Chapter 33: Immortal

"Awoo!"

The giant tiger let out a miserable howl, losing all its strength, and lunged onto Chen Yuan purely by momentum.

Having escaped death at the brink, Chen Yuan was overjoyed. He braced his hands against the tiger's massive body and flipped it onto the ground.

Thud!

As the giant tiger hit the ground, the flying sword embedded in its head transformed into a streak of light and flew backward.

Chen Yuan looked up and saw a figure drifting down from the hundred-foot-high cliff like a falling feather.

The man was handsome, appearing to be only in his twenties. He wore a spotless black long robe and carried a yellow silk pouch at his waist.

The streak of light from the flying sword stopped in front of the black-robed youth, returning to its original form and circling around him.

Chen Yuan stood there with his mouth agape and eyes wide, staring blankly, forgetting everything around him.

A flying sword!

Flight!

There were actually cultivators in this world!

An uncontrollable surge of shock and ecstasy welled up from the depths of his heart. He took a deep breath before he could manage to steady himself. Clasping his hands in a salute, he bowed deeply

"This humble one is Chen Erniu. Thank you, Immortal, for saving my life!"

The black-robed youth gave him a faint glance but said nothing. He walked slowly toward the giant tiger and raised his hand to form a hand seal.

The flying sword shot out, piercing the tiger's body. It skinned the tiger, extracted its bones, and then sliced off four paws and a tail.

The tiger skin, which had been as hard as stone, was now sliced through easily by the flying sword, as if it were tender tofu.

Chen Yuan stood with his hands at his sides, quietly watching the youth's movements.

The others had been terrified by the tiger's second roar and lay paralyzed on the ground.

Only Wei Wuding, clutching his injured left shoulder, struggled to his feet. He slowly shuffled over and bowed respectfully, saying

"This humble one is Wei Wuding. Thank you, Immortal, for saving my life!"

The black-robed youth ignored him. He reached out and brushed his hand over the tiger skin and bones; the yellow pouch at his waist flashed with light, and all the items vanished.

He turned around, sized Chen Yuan up from head to toe, and asked

"Where did you get such immense strength?"

Chen Yuan replied respectfully

"When I was young, I suffered a severe illness. My family had no money for treatment, so my father went into the mountains to gather some herbs. After decocting and drinking them, the illness vanished, and I inexplicably gained this great strength."

The black-robed youth nodded slightly.

"Good luck. You ate spiritual herbs and not only survived but can even hold your own against a Spotted Tiger... I have a task that requires your help. Are you willing?"

Chen Yuan immediately bowed deeply.

"The Immortal has saved my life. I am willing to serve you without hesitation!"

The black-robed youth smiled slightly and said, "In that case, follow me."

With that, he brushed his hand against the yellow pouch. A flash of light appeared, and a tender green leaf about an inch long materialized in his hand.

He tossed it upward. The green leaf flew out and landed on the ground, expanding to about ten feet in length and hovering a foot above the earth.

The youth tapped his toes and drifted onto the green leaf, beckoning to Chen Yuan

"Come up."

"Yes!"

Not daring to delay, Chen Yuan activated his Shadow-Leaping Steps. He approached the giant tiger, retracted his silver thread ring, and then stepped onto the green leaf in two strides. He stood carefully at the very back, not daring to get too close to the youth.

Wei Wuding stared blankly at the strange green leaf. Once Chen Yuan was aboard, he suddenly shouted

"This humble one is also willing to serve the Immortal! I will go through fire and water and face death without regret!"

The black-robed youth glanced at him and said indifferently, "Your physical body is too weak. You cannot help me."

With that, he formed a hand seal. The green leaf emitted a faint light and slowly ascended, flying toward the distance.

Wei Wuding stood frozen in place, looking up at the clear blue sky where white clouds drifted and scattered with the wind.

...

The green leaf rose to a height of a hundred feet above the ground, flying slowly—slightly slower than a galloping horse. Chen Yuan soon adapted.

Standing behind the black-robed youth, he looked down at the forests and streams below, his eyes flickering, yet he remained silent.

The youth stood at the front, his hands forming seals. The green leaf occasionally changed direction to bypass the towering mountain peaks ahead.

A quarter of an hour later, the leaf stopped in a valley.

The youth, who had maintained a calm expression, now had beads of sweat on his forehead, looking somewhat strained.

Chen Yuan quickly jumped off the leaf and looked around.

He did not dare look directly at the youth, fearing that seeing him in a state of exertion might be perceived as an insult.

The valley was surrounded on all sides by cliffs dozens of feet high, with no visible paths in or out, and was lush with vegetation.

On the eastern cliff, there was a dark cave opening about ten feet high. A shrill, whistling sound echoed from within, and within a ten-foot radius of the entrance, not a single blade of grass grew.

The black-robed youth glanced at Chen Yuan, formed a seal, and the green leaf shrank to an inch before vanishing into thin air. Only then did he speak

"Not bad. For a mortal, you didn't panic at all during your first flight in the heavens. You saved me a lot of trouble."

Chen Yuan said respectfully, "The Immortal's magic is boundless, and riding clouds and mist is surely effortless. How would I dare disturb your casting of spells?"

The youth shook his head with a chuckle. "Heh, I am far from being an Immortal..."

He brushed his hand against the yellow pouch at his waist. A pile of gold beads appeared on the ground out of nowhere. He pointed toward the cave in the cliff and said

"There are three white herbs growing in that cave. Go in, pick them, and bring them to me. These thousand taels of gold will be yours."

Chen Yuan glanced at the mountain of gold beads and asked, "Immortal, how can I find those three herbs?"

"Only those three herbs grow in that cave. You will see them at a glance."

Chen Yuan hesitated. "Then why do you not go and pick them yourself?"

The youth said indifferently, "There is an unnamed Yin Wind in that cave. The deeper you go, the more powerful it becomes. In the deepest parts, it can even corrode bone and soul. I cannot enter."

Chen Yuan's expression changed. The youth continued, "Do not worry. Those herbs are of great use to me, so I naturally won't let you die in vain. That Spotted Tiger has been guarding this valley and has likely devoured spiritual herbs many times. Your physical body is strong enough to contend with it; even if there is a gap, it is not large. Take this Blood-Boiling Pill to stimulate your vital essence, and you should be able to withstand the Yin Wind."

He brushed the yellow pouch again, and the gold beads vanished, replaced by a jade bottle. He poured out a crimson pill and handed it to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan took it with both hands. As he took a light sniff, a sharp, pungent, spicy odor hit his nose, and his face immediately turned unsightly.

Over the years, he had consumed hundreds of pills to strengthen his foundation. Although he wasn't a pharmacist, he understood some pharmacology. A pill with such a strange color and pungent smell was typically a poisonous pill refined from toxic herbs, meant to harm people.

Noticing the change in Chen Yuan's expression, the youth said calmly, "The potency of the Blood-Boiling Pill is indeed a bit domineering and will consume some of your essence. But you are already a Gang-strength martial artist; even with the loss of essence, you will remain a master. Once the task is done, you will have a thousand taels of gold—enough to enjoy a lifetime of luxury."

Chen Yuan gave a bitter smile. "The Immortal is right. And I suppose I have no choice to refuse?"

"What do you think? Take this night pearl and enter the cave."

The youth smiled and brushed his pouch again. A night pearl appeared in his hand and was handed over.

Chen Yuan took the pearl with both hands and said, "I am willing to enter the cave to pick the herbs, but I do not want the gold. Can the Immortal offer a different reward?"

The youth's eyes narrowed, and his gaze turned cold. "What reward do you want?"

Chen Yuan bowed deeply. "I beg the Immortal to lead me onto the path of immortality and teach me the methods of cultivation. I am willing to serve you as my master and attend to your every need!"

The youth froze, then laughed. "The methods of cultivation cannot be learned by just anyone. Only those born with spiritual roots can cultivate. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I advise you to take the gold and go back to enjoy your wealth."

Chen Yuan suddenly dropped to his knees and shouted, "Can the Immortal test my spiritual roots? If I have none, I will ask for no reward. Even if I must lose most of my essence, I will bring the herbs back to you. I only want a chance to cultivate. I hope the Immortal will grant my wish!"

With that, he kowtowed three times in rapid succession.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Chen Yuan struck the ground with such force that he left three indentations. Dust flew, leaving his face covered in grime, but he did not care. He merely looked up at the youth with an earnest gaze.

The youth looked at Chen Yuan, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes. He nodded slightly. "Very well. Since your heart for the Dao is so steadfast, I shall grant your wish."

Chen Yuan was overjoyed. "Thank you, Immortal!"

"Extend your hand."

At the youth's command, Chen Yuan hurriedly reached out his right hand.

The youth formed a sword finger with his right hand. A flash of light erupted from his fingertip as he touched Chen Yuan's wrist.

Chen Yuan held his breath, his heart pounding wildly.

In that moment, time seemed to stretch infinitely, and even the air felt frozen.

Suddenly, the youth's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Eh? You actually do have spiritual roots!"

*Thump!*

Chen Yuan's heart gave a heavy leap, feeling as if it might jump out of his throat. He said without hesitation, "I beg the Immortal's mercy to grant me the methods of cultivation. I am willing to serve the Immortal by your side and work for you until death!"

The youth withdrew his hand and shook his head. "Your heart for the Dao is so firm that I wanted to grant you a stroke of fortune, but unfortunately, you possess only a Pseudo-Spiritual Root. I cannot take you as a disciple."

Chen Yuan's heart sank. "Immortal, what does 'Pseudo-Spiritual Root' mean?"

A trace of pity flashed in the youth's eyes. "Spiritual roots are divided into grades. Yours belongs to the lowest grade. Your aptitude is extremely poor; even if you cultivate for a lifetime, it will be difficult to achieve anything."

Chen Yuan, however, breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as it is a spiritual root, it is enough. I do not dare to crave high aptitude. As long as I can cultivate, I will be satisfied."

The youth looked at Chen Yuan, his gaze flickering. "With your martial arts, you are a superior being in the mortal realm. But if you step into the world of cultivation, you will only be subject to bullying. Is this the kind of immortality you wish to pursue?"

Chen Yuan said firmly, "According to the Immortal, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I had not met you, I would have spent my life in petty struggles, chasing fame and fortune. Meeting you is a blessing from the heavens; how could I give it up? Please, Immortal, show me the way. I will be eternally grateful!"