Chapter 20: Eat Seeds

Xu Xiaoshou stayed by E Hu all night.

The lakeside in summer is always plagued by mosquitoes and flies. Among them, some overconfident ones tried to offer their meager efforts, contributing a few passive points to him.

However, his innate physical body was no longer something these weak insects could pierce with their feeble mouthparts.

In the early hours of the morning, the air was chilly, and Xu Xiaoshou pulled his clothes tighter around him. His emotions had mostly settled, and he felt it was time to leave.

As he turned his head, a gaunt face was staring right at him.

Xu Xiaoshou jumped in fright.

The old man was fine in every other way, but those two dark circles under his eyes were truly off-putting.

"From the outer courtyard?"

The old man twitched the corner of his mouth and smiled. "Young man, aren't you going to watch the Fengyun Zhengba?"

Xu Xiaoshou stepped back a few paces, putting some distance between them, before realizing the old man's voice sounded oddly familiar.

"You're..."

Xu Xiaoshou tried to place him. Wasn't this the same old man he had run into during the group matches, when his legs had turned to jelly amid the wind and rain?

What a coincidence?

The old man chuckled and put on his straw hat, confirming Xu Xiaoshou's suspicion beyond doubt.

"Senior, what brings you here..."

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled. Running into someone once was fate, but twice? That seemed unlikely.

Was this old man deliberately seeking him out?

The old man with the straw hat clasped his hands behind his back and continued casually, "What a shame. I hear the Fengyun Zhengba is full of geniuses lately."

"Yesterday, there was this kid, I think his name was Xiao Shou or something?"

"He even killed someone in the fight. Tsk tsk, so full of youthful bravado, these youngsters!"

Xu Xiaoshou's face darkened. Was he stirring up old trouble? The killer was standing right in front of you!

But the old man acted as if he didn't recognize him at all and went on, "Anyway, never mind that. I'm not here for him—I'm here for you!"

"I..."

Xu Xiaoshou started to speak, but the old man waved a hand to stop him. "I know all about you!"

"Old Xiao and Old Qiao mentioned it—the outer courtyard has two innate realm experts, plus a sword cultivator who's grasped acquired sword intent."

"But out of all of them, you're the one I like the most!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't hold back. You've gone on about four people, and two of them are me!

"I am..."

"Hey!" The old man glared, signaling the young man to be patient and let him finish.

"Heh, you're the one with the innate physical body, aren't I right!"

"The old man has been searching for you for days, scouring the entire outer courtyard. Who knew you'd be here appreciating geese? Not bad—you're just the kind of person I had in mind..."

"Full of character!"

Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes inwardly. What kind of character is this? I'm pondering life, not admiring geese.

What's so great about these fat geese anyway? They'd be better off eaten.

"Last night, when the old man came here, I noticed you right away!"

The old man's words startled Xu Xiaoshou. Last night?

He hadn't sensed a thing!

He discreetly observed the old man and found he couldn't detect any aura—as if he were just an ordinary elder.

But how could that be?

Would an ordinary old man be wandering around Tian Sang Ling Gong?

This had to be some big shot!

Xu Xiaoshou speculated silently, wondering why such a powerful figure was approaching him. Was it because of his innate physical body, as the old man had said?

Character, physical body, secretly watching...

Xu Xiaoshou shivered. Something about this felt off.

The old man didn't notice his unease and kept going, hands behind his back. "I watched you all night, kid. You've got real self-control!"

"Even with mosquitoes biting and eerie sounds in the dark, you didn't budge an inch—not even a glance back."

"I have to admit, you've got the same style I had back in the day!"

Xu Xiaoshou stumbled a step. He suddenly remembered the chills on his neck in the middle of the night, like someone blowing on the back of his head...

So it was real?!

He felt a wave of fear. Because he was deep in thought about life and a bit tired, he had dozed off standing up and hadn't noticed this old man at all?

And what about that info panel? It didn't even alert him to a sneak attack or scare tactic. How unreliable!

No, no—from now on, he had to stick to sleeping in his courtyard.

Don't just stand around outside—who knows how you'd end up dead!

The old man nodded approvingly, his sparse eyebrows framing eyes full of satisfaction. He sized up Xu Xiaoshou and suddenly asked, "After all that, don't you have anything to say?"

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

With a grim face, he replied, "Didn't you tell me not to speak?"

"Did I?"

"You didn't?"

"Think again—did I?"

Xu Xiaoshou was about to argue, but then he recalled: the old man had only used gestures and looks to stop him—he hadn't actually said a word.

Helplessly, he said, "Sorry to disappoint you, senior!"

"That youthful killer you mentioned is me, the one who grasped sword intent is me, and the innate physical body... uh, that's me too!"

"Oh, and my name is Xu Xiaoshou!"

"The 'shou' as in gong shou, thanks."

He paused, then added, "I'm heading to the Fengyun Zhengba now—not as a spectator, mind you. Goodbye!"

He didn't know what the old man wanted, but better to avoid trouble. The best plan: make a quick exit.

"Wait!"

The old man grabbed him, his grip incredibly strong, making Xu Xiaoshou's wrist ache.

"Senior, let me go! I'm not tasty, I swear—I didn't even bathe last night!"

The old man with the straw hat twitched at the corner of his eye. "Tasty? What nonsense! Why would I eat you when there are pills that aren't tasty? I'm not going to eat you!"

"Really!"

He looked Xu Xiaoshou up and down again. "Are you really that talented?"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at his info panel and saw no entry for "under suspicion." In a voice thick with grievance, he said, "You've already believed me, so why ask?"

"Good kid!"

The old man grinned. "You talk with such confidence, just like me. It's decided—you're the one!"

He pulled a red, seed-like object from his pocket and handed it to Xu Xiaoshou. "Eat it!"

Xu Xiaoshou nearly panicked. What the hell is this?

Is this crazy old man serious? Coming out of nowhere with all this rambling, and now he wants me to eat a seed?

I swear, Xu Xiaoshou, I'll never zone out like this again!

Am I an idiot? Mourning Wen Chong and now risking my innocence?

"Eat it!"

Faced with Xu Xiaoshou's pleading eyes, the old man said righteously, "Don't worry, it might hurt a little, but you're innate physical body—you can tough it out."

Please, just stop talking!

Xu Xiaoshou almost dropped to his knees. You were better off not saying anything—now you've killed any hope I had!

He had no choice but to take the fingernail-sized red seed. To his surprise, it was scorching hot in his hand.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked. He was innate physical body—if this were anyone else, their hand would probably melt right through.

He glanced at the straw hat old man, who was watching him expectantly. "Go on! It's delicious!"

This has to be some big shot—there's no reason he'd poison or drug me...

Right?

Xu Xiaoshou felt bitter inside. He was handsome, sure, but not the kind that drives people to desperate measures.

Here goes nothing!

"Gulp!"

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed it like poison, his face full of despair, then looked at the old man. "What's next?"

"What's next?"

"That's it!"

The old man smirked wickedly and vanished in a flash.

Damn it!

Xu Xiaoshou exploded. What the hell is going on? You give me some unknown thing, tell me to eat it, and as soon as I do, you disappear...

You actually left!

You're really gone!

Xu Xiaoshou was furious. If he ever saw this old man again, he'd strike first with "White Cloud Drifting" and show him what "that's it" really means!

The next second, he felt his face flush and his whole body heat up.

Xu Xiaoshou's features trembled.

This is bad!

His body... his body felt so strange...

What the hell is this feeling?

Xu Xiaoshou jolted in alarm. That old man—did he go to get someone?

"Help!"

"I'm not worth it! Help!"