Chapter 687 - 424: Black Jade Pool

The two entered the narrow stone gate and walked into a low space.

As soon as they stepped inside, Duan Rong felt a cold chill envelop him, as if the cold could penetrate the Primordial Qi and seep into his bones. Despite having reached the realm of Primordial Qi, he couldn’t help but shiver.

After achieving Great Perfection in the True Qi Realm, martial artists no longer fear worldly cold, let alone Duan Rong, who has reached the Primordial Qi Realm. It’s been a long time since he knew what cold felt like.

Lu Geng had already taken out a flint, lighting a candle lamp on the stone wall by the door.

The dim candlelight instantly filled the narrow, dark stone room. In the center of the stone chamber’s ground, there was a dark pool from which wisps of almost visible cold air billowed out.

Lu Geng said, "This is the Black Jade Pool!"

"Black Jade Pool?"

"Yes!" Lu Geng looked at the dark pool before continuing, "It’s made from Cold Marrow Ice Jade, entirely black as ink. The Yin Cold Qi within the Black Jade Pool can lock the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi contained in the Primordial Beast Flesh, preventing it from dissipating."

Under the candlelight, Duan Rong’s eyes flickered.

Suddenly, Lu Geng bent down, reaching into a corner of the room, taking out a long item, and said to Duan Rong, "This is a Black Jade Box, which can be carried easily!"

Looking at the Black Jade Box, Duan Rong’s gaze flickered. He had seen this item before!

Lu Geng continued, "When we execute missions, we usually use this Black Jade Box to carry some Primordial Beast Flesh with us for quick recovery. In the mortal world, Primordial Qi is thin, making replenishment difficult. Therefore, carrying Primordial Beast Flesh in a Black Jade Box is particularly important. Sometimes, the amount of Primordial Beast Flesh carried can even turn the tide in a battle and reverse the situation."

Listening to Lu Geng’s words, Duan Rong’s gaze was filled with yearning.

He suddenly remembered the Battle of Filthy Blood that he and Xiao Yu encountered when they returned to Xianggu County after three years as a registered disciple.

At that time, several inner sect disciples of the same sect, including Jiang Zhe, were present to assist against the Head Altar Law Envoy Wei Ziyan of the Filthy Blood Sect.

Jiang Zhe and the others attacked Wei Ziyan using a strategy of rotation, and during recovery, they took out the same type of Black Jade Box as this one.

Duan Rong remembered that what they swallowed was something resembling candied haws.

Now, Duan Rong finally understood what it was. What they swallowed was Primordial Beast Flesh, only cut into small pieces and eroded by the cold air in the Black Jade Box, indeed resembling candied haws.

Duan Rong threw a claw, a tail, and a blood pouch into the Black Jade Pool, and the two of them walked out as the narrow stone gate slowly closed behind them, sealing the eerie cold air inside the cramped space.

Lu Geng led Duan Rong to a corner of the cultivation chamber, where a box was placed next to a dust-covered mat full of cobwebs. On top of the box lay an old duster.

Lu Geng opened the box, stirring up dust that made him cough repeatedly.

Duan Rong leaned in, looking into the wooden box, finding it stuffed with various items.

Lu Geng took out the items one by one and laid them out in front of Duan Rong, then pointed at a scroll and said, "This scroll is the Exotic Beast Manual, which largely records the various Primordial Beasts within the Dark Forest."

"This is a Geomancy Map, although somewhat outdated now. It correctly notes locations like Water Source Valley, directions, and drop points. However, the habitats of various Primordial Beasts have long shifted and changed, no longer resembling the map."

Duan Rong said, "The map in Senior Brother Wu’s hand is new, right?"

"His is updated from years of exploration," Lu Geng smiled and said, "If you wish, you could also borrow it from Senior Brother Wu to take a look."

Duan Rong said, "I was just asking casually."

Lu Geng held a dark key and said, "This key is for the stone gate we use to enter the Dark Forest."

Duan Rong’s gaze shifted, and he asked, "Can one enter the Dark Forest alone?"

Lu Geng said, "In principle, inner sect disciples can freely enter and exit the Dark Forest. However, this time we’ve already taken you on a trial run; the forest is still full of dangers, and we haven’t ventured deep in. The two-legged Frenzied Python, while fierce, is still a low-tier Primordial Beast. Going deeper into the Dark Forest, you’ll find mid-tier and high-tier beasts."

This was the first time Duan Rong heard from Lu Geng about the tier classification of Primordial Beasts.

It turns out, the two-legged Frenzied Python was merely a low-tier Primordial Beast.

Even a low-tier beast was so ferocious, requiring two Qi Vortex Realm experts to work together to kill it. Mid-tier and high-tier Primordial Beasts must be unimaginably terrifying.

Lu Geng continued, "Previously, if Senior Sister Fan and Senior Brother Wu were away, Wang Yue and I also ventured in but never went deep. We stayed near the Cyan Light Grass and only hunted small Primordial Beasts. Junior Brother, let me advise you strongly: never enter the Dark Forest alone. If Senior Sister Fan and Senior Brother Wu aren’t accompanying you, at the very least, go with Wang Yue and me."

Duan Rong said, "Rest assured, Senior Brother Lu. I won’t rush in by myself."

"It’s good that you remember," Lu Geng said, "Don’t blame me for being nagging. Junior Brother, your ways are strange; Senior Brother can’t help but remind you a few more times."

"Where? If Senior Brother is willing to teach me, he sees me as a brother. How could I, Duan Rong, not know what’s good for me?"

Lu Geng patted Duan Rong’s shoulder and said, "Little Junior Brother, you are right. We are fellow disciples after all, like brothers."

In this trip to the Dark Forest, Lu Geng naturally noticed that Fan Hongjiao’s attitude towards Duan Rong was quite different. Surely, Zhu He’s instructions were involved. This little junior brother possessed extraordinary talent, clearly held a significant weight in Zhu He’s mind. It would be best to make friends with him early.

He had been at Yunfu Peak for over seven years now.

Wu Shidao’s mind was deep, and Fan Hongjiao was highly trusted. The positions of these two were unshakable. Others, though direct disciples, were only backup and merely cannon fodder. Like Wang Yue, if he doesn’t break through to the Third Level this year, he will become abandoned, with all resources drastically reduced.

He was no different. Although he barely broke through to the Fourth Level a month ago, he was only struggling on the line between life and death. If he doesn’t break through to the Qi Vortex Realm within four years, he will also become abandoned, especially since the situation is more complex now, with a highly talented little junior brother joining.

Although Lu Geng didn’t say it, the pressure he felt was immense, to say the least.

After Lu Geng left, Duan Rong put those things back in the chest and then looked at the dusty cultivation chamber, wiped some dust off the nearby mat, and sighed, "How many years has it been since someone entered here? It’s like an abandoned warehouse."

Duan Rong took the key and walked out of the cultivation chamber. After arriving at the back of the first floor hall, he handed the key to the attendants, instructing them, "This is the key to the cultivation chamber next to Senior Brother Lu’s. Do you know which one I’m talking about?"

The attendant respectfully responded, "Yes, my lord! It’s the easternmost one of the remaining three cultivation chambers."

Duan Rong nodded and said, "Clean it up for me. Don’t replace any artifacts inside, you can get me a new mat, but don’t throw away the old one! I have use for it!"

"Yes, my lord!" The attendant responded respectfully, but he felt puzzled as to why the newly arrived lord would make such an odd request. Normally people would have the old ones discarded when replaced with new ones. He had served many, and this was the first time encountering such a request, truly hard to fathom.

"Perhaps this lord has some peculiar habits..." Duan Rong had already left, but the attendant was still pondering.

After instructing them, Duan Rong returned to his room in the pavilion, ordered some food, and had a hearty meal.

In the Dark Forest, although he hadn’t made a move, he had been following closely, filled with anxiety, exhausting his mental energy. Not to mention, climbing from the depths along the crevice had nearly drained him of strength.

After eating his fill, Duan Rong lay on the bed and took a nap.

Upon waking, he found it was already pitch dark outside, silent all around. Clearly, it was late at night, with only the faint sound of insects, further accentuating the tranquility of the Endless Mountains.

Duan Rong turned over and got out of bed. He’d slept for quite a stretch.

He washed up briefly, then took advantage of the night to go to the back of the first floor hall of the pavilion.

Under the night sky, the candle was hung high, but there was only one attendant on night duty.

Duan Rong glanced at him and asked, "Are you the only one here?"

The attendant answered, "Reporting to you, my lord, there are two people on night duty. The other had some matter to attend to inside."

Duan Rong gave a slight nod and asked, "Is the cultivation chamber prepared?"

The attendant respectfully offered a key to Duan Rong, saying, "It has been prepared."

Duan Rong took the key and said, "Open the wooden wall door, I want to go in."

"Yes!"

As the carved wooden wall before him opened to the sides, Duan Rong walked slowly into the cave.

Just after entering the cave, arriving at the stone chamber set with the Statue of the Unmoving Bright King, he saw an attendant coming out from a stone door, holding a wooden tray.

The attendant slightly paused upon seeing Duan Rong, immediately bent and respectfully greeted him as ’my lord.’

Duan Rong’s eyes shifted slightly, and he asked, "What were you doing inside?"

The attendant answered, "Delivering some food to Lord Fan."

Duan Rong made an ’oh’ sound, glanced at the stone door the attendant had come from, then turned and left. He remembered Fan Hongjiao saying she would be in seclusion for a few days.

The attendant remained bent until Duan Rong turned to leave, then he straightened up and walked out.

Duan Rong entered his own cultivation chamber, found it completely renewed, with two mats, new and old, placed next to each other against the wall. Moreover, the chamber’s old artifacts were all polished clean.

Duan Rong walked over slowly, picked up an old duster, and thought to himself, "Read Artifact Spirit!"