Chapter 429: Black Jade Pool

The two of them squeezed through that narrow stone door and walked into a low, cramped space.

As soon as he stepped inside, Duan Rong felt waves of gloomy, cold air rushing toward him. That cold seemed capable of penetrating his Qi, seeping into his very marrow; even though he had already achieved the Qi Refining Realm, he could not help but shiver.

After reaching the True Qi Realm Great Perfection, a Martial Artist no longer fears worldly cold, let alone Duan Rong, who had achieved the Qi Refining Realm; he had long since forgotten what it felt like to be cold.

Lu Geng had already fished out a Fire Folder and lit a Candle Lamp on the stone wall beside the door.

The dim, yellow candlelight instantly filled the narrow, gloomy stone chamber. In the center of the stone chamber floor, there was a pitch-black pool, with wisps of cold air, almost visible to the naked eye, curling up from the pool's mouth.

Lu Geng said, "This is the Black Jade Pool!"

"Black Jade Pool?"

"Yes!" Lu Geng looked at the pitch-black pool before him and continued, "It is crafted from Cold Marrow Ice Jade, its entire body as black as ink. The gloomy, cold Qi within the Black Jade Pool can lock in the Heaven and Earth Qi contained within the Beast Meat, preventing it from dissipating."

Under the reflection of the candlelight, Duan Rong's eyes flickered.

Lu Geng suddenly bent down and reached out, taking a long, strip-shaped object from the corner of the wall, and said to Duan Rong, "This is a Black Jade Box; it can be carried on one's person!"

Duan Rong looked at the Black Jade Box, and his gaze jumped. He had seen this thing before!

Lu Geng continued, "When we carry out missions, we usually use this Black Jade Box to carry some Beast Meat on us for quick meditation and recovery. Because in the secular world, Qi is thin and replenishment is difficult, it becomes especially important to carry Beast Meat in a Black Jade Box. Sometimes, just because of the amount of Beast Meat one carries, one can even turn defeat into victory in a battle and reverse the situation."

Listening to Lu Geng's words, Duan Rong's expression was filled with yearning.

He suddenly remembered the great battle against the Filthy Blood Sect that he and Xiao Yu encountered after returning to Xiangu County when their three years as Registered Disciples ended.

At that time, Jiang Zhe and several other Inner Sect Disciples of the Sect also arrived to assist in the battle, fighting against the Total Altar Dharma Envoy of the Filthy Blood Sect, Wei Ziyang.

Jiang Zhe and the others used a wheel-battle tactic to besiege Wei Ziyang, and when they were meditating to recover, what they took out was this very type of long, strip-shaped Black Jade Box.

Duan Rong still remembered that what they swallowed into their mouths at the time was something that looked like an Ice Sugar Gourd.

Now, Duan Rong finally knew what that was. What they swallowed into their mouths was Beast Meat. It was just that it had been sliced into small pieces and eroded by the gloomy, cold Qi inside the Black Jade Box, making it look somewhat like an Ice Sugar Gourd.

Duan Rong threw a claw, a tail, and a blood bag he was holding into the Black Jade Pool, and the two of them walked out. The narrow stone door slowly closed behind them, locking the eerie, cold air inside that cramped, confined space.

Lu Geng led Duan Rong to a certain corner of this Cultivation Secret Chamber. Beside a meditation cushion covered in dust and cobwebs, there sat a trunk, and on top of the trunk rested an old horsetail whisk.

Lu Geng opened the trunk, and dust immediately flew up, causing him to cough repeatedly.

Duan Rong also leaned in, staring into the wooden chest, only to see it piled full of many things.

Lu Geng took those items out one by one and placed them before Duan Rong, then pointed to a scroll and said to Duan Rong, "This scroll is the Strange Beast Manual; generally speaking, all kinds of Origin Beasts within the Dark Forest are recorded in here."

"This is a Topographical Map, though it is already somewhat old and outdated. Regarding water sources, valleys, directions, and drop-off points, there is no problem, but regarding the habitats of various Origin Beasts, they have long since migrated and changed, no longer resembling their old appearance."

Duan Rong said, "The map in Senior Brother Wu's hands is new, right?"

"That one of his is something we have gradually updated through years of exploration," Lu Geng laughed. "If you want to see it, you can also borrow it from Senior Brother Wu to take a look."

Duan Rong said, "I was just asking casually."

Lu Geng held a pitch-black key and said, "This key is the key to that stone door we use to enter the Dark Forest."

Duan Rong's gaze shifted, and he asked, "Can one enter the Dark Forest alone?"

Lu Geng said, "In principle, the Dark Forest is free for Inner Sect Disciples to enter and exit. However, I have already taken you for a trial run this time; there are still many dangers within the Dark Forest, and we didn't even go deep this time. Although the Two-Footed Mad Python is ferocious, it is still only a Low-Tier Beast. If you go further into the depths of the Dark Forest, there are Mid-Tier Beasts and High-Tier Beasts."

This was the first time Duan Rong had heard the classification of Origin Beasts from Lu Geng's mouth.

So, the Two-Footed Mad Python was only a Low-Tier Beast.

A single Low-Tier Beast was already so ferocious that it required two Qi Cyclone Realm experts to join forces to kill it with difficulty. How terrifying Mid-Tier Beasts, or even High-Tier Beasts, must be was simply unimaginable.

Lu Geng continued, "Previously, if Senior Sister Fan and Senior Brother Wu were away on business, Wang Yue and I would also go in, but we would never go deep; we would just stay near the Greenlight Grass and hunt some small Origin Beasts. Little Disciple, Senior Brother must advise you: absolutely do not enter the Dark Forest alone. Even if Senior Sister Fan and Senior Brother Wu are not following, at the very least, you must go with me and Wang Yue."

Duan Rong said, "Senior Brother Lu, rest assured. I will absolutely not wander in alone."

"As long as you remember, Disciple," Lu Geng said. "Don't blame me for being long-winded, but Little Disciple, you act in mysterious ways, so it is inevitable that I, as your Senior Brother, must give you a few extra words of advice."

"How could I? That Senior Brother is willing to teach me means you view me as your own flesh and blood; how could Duan Rong be so ungrateful?"

Lu Geng patted Duan Rong on the shoulder and said, "Little Disciple, you are right. We are of the same Sect, so naturally, we are flesh and blood."

During this trip to the Dark Forest, Lu Geng could naturally see that Fan Hongjiao's attitude toward Duan Rong was very different, and there must have been some instruction from Zhu He in this. This Little Disciple had extraordinary talent, and it was clear that he carried significant weight in Zhu He's heart, so it would be better for him to build a relationship early.

He had been at this Yunfu Peak for over seven years.

Wu Shidao was deep in thought, and Fan Hongjiao was deeply trusted; the status of these two was unshakable. Although the others were also personal disciples, they were nothing more than backup cannon fodder. Like Wang Yue, if he could not break through to the Third Layer this year, he would become an abandoned pawn, and all his resources would be drastically reduced.

He was the same; although he had barely broken through to the Fourth Layer a month ago, he was merely struggling on the line between life and death. If he could not break through to the Qi Cyclone Realm within four years, he would likewise become an abandoned pawn, and what's more, the situation was even more complicated now with the arrival of a Little Disciple with extraordinary talent.

Although Lu Geng did not say it out loud, the pressure in his heart was imaginable.

After Lu Geng left, Duan Rong put those items back into the trunk, then looked at this dusty Cultivation Secret Chamber, touched the dust on the meditation cushion beside him, and sighed, "How many years has it been since anyone came in here? It's practically like an abandoned warehouse."

Duan Rong took the key and walked out of the Cultivation Secret Chamber. He came to the back of the Main Hall on the first floor, handed the key in his hand to the Attendants, and instructed, "This is the key to the Cultivation Secret Chamber next to Senior Brother Lu's. Do you know which one I am talking about?"

The Attendant replied respectfully, "I know, My Lord! It is the one on the far east side of the remaining three Cultivation Secret Chambers."

Duan Rong nodded and said, "I want you to tidy it up and clean it. Do not replace the Artifacts inside; you can bring me a new meditation cushion or something, but do not throw away the old ones! I have a use for them!"

"Yes, My Lord!" The Attendant looked at Duan Rong and replied respectfully, but he felt a bit strange in his heart. Why would this new Lord make such a strange request? He wanted new ones, yet wouldn't let the old ones be thrown away. He had served many people, but this was the first time he had encountered such a situation; it was truly hard to understand.

"Perhaps this Lord has some strange quirks..." Duan Rong had already left, but the Attendant was still thinking to himself.

After Duan Rong finished his instructions, he returned to his room in the pavilion and first called for some food to have a full meal.

In the Dark Forest, although he did not make a move, he had been following along in fear and trepidation, and his mental energy had been consumed quite a bit. Furthermore, climbing up from the depths of the underground along the crevices had also almost exhausted his physical strength.

After Duan Rong was full, he lay on the bed and slept.

When he woke up, he found that it was pitch black outside and completely silent; it was clearly the middle of the night, with only the chirping of insects faintly reaching his ears, making the tranquility of these Endless Great Mountains even more apparent.

Duan Rong rolled off the bed; he had slept for quite a long time.

He washed up briefly and then, taking advantage of the night, came to the back of the Main Hall on the first floor of the pavilion.

In the night, bright candles were hung high, but there was only one Attendant on night duty.

Duan Rong glanced at him and said, "Are you the only one here?"

The Attendant replied, "Reporting to My Lord, there are two people on night duty, but the other person went inside for something."

Duan Rong gave a soft 'hmm' and asked, "Has that Cultivation Secret Chamber been cleaned up?"

The Attendant respectfully held a key out before Duan Rong and said, "It has already been cleaned."

Duan Rong took the key and said, "Open the wooden wall door; I am going in."

"Yes!"

As the carved wooden wall before him opened to both sides, Duan Rong walked slowly into the cave.

Just as Duan Rong exited the cave and arrived in the stone chamber space where the statue of the Immovable Wisdom King stood, he saw an Attendant walk out from a stone door, holding a wooden tray in his hands.

Upon seeing Duan Rong, the Attendant was slightly startled, then immediately bowed and respectfully called out, "My Lord."

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he asked, "What are you doing in here?"

The Attendant replied, "Delivering some food to Lord Fan."

Duan Rong gave an "oh," glanced at the stone door the Attendant had come out of, and then turned and left. He remembered that Fan Hongjiao had said earlier that she would be in seclusion for a few days.

The Attendant remained standing with a bow, and only after Duan Rong turned and left did he straighten his back and walk out.

Duan Rong walked into his own Cultivation Secret Chamber and discovered that the Secret Chamber had been completely refreshed; two new and old prayer mats were placed together against the wall, and all the old Artifacts in the Secret Chamber had been wiped clean.

Duan Rong walked over slowly, picked up an old horsetail whisk, and thought to himself, "Spirit Reader!"

(End of chapter)