildness, deeper and more soulful than any human's.

Hold on, could it be that the wolf had spoken earlier?

My mind raced to the statue of the wolf-headed deity in the Mountain God Temple. The elder had mentioned that the Mountain God was a wolf that had ascended to become the Wolf Immortal.

"Are you... the Mountain God Master?" I ventured to ask.

The massive wolf nodded its head and began to lead the way, looking back at me to say, "Follow me."

"Where to?" I inquired, puzzled.

"You're curious about the secrets of Yin Spirit Mountain, aren't you? I'll take you to a place even more shrouded in mystery," the Mountain God replied.

"Sure..." I murmured, still in a daze, and trailed behind him.

The Mountain God Master guided me through the dense mountain fog, which was so thick that I lost all sense of direction. Along the way, the usual specters and lost souls were scarce, scurrying to hide as they would from a cat when they glimpsed the Mountain God.

I wondered where the Mountain God Master was leading me and why he had chosen me alone. Yet, I refrained from asking questions, and we maintained a silent journey.

The presence of this divine beast filled me with an even greater sense of dread, or perhaps fear, as we ventured through the desolate wilderness. I couldn't shake the fear that it might suddenly bare its fangs and devour me.

After half an hour more of trekking, the Mountain God Master finally came to a halt. I looked up to see a pitch-black cave entrance before us.

"What is this place?" I asked, astonished, but the Mountain God Master remained silent and proceeded to enter the cave.

I hurriedly followed, realizing that without my cell phone or any lighting, I could barely make out anything in the fog-enshrouded cavern. It felt like stepping into an abyss.

The deeper we went, the colder it became. I kept close to the Mountain God Master, focusing on the swaying of his tail to avoid losing him in the darkness.

Suddenly, the Mountain God Master stopped, and I bumped into him inadvertently. His fur was soft, and a comforting fragrance emanated from him, instilling a sense of peace.

"We've arrived," the Mountain God Master whispered. No sooner had he spoken than the cave walls around us burst into life with eerie, glowing fires. The darkness was chased away by this spectral light, which was somewhat unnerving.

Surveying our surroundings, I was astonished to discover a massive stone door before us!

The door stood over three meters tall. On closer inspection, I was amazed to see it was covered in runes, eerily similar to those on the wall of the ghost gate.

"Mountain God Master, why have you brought me here? What lies beyond this stone door?" I inquired, full of curiosity.

The Mountain God Master's deep green eyes were fixed on the door as he sighed, "I, too, am eager to know what's behind it, but for centuries no one has managed to open it."

"Can't open it? The door does seem quite heavy, but surely with your powerful magic, you could easily push it open," I said, puzzled.

The Mountain God Master explained, "This stone door cannot be opened by mere force. If that were the case, why would I bring you here? The runes carry a potent seal. Ghosts, demons, zombies, and other malevolent creatures can't even touch the door without being harmed by its mysterious power."

"Since I'm human, I should be alright, then. I'll give it a try," I said, moving toward the door. The Mountain God Master added, "I haven't finished. Not just any human can open it. Over the centuries, I've allowed thousands to try, yet not one has succeeded in opening this stone door."

"I'm afraid that I..." I gazed at the imposing stone door, doubting that even without the influence of the runes, I'd have the strength to push it open.

"You're not like ordinary people. Maybe you're the only one who can open this stone door. Give it a try!" the Mountain God Master encouraged.

I nodded, swallowing hard with nerves. The moment my hands made contact with the stone door, a warm sensation coursed through my entire body!

A surge of confidence filled me. Maybe I could actually open this stone door, especially since I was the only one who could decipher the inscriptions on the wall!

With that thought, I inhaled deeply and mustered all my strength. A thunderous rumble filled my ears as the stone door began to open, revealing a sliver of space beyond!