Chapter 445 - 230: Unusual Change, Takeout

Chapter 445: Chapter 230: Unusual Change, Takeout

’Without a doubt, this must be the most forbidden of all the Yao family’s restricted areas.’ Infiltrating the Yao family’s ancestral home had felt effortless for Xie Yuan, but getting in here would likely be much harder.

Yao Qinglai led the group down the mountain to the lake’s edge, where people were already waiting with thirteen small boats prepared.

"Everyone, I will now distribute the protective Jade Pendants. Once you have one, you may leap directly into the lake to enter the Jianzhen Lake ruins. When you wish to return to this world, simply activate the Jade Pendant with your will."

After this brief explanation, Yao Qinglai took out thirteen Jade Pendants and distributed them one by one.

Xie Yuan received one as well and looked down at it.

The round Jade Pendant was warm and smooth to the touch, completely free of impurities. It appeared to be crafted from the highest quality jade.

’Probing it with my will, I can feel a faint spiritual presence inside. This must be the key to returning.’

He carefully tucked the Jade Pendant away and listened as Yao Qinglai continued:

"Everyone, please choose a boat and set out onto Jianzhen Lake. Just tell the boatman where you’d like to go. Once you are at least a hundred feet from the shore and feel ready, you may leap directly into the lake to enter the ruins. As for the dangers within, I will not elaborate further. You are all intelligent geniuses who can surely weigh the risks. If anything seems amiss, you must return immediately."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Jianzhen Lake ruins are now open. I hope you all have a rewarding expedition and return laden with treasures."

As soon as Yao Qinglai finished, the young geniuses enthusiastically leaped onto the boats, each scrambling to be the first to row out onto the lake.

Xie Yuan and Qin Zhenyang exchanged a look before Qin Zhenyang asked Yao Qinglai in a low voice,

"Elder Yao, my junior brother and I would like to share a boat. Is that permissible?"

Yao Qinglai paused for a moment, glanced at the two of them, and said casually,

"Do as you please."

Xie Yuan and Qin Zhenyang then quietly boarded the same boat.

’Even if Yao Qinglai had found an excuse to refuse, it wouldn’t have made a difference. We could have just moved our boats closer together before entering the lake. Still, it was a good way to test his reaction. He doesn’t seem to find anything amiss.’

The two boarded impassively and had the boatman row forward. Their target...

"Ahem. Excuse me, sir. Please follow that Daoist’s boat."

Xie Yuan gave a light cough, preparing to tail Zhang Junyi.

"You got it."

SPLASH... SPLASH...

They weren’t far from the shore when people, unable to wait any longer, began jumping into the water one after another. Xie Yuan stared intently, his eyes narrowing.

The sun was bright and the lake water was clear. It was perhaps twenty or thirty feet deep, and you could almost see the bottom.

Those who leaped into the lake looked normal at first, their forms distorted by the ripples they created. But a moment later, their figures grew fainter and fainter, becoming increasingly difficult to see. By the time the ripples subsided, they had vanished completely.

It was as if they had been devoured by the great lake.

Xie Yuan shook his head, trying to cast off the strange notion.

’Right now, Jianzhen Lake nominally belongs to the Yao family. They manage it, and other families have to pay them a fee to enter. But in reality, the Yao family no longer has the final say in allocating the entry slots. As a courtesy, they’re given two slots to keep for themselves, but the rest are negotiated among the various other families, who then just symbolically purchase ’tickets’ to enter. The ticket fees are substantial, of course, but well worth it for a chance to enter. In this way, the Yao family has cleverly passed off a hot potato while still recouping significant resources. A fine example of the political wisdom of the great clans. But since they’ve given up control of Jianzhen Lake, they’ll likely never get it back, even if the Yao family recovers its former strength—not unless they become powerful enough to dominate the world. So, while the Yao family still nominally controls Jianzhen Lake, their lack of true power makes them little more than caretakers. They have neither the strength nor the motive to harm the disciples of the other Major Sects who come here. In fact, they wouldn’t dare. If Jianzhen Lake were to swallow all thirteen of us today, the other Major Sects would each lose an outstanding disciple or two, but the Yao family would face their combined wrath and suffer utter annihilation.’

Xie Yuan gazed at the faint ripples on the lake, then looked up at Zhang Junyi, whose boat had stopped nearby. He cupped his hands in greeting.

"Daoist Zhang," he called out. "A fine view on this lake. Why don’t we travel together?"

Zhang Junyi seemed surprised for a moment. He glanced at Xie Yuan, who had hailed him, and Qin Zhenyang beside him, then replied coolly,

"Suit yourself."

He had no idea about Xie Yuan’s other identity, which Xie Yuan found secretly amusing.

’Just two days ago, weren’t you asking to become my disciple to learn Sweeping a Thousand Armies? I almost ended up in the same generation as Master Yuxu. And now he’s acting so cold.’

’No matter,’ Xie Yuan thought. He was in no rush to reveal his identity. Zhang Junyi had a righteous heart; if they ran into trouble down there, they could surely watch each other’s backs.

"Senior Brother Qin, shall we get in?"

Xie Yuan glanced at Qin Zhenyang.

Qin Zhenyang gazed at the water and nodded.

"I’m ready when you are."

Seeing that Zhang Junyi was also preparing to jump from his boat nearby, Xie Yuan touched the Jade Pendant tucked inside his robe and took a shallow breath.

"Then let’s go here."

With that, he and Qin Zhenyang stood at the edge of the boat and took a step forward in unison.

SPLASH.

’A perfect synchronized dive. Minimal splash...’

Xie Yuan’s mind drifted for a moment.

He was in the lake.

Everything suddenly went quiet, as if the outside world had been sealed away, leaving only the GURGLE GURGLE of bubbles.

The moment you slip beneath the water while swimming often feels like entering another world.

For Xie Yuan, that feeling was even more pronounced now.

He looked up slightly. Above the undulating surface was a patch of brightness, but the light from the sky seemed incredibly distant, as if it were gradually receding from him.

The churning water and bubbles blurred his vision. Qin Zhenyang was right beside him, but his form was twisted by the currents, making him look ethereal.

The Jade Pendant tucked in his robe began to warm. Xie Yuan felt himself being enveloped by a strange power, his own body seeming to ripple and disperse with the current.