Free Web NovelChapter 112: Hidden Waters
Lian heard something like flowing water.
It was faint at first, a distant, steady sound echoing through the underground cave system. He paused his training, tilting his head slightly as he focused on the noise. It wasn’t the usual drip of condensation from the ceiling. This was stronger, continuous. Curiosity stirred inside him. In a place like this, hidden water sources often led to something useful — or at least a better place to rest.
He followed the sound, moving deeper into the tunnels they hadn’t fully explored yet. The path twisted and descended gradually. The air grew cooler and heavier with moisture. Bioluminescent moss on the walls provided a soft glow, reflecting off damp surfaces. Small streams of water trickled along the floor, pooling in shallow depressions. He walked carefully, his footsteps quiet on the stone.
After some time, he emerged into a larger open chamber.
A powerful waterfall cascaded down from a high cliff, crashing into a wide pool below. The roar of the water filled the entire space, echoing off the high ceiling and walls. Mist rose from the impact point, creating a hazy veil across the chamber. The cave was enormous — so big that from where they were standing on a natural ledge near the top, they could see the whole expanse clearly. Crystal formations glittered on the distant walls, and the pool stretched out like a small underground lake. The scale was breathtaking, far larger than their previous chamber.
Lian used his perception again, extending his awareness carefully. He sensed it immediately — the strange presence he had detected earlier was behind the waterfall. It was a hidden space, concealed by the falling water.
“It is behind the waterfall,” he said, turning to Elara who had followed him. “Like a hidden space. So we have to jump into the water and go behind it.”
Elara looked down at the long drop to the pool below. She wasn’t afraid of the height — her cybernetic enhancements made falls manageable — but she didn’t want to get wet. The thought of soaked clothes and the cold water made her hesitate slightly. Lian sensed that reluctance but said nothing. What could he do? They needed to investigate.
He didn’t wait. He stepped off the ledge and fell cleanly into the churning water below. The impact was cold and shocking, the force pushing him underwater for a moment. He surfaced quickly, shaking water from his hair. He knew how to swim — he had learned it while he was with his uncle Harlan on Khar-9, navigating flooded mines and underground channels. Those old skills served him well now.
He looked back up at the high ledge, waiting for Elara.
He couldn’t quite see her clearly — the cliff was high up and the mist from the waterfall obscured the view. He waited for a while, treading water, but he didn’t see her jump. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Is she that scared of getting wet or something else?
He suddenly remembered how long it had been since he had taken a proper bath. The chaos after the fight, the hiding, the scavenging — survival had left no time for such things. He swam to the shore, pulling himself out of the water and shaking off the excess. The cool air felt refreshing against his wet skin.
He looked around first, checking for anything that might pose a threat. The area seemed safe — no obvious movement in the shadows, no strange sounds beyond the roar of the waterfall. He finally relaxed, letting his shoulders drop for a moment.
Then he felt it.
A warm energy coming from deeper behind the waterfall. It felt like pure Qi — dense, concentrated, and inviting. He stood up and followed the sensation, moving along the rocky shore toward the cascading water. Small shining lights flickered in the direction he was going, drawing him closer.
He reached the area and stopped, stunned.
Qi stones.
Hundreds — maybe thousands — of them covered the ground and walls behind the waterfall. They glowed with soft, vibrant light, filling the hidden chamber with a gentle, pulsing radiance. The stones varied in size, some small as pebbles, others as large as his fist. The air was thick with pure Qi energy, so concentrated it felt like breathing in liquid power.
Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)
Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.
Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.
Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.
Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.
Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc
Power Scale Reminder
Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.
Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle
Keep it as reminders
