Zhang Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. He discreetly closed the heavy door as though he hadn't noticed anything unusual, then walked over to the meditation cushion and sat down. Before long, the sound of faint breathing intertwined with subtle spiritual energy drifted out from the cave mansion.
The surroundings gradually fell silent, appearing as tranquil as they usually did.
Two hours later, the sky had begun to brighten faintly. Zhang Yan, who had been sitting with his eyes half-closed, suddenly opened them wide, leapt to his feet without warning, and swiftly grabbed the lid of the nearby bronze cauldron. With a single stride to its side, he flipped the lid and slammed it down, sealing the large cauldron with a loud "clang."
Once the cauldron lid was secured, the vessel began to clatter and shake violently. Loud banging sounds emanated from the lid's surface as if something inside was desperately trying to escape.
