"In this world there is no such thing as a free lunch. If I want to become stronger, my best way is to change from this mentality I already have. I am not the one that attained the high stage in the immortal path. That was just anothrt version of me. It is good to have memories about this, but my life is in the present." With this thought in mind, Li Jun seemed to sober up.
Just like the others he was still a student who had no actual ability. He was not stupid enough to think he was the only one kidnapped and thrown in this ruin.
"It is my chance, just as it is other people's chance. Gaining something from the secret realm is a good chance to act. Those that use chances to make rapid progress might be given some attention, but not a lot. That also depends on the level of progress that they have. In the immortal path, based on the memories I have, a useless technique exists, Turtle Condensation art. I should try to learn it, perhaps it really can work wonders for me." He was already starting to plan ahead.
The martial path is not easy to judge ones strength in the lower stages, unless they take initiative to show it.
As for the issue with the human body undergoing changes, such enlarging, it is not common. Even in the path of evolution, one can only undergo this after reaching a certain stage.
The same was true for martial artists, the inntially stages especially body refinement lack the ability to make the human body enlarge to exergerated levels.
At the body refinement stage, the energy is used to strengthen the body and in most cases the bodies of practioners become lean.
The reason is actually simple, the energy present or consumed from the massive foods by those at this stage is turned into energy to strengthen the body.
From the moment one enters this stage, it is possible to become thin, or even die of hunger. The amount of cell activity is to be imagined and thus assuming one would become bigger is unrealistic.
Take the case of Luo, she has a massive body because she has reached a stage where she can absorb steller energy. This is also not the cause of her body becoming larger rather the path she chose and if she unfolded her actual body heright one would be shocked.
In her two meters form, she can be said to be shrinking and forcing her body to become smaller, but even so, when those weaker than her stand before her, the pressure from her body is enough to suffocate them.
She can isolate it, but even so, they will still feel uncomfortable.
Some rumors even say that the path of evolution and martial arts are just the same paths, that focus on different sections but coverage eventually.
This is indeed the case, but none of those in this paths would be willing to accept this.
*****
At the cave, Li Jun was in a dillema, but he knew the cause of all this.
His believe that he was somehow better than everyone else and didn't have to take risks due the memories he had accumulated was misleading him.
At this moment when he thought about things calmly, he managed to clear his head.
He also was in a position that he could make decisions without being too focused on the wrong aspects.
At the moment he had analyzed his situation and knew he was more likely to die if he wanted to bet on luck.
Something substantial was before him that had the chance to change his life completely but he failed to think of possible ways to attain it, rather he was thinking about the dangers.
Even though he was not wrong to have such a mindset, it was not useful either in the long run.
He wanted to take on the role of side character, then he had to be willing to act the part.
No side characters would hide when chances appear. They where the most active and even take most of the risks, in the end they get less or close to nothing.
This was all something that would end up putting him at the brink of death. In the long run, he was destined to get himself in stupid conflicts or even worthless fights.
As for the moment, he was having a headstart, and he ought to take it, such that he would be ahead of his peers. This would make his chances of survival as a side character much better.
It would require more than just luck and acting to convince others he was not a threat.
This chance before him was already something that could very well end his life, but he was determined to get it.
For just the reason that his entire body was trembling with excitement upon approaching it.
For the threats, he was willing to take risks, and when he observed everything calmly, he seemed to realize a problem.
The group under him was trembling from the magma underneath yet with all this pressure, only a small crack the tennis ball size formed at the end and with a loud explosion, 'boom!' it calmed down.
Regardless of how he looked at it things where not right.
The other issue was the source of the cold water on the opposite side of the tree. This things seemed to make sense when he was panicking, but when he thought about it calmy, it failed to make sense.
So he was not going to leave anytime soon. But the first thing he did was to rein in his fear and squart down.
Placing his hands on the ground, a look of realization seemed to have appeared in his eyes.
He even went further to lie down, and placed his ears on the ground. This was like taking a risk considering he had the thought this place was under a magma pool.
If it erupted when he was in that position, then his ending would not be good at all.
But the fact he still did it, showed he had some doubts, the is from the look in his eyes too.
"Just as I had suspected. Something is wrong with this place. Even boiling water does not act this way when put in a pressure environment with ice above it." The most likely outcome is the ground should have at least cracked.
But he could see that was not the case, in the begining he thought perhaps the cold and hot environment had reached some kind of equilibrium, but now he did not think that.
Regardless of what equilibrium is achieved, some things are prone to take place and the ground having cracks is one of them.
He had just take a long time to realize this and the moment he put his head on the floor, he realized no vibration in the surface.
It was too calm, "How did I start to have the thoughts that the ground was shaking from the hot air pressure accumulated underground? The entire set up seems to be designed to appear this way, no wonder it happens every two minutes. Just too punctual aren't we?" He was even more suprisied the number of inconsistencies he had overlooked once he started using the inteligence he had.
"It turns out when one is afraid, higher level of inteligence becomes more or a burden than anything else. I was almost driven out of this place in a rush when the sense of danger overwhelmed my mind." He was not stupid, as he figured out some things quickly.
But even if he had figured it out, he the need to be careful.
Instead of rushing towards the fruit, he even started to doubt whether it existed.
"is this all, some sort of trap?" He was not inclined to believe this, considering his body was still excited.
The blood in the body was circulating faster, just being closer to the fruit. He was betting whatever had the ability to make his body excited, was definitely a treasure it was useful to him to a great extent.
Pushing this thoughts aside, he moved foward one step and put his palm on the ground, but in the end nothing was felt.
His confidence increased until he finally could see the small magma river flowing around the small tree.
Looking closely, the tree had little leaves left with no flowers. The only thing left was a fruit briming with vitality and at this close distance,he could feel his hunger lessening.
"I should just risk it! The best outcome here is that this fruit can transform my entire potential and even allow my starting point be higher than most. Even though in the long term this is nothing, it is a good guarantee for my survival in the short-term." He thought to himself as he extended his hands toward the direction of the magma river.
"Ouch!"