Time went by.
Jin had reached the end of the 39th stage while staying in the Sixth's life Inn in the city Huklm. This Inn that belonged to Ness had provided a very suitable and secretive environnment for Jin to focus on growing.
The tight lips of the clerks helped a lot. As they were servants of Ness and part of his clan, they dared not question him.
Jin was now facing a new choice.
Two items were in front of him:
=> On one side, there was a small bottle which contained water. It was obviously not just any kind of water. This one was deep-green and contained quite the incredible power within. It was a treasure of the 4th grade which contained the element of 'Tsunami' within. It was incredibly pricy and rare as it was associated to many other elements as it was, by itself, a combination of many.
=> On the other side, there was a piece of charcoal. It was also a 4th grade treasure of the highest grade. Not because it was the charcoal element but because it was not. It contained the element of 'fuel' within itself.
To be honest, Ness had prepared many different options for Jin to choose from. However, in the end, only those two attracted Jin.
The 'fuel' element would simply boost every single one of his abilities with some properties linked to fire while the Tsunami contained some 'growth' to it alongside decent properties linked to water, thunder and wind which would go great with his spear.
Both would help him to reach brand new heights undoubtedly. However, he was having a very difficult time making a decision about it.
In the end, he picked up the bottle.
Fire consummed but water brought growth...
Before he began to cultivate though, a crazy idea popped up in his mind. Was it possible to combine both treasures?
He could obviously ask Ness to get the answer but would that answer be the truth? Not to question whether Ness would be honest or not but, instead, whether that answer would apply to him. His constitution was now quite peculiar after all.
With the corruption, could he not do something about it?
He decided to attempt it...
He began to absorb both treasures at the same point.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
As he entered his internal space, he saw the two conflicting energies fighting and exploding all over his core. He tried his best to control it but was absolutely unable to.
His true body began to bleed from the shock of those two elements that were not supposed to mix and entered conflict within himself.
He tried to persevere a little and started seeing his core on the verge of exploding in places. As he witnessed the sight, he directly interrupted the absorption of the charcoal treasure and focused on the water within the bottle.
The Tsunami element began to rage within his space as violent waves crashed everywhere.
In a few moments, there was no longer any of the 'fuel' element as it has actually been absorbed within the raging waves. And that gave Jin another idea.
Instead of trying to mix them eqqually, how about using the 'fuel' element as food for the 'tsunami' element? The 'Tsunami' element did, after all, devour in some ways the 'fuel' element for it to have disappeared. He decided to slowly add some of the 'fuel' element only for it to be devoured within the raging waves.
The seconds became minutes then hours and days until, finally, both treasures in front of Jin lost their dim and their properties.
However, that was far from the end.
Jin still had to experience the tribulation of the 'Tsunami'.
As he finished building the 40th level of his core, containing the 'Tsunami', he felt his mind drift away. This was a familiar feeling now as he experienced it many times in every rollback forcefully triggered by Fear and such.
...
He woke up on a sandy beach.
In front of him was the ocean.
He looked to the sides, the ocean.
He looked behind and saw the ocean.
And like that, time went by.
He could see the days and nights go by as the sun went up and down. However, nothing was happening on his little patch of sand.
He could not really do much either as he felt himself powerless. Like a mortal human. Like he once was.
Was he really powerless without cultivation? Had he been powerless back on Earth?
Weird thoughts.
But those are always the first to come when nothing else happens.
And time went by.
One day, there was a little wind. Small waves reached his feet.
The next day, they reached to his ankles.
The next day, it reached his knees.
The next day, he had to swim amidst the violent waves. He was quickly losing himself within the depth of the water...
He woke up alone on that sandy beach once more.
And time went by...
One day, there was a little wind. Small waves reached his feet.
The next day, they reached to his ankles.
The next day, it reached his knees.
The next day, he had to swim amidst the violent waves. He was quickly losing himself within the depth of the water...once again.
He woke up alone on that sandy beach once more.
And time went by...
One day, there was a little wind. Small waves reached his feet.
The next day, they reached to his ankles.
The next day, it reached his knees.
The next day, he had to swim amidst the violent waves. He was quickly losing himself within the depth of the water...once more.
He woke up alone on that sandy beach once more-..
The next day, he had to swim amidst the violent waves. He was quickly losing himself within the depth of the water...once more.
.
..
...
He woke up alone on that sandy beach once more-..
The next day, he had to swim amidst the violent waves. But he swam with all his might and experience forged through repetitions and practice with his life on the line.