397: Chapter 397 Yin Chi Pearl

Chaos True Essence formed a protective shield around his body, isolating him from the cold qi.

The pool water was dark and gloomy, but to Ye Tian's powerful spiritual sense, it was no different from broad daylight.

He quickly found the white stone platform Shui Qingdie had mentioned.

The stone platform was located in a depression at the bottom of the pool; it was pure white and emitted a water-blue halo.

In the center of the stone platform, a water-drop-shaped blue Talisman Seal floated quietly; it was the water element token.

Beside the stone platform lay a skeleton.

The bones were slender, appearing to be female, and were similarly warm and moist, but they displayed an unnatural deep blue color. Clearly, she had been a water-attribute Cultivator with impressive cultivation before her death, and her remains had been eroded by the pool's yin cold qi.

In the skeleton's hand, she tightly gripped a Jade Slip and an ice-blue Storage Ring.

Ye Tian's heart stirred slightly. He first collected the water element token, then approached the skeleton, bowed respectfully, and carefully removed the Jade Slip and the ring.

As his spiritual sense probed the Jade Slip, a stream of information flowed into his mind.

"Latecomer, I am an Elder of the Bibo Pavilion. I entered this cold pool in search of the water element token.

Unexpectedly, beneath this pool lies a rift connected to an ancient Yin Vein, where a Black Snake, transformed from the shed skin of a Yin Nether Cold Chi, resides.

I was defeated in battle and am now heavily injured and near death. I leave behind this Jade Slip and my remaining possessions. I hope that a fated person who comes after, if they have the power to slay the Black Snake, may take my belongings.

Use the Yin Chi Pearl with caution... do not fall into the Evil Path..."

The information in the Jade Slip was brief—the final words of this Bibo Pavilion Elder. It explained the origins of the cold pool and the Black Snake, as well as the reason for her demise.

That ice-blue ring was the Storage Ring she had left behind.

As for the "Yin Chi Pearl," the Jade Slip mentioned it was the yin cold essence that might condense within the mutated Black Snake, containing pure yin cold water spirit energy.

However, its Evil Qi was extremely heavy and required careful refinement; otherwise, one's mind could easily be eroded by the yin cold Death Qi.

"An Elder of the Bibo Pavilion... a Black Snake transformed from the shed skin of a Yin Nether Cold Chi..." Ye Tian mused silently.

It seemed this Senior had also come for the token, only to unfortunately perish here.

He put away the Jade Slip and the Storage Ring, then looked toward where the Black Snake's corpse lay.

After a brief hesitation, he waved his hand and sent out a burst of True Essence, extracting the Black Snake's massive corpse from the bottom of the pool and dragging it to the shore.

A fourth-rank mutated Yao Beast was a treasure from head to tail, especially its gall, skin, and teeth, which were of significant value.

He sliced open the snake's belly and, sure enough, near the seven-inch mark, he found an ice-blue pearl with black air currents swirling inside. It was icy to the touch and contained an eerie yin cold water spirit energy; it was indeed the "Yin Chi Pearl."

This item's Evil Qi was extremely heavy, but if refined carefully to remove the Evil Qi, its yin cold water spirit energy would be a supreme treasure for someone practicing water-attribute or yin-cold-attribute Cultivation Techniques.

It wasn't of much use to Ye Tian himself, but perhaps Senior Sister Shui could use it.

After collecting the Yin Chi Pearl and the valuable Materials from the Black Snake, Ye Tian buried the Bibo Pavilion Elder's remains in a dry spot by the pool.

Having finished all this, he returned to the shore.

"Junior Brother Ye, how did it go?" Dongfang Xinghe and Pei Tieshan immediately gathered around.

"I got the token." Ye Tian handed the water-drop-shaped Talisman Seal to Shui Qingdie.

Shui Qingdie took the token and held it in her palm. Feeling the water spirit qi within, she didn't feel much joy; instead, she felt a bit empty.

She looked at Ye Tian's calm face, remembering the sight of his back as he stood in front of her earlier, and then thinking of him diving into the cold pool to retrieve the token for her...

A bittersweet feeling quietly spread through her heart.

"There were also the remains of a Senior below the pool. She was an Elder of the Bibo Pavilion who died to that Black Snake. I have buried her.

This is the 'Yin Chi Pearl' produced inside the Black Snake. It contains yin cold water spirit energy, but its Evil Qi is very heavy. Senior Sister Shui, you Cultivate a water-attribute Cultivation Technique, so it might be useful to you, but you must refine it carefully."

Ye Tian handed the ice-blue pearl to Shui Qingdie and briefly explained the situation, omitting the Storage Ring and the Jade Slip.

He would find an opportunity to investigate the Storage Ring; if there was anything useful for Shui Qingdie, it wouldn't be too late to give it to her then.

"An Elder of the Bibo Pavilion..." Shui Qingdie took the Yin Chi Pearl, but her mind wasn't on the pearl at the moment.

She looked up at Ye Tian, her beautiful eyes shimmering.

"Junior Brother Ye, th... thank you."

"Between fellow disciples, there is no need for thanks."

Ye Tian waved his hand and looked at Dongfang Xinghe and Pei Tieshan. "Senior Brother Dongfang, Senior Brother Pei, how is your recovery?

Senior Sister Shui still needs to regulate her breathing to stabilize her injuries. We will rest here for a moment, then go find my token."

"I'm just about done!" Pei Tieshan patted his chest.

"I am also fine." Dongfang Xinghe nodded, his gaze toward Ye Tian filled with even more admiration.

This Junior Brother was not only powerful and meticulous but also handled matters with great order. What was even rarer was his care for his fellow disciples.

Following him on this Secret Realm journey made one feel much more at ease.

The four of them found a dry spot near the entrance of the cavern, away from the cold pool, and began to regulate their breathing and recover.

Holding the Yin Chi Pearl and the token, Shui Qingdie silently circulated her Cultivation Technique. While healing, she was also calming her somewhat turbulent emotions.

Occasionally, she would steal a glance at Ye Tian, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed nearby. Her heart would skip a beat for some reason, and she would quickly lower her gaze, her cheeks feeling slightly warm.

She had grown up in the Liuli Xuan Sect. With her outstanding talent and exquisite beauty, her personality was soft on the outside but firm on the inside, and she had many suitors.

However, she was devoted to the Dao and had never shown favor to any man.

But since Ye Tian saved her on the seventh level, this steady and reliable Junior Brother had bit by bit entered her heart.

The life-and-death moment by the cold pool just now had caused ripples to spread across the heart that had been calm for eighteen years.

She knew that Ye Tian seemed to only view her as a Senior Sister from the same sect; his attitude was gentle and polite, but he always maintained an appropriate distance.

She also understood that her current fluttering heart might be mixed with dependence and gratitude.

But that feeling of being protected and being cared for was so real, so reassuring, and so... heart-stirring.

"Ugh... no! Shui Qingdie, now is not the time to think about these things..." she warned herself inwardly, suppressing her chaotic thoughts to focus on healing.

Yet, that figure in green robes was already quietly etched into her heart, impossible to brush away.

About an hour later, the four of them had recovered most of their strength.

Shui Qingdie's injuries had stabilized, and her face regained its rosy color.

Ye Tian took out his chaos talismanic seal and focused his mind to sense it.

The Talisman Seal pointed toward a deeper area of the maze, its direction flickering and unstable.

"My token's resonance is in that direction, but it's very faint, as if it's very far away, and... the position is slowly changing."

Ye Tian pointed toward a narrow passage on the other side of the cavern.

It was a completely different direction from where they had come.

"The position changes?" Dongfang Xinghe frowned. "It seems that your token, Junior Brother Ye, will be the hardest to obtain."

"Who cares? We'll just go! Wherever Junior Brother Ye points, that's where we'll strike!" Pei Tieshan was quite straightforward about it.

Shui Qingdie also nodded slightly, looking at Ye Tian with a determined gaze.

Ye Tian looked at his three fellow disciples, his heart warming slightly.

Although they had encountered dangers along the way, supporting each other and their friendship as fellow disciples were truly precious.

"Alright, let's head out."

The four of them wasted no more time and stepped into the passage, heading deeper in the direction of the chaos token's resonance.

In another part of the maze, by a river of scorching magma.

Nangong Zhaotian sat cross-legged on a red rock, waves of fire rolling around him, his aura even more domineering than before.

He toyed with the fire element token in his hand, cold flames dancing in his eyes.

The figure of the Withered Old Man emerged from the shadows and whispered, "Young Master Zhaotian, our people have just received a transmission from the 'Fire Crow'.

In the 'Cold Silence Pool' area to the northwest, extremely strong water-element fluctuations and lightning auras were sensed. The battle was brief, and it is suspected that a powerful Yao Beast has perished."

"Cold Silence Pool?" Nangong Zhaotian's fingers paused. "The location of the water element token? They've obtained the Water Seal... they aren't slow."

"Young Master, they should be heading to find the other tokens next. Shall we proceed with the original plan and set an ambush in the 'Flame Cave'?" the Withered Old Man asked.

Nangong Zhaotian did not answer immediately. He looked into the depths of the maze, his lips slowly curling upward.

"The Flame Cave... is the final battlefield. But before that..."

He stood up, the waves of fire around him drawing inward, his gaze like a snake's. "Notify our people, as well as the remaining ones from the 'Red Hand Hall,' to change the plan.

We will go to the 'Tengming Corridor,' the only path to the area where the 'chaos token' appears, and wait for them.

Instead of waiting for the rabbit to come to the tree, it's better to... intercept and kill them halfway!

Before I seize his token, I will first cripple all the allies around him! I want him to taste what it's like to be isolated and helpless, watching his companions fall before his eyes!"

"Yes!" The Withered Old Man bowed, and his figure slowly faded away.

Nangong Zhaotian gripped the fire element token in his hand, feeling the surging fire element power within, and whispered to himself, "Ye Tian... enjoy your final moments of traveling together.

Soon, you will know that offending my Nangong Family was the biggest mistake of your life..."