Chapter 4: Prefect

A cultivation method!?

"Are you sure it's a cultivation method?" Six Uncle's expression froze.

"Mm, a cultivation method, but, I don't know what's going on, I... I seem to have learned it too?" Li Qi rubbed his head.

Yes, besides the progress bar that inexplicably appeared in his mind, he also had another memory.

No, it couldn't be called memory, because there were no concrete words, patterns, or anything like that inside; it was more like a kind of... insight?

"You learned it too? Can you teach it to the Gang?" Six Uncle's originally dejected expression suddenly turned into surprise.

"I don't know... I can't use it yet, and I don't know how to describe it. It seems to be a feeling, without words, I can't describe it either. Give me some time." Li Qi didn't know what to say.

"It should be a Divine Will Legacy. It's normal that you can't articulate it." Six Uncle, however, nodded, acknowledging Li Qi's statement.

"Six Uncle, you know about it?" Li Qi was stunned.

"Who do you think established the Paibo Gang? And who was the first to bring Wave-Breaking Force here?" Six Uncle said with a smile.

Then, he comforted Li Qi: "It's alright, since we've obtained a Divine Will Legacy, we've made a pure profit. There's just one problem: how did the Strongmen Gang get hooked up with a powerful expert?"

Li Qi then explained, "I overheard that the powerful expert divined that the Strongmen Gang could help him obtain an 'Outer Dao Item,' so he hired the Strongmen Gang to search for it, and they actually found it. That's why the powerful expert rewarded them with a cultivation method. I happened to witness this scene and seem to have been affected. Six Uncle, what is a Divine Will Legacy?"

After confirming again that Li Qi had grasped the Divine Will Legacy, Six Uncle's expression completely relaxed. He first looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, then continued, "I don't know exactly what a Divine Will Legacy is, but what I do know is that it's like having a book thrown into your mind. As long as you train diligently, you can learn the cultivation method within it. I also had an Opportunity before and learned Wave-Breaking Force, which is how the Paibo Gang came to be."

"You'll teach us, right?" Six Uncle asked, his expression a little nervous.

Although he trusted Li Qi greatly, it was, after all, a cultivation method.

"Don't worry, once I learn it, I won't forget the people in the Gang." Li Qi quickly promised.

The Paibo Gang had taught him Wave-Breaking Force, and Six Uncle had saved him at the very beginning. He was not an ungrateful person, nor would he hoard a cultivation method for himself.

Moreover, teaching it to the Gang would strengthen the Gang, allowing them to potentially pursue other businesses and live better lives. It was a mutually beneficial situation, so there was no need to be secretive.

"That's good. You don't need to go to the River Opening anymore. We'll handle your share, and your reward won't be less. Go back now and carefully ponder the divine will in your mind to see if you can obtain the cultivation method." Six Uncle waved his hand, preparing to send Li Qi back.

But Li Qi shook his head: "No, I can't go back now."

"Although I was masked, some people from the Strongmen Gang definitely saw me. They certainly won't let this go."

"They will definitely come after us. If they find someone didn't go to the River Opening, they'll realize something is amiss, just like we did." Li Qi said.

Since they had gone looking for the Strongmen Gang because they hadn't shown up for the River Opening, the Strongmen Gang members weren't stupid; they would surely realize that there was a problem with the people who returned.

"So, we'll proceed with the River Opening as usual. As for you surrounding me to save me earlier, just say I caught a cold and fever and suddenly fainted, and you went to save me. The story must be consistent. Six Uncle, you personally go and instruct them. Remember, no one from us went out today; I fainted because I caught a fever."

"Right, right, right, I was too anxious. We'll do as you say! You rest first, I'll go tell them." Six Uncle nodded repeatedly, then immediately walked out of the shed and quickly headed towards the Paibo Gang members.

As for Li Qi, he shook his head and sat down again.

Until the next River Opening relay.

He continued the River Opening work all day, pulling boats for an entire day, working exceptionally hard.

By evening, the ice on the Li River within the city was crushed, and the water began to flow, signifying the end of the River Opening.

But he didn't show anything.

After this day, he had already realized...

Perhaps, what was in his mind was the only remaining small part of his game console.

The so-called "Outer Dao Item" was that progress bar.

This was his guess; it might not be accurate, but he had pondered it all day, and he believed it to be so.

Perhaps this was a remnant of a game progress bar? The only thing left from his game console?

Damn it, if the game console was working, would he have a System now? Instead of just this seemingly useless progress bar?

But complaining was useless; it was better to accept reality.

As for that strange "insight" in his mind, he had also clearly seen what it was.

How did he see it clearly?

Of course, by simply focusing on that insight, the progress bar would pop up before his eyes:

"Learning: Ox Strength Technique, Progress 1%."

So this insight was called Ox Strength Technique?

With 'Technique' as a suffix, it certainly looked like a cultivation method.

It was originally at 0%, but he tried it, and it seemed that by simply immersing himself in it and gradually moving his body according to its rhythm, he could begin to grasp the method within.

He immersed himself in this insight, using the seemingly "instinctive" elements within it to pull boats, pulling for an entire day, and finally reaching 1%.

"The River Opening is over! Boat Towmen, come here! The Lord of Lizhou will personally bestow your rewards!" An official stood by the river, shouting to a group of exhausted Boat Towmen.

Upon hearing this, the Boat Towmen, despite being drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted, scrambled to their feet.

They had toiled all day, and even earlier, they had exerted themselves greatly to compete for the River Opening. Was it not all for today's rewards?

Ships still couldn't pass because only this section of ice had been crushed. The entire Li River stretched for thousands of miles; how could it possibly be fully open to ships?

The River Opening was merely a ceremony, a ritual to pray for the river to thaw as quickly as possible.

However, after the River Opening ceremony, ships would generally be able to pass throughout the entire river within seven or eight days.

Li Qi also cast aside those extraneous thoughts and quickly ran over to stand in a group.

He wasn't in a hurry; the longer he could stall, the longer he would stall.

After all, during the River Opening, the Lizhou Military Guard was here, and the Governor of Li Prefecture was also here. That young man he saw earlier shouldn't dare to cause trouble, right?

Although he knew this was actually useless, if the other party really wanted to cause him trouble, no one could save him. But there was nothing he could do; he might as well hide for as long as he could, right?

There were many people around, about ten thousand, lined up along the Li Shui River for two or three miles.

The River Opening ceremony wasn't just for Boat Towmen; there were also sailors, boatmen, weavers, and many other groups, about dozens of them, gathered together to complete the River Opening.

So, after the ceremony, the Governor of Li Prefecture, under his retinue, would circle the river, bestowing rewards upon everyone participating in the ceremony around the river.

Li Qi also watched the progress bar for the River Opening ceremony in front of him reach 97%.

He estimated that once the rewards were distributed, it would reach 100%.

"The Lord Prefect's honored carriage has arrived! Bow!" an official shouted loudly.

With a single command, the crowd by the river, tens of thousands of people along the three-mile stretch of the Li River, knelt down simultaneously, like a field of wheat swept by the wind, instantly prostrating themselves on the ground!

The Lord/Prefect of a Prefecture held such prestige.

Drumming, carriages, retinues, banners.

First, a line of black-armored warriors led the way, each eight feet tall, incredibly muscular, with cold eyes, looking at the Boat Towmen as if they were pigs and dogs, completely indifferent, simply holding their long halberds in silence, leading the way.

Li Qi had participated in two River Openings, so he naturally understood what this was.

This was the Lizhou Military Guard.

Every one of them was a human-shaped giant. Li Qi had personally witnessed the Lizhou Military Guard Commander slice through the Li River with a single saber, causing the river's water to halt for several seconds.

With the black-armored warriors leading the way, behind them was the carriage.

The carriage was luxurious, engraved with mountains and rivers, layered with red clouds, flanked by steep rocks, shrouded in misty light, with the stone colors seemingly about to fly. Beyond countless mountains, twin towers stood opposite each other, surrounded by layered cliffs, with a great river flowing through them.

If one paid a little attention, they would notice that the carriage bore the topographical map of Li Prefecture.

The Lord/Prefect was upon this carriage, a man nine feet tall with a beautiful countenance, driving it, slowly passing along the bank of the Li Shui River.

Everywhere he passed, he would recite a sacrificial text, and then an official would step forward and lay down the rewards.

He traveled along, arriving in front of the Boat Towmen where Li Qi was.

A voice came from the carriage, full of vigor: "In Azure Brilliance Palace, there is the God of the Li River, who commands forty-two offices and ninety million followers, overseeing the affairs of all spirits across ten thousand li of the Li River. You Boat Towmen are one such office, pulling boats and navigating vessels, resolving heavenly disasters above and aiding the netherworld below. Now, in this grand River Opening ceremony, you, with your Qi, dispel the cursed waters, eliminate transgressions and sins, and thus deserve reward!"

Following this sacrificial text, three officials stepped forward, dragging nine fat pigs, nine nets of fresh fish, two handfuls of copper coins, and two pieces of solid ice freshly retrieved from the river, placing them before the kneeling leaders of the Water Horse Gang and Six Uncle.

The pigs were estimated to weigh one to two thousand catties, with black fur and sharp tusks, their bristles indicating they were impervious to blades and spears, yet they were tightly bound and unable to move.

The fish were also nearly half a meter long, some even with sharp teeth, clearly fierce and powerful.

Each side received half, with the Paibo Gang, being the first in line, getting the remaining share, taking five pigs and five nets of fish.

Both Gangs took their rewards but did not leave.

Because they had to wait until all rewards were distributed before they could leave together.

"What's going on...?" Li Qi, who had only wanted to spend a period of stable time, then saw a progress bar appear above the Lord Prefect's carriage: 'Ritual Enhancement: Ninety Percent.'

This progress bar advanced extremely quickly, ending right after the rewards were given to the Lifter Gangs.

Li Qi did not continue to bow his head but kept staring.

Then, he personally saw that every time a person was rewarded and a different sacrificial text was recited, this 'Ritual Enhancement' progress bar would appear once.

All rewards were distributed.

The Lord Prefect's carriage departed, silent and unseen from beginning to end.

But Li Qi suddenly thought of something.

It was what the young scholar had said: "The Dao of Humanity's method is to gather people for one's own use. All nations in the world are of the Dao of Humanity."

Was this kind of sacrificial ritual a type of the Dao of Humanity?

Li Qi speculated.

Then, he looked towards the Li River again.

This time, he was astonished to find a progress bar hanging above the Li River.

"River Opening Ceremony: Progress 99%."

"Not finished yet? What's going on?" He unexpectedly discovered this.

In the past, once all rewards were distributed, the River Opening ceremony would be over, and everyone else could disperse.

If it weren't for the progress bar's reminder, it would be the first time he noticed that the River Opening ceremony wasn't over yet.

At this moment, a Lifter came up and called Li Qi.

"Brother Li, let's go! We still need to find a butcher to slaughter the pigs tonight!"

"These five fat pigs and big fish today will definitely be enough for us for a year!"

The Boat Towmen were overjoyed. Some were preparing to take the fish home, while a dozen others were carrying the fat pigs, ready to take them to the butcher for slaughter.

In this world, pig slaughtering was a skilled job. Even if these Boat Towmen held cleavers, they couldn't cut through the hide of such large pigs. They had to find specialized butchers, whose cultivation methods were powerful and who were skilled in the vital points of pigs and sheep. Only they could kill such fat pigs and then butcher the meat.

Therefore, butchers also formed a small group.

In this world, almost everyone inevitably belonged to a small group centered around a cultivation method.

"You guys go back first, I'm not going." Li Qi suddenly said.

"Huh? Not going? Then where are you going, Brother Li? Soon they'll be chasing people away from the Li River." A Lifter was puzzled.

But at this moment, Six Uncle walked out and kicked him: "Why ask so many questions! I've arranged something for Little Li, what are you pig-heads asking about! Let's go, the wives at home are waiting for the meat to be cooked!"

With Six Uncle saying that, the others stopped asking. Their thoughts drifted to the fat pigs and fresh fish.

They usually couldn't eat these!

They could catch fish, but they were mostly small ones. These large fish, however, were terrifyingly strong in the water. If one's cultivation method wasn't refined, a single slap could knock them unconscious. These were not delicacies that these Boat Towmen could often enjoy.

So, they all clustered around Six Uncle, the pigs, and the fish, walking away joyfully.

Six Uncle also didn't ask what Li Qi intended to do.

After all, Li Qi still had a task to complete, so it must be related to that.

This was also the advantage of being in a small group.

Here, an individual was nothing without a group, so rules and trust were especially important. After Li Qi made his promise, Six Uncle unhesitatingly gave him equal trust.

After watching them leave, Li Qi also prepared to walk out.

He had to leave; just as that Lifter said earlier, if he didn't leave, they would chase people away.

After the River Opening, no one was allowed to stay.

It was this rule, combined with the unchanging 99% on the progress bar, that made Li Qi suspicious.

The Dao of Humanity's method... strengthening oneself through rituals?

The River Opening ceremony wasn't over, yet the Lord Prefect was already driving people away.

This gave Li Qi a crazy idea.

Could he perhaps share in the benefits of the River Opening ceremony!?

One must know, he was a participant in the first path of the River Opening, and also a part of this ceremony.

Now that he had secretly learned the cultivation method of the Strongmen Gang, according to the custom of this world, he was a person who must be killed!

Furthermore, he didn't want to be a Lifter his entire life!

The Golden Finger that suddenly Awakened, and the cultivation method in his mind, both made Li Qi harbor the thought of taking a gamble!