Chapter 32: Life Hanging by a Thread in the Cold Pool, the Heart's Lamp Burning Brightly

As she suffered within the frigid pool, Jiang Youling suddenly recalled the Heart Lamp residing in her Shanzhong acupoint.

The lamp's flame was fire, and fire was a source of heat.

At this moment, she was frozen beyond endurance and could only attempt a desperate gamble. She forced herself to ignore the piercing, icy stabs encroaching from all directions and attempted to enter a state of meditative stillness.

She had expected that entering such stillness would be exceptionally difficult in this freezing environment, but to her surprise, she succeeded on her first attempt.

The Heart Lamp remained in her Shanzhong, still just a tiny speck the size of a bean, yet this minuscule flicker of light granted Jiang Youling infinite courage.

Concentrating her mind on her inner vision, she visualized the flame growing to the size of a large bowl, hoping this tiny spark could nourish and warm her body, dispelling the layers of biting cold.

Suddenly, the flame of the Heart Lamp in her Shanzhong flickered. The originally bean-sized light began to gradually expand within her visualization.

First, it transformed into the size of a jujube pit, then expanded to the size of an apricot, and finally grew larger and brighter and brighter...

Though this flame existed only within her visualization, it truly generated a sense of warmth.

At first, it was merely a point of warmth at the Shanzhong acupoint, but before long, it flowed through her limbs and bones like a spring breeze turning into rain, dispelling the icy, stinging sensation.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Youling gradually felt her strength returning.

The sensation of her body being frozen stiff and her consciousness blurring dissipated more than half. Although the surrounding chill was intense, it was no longer unbearable.

However, as her thoughts fluctuated, the light in her mind became unstable; the cold surged back, nearly extinguishing the flame.

Startled, Jiang Youling hurriedly gathered her focus and continued to visualize the flame, only then preventing the light from dying and allowing the chill to subside.

Jiang Youling's consciousness drifted within the cold pool, like a wisp of silk suspended between life and death.

The flame of the Heart Lamp waxed and waned, and her consciousness followed suit, flickering between clarity and oblivion.

At times, she was as lucid as usual, feeling the warmth slowly circulating through her limbs and bones; at other times, she was in a trance-like haze, as if her soul had left her body, drifting through an endless cold mist.

The waters of the cold pool were dark and profound, reflecting neither her image nor the light of the sky.

Several times, she felt she had reached her limit and could no longer hold on.

Yet, from some unknown source, a surge of strength emerged, like lamp oil, slowly pouring onto the flickering Heart Lamp, allowing her life to persist.

Time seemed to stagnate here—

Perhaps three days had passed, or perhaps it was merely the blink of an eye.

Jiang Youling could no longer distinguish whether she was alive or dead.

She only vaguely remembered that she was still visualizing that Heart Lamp.

As long as the flame did not die, she would not die.

In the midst of this precarious state between life and death, she caught a faint glimpse of a figure standing silently by the edge of the pool, looking somewhat familiar.

She could not see clearly, nor did she have the luxury to care.

Her entire consciousness was tethered to that single, flickering point of light.

Gradually—

The core of the flame became increasingly solid, and without her even realizing it, it transformed from illusion to reality, from thought to truth.

Jiang Youling suddenly realized that her consciousness was no longer chaotic.

Her five senses returned one by one, and her spiritual clarity was restored.

She opened her eyes.

The cold pool remained unchanged, but the Heart Lamp burned eternally.

"So that's how it is."

Feeling the warmth radiating from her Shanzhong, Jiang Youling smiled with understanding.

Though she still could not see the Heart Lamp, she could already feel it.

Just then, a voice filled with distress drifted from the shore: "Junior Sister? The three-day period has ended. Junior Sister, are you still alive?"

Jiang Youling rose, creating a loud splash of water, and looked toward the speaker.

Seeing that Jiang Youling was indeed alive, the man let out a long sigh of relief.

"That's great, as long as you're alive. After soaking in this freezing pool for three days, your brain must be all muddled. Come out quickly and change into clean clothes to warm yourself up."

Jiang Youling chuckled and stepped out of the pool. "Thank you, Senior Brother, but I am not cold."

The Heart Lamp burned bright, warming her entire body.

She felt warm and cozy, not cold at all.

Upon hearing this, the patrolling disciple's face instantly turned pale.

"It's over, she's started talking nonsense. I've heard that before people freeze to death, they feel a sense of warmth. I'm afraid there's no hope left! Junior Sister, if you have any last words, just say them. If it's convenient, I'll see to them for you."

Jiang Youling was both exasperated and amused. "Senior Brother, there is no need, truly no need. Look at me, am I not perfectly fine?"

The patrolling disciple eyed her suspiciously. Seeing that she truly did not look like she was experiencing a final surge of life before death, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, though he then felt curious.

"How strange. You've been soaking in the cold pool for three days; how did you manage to come out unscathed? Could it be—"

His eyes flickered as he thought of a possibility. He crept closer and lowered his voice.

"Junior Sister, did you take advantage of the fact that no one was around to sneak out of the pool, and then quietly slip back in just as the time was about to expire?"

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable his deduction seemed, and the look in his eyes toward his junior sister became subtle.

Jiang Youling was stunned. Could she actually fake it? She hadn't even considered such a thing!

Just as she was about to explain, the Senior Brother made a "shush" gesture, looking entirely knowing.

"I understand, I understand. The Superior's punishment was unreasonable to begin with. Don't worry, I'm tight-lipped; I definitely won't say a word."

Caught between laughter and tears, Jiang Youling decided not to bother explaining and let him misunderstand.

The patrolling disciple escorted Jiang Youling to the entrance of the Black Nether Valley and sighed.

"Junior Sister, I can only take you this far. Master Hong said in his letter that once you emerge from the cold pool, you must return to the mountain immediately without delay."

Jiang Youling smiled softly and said sincerely, "Thank you for your protection, Senior Brother. I haven't asked your name yet; if I have free time in the future, I shall come to visit you again."

"No need, no need. I truly hope that after you return, you will cultivate diligently and not provoke the Superior again to come here for punishment."

"Haha, I appreciate your kind intentions, Senior Brother."

Bidding farewell to the patrolling brother of Black Nether Valley, Jiang Youling descended the stone steps. Her state of mind was completely different from when she had first walked this path.

Coming here, she had been filled with indignation, resentment, and exhaustion, her chest tight with a refusal to yield.

Going back, she felt light and carefree, her spirit clear and bright; seeing the vastness of the mountains and rivers, she finally understood the breadth of heaven and earth.

As she entered the miasma forest, the fog remained thick.

Jiang Youling visualized her Heart Lamp and felt a point of warmth emerge from her chest, which then flowed through her limbs and bones, repelling the miasma from her body.

As for insects and vermin, they could not harm her in the slightest.

Strolling leisurely, she exited the miasma forest and arrived at the foot of the thousand-foot precipice.

She reached out and grasped the rusted iron chains, lightly stepping on rock crevices to climb upward.

The iron rings that had scraped her palms raw just a few days ago could no longer harm her at all.

She even had enough mental energy to spare to admire the scenery on the cliffside.

Looking up, Jiang Youling saw the iron chains hanging from the sky like the whiskers of a celestial dragon, and the cliff reaching into the clouds like the wings of a fire phoenix.

Recalling her experiences of the past few days, she felt the turbid air in her heart vanish, replaced by a sudden surge of heroic spirit.

*In the most perilous places, the finest views are born; within the greatest hardships, the truest essence resides.*

She had soaked in the cold pool for three days and suffered the agony of the frost, but because of it, her Heart Lamp burned eternally. Every ebb and flow was predestined.

A faint smile played on Jiang Youling's lips, and her fingers suddenly tightened.

With a sharp *clink* of the iron chains, her figure rose into the air like a swallow, racing up the chains until she reached the mountain peak in no time.

Returning along the same path, the mountain wind howled, fluttering her robes.

The loose rocks that had once made her tremble with fear now felt as steady as level ground beneath her feet.

(End of Chapter)