Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 334 - 271: Mastery of the Dirty Scripture, Clarity of Heart, Qi Lake Transformation, Peerless Beauty (Part 3)
Nangong Liuli said suspiciously: "This person is not angry. A disciple of the Flower Cage Sect, possessing such composure? Strange, indeed..." She noticed Li Xian’s handsome appearance, as he deliberately used his loose hair to cover his face. Yet, his good looks were hard to fully conceal.
The candlelight was dim. Nangong Liuli knew that this thief was extremely handsome, but due to the dim lighting and her angle, she couldn’t see him clearly.
Li Xian had a significant connection with Daoxuan Mountain. His former base, Yellow Talisman Mountain, contained Earth Radiance and Earth Spirit. He sought Magic Dao·Sword Control... and he would have to visit there at some point.
Bian Qiaoqiao fed them fully, then turned to feed Nangong Liuli. Li Xian prepared the meal with exceptional taste and served it to her. Nangong Liuli pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth to eat.
During this time, idle chatter ensued. Li Xian, with his clever tongue, always found topics of conversation even though the two women resented his identity and didn’t want to speak with him.
After Nangong Liuli finished eating, Li Xian tidied up the meal boxes, swept the scattered food clean, picked up the walnuts, and returned them to the owner.
He signaled with a gesture and left gracefully. Nangong Liuli murmured: "His actions are flawless. He is so steady, even when I insulted him earlier, he did not get angry or upset."
The two women let out faint sounds, surrounded by the yellow-lit wooden walls, creaking and swaying. They seemed forgotten by the world, their only source of vitality being Li Xian’s feeding.
...
Li Xian walked out of the bottom cabin and did not encounter Ye Cheng.
"Ye Cheng completely controls the ship. He knows the secret workings of this vessel, and getting to any place is effortless for him."
"It’s still early, and with my Heavy Pupils, I can observe in great detail. Why not secretly study the internal layout of the ship?"
He slightly squinted his Heavy Pupils, using the darkness to his advantage. His gaze pierced through the boards, inspecting the layout inside. Indeed, it hid numerous secrets, countless mechanisms, tightly interwoven, extremely intricate.
Concealing the changes of the Eight Trigrams, the deep reasoning of Yin and Yang. Countless hidden doors and pathways, as interconnected as a single breath... Although Li Xian caught a glimpse, he had no clue.
Suddenly, his eyes throbbed with pain.
These profound mechanisms were incredibly mysterious. Li Xian’s prolonged concentration caused a sharp pain in his mind. Moreover, the ship’s material was extraordinary. Very sturdy, with soundproofing and Qi blocking properties.
Li Xian suspected that understanding the ship’s construction, its mechanisms and secret passages, would be extremely difficult. Given his current knowledge, it might be infeasible. But by observing a portion and gradually pondering, he might figure things out.
Unobservedly, he returned to his room. After a moment of Inner Cultivation, he found Qiao Sanyan and borrowed some paper, pen, and ink. Qiao Sanyan was very enthusiastic, willingly lending them, and asked Li Xian how his "Flying Snake Hand" practice was going.
Li Xian replied with a smile. Once he obtained the paper and pen, he locked himself in the room. Not suppressing his Heavy Pupils, he let his mind be empty... capturing every detail of the room in his mind.
There were no mechanisms in the room.
Feeling reassured, he looked through the wooden walls of the ship, examining the inner workings. The surroundings were extremely solid, leaving no room for scheming. He lamented: "If only there were some subtle mechanisms here that I could notice, allowing me to escape silently, that would be ideal."
Regaining patience, he gradually expanded his view, suddenly seeing deep yellow-green and dark black glows inside the ship. He focused his gaze and saw two pieces of "Jade".
Engraved with the words "Jade City".
Li Xian thought to himself: "Ah! This ship is from Jade City! No wonder it’s so exquisitely crafted."
Traveling along the river, admiring dragons and slaying them. During the Dragon Slaying Banquet, there were masters from Jade City present. Li Xian observed from the side and heard Wen Caishang mention it a couple of times, praising the city highly.
His words were: "In terms of great wealth, none surpass Jade City." Jade City’s wealth could rival Great Wu. Many treasures and secrets are hidden; if they are hard to find externally, just go to Jade City.
Jade City excels in mechanical arts. This ship being a product of Jade City, crafted with such precision, is not surprising. Li Xian had no immediate findings but relied on his memory to sketch the mechanisms he observed onto paper.
The ship’s special walls made observing extremely strenuous. Li Xian transferred the sketches to paper, then deliberated on the purpose of the mechanisms. Wen Caishang knew every Dao intricately, and her skills must be exceptional. Alchemy, culinary arts, martial arts, music, calligraphy, appraisal...she was an unprecedented talent.
Regarding mechanical arts, she considered herself superficially engaged, not worth mentioning. She had never systematically studied it, yet having visited Jade City several times, what she saw and heard subtly informed her knowledge. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
However, many artisans were indeed inferior to her. Li Xian was naturally inquisitive, learning martial arts, calligraphy, culinary arts...all from Wen Caishang. Even dealing with people, calculating benefits, Jianghu experiences were all instructed, imparted, and influenced by Wen Caishang.
In two lifetimes, Li Xian, if asked who influenced him the most, would undoubtedly say Wen Caishang. Both teacher and wife, both enemy and romantic interest, seemingly resolved yet intertwined... a mix of emotions. Li Xian set aside distracting thoughts, scrutinizing the schematic drawings, thoroughly researching.
Feeling mentally exhausted after looking, he sat cross-legged for Inner Cultivation, circulating the murky energy within his organs. With blood circulating vigorously, he then practiced the "Vomiting Blood Scripture". Skill Level accumulated, progressing day by day.
Thus, on this flower boat, there was barely a moment to spare. During the hours of Yin and Mao, he practiced "Flying Snake Hand". He rested only two hours each day.
The following day.
When it was mealtime again, Li Xian carried the meal box with exquisite dishes. As a captive, they only received one meal a day. Li Xian pitied the two women’s dire situation; though their interactions were far from courteous, he tried to bring ample servings of food.
It was not without reason that Bian Qiaoqiao and Nangong Liuli refused to eat. The Flower Cage Sect was a mixed bag, filled with treacherous individuals. Those who saw the two women in distress, of noble birth, while they could not toy with them wantonly, certainly found ways to make fun.
They would often spit in the food. Bian Qiaoqiao and Nangong Liuli were aware of this, infuriating them to the point of refusing to eat. Li Xian’s offerings, freshly prepared, steaming and fragrant, naturally stirred their appetite.
Bian Qiaoqiao and Nangong Liuli opened their eyes vaguely, hearing footsteps approaching, knowing that Li Xian had arrived. In the pitch-dark cell, they sighed in unison:
