It was a pity that looking at Nuo Han's robust physique and the great reputation left by Li Xi, no one dared to act even with over ten thousand people following the carriage. They all expected the carriage to be unable to carry the heavy gold coins, and that they could snatch a few after it was crushed. Thus, everyone harbored both good and evil in their hearts. They applauded when bad people were punished, which was good, and they wanted to snatch gold coins, which was evil.
Unfortunately, by the time Li Xi and his group reached the dock, not a single carriage had an accident. Instead, they continued their work steadfastly.
After Li Xi and his group finished negotiating with the dockworkers, bad news arrived. As night was fast approaching, no ships dared to set sail, so they had to stay in Pabiti for a night.
Were there no ships that dared to go out at night?
Nonsense.
It was because the ship owners saw so much gold and feared that the excessive amount of gold would bring about a disaster, so they dared not take on this job. Li Xi and Feilin's strength was indeed great, but it could not offset the fear of pirates in their hearts.
Of course, Li Xi and his group did not want to leave either. With their strength, if they truly wanted to leave, which ship captain would dare to refuse?
It was precisely because of this consideration that there wasn't enough time for the scout to send the message to Gray Beard. If they left too quickly and Gray Beard couldn't catch up, wouldn't all this effort be in vain?
Li Xi and Feilin turned around and booked the largest restaurant in the city of Pabiti. Money was not an issue; what mattered now was to show off, to flaunt their wealth. Li Xi even sent people to notify the entire city that any vagrant, beggar, bankrupt, unproductive person, elderly, or child could come to the restaurant to eat, and he would bear all the costs.
Of course, at the very beginning, the restaurant owner refused. Those who usually came here were all wealthy and influential people. How could they entertain a group of paupers?
But when Li Xi threw a chest of gold coins onto the ground, the owner's knees went weak. His proud words seemed like dog shit thrown into a sewer. He almost knelt down to Li Xi. Never mind a few beggars and vagrants, even a group of goblins or pigs, the owner would happily serve them.
Because there were not enough chefs, tables, chairs, and helpers, the restaurant owner mobilized his network and directly brought in one-third of the staff from other restaurants and eateries. Nearly a thousand tables were laid out for a feast. Anyone who met the criteria could eat, and as long as they didn't die, they could eat as much as they wanted.
"Good person," "Kind-hearted lord," "Saint of the contemporary era," "Incarnation of a deity," "Savior of the hungry."
These were all new nicknames Li Xi had acquired.
"How is it? My idea to flaunt wealth is not bad, is it?" Li Xi proudly showed off to Feilin and the others.
"My lord is truly brilliant. I would never have thought of such a good idea." Nuo Han was now a blind fan of Li Xi. If Li Xi said that poop didn't smell, Nuo Han might even agree.
"Mr. Li Xi is intelligent and wise, truly worthy of being a pioneer of a new profession." Ever since Li Xi said he wasn't using magic but ninjutsu, Zuo Lin had decided that this ninjutsu was created by Li Xi himself. He loudly proclaimed Li Xi as a rare genius, and in some aspects, he admired Li Xi even more than Nuo Han.
If Li Xi wanted to take Zuo Lin as a disciple, Zuo Lin would not hesitate, and he would cling to Li Xi's leg and cry for three days and three nights.
Compared to these two die-hard fans, Feilin was much calmer. She just looked at Li Xi with adoration and said softly, "Brother Li Xi is doing this to catch Gray Beard and eliminate a menace for the people. Therefore, I will supplement your commission."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Miss Feilin."
When Feilin heard Li Xi still calling her "Miss," she pouted. Her eyes held three parts resentment, four parts expectation, and three parts affection. "Brother Li Xi, I already call you Brother, so you should call me Sister, shouldn't you?"
Li Xi's heart trembled. Such eyes were troublesome. Besides, he and Feilin were probably around the same age, and it wasn't certain who was older. He was just tanned from being outdoors all the time and looked a bit older. "Miss Feilin, you jest. I am a mercenary responsible for your mission. It is better to be addressed formally."
Then he took a few steps back to his room. "I suddenly remembered I have something to do. I'll leave for now. We'll set sail tomorrow morning."
Li Xi's reaction made Feilin very dissatisfied. She stomped her little foot with such force that she almost made a hole in the floor. She angrily returned to her room, leaving the slightly mischievous Zuo Lin and the confused Nuo Han outside.
Li Xi's rush back to his room was for his seven chances to draw. Li Xi rubbed his hands excitedly, like a young man entering his bridal chamber for the first time. With seven chances, he was bound to draw something good.
"Xiao Fan, bring up the wheel."
[Understood, Master.]
...................
As daylight broke, the street outside was littered with chefs and waiters who had been busy all night. After a whole night of continuous feasting, these beggars and vagrants, who had not eaten their fill in years, had indulged themselves. Their stomachs, as if connected to an abyss, were never satisfied.
Instead, they complained that the food and drinks were served too slowly, suspecting that the "saint's" gold was being secretly skimmed.
These words, upon hearing them, almost blew the owner's head off. A roasted whole pig or sheep took four to six hourglasses to cook. Yet, as soon as it was served, it was gone in three breaths, leaving not even bones. He wished he could be faster, but he couldn't.
Fortunately, when Li Xi left, he told the owner not to bother with accounts and to use the remaining money to make food and continue distributing it.
Watching the receding sails, the owner felt that he would never encounter such a generous customer again. If he met two such customers in his lifetime, he could buy a manor and retire peacefully.
The ship was rented by Feilin and her group themselves. Since no ship captain was willing to take them, they rented one with their own money. Li Xi never expected that the soldiers under Feilin, besides their high combat prowess, battlefield reliability, and resolute personalities, also knew how to sail.
This medium-sized ship, named the Pearl, was incredibly slow. On land, it was as fast as a normal person walking.
Li Xi took out a fishing rod and sat at the stern, leisurely fishing. If Gray Beard didn't show up even at this slow speed, it meant he was afraid to come. Jiang Taigong fished for the willing; if he didn't come, Li Xi couldn't do anything. Without satellites or navigation, everything relied on skilled sailors.
"Brother Li Xi, what do you think about opening a branch of the Konoha Merchant Group in Aisinger? My sister and I will invest, and I guarantee you'll earn several times more than you do now." Feilin sat next to Li Xi. The sea breeze blew her rare black hair in this world, tickling Li Xi's face.
Li Xi's body trembled slightly, and the hair that drifted with the wind immediately changed direction. His eyes remained fixed on his fishing line. "It's not a good idea. The money I earn now is enough for me to spend for several lifetimes. I don't lack money. I just want to be a simple mercenary, travel the mountains and rivers of the world. The world is so vast, and I want to see it."
Feilin was not discouraged. "Then I think you should come to Aisinger. Kado City is a small city, after all. How many missions can it offer? Your dream can only be realized in a big city. I know that out of four S-class mercenaries, two are permanently stationed in Aisinger."
Hearing this, Li Xi became interested. "Is that so? Which two?"
"Dragon Knight Cameron and Demon Hunter Galidus."
"Both of these individuals are renowned figures who have been famous for many years, and both are at level seven. If you come to Aisinger this time, Brother, and you wish to meet them, I can help you make the introduction."
Feilin's words carried no pressure, which showed her extraordinary status. Li Xi had long known that she always had mages accompanying her when she went out, and a squad of high-level soldiers protecting her. It would be strange if her status was ordinary. He just didn't know her specific identity. Li Xi, not wanting to get involved in too many affairs, had pretended not to know throughout their journey.
But now, hearing Feilin say she could introduce him to S-class mercenaries, Li Xi was a little tempted. After completing his mission upon entering Aisinger, he should be a B-class mercenary. This status would be sufficient to meet S-class mercenaries. However, a B-class mercenary facing an S-class mercenary, not to mention strength, would have a natural disadvantage in terms of status. With someone of Feilin's prominent status introducing him, the conversation would certainly be on equal footing.
As for why Li Xi wanted to meet S-class mercenaries, it was purely out of curiosity. Honestly, in terms of strength, these two people were not as strong as Li Xi. But they stood at the pinnacle of the ranks. Li Xi was going with the attitude of visiting a zoo to see pandas. If they could exchange ideas, that would be even better.
Especially Dragon Knight Cameron. When Si Ni Si and the others had mentioned it, Cameron made his dragon mount defecate and sell the droppings for money. Li Xi had done the same thing, so they were kindred spirits.
After much deliberation, Li Xi could not resist the curiosity to go and see. "Then thank you, Miss Feilin."
Feilin smiled happily and, disregarding her ladylike demeanor, patted Li Xi's shoulder. "Don't worry, Uncle Cameron and I have a very good relationship."
Perhaps feeling that she was too close to a man of the opposite sex, Feilin blushed and ran back to her room. Li Xi shook his head with a wry smile. Was he too outstanding, or was he just a walking hormone? Young, rich, powerful, secure, free-spirited, sunny, what other virtues were there?
When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten. Li Xi didn't bother with those things. Anyway, he would safely escort them to Aisinger. After meeting S-class mercenary Dragon Knight Cameron, his opportunities to come here again wouldn't be so frequent. A young girl's infatuation would fade with time, leaving only a beautiful sweet memory.
Li Xi's eyes unfocused, recalling his seven lottery draws last night. How to put it? It was good, very powerful, but also a bit redundant and helpless.
"Gentle Fist - Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms."
"Gentle Fist - Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms."
"Gentle Fist - Eight Trigrams Two Hundred Fifty-Six Palms."
When he drew these, Li Xi's heart went cold to the tip of his tail. He didn't have the Byakugan bloodline limit. What was the point of drawing so many Gentle Fist techniques? He was afraid of getting a Five Hundred and Twelve Palms, doubling and doubling again.
The Byakugan bloodline limit was very powerful. It allowed for farsightedness, X-ray vision, and the ability to see the human body's meridians to launch attacks. It was a system of ninjutsu for rapid close-quarters attacks on weak points, but Li Xi truly didn't want it.
Fortunately, what came next was:
"Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation."
Li Xi was completely resigned. This was clearly guiding him to draw the Byakugan bloodline limit. But his eyes already had the dragon's vertical pupil and the Sharingan. Would adding a Byakugan be too crowded?
The fifth draw greatly soothed Li Xi's restless heart.
"Palm Sage Technique."
The Palm Sage Technique, a medical ninjutsu, could output chakra from the palm to enhance wound healing. It was a ninjutsu Li Xi had always desired. When he first subdued Sun Er Dai, it was because Sun Er Dai's size was too large, and each time he was injured, he consumed a lot of Li Xi's gold. This made Li Xi afraid to let Sun Er Dai fight without restraint, fearing he would bankrupt himself. Sudan Novel Network.
Now, it was good. With such a specialized healing ninjutsu, Li Xi dared to remove Sun Er Dai's restrictions and let him fight to his heart's content. As long as he wasn't instantly killed, he could be saved with this medical ninjutsu.