XIAO SHUXIANG'S

91 - Mother Mountain [Revised]

The Third Patriarch had just taken down Xiao Shuxiang as he arrived under the foot of the Mother Mountain. Xiao Shuxiang coughed a few times as he felt pain inside his chest. His face was pale and felt like his entrails were about to come out.

"Te-Elder Three is outrageous, can't he read my practice of only being at the second level of Forging Qi?! Flying that fast, it's a miracle I'm still breathing now..."

The Third Patriarch looked at Xiao Shuxiang who was still trying to calm himself down.

The Third Patriarch said, "To be my servant. You have to go through the exam first. I don't want to have a useless servant. Now your test is to climb this mountain until you reach my residence.."

The Third Patriarch gave time until the sun rose. After saying so, the Third Patriarch immediately darted away.

Xiao Shuxiang shook his head softly as he sighed, he looked towards the sky and found out that it was now eleven o'clock at night. He rubbed his face, eager to curse the Third Patriarch all out at this moment.

"Huuuf, stop..!" Xiao Shuxiang started running, several times jumping over tree branches. It was impossible to get to the top in such a short time, let alone the mountain he was climbing was the highest mountain in the Eastern Continent.

Xiao Shuxiang stepped slowly, The Qi in this mountain was much denser than in the Sky Sword Sect. While continuing to move, Xiao Shuxiang also focused on improving his practice. He thought he was not making the wrong choice.

The longer it takes, the faster it moves. Climbing a mountain was not a problem for him because in his first life, Xiao Shuxiang did live on a mountain.

Several times Xiao Shuxiang had encountered demonic beasts that had ages ranging from a hundred to three hundred years. This demonic beast only saw Xiao Shuxiang a glance before it went away.

Xiao Shuxiang was already preparing for the possibility of him fighting, but every time there was a Demonic Beast that passed by him--all of them were as if there was no intention of attacking Xiao Shuxiang.

Xiao Shuxiang did not know that the Third Patriarch gave him the strongest bit of Demonic Beast blood while gripping his collar, only to be disguised by the scent of a lotus.

These demonic beasts had a keen sense of smell, they could smell the scent of the strongest demonic beast blood despite being covered by the lotus scent on Xiao Shuxiang's body.

The terrain in Mount Induk is so difficult. Moreover, the more to the top, the air will get thinner. For someone who is not used to it, they are bound to be in trouble.

Xiao Shuxiang smiled widely, he felt like he was in his house. The more Qi gathered at his Rooted Dantian grew more and more, his level of practice began to increase. This time, the roots on his dantian did not increase.

Xiao Shuxiang had just arrived at a residence along with the appearance of sunlight. But of course, he immediately fell because he was so tired.

Xiao Shuxiang shook his head softly, "I can't believe it because it can actually reach the Third Patriarch's residence in such a short time. It broke my own mountain climbing record,"

"So you're exhausted..?"

There was the sound of ridicule from the Third Patriarch who was sitting on the divan while staring at Xiao Shuxiang who was lying on the ground.

"Huh huh... I'm not exhausted, just can't believe I actually did it..."

Third Patriarch, "Hmph. You actually only get to halfway. There is absolutely nothing to be proud of."

Xiao Shuxiang flinched, he walked up to the Third Patriach and pointed at a hut. "But..is this not your residence?"

The Third Patriarch did not say anything and it made Xiao Shuxiang exhale in disappointment. "So I failed..."

"Of course, but since you managed to get here with a practice that was as small as that of a small ant, I admit you are quite decent," the Third Patriarch again grabbed hold of Xiao Shuxiang's collar and began to dart.

This time, the Third Patriarch was not as fast as before. He wanted to show Xiao Shuxiang the look of the mountain where he lived.

The Third Patriarch explained, "Consider the boundaries of the territory below that. I share territory with the demonic beasts here and I forbid you from going out of my territory."

Vaguely Xiao Shuxiang smelled a thick smell. He then saw a large residence. The Third Patriarch started to descend and told Xiao Shuxiang to clean himself up.

Xiao Shuxiang said. While walking, his gaze led to the many plants that had a strange smell. He picked one of the leaves and watched it closely. The next second, Xiao Shuxiang gasped when he found out the leaf he was holding.

"Hah, it deserves the lotus scent on his body so concentrated. Turns out he's hiding this..." Xiao Shuxiang snorted, he felt that he was in a favorable situation.

The leaves in Xiao Shuxiang's hands were one type of herbal leaf, the sheer number of medicinal-smelling plants made him realize that the Third Patriarch was an Alchemist.

Alchemists themselves were quite rare in the world of cultivators. That is why they are often considered noble and treated with such respect.

Xiao Shuxiang, "This is very profitable. In addition to serving punishment, I will indirectly learn about medicinal plants which will be very useful."

An encounter with an Alchemist had never happened in Xiao Shuxiang's life before. He always had trouble getting poison from his own experiments.

It took a long time to heal itself without the help of the antidote pill, while the pill included such a rare item.

Most Black Flow cultivators were experts at making poison, but bad at making the antidote. That's why the book of prescription drugs became a priceless heirloom for them.

Xiao Shuxiang was one of them, several times he almost lost his life due to his own experiments. And that was why he decided to no longer make poison before knowing how to make the antidote.

"Haaiiih, the past is sad." Xiao Shuxiang's inner voice shook slowly.

Every day, Xiao Shuxiang's job was to take care of the herbs belonging to the Third Patriarch. Behind this residence, there were over a thousand types of herbs aged 5 - 100 years. While in the front yard, there are ten types of plants aged 10 - 50 years.

Xiao Shuxiang's other job was to clean up the residence as well as make food for the Third Patriarch. Initially the Third Patriarch refused, because as a cultivator he did not need to eat.

Elsewhere, precisely in the Heaven-and-Speak Sword Sect the news of Xiao Shuxiang's punishment by the Third Patriarch was spread.

Some said that Xiao Shuxiang was already reduced to ashes by now, this was because they heard that the Third Patriarch was the most resolute and ruthless patriarch.

Yang Shu looked pale-faced, "My beloved grandson..."

Patriarch Lan, "Relax the Elder. She must be okay. Don't worry,"

The identity of the Third Patriarch who was an Alchemist was indeed a secret to the disciples of the Heaven Sword Sect. Only the Grand Elder, Patriarch Lan and his younger brother knew of this.

However, if the disciples of the Sky Sword Sect were asked about who the greatest Alchemist-they would instantly point to one name. It was just that they did not know that it was the name of the Third Patriarch.

Xiao Shuxiang had just finished cooking, his latest skill was really honed very well. Especially now, the ingredients of the cooking are increased by the presence of herbal plants. Not only was it filling, but it could also treat wounds and facilitate Qi absorption.

Xiao Shuxiang crossed his hands while thinking, "If I can perfect my cooking technique, then there is a possibility that my homemade food could improve my cultivation practice. Imagined it..."

Xiao Shuxiang looked up and then shook his head slowly. "Haaah. yes, by eating only, the practice has increased. I'll make a new title if it happens..." Xiao Shuxiang shuddered, he then brought his homemade cooking to the room the Third Patriarch was in.

Tuk tuk

"Chairman Three, I brought dinner..." Xiao Shuxiang opened the door and began to see the Third Patriarch sitting while looking at the painted paper in front of him.

"His talent for painting is terrible..." Xiao Shuxiang shook his head. During his stay with the Third Patriarch, he was a little more aware of the habits and nature of the Patriarch.

In a day, the Third Patriarch had only twice made pills and his entire time would be spent making paintings that Xiao Shuxiang did not understand at all.

"Well, what do you think?"

!!

Xiao Shuxiang flinched as the Third Patriarch asked him to give an opinion on the reverse forest painting. Whereas for three days, the Third Patriarch had never spoken back to Xiao Shuxiang.

"Hmm... How do I say it? Xiao Shuxiang's honesty was at stake at this moment..."

"Chairman Three, I had a name before. Don't call me 'the boy' keep on..." Xiao Shuxiang attempted to divert the conversation because he did not want to comment on the painting of Patriarch Three.

"You don't deserve that honor yet, boy." The Third Patriarch spoke loudly without turning his head towards Xiao Shuxiang, he again told Xiao Shuxiang to let out his opinion.

"your opinion. Tell me, quickly,"

"Chairman Three, first of all you must not be angry when I tell you the truth. Honestly, your reverse forest painting still needs improvement and also. You press your brush too much..."

Xiao Shuxiang inwardly rubbed his chest, he looked for the right words to not directly sentence the painting of the Third Patriarch as 'The Ugly Painting That Ever Existed'.

"Reverse forest...? You call it 'Reverse Forest'?!"

Xiao Shuxiang innocently said, "That's what I saw. Is that not a reverse forest painting?"

"Absolutely not. What I painted was a scene of an imperial city at the speed of the fourth level. A boy like you wouldn't understand his name 'art'."

The Third Patriarch then turned around and then asked about the food that Xiao Shuxiang had brought.

Xiao Shuxiang did not know what kind of expression to have when he heard the explanation from the Third Patriarch. Unwilling to mess with him, Xiao Shuxiang then opened the food lid in front of him.

"Then I go first, Elder Three."

"Wait until I finish eating,"

Xiao Shuxiang then stood up while waiting for the Third Patriarch to finish his meal. He was actually curious about the Third Patriarch's face because despite being inside his room-the Third-Patriarch always wore a veil.

Xiao Shuxiang, "From his voice, I know that Elder Three is male and may practice as if he is already at the level of a Mortal or Earth Stage GrandMaster.."

The Third Patriarch praised Xiao Shuxiang's cooking which he thought was quite good. But Xiao Shuxiang even scowled because the cuisine was only given the value of 'humayan'.

Something unexpected, when he finished eating the Third Patriarch opened his veil cloth when Xiao Shuxiang was still with him.

!!

Seeing the Third Patriarch's face clearly made Xiao Shuxiang's eyes widen and so very surprised. It was as if he had heard lightning strike a few times.

The Third Patriarch's voice did indeed feel familiar to his ears. Xiao Shuxiang had very much expected to meet a person so familiar with him in the past.

"That-can't be...!"

***