Chapter 133: Northern Wasteland Border (2)

Su Yun led the three of them across the Cold Ice River.

The river was very wide, measuring several hundred zhang across. The river water was turbid and churning, with white foam rolling on the surface, emitting bone-chilling cold energy. Valley Master Su Yao and Fairy Jianyun had both raised their protective spiritual lights. Bai Shuang's injuries were too severe, so she was carried by Su Yun. She was trembling all over, her lips having turned a deep purple; the cold poison left behind by the Thunder Beast was spreading within her body.

When they landed on the opposite bank, the sky had already turned completely dark.

Wangbei Ferry was even more desolate than the small town on the border. A few low wooden houses were scattered along the riverbank, their roofs covered in withered thatch, and cracks snaked across the walls. There were no lights, no human voices, only the cold wind whistling as it swept across the river surface.

Bai Shuang pointed to a wooden house furthest inside, her voice weak: "Master, that is Granny Meng's medicine shop."

Su Yun walked over and raised his hand to knock on the door.

The door did not open. A hoarse, elderly voice came from inside: "No more medicine for sale. I do not see guests after dark."

Su Yun did not waste words and pushed the door open directly.

The room was very dark, with only an oil lamp glowing dimly in the corner. It was piled high with withered herbs and various bottles and jars, and the air was filled with a bitter medicinal scent. An old woman sat behind the counter, wearing a dusty, coarse cloth garment. Her hair was gray and white, and the wrinkles on her face were as deep as knife carvings.

She raised her head, her cloudy eyes looking at Su Yun, then at the people behind him, and finally landing on Bai Shuang.

"Little girl Bai?" Her voice changed. "What happened to her?"

Su Yun placed Bai Shuang on a chair: "She was injured by a Thunder Beast. She needs a fire origin pill."

The old woman's expression sank as she stared at Su Yun: "Who are you people?"

Su Yun did not answer her question, only looking at her: "The fire origin pill, do you have it?"

The old woman was silent for a moment, then turned and rummaged through a cabinet behind her, pulling out a jade bottle and pouring out a crimson Medicinal Pill. The pill was perfectly round and emitted a scorching aura, causing the temperature of the entire room to rise slightly. She walked over, stuffed the pill into Bai Shuang's mouth, and poured a mouthful of water down.

After consuming the Medicinal Pill, the paleness on Bai Shuang's face gradually faded, and her lips turned from deep purple to a pale pink. She opened her eyes and glanced at the old woman: "Granny Meng…"

The old woman waved her hand, signaling her not to speak. Then she turned to stare at Su Yun: "You came from the Central Domain?"

Su Yun nodded.

The old woman sneered: "A Nascent Soul from the Central Domain, actually daring to run deep into the Northern Wasteland. Tired of living?"

Su Yun ignored her mockery: "Are you a guide for the Northern Wasteland?"

The old woman narrowed her eyes: "Who told you that?"

Su Yun said: "People in the border town said so."

The old woman was silent for a long time. She sat back down behind the counter, picked up a wine cup, and took a gulp of liquor. The liquor was strong, making her frown.

"I have indeed walked deep into the Northern Wasteland for decades," she began, her voice hoarse. "But I haven't been deep inside for three years. I'm old and can't walk anymore. Besides, the Northern Wasteland deep inside is much more dangerous than before."

Su Yun asked: "The Thunder Beast?"

The old woman nodded: "The Thunder Beast. It suddenly appeared near the Thunder Pool three years ago and occupied that patch of sky thunder bamboo. Since then, everyone who wanted to harvest sky thunder bamboo has never returned. This little girl Bai by your side, being able to escape alive is already a stroke of great luck."

Su Yun looked at her: "What if I insist on going in?"

The old woman raised her head, a glimmer of sharpness flashing in her cloudy eyes: "If you are seeking death, I won't stop you. But don't drag me, an old woman, down with you."

Su Yun took a Spirit Medicine from his Storage Ring and placed it on the counter.

The old woman's eyes widened instantly. It was a golden ganoderma the size of a washbasin, emitting rich Spiritual Qi. A ten-thousand-year ganoderma. She had been picking herbs in the Northern Wasteland for decades and had only seen something like this once, and it was in someone else's hands.

"You…" Her voice began to tremble.

Su Yun said calmly: "Lead the way. This ten-thousand-year ganoderma is yours."

The old woman stared at the ganoderma without blinking. She reached out, wanting to touch it, then withdrew her hand. She took a deep breath and looked at Su Yun: "You want to go to the Thunder Pool?"

Su Yun nodded.

The old woman shook her head: "You can't go to the Thunder Pool. The Thunder Beast guards the edge of the Thunder Pool. That beast is at least at the Mid Spirit Severing Stage. You are only at the Late Nascent Soul Stage; going there is just throwing your life away."

Su Yun said: "If I can't go to the Thunder Pool, I can at least go to the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool."

The old woman was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "The Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool is even further than the Thunder Pool. You have to pass the Thunder Pool and continue north for three days to reach the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool. That road is in the Thunder Beast's territory; if you want to pass the Thunder Pool, you must first get past the Thunder Beast."

Su Yun was silent.

The old woman looked at him and suddenly asked: "What exactly are you looking for?"

Su Yun said: "The sap of the sky thunder bamboo, and the ten-thousand-year ganoderma in the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool."

The old woman suddenly understood. She looked at the ganoderma on the counter, then at Su Yun, and gritted her teeth: "I have the sap of the sky thunder bamboo."

Su Yun raised an eyebrow.

The old woman turned and walked into the back room, rummaging through boxes and cabinets for a long time before bringing out a palm-sized jade bottle. The jade bottle was warm and smooth, filled with half a bottle of silver-white liquid. The liquid was thick and faintly shimmered with thunder light.

"I harvested this three years ago, the last time I entered the Northern Wasteland," the old woman's voice carried nostalgia. "Back then, the Thunder Beast hadn't arrived yet. I took advantage of the calm at the Thunder Pool to cut a few stalks of sky thunder bamboo and collected this much sap. I originally wanted to keep it to refine medicine for myself and never had the heart to use it."

She placed the jade bottle on the counter and pushed it toward Su Yun.

Su Yun did not take it: "What do you want?"

The old woman looked at him, then at the ten-thousand-year ganoderma, and sighed: "You have already given me what I want. I will accept the ganoderma, and you take the sap. As for the ganoderma in the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool, you will have to find a way yourself. I cannot help you."

Su Yun put away the jade bottle: "Is there any other path to bypass the Thunder Beast near the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool?"

The old woman thought for a moment: "There is one path. Go around from the east, which adds ten days of travel. You will have to pass through an ice plain, where there is a type of Yao Beast called the Ice Serpent. They come in swarms and are even more troublesome than the Thunder Beast. If you are not afraid of death, you can try."

Su Yun memorized the route and stood up: "Many thanks."

He turned to leave, but the old woman suddenly called out to him: "Young man, let me give you a piece of advice. Things in the depths of the Northern Wasteland are not meant for the Nascent Soul Stage to touch. Even if you get the ten-thousand-year ganoderma, you might not be able to bring it out alive."

Su Yun looked back at her: "My people are still waiting for me to go back."

The old woman was stunned. Su Yun had already walked out the door.

Valley Master Su Yao and Fairy Jianyun followed behind. Bai Shuang struggled to stand up and bowed to the old woman: "Granny Meng, thank you for saving my life."

The old woman waved her hand: "Go. Following that person is better than staying at Wangbei Ferry."

Bai Shuang nodded and chased after them.

Su Yun stood on the riverbank, looking at the pitch-black Yao Beast forest on the opposite bank. Moonlight leaked through the gaps in the clouds, shining on the turbid river surface, shattering into a patch of silver-white.

Bai Shuang walked up behind him: "Master, this subordinate has been in the direction of the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool. Although I didn't reach it, I remember the road. This subordinate can lead the way."

Su Yun looked back at her. This newly acquired Enslavement was still a bit pale, but her eyes were firm.

"Your injuries haven't healed yet," he said.

Bai Shuang shook her head: "The medicinal power of the fire origin pill is enough. This subordinate can hold on."

Su Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded: "We set off early tomorrow morning. Rest here tonight."

Bai Shuang acknowledged and turned to prepare.

Su Yun stood on the riverbank, gazing north. Under the moonlight, that gray, hazy plain stretched to the horizon, and nothing could be seen clearly. But he knew that at the end of that plain, there was what he needed. The ten-thousand-year ganoderma. The Thunder Pool. And the Soul Transformation Stage.

He had to obtain it.