Mount Hua Reincarnation - Chapter 4: The Underwater Cave

Chapter 4: The Underwater Cave

Liu Zhengmu regularly attended scheduled meetings.

“I’ll probably be back after a while. Take care.”

“Safe travels, Master.”

Zhou Xuchuan respectfully bid farewell to Liu Zhengmu.

‘Good, today is the day.’

Four days should be enough.

He knew not only the location of the underwater cave but also where the Water Spirit Fruit grew.

It might be a bit tiring, but instead of four days, he could return to the Mount Hua Sect in just three.

After Liu Zhengmu descended the mountain, Zhou Xuchuan secretly left Mount Hua Sect precisely two hours later.

‘Thanks to the secular disciples, especially those kids, sneaking out like this isn’t too hard.’

The secular disciples were mostly children of wealthy merchants or precious sons of high-ranking officials.

Among them, the younger children often lacked patience and felt suffocated by communal living and strict discipline.

They would always look for opportunities to play hooky or escape, and the most common method was digging a hole under an old wall in a remote part of the Mount Hua Sect to sneak out.

Through this hole, they would typically go out to drink, meet women, and engage in other deviant activities before returning.

This secret passage was well known to the Mount Hua Sect, but they turned a blind eye to it.

After all, the secular disciples usually completed their training and left the mountain in about a year or at most three years.

It was more troublesome to provoke unnecessary resentment and issues by not tolerating such activities, especially if the disciple was of high status or had paid a substantial fee.

Thus, the passage was left alone, though high-ranking guards were secretly stationed nearby to monitor for any potential external threats.

In essence, everyone except the participants knew about this openly secret passage within the sect.

The main disciples also used this passage, but not as frequently.

Unlike the relatively free secular disciples, the main disciples were more cautious of their masters’ scrutiny.

Such days as today were not common for Zhou Xuchuan.

It happens maybe once a year.

There are still five years left, but there is no time to waste.

He must seize every opportunity.

Regarding the morning routine, there’s no need to worry about the Luoya Hell.

Initially, during the early stages, whether someone skipped it or not was closely monitored, but as it became routine over a year, it was not paid much attention to.

With so many disciples passing through Luoya Hell to the training hall each day, it was impossible to keep track of everyone.

Close monitoring was only for the very young and the newly initiated.

***

Zhou Xuchuan descended the mountain through a secret passage along with a few secular disciples, trying to remain inconspicuous.

Many key figures, including Liu Zhengmu, attended the regular meeting, resulting in numerous disciples sneaking out.

This allowed Zhou Xuchuan to avoid detection by the nearby high-ranking guards.

He carried only essentials like the fasting pills and a small amount of pocket money saved from childhood.

“Ah, how long has it been!” exclaimed Zhou Xuchuan, laughing brightly and taking a deep breath upon descending the mountain.

It was the first time in a while that he breathed the air outside Mount Hua.

Before his reincarnation, as a Mount Hua elder, he rarely had business to leave the mountain.

After returning, he was not allowed to leave, so he had never even been near the main gate.

“It’s cold,” he exhaled, seeing his breath in the air.

Turning around, he saw the winter plum trees.

“Ugh, to swim in this cold.”

Zhou Xuchuan shivered at the thought.

It was winter, the worst possible time.

After adjusting his cold-resistant clothing and rechecking his money and items, Zhou Xuchuan used light body technique towards the north where the Huayin was located.

‘Shadow Fragrance Leap!’

Besides the Plum Blossom Fist and Qi Method, Zhou Xuchuan secretly practiced other martial arts to avoid detection, including the Shadow Fragrance Leap, a renowned light body technique of Mount Hua.

Normally, disciples would learn it at around 13 or 14 years of age, but age was irrelevant for Zhou Xuchuan now.

He already knew the entire martial arts of Mount Hua, including the exclusive Violet Mist Divine Cultivation Method reserved for the sect leader.

It took a whole day to reach Huayin.

“Damn it,” he gasped.

While skilled in light body technique, unfortunately, it consumed more internal energy than swordsmanship or footwork.

Zhou Xuchuan had the most internal energy among his peers, but it wasn’t enough to use light body technique all day long.

Exhausted but time-constrained, he didn’t stop.

He arrived within the expected time frame.

“At least I didn’t encounter any bandits.”

Shaanxi, being the base of both Mount Hua and Zhongnan Sects, had relatively good public order.

But it wasn’t perfect; bandits and thieves still existed, so he disguised himself to appear destitute.

He could handle up to five attackers alone, but more would be challenging due to limited strength and internal energy.

Thus, this venture was somewhat of a gamble for Zhou Xuchuan.

Upon reaching Huayin, he took a short rest, bought food from the market, and quickly left the village to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Being underestimated as a child and becoming a target for thieves would just waste his energy, and eating at an inn was risky.

“Being young has its disadvantages.”

“I need to grow up urgently.”

“Let’s start with a warm-up.”

The destination wasn’t hard to find.

The path to the underwater cave was in a secluded area, easy to remember and not complex.

“Ah, I really don’t want to go in.”

One didn’t need to master swimming techniques to reach the cave; diving was enough.

While ordinary people might suffocate, martial artists with enhanced heart and lungs capabilities were an exception, even children.

The cave remained undiscovered for so long because it was in such a remote area that no martial artist would randomly dive into the cave unless out of their mind.

Twenty years later, a rogue discovered the cave only by falling into the river injured and, by luck, drifting into it.

“One, two. One, two.”

After warming up, Zhou Xuchuan took out his belongings and hid them nearby.

Although unlikely for anyone to come this far, wild animals might take them, so he buried them in a pit and covered it with soil.

“Hope I don’t freeze to death!”

Splash!

Zhou Xuchuan dove into the river.

The water surged up and then settled.

‘Damn it!’

He couldn’t help cursing as soon as he submerged.

The cold pierced from his toes to his head, not just chilling but painfully freezing his bones.

It felt like bathing naked in cold water outdoors in winter, then rubbing ice against the skin.

Zhou Xuchuan immediately regretted diving in.

‘I should have prepared mentally more!’

He wanted to turn back right away but resisted the urge.

Turning back would only mean facing the pain twice without any change.

Moreover, he couldn’t dive indefinitely due to physical limits.

A second attempt might be even harder after the initial internal energy expenditure.

‘Get it together, you fool!’

He had a second chance at life but couldn’t shake off his inherent nature.

Even before his reincarnation, he wasn’t a great hero, often resorting to excuses and giving up when things got tough.

‘If this pain can save my master, it’s worth it!

Even if I fall into hell, I’ll save him!’

He opened his eyes wide, gritting his teeth.

The only person he could call family in his life.

The master who saved him, an orphan, taught him martial arts, and loved him, a foolish and stupid disciple, from the beginning to the end.

Remembering Liu Zhengmu’s smile, Zhou Xuchuan pushed forward with his diving.

***

Droplets fell, splashing on the water’s surface.

Bubbling.

The once calm water suddenly started boiling, and a dark shadow swiftly burst from beneath.

“Phew!”

Zhou Xuchuan gasped for air as he emerged from the water.

He inhaled some water, but it didn’t matter.

“Cough, cough!”

He coughed violently, expelling the water and taking deep, refreshing breaths.

Chatter, chatter.

His teeth clattered as he shivered, his complexion pale as a corpse.

“I-I-I almost di-died…”

He stuttered, struggling to form words.

He crawled out of the water, lying on the ground without checking his surroundings, gasping for breath.

Fortunately, he hadn’t lost his way to the underwater cave.

The air wasn’t as scarce as he had thought, and it was bearable.

However, the water was colder than expected.

The coldness was unimaginably dreadful.

“I-I-I could fr-freeze to death.”

To fight off the overwhelming drowsiness, Zhou Xuchuan pinched his cheek and massaged his numb body.

He then immediately began circulating his internal energy to drive out the cold and generate warmth.

Gradually, his senses returned to normal.

“Haa ……”

Zhou Xuchuan unfolded his legs and opened his eyes, which had been tightly shut.

‘So weak!’

He had underestimated the limitations of a child’s body and internal energy.

Enduring was harder than anticipated.

His recollections of a trouble-free visit before his reincarnation had led him to underestimate the challenge.

‘There’s not much time. I need to collect the Water Spirit Fruit and return.’

Still freezing, but not fatally so, Zhou Xuchuan got up and walked through the cave.

Step, step.

His footsteps echoed in the silent cave.

‘Luckily, there’s moss here to lighten the way.’

Though not bright, the dimly glowing moss growing on the rocks provided some light.

Without it, he would have had to feel his way along the cave walls.

He could have enhanced his vision with internal energy, but he needed to conserve it for the return journey.

After about an hour,

The narrow passage widened, enough for two people to walk side by side, and ended in a cavern that could hold a hundred people.

The cavern, like the path before, was filled with moss, its collective glow offering substantial brightness.

“I found it… Huh!”

Zhou Xuchuan was about to celebrate when he abruptly held his breath and covered his mouth with his hand.

‘What the…!’

The place he had arrived was indeed the underwater cave from his memory.

The first thing he noticed was the moss, glowing green and covering the entire cavern.

Then, the massive tree, astonishingly huge, with countless branches tangled and intertwined with the moss, covering the ceiling and walls.

The leaves, unlike those outside, had a unique water-like color.

The tree’s girth suggested it might be a thousand years old.

And the roots, like the branches, covered the entire floor.

Underwater Tree!

A tree that grows in water, remarkable for thriving without sunlight.

It’s exceedingly rare, scarce throughout the Central Plains.

But Zhou Xuchuan’s astonishment wasn’t just because of the tree or the lack of Water Spirit Fruit.

Indeed, he saw the blue fruits mentioned by the rogue twenty years later, rolling on the ground.

But there was one unexpected element.

Something he hadn’t known before his reincarnation.

‘What is that!’

A snake.

Not as large as the Underwater Tree filling the cavern, but still far beyond ordinary size.

At a glance, it seemed to be at least fifteen meters long, an extraordinary length.

Not just its length, but its girth too was impressive, roughly a meter in diameter.

“Spirit Beast!’

Creatures or plants possessing mystical energy and abilities are called spirit creatures. The Underwater Tree is also considered one of these. Plants, in this category, are usually not dangerous unless they are poisonous. However, beasts can be significantly dangerous. Despite being beasts, they are as intelligent as humans and possess considerable strength, enough to threaten even the most skilled martial artists.

‘If it’s that size…’

Zhou Xuchuan, having spent a lot of time alone in his past life, had read many books, including detailed information about spirit creatures.

‘Damn, it must be a spirit beast that’s lived for at least several hundred years.’

Especially snakes are considered extremely dangerous among beasts. Once they become spirit beasts, their speed and strength increase exponentially, and their scales become so tough that they can even deflect sword strikes. The most terrifying aspect is the venom hidden in their fangs.

‘It seems to be sleeping now…’

Until a moment ago, he had cursed the winter hundreds of times. But now, he was grateful for it. Snakes, whether spirit beasts or not, hibernate in winter. This was why he had managed to stay undetected and alive.

‘If I wake it, I die.’

A spirit beast of that caliber would require the combined strength of several peak-level martial artists to defeat. Without a weapon possessing absolute cutting power or the strong Qi of Unrestrained Realm, it’s nearly impossible. In other words, without the martial arts skills from before his reincarnation, confronting this snake would be suicidal.

‘If such a creature existed twenty years later, I would have heard about it. There was no such thing in reality.’

That talkative wanderer would have surely boasted about surviving an encounter with such a snake. But since Zhou Xuchuan had never heard of it, the snake likely wasn’t there twenty years later. Why that was, he didn’t know. It might have been hunted by other spirit beast or recluses, or perhaps it turned into an Imugi.

‘Should I run?’

Spirit beasts are not to be taken lightly. Approaching it could wake it from its slumber, leading to certain death.

‘But it’s a shame to leave now after coming this far.’

He glanced at the Underwater Tree. Underneath the overwhelming tree, he saw the fruit. The fruit tinted with the color of water must be the Water Spirit Fruit. He checked the branches and roots, but it seemed that the only Water Spirit Fruit was the one on the ground.

‘That’s definite.’

He knew well about the Water Spirit Fruit thanks to that rogue’s enthusiastic stories.

‘But…’

Right next to him, the giant snake’s head was deep in slumber. He didn’t dare to approach it.

‘…’

Zhou Xuchuan pondered, weighing whether to retreat or advance. His decision was swift.

He crouched down, hiding his presence, and moved forward slowly, like a turtle.

‘Master!’

He might have another chance next year, but there was no guarantee that the snake wouldn’t be there. If it chooses this place as its nest until he turns fourteen, it’s over. Liu Zhengmu will die as history dictates.

This fear and anxiety gave Zhou Xuchuan the courage he needed.

He approached the Water Spirit Fruit, forgetting even to breathe.

Thump! Thump!

He could usually ignore the sound of his heart, but now it was as loud as thunder.

He moved silently, careful not to alert the snake.

‘I don’t want to regret this later.’

He had already felt regret and resentment in the past and couldn’t forget those feelings.

‘Huh?’

As he moved closer, he could see the Water Spirit Fruit clearly. They were the perfect size to fit in his palm. But there was something different from what he saw from afar.

‘Not one, but two?’

He hadn’t seen the second one earlier due to a slope. But now, he noticed another Water Spirit Fruit.

‘What a stroke of luck!’

He nearly laughed out loud with joy. The wanderer twenty years later had mentioned consuming only one Water Spirit Fruit. Perhaps the other fruit was destroyed later when the snake left.

‘Alright, calm down. Stay calm.’

He bent over and carefully reached for the fruit, making sure not to make any sound or cause it to roll. He successfully secured one Water Spirit Fruit and then carefully placed the other one in his pocket without making a noise.

‘Done!’

He suppressed his laughter and joy and stood up straight. The sleeping snake next to him still hadn’t moved.

Zhou Xuchuan inwardly cheered and turned around. And at that moment, he froze.

Ssssss.

Golden eyes were half-open between the slits, reflecting Zhou Xuchuan’s stunned face.

“ ……”

He forgot to breathe.

No, his thoughts had stopped.

The snake gazed at Zhou Xuchuan with slightly open eyes. There was no malice, no predatory intent. It was emotionless, cold as the water that led to the surface from the depths of the cave.

Something fell on his head.

It was water, not from the snake, but a droplet from the ceiling.

Their eyes met. In those eyes, Zhou Xuchuan saw a nine-year-old child and a sense of complacency and lethargy.

The snake blinked a few times with its half-open eyes, then, seemingly losing interest, turned its head away. Its head was so heavy that the entire cave slightly shook as it lay down.

That was it. Whether the snake had fallen back asleep or was trying to sleep, Zhou Xuchuan didn’t know. He couldn’t see its face.

Frozen like ice, Zhou Xuchuan stood still for a moment before walking again. How much time had passed, he didn’t know. His mind was blank. He couldn’t form a single thought. But he hadn’t let go of the Water Spirit Fruit in his hand.

Zhou Xuchuan returned the way he came. He neither ran nor walked fast. He submerged himself slowly into the water, as if taking a leisurely walk.

His head emerged from the water. He was still a child. Zhou Xuchuan came out to the surface. The sun, which had been high in the sky when he dove, was now setting, painting the sky red. He thought it was beautiful.

Unlike earlier, Zhou Xuchuan quietly climbed onto the land, his face lost in thought, and murmured, “I made it…”

Zhou Xuchuan safely retrieved the Water Spirit Fruit and returned to the Mount Hua Sect before noon on the third day. Liu Zhengmu returned from the meeting at dinner time.

A few days later, Zhou Xuchuan was in deep thought.

‘How do I give this to Master?’

There was nothing like Water Spirit Fruit in the Mount Hua Sect. Its appearance alone was extraordinary. Although it was the size of a normal fruit, its water-like color was unmistakably unusual.

‘Sigh, not hinting that it’s a spirit medicine would be too dangerous.’

Simply consuming spirit medicine isn’t the end. Potent and powerful spirit medicines like Water Spirit Fruit require special care when ingested. If taken without preparation, the sudden influx of energy can cause panic, potentially leading to uncontrollable internal energy and, in the worst case, qi deviation.

‘But… but…’

No matter how he explained it, suspicion was inevitable. To purchase such a spirit medicine would cost at least a thousand gold, and saying he found it on the road was implausible. As a disciple of a righteous sect, he couldn’t claim to have stolen it.

Zhou Xuchuan sighed heavily, unable to decide.

“What’s troubling you?” Liu Zhengmu soon noticed his disciple’s dilemma.

“M-Master!”

“For the past few days, your face has been full of worry. If you can’t solve it alone, sometimes it’s not bad to seek help from others.”

Liu Zhengmu, as always, stroked Zhou Xuchuan’s head.

“Hmm.”

Zhou Xuchuan might look like a child, but inside, he was an old man. Whether in age, experience, or martial arts enlightenment, he was far beyond Liu Zhengmu. Yet, strangely, in front of Liu Zhengmu, he always felt like a real child. And he had always found it difficult to hide anything from Liu Zhengmu.

After his reincarnation, he had blatantly lied to others to avoid unnecessary suspicion and to stay unnoticed, his acting skills convincing everyone but Liu Zhengmu.

‘Even if I arouse suspicion and get interrogated, I can’t help it.’

Zhou Xuchuan swallowed hard, as if making a resolution.

‘To save Master…’

What if the period to take the spirit medicine was only until today? The thought sent chills down his spine. It might be an overreaction, Zhou Xuchuan thought, but the ‘what if’ weighed heavily on his mind.

Gathering his courage, Zhou Xuchuan took out the Water Spirit Fruit.

“Master, would you take this?”

“What is this?”

“A spirit medicine.”

Zhou Xuchuan answered without hesitation.

‘Ha’

He couldn’t help but internally laugh at the absurdity. A nine-year-old child, who had been in agony for days, suddenly produced a spirit medicine and insisted that it be taken. Anyone would find it absurd.

“Huh…”

Liu Zhengmu sighed, his earnest gaze turning to the water-colored fruit in Zhou Xuchuan’s hand.

A moment of silence.

Then Liu Zhengmu broke the silence.