Chapter 569: Wu Gong Takes the Initiative

It was just like the Heavenly Craftsman's mechanism I encountered back in the Witch Soul Tomb. Some professions, though not as renowned as formation masters, produce creations that are in no way inferior to formations. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to establish their own independent lineages, which have been passed down for an unknown duration without decline.

"There must be something affecting one's consciousness and maintaining the alternating hot and cold temperatures in this room, which creates such a realistic illusion!" It wasn't a formation, yet it could generate such a realistic illusion, making it impossible for the soul and body to differentiate. It must be sustained by some kind of treasure or special power, just as formations require spiritual energy to operate.

"A flaw!"

Understanding what was happening, his consciousness returned to his body. He carefully ran his fingers along the walls and floor of the Ice-Fire House. Soon, a book appeared in his mind.

"So that's it..."

After finishing the content, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, realizing the truth.

"The 'Origin Fire Ice Field' requires both origin fire and an ice field. Only when these two merge can such a strange phenomenon occur... Based on the orientation, it should be here!"

He measured the room for a while, then went to a corner and tapped the area several times in different directions.

Click!

As the sound of a mechanism opening echoed, a hole appeared before him. It was a pitch-black, bottomless pit, its depth unknown.

"Let's go down and take a look!"

While others might wish to descend into such a pit of unknown depth but couldn't, he possessed the Red Dust Heavenly Stride, allowing him to fly without fear. He leaped straight down. After falling for a while, he would fly to slow his descent, not expending much energy. He continued to descend for several thousand meters before finally landing firmly on the ground.

It was an extremely spacious underground cave, stretching out of sight. Directly ahead was a small pool, only about two meters in diameter, yet it resembled the yin-yang symbol of the Tai Chi, with one half flowing with scorching lava and the other half covered in ice. The surrounding spiritual energy, drawn by it, was incredibly active. The spiritual energy in the palace earlier was already excellent, but compared to here, it was many times inferior.

"Could this be the Yin-Yang Pool?" His heart stirred. Could this indeed be the Yin-Yang Pool? If not, how could there be such a strange phenomenon, with yin and yang coexisting, and fire and ice alternating?

But... if it is, how could it be so small? With a diameter of two meters, it would likely only fit one person comfortably; two would be a bit cramped. After all, cultivation isn't like taking a bath; one needs absolute focus, and it would be impossible to cultivate peacefully in such close proximity. If the Yin-Yang Pool were only this size, the Glacier Palace wouldn't be so renowned, nor could it have cultivated countless disciples proficient in Yin-Yang cultivation and possessing considerable strength.

"Let's see what's going on..."

He approached and gently touched the pool with his palm. A book appeared in his mind.

"Origin Fire Ice Field Mother Water: Created by the people of the Glacier Palace using a special method to seal the earth's meridians to generate Origin Fire, then merging it with a special substance called Ice Field. It is extremely rare. Disadvantages: 1. Requires dedicated maintenance; otherwise, it is easily damaged..."

The book was densely filled with information. After finishing reading the information recorded in the book, he thought, "As expected, it's not the Yin-Yang Pool... I thought I had found it!" He shook his head.

He had thought he'd directly found the Yin-Yang Pool, but now it seemed it wasn't that simple. The Yin-Yang Pool was the Glacier Palace's most important treasure; how could he find it so easily, and without any guards when he entered? According to the description, this substance, called Origin Fire Ice Field Mother Water, was created by the Glacier Palace by sealing the earth's meridian magma to generate Origin Fire, which then combines with the Ice Field. As for what the Ice Field was, he had initially thought it was just a snowy plain. Now, it seemed it was a special substance, much like the Origin Fire—a term for a special ice-attribute item.

"Steward Kang mentioned earlier that this place was originally a Flaming Mountain before it transformed into a snow-covered land... The reason must lie here." Steward Kang had given a detailed explanation on their way here. It was a sea of fire, unbearably hot, where not a blade of grass could grow. The people of the Glacier Palace transformed it into a land covered in heavy snow. If his guess was correct, this small pool was responsible for it. The pool could cover the earth's meridians that released heat and suppress them with the Ice Field. With the heat unable to dissipate, it was only a matter of time before such a high mountain, according to the laws of nature, became covered in snow and ice. It was like a scorching volcano, unapproachable to anyone. By using powerful means to seal the gushing magma, the temperature would naturally decrease over time.

"This substance can create illusions, indicating it affects the soul. What if... my witch soul enters it?" An idea emerged. Although this wasn't the Yin-Yang Pool, it was certainly capable of affecting a cultivator's soul. In that case... would using his witch soul yield even better results?

"Let's try it!" He acted on the thought without hesitation. Since it was part of the assessment anyway, it wouldn't be considered acting on his own initiative. Sitting cross-legged, his consciousness stirred, and his witch soul left his body, flying directly towards the pool before him.

Sizzle!

Upon entering, cold currents and hot air immediately surged in, making his soul feel as though it had fallen into a boiling oil pot, suffering immense torment. However, amidst the torment, his soul also became clearer and stronger.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction.

He used the Heavenly Dao Soul Guiding Art, which made his soul powerful and fearless of yin and yang. It could freely absorb such immense power. If it were any other witch soul master, they would likely have been refined by the scorching heat of the water before even getting close. Moreover... it wasn't just other witch soul masters; even a Spirit Harmonization realm expert cultivating true qi would find their physical body easily shattered and unable to withstand such a drastic alternation of hot and cold. However, the soul is an intangible substance, unlike ceramics or steel, which naturally contract and expand when exposed to hot and cold, eventually leading to breakage. It could be said that this Origin Fire Ice Field water was perfectly suited for his witch soul cultivation; no one else could have done it.

"Absorb the energy..." Understanding this, he chuckled heartily. His witch soul, suspended above the pool, opened its mouth wide, and the alternating hot and cold energy below immediately surged into it like a hurricane. The Heavenly Dao Witch Soul Art furiously circulated, causing his cultivation to continuously transform.

Crack!

The sound of a breakthrough echoed. Within a few breaths, his soul power advanced from the peak of Mortal Transcension Second Layer to the early stage of the Third Layer. Moreover, as the cultivation art continued to operate, the yin and yang energy below was still being frantically drawn out, causing his witch soul to surge even faster.

Mortal Transcension Third Layer, early stage!Third Layer, middle stage!Third Layer, late stage!

After absorbing the yin and yang energy from the pool, his cultivation rapidly soared, even twice as fast as absorbing spiritual energy.

"This pool's interacting yin and yang, and clashing hot and cold, complement the Heavenly Dao art perfectly, which is why progress is so fast..." Zhang Xuan knew the reason for his rapid cultivation speed. The Great Dao is One; One gives birth to Two; Two gives birth to Three; Three gives birth to all things. The Heavenly Dao cultivation art was condensed from countless techniques, containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. And this pool before him was like the yin-yang transformation of heaven and earth, a fusion of yin and yang energies... The combination of the two doubled his cultivation speed.

However, this doubling effect wasn't particularly significant for him. After all, even by absorbing spirit stones, he could easily break through a major realm in an hour. Doubling the speed only meant he could advance a major realm in half an hour. It wasn't as exaggerated as one might imagine. Of course, this was also due to his abnormally potent cultivation. If it were anyone else, being able to double their cultivation speed would make them wake up laughing from a dream.

Boom!

After an unknown period, his soul power violently vibrated, and Zhang Xuan stopped.

Mortal Transcension Fourth Layer peak... achieved! In less than an hour, his witch soul strength had forcefully risen two major realms, from the peak of Mortal Transcension Second Layer to the peak of the Fourth Layer! At Mortal Transcension Fourth Layer, the Turbid-Clear Realm, his power increased from 800,000 ding of the Yin-Yang Realm to 1,000,000 ding. Each small step in this realm increases power by 200,000 ding. This means that upon reaching the Fourth Layer peak, his witch soul alone possessed a full 1,600,000 ding of power! (Turbid-Clear Realm: early stage 1,000,000, middle stage 1,200,000, late stage 1,400,000, peak 1,600,000.) If combined with his 400,000 ding of true qi, his total power would be 2,000,000 ding. Even Steward Kang would be no match and could be easily defeated!

Powerful! Such rapid cultivation advancement was something he hadn't even imagined beforehand. However, since the witch soul master profession was already extinct, he preferred not to use this power unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, various troubles would follow one after another, enough to bother him to death.

"Go back!"

Having reached his cultivation limit, Zhang Xuan stopped. His soul returned to his body, and with a gentle sway, he stood up. He looked at the pool before him. The water, which moments ago had been a blend of yin and yang, now looked no different from an ordinary stream. The yin and yang energies it contained had been forcefully drained and completely depleted by him. His soul was also twice as large as that of a normal Mortal Transcension Fourth Layer peak witch soul master. Once it left his body, it stood over ten feet tall, making it difficult for even two ordinary people to compare.

"I didn't realize more than an hour had passed. I should go out first!" Calculating the time, Zhang Xuan felt a bit awkward. The Ice-Fire House assessment required one to exit within an hour to earn the opportunity to enter the Yin-Yang Pool. He had spent over an hour messing around, so even if he left now, he probably wouldn't pass. Steward Kang had gone to such lengths, even willing to give up his own students just to let him enter... He wondered if Steward Kang would faint on the spot if he saw this scene.

"Never mind, I won't overthink it!" With his soul power greatly advanced and his cultivation surging, he was already quite satisfied this time. Too lazy to ponder further, he activated the Red Dust Heavenly Stride. Tapping his foot in the air, he soared straight upwards. His true qi cultivation had reached the late stage of Mortal Transcension Second Layer, making him much stronger than when he first learned this technique. Back then, he could only stay in the air for a few breaths before falling, but now, he could fly for over ten minutes. A distance of several thousand meters was not difficult for him.

After about ten breaths, he returned to the Ice-Fire House. He tapped the previous spot a few times, and the mechanism on the ground closed. Confirming everything was in order, he tidied his clothes and pushed the door open.

As soon as he stepped out of the room, he saw Palace Master Wu, Steward Kang, and others anxiously approaching the door. It seemed they were about to rush in if he didn't appear soon.

"Master Zhang, are you alright...?" Steward Kang looked over, his face filled with worry.

"I'm fine!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Then why didn't you come out earlier if you were fine?" Young Master Ruohuan's eyes were full of bewilderment. "Now, more than an hour had passed, and he was no longer qualified to enter the Yin-Yang Pool..." Palace Master Wu also looked curious. Earlier, both Young Master Ruohuan and Zhao Ya, although they exited within the time limit, were somewhat disheveled. This Master Zhang, however, was not only completely unharmed, but his clothes were as smooth as new, exactly as they were when he entered... What was going on? This situation usually only occurred with geniuses who broke through the illusion very early. Otherwise, if one became engrossed in the illusion and was attacked by the yin and yang energies, even if the body remained unharmed, the clothes would certainly not withstand it.

"Oh, I felt the yin and yang energy in the room was quite good, so I cultivated for a bit. I got carried away and forgot the time..." Zhang Xuan felt a bit awkward. He couldn't reveal anything about being a witch soul master, so although he spoke the truth, he glossed over the details. However, when his words reached the ears of the others, they all swayed, nearly spitting blood.

Cultivating... in a place like the Ice-Fire House, which is meant for assessment? Everyone else entering here was constantly thinking about how to endure, yet this guy actually thought it was a good place, cultivating until he forgot the time... Is that true?

"The Ice-Fire House has special mechanisms that cause people to fall into an illusion as soon as they enter... How could one cultivate there?" Palace Master Wu frowned.

"It was just a lucky accident..." Zhang Xuan shook his head, no longer dwelling on the matter, and changed the subject: "Does this count as passing?"

"For the Ice-Fire House assessment, one must exit within an hour to pass. You... even if you cultivated and forgot the time, you only came out after an hour, so it can only be considered a failure..." Palace Master Wu shook her head. Although she truly wanted him to succeed, the rules of the Glacier Palace could not be broken. Exiting after an hour, regardless of the reason, counted as a failure, and thus disqualified one from entering the Yin-Yang Pool.

"Alright..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. He had already guessed this outcome when he realized he had exceeded the hour. However, he didn't have high expectations for the Yin-Yang Pool to begin with, and combined with the significant progress in his soul power, he didn't feel overly disappointed.

"I'm willing to give my spot to Master..." Zhao Ya looked anxious.

"No need!" Seeing her like this, Zhang Xuan waved his hand: "To be honest, the Yin-Yang Pool isn't very useful to me. On the contrary, with your pure Yin physique, diligent cultivation there will lead to astonishing transformations."

"But..."

"What? Are you no longer listening to your Master's words?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"No, it's just..."

"There are no 'buts'! If you're listening, then go with Palace Master Wu to the Yin-Yang Pool and cultivate diligently to stimulate your physique!" Interrupting her, Zhang Xuan looked forward: "Palace Master, since I'm not qualified for the Yin-Yang Pool, please take Zhao Ya and Young Master Ruohuan there. Steward Kang and I will simply wait here..."

"Okay!" Seeing that Master Zhang, despite failing, didn't vehemently insist on going, Palace Master Wu breathed a sigh of relief and called out: "You two, come with me."

"Yes..." Seeing her Master upset, Zhao Ya dared not say more and immediately followed behind Palace Master Wu. Young Master Ruohuan also followed closely, casting a glance at Master Zhang as he left, his eyes filled with admiration. Passing meant passing, failing meant failing. He didn't quibble or rely on favors to make Palace Master Wu break the rules. He was indeed worthy of his Master's admiration, possessing the demeanor and spirit a renowned master should have.

"Master Zhang, this opportunity... it's truly a pity!" Seeing the three leave, Steward Kang could no longer hold back a sigh. The Yin-Yang Pool, with its clashing hot and cold energies, had immense benefits for cultivators of the Primordial Qi Realm and Yin-Yang Realm. Otherwise, such a great price wouldn't have been paid just to have the selected master teachers come. Originally, he thought that with Master Zhang's abilities, passing the assessment was a certainty. Who knew... he would fail! If he could have entered the Yin-Yang Pool, given Master Zhang's performance in the preliminary competition, his chances of standing out and breaking into the top ten in the upcoming Master Teacher Tournament would have been much higher. But now... being only at the early stage of Mortal Transcension Second Layer, success was almost impossible!

Before leaving Myriad Kingdoms City, Zhang Xuan had already broken through to the late stage of Mortal Transcension Second Layer. However, he had always concealed his true cultivation, appearing only at the early stage, to avoid being too conspicuous. Therefore, even Steward Kang didn't know that his strength had already increased by several minor levels.

"Actually, it's nothing..." Zhang Xuan shook his head: "Since the Glacier Palace has its rules, failure is failure. There's nothing to dwell on. If Steward Kang wishes for my cultivation to improve, perhaps he could find some mid-grade spirit stones. I can exchange them for... items of equal value." For him, who had mastered the Heavenly Dao cultivation art, neither the Yin-Yang Pool nor any heavenly treasures were as useful as mid-grade spirit stones. As long as he had enough spirit stones, cultivation advancement was extremely simple.

"Mid-grade spirit stones?" Steward Kang was stunned for a moment: "I have a few. If they're useful to you, I can just give them to you..." As the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion, he had accumulated quite a few mid-grade spirit stones over the years. However, he needed them for his own cultivation and had used many, so he didn't have many left to give away. But... as long as Master Zhang could achieve a ranking in the Master Teacher Tournament, what did it matter if he went bankrupt? The Myriad Kingdoms City Master Teacher Pavilion carried too much of his honor and hard work. If he could break previous records and produce a top ten ranker, let alone spending money, he could even face his ancestors calmly if he died instantly.

"Give them to me?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then understood the other party's intentions and secretly admired him: "Steward Kang, you're too kind. Don't worry, I won't take your spirit stones for free..." The other party had high integrity, but he couldn't just take things for free without doing anything in return.

He was considering offering some guidance later to help Steward Kang break through to the Spirit Harmonization realm when he suddenly felt a furious aura surge into the sky. It seemed a super expert, unable to control their rage, had lost control of their emotions and released their cultivation.

"It's Palace Master Wu... This is bad!" Feeling this power, Steward Kang and Zhang Xuan's pupils simultaneously constricted. They were very familiar with this aura; it belonged to Palace Master Wu. Why would she suddenly unleash such a powerful aura without restraint at this moment? Could it be... that she intended harm to Young Master Ruohuan and Zhao Ya? She was a Mortal Transcension Fifth Layer expert. If she truly attacked the two of them, they would have no ability to resist, even if they combined their strength! The cultivation gap was too vast!

"Let's go check!" Their expressions changed. The two exclaimed softly and simultaneously rushed straight towards the direction from which the aura emanated.