Liam's smile widened, though his eyes remained sharp. "That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Do you have any recommendations for places to train? Maybe a region with higher-level spirit beasts or a ruin that has yet to be fully explored?" The man hesitated for a split second and then continued. "There are many places that are good for exploring. These are actually closely guarded secrets of the Leviathan beast clan, but since you are our special guest, of course, I am more than happy to share them with you." "Thank you. I will keep this favor in mind." Liam nodded thoughtfully. The man then talked about various locations and the suspected treasures in them for the next hour. Rare herbs, rare beast nests, old ruins, it looked like the place was really full of prime spots for making progress. After a while, the discussion ended, and Liam leaned back with a smile. "Thank you. I'll also be needing a guide and a few supplies. After that, I can handle the rest." He continued chatting with the man for some more time before retreating inside the chamber they had prepared for him. As soon as he entered, several seductive maids rushed to his side to attend to him, but Liam quickly sent them away, lying down on the bed and closing his eyes. In truth, he was not interested in these ruins at all. There might be precious treasures scattered around here like pebbles, but the only thing he cared about was that rune. He closed his eyes, meditating on the rune for a while to see if he could glean any insights into it, and then proceeded to practise his soul cultivation for the rest of the night. The new day arrived sooner than expected as time passed by in a jiffy. Morning sunlight filtered through the embroidered drapes as Liam opened his eyes, the glow of soul energy still faintly flickering around him. His cultivation had gone smoothly. The more he meditated on that rune, the more he felt it wasn't just a random inheritance left behind in some forgotten ruin. In a weird way, it was calling to him. Now that he was here in this place, he could feel it more than ever. Liam rose from the bed, changed into a new set of robes, and stepped out just as a knock echoed at the door. The clan had prepared everything. A lean, sharp-eyed young man with a beast-fur cloak introduced himself as Grell, a native tracker of the region. "I'll guide you as far as the waterfall," he said, bowing deeply. "Beyond that, I dare not go." Liam nodded. "That's more than enough." With the clan leader's blessings and a small pouch of high-grade supplies, mostly food, Liam and his guide departed. The journey through the area was stunning and treacherous in equal measure. In just a few miles, they had encountered several beasts, though nothing that could truly threaten Liam. He needed new souls anyway, so he did not mind grabbing whatever he could find. Half a day later, after navigating a narrow cliff path and crossing a moss-covered rope bridge, the sound of crashing water filled the air. "There it is," Grell whispered, pointing ahead. Liam stepped forward, his eyes locked on the faint outline of a pagoda shrouded in mist at the base of the roaring waterfall. The stone looked warped, almost melted in places, and thick vines clung to it like skeletal fingers. This was the first famous ruin in the region, the abandoned pagoda ruins. Grell quickly apologized and dismissed himself, leaving Liam all to himself. Liam took a minute to observe the surroundings. Only after being completely sure that he was not followed and that no one else was around him, he finally made his move. He turned away from the famous ruin he was supposed to explore first and instead headed over to the Mistshadow Vale, the only place he was interested in. His speed instantly exploded, and he cut through the forests as if he had crossed them a thousand times already. Soon, he reached the specific location. Unlike the previous place, this one was not particularly deserted, but Liam did not care. He already activated Stealth. He quickly arrived at the temple ruins the guy had described. Liam took another step forward when suddenly an odd feeling washed over him. It felt as if suddenly there were a thousand eyes on him. Liam frowned and double-checked his stealth. Everything was fine, and no one seemed to have noticed them. Then who exactly was looking at him? He shook it off and started cautiously walking towards the ruins. The temple was more like a broken skeleton than an actual structure. Stone pillars jutted out from the ground like shattered bones, most of them half-swallowed by moss and time. A jagged set of stairs led down into what looked like the temple's sunken foundation, now a half-buried cavern cloaked in shadows. Liam stood still at the edge, letting his senses stretch. There it was again, the feeling. This place was connected to him in a way that he simply could not explain. Was it perhaps a trap? He did not know. There was only one way to find out. Without hesitation, he started climbing down the stairs to the main part of the ruins. He descended the cracked stairs slowly, looking around at the walls. He half expected something monstrous to break out of the walls and come at him any moment. The stairway opened into a circular chamber, its roof collapsed in several places, letting shafts of sunlight stab through the gloom. But what drew Liam's eyes was the center of the chamber, an ancient altar, smooth and unblemished despite the decay all around it. And carved into its surface was the rune. As soon as Liam entered the circular chamber, his stealth no longer worked, and he was instantly exposed. The few people meditating around the altar flashed their eyes open and stared at him, their eyes completely bloodshot. Then unexpectedly, they opened their mouths in unison and all started chanting at the same time. "You are not one of ours. Yet you carry the mark." "You are not one of ours. Yet you carry the mark." … …