In the Jade Lake Realm.

　　That huge and ferocious beast made of evil energy finally gave in.

　　It died, feeling very dejected!

　　The huge golden swords that the ❮Writing of the Sage❯ generated were slicing it from above; the teapot spirit, Demon Venerable Lushan Street, was attacking it from the front, and the roots of the golden lotus that the nucleus in Song Shuhang’s body had generated were making long-range attacks from behind.

　　But, more importantly, it was a monster with very low intelligence. Therefore, it had died just like that, dejected and confused.

　　At the very least, big bosses in games would unleash some powerful skills at the point of their death, like an indestructible AOE shield or some move with high attack power to kill as many people as possible alongside it.

　　However, that ferocious beast made of evil energy had died silently, unable to unleash any skill before dying.

　　Before dying, its body had been consumed until reaching the size of a bull. Then, a myriad of scary tentacles filled the world and ruthlessly stabbed its body from all directions, sucking it dry in the blink of an eye.

　　What a tragic scene!

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　“Phew!” Su Clan’s Sixteen heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she recalled the exhausted Demon Venerable Lushan Street back inside the small teapot.

　　Demon Venerable Lushan Street had fought two consecutive battles, and was very tired. Therefore, he needed some rest.

　　Song Shuhang also heaved a huge sigh of relief. That half-snake half-stickman creature made of light of virtue protecting his body also retreated and returned back inside his body.

　　However, the projection of the golden lotus in front of his chest didn’t disappear.

　　The hundred thousand tentacles extending from the golden lotus were still not satisfied after devouring that ferocious beast made of evil energy… they stretched infinitely and reached every corner of the Jade Lake Realm.

　　There was still a lot of energy of the Netherworld left in many parts of the Jade Lake Realm. Although it wasn’t as pure as the one that had given birth to the ferocious beast hiding at the bottom of the Jade Lake, its quantity was much higher, and it worked just fine as food. The golden lotus that the nucleus had projected wasn’t a picky eater, and didn’t mind gobbling it all up.

　　This time, Song Shuhang didn’t stop the golden lotus. Venerable White was planning to take away the whole Jade Lake Realm, and to do so, he would first need to get rid of the energy of the Netherworld Realm infesting the place.

　　Therefore, it was better to let the nucleus eat to its heart’s content and help Venerable White at the same time.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　In a distant place, Venerable White saw that the ferocious beast was finally taken care of, his mood drastically improved as a result. “It finally died! Shuhang, retreat a little. I’m going to revive the Jade Lake!”

　　They had reached the final step!

　　Su Clan’s Sixteen and Song Shuhang quickly retreated a little.

　　In the next moment, that huge mass of spiritual energy hovering above the Jade Lake came down and sank into the Jade Lake.

　　“Boom, boom, boom~” The earth shook, and the whole Jade Lake Realm dimmed.

　　After the spiritual energy poured into the Jade Lake, shock waves were produced continuously, just as though there was typhoon suddenly ravaging the area…

　　The shock waves lasted for around twenty breaths, and only then did they slowly die down.

　　The Jade Lake Realm brightened again. Soon after, the originally lifeless Jade Lake was revived, starting to radiate vitality again.

　　Venerable White clapped his hands, very satisfied, and said, “Now, we only have to wait for the spiritual spring to gush out of the Jade Lake once more.”

　　As he was speaking, mist rose from the Jade Lake, moistening the dried up ground.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　Around twenty breaths later…

　　The spiritual spring that should have gushed out of the Jade Lake in great quantity didn’t come out.

　　Venerable White said curiously, “Strange, is it possible that I didn’t revive the Jade Lake in the correct manner?”

　　Su Clan’s Sixteen said, “Perhaps the Jade Lake is still hiding some other secret?”

　　“Is it possible that something blocked the mouth of the spring?” Song Shuhang thought about the ‘living spring’ in his Heart Aperture. If they wanted water to come out of the spring, the water needed an opening!

　　“I’ll go take a look.” Venerable White gently jumped, heading toward the Jade Lake.

　　Song Shuhang reminded, “Senior White, wait a moment. There are still several guards defending the Jade Lake. If you carelessly barge into it, they will attack you.”

　　After hearing these words, the silver-armored female guard and the other female guards stood in their original places, not moving in the slightest.

　　Venerable White asked, “I almost forgot about you… will you stop me if I want to get inside the Jade Lake?”

　　The silver-armored female guard shook her head and took the lead to place one knee to the ground alongside the other female guards. They had decided to use this method to let Senior White know of their choice. Venerable White was already the master of the Jade Lake Realm. From today onwards, they would follow his orders.

　　Venerable White nodded, satisfied. Then, he headed toward the depths of the Jade Lake.

　　“Should we also go down?” Su Clan’s Sixteen asked.

　　Song Shuhang looked at the several female guards and shook his head. “It’s better to wait for Senior White here.”

　　Just as they were discussing, Venerable White’s loud voice was transmitted from the Jade Lake. “Shuhang, Sixteen, you two also come over to take a look.”

　　“Let’s head over,” Su Clan’s Sixteen said with a smile.

　　Song Shuhang looked at the silver-armored female guard, and said, “…Fairy maiden, you won’t chop me to pieces if I enter the Jade Lake, right?”

　　The silver-armored female guard looked at Song Shuhang and gently shook her head.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　Song Shuhang, Su Clan’s Sixteen, and the monster willow arrived next to Venerable White. This place was the center of the Jade Lake.

　　There was a deep hole beneath Venerable White’s feet, and inside this hole was located a very complex device.

　　The main part of this device consisted of a huge transparent crystal tank that had the size of a small truck.

　　Then, countless pipe-like things extended from the huge crystal tank, reaching each corner of the underground area of the Jade Lake.

　　“This seems a high-tech product! Is this some magical treasure that ancient cultivators manufactured?” Song Shuhang asked.

　　Venerable White said, “Why do I feel that this thing is more similar to modern equipment instead? It’s somewhat similar to an engine.”

　　Previously, Venerable White had disassembled a few things that were related to engines, the majority of them being vehicles. Therefore, he was very familiar with the structure of this thing.

　　Su Clan’s Sixteen nodded, and approved their ideas. “Now that Senior White mentions it, it’s indeed similar to an engine.”

　　Venerable White said, “As such, I was wondering if this thing was like a hand-guided tractor and also needed a handle, which would have to be inserted somewhere and then spun…”

　　Song Shuhang said, “It might be possible! Senior White, did you see a handle somewhere?”

　　“I didn’t see any, actually.” Venerable White shrugged his shoulders. “Therefore, I was wondering if I should start disassembling it?”

　　“Senior White, have mercy,” Song Shuhang said quickly. One needed but a glance to tell that this thing was the ‘heart’ of the Jade Lake. Moreover, it was very likely a unique device, and only one existed in the entire world.

　　Therefore, it would be troublesome if Venerable White were to ruin it.

　　“That’s why I called you two over here.” Venerable White pondered for a moment, and said with an unwilling expression, “I’ll watch from the sidelines. Shuhang, you go disassemble that thing!”

　　Venerable White would have really liked to disassemble this thing himself.

　　However, he was afraid that he might end up ruining it. If it was ruined and there was no way to repair it… it might be really impossible to restore the Jade Lake to its previous state.

　　Would the Jade Lake Realm still be the Jade Lake Realm without the ‘Jade Lake’?

　　Therefore, he left—very unwillingly—the task to disassemble the device to Song Shuhang.

　　Song Shuhang said, “Senior White, I don’t dare to disassemble it, either! Perhaps we can ask those female guards? Which ancient sect manufactured this device? Does it have a warranty, some after-sale maintenance service, or instruction manual?”

　　After hearing these words, Venerable White turned his head and looked at the female guards.

　　The silver-armored female guard shook her head, and replied in a loud voice, “Venerable, although we sisters are the guards of the Jade Lake, we never ventured into its depths. We didn’t even know that such a device existed in the center of the Jade Lake.”

　　Before the destruction of the ancient Heavenly City, they were the guards of the Jade Lake, and had always stayed at the edge of the Jade Lake.

　　After the destruction of the ancient Heavenly City, the Jade Lake dried up, and the center of the lake was occupied by that ferocious beast made of evil energy. Therefore, they never had the chance to venture into the depths of the Jade Lake.

　　“See, there is no alternative. We can only disassemble it,” Venerable White said. “If you don’t dare to disassemble it yourself, stand on one side and record me with your phone as I disassemble it. With the video in hand, we can easily reassemble it. Sixteen, you’ll separate into groups the parts I’m going to disassemble. At that time, we can simply reassemble it by following the chronological order!”

　　“It seems we can proceed only this way. Senior White, disassemble it slowly. I want to record each part of the process.” Song Shuhang took out his mobile phone and started to make a video.

　　He would have to try his best not to miss any detail.

　　If any of the details were left out, and Senior White ended up reassembling the device with some of the components missing, the ‘heart’ of the Jade Lake Realm would end up exploding!

　　“Don’t worry. I’ll proceed slowly.” Venerable White rolled his sleeves up and took out several tools from his spatial equipment.

　　Just as Venerable White was about to go all out, Ye Si’s head drilled out from the top of Song Shuhang’s head.

　　She looked at the device before her eyes and, astonished, said, “Eh? Isn’t this thing the ’21st Century’s Spiritual Spring Generator’ of our Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion?”

　　“21st Century’s Spiritual Spring Generator? Who gave it this ridiculous name?” Song Shuhang ridiculed.

　　What?! Wait a moment!

　　Song Shuhang asked again, “Is this thing a treasure of the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion?”

　　“Yes, there is no mistaking. From what I know, this device is something a friend of Pavilion Master Chu designed for our Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion. According to the rumors, there is a valuable godly weapon of the Tribulation Transcender-rank installed inside this ’21st Century’s Spiritual Spring Generator’. It has mysterious powers that are likely related to the concept of ‘lifespan’.

　　“Anyway, after putting spirit stones inside the big tank and activating that godly weapon of the Tribulation Transcender-rank, spiritual spring would endlessly gush out of the ’21st Century’s Spiritual Spring Generator’. With the presence of the spiritual spring, spirit plants would start growing on the edges. In addition, it’s also very handy to refine pills. It’s definitely something worth having,” Senior Sister Ye Si replied.

　　After hearing these words, Song Shuhang’s heart was moved.

　　A treasure of the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion that had suddenly appeared in the ancient Heavenly City. As expected, the master of the Jade Lake Realm, Fairy Cheng Lin, had a complicated relationship with the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion.

　　Shuhang had a certain theory, and he believed that Fairy Cheng Lin and Ye Si also had a very close relationship.

　　If he had the opportunity to see the appearance of this ‘Fairy Cheng Lin’ in the future, he would have the possibility to confirm his theory.

　　But right at this time, Venerable White asked, “Fellow Daoist Ye Si, in that case, do you know how to start this 21st Century’s Spiritual Spring Generator?”