Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King

Li Xian wore an ugly mask, yet his demeanor and poise were undeniable. Thus, he earned the title of "Ugly Masked Healer." He treated people with kindness imparted from his lady, less calculating and exploitative, more carefree and sincere, generous and natural.

Wen Caishang’s teachings were sincere and her Jianghu experiences and worldly wisdom were immensely valuable. It is said, "Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles." Wen Caishang verbally instructed, and Li Xian, being wise and keen, remembered in his heart, and only during this journey could he slowly digest them.

The crisp air of October brought a fresh autum breeze, as fallen leaves drifted.

Li Xian traveled to "Yu Nan Road, Dragon Court Prefecture." Yu Nan Road comprised seven major prefectures: Qiong Heavenly Mansion, Huashui Prefecture, Huaiyin Prefecture, Chongling Prefecture, Mu Yue Prefecture, Zhao Nan Prefecture, and Dragon Court Prefecture.

Among them, Qiong Heavenly Mansion lies in the south of Yu Nan, with a location both remote and non-prosperous. Huaiyin Prefecture boasts the world’s renowned lake "Dongran Lake," where renowned righteous sects, aristocractic families, fishing industries, and ship industries exist. Huashui Prefecture has countless exotic flowers, with waterways connecting, stretching to Qiong Heavenly Mansion, Huaiyin Prefecture in the east, and Mu Yue Prefecture, Dragon Court Prefecture in the north... with numerous rolling Yangtze Rivers, one can reverse-flow to Longxiong Dao.

Each prefecture is vast to the extreme, harboring endless mysteries. The world’s mountains are more grandiose, the world’s rivers are more expansive. As Li Xian climbs mountain peaks, gazing at the world, he can’t help but ponder. What kind of heroes can encompass such worldly splendor?

Dragon Court Prefecture is the dragon’s head of Yu Nan Road, a gathering place of weather and scenery. Imagine a dragon soaring through clouds and fog, climbing to the highest point, and then overlooking Dragon Court Prefecture, which resembles a dragon’s head. The two dragon eyes belong to the yin-yang Prefecture City within Dragon Court Prefecture.

Below it lie countless towns both big and small, with lamplights flickering at night. And within the dragon’s mouth, it holds a shining "Dragon Pearl," which is none other than "Jade City"! Not subject to Dragon Court Prefecture’s jurisdiction.

Li Xian, quick on his feet, relies on the rapid ship industry and fast carriages, traveling for over two months before finally reaching Dragon Court Prefecture.

The counties and towns under Dragon Court Prefecture are numerous, feeling deeply the vastness of the Dynasty. A single prefecture’s land could be called boundless seas. A single road’s land, who knows what year or month can one traverse them all. Li Xian thought to himself, "Someday, when my skills have strengthened, entering the world again with a lovely companion, adding charm and delight, it would surely be better."

Li Xian, accustomed to spreading benevolence as a traveling healer, cures illness and saves lives. Occasionally encountering Jianghu patients, he asks for compensation, exchanging for a few idle martial arts volumes: sometimes fist, sometimes spear, sometimes sword... Whenever Li Xian has spare time, he practices them a little.

Gathering a few strands of Inner Qi.

This day.

Li Xian arrived at "Peaceful Town." Dragon Court Prefecture is densely compact, wealthy, peaceful, with flourishing commerce, and open-minded folk customs. Within the small town, carriages and horses flow like water, the ground paved with green slate, shops adorned with festive red silk. Vegetable vendors and meat vendors shout from the street sides.

There’s hot tofu, dog meat buns, dragon beard candy, salted liver, Hua Yin Drunk... folk cuisine. Whenever Li Xian arrives at a place, he likes to observe folk customs. The cuisine here is salty and flavorful, obviously quite affluent.

He also saw several young women swaying along the street. Wearing short, narrow skirts, exposing fair jade legs, tulle blouses, silk shawls, elaborate hairstyles, and bright smiles. Holding mandarin duck patterned round fans. The young women curiously scrutinized Li Xian, seeing his masked face yet uncommon disposition, couldn’t help but fixate in observation.

Li Xian smiled and nodded. The women slightly bowed in response, then joined hands to walk elsewhere. After they turned the corner, they secretly peeked to observe again, whispering amongst themselves. Feeling that despite the mask’s hideousness, there’s an intangible charm about the person, subtly magnetic.

Li Xian donned a coarse white cloth garment, carrying a bamboo basket on his back containing herbs, miscellaneous items, notes, along with a few fragmented ounces of silver. His journey was simple and frugal, only seeking breadth of mind. Not pursuing external indulgence.

Upon entering the city suddenly, he felt his attire somewhat inappropriate. But being carefree by nature, he paid no heed again. Recalling a few silver ounces languishing in the bamboo basket, recently seized from mountain bandits. He could find a good restaurant and appraise the local customs.

The time was morning, a bustling moment, as Li Xian wandered along the streets, seeing a restaurant filled with patrons. He went with the flow, following the crowd, and mimicking the ordering of three local dishes: a bowl of drunken rice, sweet fish crisp, and hot fried dog liver. Totaling twenty-three coins.

Indeed, somewhat expensive.

Drunken rice is rice thoroughly cooked with ’daughter wine.’ The grains glisten and plump, drizzled with sugar oil, sesame seeds, and a circle of red vinegar after steaming. Thus, sweet, mellow, crisp, sour, like sipping fine wine, like tasting nectar dew, like engulfing the immortal’s leftover rice.

It is said the drunken rice was created when a master chef by chance entered Jade City’s carefree realm, bestowed a sip of sweet wine by an esteemed person. He cherished it ever since, knowing he could never taste it again. Hence, he exhausted his culinary skills using simple ingredients to recreate similar flavors.

Later, it was passed down to become a common folk dish. The restaurant’s chef said, "Sir, I see you’re a traveler from afar, eating under the open sky, probably unfamiliar with how to eat this. You should eat hot fried dog liver first, then a mouthful of drunken rice. Only then can you experience a hint of Jade City’s prominent flavours. Tsk tsk tsk."

Hot fried dog liver holds no mystique. This place once suffered from rampant wild dogs, dog meat hits the pan, releasing a fragrant aroma. Dog liver, stir-fried with salt, then added with some red rice peppers. The taste is heavy, salty to bitterness. The dog liver is fried till slightly tough.

Li Xian followed the advice. First a bite of hot fried dog liver, then some drunken rice. The dog liver was extremely unpalatable, meant to set off the drunken rice’s sweet tenderness. That master chef exhausted his skills yet couldn’t recreate Jade City’s deliciousness. Therefore, utilizing the dog liver’s bitter toughness to fill the mouth, lips, and teeth, and then consuming drunken rice, nostalgic dreams are faintly revived.

"A small dining experience, it indeed has the interplay of reality and illusion." Li Xian raised his brow, savoring it accordingly. The fragrance lingers long, uniquely distinct. After finishing the dog liver and drunken rice, the sweet fish crisp also met its fate. Sweet fish crisp is made from frying fish skins. Its texture is crisp, sweetly greasy.

Li Xian settled the food bill, stretched his body, suddenly seeing two strands of white smoke drifting from east and north afar. They’re from two sects preparing Essence Foods in large cauldrons. Li Xian thought to himself, "Essence Treasure, truthfully it’s either overwhelming or scant. Practitioners like me cannot independently prepare it. All depends on fate for acquiring Essence Treasure, relying on others’ kindness to enjoy their meal offerings. My Yellow Nine Ginseng and Dew of Dawn have remnants left. Dragon Court Prefecture is extremely wealthy, perhaps I can listen a bit along the way, and if I encounter Human Yellow Essence Treasure, can exchange treasures accordingly."