“Rafting?”
Mengmeng was also interested. “But we don’t have a boat.”
“Isn’t that simple?”
Zhang Han stretched out his right hand.
“Crack!”
A huge tree with a height of 100 meters was broken in the middle. Its branches and trunk constantly changed forms, soon forming a wooden yacht. On the top floor, there were two lounge chairs, as well as a beach umbrella.
Seeing this, Mengmeng’s eyes slightly widen, and she said in a tone of admiration, “Wow, Daddy is so awesome. Daddy is omnipotent.”
“That’s true.” Zhang Han’s face also registered a proud look.
“Daddy can cook, do laundry, and babysit me. I’ve grown up surrounded by Daddy’s love.”
Zhang Han was a little surprised by Mengmeng’s words.
It was a bit different from what he had imagined, but it seemed to make sense anyway.
“That’s what your Mummy said, isn’t it?” Zhang Han said with a smile, “Last time, I heard your mother say that only children who grew up in love knew what love was.”
There was one thing that Zhang Han and other ordinary fathers had in common—he seldom verbally expressed his love. Most of the time, he expressed it with real action. Of course, he would occasionally say that life also needed romance and a display of feelings. Also, Zi Yan often chatted with Mengmeng. The two never averted this subject. Zi Yan had regarded Mengmeng as a small adult. These days, she had given Mengmeng much more trust in that her character and everything had taken shape. Zi Yan even did not set rules for her when she went out to play with Mu Xue or Zhang Han.
She once said that the kind of optimism, cheerfulness, and self-confidence exuded by a child growing up in a family filled with love were originated from the heart.
“Mummy said that you were doting on me, but I don’t feel that way. Mummy must be fooling me,” Mengmeng muttered.
As they spoke, they came to the wooden boat and leaned against the back of the lounge chairs.
Mengmeng took a few glances at the surroundings.
She became a little curious.
“Dad, why are these trees growing in water?”
There seemed to be a flood. This place was covered by water. But in the place where the tree grew, the water was as calm as the surface of a mirror. No ripples could be seen. However, In the place where the river was located, the water was very fast, and the waves were fully demonstrating their power.
“They are not growing in water. Because there are lands somewhere more than 30 meters deep in water. I suppose this world is showing what it was like when floods were rampant on Earth in the past. The world had been ripped up by water and eventually maintained this balance and became a world of water.”
Zhang Han replied, “After a long, long time, the rivers here gradually became different. Look at the water flow. If ordinary people fell into it, they would be engulfed in an instant. They would have no chance to resist at all. Even those at the Peak Strength Stage would get out with some effort. As for the safe place, it is this towering tree. It may look harmless, but there are still dangers in it, such as these spiders.”
While speaking, Zhang Han waved his right hand.
A hundred meters away on the right, dozens of spiders suddenly appeared from the dense forest.
“These are Wolf Spiders at the Inward Strength Stage.”
“Look at them. Their legs are sturdy and strong, covered with spikes. The end of their legs sprouts three claws. They are good at running, jumping, and moving agilely. They have hair similar to a writing brush made of weasel’s hair on their back. They have eight eyes. The spiders in the outside world can easily poison a sparrow, and the big ones can even poison a person to death. However, the poison the Wolf Spiders here carry can kill an Inward Strength martial artist in less than three seconds once he is bitten. A Peak Strength martial artist can only hang in there for a minute after being poisoned. If he failed to find a way out within time, he would die as well.”
After putting the spiders under his control, Zhang Han made the spiders come closer.
Those spiders seemed to have become specimens, motionlessly floating in the air.
“Oh, Daddy, get them away! I’m scared.” Mengmeng immediately covered her eyes with her little hands.
“You can’t let yourself be scared. They won’t be so frightening as long as you take a few more looks at them. Once you enter the martial arts world, you will have to experience these things. Besides, they’re just hideous to the eyes. If you don’t believe me, try using the Fireball Skill against them, would you?”
“Huh?” Mengmeng’s eyes paused, and her fingers sprayed out a little to create a slit, through which she secretly peeked at the spiders that were more than 20 meters away.
After taking a few glances at them, Mengmeng felt that her hair had stood on end.
“Humph!”
Mengmeng snorted, pursed her small lips, and reached out her right palm.
“Fireball Skill!”
“Swoosh!”
A basketball-sized fireball suddenly came into being and rapidly flew over.
The leading spider was about the same size as Mengmeng. It didn’t even bother to pretend to be dead but suddenly let out a sharp cry.
“Bam!”
In the path of the fireball, red flames sprang up and then dissipated.
With the single fireball, Mengmeng killed at least 10 spiders.
“How can it be so powerful?”
Mengmeng could not believe that such a small fireball could kill so many spiders in such a short time.
“How can the moves I taught you be ordinary?”
Zhang Han smiled and offhandedly tossed the spiders back.
“Daddy, what martial level am I at now?” Mengmeng inquired, blinking.
“You’re probably at the Qi Refining Middle-Stage, which is equivalent to an Earth-stage Master.”
“Really?” Mengmeng’s eyes lit up.
“But even an ordinary Earth-Stage Master can easily beat you.”
“Eh?” Before the joy of the pleasant surprise sank in, Mengmeng suffered a new blow.
“Your strength can’t be measured by common standards. If an Earth-Stage Master faces your fireball head-on, he will die. But this move is all you know. If you miss the target, you won’t be able to defeat your enemy.”
“That can’t be true. I also know many other skills, such as the magic that can cause people to stammer, and the Ghost Hitting Wall, and how to make people fart…”
Hearing Mengmeng’s words, Zhang Han shook his head with resignation.
All Mu Xue had taught her were these whimsical, cheap tricks.
“Mengmeng, your current strength is not as strong as your realm states. But your strength will be several times stronger than the standard strength of the corresponding realm in the future. You will be invincible among those in the same realm as you’re. I only taught you the Fireball Skill because I want you to be specialized in it. Soon, I will teach you the second secret skill.”
“Oh, I see. Let’s go rafting now.”
“Let’s go.”
It was not until this time that the wooden yacht began to move. As it drifted along with the river, it was getting faster and faster. It was rolling in the rough water, swaying left and right.
It was unknown where this great river was heading, but the forest seemed to be endless.
The area of the forest was very large. The more than 300 martial artists who came in the relic all landed in different places. Except for Zhang Han, no one knew how to enter the same place with others at the same time.
“Daddy, the ants over there are so big that they seem to be the size of my head. Are they poisonous? Are they powerful?”
“They’re not very impressive, not poisonous either. But the number of such ants is strikingly large. They have occupied the forest within a radius of 100 meters.”
“Eh? There seems to be a snake on the left, doesn’t there? No, it’s a lot of snakes. The things that look like branches are all snakes!”
“They’re Bamboo Leave Snakes. A Peak Strength Warrior would find them quite tricky to deal with.”
“…”
Like this, they drifted along the great river that ran through the forest. Every once in a while, Mengmeng saw some novel things.
Finally, after seeing seven or eight kinds of new creatures, Zhang Han chuckled and said, “Mengmeng, do you know why you noticed those things before they swoop on you?”
“Because I saw them?”
“No, because you sensed them. Martial artists all have a sharp sense of crisis. Coupled with the observation of the environment, one can easily notice the dangers.” Zhang Han began his common sense lecture again. “So, every time you come to a strange environment, you should be very careful. It’s fine even if you use some means to grope your way…”
“Help! I’m dying. Help!”
Suddenly, a faint cry came from the front left.
“Daddy, someone is asking for help.” Mengmeng’s ears almost pricked up, and she stopped blinking her eyes. After hearing the voice clearly, she hurriedly said, “Let’s go and help.”
Hearing Mengmeng’s words, Zhang Han looked calm. After two seconds, he said, “Okay.”
In fact, he wanted to teach Mengmeng a lesson. He wanted her to stay out of other people’s business most of the time, because it might not be a request for help but a trap.
However, at the thought that Mengmeng was only 11 years old and was still a little girl with a kind heart, Zhang Han felt the need to let her hold on to such kindness. He would protect her for the rest of his life. Even though the world was dangerous, he would keep her safe until his death and then let Mengmeng experience what she should experience.
The speed of the boat doubled.
Soon, the cry for help was heard clearly.
After another dozen seconds, the two saw a boy of 15 or 16 years old struggling in the water. Shortly, he got close to a tree and stepped on it in a panic. With the counterforce, he jumped more than 10 meters forward. Then, when he got close to another tree, he once again looked panic-stricken.
There were ripples on the surface of the water behind him, which were created by Water Snakes.
“Mengmeng, do you see that? He has a protective layer around him that is difficult to break for anyone inferior to an Earth-stage Master. There are dozens of Water Snakes chasing him. He could have floated on the water and kill these Water Snakes. But he is too panicked.”
Zhang Han continuously pointed out the key issues to Mengmeng.
The little girl picked up very fast.
“How to know if he is as powerful as those fierce beasts?”
“Of course, you need to experiment.”
“Eh?”
As they got closer, Mengmeng caught a clear view of that boy. “Isn’t he the one going to compete with Lu Kai? He’s the younger brother of the King of Storms.”
“Yes, he is.”
“He seems to be in a fix. Daddy, let him come up and have a rest,” Mengmeng suggested.
With a wave of his hand, Zhang Han summoned the boy through the air.
“Ahhh!”
The boy was so frightened that the blood on his face drained. He thought that he had been caught by a big snake. But when he saw where he landed, he exhaled with relief but was still a little befuddled.
“A wooden yacht? Lounge chairs? A beach umbrella? And there are juice and snacks on the table next to it?
“Have, have they come to the relic for adventures or for a vacation?
“Is this the right way to explore the relic?”
The boy felt that his outlook of the world suddenly shattered.
He did not come to his senses until he climbed onto the boat.
“Thank you, thank you for saving my life, sir,” he said weakly and stood still in the corner.
“There’s no extra chair left. Why don’t you sit there? Do you want some snacks?” Mengmeng glanced at him and offered.
“No, thank you.”
“What’s your name?” Mengmeng asked.
Her tone was a little casual. In this respect, she was quite like her father.
“My name is An Xiaoshan.”
“Where’s your older brother? Why isn’t he with you?”
“He hasn’t found me yet,” answered An Xiaoshan. “Everyone lands in a different spot after entering the relic. Thus, we can’t stay together.”
“Who said that? Daddy and I have been together the whole time. That’s because your brother is too stupid,” Mengmeng replied.
An Xiaoshan didn’t know what to say for a moment. After being speechless for seconds, his face turned slightly red.
“I can’t do anything about my brother’s stupidity. I’m even more stupid than him.”
“Then how will your brother find you?” Mengmeng asked again.
“Through a treasure. Look, it’s this one. My brother and the others can know where I am with this treasure,” An Xiaoshan said as he put out a shell.
Mengmeng lost interest after taking a few glances at it.
The shell was not pretty at all.
“Then, you can sit here for a while and wait for your brother to pick you up.”
“Okay.”
An Xiaoshan sat two meters behind Mengmeng.
Looking at the surroundings, he murmured in his head, “This is a much more enjoyable way to explore the relic.”
“By the way, Daddy, where will the river take us if we continue to go with the tide?” Mengmeng suddenly asked.
“We can float all the way to the end of the river, where the treasures lie. Then, we will take the treasures and get out of the relic.”
“That simple?”
“It’s not simple!
“Not simple at all!”
An Xiaoshan felt rather bitter. When he was running for his life, he was scared out of his wits. Thus, how could it be easy?
