Free Web NovelChapter 28: Chapter 28: The Fruit and the Bear
Xie Yuan clutched his head, grimacing in pain.
’What the hell?’
A fruit falling from a tree this tall really hurt when it hit someone.
Xie Yuan couldn’t see what it was at first. His eyes darted around until he spotted the fruit on the ground by his feet and bent down to pick it up.
He rubbed the top of his head with one hand and held the fruit up to his eyes with the other, tilting his head to examine it quizzically.
The fruit was the size of his palm, somewhat resembling a pear—slender at the top and wide at the bottom. But it was larger and its curve was more pronounced. Actually, it looked more like a gourd.
It was a vibrant, jade-green color, so lustrously green it was beautiful. It was almost translucent, and for some reason, it made his mouth water.
’Mm... what a sweet scent.’
’So fragrant!’
The fragrance was coming from this fruit.
Xie Yuan’s eyes widened. No wonder he’d thought the fragrance under the tree was much stronger today. A fruit must have ripened and was ready to fall.
’And it just had to hit me on the head... Too bad my last name isn’t Newton, or I might have just enlightened this world.’
Xie Yuan looked up and saw that the high canopy was lush and verdant, a sea of green leaves, but there wasn’t a second fruit in sight.
"An only child, huh."
He dangled the fruit, sniffing the fragrance that seemed to fill his lungs, and unconsciously swallowed.
’I really want to eat it... I even feel hungry...’
Xie Yuan couldn’t resist bringing the fruit closer, instinctively starting to open his mouth, but he hesitated in the next instant.
’No way. Who knows where this wild fruit came from? It looks so fresh and vibrant... What if I eat it and start seeing dancing little people?’
’Out here in the wilderness, if I pass out... forget about wild animals, I’d probably freeze to death overnight.’
’But it smells so good... And it’s not just the scent making me crave it. It’s like the fruit itself is making me desire it. I’m not hungry, I just *want* to eat it! I wonder what a bite would taste like!’
’Doesn’t that make it even more dangerous? I’ve heard that when poisonous fruits become spirits, they can magically compel people to eat them...’ fгeewebnovёl.com
Xie Yuan had a cautious personality, and he was unsure about this fruit of unknown origin.
Although he desperately wanted to eat it, like a man starved for three days seeing meat, his reason kept him hesitating.
’This tree is a good tree. Cultivating here is refreshing, and my progress has sped up quite a bit. You could even call it a Spirit Tree. A fruit from a Spirit Tree should be a Spirit Fruit, right?’ he thought, looking at the massive tree.
Anyone else might have been uncertain about the cultivation-enhancing properties of this forest, but Xie Yuan had data to back it up.
He blinked, and several lines of text appeared before his eyes.
[Chopping Wood: (1107/10000)]
[Iron Cloth Shirt - 2nd Layer: (208/800)]
[Health-Nourishing Art - 1st Layer: (296/1000)]
Xie Yuan glanced at the stats. The first skill, Chopping Wood, was progressing steadily, but it was still a long, long way from the next stage, so there wasn’t much to say about it.
As for his Iron Cloth Shirt, its training progress had started to speed up recently, thanks to the foundation provided by his Health-Nourishing Art.
Especially here in the woods, a complete set of the Pile Skill often increased his progress by ten points. Back in his own small courtyard, he would typically only get five or six points. The difference was nearly double.
The progress of his Health-Nourishing Art, however, was slower. After all, it was a technique for gently cultivating Inner Power, and its quality was clearly higher than the Iron Cloth Shirt. It couldn’t be rushed.
But similarly, practicing the Health-Nourishing Art in this forest was also faster than at home!
Having observed this, Xie Yuan would have kept coming here even if he wasn’t chopping wood to earn money for food and medicine.
He had been training here for some time now. There had only been benefits and nothing strange, which was enough to prove that this was a Spirit Tree with extraordinary properties.
’Then this fruit... could it be a legendary treasure?’
’I’ve found a treasure, it can’t be poisonous!’
Xie Yuan’s expression grew excited. He didn’t notice that a bush in the distance had rustled quietly.
’I do a good deed every day and practice diligently. It’s only right that I get this reward.’
’With this kind of thing, do you usually just bite into it, or is it supposed to be prepared with something else?’
Xie Yuan sniffed twice and came back to his senses.
He had already determined this was a Spirit Fruit, but it wasn’t a good idea to eat it right here in the wilderness.
It probably wasn’t poisonous, but what if the fruit’s spiritual energy was too potent? If he passed out after such a massive boost, like in the old tales—fainting for seven days and seven nights—there’s no telling what might happen.
Forget jackals and tigers; even a stray dog would probably leave nothing but bones.
He tucked the Spirit Fruit into his tunic, pulling the lapels of his cotton-padded jacket tight, as if afraid even a bit of the fruit’s spiritual energy might dissipate.
’This fragrance is so strong, will it attract something? I’ve heard some animals have incredibly keen noses and can smell things from miles away.’
As Xie Yuan thought this, his back suddenly tensed. He decided to leave immediately, while the fruit had only just fallen.
He had just taken a step when he froze.
Because at the edge of the clearing, there was a large, dark shadow.
A massive black bear was crouched there, staring silently at Xie Yuan.
Or more accurately, staring at Xie Yuan’s chest.
Xie Yuan’s body went rigid.
’A black bear!’
’Dammit, why would a bear be out of its den in the dead of winter?’
’Is it also here for the fruit?’
He instantly remembered the tiger from before. Back then, Zhu Dongming and the others had discussed why a tiger would be lounging around here for no reason.
’Thinking back now, it was obviously guarding this Spirit Tree, waiting for a fruit to fall!’
’The tiger was killed, so this territory has no master. This black bear must have followed the scent here, and it’s clearly after the fruit too!’
Alright, Xie Yuan was now one hundred percent certain that this fruit was definitely some kind of legendary treasure.
An animal’s intuition and instincts were far more accurate than a human’s.
The bad news, however, was how could he possibly beat a bear?
The mountain folk had a saying to rank the beasts of the forest: first the boar, second the bear, and third the tiger. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
They had long ago concluded that in these mountains, a bear was even more formidable than a tiger!
The last time they’d fought a tiger, it had taken a team of hunters plus Xie Yuan, and they had only managed to kill it after a grueling struggle, which had still left one man gravely injured.
This time, it was just Xie Yuan, all alone!
’Dammit! Why isn’t this bear hibernating?’
Being stared at by the bear, Xie Yuan could feel sweat gradually soaking his back.
If it weren’t the dead of winter, Xie Yuan wouldn’t have dared to wander the mountains alone every day. It was only because all the creatures were hidden away that he could move about freely.
In the spring or summer, Zhu Dongming and his men would always travel into the mountains in a group.
Who would have thought this bear would make a decision that went against its own instincts—to skip hibernation and come looking for this fruit?
This also indirectly proved how rare the fruit was. Treasures in the mountains often had guardian beasts nearby.
There were no stories of monsters in these foothills; tigers and black bears were the overlords here.
The black bear remained crouched there, not moving a muscle, just staring silently at Xie Yuan. Its small eyes even revealed a hint of human-like caution.
Combined with its size—far larger than any black bear he could recall—it gave Xie Yuan an immense sense of pressure.
’Shit, don’t tell me it’s some kind of mutant?’
The bear didn’t move, and Xie Yuan didn’t dare to move either. Sweat began to pour down his back.
’What’s the deal, is this bear trying to play mind games? Should I lie down and play dead? Or spread my arms and legs and roar? At least I’d die with some dignity that way...’
He suddenly recalled a few rumored techniques for surviving a bear encounter, but none of them felt reliable.
Taking the axe in hand, Xie Yuan gripped the cloth-wrapped handle of his Tiger Bone Axe tightly, a flicker of confidence rising in his heart.
’I’ll just have to fight for my life. Find the right opportunity... If a tiger can be killed, so can a bear!’
Just then, the black bear stirred.
It raised its snout, sniffed the air, and then bared its teeth at Xie Yuan and began to move.
It lifted its massive paws. One step, two steps, moving faster and faster. The immense fat on its body trembled as the mountain of flesh charged toward Xie Yuan!
