Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 428 - 294: Steady Advancement, Bathing in Mussel Oil, Firing Up the Cauldron to Refine Treasures, A Lady Comes Seeking
Han Zi Sha said, "I mean, I can give you these two thousand taels of silver right away. But... tomorrow I will start boiling Essence Food in my cauldron. If you’re willing... you can watch from the side. I’ll share a piece of Essence Meat with you, and you can count it as school tuition, reducing five hundred taels off for me."
Li Xian felt a toothache secretly, "What kind of tuition is worth five hundred taels?" Han Zi Sha said, "These things, if no one teaches you, no matter how smart you are, can you really handle it? Boiling Essence Food involves Martial Arts advancement, and if you violate taboos and offend others, causing trouble, your losses could far exceed five hundred taels at that time."
Li Xian said, "Alright."
Han Zi Sha continued, "Alright then, follow me to get the silver taels."
Hualiu Town has no curfew, although the night is deep, there are still pedestrians on the streets. Taohua Town and Hualiu Town are similar in style, with streets, shops, and folk customs alike. Li Xian followed Han Zi Sha back to her residence. It was a place with excellent feng shui, with red apricot trees planted in the courtyard, and the branches were very dense, with many protruding out of the yard.
Li Xian joked in his heart, "Truly a house like its owner, flaunting and ostentatious."
Han Zi Sha walked gracefully leading him to a side door, saying, "Come in." Li Xian entered boldly, stepping over the threshold. Following Han Zi Sha in the courtyard, he saw the arrangement of flowers and plants, which was quite exceptional. The courtyard followed the mutual circulation of the Five Elements, and even without someone tending it, the vegetation, flowers, streams, and stones complemented and countered each other, always maintaining the best courtyard view.
He suddenly saw something unusual. In a misty pool, there was half a giant clam shell. "Elder Han, what is this?" Han Zi Sha said, "This is a lake clam, dredged up from the deep lake. Are you interested?"
Li Xian said, "Just curious." Han Zi Sha’s eyes twinkled, she said, "This lake clam is quite extraordinary. Every day it seeps a thread of clam oil, which can be used to ’nurture’ the body."
Li Xian recalled Nangong Liuli mentioning the four essentials of Martial Arts: ’Eat, Nurture, Train, Soak.’ Eating is the Essence Treasure, related to cultivation transformation, Magic Dao, and longevity. Training is Martial Arts, related to Martial Arts attainments, skill and survival. Soaking is the Medicated Bath, forging the physique, healing wounds, and is often inseparable from Martial Arts, some Martial Arts require being paired with the Medicated Bath to practice further. Eating and training are easy, soaking is somewhat difficult.
’Nurturing’ is about wellness, cultivating temperament, seeking harmony with the world in Martial Arts, Martial Artists vary in temperament and cultivation. Nurturing the soul and spirit to fullness is of utmost importance. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Purchasing herbs, boiling them in the lake clam shell, the clam oil seeps out, merging with the herbal broth, used for daily training and forging the physique, brings great benefits. Li Xian trained hard in martial arts, every time he wielded a sword, though he exercised his physique, there was still wear and tear. He knew the importance of soaking and nurturing early on, but due to financial constraints, he spent money wisely, and besides his strong physique and perfect self-healing abilities, stronger than other Martial Artists, soaking and nurturing weren’t priorities. So he never paid attention to it.
Han Zi Sha laughed, "How about it... interested in this thing? I’ll sell it to you for one thousand taels." Li Xian said, "That’s too expensive."
Han Zi Sha said, "You might know about gold, silver, and jewels, but you might not quite know this thing. This clam shell accumulates water essence, extremely peculiar, placed inside boiling herbs, the clam shell secretes clam oil during the burning process. This clam oil is precisely the best carrier for ’medicinal power,’ enveloping the medicinal power, penetrating the skin."
After she said that, she took out a dagger and gently cut her palm. Blood marks appeared on her palm, and with a little force, they healed quickly. Li Xian was quite curious. Han Zi Sha chuckled lightly, "This is the effect of ’Healing Source Soup.’ I have boiled Healing Source Soup baths in the clam shell, with clam oil soaking the physique, storing the medicinal power in the skin. When truly injured, the medicinal power can be quickly deployed to heal. Doesn’t this kind of wonderful use move you?"
Li Xian was intrigued hearing ’accumulate water essence.’ Upon hearing the clam oil’s extraordinary effects, he indeed found it rare. He thought, "Han Zi Sha never speaks the truth. But the clam shell is rare, accumulating water essence, is indeed a fact. Placed in my residence, it can strengthen the Five Elements arrangement, invite mist, and set up a water mist maze." Immediately, he spent a thousand taels and agreed to purchase the clam shell.
After receiving more than five hundred taels, he carried the clam shell back to his residence. Han Zi Sha found it amusing and sent him off warmly. This clam shell can gather water mist, hence placed in the pool. It indeed secretes clam oil, but the clam oil decreased gradually years ago, and she rarely used it, even found it quite an eyesore, gathering mist, making the residence stuffy, too hot in summer, too cold in winter. She had long wanted to sell the ’clam shell,’ even attempted by boat to sell it outside the lake.
The clam shell, once away from Dongran Lake, became incompatible with the environment. It transformed into an ordinary clam shell, even developing a fishy smell. In such a state, how could it sell? Throwing it away seemed a waste to her. Successfully selling it this time was truly a win-win.
She felt very proud, calculating that she spent only five hundred taels to acquire ’five thousand taels’ worth of treasures. She told Li Xian that selling through the Black Market, the price would definitely be discounted. But she had other channels to sell, the five thousand taels would be fully obtained.
...
Li Xian shouldered the clam shell, striding swiftly back to the Cyan Ox Residence.
Nangong Liuli saw the unusual clam shell and gathered around to look at it. Li Xian explained its wonderful uses, and Nangong Liuli said, "Aren’t you afraid of being cheated by doing business with that seductive woman?"
Li Xian laughed, "I’m sure she cheated me, but I have other plans. I want to use this thing to set up a water mist array." He immediately chose a location, placing the clam shell.
At night, water vapor became thick, the clam shell containing "water essence," surrounding heavy layers of white mist. The heat quickly dissipated, a burst of refreshing coolness washed over.
Li Xian waved the water flag, directing the water vapor. Making the clam shell mist float towards the flowing stream, causing the water to flow abundantly. The excess water vapor then floated among the flowers and plants, nourishing them until they were gorgeous and vibrant.
