Chapter 24: Start with an opportunity and set a trap |
Lei Jun's actions were subtle, almost unnoticeable.
If someone questioned him, he would probably look bewildered and deny doing anything.
Without paying close attention, one might even miss the slight changes in his expression.
If you noticed, the impression Lei Jun gave was this:
Although he verbally warned everyone of the dangers of the Upper Immortal Pool, he discreetly signaled his sister, Li Ying.
It was as if he was hinting to her: ignore my warnings; in truth, the Upper Immortal Pool is the best choice.
As for why he didn’t privately advise his sister before they entered, given the unpredictability of the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, one could hardly accuse him of overacting. Perhaps he only observed something upon arriving and adjusted his advice accordingly.
But it was all open to interpretation.
After all, Lei Jun only warned everyone not to go to the Upper Immortal Pool.
Yet, Lei Jun hadn’t tried to set a trap for the Lower Immortal Pool, marked by the ominous Lower-Bad Omen.
That was the most dangerous spot of all.
Did Lei Jun leave some room for consideration?
Perhaps not…
Adapting to circumstances is wise; adhering rigidly to old methods is folly.
Even recent experiences may not hold true anymore.
Fortune and misfortune are ever-changing.
The knowledge Lei Jun relied on might already be outdated…
Saying no more, Lei Jun wrapped up his advice, and everyone dispersed.
Even the Middle Immortal Pool consisted of interconnected smaller lakes forming a large lake.
The group could spread out, so, despite the mix of men and women, they had no qualms about entering the water at the same time.
Surrounded by mist, even though Lei Jun and the others had cultivated to the point of having keen vision, the fog still hampered their sight, limiting their view.
Unlike the new disciples who had just achieved the Foundation Establishment stage, Lei Jun, the team leader, had already reached the Third Realm Altar Stage.
The Tianshi Mansion's direct disciple, Fang Jian, was even more advanced.
Lei Jun wandered a bit, then, under the cover of mist, activated his Wind Talisman.
With the spirit of the Night Wind Stone embedded in his Life-bound Wind Talisman, his movements became as light as the breeze, blending seamlessly with the fog.
He distanced himself from the pool, heading directly upward.
His target was the cloud layer mentioned in the Upper-Moderate Omen.
As he rose, Lei Jun began to feel discomfort.
The surrounding mist, seemingly gentle, burned like fire, pressing down on him.
Lei Jun didn’t immediately take out the Dragon Horse Scale.
Although its defense was strong, it quickly drained his mana.
Instead, he opted for the Golden Barrier Talisman. Though it wasn’t his Life-bound spell, its defense was still reliable, and he didn’t expect any Golden Breaking Talisman attacks here.
With the Golden Barrier Talisman, a golden light enveloped him, forming a shield that kept the mist at bay.
However, as Lei Jun continued to ascend, the heat intensified, melting away the shield at a rapid pace.
Then he noticed a flash of yellow from a Daoist robe in the clouds.
Using the Night Wind Stone, Lei Jun concealed himself silently within the mist, avoiding detection.
As they moved closer, Lei Jun recognized the face—it was Chen Yi.
Could he also sense the auspicious signs within the upper cloud layer?
Lei Jun grew intrigued.
Chen Yi was also enveloped in golden light, his glow even more refined and concentrated than Lei Jun’s.
The Golden Barrier Talisman was probably one of Chen Yi's Life-bound spells.
Despite hearing about the Golden Breaking Talisman, Chen Yi had kept his composure in front of others.
But now, ascending within the cloud layer, he had no choice but to show his true strength.
As the burning mist continued to press down, Chen Yi’s Life-bound Golden Barrier Talisman began to falter.
After exhausting three Golden Barrier Talismans, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for.
Finally, he retreated with a fourth talisman, descending from the upper cloud layer.
“A pity,” he muttered, glancing back at the clouds. “The treasures up there are likely the best, but I lack the cultivation and protective items needed to reach them… I'll have to try again someday.”
He felt a pang of regret, as though he had just missed a unique opportunity.
But the Upper and Lower Immortal Pools still held treasures; he wouldn’t leave empty-handed today.
With a sigh of relief, Chen Yi descended.
“I’ll check the Upper Immortal Pool first. Lei Jun may have warned us about it, but he also hinted to his sister, Li Ying. There must be something there.”
That arrogant woman, Tang Xiaotang, may be insufferable, but the Li family’s sneaky tricks aren’t any better. Using me and Tang Xiaotang to build Li Zhengxuan’s reputation, and expecting me to be grateful? Dream on.
After scanning his surroundings to ensure no one was nearby, Chen Yi entered the Upper Immortal Pool.
Meanwhile, Lei Jun also felt the intense pressure of the scorching mist.
Since Yuan Mobai’s Golden Barrier Talisman was consumable, Lei Jun decided to activate the Dragon Horse Scale instead.
With his mana infused, the Dragon Horse Scale glowed brightly, forming a vast Radiant Shield around him.
With a thought, he adjusted the shield from single-directional defense to all-around protection.
Instantly, the burning sensation vanished.
Yet Lei Jun could feel his mana draining rapidly.
Focusing, he continued his ascent.
Soon, Lei Jun noticed that the mist became denser and seemed to stagnate, as if he had moved from air to water.
Suddenly inspired, he withdrew the Dragon Horse Scale.
As the burning mist drew near again, a fresh, cool sensation surrounded him.
“…The Sixth-Grade Opportunity mentioned in the Upper-Moderate Omen.”
Lei Jun quickly took out a Spirit Gathering Talisman from the Tianshi Mansion’s True Dao Legacy.
The talisman glowed, gathering spiritual energy around him and temporarily sealing some of the spiritual essence.
Immediately, a cool stream converged, forming a frosty layer on the yellow talisman.
But as the frost solidified, the cool sensation vanished, replaced by searing heat.
He quickly stored the talisman and reactivated the Dragon Horse Scale, retreating swiftly from the cloud layer.
Descending, Lei Jun felt his mana nearly depleted, so he took all three Qi Spirit Pills and drank a small bottle of Essence Nourishing Liquid he had prepared.
Then he landed gently in a smaller lake within the Middle Immortal Pool.
As he entered the water, he felt his mana, energy, and spirit swiftly rejuvenating.
Breathing rhythmically, he looked within himself, sensing the pool’s spiritual energy merging with the water, nurturing his Dao Foundation.
With the pool’s spiritual essence bathing him, his foundation grew stronger.
“Truly worthy of the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool.”
Lei Jun nodded, acknowledging that Master Yuan Mobai’s words were true. Even without the frost from the upper clouds, just soaking in the pool was enough to pave his path to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Lei Jun felt a slight shift.
Through his practice with the Night Wind Stone’s spirit, he had developed an acute sensitivity to faint movements, surpassing his current level.
He sensed someone watching from a distance.
It was Lei Ming.
The vast pool and mist made it challenging to locate others.
Lei Ming had first gone to the Upper Immortal Pool, then checked the Middle Immortal Pool and found Senior Brother Shangguan. Now he spotted Lei Jun, deepening his disappointment.
“What a menace…”
Lei Jun remained calm, his face betraying nothing.
Then, after sitting a moment longer, he acted as if he had noticed something, rising from the water.
At first, Lei Ming thought he’d been spotted, but Lei Jun veered off in a different direction.
Lei Jun approached the edge of the Middle Immortal Pool and looked down:
“Junior Brother Chen? Is that you?”
Standing by the lake, he looked toward the Lower Immortal Pool, his view obscured by thick mist.
Shrugging, he returned to the lake and muttered to himself, “Did I see wrong?”
Then he resumed meditating in the water, controlling his breathing.
From a distance, Lei Ming sneaked to the Middle Immortal Pool’s edge, frowning in contemplation.
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