Chương 3: Self-Reliance

The Great Ridge Mountains. Song Que wandered alone among the brush on the forest's outer perimeter. Thanks to his previous life's penchant for well-funded survival adventures, he quickly spotted a few types of edible wild greens. Without hesitation, he harvested them all. Suddenly, a rustling sound echoed. Tensing up, he gripped his knife in defense, only to see a wild pheasant burst from the bushes and flap away before he could react.

Song Que's eyes burned with frustration—it was like a delicious meal had landed on his plate and then sprinted off, leaving him helpless. Chasing it was out of the question. He looked up at the canopy, watching birds hop about in search of food, and could only swallow his saliva with a sigh.

"Looks like I need to learn to use a ranged weapon." Song Que pondered this, but his enthusiasm dampened when he considered his current financial situation. Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. After circling around and gathering enough greens, he dared not venture deeper and made a decisive turn back. On his way, hearing the faint gurgle of a stream nearby, Song Que glanced in that direction, his expression turning thoughtful.

According to his early childhood memories, his parents had constantly warned him about a lake in the southeast of the forest. They said it was haunted. Countless villagers had wandered in, never to return. Over time, it became a taboo place for the village, one no one dared approach. Could I possibly deal with this ghost to earn some extra "income"? Thinking that the Tesseract within him might be the bane of spirits, his courage bolstered. No longer fearful, he headed toward the lake to uncover the truth.

As he pushed deeper, the reeds grew dense, taller than a man. Brushing past the thicket, a clearing emerged, revealing a crystal-clear lake, as still as a mirror. Song Que estimated the lake to be over ten mu in area. In the distance, a mountain stream fed into it, creating beautiful, gentle ripples. Setting his greens aside, he walked cautiously to the shore. Peering into the transparent water, he saw moss covering the bottom, with plenty of crabs, snails, and clams hiding within.

After waiting a while and testing the water with his foot—finding it harmless—he took a gamble and stepped in, quickly gathering a handful of crabs and snails. The icy water bit into his skin, numbing his feet. Not daring to stay long, he gathered over a jin of aquatic life, wrapped them in a large leaf, grabbed his greens, and headed home. Before leaving, he glanced back at the lake, but nothing happened. On the way back, perhaps due to the cold water, Song Que felt his limbs freezing.

He hurriedly used a sliver of the Tesseract's energy to reinforce his body. A tingling, warm sensation surged through him, making his legs feel warm and strong. Song Que picked up his pace, dashing back toward his hut. Once home, he bolted the door. Ignoring everything else, he washed the food and tossed it all into the pot. He couldn't wait any longer and had his most satisfying meal since the transmigration. Even if it was just porridge, shellfish, and wild greens, to Song Que, it was incredibly delicious.

As he ate, a warm glow spread in his gut, delighting him—the Tesseract was assisting with digestion. Even the wild greens and bits of crab/snail shells were broken down into energy. Song Que's eyes lit up.

"It seems with the Tesseract, I won't have to worry about 'food poisoning' anymore. My self-development plan just accelerated." Song Que was immensely satisfied. After cleaning up, he sat on the bed to rest for a moment. There was no entertainment in this era, so "Young Master Song" began training his body for the sake of the future. No need to go far; he started doing push-ups and frog leaps right in his room.

Whenever his muscles burned, he would rest, use the energy from the Tesseract to flush his body and restore his strength, then continue tirelessly until he ran out of energy. Feeling the sweet pain of his body growing stronger by the minute, Song Que felt completely confident about his future. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Noticing the sun was setting, he figured Uncle Li must have returned from the fields.

Song Que opened his door, planning to visit Uncle Li to ask for some common knowledge about this world. He didn't expect much, but Uncle Li's decades of life experience were worth learning from. Compared to the Song family's simplicity, the Li family was much better off. It was a three-room mud-brick house surrounded by a fence, with a wide courtyard in the middle for drying clothes and resting. He walked straight in, and as he knocked, the door creaked open.

A little girl of six or seven, with her hair in two pigtails and glistening eyes, poked her head out and cheered happily:"Brother A'niu! You're better! Mom told me yesterday you were sick and couldn't take me out to play anymore."

"You crazy little girl, don't talk nonsense! Your Brother A'niu has a big life and a thick fate. A'niu, come inside quickly, don't catch a cold." A stern voice rang out from the house—it was Aunt Li. Song Que rubbed his nose and laughed bitterly, thinking, The predecessor really did 'kick the bucket' last night, though he couldn't say that out loud. He greeted Aunt Li and walked inside.

"Aunt, where is Uncle?" As he spoke, Li Tie and Gou'dan emerged from behind the house, their hands wet—they were busy in the kitchen.

"Brother A'niu, I was just about to come call you. You're in luck today! Dad and I caught a rabbit while working in the fields. It's huge, even bigger than your thigh!" Old Li also laughed joyfully: "Haha, A'niu, stay and eat with us this evening, try to build up your strength." Song Que mused for a moment, then decided not to be polite. He already owed them so much, adding one more meal didn't make a difference. He agreed decisively:"Uncle, then I won't be formal.

It's been so long I've forgotten what meat tastes like. What are you doing? Let me give you a hand." The two children cheered at his words, showing how close their relationship was. Li Tie was also pleased: "No need, A'niu. You just recovered, you shouldn't get chilled."

"Uncle, I'm perfectly healthy, it's fine. Besides, I wanted to ask you a few things while we work." Li Tie frowned slightly, sensing that the child had changed—he seemed more mature. He nodded happily: "That works too." He turned back toward the kitchen, and Song Que followed with the two "little tails" chattering behind him.

"A'niu, what did you want to ask?" Li Tie asked as they walked.

"Uncle, do you think there are immortals in this world?" Li Tie was stunned for a moment before laughing: "Whether there are immortals, I don't know—I've never seen one. But legend has it that the Founding Emperor had supreme martial arts, with strength to overturn rivers and seas, pluck stars from the sky with his bare hands, and walk through the void. How is that any different from an immortal? By the way, A'niu, why do you ask?" Sigh, no saving him, Song Que thought.

Another honest farmer brainwashed by imperial propaganda. Song Que shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and said:"Uncle, I ran into a ghost last night." Song Que didn't hold back; he recounted the events of the previous night, leaving out any mention of the Tesseract, merely claiming he had struggled hard enough to drive the ghost away. Hearing this, the entire Li family was horrified. Little Er'ya turned pale, clinging tightly to her mother's leg, and Gou'dan was no better.

Li Tie looked on in terror:"Based on your story, that was likely a Mountain Demon. The village elders say they live in the forest and specialize in tracking the sick and weak to snatch their souls." He then looked at Song Que: "It's fortunate your fortune is great, and you weren't taken. A'niu, why don't you move in with Gou'dan? There are many of us here; the 'qi and blood' is strong, so ghosts won't dare come near."

"It's okay, Uncle. I'm completely recovered now; the Mountain Demon can't do anything to me," Song Que replied with a smile. Knowing his stubborn personality, Li Tie didn't press him, only warning: "From now on, if anything happens, you must tell me." Song Que nodded with a smile, and the group began to busy themselves with the meal. Li Tie and his wife did most of the work, while the three children scrambled to help.

Children forget quickly, and after a while, Gou'dan had already thrown the ghost story to the back of his mind, excitedly boasting:"Brother A'niu, you wouldn't believe it! My dad is incredibly talented! The rabbit today was standing way over there, about as far as from here to the gate. But my dad picked up a stone... whoosh... and it just rolled over and died!" He gestured wildly, trying to explain it to Song Que with pride. Listening to Gou'dan, Song Que's eyes brightened.

While there might be some exaggeration, the fact was likely true. He had been thinking about needing a ranged weapon, and he lacked the means to buy a bow or crossbow. Now, wasn't "throwing stones" the most convenient thing ever? Thinking led to action. Song Que turned to Li Tie and asked urgently:"Uncle, can you teach me how to throw stones and how to hunt?" Li Tie's face turned serious, and he shook his head: "Hunting is no joke. Our village has a hunting team, yet every year we lose people in the forest.

This is not possible. Wait until you're older, then we'll discuss it." Song Que knew Uncle Li had his best interests at heart, but he didn't give up: "Uncle, then when will I be qualified?" Old Li pondered: "When you can lift the stone mill over your head, I will teach you." They had a stone mill in their house, and Song Que still had an impression of it. It took an entire arm span to wrap around it, weighing roughly sixty or seventy catties.

Originally, Li Tie thought it would take several years for the boy to achieve this, but according to Song Que's calculations, with the Tesseract, as long as he kept eating, he could do it in just a few months.