C130-2: Failing To Be Ruthless

For the second time in his life, Han Xuhan experienced what it felt like to fly; and once more, he realized that it was not a good feeling.

The sea waves this time were ten times more intense compared to the first one which had given him a sore back barely half an hour ago. To make matters worse, this round of the routine disasters contained not only giant waves, but also columns of water that shot out of the waves like dragons, their speed so fast that he couldn't even react to the sight of one hitting him square in the face.

Lifted off his feet, Han Xuhan was dragged up with the column of water, back toward the Sunrider Sect where the ghastly tribulation clouds of a ghost cultivator awaited his return patiently.

For the second time, he crashed into the peripheral wall, this time from the opposite direction, his ribs letting out audible protests to the abuse.

Glancing back, Han Xuhan saw the water level showing no signs of ebbing away, rather the opposite. The three-meter-high wall was engulfed within mere seconds. His natural instincts that ordered his body not to drown like a lifeless rock kept his body afloat, flailing amidst the gentle waves. Thus with the rising water level, he too slipped on the other side of the wall, falling face first just a dozen yards away from Shangguang Ce.

His meditating friend did not seem aware of the fact that one-third of his body had been already submerged in seawater, a ratio that was about to climb high enough to drown him by the next thirty seconds according to Han Xuhan's estimation.

"Did that girl die on her way to find an elder?" He couldn't help but curse as he got to his feet. From above, seawater spilled on his head continuously. It was hard to think under such circumstances. He could not get out of this maze right now. He could only choose the option containing lesser possibilities of instant death– entering deeper inside the maze, right into the heart of the Sunrider Sect, a nest of ghost cultivators.

But as he took a good look at the second wall, his hopes of getting past it by himself vanished. It was at least seven meters high. The ground he stood on was no longer suitable for running- because at that point he was half floating on the water flooding the space between the two walls.

"Well, at least I can swim. The sea waves have been halted by the peripheral wall for now. If I manage to stay afloat, I'll eventually reach the top of the second wall. . . ."

Han Xuhan's self consolation trailed off as his eyes caught Shangguang Ce's body, which was now neck deep in water. His tribulation clouds neither receded nor attacked. Perhaps it was going to be a lengthy breakthrough, if he survived the tournament's routine disaster this time.

"I should be more worried about myself," Xuhan muttered, trying to focus on the fact that he'd have to swim desperately once the water level rose beyond the first wall. He had enough on his own plate without the responsibility of someone else's life; someone who probably did not even have good intentions toward him.

The water level rose to Shangguang Ce's mouth five seconds later. Han Xuhan forcibly tore off his gaze from the sight, trying to drown out the hesitant voice of protest in a tiny corner of his heart.

The water level rose past his nose. Shangguang Ce visibly shuddered, the red lightning above pulsed as if mirroring his struggle.

With a long, deep breath, Han Xuhan concentrated hard, trying to execute a particularly complicated qi formation inside his body while standing up. Three seconds later, Zhanxian, Tun Shi Tian, and little Zhe leapt out from his back and fell into the water, screaming partly in fear and partly from excitement. Han Xuhan decided to ignore the former of the two apparent emotions from his minions.

"We need to get past that wall," he said in a dull tone.

The three minions exchanged brief looks and exploded into motion.

Tun Shi Tian flew up on top of the second wall. Zhanxian grabbed little Zhe by the tail and threw it at the owl who caught the snake in a single swoop. As a 'cultivator' at the first layer of physique transformation realm', Tun Shi Tian was considerably strong; and it showed as he confidently used little Zhe's body like a rope for someone to latch on to.

Han Xuhan grabbed Zhanxian and threw the skeleton at little Zhe's hanging body. He wasn't sure whether Tun Shi Tian would be able to drag Shangguang Ce up, or whether little Zhe's body would be durable enough to bear his weight.

In the end, he had failed to follow the code of a ideal xianxia character who would survive for more than a few arcs. He could neither be ruthless to himself, nor had he the heart to watch a stranger die when he could attempt to save him. It was almost laughable. He, a character proficient on the dao of meta, was about to fail the golden rule of 'ruthlessness'.

"This better fucking pay off. No-fuck, I'll MAKE this little stunt pay off," he muttered as he half-walked, half-swum to the fully submerged body of his new 'friend'.