The extreme cold cave is not far from the place where the Xu Bai bamboo vine is located.

        Chen Yun followed Wu Kejiu, Kang Yuan, and Qin Ming among others, made several turns, and approximately flew for over a hundred miles before arriving at a small mountain.

    The small mountain is estimated to be only about one hundred meters high and looks very ordinary.

    However, after arriving here, Wu Kejiu showed a serious expression, pointing to the cave not far away and saying, "This is the Extreme Cold Cave. Once we enter, everyone must maintain the highest alert. Otherwise, if you happen to be bitten by a hidden spiritual insect carelessly, it's very likely that you might lose your life."

    "Okay."

    "We will certainly be careful."

    Gao Chen, Xu Yang, and others replied.

    As one of the four "people in charge," Chen Yun will definitely have to set an example by walking at the front.

    He walked inwards side by side with Wu Kejiu.

    Knowing the dangers within the cave, he immediately projected his spiritual awareness to probe the surroundings.

    The cave inside seemed very dark.

    However, Chen Yun had his spiritual awareness projected out, allowing him to see clearly.

    This is a very narrow passage.

    It's estimated to be wide enough for only two or three people to walk side by side.

    And Chen Yun's spiritual awareness discovered that this situation extended at least two or three li.

    There is an exit two or three li away.

    Although there is no light over there, the passage is actually much wider.

    Moreover, he could see through his spiritual awareness that there were some thin ice blocks starting to form over there.

    Clearly, that is not the destination.

    As for the spiritual insects, beasts, and birds mentioned by Wu Kejiu, they have not been seen yet.

    Chen Yun walked briskly forward.

    Wu Kejiu seemed to have also sensed that there was no danger in the outer passage.

    He followed Chen Yun and furrowed his brow, saying, "It's a bit strange."

    Chen Yun didn't even turn his head, asking, "What's strange?"

    Wu Kejiu said, "Last time we came here, there were a lot of spiritual insects. How come there are none this time?"

    Qin Ming also looked puzzled and said, "Yes, we suffered quite a bit just to pass through this passage last time. It's really strange."

    Longnu Sanjue smiled and said, "Perhaps after we left last time, a powerful cultivator came and killed all the spiritual insects."

    Kang Yuan nodded and said, "That's a possibility."

    Chen Yun is entering the Yueyue Spring Cave for the first time and has never been here before, so he naturally doesn't know the specific situation.

    However, he did not find any spiritual insects. He only advanced with caution and did not stop for a moment.

    To say, it's indeed going quite smoothly.

    In a short while, they arrived at the exit of the passage.

    Here is a larger passage.

    What is different from the outer passage is that the stone walls here are covered with a layer of thin ice.

    Chen Yun has not yet found any danger.

    However, he did not know the way. He looked to the side at Wu Kejiu and asked, "How do we proceed from here?"

    After using the "illuminating technique," Wu Kejiu took a look around and pointed to the east, saying, "We should head this way. In another thirty or forty miles, we should enter an underground cave with a large cold pond."

    Kang Yuan added, "The surrounding area of the cold pond has snow mushrooms growing. However, there are many spiritual beasts and birds on that side. After you deal with them, I will just take two snow fungi and retreat."

    Chen Yun "oh"ed and continued to walk in the lead with Wu Kejiu.

    He had made up his mind. He would use his spiritual awareness to scout ahead. If there are ju fruits and the danger is not too great, he would go up to pick enough. If there are ju fruits but the danger is very high, then he would find another way.

    The crowd continued to move forward for ten or so miles.

    However, Chen Yun's spiritual awareness has not yet detected any danger.

    Not to mention spiritual insects, beasts, and birds, he hasn't even found an ant.

    It seems like there is no life growing here at all.

    However, Wu Kejiu began to feel uneasy and said, "Something's wrong! Very wrong!"

    Kang Yuan also said uneasily, "Normally, there should be quite a few spiritual insects here, along with some beasts. But now, I haven't seen a single spiritual insect."

    Longnu Sanjue and others also looked at each other in confusion.

    It seems they don't understand why things are so different from the last time they came here.

    Zhang Ling had never been here either.

    She guessed, "Could it be like what Dragoness Seniormaster said, that all the spiritual insects and beasts here have been killed by someone?"

    For a moment, no one could think of any other possibilities and had to accept it.

    Chen Yun, who was originally walking briskly, suddenly had a thought in his heart.

    He knew that Wu Kejiu and the others had been here before and would not make a wild guess.

    Since there were many spiritual insects, beasts, and birds here in the past, and now there are none to be seen, it's not possible that a cultivator ate enough and eliminated them all arbitrarily.

    How could one say that they would just kill spiritual insects, beasts, and birds for the sake of taking heaven and earth's spiritual roots?

    The answer is definitely no!

    Chen Yun thinks that some kind of situation has occurred here, leading to the disappearance of all the spiritual insects, beasts, and birds.

    He suddenly thought that normal animals have territories.

    For example, the territory range of an adult male Siberian tiger can reach up to one thousand square kilometers.

    In the territory of an adult male Siberian tiger, there are generally no other predators. Even wolf packs avoid it.

    Chen Yun wondered whether there might have been a very powerful spiritual beast, insect, or bird born in the Extreme Cold Cave, thus driving away or wiping out other creatures?

    If that's the case, then this journey could be extremely dangerous.

    It's worth noting that Wu Kejiu, Kang Yuan, and Qin Ming initially described the Extreme Cold Cave as extremely dangerous.

    Let three upper-level monks say the words extremely dangerous.

    It seems that the spiritual insects, beasts, and birds here are extremely formidable.

    Now, if a spiritual beast, bird, or insect really emerged here that could drive away or kill other creatures, its power would likely be extremely strong.

    Chen Yun didn't know whether to continue or not.

    Since everyone showed no sign of retreating, he could only bite the bullet and continue forward with them.

    Along the way, it was particularly safe. The group didn't encounter a single spiritual beast, bird, or insect and had arrived at the location of the underground cold pond.

    …

    A huge cold pond lies ahead.

    It looks like it covers an area of around 200,000 to 300,000 square kilometers.

    The most important thing is that it's very cold here.

    So cold that the ground and stone walls are covered with thick layers of ice.

    What is astonishing is that, although the temperature here is at least minus one hundred degrees, the water in the pond has not frozen. From time to time, white mist rises from it and envelopes the surroundings.

    Chen Yun's spiritual awareness still hasn't detected any danger here.

    Wu Kejiu seemed to have not detected anything either, "Huh? There really is no danger?"

    Kang Yuan suddenly laughed, "Then I can directly go to the small island in the middle of the pond to pick the snow fungi."

    It's no wonder that Kang Yuan feels happy.

    After all, if they encountered a spiritual beast or something, they would all help with the effort, and he would have to pay them back later.

    However, if no danger occurs and everyone doesn't put in effort, he can save a lot of money on rewards.

    Chen Yun continued to probe with his spiritual awareness.

    Suddenly, he discovered that there were about twenty Juzi trees growing on the small island in the middle of the pond.

    Most importantly, about half of them are almost ripe!

    He could judge from the color that these Juzi fruits will mature within another night.

    Thinking of this, Chen Yun didn't pay attention to whether Kang Yuan was going to collect the snow fungi. He turned his head and discussed with Wu Kejiu, "I've observed that the Juzi fruits on the small island are almost ripe. Could we go to the Flaming Peak tomorrow? I'll pick some Juzi fruits first..."

    The sentence wasn't finished.

    Suddenly, there was a "splash" sound ahead.

    And then, Kang Yuan, who had just flown to the surface of the pond not far away, screamed in pain and directly flew backwards, crashing onto the stone wall and ice layer!

    "What happened?"

    "Be careful! There's something wrong in the pond!"

    Wu Kejiu, Qin Ming, and others quickly took up combat positions.

    Chen Yun was also staring at the surface of the pond, probing with his spiritual awareness to see if Kang Yuan was alright.

    It might be because Kang Yuan was attacked without any preparation just now.

    Now, he is severely injured, unconscious, and even spitting blood from his mouth.

    Chen Yun spoke very quickly, "Zhang Ling, go treat Kang friend first. The rest of us, keep our guard and retreat cautiously. Until we figure out what the danger is in the bottom of the pond, we should stay a bit further away from the pond water for now!"

    He formulated a strategy in just a few words.

    Although Wu Kejiu felt a little uncomfortable that Chen Yun had taken over the "leadership" and was a bit resentful, he knew that the current situation was urgent and there was no time to be resentful.

    He said in a serious manner, "Everyone, retreat backward!"

    The group retreated slowly.

    Zhang Ling rushed towards Kang Yuan and quickly took out a cobalt bottle, pouring a pill inside that she then forced into Kang Yuan's mouth.

    They hadn't retreated a few steps yet when the pond water surged again.

    Suddenly, a huge tail emerged from the pond, surging upwards and fiercely striking towards the group!

    Looking quickly, Chen Yun realized that this huge tail looked somewhat like a fish tail, but was somewhat different.

    As the situation was urgent, he didn't have time to discern it. He instinctively used Zongdidejingguang to retreat backward.

    He managed to dash out to the outside of the entrance in a flash.

    However, the other people's movements weren't as fast, and they all suffered from it.

    "Water worm!"

    "It's a water worm!"

    The crowd all shouted in alarm.

    What is a water worm?

    A water worm is a giant python that possesses the bloodline of the true dragon!

    Such a creature is born with an extraordinary advantage and possesses powers beyond human imagination.

    Even in its infancy, it possesses the strength of a mid-level mage.

    Once fully grown, it is comparable to a high-level mage, even a master.

    What's even more terrifying is that even without cultivation, a water worm can transform into a dragon after five hundred years of shedding its skin.

    The weakest is equivalent to a master.

    Afterwards, its power advances rapidly.

    It's not impossible for it to be comparable to a true person!

    Although the scales on the tail that attacked looked like a water worm and not a snake, the huge and ferocious attack was at least equivalent to a high-level mage!

    If this tail were to hit solidly, everyone present would not only not survive but would also sustain severe injuries at the very least!

    It's over!

    Everyone's mind went blank.

    The water worm's tail came down swiftly and fiercely, and the group had no time to escape.

    Even if this attack seems to be just a casual strike by a water worm, it is something that no one present can withstand!

    Chen Yun never expected that an unexpected incident would occur, resulting in the sudden emergence of such a powerful water worm!

    The attack of this strike was extremely fierce!

    The tail, which was over 20 or 30 feet wide, came down almost covering the sky and earth!

    Even before the tail struck, the immense qi energy had already blown up the entire ground.

    The ground beneath was as if it were filled with explosives!

    Bang!

    The ground collapsed.

    Large stones and ice crystals flew everywhere.

    The power of the water worm, earth-shattering!

    Besides Chen Yun who escaped by using Zongdidejingguang luckily.

    All the others were engulfed beneath the enormous tail of the water worm.

    For a moment, the entire surroundings of the cold pond were full of blasted rocks and the huge mist raised by the water worm. One couldn't see the situation clearly at all.

    Even Chen Yun's spiritual awareness was disturbed, making it impossible for him to detect the current state of life or death of the group below the water worm's tail!

    That's not the worst part.

    The most terrifying thing is that Chen Yun saw the huge water worm, which was slowly emerging from the pond, displaying a small mountain-like head, staring at him fiercely as if it wanted to wipe them out completely!

    (End of Chapter)