Chapter 228

Again gazing at the Thunder Pool, Jiang Yu's dantian spiritual power unexpectedly became active, and the talisman script inside the dragon pearl fluttered its pages, as if urging her to go in quickly.

But the Ice Phoenix and the ninth-stage great demon following behind, upon seeing this expanse of lightning, turned and fled.

Only the Nascent Soul ghost cultivator, holding aloft a black great bell, walked slowly closer; unfortunately, when he was a zhang away from the Thunder Bamboo, the wind‑blown lightning struck the bell's face.

With a crack, he dared not approach further, 'Begin.'

Jiang Yu patted Jiang Tu, placing it into the spirit beast bag—actually into the dragon pearl—and then took the shovel Jiang Bai handed her and walked into the woods.

However, as she held the Thunder Bamboo fan and dug according to the ghost cultivator's indication, just like last time, an unknown huge force flung her into the center of the Thunder Pool.

In the instant the lightning struck her, Jiang Yu swiftly circulated her cultivation technique, this time more adeptly than before.

The ghost cultivator outside the woods was somewhat displeased, raising his chin at Jiang Bai: 'You go too; if you gain the key's approval, you can also temper your body in the Thunder Pool.'

Jiang Bai hesitated not, immediately stepping into the woods to pick up the shovel, but inevitably he was struck by lightning and fell to the ground.

Namely, the many defensive magic treasures he carried allowed him to stand again and walk to the edge of the Thunder Pool.

However, when he voluntarily leapt into the Thunder Pool, he was not accepted, and instead was bounced by the exploding lightning net onto the top of the Thunder Bamboo.

'What's happening? Jiang Bai looks so pitiful.' Inside the dragon pearl, Jiang Tu had just sent the talisman script into Jiang Yu's sea of consciousness when he saw Jiang Bai in a miserable state, engulfed by myriad lightning nets.

Jiang Yu, who had been guiding the lightning with closed eyes, suddenly opened them, raised her hand and sent out the bamboo fan that was also absorbing the lightning, barely catching the falling Jiang Bai.

Thanks to his extremely quick reaction of flipping beneath the fan's surface, he avoided being struck by lightning again.

'Senior, I cannot go down into the Thunder Pool.' Jiang Bai first sent a mental message to the Nascent Soul ghost cultivator outside the bamboo grove: 'Approximately, only cultivators who have practiced lightning power can enter there.'

Actually, tempering with lightning is rare; helplessly, the last time he tried to draw lightning into his body beneath the Thunder Bamboo, it ended in failure.

'Hmm, this Thunder Bamboo is planted with a special formation; ordinary people cannot enter.'

'I will now teach you a lightning-tempering technique; then try again.'

'Jiang Xiao You may also listen.' After the Nascent Soul ghost cultivator recited the technique, Jiang Yu and Jiang Bai couldn't help but exchange a glance.

'There is nothing else; this technique is essentially the same as the lightning-tempering method on the bamboo slips Jiang Yu newly obtained.'

How keen the Nascent Soul ghost cultivator was; noticing the two's odd state, he immediately asked: 'Have you seen it before?'

Jiang Yu did not conceal it: 'Junior, I am currently practicing this very technique.'

The Nascent Soul ghost cultivator, showing slight urgency, asked: 'Where did you learn it? In your Heavenly Origin?'

Could it be that my long-unseen junior fellow disciple, like Qian Shiqi, survives on the Heavenly Origin Continent?

'I obtained a bamboo slip from the thatched cottage beside the spirit rice field.' Jiang Yu told the truth and at the same time threw the bamboo slip outside the bamboo grove.

Anyway, the cultivation method recorded on it she has also duplicated onto a jade tablet.

The Nascent Soul ghost cultivator received and unfolded it; it was the lightning-fire technique of their Thunder Sect, unfortunately merely a legacy placed by the predecessors in the cave‑heaven.

He threw it back, looking somewhat disappointed: 'If you obtain this method, you too are a fated person of my Thunder Sect; someday, when you ascend to the Spirit Realm, you may enter the Thunder Sect with this slip.'

'As for you, give it a try.' That last sentence was addressed to Jiang Bai.

To be frank, when Jiang Bai previously explained the lightning-tempering technique to Jiang Yu, he felt a bit moved, but the technique belonged to Jiang Yu.

He felt embarrassed to ask her for it to cultivate, but now the opportunity is before him again, and he certainly wishes to give it a try.

'Jiang Yu, then I will start practicing.'

'Mm.' Since it wasn't exclusively hers, Jiang Yu would not object; she again closed her eyes, focusing wholeheartedly on body tempering, and sent a mental message to the dragon soul: 'Where does the Thunder Sect rank in the Spirit Realm?'

'One of the three great sects.' The dragon soul shrank inside the wooden hut, fearing the lightning outside.

Jiang Tu heard it, flew from the dragon stele to find it: 'Tell me about the Spirit Realm.'

While it was listening to news from the Spirit Realm ten thousand years ago, Jiang Bai had already smoothly circulated the lightning-tempering technique once.

He was pleased, yet did not immediately leap into the Thunder Pool; instead, he stepped out of the Thunder Bamboo fan's protective zone, meeting the bamboo forest's lightning that struck his body, entered it, and was then refined.

Not long after, Jiang Yu saw him in the Thunder Pool and said, 'Perhaps you can also cultivate the Mystic Profound Lightning-Fire Technique.'

'Hiss, the Thunder Pool's intensity is greater.' After a moment's adaptation, Jiang Bai added, 'My earth‑wood spiritual roots cannot cultivate it.'

I also don't know whether Junior Fellow Disciple Lu has found any fellow disciples of the Sword Sect.

'Yes.' Jiang Yu informed him of the various events of the past few days.

Whether it was the chat diverting the pain or the effect of the second lightning tempering, Jiang Yu this time stayed one shichen longer than before before being flung out of the Thunder Pool.

In contrast, Jiang Bai actually persisted half a shichen longer than her, showing that a whole realm's difference in cultivation truly matters.

Meanwhile, when she began digging the Thunder Bamboo, those cultivators who had set out from the camp to the great lake finally reached their destination.

Unfortunately, what they saw was a mine entrance that could no longer be opened.

Xiao Snake Bi Luo still shouted that Jiang Yu had mistakenly transmitted the message, while the Golden Core cultivators were already discussing continuing to split into teams to search for treasure.

The reason is simply that after fighting the Demon Race that had seized bodies, they discovered the enemy was not as formidable as initially thought.

Most cultivators agreed to go their own ways, so this large force, formed only two days ago, immediately disbanded.

Afterward, many approached Xiao Snake Bi Luo, offering medicinal pills and spirit herbs, merely hoping to go to the Tai Ji Dian to obtain fish tokens and soak in the spiritual spring.

Bi Luo was delighted; upon receiving the double dose of medicinal pills from Lin Zhenren, she secretly told him, 'Purple-gold Thunder Bamboo is very likely on Mount Xuan Du.'

Jiang Yu is probably there too; I will seek the elder ancestor to look after her.

Actually, some also covet Jiang Yu's purple-gold Thunder Bamboo and have guessed it is on Mount Xuan Du.

Thus, many followed Bi Luo back to the camp intending to enter the mountains, but the demon cultivators excluded, they would rather stay far from the Thunder Bamboo.

Consequently, Lin Yuan complained before Lin Zhenren, 'This squad seems to have disbanded, yet it doesn't feel like it has.'

Lin Zhenren patted him: 'All under heaven hustle for profit.'

'If you don't want to go up the mountain again, you can go elsewhere to explore with Xia Bing.'

'No need, I will go to protect the Dharma for you; if we happen to encounter Jiang Yu and Jiang Tu, that would be best.' After Lin Yuan finished that sentence, he immediately used Jiang Yu as an excuse.

And Jiang Yu, who was being used as an excuse, continued to dig the Thunder Bamboo with effort.

The Thunder Bamboo pointed out by the Nascent Soul ghost cultivator was thicker and harder to dig than before; her hands were worn raw before she managed to extract a single stalk.

'Originally I wanted to delay, but now I actually hope to dig faster.' When Jiang Yu finally dug out a stalk and wanted to rest, that ghost cultivator senior would not let her stop.

It is said that within twelve shichen, one must dig up nine roots; otherwise, the next time one enters, it will be nine days later.

Not far away, Jiang Bai had just come out of the Thunder Pool and started digging, "Eat more elixirs, eat more now; you can use the thunder to refine and completely eliminate the elixir toxins."

"That makes sense." Jiang Yu is someone who knows how to be persuaded; a handful of elixirs entered her mouth, not only having wound-healing properties, but also replenishing spiritual power.

Then, with a swing of the hoe, a clang sounded as it struck something hard; Jiang Yu immediately felt something odd, and after a few more strokes she saw a heaven-and-earth jade box.

"There's treasure!" Jiang Tu, inside the dragon pearl, constantly paid attention to the outside situation.