Chapter 102: Crimson Sun Pearl

Jade Cold Prefecture was nothing more than an obscure, remote corner of the entire Dayong Nation. Due to its proximity to Southern Frost, the climate here was far colder than elsewhere, with bitter winds howling year-round and few outsiders ever setting foot in the region.

Yet within this tiny Jade Cold Prefecture sat four small-scale sects.

The strongest among them boasted no more than a few Golden Core Cultivator elders, and the region had not produced a single Nascent Soul cultivator in several hundred years. Though cultivation resources were not particularly abundant, they were barely sufficient for a mid-sized sect to establish itself. Precisely because of this, relations between the cultivators and sects here were relatively harmonious, with few instances of slaughter or conflict.

Spirit Soul Path was one of the four sects of Jade Cold Prefecture, occupying several unremarkable mountain peaks.

On this day, above the main peak, a dark-colored rainbow streak sped in from the distance. The streak of light crested the mountain ridge and plunged straight into the rear mountains.

Two disciples guarding the mountain gate below looked up.

"Look, a streak of light in flight. That should be Elder Ji of Seven Cloud Mountain. In our Jade Cold Prefecture, he's a figure of considerable renown." The older disciple pointed at the dark light that had just flashed past, muttering under his breath, his eyes filled with envy.

"Wow, so this is a Golden Core grand cultivator?" The younger disciple's face was full of longing, his tone brimming with aspiration.

Rear mountains of Spirit Soul Path, Sect Master's Grand Hall.

"Hehe, Brother Wu, it's been a long time."

At the entrance of the hall, the earlier dark light gradually faded, revealing the figure of a middle-aged man in a white cloak. He beamed and clasped his hands toward another elder in the hall, a white-haired old man in a blue robe with a long beard, his demeanor warm and familiar.

"Brother Ji, the reason you've come to find me this time, is it because you want to enter the Cold Ruins again?"

The white-haired elder didn't wait for the other to continue, quickly waving his hand, his tone carrying a hint of teasing, yet subtly conveying the intent to send him away.

"Not going, not going. That place is fraught with danger, and with miasma formed over thousands of years, it's simply not something mere Golden Core cultivators like us can barge into. Over fifty years ago, a Nascent Soul grand cultivator went in and never came out alive. This old man doesn't have many years left to live anyway, why would I risk that?"

The middle-aged man seemed to have anticipated this reaction. He wasn't anxious at all, merely letting out a cold laugh.

"Brother Wu, rest assured. We've known each other for over a century now. Other than you, there's no one else this old man can trust. The reason I've come to find you this time is that I've made thorough preparations. If you don't believe me, take a look at this."

The moment he finished speaking, a round pearl the size of a palm appeared in his hand. It was perfectly smooth and round, emitting a faint golden glow, with runes seemingly carved within, flowing subtly.

"Crimson Sun Pearl?"

The white-haired elder was somewhat astonished, staring blankly at the golden pearl in the other's hand. It took him a long moment to snap back to reality, and he quickly lowered his voice.

"You actually bought this pearl? Don't tell me you sold that thousand-year Earth Spirit Ginseng? All for the sake of venturing into the Cold Ruins? Why would you do such a thing?"

"It's fine. Just a mere thousand-year spirit ginseng." The man surnamed Ji waved his hand, his tone brimming with determination.

"As long as I can find the Cold Bone Herb, all of this will be worth it. Then we'll refine a furnace of Yang-Penetrating Pills, one for each of us. Who knows, we might both break through the Mid-Golden Core bottleneck and surge straight into the late stage, gaining another ten or twenty years of life. Brother Wu, doesn't that tempt you?"

At these words, the white-haired elder truly began to hesitate. He remained silent, weighing the pros and cons in his heart.

The hall fell quiet in an instant, so silent that even a dropping needle could be heard.

Just as the man surnamed Ji was awaiting the other's response, a strange aura suddenly spread through the hall. Following closely behind was a powerful sense of being watched, a brutal Divine Sense swept over the two of them without the slightest concealment, ice-cold and piercing, like a knife scraping against bone.

The two were immediately startled, looking around in all directions.

Only then did they notice that the hall's entrance had been completely sealed at some point by a strange cyan barrier. Waves of cold air seeped out from the barrier, enveloping the entire hall, making even their breathing feel sluggish.

Seeing this, the two immediately roused their full magical power and quietly retreated a step, staring at the entrance with tense eyes.

The one surnamed Wu in particular had his brows tightly furrowed. At the slightest sign of trouble, he would immediately dart into the secret passage he had long prepared and flee.

Just as the two were reaching the peak of their tension, a figure in a cyan robe slowly walked out from that strange cyan light curtain.

It was Jiuyou.

His gaze calmly rested on the two of them. His Divine Sense had long since discerned every detail of the entire hall. The calculations going through that Wu-surnamed cultivator's mind had naturally been seen through completely as well. His gaze lingered on the Crimson Sun Pearl in the Ji-surnamed cultivator's hand for a brief moment before withdrawing.

Jiuyou remained expressionless, casually flicking his sleeve.

A wave of dark cyan magical power instantly swept through the entire hall, chilling air rushing at their faces like falling into an ice cavern.

"A Nascent Soul cultivator? How does this tiny Jade Cold Prefecture have another Nascent Soul old monster?"

Feeling the fluctuation of this magical power, shock filled the two men's hearts. They tried to step back, but the very next second, their legs lost all sensation. Only then did they realize with horror that, at some point, their legs had been firmly frozen in place. No matter how hard they struggled, they couldn't budge an inch.

Jiuyou spoke unhurriedly, his tone still flat and indifferent, betraying not a trace of emotion.

It wasn't that he didn't want to simply use soul search and be done with it. The soul search technique was certainly convenient, but once performed, it required time to digest the other's memories.

The more one searched, the more chaotic the memories became. At best, it caused memory confusion; at worst, it could affect one's state of mind.

Especially during combat, if confused memories caused one to use the wrong spell or the wrong magic treasure, that would be courting death.

From that point on, Jiuyou had made up his mind: unless it was a matter of utmost importance, he would minimize his use of soul search, lest he throw himself into disarray.

"There's no need for the two of you to be nervous. This one is not a bloodthirsty person. As long as the two of you cooperate well, this Gui will not do anything to you."

The moment these words left Jiuyou's mouth, the two exchanged glances, a glimmer of hope flashing in both their eyes.

"S-senior, please speak. Anything the two of us know, we will certainly tell you without reservation. We only ask that Senior spare our lives afterward."

Jiuyou smiled in satisfaction.

His goal was simple.

To find out what changes had occurred in the Cold Ruins in recent years and what events had taken place. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dong Yanwei; even if the information the other had provided wasn't false, who could guarantee that nothing had changed in these seventy years? What if something major had happened in the Cold Ruins, and he barged in completely unaware? Wouldn't that be walking right into a trap?

"Since the two of you are so forthright, this one won't beat around the bush."

Jiuyou stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across their faces.

"Do the two of you know if there have been any recent changes in the Cold Ruins? I hope both daoist friends will answer truthfully. If you dare utter a single false word..."

He let out a cold laugh, a hint of killing intent lurking within the sound. That killing intent had been forged from centuries of slaughtering countless low and mid-tier cultivators, and even over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators. How could two mere Golden Core cultivators possibly withstand it?

The two felt a chill rise from the depths of their hearts. How could they possibly dare to withhold anything now? They feared that if they were even a second too slow, they might incur the displeasure of this unpredictable Nascent Soul old monster, who would casually strike them dead.