Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 947 - 476: The Assault on the Mother Gu Pool (Part 2)

The Professor gazed intently at the night outside the window, his voice deep and low:

"Once we seize the opportunity, destroy the Myriad Soul Mother Gu Pool first. Even if we can’t kill him, we can cut off his retreat and reduce his power by more than half."

"At that time, we’ll return to Cui City and inform the Chen Family of Xuan Zhen’s weak spot, and together we’ll crush the body where this traitor resides!"

"Opportunity..."

Li Dingjian muttered, his eyes sweeping over the two bulging canvas bags under the bed.

They were the "grand gift" the two had prepared for Xuan Zhen according to the plan.

Just as the two were discussing in low voices.

The Professor suddenly raised his hand to press on the window frame, his expression changing.

"What’s wrong?"

Li Dingjian immediately grew alert, instinctively reaching for the handgun at his waist.

"Something’s wrong!"

The Professor’s eyes behind the lenses narrowed slightly, frowning tightly:

"My spiritual power has caught a hint of an unusual wave of consciousness, as if... something is summoning the villagers."

As soon as he finished speaking, sudden voices began to echo through the village.

The lights of the stilted houses flickered on one after another.

Then came the chaotic sounds of footsteps and shouts.

Before long, dozens of strong male villagers, holding torches, appeared fervent and frantic as they hurried towards the woods behind the village.

"It seems something has happened at the altar; our chance has come!"

The Professor’s gaze sharpened, making a decisive decision, then quickly turned to Li Dingjian:

"Proceed according to plan!"

Li Dingjian nodded, without a word, grabbed the military green jacket draped over the chair back, haphazardly threw it on, not even bothering to zip it up fully.

The two swiftly dragged out the two canvas bags hidden under the bed, each picking up one.

Without hesitation, they flipped out of the back window of the stilted house, disappearing into the darkness like two Night Owls.

In the woods, the "fire dragon" formed by torches rapidly surged towards the back mountain.

Li Dingjian and the Professor took advantage of the shadow of the trees and rocks, not uttering a single word, merely sticking firmly to the very back of the group.

The villagers moved with torches held high, their bodies as stiff as marionettes, yet their steps were astonishingly swift.

Illuminated by the firelight, they appeared eerie like jumping corpses.

They seemed completely unaware of the additional two tailing shadows behind them.

Li Dingjian and the Professor moved one behind the other, equally fast.

Since absorbing the Blood Rain on Mist Mountain, both had seen significant improvements in their physical strength.

Casually carrying heavy bags weighing dozens of kilograms, they traversed the rugged mountain path with unusual ease.

Li Dingjian took the lead, responsible for scouting the way and avoiding traps.

The Professor released spiritual power to conceal their shapes and scents, staying vigilant against potential "Hidden Guards."

In no time, the "fire dragon" stopped before a mountain cave.

The leading villagers worked together to push open a heavy iron door wrapped tightly with vines.

The pitch-black cave entrance emerged, akin to a bloodthirsty maw about to devour.

Torches flowed in, villagers entering one by one, soon swallowed by the darkness.

Li Dingjian and the Professor hid behind rocks a hundred meters away, waiting patiently.

Until the last villager vanished into the cave entrance, a dull "rumble" resonated.

The iron door slowly closed from the inside, then the heavy sound of a lock clicking followed.

The valley returned to silence in an instant, the earlier commotion seemingly an illusion.

In the dark, the two exchanged glances and swiftly circled to the iron door.

Li Dingjian grinned, pulling a thin, custom-made wire from his pocket.

Then he slowly inserted the wire into the keyhole, closing his eyes, and gently moved his fingertips.

Using the "Perception Pulse" ability, he carefully identified the position of the pins within the lock cylinder.

The wire clicked softly twice in the keyhole, he twisted his wrist slightly, pushing it further in.

In just a few seconds, with a soft "click" sound, the lock cylinder instantly sprang open.

Li Dingjian opened his eyes, flashing an OK sign to the Professor.

The two immediately pushed the door open, a burst of thick stench of blood and decay assailed their senses.

Inside the cave was pitch black, hand unseen before one’s eyes.

Fortunately, the Professor’s spiritual perception far exceeded that of ordinary people, so he led the way ahead.

Li Dingjian followed him, carrying the canvas bag, continuing forward for about dozens of meters.

After passing through the deep passage, the scene suddenly opened up before them.

In the giant underground cavern, torches

This was a huge cavern, with a bone altar erected in the center.

Atop the altar, the several-meter-wide "Myriad Soul Mother Gu Pool" seemed to be boiling.

Constantly bubbling, emitting white smoke and heat.

The villagers appeared maniacal, their expressions dazed, mouths uttering nonsensical "ho ho" sounds.

Among them, a few robust men selected to kneel under the altar.

They each used an Obsidian Knife to cut open their wrists, chanting obscure syllables.

Their expressions were fervent and devout, as if they felt no pain.

After a wizard collected their blood in a clay pot, he solemnly stepped onto the altar and poured it into the blood pool at the top.

The thick blood plasma pulsed like a beating heart, emitting sounds of "thud," "thud."

The sound was so penetrating that it stirred the hearts of the secretly observing Professor and Li Dingjian.

At this moment, a dark red vortex was rapidly spinning at the center of the blood pool.

If one possessed Extraordinary Perception, they would detect pure blood-colored energy being extracted by the vortex, disappearing into the void.

"Xuan Zhen is using the manipulated villagers’ blood essence to replenish his loss!"

The Professor’s sharp gaze fixed on the vortex, quickly making a judgment:

"I suspect he is likely engaged in a confrontation with a formidable enemy in the Spiritual Secret Realm, and the Mother Gu Pool’s power is being extracted to the limit."

"Should we blow it up now?"

Li Dingjian, hearing this, reached to unzip the canvas bag.

"No!"

The Professor held him back:

"Mother Gu Pool and Xuan Zhen are directly connected now. If we act, he’ll immediately sense it and might even abandon the Secret Realm to retreat here."

Taking a deep breath:

"Wait, wait for him to lose or for the battle to end, that’s when he’ll be most vulnerable!"

They could only wait like Hunters in the darkest corner.

Time passed by the minute.

"Thud... thud..."

Suddenly, the rhythm of the "Mother Gu Pool" beating came to an abrupt halt.

Next, the rapidly spinning blood-colored vortex stopped!

"Buzz—"

An indescribable sharp buzzing erupted from the blood pool.

The blood-colored energy that had been extracted seemed to be hit back by a stronger force, starting to flood back frantically.

"Boom—"

The entire cave began to shake violently, with rubble falling down.

The sturdy altar of bones even made a cracking sound, splitting into countless cobweb-like cracks.

"Ah—"

The villagers beneath the altar seemed to be hit by an invisible hammer on their souls.

Each of them bled from their seven orifices, fell to the ground, convulsed violently, and instantly fell silent.

The Professor’s eyes burst with a dazzling light.

"He lost, it’s now!"

With that, he suddenly stood out from the shadows and decisively ordered:

"Crow, you go and install the explosives at the base of the altar."

"Understood!"

Li Dingjian darted to the base of the altar, unzipped the canvas bag, revealing rows of high-energy explosives inside.

The Professor, meanwhile, carried another heavy canvas bag, face stern, as he stepped up the staircase of bones.

The water in the blood pool was still surging, and a vague human face appeared on the surface.

High cheekbones, sunken eyes, exactly Xuan Zhen’s weary visage.

Just when Fang Cheng was demolishing with fists, setting the Spiritual Secret Realm aflame, Xuan Zhen feigned weakness, condensed part of his residual soul, letting the other side beat him to death.

With the Blinding Technique, the other half of the residual soul shuttled through the terrifying space turbulence, fled into the darkness.

Thus he survived, returning to the warm womb of the "Mother Gu Pool."

"Heh... heh heh..."

Feeling the newly joined sacrificial energy, Xuan Zhen let out a sinister laugh in the blood pool.

"A mere lad... dares to play tricks with me? I’ve lived over a hundred years, walked more bridges than you’ve walked roads!"

He greedily absorbed the essence of the Mother Gu Pool, consolidating his residual soul.

But he had no intention of revenge.

He was finally afraid.

From that young man, he saw terrifying and unfathomable potential.

Such a feeling, he had only seen in the most powerful leaders of the "Ideal Land."

"Monster... that lad is a true monster..."

He now only wants to be far away from such a person, and even if he wants revenge, it must wait until he completely recovers his strength.

"Hm, as long as there is an endless sacrificial offering, I am confident I can recover my Divine Soul in less than two years and then find a suitable body..."

As he was comforting himself with such thoughts, a calm voice suddenly sounded on the altar.

"Xuan Zhen, long time no see..."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Zhen was startled and looked towards the speaker in horror.

It was a man wearing black-rimmed glasses, with an elegant appearance.