The Huang Family Water Field.
From high above, a hundred acres of jade-green water stretched out below, with the occasional flash of a white streak darting through the waves.
Scales glittered like beaded curtains, spreading silently toward the place where the mountains met the water.
A figure sliced through the surface like a swimming dragon, displaying a grace no less impressive than that of an Azure Dragon Fish.
At this moment, when it came to aquatic skill alone, Hong Ming was no Treasure Fish, yet better than one.
The Water Breathing trait's effect was so remarkable that, once solidified, it brought about a near-transformation in him.
As he moved through the water, it was as if he had become part of the lake, able to ignore all the resistance caused by the currents.
No matter how many movements or poses he struck, he could do as he pleased, free of all restraint.
The surging undercurrents beneath the lake were as good as nonexistent, no longer able to hinder Hong Ming's progress.
Hong Ming's breathing had also grown increasingly measured, as though he breathed in time with the water and resonated with it.
The many problems that had troubled him before were crushed like flimsy paper under the trait's effects, leaving only his agile figure probing ever deeper.
The deeper he went, the more the currents surged in every direction, and the more his vision was obscured, yet Hong Ming's speed did not diminish in the least.
With the Water Breathing trait in his possession, he did not rely entirely on his senses to find his way; he also had his perception.
He sensed the water's fluctuations and the shifting currents, using them to evade the dangers he might face.
He had no idea how many zhang he had descended when he suddenly sensed an extraordinarily powerful disturbance in the changing currents.
The disturbance swept over him in an instant, raising chills across every pore of his body.
For no reason he could fathom, an extreme terror welled up in his heart, as though a Pearl Clam had come face-to-face with its natural predator, the Azure Dragon Fish.
The water pressure around him also increased slightly, as if warning Hong Ming and urging him to leave at once.
Every sign pointed to the danger and extraordinary nature of whatever had caused the disturbance.
How could Hong Ming dare to linger? He had not the slightest desire to investigate. He obediently held his breath, quieted himself, and retreated, avoiding its edge.
Fortunately, the terrifying creature seemed only to be passing by. It paid Hong Ming no mind, arriving in haste and leaving just as quickly.
As the disturbance vanished, the unease coiled around his heart finally ebbed like the tide.
Hong Ming still did not let his guard down. After witnessing the horrors of the underwater world, he grew even more cautious.
Once that close call had passed, the rest of the journey was unexpectedly calm. Before long, Hong Ming reached the bottom.
All sorts of strange plants grew across the lakebed, along with countless shrimp, crabs, and clams. The variety of life was beyond description.
Hong Ming's attention was elsewhere. None of these were what he had come to find.
He had already searched through ancient texts. Though he still did not know exactly what the Stone Crystal Fruit was, he knew that it grew inside stone.
With such a distinctive feature, it ought to be easy to find. He kept his body close to the ground as he glided, broadening his field of view.
Hong Ming searched with exceptional care, not letting the slightest clue escape him. At last, he glimpsed a glimmer among a patch of luxuriant water plants.
"Found it!"
The instant he saw that glimmer, Hong Ming felt a powerful certainty.
This had to be the Stone Crystal Fruit he had searched so hard to find!
He hurried closer. The scene before his eyes gradually came into focus, confirming his guess more and more.
In a crevice among the jagged, pitch-black rocks of the lakebed, a black-and-white fruit grew, smooth and round like a Clam Pearl.
Its black portion was exposed, concealing its light and aura to perfection. It had become the finest disguise, blending into the colossal boulder as though it were part of it.
Its white portion was embedded deep in the crevice, hidden from sight. Only now and then did it emit a faint, inconspicuous glow, quietly declaring its presence.
Hong Ming noticed that the vegetation was lush where the Stone Crystal Fruit grew, while all manner of spiritual creatures kept their distance.
A thin layer of crystalline frost had formed on the reef, like tendrils or roots, burrowing deep into the rock.
No matter how fiercely the surrounding currents surged, they could not move it in the slightest.
The Stone Crystal Fruit stood there all alone, unshakable, slowly accumulating the weight of time and age.
With the opportunity tied to his Fate Grid right before him and no danger in sight, Hong Ming could no longer restrain himself. He reached out instinctively and gently touched the Stone Crystal Fruit.
The moment his fingertip brushed its surface, a refreshing coolness passed into him, swiftly spreading through his limbs and bones.
The crushing pressure of the water, the pounding currents, and his difficulty breathing all vanished in an instant.
In their place came absolute stillness, so profound it was as though the spot where Hong Ming stood had been sealed off into a world of its own.
His mind, however, was anything but calm. The moment his palm touched that area, a trait appeared:
[Trait: Water-Fire Immortal Garment] [Status: Can be solidified] [Required Fortune: 49 points] [Solidification Effect: The efficiency of practicing any skin-tempering or flesh-tempering method is multiplied. Upon reaching its limit, one will condense the Water-Fire Immortal Garment, which can be upgraded without limit.]
"Hm, this trait?"
The instant he saw its effect, Hong Ming's expression flickered with surprise.
A trait like this was truly uncommon.
It could not be upgraded like Breathing and Exhalation, yet it could still improve.
More importantly, it had no restrictions!
After weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the two, Hong Ming's thoughts began to stir.
Having found such a fine trait, he was itching to solidify it.
The Fortune it required poured cold water on him. It was far beyond what he could afford right now.
He quickly came to his senses. He was not all that disappointed, but he did find himself in a quandary.
Gathering so much Fortune would be no easy feat. It would probably take quite a long time.
He had time, naturally. The question was, could the Stone Crystal Fruit hold out that long?
Hong Ming looked at the fruit. In the short time since he had plucked it, its glow already seemed to have dimmed.
If things continued like this, the Stone Crystal Fruit might not last.
That meant Hong Ming did not have much time. He had to consume it as soon as possible.
After gazing at it for a long while, Hong Ming gave a small shake of his head and sighed. "Forget it!"
Traits were easy to find; precious medicines were hard to come by. Since he could not have both, there was no need to insist. He could only choose the better option.
He made a compromise, deciding to solidify a similar trait if he came across one in the future.
With a trace of regret, he placed the Stone Crystal Fruit in the box he had brought with him, but did not hurry to leave.
Instead, he looked around, searching for anything he might have missed.
Seeing nothing unusual, he shifted his body and quickly floated upward like a sunken log.
He had swum more than half a zhang when he suddenly stopped.
He abruptly noticed that the trait, which had been visible just moments ago, had vanished.
The change immediately drew his attention. He checked again and again, but the trait was still nowhere to be seen.
As doubts crowded his mind, he could not help musing, "Could it be that this trait doesn't belong to the Stone Crystal Fruit?"
It was certainly possible!
Suspicion sprouted like wild weeds, taking root in his mind.
Hong Ming turned back to verify his theory, keeping a close eye on the panel.
As he drew closer to where the Stone Crystal Fruit had grown, the trait indeed reappeared!
What had caused it to reappear?
A glint passed through Hong Ming's eyes. If the trait did not belong to the Stone Crystal Fruit, then what did it belong to?
His gaze swept over everything around him, his thoughts racing.
Was it the various aquatic plants?
Or the countless shrimp, crabs, and shells?
Could it be the reefs and mud strewn across the bottom?
Wait, the reefs!
As if struck by an idea, Hong Ming's eyes flashed. In an instant, he fixed on the massive reef that had nurtured the Stone Crystal Fruit.
It looked perfectly ordinary!
That was the most immediate impression it gave him.
But how could a reef capable of giving birth to a Stone Crystal Fruit be simple?
It had to possess some mysterious property he did not know about!
Hong Ming was certain of it, and his test proved him right.
The Water-Fire Immortal Garment trait truly came from the reef!
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