Chapter 168: Swimming Through
Chapter 168: Swimming Through
Can I move on to the next training session?
Chen Chuan's spirit lifted, realizing that each training session he had undergone was interconnected. Only by meeting the requirements of one could he progress to the next.
Undoubtedly, the next challenge would be even more difficult.
But it was through such trials that he could truly improve himself.
He Xiaoxing said, "The wells here aren't sealed at the bottom; they're interconnected. Since you've already mastered the ability to stay submerged underwater, I want you to swim quickly between these wells.
I'll place markers at the bottom of most of the wells, and I won't tell you beforehand where they'll be. You'll need to collect a sufficient number of markers within a set time."
Chen Chuan's expression turned serious after hearing this. The difficulty level had increased significantly. Movement and stillness were entirely different, and the physical exertion would be doubled, not to mention the unfamiliar underwater paths that could present unforeseen challenges and dangers.
Moreover, the time limit meant he couldn't afford to be slow. He himself wasn't sure how far he could get.
Chang Ba swallowed hard. Was it time to start swimming in the wells? He had mustered the courage to give it a try before, but he had quickly given up.
Swimming in these deep, mysterious wells could easily lead to getting lost. One wrong turn, and finding the right way out might become impossible. If one's stamina gave out while in a narrow passage or if they couldn't maintain internal breathing, there would be little hope of resurfacing. The psychological pressure could be overwhelming.
When Chang Ba had attempted this in the past, he felt like he had returned from hell. He had never appreciated the beauty of the world as much as he did then.
He no longer cared about martial arts, family wealth, or his girlfriend. All he wanted was to lie quietly, breathe freely, and bask in the warm sunlight. He had never realized how wonderful the ordinary things he took for granted were.
And that was after swimming for just ten minutes at the bottom. Given Chen Chuan's recent performance, Chang Ba couldn't even begin to imagine how long it would take him, and he dared not think about it.
He Xiaoxing said, "I'll give you half an hour to rest and prepare."
Chen Chuan nodded solemnly. He checked his watch, moved to the side, and sat cross-legged, beginning to adjust his state. This time, he used both internal and external breathing techniques simultaneously to recover as much as possible.
Chang Ba thought to himself, "What a guy!" He realized that He Xiaoxing had called out to Chen Chuan just before he reached his limit, leaving a bit of reserve for him to continue with the next training session.
It had all been carefully calculated.
This was truly an intense challenge.
But it wasn't the most difficult one. He didn't think anyone could pass the most challenging stage within the first or second limits.
Half an hour later, Chen Chuan checked his watch and slowly stood up. "Teacher He, I'm ready."
He Xiaoxing pointed to a nearby pit and said, "Start from there. I'll give you an hour. The more markers you find within that time, the better. Pay attention, and when the time's up, I'll call you back up."
Chen Chuan nodded and walked to the edge of the pit. Without hesitation, he jumped into it.
This time, after swimming to the bottom, he quickly found a passage and swam forward.
However, these underwater passages weren't straight; they twisted and turned, with varying depths. Trying to rush through would likely result in collisions and scrapes.
Using brute force wasn't an option, so he had to focus on sensing the water flow's direction and speed while simultaneously managing his internal breathing and resisting foreign bodies. It was challenging from the start.
At that moment, He Xiaoxing stood above, his feet moving. If someone could see Chen Chuan below, they would notice He Xiaoxing constantly moving above him, never too far away.
He Xiaoxing extended his hand, and Chang Ba quickly handed him a metal marker with a rope attached. He tossed it into one pit, and as it sank, he threw another into a nearby pit.
Chen Chuan felt he had passed through one passage, but he couldn't directly see the pit leading to the surface from below. It was just a passage heading upwards.
He searched around, and his hand touched a rope, which led him to a metal object. He was certain and also realized that the marker served as a guide, indicating the presence of a pit above. It reduced the danger somewhat.
He didn't need to take the marker with him, so he tugged the rope twice to signal that he had found it. Then, he swam towards another passage.
The most dangerous part of navigating these passages was the uncertainty of their length. If he ran out of energy midway or his internal breathing became chaotic, problems could arise, requiring him to stay highly alert and remember the path he had taken.
Generally, it was easy to lose one's sense of direction in such dark places. However, the markers had raised numbers on them, so touching them would give an idea of whether they had been encountered before.
Additionally, the influence of the alienating organization seemed to give Chen Chuan an uncanny intuition. He could sense, without conscious thought, whether he had been in a particular place before, relying solely on his body's memory.
Next, he consecutively located several markers, and at this moment, he had completely lost his sense of time, only knowing to keep swimming and heading towards the next location.
After touching another marker, he suddenly felt vibrations coming from the rope, indicating it was time to ascend. He followed the rope upwards, and when he saw the light above, he kicked off the surface, breaking through the water, and with a push against the abyss pit's edge, he sat there.
He wiped his face, taking a moment to catch his breath, before dragging his heavy body to stand up and breathing in the fresh air outside.
At this moment, he felt the vastness of the world like never before, a feeling of immense relief.
He Xiaoxing waited until Chen Chuan had recovered a little before speaking, "One hour and seven minutes. You exceeded by seven minutes, and in total, you touched four markers. It's barely a pass. Rest for a while, and we'll do it again in half an hour."
Chen Chuan took a deep breath and nodded. This time, he also relied on his second self, purely on his own transformed organs. He wanted to train himself to the fullest, but even so, he had met He Xiaoxing's minimum requirements. It was evident that even his own body had become robust.
Half an hour later, he jumped into the abyss pit once more. This time, he did better, obtaining two more markers, and he emerged within an hour.
With time to spare, he rested for another half an hour before attempting it for the third time. However, this attempt didn't go as well as the second, and he only obtained four markers, the same as the first try.
This indicated that his condition was declining, and the training effect was diminishing.
He Xiaoxing decisively stopped and said, "Within three days, you must obtain twelve markers within an hour. If you can do that, we'll proceed to the final stage of training. Let's stop here for today. Go back, use medicine to heal your injuries, and don't overtrain. Take a good rest, and we'll continue tomorrow."
Chang Ba heaved a sigh of relief. He had been circling above, feeling more anxious than when he was below. At this moment, his attitude towards Chen Chuan had changed significantly. He said, "Little Brother Chen, take a break. I'll go and open the car."
After saying this, he ran out, and soon, the car arrived. Chen Chuan took off his dive suit and changed into his previous attire. Once in the car, he leaned against the soft cushion.
To be honest, he was extremely tired, a long-forgotten fatigue, but he also felt fulfilled.
He felt like he had returned to the time when he knew nothing and was just starting to learn martial arts from Yu Gang. There was a sense of novelty and urgency, just like the beginning.
Back then, he needed to pass the second-round exam, and now, he faced pressure from the Mutual Aid Society. Although the goals were different, they were undoubtedly linked to his future and fate, and he had to create these opportunities himself.
After returning to the inn, he took a shower and checked on his second self. He noticed numerous signs of fading, mostly concentrated within the body.
This indicated significant damage, but he didn't remove it, as this was the key to over-recovery. Naturally, rest would heal the injuries, and any lingering internal injuries would be endured by the second self.
Afterward, he took some medication to aid his body's recovery. Following He Xiaoxing's instructions, he didn't overtrain but instead did some light exercises, practicing his sword techniques and barehanded combat to keep his body's memory sharp.
By the time he finished, it was dark outside. He sat down in a chair and turned on the radio on the desk.
Initially, he just wanted to relax, but he soon discovered that many programs were related to Lorea Ancient City, and some even discussed past events, both true and false.
He felt like he had discovered a treasure trove and listened intently until around nine o'clock before turning off the radio and going to bed.
The night passed, and a new day arrived.
Chen Chuan opened his eyes, and in the dim light, he checked the time—exactly four o'clock.
He felt like he had just closed his eyes moments ago. Even in the past, he rarely slept so deeply, indicating that he was indeed exhausted yesterday.
He felt fully recovered, his spirit rejuvenated. He checked his second self, and the signs of fading had nearly disappeared.
This meant that after a night's rest, his injuries had healed.
He got up from the bed, washed up, ate a NutriCream, and carried his belongings out. At the door, he saw Chang Ba had already parked the car and waved at him, "Little Brother Chen, good morning. Get in the car."
Chen Chuan greeted him back and got into the car. The town was still quiet at four in the morning, and the car lights illuminated the road ahead as they drove up the mountain. After picking up He Xiaoxing, the car turned downhill, arriving at the same abyss pit as the day before.
However, this time, the car didn't stop but continued driving forward.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
