128: Spirit Pool

“There is an anomaly thirty li ahead,” Lin Feng said with a grave expression. “I fear something is not right.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuer immediately expanded her Divine Sense to investigate. As a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, her Divine Sense was sufficient to cover a range of twenty li.

However, after a careful investigation, she frowned slightly. “I have not sensed any abnormalities. Junior Brother Lin, are you being too nervous?”

“Perhaps I am overthinking it.” Lin Feng lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over the panicked ant colony migrating on the ground. “It is just that seeing these creatures behaving abnormally makes it hard not to worry.”

Liu Yuer glanced at the ant colony and dismissed it. “Creatures migrating in the mountains and forests is a common occurrence. Let us continue forward.”

Lin Feng said no more and followed silently. However, while walking, he deliberately slowed his pace, always offering a word or two of advice whenever Liu Yuer faced a choice of path.

Half a day later, as the two were about to reach the edge of the poisonous swamp, a communication talisman suddenly flew over. After reading it, Liu Yuer's expression changed slightly. “A swarm of poisonous mosquitoes has appeared on our originally planned route; several fellow Disciples have been poisoned.”

“Junior Brother Lin...” She turned to look at Lin Feng. “How exactly did you sense the danger just now? Even my Divine Sense failed to detect it.”

Lin Feng lowered his head and said calmly, “It was just a lucky guess.”

A thoughtful look flashed in Liu Yuer's beautiful eyes. Throughout this journey, this seemingly ordinary Qi Refining Disciple had always managed to inadvertently avoid various dangers. Was this really just a coincidence?

“It seems I should listen more to Junior Brother's suggestions in the future,” she said softly.

As they continued forward, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Liu Yuer couldn't help but confide, “Actually, I didn't want to take on this mission. Father always says that as the Sect Master's daughter, I should be stronger than my peers. But Cultivating is not that easy...”

Lin Feng listened quietly and asked at the appropriate moment, “The Sect Master must have high expectations of Senior Sister, right?”

“High is an understatement.” Liu Yuer smiled bitterly. “He always compares me to his own achievements back then, forgetting that I am only at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. Last time, because I failed to master the ‘Luoshui Art’ within a month, he ignored me for three whole days.”

Lin Feng's gaze shifted slightly. “I have heard that Sect Master Liu was also a heaven-sent Genius back in the day.”

“Yes,” Liu Yuer sighed. “But how many such Geniuses can there be in the world? Sometimes I truly envy you ordinary Disciples; at least you don't have such a heavy burden.”

Lin Feng was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Does Senior Sister know that wild spirit plants are often more resilient than those grown in greenhouses?”

Liu Yuer was startled, lost in thought.

At this moment, a splashing sound came from ahead; they had arrived at the poisonous swamp.

From deep within the poisonous swamp came a roar that caused the water surface to ripple violently; it was an Iron-Armored Crocodile.

Liu Yuer stood in mid-air, her hands forming the Luoshui Art, and the water-blue spiritual power around her body flowed like an Azure Water Flood Dragon. She tapped her toes lightly on the water's surface, sending ripples spreading outwards, and as her figure twisted and moved, she dodged the sweeping tail of the crocodile.

“Water Curtain Heavenly Brilliance!” she cried out sharply. The water-controlling ability of the Azure Water Flood Dragon was perfectly displayed, and layers of water-patterned shields appeared around her.

The Iron-Armored Crocodile spat out venom that slammed into the shield, making a sizzling sound, but it could not break through.

Lin Feng stood quietly at the edge of the swamp, watching every change in Liu Yuer's hand seals with focus. Seeing her condense several ice cones and shoot them precisely at the Iron-Armored Crocodile's eyes, he couldn't help but nod inwardly. This “Ice Condensation Art” had indeed captured the essence of the Azure Water Flood Dragon Spirit Summoning Technique.

However, the Iron-Armored Crocodile suddenly sank into the swamp, and Liu Yuer's water-type spell immediately lost its target. She frowned and changed her hand seals, attempting to use the “Spirit Sensing Technique” to probe for the Yao Beast's tracks, but the poisonous gas mixed in the swamp interfered with her perception.

“Watch out for the ground!” Lin Feng suddenly called out to warn her. Almost simultaneously, the Iron-Armored Crocodile burst out of the mud directly beneath Liu Yuer, its bloody maw aiming straight for her feet.

Liu Yuer remained calm in the face of danger; her water-patterned shield was instantly reinforced, and at the same time, she used the “Flowing Cloud Step” to drift backward. However, the Iron-Armored Crocodile's surprise attack was too sudden; the shield was scratched by sharp teeth, and a tear was ripped into the hem of her skirt.

She steadied herself and her hands formed seals even faster. “Flood Dragon Bind!” The water flow transformed into chains, wrapping around the crocodile's tail. She had learned to be smart this time, simultaneously activating the “Water Parting Art” to clear a patch of water in the swamp, limiting the Iron-Armored Crocodile's movements.

Seeing this, Lin Feng seized the opportunity and formed hand seals.

He first used the Spirit Summoning Technique on a Red Flame Tiger to stir up the swamp mud, which just happened to obscure the crocodile's eyes, and then used the Spirit Summoning Technique on an Azure Water Flood Dragon, transforming it into a water ring to temporarily trap the crocodile's tail.

Liu Yuer seized this fleeting opportunity, and the ice cones struck straight at the crocodile's eyes. The Yao Beast, in pain and fury, bristled its scales, and poisonous mist erupted.

Lin Feng could have easily avoided it, but seeing that Liu Yuer's movements were sluggish due to excessive consumption of spiritual power, he did not hesitate to step sideways and block in front of her. The poisonous mist brushed against his arm, and an excruciating, stabbing pain immediately followed.

“Junior Brother Lin!” Liu Yuer exclaimed. Her spiritual power erupted with full force, and she finally completely subdued the Iron-Armored Crocodile.

She hurriedly supported the swaying Lin Feng. “It's all my carelessness...”

Lin Feng endured the intense pain, feeling the poison rapidly spreading along his Meridians. He thought to himself that he must find a secluded place as soon as possible to let the Slug help him detoxify.

Liu Yuer's exclamation brought him back to reality. She took out a Medicinal Pill and fed it to him, but Lin Feng could feel that this Medicinal Pill had limited effect on his injuries.

“Senior Sister, do not worry,” Lin Feng struggled to stand up. “I will just find a quiet place to circulate my energy and expel the poison.” He tried to push away Liu Yuer's supporting hand, calculating how to leave alone.

Unexpectedly, Liu Yuer held him even tighter, her tone firm. “The poison of this Iron-Armored Crocodile is no small matter. Last year, Senior Brother Chen was poisoned by it, and it was only after soaking in the Spirit Gathering Pool for seven days that he recovered.”

Lin Feng still wanted to decline, but felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. The poison was spreading faster than he had imagined; even circulating his Cultivation Technique had become difficult. As his consciousness blurred, he felt his body lighten, and he had been picked up horizontally by Liu Yuer.

“Junior Brother, hold on!” Liu Yuer flew into the air. “I will take you back to the Sect right now. The water in the Spirit Gathering Pool contains special spiritual effects and will surely be able to neutralize this poison.”

Lin Feng wanted to object, but he didn't even have the strength to speak. He was extremely anxious; if he lost consciousness, his secrets would likely be difficult to hide.

But if he were to let the Slug treat him directly right now, he feared his secret would be exposed immediately.

In his hazy state, he felt Liu Yuer accelerate her flight, the wind whistling in his ears. When he occasionally regained clarity, he could hear her anxious muttering: “Must make it in time... Last time, Junior Brother Meng delayed, and although he saved his life, his cultivation was greatly damaged...”

When Lin Feng regained consciousness again, he found himself soaking in warm pool water. What shocked him even more was that the strange fluctuations coming from the bottom of the pool were resonating with his own spiritual power, and his injuries were recovering far faster than expected.

Liu Yuer was guarding by the pool and finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him wake up. “How does Junior Brother feel? This Spirit Gathering Pool is the Sect's Holy Land for healing; the bottom of the pool connects to a Spiritual Vein, and even my father's Golden-Scaled Turtle often rests here.”

Lin Feng looked at Liu Yuer. “Thank you for saving my life, Senior Sister.”

Liu Yuer smiled lightly. “Junior Brother was injured while saving me, how could I sit idly by?” She stood up and adjusted her sleeves. “You should rest here, and I will come to see you again tomorrow.”

After Liu Yuer left, Lin Feng immediately focused his mind to sense the mysteries within the pool. The water of the Spirit Gathering Pool not only accelerated the healing of his injuries but also made him sense a trace of an unusual aura.

“Could this be...” Lin Feng thought of the Golden-Scaled Turtle that Liu Yuer had mentioned, and speculated inwardly.

He circulated his Cultivation Technique and probed the bottom of the pool with a wisp of spiritual power.