12 Chapter 11
TAP-!
TAP-!
TAP-!
The icy rain pelted down mercilessly, drenching Ji Wuye's martial robes and weighing heavily on his head, causing waves of dizziness to wash over him.
He squeezed his eyes shut briefly against the stinging droplets before glancing down at the ground, now thoroughly soaked and peppered with rapidly spreading puddles.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ji Wuye sprung to his feet and bounded towards a crumbling stone pillar nearby.
The rain lashed at his face as he moved, his wet clothes clinging uncomfortably to his skin. With feline grace, he leapt up and scrabbled for purchase on the pillar's rough surface before pulling himself up to perch atop it like a great bird of prey.
Below him, the shallow puddles across the platform grew and merged, the intensifying rainfall causing the water level to steadily rise. Ji Wuye could hear the constant pounding drumbeat of droplets hitting the accumulating pools.
"This height should be sufficient," he murmured to himself, his voice nearly drowned out by the deluge.
Carefully, he settled into a cross-legged seated position and closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration as he focused on gathering Qi to fill the depleted reserves in his Lower Dantians.
The steady thrum of the rain faded into the background as Ji Wuye's awareness turned inward during his meditation.
After what felt like an endless downpour lasting three arduous minutes, his eyes fluttered open to find the entire arena platform had transformed into a swirling vortex - the gaps between the scattered stone debris sealed up in a inexplicable manner, allowing the water nowhere to drain.
[!] Only 12 minutes remaining!
Even as he watched, the water rose higher, now lapping at the hem of his sodden martial robe atop the submerged pillar over a zhang in height.
'Only 12 minutes...' he muttered grimly under his breath, pivoting his focus to rapidly assess the restored Qi levels within his Dantian. A grim smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "It should be more than enough."
No sooner had he confirmed his abundant inner reserves than the floodwaters surged upwards again, this time threatening to engulf his seated position entirely.
Rather than succumb to the rising tide, Ji Wuye smoothly transitioned into a graceful breaststroke, kicking his powerful legs to propel himself upwards as his arms sliced through the deluge, keeping his head above the frothing surface.
...
[!] Only 1 minutes remaining!
The transparent screen seemed to mock him from all sides as Ji Wuye bobbed weightlessly, effortlessly treading water now that the bizarre waters had risen to submerge the entire arena under a seemingly endless ocean.
All around him, a featureless white void pressed in from the horizon.
"It's quite simple..." he gasped out between strokes, his breath sending ripples across the gently undulating surface that now extended in every direction beyond the limits of his vision.
With only 60 seconds remaining on the countdown, Ji Wuye felt a surge of renewed vigor coursing through his limbs, amplified by the plentiful Qi he had carefully gathered.
A rueful chuckle escaped his lips as he reflected in the previous timeline stubborn actions.
'Tsk...tsk...tsk. What a fool I was,' he shook his head in chagrin, sending droplets flying in an arc through the air.
Back then, instead of surrendering to the natural flow of rising waters, he had clung obstinately to the arena floor in a wasted effort, hoarding his Qi while sitting rigidly in meditation.
He had labored under the misguided belief that survival hinged solely on his ability to hold his breath.
[!] Congratulations, Climber Ji Wuye, on successfully surviving the second elemental test!
[!] The third test will commence immediately with the Wind Element!
[!] Your objective: Survive for 15 minutes. Good luck!
As the a new transparent screen appeared announced the transition to the next trial, the vast oceanic expanse vanished in an instant - the waters that had risen ten times higher than the arena simply blinking out of existence.
Ji Wuye felt his stomach lurch as he plummeted back towards the unyielding stone surface far below, the sudden absence of liquid buoyancy turning his leisurely float into a screaming freefall.
A massive column of condensed air slammed into Ji Wuye's plunging body with incredible force, the shockwave stinging his exposed skin like a thousand needles as he instinctively channeled his Qi to form a protective cocoon around himself.
He barely had time to squint his eyes against the ferocious wind before -
BOOM!
The stone platform buckled and warped violently upon Ji Wuye's impact, chunks of debris and dust exploding outwards as he cratered the unyielding surface.
When the roiling clouds began to settle, his silhouette could be seen amidst the settling particulates, coughing harshly as he expelled the chalky dust from his lungs.
Despite the punishing landing, Ji Wuye emerged from the impact unscathed, his Qi shielding having absorbed the brunt of the blow.
Without wasting a moment, he swiftly seated himself again and closed his eyes, slipping immediately into a meditative trance as he focused his on replenishing his depleted reserves.
The only indication of his intense concentration was the slight crease in his brow as he sensed the first whispers of a change in the wind currents swirling around him.
Ji Wuye's eyes snapped open, and he swiped away the sheen of sweat that had beaded on his forehead during his Qi gathering efforts.
As his senses re-engaged with the physical realm, a deafening howl assaulted his ears - announcing the arrival of another cyclonic maelstrom spiraling towards him with terrifying force.
Leaping nimbly to his feet, Ji Wuye rapidly scanned his barren surroundings, seeking the nearest intact pillar to weathered the oncoming typhoon...
With a white-knuckled grip, Ji Wuye clung to the sturdy stone pillar, peering warily towards the center of the arena where the ominous typhoon was rapidly gaining strength and mass.
In the span of a few breathless heartbeats, the swirling vortex had already grown to gargantuan proportions, its howling winds audible even at this distance.
SWOOOOSH!
An invisible force yanked at Ji Wuye's martial robes as the maelstrom began violently pulling anything in its path towards the chaotic eye of the storm - leaves, debris, and even the very pillar he desperately clung to, causing it to sway treacherously from side to side.
"Just stay still for a moment," Ji Wuye muttered through gritted teeth, his body glowing faintly as he enveloped himself in a sheath of reinforcing Qi.
His Qi-infused hands locked in a death grip around the pillar's circumference, straining to hold it steady against the tremendous suction.
SWOOOOOSH!
Smaller chunks of rubble became the first victims, whipped up into a blinding cyclone as they were inexorably drawn towards the vortex's core to join the ever-increasing maelstrom of debris.
At this point, Ji Wuye could barely make out the indistinct center - the sheer force of the winds and the densely packed particulate matter stung his squinting eyes, making it impossible to look directly into the heart of the storm.
BOOOOM!
A few harrowing moments later, the gigantic typhoon's overwhelming power proved too much for even Ji Wuye's enhanced strength.
With a despairing cry, he felt the solid anchor of the pillar abruptly torn from his grasp, leaving him devastatingly defenseless and fully exposed to the raging forces of the tempest.
[!] Your passive skill, Quick Adaptation(F), has been triggered!
Ji Wuye's eyes blazed crimson as the skill activated, his senses heightening as his perception expanded in an almost supernatural manner.
He planted his feet firmly into the trembling ground, bracing himself as his expanded field of view sharpened - allowing him to track the shadows of incoming projectiles emerging from the swirling chaos to arc unerringly towards his position.
'Dodging this would result in a severe hit to my right shoulder...' he swiftly analyzed the trajectory of a particularly large chunk of masonry whistling straight for his head.
Shifting his stance to evade would undoubtedly open another blind spot, leaving him vulnerable...
In the end, there was only one clear course of action.
BANG!
[>>[QUICK ADAPTATION(F)]<<]< p>
The proficiency of your passive skill has been increased by 0.01%!
With almost contemptuous ease, Ji Wuye's fist lashed out, pulverizing the oncoming palm-sized projectile with a precisely channeled burst of Qi before it could make impact.
His enhanced senses had already locked onto the next threat - a massive boulder tumbling through the air behind the shattered debris.
SWOOOOOSH!
[>>[QUICK ADAPTATION(F)]<<]< p>
The proficiency of your passive skill has been increased by 0.01%!
Ji Wuye twisted his body with boneless fluidity, his martial robes billowing as he attempted to sidestep the incoming mass of stone. But the raging winds proved too strong, the unrelenting cyclone pulling mercilessly at his anchored stance.
'I'm not going to make it!' He grunted in frustration, digging in his heels as he poured more Qi into reinforcing his root against the powerful suction forces. Even so, he could feel himself being inexorably drawn towards the vortex's turbulent embrace.
The deafening roar of the tempest drowned out all other sounds, filling his senses until the howling winds seemed to reverberate in his very bones. One careless slip, and he would be consumed by the storm's chaotic abyss within moments.
'Calm down...' Ji Wuye fought to remain centered, his mind racing furiously for a solution as the undertow steadily dragged him across the trembling ground. "What can I use now..."
His eyes frantically scanned his rapidly diminishing surroundings until they alighted on the solitary stone benches - still miraculously anchored firmly to the platform despite the ferocious winds.
It was a longshot, but his only chance. Gritting his teeth, Ji Wuye gathered every last mote of Qi and poured it into an explosive burst of speed and strength, desperately propelling himself forward as his body strained against the pull.
His fingertips brushed against the rough stone surface of the bench, and he released an anguished cry as he locked on with every ounce of remaining tenacity.
For a breathless, eternal moment, it seemed as though it wouldn't be enough - his body felt like it was being torn apart by the tug-of-war between the bench's steadfast bulk and the storm's insatiable hunger.
Then, slowly but surely, Ji Wuye managed to haul himself precious inches further out of the vortex's gravitational clutches.
With a boneless collapse against the reassuring solidity of the bench, he gasped hungrily for air, greedily filling his burning lungs.
[!] Congratulations, Climber Ji Wuye, on successfully surviving the third elemental test!
[!] The last test will commence immediately with the Earth Element!
[!] Your objective: Survive for 15 minutes. Good luck!
'Phew...' Ji Wuye sighed in relief, feeling his thunderous heartbeat gradually slowing in his ears as the roaring winds died down to an eerie stillness.
As the adrenaline ebbed, he leaned heavily against the unyielding stone bench...only for a pained groan to escape his clenched jaw.
...
A/N
*Zhang (掌) - A unit of length equivalent to the width of the hand, about 10 cm. Used for very short measurements.
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