A few days later, they went into the mountains to gather herbs. They didn't find many, but they somehow managed to bag a roe deer, three wild hares, and two foxes. They returned with a full haul.
Li Dahai grinned from ear to ear, thinking about the feast they would have today.
He Xiaoyao laughed. "You're only thinking about food. Don't forget, you're supposed to be losing weight."
Li Dahai replied, "I haven't had meat in ages. I'm sick to death of those pickles you serve every day, no matter how good they taste. It’s time to eat some real meat. How can I have the energy to lose weight if I’m not full?"
He Xiaoyao butchered the roe deer, roasted it, and cut off three pounds of meat, which he took over to the main courtyard to give to old Lin Anzhi. Lin Anzhi accepted it happily.
"The venison is roasted," He Xiaoyao said. "Eat it while it's hot."
Lin Anzhi nodded. "Right, I can already smell it. My mouth is watering just from the scent. I haven't tasted anything this delicious in over a hundred years."
"That's good to hear," He Xiaoyao said. "I'll bring you more next time."
Lin Anzhi replied, "Don't rush off just yet. I know you're skilled in medicine; I have some herbs here—take them. They’re just sitting here, going to waste."
He Xiaoyao took a look and was stunned. The large sack was filled with nothing but lingzhi, fleeceflower root, and ginseng. While none were a thousand years old, they all looked to be over a century old, making their medicinal value immense.
"Grandpa Lin, these are far too precious," He Xiaoyao said. "Why don't you just give me two of each? You should keep the rest for yourself; taking them regularly would be good for your health and longevity."
Lin Anzhi waved his hand. "Oh, I'm old. I take them often, but these were gathered over a century ago. I’ve managed to collect some sporadically over the last few decades, too. I keep them dried and sealed, so they’ll keep just fine. Take them all; I still have a stash. To tell you the truth, I actually have a few pieces that are nearly a thousand years old, ha! Don't you go blabbing about that secret."
"Alright then, I’ll accept them," He Xiaoyao said. Trading three pounds of roasted venison for a sack of century-old immortal herbs—He Xiaoyao was moved to tears.
"Remember to bring me more good food next time," Lin Anzhi reminded him.
"You got it!" He Xiaoyao said with a laugh.
This old man was no simple fellow. Even if he didn't know medicine, he clearly knew how to distinguish treasures. Ginger really is spicier when it's old. No wonder he couldn't find any of these immortal herbs in the wild—they’d all been picked clean by him long ago.
He Xiaoyao carried the heavy sack home, feeling incredibly happy. When he arrived back at Qilu Garden, he found Zhang Susu and Li Dahai sitting at the table, gorging themselves on roasted meat.
"How did you get here?" He Xiaoyao asked. "Did the smell of my roast drift all the way to East Peak?"
"I'm just lucky," Zhang Susu said.
"That's not right," He Xiaoyao complained. "Why did you two start eating without me? I worked so hard roasting this, and I haven't even had a bite yet."
Li Dahai shrugged. "Don't worry, we were very considerate. We saved you a pound."
"A pound?" He Xiaoyao said, exasperated. "I roasted over ten pounds! You two ate everything else and left me one pound!"
Zhang Susu retorted, "You’re just a little handyman; you shouldn't eat that much. Get fat, and you won't be nimble when you work. Besides, that hunting haul was only possible because of the little bow and arrow I gave you."
"What do you mean, 'only possible because of your bow'?" He Xiaoyao protested. "I had my own bow! It was my hard work that shot the game, and my hard work that made it smell this good. Now you’re claiming all the credit? Stop eating! Give me that piece of meat—give it to me!"
Zhang Susu held it out. "Here, take it. I’ve already bitten it. Since you’re eating a woman’s saliva, you’ll have to listen to her, or you won't grow a beard."
"What's there to fear?" He Xiaoyao said. "I only fear there won't be enough to eat!" He took it and bit right in.
Li Dahai stared, dumbfounded. "You actually ate it? I thought you two were just joking around. It seems things aren't so simple."
"Real or fake, if she dares to offer it, I dare to eat it," He Xiaoyao said. "I’m not losing out as a handyman."
Zhang Susu smirked. "He snatched the meat right out of my mouth to eat it; this guy clearly doesn't treat me badly."
Li Dahai shook his head. "You really are bold. And you’re a doctor, too! Aren't you afraid of catching some hidden ailment or 'women's disease' from her?"
"I've looked at her face, and she seems perfectly healthy," He Xiaoyao said. "No hidden illnesses. Besides, is that even how those diseases are transmitted?"
Li Dahai’s eyes lit up. "Oh, I get it now! I’ve been enlightened! No wonder you won't let her move in—you’re afraid she has a 'women's disease' and it’ll spread to you if you live together!"
"You've got issues," Zhang Susu snapped. "You’re the one with the 'women's disease,' your whole family has it!"
"Hey, hey!" He Xiaoyao interrupted. "I’m trying to eat here. Stop talking about illnesses. You’re ruining my appetite and my digestion."
"Why does a handyman without any cultivation need to eat so much?" Zhang Susu asked.
Li Dahai blurted out, "His cultivation..."
He Xiaoyao quickly cut him off. "Even without cultivation, isn't it normal to eat a couple of pounds after not eating all day?"
"Yes, yes, that’s right!" Li Dahai quickly agreed.
Zhang Susu frowned. "That’s strange. Usually, whatever He Xiaoyao says, you contradict him. Why are you agreeing so quickly this time? Something’s fishy. What did you say about his cultivation? Tell me, or I’m going to snatch the meat out of your mouth!"
Li Dahai said, "I said his cultivation is zero, but he’s just a big eater. Don't touch my meat! I haven't had any in ages; I’ll fight anyone who tries to take it. Besides, I might have a hidden illness myself, and I don't want to pass it on to you."
He Xiaoyao sighed. "Stop fighting over it. There’s plenty of meat. I’ll save some for later and roast the rest tomorrow to have Yu Dongxi take it to sell."
"Why sell so much?" Zhang Susu asked. "People will think you’re a money-grubber. You’re going to be rich! Don't forget your poor, destitute friends."
He Xiaoyao sighed. "You two call yourselves destitute? Your income is several times mine."
Zhang Susu pouted. "You sound bitter. Don't tell me you’re planning to charge us for the meat we just ate?"
"Charging would be normal—an equivalent exchange," He Xiaoyao said. "Dinner doesn't fall from the sky for free. Where else would you get free roast meat?"
"You really are obsessed with money," Zhang Susu said. "We’re good friends; don't talk about money. It hurts the relationship. Let’s just talk about feelings."
"No feelings," He Xiaoyao said. "Forget feelings, let's talk about you working like a slave for me. Look, I cured your uncle; how are you going to repay me?"
Li Dahai chimed in, "You know those storybooks I was reading in the Scripture Pavilion the other day? They always say, 'having no other way to repay, I offer myself in marriage'..."
"Even if I offered, he wouldn't dare take it," Zhang Susu said.
Li Dahai looked at He Xiaoyao. "Brother Xiaoyao, do you have some secret trouble? You are a doctor, after all..."
"I'm perfectly fine," He Xiaoyao replied.
Li Dahai chuckled. "Fairy Zhang, you might not have heard the news over at East Peak. A few days ago, He Xiaoyao became famous again. He was quite the sight, carrying his spiritual pet everywhere—even to the canteen and the market, it never left his side. Ha, ha..."
"What’s going on? What kind of spiritual pet does he have?" Zhang Susu asked.
Li Dahai described it. "A little pink piglet, only a month old. It’s chubby and adorable, with round eyes, a long nose, and a little tail that wags back and forth."
"Where? Where is it? I want to see!" Zhang Susu exclaimed.
"It’s already back at the Spirit Birds and Beasts Hall. You missed it by a few days," Li Dahai said. "He was the talk of the town back then, charming all the young maidens and dazzling all the aunts. Everywhere he went, the ladies stared at him. For a while, he was the hottest topic in the sect."
"How did this happen?" Zhang Susu asked.
Li Dahai recounted the story of the Immortal Pact, adding his own flair to the tale. Zhang Susu and Li Dahai burst into laughter.
"Xiaoyao," Zhang Susu asked, "why would you choose a pig for your Immortal Pact? Most people choose cats or dogs. Why a pig? How remarkably unique!"
"I was deceived by a villain and fell into a trap," He Xiaoyao muttered.
"I didn't lie to you at all!" Li Dahai protested. "I told you everything exactly as it was. You chose it of your own free will. How can you say you were deceived now?"
"I don't think you were deceived," Zhang Susu said. "You were just too playful and curious, and you didn't think through the consequences."
Li Dahai slapped his thigh. "Exactly! Well said."
After He Xiaoyao dropped Zhang Susu back at Zhang Tianming’s place and returned, Li Dahai asked, "You and her..."
He Xiaoyao answered calmly, "There’s nothing between us. She’s just someone who likes to joke around and is very open. If she can say anything to me, it actually means she doesn't think much of me in that way. Besides, I don't have any intentions toward her."
"That makes sense," Li Dahai said.
After two months of dieting, Li Dahai weighed himself at the Public Academy. He had lost thirty-six pounds. Even so, he continued to live at Qilu Garden.
During these days, He Xiaoyao hadn't found any Cultivation Manuals that suited him at the Scripture Pavilion. He wanted something related to Movement Technique, speed, or lightness skills, but the first and second floors only had basic manuals. He memorized a few, practiced them simply, and saw some improvement, but it wasn't quite at the level he wanted.
He Xiaoyao’s Movement Technique was already decent; his frequent trips into the mountains to gather herbs and hunt kept him nimble and strengthened his legs. Combined with the immortal wild game he consumed, his True Qi was abundant, making his movement much better than the average One-Star practitioner. Aside from opening his meridians and increasing his cultivation, movement was what he wanted to master most.
Some people enjoy fighting with others and battling against heaven, but He Xiaoyao wasn't that type. It was a reflection of his personality: he didn't want to compete or fight. In the face of danger, he just wanted to be able to dodge or run. He wasn't ashamed to admit it; that was just how it was.
Fortune smiled upon him when the Immortal Sect arranged a special Movement Technique course at the Public Academy. He Xiaoyao began attending every day. The instructor was Peng Yifei, the head of the Spirit Birds and Beasts Hall.
When He Xiaoyao arrived, Peng Yifei already had a group of disciples at the training ground. Some were practicing long jumps, others high jumps or sprinting.
"The best Movement Technique is built through practice," Peng Yifei announced loudly. "First, build your foundation and strengthen your legs. Rotate through each station every day. Once you reach a certain level, I will teach you the next stage."
He Xiaoyao trained along with them. He didn't want people in Qilu Garden to know how strong his legs really were, so he wore two heavy sandbags on his ankles while training. Initially, they were incredibly heavy, and he could barely jump half a foot off the ground. Each sandbag weighed thirty pounds—sixty pounds in total. Whether long jumping, high jumping, or running, he never took them off.
After a while, he replaced the thirty-pound bags with fifty-pound ones. Li Dahai found it interesting and followed suit. Because his cultivation was higher, he used even heavier ones.
"Your method is quite unique," Li Dahai said. "Did you come up with it yourself?"
"I don't have a teacher for my cultivation," He Xiaoyao replied. "I have to think about everything and try every method I can."
"It’s a good method," Li Dahai said, "but you’re working much harder than the average disciple."
He Xiaoyao sighed. "I don't have a choice. I'm just a little handyman who has only opened three meridians. With a low starting point, I have to put in double the effort."
Li Dahai just nodded, uncharacteristically silent.
They trained day after day. Two months later, they took off their sandbags and leaped upward. Li Dahai jumped nearly ten feet high, and He Xiaoyao reached six feet. Both were shocked and satisfied. Two months ago, Li Dahai could only jump seven feet, and He Xiaoyao could only manage four and a half.
The three months of hard work had clearly paid off.
Li Dahai smiled and gave He Xiaoyao a thumbs up.
"To improve further, we need to be lighter," He Xiaoyao said. "We should lose a few more pounds of body weight. And in medicine, there are herbs that help with lightness. When I go into the mountains, I’ll look for more of them."
"Good," Li Dahai said. "I hear that eating more fowl helps with lightness, too. We should try to hunt more birds."
They practiced their archery. If a bird was perched in a tree, He Xiaoyao could hit it, but birds in flight were harder. They began spending half an hour every day practicing. The North Forest was filled with various birds, and every trip they made resulted in three or four kills.
He Xiaoyao also found several herbs that aided in lightness. After a month, they felt significantly more agile. Their jumping improved by another ten percent. Li Dahai could now jump over ten feet, and He Xiaoyao could reach seven.
This was a massive breakthrough. With the addition of future mental techniques and the skills the teacher would eventually pass down, they were sure to achieve even greater results. Furthermore, as their cultivation stars and True Qi increased, their Movement Technique would only get better.