Having successfully absorbed the 4,500-year-old Heart-Healing Grass Soul Ring, Lin Yan's strength surged to the peak of level 23, and he gained the powerful Second Soul Skill " Scale-Leaf Light Rain " and significant resistance to icy power. Lin Yan's heart was filled with indescribable joy and confidence.
He stood by the icy pool, feeling the cool and vibrant Soul Power flowing through his body. The excruciating frostbite on his left shoulder had completely healed, as if it had never happened.
As the joy gradually subsided, a strong sense of doubt welled up in my heart.
He looked around; the dense, humid tropical jungle vegetation contrasted sharply with the pool of water that constantly emitted a chilling aura, making them seem completely out of place.
The Star Dou Great Forest is located in the central part of the continent, with a warm and humid climate. Why then does it produce such a chilling atmosphere? In fact, in his perception, its pure and intense cold is no less than the icy power of the core region of the Far North.
"Something's definitely amiss," Lin Yan muttered to himself, his sharp gaze scrutinizing the sapphire-like pool of water, seemingly embedded in a lush, verdant painting. The presence of a rare herb like the Heart-Healing Grass here must be inextricably linked to the pool's Ultimate Ice environment. But what exactly is the source of this power? Is it some kind of heavenly treasure of extreme cold? Or... the legacy left behind by a powerful ice-attribute Soul Beast or Soul Master who perished here?
Curiosity, like vines, Entanglement his mind. Now, with his increased Soul Power, Martial Soul Evolution, and, more importantly, gained a considerable degree of immunity to the power of ice and cold, he undoubtedly had the confidence to explore this place.
"Opportunities often come with risks. Now that we've encountered this, wouldn't it be a waste not to investigate?" Lin Yan's eyes were firm. He was not a reckless person, but the path of cultivation was inherently like rowing against the current, fighting for that one sliver of opportunity.
This mysterious, icy pool before him might hold unimaginable wonders within.
He took a deep breath, and slowly circulated the Supreme Purity Breathing Technique within his body, spreading his Soul Power throughout his entire being to form an invisible protective layer. He walked to the edge of the pool and once again dipped his hand into the water to confirm that the bone-chilling cold had transformed into a bearable coolness.
"Now!"
Without further hesitation, Lin Yan leaped into the deep blue, icy pool.
"Thump--"
The moment he entered the water, even though he was somewhat prepared, Lin Yan couldn't help but shiver. The water was even colder than he had imagined.
The pool water was crystal clear, yet its depth and the refraction of light made it appear unfathomable. As far as the eye could see, there was an eternal blue. There were no fish or shrimp, no aquatic plants, no signs of life whatsoever; it was eerily silent. Only the gurgling sound of the bubbles rising as he swam was exceptionally clear in this tranquil underwater world.
Lin Yan adjusted his posture, like a swimming fish, and began to dive downwards with all his might. The pressure gradually increased with the depth, and the surrounding light also dimmed rapidly. Soon, he was plunged into a near-absolute darkness, with only the faint light emitted by his own Soul Power barely illuminating an area of about a foot around him.
He could only rely on his Soul Power and physical sense of touch to determine his direction, and resolutely descended towards the source of the chill, which was the bottom of the pool.
Ten meters, twenty meters, fifty meters...
The depth he descended far exceeded his expectations. This icy pool seemed like a bottomless pit, its depths unfathomable. Moreover, the deeper he went, the lower the water temperature became, and the chill of the Ultimate Ice grew increasingly terrifying. At first, it was just cool, but it gradually became icy and bone-chilling. Later, the chill began to penetrate his Soul Power shield, seeping into his body in Sisi.
Lin Yan gritted his teeth and exerted all his Soul Power to resist. He activated the Supreme Purity Breathing Technique to its limit, attempting to refine the invading cold air. His newly acquired ice resistance played a huge role at this moment; otherwise, even though he was now Soul Elder and Soul Ancestor, he might not have been able to withstand the cold.
It descended another ten meters or so.
The surrounding pool water grew even colder, as if it were no longer water but liquid ice. Lin Yan's movements began to slow down, and his Soul Power consumption increased rapidly. Fine ice crystals began to appear on his skin, and his eyelashes and hair were covered with frost. The circulation of his Soul Power was also greatly hindered, as if he were walking through a swamp, which was extremely difficult. Moreover, the pressure caused by this depth made Lin Yan feel particularly uncomfortable.
He released his spiritual energy to explore forward, but all he received in return was a deeper, purer coldness and deathly silence. He couldn't find the bottom at all; the source of that chill seemed to be some unreachable abyss below.
"I can't take it anymore..." A sense of powerlessness rose in Lin Yan's heart. His Soul Power had been depleted by more than half, and his body was gradually approaching its limit. The extreme cold began to erode his bone marrow and even affected his sea of consciousness, causing him to experience hazy hallucinations.
He knew that if he forced himself to dive any further, he would likely be completely Ice Seal in this endless dark pool before he could find an opportunity, turning into an eternal underwater ice sculpture.
His strong will to survive led him to make a rational decision. Opportunity may be good, but you also need to be alive to enjoy it.
"It seems that with my current strength, I am far from qualified to explore the secrets of this place." Lin Yan sighed inwardly, but he was not too discouraged. At least he had confirmed the extraordinary nature of this place and successfully ventured so deep, which in itself was already a remarkable test and gain.
Without further hesitation, he began to mobilize his remaining Soul Power and vigorously paddled upwards.
The process of surfacing was equally difficult; the stiffness in his body and the stagnation of his Soul Power made movement difficult. But with his indomitable will, he struggled upwards little by little. The surrounding water temperature gradually "warmed up" as he rose, and the pressure on his body also decreased.
Finally, a sliver of light shone down from above, growing brighter and brighter.
"Splash--"
Lin Yan burst through the water, gasping for the relatively "warm" and fresh air outside. He lay on the rocks by the pool, soaked to the bone, shivering, his lips turning purple from the cold. It took a while for his Soul Power to slowly dispel the bone-chilling cold.
Looking back at the still calm, Youyou blue pool, Lin Yan's eyes were filled with complex emotions. There was awe, lingering fear, but above all, a sense of determination and anticipation.
"There must be a tremendous secret hidden here. Perhaps it's a place where the ultimate ice-attribute elemental energy of heaven and earth converges, or perhaps it holds some kind of supreme ice-type treasure... When I am strong enough in the future, I will definitely come back here to find out!"
Burying this opportunity deep in his heart, Lin Yan circulated his Soul Power to dry his clothes and tidied himself up. He had exceeded his goals for this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest; it was time to leave.
He took one last look at the mysterious, icy pool, as if to imprint its location deep within his soul, then turned and vanished into the dense forest in a few leaps, speeding towards the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.