Chapter 171: The Perilous Realm
Chapter 171: The Perilous Realm
Although Chen Chuan couldn't see clearly, he could sense the changes in the water flow, indicating a long, shuttle-like object of considerable size.
With a swift movement of his waist, he sidestepped in a split second, raising his hand to deflect an extremely hard and incredibly fast object, diverting its trajectory.
However, being underwater, he had no firm footing, and the force carried by the object also propelled him, forcing him to flip his body to dissipate the energy.
Through the sensation in his hands, he realized he had encountered the same hardhead carp he had eaten earlier, but much larger, at least a meter in length.
This wasn't surprising, as Chang Ba had caught it nearby, suggesting a high concentration of this fish in the area.
And it seemed there were too many of them.
Soon, he noticed through the changing water flow that one hardhead carp after another was continuously approaching, each carrying immense force, like blunt arrows being shot. If their heads were sharper, they might even rival real crossbow bolts.
At this point, it was impossible to block them with his hands; he could only protect his head and face. Using the altered tissue in his muscles, he contracted and then repelled them, or shifted his body to divert their attacks.
However, this meant that some of the altered tissue couldn't participate in internal respiration, especially during intense movements, increasing his energy expenditure. In a short while, he felt more exhausted than after swimming a full circle.
These fish weren't intentionally attacking him; he had simply crossed their path. The first one he encountered was probably the leader, with the rest following its lead.
He just needed to find a way out of this area to avoid the school of fish.
He carefully sensed the water flow changes and moved towards areas where the currents weren't as intense.
During this process, he remained cautious, recalling Chang Ba's warning about the occasional presence of hardhead carps with exceptionally sharp heads within the school. If one of them suddenly struck, it could potentially pierce through its prey.
By making the right choices, he managed to deviate from the fish's path. Instead of rushing, he took the opportunity to adjust his internal respiration and recover.
Once the water currents calmed, he swam forward again.
But soon, a new problem arose.
He encountered another type of fish he had eaten before, the so-called 'piranha' by Chang Ba. These fish were annoying, small in size but incredibly agile, darting in from the sides or back to take a bite.
Fortunately, his diving suit, a product of Central City's technology, prevented any bites, and whenever he felt them, the muscles in that area would swell, repelling the fish.
Initially, he thought he could avoid this school of fish as he had done with the hardhead carps, but soon realized they seemed to have singled him out. Instead of dispersing, more and more of them gathered around him.
Acting decisively, he expelled the toxins that hadn't been metabolized from his body through his skin. This proved effective, as most of the fish actively avoided him, although a few still ventured close.
Considering this, he contemplated consuming more of these fish on his next dive.
Taking advantage of the ongoing toxin expulsion, he swam out of the area at a faster pace.
After understanding the fish's attack methods, he believed he could defeat them with his bare hands, but this would only exhaust him without any real benefit. There were other fish in the water, so avoidance was the best strategy.
Given the complexity of the situation, he slowed down as he descended. However, this slight reduction in speed immediately created a problem.
As he swam through a certain area, he felt something wrap around him, blending seamlessly with the water flow. It was impossible to detect until it was too late, and by the time he realized, it had already entangled him.
He could sense it was something like aquatic grass, long and tough, with serrated edges that could potentially slice through flesh and blood if he struggled too forcefully.
Once entangled, the grass slowly tightened its grip, and more strands began to wrap around him.
The situation was critical; if he couldn't escape quickly, there might be no way out.
Trying to tear it apart was futile due to its resilience. Even if he stretched his limbs to their limits, he might not be able to break free, and his strength was limited underwater.
He remained calm, facing this crisis with the aid of internal respiration. His body gradually inflated, and the altered tissue in his legs, waist, and arms slowly tensed and expanded.
When he reached his limit, he exhaled sharply, simultaneously contracting his body. In that instant, the muscles in all parts of his body contracted inward in a powerful motion!
A gap appeared between him and the entangled aquatic grass, and he seized the opportunity. His limbs swiftly withdrew from the ensnaring vines, and he grabbed the grass around his waist, tightened his abdomen, and lifted his body upwards with a powerful thrust, freeing himself from the entanglement.
He kicked his legs, propelling himself forward rapidly, leaving behind a trail of disturbed water. The entangled vines tried to retract, but they had missed, and after a while, they slowly retreated.
Chen Chuan now understood that swimming too fast or too slow was not an option here. So, he maintained a steady pace while staying vigilant, carefully observing his surroundings.
As he continued his journey, he encountered various fish, but managed to evade or shake them off. After a while, he finally found the first marker.
Although the conditions were far worse than before, the situation was different and couldn't be generalized.
He could sense that this part of the training was more about testing his ability to handle complex environments, and the skills and capabilities he had acquired could be put to use here.
After swimming a bit further, a narrow pit appeared to his side, and he became cautious. Indeed, as he approached, a torrent of water rushed towards him.
Prepared, he tried to stick to the nearby wall, but as soon as he got there, he suddenly sensed something amiss. The altered tissue within his body stirred, and he rolled sideways underwater. Just as he dodged, something seemed to snap shut, creating a surge of water pressure that pushed him away.
He waited for a moment, and the thing remained still. Although he couldn't see it, he sensed it was like a mussel, lying in wait for its prey. It was an almost impossible defense to overcome.
Chen Chuan paused here, estimating that he was not far from the one-hour mark. It was time to find a way out.
He contemplated whether to continue forward or retreat to his original position. He had come here for training, and if he sought an easy way out, there was no point in staying. So, he decided to press on.
Even if he encountered something particularly dangerous, his second self would be there to handle most of the threats.
After about ten minutes, while searching for an exit, he found the second marker. However, there was no rope attached, likely severed by some creature.
He didn't need to hold it; he only needed to touch it to know the number. Even if he didn't know, it didn't matter. He was here to improve himself, not to prove anything to anyone. Deceiving himself was pointless.
He assessed the water current and swam towards it. After turning a narrow passage, he spotted the light shining above him. He swam faster towards it.
As he swam, he noticed numerous piranhas swimming nearby. Without hesitation, he clapped his hands, and with each strike, he sent several piranhas flying out of the water. Finally, he leaped out, breaking the water's surface. As he emerged, he heard Chang Ba's voice.
"Brother Chen, you're out!"
Chen Chuan was in a larger pit, and he swam to the shore, climbing out. He wiped his face and looked up at the dazzling sunlight, letting out a sigh of relief. Although his dive wasn't long, the dangers he faced were no less intense, all of which he had never encountered before.
Moreover, the area he swam through was only a part of the complex underwater world, and he might not have encountered the most challenging situations yet.
Chang Ba, upon seeing Chen Chuan, immediately collected the fish he had clapped out of the water, placing them in lead buckets. "Wow, they're so fat!" He stood up and gave Chen Chuan a thumbs up. "Brother Chen, you're amazing! You lasted almost an hour down there."
Although Chen Chuan didn't touch many markers, surviving and swimming through this underwater world for an hour was an impressive feat.
Before this, other young fighters had attempted the challenge, but they had all descended with safety ropes. Even with that, they couldn't last long, and when they emerged, they were all shaken, unwilling to try again.
He Xiaoxing spoke up, "I won't set limits for you in this stage. You set your goals and determine how far you can go."
Chen Chuan pondered. Before his descent, he thought his previous achievements would suffice, even if time was limited. But after experiencing the challenges below, he felt he still had room for improvement.
This time, he managed to emerge, but it didn't guarantee future success. Although his chances of survival with his second self had increased, it contradicted his initial goal of self-improvement. It was better to consolidate his foundation first and then return to validate his progress.
Chen Chuan looked up, "Teacher He, I want to continue my previous training and strengthen myself further."
He Xiaoxing replied, "Building a strong foundation is crucial, and it's easier to construct upon it. Since it's your choice, follow through with it."
Chen Chuan nodded, turning to see Chang Ba happily carrying several fish. "Brother Chang, it seems I'll be troubling you for a while longer."
Chang Ba smiled, "No trouble at all! If you come here again, just catch me some more fish as a thank you. I'll be waiting for you, but don't miss this opportunity!"
Chen Chuan smiled, "It shouldn't take long."
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(End of Chapter)
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