Page 5

Wen Xu did not understand, but he knew how to fob people off. "All my things were stolen."

"Who was that undiscerning? They even stole Grain-Repelling Pills!" Bian Chunchou said indignantly, then quickly came to his senses. "No, something is very wrong with you. Anyone who dared participate in Yonglu Mountain's selection would never steal another candidate's Grain-Repelling Pills. What exactly do you want from me?"

Bian Chunchou merely lacked experience; he was not truly stupid. He had already drawn the low-grade spirit sword from his waist. "Speak!" Of course, he did not dare actually kill someone, but he could still scare people a little. That was how it was done in television dramas, after all.

"I..." Wen Xu coughed lightly, and his complexion turned another shade paler. Lying prone on the ground, he openly exposed his vital points beneath the weapon. "I did indeed approach you with an ulterior motive, benefactor."

Wow, so it really was like that. People's hearts in the Cultivation Realm truly were not what they used to be. "Then keep talking."

"I do not know where to begin, but as you said, benefactor, if I truly harbored evil intentions, I could not possibly have starved myself into such weakness. I... to be honest, I do not know where this place is. I entered it by mistake." After saying that, Wen Xu smiled shyly. Though he could not recognize other people's appearances, he knew that he himself was rather good-looking.

"Entered by mistake? That is absolutely impossible. The Cloud-Breaking Secret Realm is a spirit-plant secret realm exclusive to Yonglu Mountain. Yonglu Mountain could not possibly fail to stop even an ordinary Qi Refining Stage cultivator. The more you speak, the more absurd you sound."

Wen Xu smiled bitterly. "To be honest, seven days ago, three people began pursuing and trying to kill me for no reason. Today, I had exhausted every last trick in my bag. Since I did not wish to die at their hands, I jumped off a cliff in fury. I never expected to land on you, benefactor, and survive by sheer luck. I shall engrave your life-saving grace in the depths of my heart."

That really did not seem like an act... but the trope of falling off a cliff and into a secret realm—shouldn't that belong to a transmigrated protagonist like him?

Bian Chunchou was half-convinced, half-doubtful, and did not lower his sword. "Then what exactly do you want from me?"

"I... am hungry. But I have nothing on me, and there are no animals here. I cannot hunt, nor can I tell whether the fruit on the trees is edible, so I was wondering whether you might..."

What a damn straightforward motive. Bian Chunchou was momentarily speechless, but then he suddenly shrieked, "What?! There's fruit on the trees? What does it look like? Why haven't I seen any? That's impossible!"

Hearing this, Wen Xu did not describe the fruit directly. He only said, "Actually, I am not entirely sure either. I was so hungry that my vision had gone blurry, and I was walking with my eyes closed. I only felt that I had kicked quite a few fruits, but the surroundings were far too quiet, and there were no animals about, so I did not dare eat them."

Bian Chunchou: !!!!!!

If the other person had described exactly what the fruit looked like, Bian Chunchou would instead have been less inclined to believe him. But looking at this fellow's condition, he had starved himself into this state. Cultivators were so proud by nature that they were unlikely to deceive someone with such a clumsy excuse.

Now he was getting restless.

"Say, brother, how about we make a deal? I'll treat you to a Grain-Repelling Pill, and you take me to pick the fruit. How does that sound?"

Wen Xu nodded without even thinking. "All right."

"That readily? There isn't some trap, is there?"

"No. I am merely an ordinary mortal. Besides, plotting against one's benefactor deserves to be struck by heaven and thunder." Wen Xu felt that he still had some principles. Although his principles could sometimes stretch and shrink with ease, there was no need to lie about this.

Bian Chunchou thought it over and decided to gamble. If he did not gamble, he would end up at the bottom anyway; if he did, there was still a chance to salvage things. Yonglu Mountain's Preliminary Trial prohibited killing. If the gamble failed, the worst outcome would be immediate elimination. From then on, he would seal off his heart and lock away love, never again believing the promises of any handsome man.

Of course, the main reason was that Grain-Repelling Pills were not worth much. By rounding things up, this was basically getting a wolf with empty hands.

"Hey—wait, you look like this and you're still an ordinary mortal? How are ordinary people like us supposed to live!" Handsome without even knowing it—somehow, that made him even more trustworthy.

After Wen Xu ate the Grain-Repelling Pill, warmth soon spread through his stomach, and the sensation of hunger quickly vanished completely. How miraculous. If pills like these were spread among the populace, they would surely be highly sought after by those observing mourning. After eating nothing but small greens and bok choy for three years, Wen Xu considered himself somewhat qualified to speak on the matter.

"No, I..."

Bian Chunchou met those unfocused eyes again. How strange—he actually could not see his own reflection in them. "You—"

Wen Xu touched his own face. "Did I frighten you again, benefactor?"

Those eyes were still unfocused. Unable to resist, Bian Chunchou waved a hand in front of them. "You can't see?"

Wen Xu had originally intended to explain. In order to keep anyone from discovering that he could not distinguish people, he had prepared ten thousand and one excuses in his mind for his odd behavior, but... perhaps being blind was not such a bad thing.

He was no longer a beggar, did not need to sit for the imperial examinations, and could not possibly return to Jade Isle Commandery. Besides, a blind man could clearly lower other people's guard. Wen Xu's thoughts turned, and he immediately nodded. "Sorry, you still saw through me, benefactor. I thought I had hidden it well."

After saying that, he even closed his eyes and tore off a strip of cloth from his hem to cover them.

Bian Chunchou: I am truly the worst!

"That's not right. Aren't you a cultivator? How could a cultivator possibly be unable to see?" So long as one had enough Spirit Stones, unless there was a problem with the heart, Dantian, or Spiritual Root, even a severed limb could regrow on the spot—and be just as good as the original.

Wen Xu froze. No wonder this person had seemed excessively wary of him; he had mistaken him for one of his own kind. Wen Xu immediately considered it, then said, "I do not understand what you mean, benefactor. I am not a cultivator."

Though concealing the truth and pretending might have been more advantageous for him, he knew too little information. The chances of being exposed while impersonating a cultivator were far too high. Wen Xu still chose to be more honest. This person had a kind heart. At least since Wen Xu could remember, he had rarely received such goodwill without anything demanded in return. Most things in his life had been won through his own efforts.

So when facing someone like this, if possible, he did not wish to display his overly calculating and shrewd side.

"That's impossible. Your Qi Sea has clearly been opened!"