The pool was surrounded by unfamiliar wild grass, and its diameter was about five meters. The constantly swirling white mist and the boiling water surface all exuded a dangerous aura.
"That's strange. Isn't the Dragon Pool supposed to be at the bottom of ten thousand years of ice? Why is it bubbling so intensely?"
Han Ling Shuang pondered, tapping her small head, her cheeks puffed out, making her look even more lively and adorable.
"I guess it's a form of illusion, also to test if those about to enter the Dragon Pool are qualified."
Ren Yuan Hao explained, then dipped a fallen piece of wood into the pool. The wood immediately emitted white smoke, accompanied by a pungent smell of burning, and turned to ash.
"We'll die if we jump in, right?"
Huang Yue felt a little apprehensive.
"That's odd. If this Dragon Pool can create illusions, why didn't anyone tell us? Don't you find it strange?"
Han Ling Shuang instantly pinpointed the crucial issue.
"That's not hard to explain. I think because the people entering the Dragon Pool are almost always different each time, and the illusions they see are also different, they simply don't mention it to avoid us being biased. It might lead to mistakes."
Ren Yuan Hao then tossed a small pebble into the pool. The result was the same as with the piece of wood.
"It really is like lava."
Huang Yue added, "Whoever dares to enter this Dragon Pool would likely turn into mere ashes, leaving no bone fragments behind."
Ren Yuan Hao chuckled, "If I insist that this is an illusion, would you dare to go in?"
Huang Yue hesitated, but Han Ling Shuang nodded, "Brother Bao's judgment, I trust."
Although Ren Yuan Hao firmly declared it an illusion, he found it hard to convince himself.
"How about this, I'll go in first to test it. If there's no problem, you can follow, alright?"
Han Ling Shuang frowned, and even Huang Yue thought it was too risky.
"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch its cubs? Hesitating will only give the enemy time to prepare. We have many things to do now and cannot delay here."
Ren Yuan Hao forcibly circulated his water-attribute true qi, combined with his wind-element ability, and stepped into the Dragon Pool.
Their brows furrowed tightly, but when they saw Ren Yuan Hao's foot fall into the boiling pool water without any major incident, their hearts eased slightly.
However, although Ren Yuan Hao had overcome the illusion, the Dragon Pool water was truly extraordinary. Even with his full true qi resisting it, the icy cold water felt like knives cutting into his skin, causing sharp pain!
"How is it?" Han Ling Shuang asked nervously.
Ren Yuan Hao forcefully circulated his true qi, extending half his body into the Dragon Pool, before slowly saying, "The cold is bone-piercing, unlike anything I've ever experienced. You must be mentally prepared and not hold back your true qi. Come on."
Although Huang Yue had fought fiercely with Ren Yuan Hao before, seeing that Ren Yuan Hao harbored no ill will sparked a measure of respect in his heart. He surged his true qi, gathering his courage, and stepped into the Dragon Pool water.
As soon as he entered the Dragon Pool, even with his Foundation Establishment realm strength, Huang Yue dared not take another step forward. The freezing energy seemed to pierce directly through his skin, penetrating his very marrow, making even his breathing feel frozen!
"Brother Huang, gather your qi in your Dantian, then transfer it to your feet, just like your Misty Immortal Guidance technique."
Ren Yuan Hao's reminder was like a sudden enlightenment for Huang Yue. He sank his true qi, and the pain indeed lessened. The further he walked towards the center of the pool, the purer the spiritual energy of heaven and earth became. However, the depth also became increasingly exaggerated. Huang Yue only dared to stay at the edges for now, not venturing further.
In fact, this was the choice of most cultivators who entered the Dragon Pool. Those who could walk directly to the center, like Ren Yuan Hao, were very few.
Han Ling Shuang also circulated all her true qi and sank it to her feet. The moment she stepped into the pool, a sharp pain attacked her heart, and her face instantly turned pale.
Ren Yuan Hao was startled. He urged his true qi and moved directly to Han Ling Shuang's side, continuously infusing her with his true qi.
With Ren Yuan Hao's true qi assisting her, Han Ling Shuang felt much better.
However, Ren Yuan Hao, who had already adapted to the piercing cold in the center, found the cold at the edges too weak, and the spiritual energy far inferior to that in the center. He immediately said, "Shuang'er, endure it. We must move towards the center; that's where the spiritual energy is most abundant. Brother Huang, you too, try harder."
The three slowly converged towards the center, but after only ten seconds in the center, Huang Yue was blasted out of the Dragon Pool by a powerful force!
"Those who leave the Dragon Pool can never enter it again. You two, it seems this is my fate. I wish you good luck."
As soon as he finished speaking, Huang Yue walked towards the outside of the cave.
Now, only Ren Yuan Hao and Han Ling Shuang remained in the Dragon Pool.
"Brother Bao, I can't hold on much longer~"
Han Ling Shuang's teeth chattered, and she seemed to have reached her limit of endurance.
"Hold on, I'm here!"
Ren Yuan Hao knew how precious this spiritual energy of heaven and earth was to cultivators. Whether out of gratitude or affection for his little sister Han Ling Shuang, Ren Yuan Hao had transferred a large portion of his true qi to Han Ling Shuang, enduring even more excruciating torment himself.
—Damn it, a man needs to be tough!
Ren Yuan Hao's face was ashen, even more so than Han Ling Shuang's. His lips had lost all color, turning a ghastly white.
At this moment, Huang Yue, the first to emerge from the cave, walked up to Saintess Wu Li Ti, his face grimy, and cupped his fists, "I have failed the Saintess's expectations. The Dragon Pool water is too overbearing. I..." Da Feng Novel Network
"Never mind. I've experienced that Dragon Pool water myself. You managed to last this long, which is beyond my expectations. How do you feel?"
Huang Yue circulated his qi and found that when he used his true qi, it flowed more smoothly and readily. His true qi had also been significantly condensed and his total true qi had greatly increased through the brief immersion and tempering.
"It's equivalent to at least 3 years of my cultivation effects, and my true qi is more condensed."
His words immediately ignited immense fantasies about the Dragon Pool among all the disciples present.
However, those were merely fantasies. Everyone who had managed to enter the Dragon Pool was an exceptional master.
"What about those two?" Wu Li Ti asked again.
"That Qin Bao Ge is transferring his true qi to Han Ling Shuang. It looks like she can still hold on~"
A flicker of jealousy crossed Wu Li Ti's brow, and she then asked, "To what position did you reach in the pool?"
"I stayed in the center for ten seconds and couldn't take it anymore."
"And the other two boys?"
"When I left, they were still in the center~"
After Huang Yue finished speaking, not only did Wu Li Ti's expression change drastically, but even Mo Xing He couldn't suppress his intense jealousy.
But at this moment, voices suddenly appeared in the cold, swirling forest!
"Who's there!"
Mo Xing He gripped his ferocious sword You Long, leaped up, and rushed towards the edge of the forest.
This was the sacred land of the Four Great Sects, and also a highly concealed place. It was impossible for anyone to breach the prohibitions!