Chapter 110: The Spirit of Redwater Pool!

“Three Divine Strength martial artists are dead. Will the Sand Dragon Sect really let this go?” Tao Shen asked hesitantly.

“It does not matter,” Yun Haitang replied coldly. “I will write a letter and have it delivered to the Sand Dragon Sect. When that happens, whether they choose war or peace will be their decision. As long as they are not complete fools, they will know which path to take.”

This was how the jianghu operated. It was not a place for indiscriminate slaughter. Killing a few was enough, so long as it sent a clear warning. Of course, such a warning only worked if one had the strength to back it up, which they had.

With Dao Shi’er handling the bloodshed and Yun Haitang managing the aftermath, they would show everyone that they had the strength to back up their actions.

The Sand Dragon Sect had already lost three Divine Strength martial artists. If they were to suffer any further losses, their standing in Taoyuan Prefecture would no longer be secure. In a situation like this, Yun Haitang was sure the only choice for the Sand Dragon Sect was to take the loss.

Lu Changsheng suddenly spoke up. “Patriarch Tao, I have a list of rare treasures. I wonder whether the Tao Clan might have any of them.”

Now that the Tao Clan was considered a faction of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, he could also ask them to help. The more people looking for it, the better.

“Rare treasures?” Tao Shen asked. “We may have those. We’ve been trading for many years and have accumulated quite a collection. Mr. Dao, may I take a look at the list?”

Having witnessed Lu Changsheng’s strength, Tao Shen was eager to accommodate him. Although the Tao Clan was already affiliated with the Heavenly Maiden Sect, that affiliation alone would be of little help when real trouble arose.

What the Tao Clan needed was someone powerful enough to step in directly, someone whose presence alone could deter enemies before a fight even began. Lu Changsheng was exactly that person.

Lu Changsheng handed over the list of rare treasures required for the Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique. He had also included the materials needed to refine the Divine Strength Grand Pill.

Tao Shen examined the list carefully before replying, “There are two rare treasures that the Tao Clan already has. As for the others, I know one can be found near the Redwater Pool. However, the pool has not been very safe lately, and no one dares to go there.”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes brightened. “Two rare treasures? Could you bring them over for me?”

Tao Shen immediately ordered someone to bring the two treasures over. Before long, the two items were brought in. Lu Changsheng inspected them closely. They were exactly what he needed—Triple-Ginseng Grass and Gaia Root.

“Great,” Lu Changsheng said. “Now, prepare a quiet room for me. I need to cultivate.”

“Sure, Mr. Dao, please follow me,” Tao Shen replied, personally leading Lu Changsheng to a secluded chamber.

Lu Changsheng immediately circulated the Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique and began refining the two rare treasures. Since he was already well practiced in the process, he completed two marrow transformations and blood replacements in quick succession.

Once he was done, his physical body reached the level of one hundred and twenty cauldrons.

In recent battles, Lu Changsheng had relied heavily on Intent and the Nine-Character Mantra Secret Technique, crushing his enemies wherever he went, and he rarely met resistance, but this did not make him careless.

He knew that cultivation was the foundation of all strength, and the physical body was the foundation of cultivation. No matter how powerful his techniques were, without a solid body to support them, they would be meaningless.

Hence, Lu Changsheng remained in the quiet chamber even after the refinement was complete, spending additional time stabilizing his cultivation and consolidating his gains.

Three days later, Lu Changsheng finished his cultivation. The moment Lu Changsheng stepped out of the room, he saw Tao Shen waiting, face bright with excitement.

The atmosphere throughout the Tao Clan was much livelier, as if a great burden had been lifted.

“The Tao Clan’s troubles have been resolved?” Lu Changsheng asked.

“Yes,” Tao Shen replied, unable to conceal his joy. “Thanks to Mr. Dao and the Heavenly Maiden, the Sand Dragon Sect has formally acknowledged that our Tao Clan is now affiliated with the Heavenly Maiden Sect. As long as no new conflicts arise, they will not act against us again.”

Even after aligning with the Heavenly Maiden Sect, the Tao Clan continued to run its businesses as before. The only change was that the Heavenly Maiden Sect now relied on the Tao Clan for logistics and manpower as well.

However, this wasn’t a problem for the Tao Clan. In fact, with the sect’s protection, they could even expand their business.

“By the way,” Lu Changsheng said, recalling something Tao Shen had mentioned earlier. “You said there is an Ice Fruit tree at Redwater Pool. But given the climate of Taoyuan Prefecture, an Ice Fruit tree should not be able to grow here, let alone bear fruit. Am I mistaken?”

Ice Fruit was one of the rare treasures required for the Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique. Such trees typically grew in extremely cold regions, and Taoyuan Prefecture did not have such climates.

Tao Shen nodded. “That is precisely what makes it strange. The Ice Fruit tree was not there originally. It only appeared within the past few decades. I do not know the reason either.

“However, people have indeed harvested Ice Fruit near Redwater Pool before.

“Recently, though, the area has become dangerous. Several martial artists went to investigate and never returned. Over time, Redwater Pool became a forbidden zone, and ordinary martial artists no longer dared to go near it.”

Lu Changsheng fell silent in thought. Regardless of how strange it was, the Ice Fruit had appeared at Redwater Pool, so he had to see the place for himself. After a brief consideration, he informed Yun Haitang of his plans and asked her to remain in Taoyuan Prefecture for a few more days.

Once that was settled, Lu Changsheng left the Tao residence alone and set off for Redwater Pool.

The pool lay deep in the mountains outside Taoyuan City, but its location was not difficult to find. Tao Shen had provided him with a detailed map, and with it, Lu Changsheng easily arrived at Redwater Pool.

The place had a fearsome reputation, yet upon arrival, Lu Changsheng sensed nothing unusual. There was no obvious hostility, no oppressive presence. The only thing that stood out was the color of the pool’s water, which was tinted in deep rust-red.

Lu Changsheng quickly concluded that some minerals had to have dissolved in the water. The concentration was simply too high for the color to be natural.

The pool stretched far along the mountainside, and Lu Changsheng moved along the shoreline, carefully scanning the area as he searched for the Ice Fruit tree.

Before long, he spotted what he had come for. An Ice Fruit tree stood near the water’s edge, its branches heavy with fruit. Many Ice Fruits still hung from it, intact and undisturbed.

At the same time, he noticed something else, or rather, someone else.

Not far from the tree, beside the pool, sat a burly middle-aged man wrapped in a cloak. He was seated cross-legged by the water, completely still. From where Lu Changsheng stood, it was impossible to tell what the man was doing, or how long he had been there.

Lu Changsheng was surprised. He had assumed no one would dare approach Redwater Pool, yet not only was someone here, but the man was also sitting calmly by the water, as if this place posed no threat to him at all.

Still, Lu Changsheng did not dwell on it. Redwater Pool belonged to no one, and the presence of another martial artist had nothing to do with him. He had come here for the Ice Fruit. Without sparing the man another glance, he walked toward the Ice Fruit tree and reached out to pluck one.

Whoosh!

Before his fingers could touch the fruit, a stone shot through the air toward him.

Lu Changsheng caught it in his hand. The moment it landed in his palm, he felt the force behind the throw. He turned his gaze toward the cloaked martial artist by the pool, the only other person present.

“What is the meaning of this, sir?” Lu Changsheng asked, his voice low.

The stranger slowly lifted his head. His eyes remained closed as he spoke, his tone cold and indifferent. “The Ice Fruit on that tree is bait for my fishing. You are not allowed to touch it. That stone was a warning. Next time, I will not be so lenient.”

The man’s arrogance was striking. It had been a long time since Lu Changsheng had encountered someone who spoke with such certainty and authority. In Zhanhai City and throughout Taoyuan Prefecture, he had always been the one issuing warnings. He had not expected to receive one himself.

“I’m taking the Ice Fruit,” Lu Changsheng said. He saw no need to waste further words.

Schwing!

Lu Changsheng drew his saber and stepped forward.

The Third Divine Dragon Transformation surged within him as his blood qi exploded with a thunderous boom, turning into a streak of crimson saber light that slashed toward his opponent.

At the same time, he activated the Starry Sky Waterfall Intent. The surroundings transformed into a vast, illusory night sky as a colossal waterfall descended with a deafening crash, its overwhelming force merging seamlessly with the saber light.

“Intent?” The unfamiliar man opened his eyes, and instantly, Lu Changsheng felt the world shift.

Redwater Pool vanished from his senses. In its place, a towering mountain appeared, hanging across the void. From its peak, a single point of starlight descended with a thunderous roar, crashing downward like a falling mountain and slamming head-on into Lu Changsheng’s waterfall.

Bang!

The collision shook the air. Lu Changsheng’s saber light shattered instantly. Even the Starry Sky Waterfall burst apart, and the backlash forced him several steps backward.

Lu Changsheng’s chest tightened. This was the first time he was driven back in a head-on clash after using both the Third Divine Dragon Transformation and the Starry Sky Waterfall Intent, but he did not retreat.

Again!

Lu Changsheng’s expression hardened as blood qi surged once more. The Third Divine Dragon Transformation roared to life, and the Starry Sky Waterfall Intent followed without hesitation. Even if this strike did not reach the strength of a thousand cauldrons, it wasn’t far from it.

Boom!

The man showed no panic and merely raised one finger.

Buzz!

Lu Changsheng’s eyes widened. That single finger seemed to swell, condensing into a massive mountain. A massive peak descended from the void, radiating a suppressive force that pressed down on everything beneath it

This time, Lu Changsheng could clearly feel that the power behind it far exceeded a thousand cauldrons. If that finger came down and struck him, he knew he would die.

“Lin!” Lu Changsheng shouted.

The Nine-Character Mantra surged forth at full strength. A deep noise, like a great bell’s tolling, exploded in the man’s consciousness. His movement faltered. It was only for an instant, perhaps less than a tenth of a breath, but it was enough.

In that brief pause, Lu Changsheng’s saber light struck.

Bang…

Only a dull sound rang out, and Lu Changsheng’s heart sank. His all-out strike had landed on his opponent, but it produced nothing more than a muffled thud. When the crimson light faded and the visions collapsed, his gaze locked onto the man.

A layer of faint crimson armor had appeared across the man, dense and seamless. Lu Changsheng’s saber rested on it without leaving even the smallest trace. Like a ripple passing over still water, the force spread outward and vanished, leaving the armor completely unscathed.

Seeing that, Lu Changsheng felt his heart sink even further. This is… divine fortification. This is the realm beyond the Divine Strength Realm.

Lu Changsheng had never imagined that he would encounter an expert of this level at a place like the Redwater Pool.

Divine Strength martial artists focused on tempering the physical body to its limits. Their strength was terrifying, and their recovery rate was astonishing, but no matter how powerful they became, one’s flesh still had flaws.

Their defense could be breached. A saber or sword could still pierce them, and if the heart or vital organs were destroyed, their fast recovery rate would be meaningless. A single decisive strike could still end their life.

Reaching the Divine Fortification Realm meant eliminating that weakness, as the physical body would form a layer of divine fortification, an invisible yet tangible defense that enveloped the body completely.

As long as the fortification remained intact, killing the martial artist would be extraordinarily difficult.

On a battlefield, the difference was absolute. Military formations could overwhelm and kill Divine Strength martial artists through numbers and coordination.

Against a Divine Fortification expert, however, such formations were little more than an inconvenience. Charging through thousands was just a matter of time.

“Who exactly are you, sir?” Lu Changsheng asked in a low voice.

A Divine Fortification Realm martial artist could never be an unknown nobody. That said, the mysterious Divine Fortification expert was also very interested in Lu Changsheng, or rather, in Lu Changsheng’s Nine-Character Mantra Secret Technique.

“To be able to lock down my mind and blood qi, even if only for an instant, is no small feat,” the martial artist said calmly. “You shouted ‘Lin’ just now. That must be the Nine-Character Mantra Secret Technique, and it has already reached Perfection.”

Lu Changsheng did not respond. He had already given up on obtaining the Ice Fruit by force. Against a Divine Fortification expert, he was simply too weak. Still, the brief pause just now had proven one thing—the Nine-Character Mantra could affect even someone at the Divine Fortification Realm.

In other words, if the man wanted to kill him, it would not be so easy either.

As Lu Changsheng weighed whether to withdraw from Redwater Pool, the martial artist spoke again. “If you are willing to use the Nine-Character Mantra Secret Technique later to restrain the thing inside the pool, I can give you the Ice Fruit.”

Lu Changsheng raised his head and looked at the martial artist.

Compared to the Ice Fruit, his interest had already shifted. Something capable of keeping a Divine Fortification expert waiting here, using Ice Fruit as bait, was far more intriguing.

“What is inside the pool?” Lu Changsheng asked.

“A spirit.”

Lu Changsheng frowned. “What do you mean?”

“There is a spirit inside the pool who is very fond of Ice Fruits,” the martial artist said, “I’m fishing it out.”

Lu Changsheng grew even more curious. However, he did not agree right away and chose to observe further.

The martial artist wrapped an Ice Fruit with his blood qi and tossed it into the water. Then, he sat down once more and waited in silence.

About two hours later, the pool churned violently. Waves surged as a massive head broke through the surface. A moment later, an enormous turtle emerged from the water.

The martial artist’s blood qi erupted at once as he moved to restrain it. With a Divine Fortification physique, his blood qi was vast and overwhelming, but the turtle was simply too large. With a light tremor, it scattered his blood qi with ease.

“Quick!” the man shouted. “Use the Nine-Character Mantra now!”

“Lin!” Lu Changsheng yelled.

At once, the giant turtle stiffened. The martial artist leapt up, landed on the turtle’s back, and then, with a swift, precise motion, he lightly cut the turtle’s foot.

Shwik!

Fresh blood spilled out, and the martial artist quickly collected it in a porcelain bottle. The moment he was done, he sprang back to the shore.

Lu Changsheng was still staring at the turtle when the martial artist barked, “What are you standing there for?! Run! Now!”

If the turtle truly went berserk, not even ten Divine Fortification martial artists would be able to stop it.

Boom!

The turtle let out a furious roar. The water in the pool churned and surged violently, creating massive waves.

Lu Changsheng finally got a clear look at the turtle. The turtle was never in the pool at all—the turtle was the pool. The turtle was so vast that the pool itself could not contain it. As it shifted, the mountains and forests nearby shook.

“So that’s the spirit you were talking about?” he said, stunned.

“That’s right,” the martial artist replied. “Spirits rarely kill and usually have a mild temperament, but I drew its blood today. It’s definitely furious. If we stay here any longer, it will swallow us whole.”

Hearing that, Lu Changsheng did not know what to say. He could not help but wonder where this man had found the nerve to provoke something so terrifying.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep