A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Although Zhou Ping had joined the chubby boy's team, he still dared not be careless in the slightest.

According to Master Yang, passing through the bamboo mist forest and reaching the Cangsong Cliff before noon would pass the test. It seemed simple, but it was not.

Putting aside the snakes, insects, and venomous creatures mentioned earlier, the mere phrase "arrive before noon" is enough to spark the imagination.

Since Master Yang set the time before noon, it means that he believes most people will not be able to reach Cangsong Cliff before noon.

What does this mean?

The assessment began at dawn, leaving a full half-day before noon. Given Zhou Ping and the others' pace, walking ten or twenty miles in that half-day would be no problem at all.

Even so, many people still cannot reach Cangsong Cliff, which means that either the Bamboo Mist Forest is very large, or the situation inside the Bamboo Mist Forest is complicated and not easy to pass through.

Zhou Ping decisively ruled out the possibility that the forest was large. Qingzhumen was located on the mountainside of Songzhushan, and the entire mountainside was less than twenty miles long, not to mention that it was just a bamboo forest on the back mountain.

As Zhou Ping pondered to himself, he noticed the crowd beginning to pour through the gate, and he followed along at the chubby boy's call.

At the entrance to the bamboo mist forest is a narrow path that has been cleared by humans, wide enough for three or four people to walk side by side.

Led by a few of the bolder teenagers, the group entered the forest in a grand procession.

"Go, just protect them secretly. You don't need to show yourself unless there's danger."

Pavilion Master Yang waved to several disciples in disguise.

........

As the group ventured deeper into the bamboo forest, the fog began to thicken.

Zhou Ping discovered that the previous path only lasted for a few hundred meters before it ended, and beyond that, there was only a narrow path that was barely wide enough for one person. The group's speed suddenly decreased.

"Miscalculation, miscalculation! You all line up one in front and one in back, I'll be in the middle."

The chubby boy was in a bad mood as he arranged for the eight newly recruited guards. He could have arranged one of them as a shield in each of the four directions.

Now, this narrow path is only wide enough for one line to protect those in front and behind.

Turning his head to look at the dense and secluded bamboo forest on both sides, the chubby boy felt a tightness in his lower body and was so frightened that he felt a slight urge to urinate.

Zhou Ping followed quietly behind him, never leaving his side.

But the enormous, round figure in front of him completely shielded him from view, leaving it unclear who was protecting whom.

An hour later, as the group ventured deeper into the forest, the fog grew thicker, and the sunlight was blocked by the dense bamboo leaves, with only dappled shadows filtering through.

Zhou Ping carefully made his way forward, stepping on the broken bamboo branches.

After traveling for some time, the crowd gradually dispersed, and looking ahead and behind, one could only vaguely see figures within ten steps.

The fog was too thick; we couldn't see anything beyond that distance.

Although they haven't sensed any danger yet, the journey has left everyone feeling exhausted.

"I didn't notice it at first, but now I'm sure of it. It's a huge slope. Although the slope is gentle, the road conditions are complicated, and it's not easy to walk on it."

Zhou Ping felt his thighs getting heavier and heavier, and he secretly wondered what was going on.

The chubby boy in front was already panting heavily. If it weren't for him, Zhou Ping felt that he could have been even faster.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the thick fog, startling everyone.

"Snake! There's a snake!"

In the thick fog, a boy clutched his legs in terror. Three feet away, a dark blue bamboo viper was coiled on a broken bamboo joint, hissing and flicking its tongue.

The chubby boy stopped abruptly and shoved Zhou Ping, who was behind him, in front of him.

Zhou Ping frowned but didn't react; this fat man was just too pathetic.

Having accepted the money, he could only shield the victim from harm. Fortunately, the bamboo viper was still quite far away, about five or six zhang away, so he was relatively safe.

"I must never again be greedy for money and put myself in danger!"

Zhou Ping silently warned himself.

Ding!

Just as Zhou Ping was bowing in alertness, a streak of light shot out from the thick fog behind him, almost grazing his sleeve, before precisely piercing the seven-inch mark of the bamboo viper.

A young man slightly taller than them emerged from the mist behind them, casually tossed aside a celadon porcelain bottle, turned, and disappeared back into the thick fog.

"Applying it externally can neutralize snake venom; wait until the swelling subsides before moving around."

"There's...someone protecting us!? That's great!"

The chubby boy clutched Zhou Ping's clothes, his hands trembling.

"You, you, all of you come with me to the woods over there! Quickly!"

Zhou Ping turned around and saw him pointing at himself and another boy collecting money. He happened to see a dark water stain showing through the brocade robe at the crotch of the boy's clothes.

Did he pee his pants from fright?

Zhou Ping and another boy carefully made their way into the bamboo forest, trying to place their feet on broken bamboo stalks.

A bamboo viper was just nailed to the ground nearby, and nobody knows if another one will emerge.

Zhou Ping regretted his greedy actions once again; otherwise, why would he have taken such a risk for someone else?

The other guards stood with their backs to the side, so that the other examinees could pass smoothly.

After traveling more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) through the bamboo forest, Zhou Ping stopped.

"This is fine."

The chubby boy stood behind the two of them, squinting as he scanned their surroundings.

"You two separate, don't get splashed!"

Zhou Ping felt his body being pushed, and he lost his balance. The bamboo pole he was stepping on suddenly broke, and he fell heavily to the ground.

hiss! ! !

Zhou Ping groaned, a sharp pain suddenly shooting from his ankle up his spine. A bloodstained, sharp object pierced through his straw sandal, protruding half an inch from the surface.

He winced in pain, grabbed a bamboo pole for support, and gently lifted his injured foot.

This situation startled the two people nearby.

Here we go again!

Before the chubby boy could even unbuckle his belt, he felt a warm current flow down his thigh.

"Help! There's another snake!!"

A pig-like scream echoed through the forest!

The Qingzhu Sect disciple who had left earlier quickly arrived. After glancing at it, his brow twitched slightly. He tossed down a white medicine bottle and said coldly, "It's just an iron nail! This is wound medicine; bandage it yourself."

He then glanced at the chubby boy who had peed his pants in exasperation, his face full of disgust.

"If you dare to shout again, your assessment qualification will be revoked!"

Despite the pain in his foot, Zhou Ping slowly pulled out the "iron nail," took off his straw sandals, and poured the wound medicine from the medicine bottle onto the wound.

"Thankfully, it's just a tear between my toes. If it had pierced through the sole of my foot, it would have been a real problem!"

Zhou Ping felt a wave of fear. He realized that he would probably have to pack his bags and go home, let alone pass the entrance exam.

"Are you alright with your foot?"

After the disciples of the Green Bamboo Sect left, the chubby boy approached them.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ping's face turned extremely pale. If the fat man hadn't pushed him, how could he have missed a step?

The wound medicine was indeed a miraculous cure for external injuries; in no time, the bleeding from Zhou Ping's foot wound stopped.

The bleeding has stopped, but what should I use to bandage it...?

Just as Zhou Ping was hesitating about whether to tear his clothes, the chubby boy next to him reached out and handed him an exquisite silk scarf.

"Here, bro, use this bag!"

Zhou Ping stared in astonishment at the silk scarf handed to him.

This silk scarf is exquisitely crafted and looks like it's made of expensive material. Should I have him wrap his feet?

His entire outfit combined might not be worth as much as this scarf.

"I dare not use something so valuable."

Zhou Ping shook his head, his expression softening considerably. Perhaps it was his childlike nature, but seeing the other party express remorse, his anger immediately subsided.

"It's alright, use it as much as you need, I have plenty!"

When the chubby boy saw that Zhou Ping refused, he hurriedly said...

Zhou Ping ignored it and quickly tore a strip of cloth from the corner of his clothes, carefully bandaging the wound.

After treating the wound, I rested on the spot for a while until the bleeding completely stopped before slowly standing up. I don't know if it was because the pain had subsided or because the wound medicine contained nerve-numbing herbs.

He moved his injured foot and surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much anymore.

"Brother, let me help you up."

Seeing the chubby boy about to stick close to him, Zhou Ping hurriedly raised his hand to stop him, his face full of resistance: "No, you should tidy yourself up first."

The chubby boy froze for a moment, then realized his crotch was warm and damp, and instantly felt an urge to be bitten by a snake.

I might as well die!