Chapter 5 Sad Ending

[Go to Guang Yi County to look for you?] This thought only flashed through his mind for a moment. Because it was too cold, Xuan Dao was not in the mood to think about it, nor did he intend to look for her. He was not interested in these officers and soldiers.

He watched them leave and confirmed that they had indeed left. Xuan Dao struggled to climb up onto the bamboo raft, his teeth chattering.

It would have been better if he had stayed in the water. Once he was out, the cold wind hit him, making it even worse. His body shivered, and his teeth chattered non-stop. He was cold and hungry. He really wanted to jump back into the water, thinking it might be warmer, but he knew it was no different from boiling a frog in warm water. Once he realized something was wrong, he would probably not be able to climb out.

He took out a fire starter to warm himself, but it was wet and unusable.

Seeing the roasted fish that had been thrown on the bamboo raft, he quickly grabbed it. His stiff fingers held the fish, and he chewed on it while shivering, trying to find a way to replenish his energy. His body's heat seemed to have been used up. He felt cold to the bone and was on the verge of freezing. The wilderness around him showed no sign of human habitation.

Later, he found that it wasn't working. His whole body seemed numb, and he felt drowsy.

He knew he could not sleep. This was self-numbing. In this state, once he fell asleep, he would not be able to wake up.

He looked at the riverbank, wanting to go ashore, but his body was already frozen. He couldn't help it, and his consciousness gradually sank.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he seemed to be dreaming of leaning against a stove. His back was hot, and he suddenly woke up.

He crawled to his feet, stunned to discover that his wet clothes were steaming hot.

His body was no longer cold, and a certain part of his back was burning hot. The rolling heat flowed continuously to his limbs and bones, dispersing all the coldness.

Before, it had been the feeling of being frozen, but now it was gradually becoming hot and dry.

He was only a little curious about this at first, but then he thought about it. The heat source on his back was the acupuncture point where Dongfang Changfan had placed the amulet. He understood it after thinking about it, but at the same time, he felt it was incredible. How could  Dongfang Changfan control his inner force so magically? This stimulated his desire to go to the Ancient Crystal Sect. It was not an exaggeration to say that he wanted to seek the Path and become an immortal.

The heat was unbearable. He wanted to regulate his breathing and guide the flow of heat, but his body did not have the ability to do so. He lacked the basic foundation for channeling energy, and there was no essence in his body to guide. It was useless to think about it.

Secondly, he didn't know if his body was suitable for cultivation. In the words of cultivators, it was the root bone. Not everyone was suitable for essence cultivation. In fact, most people were not. The problem was that everyone's physical condition was different. Practicing essence had higher requirements for the distribution of meridians in the body. Meridians were like branches in the human body. The main branches in the human body were almost the same, but the branches that connected to the side were not the same. It was like trees of the same species growing in different shapes.

Some people didn't even have the same main branches of the meridians in their bodies. There were even people whose hearts were on the opposite side of the chest.

If one's root bone was not good, meaning one's physical condition was not good, it was not that they could not cultivate essence. However, they could only cultivate some simple martial arts, such as breathing techniques that could prolong one's life. They could not cultivate those profound cultivation techniques that had more complicated requirements for the circulation of essence.

In the end, it was a little too hot. Xuan Dao splashed cold water on his face again. He even unbuttoned his shirt to feel the cold wind. The tattered cotton jacket on his body was still steaming, and his skin was red.

When he was cleaning the arrows on the bamboo raft, Xuan Dao noticed the nameplate that the female general had shot at him. It was not big and was dark red in color. One side of the nameplate was engraved with a soaring phoenix, and the other side was engraved with the word "man."

"Greek..." he muttered as he stared at the word. His eyes were filled with confusion.

The people here were actually using Greek? Based on his previous profession, he was naturally familiar with Greek characters. He could easily distinguish them.

What puzzled him was that the people of this world spoke English, but their characters were in Greek. It was a little messy compared to the world he was familiar with. However, looking at it from the perspective of this world, the world he came from might seem just as messy. As for which side was actually messy, he did not know the answer and was at a loss.

Meanwhile, the bamboo raft had already entered the torrent of the mountains and rivers. The speed of the raft was very fast, and it began to shake.

Xuan Dao, who came back to his senses, quickly put away the series of fishing mechanisms behind the bamboo raft. The journey was long, and they might come in handy later on. He could not let them be destroyed on this complicated waterway. The bamboo pole was already in his hand. He propped it left and right in the rapid flow of the canyon. He opened his shirt and faced the cold wind, fighting against the waves. His movements were skillful, showing his experience in this area. He was calm in the face of these changes. The scene was magnificent and soul-stirring.

After passing the dangerous shoal, the flow of the water slowed down. Xuan Dao was already exhausted. He grabbed a dead fish from the bamboo raft and ate it raw. There was a bright moon in the sky above the mountain range.

It felt like the endless cries of apes on both sides of the river, and the light boat had already passed thousands of mountains. The bamboo raft flowed out of the mountain range, and the golden rays of the rising sun appeared on the horizon. He also found a place to dock.

The heat on his body gradually dissipated, and the cold attacked him again. He found a suitable location, waved his hoe, and dug a hole in the ground. He picked up some dry firewood and dragged a withered tree over. He drilled the wood to start a fire and lay down on the hot brick bed to sleep.

He set off again when he woke up.

There was a bright sun in the cold wind and a bright moon in the bleak night. The sun and the moon accompanied each other.

He used a bamboo pole in the rapid flow of the river and rowed with a simple wooden paddle in the seemingly calm and dead silence.

He experienced hardships, but he also enjoyed it. His life experience was enough to deal with the cruelty of nature.

A few days later, the river looked calm, but the flow was extremely fast. With one look, Xuan Dao knew that there must be a cliff in front of him that looked like a waterfall. Not long after, he heard the rumbling sound of the waterfall coming from afar. He guessed that the waterfall Dongfang Changfan mentioned should have arrived.

He looked around and vaguely saw a magnificent mountain forest in the distance. Dongfang Changfan's explanation was simple but very clear. Presumably, that place was the so-called land of spiritual beauty. He immediately rowed with all his might and struggled to reach the shore in the rapid flow of the river. He used all his strength to drag Dongfang Changfan's body ashore. He then watched the bamboo raft move quickly along the current. Not far away, it raised its tail and carried a pile of dry firewood as it fell and disappeared.

He pulled out the hatchet that was inserted diagonally on his back and tied to his waist. He chopped some trees and rattan nearby to make something that looked like a simple stretcher. He placed Dongfang Changfan's body on it. He wrapped a rattan rope around his shoulders and lifted one end of the stretcher. He used his hands to drag the stretcher, shoulder to shoulder and hand to hand. He dragged the stretcher all the way forward with difficulty.

After tormenting himself to the depths of the mountain, he encountered steep terrain that made dragging the stretcher further impossible. He threw it to the ground and collapsed under a tree like a dead dog. Untying the bamboo tube at his waist, he gulped down some water. Suddenly, he opened his throat and roared, "Are the people from the Ancient Crystal Sect here?"

His voice echoed through the mountain, but there was no immediate response from the dense forest. He was about to take a break and consider abandoning Dongfang Changfan to search alone when a 'chi' sound hit his face, causing him pain. Reacting swiftly, he grabbed his hatchet and got up, scanning his surroundings.

Another 'chi' sound followed, striking his face with pain again. Looking up, he saw a young man in grey robes standing confidently on a tree branch. The young man had a long sword strapped to his back and regarded him coldly. He scolded, "Where did this wild kid come from? Why are you causing such a disturbance here?"

Xuan Dao's eyes brightened. He asked eagerly, "Are you from the Ancient Crystal Sect?"

The young man replied sternly, "You wild kid, how do you know about the Ancient Crystal Sect?"

Realizing he was in the right place, Xuan Dao sheathed his hatchet and quickly removed the dirty cloth covering Dongfang Changfan's face. Pointing at him, he said, "Do you know him? Dongfang Changfan asked me to find you."

The young man glanced at Dongfang Changfan's face and paled with shock. In a swift motion, he plucked out a whistling arrow and aimed it skyward. A ball of smoke and fire erupted, shooting into the air with a 'pa' sound.

Before long, more than a dozen figures descended from the treetops nearby. They landed gracefully, demonstrating their exceptional agility. Xuan Dao blinked in amazement, noting their impressive lightness skills.

The newcomers quickly confirmed the identity of Dongfang Changfan. One of them shouted, "Report to the sect!"

Without delay, someone dashed into the forest and vanished. The others surrounded Xuan Dao, eyeing him like tigers eyeing prey, but none questioned him about the situation.

Shortly after, 'swish swish swish', more figures descended from above and landed. Eventually, Hei Fan, Xue Hu, Li Su, Li Shan, Yun Sheng, and dozens of inner disciples of the Ancient Crystal Sect arrived one after another upon hearing the news.

After confirming that it was Dongfang Changfan's body, they exchanged serious glances with each other.

As Xuan Dao observed everyone's reactions, his gaze settled on Li Shan. She stood out in the crowd with her striking beauty, resembling a fairy. However, his admiration was purely aesthetic; he harbored no other thoughts. From the responses around him, he gathered that Dongfang Changfan held a significant position in the Ancient Crystal Sect.

Squatting beside Dongfang Changfan's body, Xuan Dao examined his injuries. Hei Fan stood up and addressed him, "Young Brother, did you bring him here?"

Xuan Dao nodded. "Yes."

Hei Fan nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you. Could you please explain what happened?"

"I come from Small Temple Village, three hundred miles away from here. Bandits raided our village, and I sought refuge in a small temple in the mountains..." Xuan Dao began to explain the situation, following Dongfang Changfan's instructions regarding the bronze mirror. He refrained from mentioning Li Qing Mu until he identified him for sure.

However, when he mentioned Dongfang Changfan's intention to take him as a disciple, the expressions of many Inner Court Disciples present turned grim. Li Su, particularly agitated, interrupted fiercely, "How could Dongfang Changfan casually take a mountain village wild kid as his disciple? You're spouting nonsense!"

Not merely words, she actually swung her palm. A powerful surge of palm energy whistled forth, whipping up a strong gust of wind.

"Junior Sister!" Hei Fan and Xue Hu exclaimed, unable to intervene in time. They hadn't anticipated Li Su's sudden aggression, let alone her intent to deliver a lethal blow.

Some had already surmised Li Su's intentions: Li Qing Mu had transmitted his position to Dongfang Changfan!

Xuan Dao was shocked but not oblivious. Having been a martial artist himself, he understood the terrifying force behind Li Su's palm strike. Even before the palm energy reached him, its pressure had already stifled his breath. A direct hit would likely prove fatal.

At such close range and with such devastating force, evading the strike was impossible even in his prime. Cursing silently, he hadn't expected to meet his end at the Ancient Crystal Sect. He had brought Dongfang Changfan's body here willingly to demonstrate his sincerity.

In reality, Dongfang Changfan had not instructed him to bring his body along. His task was simply to find the Ancient Crystal Sect, knowing they would dispatch someone to recover the body once located.