Chapter 30: The Lake of Yin and Yang

Ou Xinlai sat up from the bed. Upon hearing Ou Jinju say she had already slept for three days, she felt as though insects were crawling all over her body, itching unbearably—even though there was not the slightest unpleasant smell on her.

Ou Xinlai left the classroom and, following her memory, made her way to a grove behind Fengyun Academy, nestled against the mountain. Compared to Fengyun Academy, this grove was exceptionally quiet, lacking vitality. Yet, if one took the time to appreciate it, they would discover it was actually a wonderful place.

In truth, this spot was not discovered by Ou Xinlai herself, but rather by the original owner of her body. The original owner did not attend Fengyun Academy, but her heart was tethered to Prince Xuan. Unable to enter the academy, she wandered its periphery, and unexpectedly stumbled upon this hidden paradise.

At this moment, the trees were lush and vibrant, the grass thick and fragrant. Blossoms in full bloom drifted with the wind, petals scattering like a shower of falling flowers—a scene so breathtaking it seemed to be painted. Yet, unlike a painting, which is lifeless, what Ou Xinlai saw was real and full of vitality.

Ou Xinlai walked to the edge of a small lake, placed her hand into the water, and indeed felt two distinct temperatures. The surface of the lake was warmed by sunlight, but at the bottom, there seemed to be a spring, with water continuously surging in from elsewhere, creating a difference in temperature.

She smiled to herself, confirming her suspicions: this lake surely held hidden secrets. Ou Xinlai removed her shoes and outer garments, leaving only her underclothes, and with a splash, dove into the lake like a fish, sending up a small burst of water. Soon, the surface calmed, leaving only her clothes behind.

After holding her breath for some time, Ou Xinlai finally found the spring at the bottom and passed through it, emerging on the other side of the lake. “What kind of lake is this!” she exclaimed as she surfaced, astonished by what she saw. The other side of the lake was even stranger.

Ou Xinlai had surfaced in the middle of the lake and immediately noticed that one side of her body was soaked in warm water, about forty degrees, while the other side was icy, close to zero degrees.

Such extremes of temperature existing within the same body of water, with no boundary between them, was simply inexplicable.

One side of her body was hot enough to make her sweat, while the other was so cold she shivered uncontrollably. Observing the state of the lake, Ou Xinlai immediately thought of the Chinese Eight Trigrams. From Taiji comes duality, the Eight Trigrams embody both yin and yang. The warm side of the lake must be the yang side, and the cold side, the yin side.

With this realization, Ou Xinlai felt compelled to name the lake “Yin-Yang Lake.”

One side hot, one side cold, the temperatures refusing to blend—her body felt as if it had been split in two, causing excruciating discomfort. Moreover, the water seemed to possess a boundless force, holding her in place and making it impossible to move.

Ou Xinlai furrowed her brows. Though she named the lake Yin-Yang Lake, she knew that finding a second such lake in the world would be near impossible. She sensed that this Yin-Yang Lake was something extraordinary, but the sudden half-hot, half-cold sensation was almost more than she could bear.

Within moments, half her face was flushed red from the heat, while the other half was pale from the cold. Ou Xinlai understood that if she could endure this ordeal, she would be able to use the Yin-Yang Lake to cultivate herself.

Unfortunately, she was clueless about the proper method for training with the lake’s power. Should she go ashore and find another way, or persist in the water, enduring the pain? Suddenly, Ou Xinlai let out a cold laugh. “Only those who endure the greatest hardships rise above the rest.” If she wished to become stronger, she must not only be ruthless to others, but even more so to herself.