Chapter 404: Bloodwood

Relying on the faint warmth provided by the Crimson Pellet, Qin Sang struggled against the biting wind. He constantly monitored the Crimson Pellet in his hand, silently calculating the time. He had to leave the deep cavern before it was consumed, or his life would be in peril, rendering any treasure meaningless.

He descended rapidly. He had no idea how far he had descended, and there was still no sign of the so-called heavenly treasures. Before he knew it, the ice layer had vanished, replaced by permafrost. Even after passing through the thick ice, he still hadn't found the source of the Profound Frost Malice Wind. Where did this malicious wind originate, and what was its cause?

Qin Sang was secretly amazed. Continuing downwards along the permafrost, he found the cavern growing wider. At its deepest point lay a vast, boundless abyss filled with wisps of azure wind, resembling swimming fish. As they drifted towards the cavern entrance, they would be captured by a wind column, merge with it, and be carried outwards.

Qin Sang dared not enter the abyss. These azure winds were the essence of the Profound Frost Malice Wind; even brushing against a wisp the size of a forearm would instantly freeze him to death. Had he guessed wrong? Was there nothing here? Or was the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon's nest still beneath the abyss? After all, given the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon's power, it wouldn't fear the Profound Frost Malice Wind at all. It seemed he had made a wasted trip.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly. He squeezed his palm; the Crimson Pellet was already half consumed, and there was no benefit in staying here. Just as he was about to turn back, Qin Sang's eyes narrowed. He turned his head, staring at a distant rock wall, as if he had inadvertently discovered something, and his figure suddenly came to a halt.

After a moment of hesitation, Qin Sang moved carefully along the rock wall. He hadn't gone far when he indeed saw a dark cave entrance hidden behind several protruding boulders ahead. The cave entrance wasn't large, only about a person's height and wide enough for three people to walk abreast, perfectly concealed by the boulders.

Could this be the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon's nest? For a Thunder-Swallowing Falcon, whose wingspan could block out the sun and moon, this cave seemed far too small. Qin Sang was unfamiliar with the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon's habits, and a hint of doubt clouded his expression. He slowly released his spiritual sense, probing into the cave, and found no restrictive formations within. Cold wind streamed into the stone cave, making it as frigid as the outside. It appeared to be nothing more than a naturally formed, crude stone cave.

Qin Sang pondered for a moment, checked his escape techniques, and ensured his concealment was ready before carefully stepping into the stone cave. The stone cave was deep. After walking some distance, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly as a faint warmth subtly emanated from deeper within the cavern, and the intensity of the cold wind diminished. After a few more steps, a faint red light flickered in the deep cavern, causing Qin Sang to feel a sense of surprise and doubt.

Qin Sang glanced at the Crimson Pellet in his hand, pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and lunged forward. A wave of heat surged towards him, instantly dispelling all the cold from his body. Immediately afterward, an intensely concentrated spiritual energy washed over him, invigorating Qin Sang and filling him with secret awe.

The most concentrated spiritual energy he had ever encountered was in the cave behind Shaohua Mountain, where he stayed during his Foundation Establishment after passing the Red Dust Gourd trial. That mountain was home to Patriarch Dongyang Bo's cave mansion, a place where all the sect's spiritual veins converged, and even his own Spiritual Spring Cave Dwelling couldn't compare. Yet, even that cave paled significantly in comparison to this place.

Qin Sang's eyes widened as he surveyed the cave dwelling before him. Despite its proximity to the Profound Frost Malice Wind, the cave dwelling felt not the slightest bit cold; instead, it was exceptionally warm. This was due to a flowing red river within the dwelling, which was not an ordinary lava river but an underground fiery vein! Beside this fiery vein, a clear, small river flowed in parallel. This small river was even more extraordinary: it was a river of spiritual energy, originating from a spiritual spring. A spiritual spring had converged into a river!

With the underground fiery vein on one side and the river of spiritual energy on the other, the scenery of the cave dwelling was profoundly influenced by their presence. Next to the underground fiery vein on the left, clusters of jade-like plants grew, resembling a type of red coral. Meanwhile, the banks of the spiritual energy river were verdant with lush grass, teeming with vibrant life. Two entirely different landscapes coexisted within a single cave dwelling, complementing each other yet distinctly separate, creating an exceptionally peculiar sight.

Once he had a clear view of the entire cave dwelling, Qin Sang was certain: this must be the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon's nest! A cave dwelling of this caliber was exceedingly rare, a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. Only great demons in the shapeshifting stage or Nascent Soul ancestors would possess the ability to locate and occupy such a place.

Qin Sang was amazed by the wondrous scenery within the cave dwelling, but as his gaze swiftly swept across its various parts, a look of disappointment gradually appeared on his face. Whether by the underground fiery vein or the river of spiritual energy, the surrounding plants were merely common herbs; not a single one resembled a heavenly treasure. Even he held these items in low regard, so what could be worth the trouble for those two Nascent Soul cultivators?

Wait, where was the source of the river of spiritual energy, the spiritual spring itself? Qin Sang focused his gaze on the depths of the cave dwelling, carefully entered, and silently landed on the flat ground between the two rivers. After moving some distance, he finally found the end of both rivers.

A jade pool, constructed from spiritual jade, appeared in his view. The circular jade pool had a diameter of over ten zhang and was exceptionally exquisite; every piece of jade had been meticulously polished. The jade pool was the source of both the underground fiery vein and the river of spiritual energy! Two entirely distinct 'river waters' each occupied one half of the jade pool, and precisely in their center, a silvery-white orb of lightning quietly hovered above the water's surface. The jade pool resembled a nest, nurturing the lightning orb.

Within the lightning orb, streaks of lightning flickered on and off. Even a lightning streak as thin as a strand of hair possessed terrifying power! Sensing the intimidating aura emanating from the lightning, Qin Sang's heart pounded, and he dared not approach. Inside the lightning orb, there appeared to be tiny white fragments that were constantly hammered by the lightning yet remained completely unharmed. He wondered what material they were made of.

However, what truly captivated Qin Sang's attention was something within the jade pool. Half of the clear pool water was the spiritual spring itself. From within this spiritual spring, a striking crimson light shot skyward, dyeing the pool water a faint, unsettling blood-red, making it appear exceptionally eerie.

Qin Sang squinted for a closer look, only then discerning that beneath the crimson light lay a cluster of blood-colored spiritual wood. The spiritual wood was entirely blood-colored, a dark, murky red. Even in the purest spiritual spring, it could not conceal the aura of bloody defilement it emanated. Upon seeing this wood, one's first thoughts would undoubtedly turn to dispiriting words such as decay and desolation.

Qin Sang was initially startled, then a flash of insight struck him, and he suddenly recalled something. His eyes widened with profound shock and overwhelming joy.

"This... is the Infernal Blood Mulberry?" Qin Sang murmured to himself, staring intently at the blood-colored wood, unable to tear his eyes away.

The Infernal Blood Mulberry, one of the Ten Great Divine Woods of the world, was a legendary tree of ultimate defilement! Qin Sang suddenly recalled a secret mentioned by Cloud Wanderer: an Infernal Blood Mulberry once appeared in Boundless Valley. It was shattered during a struggle between Nascent Soul cultivators, and its fragments were scattered throughout the valley. Many cultivators had tried to find the divine wood, but all had failed to find anything.

Could this patch of blood-colored wood be one of those Infernal Blood Mulberry fragments, which had fallen here after being shattered and was now hidden by the Thunder-Swallowing Falcon, nurtured within the spiritual spring?