Agreed

Li Qi had always thought he had hidden his love of food quite well, and probably not many people knew it. Even if someone followed him closely and observed his every move from another perspective, it would probably be difficult for them to discover that he actually enjoyed tasting delicious food.

Li Qi was quite confident about this.

But... the seafood crew in front of me is so enthusiastic, and their words are so strange, asking things like, "What do you want to buy this time?"

What's going on? Is there another one like last time?

However, Li Qi always adhered to the good habit of asking directly if he didn't understand something, so he asked directly, "This time? Is there another one like last time?"

"Hehe, when doing business, you naturally have to be a little sweet-talking. What would you like to buy, sir?" The crew member chuckled and casually explained before immediately introducing the items to Li Qi.

"This is a crucian carp from the sea. It is delicious to eat and can also relieve chills and fever."

"If you don't like this, sir, we also have other seafood here, such as this centipede. Remove the shell, fry it, and it will release a gelatinous substance called claw gelatin, which is better than Phoenix Beak Glue!"

"This is a rainbow snail, which only appears at a depth of a hundred miles in the sea. Its flesh is inedible, but its shell has green spots and a rainbow-colored glow. The larger ones can hold two liters. The inside of the shell is as shiny as mica. It can be used to make wine cups, which are both strange and fun to play with."

As he spoke, he began to introduce various strange things from the sea, including corals, equipment from spirit beasts, textiles unique to the deep ocean, and even the remains of various Demon Dragon. These were all good materials for Law Treasure artifacts, and some of them were also effective for practicing martial arts.

There are also some medicinal foods that have strange effects when ingested. For example, there is a strange fish that, when eaten, can breathe in water and grow fins, which will disappear after three Chen.

And there is a strange swordfish. This is not a fish with swords growing from its mouth, but rather a sword in its entirety. It moves through the water like a flying sword. It is said to have been transformed from the Sword Qi energy of a Daoist sword immortal who crossed the sea with several friends and scattered it into the East China Sea. If you can tame it, you can get a bite of the flying sword. If you can't, it is still a good delicacy. The taste is not very delicious, but it is said to be quite exciting.

What Li Qi found most amazing was an August Crab. After molting, this crab had awns inside its abdomen, which were actually rice awns. If you offered them to the Sea God facing east, it would protect the ship and ensure a safe journey with calm seas.

This was truly strange, because Li Qi knew that the Sea God was dead.

The Sea God, who was originally the Dragon King, was personally shot and killed by the former Human Emperor. His body is still in the sea. So, which Sea God is the rice awn in this crab offered as a sacrifice?

Perhaps it's some powerful figure orchestrating this, but that has nothing to do with Li Qi.

"I don't need these trinkets. I'm just here to buy some seafood. Can you tell me what's delicious and rare, but not too expensive? I can't afford the expensive ones anyway." Li Qi waved his hand, interrupting the other party's sales pitch.

The crew member didn't say much, and simply carried over several boxes. "Sir, you must try these shrimp roe and honey crabs!"

Li Qi then readily accepted the advice and bought a lot of seafood, all of which were said to be fresh and rare. He spent a lot of money, and the discounted price was probably enough for an Eighth-Rank Magic Treasure.

Li Qi also discovered that pearls seemed to be used as common currency in the East China Sea. These pearls were produced in large quantities, could be ground into powder for consumption, used as medicine to heal injuries, and could also be transformed into gas to be used as an energy source. They were also easy to carry and easy to value, so they were quite popular in the East China Sea.

More than a hundred pearls are probably enough to buy a Ninth Rank Magic Treasure.

Of course, these beads are actually the lowest grade. Above them are the miscellaneous beads, small beads, and large beads, as recorded in the book. Those are the currencies used for large transactions.

Like the Black Pearl or Dragon Pearl in the Great Pearl, you could buy fifth-grade items, but that's too far away, so it's just something to talk about.

The currency truly suitable for Li Qi is something like mixed pearls born from Mother Clam or Moon Pearl spit out by hawksbill turtles. Although they are called mixed pearls, they are actually far superior to these ordinary pearls. One pearl can be worth several Ninth Rank Magic Treasure, and a dozen or so can buy eighth-grade items.

As for Eighth-Rank Magic Treasure, they are even more expensive.

But Li Qi didn't have that many pearls, so he paid with tableware.

Well... after all, he's the owner of a tableware business. Li Qi is the designated tableware supplier for the Shangyuan Flower Goddess Banquet. He may not have much else on him, but he does have several hundred tableware samples.

Even in a place like Tang Kingdom, these tableware items would be quite valuable, let alone in a remote and impoverished place like the East Sea.

Snap!

Li Qi suddenly slapped himself, the slap was quite loud.

"Sir? What's going on?" The crew member who was helping Li Qi load the cargo was stunned. Why did this man suddenly slap himself?

"It's nothing, you do your own thing." Li Qi waved his hand, telling them to continue loading the goods.

That's really... dangerous.

Without realizing it, I had developed that Human Path mentality, that superior, self-centered mentality.

Those who practice the Way of Human Path firmly believe that the Human Path is supreme, that they are the orthodox, and that all other places are "barbarians" or remote, impoverished areas.

Therefore, it is only through Human Path can write, "Since ancient times, emperors have ruled the world by residing in the Central Plains to control the barbarians, while the barbarians resided outside to serve the Central Plains. It has never been heard of barbarians residing in the Central Plains to control the world. This has never happened in ancient times, nor now, and it will never happen again until the end of time!"

This kind of mentality is normal from a Human Path perspective, but one must be wary of it and not get caught up in it, so he simply slapped himself.

After finishing all that, Li Qi carried the ingredients to a rather upscale-looking tavern and asked them to process the ingredients for him in exchange for his wages.

It seemed that there were many such guests, so Li Qi's request was quickly fulfilled.

The first dish served was sashimi, made primarily with a 600-year-old swordfish. The chef had to use his skills to cut through the Sword Qi within the fish, then remove the skin and bones, and finely slice the tender meat. The meat was then shredded and topped with delicate, fragrant leaves. The taste was simply fresh and delicious, but its appeal lay in the ability to discern the Sword Qi within the fish, as if one were fighting a swordsman, making it an unforgettable experience.

It requires a high level of skill from the chef; if the chef's cultivation level is insufficient, they may be injured by the Sword Qi emanating from the swordfish.

Next is the fish hot pot. The large bones of the swordfish were removed and cut into small cubes. The chicken broth was skimmed off, and the bones were simmered until they were 80% cooked. The soup was then made into fish broth, which was served with wine and soy sauce. Then the fish slices were added. After they were taken out, they were dipped in the sauce and eaten. The sauce was made by crushing sugarcane, ginger, papaya, Yuan plum, yangmei, five-spice olives, Xuan Ju, adding sea cucumber, and mixing with oyster sauce. It was incredibly fresh and delicious.

Then there is an oven. A plate is placed on the oven, and a rock is taken and heated until it is very hot. The rock is extremely hot and contains Fire Qi and a small amount of fire poison. Raw fish, meat, scallions, chives, pickled vegetables, and other ingredients are then placed on the rock and cooked in a short time. It is spicy but not harmful.

Next to it are sugar crabs, Nu Tai, and shrimp claws, all with a sweet flavor.

There is also seaweed, which is as thin as paper and made of saltwater skin. Its color is like green moss. It can be in loose strips, knotted strands, or like short horse tails. When soaked in boiling water and drizzled with ginger, pepper, wine, and vinegar, it is very crisp and delicious and is used to cleanse the palate.

Li Qi prepared a feast and enjoyed it immensely.

He also handed the Old Ma over to the stable boy, who also had spiritual herbs and refined peach pills there, and supposedly even seahorses...

Well, anyway, we didn't treat him badly. We'll just go check it out later and then pay the bill.

With this in mind, Li Qi felt at ease enjoying the seafood feast on the table.

Moreover, his sixth sense told him that this meal wouldn't be a waste.

Shaman's sixth sense is always very accurate.

After eating for about a Chen, Li Qi finally finished off the table full of delicious food.

At the same time, the energy of the ingredients, as well as the Sword Qi from the swordfish, filled his abdomen, rushing and tearing through his microcosm.

The feeling was incredibly exciting, like swallowing a possessed flying sword.

However, the chef at sea was also quite skilled. He broke the swordfish's Dragon Bone, so the Sword Qi could not be condensed into a single force. Instead, it was like disassembled fish bones scraping against each other in the small world of the human body.

This also gave Li Qi the opportunity to experience dealing with these Sword Qi. He focused his mind and began to deal with Sword Qi, as if he were fighting against a group of swordsmen. It was a relaxing experience without harming his body.

Good ingredients can give people such a unique experience.

When Li Qi opened his eyes again, several Chen had passed. He had been immersed in cultivation and felt that his combat experience had increased significantly. Although the swordfish's Sword Qi attack was not strong after being processed by the chef, its quality was quite high. It was like a swordsman with superb swordsmanship but a broken Dragon Bone, so his limbs were weak. There was no danger, but it allowed people to fully appreciate the wonders of swordsmanship, greatly enhancing the experience of this meal.

Moreover, it is said that each swordfish contains different Sword Qi, and there was once a martial artist who ate more than 700 swordfish in a row and comprehended a sword technique with Daoist mental cultivation methods.

That's why there's a rumor that swordfish are all sword Sword Qi scattered into the East China Sea by a Daoist sword immortal.

So, is it possible to obtain the form of this Sword Qi simply by eating all the swordfish?

Possibly.

But it's definitely impossible to actually do it. Countless swordfish have been eaten by now. How could they possibly extract the Sword Qi from other people's stomachs?

But who is this sword immortal, capable of achieving such a level with just a single Sword Qi? What kind of spirit and intent did they possess when wielding the sword? And how many subtle and exquisite sword techniques were contained within it?

"Never mind, there's no point in thinking about it," Li Qi sighed before opening his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, he found someone sitting in front of him.

It was Wang Dun.

"Brother Wang, you really are well-informed! I just came for a meal, and you managed to find me," Li Qi said with a smile.

He knew that after disappearing without a trace for several days, and now appearing on the sea, Wang Dun would definitely not be able to resist. After all, judging from Wang Dun's appearance, he was also very interested in the Dao Rule Reader made by someone who was not a spiritualist.

As researchers, both sides are bound to be curious. Wang Dun used spiritual and Reason Way to fish for Li Qi, and Li Qi was also using the Dao Rule Reader to fish for them. Everyone was just casting their own nets.

Of course, if both sides have good intentions, then it's a matter of exchanging what they have.

If both sides have ulterior motives, then they've each taken the bait.

"That's the advantage of being a local, isn't it? Brother Li Qi, how have you been these past few days? Are you ready? I've been anxiously waiting for you to arrive these past few days," Li Qi Wang Dun said.

"Haha, why be in such a hurry? It'll come eventually. I've run into some things these past few days and went to the seabed, to see where the indigenous people live," Li Qi said with a smile.

"No wonder I haven't been able to find you in the city lately. So you went to the seabed. Why would Brother Li Qi think of going to the seabed? There's nothing there, it's dark, sewage-filled, and murky. Only the poor, lowly mermaids Conch Folk would go there. Wouldn't you be lowering your status by going there?" Wang Dun asked, puzzled.

"I was curious about how East Isle city operates, so I went down to take a look. As for the environment... I've been to much more dangerous places, but they're just some reefs and sewage. It's nothing special." Li Qi smiled and answered politely but awkwardly.

"So it was for the sake of learning, which is indeed understandable. If it's for learning, then one should be willing to go even if it means death, let alone something a little dirty. However, you acted rashly this time. There was no need to go down into the cesspool yourself. The relevant records are already in the book catalog. Just tell me and I'll bring them to you directly. You really made a mistake this time." Wang Dun sighed, as if he really thought Li Qi had suffered some loss by going down to the lower level.

As for Li Qi, he smiled casually and said, "Brother Wang, did you come to see me this time because you couldn't wait any longer over there?"

"Of course I can't wait! By the way, have you been looking for a ship lately? Still no clue? I happen to have one of our own ships, one that our Reason Way is preparing to sail the ocean. It's a Rank 6 Fifth Rank Treasure Ship, purely mechanical construction, extremely reliable. It can go to most places in the East China Sea, and for places it can't go, we have maps so it won't go there casually. It's very safe and fast. I still have a few spots available. Brother Li, would you like to give it a try?" Wang Dun said enthusiastically, and even the screws and knobs on his body began to emit a faint red light.

His Law Treasure body was somewhat excited.

This reaction surprised Li Qi quite a bit.

He had initially thought Wang Dun was playing along with him, but... now he realized the other man was genuinely eager, with an eagerness that had a certain... how to put it? Oh, right, the purity of a scholar.

There is a pure scholar's curiosity, and to satisfy this curiosity, one is willing to pay a lot of extra costs.

Well...

Perhaps I'm overthinking it?

Li Qi thought to himself that he had previously thought he was playing the long game, but now he realized that Wang Dun did not think so.

Something's strange. Am I overthinking it, or... is Wang Dun also bait on someone else's hook, and he just hasn't realized it yet?

But no matter what, this ship is definitely more powerful than any ship Li Qi found on East Isle.

Therefore, Li Qi immediately nodded. "Of course, thank you, Brother Wang. Since that's the case, let's not delay and go learn it. It's a good opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from each other!"