Chapter 97: Breakthrough (2/2)

Chen Mu also gathered new data, that the furthest he could extend his perceptual tendrils was six and two tenths meters, which was already far beyond the requirement of five meters in the simple water world.

In the end it was so simple! Chen Mu smiled bitterly, since he had been bothered by that for such a long time, when it was only that he hadn't thought of it.

He felt that his understanding of perception had suddenly risen a level, and that he had internalized better control. The shuttle-shaped perceptual vortex in his body also underwent another change, with its initial speed being almost imperceptible, and fluctuating according to Chen Mu's control.

Chen Mu could control the speed of the vortex at will, though whenever he approached the upper or lower limits, there would be internal warning signs. It seemed as though the advance of his perception had also made his intuition sharper.

Breaking through five meters meant that he could trigger the next level in the simple water world. He didn't know what kind of pleasant surprise the mysterious card had in store for him, but he felt the anticipation.

He didn't really know to what level his perception had progressed, since he hadn't gone through professional evaluation.

Taking out the mysterious card, and tearing off the disguising membranes, he put it into the apparatus on his wrist. He re-entered the familiar simple water world.

Without any hesitation, he took the speed of the shuttle-shaped perceptual vortex down to its slowest and sent dozens of perceptual tendrils to six and two-tenths meters in all directions.

”Congratulations, your perception has broken through five meters.” The calm hoarse old voice sounded again in Chen Mu's ears.

”You still haven't finished the swordfish challenge; would you like to enter a round?” This second phrase left Chen Mu stupid, being reminded at this time that he still hadn't finished the swordfish challenge. Could the swordfish challenge be that important? Would it be gone after one more level?

He was hesitant.

Should he or shouldn't he go to the next level? If his continuous daily hard practice and all of his suffering wasn't for wanting to see the next level, then what was it for? The opportunity was in front of him at that moment, but it had also given him a reminder that was beyond what he expected. If he chose not to, would there be some irreversible change?

He couldn't be careless about any phrase or word that the hoarse old voice had said. That was the most important and most direct clue that the mysterious card had given him. Only if he were to truly analyze the hidden meaning in these words could he make a comparatively precise and beneficial choice.

He though about it for over ten minutes and decided not to do it.

What let him breathe a sigh of relief was that apart from the hoarse old voice having disappeared, the simple water world was the same as always, with nothing having changed.

Only after he had retreated from the simple water world did Chen Mu have some retrospective fear, that if something had undergone an irreversible change he didn't know how much regret he would feel. But the truly fortunate thing was the that his luck had been good that time, and he had gambled well.

He only had the swordfish challenge left! Chen Mu's spirits were high, and he felt full of strength all over.

He put aside all his work for a while, and aside from the exercise gymnastics and perceptual training which even lightning couldn't keep him from, all of the rest of his time was spent on the swordfish challenge. It was a good thing he had his swordfish training card, or he would have been seriously wounded dozens of times. That needle-like pain was still fresh in his memory.

So, he was running around every day without fail in the swordfish training, continually dodging and evading, and he made amazing progress. He hadn't imagined how crucial perception was!

The longer his perceptual tendrils were, the farther away he could feel fluctuations; and the more tendrils there were, the more keenly he could feel the changes around him.

The second point was so important for him! Under conditions where he could maintain the speed of the shuttle-shaped perceptual vortex's rotations, he could sense the smallest changes in the flow of the water all around him. Whereas he could normally have still felt those, it was far less clear than the current situation.

The one remaining issue was how to maintain steady control of his perception while running and dodging.

Could it be that there was a certain connection among all the exercises in the simple water world? Chen Mu had sometimes had that thought.

If he could only find the goal and the way, it shouldn't be a terribly difficult issue for Chen Mu. He had enough tenacity and toughness to finish it.

For the entire fifteen continuous days of swordfish training, whether he was eating or doing other things, Chen Mu was maintaining control of his perception every second.

The results were very satisfying, and on the fifteenth day he had increased his probability to finish the swordfish challenge to seventy-five percent. For such a complicated challenge, any tiny factor could be the deciding factor. If he wanted to get to one hundred percent, that would basically be impossible for Chen Mu as he was.

He was already very satisfied with his success.

He rested an entire day, letting all his body's functions be restored to their optimal state. Chen Mu was getting ready to enter the simple water world to get on with the swordfish challenge.

There was a knock on the door just before he took out the mysterious card.