Chapter 324: Ice Source Jiazi Dew

Su Zhen's figure was absolutely perfect.

Purely devilish.

He Pingsheng was no longer the naive, clueless boy he once was; having tasted pleasure, he had no resistance at all to Su Zhen's figure.

He could only calm his mind, silently circulating the 【Mystic Gate Stillness True Scripture】 to quell his inner fire.

After two breaths, he regained composure.

"Let's go…" — underwater, speech was impossible; only spiritual sense could transmit messages — yet He Pingsheng was startled to discover this water blocked all spiritual sense.

This…

Well, though no messages could be sent, at least the two of them could still use gestures.

But when gesturing, Su Zhen's figure only stoked He Pingsheng's burning desire further.

Let's go!

He Pingsheng turned his head and gazed forward through the water.

Though spiritual sense was useless here, his eyes could see far, for the water was crystal-clear, nearly free of impurities.

Just holding a jade stone or pearl would illuminate the entire underwater realm.

In the distance, half of a submerged water dragon loomed faintly, still a column of ice beneath the surface.

What differed was that around this ice column hung hundreds of branches, each as thick as an infant's arm.

Light shimmered along the branches, water-element talismanic patterns flickering incessantly.

"Is this…?" He Pingsheng's heart leapt: Could this be ten-thousand-year ice marrow?

He thrust his arms open in the water and surged forward.

Behind him, Su Zhen followed like a shadow.

Their figures drew ever closer to the water dragon.

The water temperature plummeted sharply.

What puzzled him was that at this level of cold, the water should have frozen solid long ago — yet it remained liquid.

He Pingsheng could not fathom it.

But it didn't matter.

No need to understand.

Just take the treasure.

At twelve zhang from the ice column, Su Zhen could go no further.

He Pingsheng turned to her, signaled with gestures, then turned and pressed onward.

He activated his earth-element technique.

He reached nine zhang.

Then eight zhang!

At eight zhang, He Pingsheng halted.

He pulled out the Five Elements Anti-Toxin Pearl and activated it with a sharp pop.

The oppressive pressure and biting cold of the ice-element rules vanished almost entirely.

He did not advance further, but stood firm in the water, gazing ahead.

Dense clusters of snow-white ten-thousand-year ice marrow clung to the ice column like vines.

So many.

Yet, as the Ninth Prince had said, all of it lay within three zhang of the ice column.

Beyond that, within a ten-zhang radius of the column, countless specks the size of soybeans floated in the water, glimmering faintly.

These specks glowed pale yellow-green, tiny yet radiating a spiritual luminescence.

"Could this be the Ice Source Jiazi Dew?" He Pingsheng wondered.

Thinking this, he reached out and collected the nearest speck of Ice Source Jiazi Dew.

Ice Source Jiazi Dew was a third-rank spiritual liquid.

Similar in effect to He Pingsheng's 【Golden Bee Sacred Juice】.

It could fill the dantian!

Three differences existed.

First, its rank was higher: Ice Source Jiazi Dew was a third-rank spiritual liquid!

Second, it was elemental — only effective for water- or ice-element dantians.

Third, its most astonishing trait: when ingested by a Golden Core cultivator, a single drop granted sixty years of lifespan.

Perhaps this was the origin of its name.

But its limitation was clear: this lifespan extension worked only for water- or ice-element dantians.

Moreover, the effect occurred only once.

Swallowing a second drop would not grant one hundred twenty years — still only sixty.

In the Five Elements, earth overcomes water.

Thus, when storing this water-element liquid, one must not use porcelain or jade bottles.

Metal generates water — so metal containers were suitable.

He Pingsheng had prepared for this: he pulled out a golden bottle and began collecting the Ice Source Jiazi Dew.

The process was slow.

Half a day passed before he filled just a small bottle.

As time passed, more people entered the underwater realm.

Yet nearly all could not approach within ten zhang of the water dragon column.

They watched He Pingsheng gather Jiazi Dew, their envy so intense they nearly drooled.

Of course, He Pingsheng was not the only one who could enter the ten-zhang zone.

Besides him, four or five others could, but he did not know any of them.

Each possessed unique methods and magic treasures.

After filling one bottle, He Pingsheng stowed the golden vessel and swam closer to the water dragon column.

The closer he approached the ice column, the greater the pressure.

Every step was arduous.

He Pingsheng exhausted every technique and trick, finally stopping at four zhang from the ice column.

Four zhang was very close.

Though still distant from the column itself, the vine-like ten-thousand-year ice marrow clinging to it was now within arm's reach.

He Pingsheng believed that if he could advance just one more zhang, he could pluck some of the outer ice marrow.

Yet, he could not!

Four zhang was his absolute limit.

What now?

He Pingsheng thought for a moment, then waved his hand and retrieved something from his storage space.

The Nine Radiance Dragon-Slaying Banner.

His magic power surged forth; the banner instantly expanded to two zhang in length.

He Pingsheng's plan was simple: I can't reach it with my hands?

My spiritual sense can't reach it?

No matter!

I'll use a weapon.

If I can slice off the ten-thousand-year ice marrow and blast it free, won't that solve everything?

Yet He Pingsheng soon realized he was wrong.

Impossible!

At four zhang from the ice column, an invisible wall blocked all access.

His hand could not penetrate — nor could this spiritual weapon.

Even the Nine Radiance Dragon-Slaying Banner was frozen solid by the overwhelming ice-element rules.

Had he delayed another moment, the treasure might have been lost here.

He Pingsheng hastily retracted the banner and mocked himself: Among countless cultivators, others cannot enter the ten-zhang zone — yet they possess magic treasures that extend beyond it. If such trickery worked, how could any ice marrow remain here?

It seems I am not destined to claim this ice marrow.

What now?

He Pingsheng stared at the ice marrow just before him and made his decision: leave.

First, return and refine more of the seals on the Five Elements Anti-Toxin Pearl, then re-enter.

If I can take it then, I will; if not, so be it.

Go…

He Pingsheng turned without hesitation and left.

No time to waste — he must return immediately to refine the treasure.

Only nine days remained.

He Pingsheng's actions underwater had been clearly seen by all — and Su Zhen had seen them too.

Seeing He Pingsheng return, she still felt a pang of disappointment.

After all, she had not obtained what she needed.