Image at the Bottom of the Pool

At this moment, nearly everyone was gathered around the pool, observing it. However, most had yet to enter the water. Even Shi Han and Chu Qun had only sent their subordinates down, without entering themselves. Seeing the attitudes of these two groups, most others did not dare enter rashly either. The inheritance might be good, but they only had one life. If even the two major forces did not dare easily enter this situation, would casually going in not be courting death?

Xiao Yan and Yang Lingyan also arrived beside the pool. The moment Xiao Yan touched the water, he sensed something unusual. The pool water was different from ordinary water outside.

At a thought from Xiao Yan, blood-red flames appeared in his hand. The pool water immediately boiled and evaporated. Seeing this, Xiao Yan's brows furrowed slightly.

Although the pool water could indeed be evaporated by the Heavenly Flames, the process was quite slow. The power of his Heavenly Flames would likely be greatly diminished below.

Seeing Xiao Yan's flames, Chu Qun beside him also fell into thought.

Soon after, the people Shi Han and Chu Qun had sent out surfaced from the pool and began speaking with the two men. However, the expressions on both Shi Han and Chu Qun's faces had become somewhat strange.

Shi Han then called the people under his command together and began discussing something. The others had no way of hearing what they were saying.

Chu Qun, however, smiled and clasped his fists. "Friends, according to our investigation, this pool water can isolate a portion of one's Dou Qi. In other words, once everyone enters the water, you will be unable to push away the water around you, and you will be unable to communicate with one another. No other effects have been discovered for now."

Chu Qun's generous disclosure of the information won him the goodwill of most people around him. After all, intelligence was extremely valuable in a place like this. Even if he had said nothing like Shi Han, no one could blame him for it.

Xiao Yan exchanged a glance with Yang Lingyan. Yang Lingyan said, "If we can't communicate underwater, things could get troublesome if anything happens."

Xiao Yan nodded. "The situation below is still unclear. Brother Yang, do you still intend to go down?"

Yang Lingyan smiled. "Don't forget the cultivation method of our Heavenly Snake Mansion. Water can sometimes be helpful to snakes!"

"Then let's go down and take a look together. I have a feeling there may really be something good below!"

As they spoke, not everyone was as patient as Xiao Yan. People continually jumped into the pool. After Shi Han finished giving instructions to his subordinates, he too led his people into the water.

Before entering the water, Chu Qun asked Xiao Yan, "Brother Xiao Yan, shall we go together?"

"My abilities are limited. I'd better not hold you back."

Xiao Yan politely declined. Chu Qun did not take offense and led his people into the water one after another.

Seeing that few people remained on shore, Xiao Yan nodded to Yang Lingyan and entered the pool.

The moment he entered the pool water, Xiao Yan felt a strange, sticky sensation. Releasing Dou Qi outward directly indeed met with some resistance. Xiao Yan estimated that if a fight truly broke out later, he would be somewhat affected. Looking around, the pool was not particularly dark, but its depths were completely invisible. Watching the others eagerly swim downward, trailing bubbles behind them, Xiao Yan gestured to Yang Lingyan and swam down.

Normally, large pools and marshes would be inhabited by magical beasts. Yet after Xiao Yan swam for the time it took to burn an incense stick, he still found nothing. From the reactions of the others, Xiao Yan could sense their excitement. After all, all signs increasingly suggested that this place was an inheritance ruin.

Still, the main group's pace was relatively slow. No one knew what an inheritance ruin might contain, so exploration was especially important. The vast pool bottom was practically searched inch by inch by these powerful cultivators.

After exploring downward for some time, a faint glow finally appeared from the pool bottom. The farther down they went, the more conspicuous the light became. Almost everyone saw it, though they could not yet make out what it was.

Once they came within three hundred meters of the glow, those who had reached the pool bottom finally saw its source—herbs!

Not a single herb, but a full ten medicinal herbs.

Judging by the aura emanating from them, even an idiot could tell that these herbs were extraordinary. As an alchemist, Xiao Yan was even more familiar with them than anyone else.

"Nine Nether Orchid, Flawless Pure Heart Lotus, Cold Marrow Joint Bamboo..." They were all primary ingredients required for top-tier seventh-grade medicinal pills! Every one of them was priceless.

Yet Xiao Yan's gaze was drawn to one particular herb, and he could barely look away from it.

Growing at the very edge of the herb patch, it was mottled all over. If not for the occasional flickers of green light, it would almost have been overlooked—a vine that appeared entirely unremarkable.

Even Xun Er's faction had not been able to find it for the time being—the supreme treasure related to Yao Lao's resurrection, the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine!

But the more alluring the herbs were, the less Xiao Yan dared relax his guard. He did not dare assume that such conspicuously displayed herbs came without danger.

Someone stepped forward to scout the way for Xiao Yan. More than ten powerful Dou Skills blasted toward the area around the herbs in succession. Booming sounds rang out continuously, and the pool water was thrown into chaos.

Shi Han's people had acted. Since they could not confirm whether the herbs had guardians, startling the grass to alert the snake was the best approach.

Xiao Yan gestured to Yang Lingyan beside him, telling him to be ready to flee at any moment. Shi Han's method seemed reckless, but it was actually the best way to break the deadlock.

They were already prepared to leave at any time. There were plenty of weak cultivators here; when the time came, quite a few people would be left behind as shields.

Yet half the time it took to burn an incense stick passed after Shi Han's attack, and there was still no change around the herbs. Everything was so quiet that it was as if no attack had ever occurred.

Xiao Yan stared at the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine so close at hand, his heart burning with desire. As an alchemist, his soul perception was stronger than everyone else's here. He repeatedly examined the area, yet discovered nothing amiss.

Seeing that the pool bottom remained unchanged, someone finally could not hold back any longer. Empowered by Dou Qi, he charged toward the herbs.

But before he had swum very far, a blood-colored lion's head appeared out of nowhere and swallowed him whole. An overwhelming bloody, baleful aura spread out as Shi Han and his subordinates stared menacingly at the crowd.

One of Shi Han's men seemed to possess some secret technique. He darted through the water at extreme speed, crossing the nine-hundred-meter distance in an instant and slipping over beside the herbs.

Seeing this, the crowd began to stir even in the face of Shi Han. With so many medicinal herbs before them, no one would willingly accept Shi Han monopolizing them all.

Xiao Yan began circulating his Dou Qi as well. The other herbs were one thing, but he absolutely could not give up the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine.

Just as the person Shi Han had sent out was about to pick the first herb, the pool bottom suddenly became as bright as day.

A jade-green radiance filled the entire pool bottom. Beneath its illumination, the unique scenery of the pool bottom appeared exceptionally beautiful.

The source of the jade light was two enormous green "stones." They had appeared abruptly, round and emerald-green, each over six meters in diameter, with a ring of white around them.

Then the huge stones blinked. They were clearly two eyeballs! An aura emanated from the gigantic eyes. The last time Xiao Yan had felt such an aura was from Slayer Hand He Kui.

Then the pool bottom moved. Even the ground began to move!

Xiao Yan looked closely and saw that it was clearly a giant toad lying in wait. Its skin was almost identical to the pool bottom, and Xiao Yan happened to recognize this giant toad.

An eighth-tier magical beast—the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad!