Chapter 153: The Research Team in Danger

Within the cold pool, silvery-white light flickered.

Jiang Changkong, enveloped in Moonlight Essence, gazed at the cold pool with surprise and doubt.

All around the cold pool were stones radiating a silvery-white glow, releasing waves of cold energy.

As he descended, the number of silvery-white glowing stones increased, and the cold energy grew stronger.

In some places, ice pillars had already formed, reminiscent of the Taiyin space.

“Could it be that the other half of the Star Stele is here?”

A thought flashed through Jiang Changkong’s mind.

The Star Stele—a treasure contested by major powers and coveted even by the Federation!

Moreover, even without the Star Stele, these stones alone represented an immense fortune!

Jiang Changkong touched a silvery-white ice pillar, feeling its icy chill.

It would be a great asset during the summer.

An excellent cooling treasure.

The depth of the cold pool was unknown; after descending for several minutes, Jiang Changkong still hadn’t reached the bottom.

The ice pillars grew more numerous and longer, eventually almost blocking the way down.

Jiang Changkong stepped onto one of the ice pillars, feeling an even deeper chill.

This place was far colder than the area above.

Boom

Beneath the cold pool, the water currents stirred, and a silvery-white figure flashed briefly beneath the ice pillars.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Changkong decided not to investigate further and instead propelled himself upward.

Reaching the surface of the pool, he pried off a stone and leaped out of the cold pool.

“Changkong.” Xu Qian and An Yuanshan hurried over, looking at him with concern.

“I’m fine. Take a look at this.”

Jiang Changkong held the stone, which emitted a faint coolness. The Lunar Cold Energy within was so weak it couldn’t even threaten Xu Qian.

“Cold stone, containing a trace of Lunar Cold Energy. Not very useful,” Xu Qian assessed.

“If there are better ones, or if there are many of them, could they be used to forge weapons?” Jiang Changkong asked.

Xu Qian’s expression shifted slightly, and she asked in surprise, “Of course they could. But you’re not thinking of going down to retrieve them, are you?”

“Of course I won’t go down. But my friend, upon hearing this news, likely won’t miss the opportunity,” Jiang Changkong said.

“Your friend? A Taiyin Star Power cultivator?”

An Yuanshan’s eyebrows twitched. “Could it be that young prodigy from the Heng family of the Major Province?”

Xu Qian added, “The one from the Heng family? That makes sense. She should have come to the cold pool for training. I heard she obtained a Moon Stone not long ago.”

Jiang Changkong’s face twitched. “Not long ago? Did Nantian Wang deliver it?”

“How did you know?” the two asked in surprise.

Jiang Changkong: “…”

I was the one who helped retrieve it. A young prodigy?

Did Nantian Wang use the Moon Stone to woo someone?

“Never mind. My friend isn’t from the Heng family; he’s a man.”

Jiang Changkong changed the subject. “I owe him a favor from before. Now that my strength has grown, he wants me to repay it.”

“I see. But even though you’re strong, retrieving treasures from the cold pool is extremely dangerous,” Xu Qian said with a frown.

“It’s fine. I just need to pass the information to him, and he’ll retrieve the treasures himself.

Once he obtains the materials, I’ll ask for your help to forge weapons. That way, we’ll be even.”

Jiang Changkong explained.

“That’s for the best. However, male cultivators of Taiyin Star Power aren’t particularly strong.

I’ve heard the strongest among them barely qualifies as high-tier. Your friend’s strength likely isn’t up to par.”

An Yuanshan shook his head lightly, expressing his doubts.

“A debt must be repaid. Whether he can retrieve the treasures is his own affair.”

Jiang Changkong said indifferently, “Alright, let’s head to the Gravity Zone.”

The two said nothing more and led him to the Gravity Zone.

A few minutes later, the three arrived at the Gravity Zone, which looked no different from other areas.

The same dense weeds, thickets of thorns, and Star Demons lurking within.

Here, there was a hazy golden starlight forming a dividing line.

An Yuanshan explained, “Cross this golden starlight line, and you’ll be in the Gravity Zone.”

Jiang Changkong stepped directly across the starlight. An invisible force enveloped his entire body, but he adapted almost instantly.

Xu Qian followed closely behind him, her body slightly hunched, clearly affected.

An Yuanshan was very relaxed, not affected in the slightest.

“You’re the real talent,” Jiang Changkong glanced at him and said.

An Yuanshan smiled with a hint of pride, “Of course. I was specially recruited into the military back then and have experienced sevenfold gravity.”

“Sevenfold? Does Pingan City have such a place?” Jiang Changkong asked in surprise.

“Want to go? Just join the military, and I’ll take you there right away,” An Yuanshan said excitedly.

“No.”

Jiang Changkong was merely surprised. Walking through the Gravity Zone, he said, “Online, there isn’t much information about the three major danger zones.

I looked it up last night. The Terrifying Deep Pool wasn’t mentioned to have Lunar Cold Energy, and the Gravity Zone wasn’t described in detail either.”

“Of course. There are two reasons. Anding Province doesn’t want it spread around because there are many treasures here.

Secondly, the Heng family restricts the flow of information. The Moonforce is of great help to the Heng family.”

An Yuanshan spoke calmly.

“The Heng family hasn’t taken over this place?” Jiang Changkong frowned and asked.

“They’d need our consent for that. As long as High-Rank Martial Artists don’t appear, Pingan City isn’t without the power to resist.

Moreover, this is a world governed by law. They can come to collect treasures, but if they want to claim it as their own, they’ll have to answer to everyone.”

An Yuanshan’s tone was plain, yet it revealed a sense of confidence.

Even the Heng family didn’t intimidate him.

Xu Qian walked alongside them, “Uncle An holds a very high status. Even the Heng family sometimes has to ask for his help.”

An Yuanshan smiled without speaking, a trace of smugness appearing on his face as he looked at Jiang Changkong expectantly.

Unfortunately, Jiang Changkong didn’t give him face. No matter how high his status was, it had nothing to do with him.

“Are those people also practicing with weights here?”

Jiang Changkong looked ahead and noticed several Martial Artists sitting cross-legged in the weeds.

“Not exactly. They’re from the Martial Arts Association. They practice the Earth Element Art, and cultivating here helps them improve.”

Xu Qian said, “The president of the Martial Arts Association, Anding Bang, practices the Earth Element Art. His defense is extremely strong—he practically turned himself into a land turtle through cultivation.”

“Xiao Qian, you mustn’t talk nonsense. Anding Bang is also of your uncle’s generation,” An Yuanshan scolded.

Xu Qian stuck out her tongue, “Earth Element is just a land turtle, right? Cultivating the land turtle art—doesn’t that make him a big turtle?”

Jiang Changkong: “…”

So that’s how Anding Bang got his nickname “Big Turtle.”

He knew about Earth Element—ground beetles, land turtles, also called dirt turtles.

Beep beep—

A sound came from Xu Qian, and a red light glowed from her pocket.

She quickly took it out, “What’s happened?”

“Who is this from the research institute? Please ask President Anding Bang to come quickly. We’re the research team, and we’ve run into trouble in the swamp area.”

An urgent voice came through.

“This is Xu Qian. I’ll notify him right away.” Xu Qian hurriedly took out her phone to contact Professor Yun.

As for asking Anding Bang, she didn’t have the authority for that; she needed Professor Yun to make the contact.

Professor Yun replied immediately, “Put on your battle armor and try to buy as much time as possible. I’ll have President An rush over as quickly as he can.”

An Yuanshan frowned and said, “Isn’t Anding Bang still in the city? Why not let Changkong and me go this time? With our strength and your battle armor, if we’re careful, we should be able to hold them off.”

“Hold them off? The swamp area is that dangerous?”

Jiang Changkong frowned.

“Let’s talk on the way. You’ll understand once we get there,” Xu Qian said anxiously.

Jiang Changkong nodded. After all, he still needed their help to forge weapons, so lending a hand wouldn’t hurt.