Chapter 32 The Unreachable Lake Bottom
Deep in the murky waters, Shangguan Jiannan's breathing was heavy and clear, along with tiny bubbles escaping from his mouth, which quickly dissipated around him.
In this chaotic underwater world, only the Netherworld Jade Pendant hanging around his neck, like a star in the dark night, shines with eye-catching light and illuminates everything around it.
The water around him was like an invisible giant beast, surging and ruthlessly squeezing Shangguan Jiannan's body, so that even if he stood still, he could feel the heavy pressure coming from all directions.
There was no fear on his stern face, only determination and persistence in the face of unknown challenges. However, no matter how he struggled or tried, the water pressure seemed to be solidified, always following him, trapping him firmly in place, unable to move.
The light of the Nether Jade Pendant was even more dazzling at this time, and there seemed to be a trace of cold air around it, making the cold waters even more mysterious and weird. Although Shangguan Jiannan was unwilling in his heart, he also knew the limitations of his own strength.
He knew that it was a pipe dream to break through these obstacles with his current cultivation. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Shangguan Jiannan chose to give up. He relaxed his whole body and let the water flow to knock him around until he was suddenly thrown out of the water by a powerful force.
At that moment, he seemed to hear a distant but clear voice whispering in his ear: "You still need to hone your skills. When you have mastered the secrets of space at the level of Sword King, come back here to explore."
The night was like water, and the calm lake surface sparkled under the moonlight, which was so beautiful that it made people intoxicated. However, this tranquility did not last long. With a low roar, the calm lake surface suddenly rippled, as if some huge monster was ready to move under the water.
Then, a huge column of water shot up into the sky, carrying dazzling light and roaring water sounds, breaking the silence of the night. Amid the splashing water, a black figure broke through the water, as agile and mysterious as a hawk in the dark night.
That was Shangguan Jiannan. He was dressed in black, floating in the air, with a sharp gaze, as if he had made up his mind to hone himself in the days to come, until one day he could step into the depths of this mysterious water again and uncover the secrets hidden in the darkness.
It was a dark night. Shangguan Jiannan's black hair was wet with water droplets, sticking to his cheeks. The evening breeze blew gently, and the water droplets fell on the lake like pearls from a broken string, causing a series of crisp echoes.
He took advantage of the momentum to leap up, and although his body was helpless in the air, he displayed amazing control, slowly slowing down his descent, and finally touching the shore lightly like a fallen leaf, yet still making a heavy landing sound, leaving a faint mark on the grass.
Shangguan Jiannan struggled to get up, patting his wet black robe, his brows furrowed, his mind full of doubts: "What is hidden at the bottom of this lake? How could it resonate with my Netherworld Jade Pendant?" The jade pendant in his hand was obtained by his grandfather Shangguan Yunyao from Lord Chen. Behind this inheritance, there seems to be an unknown secret.
As his thoughts raced, Shangguan Jiannan could not help but think of the Taoist priest Xuantian who had accompanied him for six years and was both his teacher and friend. Since they parted in the Nine-story Pagoda, the figure of the Taoist priest had dissipated like morning mist, leaving behind endless longing and regret.
In this vast sea of people, searching for clues to the Nether Jade Pendant is like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, when the Nether Jade Pendant showed abnormality at the bottom of the lake, a glimmer of hope ignited in Shangguan Jiannan's heart.
He knew that with his eight-star swordsmanship, he was not enough to reach the bottom of the unknown lake. But this desire grew wildly in his heart like weeds, and it was hard to stop it. He stared at the sparkling lake, feeling mixed emotions. The treasure that was so close yet so far away made him feel tormented, as if thousands of little hands were scratching his heart, making it itchy and painful.
But at this moment, an unexpected discovery made Shangguan Jiannan's eyes flash with surprise. He closed his eyes and looked inward, and found that his Dantian was even more vast and boundless than before, and his meridians seemed to be more resilient and unobstructed.
This sudden change made him mutter to himself: "Could it be... the power from the bottom of the lake? Or the red lotus?" Once this thought came to mind, it spread throughout his mind like wildfire.
He realized that although he could not touch the secrets at the bottom of the lake, this experience had quietly changed him. Perhaps this was the opportunity for him to improve his cultivation and move towards a higher realm.
Therefore, Shangguan Jiannan put away his regret and unwillingness and turned his sights to the more distant future. He knew that only by constantly improving his own strength could he uncover the mystery of the lake bottom and explore the truth behind the Netherworld Jade Pendant.
The starting point of all this is him at this moment - a young swordsman with great ambition and courage.
Shangguan Jiannan was pulled by an inexplicable force until he reached the shore, and then he felt that his dantian and meridians in his body had quietly expanded. This change made him truly feel his own transformation.
He suddenly stood up and let out a low and powerful shout, like a sudden thunder in the night sky, instantly breaking the silence around him.
Holding the homemade wooden sword, Shangguan Jiannan couldn't help but dance. The sword shadow cut through the night sky, accompanied by the "woooo" whistling sound, interweaving into a passionate melody in his ears.
Wherever the sword wind went, the grass and trees swayed, and the lake surface was also touched by this force, with layers of delicate ripples appearing, which quickly spread in all directions under the reflection of the moonlight. The strong wind and the sword force intertwined to form a breathtaking picture.
Shangguan Jiannan was immersed in this exhilarating feeling. Half an hour later, he slowly put away his sword, a trace of regret on his face.
"If there is more cold and yin energy, the power of the Dark Night Sword will surely double." He thought to himself, and then comforted himself that improving cultivation is not an overnight task and needs to be done step by step.
Looking at the tranquil lake in front of him, Shangguan Jiannan's heart was filled with complex emotions. The expansion of Dantian and the widening of meridians were certainly significant gains, but what excited him even more was that under this lake, there might be a major secret related to the Nether Jade Pendant.
This discovery undoubtedly added new impetus to his journey of exploration. As the night deepened, the wind on the top of the mountain became stronger and stronger, and the whistling sound echoed Shangguan Jiannan's inner surge.
He once again used his inner strength, roaring and roaring, as if declaring his determination and faith to the boundless night sky. On the mountaintop shrouded in the night, Shangguan Jiannan looked particularly resolute and lonely, but his heart was filled with infinite longing and expectation for the future.
Under the howling wind, a crisp and gentle call penetrated the wind, coming from far away and gradually becoming clearer in the ear. "Huh?" Shangguan Jiannan couldn't help but frown when he heard the voice, and a ripple of confusion appeared in his heart.