Bloodwood

Relying on the faint wisp of warmth brought by the crimson pellet, Qin Sang struggled to withstand the freezing wind. He kept a close eye on the crimson pellet in his hand, silently calculating the time. He had to leave the deep cavern before the pellet burned out; otherwise, his life would be forfeit, and even the finest treasure would be meaningless. His speed was swift as he plummeted downward. He had no idea how deep he had traveled, yet there was still no trace of any so-called heaven-and-earth treasures. Without him realizing it, the ice layer had vanished, replaced beneath by frozen earth. Even after passing through the thick sheet of ice, he still had not found the source of the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind. Where did this baleful wind originate, and why had it come to be? Qin Sang marveled inwardly. Continuing downward along the frozen soil, he found the subterranean cavern widening steadily. At its deepest point lay a vast abyss stretching beyond sight, filled entirely with wisps of cyan wind. Like swimming fish, they drifted toward the opening where the wind pillars captured them, blending together to be carried outside. Qin Sang dared not enter the abyss. These cyan winds were the true form of the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind; bumping into a wisp even the size of a forearm would freeze him to death in an instant. Had he guessed wrong, and there was nothing here? Or was the thunder-devouring falcon's lair further below the abyss? After all, with the thunder-devouring falcon's might, it feared the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind not in the least. It seemed this trip had been in vain. Qin Sang sighed inwardly and tightened his hand. Nearly half of the crimson pellet in his palm had been consumed, and staying here served no purpose. Just as he was about to turn back, his gaze narrowed. Turning his head, he stared at a distant cliff face. Having inadvertently spotted something, his figure froze. After a moment's hesitation, Qin Sang skirted along the stone wall. Before he had gone far, he indeed saw a pitch-black cave entrance hidden behind several protruding boulders ahead. The entrance was not large—only about as tall as a man and wide enough for three people abreast—and it was perfectly concealed by the boulders. Could this be the thunder-devouring falcon's nest? For a thunder-devouring falcon whose outspread wings could blot out the sun and moon, this cave seemed far too small. Unfamiliar with the habits of thunder-devouring falcons, Qin Sang showed a hint of hesitation. Slowly extending his spiritual sense into the cave, he found no restrictions within. The cold wind rushed into the stone cavern, making it just as frigid as the outside. It looked just like a rough, naturally formed stone cave. Qin Sang pondered briefly, checked the evasion technique concealing him, and carefully stepped into the cave. The cavern was deep. After walking forward some distance, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. Faint warmth actually drifted from deep within the cave, and the bite of the freezing wind weakened somewhat. Taking a few more steps, a faint red light flickered in the dark depths of the cavern, filling Qin Sang with surprise and suspicion. Qin Sang glanced at the crimson pellet in his hand, pressed his lips together, and gritted his teeth as he surged forward. A wave of heat washed over him, sweeping away all the chill from his body. Immediately after, an intensely rich surge of spiritual energy rolled in. Qin Sang's spirits lifted, and he marveled inwardly. The place with the richest spiritual energy he had ever seen was the cavern in the rear mountains of Shaohua Mountain where he had stayed during his Foundation Establishment after enduring the trial of the Red Dust Gourd. That mountain was where the Shaohua Mountain Patriarch, Dongyang Bo, had his immortal's cave, the convergence point of all the sect's spirit veins; even his own spirit spring cave dwelling could not compare to it. Yet compared to this place, even that cavern fell far short. Qin Sang's eyes widened as he surveyed the immortal's cave before him. Despite being so close to the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind, the abode bore not the slightest chill, remaining extraordinarily warm. This was all because a crimson river flowed through it—not an ordinary lava river, but a subterranean fire vein! Beside this fire vein, a small, crystal-clear stream flowed in parallel. This small stream was even more extraordinary: a river of spiritual energy drawn from a spirit spring. A spirit spring gathered into a river! With the subterranean fire vein on the left and the river of spiritual energy on the right, the scenery within the cave abode was shaped by their presence. Beside the subterranean fire vein on the left grew clusters of jade-like plants resembling some sort of red coral, while lush green grass thrived along the banks of the spiritual river, brimming with vitality. Two completely different landscapes coexisted within a single abode, reflecting one another yet remaining starkly divided—a truly wondrous sight. Once he took in the full view of the cave dwelling, Qin Sang was certain: this had to be the thunder-devouring falcon's lair! Such an immortal's cave was peerlessly rare, something one could only stumble upon by sheer chance. Only Transformation-stage great demons and Nascent Soul Patriarchs possessed the capability to locate and occupy a place like this. Marvelling at the miraculous sights of the abode, Qin Sang quickly swept his gaze across every corner, but disappointment gradually crept onto his face. Whether along the subterranean fire vein or the river of spiritual energy, the plants growing all around were merely ordinary mundane grasses, not a single one resembling a heavenly material or earthly treasure. If even he looked down on these things, what could possibly be worth so much trouble to those two Nascent Soul cultivators? No, where was the spirit spring, the source of this river of spiritual energy? Qin Sang fixed his gaze toward the depths of the abode. Cautiously entering, he landed soundlessly on the flat ground between the two streams. After skimming forward for a distance, he finally found the end of both rivers. A pool crafted from spirit jade came into view. The circular jade pool was over a hundred feet across, exquisitely crafted, with every single jade stone meticulously polished. The source of both the subterranean fire vein and the river of spiritual energy was this very jade pool! The two starkly different 'waters' each occupied half of the pool, while right in their center, a silvery-white orb of thunder floated quietly above the water's surface. The jade pool was like a nest nurturing the orb of thunder. Within the thunder orb, arcs of lightning flashed and flickered. Even a stray arc of lightning no thicker than a strand of hair contained terrifying might! Sensing the aura radiating from the lightning, Qin Sang felt a jolt of dread and dared not draw near. Inside the thunder orb, there appeared to be some tiny white fragments. Constantly hammered by lightning, they remained completely undamaged, made of some unknown material. Yet what drew Qin Sang's gaze the most was what lay within the jade pool itself. The clear half of the water was where the spirit spring lay. From within the spring, a striking pillar of bloody light shot upward, tinting the pool water a faint blood-red and casting an exceedingly eerie aura. Focusing his vision, Qin Sang finally saw beneath the bloody light a piece of blood-colored spirit wood. The spirit wood was the color of blood through and through—specifically, a dark, foul crimson like tainted blood. Even submerged in the purest spirit spring, it could not hide the blood-polluted miasma it emitted. Upon seeing this wood, the first thoughts that would come to mind were gloomy words like decay and withering. Qin Sang was taken aback at first, but then a spark ignited in his mind. Abruptly remembering something, profound shock and wild ecstasy surfaced in his eyes. "Could this... be the Boundless Blood Mulberry?" Qin Sang murmured to himself, staring unblinkingly at the bloodwood, unable to tear his eyes away. The Boundless Blood Mulberry was one of the world's Ten Great Divine Woods, the legendary wood of ultimate filth! Qin Sang suddenly recalled a secret Yunyouzi had once mentioned: a Boundless Blood Mulberry had once appeared in Wuya Valley, shattered during a battle among Nascent Soul cultivators. Its fragments had scattered across Wuya Valley, and though many cultivators had searched for the divine wood, all had come away empty-handed. Could this piece of bloodwood be one of those fragments of the Boundless Blood Mulberry, which had landed here after being shattered and was hidden in the spirit spring by the thunder-devouring falcon to be nurtured?