The Otherworldly Adventures of a Super Naive Girl

Chapter 359, 360, 361, 362

359: An Alternate Version

Perhaps it was because she was so pure and simple that she was able to judge others based on their aura.

Take Zi Cheng for example. Many people saw her as a kind and gentle person, but Feng Wu felt she was very complicated. The aura surrounding her was just too messy and gave Feng Wu a strange feeling, so Feng Wu didn’t like her.

It wasn’t that Feng Wu would ignore someone like that, it was just that she wouldn’t be friends with that kind of person.

The same went for Ai Lin. Her eyes were always wandering and looking at everything, gathering information. It was confusing and strange. Feng Wu didn’t understand and she wasn’t interested in being friends with her either.

They had spent time together and survived many adventures, but their relationship was not as good as the relationship Feng Wu had with Elena. For her, they were just classmates.

Feng Wu trusted her feelings, so since Zo didn’t give her a bad feeling, she was fine with being allies.

But does she even understand what allies were? Probably not.

Right now she only regarded the boy as a potential friend, so she didn’t mind protecting him from danger.

“My name is Zo,” said Zo with a slight smile.

Feng Wu replied with her deadpan expression. “My name is Feng Wu.”

And thus was their alliance formalized. Others on the island also struck up alliances with acquaintances as well. Most didn’t know anyone so they remained solo, better solo than take a risky alliance and be stabbed in the back.

In no time at all, more than a hundred people appeared on the island. Zo did a visual count and saw that there were over two hundred. The number of new arrivals petered after a half an hour, until eventually no more showed up.

People guessed no one else was going to arrive. There were so many people who entered the tomb. Even if hundreds of them died in the corridor, there should still be more than the two hundred or so on the island now. So where was everyone else?

Could there be several places like the island they were on? Were they separated on purpose? To be tested?

Zo remembered Ai Lin telling him how strange the tomb was. Even Zi Cheng, who was loved by the world, had nearly died. The danger to normal people entering would be ten times worse.

Ai Lin had tried to dissuade him from going into the tomb, but he really wanted to use the heart of water.

As for Ai Lin, she was on another island together with Eliza, and both of them were worried about Zo.

Ai Lin kept cursing the author out in her heart. She’d read the novel before, so although she knew how dangerous the tomb was, she wasn’t too concerned because she knew what would happen. But what was going on? Suddenly things were different from the story.

Even the way of clearing the tomb was different. What she was experiencing didn’t resemble the original plot anymore, even the entry into the tomb was different. There had been only two keys in the original text as no one had been able to find the third key.

LeWuji and Caesar, along with several powerful figures from bigger families, pooled their resources to gather hundreds of powerful master magicians to break the formation forcefully.

It took a month to gather enough, but they finally succeeded in opening the door.

Just when everyone thought they could enter the tomb, the giant beasts carved into the gates acted, massacring everyone who dared move forward to try to enter the tomb. The only ones spared were those holding the keys.

Those who hadn’t died from the initial run fought a fierce battle with the beasts; the sword masters and magicians barely stood a chance. Though the people eventually managed to wipe out the beasts’ consciousness, it was at the cost of many lives. In fact, very few survived at all.

Those few who survived entered the tomb either as a part of LeWuji’s group or Caesar’s group.

That was the way the story originally went, but it wasn’t the case now. Was it because all three keys had been gathered that things were so different?

Ai Lin had made up her mind to join Caesar’s team after the masters’ broke the formation, then retreat with Zo and Eliza until the beasts were taken down. After that she was going to join Zi Cheng’s team and enter the tomb.

She had not expected the tomb to open so easily with all three keys present. No one died and everyone entered the tomb successfully, unlike what was originally written in the story. Because their entry was done properly with the keys, and because the two impassable mythological beasts were not present at the entry, the tomb itself was much less dangerous to enter.

Ai Lin got a headache just thinking about it. Seemed like her recollection of the story wouldn’t help much here; she would have to rely on herself in the future.

What she didn’t know was that the trials in the tomb were all controlled by the beasts.

If the original protagonist’s entry was difficult, then the difficulty level now, with all three keys present, would mean both easy and nightmare modes were open.

Who would encounter which, was all dependent on luck.

So, after losing her sense of foresight from having read the novel, except for a few dangerous situations, everything went well for Ai Lin.

Zi Cheng’s road to getting the heart of water was also much easier.

Dark clouds covered the sky while savage winds roiled the sea and bit into the flesh. Everyone felt incredibly cold.

People were getting restless. They were all thinking the same thing: should they stay and wait to see what would happen or should they forge their way off the island and explore?

It was difficult to choose. The right choice would be great, but the wrong choice would be catastrophic and lead them to untold dangers. They were all waiting to see what other people would do, but because everyone had the same plan, no one ended up moving.

360: Crossing the Sea

The clouds above suddenly moved to form words in the sky.

"Use whatever methods to get to the other island. Succeed and survive, fail and die."

The words only flashed for a few seconds, but it was long enough for everyone to read.

“Cross to the other island? But the winds are so strong! How are we supposed to get there?!” Someone cried out in a high-pitched voice. josei

“If you don’t want to go, you can just die here.” Someone with a gloomy expression spat out.

“Well fortunately for me, I brought an air resistance scroll. I’ll pass this for sure.” He took out the scroll from his space ring, opened it, then activated the formation. The scroll immediately surrounded him and flew him to the sky.

He walked against the wind easily and made half the distance in no time at all. However, as he got closer to the other island, a small black funnel cloud rushed at him.

“Ah!”

His body was crushed and smooshed into a pile of blood and bones protruding from mangled flesh. He splashed into the sea, his body disappearing forever.

“Ha!” the crowd took a deep breath. The tiny whirlwind was only the size of a person’s head. Who would have thought a tiny thing like that could kill so efficiently?

“It doesn’t look like we can pass by flying.”

“It’s not safe to take the water either.”

“I’ll try it!” a man with martial qi supporting his feet spoke out. He stepped off the island and onto the water. Looked like he intended to use this method to walk over.

Unfortunately, he sank into the water the moment the stepped over.

He had an ugly expression on his face as he pulled himself up. A few people snorted, thinking he didn’t even know how to do something as simple as using qi to walk on water.

There were plenty in the group who had good sight. They could tell from a glance the man was strong, so doing something like falling into the water wasn’t a mistake he’d make.

There was only one explanation for what happened. The water must have somehow leeched the qi from his body as he touched it.

Another water-based magician tried water magic with the same result. Those who had mocked the first man couldn’t do so anymore after that demonstration. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that there was something wrong.

There were so many tiny whirlwinds in the sky now. Hitting any would result in death. Travel through water seemed impossible, well that was unless they physically swam across. But who knew if there were water equivalents to the sky whirlwinds if they tried?

The situation made everyone frown.

But it wasn’t like there weren’t smart people in the crowd. After a while someone went into the woods and began chopping down the trees to make a raft. It was a great idea and many people joined in.

Even if they couldn’t use magic or martial qi, they could still build boats and sail or row across the water!

Things were looking up. They had a plan!

Feng Wu and Zo decided to build a canoe. Since it was just the two of them, they didn’t need much space, just something to support their combined weight.

Feng Wu had no experience building a boat, but luckily there was Zo, who had been a homebody for over a hundred years. He had learned many things from all the books he read in that time. When conditions were appropriate, he would find even experts for private lessons.

He had invited a professional ship builder to teach him the craft back when he was interested in shipbuilding.

Zo found a blueprint of a ship from his ring. He scribbled on the paper a bit and came up with a doable redesign that would suit their needs, but he was just an ordinary person, so asking him to do such heavy manual labor was impossible. Feng Wu would have to do all the labor herself.

She walked into the silent woods. Perhaps it was the environment of this specific tomb, but the trees here did not develop a consciousness. Feng Wu couldn’t feel anything from them.

With Zo’s oversight, she cut down a big tree then proceeded to shape it with her short sword.

The people around them were also building their own boats and rafts. They noticed the tiny girl moving and hauling wood around busily while the guy with her just sat and waved his arms around every now and then. They shot him looks full of disdain.

In their eyes, Zo as a pretty boy with no abilities who was leeching off a poor and kind-hearted girl in order to survive. The girl was a bit stupid though, to work so hard for a man she didn’t know. It would be better to kick him out instead of letting him fart around doing nothing.

They saw Feng Wu and Zo as two ordinary people. One was hardworking, while the other was a lazy-good-for-nothing.

How strong could a girl her age be? Surely not even at the intermediate level.

Odds were low they’d make it out of the tomb alive.

Zo noticed their looks, but he was worthless and used to being despised, so their reactions weren’t anything new to him. He’d gotten used to it, so he didn’t feel sad. He’d been laughed at for a hundred years already, so his heart wasn’t fragile and delicate anymore.

Feng Wu’s view was different though. In her eyes, Zo was amazing. He was like a master shipbuilder who could draw and design in outstanding detail as he explained how everything worked. He answered all her questions and kept explaining things until she got it. He talked in a way she could understand.

The adoration in her eyes embarrassed Zo. It was the first time anyone looked at him that way, and it was over such a small thing. Everyone else would have just said it didn’t matter what he knew, a waste was a waste. It didn’t change the fact that he could never be a sword master or magician. Even if he entered university, he would still be destined to a life or ordinary citizenship with a short life span. But here was Feng Wu admiring him for knowing something ordinary. She really was unusual.

Time passed by and the sounds of construction sounded all around. Eventually people began moving their completed vessels into the water. Some were hollowed out of big trees while others were logs tied and wrapped in vines.

361: Must Not Die

There were many boats. Some were well made while others were questionable. Feng Wu’s boat was the best one there. It was designed well by Zo and crafted meticulously by Feng Wu. They even had a sail for extra power. Amongst a sea of hodgepodge, mangled vessels, theirs was the most impressive looking. It was like theirs was a name brand product while everyone else's were imitation rip-offs.

“Hey boy, hand over your boat. This gracious master here will trade my boat for yours. No need to thank me.”

A burly and robust looking guy stood in front of Zo holding a knife. Zo did not like the look of the guy. Feng Wu frowned. She walked over without an ounce of fear.

“No swap. Your’s is ugly.” Feng Wu bluntly refused the offer.

The boat made by the big man really was poorly made. The hole for the seat was misshapen and clearly uncomfortable looking. You couldn’t tell if the canoe would sink or not, but it certainly didn’t inspire confidence.

The big guy’s style of swapping boats was a reminder to everyone that it didn’t matter if your boat was good or not, as long as someone else’s boat was good, that was all that mattered. In fact, a round of forced swaps was already underway. Even if most of the boats weren’t quality looking, they were still better than some others.

But swapping wasn’t as easy as that. Aside from a few cannon fodder, most who entered the tomb were masters of one type or another. They easily started fighting the moment they came to a disagreement.

So before the ships could sail, they had to survive the fight on land.

Feng Wu’s situation would definitely end in a fight. How could it not when she just said the guy’s boat was ugly? He immediately slashed at her with his sword.

The man wasn’t an ordinary person, but a pirate and a robber who had killed countless people. He had a habit of not leaving witnesses whenever he stole. If it was a woman, he would have some fun with her first before sending her to her death. If it was a guy, he would just kill the other party with a single blow.

He thought Feng Wu and Zo would be easy targets. Honestly, had this happened outside the tomb, he would have just killed them and taken their boat without bothering to trade at all.

Feng Wu kicked out when she saw him move with the blade. The force of her kick sent the bear-like man flying five meters. He spat out a mouthful of blood as soon as he landed.

There were others who had had the same plan as the big guy, but after seeing her fight, they decided to move on to other prey. She would be too much trouble.

It took Zo a full thirty seconds to recover from the scene. Her kick was amazing! She had to be a legendary genius!

While some were busy stealing boats, others were busy setting sail. Many odd shaped vessels floated out to sea. There were even a few daring masters who chose to fly despite the tiny whirlwinds. As long as they could avoid being hit by any, they would be fine.

Feng Wu and Zo pushed their vessel into the water and got in it one at a time. Each used a paddle to row toward the island.

The wind grew fiercer and the water became more turbulent. Those more sloppily built vessels, when hit by the waves, either capsized or broke apart with their wood bits scattering all about in the water.

Two guys faced this exact situation. They were ready to swim to the opposite shore after grabbing onto a piece of debris as a float.

“See? I was right, building a raft was a good idea. Now even with it broken up, we can use the bits to swim ashore.”

“You are so right Boss. My admiration for you is boundless.”

These guys were too funny. Some rolled their eyes at them, while others regretted not also building a raft.

“The wind is too strong!” Zo was uneasy. Their boat was built well and he knew it would survive the wind, but he didn’t think making it to the other shore was as simple as traversing the water. There had to be more involved.

Feng Wu looked at Zo seriously as she said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”

She saw him as a fellow comrade after having built the ship together and knowing he was a weak fighter; she had decided to protect him.

Zo was touched. It was the first time a companion had wanted to protect him instead of just looking down on him with disdain. It was a good feeling!

“OK.” Zo smiled.

Feng Wu and several other ships sped ahead because of their sails, however the increasing wind made them unstable and more likely to capsize. Zo decided it was wiser to row the rest of the way over so he asked Feng Wu to pull down the sail.

They weren’t far from the opposite island. They’d definitely be able to reach it if they rowed hard.

Most of the other boats behind them had already capsized. While some were fortunate enough to find drift wood to float on, others had to rely on their own arms and legs to swim forward.

They were struggling like ants in the fierce waves created by the strong winds.

Everyone was left struggling to swim after the next big wave succeeded in capsizing all the boats. They weren’t too far from shore, so as long as they persisted, they would be able to reach land.

It was easy to say but much harder to achieve. Every time people tried to swim forward, another wave would wash over and push them all back. The distance between them and the island became longer instead of shorter.

Just maintaining position and pushing against such strong winds and waves was exhausting. Zo was a weak person to begin with so he didn’t have any strength to swim forward. He couldn’t come to terms with it and couldn’t die yet, not until he stopped Zi Cheng. He had to keep preserving in order to bear the hopes of all those in the future. He couldn’t die. . . 

362: Level Two

Though his heart was unwilling to give up, his body could not endure any further. His hands became still and he slowly sank.

Just as he thought it was over, a hand reached down and yanked him up.

“Cough!” This. . .  this was a piece of wood drift.

Zo was saved. He opened his eyes to see a worried Feng Wu staring at him.

“Cough! I’m fine. Don’t worry.” He didn’t know if she heard him above the sound of the wind and waves, but he didn’t have the strength to speak any louder. He was an ordinary person so it had been hard for him to last as long as he had in the water.

Feng Wu nodded. She kept swimming forward, pushing against the violent waves, paddling with one arm and pushing Zo with the other. Though the resistance was strong, they were able to keep going forward. Others behind them, who were not as capable, slowly sank into the water. Only a few strong people, like Feng Wu, kept swimming desperately as they tried to reach the shore of the opposite island.

Luckily, the wind stopped after twenty minutes, and with it the giant waves that rocked the waters. Those still alive swam to shore.

“Ha. . .  Ha. . . ” Zo was panting as Feng Wu dragged him onto the shore. The sky was still dark but the sea returned to its original calmness.

It was still so cold though. . . 

Zo was shivering from head to toe. His body was in shock after such a long and hard swim, plus now his clothes were all soggy and clung to him, so he felt even worse.

Suddenly from somewhere near his side, a fire flared to life.

Feng Wu had opened her space ring and found a flint to make fire. She realized she could use her abilities again after reaching shore; so she had pulled out the flint, which could make fire and create warmth, with just a bit of qi or magic.

Zo could feel his body finally warming up again. A bit recovered, he walked behind a bush and changed into a fresh, dry set of clothes.

Feng Wu had already changed and was now looking around as she sat by the fire stone grilling a chicken.

It was a small, picturesque island with abundant wild fruit trees never seen before. They looked so delicious it was tempting to try one, but the people knew better than to try any. It wasn’t smart to eat unknown fruit. What if it was poisonous?

They started with more than two hundred people, but were left with less than fifty after the sea crossing. Most died in the water.

Zo sat down beside Feng Wu and ate the chicken thigh and bread she offered. He felt better now that he was warm and not hungry anymore.

“Feng Wu, thank you. I would have died like the everyone else if it weren’t for you.” Zo was grateful she saved him. He didn’t know why he didn’t see her with the Moon emperor in the previous life, so he could only assume she had encountered something and died early on.

Since she had saved him, he decided he would not let her die so easily this time around. He secretly made up his mind to do what he could to ensure she lived a good life and not die prematurely.

“You don’t have to thank me; we’re comrades.” Feng Wu looked at him seriously. She had considered him a comrade in arms when she agreed to team up with him. It was only natural to help your comrades when they were in trouble, so his effusive gratitude made her feel uncomfortable.

“Yes, we are comrades.” Zo smiled. There was a fragility to his smile but it was as pure and sincere as spring rain.

Those who survived and made it to the island were adjusting to the new environment and preparing for the trials ahead. But after waiting for two hours, nothing happened. They didn’t get a prompt for the second level.

The arduous trip to the island had tired everyone, but no one felt secure enough to let their guard down and rest. The island was an unknown and the people around them were strangers who they needed to guard against. There was no conversation. The group either meditated or cultivated in preparation for the second level.

Those still alive were mostly powerhouses.

A few magicians had chosen to fly over. They had poor physical strength so it made sense to gamble with the sky path. They would not have had the endurance to survive in the water if they lost their magic abilities. Flying was the best way for them to survive.

Feng Wu had no interest in the other people. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Who knew how much time passed, but some time later, the earth shook violently and split apart right down the middle. A ladder appeared, digging straight into the ground. It was dark and it was impossible to tell what was below.

Words, in big letters appeared. “Enter below to proceed to the next level.” That was it, nothing else was said about the requirements.

The people there looked at one another. Soon a big sword master walked down the stairs. Other people walked down after him, one at a time.

Zo ignored propriety between genders and pulled at Feng Wu’s sleeve to go down with the flow of people. The first level had been different from the way Ai Lin described it. He was certain she hadn’t lied to him, so for whatever reason, the sequence of events changed. Now he wasn’t sure what to expect. All he could do was to take one careful step at a time.

There was something creepy about the stairs. Zo felt like it didn’t matter if he moved forward or backwards, both directions would be dangerous. Thinking it would be safer to walk in the middle of the crowd, he cut in line and took Feng Wu to the middle.

The expression on his face was a little reluctant as he released her sleeve once they got there.

Feng Wu had grown serious when the stairs appeared so she didn’t notice.