CHAPTER 1072: CHAPTER 1069: THE SECRET OF THE DRAGON-LOCKING WELL (PART 2)

"Dragon-locking Well?" Lin Tian was surprised for a moment and said, "I’ve just discussed this with Mr. Yun before; the Dragon-locking Well is actually a sea eye, similar to the Yun Family’s Unfrozen Spring."

"It’s said that the Great Ming Capital held an old dragon. After King Yan built the Imperial City, the old dragon couldn’t stay there. It came up with a wicked idea to drive King Yan away, flooding the Capital, and drowning King Yan’s Jinluan Palace."

"Who knew King Yan didn’t leave but instead found Liu Bowen. Liu Bowen was skilled in divination and calculated that the old dragon was causing trouble. So he sent Young Marshal Yao, who was the reincarnation of the Dragon Subduing Arhat. He revealed his Arhat True Body and subdued the old dragon."

"Young Marshal Yao built a temple near the sea eye and constructed a bridge. Below the bridge, there’s no water flow but it suppresses a sea eye. Young Marshal Yao then suppressed the old dragon in the sea eye, hence the sea eye is also called Dragon-locking Well. Many large iron chains are bound within the Dragon-locking Well. It’s said someone once pulled them out, but after pulling for a long time and still not reaching the end, they didn’t dare to continue and restored them to their original place," Lin Tian narrated.

Ning Luoxi rarely smiled and said, "There’s no old dragon there at all; it’s all just concocted stories."

Although aware of the truth she stated, Lin Tian still couldn’t help but ask, "Why are you so sure?"

"Don’t forget what I mentioned just now; my team worked on many mysterious events. The Dragon-locking Well is right in Jingji’s important site. Do you think we’d turn a blind eye?" Ning Luoxi retorted.

Lin Tian was taken aback and said, "You’ve been down there?"

"Of course we’ve been down there; how else would we investigate? How else could I say there’s no old dragon?" Ning Luoxi stated decisively.

"Does it have anything to do with the Underground Ice Cave we’re discussing today? Don’t tell me you found an Underground Ice Cave down there," Lin Tian said curiously.

"We didn’t discover an Underground Ice Cave, but we found a massive Underground River. We followed that Underground River towards its source to investigate it thoroughly, but unfortunately, the Underground River was too long. We traveled for a day and a night and still didn’t reach its source. To avoid unnecessary dangers, we decided to turn back," Ning Luoxi explained.

The sentence still didn’t clarify the connection between the Dragon-locking Well and the Underground Ice Cave, but Lin Tian knew she had more to say, so he didn’t interrupt her.

"Although we didn’t reach the source, we did make some findings. We detected that the water temperature of the Underground River was exceptionally low, and the further upstream we went, the lower the temperature became. The final point I explored had a water temperature more than twenty degrees lower than the normal temperature outside, below ten degrees," Ning Luoxi analyzed.

"Despite it being underground water, such low temperatures aren’t normal. You mentioned the Underground Ice Cave earlier, and it suddenly inspired me; maybe something at the source is causing the temperature anomaly," Ning Luoxi hypothesized.

"You mean there’s an Underground Ice Cave at the source?" Lin Tian frowned, not because he doubted Ning Luoxi, but because this hypothesis was too bizarre. It was currently June at the peak of summer, and the sun outside could roast someone like a barbecue skewer.

Of course, that description is a bit exaggerated, but the heat is undeniable. In such a scorching season, isn’t it too strange for an Underground Ice Cave to be hidden down there?

Ning Luoxi seemed to notice his confusion and said, "You’ve seen Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, right? You should know the ice cellar where Xuzhu and Princess of Xixia Country met? No matter how hot it is outside, the ice inside doesn’t melt and remains extremely cold. So such an Underground Ice Cave should also be an isolated environment, unaffected by the outside world; isn’t that what you said?"

"That’s what I said, but I’ve never seen such a magical Ice Cave, so I can’t quite imagine it. But speaking of TV, in The Return of the Condor Heroes, there’s an Ice Cave in the depths of the pool where Little Dragon Girl fell. But after all, those are novels and TV shows," Lin Tian shook his head.

"Why don’t we go take a look?" Ning Luoxi suggested.

Hearing her suggestion made Lin Tian realize they were driving on a road that wasn’t leading back to the Yun Family. After about twenty minutes, Ning Luoxi parked the car by the roadside.

Lin Tian glanced out the window and saw, not far away, an unwatered bridge with three characters: Beixinqiao.

"Luoxi, are you planning to go down now? I don’t mind, but if we don’t make any preparations, it might be impossible," Lin Tian reminded.

As a zombie, Lin Tian was unpressured by hunger or adverse environments. But Ning Luoxi was different; although she was an Ancient Martial Artist, she had a mortal body. Without air, she could die; without food, she could starve; she could be injured.

Even Ancient Martial Artists seem tiny when facing the forces of nature.

Ning Luoxi opened the car door and, gazing at the nearby Beixinqiao, said, "Going down empty-handed is surely impossible. I’m just bringing you for a look and seeking your opinion. If you don’t want to go down, I can’t command you since you’re not my subordinate. You’re free."

"It’s not about whether I want to or not but my concern for your safety. If you haven’t finished your training and have an accident in the Dragon-locking Well, how am I supposed to explain it to Aunt Fang? She’ll cry her heart out. So, let’s check it out first and when you’ve prepared fully, let me know; I’ll join anytime," Lin Tian said.

"Alright, as you wish," Ning Luoxi agreed seeing Lin Tian didn’t refuse; a slight smile played at the corners of her mouth but disappeared quickly.

The two left the car and soon reached the bridge. To be honest, seeing the legendary Beixinqiao, Lin Tian was a bit disappointed; the bridge was too small, and any random bridge now seemed bigger.

Such a bridge at most could be called a small bridge and didn’t match its grand legends. The one thing lending an air of mystery was merely the small nearby temple and the dried-up riverbed.

Moreover, the surroundings were very quiet, contrary to Lin Tian’s imagination where such a mystical place should often draw curious visitors. But that wasn’t the case; barely anyone was around. Perhaps after seeing it often, people grew accustomed. After all, everyone had received modern education and wouldn’t believe a dragon was really beneath the Dragon-locking Well.

"The Beixinqiao is connected to the temple, and the Dragon-locking Well is within the temple," Ning Luoxi pointed to a temple beside the bridge.

Lin Tian nodded and said, "Alright, let’s go see the legendary Dragon-locking Well."

With that, Lin Tian and Ning Luoxi descended from the bridge and entered the temple. It was a very simple temple, appearing somewhat old, with even the stones paving the ground looking quite worn.

The Dragon-locking Well was in the small courtyard, surrounded by iron chains, and the wellhead was sealed by an iron cover, which had somewhat mysterious patterns on it.

"To prevent anyone from damaging it or going down, the wellhead has been sealed up. After all, it’s still dangerous to ordinary people. But if we want to go down, we can open it anytime," Ning Luoxi explained.