At the edge of the cliff, Xiao Xi was desperately holding onto Ah Jun, gasping for breath as she dragged her brother through the water. Just moments before their fall, Ah Jun had collapsed from exhaustion combined with the effects of gravitys sudden impact, causing his internal energy to collapse and leaving him unconscious.
Xiao Xi had been desperately trying to reach the surface, but just as he was about to hit the water, Ah Jun grabbed his hand ——. Normally, their brief plunge from such a height would have been safe with Xiao Xi present. However, the children had fallen into a sudden natural whirlpool—a massive whirlpool that had appeared out of nowhere.
So, Xiao Xi had to cling to her brother and fight against the vortex... Gradually, there was a slight turnaround —— However, at that time, Ah Jun was unconscious, and the situation became more difficult. His face turned pale and his lips began to turn purple...
Xiao Xi also quickly noticed this, and then he did not hesitate to give up resistance and choose to help his brother stabilize the state, even if it was for a while, this was his mothers request, but also his own determination.
Xiao Xis master once remarked that while his disciple possessed exceptional talent and was a natural fit for martial arts, he lacked focus and had not mastered the craft thoroughly. The secret techniques of their Duanmu clan—Jinglin, which Xiao Xi plans to employ—can not only enhance physical strength, resilience, and endurance through energy storage conversion, but also transmit this power to teammates as a supplementary source. Its like a portable power bank: you dont need it constantly, but its always good to have on hand.
Of course, for Xiao Xi, he is not very proficient in this secret technique. Even the first success is mostly due to luck. If you want the best effect, you need more skills and training.
However, in the face of the current situation, he could not think more—— so, Xiao Xi had to start the impatiens seal again... Then, she saw the golden light, without rhythm, flickering in the river.
After a brief attempt, the first try failed due to improper techniques... The second attempt was slightly better, but it only caused her some ——. Subsequent attempts still didnt succeed, with one even worsening Ah Juns discomfort. Xiao Xi realized she truly followed her masters advice, regretting her previous recklessness.
As time ticked by, Xiao Xi grew increasingly anxious. Ah Juns condition continued to deteriorate —— yet her own efforts kept failing. But often, the more desperate you become, the worse things get. Suddenly, a memory surfaced in Xiao Xis mind.
This is an allegorical tale... Once upon a time, a man was chased by a tiger and found himself cornered on a cliff with no escape. As he climbed up the vines, he encountered another threat: a mouse. He glanced down at the tiger waiting for its meal at the cliffs edge, then looked up at the mouse still gnawing at the vines. Trapped between two options, his anxiety made him lose his grip. But the more anxious he became, the less in control he felt. Just then, he spotted clusters of shiny strawberries nearby—sweet treats that seemed irresistible. "Forget it," he thought, "Im thirsty." He kept eating one after another until his tension eased. By the time he remembered the danger, both the tiger and the mouse had already fled.
This was a warning from his master. Xiao Xi began to calm down, reflect, and gather his strength. He saw the light on his forehead become stable and breathe evenly. Then, Xiao Xi followed his masters instructions again and activated the secret technique. Finally, it worked!
As the force intensified, Ah Juns complexion gradually brightened. They seemed to have escaped the vortexs grip and found themselves in a tranquil stretch of water—— indicating safety. Xiao Xi mustered all her strength, leading her brother toward the surface with what she believed was proficient swimming skills... Yet reality proved harsh—they kept sinking beneath the waves.
At this critical moment, Xiao Xi, who had always been a natural swimmer, froze in confusion. He felt utterly powerless as the seemingly simple task of swimming became an impossible challenge here. Two children kept sinking until they hit the riverbed——, yet Xiao Xi was still desperately trying to use every trick in the book to free himself and his brother from this predicament—a doomed effort that would inevitably fail.
At this point, Xiao Xi, who had been able to hold her breath exceptionally well and moved like a fish in water, was also at a loss. As she watched her breath about to fail, Xiao Xi kept thinking about the latest game while devising a plan, but steam began to rise from her head.
Just as he needed to take a breath, he noticed something strange... His brother Ah Jun was still breathing smoothly with an increasingly healthy complexion, occasionally exhaling small bubbles from his nose. At this critical moment, Xiao Xi couldnt hold back any longer and decided to test his hypothesis. He exhaled the stale air from his lungs and tentatively took a breath. —— Oh? This was truly a miracle! Xiao Xi realized he could actually breathe underwater!
At the same time, Ah Jun seemed to be woken up by Xiao Xis cheers. He was squinting his eyes and looking at him for no reason, asking what happened —— How can you talk in the water?
Xiao Xi shared their experience and insights with her brother ——A Jun immediately understood. He checked the bracelets location, confirming his suspicions: they had crossed ordinary surface waters and been swept by vortex forces to the riverbed beneath the cliff. The environment now surrounded them was filled with special water substance ——weak water. While it offered resistance similar to regular water, its sensory properties were indistinguishable from air. This liquid also possessed unknown unique functions—it could be consumed like plain water to replenish energy, though hygiene concerns remained.
After understanding the situation, Ah Jun began to eat snacks to recover his strength with confidence. His third brother ate a little along with it and drank weak water —— Xiao Xi also liked the special food made by Ah Juns sister, but she had to save it for her brother as a supply.
After a brief feast, the two children embarked on an extended exploration. As dusk fell and dinner approached, Xiao Xi carefully supported her brother who had just regained consciousness. Guided by the signals from their wristbands, they clung to the cliffs edge, struggling against the force of the Ruo Rivers current to find a way out.
But reality proved challenging. The gentle stream occasionally stirred up whirlpools to playfully frighten the children, though these were harmless—like gentle breezes caressing their cheeks. Yet some took them seriously: the massive whirlpool that had appeared earlier was clearly an unfriendly presence. Of course, as long as the children stayed out of its path or followed its path carefully, they wouldnt face any real danger.
The resistance forced the children to slow their pace, forcing them to conserve energy as they cautiously felt their way forward. As darkness deepened, the dim light in the water failed to comfort them. Fortunately, Ah Juns charisma drew several lampfish from the Xenobranchidae family to their side, bringing renewed illumination. Yet the brothers faced dual challenges: they needed light while simultaneously addressing their ravenous hunger – their most critical need, given the difficulty of setting up a camping tent in such conditions.
They just walked and looked, while Xiao Xi stared at the fish around them and swallowed. Of course, he knew he shouldnt do that, but because he was hungry, his imagination suddenly became a little unreasonable.
Just as the two of them thought they had to stay out all night on empty stomachs, Ah Jun noticed a glimmer of light on the other side, not far away, like a glimmer of hope. So they supported each other and worked together to reach the place where the mirage was.
—— The navigation is over, and we have reached our destination...
After a moment, the wristband signaled that the children had reached ——, but they kept moving forward, noticing nothing. Just as they thought the light might have been an illusion, suddenly Ah Jun and Xiao Xi both felt their bodies become noticeably lighter... Hmm? Wheres the resistance? Did the weak water just vanish?
Well, the childrens hard work paid off. They finally found a place to take refuge in, an unfamiliar but friendly island hidden in the Ruo River, Taohua Yuan, a beautiful, special and clean place like a paradise.