Chapter 4: The Secret of the Stone Pool

A drop of blood fell into the stone pool, creating ripples that spread in delicate circles. The crimson hue gradually expanded, and then, in the astonished gaze of Lin Dong, the tranquil stone pool quickly began to bubble, with faintly red liquid surging within the bubbles.

Due to his injuries, Lin Xiao constantly requires some spiritual medicine to recuperate. The price of such medicine is quite high, and his extremely stubborn personality leads him to refuse any support from the Lin family. Therefore, he can only venture into the mountains alone, hunting fierce beasts or relying on luck to find a bit of spiritual medicine. However, the income obtained in this manner is clearly insufficient for Lin Dong to have the same cultivation conditions as his peers in the Lin family

However... Lin Dong opened his mouth, his face displaying an expression of disbelief as if he had seen a ghost. After all, he had only just advanced to the third level of Body Refinement today, and in less than half a day, how could he have directly reached the threshold of advancing to the fourth level?

It is certainly not the effect of the red ginseng; it is merely a single medicinal herb that allows him to reach the third level of body tempering within ten days, which is already an extraordinary outcome

Tick-tock

Noticing the changes in his palm, Lin Dong's small face was filled with ecstatic joy. He guessed correctly; the water in this stone pool needed to be infused with blood to become special

Although he was somewhat dazed by the overwhelming joy, Lin Dong, being relatively mature, soon regained his composure after a while. With a furrowed brow, he began to recall the events that had transpired. However, there was nothing unusual in the cave, so after glancing around, his gaze settled on the stone pool.

It seems that the secret lies above...

This is indeed a sign of about to advance to the fourth level of body tempering. As long as this skin hardens a bit more, it will be a genuine fourth level of body tempering

Indeed, it is so

Lin Dong rubbed his forehead and let out a long sigh. The strange stone pool had stirred his emotions too much, so he simply lay down beside the pool. Even if he could not discover the reason behind the peculiar effects of this stone pool, it might still be a tremendous benefit for Lin Dong.

The light in Lin Dong's eyes became much brighter. He raised his head and gazed at the top of the cave above the stone pool, murmuring softly to himself

Although Lin Dong is young, he still understands this principle

However, why does this pool of water have effects that even third-grade spiritual herbs cannot achieve

The sudden windfall left Lin Dong somewhat dazed, his face flushed as he paced back and forth by the stone pool. If he truly possessed such speed, what would it matter to be among the top three in the clan ranking? Even during the Lin family’s decade-long clan meeting, he would not feel the slightest fear.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a precious gem is a crime

Lin Dong rolled his throat slightly, his palm trembling as he reached into the pool of water. Instantly, the bubbles burst open, and strands of light red liquid clung to his palm, then quietly seeped in through the pores.

As the palm passed, a hardness akin to that of the stratum corneum emanated. Although it had not yet reached the true hardness of wood or stone, it was evidently several times harder than Lin Dong's skin just moments ago

Illusion, illusion, it must be an illusion

Lin Dong wore a look of astonishment, and then shook his head to himself. This stone pool, from his childhood to the present, he did not know how many times he had soaked in it, but a situation like today had never occurred before!

Staring at his arm in a daze for a while, Lin Dong suddenly closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Once his emotions gradually calmed down, his palm trembled slightly as he once again caressed his arm.

The sound of the blood droplet falling into the stone pool echoed crisply in the quiet cave, while Lin Dong's gaze remained fixed, unblinking, on the spot where the blood droplet had landed

What on earth is going on

In such a situation, under normal circumstances, Lin Dong would not have paid any attention even if he had encountered it. However, at this moment, he has taken a keen interest in this stone pool, and thus he approaches everything in this cave with great seriousness.

Lin Dong tightly pressed his lips together, a stubborn expression emerging on his small face. He understood the significance of this matter; if he could truly uncover its mysteries, it would be immensely important for him.

Lin Dong's palm was firmly grasped, and the skin on this palm was evidently much harder than that of other parts. This was the result of the brief immersion he had just experienced. This effect could be described as miraculous. According to Lin Dong's estimation, this miraculous effect could hardly be matched even by the extremely expensive third-grade spiritual herbs sold in Qingyang Town.

Lin Dong's gaze was fixed on the spot where the subtle gleam had previously flickered, his eyes unblinking. Under his intense scrutiny, the flicker of that gleam reappeared, this time with a hint of urgency. Then, a faint light descended, directly falling into the stone pool below, all under Lin Dong's watchful eyes

The function of the stone pool must be kept confidential

The dagger lightly grazed the fingertip, and a drop of crimson blood immediately emerged. Lin Dong hesitated for a moment, then cautiously dripped it into the stone pool

The surface of the pond water ripples gently in response to the falling light spots.

Lin Dong squatted beside the stone pool, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Unconsciously, his palm rubbed against his arm. After a moment, his hand suddenly stiffened, and his gaze slowly settled on his arm, where... there were originally quite a few bloodstains

Today is more tiring than before... but this is not the only time... have I slept here? I have slept here before...

As these pale red liquids seeped in, Lin Dong's palm suddenly felt a burning sensation, a feeling akin to what he experienced upon awakening earlier. Moreover, this time, he seemed to distinctly sense the pale red liquid gradually infiltrating the muscle membranes of his palm, causing the skin on his hand to become increasingly hardened

Lin Dong stared blankly at the faint light that fell into the stone pool, then swallowed hard. When the light had dropped earlier, he vaguely saw that among it, there seemed to be a drop of deep red liquid, that liquid...! ... was exactly the same as the light red liquid Lin Dong had seen after the blood bead had dripped in

Is there really something strange about this stone pool

Lin Dong clenched his small fist, not only because he needed to rely on the stone pool for cultivation, but also because he understood very well the magnitude of the commotion that would ensue if this news were to spread. Even the other forces in Qingyang Town would become envious of this. At that time, the Lin family might face a considerable disaster.

Lin Dong pressed his lips tightly together, having formed an idea in his mind. Just as he was about to rise, his gaze suddenly halted, and he let out a soft exclamation, his eyes fixated on the top of the cave above the stone pool, where a glimmer of light seemed to have flashed momentarily.

How could that possibly be?

Blood

There is always something different

Lin Dong's eyes flickered as he suddenly reached into the crevice of the rock beside the stone pool and pulled out a small dagger, which had been left here previously

At such times, the significance of this stone pool becomes increasingly important for Lin Dong

The water in the stone pool, which he had long since investigated over the years, seeped out from the rocks. However, it was merely ordinary mountain spring water. Although it felt slightly cool, Lin Dong was certain that this spring water had no extraordinary effects. Yet, how could the occurrences happening in his body be explained?