Beast Taming Star Journey

Chapter 252 Entering the Cave and Facing Peril, Initial Obstacles and Unexpected Encounters

The castle was cold and damp inside, with a faint, nauseating smell of blood in the air. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

Su Yao has returned, and the golden-winged eagle is circling above the castle, ready to support us at any time.

"Be careful, this place is eerie." Su Yao's voice was low as she gripped her longsword tightly and warily surveyed her surroundings.

I nodded, and the snow wolf let out a low whimper, as if it sensed the danger around it.

We moved slowly down the dark corridor, making sure our footsteps were as quiet as possible, afraid of disturbing anything.

The castle was eerily silent, with only our faint breathing and heartbeats echoing in the air.

Some ancient portraits hang on the wall, the figures in which have ferocious faces, as if they are about to jump out of the picture frame at any moment.

I instinctively avoided their gaze, feeling like those eyes were staring at me, which made me very uncomfortable.

“These portraits…” I was about to say something when Su Yao covered my mouth.

"Don't speak!" she whispered. "I sense someone nearby."

I immediately held my breath and listened intently to the sounds around me. Sure enough, a faint sound of footsteps came from afar, growing closer and closer…

“It’s a holmium guard!” Su Yao whispered. “He’s responsible for patrolling inside the castle, and he’s very strong.”

We quickly hid behind a huge stone pillar and peered through the gaps to observe the situation outside.

A tall figure appeared at the end of the corridor. He was wearing black armor, holding a giant axe, and his steps were steady and powerful. He was the Holmium Guard.

The holmium guards' patrol routes were completely erratic, sometimes veering left, sometimes right, seemingly without any fixed path.

It was virtually impossible for us to get around him. Time ticked by, the footsteps of the holmium guard grew closer, and my heart pounded faster and faster.

If he finds out, we will be in an extremely dangerous situation.

"What should we do?" I asked in a low voice, beads of sweat already forming on my forehead.

Su Yao did not answer. Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were fixed on the figure of the holmium guard, as if she was thinking of a solution.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she pointed to a small passage at the end of the corridor, "There!"

I looked in the direction she was pointing and found an inconspicuous little passage hidden in the shadows, which would be hard to spot if you didn't look carefully.

"But..." I hesitated, "we don't know what's inside the passage, what if it's a trap..."

"We can't worry about that now!" Su Yao said decisively. "Rather than sit and wait to die, we might as well take a risk and give it a try!"

She grabbed my hand and ran towards the narrow passage. I followed closely behind, my heart filled with unease. Where did this passage lead?

What kind of danger awaits us ahead?

I felt a warmth in my palm. Looking down, I saw a small beast that looked like a mouse but had transparent wings. It had appeared in my palm without me noticing.

It looked at me with its small, dark eyes and made soft squeaks. This little beast… my beast-taming ability… could it be…?

“Follow it…” I whispered to Su Yao.

I have never seen this little beast before. It emits a faint glow, and its wings are as thin as cicada wings, almost transparent.

I tentatively reached out my finger and gently touched its head. It didn't flinch; instead, it rubbed its little head against my finger, and a wonderful connection was instantly established.

My beast-taming ability activated, and a warm current flowed through my body. I felt a special contract being established between myself and the little beast, one that was both equal and intimate.

“Its name is… Shadow,” I murmured, the name suddenly popping into my mind.

The shadowy creature seemed to understand me, chirping happily twice before flapping its transparent wings and circling around me and Su Yao a few times before finally landing on my shoulder.

“It can help us.” I looked at Su Yao, my eyes full of confidence.

The Shadow's special abilities are stealth and perception. It can sense subtle changes in its surroundings and even foresee danger.

A hint of surprise flashed in Su Yao's eyes, and then she gripped my hand tightly. Her palms were slightly sweaty, and I could feel her nervousness.

I gently squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring look.

"I believe you," she whispered, her eyes filled with trust.

The shadowy figure led the way, moving nimbly through the shadows, almost blending into the darkness. It keenly sensed the Holmium Guardian's movements and promptly relayed the information to me.

"Left, let's go!" I whispered, pulling Su Yao quickly into a niche.

Almost the instant we took cover, the holmium guard appeared at the end of the corridor. His heavy footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, sending chills down our spines.

The Shadow sent another message: the Holmium Guardians' patrol route was about to change, and we only had a few seconds.

"Now!" I shouted, pulling Su Yao out of the niche and quickly crossing the corridor following the path indicated by the shadow.

Our hearts pounded like drums, and we took each step with utmost care, afraid of making the slightest sound.

The footsteps of the holmium guards grew closer and closer, like the approaching footsteps of death, suffocating everyone.

Finally, at the last minute, we successfully bypassed the holmium guards' patrol route and entered a new passage.

I let out a long sigh of relief, feeling my back soaked with cold sweat. Su Yao also released my hand, her face slightly pale.

The castle's interior was a labyrinth of passageways. We continued along the dark corridors, with the shadowy figures still leading the way.

Suddenly, I felt a slight tremor in the ground, and a sense of foreboding washed over me...

"Wait..." I grabbed Su Yao's arm, my eyes warily scanning the passage ahead... something seemed off about the floor... I slowly crouched down and gently touched the stone bricks on the ground...