Chapter 29: The Thing at the Bottom of the Pool

As the first person departed from the Cold Pool, the others remaining within also began to reach their limits one after another. Unbeknownst to them, three days flashed by in the blink of an eye. At this moment, only two individuals remained in the pool: Lu Changfeng and Ye Yunlan, who had frequented the pool many times before.

"Only two left! I wonder who will be the last one standing!"

"Hmph, is there even a need to guess? It will naturally be the Senior Sister!"

"The Senior Sister has been entering this Cold Pool for three consecutive years now!"

Many disciples stood at the edge of the pool, whispering among themselves. They were incredibly curious to see what kind of progress the Senior Sister would make after emerging from her seclusion, as the benefits of cultivating in the Cold Pool were plain for all to see. Before entering, Ye Yunlan’s cultivation had already reached the third level of the Zhou Tian Realm. Perhaps this time, she would break through to become a powerhouse at the fourth level.

Just as they were discussing, a hum resonated through the air! A wave of energy surged from the Cold Pool, and boundless frigid mist erupted outward. The disciples standing by the bank shivered instinctively as the icy blast hit them.

Immediately following, a figure wreathed in surging energy rose slowly from the water and stepped onto the shore. A formidable pressure radiated from her. The disciples reflexively retreated two steps, their eyes wide as they stared at the figure. As Ye Yunlan walked toward them, she gradually retracted her aura. By the time she stood on the bank, she had completely concealed her energy.

"Congratulations, Senior Sister, on becoming a fourth-level Zhou Tian powerhouse!"

"The Senior Sister is truly amazing; this time she spent twice as long in the Cold Pool as she did last year!"

"Senior Sister is mighty!"

The crowd, finally reacting, rushed forward to offer their praise. Ye Yunlan nodded slightly and scanned the surroundings, only to realize that someone seemed to be missing.

"Where is Lu Changfeng?" She frowned, looking at the people around her in confusion.

"Uh..." One of the disciples, who was familiar with her, paused for a moment before saying, "That Lu Changfeng... he hasn't come out yet!"

"What?!" Ye Yunlan’s brows knitted tightly. "Still? He hasn't come out yet?"

"How is that possible?!" At this moment, she felt none of the joy of her breakthrough; her gaze, fixed on the pool, was filled with complexity.

...

The following day, deep within the Cold Pool, Lu Changfeng also reached his limit. His body had begun to tremble. For seven days, he had been suppressing his own cultivation, channeling all the power he absorbed into his meridians. Under the scouring of the icy energy, his meridians had become tougher, and his spiritual apertures had undergone a earth-shattering transformation, becoming far more expansive.

But now, his ability to suppress his power was waning. After all, the amount of spiritual energy his body could store had already reached its limit. If he continued to hold on, his body might very well collapse.

"It is time," Lu Changfeng muttered to himself, eyes snapping open. He intended to release his suppression and advance to the Zhou Tian Realm.

Just then, a hum echoed! The Dao Ancestor God Furnace trembled abruptly. Lu Changfeng sensed the change instantly.

"The Dao Ancestor God Furnace?" He was slightly startled. He promptly suppressed his cultivation again, beginning to sense the source of the vibration. As he closed his eyes, a faint, ethereal suction emerged from the very bottom of the Cold Pool.

"This..." Lu Changfeng frowned, thinking to himself, "Could there be something beneath the Moon Cold Spirit Pool?"

Since something could trigger an anomaly in the Dao Ancestor God Furnace, he could not simply ignore it. He decided to explore the bottom of the pool. The Dao Ancestor God Furnace was incredibly mysterious; anything capable of causing it to vibrate could not be an ordinary object. Lu Changfeng took a deep breath, dove into the water, and swam downward.

As he descended, the cold became increasingly biting. His body began to lose warmth, and his fingers grew stiff. Yet, these changes only made Lu Changfeng feel a surge of excitement. This proved that what lay below was truly extraordinary.

After another half a cup of tea’s time, Lu Changfeng finally reached the bottom. It was pitch black, and he could see nothing. He remained calm, swiping his hand over his eyes as spiritual energy flowed into them. His eyes began to emit a golden light, revealing the scene before him.

In the center of the pool floor lay a deep pit. Lu Changfeng happened to be at its edge. Frowning slightly, he began to swim into the pit.

Boom!

Suddenly, an immense pressure slammed against his chest.

Pfft!

Caught off guard, Lu Changfeng’s chest caved in, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Simultaneously, the Dao Ancestor God Furnace within him erupted with even greater intensity.

"The pressure here is at least ten times stronger than it was outside..." Lu Changfeng narrowed his eyes, unleashing his cultivation to wrap himself in layers of protection. He had been injured initially only because he hadn't anticipated such overwhelming pressure. Now that he was prepared, he would not be easily subdued.

He continued to descend. A moment later, he reached the bottom of the pit. There, he found a pitch-black opening. The cold radiating from it was so intense that it chilled Lu Changfeng to the bone. He weighed his current cultivation and realized he could not possibly approach it; getting any closer would mean death.

Beside this black hole lay a massive stone slab. Carved into the slab were vivid, life-like five-clawed giant dragons. The scales on the dragons were distinct and layered, emanating an aura that looked down upon the world. The pressure here originated from this slab.

Just as Lu Changfeng debated whether to push forward, a hum resonated! The Dao Ancestor God Furnace released a ripple that vibrated outward in all directions. The pressure from the stone slab seemed to touch something terrifying and immediately retracted. The weight that had been crushing Lu Changfeng’s body vanished instantly.

"Eh?" Lu Changfeng frowned, filled with astonishment. This was the first time the Dao Ancestor God Furnace had taken the initiative. Moreover, he hadn't expected the stone slab to seemingly possess consciousness and fear the furnace.

"What is the connection between the Dao Ancestor God Furnace and the Heavenly Dao?" Lu Changfeng wondered to himself. "Does it have a consciousness of its own?"

Although he had torn the Dao Ancestor God Furnace from the Heavenly Dao, he had never had the time to study it. He didn't even know if this object was a blessing or a curse. But looking at it now, it seemed to be more of a blessing! After all, if he had faced the stone slab alone, he wouldn't have been able to suppress it so easily.

Lu Changfeng took a step forward, casting aside his distracting thoughts to study the slab.

"Is this... a stele?"

In his perception, the closer he got to the stele, the more the yin-cold energy was suppressed by the furnace. Lu Changfeng stroked his chin, voicing his hypothesis: "The unique yin-cold power of the Cold Pool originates from this?"