Chapter 144: No Party For A Lone Explorer

The sounds of drums, excited shouts and boorish cheers made it hard to concentrate. Excusing himself from his banquet bros, Han Xuhan slowly walked toward the closest edge of the floating island and cast his gaze around, his thoughts mired in too many problems he was trying to solve.

Unlike the Sunrider Sect, surviving the floods, lightning strikes and other similar trials was much easier in this unnamed sect. The disciples here fought against most trials by utilizing the 'Heavenly Plowing Technique', which turned out to be earthbending of some sort, mostly used to block the mouths of the tunnels after taking shelter inside.

The few trials that couldn't be faced that way, for example- earthquakes, were pretty much ignored by these folks. They had great confidence in their tunneling skills, which made them fearless in the face of earthquakes that could break a regular Richter scale. After surviving one himself, Han Xuhan was certain that the earthquakes were just the result of someone carefully messing up whatever spell kept the island airborne.

Taking a bite of the deliciously roasted chunk of meat he had been given at the party, Han Xuhan reorganized his priorities. He needed to get back to his sect. He had spent an entire day getting tossed around and he didn't want to repeat the same experience anymore.

He devoured the piece of meat and sucked out the calcium-rich paste inside the bones while watching the sunset by himself. The partymongering disciples of this strange sect didn't interrupt his silent feast. He had told them about his experience in the Titanfall Archipelago so far. Perhaps the subtle hints that he had laid down in his story had hit the mark. He needed some space, a period of rest, and mental peace to get back into form.

Feeling slightly charged up, Han Xuhan got to work while the sun disappeared into the horizon. He had put together several plans to achieve his objective. While everyone else was busy cleaning up the mess they had made on the surface of the island, he climbed down into Wang Three's hole using the bamboo spearing the tunnel.

Wang Three was inside, toiling amidst a garden of vines. Seeing Han Xuhan return, he came out of the garden with a wide smile on his face.

"Hah, I knew you'd return! I noticed how curious you were when I was showing you the specialties of this bamboo. It isn't every day a regular cultivator gets to behold a plant that's about to become a heavenly material!"

Han Xuhan carefully selected his words as he replied to Wang Three's honest exclamations.

"Brother Three, I don't really understand how precious this bamboo is. I couldn't care less about its price or status as a heavenly material."

From his experience with Ling Six, he was fairly certain that his belittling tone wouldn't be received well. But he was even more unwilling to be seen as someone lusting after others' treasures.

Han Xuhan didn't give Wang Three the space to think or change the impression he had created in their hearts.

"I just wanted to ask something, Brother Wang Three. Is the root of the bamboo embedded into the bottom of the sea?"

Wang Three's smile faded. He nodded thoughtfully a moment later.

"Yes. Do you want to see it?"

Han Xuhan stiffly laughed. "No. I'm a bad swimmer. What I want to know is... do the spatial cracks that lead to other sects exist near the seabed as well? Can we reach that spot without being transported to another sect's area?"

These questions were produced by the culmination of the clues he had gathered so far about the structure of the Titanfall Archipelago.

Wang Three's expression changed from suspicious to conflicted in a heartbeat.

"Big brother, I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Rules are rules. If it was up to me, I would escort you back to your Red Sleet sect. But the counselor left an observation method here, as it was a part of their duty. Helping you so directly will certainly penalize our sect, even leading to disqualification in severe cases. And you've seen how few disciples we have in our sect. We cannot afford to lose anyone in the preliminary round."

"What sort of observation method did he leave here?" Han Xuhan asked curiously.

Wang Three shrugged.

"No idea. But the first time we broke a rule, he instantly appeared outta nowhere looking all pissed. Since master wasn't there, he threw his weight around very cockily. Not a very likable fellow, if you ask me."

"What rule did you break?"

"We tried to break the island according to the square borders we made on the surface. Easier to irrigate the soil if we just divide them all up and keep the broken pieces half-sunken into the sea. Makes the scenery better, makes the portraits Ling Six draws cooler, and really solidifies the archipelago title."

"...What about the floods, though? How would you survive that?" Han Xuhan said, once again finding his thoughts jumbled by the antics of his giant friends.

Wang Three tapped his temple with a wizened expression.

"Wang Four theorized that since the flood can happen all the way up at this height, we'll never be able to evade it anyway. However, the most damage these floods can do is during the initial period when we're caught unprepared. Once we take enough preparations against the accumulating water, we can survive just fine. Even if a few disciples screw up, it shouldn't be deadly for anyone at our levels. So we can actually stay very close to the surface of the sea and not be affected by the flood at all. By staying so close to the sea, the initial flooding will never gain enough momentum to damage us! We can easily see it from there if there are odd phenomena in the sky and forcibly sink the entire island beneath the water! Hahaha! The sudden waterfalls that appear in the sky wouldn't be able to strike us at all!"

"....Oh. Uhh- let's get back to the original topic, Brother Three. So you're saying that there are specific rules barring you from telling me the answer to my question?"

"Yup! The rules are very clear about cooperation between sects in the preliminary round. It is absolutely forbidden."

"But didn't you break those rules by telling me that method to survive the floods right now? Is the counselor going to turn up any moment?" Han Xuhan asked, casting his gaze around shiftily.

"Ehehe, you see Big Brother, I never said it was a valid method. After all, it came out of Wang Four's head. We were just trying to have fun and see if it was actually possible to break the island into so many pieces. At that time, the rules we broke were some jargon about damage to property and exploitation of loopholes. Just a bunch of bullcrap to stop us from getting ahead of others, if you ask me. Those damn organizers probably never even thought of this possibility. Not that anyone could blame them. Nobody ever thinks of the stuff that comes out of Wang Four's mind."

"...I see. I guess I shouldn't give any such ideas to my people either."

Wang Four laughed dimly at Han Xuhan's remark.

"That aside, I can't jeopardize the chances of my sect's victory. That's not a decision I have the authority to make. You could ask Ling Six or Wang One. If they consult the rest of my martial siblings and feel helping you is worth a penalty, then...."

Han Xuhan held up a hand, stopping Wang Three's despondent answer.

"I do not expect, neither do I deserve, such treatment, brother Three. If it is forbidden, I would never ask you to break the rule. Just answer another question of mine and it will be enough."

Wang Three nodded with a relieved smile.

"Feel free to ask. But I'd advise you to save your breath. You don't need to leave this place in a hurry. We can accommodate you here for as long as it takes your sect to figure out how to travel between the sects and send out a search party for you. Minimum hospitality is not prohibited by the rules. You'll have to just hunt your own food and gather the small necessities yourself. Why bother trying to look for vague clues from questioning us when your entire sect is competing to master the exact same thing? Leave that stuff to them. Have fun here with us! Let's Party!!"

Han Xuhan shook his head after considering his offer for a second.

"As tempting as that sounds, I have cultivated this small habit of being an active party in the face of all problems. Do you know when the next flood will hit the island? Can you tell me?"

Wang Three remained silent for a long time, probably going through all the rules their counselor had laid down before leaving.

"I do not and I cannot," he answered in the end, making Xuhan's guts clench up.

"Okay, if that was it, let's go visit Ling Seven's herb garden. She said she would require someone to guard the tunnel the herbs are in very soon," Wang Three added, patting him on the back with an unnecessary amount of force.

Han Xuhan, nearly about to throw all caution in the wind and execute his final strategy, suddenly felt something was off.

Would require someone to guard it....very soon, eh?

A wide grin bloomed on his face as he cheerfully followed Wang Three.