Warm Pond Valley

Warm pond valley holds large areas of warm pools and is easy to defend and hard to attack. ^{ch. 489} Rocks pool lies on the way out of the valley. ^{ch. 488}

During Fei tribe’s internal chase, speakers warn that once targets cross rocks pool they will be out of warm pond valley and harder to kill. A bugle horn sounds from outside the valley as Ma tribe invades without notice. Fei Chang thinks the valley is easy to defend and hard to attack, but Fei tribe cannot hold against Ma tribe’s army. Narration places the extermination of Fei tribe, a large Huang Jin force occupying the valley, as a great Northern Plains event while Fang Yuan is inside Lang Ya Blessed Land. Ma Ying Jie receives credit for the plan that captured the valley and swallowed Fei tribe. ^{ch. 488}

Ma Ying Jie says warm pond valley is easy to defend and hard to attack, holds large areas of warm pools, and is a naturally protected place as the great blizzard approaches, giving Ma tribe a base that can support advance or retreat. He adds that even by striking the valley they have only obtained a base to preserve the fire, and that entering the Imperial Court is the further step needed to preserve the whole tribe. ^{ch. 489}

After a disastrous battle, Ma Ying Jie says they will return because some tribesmen remain behind in warm pond valley. Narration recalls that before the heroes assembly Ma tribe left the old, weak, sick, and crippled there as a contingency. As new tribe leader he says they will return to the valley and climb up from the loss. ^{ch. 544}

Narration places the scene at Tian Chuan, warm pond valley, in Northern Plains as the ten-year blizzard draws near. Ma You Liang shows Ma Ying Jie spirit spring C, one of only three remaining spirit springs in the valley, now dried up. Ma Ying Jie says places like the valley become final refuge once the blizzard arrives, and that a fourth spring is near impossible as springs dry across northern plains before the disaster. Fei Cai later uncovers a newly formed spring larger than spirit spring A. Seven days later Hei tribe surrounds the valley, and that night the three spirit springs turn black and polluted, ending Ma tribe’s ability to keep staying there. ^{ch. 545}

Fang Yuan finds it strange that Hei Lou Lan purposely went over to warm pond valley to force Ma tribe to surrender after Ma tribe had already lost terribly. ^{ch. 546}

Narration states that Ma Ying Jie’s original plan had been to hole up in warm pond valley and recover, but Hei Lou Lan brought his army to the valley and forcibly annexed Ma tribe. ^{ch. 588}