“What? What does Old Man mean by that?”
The Old Man turned his head, glanced at Chu Canyuan, and chuckled lightly.
“It’s nothing, follow me.”
Chu Canyuan followed behind the Old Man. Just as he thought the Old Man could lead him out, the Old Man stopped in front of the Thatched hut.
“For the next five years, you must stay here. You can only leave when I permit it.”
“Wh-what?”
Chu Canyuan looked at the Old Man in front of him in disbelief. He didn't know the Old Man's intentions, but he couldn't waste such a long time here.
“Can I take this to mean you intend to imprison me here?”
The Old Man smiled at Chu Canyuan without speaking, which annoyed Chu Canyuan.
Gathering Spiritual Power in his palm, Chu Canyuan threw a punch toward the Old Man in front of him, but the Old Man, with his back to Chu Canyuan, merely shifted slightly to dodge the stiff punch.
“Heh, go cultivate properly, kid. It’s too early for you now.”
After speaking, the Old Man instantly vanished from Chu Canyuan’s sight.
“What do you mean? Explain clearly, don’t go!”
Chu Canyuan remained in place, looking at the Thatched hut before him with some confusion.
“Is he some kind of crazy old man?”
“If you won’t tell me how to get out, then I’ll find it myself.”
After circling around, Chu Canyuan found no path leading to the outside world, which made him feel somewhat anxious.
Having no other choice, Chu Canyuan selected a small path that wasn't in particularly bad condition.
Chu Canyuan walked all night without seeing an end.
Looking at the familiar scenery around him, he was certain he was just going in circles, and the actual distance traveled forward did not exceed two hundred meters.
But when Chu Canyuan walked back along the original route, he returned to the entrance of the path after only a few steps.
Ignoring the condition of the path, Chu Canyuan tried every route that might lead outside, but the result was the same—no end in sight.
After retreating just a few steps, he saw that same Thatched hut again.
“I’ve walked all night, and the sun is already up, yet there’s no sign of a way out. He really intends to trap me here.”
Chu Canyuan had lost all his temper from the frustration. Exhausted, he stepped into the Thatched hut and collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.
He hadn't slept long when a familiar voice sounded by Chu Canyuan’s ear.
“Stinky brat, get up and cultivate quickly.”
With that, a Tree Branch whipped across Chu Canyuan’s backside.
“Old man! I’ve tolerated you for a long time. Don’t think I won’t fight back just because you’re old. You imprisoned me without a word, and I don’t even know who you are…”
Before Chu Canyuan could finish speaking, the Old Man struck Chu Canyuan’s backside again with the Tree Branch.
“I told you to cultivate, so cultivate! So much nonsense. When you can actually touch me, then you can ask questions.”
Chu Canyuan rolled over and sat up, reaching out to grab the hem of the Old Man’s clothes with one hand.
The Old Man struck Chu Canyuan’s hand again with the Tree Branch. Chu Canyuan lost his balance and fell off the bed.
“That’s more like it, move it, kid.”
The Old Man leaped backward out of the door, landing firmly after soaring several meters in the air.
Chu Canyuan scrambled up from the ground indignantly and chased after the Old Man out of the hut.
Seeing the Old Man standing before him with his eyes closed, Chu Canyuan thought he saw an opportunity and lunged toward the Old Man’s sleeve.
The Old Man still didn't open his eyes and struck the reaching right hand again.
“Ah!”
Chu Canyuan sharply pulled his right hand back, clearly seeing a red mark.
The Old Man raised an eyebrow and chuckled lightly, “Kid, don’t be so impatient.”
“Go, water the vegetable garden for me first.”
The Old Man opened his palm, and a Wooden Bucket appeared in his hand. He placed it at Chu Canyuan’s feet and leisurely walked back into the Thatched hut.
Although Chu Canyuan had complaints, he could only obey for now, waiting for an opportunity.
Looking at the Wooden Bucket and the Wooden Ladle floating in the water at his feet, Chu Canyuan hesitated for a moment before bending down to pick it up. However, no matter how hard he tried, the Wooden Bucket remained rooted to the spot.
“This is a Wooden Bucket? It’s so heavy!”
Chu Canyuan mustered all his strength and tried to lift the Wooden Bucket with both hands. This time, the Wooden Bucket barely left the ground before immediately crashing back down.
With no other way, Chu Canyuan had no choice but to bend down and drag the Wooden Bucket toward the vegetable patch. A deep and wide drag mark was clearly visible behind him.
After finally reaching the vegetable patch, Chu Canyuan ran into another problem: he couldn't even pick up the Wooden Ladle in the bucket.
Chu Canyuan was now suspicious of the Wooden Bucket and the Wooden Ladle. He, who could crush stones, couldn't even lift a Wooden Ladle. Was this some kind of divine weapon?
At that moment, the Old Man’s voice sounded again.
“If you haven’t finished watering in half an hour, I will come visit you again with the Tree Branch.”
Chu Canyuan looked at the red mark on his hand, gritted his teeth, and decided that watering was simpler; it was just a bit heavier, right?
“Watering doesn’t necessarily require the ladle; I can cup it with my hands!”
Saying that, Chu Canyuan plunged both hands into the bucket.
“I can clearly touch it inside the bucket, so why can’t I scoop it up?”
Chu Canyuan looked at his dry hands, feeling puzzled.
“Kid, stop thinking about it. I’ve tampered with this Wooden Bucket. You can only scoop up the water using the Wooden Ladle inside it.”
Chu Canyuan gritted his teeth, “Fine, fine, fine. A crazy old man imprisons me, threatens me, and forces me to work.”
He gripped the Wooden Ladle tightly, managed to lift it slightly, and immediately splashed the water onto the vegetable patch.
He then tossed the Wooden Ladle back into the bucket, and a tingling sensation shot up his arm.
“No slacking off.”
A small stone shot out from inside the hut, flying straight toward Chu Canyuan’s forehead. Struck, Chu Canyuan cried out and collapsed onto the ground.
“Strange Old Man! Don’t you know how heavy this bucket is?”
The Old Man instantly appeared in front of Chu Canyuan the next second, causing the one lying on the ground to immediately curl into a ball in fright.
“Is it heavy?”
The Old Man waved his sleeve, and the Wooden Bucket returned to his hand. He lightly picked up the Wooden Ladle and evenly sprinkled the clear water in the Wooden Bucket onto the vegetable patch.
Setting down the Wooden Bucket, he turned to look at Chu Canyuan and said,
“If you don’t finish watering, you don’t eat.”
The Old Man pointed at the Wooden Bucket, signaling Chu Canyuan to continue watering.
He then returned to the Thatched hut and resumed his deep sleep.
Chu Canyuan recalled the Old Man’s fluid movements and began to doubt himself again.
Could it be that his realm was insufficient, and this Strange Old Man was actually a hidden master?
Chu Canyuan executed a swift flip to get up and squatted in front of the Wooden Bucket in deep thought.
“Never mind that, hurry up and water. Filling my stomach is what matters.”
……
Another day quickly passed. Chu Canyuan roared and flopped down.
“Strange Old Man! I’m done watering!”
The Old Man once again appeared before Chu Canyuan without warning and spoke with a hint of disdain.
“It took this long just to water this small vegetable patch. Unacceptable. Continue tomorrow.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Canyuan immediately sat up, “What! I have to do it again!”
At this moment, Chu Canyuan’s arms could no longer be lifted due to bearing excessive load.
“Forget tomorrow; I might not recover even after a week.”
Even his quiet complaints were heard clearly by the Old Man.
“Since you have entered the Path of Cultivation, you must learn to endure hardship.”