Beyond the crater, fierce winds howled relentlessly. In a stone pavilion not far from the mountain mouth stood two elder figures with their hands behind their backs.
“Already two and a half months have passed…”
Jin Shi frowned intently at the crater, where the Tian Shan Blood Pond, which had initially been overflowing, had now dropped to an extremely shallow level. The red liquid had also become much paler, looking almost like any ordinary lake, and the energy within it had diminished to an extent that made it impossible to absorb. Jin Gu, who heard this, let out a bitter laugh and said hesitantly, “Could something have gone wrong? The Tian Shan Fire Toxin below is too concentrated; even I dare not venture in.”
“It shouldn’t be. The Tian Shan Fire Toxin is fierce, but it doesn’t pose much of a threat to the Heavenly Flame,” Jin Shi shook his head and said solemnly. However, for some reason, his words didn’t sound as confident as they should. Xiao Yan had been in the Tian Shan Blood Pond for two and a half months, and this time was indeed too long. The fire toxins at the bottom of the blood pond were extremely intense, and even he would not dare to stay for such a prolonged period. Even though Xiao Yan possessed a heavenly flame, his strength was still that of a nine-star Battle Emperor…
Seeing Jin Shi’s appearance, Jin Gu could only sigh helplessly. Over these two and a half months, the energy tides in the Tianmu Mountains had gradually subsided. After staying in the blood pond for nearly five days, Feng Qing-er and the others left one by one, bidding brief farewells before quickly departing. It seemed that this immersion in the blood pond had granted them considerable benefits, and they might even break through to the Battle Sect level upon returning.
As for Nalan Yanran, she had stayed in the blood pond for only three days before being forced to leave due to her body’s energy reaching saturation. She had waited for Xiao Yan in the Tianmu Mountains for nearly two months before finally having to depart. This meant that currently, the only person in the Tianmu Mountains without any news was Xiao Yan.
“If there’s still no word today, I’ll go down to the blood pond to see what’s happened…”
After a long contemplation, Jin Shi finally made up his mind. He needed Xiao Yan’s help to cleanse the fire toxins in his body, so even though he knew it was dangerous to enter the bottom of the blood pond, he had no choice but to go and check.
Hearing this, Jin Gu nodded helplessly. There was no other option now.
“Boom!”
Just as Jin Gu nodded, the area around the crater suddenly erupted with a burst of energy. The energy in the sky began to oscillate violently.
With the sound of the explosion, the energy in the sky and earth seemed drawn, gathering wildly towards the crater. Jin Shi and Jin Gu looked closely and found that the energy was converging directly at the Tian Shan Blood Pond!
“What’s happening?” Jin Gu was taken aback by the sudden change and hurriedly asked.
Jin Shi, with furrowed brows, stared intently at the blood pond. On the water’s surface, a massive whirlpool had formed, with a pitch-black hole at its center. The surrounding energy surged in through this hole.
“Something in the blood pond seems to be absorbing energy frantically. If I’m not mistaken, it’s Xiao Yan,” Jin Shi said slowly.
“Is it possible for a Battle Emperor to cause such an energy disturbance?” Jin Gu asked in shock. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he stared at Jin Shi with a shocked look, “Could he be trying to break through to Battle Sect?”
A curious light flashed in Jin Shi’s eyes. After a moment, he nodded slightly. “It seems so. He actually managed it. Though the Tian Shan Blood Pond does help people break through, this is the first time I’ve seen someone succeed. If this news gets out, the allure of the Tian Shan Blood Pond will skyrocket.”
“No wonder he stayed at the bottom of the blood pond for so long. He wanted to break through to Battle Sect in one go. But this method can only be used by those with a Heavenly Flame; the Tian Shan Fire Toxin is too terrifying.”
“Still, the commotion caused by his breakthrough is quite significant. This disturbance in the sky and earth will likely be sensed by every Battle Sect within a thousand miles.”
Jin Shi nodded, watching the blood pond with a slight relief. As long as Xiao Yan was okay, his own fire toxins should be fine too.
As they spoke, the disturbance in the sky grew more intense. Concentrated energy continuously poured out, flowing into the vortex in the blood pond. From afar, the entire Tianmu Mountain seemed wrapped in a dazzling, turbulent energy, creating a magnificent sight.
This change naturally caught the attention of the entire Gold-Eating Rat tribe in the Tianmu Mountains. Stunned gazes turned upward, staring at the violent, tangible energy in the sky. The faint energy pressure it exuded made many weaker Gold-Eating Rats feel a sense of dread.
The changes in the sky continued to intensify over time, with colorful streams of energy continually descending from above. As more and more energy poured into the blood pond, a powerful aura, like a waking dragon, rose from the depths, astonishing even Jin Shi and Jin Gu.
“This aura is not like that of someone just breaking through to Battle Sect,” Jin Gu muttered, puzzled.
“Indeed, this aura is on par with an ordinary one-star Battle Sect. But it’s possible that the aura peaked during the breakthrough. It might stabilize after the completion,” Jin Shi nodded and agreed.
The powerful aura swiftly spread, covering the entire Tianmu Mountain. Under such immense presence, everyone except for Jin Shi and a few others felt a deep sense of fear, and many untransformed Gold-Eating Rats scurried about, making panicked noises.
As the disturbances in the Tianmu Mountains grew, many powerful cultivators within a thousand miles sensed the overwhelming aura emanating from the blood pond. Gazing towards the mountains, they wondered, “Such an aura… Someone is breaking through to Battle Sect? Is it in the Tianmu Mountains? Another Gold-Eating Rat?”
“Those guys are truly lucky. Now, the Gold-Eating Rat tribe’s strength will grow even more. The Tian Shan Blood Pond is indeed a treasure. Perhaps we should let our disciples try their luck next time.”
On the peak of the Tianmu Mountain, energy howled across the sky, and the whirlpool above the blood pond spun increasingly madly, sending waves crashing against the stone walls, creating deafening roars. The energy fluctuations had also caused storm clouds to gather overhead, turning the once bright sky dark and gloomy.
Jin Shi and Jin Gu, undistracted by the changes, fixed their gaze on the blood pond. The energy absorption at the bottom seemed to have reached its peak.
“He’s coming out,” Jin Shi said, eyeing the rapidly spinning vortex.
“Bang!”
As he spoke, the water surface exploded, spewing out countless surging jets that burst open, creating a torrential downpour. Jets of water shot into the sky, followed by a clear, piercing cry from the depths of the blood pond, piercing through the water and shooting straight up.
The cry triggered a series of explosions, causing the mountain to tremble. Cracks spread like spider webs around the crater, and ear-splitting noises echoed continuously.
Suddenly, a colossal jet of water, like a erupting volcano, shot out of the blood pond, dispersing the whirlpool. The water column, reaching several dozen yards high, burst apart at its zenith, sending a massive splash down like a continuous rain curtain.
The rain beat heavily on the stone pavilion, creating a crisp sound. Everyone in the Tianmu Mountains fixed their gazes on the sky.
In the midst of the countless gazes, the rain curtain split open, revealing a clear path to the heavens. In the rift, a slender figure emerged, hovering in the air, as straight as a spear. The powerful aura radiating from his body pierced through the endless sky.
“Battle Sect…”
Feeling the might of this presence, the entire Tianmu Mountains echoed with a mix of awe and envy.
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