The Eternal Way-Chapter 92: Employment

Li Qi cupped his hands politely, "May I ask?"

He was dressed as an ordinary person, wearing clothes adorned with cotton and silk, holding a long saber wrapped in coarse cloth. At first glance, he looked like an ordinary passerby leaning on a wrapped stick, showing no signs of martial prowess.

However, there are always those who can recognize talent.

The merchant hurriedly approached, "I noticed that you have been wandering around this area for quite some time, looking for work. Coincidentally, our caravan is short of a skilled expert to maintain order. Would you be willing to lend us your strength?"

He immediately recognized Li Qi as a martial expert, indicating he had good judgment. Perhaps he was a cultivator himself, just not ranked.

"This journey will take only four or five days, and I am willing to offer one gold per day," he promptly added the compensation.

One gold per day was a generous offer, but... such a price indicated that the task came with commensurate risks and challenges.

No one would give money away for nothing.

Therefore, Li Qi did not hastily accept but asked instead, "May I know where you are heading? If it's not on my way, I fear I cannot comply."

The merchant, being shrewd, understood the implied meaning and, noticing the bustling crowd, invited Li Qi, "This place is too crowded for discussion. Why don't we go to my caravan to talk in detail?"

"Alright, please lead the way," Li Qi gestured for him to guide the way.

The merchant led the way immediately.

The caravan wasn't far; they reached a commercial inn within less than a minute.

These inns were rented out to merchants, equipped with courtyards, stables, and storage areas for goods and carts, along with places for oxen to rest.

Of course, there were no horse-drawn carriages since spirit horses were too expensive and unsuitable for pulling carts. Ox carts were more common because oxen were strong, steady, and could carry more cargo. Speed wasn't crucial as long as they moved steadily.

Upon arrival, Li Qi noticed that the caravan consisted of about fifty to sixty people, both men and women, with over twenty ox carts loaded with goods from White Snake Mountain.

It was normal for small caravans to make a profit of only two or three gold pieces per trip. Only a large caravan like this could afford to offer one gold per day.

Everyone greeted the merchant and Li Qi, who nodded in return.

The merchant then led Li Qi into a guest room, closed the doors and windows, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you are a Ninth Rank Martial Dao practitioner, right?"

"I thought you might call me a pre-celestial warrior," Li Qi smiled, jokingly.

"That term is used by country bumpkins. Those who officially step onto the cultivation path use the Nine Ranks system. Without it, it's hard to compare strengths across different traditions." The old merchant replied while pouring tea and presenting a plate of dried fruits.

Li Qi was somewhat surprised by the fruits presented.

They weren't fresh but dried, and very familiar to him.

The fruits were shriveled, greenish, and covered with a white frost-like substance. There were only a few dozen pieces on the plate.

Seeing Li Qi's surprised look, the merchant explained, "Don't think little of these. They come from the Western Regions, a specialty of Chechen, thousands of miles away from Great Deer Kingdom. Here, each piece can sell for a silver coin, and it's hard to get even at that price. This small dish is worth over a hundred coins."

A hundred coins could buy meat, yet these few dozen dried fruits barely filled a handful.

Li Qi looked at the dried fruits with surprise and nostalgia.

Though shriveled, after special treatment, the sugar condensed within their bodies, filling the air with a sweet aroma.

Unable to resist, Li Qi picked one up, put it in his mouth, and said, "I know, this is called grapes."

Raisins existed in this world too...

"You truly have broad knowledge, recognizing even foreign specialties," the merchant praised Li Qi's knowledge.

Li Qi didn't dwell on the praise but felt a mix of nostalgia and alarm.

Why were there so many similarities between this world and his original one?

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Leaving aside myths, scripts, languages, and countries like Tang, now even things like the Western Regions and grapes were similar, making him uneasy.

But unease was useless. He had no right to worry about such matters, which were as insignificant to a mere Ninth Rank cultivator as the vastness of the universe.

Quickly setting aside these thoughts, Li Qi smiled at the merchant, "Just read a bit more. Please tell me our destination to see if it's on my way."

"Alright, then I won't hide it from you. Our caravan aims to reach the port at the source of Lishui River, then ship our goods via Lishui River to Song Kingdom," the merchant revealed their route.

"So... you need me to escort you to the port?" Li Qi asked.

"Precisely," the merchant answered.

"But from Snake Tail County to the port, it's a straight road with many travelers. It only takes two or three days. Why would you need protection?" Li Qi quickly sensed something was off.

"Cough cough, truth be told, our caravan may not be able to travel the main road... We have to take mountain paths, hence the estimated four to five days," the merchant explained with a dry cough.

"What happened?" Li Qi frowned, lowering his voice.

"I made a mistake and offended the county magistrate here. He's targeting me, and traveling the main road means heavy taxes that could bankrupt me. Taking the mountain paths is a last resort," the merchant bowed apologetically, looking helpless.

This was a reasonable explanation. A merchant seeking stability wouldn't willingly choose a riskier mountain route unless necessary.

Then the merchant continued, "But don't worry. Our caravan has a major deal this time, and we already have another Ninth Rank martial practitioner guarding us. However, I still feel uneasy with just her. Meeting you is fortuitous. With two ranked experts, this journey should be safe."

"If there's already someone else, it does sound safer. I'll take the job. When do we leave?" Li Qi asked.

"There's no time to waste. Since we're still on their turf in Snake Tail County, we hope to depart this afternoon. Do you have other matters to attend to? We can wait if needed," the merchant said happily.

"I have nothing else to do, but I have a companion I'd like to bring along. Is that possible...?" Li Qi requested to bring someone.

"No problem, just one more set of chopsticks. It's settled then," the merchant readily agreed, finalizing the arrangement.