Dongfang Hongyue was certain that no one could disturb the treasures in Holy Spring Lake and, knowing Lin Yun had no other business, she severed contact with this side.
When Lin Yun heard Dongfang Hongyue say so confidently that no one could obtain them, he did not doubt her words.
However...
Since the Water Spirit Qi below was even more intense, perhaps he could dive into the water to cultivate.
If what Dongfang Hongyue said was true, then Yellow Wind Valley was indeed a paradise for his seclusive cultivation.
Secluded, secret, and abundant with Spiritual Energy, it seemed tailor-made for him.
Lin Yun had not forgotten that he also had the side task of finding the insider traitor.
But that wasn't important. Cultivation and leveling up came first; other trivial matters could wait.
As the hour of the Rat arrived, Wang Wanqiu came looking for Lin Yun.
The two cautiously left the inn without attracting any attention and stealthily made their way to the lake's edge, where Wang Wanqiu then said, "You dive in, and I'll cover your tracks."
"But I don't know any water-avoiding Spell Gestures."
"No matter, I can teach you a set of Inner Breath Technique, and as long as your True Qi is sufficient, you won't need to breathe underwater. You are now at the Mortal Transcendence Realm... wait a minute, you just cultivated with the Red Lotus Demon Lord, and you've reached the Mortal Transcendence cultivation level? There's no reason for the Red Lotus Demon Lord not to take you as a disciple and instead send you here..."
Wang Wanqiu's gaze suddenly sharpened.
In her heart, she was also quite shocked. Only now did she suddenly remember that when she found Lin Yun during the day, she intended to exchange information with him and inquire about his recent experiences. As they chatted, she forgot about this matter and only shared her own speculations.
Not until now, when she brought up the matter of cultivation level, did it occur to her that Lin Yun possessed an Immortal Body. Could the Red Lotus Demon Lord have simply discarded him here?
She was not one to be forgetful; there must be something amiss with Lin Yun.
The atmosphere abruptly turned tense. Originally, they had agreed to team up for the treasure hunt, but Lin Yun could sense that a single wrong answer might lead Wang Wanqiu to kill him.
"It's because you didn't ask..."
Lin Yun immediately put on an aggrieved expression and said, "The Demon Lord has accepted me as an in-name disciple, but told me not to publicize it. I wanted to tell you, but you were so focused on the treasure that you didn't seem to want to listen. Now, do you suspect me?"
"Then have you learned any mind-bewitching spells?"
"If I knew such spells, would they have any effect on you?"
Wang Wanqiu: "..."
That seemed to be true.
Her Divine Soul was much stronger than Lin Yun's; he couldn't possibly cast a spell that would affect her.
Could it be that she was just too excited?
Wang Wanqiu suddenly felt unsure.
But at this moment, that question was no longer important.
She said somewhat awkwardly, "I apologize, I misunderstood you. We must be cautious in enemy territory, please forgive me, fellow daoist."
"It's fine, I understand. For people like us, sometimes we can't trust anyone but ourselves."
Upon hearing this, Wang Wanqiu was also moved. Lin Yun generously said, "Fellow Daoist, don't mind it. Let's start our endeavor. For the great cause of demon elimination, such small sacrifices are nothing."
His righteous demeanor made Wang Wanqiu feel even more ashamed.
She really shouldn't have doubted her fellow practitioner.
"Alright, I'll teach you the Inner Breath Technique first. Listen carefully..."
While Lin Yun was learning the Inner Breath Technique, he was secretly considering that Wang Wanqiu might not be someone he could keep around.
She knew her own identity and was always causing trouble with him, and from time to time, she doubted him, seeking an opportunity to sell her to Dongfang Hongyue.
Sorry, I'm an insider traitor. I lack feelings.
The Inner Breath Technique is simple. It's about using the True Qi inside one's body to replace breathing. As long as there is sufficient True Qi, one can avoid breathing indefinitely.
Lin Yun, however, came up with a viable strategy. In water, he couldn't breathe to acquire True Qi, but what about the Azure Dragon Gu Worm? With it, couldn't he effectively stay submerged indefinitely?
"The deeper you go, the colder it gets. You have the Fire Spirit Fairy Body, so perhaps you can use your heart's fire to warm yourself. When the time comes, you need not worry. I will set up a formation at the surface to conceal the underwater fluctuations. However, don't force yourself. If it becomes unbearable, come back up!"
Lin Yun nodded, took a deep breath and jumped into the water.
When he employed the Inner Breath Technique, Lin Yun suddenly experienced a wonderful feeling.
This can be described with a line from a song: "I'm like a fish in your lotus pond..."
The nights in Yellow Wind Valley are very cold, and the water is even colder.
As soon as he entered the water, Lin Yun felt a bone-chilling cold, but as he descended slowly, his body gradually warmed up, and he didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
The faint golden True Qi in his body was slowly depleting, and Lin Yun unhesitatingly called the Little Green Snake to start working.
The Water Spirit Qi in the lake was indeed abundant, as Lin Yun sensed the excitement of the Azure Dragon Gu Worm.
It devoured Spiritual Energy voraciously, digesting some and expelling quite a bit sometimes.
Lin Yun silently dove deeper, his True Qi seemingly inexhaustible, and he did not feel the cold that Wang Wanqiu had mentioned.
Underwater, he had no sense of time, only an awareness that the Spiritual Energy was becoming increasingly rich around him.
At first, the Azure Dragon Gu Worm's intake of Spiritual Energy was barely enough to sustain the consumption of the Inner Breath Technique. Gradually, it had started to provide excess energy, filling up Lin Yun's Qi Sea even more.
It even began to refine the absorbed Spiritual Energy on the Fire Seed, purifying it for Lin Yun.
Lin Yun's pale golden Qi Sea began to transform into a pure golden Qi Sea, and then, a drop of golden liquid appeared.
What's this, can True Qi even liquefy?
Lin Yun didn't quite understand it and planned to ask Dongfang Hongyue later; her wide-ranging knowledge might provide insights into this phenomenon.
It seemed that the Fire Seed was continuously purifying. Perhaps if the gas-state True Qi kept refining, it would turn into a liquid state.
Hey, if the liquid state kept refining without stopping, could it turn into a solid state?
Good grief, could he possibly cultivate a Golden Core?
Lin Yun suddenly entertained this fantastic notion.
In the Cultivation World, the practice didn't involve the concept of Golden Core or Nascent Soul, only body refinement and Divine Cultivation.
Perhaps he could forge a unique path!
Lin Yun was enjoying his underwater cultivation, while Wang Wanqiu, waiting on the shore, became increasingly anxious.
Lin Yun had been submerged for half an hour, longer than any of her previous dives, and there was still no sign of activity. Could it be that there was danger below, and Lin Yun had already encountered a mishap?
With resolve, Wang Wanqiu also entered the water.
She knew that after so much time, it might be too late if there was danger, but it was better for her to check than to do nothing.
What Wang Wanqiu didn't realize was that at this moment, Lin Yun, absorbed in his practice, had forgotten his original purpose for being there.
He watched as the golden liquid in his body grew from one drop to two and then formed a thin stream, filling his heart with a sense of accomplishment.
It wasn't until the Azure Dragon Gu Worm grew tired and conveyed a feeling of strike to Lin Yun that he realized he was somehow lying at the bottom of the lake...