Chapter 363 - Beyond the Dunes(Part-3)

"Spirit lake no way and a rather large one.", Ryuu whispered to himself as he looked at milky white lake in front of him when an idea struck him, "Wait a minute I am struck at 9th rank of Mystic Immortal Emperor level, and I have four extra levels to go in comparison to others before I can even think of facing the Tribulation to move to the Celestial Level, but if I can force myself to gain another level, I might be able to use my cultivation base to force the poison to lay dormant in a much much easier manner than now and thus buy myself enough time."

Ryuu gained a maniacal grin on his face before he remembered that a spirit lake always has a guardian, lower intelligent spirit beasts are drawn to it like moth to flame, it is true that because of the lake their cultivation level increases very fast but at the same time the lake not only saps their precious life energy but even corrodes their potential not to mention they become thralls who protects the lake from others with their dying breath.

Ryuu looked around as he spoke with a sickeningly sweet tone, "Come out, come out come and meet you death, where are you beast, do not worry I would not hurt you too much", he cooed at the end in a rather disturbingly creepy manner.

Suddenly he was under the shadow casted by someone as he looked up he was greeted by a grotesque looking visage of a creature that was towering above him, it was easily surpassing the 200 meter marked as it roared Ryuu could feel its rancid breath washing over it making him gain a look of disgust a he spoke, "Damn you should change your toothpaste you smell bad."

His comment seemed to further enraged the beast as Ryuu grinned at it as he spoke, "I am getting frustrated a lot lately please try to stave off a little of my frustration before you die."

The area surrounding Ryuu seemed to heat up as his aura slammed into the beast as he charged forward, a few minutes later the smoldering corpse of the beast lay in front of him, as it burnt a sweet appetizing smell suddenly filled the area, causing Ryuu's brow to scrunch up, 'tch I forgot about that ability of 'Millennium Worm' upon being killed it attracts others with its smell making them feast on it, but as soon as the poor unfortunate idiot eats them, the meet invades the body of the eater as a few dozen more worms are born by feasting on the flesh of the victim, it is nasty and I hope the smell does not attract even more troublesome creatures a quick application of array the smell vanished as he transformed the carcass into nothing but ash, leaving behind its bones that seemed that it would crumble upon touch after the heat treatment.

His attention then fell on the lake, his clothes disappeared as a n.a.k.e.d Ryuu jumped into the spirit lake with a grin, he was so happy to find one, spirit lake was one of the resource which he had exclusive right to use, it was as if it was meant for people with similar tier of Divine bodies as to others it was highly poisonous.

He swam to what he deduced as the center before he sat in the meditating pose, slowly sinking into the milky white depths of the lake.

Frozen Ocean frowned as she spoke, "Did anyone spot Ryuu? He ran off like that and we have yet to see him, I hope he is not in some kind of trouble."

Zywia bit her lips as she spoke, "I do not think so, from what my brother told about him, Ryuu is very responsible person and cunning as well as such I do not believe that he would be caught flat footed."

It had been nearly a day later when they found Ryuu again, during the way they had taken care of a few creatures that got too close then the night came, from what they deduced a single day lasted for over 36 hours with only 6 hours of night time, they were covering some distance but it was slow as they did not want to miss something or other.

"Hey over there look.", a shout drew everyone's attention as they were able to see glimmer of some kind in the horizon.

"It looks like a body of water over there let us move over there.", his words energized everyone as many dashed towards it only to stop upon seeing a certain someone lazily floating on top of the water without a care in the world, he looked towards them as he lazily waved, "What took you all so long."

"Just die already", was the retort of one whose name was Zywia who had her zither out, she pulled some string sending sound based attack only for Ryuu to move from its path as the water of the lake erupted.

Ryuu was now up in the air, he was only wearing his swimming trunks with his wet hair down water dripping down his body, with the bandaged left hand granting him a bad boy image, as he caught a good few blushes in the crowd that made him mentally wince while he thanked his teachers mentally, 'It is a good thing I know that technique if they had seen my real face and in such a state of undress I doubt I would escape with my chastity intact.'

"Oi what did the poor lake do to you Sister Zywia?", Ryuu spoke in a sagely manner before he gained a mournful expression on his face as he spoke, "Learn to forgive others sister it would do good for you."

A vein popped on Zywia's forehead as she gritted her teeth in anger, only for Su-Min's hand to be placed on her shoulder as she spoke, "Leave him, I so do not feel like arguing with that buffoon."

Ryuu pouted before he spoke with a smile, "Well what are you all waiting for I believe you well have been barbecued enough so why not join me.", with that he fell into the bosom of the lake once again, other simply shrugged as most of the male cultivators with a shout of joy joined him while removing most of their clothing.

The women just looked at each other before they decided to relax some of them entered the water, the cool water seemed to wash away the tiredness of the people, as Frost Flames swam in the water she frowned, "It is strange to see a body of water present here when it should have vaporized under the glare of the twin Suns."

Another cultivator nodded at that as she spoke, "Strange indeed, but how did it form indeed it is fresh as well as seemed to be as if it has just form by melting of a glacier, it is not only cool but refreshing, but it should not be possible we should ask Ryuu he was the first one to find it may be he could shed some light into the matter."

As such the girls decided to question Ryuu and flocked over to him as one of them spoke, "Daoist Brother Ryuu, a moment of your time please!"

Ryuu looked towards the woman with raised eyebrow as he spoke, "Yes Daoist Sister is there something you want from me?"

The woman nodded as she spoke, "Greetings Daoist Ryuu my name is Estele there is something I want to ask you."

Ryuu studied the person in front of him, while others were swimming in the water she stayed out of it not to mention she was covered in heavy armor with the only visible part of her body being her eyes, Ryuu nodded as she continued, "This place is extremely hot so does it not make you curious as to why this place exist, when it should have vaporized because of the scorching heat of the twin Suns."

Ryuu gained a glazed look in his eyes as he remembered another by that name someone whom he saw as his little sister someone he failed, he took a deep breath to cover the open wound, "Ryuu are you alright?"

The question jolted him awake as he smiled towards the speaker as he spoke, "Ah I am sorry your name brought back some memories of my younger days, I knew someone by your namesake.", he coughed on his hand to compose himself as he spoke, "As for the lake well it exists because I allow it."

At that all those hearing were startled as Ryuu continued with a smirk, "I created it, there are number of arrays surrounding it that prevents it from being vaporized as for the water.", he raised his hand as a small ice ball formed on his palm as he continued, "Recently we had such a horrendous ordeal then we were thrown headfast into this ghastly place as such I believed it would be better for us to unwind and relax a bit."

Estelle nodded in acceptance as she spoke, "Thank you.", Ryuu watched as she went near the shore as she took a place under the shade of a tent.

Ryuu smirked inwardly, 'I hope this people would simply take my words without digging too much, I so do not want them to know that this was a spirit lake that I drained of the energy and now what is left is just plain water, which I am preventing it from evaporating because of my array.'