Chapter 323: Drilling Through Ice Into Water

"Open..."

Not far away, a cultivator launched a flying sword.

The flying sword flew into the void, wreathed in roaring flames.

About one zhang long.

After the zhang-long flying sword entered the void, it reversed its tip and spiraled down violently, spinning fiercely against the solid ice surface.

Ice shards flew everywhere.

Water mist erupted.

Within a few breaths, a two-chi-wide hole was drilled through.

Looking down into the hole, the ice layer was ten zhang thick.

Beneath the ice lay shimmering water, crystal clear.

After the ice was pierced, the water immediately filled the entire hole.

The cultivator retracted his flying sword, then plunged into the water with a splash.

He Ping didn't know if it was cold, but he saw that shortly after the cultivator jumped in, the water that had filled the hole froze solid again.

The ten-thousand-year ice marrow and ice-source jiazi dew both lay beneath the ice; to obtain them, one had to drill inside.

But drilling beneath the ice didn't guarantee obtaining these things.

"Everyone step back, I'll try..."

On the ice, someone shouted loudly, then activated a circular shield around his body, using its defense to slowly approach the ice pillar.

The ice pillar was the water dragon.

There were no heavenly treasures on the ice surface, but one could test one's strength by approaching the water dragon.

Most couldn't get within ten zhang.

This cultivator's spiritual root was unknown, but he was at Foundation Establishment Level Twelve; he walked step by step toward the ice pillar.

He Ping extended his spiritual sense to observe.

At fifteen zhang from the ice pillar, he seemed to face immense resistance.

Ultimately, the cultivator stopped at twelve zhang from the water dragon, unable to advance further.

More and more cultivators gathered around.

Many were eager to try.

"Earth overcomes water!" Su Zhen said: "If you possess an Earth spiritual root, using Earth spiritual energy to resist the external Ice spiritual energy will have remarkable effect!"

"Perhaps you can go even further!"

No sooner had he spoken than another cultivator stepped forward to test.

It was a female cultivator dressed in a green Daoist robe.

"That's Hongtong Immortal Lady! She has an Earth spiritual root—perfectly suited to counter this water dragon!"

"Wonderful! I hope she gets closer!"

All eyes turned to the green-robed woman.

The green-robed woman advanced step by step toward the water dragon, and indeed got closer—reaching ten zhang.

But beyond ten zhang, she could go no further.

"Ten zhang is impressive!" someone said: "Underwater, ten zhang is enough to reach the ice-source jiazi dew—too bad it's still not close enough for the ten-thousand-year ice marrow!"

Above the ice, ten zhang was achievable, but underwater, it might not be possible to reach even that distance.

"Who could possibly obtain the ten-thousand-year ice marrow? Just delusional nonsense!" The Ninth Prince had drifted beside He Ping and said coolly: "The ten-thousand-year ice marrow originates from the water dragon—it's physically connected to its core!"

"To obtain it, you must enter within three zhang of the water dragon!"

"Hehehe..."

"To be blunt, within three zhang, even without freezing, the rule-force alone could seal you instantly!"

"Xu, want to try?"

He nodded toward the water dragon.

He Ping nodded: "Might as well try."

With that, He Ping stepped forward and walked toward the water dragon.

Earth-element spiritual power erupted from his body, forming a shield outside.

Technique: Earth Armor Technique.

Progress was smooth at first, but as he neared ten zhang from the water dragon, he felt intense strain.

The ice-elemental laws of heaven and earth seemed to exert a powerful force pushing him back.

Worse still, the colder it got the deeper he went.

Even He Ping's body felt a chill.

Yet he still reached the ten-zhang mark.

Keep going!

Within ten zhang, every step was excruciating.

He Ping advanced step by step.

Boom...

At nine zhang, his Earth Armor Technique shattered violently.

Even this Earth-element technique could not resist the ice-elemental rule-force.

The Five Elements' mutual overcoming only applies when strengths are equal; if one side vastly outmatches the other, overcoming fails.

For example, water overcomes fire—but if the fire is immense and the water minimal, it may not overcome at all.

After the Earth Armor shattered, He Ping did not retreat. Instead, he pushed forward six more steps against endless rule-force and freezing cold.

Seven zhang.

At seven zhang, he could advance no further.

This was He Ping's limit.

At this distance, each additional zhang required more than double the effort.

At that moment, He Ping pulled a bead from his hand.

Five-Element Poison-Resistant Pearl.

He had refined it to nine-tenths.

Now, as he infused it with spiritual energy, an invisible force immediately pushed back the surrounding ice-elemental rule-force.

He Ping instantly felt lighter.

With the pearl's aid, he could likely advance further.

But how far exactly, he didn't know.

He didn't test it.

No need to waste energy.

Save strength—try again when diving beneath the ice.

He Ping clutched the bead and retraced his steps.

"Impressive, bro..." the Ninth Prince said: "I'll try too..."

He hurried over.

Yet the Ninth Prince, despite his Wood spiritual root and several magic treasures, couldn't break past the ten-zhang barrier.

He could only stand at the edge of ten zhang.

Within ten zhang, every step was excruciating.

"Want to try?" He Ping asked Su Zhen.

Su Zhen shook her head: "No, I'll just dive straight in. Xu, can I follow you?"

"Fine," He Ping said coolly: "But I won't protect you. How far you go depends on your own ability!"

He Ping pulled out a small flying sword, directed spiritual power into it with his spiritual sense, and the sword expanded to zhang-length, wreathed in flame, spinning wildly across the ice.

Water mist surged upward.

Within a few breaths, an ice hole was drilled open.

Without hesitation, He Ping leapt in with a splash.

Sssss...

Water pressed against him from all sides, bringing an icy chill unlike any he'd ever felt.

So cold.

Splash...

Right behind him, Su Zhen jumped in.

Su Zhen followed him down.

He Ping lifted his head, glancing at the hole he'd just drilled—it instantly filled with water, then began freezing again.

Within a few breaths, the hole was sealed shut with ice.

After a moment of adjustment, He Ping no longer felt the water as freezing.

He turned to look at Su Zhen—and what he saw nearly sent his blood boiling.

On land, Su Zhen's figure had seemed ordinary, but now underwater, her silhouette emerged—so intoxicating it nearly overwhelmed him.

He Ping thought: this woman was the very embodiment of desire.