Chapter 172: The Eerie Cold Pool
Tang Wen drifted up into the giant tree.
He moved straight up, like some phantom from a horror movie.
The Brown-tailed Crow gave a warning.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Tang Wen ducked into the dense canopy.
He probed his instincts repeatedly but detected no warning.
Only then did he relax slightly.
"Go, take a look. Be careful, and don’t make a sound."
The Brown-tailed Crow took flight, gliding silently from high to low.
Tang Wen tapped into its sight. From its high vantage point, everything was perfectly clear.
A dozen or so seconds later, it landed beside a large tree.
Its right eye seemed to casually stare at the thicket below.
A team of men in black was there.
They were also facing the direction of the Public Water Spirit, seemingly waiting for something.
’They’re not from the gang.’
’So close?’
Tang Wen drew a sharp breath.
He was secretly glad that he hadn’t made much noise earlier.
Otherwise, they would have been the observers, and he the one being observed.
’Are these people here to sabotage the gang’s mission?’
The distance was perfect for it, Tang Wen couldn’t help but speculate.
They were also dressed in black.
The men in black in front of the Public Water Spirit had dark water patterns embroidered on their cuffs.
They also wore metal badges on their chests.
On their weapons, the marks of the Black Water Gang were everywhere.
These were the markings of the Black Water Gang, and also a way to quickly identify friend from foe.
As for the men in black who were just a stone’s throw from Tang Wen...
There were five of them in total.
Their clothes had no markings whatsoever.
They wore identical black-armored masks.
’I wonder what their strength is?’
’Should I warn the gang?’
Several thoughts flashed through Tang Wen’s mind, but he dismissed them one by one.
To be frank, he was here for two reasons. First, out of curiosity.
Second, he couldn’t deny the thought of fishing in troubled waters.
Since someone was going to muddy the waters for him, he had no objection.
Hidden in the canopy, he waited patiently.
Every ten minutes, he would switch to the Public Water Spirit’s vision.
Nothing changed.
Time ticked by.
The sun overhead grew hotter and hotter.
In the canopy, Tang Wen couldn’t resist using his Visualization technique, picturing the chill of night to lower the surrounding temperature.
The Public Water Spirit and other Aquatic Exotic Beasts disliked the sun even more.
One by one, they grew drowsy.
It seemed the gang had anticipated this situation.
From the tents behind them, they brought out buckets of ice giving off a white mist.
The Public Water Spirit let out a joyful cry.
It rushed over, grabbed a bucket, and began stuffing the contents into its mouth.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH.
Shards of ice fell onto its fur, melting into droplets that dripped to the ground.
After eating its fill for a moment, the Public Water Spirit lifted the wooden bucket and poured all the half-melted ice water over itself.
Even from a distance of at least seven miles, Tang Wen could feel its intense joy.
’It seems I can sense its emotions as long as the fluctuations are strong enough.’
After finishing one bucket, it started another.
Tang Wen watched intermittently.
Ten minutes after it had finished three buckets of ice, Tang Wen switched his vision back and was suddenly stunned.
’They drugged the ice!’
He was astonished.
The Public Water Spirit’s vision had changed.
Before, whether it was looking at objects or the scenery, its vision had been perfectly clear and normal.
Now, however, everything was tinged with a faint red hue.
This was a Potion similar to a stimulant, and it had to be a large dose to achieve this effect.
’Looks like they’re about to make their move.’
Tang Wen first checked in on the Brown-tailed Crow.
The nearby men in black were still hidden in the thicket, motionless, like statues.
If the Brown-tailed Crow hadn’t been able to distinguish them as living beings, Tang Wen truly wouldn’t have been sure if the figures lying on the ground were already dead.
With a thought, the Brown-tailed Crow quietly retreated.
It came to a tree closer to him.
For Tang Wen, keeping an eye on the men in black was merely a matter of convenience;
his own safety was far more important.
With the Brown-tailed Crow keeping watch nearby, he felt safe enough to switch his vision back to the Public Water Spirit.
At some point, two more Exotic Beasts had appeared in front of the Public Water Spirit.
They were even more excited than the Public Water Spirit, striding forward with big steps.
Tang Wen noticed that the gang’s black-clothed guards were gone from the sides of his field of vision.
「A few minutes later.」
The Public Water Spirit grew agitated.
Tang Wen once again clearly felt its intense craving!
HEAT!
THIRST!
NEED WATER, NEED ICE!
The Public Water Spirit turned its head, roaring with agitation.
This head turn allowed Tang Wen to see clearly through its eyes.
The gang’s men in black were behind the Exotic Beasts, spread out in a fan shape.
’Are they trying to keep the Exotic Beasts from escaping?’
In the Public Water Spirit’s line of sight, the man in black in the very center stepped forward, his lips opening and closing.
"Go! Keep going!"
"There’s water and ice ahead!"
Tang Wen couldn’t hear the voice, but he could read lips.
’It’s one thing to find water in a canyon deep in the old forest, but how could there be ice?’
’These people will even lie to Exotic Beasts.’
Shaking his head, Tang Wen made a few guesses.
He had a rough idea of what these Exotic Beasts were about to face.
’A Sixth Grade Exotic Beast.’
’A being that surpasses the Sand Wolf King.’
’An Exotic Beast on par with the Silver Wolf King north of Flame Camp.’
’Huh?’
’No, that’s not right.’
’If it were just a Sixth Grade beast, the Gang Leader could have just handled it himself.’
’Whether by killing it or driving it away, with the Gang Leader’s Fifth Grade Divine Martial Realm strength, it would have been a piece of cake, wouldn’t it?’
’Putting it all together...’
’Could it be a Divine Martial Realm Exotic Beast?!’
Tang Wen frowned.
Part of him believed it, yet he also found it impossible.
The Public Water Spirit’s location was just over thirty miles from Ganshan City.
For a Fifth Grade Divine Martial Realm being, whether human or Exotic Beast, that distance could be crossed in a short amount of time.
’Ganshan City is a gathering place for so many humans.’
’To a Divine Martial Realm Exotic Beast, wouldn’t it just be a large buffet of fresh snacks?’
’Besides, how could Ganshan City possibly allow it?’
’How could they tolerate such a threat on their doorstep?’
’Ganshan City has more than one Divine Martial Realm master.’
’Shouldn’t they have joined forces to kill it and divide its flesh and materials?’
’Could it be that this isn’t about salvaging something, but a trap to ambush a Fifth Grade Exotic Beast?’
’That’s impossible, too.’
’All the experts at the scene are from the Black Water Gang.’
’If a fight breaks out, it’ll be the Black Water Gang’s elites who die.’
’Even if the Gang Leader had lost his mind, he wouldn’t try to take on such a creature with just his own gang.’
’Even if he agreed, the other Vice Gang Leaders and Elders would never go along with it!’
’They’re all gangsters!’
’They’re capable of anything...’
’...anything except good deeds like sacrificing themselves for the greater good and eliminating hidden threats.’
Tang Wen was full of questions.
But he wasn’t left wondering for long.
After rounding a bend, a white mist suddenly filled the air before their eyes.
A closer look revealed that all the white mist was rising from a pool of water.
A dozen thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
But the Exotic Beasts had already charged forward.
’Water!’
’Ice!’
’It’s right up ahead!’
Tang Wen had a bad feeling.
The Public Water Spirit had already started charging forward with the other Exotic Beasts. Tang Wen immediately took forceful control. He didn’t make it stop, but instead made it accelerate and crash into the beast in front of it.
Its legs tangled.
Naturally, the two beasts went tumbling head over heels.
A dozen or so Exotic Beasts roared past.
The Public Water Spirit fell to the rear.
SPLASH! SPLOOSH!
It was like dropping dumplings into a pot.
The Exotic Beasts charged into the pool.
Although the Public Water Spirit was now slower, it had no choice but to jump in as well.
Tang Wen endured the stinging pain of his Spiritual Power being rapidly consumed.
He once again forcibly controlled it to look back.
The image that froze in its sight sent a chill down Tang Wen’s spine.
People!
Behind the men in black.
At some point, dozens of carts had appeared.
The carts were packed with people, bound tightly like pigs for slaughter.
With a splash, the Public Water Spirit also jumped into the water.
A sensation of blissful relief washed over its mind.
Tang Wen was completely certain.
’This is a Cold Pool.’
But his heart was already in his throat.
’This isn’t the arctic, and it’s certainly not a snow-capped mountain.’
’In the sweltering heat of the southern jungle, could a natural Cold Pool even exist?’