Book 15: Chapter 32: An Old Unscrupulous Businessman, A Young Unscrupulous Businessman
Book 15: Chapter 32: An Old Unscrupulous Businessman, A Young Unscrupulous Businessman
The three Fiend Race wise ones all remained unmoved as they watched Lin Xi tear off a few fine vines by the entrance, and then he began to write on his palm.
In their opinion, this was an answer that not only Lin Xi, but even all of Yunqin Empire had no one capable of knowing. However, when Lin Xi finished writing his answer, the first one to turn his hand on his own, the beard bound Fiend Race old wise one was the first to be stunned. His green eyes that were originally filled with wisdom were completely filled with an expression of absolute disbelief.
The words Lin Xi wrote on his palm were extremely light, but he had the most correct answer, “It is because each year during the summer, the Silver Pearl Flowers bloom, these are the Mud Puppets’ favorite food. Moreover, only Mud Puppets that have eaten Silver Pearl Flowers have the ability to reproduce, producing the next generation.”
The other two Fiend Race wise ones could only understand Yunqin language, they couldn’t read Yunqin characters. However, the shock Fiend Race Wise One Chi Pu showed also made them start to feel shock. “His answer is correct?” These two Fiend Race older women couldn’t help but look at Chi Pu and ask.
Fiend Race’s old Wise One Chi Pu took a long time to calm down again. He gave Lin Xi a deep look, completely lacking the expression of a tolerant elder looking at a misbehaving child. “The mountains in the east do not know when the flowers in the west bloom, this is an old expression from your Yunqin. Yunqin cultivators’ traces have never appeared in Myriad Flower Stream, so how could you possibly know the answer to this question?”
“Finding a reason for full marks will always be harder than cheating.”
Lin Xi muttered inwardly to himself. He thought hard to himself, and then decided that since this Fiend Race old wise one always said that his eyes flickered with radiance of wisdom, then he might as well use some words he felt seemed wise. As such, he calmly smiled and said, “However, Yunqin also has an old expression called ‘the duck is the first to know if the spring water is warm’. The goats of the eastern mountains have never gone to the western mountains, never seen the western mountains, but they could deduce if the western mountain flowers have already bloomed through the changes in weather, in the wind currents’ moisture. It is just like how Yunqin Priests can deduce when tomorrow’s rain will descend from today’s moon and clouds, when it will end.”
“But…” The three Fiend Race old wise ones exchanged a look, all of them wishing to say something.
However, Lin Xi instead directly cut them off. “What you all do not understand and cannot interpret also just happens to explain a problem. There are no omniscient people, regardless of whether they are a prophet or a wise one. That way of thinking has no chance of being completely correct.”
“I am a Yunqin Priest, I have experienced many great battles that could only be won after countless Yunqin people sacrificed their lives.” After a slight pause, Lin Xi first looked at the three Fiend Race wise ones, and then he spoke sincerely and solemnly, “That is why I am even more certain that some things Yunqin’s priests have persevered with are correct. What ensures that an empire, or perhaps a place like yours to continue exist aren’t external things, it isn’t this place’s environment, isn’t Great Desolate Swamp or Ancient Witch Forest remaining unchanging, but rather the mind and faith.”
“When you sacrifice your own interest for others, leaving the beloved country you are reluctant to part with for the sake of your clansmen, this is precisely a type of mentality and faith that exists here. However, if helping each other only exists inside your clansmen, I cannot help but feel worry for all of you, worry that in the end, your clansmen will become more and more cold, lacking human warmth, that in the end, you will only worry about yourselves, you might not even care about other clansmen anymore.”
When they heard Lin Xi’s words, the three Fiend Race old wise ones’ expressions became more and more heavy.
“I admit that I was wrong. I never placed you on equal level with us from the very beginning.” The old Fiend Clan wise one said quietly, first sincerely apologizing, and then he looked at Lin Xi and said, “Only, Yunqin’s priests and our ideals clash, not something a few words can flatten out. After all, this is a place entirely different from Yunqin. Yunqin has experienced wars again and again, this will allow one to build greater mentality and faith, but we do not wish to endure that type of price. What we pursue is for this place and our faith to remain unchanged.”
Lin Xi began to chuckle. “However, what if I can prove that I carry more wisdom than all of you? You all must at the very least listen to my suggestions, right? Moreover, Chi Xiaoye should have already told all of you about the situation outside. Purgatory Mountain Patriarch has already noticed what lies behind Great Desolate Swamp. Once we are not a match and are defeated, he will definitely try to enter the world behind Great Desolate Swamp. This type of danger is just like whether or not it will rain tomorrow, it can be clearly foreseen, moreover, it might not be too far off.”
The three Fiend Race old wise ones clearly became a bit hesitant.
That Fiend Race wise one who had a green snail at her side opened her mouth, about to speak, but that wise one with the coral shaped tree staff in her hands seemed to have felt her waver, speaking before her.
“She wishes to ask you more questions.” Chi Xiaoye looked at Lin Xi, quietly explaining.
Lin Xi nodded. “I can prove it before everyone in your clan.”
“There is no need. As long as you can make us feel that you are more wise than us, that you can see further, we might be able to change some of our ways of thinking.”
“Alright, you all can start asking me.”
“Why is it that the Fish Scale Flower will release a rotten smell that draws small bugs into the flower, yet it doesn’t kill and treat the small bugs as nutrients like bug eating flowers?”
“It is because the Fish Scale Flower needs these bugs to help it spread its pollen.”
“Why is it that Vermilion Crows sometimes release strange cries?”
“It is because they are attracting the opposite sex.”
“Ancient Witch Vines, after growing for more than two hundred years, what kind of changes will they produce?”
“They will pull out their own root systems, begin to walk around the forest like fiend beasts, hunting prey to acquire nourishment.”
…
After asking just five or six questions, the three Fiend Race wise ones no longer asked anything else.
It was because just from Lin Xi’s gaze, they felt like asking more was already meaningless. In their hearts, apart from extreme shock, they even began to feel panic.
Lin Xi always paid attention to these three Fiend Race wise ones’ expressions. Moreover, in reality, he already spent a long time with these three Fiend Race wise ones. That was why he could feel these three Fiend Race elders’ panic, moreover clearly understanding the source of their alarm.
“Your greatest dependence in your heart isn’t the use of Great Desolate Swamp and Ancient Witch Forest as a protective screen, it more so lies in your understanding towards Ancient Witch Forest.”
This type of alarm was precisely what Lin Xi wished to see the most. As such, he smiled even more radiantly. “Wisdom, this type of thing, who is higher and who is lower is actually extremely hard to prove. Moreover, you all should understand that proving this also lacks much meaning. You all do not wish to change, but you’ve already reached an age where you must change. Previously, Great Desolate Swamp and Ancient Witch Forest were extremely dangerous for any cultivator. Even if it is a Sacred Master, they still might not necessarily be able to pass through and see the whole scenery. However, right now, Divine Wooden Flying Cranes, this type of soul weapon already exists outside. In the future, there might be even more soul weapons like these that will appear, allowing the speeds of cultivators to become even faster. The outside world has already changed, places that were previously hard to cross will become level roads that can be crossed without spending much time, the natural barriers you all rely on will start to outlive their usefulness. Moreover, since I can know about many secrets regarding Ancient Witch Forest, there will be even more cultivators who will know Ancient Witch Forest’s secrets… In other words, even if I don’t obtain any help from your hands and leave this place, many secrets in Ancient Witch Forest might no longer be secrets for Yunqin cultivators. At that time, when Yunqin cultivators enter Ancient Witch Forest, what you all know, they will also know. You all can exploit Ancient Witch Forest, but they can as well. Like this, the advantage all of you rely on will completely no longer exist.”
“Yunqin has an extremely simple short story.” Lin Xi’s voice became a bit more serious as he said, “When a frog is thrown into a boiling pot, the frog will jump with all its might when it’s hot, oftentimes able to escape. However, if a frog is placed in a pot of cold water, the heat slowly added, the frog will oftentimes not even know about the dangers, all the way until it is cooked rotten in the pot. The world outside is already changing, but you all still wish to remain unchanged unless a great catastrophe descends. I really do not know how to use other words to describe this.”
The three Fiend Race wise ones who were mocked as frogs not only didn’t get angry, they instead entered a long state of silence.
Every single one of them were several times Lin Xi’s age, but the ability Lin Xi had displayed, as well as the reality of the Divine Wooden Flying Cranes instead completely shook them.
“You have also said that nothing that happens is purely by coincidence.” This made Lin Xi feel as if the iron was the right temperature for striking. He stared at the old wise one whose beard was bound by a thin vine, saying, “We have already established a connection, so even if you do not grant us any help, perhaps after we leave this place, many more things that will be related to you all here will happen.”
That sluggish old wise one with the green snail at her side was the first to be moved. When Lin Xi displayed his knowledge of Ancient Witch Forest, she was already starting to be swayed. Now, she was finally convinced, the first one to say, “Youngster, can you promise that after you prevail, that you can ensure that Ancient Witch Forest will remain unchanged, that large amounts of Yunqin cultivators won’t enter and destroy Ancient Witch Forest?”
Lin Xi who heard Chi Xiaoye’s translation seriously nodded his head, showing her a bow of respect. “I can. The key lies in whether or not I can prevail.”
The beard tied elder and the tree staff holding older woman released a sigh at the same time.
They never believed that they would be convinced by Lin Xi from the very start. Now, Lin Xi only used such a short amount of time to leave them completely shaken. This made them all feel like everything was a bit unreal.
The beard tied elder released a few low sounds in Fiend Race language.
Then the other two wise ones no longer spoke.
This old wise one looked at Lin Xi with a grave expression, using the expression of looking at the most important ally, as if he was signing some type of ancient contract of alliance while looking at Lin Xi. “You didn’t prove you were more wise than us, but already convinced us, this is already enough to prove that you possess more wisdom than us. We can sign an agreement with you, but you must prove something.”
“I still have to prove something?” Lin Xi stared blankly. “What is it?”
“Prove your loyalty as an ally, prove that you are someone our clansmen can trust, prove that you can help us without any regard for danger.” The old wise one looked at Lin Xi and said this.
Lin Xi looked at this old wise one, asking strangely, “How do I prove this?”
The old wise one said seriously, “We have a few clansmen who are trapped in a certain place in Ancient Witch Forest, we were just about to send out a troop to save them. If you can help them rescue these clansmen, or at least those clansmen who are being trapped, then they will feel grateful and help you.”
Lin Xi exchanged a look with Nangong Weiyang, revealing a bitter smile. “That place is definitely extremely dangerous.”
The old wise one released a dry cough. “The light of wisdom flickers within your eyes…”
“The light of an unscrupulous businessman flickers within your respected self’s eyes.” Lin Xi looked at this somewhat embarrassed old wise man, saying with a smile, “We’ve reached a deal.”