49: Chapter 49 Initial Exploration of the Water Veins

"Water Vein..." Lin Muchen rubbed his chin, "Can this thing be found in the Sect's ancient texts?"

[Scanning Sect ancient text records and Spiritual Qi distribution maps...]

[Based on a cross-analysis of the 'Hydrology Chapter' in the qinglan records of wonders and Outer Sect task records, a 'Cold Pond' exists in the northern area of the back mountain.]

[The pond water is bone-chilling year-round, and the vegetation by the pond is covered in frost; there is a high probability of it nurturing a Water Attribute Spiritual Vein or related resources.]

[Suggesting Host go to investigate.]

"Cold Pond?" Lin Muchen rolled out of bed and pulled out the thick copy of the qinglan records of wonders from under it.

He flipped noisily to the northern area.

"Cold Pond, located deep within the secluded valley at the Northern Foothills of the back mountain. The pond water is deep blue, bottomless, and freezing to the touch. Around it grow many 'Frost Grass' and 'Ice Prism Flowers,' and the Spiritual Qi is cold and moist..."

"It sounds chilly just listening to it." Lin Muchen closed the book, "System, exchange for a Water Spirit Sensing Talisman."

[Exchanging for 'Elementary Water Spirit Sensing Talisman'.]

[Once activated, it can sense objects or Spiritual Vein fluctuations containing pure Water Attribute Spiritual Qi within a hundred-meter radius.]

[points required for exchange: 150 points.]

Lin Muchen glanced at his points balance.

534 points.

"150 points, that's fine." He nodded, "But after buying this, I'll only have 384 left. In case the Cold Pond also has a Restriction or a guardian Yao Beast, and I have to buy a Restriction Breaking Technique or fight, I won't have enough money."

[Analysis correct.]

[Suggesting Host first accept a gathering task near the Cold Pond to kill two birds with one stone, accumulating points while becoming familiar with the environment.]

"Working and treasure hunting at the same time, the old routine." Lin Muchen grinned, "Let's go to the Mission Hall and see what good jobs have refreshed today."

He pushed the door open and headed straight for the Mission Hall.

The Mission Hall was the same as ever, crowded and as noisy as a wet market.

Lin Muchen squeezed to the front of the bulletin board and looked up to scan it.

"System, scan for tasks related to the Cold Pond with high rewards, preferably ones that are on the way."

[Scanning...]

[Task 'Ding-152': Gather twenty stalks of 'Frost Grass'.]

[Location: Periphery of the Cold Pond in the back mountain.]

[Reward: One hundred and thirty contribution points, two Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.]

[System conversion points: approximately 280 points.]

[Frost Grass is a supplementary material for Water Attribute Alchemy; it usually grows in cold, damp areas and has a high probability of being associated with Water Attribute Spiritual Veins.]

[The task location highly overlaps with the potential area of the Cold Pond.]

[Risk Warning: The temperature in the Cold Pond area is extremely low; staying for a long time requires circulating spiritual power to ward off the cold.]

[No clear Yao Beast threat record detected, but one must be alert for unknown dangers.]

"280 points, not bad." Lin Muchen's eyes lit up, "After taking this task and adding it to what I have, my points can break eight hundred! Enough to buy Talismans and still have plenty left over for backup."

He reached out and tore down the pale blue task paper.

A tall and thin Disciple next to him glanced at him: "Brother, the Frost Grass task? That place is as cold as an ice cellar; staying too long consumes a lot of spiritual power, it's not worth it."

"Thanks, I'm resistant to the cold." Lin Muchen smiled and took the task token to register.

The registration Deacon glanced at him: "Frost Grass? Alone?"

"Yes."

"Fine, the task limit is two days. If you don't finish it, contribution points will be deducted." After the Deacon finished registering, he handed the token back to him.

Lin Muchen took the token and turned to leave.

Leaving the Sect, he headed straight for the Northern Foothills of the back mountain.

After walking for nearly an hour, the surrounding temperature dropped significantly.

White frost began to appear on the trees, and the grass underfoot was covered in ice crystals.

The air he breathed into his lungs felt chilly.

"This place is a complete extreme compared to Jinshi Gorge." Lin Muchen rubbed his hands together, "One is sharp and cutting, the other is bone-chillingly cold."

He circulated his Cultivation Technique, and a faint spiritual power shield appeared on his body's surface, finally easing the cold.

In his Dantian, the four node light clusters also reacted.

The dark gold Metal Element Node vibrated the most intensely, sending out a strong 'sense of attraction.'

Metal generates Water.

It was starving and wanted to eat 'Water.'

"System, navigate to the area where Frost Grass is most likely to grow."

[Based on environmental temperature and humidity, three high-probability points have been marked.]

[Route planning complete.]

[Suggesting Host activate the 'Water Spirit Sensing Talisman' to detect the Spiritual Vein only when approaching the core area of the Cold Pond to avoid wasting the Talisman's duration.]

"Understood."

Lin Muchen followed the markers and entered a forest draped in ice shards.

He went to the first point first, which was under a shaded rock wall, and found seven or eight stalks of good quality Frost Grass.

The leaves were pale blue, covered with a thin layer of white frost, and felt freezing to the touch.

"System, is this stuff okay?"

[Scanning confirmation: Medium Grade quality, meets task requirements.]

[Gathering twenty stalks of this type of Frost Grass will complete the task; System conversion points are approximately 280 points.]

"Alright, let's keep going."

Lin Muchen put these stalks into his Storage Pouch and moved toward the second marked point.

The second point was closer to the Cold Pond.

The further in he went, the lower the temperature became.

Lin Muchen's breath turned into white mist.

The surrounding trees were completely covered in frost, looking like they were carved from crystal.

The Water Spiritual Qi in the air was so thick it wouldn't dissipate; a single breath felt like a wave of coolness in his lungs.

He could feel the dark gold light cluster in his Dantian becoming more and more excited.

"Almost there."

Lin Muchen stopped and pulled out the pale blue, damp-feeling Water Spirit Sensing Talisman from his robe.

He pressed it to his palm and injected spiritual power.

Buzz...

The Talisman paper lit up with a soft blue light.

Immediately after, Lin Muchen 'saw' it.

About fifty meters directly ahead, a deep blue pond about a dozen meters in diameter lay quietly at the bottom of the valley.

The pond water was frighteningly clear yet appeared bottomless.

And in the very center of the pond water, an incredibly solid, deep blue light cluster emitting a bone-chilling cold was slowly rotating.

The pure Water Attribute Spiritual Qi emitted by the light cluster rippled out like a cold tide.

[Confirmed: A small Water Attribute Spiritual Vein node exists!]

[Quality is pure, and the cold concentration is extremely high!]

[The scale is similar to the Fire, Earth, Wood, and Metal nodes!]

[At the same time, natural Restriction fluctuations are detected on the exterior of the Spiritual Vein, suspected to be blocked by a layer of ice energy.]

"Blocked again?" Lin Muchen's lip twitched, "Good heavens, the Five Elements Spiritual Veins are all socially anxious, wrapping themselves up so tightly."

[Water Attribute Spiritual Vein's coldness is leaking, easily freezing the surrounding environment.]

[The naturally formed ice Restriction may be its self-protection mechanism, preventing excessive energy dissipation that could lead to the depletion of the Spiritual Vein or cause permanent freezing of the area.]

"Fine, that makes sense." Lin Muchen nodded, "So how do I break it? Roast it with fire?"

[Scanning...]

[Restriction structure analysis: Not a simple physical ice layer; it contains the flow of pure Water Attribute spiritual power, forming a natural ice defense.]

[Ordinary flames are difficult to melt it.]

[Suggesting exchange for 'Elementary Ice Melting Technique,' specifically designed for low-level ice Restrictions.]

[points required for exchange: 320 points.]

"320?" Lin Muchen glanced at his balance, 534 points.

Buying the Water Spirit Sensing Talisman cost 150, leaving 384.

"If I buy the Ice Melting Technique, I'll only have 64 points left." He felt a bit of a headache, "And will there be a guardian Yao Beast behind this Restriction? Like that Qingmu Python?"

[Likely to exist.]

[The Water Attribute Spiritual Vein is cold, easily attracting corresponding attribute Yao Beasts to occupy it.]

[Suggesting Host reserve points to deal with potential battles or accidents.]

"Got it." Lin Muchen put away the Talisman paper, "I can't go all-in at once; I need to keep some trump cards."

He looked at the position of the deep blue light cluster in the center of the pond and silently memorized it.

"System, mark these coordinates. Water Vein base, position confirmed."

[Coordinates marked: Center of the Cold Pond.]

[Five Elements collection progress: Water (Position confirmed, node prototype has resonated).]

[Hint: Need to crack the ice Restriction before the Spiritual Vein energy can be guided to construct the node.]

Lin Muchen turned and began to gather the remaining Frost Grass.

His mind was already starting to calculate.

384 points, the Ice Melting Technique costs 320, which would leave 64.

Too poor.

I need to hurry and turn in the task to make some money.

He was quick and nimble, soon collecting all twenty stalks of Frost Grass.

"Finished, heading back to turn in the task, make money, and buy the Ice Melting Technique."

He patted his Storage Pouch and glanced at the deep Cold Pond.

In the center of the water, that deep blue light cluster rotated quietly.

"Water girl, wait for me."

"Big brother is coming to get you soon."

Lin Muchen turned and walked back, stepping on the ice crystals.

The setting sun shone on the frost-covered woods, reflecting a cold light.

He glanced at his points balance.

384 points.

"The Ice Melting Technique is 320, leaving 64 after buying it."

"Well, back to work."

He quickened his pace.

His mind was already calculating.

Metal generates Water.

Only the last step remains.