Chapter 71: The Marvelous Mountain of Ice and Fire, the Perilous and Venomous Sea

The little wooden boat finally came to a halt, and everyone stepped ashore. If the previous checkpoint was merely a modest little house, then this place was a vast, boundless world. The sea surrounded them on all sides, stretching beyond sight, and aside from a barren mountain, there was nothing else on the shore. Yet this mountain, seemingly ordinary, concealed wonders within; ever perceptive, Yu Shang sensed something uncanny about it and stepped forward to investigate.

As he stopped directly in front of the mountain, Yu Shang felt two opposing forces assailing him from the left and right. Could these powers be emanating from the mountain itself? He cautiously placed his palms upon the stone face, and as soon as his hands made contact, the two forces grew even stronger, rushing straight into his body.

Yu Shang felt his left hand engulfed in icy cold, as if grasping a shard of freezing crystal, while his right hand burned with heat, as though holding a blazing sphere of fire. These extreme, contradictory energies surged through his palms into his heart, neither yielding, each resisting the other, until they reached the mysterious gate within his body and were swallowed. He experienced no discomfort from the invasion; on the contrary, he felt clearer and more invigorated, all the gloom from the secret tunnel vanished. Perhaps the battle between these energies had subtly altered him, or maybe the gate within had absorbed some power and grown stronger. Whatever the cause, he felt completely restored and brimming with vitality.

But when Yu Shang pressed his hands to the mountain again, hoping to absorb more of those forces, he found only the sensation of cold and heat, no trace of any peculiar energy. Was the gate still digesting what it had absorbed, unable to take in more? Yet, he thought, the power must first enter his body—why did the mountain now feel no different from any other? It was rather disappointing; he'd hoped to find some special energy to nourish the gate, to awaken its abilities, but now he sensed nothing. It seemed his hopes would end in emptiness yet again.

“Brother Yu, what are you doing? Why do you look so crestfallen, and your posture is so odd,” Leng Huaiyi approached with a smile, observing Yu Shang’s strange behavior. Yu Shang was a man of secrets and hidden treasures, always bringing surprises and shocks. One never knew what he might do next. Whenever Yu Shang acted oddly, Leng Huaiyi made sure to watch closely, for Yu Shang’s ability to notice anomalies far surpassed his own.

“Brother Leng, stand here as I do, place both hands on the stone wall, and see what you feel,” Yu Shang did not explain what he had just experienced, but instead offered his spot to let Leng Huaiyi try for himself. Perhaps Leng Huaiyi would sense the same exquisite combination of ice and fire—a marvel of nature.

Obediently, Leng Huaiyi moved to the front of the mountain, placed his hands on the stone, and closed his eyes to concentrate. After a long moment, he opened his eyes and spoke slowly, “This mountain is truly peculiar. The west side chills you to the bone like a glacier, while the east side scorches like molten rock. What’s more astonishing is that these opposing natural elements coexist here, which surprises me greatly.” He felt regret that he had once followed his master straight to the treasure vault and missed such strange sights; luckily, he had joined the group today, or else he would have never seen this wonder.

“So he didn’t experience the two forces rushing into his body. Why am I the only one able to sense this phenomenon, but when I try again, nothing happens? How odd,” Yu Shang forced a smile at Leng Huaiyi, agreeing outwardly, but inwardly pondering. It was best not to tell them about these strange occurrences yet; the dangers here were unknown, and his own experiences might bring trouble. He must not let his carelessness endanger the others—they had already risked themselves to enter this place for his sake, and he could not burden them further.

“Why are you two still chatting idly? Something big has happened over there!” Xiao Yin came running, breathless and anxious. Yu Shang and Leng Huaiyi followed his pointing finger and saw a commotion; Lan Wu sat on the ground, her expression pained, and the others looked worried. The two hurried over, fearing more dangers.

“Lan Wu, what happened?” Yu Shang gently pushed through the crowd to the suffering girl and asked softly. Upon inspection, he noticed a few drops of blood on her shoe.

“It’s all because of him!” Lan Wu angrily pointed at Xiao Yin. “After we got off the boat, I walked along the shore with some sisters to admire the sea, but he started provoking me. I’m not one to let him misbehave, so I chased after him.” She pouted adorably, but the injury was clearly severe—blood flowed ever faster, threatening to drip onto the ground, staining her snow-white embroidered shoes.

“Did you two twist your ankle while fooling around? Why do you always behave like children, never careful?” Leng Huaiyi scolded, though his eyes were full of affection. He always treated this willful girl as a sister, and seeing her in pain as her brother made him angry but more so, concerned.

“No, if it were just a twist, it wouldn’t hurt so much! Heaven must be toying with me. While chasing him, I accidentally stepped into the sea, and instantly felt excruciating pain. When I sat down and checked, I found a chunk of flesh burned away by the seawater. This isn’t water, it’s poison!” Lan Wu complained, cradling her injured foot. How could the sea be so sinister, able to harm unseen? Anyone who fell in might never be found again.

“So this is the big trouble? Just an injured foot, not a mortal wound. Why are you so anxious?” Yu Shang teased Xiao Yin. He was making a fuss—such injuries were common, nearly everyone here bore scars. Was it worth all this panic? He’d expected something far worse.

“You don’t care because she’s not your woman. Wait until your woman gets hurt, and see if you can speak so lightly!” Xiao Yin retorted, glaring at Yu Shang, annoyed at his indifference.

“Stop bickering! Lan Wu is in real pain. If this continues, what will we do? Think of a solution, seriously!” Yan Xue Su snapped at the two men. Now was not the time for jokes—if the injury couldn’t be healed, not only would Lan Wu suffer, but the challenge ahead would grow harder, making it impossible to reach the treasure vault. And if the water was truly poisonous, it was even worse; from her knowledge of the coast, the tide was likely rising.

“That’s right, our time is short and we can’t waste any more. Lan Wu’s injury can’t be delayed!” Xun Mi Shuang spoke anxiously, her heart aching at Leng Huaiyi’s affectionate gaze. Years ago, it was that very look that made her fall in love with him.

“If only we had some spirit herbs, but where would we find them in this wilderness?” Yin Bo Xuan complained. There wasn’t even a weed, let alone medicinal plants.

“Spirit herbs? Brother Yu, last time you cured me with that luminous pearl when I was near death from pain! Take it out and try—maybe it’ll help!” Meng You Yuan suddenly recalled how Yu Shang had once saved her with the magical pearl, and hastily urged him. With its miraculous powers, it could surely heal such minor injuries.

“Indeed, how could I nearly forget that pearl? Brother Yu, bring it out quickly!” Yu Xiao Ran exclaimed, awakened by Meng You Yuan’s reminder. How could he forget such a precious treasure? Without her prompt, everyone would still be worrying in vain. But now there was hope—he had witnessed the pearl’s power firsthand.

“I know, but last time the pearl emerged on its own and healed You Yuan without my intervention. This time, it shows no sign of wanting to come out, silent and calm. Even if I take it out, I won’t know how to use it!” Yu Shang said, somewhat embarrassed. Sometimes the pearl worked wonders, sometimes nothing—perhaps the problem lay not in the pearl, but in himself.

“We must try, no matter what. If we wait any longer, Lan Wu’s foot may be ruined,” Lan Bing Xian chimed in. Though Yu Shang had never used the pearl himself, she trusted his intelligence and skill. Since he had obtained the main treasure sword and saved her beloved, she had come to regard him as a king.

“All right, I’ll try!” Gathering his true energy, Yu Shang summoned the pearl from within and held it in his palm, scrutinizing it for any clues. Then, kneeling before Lan Wu, he channeled his strength into a stream of energy that flowed into the pearl. The pearl seemed to respond, its violet glow intensifying until a beam of light shot into Lan Wu’s wound. Everyone could see the violet beam swirling around her injury, and miraculously, the wound began to heal. When the radiance faded, her foot was perfectly restored, smooth and unblemished as if it had never been hurt.