"Be careful! Come back soon! I'll be waiting for you!"
Early the next morning, Alex and Chu Xin said their goodbyes at the cave entrance. The young woman waved and tucked her hair behind her ear, giving Alex a playful wink, though worry lingered in her eyes.
As Alex's companion, she knew better than anyone how much they had gained in this world. While most reincarnators were still 'breaking ground,' they had already met the requirements to return to their real lives.
Their combined progress far surpassed that of all the other reincarnators put together. At this point, they didn't need to risk venturing further into the wilderness; they could safely return by maintaining their current advantage.
However, Alex insisted on going deeper into the wilderness, and Chu Xin chose to follow him despite the risks. She didn't fully understand why Alex was so desperate for power, but she knew he was facing a significant challenge.
When Alex learned from her that only a moment had passed in the real world while they were in the reincarnation world, his expression had turned grim. Chu Xin realized then that Alex was dealing with a serious problem in the real world.
This problem forced him, a cautious person, to risk his life in the wilderness to seek the Zhuguo fruit. The wilderness was fraught with danger, and a single mistake could mean death. If they couldn't return in time during a crisis, they might never go back.
"I will!" Alex promised, placing his hand gently on her head. He affectionately tousled her hair. This change in Chu Xin's attitude towards Alex might have gone unnoticed by her, but Alex knew. A girl only fusses over her appearance in front of someone she likes.
Alex noticed but didn't say anything. This was good enough for now. Waving goodbye to Chu Xin, he sealed the cave entrance with the stone slab and set off towards Iron Arm Monkey Mountain with the antidote he had prepared that morning.
...
Under the blazing sun, Alex followed a winding path, his heart beating with anticipation as he approached the snake path. What he was about to do was extremely dangerous, and any mistake could be fatal.
In a valley midway up Iron Arm Monkey Mountain, a green mist filled the air, carrying a sweet, dizzying scent. Alex covered his mouth with a damp cloth and squinted as he carefully examined the surroundings, following the trail ahead.
"Phew! This big guy really knows how to run!"
After walking for about half an hour, Alex reached a secluded cliff base. Not far ahead was a shallow cave where the huge green python was writhing and roaring.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The Green Python thrashed restlessly, its thick tail slamming into the rock walls, sending stones flying. It was clearly in great discomfort.
"As expected, it's seriously injured."
Alex's gaze focused on the Green Python's neck, where four bloody holes oozed. Through the thick green mist, he could see something unusual lodged in the wounds—something that didn't belong to the python.
"Roar~"
Suddenly, the Green Python turned its head towards Alex, baring its fangs in a warning hiss. It recognized the 'little monkey' from the previous day and couldn't believe the creature had returned to challenge it.
Alex applied the antidote paste to his hands, face, and any exposed skin. After taking a deep breath, he raised his hands and cautiously approached the wary python.
"Roar~"
The Green Python hissed a warning, but when Alex continued to advance, it opened its mouth and spewed a dark green mist at him, forming a toxic cloud in the air.
Fortunately for Alex, the python had used most of its venom the previous day while fighting the Iron Arm Monkeys. Its weakened state meant it couldn't produce a full dose of liquid venom.
Alex's eyes narrowed as he dodged to the side, leaping over the toxic mist. Though he had the antidote, direct contact with the venom would still be deadly.
Landing on the ground, Alex sprinted towards the python. The snake, enraged, lunged at him despite its injuries. It still didn't see the 'little monkey' as a true threat.
Closing the distance quickly, Alex could see the sharp teeth in the python's open jaws.
"Take this!"
Just as they were about to collide, Alex tossed a large bundle from his back and dodged to the side, using his 'Heavenly Step' technique to swiftly move away.
Whoosh~
The bundle hit the python's head, covering it in a sticky, translucent substance. The python thrashed its head, trying to shake off the annoying paste.
Without looking back, Alex sprinted away. After running about a hundred meters, he turned to observe the python, which was now struggling in an unnatural way.
The substance had coated the python's head and was slowly incapacitating it. The giant snake's movements became erratic and sluggish, as if it had been sedated.
"It works!"
Alex smiled, satisfied. This was the 'secret weapon' he had spent a night and half a day preparing.
He had mixed the antidote for the Green Python's venom with plants that inhibited the venom's effects and some herbs that acted like anesthetics. According to his system's calculations, there was an 80% chance this concoction would knock out the python for an hour.
After a while, the Green Python lay motionless on the ground. Its eyes were still open, filled with a mix of emotions, including sadness and frustration.
"Big guy, I mean you no harm. I just want to heal your wounds," Alex said, raising his hands to show his peaceful intentions. He approached the python's neck.
The python's neck, thicker than a barrel, had four swollen, bleeding holes. Alex could see what appeared to be foreign objects lodged deep in the wounds.
"Let's get you fixed up," Alex murmured, starting the delicate work of removing the objects and treating the python's injuries.
"Hang in there!"
Alex gently patted the Green Python's head. The massive creature seemed to understand his intent, shaking its head in agreement.
Bending down, Alex reached into one of the bloody holes. The Iron Arm Monkeys were huge compared to him, making this a bit challenging but not impossible. He probed the wound, finding a piece of wood embedded deep in the flesh.
"Here we go!"
Alex gritted his teeth and yanked the piece out in one swift motion.
Hissss!
A gush of blood spurted out, creating a small fountain at the wound site.
"Roar~"
The Green Python roared in delayed pain, its entire body trembling. Alex could feel the creature shuddering under his left hand.
Looking at the darkened piece of wood in his hand, Alex realized it was a finger from the Iron Arm Monkey, complete with a sharp, dagger-like claw. It must have been lodged in the snake during their battle.
Alex continued to remove other foreign objects from the wound, including claws, bones, and tufts of fur. The wound was like a contaminated swamp filled with debris from the fight.
"Roar! Roar! Roar~"
The Green Python growled as Alex moved to the next wound, cleaning out each injury thoroughly. Despite its pain, the creature seemed to understand that Alex was helping it.
Working quickly, Alex cleared several wounds, squeezing out the blood and pus. He then applied a thick layer of the antidote paste. Though the paste neutralized the snake's venom, it also helped stop the bleeding and promote healing.
Hiss~
The Green Python seemed to relax, its mouth opening slightly as it let out a gentle hiss. It was evident that the snake was feeling much better after Alex's treatment.
Noticing something in the snake's mouth, Alex gently tapped its head. "Open up!"
Understanding his intent, the Green Python turned its head and opened its massive jaws.
Snakes don't have many teeth and lack chewing molars, swallowing their food whole. The Green Python, despite being a demon beast, shared this characteristic. However, its habit of using venom to soften its food had caused some bones to get stuck between its teeth.
"Let's see what's in here," Alex muttered. He put on a glove and reached into the python's mouth, grabbing a bone lodged in its teeth. With a firm tug, he pulled out a blackened skeleton hand from an Iron Arm Monkey.
Hiss~
As soon as the bone hit the ground, the blackened liquid on it sizzled, emitting a foul odor and causing the surrounding grass to wither.
Alex quickly removed more fragments from the python's teeth. Once he was done, the Green Python started to regain its mobility.
Roar~
The Green Python nudged Alex with its head, showing its newfound affection for its helper.
"Rest here and heal up. I need to go now," Alex said, patting the snake's nose before turning to leave.
While the Green Python had shown gratitude, Alex knew their bond was tenuous. The snake was still dangerous, and it was best to leave before testing its patience.
Roar~
The Green Python watched him go, its vertical pupils filled with a newfound warmth.
...
Leaving the valley, Alex continued his quest to find the Iron Arm Monkeys. According to the intelligence from Wanxiang Tower, multiple explorers had discovered Zhuguo in Iron Arm Monkey Mountain, but they were always blocked by the monkeys.
Interestingly, the intelligence didn't mention the hot spring lake where Zhuguo grew in abundance in the original story. It simply stated that Zhuguo grew in high-temperature areas where Iron Arm Monkeys were present.
This suggested there might be more than one location where Zhuguo could be found.
Given the large population of Iron Arm Monkeys on the mountain, the dozen or so Zhuguo plants at the hot spring lake wouldn't be enough to satisfy all of them. There must be other locations with these precious fruits.
...
Halfway up Iron Arm Monkey Mountain, Alex spotted a nearly circular lake, about several hundred feet in diameter. Steam rose from the hot water, and many Iron Arm Monkeys were playing in the lake, while a few remained on the shore.
In the center of the lake, slender green stalks emerged from the water, each bearing lush green leaves. Among them, five plants had bright red fruits hanging from their leaves.
Other stalks bore fruits that were half-red, half-green, or still entirely green. The remaining plants had only leaves.
"This must be the hot spring lake mentioned in the story. Seventeen plants in total, the largest cluster I've found," Alex thought, crouched behind a small hill overlooking the lake. He sketched the scene on a piece of parchment, marking the locations of each Zhuguo plant.
His map also showed other spots with Zhuguo, most of them marked with smaller numbers. The hot spring lake was marked with a seventeen, the highest count so far. All paths on the map converged at a point near the mountain's summit labeled "Monkey King's Cave."
"Yaa! Yaa yaa!"
The Iron Arm Monkeys chattered, some in the lake and some on the shore, seemingly discussing the ripening fruits.
"Five of the Zhuguo are almost ripe, ready in a day or two. Three more will take about half a month to mature," Alex mused, his eyes locked on the five bright red fruits. "It's time to take action. I've gathered enough information."
With a determined look, Alex began planning his next move.