Coin of rebirth

Mu Yan suddenly sensed a familiar energy surging through the tattoo, linking to his body and soul. He inadvertently let out a groan of pleasure at the sudden influx of pure power now coursing through him.

"What's wrong?" Qin Ying asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

Realizing he had vocalized his reaction aloud due to the sudden surge of energy, Mu Yan grew apprehensive that Qin Ying might have noticed the energies being channeled to him by the tattoo. He couldn't risk exposing the secret of the coin, despite his liking for her. As he hadn't yet learned much about her true nature. Seemingly searching for any trace of surprise or discovery in her expression, he locked eyes with her. However, he detected no signs that she had witnessed anything extraordinary.

Under Mu Yan's intense gaze, a blush crept across Qin Ying's cheeks.

Noticing this, Mu Yan averted his attention elsewhere.

"Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?" Qin Ying inquired with worry etched in her voice.

"No," Mu Yan replied, "I'm fine. Just exhausted. Let me rest and replenish my strength so I can be prepared if we encounter any more mishaps on our journey."

Mu Yan settled onto the cool stone, closing his eyes, a picture of tranquil repose. He took a deep, steadying breath, feeling the energy from the coin rush through him. The tattoo, a conduit, pulsed, pulling the recently absorbed power from the Jade Lizard into his core. His Nadis, already expanded by the Meridian Flow, greedily consumed it, allowing for an even greater volume of Prana to flow. He felt a familiar pressure building, not unpleasant, but intense, as his internal barriers began to give way. The delicate membrane separating the third and fourth stages of the Foundation Establishment cracked open, and Gandhari Nadi (Governing clarity of sight and perception) flowed with Prana.

. A wave of exhilaration flooded him, a surge of renewed vigor. He flexed his hands, imagining the impact strength. His base power solidified at 350 Jin, another substantial leap.

Qin Ying watched him, her expression thoughtful. He had just endured an exhausting fight, yet now, moments later, he was undergoing another breakthrough. His rapid advancement was anomalous. She recognized the signs, the subtle aura shift, the deepening calm that settled around him. He had his secrets, clearly. Deep ones, perhaps. But she held her tongue. Her own life was a tapestry woven with hidden threads. A shared silence, a mutual respect for unspoken truths, settled between them instead.

Mu Yan opened his eyes, a renewed glint in their depths. He pushed himself up, a subtle spring in his step. "Let's explore," he proposed, his voice low, a trace of his refreshed energy in his tone. He swept his gaze around the chamber, now more clearly visible with his enhanced senses.

He moved toward the far left wall, where a faint shimmer caught his eye. It was a narrow, vertical slit, almost imperceptible unless one knew to look. He leaned closer, peering through the gap. The air shifted, carrying a different scent, drier, older, hinting at open spaces. Through the slit, far in the distance, bathed in a hazy, ethereal glow, lay the distinct outline of a large city.

"Look," he murmured, stepping back to let Qin Ying see.

She peered through the narrow opening, her breath catching. "A city at last," she whispered, her voice laced with happiness. "It must be countless ages old."

"Perhaps a way out," Mu Yan offered.

They began to traverse the caverns, following the gentle downward slope, the image of the city a beacon in their minds. Each step forward carried them deeper, yet closer, to an unknown future.

They navigated the cavern's steadily sloping floor, the air growing progressively warmer, less humid. A fresh breeze, carrying the scent of dry earth and sun-baked foliage, swept past them as they emerged from the cavern. Before them, a tangled wilderness stretched, a riot of dense weeds and thorny overgrowth. The fresh air, a stark contrast to the damp, enclosed atmosphere of the cavern, filled their lungs, invigorating them.

Mu Yan moved first, drawing a rusty blade which he had found in the cavern from his makeshift rucksack from his back. He began to hack forcefully at the thick vegetation with the slightly dull edge, each swing purposeful, clearing a path through the tenacious growth. Sunlight, filtered through the dense canopy above, dappled the ground, painting shifting patterns of light and shadow. The sounds of unseen insects chirped around them, a steady hum accompanying their progress.

Qin Ying followed close behind, her gaze sweeping the surroundings, alert for any signs of movement. The air, though dry, held the promise of life, a marked difference from the desolate silence of the underground.

Hours later, the dense jungle thinned, the undergrowth receding. Before them, a faint, well-worn trail snaked through the trees. It was barely visible, just a subtle depression in the earth, but it was there, a clear sign of regular passage. Another trail, equally faint, branched off to their right, disappearing into the deeper woods. They chose the clearest path. The city, though still a distant silhouette on the horizon, seemed closer now, its ancient stones beckoning them forward.