Chapter 10: Jade Vein Pool (Part 2)

"Are you sure about this, Tian'er? The pain and suffering one experiences when Jade Aura assimilates with their body is notoriously unbearable. Some had even died from shock," Matriarch asked worriedly.

Although she wanted Haotian to get stronger, but more than that, she was concerned about his safety. Even if he remained weak, she would still pamper him with tender care and fullfill his every wish nonetheless.

"Hmm." Haotian nods with certainty. He glanced at the Jade Vein Pool and then at Matriarch and asks, "I am curious however, how long had others been able to endure the process?"

"A day, at most. For more talented ones, its around 2-3 days," she replied thoughtfully.

Haotian chuckled imperceptibly. "And… what about you?"

"Me? While I am not trying to dishearten you, I stayed inside Jade Vein Pool for a total of 7 days. According to the maintained records, I withstood the longest." Matriarch exposed with a tinge of pride in her words.

"I see." Haotian nodded and approached the Jade Vein Pool. "Whatever happens in there, don't help me." Having said that, without further delay, he dived in.

Matriarch slender arms lifted to stop him but she seeing his vanishing figure, she pulled them back. A sigh escaped her lips as she muttered softly, "Ai. I am happy that he's growing out of his shell but it'd make me happier if was more careful. Truly, children often find ways to disappoint parents when they grow up."

The watery liquid inside the pool was of normal room temperature so Haotian didn't feel any immediate discomfort. In fact, other than its green colour, it looked and felt no different from drinking water.

However, when his body submerged into Jade Vein Pool wholly, an unfamiliar energy began invading the pores.

'Is this the Jade Aura…?' He wondered. After that, he closed his eyes and got into a lotus position, trying to feel that aura more closely.

Indeed, this was the Jade Aura that was emitted by hundred-millenniums-old Jade Dragon Vein hidden deep in the pool. It wasn't however pure Jade Aura. The pure and concentrated Jade Aura would do more harm than benefit, so it has to be diluted first. The liquid contents of the pool help achieve that.

The first hints of pain arose when spirals of Jade Aura began drilling inside his body. The moment that trace of diluted Jade Aura entered his body, a strange phenomenon took place inside him. Chaotic Energy which has shown a stable state till now suddenly began acting unruly and rebellious. Escaping his control, it began devouring Jade Aura from surrounding like a crazed breast. If previously he was assimilation a mote of Jade Aura, then now he was all of a sudden assimilating a boulder!

The minimal amount of pain akin to ant's bite rose to the sting of thousand hornets within few instants!

Haotian was stunned. He felt that something was wrong. He quickly concentrated his perception and found that the Chaotic Energy within his body was oddly stimulated. It was swallowing Jade Aura present in the Jade Vein Pool like how a desert's scorching sand devours moisture!

Around his body, the tranquil pool underwent a massive change as well. Matriarch watched with shocked and anxious eyes as a violent vortex formed where Haotian's figure has submerged twenty breaths ago. Furthermore, the vortex was getting more violent every passing second.

All the dense Jade Aura which had occupied every nook and cranny of the hall swept like a raging squall and circulated around the vortex.

"What is happening? Why is Jade Aura so restless?!" Matriarch found herself at a complete loss. She thought about diving in herself but refrained after recalling Haotian's last instructions.

'Whatever happens in there, don't help me… did he already knew this would happen? What secrets is this little rascal hiding?'

In truth, there was no deep reasoning behind Haotian's instruction. He had thought that since he possess Chaotic Energy, assimilation Jade Aura might take strange turns but he never predicted this development.

Within the pool, Haotian was assimilating with Jade Aura at an unprecedented rate and as a result, he was under tremendous stress and pain. He felt like he was thrown in icy hell and his body was battered with heavenly mallets. Yet, he gritted his teeth and endured. Numerous images coalesced within his mind as a determination to become strong aroused from every corners of his body. In front of his undying determination, the overpowering pain seemed fleeting.

The Jade Aura that was entering his body assimilated with his veins, muscles, bones and viscera, empowering and reinforcing them at almost an scary rate. Within two days, he felt as if his body was filled with vitality and life force. Each every of his body felt much more powerful than before.

After four days, the Jade Aura has reached every part of his body and made it stronger. After empowering them, the Jade Aura entered his Dantian. Once it entered there, it began spiralling slowly, and with time, it took the shape of whirlwind as it grew more dense and turbulent. As more time passed by, its density rose further and further and all of a sudden, the whirlwind collapsed and began condensing! It condensed and condensed until it formed a small concentrated sphere of Jade Aura, no, Jade Essence!

Unexpectedly, the Jade Aura has morphed into Jade Essence! The assimilation process didn't stop there. This continued for a very long time.

Five days…

Seven days…

Nine days…

Shockingly, ten days passed! Outside the pool, Matriarch's mind went through an extended spectrum shock and emotions.

She had long since realised that Haotian was receiving immense benefits for some reason but the state of the place left her with a mild headache. In the near future, she had to make sure to seal this place securely and don't allow anyone to enter here for the next few centuries at the minimum!

With such fierce, unstoppable suction, the dense and concentrated Jade Aura that had previously filled every inch of the territory had now become frighteningly scarce. It was unknown how long it would take this place to return to its original state.

Haotian mind was also a mess, and his face has grown weary. For the past ten days, the relentless torment never showed signs of fading or lessening. Whenever he tried to control his Chaotic Energy, it'd only grow more overbearing. After a couple of attempts, he didn't interfere and let it do its thing.

During this time, his willpower and determination to grow strong was thoroughly tested. He was sure that if he didn't went through 'that' ceremony back in Lower Realm, his will would've broken a long time ago. His only respite during these suffering was the benefits he got.

After four more days passed by, the Chaotic Energy frenzy within Haotian finally began receding. The atmosphere around him started stabilising. The vortex slowly expanded over the surface of the pool, until it returned to calm and tranquility.

Haotian breathed a sigh of relief. He then checked his Dantian and spotted 5 droplets of Jade Essence gently floating there. They were bright green and it was extremely purity and full of vitality.

His tired expression brightened. He felt that if ignited it, he would receive tremendous increase in power! He didn't doubt that he could defeat a Peak Core Formation Stage expert if he were to ignite all of them simultaneously. Though it would leave him enfeebled temporarily. Furthermore, once he ignited it, the Jade Essence was gone for good.

It wasn't like Human Blood Essence which resides inside their heart and could be regenerated given enough time. Once Jade Essence was ignited, there was no way to recover it.

With those thoughts, Haotian finally opened his eyes. The Jade Vein Pool appeared still the same but it has lost it lustrous appeal it once had. It was also less green and less denser. Clearly his actions had left significant negative effects on it.

'Seems like I have stayed here for quite a long time. The Matriarch should be getting worried. Let's get out of here first,' Haotian thought to himself and was preparing to swim up to the surface.

At that exact moment, he felt something gripping his ankles within the Jade Vein Pool. He was immediately alarmed and struggled to pry away but that something has latched and looped around his ankles firmly.

It was as if numerous thick vines had shackled him yet when he looked down, there was nothing! There was no sign of any physical object, human or monster!

Just then, he was tugged by his ankles strongly and his body which was already weak and exhausted was pulled downwards. Even when he circulated his Chaotic Energy to the fullest extent, the speed at which he was dragged didn't lessened in the slightest.

He thought about igniting the Jade Essences but he wasn't sure if that would be enough. In the end, he could do nothing but watch in horror as he was hauled deeper by a mysterious force.