Following the footprints to track their direction, Evan Yang dared not linger for even a moment, afraid the prints might vanish. Stranger still, these footprints seemed to persist unnaturally, as if deliberately left behind.
"Strange, why would there be footprints left behind?" Evan muttered as he chased after them. Some of the prints looked like they were purposely stamped out. Normally, a skilled cultivator would just fly across the snow, which would be even faster.
Just like Evan now, flying low above the ground, his divine sense locked onto the direction of the footprints. The prints themselves kept to the lakeshore as they moved.
Relying on his speed, Evan soon discovered where the footprints ultimately led.
"There's a cave by the lake?" Evan said in surprise as he saw the footprints stretch toward a cave not far ahead.
He quickly followed the trail and stopped at the cave entrance. Once he confirmed the footprints led inside, Evan paused to think, then slipped into the cave.
After Evan entered, a shadowy figure appeared beside the cave entrance, holding the unconscious Lana Situ and Minnie Dale, whose eyes were red but she couldn't speak.
"When did humans get someone this strong?" the shadow muttered.
Evan had already entered the cave, unaware that a Spirit-Wandering expert was watching him from outside—and had lured him into this cave.
The cave stretched deeper. At first, it was cold, but as Evan walked further in, it grew hot, making him think of the nearby lake.
"Is this cave connected to that lake?" Evan Yang muttered as he walked, splitting several strands of divine sense to monitor the cave's changes.
As he walked, Evan found himself in an underground ice city, the walls below formed entirely from blocks of ice.
He looked up and realized the ice overhead was somewhat transparent, with faint ripples visible—like water scenes frozen in place.
"Could this be the lakebed?" Evan checked several times and found the ice blocks here looked just like those he'd seen earlier in the snow lake.
He reached out and touched an ice block, remarking, "It's warm, too."
Evan frowned. After entering the cave, he felt as if he'd lost his way—no trace of footprints anywhere. On top of that, this place seemed to be the lakebed, making him suspicious as he scanned his surroundings.
Now there were only two choices: move forward or retreat.
"Alright, let's keep going." Evan was deeply worried about Lana Situ and Minnie Dale's safety, so he didn't hesitate—he glanced around, then strode quickly ahead.
As he moved, Evan saw no trace of anyone else. What surprised him most were the ice blocks—he felt as if he were wandering through a maze beneath the lake, circling endlessly.
"Drip—" Just as Evan had walked a stretch further, a sound echoed from up ahead.