Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King

Li Xian chose a corner to sit, with a wooden post beside him blocking the view. Passersby would hardly notice this spot. To his left was a wooden window, and it would be easy for him to leap through and escape. He observed carefully and sat down at ease, casting a sidelong glance at the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper called over a staff member, who was also a tall, robust, and coarse man, bald and shirtless. The shopkeeper glanced at Li Xian, secretly giving instructions. The staff member nodded lightly, sneaking a look at Li Xian, unable to resist a greedy smirk.

The shopkeeper patted the staff member’s shoulder. The staff member retreated to the kitchen, summoning five skilled individuals to discuss a grand "Immortal Jump" scheme. How could Swallowing Water City have legitimate businesses? This inn truly was a trap that swallowed wealth and took lives.

Swallowing Water City was located at the junction of "Huaiyin Prefecture," "Chongling Prefecture," and "Huashui Prefecture." Even during the prosperity of Great Wu, it was difficult to govern. The local customs were fierce, yet the waterways were accessible, surrounded by Dongran Lake and Wulong River... Across many prefectural borders, one had to pass nearby.

Occasionally, traveling merchants would accidentally enter Swallowing Water City. After wandering a bit, they’d stay one night at the inn, hoping to continue their journey the next day or travel by water. Seeing the inn was expensive, knowing the shopkeeper would gouge them, they thought honestly paying would suffice.

Little did they know, the inn was a bottomless pit consuming guests. Not only stealing money but also wanting lives. Once you stayed at the inn, they would falsely accuse you of causing trouble, dining for free... Splashing slander first. They would intimidate verbally, gradually deceiving merchants into honest confessions, then demanding money, breaking wealth to ward off disaster.

If merchants trusted their words, hoping to settle things quietly, it played right into their hands. Even after their money was gone, the shopkeeper and others wouldn’t let go. Step by step, they plotted to take more money, jewelry, goods, women... When merchants finally sensed something wrong, their spirits were already crushed, resigned to fate, perhaps allowed to live as slaves. If they resisted fiercely, their heads would roll, then they’d understand the heads atop the city walls.

The shopkeeper saw Li Xian pulling out ten taels of silver, surely wealthy, after thorough fleecing, there would still be riches. He arranged for the staff to spill the dish when serving, splattering it over Li Xian. Then the others would immediately rush out, displaying the "Five Tiger Grappling Formation" to seize Li Xian, coercively extracting money through pressure.

The shopkeeper saw the staff already bringing out the wine, smiled inwardly, and dipped a finger in tea to draw circles on the table. Suddenly noticing the silver hadn’t been collected yet, he reached to take it. Abruptly hearing a "zzzz" strange noise, his palm burned sharply, the flesh was already steaming!

He retreated two steps, grimacing in pain, regaining his composure to look. He saw the ten taels of silver had inexplicably turned red-hot, scorching the table with smoke.

The shopkeeper was shocked, yet saw the ten taels of silver had merged into a mass, turning into silver liquid embedded deep in the table. The surrounding wood turned to charcoal, catching fire. The shopkeeper immediately used tea to douse it, but the silver remained scorching. For a moment, he only felt utterly amazed, stunned as he looked at Li Xian.

How could he not know Li Xian was delivering a stern warning, as if saying beforehand: "Don’t provoke me." The shopkeeper internally fretted, already regretting, realizing this person seemed young but was truly a seasoned Jianghu man, extremely alert, insightful, and with profound means, not to be trifled with for mere petty gains. He immediately rushed to the staff, kicking fiercely to cancel the plan, instead offering good wine and meat, and had someone arrange the bed.

The shopkeeper smiled congenially at Li Xian. No longer bothering him. Li Xian picked up the soy-flavored beef, taking a sip of fine wine, a bite of beef, eating with extreme satisfaction, pondering Wen Caishang’s teachings, feeling grateful:

"Madam taught well. Having strength is one thing, knowing how to use it is another. Being a Second Realm Martial Artist, these commonplace shady inns are hard to trouble me. Even with sinister tricks, I can counter them, need not fear, only await their move to respond. When compelled to use force or reason, even if things are resolved, I inevitably fall into inferiority, my original elegance disrupted. Whether to kill or intimidate, neither is ideal. If perceiving evil early, pre-emptively intimidating in advance, it avoids major conflict, transforming foes into friends."

Wen Caishang never hesitated to share Jianghu experiences, Li Xian listened earnestly, gradually learning. Wen Caishang once said, having the same strength and tactics, when facing perilous, tricky, or puzzling situations, the timing and manner of demonstration and intimidation affects the outcome. It can either escalate conflict, making reconciliation difficult, or temporarily appease, leaving underlying grudges, seeking revenge later. Or suppress forcefully, creating enemies. It can transform foes into friends or withdraw. Acting without thought or relying solely on skill leads to trouble, failing frequently.

Li Xian felt slightly tipsy, ears recalling Wen Caishang’s gentle voice reproaching: "You, you, just a little rascal, much to learn yet." Li Xian drank heartily, filled with ambition, eating voraciously, planning to stay two more days, then find a new place. Diligently practicing martial arts, advancing in Martial Arts, intending to surpass Madam.

Suddenly hearing footsteps outside the inn. Someone said: "Finally found the inn." "What a ghostly city, the customs are utterly unrighteous." "Ha, just common rabble, if they dare provoke me, they’ll surely suffer!" "Safe Inn, Peace Inn, Cozy Inn... Three inns in succession, settling down, barely acceptable." "Miss Zhao, what’s your opinion?" "Just stay for now and discuss later matters."

Li Xian felt foreboding, recognizing the familiar voices.

The door creaked open, several young gentlemen and ladies entered. Li Xian glanced discreetly, inwardly murmuring terrible luck. It was Nangong Xuanming, Nangong Wuyang, Zhao Ranran... and their entourage.