“The serpent spirit was subdued by me, tasked with guarding the mountain gate. It only dares to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, and would never commit such heinous acts as eating people. This person barged in recklessly; at most, the serpent spirit would have just scared him away. But you gave this person those two longevity fruits to eat, which aroused the serpent’s murderous intent. By devouring this person, it could gain ten thousand years of cultivation and escape from the cave heaven.”

　　Nathaniel Clark was stunned when he heard this.

　　So the giant serpent wanted to eat him because he had eaten two longevity fruits?

　　So that little Daoist boy had good intentions but did a bad thing?

　　“Master, your disciple knows his mistake.”

　　“This person was a mortal who accidentally entered the blessed land. One day in the blessed land equals ten years in the mortal world. If you were kind, just let him drink a sip of spiritual spring water to extend his life by ten years.”

　　“You gave him two longevity fruits. It could have been a great fortune, but his fate was too thin to enjoy it. This was destined by the heavens. Do not make such a mistake again.”

　　“Disciple understands.”

　　……

　　……

　　“Screw your ‘thin fate’!”

　　Nathaniel Clark woke up, his eyes flickering. That old Daoist was cursing at the end. If what happened in the dream was real, then after his soul transmigrated, did this body inherit the effects of the longevity fruits?

　　Logically, soul transmigration shouldn’t have that effect, but Nathaniel Clark remembered that on his first day after crossing over, his strength increased by dozens of pounds.

　　What if he really did inherit it?

　　His strength increased day by day.

　　It wouldn’t be hard to verify.

　　……

　　……

　　Outside the door.

　　The rain was drizzling.

　　Inside the door.

　　Nathaniel Clark sat leaning against the threshold.

　　He was the only one at home.

　　His old grandaunt had gone out with a bamboo basket to pick wild vegetables.

　　He had gone with her a few times, but every time, she would soon persuade him to go back.

　　After thunderstorms, a kind of algae called “Thunder God’s droppings” would grow on the grass and stones. It was somewhat similar to wood ear fungus and made for an extremely delicious soup.

　　He had eaten it several times already.

　　It had been seven days since he transmigrated.

　　Four days ago, Danning County finally welcomed a rainfall, ending the drought. Afterwards, as if to compensate the people, it rained for three days straight.

　　Although grain prices hadn’t dropped much yet, at least some wild vegetables had started to grow.

　　He now knew what the item wrapped in red paper that his grandaunt took from the stove was.

　　A pair of bracelets, which his father had bought for his grandaunt after becoming a constable.

　　Previously, when there was no rice left at home, his grandaunt never pawned them—not just for sentimental reasons, but also because she saw the jade bracelets as life-saving money.

　　He had been weak and sickly since childhood, so if he ever fell ill again, the bracelets could be pawned for money to buy medicine and save his life.

　　In the end, his grandaunt pawned them for a bag of brown rice and two pounds of meat.

　　Jade bracelets worth twenty taels of silver were exchanged for just a bag of brown rice and two pounds of meat. To be honest, Nathaniel Clark felt a bit heartbroken.

　　But his grandaunt still did it.

　　Because the time to enroll in the academy was approaching.

　　She wanted Nathaniel Clark to at least have enough to eat every day, so he’d have the strength to pass the academy’s entrance exam.

　　Over these seven days, Nathaniel Clark confirmed his suspicion: the effects of the longevity fruits had indeed been inherited by this body.

　　His strength really did increase every day.

　　Since his strength was inherited, his lifespan was probably inherited as well.

　　This confirmation gave him a bit of hope. Although the daily increase in strength wasn’t much—about a pound, give or take.

　　Sometimes a bit more, sometimes less than a pound.

　　He figured out the reason for the fluctuation.

　　If he ate more, the increase was greater.

　　If he ate better, the increase was also greater.

　　If he ate nothing all day, the increase in strength was almost negligible.

　　If he ate exactly the same for two days, then with exercise, the increase in strength was greater than without exercise.

　　Nathaniel Clark concluded that the energy contained in the longevity fruit was like water stored in a reservoir, kept in his body, with a dam holding it back. How much water could be released each time depended on how wide he could open the sluice gate.

　　The factors affecting the size of the gate were exercise and food. As for whether it was also related to his current stage of physical growth, maybe a little, but the proportion should be small.

　　……

　　……

　　After the rain, the sky cleared and the sun rose.

　　Today, Nathaniel Clark put on freshly washed clean clothes early in the morning.

　　He drank two bowls of rice porridge, ate three eggs, and left home under his grandaunt’s expectant gaze.

　　Today was the day the academy in Danning County was enrolling new students.

　　The academy was in the east of the city, which was also where the wealthy and powerful families lived. Compared to the low houses elsewhere, the east side was full of grand mansions. Captain Harris’s home was also in the east.

　　When Nathaniel Clark arrived at the academy, there were already many parents with children signing up at the gate. The entrance was bustling, and with all the onlookers, the street in front of the academy was packed.

　　After squeezing his way to the gate, he saw two soldiers standing guard, holding long spears, their eyes sharp. The people around didn’t dare get within ten feet.

　　“Only those registering may enter. Others are not allowed inside.”

　　At the soldiers’ gaze, many people who had been pushed to the front hurriedly retreated. In previous years, some who weren’t careful and got too close ended up getting stabbed by the spears.