Chapter Five: The Cavern of the Deep Pool

The world returned to silence. Leng Tian lay quietly atop the mountain peak, the cold night wind whistling, causing his blue robes to billow and flutter in the darkness.

Three streaks of purple light suddenly cut through the night, glaringly conspicuous as they landed near Leng Tian. It was those three monsters from before. “Caw! Our master's vessel has been destroyed. This boy’s body will do for now!” they screeched. As they reached out to lift Leng Tian, their claws barely brushing his clothes, an overwhelming blade light erupted from his body. In a flash, the three monsters were sliced to pieces, their blood and foul green ichor splattering everywhere, too disgusting to behold. The world fell silent once more.

Time passed as the stars wheeled overhead. Dawn brought clammy dew to Leng Tian’s face, waking him from a dazed slumber. "Where am I?" he wondered, sitting up and recalling the astonishing events of the previous night.

He walked to the edge of the cliff and gazed down at the lake below. It had returned to its original state, the still waters sending out gentle ripples. The imposing tombstone still stood at the lake’s center, as if nothing at all had happened. Yet the cratered grassland, broken limbs, and debris bore silent witness to the reality of last night’s events.

“Hey kid, are you alright? I’ve searched the entire mountain range to find you! Where did you go?” a familiar voice called out. Turning, Leng Tian saw Zhuangzhuang appear behind him, having no idea when he’d arrived. The bear still clutched a roast chicken in its paw, gnawing messily with its huge mouth.

Infuriated, Leng Tian darted forward and snatched the chicken away. “You searched for me all night! I never even left this area, but you claim to have looked for me till dawn. What mischief were you up to now?” Zhuangzhuang’s innocent expression only made Leng Tian want to wring his neck.

“Let’s get moving, kid. We shouldn’t linger here. The Canglan Empire has dispatched a huge force of warriors and soldiers to these Lianyun Mountains in search of the missing prince!” Zhuangzhuang casually tossed Leng Tian a few paper-wrapped packets and a water skin. “I have some things to do. Leave here on your own in a bit—I’ll come find you!” Before Leng Tian could even ask which way to go, Zhuangzhuang vanished in a blink.

Sighing, Leng Tian opened the packets to find some meat, and the water skin was filled with fresh water. He found a rock, sat down, and feasted heartily.

Sated and patting his belly, he mused, “Since I’m in no rush, why not find a hidden spot to quietly cultivate for a while and recover my strength before deciding what to do next?” He was a man of action and, having made up his mind, set off deeper into the mountains.

He crossed several peaks, drawn by the thunderous roar of water, and discovered a majestic waterfall. After watching from concealment and seeing no danger, Leng Tian emerged from the woods and approached the deep pool beneath the falls. Stripping off his clothes, he dove in.

The icy water instantly cleared his mind, and he swam like a fish, reveling in the freedom. Holding his breath with inner power, he dove toward the bottom. The deeper he went, the colder it grew. At last, feeling as though his very blood was about to freeze, he stopped and prepared to ascend when a flash of light appeared in the darkness below.

Suddenly, a tremendous suction force surged from the pool’s depths. Startled, Leng Tian struggled upward, but the powerful current offered no purchase, especially underwater. His body was swept down to the very bottom, where the frigid water surpassed even his endurance. His flesh and meridians went numb, his vital energy beginning to freeze, the cold intensifying as his consciousness faded. At last, he succumbed to the darkness.

He did not know how much time had passed. His body finally drifted to the source of the light—a cavern beneath the pool, sealed off by a shimmering barrier that kept out the water. Within, a glowing vortex formed, instantly sucking Leng Tian inside before vanishing, restoring the dark pool to its tranquil state.

Meanwhile, on the grassland above the Demon Tomb in the Lianyun Mountains, soldiers and warriors clad in armor stood in ranks. An elderly man in splendid robes, his beard white as snow, stood by the lake, gazing silently at its still waters.

After a long while, he sighed and spoke. “It seems my grandson has met with misfortune. We have searched every corner of these mountains and found no trace. Even the young man Ling’er spoke of has vanished. Enough—let us return to the imperial capital.” With that, the old man’s figure flickered and vanished into the sky, disappearing beyond the horizon in a handful of blinks.

The remaining soldiers and warriors withdrew, ending their search and leaving the Lianyun Mountains.

Leng Tian now lay on the cold floor of a vast subterranean cavern, dozens of yards across. Time slipped by—perhaps a day—before his fingers twitched, his eyelids quivered, and finally he awoke.

Groaning, he shook the numbness from his head and tried to circulate his inner energy. Finding it responsive, he was overjoyed and guided it along the paths of his cultivation technique, gradually restoring sensation to his body.

A fragrant aroma filled his nostrils, delightfully invigorating him. His pores seemed to open wide, and spurred by the scent, his cultivation technique began to circulate on its own, his vital energy accelerating at an astonishing rate.

In one corner of the cave, a small pit less than a meter across held a pool of sky-blue liquid, the source of the intoxicating fragrance.

His inner power surged madly, cycling ten times in the space of a single breath. Wisps of blue energy flowed from the stone pit into his body, greatly amplifying his strength.

Leng Tian realized his technique was running out of his control—there must be some rare treasure nearby! Elated, he activated his self-created Heaven-Shaking Ninefold Body Technique, seizing this rare chance to temper the resilience of his body.

This art, which Leng Tian had devised himself, differed from others in that it absorbed the world’s energy directly through the flesh and blood, strengthening both defense and offense. It comprised nine layers across three realms.

Leng Tian was currently at the middle stage of the second layer, the Indestructible Diamond Body. Every pore on his body opened like countless tiny mouths, ravenously absorbing the sky-blue energy.

His muscles and veins pulsed, drawing in and dissolving the energy to fortify every fiber of his being. Even his blood absorbed the power, surging like a river in flood. Listening closely, there seemed to be a faint thunderous roar within his veins.