Chapter 109: The Dark Dragon Emerges!

Chen Chuwang’s words were laden with hidden meaning and intent. Her beautiful eyes were filled with curiosity, scrutinizing Jiang Yu as if she were trying to unearth the deepest secret hidden within his heart.

Jiang Yu’s expression remained indifferent; he merely offered a calm smile. "And if I were that expert, what then? And if I were not, what difference would it make?"

He had not expected the perceptive Chen Chuwang to have deduced so much from mere trifles. Of course, these were only her conjectures; had she possessed actual proof, she would never have spoken to him in such a manner.

A faint smile touched the corner of Chen Chuwang’s lips as she replied, "I meant no offense to that expert; I only wished to express my gratitude. Had he chosen to look on with indifference today, the final legacy of the Chen family might have been extinguished entirely."

Not far away, Yan Xiaoxiao and the others watched Chen Chuwang as she conversed with Jiang Yu in astonishment. Since entering the mountains, everyone had become well-acquainted with their cold and distant personalities; throughout the day, neither of them would usually speak more than three sentences. Yet now, they were chatting and laughing together—a sight as jarring as a meteor striking the earth.

"How strange. Why would Miss Chen suddenly go to talk to Jiang Yu?" Yan Xiaoxiao wondered, bewildered by the boy who had been ignored by everyone for so long.

Chen Kun watched his sister with similar confusion. He knew her better than anyone, and he knew that she, in her pride and aloofness, had never offered a smile to anyone. Scratching his head, Chen Kun retreated into his tent, filled with questions.

The night passed in silence.

The next morning, the group prepared to continue their journey. Anya, holding a carton of milk, glanced inadvertently at Jiang Yu, who was sitting cross-legged beneath a large tree, and paused in surprise. Had he sat there the entire night? His hair was damp with dew, and his clothes were soaked through. In these deep mountains, the temperature fluctuation between day and night was extreme—often reaching twenty or thirty degrees Celsius during the day, yet dropping to two or three degrees at night.

Anya’s grip on the milk carton tightened, a pang of guilt washing over her. Lately, everyone had been ignoring Jiang Yu, never including him in any of their activities. She walked over and whispered, "Mr. Jiang, are you alright?"

Jiang Yu opened his eyes, exhaled a long, steady breath, and replied with a faint smile, "I am fine."

Chen Chuwang stood near the tents, staring intently at Jiang Yu under the tree, her eyes flashing with keen light. After a moment of hesitation, she turned to her brother and said, "Take good care of Jiang Yu these next two days."

Hearing her instructions, the other boys, including Xiao Xun, widened their eyes. Could their "Ice Goddess" actually have taken a liking to that kid? Even Chen Kun gaped in disbelief. "Sister Chuwang, I’ve never seen you take the initiative to care about anyone in my entire life!"

Chen Chuwang sighed, "Perhaps I was simply wrong. He looks barely over twenty; how could he possibly be that master?"

By the fifth day in the mountains, the group looked haggard, and the students were beginning to complain bitterly. They had all considered turning back to Qingyang City, but having traveled so far, the return journey would waste even more time. They decided to grit their teeth and push through to the end.

Finally, at noon on the sixth day, they reached a mountain peak and looked down to see a flat expanse below, centered around a massive, frigid pool. Surrounded by exotic flowers and lush, verdant greenery, the place felt like a hidden paradise. Professor Song’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Miraculous! Truly miraculous! A scene like this belongs only in the heavens."

The girls, led by Yan Xiaoxiao, cheered and danced as if they had achieved something monumental. Mesmerized by the magnificent, towering scenery below, they all pulled out their phones to take pictures. A gentle breeze brushed against them, leaving everyone feeling warm and content. The landscape unfolded like a scroll; viewed from above, it was breathtaking. No famous scenic spot in the world could compare to even one percent of this valley—it was vibrant with life, filled with the hum of insects, the song of birds, and the murmur of flowing springs. The very air was thick with a sweet, floral fragrance.

Jiang Yu, however, frowned. There was an ancient Spirit-Gathering Array within the valley, though it had fallen into disrepair and near ruin over the long passage of time. The abundant vitality surrounding them was merely the result of the array frantically plundering spiritual essence from the heaven and earth, turning the valley into a spiritual sanctuary. In such an environment, even a pig could live for sixty or seventy years.

"Everyone," Anya said with a relieved smile, "this is the Frozen Cold Pool."

In the valley, about a hundred meters from the pool, there were several tents and a gathering of people. It seemed they had arrived even earlier than Jiang Yu’s group.

"Look, people!" Yan Xiaoxiao shouted, pointing toward the valley floor.

Chen Chuwang furrowed her brows but said nothing, leading the way down the mountain path. The group followed, the girls’ chatter filling the air as they ran through the sea of flowers, seemingly liberated.

"The Qin family was right. So many secular hidden clans have come," Chen Kun remarked, lighting a cigarette and strolling toward the tents with an air of indifference.

...

The arrival of Jiang Yu and his group naturally drew attention. Adhering to the principle of non-interference, they set up their tents a short distance away. Professor Song and his students busied themselves studying the cold pool hundreds of meters away, while Jiang Yu looked toward the center of the pool. The moment he arrived, he had sensed two terrifying auras lurking within. The stronger of the two was nearing the realm of a secular grandmaster.

Before long, voices of argument rose from nearby.

"Fang Junwen, stop with your snide remarks. Even if our Chen family has fallen, it is not something your Fang family can provoke," Chen Kun’s angry voice rang out.

Jiang Yu looked over to see Chen Chuwang and her brother surrounded by a group of people. Fang Junwen, a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit, sneered, "You two juniors think you can partner with us? That beast in the cold pool is already at the threshold of a half-step grandmaster. What kind of contribution do you think you can make?"

Chen Kun’s face flushed red, left speechless by Fang Junwen’s retort. He was only at the peak of the Condensed Strength stage; facing such a beast, let alone fighting it, he would likely be paralyzed with fear the moment it appeared.

Under the shroud of Jiang Yu’s spiritual sense, everything in the valley was laid bare. There were over thirty people in total: two half-step grandmasters, seven or eight Transformation Strength masters, and the rest were all peak Condensed Strength experts. Such a force was enough to run rampant in the secular world. Even the largest families in Yanjing would have to concede three points to them. It was no wonder they dared to covet the cold pool.

Chen Kun and Chen Chuwang, knowing they lacked the strength to deal with the beast, had sought a partnership with the Qin, Fang, and Royal families to kill the beast and split the divine herbs within the pool. They had not expected to be met with cold disdain and mockery.

Chen Kun, with his fiery temper, exploded on the spot. Back when Chen Shanhe was still alive, these three secular hidden clans had been as obedient as grandchildren. Those who once bowed and scraped before the Chen family now stood tall, offering them no respect whatsoever. As the saying went, when a wall is about to collapse, everyone gives it a push. Without Chen Shanhe’s deterrence, the Chen family’s prestige was no longer what it once was.

Any one of these masters could wipe the siblings out. Lacking the strength, they had to swallow their pride, no matter how humiliating it was.

Having been rebuffed, Chen Kun walked back with Chen Chuwang, cursing under his breath. "Sister Chuwang, what do we do? If we don't bring back the divine herbs, the Chen family is truly finished." Chen Kun sat dejectedly in the sea of flowers, his initial bravado completely vanished.

Chen Chuwang pursed her lips and whispered, "We will take it one step at a time. Even if it costs me my life, I must bring the divine herbs back."

Soon, night fell. Professor Song returned to the tents with Yan Xiaoxiao and the others, and they began to cook, the aroma drifting for a hundred meters. Chen Chuwang sat by the fire, hugging her knees, her gaze constantly flickering toward Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu, acting as if nothing were amiss, picked up a piece of compressed biscuit and nibbled on it. Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoxiao and the other girls giggled and rolled about in the flower field.

Suddenly, the earth began to shake violently, as if the entire valley were about to collapse. Everyone scrambled to their feet. Professor Song cried out in horror, "Look! What is that?"

They gathered together, looking toward the cold pool a hundred meters away.

"A snake! It’s a giant snake!" Xiao Xun screamed, as if he had seen a ghost.

From within the cold pool, a gargantuan creature broke the surface. Its body was covered in grim, palm-sized scales, and atop its vat-sized head sat a pair of horns. Its vertical, reptilian pupils reflected the dozens of human figures standing on the shore.

At the same time, Jiang Yu stood up, hands behind his back, and began to walk toward the edge of the cold pool.

Anya, finally regaining her senses, shouted a warning: "Mr. Jiang, don't go over there! It's dangerous!"