Chapter 302: Dragon Source Marrow

Zhou Yuan and the others stood atop a mountain peak, gazing ahead at a jade-dragon-like river that wound its way through towering peaks before finally emptying into a vast expanse of water.

The vast expanse of water was endless, and within it stood towering peaks that seemed to touch the sky. These peaks divided the water, making it resemble a labyrinth when shrouded in mist.

Zhou Tai pointed at the endless, misty expanse of water and said, "This is the Source Pool. The Source Marrow Baptism takes place here. Although it's called a 'pool,' it's incredibly vast—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a sea."

Zhou Yuan gazed at the so-called "Source Pool," his expression quite solemn, because he could feel a sense of oppression emanating from the water, instilling fear and deterring anyone from entering.

He knew this was likely due to the Source Dragon Vein. Born from the heavens and earth, it accumulated the essence of heaven and earth and naturally possessed a certain might of nature.

He looked up and saw a massive, faintly discernible Source Rune Barrier, descending from the sky like a bowl, enveloping the entire "Source Pool."

This was a vital location for the Cangxuan Sect, and naturally, it was heavily guarded.

Around the "Source Pool" at this time, countless Source Qi clouds descended, evidently carrying disciples from other peaks.

What surprised Zhou Yuan, however, was that most of these disciples did not wear purple sashes.

"Around the Source Pool, the heaven and earth Source Qi is extremely rich," Zhou Tai explained from the side. "Although other disciples aren't qualified to enter the Source Pool, they can cultivate at its edges, which is still quite beneficial."

"Senior Brother Zhou Tai, it's about time you told me what exactly the Source Marrow Baptism entails, isn't it?" Zhou Yuan asked with a smile.

Zhou Tai nodded, pointing at the Source Pool. "For the Source Marrow Baptism, the most important thing is the 'Dragon Source Marrow.' Dragon Source Marrow is condensed from the dragon aura emitted by the Source Dragon Vein, and it's extraordinarily profound."

"Dragon Source Marrow? Where do we get it?" Zhou Yuan was startled.

"Heh heh, Dragon Source Marrow is, of course, found within the Source Pool. However, according to the rules, disciples undergoing the baptism must rely on their own strength to search for it within the Source Pool."

"The Source Pool is formed by the Source Dragon Vein, and it's filled with a sense of oppression. To navigate it, one must constantly circulate Source Qi to resist, which consumes a lot of Source Qi."

"Furthermore, don't be fooled by the calm surface of the Source Pool. Beneath it, dangers lurk everywhere. Because the Source Dragon Vein is full of vitality, the overflowing dragon aura forms numerous water beasts. Encountering them in the Source Pool can be a real headache."

"However, these water beasts are formed from dragon aura, and if you hunt them, you can obtain Dragon Source Marrow from their bodies. Moreover, the larger the water beast, the purer the Dragon Source Marrow."

"Otherwise, why do you think the Source Pool opens for ten days each time? That's because everyone spends almost nine days searching for Dragon Source Marrow. The actual Source Marrow Baptism only happens on the last day," Zhou Tai said with a chuckle.

"Today is considered a bi-monthly grand event for our Cangxuan Sect. Most of the Purple Sash Disciples within the sect will come to the Source Pool to search for Dragon Source Marrow for the Source Marrow Baptism. After all, this is a privilege only Purple Sash Disciples can enjoy, and no one wants to give it up easily."

He stretched out a finger, pointing to the sky above the Source Pool. Zhou Yuan followed his gaze and saw an island suspended there. The island somewhat resembled an altar, and on it stood ancient, rugged stone pillars.

"This is the Baptism Platform, and those stone pillars are the Baptism Pillars. On the tenth day, many disciples will head to the Baptism Platform, and with the help of the Baptism Pillars' power, they will activate the Dragon Source Marrow to complete the baptism."

Zhou Yuan looked at the massive altar high in the sky with great interest.

"The Source Marrow Baptism also has different levels. As the baptism activates the Dragon Source Marrow, a phenomenon of dragon shadows entwining the body appears. Therefore, the level of baptism is determined by the number of dragon shadows."

"For instance, if one dragon shadow appears, it's a One-Dragon Baptism, which is the lowest level."

"The highest is the Nine-Dragon Baptism, where nine dragon shadows will appear."

"Naturally, the higher the level of baptism, the greater the benefits obtained."

"So, if you want a higher-level baptism, you'll need to work hard to find more Dragon Source Marrow, as the amount of Dragon Source Marrow determines the final baptism level," Zhou Tai said.

"Nine-Dragon Baptism..." A strong look of interest flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes as he asked, "Senior Brother Zhou Tai, what level of baptism do you usually achieve?"

Zhou Tai scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "My strength isn't particularly outstanding among the Purple Sash Disciples of the Cangxuan Sect. I can't stay in the Source Pool for too long, and the Dragon Source Marrow I find is limited. So, my past baptisms have only reached the Four-Dragon level."

"Some more powerful Purple Sash Disciples might reach Five-Dragon. It's said that Yuan Hong, a disciple under Elder Lu Hong, achieves the Five-Dragon level in every Source Marrow Baptism."

"As for a Six-Dragon level baptism, that's probably only achievable by chief disciples of the other six peaks."

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered as he asked, "What about the Ten Saint Sons?"

Zhou Tai couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. "Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, your ambition isn't small... However, the Ten Saint Sons don't need to laboriously search for Dragon Source Marrow in the Source Pool themselves. When they become Saint Sons, the sect grants them a small, exclusive area within the Source Pool. They can enter and exit this area anytime, and the Dragon Source Marrow produced there is more abundant than anywhere else."

"As expected of the Ten Saint Sons, such treatment..."

Zhou Yuan was stunned, then couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The advantages of the Ten Saint Sons were truly enviable. To think they were even allocated a small section of the Source Pool! Compared to other disciples, they were clearly the ones truly receiving the sect's full cultivation resources.

But having risen above so many disciples, they certainly possessed such qualifications.

Zhou Tai nodded with a sigh. "So they don't need to put much effort into searching for Dragon Source Marrow. Their baptisms can easily reach the Seven-Dragon level. However, if they want a higher-level baptism, they need to personally venture into the depths of the Source Pool to hunt thousand-zhang-sized water beasts and extract the Dragon Source Marrow from within them to achieve an Eight-Dragon Baptism."

Within this Source Pool, most water beasts are around a hundred zhang in size. It's said that the larger the water beast, the purer the Dragon Source Marrow within it. When a baptism reaches the Seven-Dragon level and one wishes to further improve, they must obtain Dragon Source Marrow from thousand-zhang-sized water beasts.

"What is the strength of those thousand-zhang-sized water beasts?" Zhou Yuan mused softly.

Zhang Yan, who was standing nearby, heard this and smiled faintly. "Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, don't even think about it. If even we encountered a thousand-zhang-sized water beast, we'd have no choice but to turn and run. In all these years, I've only ever seen one person from our Cangxuan Sect hunt a thousand-zhang water beast and enjoy the Eight-Dragon level of baptism."

"Oh, who was it?" Zhou Yuan didn't mind Zhang Yan's slightly barbed remark and asked with a faint smile.

"Who else could it be? Besides the head of the Ten Saint Sons, who else has that kind of capability?" Zhang Yan said slowly.

"Chu Qing..."

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered slightly. Even for him, a new inner mountain disciple, this name was legendary.

Senior Brother Chu Qing had certainly left behind many legends within the Cangxuan Sect.

But to be able to raise the Source Marrow Baptism to the Eight-Dragon level... It seemed Chu Qing truly possessed extraordinary abilities. Although Zhou Yuan hadn't encountered those water beasts yet, thousand-zhang water beasts that could render other Saint Sons helpless were clearly not easy to deal with.

"Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, although you only have this one chance for now, you must seize it well. If you can manage a Five-Dragon Baptism, it won't be a loss," Zhou Tai consoled him.

Zhou Yuan nodded with a smile upon hearing this.

As they were speaking, a sudden commotion spread across the area. Countless male disciples, with excited and agitated expressions, looked into the distance.

Zhou Yuan and his companions were also affected, immediately looking up in confusion. They then saw a Source Qi cloud descend from the sky, landing on a distant mountain peak.

On that Source Qi cloud, colorful skirts fluttered, and sweet, charming chatter, like the singing of orioles, emanated from numerous young women.

At the very front, a woman in a white dress stood gracefully, her dark hair swaying gently in the breeze. Under the sunlight, her exquisitely beautiful face was revealed.

Along the hem of her skirt, lotus-like patterns spread out.

Her face was also extremely delicate, possessing a beauty that could captivate a nation. On her smooth forehead, there was a luminous lotus pattern, giving her an air of sanctity.

However, what was slightly notable was that the white-dressed woman exuded an aura of coldness that kept people at a distance, like a goddess of ice and snow, making her difficult to approach.

Yet, even so, her radiance was incredibly dazzling. Although many of the girls around her were also pretty, next to her, their splendor was overshadowed, making them appear dim.

Zhou Yuan gazed at her, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes, because in terms of beauty and temperament, this white-dressed woman was hardly inferior to Yaoyao.

Furthermore, they shared some similarities, both possessing a cool, detached demeanor that kept others at bay.

Zhou Yuan looked at the nation-captivating woman in white, and had already guessed her identity. Within the Cangxuan Sect, someone who could incite such fervent excitement among countless male disciples upon their appearance...

Who else could it be but Li Qingchan, ranked third among the Ten Saint Sons?