The Difference Between People

Facing the surging tide of savage Savage Beast below, the city they encountered this time was smaller and less well-defended, but the beast tide was even larger.

"There's a beast tide down there too, be careful. I'll sail the ship to the base first; there should be support there. Keep an eye on things," Zhang You instructed.

Li Shiwei remained unconcerned, very relaxed, and even said with a smile, "Anxin, there are only six eighth-grade Savage Beast below... and none of them are as strong as the first one. Although the scale is large, it's not as big as that time. Their numbers only pose a greater threat to these natives, but they make no difference to me~."

After saying that, she patted Zhang You: "Don't worry, I'll go down and teach these Savage Beast a lesson right away."

"It's not about the Savage Beast. I just want you to be careful about casualties. The beast tide isn't dangerous for you, but it's very dangerous for the people of the Sea Hunting Realm below. The Savage Beast are mindless and unknowing; they're just a natural phenomenon of this world. But the people below... are alive." Zhang You couldn't help but say this.

"Huh? Of course I know they're alive, otherwise why would I go and save them?" Li Shiwei tilted her head, looking puzzled and quite adorable.

However, she immediately stretched and said, "Alright, the fighting down there is so bad, I have to go rescue people. Hero descends!"

She chuckled and struck a pose, then jumped directly off the airship.

Zhang You watched her retreating figure and sighed.

She could sense that Li Shiwei still didn't consider those people as 'alive'.

In Zhang You's opinion, Li Shiwei probably thought these people were all NPCs, that they were just players in a game, passersby on her path to achieving her goals.

Li Shiwei didn't care about their lives or their opinions. Li Shiwei just wanted to do what she wanted and enjoy the sense of accomplishment she was experiencing.

But what could she say?

She didn't dare to go down and fight, and her strength was only slightly better than those eighth-grade Savage Beast, far inferior to Li Shiwei.

Zhang You is a very weak person. Although she understands many things, almost all her actions are based on self-preservation. She actually prefers to stay on the ship and live a normal life rather than being dragged down by Li Shiwei to do this kind of mission.

I know those people are alive... so what?

Knowing something but not doing it is the same as not knowing it at all.

This is what Zhang You's grandfather told her.

However... my grandfather practiced martial arts. In his youth, he was brave and fierce, daring to fight even against seventh-rank cultivators, so he suffered many hidden injuries. As he grew old, his qi Qi and Blood depleted quickly. When he was at the peak of the eighth rank, he failed to break through to the seventh rank, his Dao Path was cut off, and he eventually died of old age.

She saw her grandfather's frail appearance in his old age, which is why she refused to learn martial arts and instead practiced Daoist Cultivation Method. She also had an extreme aversion to fighting and dangerous living.

However, looking at the battle below and seeing those soldiers, she still felt... a little reluctant.

If she can't bear it, then so be it. What else can she do? She can handle one eighth-rank Savage Beast, two are barely manageable, and three will put her at a disadvantage.

Unlike Li Shiwei, it was only a matter of time before she wiped out all the Savage Beast below; these beast tides couldn't harm her at all.

Zhang You glanced down, sighed, and piloted the flying boat towards the base in the city.

Regardless, she still didn't want to... no, it wasn't that she didn't want to.

She was afraid.

In contrast to Li Shiwei's complete lack of respect, she feared all conflict.

Two young people, each with their own characteristics, each with their own choices.

As the airship swept across the battlefield, the two friends made different choices and thus passed each other by.

Li Shiwei landed below. In her opinion, although it was somewhat disgusting, neither the severed limbs nor the corpses of the Savage Beast felt very real.

To be honest, it was quite disgusting, but it didn't look real, so I didn't feel any psychological pressure.

For the little rascal, it doesn't really matter.

How should I put it... it's like you hear that a small country across the Pacific Ocean has experienced an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, resulting in countless deaths and injuries.

People might sigh, or they might use this as a topic of conversation, but... do people really think this kind of thing is terrible, and that the dead and injured are pitiful?

You could even say that even if you feel sorry for those people... so what? Can you picture the face of any of the disaster victims? Do you know their stories? You feel sorry for them, but what are you pitying?

Are you 'imagining' the disaster victims in your head, or do you genuinely pity each and every one of the actual injured and dead?

This is a very interesting point.

Is it really possible for someone to develop a 'real feeling' towards these people?

Seeing one's parents or grandparents die of old age might evoke a sense of death and a feeling of suffocation, but seeing tens of thousands of people die in a distant place on the news might not cause any significant emotional response.

Li Shiwei is like that.

She had no sense of reality about the natives of the Sea Hunting Realm below.

Now, she really enjoys the feeling of being a hero.

As for Li Qi, he continued his daily life as always, doing what he was supposed to do each day.

However, he has had one more thing to do these past few years.

That is, every year, the Chamber of Commerce would compile a report on Li Shiwei's situation and tell him about it.

Li Qi wouldn't interfere with Li Shiwei's choices, but he was still very curious about what kind of name this little rascal could make out in the outside world.

He knew very well that Li Shiwei was not some extraordinary genius or a peerless prodigy.

Li Qi wasn't exactly a peerless genius in the world. His children were only slightly better than ordinary people. Li Shiwei, in terms of temperament, intelligence, and aptitude, was actually of the upper rank in the world, but she was still far from being a true genius.

Of course, this is far from the truth; it's being compared to figures like the goddess Yao Ji of Wushen Mountain Goddess, or powerful men like the Demon Prince, the Little Heavenly Master, or Liu Junyi.

These people are of excellent character, have a solid foundation, and their comprehension is as if they have been given a cheat code. Their talent is indescribable. Li Qi estimated that he could only compare with them in terms of comprehension and talent, and he might not even be able to beat them.

As for their foundation and character... Li Qi was far inferior to them.

Speaking of temperament alone, Li Qi is still troubled by 'courage' and doesn't know how to make up his mind. But the Demon Prince and the Little Heavenly Master didn't waste any time on this. These true super geniuses have perfect temperaments and are both wise and brave. They are not hindered by such things at all.

But no matter what, Li Shiwei is much stronger and has a much higher starting point than the vast majority of people in the world, and even the vast majority of worlds outside the realm.

The little rascal actually has a terrible temper and no patience; while he's enthusiastic, he's also very impetuous.

I remember back then, the stone, the jade itself, was locked inside the rock. It was because he mocked Li Shiwei that Li Shiwei kicked him away in a fit of rage, shattering the stone and allowing him to break free.

Although it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, it was enough to show what kind of person Li Shiwei was.

Given her personality, Li Qi was genuinely worried that she might cause trouble outside, so he needed to inquire further and analyze the specific situation.

After all, she is his own flesh and blood. Although it is only right to let her go out and make her own way, if something goes wrong, the rabbit will eat Li Qi alive.

They don't chew them at all.

Reading Li Shiwei's annual report, Li Qi was somewhat surprised.

This is really... well, how should I put it?

It's quite peaceful.

Li Qi thought Li Shiwei would cause some trouble, but she actually spent her first year very peacefully, which was quite good.

Was it thanks to that friend Zhang You?

That's true, friends can influence her too. According to the report, Zhang You is a calm person, so the two of them must complement each other, right?

Good news, good news.

"What are you looking at?" At this moment, the rabbit appeared from behind Li Qi, looking curiously at the paper in his hand.

"Shiwei's situation." Li Qi didn't shy away from the topic. They were an old married couple, so there was no need to hide anything. Li Qi had basically no secrets from Rabbit, and Rabbit had no secrets from Li Qi either.

Ordinary couples only live together for a few decades before they can develop a tacit understanding. They have already lived twice as long as ordinary people, so naturally they would no longer have those awkward and hesitant behaviors.

"Shiwei's condition? Let me see." Rabbit reached out and snatched the report from Li Qi's hand, then began to read it carefully.

She finished reading it quickly, but her expression wasn't good.

Shen Shuibi sighed deeply, "Alas, she still..."

"Isn't this a pretty good performance? What's the big deal? It's only been a year since you went abroad," Li Qi said with a smile.

Yes, it's only been a year since I left.

Li Qi seems to have gotten used to the concept of time of the immortal race. Decades ago, Li Qi was still suffering from the unbearable passage of time and felt bored and even fearful of the repetitive work that lasted for decades or even hundreds of years.

If you tell an ordinary person that they have to keep laying bricks for seventy years, they might want to kill someone, their mind might even break down, and they might prefer to commit suicide rather than lay bricks.

But for immortal beings, let alone seventy years, even seven hundred years wouldn't make much difference.

For example, Li Qi's current microcosm is incredibly complex. Every time he gains a new insight and wants to integrate it into the existing microcosm, he has to go through everything from the past. This process will take at least ten years, so he has to lock himself in the stone gate and spend all his time doing this.

Only now does he understand that this is the real 'seclusion', which is actually just taking some time to complete the daily work of cultivation, but this 'daily work' will last for a relatively long time.

It grew to a length that was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

After reading the report, Shen Shuibi, who knew her daughter well, shook her head. "Given Shiwei's condition, I think it won't be long before she gets tired of things on the ship. At that time, she will probably go to those worlds to pursue her goals. There will definitely be dangers then. Should you go to the outer realms? Or I can ask Yang Ning to keep an eye on things to prevent any accidents. There are too many powerful beings in the outer realms. You and I are only fifth or sixth grade. If we really provoke any powerful beings, there will probably be a lot of trouble."

"There's no need. She's not stupid. Although she's young, she's not arrogant or rude. She won't offend anyone. Besides, if she really offends someone, it just means she deserves a beating. Learning a lesson isn't a bad thing." Li Qi smiled, not caring about these things at all.

Although Li Shiwei was short-tempered... or perhaps more accurately, lively, she was still polite, Li Qi believed that she wouldn't have any arrogant thoughts.

That's enough. Let the child go by himself.

Shen Shuibi frowned, but didn't say anything.

After all, it's only been a year. What can you accomplish in a year? Let's wait and see. If the report still isn't satisfactory, even if Li Qi doesn't go, she'll still remind Yang Ning.

Meanwhile, Li Shiwei and Zhang You in the Sea Hunting Realm successfully completed their mission.

Not only did Li Shiwei complete the mission, she also gained a great deal of fame. She was one of the few members of the merchant guild who was willing to help the natives of the Sea Hunting Realm free of charge.

Moreover, even if someone had offered help before, none of them were as strong as Li Shiwei.

Li Shiwei is truly powerful, a force that has astounded the natives of the Sea Hunting Realm.

During this month-long mission, perhaps by luck, Li Shiwei encountered the legendary Lord of the Beast Tide, a seventh-grade Savage Beast.

In the entire Sea Hunting Realm, there are only four or five Rank 7 Savage Beast, yet Li Shiwei actually encountered one.

Even Li Shiwei found it difficult to face a seventh-rank official.

Moreover, the Chamber of Commerce's attitude towards this seventh-grade Savage Beast is "ignoring" it, because the Savage Beast are a constant source of resources for the Chamber of Commerce. The very existence of the Sea Hunting Realm is precisely because of these Savage Beasts.

If the Savage Beast are eradicated, the Sea Hunting Realm will be reduced from a resource world to an ordinary Seventh Rank World, its value will be greatly reduced, and the loss will be considerable.

Even for the Chamber of Commerce, Seventh Rank World is a very precious thing, so they even sent a telepathic message to Li Shiwei, instructing her not to kill the Savage Beast, and did nothing else.

That's really giving the little brat too much credit. She was almost crippled by a seventh-rank beast. Fortunately, Zhang You overcame his fear at that moment and appeared in time. The two of them joined forces and drove back the Savage Beast.

Savage Beast, after all, have no mind. When they are hurt, they will naturally retreat. Otherwise, the natives of the Sea Hunting Realm could not have held out for so long without even a seventh-grade cultivator.

After that incident, Zhang You was seriously injured, but Li Shiwei remained unharmed thanks to the stone's protection. Fortunately, she had a full supply of various medicines on her, which prevented Zhang You from suffering any aftereffects.

The two best friends truly became sworn brothers.

Moreover, compared to those, the gains from this unexpected event were even greater: Li Shiwei sensed... a certain opportunity to reach the seventh rank.

She seemed to be able to faintly hear... the cry of a world, a kind of worship for her.

Her reputation reached its zenith in the Sea Hunting Realm.

If one refines this worship now and uses it as the foundation of one's path, one might be able to step onto the path of divinity!

However, Li Shiwei deftly extinguished this idea, directly severing these feelings of admiration.

It's meaningless; she doesn't want to become a god.

However, she still gained something.

That is... she thinks that being a hero seems pretty good, and she wants to play like that in the next world too?