Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King

The fishermen were thrilled and planned to set sail that very night. Li Xian cautioned them that Dongran Lake is mysterious and unpredictable; they must not be reckless, for treacherous dangers appear on the lake at night. The fishermen knowingly decided to rest for one more night.

The next day, the eastern sky turned gray with the first light. The fishermen hoisted their sails and set out, with Li Xian standing on the deck, letting the lake’s breeze caress his face, gazing at the gradually receding Absolute Palm Peak, filled with countless emotions.

He thought to himself, "I nearly died on this peak, yet I also gained much from it. In the world, blessings often accompany misfortunes. After great fortune, perhaps great misfortune may come. After great misfortune, there may be sources of fortune awaiting."

Through many experiences, he gradually developed a composed demeanor. After about two days, the ship reached a lakeside fishing village. The village consisted of dozens of households that lived off fishing from the lake, with two large fishing boats and ten small ones.

Every household dried fish in front of their homes. The village was filled with the stench of fish. Zhang Chishui sighed: "Our village originally had five large fishing boats, owned collectively by the villagers. We would distribute the boats among households; you go fishing for a few days, then I do the same, rotating like this. Typically, two or three boats would be out on the lake, while the others would dock. Other villages would come to rent them when in urgent need, and we could charge a rental fee. We relied on the five boats, going out to sea leisurely, without hurry, unconcerned about not having enough boats. Every household could fish and have a surplus of food."

"Recently, a group of young men came, saying they wanted to buy fishing boats. They initially asked for five boats. We naturally refused but dared not offend them. So, we only sold three large fishing boats."

"This turned out well, though we earned a bit of money. Ultimately, it’s an unsustainable way of fishing."

As Zhang Chishui spoke, he led Li Xian into the house nearby. Li Xian remembered Su Fuyou’s advice and put on a wooden mask. Zhang Chishui’s daughter was named "Zhang Chunchun." Zhang Chishui had her late in life and doted on her immensely. His beloved daughter fell ill, and he spent all his wealth on her.

Zhang Chunchun had bronze skin, a slender figure, and a beautiful face. Seeing her father bring in a stranger, she curiously observed him. Li Xian examined her condition; his medical skills had grown, and he quickly diagnosed the cause as "ocean worm disease."

The sea worms reside within the fish flesh, burrowing into humans with symptoms varying widely. Some suffer lingering fevers, others experience uncontrollable diarrhea, and some have swollen bellies... thus, the disease is exceedingly difficult to diagnose.

Ghost Doctor’s medical expertise, though disproportionately high for this task, could save a life nonetheless, which was great.

Li Xian immediately prescribed medicine and thoroughly took care of her. After Zhang Chunchun took one dose, her condition noticeably improved. With a few more doses for adjustment, the symptoms cleared. After a few days of recuperation, she could fully recover.

Li Xian saw father and daughter embracing each other, crying with joy, and felt deeply satisfied, thinking, "My Martial Arts can defeat enemies and defend my path, helping me live better. Now, having inherited the Ghost Doctor’s legacy, the medical path can aid others in escaping hardship. Utilizing my modest abilities, it’s quite good." He said, "The illness is gone; as compensation, just a copper coin token will do."

Ghost Doctor’s treatment requires compensation, which must not be money or power, but can be anything else. Demands can include color, desire, martial arts, or affection, but never money or power!

Zhang Chishui, of simple nature, was overjoyed at his daughter’s salvation; how could he dismiss Li Xian with just a copper coin? He wanted to offer one tael of silver as thanks. Li Xian, who came from poverty, knew the value of money well, and five hundred Wen Coins could save a life.

For ordinary fishing households, accumulating one tael of silver was exceedingly difficult.

Li Xian resolutely refused to accept it, and after some back-and-forth, Zhang Chishui suddenly said, "Benefactor, since you insist on not taking money, while I refuse to just casually give a copper coin, I happen to have an odd object here. If you’re interested, how about accepting it as compensation?"

He rummaged through his bedroom and found a brocade bag.

Zhang Chishui explained, "Two years ago, I accidentally ventured deep into Dongran Lake and caught a blue-tailed peculiar fish. That fish was palm-sized and quite beautiful. At that moment, I was utterly lost, unsure if I would survive. The fish looked unique and I kept it onboard the ship."

"As I kept it, I found it intriguing. No matter what food I offered, the odd fish would swallow it whole. Even if I fed it stones, it would consume them. One time, my curiosity got the better of me, and I fed it a wooden stool in one go. The stool was larger than the fish, yet it was swallowed whole."

"I marveled and watched the fish every day. Unfortunately, the strange fish eventually died. Once out of the lake area, it seemed unable to survive."

"I discarded the fish’s body and examined its stomach. Unexpectedly, I found the stool, stones... only then did I realize that these items weren’t consumed but stored."

"So, I made a brocade bag from the fish’s stomach. Benefactor, don’t be fooled by its small size; it can hold a great number of items."

He gestured to show that it was about the size of a wooden box, having understood how the fish stomach brocade bag worked, further explained: "I kept it for novelty, and held onto it. In truth, it’s not much use. The house is stark and there’s little to store. But I wonder... Benefactor... Benefactor, would you like it?"

Li Xian heard this and was delighted; it was immensely useful. Traveling throughout Jianghu, he carried many precious items, and if he stored them here, he wouldn’t need to conceal them on his person as if carrying a wooden box. He gladly accepted the brocade bag, bowed, and expressed gratitude, clearing all debts of kindness.

Li Xian stored his most crucial items in the fish stomach treasure pouch. However, due to limited space, and difficulty in accessing it, he continued to carry miscellaneous items with him. The fish pouch hung at his waist as he stepped foot in Jianghu, alone.

The Ghost Doctor ventured into the world.