Chapter 174: Chapter 171: Earth Vein Spiritual Milk
The vast network of underground caverns crisscrossed and stretched on endlessly, occupying an impossibly large area.
For several days,
Shen Changchuan followed behind Nangong City, taking a circuitous path that twisted and turned as they ventured ever deeper. He couldn’t help but feel as if he had entered a boundless world of caves!
"Just how vast are these underground caverns?"
Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but ask with a sigh of amazement.
Along the way,
they had even encountered Demon Beasts living in these underground caverns on several occasions,
and in some areas, they saw glowing moss, dense swarms of bats hanging overhead, eyeless fish in pools of water, and even mushrooms, Spirit Medicines, and more growing in the gloomy depths...
It was like a complete underground world.
"Who knows? I only stumbled in here by accident and found that spot..."
"If you’re interested, Brother Shen, you could bring people back to investigate..."
"But by my estimation, these underground caverns are by no means small."
"Speaking of which, consider the matter of the Cyan Essence Water Grass that’s causing such a stir in the Border Desolate Land right now. A Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object like that needs to grow in a place rich in Water Vein Essence Qi. Many rivers and lakes on the surface have already been investigated, but nothing has been found... If the Wu Family really does control some Spiritual Land Secret Realm that produces Cyan Essence Water Grass, and they’ve managed to keep the news from leaking out until now, could it be in an underground river, rich with water veins, inside these caverns? That would explain why it’s so difficult to find..."
Nangong City had only been answering casually at first,
but as he spoke, he quickly realized something was amiss.
’How...’
’...does this seem so incredibly reasonable?’
’Could this be the truth of the matter?’
Nangong City stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Shen Changchuan.
Shen Changchuan blinked.
The air fell silent for a moment.
The speculation seemed... incredibly plausible!
It had been almost a full year since the rumors began to spread that the Wu Family controlled a source of Cyan Essence Water Grass.
During that year, especially in recent times, a large number of outside Cultivators had poured in.
While they might not have turned the entire land upside down within a radius of hundreds of miles,
they had at least thoroughly checked all the surrounding rivers and lakes.
And yet, there was still no news whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the Wu Family at Wu Family Collection remained as steady as a rock, biding their time.
If the Spiritual Land producing the Cyan Essence Water Grass was in an underground river system within these caverns,
and if the Wu Family Manor even had a secret passage to the caverns, or more specifically, to that underground river...
...then it would be perfectly normal for no trace to be found, no matter how much of a commotion was made outside...
"I’m not really interested in the matter of the Cyan Essence Water Grass anymore."
"But you, Brother Nangong, could give it a try..."
"Oh? That Cyan Essence Water Grass is a Heaven and Earth Treasure that can improve one’s Cultivation Talent. Brother Shen, you’re really not tempted?"
"I have no choice. My strength is too weak. If I were to rashly get involved in such a vortex, I’m afraid I’d be annihilated without a trace..."
"That’s true..."
The two continued forward.
They chatted as they felt their way through the dim cavern passages.
Before long,
they rounded a massive corner and entered a twisting passage that grew narrower the deeper they went, so cramped that it felt as though the world was closing in, as if they were about to hit a dead end.
At the same time, the ground was a forest of jagged, densely packed, tall, and sharp stalagmites, leaving barely any room to set one’s foot.
After a good while,
Nangong City and Shen Changchuan passed one by one through the incredibly narrow opening at the end, a space barely wide enough for a single person to slowly squeeze through.
The view before them
suddenly opened up!
Before them was an immensely spacious underground chamber.
Stalactites hung from the ceiling like sharp spikes, mirroring the stalagmites below, creating the image of a savage Demon Beast’s gaping maw.
But none of that was important.
What was important was the sunken pit in the center of the chamber.
Inside the pit was a pool, its contents glowing with a milky-white light and flowing like liquid white jade!
At this very moment,
wisps of Spirit Charm floated above the jade-like pool, creating a visible, rosy mist in the air that made the place look like a part of the Immortal Court had fallen into the Mortal World.
"We’re here. This is the place!"
"Down below, that is the Earth Vein Spiritual Milk."
Nangong City gazed at the white jade-like pool below, a hint of regret in his eyes.
The so-called Earth Vein Spiritual Milk was a type of Heaven and Earth Treasure formed through a fortuitous coagulation within the earth’s veins that stretched for thousands upon thousands of miles.
Soaking in it could thoroughly cleanse one’s body, improving a Cultivator’s Cultivation Talent. At the same time, absorbing and performing Refinement on the Spiritual Power within could solidify the foundation of one’s Cultivation and make up for any deficiencies.
Of course,
this Earth Vein Spiritual Milk had a flaw: it could not be separated from Earth Vein Qi. Once taken out and disconnected from the earth’s qi, the Spirit Charm it contained would rapidly dissipate, turning it into a useless puddle of liquid.
Furthermore, its effects were limited to tempering and improving the physical body, bones, and meridians; it could not affect the Divine Soul, which was crucial for Soul Emergence.
For this reason, compared to a Heaven and Earth Treasure like Cyan Essence Water Grass, it was inferior by more than a single degree.
But even so,
for a Cultivator in the Qi Introduction Realm, this Earth Vein Spiritual Milk was still an incredible stroke of fortune.
The reason Nangong City was able to quickly restore his depleted body, replenish his vital qi, and even advance to the Ninth Layer Realm in such a short time after resolving the residual Blood Evil Power in his system
was precisely because he had, by a stroke of luck, discovered this pool of collected Earth Vein Spiritual Milk!
"Brother Nangong, words cannot express my gratitude. I, Changchuan, will forever remember this kindness!"
"Nonsense, Brother Shen. If you hadn’t dealt with the Blood Slaughter Three Demons and helped me back then, that residual Blood Evil Power would still be in my body. Forget advancing—I would’ve been lucky just to live a little longer..."
"That debt was already repaid when you gifted me the Alchemist’s inheritance, Brother Nangong..."
"That’s not enough. An Alchemist’s inheritance is precious, but it was just a basic one... The favor of saving my life, of helping me on my path to the Dao... I, Nangong City, have my own scales to measure such things..."
"Say no more, Brother Shen. Go. I will act as your Protector here..."
With that, Shen Changchuan said no more.
He clasped his hands in a salute to Nangong City, then took a step and strode toward the central pool of Spiritual Milk.
Seeing this, Nangong City, who stood behind him,
felt a faint, binding feeling in his heart finally dissipate.
All favors must be repaid.
This was his personal code.
And so,
the great debt of saving his life and aiding his Dao was now, finally, considered repaid.
Nangong City found a spot not far away and sat down cross-legged to wait.
His thoughts, however, started to wander.
’It’s a shame this Spiritual Milk can’t leave the ground and can’t be taken away. Otherwise, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been so willing to give up such a great opportunity, would I?’
