Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 260 - 250: Earth-Shaking Encounter, Pure Yang Scholar, Gaining the Inheritance!
Resting in the forest, the campfire blazed.
The scales had been removed from the lake fish, it was skewered on a stick and set by the campfire to grill, seasoned with wild herbs, its aroma wafting out.
Li Xian said, "Eat as you please, once you’re done, I will kill you." He handed the grilled lake fish to the Wuji Saber Sect disciple.
The disciple was stunned for a moment, filled with fear and unease, he stuttered, "Hero... I... I don’t want to die, I... I was ordered by the sect to find you. However... however, I’ve never encountered you before, logically speaking, we have no personal enmity. Could you... could you spare my life?"
Li Xian said, "If I fell into your hands, you would also kill me. Just eat, I’ll let you die decently and then bury you. What’s your name? I can even erect a tombstone for you."
Knowing he was out of luck, the disciple gave his name and, with tears, finished eating the grilled fish. Li Xian kept his word, killed him with a single sword strike, dug a hole to bury him, and carved his name on a wooden plank.
After finishing this, the other two fish were also done roasting.
Li Xian sprinkled salt on them, handing one to Wen Caishang. Peeling back the fish skin, the fish meat was tender and juicy. While eating, Li Xian said gravely, "Madame, although we’ve been marking our path along the way and heading east, the dense canopy blocks the sky, and we can’t be sure if we’re heading in the right direction. Perhaps we’ve already gotten lost!"
Wen Caishang nodded, "Tiger Cry Ridge stretches over 800 miles. Nearby is the Mysterious Mountain Range, and if we are lost, it may take ten or twenty years to find a way out."
Li Xian laughed, "If that’s the case, I don’t know whether to be happy or worried." Wen Caishang knew Li Xian was about to say something annoying again and asked with a smile, "You boy, would you actually be glad?"
Li Xian broke off the fish head, slurped the fish eyes, enjoying himself, and said leisurely, "Even if we can’t get out, I wouldn’t be lonely with you here to keep me company, holding you while sleeping. Apart from me, the only others around are the wild monkeys, wild boars, and wild tigers. No matter how bad I am, I’d think I’m still better than a wild boar or dog. You’ve got no choice but to hold me while sleeping."
"You little brat, the way you talk is so unpleasant, always mentioning wild boars and wild dogs!" Wen Caishang’s heart felt sweet and she replied, "Hmph, you’re happy to be a wild man, but I’m not."
Her mind wandered, and she wondered, "If we really can’t find our way out, what Li Xian said could be true. If it’s in a place like this, me and him..." Her cheeks turned slightly red, secretly stealing a glance. Having spent days traveling through the dense forest, Li Xian’s demeanor was serene, his nature open and calm, no matter where he was.
His bearing and appearance showed no signs of diminishment. Wen Caishang’s beautiful eyes lingered on him.
After knowing that Su Qiuyu and others could not fend for themselves, Li Xian and Wen Caishang began to plan an escape from the woods. Continuing east without knowing how many millions or thousands of miles, retracing their steps back west seemed the safer choice.
Wen Caishang said, "We believe we are heading east, but the terrain is complicated, and we may have long deviated without knowing."
"Turning west now might not get us out of the woods, and it would be difficult to return to the resting forest."
Li Xian asked, "Despite that, we can’t stay in the resting forest forever."
Wen Caishang blushed and said, "I have an idea, but you need to turn away."
Li Xian turned his back, hearing a rustling sound. Suddenly, he felt a piece of fabric shoved into his hand, its texture soft and silky, like silk material.
Looking down, it was gold-tinged with red, delicately embroidered, and residual warmth lingered—it was Wen Caishang’s silk wrap. Li Xian exclaimed, "Ah! Madame... you... what does this mean?"
Wen Caishang said, "We’re people of the Jianghu, why make a fuss?" Speaking with a rosy cheek, she continued, "Extract the silk, wrap it around that big tree three times..."
It turned out to be an unusual array set with silk fabric. Once set up, the silk within miles attracted each other mysteriously, preventing them from losing direction.
Wen Caishang said, "We’ll head west. Every two miles, set up a similar silk array. This way, even if we lose our way, we can return to the resting forest."
Li Xian clasped his hands in respect, admiring her, "Madame is truly great!"
Wen Caishang’s cheeks turned red, both shy and angry, and she was extremely annoyed by Li Xian’s flippant talk, scolding, "Go die!" and kicked at him.
When Qiuyue rebelled and left the manor, Wen Caishang accurately tracked her using the same method. The clothing of the servants, the Nursing Home guards, and the Sang Girls... all had small silk arrays embroidered on them.
No matter where they escaped, she could track them accurately along the way.
This way, they headed west. Every two miles, a silk array was set. The silk wrap was crafted finely, but such use gradually depleted the material.
They traveled west for three days. Both Li Xian and Wen Caishang felt heavy with gloom. All the scenery along the way was entirely unfamiliar. Li Xian, with his excellent memory, should have recognized something despite the complexity of the dense forest.
Reaching this point, there was no need to go further. Li Xian and Wen Caishang thought they were heading east, but in reality, they had lost their way half an hour into the forest.
Li Xian said, "It’s a pity we can’t wear it anymore." Wen Caishang’s frustration vanished for a moment, annoyed, "You’re still joking! It’s truly a pity I didn’t sew your lips shut before!"
Inwardly teasing, Li Xian thought, "If we really can’t get out, I might have to sew your lips shut." Quickly, he admitted defeat, saying sweet and auspicious words to make Wen Caishang smile.
With no other choice, they spent another three days returning to the resting forest.
Amidst the vast sea of forest, they were like a lone boat, trapped. The sound of the wind rustling the leaves filled their ears; their eyes saw the brilliant, twinkling stars. They felt helpless and very much at a loss.
Li Xian wasn’t disheartened. He pondered strategies and practiced martial arts, continuing daily as usual.
[Skill Level +1]
[Skill Level +1]
[Seven Stars Step]
[Skill Level: 1569/3000 Minor Achievement]
Mastering the Lightweight Healing Technique brought much comfort. Li Xian thought, "With my wife by my side, even if we can’t get out, at least I’m not lacking in martial arts training. As my martial arts progress, I’ll explore slowly and do my best!"
Through wind, frost, rain, and thunder, he could always stay alert, focused on the path beneath him.
There was a lake in the resting forest. Fish, rabbits, wild boars, snakes... such common game were not scarce. Li Xian figured it was needless to rush out, and he focused on living well in the present. He hunted a wild boar and slowly cooked it.
Wen Caishang furrowed her brows, thinking, "With the situation as it is now, wandering around recklessly might lead to death. Even though we’re at a loss, but..." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"I could live here long-term, adapt to the conditions, and seek a way to neutralize the Qi-Eating Gu. If I can unravel this Gu, I will cultivate the Ancestral Silkworm, collect silk, and accumulate over ten years. This Mysterious Mountain Range, Tiger Cry Ridge... where can’t I go?"
Looking at Li Xian, a wave stirred in her heart, and she murmured, "Yet... yet this kid benefits."
Ten years of solitude, it’s time to seek joy. That night, the two lay on the ground to sleep. Wen Caishang said, "Li Lang, we can’t leave for now. You can build a wood house tomorrow; let’s settle here."
Li Xian said, "I had that in mind."
Wen Caishang said, "A single wooden bed will suffice, but it needs to be sturdy." Li Xian, usually very clever, did not perceive the deeper meaning and smiled, "I assure you, it will be perfectly made, not to let the lady complain."
Wen Caishang placed her hand on his chest, her thoughts stirred. The next morning, Wen Caishang woke Li Xian up to practice the Yin Yang Immortal Lovers Sword together.
Adjusting their emotions.
After dancing, both were sweaty. Li Xian took up his sword to cut wood while Wen Caishang sat and cultivated internally. After a day of work, the wooden house took shape.
After two more days.
The wooden house was square, with a hall, a bedroom, and a courtyard. Though small, it had everything. Wen Caishang’s heart pounded, and the blush on her face hadn’t faded away.
Wen Caishang softly asked, "Li Lang, is something on your mind?" seeing Li Xian deep in thought.
Li Xian smiled, "It’s nothing, my lady, you can go to bed first. I have something to think about."
Wen Caishang thought, "Li Lang is very young, and being trapped in the forest, he must feel unwilling. Yet, it’s to save me that he’s in this situation. I shouldn’t disturb him."
She returned to the bedroom to wait quietly, disrobed. In the wild, sharing a bed for sleep had its own charm.
Suddenly hearing cheers from outside: "My lady... I have thought of a way!" He burst into the room, excitement in his eyes.
Wen Caishang was startled and asked, "What way?"
Li Xian said, "While cutting wood today and building the house, something kept nagging at my mind, as if I was missing something. I remembered you mentioning that this rest forest was for craftsmen to rest and pass while excavating a tomb."
"There must be a tomb around here. Most likely there are maps in the tomb; otherwise, why build a tomb in this desolate mountain? If we get the map, we can naturally get out."
Wen Caishang said, "It’s worth a try!" Her eyes glinted. She had long suspected a nearby tomb but had not dared to think about it due to the dangers surrounding it. Now considering it carefully, it seemed feasible.
That night, the two devised a plan. Wen Caishang observed the feng shui and practiced geomancy on-site. Li Xian cut wood to make arrows, prepared adequately, and began to collect the silk.
The next day.
In the rest forest, they set up a "Silk Array". Wen Caishang had observed the stars and studied the feng shui the night before, predicting the tomb was to the southeast.
The two headed southeast, setting up a silk array every two miles. If the plan failed, they could still live in the rest forest.
They were in luck this time. After walking ten miles, they came upon another rest forest.
Li Xian set up the "Silk Array" in the rest forest then retraced his steps, collecting silk along the way.
This rest forest spanned about three miles around. In the forest was a tombstone, the inscription read: "Erected when excavation paused after he died mid-task."
Wen Caishang was delighted, "Dig open this tomb; maybe there are clues."
They dug three feet down and found a skeleton. Wen Caishang used her sword to pick at the remnants of cloth, observing closely: "Very ancient!"
"This fabric is ’Ma Sarn,’ prevalent during the Nanyang Period. In theory, if this is a tomb, it must be from the Nanyang Period!"
Li Xian asked, "Nanyang?"
Wen Caishang said, "It is currently the 39th year of the Dao Source in the Great Wu Calendar. The Great Wu Dynasty has lasted for nine hundred and thirty-two years."
"The dynasty before Great Wu was Great Yu, lasting eight hundred and eighty-two years. Before Great Yu, it was a period of chaos, with many states rising and falling. Although the people suffered greatly, many formidable figures also emerged."
"The Nanyang Country, located in the Southern Domain, was one of them."
"Nanyang revered the south. Tomorrow, we will venture southward!"
After resting for a night.
The two employed the same strategy, setting up silk arrays along the way. Gradually exploring, they indeed came across another rest forest.
This happened several times, passing through several rest forests until they saw a towering mountain before them.
Wen Caishang said, "The entrance to the tomb is one hundred and ninety-seven yards away, but it’s blocked. We need to find another way."
"This buried tomb... perhaps its destiny is yet to be revealed!"
The Tomb Hidden Mountain was a shape that was broader at the bottom and round at the top, symbolizing standing firm with a powerful aura.
It must bury an extremely strong Martial Artist.
"Legend has it that during the Nanyang Period, there was a Martial Artist with heavenly luck, who consumed ’Heavenly Essence’ and ’Earth Radiance’, whose Magic Dao shocked the heavens, and who rode upon the wind, freely wielding his sword."
"That Martial Artist was named Lv Dongzhi, titled Pure Yang Scholar."
"Could it... be this place!"
