A Spirit Turtle in Chishui Pool!

"With three Divine Strength Realm martial artists dead, will the Sand Dragon Sect really let the matter drop?" Tao Shen asked with some hesitation. "It matters not. I shall write a letter and have someone take it to the Sand Dragon Sect," Yun Haitang said coldly. "When the time comes, whether the Sand Dragon Sect chooses war or peace is up to them. Provided they are not utterly foolish, they should know how to make the right choice." Such was the martial world. Blind slaughter achieved nothing unless one wiped out the entire Sand Dragon Sect. Yet without sufficient strength, one stood even less chance. The present arrangement was ideal. Dao Twelve handled the killing, while she handled the aftermath. The Sand Dragon Sect had already lost three Divine Strength Realm martial artists. If they lost any more, their standing in Taoyuan Prefecture would be in serious jeopardy. This time, the Sand Dragon Sect had no choice but to swallow their bitter loss. Lu Changsheng suddenly asked, "Patriarch Tao, I have a list of rare treasures. I wonder if the Tao family possesses any of them?" "Rare treasures? My Tao family has traded for many years and ought to have amassed quite a collection. Could you let me take a look at the list, Mister Dao?" Tao Shen was eager to oblige. He could already tell that "Mister Dao" was the true pillar of strength here. Even though the Tao family had affiliated itself with the Heavenly Maiden Sect, they still needed a patron within the sect. Being attached to the Heavenly Maiden in name alone was not enough; winning Dao Twelve's favor was the true guarantee of their safety. Lu Changsheng produced the list directly. On it were the rare treasures required for the Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method. He had even included the list of ingredients for refining the Divine Strength Great Pill. After all, the Tao family now counted as part of the Heavenly Maiden Sect's sphere of influence. Naturally, it was best if they could gather as many materials as possible. "Two of these rare treasures happen to be in our treasury," Tao Shen answered truthfully. "As for the rest, I know one of them should be near Chishui Pool. However, Chishui Pool has been dangerous lately, and people no longer venture there." "Wait. Could you fetch those two rare treasures and let me see them?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. Tao Shen immediately ordered his servants to bring the two treasures. Lu Changsheng inspected them and found that they were indeed two of the rare treasures he needed: Three Ginseng Grass and Earth Mother Root. "Very good. Prepare a quiet room for me; I need to cultivate." Lu Changsheng made no attempt to conceal his intention. "Mister Dao, please follow me." Tao Shen personally led Lu Changsheng to a quiet room. Lu Changsheng immediately circulated the Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method and began refining the two rare treasures. By now, he was thoroughly familiar with the process. Before long, Lu Changsheng underwent two successive marrow transformations and blood exchanges, raising the strength of his physical body to the measure of one hundred and twenty tripods. Recently, relying on his martial conceptions and the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method, he had been practically invincible, sweeping through all opposition. Yet this did not make him carried away with pride. He understood very well that cultivation was the true foundation, and the physical body was the bedrock. Lu Changsheng spent some more time in the quiet room consolidating his gains. Only after three days did he emerge. The moment he stepped outside, he found Tao Shen beaming with excitement—in fact, the entire Tao family from top to bottom was overjoyed. "Has the Tao family's trouble been resolved?" Lu Changsheng asked. "Yes! It is all thanks to you, Mister Dao, and to the Heavenly Maiden," Tao Shen said, his delight plain to see. "The Sand Dragon Sect has formally acknowledged our affiliation with the Heavenly Maiden Sect. So long as no new conflict arises, they will not move against us again." Although the Tao family was ultimately subordinating itself to a greater power, they retained control over their enterprises. The Heavenly Maiden still employed the Tao family's own people, so the day-to-day impact on them was minimal. Furthermore, with a backing patron secured, their business might even expand further. "By the way, you mentioned there is an ice fruit tree near Chishui Pool," Lu Changsheng asked, puzzled. "Given the climate of Taoyuan Prefecture, it shouldn't be possible for an ice fruit tree to grow, let alone bear ice fruit, right?" Ice fruit was one of the rare treasures required for the Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method, and it typically grew only in bitterly cold lands. Taoyuan Prefecture could hardly be described as bitterly cold. Tao Shen nodded. "It is indeed very strange. Moreover, that ice fruit tree hasn't been there forever; it only appeared in recent decades. I don't know the reason, but people truly have harvested ice fruit near Chishui Pool before. It's just that Chishui Pool has become plagued with perils recently, and martial artists who went to investigate never returned. Over time, the area around Chishui Pool turned into a forbidden zone, and ordinary martial artists dare not set foot there." Lu Changsheng looked thoughtful. Regardless, since ice fruit had appeared, he had to go take a look. He notified Yun Haitang, asking her to stay in Taoyuan Prefecture for a few more days. Then, he departed Tao Manor alone and set off toward Chishui Pool. Chishui Pool lay in the mountains outside Taoyuan City. Its location was not difficult to find, especially with the map Tao Shen had given him. Plunging into the deep mountains, Lu Changsheng soon arrived before Chishui Pool. People said Chishui Pool was perilous, yet he could not sense the slightest danger. The pool's water resembled rust. Lu Changsheng guessed that there were probably certain minerals in the water; there was such a high concentration of them that the pool had taken on this distinct hue. Chishui Pool was vast. Lu Changsheng searched carefully along its shores. At last, he spotted the ice fruit tree, which was laden with many ice fruits. However, not far from the tree, by the edge of the pool, sat a burly middle-aged man wearing a hooded cloak. He was sitting cross-legged by the pool, doing who knew what. *Someone's here?* Lu Changsheng was surprised. Hadn't they said Chishui Pool was dangerous and practically no one dared enter? He hadn't expected someone else to venture in and sit right by the water's edge. Still, Chishui Pool was no one's private territory, and anyone could come. Lu Changsheng's objective was the ice fruit, so he walked straight toward the tree and reached out to pluck one. *Clack.* Suddenly, a pebble was flicked straight at Lu Changsheng. The force behind it was formidable. Lu Changsheng reached out and caught the pebble firmly in his palm. He turned his gaze toward the stranger sitting by the pool. After all, the two of them were the only people in the entire area. "What is the meaning of this, sir?" Lu Changsheng asked in a deep voice, furrowing his brow. The stranger lifted his head, without even opening his eyes, and said coldly, "The ice fruits on that tree are my bait for fishing. You may not touch them." "Consider this a warning. Disobey next time, and I will show no mercy." The man was even more overbearing than Lu Changsheng. It had been a long time since Lu Changsheng encountered someone so arrogant. In Zhanhai City and Taoyuan Prefecture, he was always the one issuing warnings to others. He had not expected someone to warn him today. "I am taking those ice fruits," Lu Changsheng said, not bothering with pleasantries. *Clang!* In the next instant, Lu Changsheng drew his blade. The Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon within him ignited, and his qi and blood detonated, transforming into a crimson blade-light that slashed toward the man. Lu Changsheng did not hold back in the slightest. The Starry Sky Waterfall Conception erupted instantly. The entire Chishui Pool seemed to transform into a vast starry sky. A three-thousand-foot waterfall crashed down, carrying terrifying might as it fused with the blade-light. "Hmm? A martial conception?" The stranger opened his eyes in a flash. The moment he opened his eyes, Lu Changsheng felt as though the entire Chishui Pool had shifted. A majestic mountain peak hung across the void. A speck of starlight accompanied by a thunderous roar fell like a mountain, slamming violently into Lu Changsheng's three-thousand-foot starry sky waterfall. *Boom!* The two forces collided savagely. Lu Changsheng's blade-light shattered on impact. Even the three-thousand-foot starry sky waterfall crumbled into pieces in an instant, forcing Lu Changsheng back several steps. *What?* Lu Changsheng was shaken. This was the first time that an attack combining the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon and the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception had been repelled in a direct clash. "Again!" This time, Lu Changsheng's expression grew exceedingly solemn. *Rumble!* The starry sky waterfall manifested once more, accompanied by the crashing roar of ocean waves. Waves surged and churned, rolling across heaven and earth like a tidal wave as they swept toward the stranger. The Starry Sky Waterfall, the Ocean Wave Conception, combined with the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon—all brought together, even if it did not reach a thousand tripods of force, it could not be far off. Yet the man merely pointed a single finger. *Buzz.* That single finger seemed to coalesce into a towering mountain peak, falling from the void as though capable of suppressing all creation. Furthermore, this strike was different from the last. Lu Changsheng could clearly sense that the sheer vastness of this power far surpassed a thousand tripods of force. If that finger landed, Lu Changsheng felt he would die! "Lin!" Lu Changsheng roared, unleashing the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method with all his might. A reverberation like a bronze bell echoed in the stranger's ears. The man's movements paused slightly. It was merely a slight pause, lasting perhaps less than a tenth of an instant before he returned to normal. Yet that brief pause was enough for Lu Changsheng's blade-light to strike home during that frozen instant. *Thud.* A dull thud sounded. Lu Changsheng's heart sank. His full-power strike had produced only a dull thud upon hitting the man! When the blood-red light dispersed and the dust cleared, Lu Changsheng focused his gaze. A layer of blood-colored armor was faintly visible over the stranger's body, enveloping him completely. Lu Changsheng's slash had struck the blood-red armor without leaving the slightest mark. Like a ripple spreading across water, it caused only a faint tremor before dissipating without any effect. Seeing this, Lu Changsheng's heart sank further. Divine Gang! This was Divine Gang! Lu Changsheng recognized it almost immediately: this was the realm beyond the Divine Strength Realm—the Divine Gang Realm! "The Divine Gang Realm!" Lu Changsheng had never imagined he would encounter a Divine Gang Realm expert at this humble Chishui Pool. Martial artists in the Divine Strength Realm experienced a massive enhancement to their physical bodies, gaining terrifying strength. Yet their bodies still possessed weaknesses and flaws—and glaring ones at that, chief among them being defense! Even if a Divine Strength Realm expert's body was stronger than that of an Organ Refining martial artist, that advantage was limited. If pierced by a blade or sword, they would still die. No matter how fast they recovered, if their heart was pierced through, recovery was impossible. A single sword or blade strike could end their life. The Divine Gang Realm was entirely different. The Divine Gang Realm rectified the shortcomings of the Divine Strength Realm. The greatest change for a Divine Gang Realm martial artist was that their physical body formed a protective shroud of Divine Gang. So long as the Divine Gang remained unbroken, the martial artist was practically unkillable. On a battlefield, a Divine Gang Realm martial artist could easily crash through an army of tens of thousands. While a military formation could ensnare and kill Divine Strength Realm martial artists, to a Divine Gang Realm expert, it was merely a matter of spending a little more time slaughtering them all. The Divine Gang Realm truly reduced "numerical superiority" to a joke. "Just who are you, sir?" Lu Changsheng asked in a deep voice. No martial artist in the Divine Gang Realm could ever be an unknown nobody. The mysterious Divine Gang expert, however, was equally interested in Lu Changsheng—or rather, in Lu Changsheng's Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method. "To be able to freeze my spirit and qi and blood, even for merely an instant, is quite remarkable." "Just now, you uttered 'Lin.' There's no mistake; that must be the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method, isn't it? And at the Perfection stage, no less." The stranger stared intently at Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng did not answer. He had already abandoned all hope of obtaining the ice fruits. In the face of the Divine Gang Realm, his current strength was not enough to claim them. Fortunately, his Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method still worked against a Divine Gang Realm martial artist. If the man wanted to kill him, it would not be easy either. Just as Lu Changsheng considered retreating and leaving Chishui Pool, the stranger spoke again: "If you can use your Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method in a moment to help me freeze the thing in Chishui Pool, I can give you the ice fruit." "Hmm?" Lu Changsheng looked up at him. Compared to the ice fruit, Lu Changsheng was actually more curious about what lurked in Chishui Pool. What could cause a Divine Gang Realm powerhouse to wait here like an angler waiting for fish? "What is inside Chishui Pool?" Lu Changsheng asked. "A spirit." "What do you mean?" Lu Changsheng frowned. "There is a spirit in Chishui Pool! I have to fish it out; all its life, it has loved ice fruit above all else." Lu Changsheng's curiosity deepened. However, he did not agree immediately, preferring to observe first. The stranger wrapped an ice fruit in his qi and blood and cast it into the water. Then, he waited quietly. Roughly half an hour passed. *Rumble!* The pool shook violently. A massive head emerged from the water, followed by an enormous turtle rising to the surface. The man's qi and blood erupted instantly, straining to restrain the giant turtle. Given the physical foundation of the Divine Gang Realm, how vast was his qi and blood? Yet the turtle before them was simply too gigantic. With a slight jolt, it effortlessly shattered the man's qi and blood. "Quick! Use the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method to shake its consciousness!" the stranger shouted. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng roared, "Lin!" Instantly, the giant turtle stiffened. The stranger leapt into the air, landing on the giant turtle's back. He produced a dagger and lightly slashed across the turtle's foot. *Squelch.* The dagger was exceptionally sharp, slicing open the turtle's foot in an instant. Drops of blood flowed out, which the man caught in a porcelain vial. However, he dared not linger. He immediately leaped back to the shore. "What are you still doing? Run!" The man saw Lu Changsheng still observing the giant turtle. What was there to observe at a time like this? Run! He had taken advantage of it today; if the giant turtle went berserk, let alone him, ten of him would be doomed. *Boom!* The giant turtle was enraged. The entire pool was thrown into upheaval, and a terrifying surge of water shot straight into the sky. Lu Changsheng finally saw the turtle clearly. To call it gigantic was an understatement. He had originally thought a giant turtle was hiding within the pool. But now he realized he had been wrong. It wasn't that a giant turtle was hidden in the pool—the entire pool *was* the turtle! Even the pool itself could scarcely contain it. The mountains and forest shuddered around them. "This is the spirit you spoke of?" Lu Changsheng's mind was reeling with shock. "Indeed! Hurry and run! Spirits rarely kill and usually have mild temperaments, but I drew its blood today, so it is definitely furious. If we don't run, it'll swallow us whole!" Hearing this, Lu Changsheng was at a loss for words. Just where had this stranger gotten the audacity to provoke such a terrifying monster?