"Water source?"
Outside the cave.
Upon hearing Cui Xiaofeng's words, Zhu Yuhao was momentarily stunned, and asked:
"Professor Cui, how did you come to this conclusion?
If you mean that the Hu Nan tiger needs drinking water to survive...
Given that it's frequently on the move outside, it might be getting water from farther away?"
Cui Xiaofeng shook his head, explaining:
"Director Zhu, you are not a specialist, so you may not fully understand Hu Nan tigers—or tiger habits.
Tigers generally do not have fixed dens, they prefer water sources, and they don't climb trees.
The reason they like swimming or being near water is quite simple:
They don't have sweat glands, so they especially enjoy being around water to stay cool.
If one can settle in a place for the long term, it indicates there must be a water source nearby.
The distance is usually between 600-900 meters, rarely exceeding a kilometer.
Look, the path we came from is in front of the cave entrance, and we haven't found any signs of a water source at the foot of the mountain.
Therefore, the water source can only exist in the forest behind.
Of course.
I cannot guarantee that the water source has anything to do with spiritual energy; I'm just providing a possibility as a reference.
Fresh water has a special significance with the word 'fresh' implying vitality."
After hearing Cui Xiaofeng's explanation, Zhu Yuhao suddenly understood.
Have to say.
Cui Xiaofeng, being a wildlife expert, showed substantial expertise by providing several highly targeted suggestions.
Subsequently, he thought about it from another perspective.
If he were to assign tasks, it would likely involve a full-range search with a diameter of two to three kilometers.
Whereas the former described a semicircle of 900 meters.
Using a basic circular area formula, one can easily calculate that the difficulty and manpower consumption between the two are completely different levels.
Then Cui Xiaofeng pointed to the cave and said:
"Additionally, based on our observations, Panghu seems to consistently fetch its wild fruits from inside the cave.
Initially, we assumed there might be a fruit tree inside the cave that can grow naturally without sunlight.
But if these are the so-called 'Spirit Fruits,' their preservation period could be very long.
Then theoretically, we also cannot rule out that they were picked and stored from outside.
Oh, and there's another rather peculiar thing.
It's that Panghu sleeps too close to the entrance, but that's not a critical anomaly—maybe there's just less air deeper in the cave."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuhao thought for a moment and pointed towards the cave, saying:
"In that case, Professor Cui, let's go inside and take a look."
Having said that, he took out a gas detector, waving it a few times at the cave entrance.
Although Panghu could stay here long-term, indicating the internal air is not a significant problem,
for safety reasons, the gas detection procedure should still be followed.
So, only after confirming each value was relatively normal did Zhu Yuhao lead the way into the cave.
However, just three or four meters into the cave, Zhu Yuhao suddenly shivered:
"Oh my, why is it so cold?"
The very next second, he frowned.
At this moment, it had been almost a month since Yang Zhengchu's battle assessment during his tribulation.
During this period, the people, like rabbits, did not slack off at all, thus the Fire Camp and the local area naturally saw an increase in mid and high-level cultivators.
For instance, Cao Yi.
This dual Spiritual Root warrior, who absorbed two mystical objects, broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm over twenty days ahead of schedule.
Becoming the first modern local Foundation Establishment cultivator besides Wei Siming.
This is an achievement bound to be recorded in the annals of history and featured in history exam questions!
Besides Cao Yi, many warriors elevated by one or two minor realms.
Zhu Yuhao was among them.
Currently, his realm has reached the Fifth-Layer Qi Cultivation, ranking within the top hundred among all warriors.
Though this constitution still had some distance from the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, known for its powerful abilities such as flying or hiding.
However, in terms of cold and heat resistance, it surpassed ordinary people by a great deal.
The temperature difference that made his body shiver involuntarily...
At this point.
He hurriedly took out a thermometer.
At this moment, the thermometer displayed a temperature of....
-4.8°!
Mind you.
Although this is the northeastern part of Qinling, where the temperature is slightly lower than the south,
it was now late April, almost early May, and the May Day holiday is a time where countless people wear short sleeves to climb Mount Tai.
The time was now morning, with not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was high.
So, even in the forests, temperatures should be around 11 degrees Celsius.
A cave facing the sun typically would have an internal temperature only 3 to 4 degrees lower than outside.
Sometimes, due to the insulating effect of the soil layer, the temperature inside might even be higher.
Therefore, the temperature within Panghu Cave was absolutely abnormal!
Moreover, Zhu Yuhao could sense it.
The further the cave extended inward, the lower the temperature continued to drop!
Cui Xiaofeng evidently felt this temperature difference as well, stepping back a little.
Rubbing his hands together, he suddenly exclaimed:
"I see now, Director Zhu, I think I understand!"
"Understand what?"
Cui Xiaofeng blew on his hands for warmth, pointing to the spot where Panghu sleeps near the entrance:
"Actually, we found it strange from the start.
Tigers are typically mountainous forest-dwelling animals, often active at night.
However, Panghu lazes about at the cave entrance in the early morning, munching on fruit, and its sleeping spot here is also close to the entrance.
This clearly doesn't align with the usual habits of tigers.
But considering it's the only wild Hu Nan tiger solitary specimen available, we entertained all possibilities for different habits.
So we didn't delve too deeply into it).
But now, it seems it's because of the low temperature inside the cave that it altered its habits slightly.
And a place it feels compelled to protect even if it means changing its biological clock...
There must be something extraordinary deep within!" (In our chapter talk and previous discussions, quite a few pointed out the lack of mentioning tigers being nocturnal... the clue was so evident T.T)
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuhao's breath caught.
Cui Xiaofeng's words were clear:
The deeper part of the cave, perhaps, held more than just fruit!
At this thought.
Zhu Yuhao quickly took out a communication device.
He dialed a secret channel number to report the matter to his superiors, prepared to request immediate onsite support.
Subsequently, he took a deep breath.
He extended his spiritual sense into the cave.
The cave's internal depth was about forty meters, intriguingly warmer than a typical cave.
When exploring to an area around twenty meters deep, Zhu Yuhao suddenly discovered a pile of Seven-Colored Fruits.
This pile held about a hundred fruits, hanging from the main branch on a rock wall inside the cave.
One enigma was solved.
His spiritual sense continued to delve deeper.
Soon.
The spiritual sense reached the end of the cave.
The cave's end revealed an alcove, perfectly rectangular in shape.
It was about five meters deep, three meters long, and two meters wide.
From its appearance, the alcove bore marks of human excavation.
Then Zhu Yuhao explored further down — demonstrating another advantage of spiritual sense over ordinary electromagnetic waves, which can immediately change direction.
The next second.
The image reflected back by the spiritual sense revealed an object that made Zhu Yuhao's heart tremble.
It had been mentioned before.
Zhu Yuhao had spent several months in the Damo Realm and due to transfer arrangements, was now stationed back on the local ground.
Reaching the Fifth-Layer Qi Cultivation indicated his natural talent and access rights weren't low, allowing him to come into contact with some level of classified information.
For instance, once, deep within a military base, he had seen something highly peculiar.
And right now.
The local ground housed an identical object....
Precisely....
The Mo Family's secret chamber...
Ice coffin!
......
