Chapter 437 - 229: Jianzhen Lake, The Disruptor (2)

Chapter 437: Chapter 229: Jianzhen Lake, The Disruptor (2)

Qin Zhenyang nodded in approval.

"Otherwise, the Yao family, who were teetering on the brink of collapse back then, likely couldn’t have held onto such a treasured land. After all, even among the eight great families, very few possess ruins of their own."

"They were the former imperial family, after all, and Jinling is the location of the Central Plains’ dragon vein. The ground beneath is full of treasures."

Ning Zi remarked with a sigh,

"So what happened next? Now that we know its origin, what are the conditions like inside Jianzhen Lake?"

Qin Zhenyang’s expression turned slightly serious.

"Inside the Jianzhen Lake ruins... is another lake."

Xie Yuan, Ning Zi, and the others exchanged glances. Since when had Senior Brother Qin started speaking in riddles?

Seeing their confusion, Qin Zhenyang sighed softly and explained,

"These ruins are probably different from what most people imagine. There are no ancient Sect buildings, no grotto-heavens of mighty experts, no Treasure Pavilions or Scripture Pavilions... or any other structures or traces. It’s just a lake.

"The Yao family will bring you to the Jianzhen Lake of this world. Then they’ll give you a Protective Talisman. Once you leap into the lake, you’ll enter the pocket dimension of the ’lake within the lake’.

"Inside is a body of water. Strangely, a person can breathe freely within it, with no sensation of suffocating. Even your clothes won’t get wet. It’s clearly no ordinary water. The Yao family calls it Profound Water.

"And if you cultivate in this Profound Water, your Qi and Blood will remain abundant without needing to eat or drink. Moreover, one day of cultivation inside is equivalent to ten days in the outside world."

Ning Zi nodded, her eyes shining.

"Amazing! Doesn’t that mean cultivating inside for a year is like cultivating for ten years? The Yao family doesn’t set a time limit, do they?"

"That’s the logic, yes. There’s no time limit, only a limit on how many people can enter at one time. However, if Jianzhen Lake were that simple, the Yao family would have already used it to train batch after batch of Grandmasters, or at the very least, a massive number of Martial Artists at the Qi and Blood Third Transformation Realm."

Qin Zhenyang shook his head.

"There’s no time limit, but very few have ever managed to stay for a full month. This is due to Jianzhen Lake’s second characteristic.

"The longer you stay inside, you will gradually begin to experience all sorts of illusions. The longer you stay, the more illusions you’ll see. These illusions come in every shape and form, all depending on the Martial Artist’s own mind."

"Illusions during cultivation? Doesn’t that make it easy to suffer from cultivation deviation?"

"It’s not just about cultivation deviation. If a Martial Artist mistakes an illusion for reality, that illusion can become real. This is how Jianzhen Lake—’Lake of Seeing Truth’—got its name. It wasn’t called that in the past."

Qin Zhenyang said grimly.

Xie Yuan was taken aback, and like his fellow disciples, he was a bit confused.

’Illusions can become real? Is such a thing even possible?’

Ning Zi thought for a moment, then blinked and said,

"Illusions becoming real? Isn’t that a good thing? If I wish for peerless swords, Immortal Pills, and Spiritual Medicines, can those become real inside Jianzhen Lake too?"

"All things in existence have their own balance. Inside Jianzhen Lake, if an illusion becomes real, something else must become false."

Qin Zhenyang said seriously,

"Normally, if a Martial Artist can’t hold on, they can activate their Protective Talisman to return. But if they take what they see as real, they themselves will sink into the lake, becoming a part of Jianzhen Lake, never to return. Since ancient times, many Martial Artists have been lost within it. Phantoms of heavenly treasures and peerless weapons would appear where they stood, only to dissipate along with their master.

"Even in the dozen or so years since the Yao family opened the ruins to the world, some Martial Artists have failed to return, despite repeated warnings. Therefore, anyone who wishes to enter, along with their Sect, must bear the risk themselves. This is the consensus among all factions that use the ruins."

Xie Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly as he listened. ’This place sounds so bizarre,’ he thought.

Just as he expected, ancient ruins were never simple. Based on what Qin Zhenyang said, Jianzhen Lake was actually quite dangerous.

Qin Zhenyang let out a breath.

"However, as long as a Martial Artist’s will is firm, it is an excellent place for cultivation. Even if you can’t stay long, half a month inside is equivalent to nearly half a year of progress. The time saved is secondary; the boons the Profound Water provides for cultivation, the way it nourishes the body, can help a Martial Artist break through bottlenecks, shatter their shackles, and even heal old wounds. It’s truly miraculous. It’s just a pity that the water can’t be carried or taken away, or else this Profound Water would be priceless.

"But for a Martial Artist who aspires to become a Grandmaster, the most important aspect is in those two words, ’seeing truth,’ which can lead to the state of connecting the Heaven and Earth Bridge.

"First, by merging with the Profound Water and cultivating, one can comprehend the intent of heaven and earth, bringing one extremely close to the great dao of a Grandmaster. For those who have been unable to grasp the principles of nature and the way of all things, they can often find enlightenment within this Profound Water and take that first step. This is the first aspect: seeing the truth of nature.

"Second, the illusions test one’s heart, which has always been a trial of a Martial Artist’s will. To become a Grandmaster, one must possess great perseverance and great courage. After becoming a Grandmaster, one will often face such illusions in their cultivation, and a single misstep can lead to cultivation deviation. To be able to experience this in advance and temper one’s will is of great benefit to becoming a Grandmaster and for the path that follows. This is the second aspect: seeing the truth of one’s own heart.

"On these two points alone, Jianzhen Lake is especially attractive to Martial Artists at the Qi and Blood Third Transformation Realm. It is also a good opportunity for those at the Qi and Blood Second Transformation Realm to experience it in advance. I gained a great deal myself after my visit. However, for a Martial Artist at the Qi and Blood First Transformation Realm, the pressure from both the intense illusions and the accelerated cultivation in the Profound Water is a bit too much. It is indeed too early."

Qin Zhenyang glanced at Xie Yuan. ’Although, it’s quite suitable for him,’ he thought.

Having finished his explanation, he drained his teacup in one gulp. His throat was dry from all the talking.

Xie Yuan nodded slowly, a look of interest in his eyes.

’These ruins are certainly interesting,’ Xie Yuan thought. ’If I use them well, I could even raise the upper limit of my future path.’

But even the basic accelerated cultivation was a huge temptation for him.

Putting everything else aside, staying inside for half a month would mean nearly half a year of progress.