Sloan tunneled through the muddy underground using the earth-shifting technique. Even though he'd found good cover earlier, the altar's destruction still affected him. Now, his energy was a chaotic mess, and every breath sent fresh pain lancing through his torso.

But he had no time to worry about his injuries. He raced toward the Nether Crypt at maximum speed. The grand elder had to be warned. They need to relocate their base.

Hidden beneath the gnarled roots of a 1,000-year-old banyan tree, the crypt's entrance would stay buried forever unless one knew precisely where to look.

Sloan tunneled at full speed, burning through his internal energy reserves as he drove forward. After 15 relentless minutes, he finally reached the Nether Crypt entrance.

He flicked three bone talismans from his fingertips. The banyan's root system parted slowly like snakes, revealing a pitch-black passage. As soon as he slipped inside, the soil behind him churned violently and sealed the passage shut.

Sloa