Seeing the opening at the bottom of the spring, Jiang Lan's face immediately lit up with delight.
Without the slightest hesitation, he swiftly swam to the opening and plunged inside.
Shui Qinghan, holding Shui Bing'er, followed him in.
The moment they entered the cave, an incomparably terrifying chill rushed at them head-on.
The extreme cold felt as though it could freeze even one's soul.
Yet to Jiang Lan, whose Innate Domain was active, this chill that could freeze souls was nothing more than a spring breeze brushing his face.
Immune to elemental attacks, kid!
"What terrifying cold! It actually made my thoughts freeze for an instant. Even if the temperature here has not reached the legendary absolute zero, it cannot be far off." Shui Qinghan was secretly alarmed.
If not for the protection of Jiang Lan's Innate Domain, the cold here would likely have frozen their souls solid.
Was this true ice element power?
"What pure, dense ice-element natural energy!" Feeling the rich ice-element natural energy within the cave, Shui Bing'er could not help exclaiming in amazement.
The ice-element natural energy here had already condensed into a tangible form, turning into a faint mist.
Simply being immersed in it caused the Soul Power within her body to rise continuously, at a rate even faster than her usual meditation.
Cultivating in such a place for one day would likely equal several days in the outside world.
Shui Qinghan pushed her Martial Soul to its limit, using the watery blue radiance it emitted to illuminate the dark ice cave.
The cave was not large, only around ten square meters in total, and its height was merely about one and a half meters.
More than a dozen snow-white ice pillars of varying sizes crisscrossed throughout the ice cave.
Within those ice pillars, something like liquid could faintly be seen flowing.
The terrifying chill in the cave was being released from these ice pillars.
"Is this the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow?" Shui Qinghan set Shui Bing'er down and stared at the snow-white ice pillars before her, her eyes burning with excitement.
She could clearly sense that her Martial Soul held an extremely intense desire for this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, as though absorbing it would bring her immense benefits.
Although Jiang Lan showed little expression upon seeing the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, he could not help cheering inwardly.
Woohoo, time to take off!
With this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, Shui Qinghan would likely break through to Rank 90 within half a year and become a Titled Douluo with an ultimate attribute, whose combat strength rivaled that of a Rank 95 Super Douluo.
When that time came, whether it was Immortal Herbs or the Sea God's Inheritance, both would be within his grasp.
"Lan'er, Bing'er, this place is the best simulated cultivation environment for you. Take this opportunity to meditate and cultivate. I will also try absorbing the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow." Shui Qinghan turned back to glance at Jiang Lan and Shui Bing'er before instructing them.
"Yes." Jiang Lan nodded, then immediately sat cross-legged with Shui Bing'er and circulated the Soul Power within their bodies, absorbing the incomparably dense ice-element natural energy in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave.
After seeing the two gradually enter meditation, Shui Qinghan withdrew her gaze. She then flashed over to a pillar of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow and pressed her hand against it.
A bone-piercing chill spread from her palm. Shui Qinghan took a deep breath, circulated the Soul Power within her body, and carefully guided the essence of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow into herself.
The essence of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow was far purer, vaster, and gentler than her Soul Power. Guided by Shui Qinghan's Soul Power, it began seeping into her body in fine threads.
Without Shui Qinghan deliberately circulating her Soul Power, the Soul Power within her body had already begun moving along the route of her meditation technique on its own.
Her stagnant Soul Power began to rise. Her Rank 85 bottleneck shattered in the blink of an eye, and she surged straight into Rank 86!
After only one full circulation, Shui Qinghan could clearly feel that the origin of her Martial Soul had grown stronger. The temperature of her Soul Power had become lower, and even the ice attribute of her Martial Soul had become purer.
Suppressing the excitement in her heart, Shui Qinghan absorbed the essence of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow bit by bit.
She did not dare to be greedy.
After all, the effects of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow were simply too powerful.
Shui Qinghan feared that if she absorbed too much and her body failed to digest it, she would fall directly into a deep sleep.
That would be troublesome.
Three hours later.
The pillar of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow before Shui Qinghan had completely dimmed, and the liquid-like essence within it had vanished completely.
"Rank 87!" Shui Qinghan opened her eyes, and a trace of delight flashed through them.
Just a single pillar of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow had allowed her to rise two ranks in three hours, while also greatly improving the quality of her Martial Soul.
The Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow truly deserved to be the finest ice-element heavenly treasure.
To ice-element Soul Masters, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow was worth even more than a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring or Soul Bone.
"Congratulations, Teacher. You are another step closer to the Title Rank." Jiang Lan was awakened by an intense fluctuation of Soul Power. Seeing the unresting Soul Power around Shui Qinghan, he immediately offered his congratulations.
"Congratulations, Mom!" Shui Bing'er had also been awakened. Seeing that Shui Qinghan's aura had grown stronger, she followed with her own congratulations.
"Rank 89 to Rank 90 is a major bottleneck. I hope the remaining four pillars of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow can help me break through to the Title Rank." Shui Qinghan was not as optimistic as Jiang Lan.
"Four? Teacher, there is clearly much more Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow left." Jiang Lan looked at Shui Qinghan, his expression puzzled.
"Lan'er, Teacher cannot be too selfish." Shui Qinghan shook her head and looked Jiang Lan straight in the eye. "Teacher counted them. There are forty-nine pillars of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow in this cave. Teacher plans to leave fifteen for you, twelve each for Bing'er and Yue'er, while Teacher and your Aunt Rou will each absorb five. Even if the remaining four cannot let Teacher break through to Rank 90 in one go, Teacher is confident of reaching the Title Rank within five years."
Jiang Lan: "..."
No, it is only the bottleneck of a Titled Douluo. Teacher, aren't you underestimating the effects of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow a little too much?
Forget it. Once Teacher breaks through to Rank 89, I'll teach her the method of condensing a Soul Core.
With Teacher's talent, absorbing at most one more pillar of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow will let her break through to Rank 89.
As long as Teacher can condense a Soul Core, she can break through to Rank 90 in one stroke.
At that point, Teacher's strength and endurance will far surpass the Titled Douluo of this era.
Then, the remaining three pillars of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow should be enough to push Teacher to Rank 95 and make her a Super Douluo.
Perhaps these three pillars can even evolve Teacher's Martial Soul into Ultimate Ice, granting her the combat strength of Rank 98.
Although Aunt Rou's talent is somewhat lacking, the effects of five pillars of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow will still be enough to push her to Rank 89.
As long as Aunt Rou condenses a Soul Core, she too can smoothly break through to Rank 90 and become a Titled Douluo.
At that point, Skywater Academy will have two Titled Douluo.
Then, once I remove the poison from Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo, I can gain another Titled Douluo as a guest elder.
If possible, I also plan to have Teacher absorb Blazing Fire Academy, Godwind Academy, and Plant Academy, forming the Four Elements Academy.
After all, the deans of the three major Elemental Academies are mostly Soul Douluo-level powerhouses.
If they learn the method of condensing Soul Cores, there may be several more Titled Douluo.
Ning Fengzhi would be scared to tears.
As for Thunderclap Academy and Elephant Armor Academy?
One was backed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, while the other was backed by the Elephant Armor Sect and Spirit Hall. They were not on the same path as us.
Before you continue