From its appearance, the bug tide was like a mini swamp. It was a single entity that was purer than the waters of Namtso Lake and clearer than the ancient ice on Gelaindong Peak. However, Wen Leyang, who was deep in its midst, felt a chilling coldness emanated by the countless bugs, which were enveloping him in layers. The bugs used all their strength to burrow into his body, especially his mouth. He did not know whether it was because ‘You’ve Got Me’ was inside his mouth. Wen Leyang felt that his teeth were about to be pushed away by the bugs.
The ‘firecrackers’ were of an alien species on the snow mountain and were deeply related to the heavenly water spirit. Due to their nature, they preferred to cultivate with humans. These bugs practically did not let go of any holes. The head lama Rangjung had almost suffered a big loss because of this. Of course, for cultivators, if they suffered a loss like this from the beginning but managed to hold on until the end, it would be a great blessing instead.
Wen Leyang could clench his teeth but he could not shut his ears and mouth. Luckily, the force of the Poison of Life and Death could already flow freely within his body. When he was invaded by the bugs, the poison flowed out and sealed Wen Leyang’s seven orifices and every single pore. It had temporarily blocked the bugs that wanted to surge into his body frantically.
Hua Xiaoba was flustered. He was only a little fat boy, who was about eight years old. When he was confronted with such an incident, even if he was familiar with the bug’s temperament, he was still at a loss. He stood at the edge of the bug tide and shouted, “It’s fine even if you let the bugs in. They do not harm people…” He had reared the bugs and they would not pounce on him.
Wen Leyang did not need his reminder. He already knew the firecrackers’ habits from Hua Xiaoyao yesterday but ‘You’ve Got Me’, which was in his mouth, was irreconcilable with these water element ‘firecrackers’. He would be fine even if he was controlled by the ‘firecrackers’, but his Buddha’s Light Bug would not be so lucky.
‘You’ve Got Me’ was also dumbstruck. It curled up pitiably in Wen Leyang’s mouth and dared not move. After the huge sword, Molten Metal Fire Bell flashed its powers, it had quieted down. It did not care about ‘You’ve Got Me’s’ current predicament.
Wen Leyang loved ‘You’ve Got Me’ almost as much as his own life. ‘You’ve Got Me’ had saved his life many times. Besides, in Gelaindong, the living dead Tibetans, whose true soul could not be seen, might still ambush them. Wen Leyang could not let the ‘firecrackers’ control him no matter what. Even the men of Kunlun Sect, who were profound disciples and had been refining Qi since young, they still had to be modified by the bugs for some years. If Wen Leyang was controlled, he would be more than sixty years old when he leaves the ice surface.
Hua Xiaoba was frustrated. He suddenly knitted his brows and scratched the back of his bald head in confusion. He was flustered. He had just remembered that the bug’s tide did not immediately dive into the depths of the ice layer after it captured its master like it normally would but it flowed slowly and happily on the ice cap with pleasure.
Cone Nail was heavily wounded and was on the brink of death, she could hardly move. She leaned on Wen Leyang’s body and fell into the bug tide with him. Nevertheless, she was the embodiment of true water. The ‘firecrackers’ were not interested in her. Hence, no bugs pounced on her. They left her alone to sink along with Wen Leyang.
Amidst the stormy and ice-cold water element bug tide, Cone Nail seemed to have regained some vitality. She leaned on Wen Leyang’s chest and opened her mouth softly, “Do you still remember, I told you that, with the force of water element, these bugs can bring us to the heavenly water spirit.”
Wen Leyang gritted his teeth and shut his eyes, he looked unrelenting. He dared not answer Cone Nail. Even though the Poison of Life and Death had already sealed off his body, the range of his telegnosis ability was also pitiably small. He only knew that he was still floating on the ice cap.
Cone Nail suddenly smiled, “I have promised you before, that I would bring you to see the heavenly water spirit. The old heaven has eyes after all, I’m able to fulfill my promise…” Halfway through her speech, she seemed to suddenly think of something. She frowned and shut her mouth.
Cone Nail’s life vitality was in a mess right now. She was heavily wounded and in a dangerous condition. Her self-protection magic art had already disappeared. Fortunately, Wen Leyang’s drifting telegnosis ability could see her, or else Wen Leyang would think that she was dead if she had gone silent halfway through her speech.
As it rained heavily, it was dark on the snow-covered peak. The dark clouds seemed to press down on them from above. Occasionally, a muffled thunder could be heard as if a giant had fallen down from the sky… Wen Leyang suddenly grunted. His body clearly felt that the ‘firecrackers’ which swarmed around him wildly expanded in the pouring rain!
After a brief moment, Cone Nail spoke again. Her voice sounded tired, but compared to before, it was more hopeful, “Now, my life vitality is a scattered mess. If we followed the bug tide and manage to find the heavenly water spirit, hehe, maybe I won’t have to die…” She was halfway through her speech when her little fingers tightened weakly. Wen Leyang used all his strength and could only manage to grab her finger lightly.
The bug tide would sway and move sooner or later. They would not abandon Wen Leyang but they might not tow Cone Nail around the world with them.
The ‘firecrackers’ expanded swiftly. Every bug doubled in size. The bug tide was like a stretching octopus as it visibly expanded. Hua Xiaoba cried and wailed, “This is absurd!”
The Hua family bred and reared ‘firecrackers’ but they had done it in a cave sealed by prohibition spells. They never release the bugs throughout these thousands of years. These bugs would escape as soon as they see snow. It was too difficult to capture them once they left the prohibition spell. Even Hua Xiaoba, who was most familiar with the bug’s temperament, did not know that the bugs would grow bigger when they encountered meteoric water.
After the few thousands of firecrackers expanded to their maximum potential by absorbing the rainwater, a layer of silver wave rippled. The wave brought Wen Leyang and Cone Nail along as it plunged into the ice layer!
Hua Xiaoba leaped up hastily. Like a clumsy little bear, he wagged his buttocks and chased the bug tide closely and escaped into the ice cap…
The ice-cold bug tide towed Wen Leyang and Cone Nail and dove to the bottom of the ice layer. It only stopped when they bumped into the rigid mountain rock. Then, loud rubbing sounds were heard! Hua Xiaoba, who followed closely behind them, squalled noisily, “Their bodies have expanded, they want something to eat!”
Cone Nail’s eyes lit up. She pressed her lips as if she thought of something…
Under the ice cap was hard mountain rock. Strips of crystal mineral veins were exposed. After the ‘firecrackers’ expanded, they started to nibble on the crystal mineral impatiently. In the blink of an eye, the crystal mineral, which was sparkling with a bluish hue, had lost its luster. The crystal components of the mineral vein had completely been eaten up by the bugs and turned into bald rocks.
The purity of the mineral vein was very poor, it could not satisfy the ‘firecrackers’ appetite. The bug tide was like a swarm of locusts, which went after wheat fields. They rolled along the mineral vein between the ice layer and frozen peak and moved towards the southern slope of the snow-covered peak.
Strangely, they seemed to lose their interest in the mineral vein after they tasted the previous crystal rocks. It was as if they felt that the crystal rocks tasted bad and went in search of a tastier meal as they raged along the mineral vein.
Wen Leyang clearly felt that the ‘firecrackers’ had grown stronger after they nibbled on the mineral vein. However, they were currently in a hurry to look for food, they did not have time to deal with Wen Leyang and ‘You’ve Got Me’. They only pulled Wen Leyang and ‘You’ve Got Me’ snugly as they roared and flowed. They effortlessly shook little fat boy Hua Xiaoba off their tails.
Cone Nail leaned on Wen Leyang’s body. She gracefully said in a soft voice, “I finally understand why we can find the heavenly water spirit by following the bugs!”
Although the Hua family disciples knew how to rear bugs, they were completely clueless about the causes and consequences.
If the heavenly water spirit could be divided into various levels, the heavenly water spirit of Jianggendiru Glacier must be the most exquisite amongst them to be able to give birth to great waters that nurtured the lands, such as the Yangtze River. The ice river crystal rocks, which were scattered on the snowline, were also born from this special treasure.
The ‘firecrackers’ liked to eat the crystal rocks to absorb the utmost water element force contained within them.
The rainwater on the snow-covered peak was a rootless meteoric water, it could hasten the growth of the firecrackers greatly. After the ‘firecrackers’ increased tremendously in size, their need towards the glacier crystal rocks also reached a higher level. The crystal minerals, which were not pure enough, could no longer satisfy them. That was why the bug tide stopped eating and sprinted along the mineral vein in search of purer crystals.
As she said this, Cone Nail paused for breath. Her face flushed redder. To others, it was a healthy color, but to her, it was a look of grave wounds, “The crystal mineral originated from the heavenly water spirit. The purest mineral must be near the heavenly water spirit!” Every word of hers was strained but she was worried that Wen Leyang did not understand. She patiently continued to explain, “There are tens of thousands of mineral veins here, they intertwine with each other and are extremely complicated. Even if outsiders know that they can find the treasure by following the mineral veins, they will have to search one by one. They may not be able to find it even when the world ends. These bugs are different. It is in their nature to search for the purest mineral rocks. Naturally, they can find the original mineral vein…”
Although the ‘firecrackers’ were intelligent, they were just bugs. Their greedy nature prompted them to search for the purest crystal mineral. The other mineral veins, which they overlooked along the way, were actually sufficient for them to fill their bellies.
That was why, whether it was a ‘firecracker’ or a patch of bug tide, as long as it was sprayed with the snow-covered peak’s rainwater and grew in size, one could follow them to look for the purest ice mountain crystal rock. Naturally, one could find the heavenly water spirit.
Cone Nail had almost exhausted all of her energy after talking for such a long time. She finally closed her eyes with a smile and said no more.
The jade knife Guo Huan clicked his tongue in amusement after he heard Cone Nail’s words. He was knowledgeable but this was his first time hearing such an unimaginable thing.
Wen Leyang felt as if he was tied to a speeding train. He was pulled along at lightning speed by the bugs over the snow-covered peak and raced towards Jianggendiru Glacier on the southeastern slope of Geladaindong.
He felt dizzy and sleepy along this trip. Savage ice columns and mottled, winding mineral veins swept across his telegnosis ability ceaselessly. He did not know how much time had passed, suddenly his body felt heavy and the entire bug tide scattered and shattered loudly. The ‘firecrackers’, which were larger than leopard cats, were not worried that they might escape. They detached themselves from the bug tide and sprawled on a perfect, flawless huge crystal ground surface and started to nibble wildly!
For some time, crunching sounds erupted loudly, making one’s hairs stood on its end!
A few thousand firecrackers suddenly scattered. Nobody bothered about Wen Leyang. They fell over each other and fought for the glacier’s crystal rocks. Although his telegnosis ability could see the surroundings, Wen Leyang still could not help but silently open a slit in his eyelids to take a detailed look at his surroundings.
Flowing ambient light quickly surged into Wen Leyang’s eyes. He had never even dreamed that he could be in such an enchantingly beautiful world that could only be described as majestic and magnificent!
The crystal under his feet was as smooth and shiny as a mirror. It expanded outwards in all directions in one patch, appearing boundless. There was no mineral vein or crystal shrub, this was a world of crystal!
The sky was crystal, the earth was crystal, they were brilliant enough to serve as a mirror. Other than that, there was nothing else. Thousands of trickles flowed happily under the giant crystal wall. It was unknown where they came from and it was unknown where they went.
The giant empty space and the mysterious brilliance contrasted each other. They even made Wen Leyang feel that his body had turned unreal and blurred. Cone Nail was still leaning on his body, her bright red lips were slightly opened. She was also obviously stunned by the view before her eyes. Wen Leyang could not help but took a deep breath. Unexpectedly, he had just made one move and the few big ‘firecrackers’ nearby quickly turned their heads in his direction. They flew almost at the same time and pounced towards his recently opened eyes.
Wen Leyang quickly shut his eyes. The few bugs collided with his face with loud sounds. Wen Leyang felt that huge hammers that were swung by beef squads at full strength crashed heavily on his head. He was extremely frightened. After the bugs ate the crystal, their strength also increased tremendously. Even if he had steel tendons and iron bones, his head still buzzed from the impact…
The few bugs could not enter Wen Leyang’s body and saw that there was no flaw for them to leverage on. They bothered him no more and returned to nibbling the crystal ground surface. Cone Nail was shaken awake by the commotion just now. She hummed, heartbroken. She wanted to wipe away the crystal shreds that were left on Wen Leyang’s face but she could not lift her arm no matter what.
At this moment, Wen Leyang lightly pinched Cone Nail’s wrist. Cone Nail was an intelligent girl. After a slight shock, she asked him softly with some surprise, “You’ve regained some strength?” As she said this, she paused and instructed him seriously, “Don’t open your mouth to speak no matter what. If it’s a yes then pinch me once, if it’s a no then pinch me twice!” Then, she used all her strength to move her small hand into Wen Leyang’s palm.
Wen Leyang pinched Cone Nail softly, once.
The bug tide brought the two of them and shuttled beneath the dark ice cap. He was unsure how long had gone by but Wen Leyang had regained some strength. Other than the Power of Poison, which blocked his crucial points, some Poison of Life and Death had slowly started to gather and flowed slowly.
Wen Leyang’s method of practice had another perk other than bronze skin iron bones and the Faulty Punch, which could break the magic arts of cultivators. He could recuperate extremely fast!
“These ‘firecrackers ‘will increase greatly in strength after they finished eating the crystal, you might not be able to withstand them by then!” Although Cone Nail’s tone was grim, excitement rippled within her eyes. She looked like a little girl, who tiptoed to the refrigerator and wanted to secretly take a sip of soda, “We must run while they’re engrossed with their meal!”
Every pore on Wen Leyang’s body shut tight. His telegnosis ability could not even be extended. He could only sense the situation around him but he could not see any faraway images. He could not help but knit his brows. Even if he wanted to run, he would need to have a direction. If they could not shake off the bugs’ chase, they would not have a second chance.
Cone Nail had a plan all along, “Although these bugs are the embodiment of true water, they are slightly inferior. They cannot stand the fierce purity of the water element utmost treasure, that’s why they could only eat the crystal here. So, the heavenly water spirit shouldn’t be here but it shouldn’t be too far away either. As long as you can bring me and run to where the heavenly water spirit is, it’ll mean our victory! Water harmonizes with its own. If all goes well, I can fully heal myself once I obtain the heavenly water spirit and my powers would increase tremendously. We won’t have to fear the bugs then!”
Wen Leyang jubilantly punched the cold little hand within his palm. He had wanted to move when he was stopped by Cone Nail’s low voice, “My life vitality is now scattered, my primordial spirit is very murky. I don’t know where the heavenly water spirit is, we’ll have to find a direction first.” After she finished, she paused briefly. She summoned softly, “Guo Huan, use your telegnosis ability to scout ahead!”
Guo Huan knew that the matter was important. He did not leave the others hanging as he normally would. He said directly, “I can’t pick up any spiritual vitality of a treasure. However, we came to this crystal central region from the northwest, it shouldn’t be wrong to continue in this direction. Go southeast, young lad, get ready…”
Cone Nail sniggered. She laughed at such an anxious moment. She asked Wen Leyang softly, “Do you know where southeast is?”
Wen Leyang pinched Cone Nail twice without hesitation… He had shut his pores tight and held his breath all this while. He was already dizzy and had no sense of north, south, east or west.
The jade knife was amused. He had been with Wen Leyang for quite some time, he was already used to Wen Leyang slipping at crucial moments. He pondered and directed, “The direction in which your brows are pointing is southeast!” Then, he saw Wen Leyang’s brows moving in a wild manner. He added, “Left brow, outwards!”
Wen Leyang raised his left brow and pinched Cone Nail once to get her ready. ‘You’ve Got Me’ seemed to also know that its master was about to make some great move. It flipped inside his mouth. Its body curled up into a ball and wedged itself under his tongue. If it were not for the ‘firecrackers’ all around them, Wen Leyang would have liked to spit it out.
At this moment, Guo Huan and Cone Nail suddenly grunted in unison. From the direction in which they came, a group of people in tattered clothes and lifeless expressions were running towards them! It was unknown what trick the living dead used but they caught up with the bug tide and rushed all the way here!
Cone Nail cursed angrily, “Useless pangolin, I should’ve skinned him just now…” She had not yet finished when Wen Leyang suddenly exerted force in his hips and abdomen. He leaped with a straight back like a fake corpse. He cradled Cone Nail within his embrace and summoned his entire strength. He rushed towards the central region of the crystal world like a swift angry leopard! He wanted to shoot past the ‘firecrackers’ and also to find the heavenly water spirit before the living dead did! With his current strength, he had no hopes of withstanding the living dead’s attacks.
The huge group of ‘firecrackers’ was indifferent to the living dead, who appeared suddenly but they burned with rage when Wen Leyang leaped suddenly. Almost all of them abandoned their meals and chase while their heads and tails shook! The largest bug ricocheted, its body rippled with the cold color of the water as it desperately wriggled its long tail and flew towards them.
Wen Leyang cursed silently in his heart. The arrow has been nocked and must be fired. He could only grit his teeth and accelerate with all his might. He had every intention of shooting past these few thousand of ‘firecrackers’. Luckily, the bugs had disassembled the bug tide and went in their own directions, or else Wen Leyang would not have been able to leap out even if they did not move.
However, something made Wen Leyang feel surprised and happy. The ‘firecrackers’ that had just leaped up suddenly fell down with a thud. They all seemed to be drunk and started drawing clumsy circles on the crystal. They occasionally let out a chuckle, which sounded like a simper.
Cone Nail was quickly filled with joy, “These bugs swallowed the crystal too fast, they can’t digest the power contained within it for now. Run run run…” Wen Leyang did not need her urgings. He used all his strength, like a chess piece, he skipped and hopped as he carefully avoided the ‘firecrackers’, which ran in circles on the ground and swiftly made his way through.
The living dead did not stop either. Occasionally, a savage color of blood flashed across their lifeless eyes. A group of almost a hundred people also rushed through the bug formation loudly but they were not as quick as Wen Leyang. They did not seem to think too much about fighting for the heavenly water spirit. In no time, Wen Leyang had shaken them off.
Wen Leyang ran for dozens of minutes before he finally understood. The ‘firecrackers’ had brought them to a giant crystal ore cave. The place where the bugs nibbled on the crystal must have been the entrance. The deeper they went, the narrower it became. Under their sprint, the boundless vast mouth of the cave gradually turned into the narrow cave body, which was no more than a dozen meters in diameter.
The entire cave was covered with a thin layer of crystal. Clear trickles surged outside the crystal!
Suspicion grew in Cone Nail’s eyes.
Wen Leyang too could not help but lowered his head and looked at her. The jade knife snorted and said directly, “Someone… was here!”
The crystal walls around them would have an occasional sword mark of nicks left by axes. The deeper they went, the more obvious the manmade cut marks were. Even remnants of Immortal Art seal script symbols appeared.
Cone Nail bulged her eyes in astonishment, she seemed to be lost in thoughts as she spoke, “This ore cave… was excavated by someone else using Immortal Art!?”
It seemed that, under the thick ice cap of Jianggendiru Glacier, a giant cone-shaped crystal was wedged into the mountain. After that, someone followed the direction of the cone and excavated a cone-shaped ore cave.
Wen Leyang dared not slow down. He frowned and muttered, “That’s impossible!” His voice sounded as if he had a hot tofu inside his mouth or that he had a short tongue.
The ore cave was enshrouded in the force of water element. ‘You’ve Got Me’ did not want to crawl out of Wen Leyang’s mouth no matter what, it rolled and flipped around his tongue…
The entrance of the crystal ore cave was very wide, its diameter must have been dozens of kilometers. Wen Leyang could not detect its boundaries with his eyesight or his telegnosis ability. Whether it was the crystal ground surface or the crystal vault, it was as smooth as a mirror. Before the ‘firecrackers’ started nibbling on it, there was not even a grain-sized dent on it.
However, the terrain under his feet started to become uneven. The walls and ceiling of the cave were spotted with knife and ax marks. If this ore cave was truly excavated by humans, it was illogical for the wide spaces to be smooth whereas the cramped spaces were full of holes.
Cone Nail could guess at Wen Leyang’s thoughts. She smiled bitterly and explained, “It’s not what you think. This huge crystal was made by the brewing of the heavenly water spirit for millions upon millions of years. Its purity naturally decreased from the insides to the outsides. Although the exterior is large, its purity is a world apart compared to the interior… One did not have to use many resources to do away with huge chunks of crystal at the ore cave’s entrance. It could even be done nicely with finely cut edges. But the deeper one went, the tougher it became. Can you understand?” As she said this, she gave another example, “The crystal rock near the heavenly water spirit is diamond whereas the crystal rock at the ore cave’s entrance can only be considered as tofu! The effort that was spent excavating these two regions was not on the same level! That was why he could make nice cuts for the vast entrance, but he left so many knife and ax marks in this narrow space.”
Although Wen Leyang was sprinting along, it did not hinder him from speaking. He was still slightly puzzled, “Then why did the person go through so much trouble? Shouldn’t it be enough just to make a hole big enough for a person to enter? Why did he need to make such a big hole, even if its tofu…”
Cone Nail smiled. Before this, when Wen Leyang spouted silly talk, her smiles always brought some scorn with it, now it was a hint of… interested exuberance, “If I gave you a crystal cone with a base diameter of dozens of meters and asked you to go through it to find the end, what would you do? I’m afraid that if you tunneled a thousand times, you’d have a thousand times of coming out halfway or deviating from your course. If you had the strength, you would start by going inwards from the side and dig out as much of the cone’s interior as you can. That way you can’t go wrong!”
The streams outside the walls were the edges of the giant crystal. The person who excavated the crystal had followed Cone Nail’s plan. He only left a layer of crystal wall, which was close to the streams, and dug his way in. Needless to say, it was to find the heavenly water spirit.
Wen Leyang was hit with a sudden realization. He could not help but said with a smile, “Luckily someone had dug this place out in the first place, or else, even if we followed the bug tide to the outside, we could only stare at this crystal rock larger than a mountain and stomp our feet!” As he said this, his expression changed suddenly. He seemed to have thought of something. He asked Cone Nail uneasily, “Someone had been here before, then could the heavenly water spirit be… taken away already? If he could excavate this ore cave, then the person’s magical power must be…”
He had not finished when Guo Huan suddenly growled from within the jade knife!
At the same time, a refined, cultured and slightly friendly voice sounded beside Wen Leyang’s ear, “There’s water outside the crystal walls, the heavenly water spirit should still be here.”
Then, a figure flashed and firmly blocked their advance!
Wen Leyang abruptly stopped in his tracks. Before the other person appeared, his telegnosis ability did not detect anyone else’s presence.
A cultivator’s body appeared in long robes. He looked to be in his thirties. His face was like a silver lake and had the looks of a soldier. Three strands of long beard swayed gently with the breeze. Wen Leyang’s heart fell, he already knew who had appeared. On the snow-covered peak and under the skies, he could not find a second person like this.
Tian Yin’s dharmakaya possessed by Xiang Liu’s true soul.
They had gone through several dangerous situations. They had chased from the small town all the way to Tanggula Jianggendiru Glacier. Wen Leyang had always thought that they were lucky. They had faced the Tibetans several times but Tian Yin had not shown up. He thought that maybe Tian Yin was not in Jianggendiru Glacier after all.
Tian Yin seemed to have seen through Wen Leyang’s thoughts. He unexpectedly flashed a smile at Wen Leyang, “Actually, I have only just arrived, or else I wouldn’t have let you guys run rampant for that long.” Tian Yin’s voice was soft and pleasing to the ears but he seemed to only have a good voice without sufficient vital capacity. Every word of his took his entire strength and was rigidly squeezed out of his throat.
Although he clearly knew that the other person was the utmost evil in the sky, Wen Leyang still felt some warmth in his heart. He seemed to be affected by Tian Yin’s smile. He could not restrain himself as he nodded strenuously.
From its appearance, the bug tide was like a mini swamp. It was a single entity that was purer than the waters of Namtso Lake and clearer than the ancient ice on Gelaindong Peak. However, Wen Leyang, who was deep in its midst, felt a chilling coldness emanated by the countless bugs, which were enveloping him in layers. The bugs used all their strength to burrow into his body, especially his mouth. He did not know whether it was because ‘You’ve Got Me’ was inside his mouth. Wen Leyang felt that his teeth were about to be pushed away by the bugs.
The ‘firecrackers’ were of an alien species on the snow mountain and were deeply related to the heavenly water spirit. Due to their nature, they preferred to cultivate with humans. These bugs practically did not let go of any holes. The head lama Rangjung had almost suffered a big loss because of this. Of course, for cultivators, if they suffered a loss like this from the beginning but managed to hold on until the end, it would be a great blessing instead.
Wen Leyang could clench his teeth but he could not shut his ears and mouth. Luckily, the force of the Poison of Life and Death could already flow freely within his body. When he was invaded by the bugs, the poison flowed out and sealed Wen Leyang’s seven orifices and every single pore. It had temporarily blocked the bugs that wanted to surge into his body frantically.
Hua Xiaoba was flustered. He was only a little fat boy, who was about eight years old. When he was confronted with such an incident, even if he was familiar with the bug’s temperament, he was still at a loss. He stood at the edge of the bug tide and shouted, “It’s fine even if you let the bugs in. They do not harm people…” He had reared the bugs and they would not pounce on him.
Wen Leyang did not need his reminder. He already knew the firecrackers’ habits from Hua Xiaoyao yesterday but ‘You’ve Got Me’, which was in his mouth, was irreconcilable with these water element ‘firecrackers’. He would be fine even if he was controlled by the ‘firecrackers’, but his Buddha’s Light Bug would not be so lucky.
‘You’ve Got Me’ was also dumbstruck. It curled up pitiably in Wen Leyang’s mouth and dared not move. After the huge sword, Molten Metal Fire Bell flashed its powers, it had quieted down. It did not care about ‘You’ve Got Me’s’ current predicament.
Wen Leyang loved ‘You’ve Got Me’ almost as much as his own life. ‘You’ve Got Me’ had saved his life many times. Besides, in Gelaindong, the living dead Tibetans, whose true soul could not be seen, might still ambush them. Wen Leyang could not let the ‘firecrackers’ control him no matter what. Even the men of Kunlun Sect, who were profound disciples and had been refining Qi since young, they still had to be modified by the bugs for some years. If Wen Leyang was controlled, he would be more than sixty years old when he leaves the ice surface.
Hua Xiaoba was frustrated. He suddenly knitted his brows and scratched the back of his bald head in confusion. He was flustered. He had just remembered that the bug’s tide did not immediately dive into the depths of the ice layer after it captured its master like it normally would but it flowed slowly and happily on the ice cap with pleasure.
Cone Nail was heavily wounded and was on the brink of death, she could hardly move. She leaned on Wen Leyang’s body and fell into the bug tide with him. Nevertheless, she was the embodiment of true water. The ‘firecrackers’ were not interested in her. Hence, no bugs pounced on her. They left her alone to sink along with Wen Leyang.
Amidst the stormy and ice-cold water element bug tide, Cone Nail seemed to have regained some vitality. She leaned on Wen Leyang’s chest and opened her mouth softly, “Do you still remember, I told you that, with the force of water element, these bugs can bring us to the heavenly water spirit.”
Wen Leyang gritted his teeth and shut his eyes, he looked unrelenting. He dared not answer Cone Nail. Even though the Poison of Life and Death had already sealed off his body, the range of his telegnosis ability was also pitiably small. He only knew that he was still floating on the ice cap.
Cone Nail suddenly smiled, “I have promised you before, that I would bring you to see the heavenly water spirit. The old heaven has eyes after all, I’m able to fulfill my promise…” Halfway through her speech, she seemed to suddenly think of something. She frowned and shut her mouth.
Cone Nail’s life vitality was in a mess right now. She was heavily wounded and in a dangerous condition. Her self-protection magic art had already disappeared. Fortunately, Wen Leyang’s drifting telegnosis ability could see her, or else Wen Leyang would think that she was dead if she had gone silent halfway through her speech.
As it rained heavily, it was dark on the snow-covered peak. The dark clouds seemed to press down on them from above. Occasionally, a muffled thunder could be heard as if a giant had fallen down from the sky… Wen Leyang suddenly grunted. His body clearly felt that the ‘firecrackers’ which swarmed around him wildly expanded in the pouring rain!
After a brief moment, Cone Nail spoke again. Her voice sounded tired, but compared to before, it was more hopeful, “Now, my life vitality is a scattered mess. If we followed the bug tide and manage to find the heavenly water spirit, hehe, maybe I won’t have to die…” She was halfway through her speech when her little fingers tightened weakly. Wen Leyang used all his strength and could only manage to grab her finger lightly.
The bug tide would sway and move sooner or later. They would not abandon Wen Leyang but they might not tow Cone Nail around the world with them.
The ‘firecrackers’ expanded swiftly. Every bug doubled in size. The bug tide was like a stretching octopus as it visibly expanded. Hua Xiaoba cried and wailed, “This is absurd!”
The Hua family bred and reared ‘firecrackers’ but they had done it in a cave sealed by prohibition spells. They never release the bugs throughout these thousands of years. These bugs would escape as soon as they see snow. It was too difficult to capture them once they left the prohibition spell. Even Hua Xiaoba, who was most familiar with the bug’s temperament, did not know that the bugs would grow bigger when they encountered meteoric water.
After the few thousands of firecrackers expanded to their maximum potential by absorbing the rainwater, a layer of silver wave rippled. The wave brought Wen Leyang and Cone Nail along as it plunged into the ice layer!
Hua Xiaoba leaped up hastily. Like a clumsy little bear, he wagged his buttocks and chased the bug tide closely and escaped into the ice cap…
The ice-cold bug tide towed Wen Leyang and Cone Nail and dove to the bottom of the ice layer. It only stopped when they bumped into the rigid mountain rock. Then, loud rubbing sounds were heard! Hua Xiaoba, who followed closely behind them, squalled noisily, “Their bodies have expanded, they want something to eat!”
Cone Nail’s eyes lit up. She pressed her lips as if she thought of something…
Under the ice cap was hard mountain rock. Strips of crystal mineral veins were exposed. After the ‘firecrackers’ expanded, they started to nibble on the crystal mineral impatiently. In the blink of an eye, the crystal mineral, which was sparkling with a bluish hue, had lost its luster. The crystal components of the mineral vein had completely been eaten up by the bugs and turned into bald rocks.
The purity of the mineral vein was very poor, it could not satisfy the ‘firecrackers’ appetite. The bug tide was like a swarm of locusts, which went after wheat fields. They rolled along the mineral vein between the ice layer and frozen peak and moved towards the southern slope of the snow-covered peak.
Strangely, they seemed to lose their interest in the mineral vein after they tasted the previous crystal rocks. It was as if they felt that the crystal rocks tasted bad and went in search of a tastier meal as they raged along the mineral vein.
Wen Leyang clearly felt that the ‘firecrackers’ had grown stronger after they nibbled on the mineral vein. However, they were currently in a hurry to look for food, they did not have time to deal with Wen Leyang and ‘You’ve Got Me’. They only pulled Wen Leyang and ‘You’ve Got Me’ snugly as they roared and flowed. They effortlessly shook little fat boy Hua Xiaoba off their tails.
Cone Nail leaned on Wen Leyang’s body. She gracefully said in a soft voice, “I finally understand why we can find the heavenly water spirit by following the bugs!”
Although the Hua family disciples knew how to rear bugs, they were completely clueless about the causes and consequences.
If the heavenly water spirit could be divided into various levels, the heavenly water spirit of Jianggendiru Glacier must be the most exquisite amongst them to be able to give birth to great waters that nurtured the lands, such as the Yangtze River. The ice river crystal rocks, which were scattered on the snowline, were also born from this special treasure.
The ‘firecrackers’ liked to eat the crystal rocks to absorb the utmost water element force contained within them.
The rainwater on the snow-covered peak was a rootless meteoric water, it could hasten the growth of the firecrackers greatly. After the ‘firecrackers’ increased tremendously in size, their need towards the glacier crystal rocks also reached a higher level. The crystal minerals, which were not pure enough, could no longer satisfy them. That was why the bug tide stopped eating and sprinted along the mineral vein in search of purer crystals.
As she said this, Cone Nail paused for breath. Her face flushed redder. To others, it was a healthy color, but to her, it was a look of grave wounds, “The crystal mineral originated from the heavenly water spirit. The purest mineral must be near the heavenly water spirit!” Every word of hers was strained but she was worried that Wen Leyang did not understand. She patiently continued to explain, “There are tens of thousands of mineral veins here, they intertwine with each other and are extremely complicated. Even if outsiders know that they can find the treasure by following the mineral veins, they will have to search one by one. They may not be able to find it even when the world ends. These bugs are different. It is in their nature to search for the purest mineral rocks. Naturally, they can find the original mineral vein…”
Although the ‘firecrackers’ were intelligent, they were just bugs. Their greedy nature prompted them to search for the purest crystal mineral. The other mineral veins, which they overlooked along the way, were actually sufficient for them to fill their bellies.
That was why, whether it was a ‘firecracker’ or a patch of bug tide, as long as it was sprayed with the snow-covered peak’s rainwater and grew in size, one could follow them to look for the purest ice mountain crystal rock. Naturally, one could find the heavenly water spirit.
Cone Nail had almost exhausted all of her energy after talking for such a long time. She finally closed her eyes with a smile and said no more.
The jade knife Guo Huan clicked his tongue in amusement after he heard Cone Nail’s words. He was knowledgeable but this was his first time hearing such an unimaginable thing.
Wen Leyang felt as if he was tied to a speeding train. He was pulled along at lightning speed by the bugs over the snow-covered peak and raced towards Jianggendiru Glacier on the southeastern slope of Geladaindong.
He felt dizzy and sleepy along this trip. Savage ice columns and mottled, winding mineral veins swept across his telegnosis ability ceaselessly. He did not know how much time had passed, suddenly his body felt heavy and the entire bug tide scattered and shattered loudly. The ‘firecrackers’, which were larger than leopard cats, were not worried that they might escape. They detached themselves from the bug tide and sprawled on a perfect, flawless huge crystal ground surface and started to nibble wildly!
For some time, crunching sounds erupted loudly, making one’s hairs stood on its end!
A few thousand firecrackers suddenly scattered. Nobody bothered about Wen Leyang. They fell over each other and fought for the glacier’s crystal rocks. Although his telegnosis ability could see the surroundings, Wen Leyang still could not help but silently open a slit in his eyelids to take a detailed look at his surroundings.
Flowing ambient light quickly surged into Wen Leyang’s eyes. He had never even dreamed that he could be in such an enchantingly beautiful world that could only be described as majestic and magnificent!
The crystal under his feet was as smooth and shiny as a mirror. It expanded outwards in all directions in one patch, appearing boundless. There was no mineral vein or crystal shrub, this was a world of crystal!
The sky was crystal, the earth was crystal, they were brilliant enough to serve as a mirror. Other than that, there was nothing else. Thousands of trickles flowed happily under the giant crystal wall. It was unknown where they came from and it was unknown where they went.
The giant empty space and the mysterious brilliance contrasted each other. They even made Wen Leyang feel that his body had turned unreal and blurred. Cone Nail was still leaning on his body, her bright red lips were slightly opened. She was also obviously stunned by the view before her eyes. Wen Leyang could not help but took a deep breath. Unexpectedly, he had just made one move and the few big ‘firecrackers’ nearby quickly turned their heads in his direction. They flew almost at the same time and pounced towards his recently opened eyes.
Wen Leyang quickly shut his eyes. The few bugs collided with his face with loud sounds. Wen Leyang felt that huge hammers that were swung by beef squads at full strength crashed heavily on his head. He was extremely frightened. After the bugs ate the crystal, their strength also increased tremendously. Even if he had steel tendons and iron bones, his head still buzzed from the impact…
The few bugs could not enter Wen Leyang’s body and saw that there was no flaw for them to leverage on. They bothered him no more and returned to nibbling the crystal ground surface. Cone Nail was shaken awake by the commotion just now. She hummed, heartbroken. She wanted to wipe away the crystal shreds that were left on Wen Leyang’s face but she could not lift her arm no matter what.
At this moment, Wen Leyang lightly pinched Cone Nail’s wrist. Cone Nail was an intelligent girl. After a slight shock, she asked him softly with some surprise, “You’ve regained some strength?” As she said this, she paused and instructed him seriously, “Don’t open your mouth to speak no matter what. If it’s a yes then pinch me once, if it’s a no then pinch me twice!” Then, she used all her strength to move her small hand into Wen Leyang’s palm.
Wen Leyang pinched Cone Nail softly, once.
The bug tide brought the two of them and shuttled beneath the dark ice cap. He was unsure how long had gone by but Wen Leyang had regained some strength. Other than the Power of Poison, which blocked his crucial points, some Poison of Life and Death had slowly started to gather and flowed slowly.
Wen Leyang’s method of practice had another perk other than bronze skin iron bones and the Faulty Punch, which could break the magic arts of cultivators. He could recuperate extremely fast!
“These ‘firecrackers ‘will increase greatly in strength after they finished eating the crystal, you might not be able to withstand them by then!” Although Cone Nail’s tone was grim, excitement rippled within her eyes. She looked like a little girl, who tiptoed to the refrigerator and wanted to secretly take a sip of soda, “We must run while they’re engrossed with their meal!”
Every pore on Wen Leyang’s body shut tight. His telegnosis ability could not even be extended. He could only sense the situation around him but he could not see any faraway images. He could not help but knit his brows. Even if he wanted to run, he would need to have a direction. If they could not shake off the bugs’ chase, they would not have a second chance.
Cone Nail had a plan all along, “Although these bugs are the embodiment of true water, they are slightly inferior. They cannot stand the fierce purity of the water element utmost treasure, that’s why they could only eat the crystal here. So, the heavenly water spirit shouldn’t be here but it shouldn’t be too far away either. As long as you can bring me and run to where the heavenly water spirit is, it’ll mean our victory! Water harmonizes with its own. If all goes well, I can fully heal myself once I obtain the heavenly water spirit and my powers would increase tremendously. We won’t have to fear the bugs then!”
Wen Leyang jubilantly punched the cold little hand within his palm. He had wanted to move when he was stopped by Cone Nail’s low voice, “My life vitality is now scattered, my primordial spirit is very murky. I don’t know where the heavenly water spirit is, we’ll have to find a direction first.” After she finished, she paused briefly. She summoned softly, “Guo Huan, use your telegnosis ability to scout ahead!”
Guo Huan knew that the matter was important. He did not leave the others hanging as he normally would. He said directly, “I can’t pick up any spiritual vitality of a treasure. However, we came to this crystal central region from the northwest, it shouldn’t be wrong to continue in this direction. Go southeast, young lad, get ready…”
Cone Nail sniggered. She laughed at such an anxious moment. She asked Wen Leyang softly, “Do you know where southeast is?”
Wen Leyang pinched Cone Nail twice without hesitation… He had shut his pores tight and held his breath all this while. He was already dizzy and had no sense of north, south, east or west.
The jade knife was amused. He had been with Wen Leyang for quite some time, he was already used to Wen Leyang slipping at crucial moments. He pondered and directed, “The direction in which your brows are pointing is southeast!” Then, he saw Wen Leyang’s brows moving in a wild manner. He added, “Left brow, outwards!”
Wen Leyang raised his left brow and pinched Cone Nail once to get her ready. ‘You’ve Got Me’ seemed to also know that its master was about to make some great move. It flipped inside his mouth. Its body curled up into a ball and wedged itself under his tongue. If it were not for the ‘firecrackers’ all around them, Wen Leyang would have liked to spit it out.
At this moment, Guo Huan and Cone Nail suddenly grunted in unison. From the direction in which they came, a group of people in tattered clothes and lifeless expressions were running towards them! It was unknown what trick the living dead used but they caught up with the bug tide and rushed all the way here!
Cone Nail cursed angrily, “Useless pangolin, I should’ve skinned him just now…” She had not yet finished when Wen Leyang suddenly exerted force in his hips and abdomen. He leaped with a straight back like a fake corpse. He cradled Cone Nail within his embrace and summoned his entire strength. He rushed towards the central region of the crystal world like a swift angry leopard! He wanted to shoot past the ‘firecrackers’ and also to find the heavenly water spirit before the living dead did! With his current strength, he had no hopes of withstanding the living dead’s attacks.
The huge group of ‘firecrackers’ was indifferent to the living dead, who appeared suddenly but they burned with rage when Wen Leyang leaped suddenly. Almost all of them abandoned their meals and chase while their heads and tails shook! The largest bug ricocheted, its body rippled with the cold color of the water as it desperately wriggled its long tail and flew towards them.
Wen Leyang cursed silently in his heart. The arrow has been nocked and must be fired. He could only grit his teeth and accelerate with all his might. He had every intention of shooting past these few thousand of ‘firecrackers’. Luckily, the bugs had disassembled the bug tide and went in their own directions, or else Wen Leyang would not have been able to leap out even if they did not move.
However, something made Wen Leyang feel surprised and happy. The ‘firecrackers’ that had just leaped up suddenly fell down with a thud. They all seemed to be drunk and started drawing clumsy circles on the crystal. They occasionally let out a chuckle, which sounded like a simper.
Cone Nail was quickly filled with joy, “These bugs swallowed the crystal too fast, they can’t digest the power contained within it for now. Run run run…” Wen Leyang did not need her urgings. He used all his strength, like a chess piece, he skipped and hopped as he carefully avoided the ‘firecrackers’, which ran in circles on the ground and swiftly made his way through.
The living dead did not stop either. Occasionally, a savage color of blood flashed across their lifeless eyes. A group of almost a hundred people also rushed through the bug formation loudly but they were not as quick as Wen Leyang. They did not seem to think too much about fighting for the heavenly water spirit. In no time, Wen Leyang had shaken them off.
Wen Leyang ran for dozens of minutes before he finally understood. The ‘firecrackers’ had brought them to a giant crystal ore cave. The place where the bugs nibbled on the crystal must have been the entrance. The deeper they went, the narrower it became. Under their sprint, the boundless vast mouth of the cave gradually turned into the narrow cave body, which was no more than a dozen meters in diameter.
The entire cave was covered with a thin layer of crystal. Clear trickles surged outside the crystal!
Suspicion grew in Cone Nail’s eyes.
Wen Leyang too could not help but lowered his head and looked at her. The jade knife snorted and said directly, “Someone… was here!”
The crystal walls around them would have an occasional sword mark of nicks left by axes. The deeper they went, the more obvious the manmade cut marks were. Even remnants of Immortal Art seal script symbols appeared.
Cone Nail bulged her eyes in astonishment, she seemed to be lost in thoughts as she spoke, “This ore cave… was excavated by someone else using Immortal Art!?”
It seemed that, under the thick ice cap of Jianggendiru Glacier, a giant cone-shaped crystal was wedged into the mountain. After that, someone followed the direction of the cone and excavated a cone-shaped ore cave.
Wen Leyang dared not slow down. He frowned and muttered, “That’s impossible!” His voice sounded as if he had a hot tofu inside his mouth or that he had a short tongue.
The ore cave was enshrouded in the force of water element. ‘You’ve Got Me’ did not want to crawl out of Wen Leyang’s mouth no matter what, it rolled and flipped around his tongue…
The entrance of the crystal ore cave was very wide, its diameter must have been dozens of kilometers. Wen Leyang could not detect its boundaries with his eyesight or his telegnosis ability. Whether it was the crystal ground surface or the crystal vault, it was as smooth as a mirror. Before the ‘firecrackers’ started nibbling on it, there was not even a grain-sized dent on it.
However, the terrain under his feet started to become uneven. The walls and ceiling of the cave were spotted with knife and ax marks. If this ore cave was truly excavated by humans, it was illogical for the wide spaces to be smooth whereas the cramped spaces were full of holes.
Cone Nail could guess at Wen Leyang’s thoughts. She smiled bitterly and explained, “It’s not what you think. This huge crystal was made by the brewing of the heavenly water spirit for millions upon millions of years. Its purity naturally decreased from the insides to the outsides. Although the exterior is large, its purity is a world apart compared to the interior… One did not have to use many resources to do away with huge chunks of crystal at the ore cave’s entrance. It could even be done nicely with finely cut edges. But the deeper one went, the tougher it became. Can you understand?” As she said this, she gave another example, “The crystal rock near the heavenly water spirit is diamond whereas the crystal rock at the ore cave’s entrance can only be considered as tofu! The effort that was spent excavating these two regions was not on the same level! That was why he could make nice cuts for the vast entrance, but he left so many knife and ax marks in this narrow space.”
Although Wen Leyang was sprinting along, it did not hinder him from speaking. He was still slightly puzzled, “Then why did the person go through so much trouble? Shouldn’t it be enough just to make a hole big enough for a person to enter? Why did he need to make such a big hole, even if its tofu…”
Cone Nail smiled. Before this, when Wen Leyang spouted silly talk, her smiles always brought some scorn with it, now it was a hint of… interested exuberance, “If I gave you a crystal cone with a base diameter of dozens of meters and asked you to go through it to find the end, what would you do? I’m afraid that if you tunneled a thousand times, you’d have a thousand times of coming out halfway or deviating from your course. If you had the strength, you would start by going inwards from the side and dig out as much of the cone’s interior as you can. That way you can’t go wrong!”
The streams outside the walls were the edges of the giant crystal. The person who excavated the crystal had followed Cone Nail’s plan. He only left a layer of crystal wall, which was close to the streams, and dug his way in. Needless to say, it was to find the heavenly water spirit.
Wen Leyang was hit with a sudden realization. He could not help but said with a smile, “Luckily someone had dug this place out in the first place, or else, even if we followed the bug tide to the outside, we could only stare at this crystal rock larger than a mountain and stomp our feet!” As he said this, his expression changed suddenly. He seemed to have thought of something. He asked Cone Nail uneasily, “Someone had been here before, then could the heavenly water spirit be… taken away already? If he could excavate this ore cave, then the person’s magical power must be…”
He had not finished when Guo Huan suddenly growled from within the jade knife!
At the same time, a refined, cultured and slightly friendly voice sounded beside Wen Leyang’s ear, “There’s water outside the crystal walls, the heavenly water spirit should still be here.”
Then, a figure flashed and firmly blocked their advance!
Wen Leyang abruptly stopped in his tracks. Before the other person appeared, his telegnosis ability did not detect anyone else’s presence.
A cultivator’s body appeared in long robes. He looked to be in his thirties. His face was like a silver lake and had the looks of a soldier. Three strands of long beard swayed gently with the breeze. Wen Leyang’s heart fell, he already knew who had appeared. On the snow-covered peak and under the skies, he could not find a second person like this.
Tian Yin’s dharmakaya possessed by Xiang Liu’s true soul.
They had gone through several dangerous situations. They had chased from the small town all the way to Tanggula Jianggendiru Glacier. Wen Leyang had always thought that they were lucky. They had faced the Tibetans several times but Tian Yin had not shown up. He thought that maybe Tian Yin was not in Jianggendiru Glacier after all.
Tian Yin seemed to have seen through Wen Leyang’s thoughts. He unexpectedly flashed a smile at Wen Leyang, “Actually, I have only just arrived, or else I wouldn’t have let you guys run rampant for that long.” Tian Yin’s voice was soft and pleasing to the ears but he seemed to only have a good voice without sufficient vital capacity. Every word of his took his entire strength and was rigidly squeezed out of his throat.
Although he clearly knew that the other person was the utmost evil in the sky, Wen Leyang still felt some warmth in his heart. He seemed to be affected by Tian Yin’s smile. He could not restrain himself as he nodded strenuously.
