Chapter 20: Eating Seeds

Xu Xiaoshou stood by Swan Lake for the entire night.

By the lake in summer, there were always mosquitoes and flies, and some of them, overestimating their abilities, even tried to contribute their meager strength to give him some passive points.

However, his innate physique could no longer be pierced by the weak proboscises of these mosquitoes and flies.

In the early hours of the morning, it was very cold. Xu Xiaoshou tightened his clothes; his mood had mostly recovered, and he planned to leave.

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

Xu Xiaoshou was startled.

Everything else about this old man was fine, except for those two large dark circles under his eyes, which were truly off-putting.

"From the Outer Court?"

The old man's lips twitched as he smiled and said, "Young man, aren't you going to watch the 'Wind and Cloud Hegemony'?"

Xu Xiaoshou hastily retreated a few steps. Only after putting some distance between them did he feel that the old man's way of speaking sounded familiar.

"You are...?"

Xu Xiaoshou recognized him. Wasn't this the old man he had met by chance that day, amidst the wind and rain, when his legs had gone weak during the group stage?

What a coincidence!

The old man chuckled and placed the straw hat he was holding onto his head. Xu Xiaoshou immediately knew for sure.

"Senior, are you...?"

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled. Meeting him once was a coincidence, but twice seemed too much to be merely fate.

Could it be that this old man was specifically looking for him?

The old man with the straw hat put his hands behind his back and said, "It's a pity for you. I heard that recently, the 'Wind and Cloud Hegemony' has been producing many geniuses."

"Yesterday, there was a young man, seemingly called 'Little Beast' or something?"

"He even killed someone. Tsk, tsk, so hot-headed, these young people!"

Xu Xiaoshou's face darkened. "Why bring up an uncomfortable topic like that?" he thought. "The murderer is standing right in front of you!"

Yet the old man seemed to genuinely not recognize him and continued, "But it doesn't matter, I'm not looking for him. I'm looking for you!"

"I..."

Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to speak, the old man raised a hand to stop him. "I know you!"

"Old Xiao and Old Qiao mentioned that the Outer Court produced two innate practitioners, plus a sword cultivator who comprehended acquired sword intent."

"But, I particularly like you the most!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't stand it anymore. "You've been rambling on," he thought, "and you've mentioned four people in total, two of whom are me!"

"I am..."

"Hey!" The old man's eyes widened, signaling the young man not to be impatient and to let him finish speaking.

"Heh heh, you are the one with the innate physique, I'm right, aren't I!"

"I've been looking for you for several days; I searched all over the Outer Court and didn't expect you to be here admiring geese. As expected of someone I have my eye on..."

"So tasteful!"

Xu Xiaoshou secretly rolled his eyes. "What kind of taste is this?" he thought. "I was contemplating life, not admiring geese."

"What's there to admire about these fat geese? Eating them would be more like it."

"When I came here last night, I noticed you!"

The straw-hatted old man's words startled Xu Xiaoshou. "Last night?"

He had been completely unaware!

He secretly observed the old man and found that he couldn't sense his aura, as if he were just an ordinary old man.

But how was that possible?

Would an ordinary old man be in the Tiansang Spirit Palace?

This was definitely a big shot!

He secretly speculated, not understanding why such a big shot would seek him out. Was it because of his innate physique, as the old man had mentioned?

Taste, physique, secret observation...

Xu Xiaoshou shivered. "Why does this feel a bit off?"

The old man didn't notice his strangeness and continued with his hands behind his back, "I observed you all night. Good boy, your composure is truly excellent!"

"Even mosquito bites and eerie ghost cries didn't make you move an inch, not even turning your head."

"I admit, young man, you have the demeanor I had back then!"

Xu Xiaoshou stumbled a step. He remembered his neck often feeling cold in the middle of the night, as if someone was blowing air on the back of his head...

So there really was someone?!

A look of lingering fear appeared on his face. He had been contemplating life at a critical juncture and, feeling a bit tired, had dozed off while standing for a while. He hadn't even noticed this old man?

Speaking of which, why didn't the system panel give any notification about a sneak attack or intimidation? It was too derelict in its duty!

No, no, from now on, he absolutely had to honestly go back to his yard to sleep.

Don't just stand outside; otherwise, you won't even know how you died!

The old man nodded incessantly, his eyes beneath sparse eyebrows showing satisfaction. He looked Xu Xiaoshou up and down and suddenly asked, "I've said so much, don't you have anything to say?"

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

His face turned ashen as he said, "Didn't you tell me not to speak?"

"Did I?"

"You didn't?"

"Think again, did I?"

Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to retort, he suddenly recalled that the old man had indeed only stopped him with gestures and glances, and hadn't actually said anything verbally.

He said helplessly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Senior!"

"The hot-headed murderer you mentioned is me, the one who comprehended sword intent is me, and the innate physique... er, that's also me!"

"Also, my name is Xu Xiaoshou!"

"The 'shou' as in 'receiver' (from 'gong-shou'), thank you."

He paused, then continued, "I'm going to participate in the 'Wind and Cloud Hegemony' now, not just watch, mind you. Goodbye!"

Although he didn't know the old man's intentions, he figured it was best not to provoke him if possible, as the thirty-six stratagems dictate that retreat is the best policy.

"Wait!"

The old man grabbed him with immense strength, making Xu Xiaoshou's wrist ache from the grip.

"Senior, please let me go! I really don't taste good, and I didn't even shower last night!"

The straw-hatted old man's eye twitched. "Eat what?! What nonsense! Are pills not tasty enough? Why would I eat you? Honestly!"

He looked Xu Xiaoshou up and down again. "Are you really that much of a genius?"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at his system panel and saw there was no "Suspicion Received" entry. His voice was tinged with a whine as he said, "You already believe me, why are you still asking?"

"Good boy!"

The old man grinned. "Such a confident speaking style, just like me, it's definitely you!"

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

Xu Xiaoshou nearly peed himself. "What the hell is this thing?!"

"Is this rotten old man sick? He rambled on inexplicably, then told him to eat a seed?"

"I swear, I, Xu Xiaoshou, will never come out to space out again!"

"Am I a glutton for punishment?! For a dead Wen Chong, am I about to lose my innocent body?"

"Eat it!"

Seeing Xu Xiaoshou's pleading gaze, the old man righteously said, "It's nothing; it might hurt a little, but you have an innate physique. Just bear with it, and it'll pass."

"I beg you, stop talking!"

Xu Xiaoshou nearly knelt down. "It was fine when you didn't say anything," he thought, "but as soon as you spoke, the spark of hope in my heart completely died!"

He was forced to take the red, fingernail-sized seed and found that it was surprisingly hot in his hand.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked. He had an innate physique, after all. "If it were anyone else," he thought, "wouldn't their hand be melted right through?"

He glanced at the straw-hatted old man again and saw him looking back with great anticipation. "Eat it!" the old man urged. "It's very tasty!"

"This is definitely a big shot," he thought, "there's no need for him to use poison or aphrodisiacs on me..."

...right?

Xu Xiaoshou felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Although he was handsome, he was definitely not the kind of handsome that would make others unable to resist and resort to any means.

"Screw it!"

"Gulp!"

Xu Xiaoshou, as if drinking poison, swallowed it with a look of despair, then looked at the straw-hatted old man. "What's next?"

"Next?"

"That's it!"

The old man gave a mischievous grin and instantly vanished.

"Holy crap!"

Xu Xiaoshou exploded in frustration. "What the hell is going on?!"

"You gave me some unknown thing, told me to eat it, and then you just left after I ate it..."

You actually left!

Like, really left!

Xu Xiaoshou was furious. He swore that if he ever saw this old man again, he would immediately unleash the "White Clouds Drifting" move to let him know what "nothing left down there" truly meant!

The next second, he suddenly felt his face burning and his ears turning red, and his whole body became hot.

Xu Xiaoshou's face was trembling.

"Oh no!"

"My body, my body is getting so strange..."

"What the hell is this feeling?!"

Xu Xiaoshou was suddenly alarmed. "This old man, he wouldn't go call someone, would he?!"

"Help!"

"I'm not worth it! Help!"