Chapter 2

Brother and sister spent the night in silence. The next day, Yuduxiu got up early. Seeing the sun already high in the sky, he stretched lazily. After a night's rest, his body felt much better, no longer as weak as it had been the day before.

The little sister had already stewed some wild vegetables, which were in a simple pot. To be honest, wild vegetables were not very tasty, especially when cooked without any seasoning.

Not all wild vegetables were delicious; some could only barely fill one's stomach. If wild vegetables tasted good, why would farmers till the land? They could just dig up wild vegetables from the mountains.

After wandering around the yard, Yuduxiu found a hemp rope in a corner. The rope was a bit rough and not suitable for fishing.

There were many ways to catch fish, and fishing with a rod was just one of the more labor-saving methods.

In his previous life, Yuduxiu had once secluded himself in the wilderness and naturally had his own set of survival skills.

He found a wooden bucket in the yard, cut some sticks, and used the hemp rope to weave a simple trap, which he then attached to the bucket. A simple trap was thus made.

Following his memory, Yuduxiu took the trap, dug up a few earthworms, and threw them into the trap. He then went to the only river near the village.

Water is the source of life. Where there is a river, there is life. Without a river, life would not thrive in that place.

The river was clear to the bottom, about ten meters wide. Fish and shrimp could be seen swimming in it from time to time.

People from the village would occasionally come to fish here, but in Yuduxiu's memory, the fishing methods in this world were too simple, relying only on long sticks to spear fish.

He threw the trap into the river. Earthworms were the best food for fish in the river, so Yuduxiu was not worried about the fish not biting.

Leaving the trap there, Yuduxiu closed his eyes and basked in the sun, looking very relaxed.

The sun was bright, the sky was blue, with no dust or smog.

A gentle breeze blew, and Yuduxiu fell asleep without realizing it. After some time, the hemp rope tied to his right hand tugged, waking him up. He knew he had caught a fish, and it was a big one.

According to Yuduxiu's method, only fish of a certain size could enter the trap. Too large, and they could escape; too small, and they were not worth eating.

He stood up and went to the trap. There was a large black fish, weighing about six kilograms.

Lifting the trap, he thought of his little sister's eager look and smiled. "Such a big fish, enough for both of us to have some meat. My little sister is too thin; it's time to nourish her body."

Thinking of his own thin body, Yuduxiu shook his head helplessly. "This body is too weak. To practice martial arts, I need to strengthen it first."

In his previous life, Yuduxiu had sought the Dao and could sense qi, so he was not an ordinary person. He had real skills.

When he returned home, he saw his little sister sun-drying some cured meat. Looking at her busy, small figure, Yuduxiu smiled. "This is home."

"Little sister, I'm back," Yuduxiu said, holding the wooden bucket.

Yushiniang looked up, seeing Yuduxiu's wet clothes, and pouted. "Brother, what did you do? Why are your clothes all wet?"

Yuduxiu waved the wooden bucket. "Ta-da, I have a gift for you. Take a look."

Yushiniang quickly opened the bucket lid. "Wow, brother, where did you get such a big fish?"

"I caught it myself. The river is full of fish and shrimp. We can improve our diet every day and never worry about not having meat to eat," Yuduxiu said proudly.

However, Yushiniang's face turned gloomy. "Brother, you should read the classics and take the imperial exams to restore our family's honor. You are young and should focus on your studies. How can you waste your time on trivial matters?"

Chen Jiu was speechless. Seeing Yushiniang's gloomy face, he stroked her hair. "You don't understand. A scholar is useless. No matter how many classics you read, they can't fill your stomach. In our current situation, we will starve to death before we can take the exams. Survival is the priority. As for the classics, we can read them when we have enough to eat."

Yushiniang's face fell. She knew her brother was right. They couldn't even afford to eat properly, relying on wild vegetables to survive. If they had no food in winter, how would they survive?

Yuduxiu skillfully cleaned the fish. Although there were no seasonings, for the two of them, having meat was the happiest thing.

"Brother, when did you become so skilled at cooking?" Yushiniang asked, holding a bowl of fish soup and sipping it slowly.

Yuduxiu looked up at the sky. "I watched you cook every day. Over time, I learned."

"Ah," Yushiniang sipped the fish soup, not questioning Yuduxiu's cooking skills. In her eyes, her brother, being a scholar, was naturally capable of everything.

After the meal, Yuduxiu casually picked up a book from the bedside and sat in a simple rattan chair in the yard.

The rattan chair had been discarded by someone else but was treasured by the siblings. After some repairs, it was still usable.

"Records of the Extraordinary," Yuduxiu read the title, a bit awkwardly.

Although he had accepted the memories of the original body, he had not fully mastered them yet.

He recognized the characters, thanks to the memories of the deceased, but understanding their meaning required more contemplation.

Slowly flipping through the book, the opening of the Records of the Extraordinary caught Yuduxiu's eye: "The world is vast, with the heavens and earth spread out. The sun and moon follow the great Dao, filled with profound mysteries. Those who seek the Dao are called Immortals. Immortals grasp the mysteries of the universe, nurturing creation, and possess the power to reach the heavens and penetrate the earth."

After reading this, Yuduxiu closed his eyes and pondered, "This world also has the concept of immortality. No matter which world, immortality is the greatest desire of intelligent beings."

The Records of the Extraordinary might not be entirely true. Yuduxiu was skeptical, just as in his previous life, where there were always stories of immortals, but no one had ever truly seen one.

Continuing to read, Yuduxiu was thoroughly captivated by the Records of the Extraordinary. Whether the content was true or not, the mysterious and wondrous world described in it made him yearn for it.

"If I could walk the path of the Immortal, why would I read the classics?" Chen Jiu said, rolling up the Records of the Extraordinary.

Yushiniang sat quietly beside Yuduxiu, reading a book. Hearing this, she looked up and advised, "Brother, don't speak nonsense. The legends of immortals have been passed down since ancient times, but no one has truly achieved immortality. Instead of pursuing the elusive path of the Immortal, you should focus on studying the classics to restore our family's honor."

Yuduxiu tapped Yushiniang's forehead. "You're quick-witted, but I know what to do. The Central Region is vast, with many talented people. They have had the guidance of great teachers since childhood, while I have to struggle on my own. Over time, the gap between us will be insurmountable. To stand out among the many talented people and become the top scholar, to be summoned by the emperor, is no easier than seeking the path of the Immortal."

Yushiniang was silent for a long time before she finally said, "Brother, don't say such discouraging things. Don't boost others' morale while undermining your own. I believe in you."

Her voice grew softer. She knew the difficulty of the imperial exams was like climbing to the heavens, but she had a goal to hold onto, a reason to persist.

Yuduxiu patted Yushiniang's arm. "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything. You don't need to worry."

Yuduxiu looked at Yushiniang, silent for a long time.

His thoughts were very different from Yushiniang's. He not only wanted to escape their current困境 but also needed to plan for the future. Living in constant hunger and poverty was not the life Yuduxiu wanted. Even if it was not for himself, he had to consider his little sister. Continuing to read the classics would not lead to success and might even become a burden to her.

"Stop talking. I have my own plans," Yuduxiu said sternly, interrupting Yushiniang.

Yushiniang stuck out her tongue. She never dared to disobey her brother.

Yuduxiu put down the Records of the Extraordinary and picked up the fishing gear. "I'm going fishing. Don't worry about the future; let's solve the immediate problems first. We can't go hungry."

With that, Yuduxiu left.

Yushiniang watched Yuduxiu leave, then looked at the Records of the Extraordinary on the table. She picked it up with her delicate hands. "This old book is making my brother lose heart. I'll hide it. If he can't see it, he'll focus on his studies and bring glory to our family."

She hid the book like a fox stealing a chicken, satisfied with her deed.

Days passed, and with Yuduxiu's fishing, the siblings' lives improved. In this ancient era, all species were in their natural state, with no overfishing or hunting. The river was rich in fish, and without advanced fishing techniques, it was still a paradise for fish.

Every day, if they caught an extra fish, Yushiniang would dry the fish meat to make fish jerky for future use. Sometimes, when they caught three or four fish, Yuduxiu would trade them for other items with the villagers. Eating fish and wild vegetables every day was not ideal, so they needed to mix in other foods.

One evening, Yuduxiu walked back to the village in the sunset, a wooden bucket in his hand, which was shaking, indicating that the fish inside were restless.

Today's catch was good, and Yuduxiu was quite happy. The bucket contained five large fish, the smallest of which weighed about seven kilograms.

To the east of Yuduxiu's village was an old temple. The temple was very old and had long been abandoned, with many holes in the roof, unable to protect from the wind or rain. The statues inside had been used as firewood by passersby. The only use of the temple was as a resting place for travelers.

An unattended old temple caught Yuduxiu's attention.

A series of coughs made Yuduxiu stop. He looked at the old temple and felt a sense of urgency. Someone was inside, and they were very sick.

Although saving a dying person was common in his previous world, Yuduxiu was still a normal person with a sense of compassion and a bit of conscience.

Entering the temple, Yuduxiu scanned the area and saw a huddled figure in a corner, the source of the coughing.

Yuduxiu recognized him. In his remaining memories, this beggar had come to the village three years ago but never begged in the village. Sometimes, people would give him food they couldn't finish.

The beggar was coughing severely, his body shaking with each cough.

The beggar was disheveled, his face hidden, and his body covered in dirt, making it impossible to tell his age.

Hearing footsteps, the beggar opened his eyes and looked at Yuduxiu, then coughed violently and slowly closed his eyes.

"You are very sick, very sick," Yuduxiu said, standing in front of the beggar, ignoring the foul smell.

The beggar opened his eyes again, looked Yuduxiu up and down, and said nothing.

Yuduxiu put down the fish. "Do you need help? Unfortunately, I don't know where to find a doctor."

The beggar's lips trembled. "Don't bother. I'm beyond help and won't last three days."

His voice was hoarse, like a scratch on broken glass.

Yuduxiu sighed, picked up the bucket, and left. Although he felt compassion for the beggar, he was powerless to help. He had no medical knowledge, no herbs, and no money. The siblings were struggling to survive, and he couldn't help the beggar.

Borrowing money from the villagers was out of the question. The siblings had nothing, and no one would lend them money, as it would be a waste.

Yuduxiu returned home, not noticing the hidden Records of the Extraordinary, and silently prepared fish soup.

Yushiniang sensed something was wrong. "What's wrong?"

Yuduxiu shook his head. After the fish soup was ready, he ladled a bowl into the bucket. "Eat first. I'm going out for a bit."

His voice faded in the yard, and Yuduxiu was gone.

It was already dark, and the temple in the darkness looked like a giant beast waiting for prey.

In this atmosphere, the insect sounds were lower.

Yuduxiu stood outside the temple, looking around by the moonlight. There were still some flammable items.

He lit a fire outside the temple, and the darkness was instantly dispelled.

Holding a torch, Yuduxiu returned to the beggar, placing the bucket on the ground. "Eat. I can't help you much, but I can give you a bowl of fresh fish soup to eat before you die."

After saying this, Yuduxiu gathered some dry wood and brought the fire inside.

The flames flickered, and in the distorted light, everything around seemed to come to life, writhing.

The coughing stopped suddenly, and the beggar slowly raised his head. His eyes were unusually bright, as if the night had turned into day.

Yuduxiu's eyes stung, and he closed them. When he opened them again, everything seemed like a dream.

But Yuduxiu knew it was not an illusion because his eyes had indeed stung.

The beggar reached out with his dirty hand, took the earthen bowl, and looked at the wild vegetable fish soup, as if remembering something. He held the soup, silent for a long time.

Yuduxiu said nothing. This was a man with a story.

After a long time, the beggar coughed again, breaking the silence. He brought the soup to his mouth, and the wild vegetable fish soup, without any seasoning, seemed to be the most exquisite dish in the world.

He drank slowly, occasionally spitting out a fish bone.

After a long time, the beggar put down the bowl and looked at Yuduxiu. "You are a good person."

Yuduxiu smiled, showing his white teeth. "Many people say that. You're not the first."

The beggar looked Yuduxiu up and down, then sighed. "Your body is severely weakened."

Yuduxiu laughed, looking at his emaciated body. Anyone could see how weak he was. "If you had grown up with my sister, eating wild vegetables every day, you would be the same."

"Great tasks are given to those who are first tested with hardship, toil, and hunger, to strengthen their resolve and abilities. Those who have endured hardships are strong-willed," the beggar said slowly, coughing again.

"You, beggar, have quite a way with words," Yuduxiu said, finding the beggar interesting.

The beggar seemed not to notice Yuduxiu's teasing and asked, "Have you heard of cultivators?"

Yuduxiu thought of the Records of the Extraordinary. "I read about them in a book."

"Good to know. I am actually a cultivator," the beggar said, coughing.

Yuduxiu was stunned. Was this the legendary protagonist's good luck, where saving a random beggar turned out to be a powerful cultivator who would give him ten or eight immortal artifacts, countless powerful cultivation techniques, and then refine his body, soaring to the heavens, defeating great beings, and kicking immortals?

"You don't believe me?" The beggar's eyes seemed to see through everything.