Reaper of the Martial World

Book 11: Chapter 67: Guess (3)

 “It really does look much more beautiful than it did the last time.” Ri said faintly.

Ri’s connection with water was much deeper than it had been in the past. Not only was her snow kitsune bloodline much stronger, but her celestial fox as well as celestial kun peng blood strengthened this even further.

However, if others heard her words, they would think her to be crazy. This environment was anything but beautiful.

Though this segment of the river was much calmer, for those with sharp enough eyes or senses to see through the dark waters, there was still a violent storm in every direction.

There were tornados of water to the right, creating underwater tunnels of air. However, if one casually entered one, there would only be death. The drastic change in water to air pressure would cause one to burst from the inside out. And this was if you could make it into the air pocket in the first place. For most, the blades of turning water would turn you into minced meat fist.

To the left, there were sections where these tornadoes of water met together at their ends, forming massive spheres of churning water that had cyclones jetting out from their surface like tentacles.

These formations were even more dangerous that the tornadoes of water, because they were so unstable that they could burst at any time, resulting in an explosion so large that even this deep below the surface, a mountain of water would form into the skies.

None of this even touched upon the beasts. They had the same ugly, deformed visages the very first beasts Dyon met on the Ancient Battlefield had. However, the difference was that this environment was so much more savage that any that grew to adulthood had strength beyond reason. Even the weakest were Fallen in strength.

Many of these beasts seemed completely out of place. Some of them had mammalian faces on fish-like bodies. Some more pitiful beasts were the exact opposite, having bodies that should have been found on land.

However, Dyon’s Presence was so off putting that they didn’t dare approach.

“What did you come to understand about water?” Dyon asked curiously.

Others might be worried about ruining their dao by listening to the thoughts of others, but Dyon was extremely confident in his current dao heart. Plus, there was that technique about swallowing Daos to strengthen your own the Dragon King told him about that he had still yet to use.

Right now, that technique was pretty useless to him. But, who said it would continue to be in the future?

“I just came to realize that water is the ultimate vessel… Not only can it take any shape, but its ability to contain and control is beyond compare… Believing that ice is the best form of water isn’t the proper path… Ice is only so powerful precisely because of the properties of water.”

Clara giggled. “This is why I told you to seriously study science, Ri. If you had, you would have had this breakthrough a long time ago.”

Ri blinked, feeling slightly aggrieved. She didn’t want to touch that science stuff with a ten foot pole.

“Really?” She said doubtfully.

“Really.” Clara nodded, trying to convince her. “In terms of materials, water is among the best in terms of specific heat. Well… ‘best’ is subjective, but the short of it is that compared to other materials, water has a very high threshold for both accepting and retaining heat.

“In terms of the scientific theory, for every joule of energy you spend, water will, on average, raise less in temperature than another material. At the same time, more energy has to be extracted from water, on average, for it to drop in temperature.”

Ri’s eyes glowed. Though she hated science, she was still intelligent. This explanation alone was enough for her to understand.

“So you mean that water of the martial world can exaggerate this property to its limits.”

Dyon nodded. “This is why ice will is so powerful. It’s very difficult to melt ice in the first place, especially when it comes in large blocks. For every output of fire will, it takes less ice will to counter it. Water will always suppress fire, no matter what form it’s in. Even water vapor stifles fire by starving it of oxygen it needs.

“In fact, ice’s specific heat is actually much smaller than water’s in the first place. So in a lot of ways, water will is the superior form. It’s just that it’s difficult to understand and apply its uses.”

Ri became more and more engrossed in their words.

But, suddenly realizing she was falling for their trap, she shook her head and snapped out of it.

“You two won’t trick me like this. Science is the devil’s literature.”

Seeing her being so defiant, the four of them couldn’t help but laugh.

“Their knowledge isn’t so bad, Little Sister Ri. Their music theory was very eye opening to me and Big Sister Amphorae.”

“Hmph, no matter what you say, I refuse.”

Dyon smiled. He remembered trying to get Ri to read a textbook, but she said it gave her PTSD about her days learning royal etiquette. She always liked the dresses, but stuff like curtsy technique and dining etiquette made her head spin.  

Dyon’s smile froze, his progression down suddenly grinding to a halt. Seeing this, his wives immediately put up their guard, but Dyon said nothing for a long time as though trying to sense something.

“It seems this is more serious than I thought…” He said lightly. “… It’s extremely faint, but my immortal sense just felt an even stronger suppression down below. And… I think it’s rapidly approaching suppression similar to what I faced in the Realm…”

Dyon didn’t want to think one of his guesses was actually correct, but it seemed that below these waters… There was a world no different from the Immortal Plane below…