Chapter 23

The fat man's expression did not change when he heard this; he continued to smile.

"Little brother, how would I know about these things? I'm just an ordinary passerby who got lost in this forest and lost something. If you're unwilling to help, it's fine. Let's go to the path you mentioned and leave the forest."

The fat man spoke with indifference, but it gave Gu Xuyao a strange feeling, as if these words had a magical power.

The hunter's intuition told Gu Xuyao that he was now at a dead end. The remaining pills were few, and it would be impossible to find clues in this vast forest in time.

With a cold snort, Gu Xuyao walked to the river. The river water reflected the sunlight that filtered through the branches, creating a shimmering surface. However, those who had not fallen into the water would not know how cold it was.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Xuyao prepared to jump into the water, but a pain in his back and a force pushed him off the ground.

The water splashed, and Gu Xuyao knew without thinking that the fat man must have pushed him from behind. However, he had no time to think as the bone-chilling cold invaded all his senses.

The river became colder the further downstream he went. Having been pushed into the water by the fat man multiple times, Gu Xuyao was well aware of this.

However, he had also fought beasts in the Red Clay River during winter. Gu Xuyao knew that in such a situation, only continuous movement could keep the blood flowing and prevent death.

"Ha..." Gu Xuyao swam to the surface and took a deep breath, vaguely sensing the fat man smiling at him from the shore. His resentment towards the fat man, who had tormented him all the way, grew even more.

Fortunately, the river was not turbulent, and the waterfall was not far from the shore. With his good swimming skills, Gu Xuyao quickly approached the edge of the waterfall.

However, the closer he got to the waterfall, the greater the resistance became. The water from the high waterfall created a significant obstacle for Gu Xuyao. As his strength waned, he gradually felt powerless.

His heartbeat slowed, and the cold water slowly eroded his body. His limbs had lost all sensation, and as his swimming strength decreased, the waterfall's force pushed him towards the shore.

"No, if I give up here, all my efforts will be in vain..." Determination was not difficult for Gu Xuyao. The habits he had formed since childhood had made him a tough and resolute man.

Swimming slowly, his speed was almost like crawling, but Gu Xuyao refused to give up. His face was pale, and his lips were blue, but the only thing that remained was the determination in his eyes. To all appearances, he was a man on the verge of death.

This state lasted for about half an hour. The place where the waterfall fell was now within reach, and the splashing water formed a mist, almost blinding Gu Xuyao.

"Ah!" The resistance was too great, and Gu Xuyao's strength was almost at its limit. At this moment, he shouted, and somehow, this shout seemed to give him strength. He swam forward with a burst of speed and found himself under the waterfall!

"Boom!" The sound of the waterfall was deafening, and the impact almost knocked Gu Xuyao unconscious.

However, Gu Xuyao was not an inexperienced young man. He instantly dived, and the noise, impact, and resistance disappeared. The burden was lifted, and Gu Xuyao felt like a bird freed from its cage, completely free.

A faint smile appeared on his lips as he swam forward quickly. Ahead was a rock wall, and Gu Xuyao knew that climbing it would lead to the small cave where the fat man had lost his item.

Free from the waterfall's force, this part of the journey was much easier. Soon, Gu Xuyao reached the rock wall and surfaced. Above, about ten feet high, was the small cave.

Climbing was not something Gu Xuyao was familiar with. The Red Clay area had forests and rivers but no high mountains. However, this did not pose a problem for an excellent hunter.

Finding footholds on the rock wall, he climbed steadily. After leaving the river, the warmth returning to his body made him feel that things were improving.

It did not take long for Gu Xuyao to reach the small cave. The dry and warm environment was a stark contrast to the cold, damp river, making it feel like heaven.

The item the fat man had lost lay quietly at Gu Xuyao's feet. It seemed he had completed his task, but when Gu Xuyao saw what it was, he was so angry that his whole body trembled.

The item the fat man had been desperately seeking was a woman's red肚兜 (肚兜 is a traditional Chinese undergarment, often translated as "bodice" or "bustier"), embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in gaudy gold thread, clearly something from the mortal world.

Gu Xuyao stiffly picked up the肚兜 from the ground. It was soaked, clearly having been immersed in the river, but he still felt as if he had been toyed with.

However, the most significant issue was not this. The肚兜 emitted a foul odor even from a distance, and it was unclear how long the fat man had kept it. Even the river could not wash away the smell.

Folding the肚兜 and tucking it into his waistband, Gu Xuyao turned to face the waterfall and took a deep breath.

The odor no longer lingered in his nostrils, and his mood slightly improved, but the anger in his heart could not be dispelled.

After all the hardships of carrying the fat man, falling into the water multiple times, and risking his life to reach the waterfall, the so-called valuable item he found was a woman's old肚兜!

Thinking about this, Gu Xuyao jumped into the water and swam under the waterfall, emerging on the other side to see the fat man's smiling face.

"Little brother, did you get the item? I've been waiting for you. Come on, come on."

However, the more the fat man acted this way, the more Gu Xuyao's anger grew, and this hatred even reduced the impact of the cold water on him.

With the force of the waterfall, Gu Xuyao quickly swam out of the river. The moment he emerged from the water, he felt like he was about to explode, especially when he heard the fat man's cheerful voice.

"Little brother, thank you for your hard work. I can tell from your appearance that you've brought back the item. Where is it? Where is it?"

As he spoke, the fat man rubbed his hands, looking as sleazy as a thug in the market who had encountered a beautiful woman.

However, Gu Xuyao finally suppressed his impending anger, slowly pulled the肚兜 from his waist, and threw it on the ground.

"Is this the item you wanted me to find for you?"

The fat man seemed completely oblivious to Gu Xuyao's displeasure, bent down to pick up the肚兜, and his eyes shone with an unusual light.

"Yes, don't you think it's beautiful? Let me tell you a secret, but don't tell anyone. This is a肚兜 worn by a woman I've been secretly in love with for a long time. I had to hire many thieves to steal it, hehehe..."

Gu Xuyao said nothing, just clenched his fists tightly, watching the fat man rub the肚兜 against his face until it was almost dry.

"Hehe, little brother, it's all done. Now, carry me to the path you found, and we'll leave together."

Without moving or acknowledging the fat man's hopeful expression, Gu Xuyao narrowed his eyes and stared at the fat man's disgusting smile.

"You want me to carry you back to the path?"

The fat man smiled and nodded, walking up to Gu Xuyao and patting his shoulder heavily.

"I know it's troublesome for you, little brother, but we want to get out, right? Everything depends on you. You'll have my gratitude!"

These words ignited Gu Xuyao's anger. All thoughts of cultivation and finding his roots were forgotten, and he punched the fat man's face with all his might!

The force was so great that the fat man's facial features were distorted, and most of his teeth were knocked out, making his words inaudible.

However, Gu Xuyao had no intention of listening to the fat man's babbling. He continued to punch, each blow landing on the fat man's face, and this time, even the fat man's lower teeth were knocked out.

"Now, go back and continue looking for your肚兜!" Gu Xuyao then kicked the fat man in the stomach, and his round body flew into the river like a ball.

"Plunk..." The splash when the fat man hit the water was much larger than when Gu Xuyao had fallen in. Watching the splash, Gu Xuyao's anger finally subsided.

Taking a deep breath, as his rationality returned, Gu Xuyao immediately realized the problem. Kicking the fat man into the river would make it impossible to cultivate his immortal root.

Just as he thought this, the ground suddenly shook, almost making Gu Xuyao lose his balance. The cold water in the river seemed to come alive, forming a large wave that quickly engulfed Gu Xuyao!

Gu Xuyao's world was in chaos, but the cultivation room remained as quiet as ever, except for the old man's snoring.

"Hmm?" The old man woke up, his intuition telling him that something had happened. "This boy, has he started to cultivate his immortal root?" The old man's figure flashed, and he entered Gu Xuyao's room.

At this moment, Gu Xuyao's body was glowing with primordial energy, and his physical form was floating in the air. A powerful ball of primordial energy was gathering above his brow.

"Will, bone, soul!" The old man exclaimed as the gathering primordial energy created a strong wind, blowing back his messy hair. "This boy, he actually did it!" The old man's face was full of surprise, and his withered face now had a touch of kindness.

"Oh no." The old man, busy being surprised, forgot that this was a critical moment for Gu Xuyao. He quickly stepped in front of Gu Xuyao, muttered some words, and sent several streams of primordial energy into Gu Xuyao's body.

As the old man moved, the primordial energy emitted from Gu Xuyao's body became even more intense, and the ball of energy quickly took shape. At first glance, it looked like a few roots, about the size of a hand, radiating vitality.

The old man shouted, and a stream of primordial energy entered the immortal root. The root, under the force, quickly shrank and finally became the size of a fingernail, continuing to absorb energy from Gu Xuyao's body until it became almost transparent and merged into Gu Xuyao's brow!

With the immortal root entering his body, the light emitted from Gu Xuyao's body reached its peak. He looked like a small sun, so bright that even the dust in the cultivation room, which had accumulated for a long time, was evaporated!

However, this light did not last long. After the immortal root fully entered his brow, the light was absorbed back into Gu Xuyao's body, and he fell heavily to the ground.

The primordial energy dissipated, and the old man squatted down to check that Gu Xuyao was safe. His hair, which had been blown up, fell back, covering his dirty face.

"Good boy..." The old man muttered, and although his face was hidden by his hair, the complex look in his eyes could not be concealed!

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