Mad Doctor No. 9

"It's an ancient restriction." Master Zhang Qingwei's expression was solemn. "And it's already activated. These ice pillars are the core of the formation. As soon as we step onto this plain, it will be triggered."

"Go around it?" Li Xuanfeng frowned.

"There's no way around it." Wang Tian pointed around. "Look at the horizon over there."

Following the sound, everyone looked and noticed an unnatural distortion at the edge of the plain—a sign of spatial folding. This restricted area was much larger than it appeared on the surface.

Professor Zhou from the research team opened the detector, which displayed a complex energy map: "This is an unknown restriction. Its energy comes from underground and is connected to the spiritual veins of the entire Kunlun Mountains. Forcibly intruding might trigger a chain reaction."

"What should we do?"

Wang Tian closed his eyes, sensed it for a moment, then suddenly opened them: "There's a gate to life within the restriction. Follow me."

He stepped into the icicle, seemingly casually, yet it contained a certain rule. Sometimes he would take three steps forward, sometimes backward, sometimes diagonally forward, sometimes backward. The crowd held their breath and followed closely behind.

The further you go in, the clearer the figures inside the ice pillars become—they are ancient corpses!

They were dressed in ancient clothing, some in armor, some in Taoist robes, and some in monks' robes. They maintained the postures they had when they were alive, some with expressions of fear, others with ferocity.

"These are all people who once entered Kunlun and wanted to enter it," Master Zhang Qingwei sighed, "The ice pillars absorbed everyone's life force and cultivation, becoming part of the restrictive power."

As they were talking, a fork in the road appeared ahead. There were three forks, each leading in a different direction, and the arrangement of the icicles was slightly different in each fork.

Qin Feng asked, "Advisor Wang, which direction should we go?"

Wang Tian didn't answer immediately, but instead took out the black iron piece. He channeled his star power into it, and soon a map appeared before him. However, the markings here were blurry, with only a line of small text:

"There are three paths, but only one is the right one: Star Guide. If you choose the wrong one, you will be trapped in the Ice Prison forever."

He put away the metal plate, his eyes gleaming as he carefully sensed the energy fluctuations in the three passages. The left passage was chillingly cold, the middle one was gentle yet concealed deadly intent, and the right passage was chaotic and disordered.

Wang Tian decisively said, "Take the right side."

An elder from the Murong family couldn't help but ask, "The reason?"

"The icy aura on the left is too strong, and it contains the most ancient corpses; it's a dead end. The middle seems safe, but the energy distribution is unusually even, like a trap."

Wang Tian pointed to the right, "There is only one path here, and the energy inside is very chaotic, but there is also a path that can be taken—that is the 'flaw' in the restriction itself. In other words, it leaves an opportunity for people to break the formation."

Convinced, the crowd followed and entered the passage on the right.

The deeper you go, the higher the temperature becomes. The icicles gradually thin out until they disappear completely. Suddenly, a breathtaking oasis appears before you, nestled within the glacier!

The grass was lush and green, wildflowers were in full bloom, and in the middle was a hot spring pool, steaming gently. Several fruit trees were laden with red fruit, emitting an enticing aroma.

"How...how could this be?" The researchers were dumbfounded. Such an ecosystem, appearing on a glacier six thousand meters high, completely violated the laws of nature.

Li Xuanfeng asked warily, "An illusion?"

Wang Tian shook his head: "It's true. Look below."

Beside the hot spring, there were some broken stone tablets. The inscriptions were incomplete, but ancient seal script could still be vaguely discerned. Professor Zhou stepped forward, examined them carefully, and slowly read aloud:

"Deep within Kunlun, there lies a spring called Wenyuan Spring, whose water can cure all ailments and extend life by three years. Beside this spring dwells a sea beast called the Shen Beast, skilled in illusion magic, which feeds on human brains..."

Before he could finish speaking, the surface of the hot spring suddenly exploded! A monster, entirely emerald green in color, resembling a giant python but with a single horn, burst forth, spewing out a cloud of seven-colored mist from its enormous mouth. Wherever the mist reached, vegetation withered, and the earth was corroded into large pits.

"Poison gas! Hold your breath!" Qin Feng shouted.

But the fog spread quickly, and two disciples of the Murong family accidentally inhaled it. Immediately, their eyes glazed over, and with maniacal smiles on their faces, they danced and gesticulated as they walked toward the monster.

"Wake up!" Wang Tian shouted, the sound waves containing the power of stars dispelling all the poison in the two people's bodies. At the same time, he flashed and appeared above the monster's head, his right hand grabbing at the air, a long sword formed from starlight appeared in his hand.

"cut!"

With a flash of light, the monster was cleaved in two like a crying baby. No blood flowed from the cut, but a large amount of colorful mist gushed out, quickly filling the entire oasis.

"Oh no, it's about to self-destruct its poison sac!" Master Zhang Qingwei quickly cast several talismans, forming a golden light shield that blocked the mist.

However, the mist possessed extremely strong corrosive and hallucinogenic properties, and the golden light shield quickly dimmed. Everyone circulated their internal energy to resist it, and those with lower cultivation levels were already feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

Wang Tian let out a cold shout, made a hand seal, and struck out with his palm.

"Purifying Star Flame, Burn!"

A ball of silver flame erupted from his palm, hissing as it came into contact with the seven-colored poisonous mist. The mist, like snowflakes under the blazing sun, was rapidly purified. In less than ten breaths, the oasis returned to calm, leaving only the monster's corpse and a faint smell of burning.

With the crisis averted, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Tian, ​​however, walked to the hot spring, bent down, and scooped up a handful of water.

The spring water was warm to the touch and full of life. He carefully observed it with his medical eye and a look of surprise appeared on his face—this hot spring really did have the effect of treating hidden injuries and delaying aging, and its effect was a hundred times better than the Su family's bottle of "Rejuvenating Beauty"!

However, he could sense an evil power lurking deep within the spring. It was a mirage that had been entrenched in the pollution for years. If he drank it directly, although there would be benefits, his mind would be corrupted by the evil energy, and he would gradually become a monster that only knew how to kill.

"This spring water is very useful, but it needs to be purified." Wang Tian took out a jade bottle, filled it with some spring water, and threw in a few antidote pills. "Take it back and study it. Maybe we can extract a safe life essence."

Just as everyone was collecting samples, the earth shook again! This time it wasn't an avalanche, but the entire oasis was sinking! The hot springs were bubbling and the vegetation was withering rapidly, as if all life had been drained away.

"Activate the second stage of the restriction!" Professor Zhou exclaimed, watching the energy index on the instrument steadily climb. "We took the spring water; the energy balance here has been disrupted! Let's go!"