The 12-foot tall ape crashed to the floor. Our hero was surprised the old stone managed to hold out. While Fang Hu was marveling over the integrity of the stone like the ADHD fuck he is, his training kicked in, and he moved into a defensive posture. A single swing of that thing's fist would turn him into a paste, but he would be trying his best to survive while it does it, dammit.

The blue-white giant monkey howled to the heavens, wind blurring its frame as it did so. The beast bared its fangs and charged forwards. Fang Hu had a great view of is monkey ass as it charged off the top of the pagoda. It landed with a thump that made the whole tower shake and charged off into the horizon. It seemed that the spirit beast had lost all reason and given into rage. Fang Hu could only guess why that had happened, there could be any reason why, really.

Once the Ape's qi pressure had dissipated, Fang Hu started to laugh.

"...ha, haha Ha, HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

He apparently found it quite funny.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

Or maybe it's just relief from escaping death again.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

To be completely honest, it's probably both.

"HAHAHAHHA- HEEHAW snort heheheh"

Did that motherfucker just bray?

~~Some time later~~

"hoo~ Okay, that was fun, but I think now's the time when I get something for my troubles, right?"

*There is a feeling of confusion.*

"Don't give me that, when we started you said this was a test, a challenge. Challenges usually are rewarded, correct?"

*There is a feeling of denial and anger.*

"What?! You think I didn't pass! Bullshit, you tried your hardest to kill me, yet here I am, aren't I?"

*There is a feeling of mocking.*

"A FLUKE!? You sonuvabitch, I'LL SHOW YOU A FLUKE!!"

*There is a feeling of confusion.*

Fang Hu began moving in random directions. He kept it up until he found out the presence was worried about him getting to close to something on his right. Fang Hu moved towards his right.

*There is a feeling of concern.*

"That's right, bastard, you could end this right now! Just give me what I want, and I'll be on my way."

Our hero strode forth, only stopping when he felt relief from the presence. After Hu backed up a few steps, the presence was really sweating. After seeing nothing of importance, our hero acted on a hunch, and started sending out his qi sense.

*There is a feeling of massive panic.*

"OH, SO IT WILL KILL US BOTH IF I CONTINUE?! SO WHAT?! I'VE ALREADY DIED ONCE! I'LL DIE AGAIN BEFORE I LET YOU GET AWAY WITH TORMENTING ME!!"

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Fang Hu was being completely serious. Dying does a lot to change a man, and he didn't spend the better part of a day almost getting offed by traps for nothing. He would rather 'try for afterlife' a second time than pussy out now. Every man has a certain point before they don't care if they die anymore and just try to take a stand. While Fang Hu was still a candy-ass little bitch in most of his mannerisms, that point had been moved up quite a bit.

Just as Fang Hu was about to do whatever would kill them both, suddenly,

*There is a feeling of acceptance.*

Fang Hu stopped doing whatever he was about to do, and walls materialized around himself forming the last layer of the pagoda. The majestic room that Fang Hu had found himself in, was a little disappointing. All the furniture and cookware in the living areas were decimated. The safe room was basically stripped bare. Hu imagined that this once held many a cultivation treasure, now though, all Hu could find was a few big bags of golden coins that, according to his system, could only be used to trade with mortals, or very poor cultivators. The only thing that our hero found that would interest a cultivator are 5 spirit stones, strewn about in little hidey-hole.

Their placement, much like other things in this tower, indicated that whoever lived here left in a hurry. They also suggested that there was once many more such stones in this place, and whoever looted this place couldn't be bothered with chump change.

The presence was pleasantly surprised when the Fang Hu only gave a hidden manuscript a once over. According to it, its entire existence is to pass down that technique to people it deems worthy. Unbeknownst to it, it only takes a moment for Fang Hu to commit a technique to his catalog.

The presence was so pleased that it even offered to let Fang Hu use its lift formation to get to the bottom of the pagoda. When our hero saw the reservoir again, he almost cried. He hadn't been able to take his spirit water with him. He really would have died this time if he hadn't remembered to scan the water.

~~~

Qi-Infused Water:

Water either generated from or infused with qi. When drunk by mortals, it is deadly, but when a cultivator meeting requirements drinks it, they find it extra refreshing. Stays fresh and clean forever, or when it's qi gets removed, whichever comes first.

Grade: Qi Gathering 4/13

~~~

Because he was tired, and because he couldn't feel the presence anymore, Fang Hu decided to not give it a piece of his mind. Okay, mostly the second thing, but the first thing was still a contributing factor. Deciding to be opportunistic instead of spiteful, Hu took two jugs of normal water in the rubble with the exact appearance as the massive jug he had carried across his journey, filled them with spiritual water, and left. Our hero made for a strange sight overloaded as he was, but Fang Hu was feeling like a bandit king, so he didn't care much.

As the tower behind Fang Hu faded into nonexistence, the entity inside it decided that it would be more selective with its next challenger.