Chapter 00086: The Rebirth Pool
# The Rebirth Pool
Chapter 86
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 86: The Rebirth Pool
To Kunlun, the distance of over forty thousand miles was not considered far. Lan Xiaobu took his time searching for the Rebirth Pool, which delayed him a little.
Originally, Lan Xiaobu thought finding the Rebirth Pool would be quite difficult. To his surprise, as he approached within several dozen miles, he already spotted it. More precisely, he saw it on the large screen of Kunlun.
A mist of red vapor spiraled below Kunlun. After circling, Lan Xiaobu decided that this spot was the most likely candidate for the Rebirth Pool.
Stopping the Kunlun, Lan Xiaobu led Gu Dao to the edge of the red mist. As his divine sense penetrated into the vapor, he knew he had found the Rebirth Pool spoken of by the artifact spirit. The mist contained something akin to spiritual energy that seemed capable of cleansing even his divine sense.
Next to the pool stood a fruit tree bearing dozens of grayish fruits, each about the size of a baby’s fist.
The fruit tree beside the Rebirth Pool must be extraordinary, thought Lan Xiaobu. He hurried over and picked all the fruits, storing them in his ring.
"Gu Dao, I’m going into the Rebirth Pool to cultivate. Wait for me here," Lan Xiaobu said cautiously as he entered the pool.
Beneath the red mist lay crimson water that resembled a blood pool. The moment Lan Xiaobu stepped in, he felt countless fine needles stabbing into his marrow, sending waves of sharp pain through him.
If he had not experienced the torment of a soul tearing apart, he would surely have panicked and tried to escape. However, after enduring such horrific pain, this pool, while frightening, was bearable.
As Lan Xiaobu began to circulate the Muscle-Tendon Altering Sutra and cultivate, he felt the stabbing pain transform into a gentle flow, gradually penetrating every pore of his body.
When the piercing agony faded, a warm, comfortable sensation enveloped him, making all of his cells feel alive and joyous.
Soon, Lan Xiaobu was completely absorbed in his cultivation. He didn’t even notice that he had slowly drifted toward the center of the pool until he was entirely submerged. Even at the deepest point, he experienced no difficulty breathing.
As he sank to the bottom, layers of black grime seeped from his body, being washed away by the pool's water, while more continued to exude from his skin.
The red color of the water quickly faded. Gu Dao had been watching Lan Xiaobu and, seeing that he hadn’t surfaced, called out for him a few times. When there was still no response, Gu Dao plunged into the pool.
As soon as he did, the same sharp pain enveloped him. Gu Dao had not practiced any martial arts, and instinctively began to scream in agony. However, this did not help; he too began to sink deeper.
As Gu Dao struggled harder to rise, he realized it was futile. The red waters acted like an intricate web, preventing his escape.
Lan Xiaobu was fully engaged in his practice and didn’t notice Gu Dao's plight.
At that moment, Gu Dao’s fur color began to change, the gray gradually turning to black, except for a striking golden patch on his back that grew brighter.
Time passed, and surprisingly, Gu Dao stood up at the bottom of the pool. It seemed he had found a method that suited him; a circular area of water formed around him. Just then, Gu Dao’s body began to morph…
Lan Xiaobu opened his eyes to find he was still at the bottom, having been so engrossed in his practice that he had forgotten about his breathing. The moment he stopped cultivating, water rushed into his mouth. Quickly, he propelled himself to the surface and crawled out onto the shore.
The red mist above had vanished, and the previously blood-like pool had transformed into clear, ordinary water.
A pitch-black creature, looking somewhat like a wolf but also strange, lay in the water. The golden marking on its back resembled Gu Dao’s.
“Gu Dao?” Lan Xiaobu called out, and the odd creature lunged towards him. He instinctively took a few steps back when he didn’t spot Gu Dao.
“So you are Gu Dao?" Lan Xiaobu confirmed, realizing this bizarre creature was indeed Gu Dao.
Gu Dao, now appearing more like a large black dog, let out a pleased bark and wagged its tail.
“You must be a dog now,” Lan Xiaobu remarked, speechless at Gu Dao’s tail-wagging antics.
But Lan Xiaobu then noticed Gu Dao's claws. Initially, he thought it odd to compare Gu Dao to a dog, but Gu Dao had always had dog-like features.
Now, however, Gu Dao's toes had clearly changed; they were no longer fuzzy pads but sharp claws, like those of a hawk, with each paw boasting five elongated claws.
“Did you get a makeover?” Lan Xiaobu asked, surprised by Gu Dao's claws. If Gu Dao were a bit larger, it would resemble a fearsome beast!
Gu Dao growled a few times, expressing his displeasure. Though he accepted being compared to a dog, getting called out for a makeover was an insult, not to him, but to a wolf!
Why had Gu Dao transformed like this? Lan Xiaobu glanced back at the Rebirth Pool. He had been inside for quite some time; he wondered if he too had changed.
A quick scan of his own body with his divine sense reassured him. Fortunately, he had not undergone any transformation. In fact, his skin appeared fairer, and he felt lighter, as if all impurities had been cleansed. Was the Rebirth Pool not only a means for beautification but also for weight loss? Not that he was overweight. Was this considered shedding one’s mortal foundation?
Taking a step, Lan Xiaobu felt as if he was soaring, light as a bird, easily gliding several feet to land beside Kunlun.
Impressive! Lan Xiaobu secretly marveled. At the Innate Realm, he felt he had grown several times stronger than when he first ascended. He sensed that he was now in the perfect condition to cultivate. He must quickly practice the Golden Crow Technique to see what more was in store.
Abruptly, Gu Dao began to roar. Lan Xiaobu understood this was a sign of danger. Looking up, he saw vast streaks of black mist rolling in.
Birds in the jungle took flight in a panic, only to be engulfed by the black mist, their bodies falling to the ground moments later.
At this moment, Lan Xiaobu finally understood why there were no formidable beasts around. Every time the Jade Dawn Star shut down, it was swept through by this black mist. All creatures drawn into it perished; the animals he and Gu Dao had seen before must have procreated rapidly over the last few decades. Though he was clueless about how these beasts managed to survive, life always found a way.
Lan Xiaobu hurried into Kunlun, with Gu Dao keeping pace. Once inside, he commanded, “Set sail immediately, let’s return to where we came from.”
Kunlun’s speed was unmatched by any bird, and it quickly escaped the encroaching black mist.
Merely half a day later, Kunlun halted once more; this was precisely where Lan Xiaobu had defeated Tao Ai.
Lan Xiaobu calculated that at the current speed of the black mist, it would take at least ten more days to reach this place.
He stored Kunlun away and started the journey back with Gu Dao. He had obtained all he desired, and even if the black mist pursued them, he intended to find a spot to comprehend the Golden Crow Technique. If he could swiftly cultivate to the next level, he would devote several days to it. Should he see no progress after that, he would seek out more cultivation resources. It was far too rare to venture over to Jade Dawn Star, just to leave without fully benefiting from the trip.
Facing danger without strength was perilous; most frightening was that Emperor Xeno. He couldn’t afford not to leave; if the black mist overtook him, he would be sure to meet his end.
Should he stay inside Kunlun? That thought was quickly suppressed by Lan Xiaobu. Setting aside whether Kunlun could withstand the black mist, even if it could, when the Jade Dawn Star reopened in thirty years, he would have lost a tremendous amount of time.
How many thirty years did a person have? Could he endure rotting away here for thirty years? Therefore, he needed to leave. He also had the Soul Thorn, so he wasn’t entirely defenseless.
Currently, there were still a few days before leaving Jade Dawn Star. He decided to retreat to the dry lake he had passed earlier, with Gu Dao keeping watch outside, ready to escape the moment the black mist approached.
Just as he resolved to leave, several beams of blue light shot from afar.
This was the attack light from magnetic guns, and Lan Xiaobu hurriedly found cover.
Soon, he saw a butterfly-shaped craft zigzagging toward him. Every time a blue light struck the craft, it would automatically shift to evade the attacks from behind.
Behind the butterfly craft, another flying vehicle was chasing it.
In the front was a young man, his hair disheveled as he clung to the butterfly craft, appearing utterly disheveled. The pursuer, Lan Xiaobu recognized, was Mu Yuan Sang.
Though the young man’s butterfly craft could evade the magnetic gunfire for now, Lan Xiaobu knew it wouldn’t last long before getting hit.
Perhaps realizing his time was limited, the man abruptly stopped and called back, “You kill me, and you won’t escape unscathed either. Your Tian Luo Star and the Hundred Mo star system will be dragged down with you.”
Mu Yuan Sang halted as well, not firing again but instead saying, “Tell me where the item is, and I guarantee I won’t kill you.”
“I can give you the item, but I don’t trust your guarantee.” The young man scoffed.
Mu Yuan Sang raised the magnetic gun again, “Since you refuse to tell me where it is, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
“As I’m shot, the image will be transmitted out. Your Tian Luo Star’s prince killed a level-six technological civilization person; have you thought about the consequence?” The young man’s tone turned severe.
Mu Yuan Sang chuckled, “You say you came from a level-six technological civilization? I say you’re just pretending.”
Despite his words, he did not dare to make a move.
(End of Chapter)