Leaving the broken Blood Fiend Envoy shivering in the damp interrogation cell, Gu Fan led his small entourage deeper into the bedrock beneath the Grand Hall. The spiraling stone staircase seemed to stretch endlessly downward, the air growing noticeably colder and stale as the ambient light from the upper levels faded into absolute darkness.
Song Yan walked close to his side, her pristine white robes standing out starkly in the gloom. She kept a small sphere of condensed Qi hovering above her palm to illuminate the uneven steps. Bai Bing trailed just a half-step behind him, her hand resting comfortably on the hilt of her silver sword as she scanned the shadows for any lingering traps.
Elder Lan, leaning on her wooden cane, struggled slightly to keep pace. The damp cold of the deep subterranean tunnels clearly agitated her old wounds, causing her to wince with every few steps.
