Severing Time & Space

Getting a Gift, Part II

Wu Jian began doing laps around the spring. It wasn't very big, maybe about twenty zhang from one side to the other, but that was big enough for him to get some exercise in. Yet as he was swimming near the side furthest from the girls, something powerful like a strong current pulled him down. Curious, he took a deep breath, ducked under the water, and swam down.

The water wasn't exactly clear, and the further down he went, the darker his surroundings became. He realized this spring was much deeper than he could have imagined.

How far down does this go? It feels like I've been diving for nearly an hour.

He looked left, then right, but he could barely see, such was the murkiness found this far down. If it wasn't for the sun high above just barely peeking through, he would have been swimming in total darkness.

The water's so cold. Is it because the sun can't warm it up? I remember reading something like that. Water is colder the deeper you go because the sun can't reach it. But it's okay. I can still handle this much.

Just as he was beginning to worry about running out of oxygen, he spotted something that looked like a cave in the side of the lake. Frowning, he went to take a closer look, but then a burning in his lungs reminded him that he needed to breathe.

With a loud splash and a gasp, Wu Jian breached the surface. He thought about immediately going back down again, but then he changed his mind and swam back to where the others were.

The girls didn't pay him any mind. They were where they had been before he left, sitting on the edge, their feet resting against the pebbles as the water lapped at their toes. It seemed they were locked in a conversation about... him, if he had to guess. They were staring at him and giggling. Anyway, he ignored them and walked up to Wu Taohua.

"Is something wrong, young lord?" she asked.

"No. Nothing's wrong, but I think I found something interesting while I was swimming. There's a cave down at the bottom of this lake and I want to check it out," he explained.

"I see." Wu Taohua paused, and even Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu stopped talking to pay attention. "I certainly do mind you checking out that cave. There is a good chance you will find a treasure inside that we can give to Zhou Lihua as a gift, but I should definitely come with you."

"I thought you might say that," Wu Jian said. That was the whole reason he had decided to speak with her first.

Wu Taohua began peeling off her clothes, revealing a well-proportioned and muscled figure underneath. She was a very lean woman. Her chest, wrapped in breast bindings, seemed to be of a decent size. What Wu Jian really paid attention to was her abdominal muscles. Her stomach was completely free of fat and far more chisseled than he could have imagined. Both her arms and legs were also free of fat, toned from years of training, and had several scars marring her skin.

I never realized she had such a defined physique. What kind of training must she have done to get such a powerful figure? Wu Jian wondered.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," Wu Taohua said.

"Hold it. If you two are going, then we're going too," said Wu Meiying as she and Hou Jingshu stood up.

"You want to come with us? Really? I thought you wanted to be lazy," Wu Jian teased.

"I did, until you said you found something interesting," Wu Meiying fired back.

"I'm just curious to know what you discovered," Hou Jingshu said, looking away. Her ears were red. "Don't look too into it."

"Well, I don't mind if you come along. The more the merrier," Wu Jian said with a shrug.