Chapter 28: Cultivation in the Cold Pool

Ye Yunlan looked at the disciples around her.

"The power within this Moon-Cold Spirit Pool may appear calm at the moment, but you should all understand that this place is fraught with danger."

"Absorbing its energy is ideal, of course, but if you cannot, do not push yourselves beyond your limits!"

"You must withdraw safely, do you understand?"

She took a deep breath and continued. The Moon-Cold Spirit Pool drew so many disciples to vie for its energy, which was testament to the terrifying power it contained. Ye Yunlan’s words were entirely justified. Her gaze lingered on Lu Changfeng for a moment.

"Understood!" the disciples replied in unison, nodding.

In this place, whether by seniority or cultivation level, Ye Yunlan was indeed qualified to speak such words. Lu Changfeng gave a slight nod, saying nothing more.

The ten individuals who had come here divided the cold pool among themselves, each occupying a section without disturbing the others.

Splash!

With a sudden churn of water, the group entered the pool without hesitation. Lu Changfeng stood at the rear, following at a measured pace. The moment he submerged, the spiritual energy circulating within the pool seemed guided by some unseen force, rushing toward his body. Frost instantly coated his form, and his sideburns were rimed with white.

Lu Changfeng felt a surge of intense cold envelop him, causing his body to shiver involuntarily. Yet, it was a cold he could endure. As he sat cross-legged, his cultivation technique roared to life, and he began to actively absorb the power of the pool.

Hum!

The cold pool surged, sending wisps of frigid mist rising into the air. Suddenly, a sensation of skin-tearing pain struck everyone present.

Hiss!

Suppressed groans of agony echoed through the area. Lu Changfeng furrowed his brows; his body was already covered in a thick layer of frost. Under these conditions, the circulation of his internal spiritual energy had become sluggish.

"This frigid power is truly terrifying," Lu Changfeng thought to himself.

He began to operate the Heavenly Dao God Technique, and only then did his internal spiritual energy return to its original speed. Fortunately, he had consumed the Marrow-Cleansing Pill before arriving, and the strength of his physical body was no longer what it once was.

"I am lucky this cheap master of mine had the foresight," Lu Changfeng muttered. "Otherwise, I would only be able to last... three days."

He opened his eyes and noticed that white mist had risen above the surface of the pool.

This mist obscured everything in the surroundings. This had its advantages; he could not see the state of others, and they, in turn, could not see his. After all, he possessed many techniques that were best kept hidden from prying eyes.

As time passed, the frown on Lu Changfeng's face gradually relaxed. He was becoming accustomed to the erosion of the biting cold.

"The spiritual energy here is indeed far denser than outside!" he thought. "In just this short while, I have gained what would take three days of bitter cultivation elsewhere."

He pushed his internal technique to the limit, frantically drawing in the surrounding energy. His cultivation level began to grow at a steady pace.

A moment later, hum!

Once he had fully acclimated to the freezing power within the energy, the Dao Ancestor God Technique accelerated violently. The surrounding spiritual energy was drawn in by the technique, swirling rapidly toward the top of Lu Changfeng’s head. In the previously quiet space, faint breezes began to stir.

Shortly after, a vortex of spiritual energy formed above him with a roar.

In the distance, Ye Yunlan, who had been meditating, opened her eyes abruptly. She scanned her surroundings, but the mist obscured her vision.

"Who is that?!" Ye Yunlan frowned, whispering to herself, "Are they trying to get themselves killed? How can anyone absorb the energy in this cold pool so violently?! Something will go wrong!"

She clenched her fists, glancing toward the location from where the disturbance originated. At the same time, a specific face appeared in her mind.

This was not her first time cultivating here. Every time, she had been cautious, never daring to be so aggressive. Even with the preparations she had made beforehand, she constantly warned herself that greed would lead to disaster—it could even be fatal. And yet, someone was out there, ignoring the cold, absorbing the energy with reckless abandon. It made her want to rush over and slap some sense into them.

As time passed, Ye Yunlan became increasingly convinced that this reckless person was Lu Changfeng. He was the only one in that direction, and she knew the other disciples well enough to know they would never act so rashly.

However, even though she was angry, there was nothing she could do. She could not simply interrupt someone else's cultivation. Besides, she had to focus on her own absorption.

Lu Changfeng was now deep within the pool. As the Dao Ancestor God Technique operated, the spiritual energy, laden with cold, was rapidly refined. The speed at which his internal energy grew became even more rapid. Simultaneously, waves of cold washed over his body, and an unknown power within the chill helped to temper his physique.

In just a short time, his cultivation surpassed the typical ninth level of the Channel-Opening Realm and began pushing toward the Zhou-Tian Realm. Lu Changfeng, however, chose not to break through immediately.

"The Channel-Opening and Zhou-Tian realms are the foundations of cultivation! At this stage, one must never advance so carelessly. I must squeeze out every ounce of potential!"

He forcibly suppressed his cultivation, then guided the energy to continuously scour his meridians. The spiritual energy piled up within his channels, and a sensation of distension emerged. His body began to swell, as if he had gained weight in an instant.

Just as he reached his limit, hum!

The spiritual portals within his meridians suddenly flared to life.

"The spiritual portals!" Lu Changfeng’s expression brightened as he thought, "How could I have forgotten about these?!"

In an instant, the accumulated energy within his body surged frantically toward the spiritual portals.

Three days passed.

A disciple in the pool opened his eyes suddenly, his face twisted in pain.

Pfft!

A moment later, the disciple spat out a mouthful of blood; his once-ruddy face had turned an icy blue. Looking with lingering frustration at the silhouettes vaguely visible in the mist, he muttered, "Ninth level of the Channel-Opening Realm!"

He braced himself and slowly made his way to the edge of the pool. As he walked, his limbs were uncoordinated; some of his joints seemed unable to bend. This was the aftereffect of the cold having penetrated his body.

Even so, after crawling to the edge and lying on his back, he burst into laughter.

"Three days! In these three days, I have raised my level by one rank! Not bad, not bad!"

He had only just reached the eighth level of the Channel-Opening Realm before. If he had wanted to reach the peak of the ninth level, it would have taken him several months of cultivation. But in just three days, he had reached the peak. How could he not be excited? This meant he had saved himself months of time.

The disciples of Moon-Cold Peak who were watching the scene reflected in the pool outside were all filled with envy.