Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 421 - 293: From Rags to Riches, Astonishing Means, Fish Herding Book, Mysterious Woman!! (Part 2)
First purchase grass plants, transplant them into the courtyard, then proceed to purchase flowers and plants, creating a stream, rock formations, scenic stone pavilions, soft futons, and porcelain display shelves... Nangong Liuli directed the comings and goings of the attendants, managing the courtyard into something completely new. The originally yellow clay ground now turned into a lush and vibrant grassy area. This grass was soft in texture, resilient to treading, and lying on it felt extremely comfortable and soft.
Filling the courtyard scene, both mind and spirit are delighted.
More importantly, Li Xian and Nangong Liuli gradually mastered the ’Five Elements Formation’, having long wanted to arrange the five elements. But due to poverty, the courtyard was empty, with very few elements of the five elements. ’Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook a meal without rice,’ even Yan Hao could hardly arrange the Five Elements Formation without the right environment. Now, with the residence decorated beautifully and serenely, elements like plants, rocks, and water could be found everywhere, allowing the use of various courtyard sceneries to set up a maze with the five elements.
The Five Elements Command Flag came into great use, planted among the courtyard greenery. This created a total of five layers of mazes around the residence. Each representing a different element, thus, the residence, though not large, was very safe and pleasing, making it feel like a small world unto itself where the five elements were complete and feng shui flowed, creating an indescribable comfort.
Nangong Liuli, while setting up, gradually felt a sense of belonging, tending to flowers during her leisure time, and watching life gradually improve, it felt much like starting from scratch, building step by step with her poor husband, accumulating wealth and prosperity.
Nangong Liuli held the ’Gold Flag’ and by waving it, she could manipulate the five elements in the courtyard. It was akin to controlling the maze configuration. If any outsider invaded, she need not confront them herself, but could use the Five Elements Formation to trap them. Her skill in the Five Elements Formation was considered a minor achievement, but when compared to Li Xian, it was far inferior.
Occasionally when in a playful mood, she would set up the five elements in the courtyard to intentionally obstruct Li Xian. However, Li Xian quickly solved each one, always imposing severe punishment, making Nangong Liuli dream back to the old prisons under the Flower Boat, yet she felt no fear, and instead became more audacious.
It’s unclear whether this was because of stubbornness, enjoyment, or some other motive.
Life continued in this manner, with Li Xian accumulating power, gathering water droplets into lakes. The Five Viscera Avoiding Dross and Gathering Yang Scripture had reached a skill level of [5685/8000 Minor Achievement] while the Broken Demon Spear Technique was at [3655/15000 Great Success]. The once desolate abode was now a scenic spot with streams and rocks, with a lovely companion beside him.
Steadily accumulating strength.
The only regret was the ’Essence Food’ had dried up, and at the current rate of earning money, it would take months to barely rise again. Li Xian was not in a hurry, as slow and steady work on Martial Arts would also increase his strength.
He now had more grievances, with both the Broken Demon Spear and Setting Sun Bloodsword proving powerful. Nangong Liuli adhered strictly to family rules, never revealing family martial arts easily, but with long-term interaction, even the hardest heart would soften. Sometimes in moments of passion, when Li Xian asked her anything, she would tell him. Yet Li Xian wasn’t eager to inquire but focused on studying the Broken Demon Spear and honing his Martial Arts skills.
...
On this day.
Li Xian suddenly received news.
Recently, water bandits in Dongran Lake had been becoming more rampant, killing passing fishermen, prompting nearby righteous factions to plan encirclement and extermination missions in the lake. This affected the Flower Cage Sect’s shipping, so they set up a bounty, calling upon the Flower Thieves to kill the evil bandits in the ’Water Gold Nest’.
Flower Thieves hunting water bandits was indeed rare. Li Xian noticed that the rewards were generous, with the head of a water bandit exchanging for one Merit Document, and if the leader was slain, it was worth a tael of merit silver.
He responded to the call, went to the "Flower Appreciation Building" to get a copy of the "Water Map", and according to the map, he could stealthily reach the Gold Water Nest. He prepared bows and arrows, rented a small boat, and set off following the map to kill.
The Gold Water Nest was located within a labyrinth of water trees. Water bandits of all shapes and sizes, with faces full of black fuzz, eyes filled with ferocity, and bodies reeking of fish and decay. These bandits blocked paths and killed, causing anger and disgust. The Great Wu Dynasty was in decline and couldn’t govern effectively; even mountain bandits were hard to eradicate, let alone water bandits who roamed freely. Disciples from prestigious sects frequently entered Dongran Lake to hunt bandits, honing their skills and spreading their fame.
However, the Gold Water Nest’s actions were excessively aggressive recently, attacking three merchant ships in a row, causing hundreds of disappearances. These merchant ships were not short of skilled Martial Artists, and in a direct confrontation, the Gold Water Nest was no match.
The Gold Water Nest nurtured "Gold Mouth Fish", which enjoyed gnawing at the bottom of boats. They also understood how to use the geography of the water to set traps, scattering Iron Nets along the way. Any passing merchant ships passing through their area would have water leaking from their bottom, causing panic and eventual hasty jumping into the water to escape.
The water contained Iron Nets, entangling hands and feet, capturing them like fish.
This method was foolproof, even capturing Second Realm Martial Artists.
Li Xian, aboard a ship, furtively approached the Gold Water Nest.
This area was actually a deeper part of Dongran Lake, neither an island nor a swamp, but countless water trees growing up from the lake bottom. Vines and roots interconnected robustly over time, forming an environment suitable for standing, walking, and climbing. The Gold Water Nest was built upon these roots, with wooden houses serving as bases.
Li Xian stealthily infiltrated, observing with his Heavy Pupil Eye Power. He saw several tree crowns of water trees hid water bandit sentries, extremely well-hidden. This location was easy to defend and hard to attack, with any sign of a substantial enemy prompting the bandits to leap into the lake. With the tangled roots beneath, allowing them to dart east and west, who could catch them? They fully exploited the advantages of their terrain.
He was eager to try, yet remained patient, stealthily bypassing the sentries and climbing a water tree, using the dense foliage to conceal himself.
He discovered a bird’s nest in the tree. An idea struck him, he grabbed a bird, plucked a long hair, and inserted it among its feathers. Then he threw it towards the depths of the Gold Water Nest. The bird flapped its wings and flew off into the distance. As it passed over the Gold Water Nest, the hair drifted down, touching the roof tiles, where it took root and sprouted.
