For Xiu Nuo, handling water was quite simple given his current physical condition.
He quickly swam over to the drowning man.
The drowning man's backpack was snagged on a submerged branch, and he struggled unsuccessfully to stand up.
His hands flailed desperately, making it clear that if he managed to grasp something, he would certainly not let go.
That's why one should never blindly attempt to rescue someone from drowning—if you aren't skilled enough in swimming, you might end up sacrificing yourself as well.
But... Xiu Nuo wasn't there to save anyone. He was merely perpetuating his facade of being a "nice guy" with a warm heart.
This kind of "character setting", once established, always brought him unexpected benefits, an experience he had garnered while walking the path through the mortal realm.
The man tried to stand again but was once more dragged below the water, and Xiu Nuo sank down with him.
To onlookers, it appeared as if Xiu Nuo had been pulled under by him.
"Idiot!" Watching the two disappear beneath the surface, the guide exploded at the team, saying, "See! This is the primeval forest. Put away your pathetic sympathies! Whether you can even survive here is questionable! Compassion will only get you killed faster!"
Meanwhile, under the water.
The swept-away man's eyes widened, and in his newfound calm, he extended his hand despairingly towards Xiu Nuo, but the man, who was just within reach, merely watched him coldly from a short distance away.
As if... he were a Soul Hooker waiting for someone to die.
Why won't you save me? You could easily save me by reaching out!
In that moment, his fear of death turned entirely into resentment towards Xiu Nuo.
Watching the man's shift in expression, Xiu Nuo felt as if he were not dealing with an adult, but rather with a grown infant.
They seemed to take any help given to them for granted, as if to say, "If you don't help me, then I will hate you."
In Xiu Nuo's view, when asking for help in saving a life, shouldn't one kneel and beg the immortals for mercy?
Of course, he wasn't there to save the man; he was just waiting for him to die. Xiu Nuo didn't want to waste the man's Divine Soul. After all, how regrettable it would be if the body were washed away after he drowned!
If it were for efficiency, Xiu Nuo could actually kill him right now.
But although Xiu Nuo was a Demon Cultivator, he only actively removed those who were obstacles in his path to ascension, those who threatened him, and even hunted some fellow sect members with excessive killing intent. But he never killed unimportant, unlucky souls for fun like some Demon Cultivators did.
This wasn't because Mr. Xiu was kindhearted; rather, he knew that even the Demon Ancestor was killed by others, proving that indiscriminate killing eventually leads to one's own downfall.
As a refined self-serving Demon Cultivator, as a disciple of the survive-at-all-costs Demon Sect, he still had to consider the Heavenly Tribulation of needless killing.
While at the sect, protected by the grand formation and elders, and deeming mortal lives as insignificant as dirt, Xiu Nuo still had to consider what to do if these old geezers couldn't withstand his own Heavenly Tribulation, let alone now when he was all alone in a new world where ascension seemed possible.
However, the two resentful sods he encountered made Xiu Nuo feel as though their deaths were purely deserved.
As Xiu Nuo pondered these thoughts, the man in front of him had already taken his last breath. Seeing that the man had completely lost his vitality, the Ghostly Vicious Energy sword shadow also appeared in Xiu Nuo's palm.
By this time, those who had reached the shore were all staring at the water. Honestly, they had seen much cold-blooded behavior along the way and had become desensitized, so suddenly witnessing someone attempting a rescue was somewhat jarring for them.
Suddenly, someone spotted something and shouted urgently, "There he is!"
Everyone followed his gaze only to see a figure staggering onto the riverbank and then collapsing weakly on the ground, still dragging another person.
The guide was the first to rush over, looked at the water-spewing Xiu Nuo, and then began to check on the man Xiu Nuo had dragged up.
But clearly, that man was beyond dead.
Taking a deep breath, the guide then seriously said to Xiu Nuo, "Sir, I'll admit you're lucky, but believe me, luck is finite. I don't care if you live or die, but those leech-like agents who suck money off refugees pay me by the headcount at the destination. What I mean is, if you want to die, you might want to find another way!"
Xiu Nuo shrugged helplessly, "I thought you'd thank me for preserving your assets."
"No, in my eyes, you are all just consumables," the guide said as he walked away. "I hope you haven't lost much energy because we are setting off soon. If you fall behind, I hope another idiot will help you, but at least I won't."
The rest of the team still needed about ten minutes to completely cross the river. Xiu Nuo got up; the essence blood of the man just now was enough to make up for the energy spent dragging him ashore, and the value of his Divine Soul was quite good.
Although it wasn't as high quality as the fairy from last night.
With eight more souls like this, the Ghostly Vicious Energy Sword Spirit, when summoned by him, should no longer look as if it were about to fall apart. Then, he could slightly make up for the deficiency in his cultivation level.
As Xiu Nuo was thinking about who to choose next, he noticed that three people were already walking towards him.
He recognized one of them, the boot-licker.
The three of them approached Xiu Nuo, their faces smiling.
"Buddy, you were quite impressive just now." The boot-licker said as he offered Xiu Nuo a cigarette with a smile.
Xiu Nuo glanced at the cigarette and then waved his hand, "Just say what you want to say. I'm very tired right now and I don't want to think too much."
"My name is Zhang Wenxuan." The boot-licker lit one for himself and then pointed to a somewhat small and thin man next to him, saying, "His name is Lin Zi, and that one is called Zhao Hong."
Zhao Hong was a middle-aged man who looked strong and muscular.
Zhang Wenxuan and Lin Zi appeared to be in their late twenties or early thirties.
"Xiu Nuo." Xiu Nuo wrung water from his clothes and said, "So what exactly do you want?"
"Lin Zi and I are from the same hometown." Zhang Wenxuan chuckled, "Old Zhao is someone we met on the road. We're all compatriots when we're abroad, and having more friends means more pathways, right?"
Xiu Nuo nodded towards the team that was still crossing the river, "There are quite a few compatriots in there."
Zhao Hong hummed from his side and spoke directly, "Who knows what those people are thinking? Out here, it's possible that our own compatriots will be the ones to screw us over the most."
Xiu Nuo raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhao Hong, "So what? You aren't with these two, right? How did you join them?"
Zhang Wenxuan took over the conversation, "Being cautious out here is quite normal. Let's not beat around the bush; without some abilities, how can anyone respect you, right? You've seen Old Zhao's physique, with him around, those black guys dare not mess with us easily."
"And as for me, I have a relative who is already in America. Having Old Zhao with us, when we eventually go to America, there will be someone to watch our backs. It's a win-win situation. So..."
"We're all grown men here, and I won't hide it from you. I see you're also quite young, so I'll take the liberty of calling you Brother Xiu. We're approaching you because it's simple. Last night, I saw you save that girl, although she didn't seem worth saving. And just now, you were saving someone again. All things considered, we actually trust you more than others."
"If the four of us team up, we can avoid being bullied by others. I'll be honest," Zhang Wenxuan whispered, "I have some money on me. If those guys find out, they'll definitely come to rob us. I noticed several Indians are already clustering together."
Xiu Nuo looked at the guy in front of him, a smile quickly filling his face.
So it was about forming a little group. Not bad, not bad. It seemed that his 'good person' first impression had stuck.
"Sure." Xiu Nuo agreed readily.
Such discerning eyes you have, choosing me out of so many good people in this large troop.
For Xiu Nuo, this place was somewhat dangerous, but the danger did not come from the natural environment, but from some of the people in the team. Having these three unfortunate souls would indeed make his Cultivation worry-free for a while.
When the time was right, he might even plant a Demon Seed in them, making it easier to harvest their vital energies. That would be perfect.
When they saw Xiu Nuo agree, Zhang Wenxuan smiled even more joyfully, "Great! I have a set of clothes that I've never worn. I see that your backpack is all soaked, Brother Xiu. If you don't mind, hurry and change out of those wet clothes. Don't catch a cold or get sick."
Xiu Nuo naturally wouldn't refuse, and it must be said that having a team was indeed different.
Xiu Nuo noticed that several black men who had previously looked at him unfriendly were now quietly shifting their gaze away.
While the team had not completely crossed the river, Xiu Nuo changed into a dry set of clothes, feeling much more comfortable.
After changing clothes, Zhao Hong came over to Xiu Nuo and asked, "Have you trained?"
"Kind of. What about it?"
Old Zhao took a baton from his bag and handed it to Xiu Nuo, "Take this for self-defense. I saw your moves last night; they were quite good. But you need to be careful."
"Careful of what?"
Zhao Hong nodded towards the other side, "See those? The Indians."
Seeing those people with high nasal bridges, their skin not too dark, some even with a dark-yellow complexion, Xiu Nuo curiously asked, "What about them?"
"While you were changing clothes just now, those guys were watching you a lot. But with your delicate skin and tender flesh, if it weren't for your moves last night, I really wouldn't think you were a martial artist. Ah, to be young is wonderful."
Xiu Nuo's eyebrows furrowed instantly, "I'm a man."
After saying that, Xiu Nuo realized that not only Zhao Hong, but even Lin Zi and Zhang Wenxuan were looking at him with newfound respect!
Xiu Nuo scratched his head, the Snake Demon that the sect had sent him was indeed an excellent sexual stove.