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Chapter 12: The Thousand-Fathom Cold Pool
🕑 Added 2025-01-25 09:49:12 +0000 UTCThe bamboo forest of the Wanjian Sect was always tranquil, guarded only by a lone sentry with a sword in hand. Beyond that, it was a haven for birds, insects, and flowers living in carefree harmony.
By the stone pool in the distance stood a young woman, her long sword slicing through the air as she struck at a bamboo stalk.
Her sleeves fluttered in the breeze, causing waves to ripple across the sea of bamboo.
Yet the bamboo remained as unyielding as a boulder, standing tall and immovable.
“This is too weak,” Ji Rong muttered, sheathing her sword with a furrowed brow. She murmured to herself, “Why am I always just a bit off with the twentieth move?”
She had received her sect assignment only yesterday and was now completing the task of cutting down three bamboo stalks.
The green bamboo of Feilai Peak was no ordinary bamboo.
The Wanjian Sect, situated where the world's spiritual energy converged, nurtured these bamboos into giants. The tallest ones soared into the clouds, while the shorter ones were still as tall as a small building.
For inner sect disciples, the bamboo forest was a haven of spiritual energy and an excellent place for cultivation.
Having completed most of her required credits, Ji Rong had been chopping bamboo in the forest for two days and nights.
From the first move, "Mountains and Seas," to the twentieth move, "Boundless Clouds," from the Silent Peaks Sword Manual, she had barely managed to fell three stalks.
Ji Rong hadn't expected her first sect assignment to be so arduous—let alone the upcoming sect competition in a month.
The competition itself wasn’t particularly significant, except for the fact that only the winner could observe the Sword Stele.
The Sword Stele was the site where the Sword Saint Yue Qianqiu once trained. It was said that the stele had originally been a small hill, which Yue Qianqiu’s sword intent had carved into numerous steles covered in sword inscriptions.
In the game, the protagonist had taken first place in the sect competition, earning the right to study the sword intent within the stele forest. She had a breakthrough overnight, advancing from mid-Spiritual Communication Realm to mid-Heart-Seeking Realm.
At the time, everyone thought the protagonist’s meridians had shattered and her cultivation was gone.
But with lucky encounters and heavy investments, she had emerged victorious, defeating NPCs left and right, much to the delight of the players.
It was an enviable moment, but...
Unfortunately, Ji Rong was now the villain.
She refused to believe she could lose to Gu Baiyi, who had only reached the Spiritual Communication Realm at sixteen and was likely still in its middle stage.
The original Ji Rong had achieved fame early and was now in the initial stage of the Heart-Seeking Realm, a standout among her peers. How could she possibly lose to a “bottom-tier” protagonist?
[Friendly reminder: At your current snail’s pace of bamboo cutting, it’s highly likely.]
Ji Rong: “...”
Her system’s mocking comment only strengthened her resolve to win first place.
At that moment, an idea struck her. She remembered that the game had a secret spot where one could rapidly gain cultivation.
That place was called the Cold Pool, a hidden area from the fourth side quest in the protagonist’s storyline after entering Wanjian Sect.
The Cold Pool was located in an underground cave beneath the Myriad Medicine Valley, a restricted area of the sect. Ji Rong recalled that she had completed a side quest here during the game, gaining 500 cultivation points.
Though unsure of its exact mysteries, Ji Rong decided she would sneak in tonight under the cover of darkness.
Looking at the little snow fox napping soundly as she practiced, Ji Rong thought, It’s about time this useless fox contributed something.
At midnight, the Myriad Medicine Valley exuded a fragrant aroma as its plants absorbed the moon’s essence. Four patrol guards stationed at the restricted area ensured no one entered.
The moonlight shimmered, and the alluring fragrance from the forbidden area seemed to seep into their lungs.
Even though the guards were at the early Riding the Wind Realm, they had to chant a mantra to resist the temptation.
Snap.
A sound broke the stillness.
The four guards tensed, moving swiftly toward the source and parting a lush clump of orchids.
Inside lay a docile snow fox, its round eyes looking innocently up at them.
The guards exchanged glances, their wariness dissipating.
“A false alarm. Just a fox showing up this late.”
“Judging by its appearance, it’s probably a spirit pet of one of the inner sect disciples. Ran off in the middle of the night, and they’re probably worried sick.”
As they chatted, a shadow silently slipped past them and vanished into the forbidden area.
The snow fox, seeing its owner disappear into the restricted zone, let out a few soft whimpers.
The fox, with its gleaming fur and intelligent demeanor, charmed the guards, who reached out to pet it.
But just as a hand touched its head, the fox snapped its sharp teeth onto the offender’s fingers.
“Ah! Damn beast—”
Before they could react, the fox darted away, vanishing into the forest like a puff of smoke.
Far away, in a secluded spot, the snow-white fur dissolved into a glow, revealing a girl’s form.
Her eyelashes were frosted, her dark eyes reflecting moonlight. She inhaled the lunar essence greedily, the energy coursing through her veins invigorating her demon bloodline.
As the girl finished absorbing the spiritual energy, her reflection in the pool revealed a vermillion mark on her forehead. She sighed softly, “Fate has dealt me a poor master; a fox’s life is hard indeed.”
Within the Forbidden Area of Myriad Medicine Valley
Ji Rong lit a small flame talisman, cautiously making her way forward.
The darkness was oppressive, and she nearly tripped over a loose stone.
Rubbing her nose, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had just cursed her. Shaking the thought away, she pressed her palm against the rock wall, carefully avoiding the creeping vines and hidden thorns.
This time, she wasn’t wearing the original Ji Rong’s perpetually flowy robes but had instead purchased a form-fitting night outfit at the market. Lightweight and practical, it was ideal for sneaking around.
Trailing her hand along the damp stone, Ji Rong thought to herself, Who knows how long it’s been since I last wore something a normal person would wear?
The cave was humid, and droplets occasionally fell from the stone ceiling. Her tight nightwear clung even closer to her figure, but Ji Rong was in no mood to admire the original host’s graceful curves. She continued slowly, eventually reaching the end of the cave, where she pulled aside a tangle of withered vines.
With a sudden burst of light, the scene before her came into view.
At the valley’s bottom flowed a deep, cold spring.
The spring was shaped like a yin-yang symbol, divided into two halves by a two-foot-thick block of ice. The boundary was so precise it seemed carved by nature itself.
It really is the Cold Pool.
Delighted, Ji Rong removed her shoes and stepped into the pool barefoot.
The moment her feet entered, a bone-chilling cold pierced through her body like a venomous toxin, invading her meridians. The true energy in her dantian began to surge chaotically.
Ji Rong was stunned but had no choice but to regulate her breathing. Yet, her internal energy remained erratic.
[Friendly Reminder: The recommended cultivation level for entering the Cold Pool is Riding the Wind Realm. At your current level, it might not be advisable to enter.]
Ji Rong: ???
“‘Not advisable’?!”
Before the system’s warning, she had considered retreating. But now that it had said so, her pride wouldn’t let her back down.
I’m already here. There’s no way I’m turning back.
Resolutely, Ji Rong plunged deeper into the pool, submerging half her body in the icy water.
The millennium-old cold seeped into her meridians, freezing them solid. Even attempting to gather energy in her dantian proved futile.
The cold spring was like a blade, slicing through her meridians and skin with unbearable pain.
Gritting her teeth, Ji Rong endured the suffocating chill and the sensation of her meridians being meticulously cleansed. Gradually, amidst the freezing agony, she began to feel a newfound clarity in her energy pathways.
Just think of it as a really bad period, she consoled herself through clenched teeth.
As time passed, the biting cold became strangely soothing. Her body grew lighter, and even with her eyes closed, she could sense her surroundings in her mind’s eye. Every droplet that fell into the pool resonated vividly in her perception.
Hours later, the pain of the icy blade subsided. The water turned gentle, like silk, cleansing her meridians of impurities.
Opening her eyes, Ji Rong noticed that the once-clear pool water had turned slightly murky. A faint milky-white haze surrounded her, likely the impurities expelled from her body.
This pool is amazing.
Rising to her feet, Ji Rong caught sight of her reflection in the water. Though her face was pale, her skin appeared smoother and fairer—a small silver lining amidst the ordeal.
She was about to leave the forbidden area when she remembered the other half of the pool.
What could be on the other side?
Curiosity piqued, she exited the Cold Pool and circled around the ice block to the other half.
What she found was starkly different.
The other side was a desolate scene of withered moonlight grass. In the midst of the decay, black mist churned ominously, thick with demonic energy.
Though Ji Rong was familiar with the plot, she didn’t expect any real danger here. After all, this was a quest area designed to grant easy experience. No mishaps were supposed to occur—
Oh no.
Her breath hitched.
In the center of the dark pool sat a figure.
The person’s features were strikingly beautiful, their presence exuding an air of regal power. Crimson blood marks stretched from their chest to their neck, resembling a phoenix totem.
Feathers of blood-red and black seemed to entwine, converging at a wildly beating heart that threatened to burst free.
Surrounded by dense demonic energy, the figure’s eyes opened, revealing a fiery, blood-red gaze—deep and otherworldly. A flicker of surprise crossed their eyes but was quickly consumed by the overwhelming demonic aura.
Ji Rong felt like she had hit the jackpot of bad luck.
The figure rose gracefully, like a blade unsheathing, emanating a chilling killing intent.
A cold hand clamped around Ji Rong’s throat, cutting off her breath.
The figure—Gu Baiyi—leaned close, their lips brushing her ear as they murmured with an eerie charm, “Senior Sister, it seems you’ve come to the wrong place. Why not stay and keep me company?”
Senior Sister?
Ji Rong’s mind blanked as two words struck her like thunder:
