A Father's Hardships

Three-eyed jade monkeys were the only Elementary Realm monkeys in Acoustic City. Despite that, they were really smart, even more so than some high-ranking profound beasts.

The Western Forest was the most mountainous place, but for unknown reasons, these monkeys lived on the mountains that were on the southwest of Acoustic City. Due to their nature of acting based on instincts before setting traps, people assumed that the Western Mountains were home to a dangerous profound beast, so Book Lords avoided those snowy places.

The same was true for Zhong Cao Yan. He was more vigilant than ever as he walked towards a deserted mountain that had lush green life. 'I hope I don't run into those monkeys. They will be troublesome if they have a leader.'

With his instincts on alert, Zhong Cao Yan reached the foot of the mountain. He didn't continue to climb it because that is where the three-eyed jade monkeys stayed. He took a right turn and passed a rock with 'South Beach' carved, on the mountain.

"I am halfway there…" he muttered, as he continued along the small pathway filled with dry grass as he went deeper into the western forest.

Soon enough, a foul stench started assaulting his nose despite him having a face mask on, but this made him grin. "I have found it! The monkey toilets!"

Looking at the place alone, one would compare it to paradise. There were different types of flowers ranging in colors. They were really pretty on the surface, but in truth, they were venomous profound plants at the elementary realm.

Most people had methods to withstand the poison, but the reason why this place was deserted is because it smelled like an area with a busted sewer pipe. To make it worse, this smell would cling to one's body until it was cleaned properly.

One could use spells to avoid the stench, but no one invested in a spell that would stop the person from smelling like they had soiled themselves.

Yet, for the sake of trying to save his daughter, Zhong Cao Yan had to go to such a place. She was his world, his everything; such a sacrifice was nothing.

Water Bubble…

Zhong Cao Yan used a human realm spell to make a bubble of water appear over his body, which cost him 10 units of his dark green Qi. This spell protected him from the poison petals of the plants, but his nose was still vulnerable. Luckily, elementary realm plants don't release a poisonous smell.

Crunch...

The man crushed the plants underneath his feet as he wandered into the monkey toilet, which had the same area as a football pitch. For hours he wandered in there as he didn't find the flower he was looking for.

As time moved on, he became a living sewer system; people would need to be at least 100 meters away from him to avoid the stench.

Nonetheless, the human realm Book Lord didn't care about all that. His daughter had suffered enough, and it was time for something good to happen to her. Zhong Cao Yan continued to look desperately at the beautiful flowers around him. They had varying petals, but that made them more enchanting.

As his blue pupils looked around the flower field, Zhong Cao Yan saw something peculiar. It was a pentagon flower that was similar to a starfish. The flower was flesh instead of wood. It had lips that touched opposite ends which weren't curled in any direction.

Kwik Kwik kwikkwik kwikkwik...

The sound was low-pitched, and one needed good hearing to be able to listen to it.

"The Blab-Blab Star Flower!" Zhong Cao Yan exclaimed with joy. This was the flower he needed. "It has no poison but is the most troublesome and useless flower in the monkey toilet, but for my daughter, I have to try."

Kwik Kwik Kwik Kwik kwikkwik...

Zhong Cao Yan laid his fair hands on the flower's stem, and he felt like he was just touching another human. The texture was on point, and the petal ends felt like earlobes.

The man in a black suit didn't care about that as he cut off the flower, and the red liquid that rushed over to his hands felt more like blood.

'This flower is strange; there is so little information about it in the plant encyclopedia. Is it a beast instead?' Zhong Cao had a complicated gaze as he tried to resist the stench coming from the plant. The Blab-Blab flower alone was the reason why this place smelled bad.

'People do talk about it, yet the conversation never goes anywhere. Same as the three-eyed jade monkeys. The ability to select such a place as their toilet is profound. Maybe there is a special liquid in their stomachs that is able to nurture poison plants.' Zhong Cao Yan pondered for a few seconds before putting those thoughts at the back of his head. He had no time to waste.

The man didn't go straight home. He took the way he came from and entered the snowy forest. No profound beast dared to mess with him thanks to the smell that he released. This made him reach the periphery of the city without much hassle.

He halted his movement when he reached the tributary of the Symphony River. He was closer to the city, so the temperature was back to normal, and the river water wasn't frozen.

He took out a human realm spirit pot from his Primeval World. It was made out of spirit crystals, which made it suitable to stay in the Primeval World. If it were a normal pot, then he would have to carry it on him.

The moment Zhong Cao Yan got closer to the edge of the river, a bunch of legged and winged fish came running out. It was unknown whether it was because of fear or the stench the man released.

Zhong Cao Yan could only sigh at his current state with a weak smile, yet that didn't shake his resolve.

A true father does his best for their children.

He took water from the small river and gathered a few twigs before starting a fire to cook the Blab-Blab flower.

He used this chance to take a bath near the tributary. His daughter would suffocate if he didn't wash himself.

Three hours passed, and the sun was now at the west end of Acoustic City. Zhong Cao Yan had finished washing his body. Normally it wouldn't take that long, but the smell was refusing to go away.

Also, the thing inside his spirit pot was now ready. Unlike what he expected, a pleasant, finger-licking aroma that was in between pork and beef stew was released.

Zhong Cao Yan couldn't help but gulp a few times, and the same was true for the carnivorous legged and winged fish. They all had malevolence in their eyes but couldn't do anything to him. At their level, they weren't harmful to people.

Zhong Cao Yan opened the lid and was greeted by the Blab-Blab Star Flower that was dipped in brown stew. It was perfectly cooked, and if a person didn't know where this came from, they would eat it at all costs.

The brown-haired man quickly stored it together with the spirit pot in his Primeval World.

'I hope you taste as good as it looks.'

Before giving it to his daughter, Zhong Cao Yan was going to test it first.