C178 Strengthening

Half a month slipped by, each day as uneventful as the last within the secluded cave. Despite the many travelers who had traversed this area, none had spotted the hidden entrance nestled among the forest.

Inside, a figure sat in meditation, cross-legged like an ancient monk, motionless as if frozen in time. The ice that had once encased his body was now melting away rapidly. His clothes