He'll Behave Once He Turns Around

Monkey King? Protection fees?

Lu Li had thought this was unclaimed land, that all the spirit ore in the river was free for the taking. So the riverway had actually been contracted out to someone.

And who was this Monkey King the man kept talking about? Could it be a monkey that had gained sentience?

Twenty coins a day meant six hundred coins a month—nearly as much as Lu Li's monthly wages at the stamping workshop. It was no small expense.

But he had thirteen spirit stones on hand now, so he could afford it. He stepped forward, explained the situation to the boat vendor, and planned to rent one for a day first and see how it went.

After a brief hesitation, Lu Li took out a whole spirit stone. He had only brought fifteen coins when leaving home and had no loose change at all. If he had not killed those two Azure Sun Hall disciples, he would not even have been able to pay a day's boat rental now.

The moment the azure stone brimming with spiritual energy appeared, the boat vendor's initial impatience vanished. He beamed, his eyes practically shining.

"Hey, sir, don't be in such a hurry. I don't think you need to rent a boat at all. Since you've got money, why not buy one outright? Settle it once and for all."

"How much for one?"

"Two spirit stones. Just two spirit stones, and look—that boat beside us is yours."

Following the boat vendor's finger, Lu Li saw the battered, ramshackle awning boat not far away.

"That price isn't exactly fair, is it? Eight thousand coins are enough to buy a boat, not to mention yours has been used for who knows how many years. It's practically about to sink."

"Ah, you can't look at it that way. You probably heard my conversation with those deadbeats just now. If you buy a boat from me, you're buying more than just a boat—you're also buying the right to use this stretch of river. As long as you're still panning for gold here, I'll pay the Monkey King's protection fees."

Lu Li considered it. He was only here to make some quick money so he could buy enough spirit materials to refine the Qi-Combining Cauldron. A month was already a tight deadline. Once he had saved enough, he would leave at once. If he could not sell the boat then, or had to sell it cheaply, it would be more loss than gain.

Having made up his mind, Lu Li tucked the spirit stone back into his pocket.

"I only have this one spirit stone. I really can't afford it. How about this—once I make enough money in a few days, I'll come back and buy your boat."

Lu Li had no intention of buying a boat at all, but he did not shut the door completely, leaving some room to maneuver. The other man was, after all, half a local tyrant. If Lu Li offended him, he might find obstacles placed in his way over the next few days.

Yet when the boat vendor heard this, his expression stiffened. The other prospectors behind him also snickered under their breaths.

"This kid's obviously here for the first time. He heard people say you can make a fortune panning for gold around here, but he doesn't know it's a craft of its own."

"Heh, buy a boat in a few days? Him? I've been in this trade for twenty years, and these past two months I've barely been able to cover my boat rent. Does he really think making money is that easy, that spirit ore grows everywhere?"

"Once his daily earnings can't cover the boat rent, he'll probably learn to behave."

Lu Li heard every word, but said nothing. The boat vendor, meanwhile, continued hawking his boat.

"How about this? One and a half spirit stones, and I'll throw in a full set of puppetry tools for panning gold. Let me tell you, they're first-turn puppetry tools, made by Azure Sun Hall. Outside, they'd be worth at least two spirit stones."

Before Lu Li could respond, Elder Duan's voice rang out in his mind.

"Hahaha, what a country bumpkin. He can't even lie properly. He thinks two spirit stones can buy first-turn puppetry tools?"

Although Lu Li had the Qi-Combining Cauldron, he still needed to buy the basic gold-panning mechanisms, whether for his own use or to throw people off the scent. So he deliberately put on a troubled expression and continued spinning lies.

"I can rent everything. It's not that I don't want to buy—it's just that I truly only have this one spirit stone left. My mother left it to me for marrying a wife."

"Fine, fine. The gold-panning mechanisms rent for thirty coins a day, with a three-thousand-coin deposit. Minimum rental is ten days, three thousand five hundred coins total. Pay up."

As he spoke, the boat vendor's face immediately fell, returning to its former impatience. Clearly, he did not think Lu Li could earn his money back, much less that Lu Li would come buy his boat in a few days.

"What are you looking at? If you don't believe me, ask them. Boat rentals here all start at ten days. There's no such thing as renting for only one day."

"Fine."

Lu Li gritted his teeth. Three thousand five hundred coins were still within his acceptable range. He handed over the spirit stone, and the other man gave him the corresponding silver and copper coins in change.

Lu Li counted it all in front of everyone and confirmed nothing was missing before picking up the silver and boarding the boat. Just then, an old man waved at him. The man looked to be forty or fifty, his skin deathly pale and covered in wrinkles, like a dried corpse that had been soaked in water for too long. He looked rather frightening.

"Young brother, wait! Want to share a boat? You're unfamiliar with gold panning—you've got no experience."

"No need. I want to try it myself first."

Lu Li relied mainly on the Qi-Combining Cauldron for panning gold. He could not let anyone see it, lest it stir up needless trouble.

"Look at those over there. Every boat has at least two people—one responsible for scooping, one for sifting. Besides, there's skill involved in choosing where to pan, and even in knowing when to enter the water. I can tell it's your first time here. I can teach you all that."

"No need. I actually did this trade with my father before, so I'm not entirely new."

Lu Li said this loudly. He had indeed poled boats before, but this was his first time panning for gold. He did not know how effective the Qi-Combining Cauldron would be, but it had to be far superior to ordinary mortal mechanisms.

He said it in advance so that if he suddenly struck it rich over the next few days, these people would at least be mentally prepared, rather than becoming suspicious.

With that, he poled the boat away. The awning boat slowly traveled along the bank, while the man chased after it onshore and shouted.

"Young brother, slow down! Wait for me! We can split it sixty-forty—no, seventy-thirty! Eighty-twenty is fine too! Just hear me out!"

Without looking back, Lu Li guided the awning boat into a relatively rapid stretch of water. It went faster and faster, eventually leaving the man far behind—just as he had once refused Wood Crow's funeral services.

Before long, Lu Li vaguely heard someone behind him seem to curse him under their breath. They were too far away, and he could not make it out clearly.

"Pah! Just wait and see. I offered you kind advice, and you wouldn't listen. Let's see what kind of stunt you can pull off."

Lu Li paid no mind to what others said. He touched the loose silver that had just entered his pouch. With this, making change would be more convenient in the future. Other than money truly held in his own hands, he trusted no one.

The current beneath him grew ever swifter, and the boat began to jolt and sway. Alone at the pole, Lu Li found himself somewhat unequal to the turbulent flow.

It was already evening, yet the people on the river showed no signs of returning. Beneath the setting sun, they still raced against time, repeating what they had done all day.

The sun would set, but the spirit ore flowing away beneath the water would not wait for anyone. Smoke rose from a few boats, as it had always done, as it would always do.