After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Xiaohu struggled to open his eyes. He stared numbly at the sky, partially obscured by leaves, allowing only faint slivers of light to penetrate.
"Does heaven have forests too..."
A pleasant voice reached his ears, "Hey! You're awake? You're not in heaven, you're still in the Demon Spirit Realm. You didn't die. Qingyun saved you!"
Zhang Xiaohu startled and saw Gan Cuicui looking down at him.
Zhang Xiaohu also noticed something else: all his previous injuries seemed to have healed!
At this moment, Li Qingyun also walked over. He stared at Zhang Xiaohu and said with a frown, "You're only at the Qi Refining early stage. Why did you venture alone into the depths of the forest?"
Seeing Li Qingyun, Zhang Xiaohu's expression became agitated. He grabbed Li Qingyun's hand and exclaimed excitedly, "Li... Li Qingyun! You're Li Qingyun!"
Li Qingyun was taken aback by Zhang Xiaohu's sudden enthusiasm, mistaking it for meeting a fan.
"Let's talk properly, don't get too excited!"
To his surprise, Zhang Xiaohu suddenly knelt down, tears streaming down his face. He pleaded, "I checked. You were diagnosed with late-stage cancer. After cultivating, your body completely healed. You must have a way to save my father! Please save him! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"
Li Qingyun then realized the seriousness of the situation and quickly helped Zhang Xiaohu up, "Don't get agitated, let's talk calmly!"
Zhang Xiaohu then recounted everything about his family to Li Qingyun.
After listening, Li Qingyun frowned deeply. He sighed and said helplessly, "Although I appreciate your trust in me, if your father's illness was internal, even late-stage cancer, I could cure it. However, high-level amputation... making legs grow back, I cannot achieve that for now."
Zhang Xiaohu's face turned ashen, "Even... even you can't?"
"It's just not possible for now. Perhaps when I advance to the Golden Core stage, I can try. But currently, I am indeed powerless."
"Then how long will it take for you to advance to Golden Core?"
Li Qingyun shook his head and said, "That depends on fate. Cultivation is something where if you encounter a bottleneck, it might trap you for a lifetime. If one day you suddenly achieve enlightenment, becoming an immortal overnight is not strange."
Therefore, he couldn't give a definite timeline.
However, Li Qingyun comforted him, "You don't need to rush. This world has already entered the era of immortal cultivation. There will definitely be more powerful cultivators in the future, and many incurable diseases will be curable. If you're worried about your father's mental state, you can also get him a prosthetic limb..."
Zhang Xiaohu had already looked into this. Prosthetic limbs cost hundreds of thousands. He couldn't possibly afford that much money.
He didn't want to hear the rest of what Li Qingyun had to say. It was all possibilities, no certainty.
Seeing the light dim in Zhang Xiaohu's eyes, Li Qingyun pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, as long as you rank within the top five hundred and explore the Time Secret Realm, where all the hidden foundations of a sect are stored, I believe there must be some rare heavenly materials or elixirs that can promote the growth of severed limbs."
"Can you be sure?"
"I cannot be a hundred percent sure of things I haven't seen. However, I recall that such elixirs are not considered too precious in the cultivation world. There's a high probability you'll find them."
Hope rekindled in Zhang Xiaohu's eyes. He clenched his fists tightly.
I must get into the top five hundred!
That was his only thought now.
He felt an urgent need. When he first emerged, he hadn't seen any desire to live on his father's face.
He feared that by the time he returned, that damn old man might have secretly done something irrational!
He had to give his father hope. As long as he could stand up again, his father wouldn't feel like he was useless!
So, Zhang Xiaohu stood up, bowed ninety degrees to Li Qingyun, and said earnestly, "Thank you for saving my life and for your guidance. I know what I need to do!"
He picked up his axe and continued to march deeper into the forest.
Li Qingyun was shocked and quickly went to stop him, saying, "Wait! You can't even deal with some slightly stronger first-tier demon beasts. If you go any deeper, you're just looking for death!"
"I have a reason I must go!"
"Why don't you... come with us?"
Gan Cuicui also quickly stepped forward to persuade him, "Yes, yes, more people mean more support."
However, Zhang Xiaohu still refused them. He held his axe tightly and said, "I will walk the rest of the way alone. I will fight with my life to get into the top five hundred. If I make it out alive, I will repay your life-saving kindness!"
This kid is a bit stubborn.
Li Qingyun and Gan Cuicui, unable to persuade him, could only watch as he ventured deeper into the forest.
Gan Cuicui said worriedly, "Is he really going to be okay alone?"
"How could he be okay? I'm afraid he's heading towards a grim fate."
"Then should we follow?"
Li Qingyun shook his head and said, "He has his pride. Forcing ourselves to follow would be impolite."
Besides, he didn't need to invite someone forcefully twice.
After all, Li Qingyun also had a reason to take first place in the trial. He carried everyone's hopes. If he couldn't even win this first trial organized by Chu Yang, what right would he have to be called the Son of the Great Dao?
It was fine now, but once they entered the depths of the forest, Gan Cuicui would definitely become a burden, and with Zhang Xiaohu added, they would be even more of a burden.
Li Qingyun turned in another direction, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"Let's go, we'll head deeper too, this way."
Gan Cuicui quickly followed, "What's in that direction?"
This question had become a habit. Because Li Qingyun could glean information from the surrounding plants, all his chosen directions had a specific purpose.
"About a thousand meters away, there's a pack of Ice Moon Wolves. Fourteen in total. The leader is third-tier, there are four second-tier, and the rest are first-tier."
Gan Cuicui's face turned pale, "Isn't that too many?"
Li Qingyun looked at Gan Cuicui and said, "Ice Moon Wolves only appear at night because they detest the sun. Daytime is their period of weakness. I will simultaneously deal with the leader and the second-tier ones. The smaller ones are already in a weakened state, you should be able to handle them."
Gan Cuicui's expression became serious. She knew she couldn't slack off anymore.
Li Qingyun had entered "sprint mode." If she didn't contribute anything, he might not bring her along.
So, Gan Cuicui solemnly nodded, "Leave it to me, I know what to do!"
Then, the two of them quickly advanced towards the Ice Moon Wolf's den.
For Li Qingyun's group, the first day was just a test. The second day was the real trial!