Chapter 19: Escape to Freedom
Upon returning to the pool, Han Ming’s first task was to fill a large pouch with the spring water. He then dug out the weighted accessories that had been deeply embedded in the ground. As he unearthed the last one, he noticed a pair of dark green shoes woven from an unknown plant. They looked quite beautiful.
What’s this?
As soon as Han Ming put on the shoes, they seemed to come alive, sprouting countless thread-like tendrils that wrapped tightly around his feet.
“What the hell!” Han Ming exclaimed, quickly tearing off the shoes and tossing them aside. His heart raced as he realized the shoes were alive!
After a moment of hesitation, he reconsidered. These must have been left by Catherine. They probably weren’t dangerous. The shoes had been buried deep, which was why he hadn’t noticed them earlier. If Catherine had left them for him, there must be a reason. Besides, if she wanted to harm him, she could have done so easily. She didn’t need to resort to tricks.
Screw it, I’ll wear them.
Han Ming put the shoes back on, and the tendrils wrapped around his feet again. This time, he was prepared and didn’t panic.
Once the tendrils fully entwined his feet, Han Ming felt as if the shoes had become a part of him. It was as if countless roots had grown from the shoes, anchoring him firmly to the ground. But when he lifted one foot, the sensation disappeared.
Could it be…?
Han Ming’s eyes lit up. He was starting to understand.
He quickly picked up three sets of weighted accessories and put them on. Instantly, he felt as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on him. To his surprise, his feet remained firmly on the ground without sinking.
Now he fully understood the shoes’ purpose.
Holy crap!! These were tailor-made for him! Han Ming was deeply moved. He hadn’t expected Catherine to be so thoughtful. In that case…
“Catherine! Catherine!”
The air blurred, and Catherine appeared before him, her expression as cold as ever.
Despite having seen Catherine’s beauty multiple times, Han Ming still found it hard to resist. He thought to himself, if she ever smiled, he might just die on the spot…
Ah… now’s not the time for that!
“Catherine, can you give me a container? I want to take all the crystals from the third level,” Han Ming shamelessly asked.
Without a word, Catherine tossed him a cloth bag. “This is the last one. Don’t expect anything else from me. Remember, this storage bag can only hold inanimate objects. It has a size limit—nothing larger than five meters, and it can only hold up to five cubic meters of items.” (Of course, these measurements were based on the otherworld’s standards, which Han Ming’s mind had adapted to after his language was synchronized with this world.)
Wow! A spatial storage bag! Something he had only read about in novels! Han Ming was ecstatic.
“Wait, don’t go yet…” Just as Catherine was about to disappear, Han Ming realized he should make all his requests at once. Otherwise, she might not appear again.
“Uh… you’re a wood-element mage, right? Could you… maybe… help me carve a weapon from the remnants of the World Tree? It’s too hard for me to handle,” Han Ming said, his face red with embarrassment. He felt bad asking for more, but he had no choice. The small wooden stick he had been using was too light and awkward.
“What kind of weapon do you want?” Catherine asked coldly. Even she didn’t understand why she kept agreeing to Han Ming’s requests. By her nature, a mere mortal like Han Ming shouldn’t even be worthy of speaking to her. Yet she had not only saved him but also granted his unreasonable demands multiple times. This was unprecedented. Perhaps she had some inexplicable expectation of him. She had a vague预感 that this boy might achieve something extraordinary in the future, though the possibility seemed almost zero to her.
“An axe! A huge axe! The bigger, the better! The heavier, the better!” Han Ming quickly replied.
Catherine waved her hand, and the remnants of the World Tree trembled. A massive branch broke off and floated in the air, shedding layers until it transformed into a giant axe over two meters long. The axe was larger than Han Ming himself, with a handle specially designed to fit his smaller hands. The axe head alone was almost as tall as Han Ming. Carved from the World Tree’s remnants, the axe exuded an ancient, majestic aura, adorned with intricate patterns that gave it a unique beauty.
“Thank you! Thank you!” Han Ming’s eyes sparkled as he admired the perfectly crafted axe.
Catherine nodded. “The stick you used before was just a withered branch. This axe is made from the core of the World Tree. Its hardness and weight are incomparable. Also, don’t summon me again unless I choose to appear.” With that, she vanished.
Han Ming nodded vigorously at the empty space. He stepped forward, grabbed the axe handle, and tried to lift it…
It didn’t budge!
Han Ming’s jaw dropped. This… this is way too heavy! He could easily lift a boulder five or six meters tall, but he couldn’t move this axe an inch.
This is a joke, right? Han Ming wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and laughed awkwardly.
But it didn’t matter. He could only wear three sets of weighted accessories now, with more than a dozen sets still unused. Maybe once he could wear them all, he’d be able to wield the axe. Though by then, he’d probably have to remove all the accessories to do so.
After moving all the accessories to the entrance of the Water God’s Cave and tossing the water pouch into the storage bag, Han Ming was determined to conquer the third level. If the pool water ran out, he’d refill it. He wouldn’t stop until he cleared the third level.
He quickly cleared the first level of weak skeleton soldiers and moved to the second level, this time wearing four sets of weighted accessories.
His goal was clear: not to kill enemies, but to train his agility. He needed to navigate through hundreds of giant skeleton soldiers! Only then could he hope to conquer the third level.
Once he could move smoothly with four sets, he’d add a fifth, then a sixth, and so on! He endured countless injuries, pushing his limits, even risking his life, all to grow stronger. The thought of his deep-seated hatred and the impending invasion of his homeland left him no choice. He wasn’t one for grand speeches or sentimental thoughts, but he knew one thing: he was a man! A man who would stand tall and do what was right!
Over time, he continuously shuttled through the Water God’s Cave. Each failure on the third level drove him back to the second to train further. He added more and more weighted accessories, and his strength soared.
Time flew by like a song…
A year passed. The remnants of the World Tree, now devoid of the Seed of Life, were on the verge of complete withering.
Standing at the entrance to the third level, Han Ming felt calm. He removed the ten sets of weighted accessories and smiled slightly.
Entering the third-level hall, he was once again greeted by a barrage of magical attacks. But this time, he moved like a phantom, weaving through the onslaught. The skeleton mages continuously cast spells, replenishing their magic by absorbing crystals before rejoining the fight.
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Han Ming’s heart ached as he shouted, “You beasts! Stop absorbing those! They’re mine! All mine!”
Even with his lightning speed, it was difficult to prevail against hundreds of skeleton mages. He advanced step by step, carefully. Thankfully, these mages were only at the beginner level. If they were any stronger, Han Ming would have been obliterated.
One fell, then two, then three, then four!
Han Ming fought with increasing ferocity, pushing his speed to the limit. He was exhilarated. Before, he couldn’t even get close, but now he was taking them down one by one.
When the last skeleton mage fell, Han Ming was utterly exhausted. The several pouches of pool water he had prepared were completely drained. But he didn’t stop. He cheered and laughed maniacally as he rushed into the sea of crystals.
After a year of relentless assaults on the third level, the skeleton mages had consumed a significant portion of the magic crystals. But what remained was still substantial. There were thousands of crystals from each of the five elements. Han Ming gleefully stuffed them into his storage bag, singing like a farmer during harvest, his joy overflowing.
It took a while for Han Ming to calm down from his excitement. There was one more thing he needed to do. He knew this wasn’t the final level because he had seen the entrance to the next level. Unlike the previous entrances, this one bore three large characters:
“Water God’s Hall!”
What could be inside?
With his emotions in check, Han Ming stepped into the final level, the Water God’s Hall. The staircase leading here was much longer than the others.
In the hall, he saw a stone platform at the far end, with a massive blue crystal floating above it.
A large magic crystal!!! And a water-element one at that!!! Something so rare and valuable, even money couldn’t buy, was right here!
Before Han Ming could recover from his shock, the ground began to tremble.
From the left side of the hall, a giant red skeleton rose. It was over twenty meters tall! Han Ming could only stare up at it in awe. Now he understood why the Water God’s Hall was built so large—it was for this behemoth.
Six months later…
The Water God’s Hall was in ruins. The walls, floor, and even the ceiling were scarred with deep gashes. Rubble and shattered bones littered the ground.
The giant red skeleton sat in the center of the hall, its bones broken and battered. Its arms were half gone, its skull missing a large chunk, and its legs completely destroyed. Its massive armor was in pieces. The red light in its eyes flickered and faded as it lost its last vestiges of life.
Before it stood a young man with a giant axe on his shoulder. One hand gripped the axe handle, while the other rested on his chest. He bowed deeply to the skeleton’s remains and said solemnly, “Thank you. For everything.”
In the past six months, Han Ming had finally managed to wear all twenty sets of weighted accessories. When fully equipped, they merged, returning to a single bracelet on each wrist, an anklet on each foot, and a narrow belt around his waist. But the weight remained the same—twenty sets’ worth. And he had defeated the giant skeleton while wearing them!!!
Storing the axe in his storage bag, Han Ming walked to the stone platform at the end of the hall. He reached out and took the large magic crystal, placing it in his bag. On the platform was also an ancient scroll covered in intricate runes. On one side were three golden characters:
“Water God’s Decree!”
Han Ming carefully unrolled the scroll. Suddenly, the runes on the scroll trembled and came to life, surging into his body through his hands and rushing toward his head.
Han Ming stood frozen, his eyes losing their light, his body devoid of any signs of life.
This state lasted for several hours before his eyes regained their spark.
When he came to, his body was almost completely immobile. He was utterly shocked!
The Water God’s Decree!
“To those who are destined to obtain this, cultivate it diligently and carry it forward!”
Countless images played in Han Ming’s mind like a movie. He learned that this island had once been the home of a water-element mage who had reached the pinnacle of magic—an Elemental Master!!!
The Water God’s Decree was the ultimate legacy of this mage’s life’s work.
The blue barrier outside the Water God’s Cave was the first line of defense. Only water-element mages could pass through it. The subsequent layers of obstacles were also set by the mage. To cultivate the Water God’s Decree, one needed a unique trait: an exceptionally strong physique!
But passing the four levels of skeleton guards was just the beginning. The extent to which one could cultivate the Water God’s Decree was closely tied to the strength of their body. Unlike ordinary magic, the Water God’s Decree required an extraordinary sensitivity to elemental energy. Ordinary mages stored magical energy within their bodies and released it through various spells. The first four layers of the Water God’s Decree were similar. But the latter four layers required a deep understanding of elemental principles. Beyond the initial stage of a novice mage, each subsequent rank—from Grand Mage to Archmage, Magus, Demon Soul, Demon God, Awakened Divine Master, Divine Demon, and finally Elemental Master—corresponded to one layer of the decree, totaling eight layers.
In Han Ming’s mind, a scene played out that left him in awe.
**First Layer of the Water God’s Decree: Absolute Freeze!**
An old man waved his hand, instantly freezing everything he touched. The old man explained that even a fire-element mage a full rank above him couldn’t melt the ice unless the caster willed it.
**Second Layer of the Water God’s Decree: Devour!**
The old man touched various creatures, and they instantly turned into desiccated husks before crumbling to dust. He explained that at this level, one could extract all the water from an enemy’s body. The limit was using it on someone one full rank above. Against higher ranks, the effect diminished.
**Third Layer of the Water God’s Decree: Heavenly Flame!**
The old man raised his hand, and his body was enveloped in a strange white flame. Anything the flame touched—flesh, stone, even refined metal—was instantly consumed. This wasn’t burning; it was complete annihilation. The old man explained that at this level, one could reverse water elements, turning them into icy flames. At its peak, it could incinerate anything in existence. The strength of the objects destroyed and the amount of icy flame generated depended on the caster’s power.
Han Ming couldn’t see the next five layers. According to the old man, he would need to reach the third layer to glimpse the next three, and only by mastering the sixth layer could he see the seventh. The final layer would only be revealed upon mastering the seventh.
Even just the first three layers left Han Ming in awe. They completely颠覆 his understanding of water-element magic, especially the third layer’s Heavenly Flame. A mage reversing water elements to control icy flames more terrifying than ordinary fire? It was almost like being a fire-element mage, but far more powerful!
Now, the cultivation口诀 for the first three layers flashed in his mind. For now, they were cryptic and difficult to understand.
I’ll need to study a lot of magic-related materials, Han Ming thought.
Back on the surface, Han Ming’s heart was still racing. The gains from this journey were immense. He felt a renewed hope for his future.
While Han Ming was studying the Water God’s Decree, he was unaware of what was happening around him. Catherine had been at the entrance of the Water God’s Cave, wanting to check on Han Ming. She was slightly worried about him. The barrier outside the cave couldn’t stop her, as she was an elf, one of the most powerful races in this world.
But before she could enter, a phantom of an elderly man with white hair appeared above the cave. The man glanced at her, and Catherine felt as if her entire being had been laid bare. She froze, unable to move, and even considered fleeing for her life. She had never felt such压迫感 before, not even when facing the Elf King. Catherine was terrified!
“He is my successor,” the old man said simply before dissipating.
Just a phantom!? Catherine thought in shock. A mere remnant of the old man’s consciousness had left her in such a state.
The remnants of the World Tree finally reached their end, withering away at a visible rate.
Meanwhile, Han Ming stood in the narrow valley, holding a massive wooden shield he had found near the World Tree’s remnants.
**Boom!!** The volcano erupted!
The six-meter-tall beasts with long tusks began their frantic escape once more. Han Ming stood calmly in the center of the valley, a smile on his face as he awaited their arrival.
The ground trembled as the herd of beasts charged toward him.
“Roar!!!” Han Ming’s eyes sharpened, and he let out a fierce battle cry as he charged forward.
He was like a sword, piercing through the herd. Countless beasts were sent flying into the air before crashing to the ground. Han Ming advanced swiftly, using his shield to force a path through the narrow valley. Beast after beast was flung aside until Han Ming broke through the herd, sending the last one flying.
**Boom!!** The entire island shook violently!
Han Ming turned to see the remnants of the World Tree slowly toppling.
“It’s finally over,” Han Ming sighed softly. He had lived here for two years, and his life had been given to him by this tree. He wanted to see it one last time.
Han Ming stood before the remnants of the World Tree, watching as it fell. He knelt and kowtowed three times, saying, “Thank you for giving me a new life. Han Ming will never forget you!”
At that moment, the island began to break apart, and the surrounding magma started to pour in.
It was time to leave.
Wait! What’s this!?
Han Ming looked up and saw a small white flower growing at the base of the World Tree’s remnants, swaying in the wind.
The Miracle Flower!!? Could this be the Miracle Flower that Big Head had been desperately searching for!?
Han Ming didn’t have time to think. He quickly plucked the flower and stored it in his bag. The ground beneath him cracked, and magma surged toward his feet.
Han Ming leaped onto the partially fallen tree, then jumped again, reaching higher and higher until he was at the top. The tree’s tilt left him still a hundred meters below the ceiling of the underground space.
He crouched deeply, then sprang up like a cannonball, shooting straight into the crack he had fallen through. Behind him, the entire island collapsed. Without the World Tree’s remnants to hold it back, the magma erupted, filling the underground space and chasing after Han Ming.
Han Ming raced through the massive crack, the scorching magma hot on his heels!
The light ahead grew brighter!
With a whoosh, Han Ming burst out of the crack and into the massive chasm where he had first been cornered. It was here that he had been given a new life.
In a remote part of the Death Canyon, a geyser of magma suddenly erupted from the ground, and a figure shot out with it.
The figure landed and, with a few leaps, covered nearly a kilometer.
A shout echoed through the sky:
“I, Han Ming, have returned!!!!!!”