Industries Aplenty, Above Reality

"Master Li, you're leading our Patrol Duty today."

Just as Li Xian was deep in thought, a Grade-C House Guard rushed over and said with a fawning smile.

His name is Fu Yongfa. He is obese and over forty years old. But when he calls him "Master Li," it comes out of his mouth very easily.

"Good."

Li Xian regulated his breathing, calming his Qi and Blood.

The daily Patrol Duty of Grade-B House Guard are all led by a team, which usually consists of two Grade-C House Guards and seven Grade-D House Guards.

The patrol routes are relatively remote and usually require leaving the village.

"Wait a moment, I don't know who's in the team yet. I'll go get the list first," Li Xian said.

Fu Yongfa and said, "Mr. Li, there's no need to get a list. We'll just give them a shout, and they'll know exactly what to do. Who would dare not come?"

Having said that, Fu Yongfa's expression changed, his fawning demeanor turning into a fierce one. He shouted to the crowd, "Whoever is on Patrol Duty with Master Li today, come and report quickly! If you are late, Master Li is magnanimous and won't mind."

"But Fu Yongfa isn't so easy to talk to. I'll count to three."

"Three..."

As soon as the words were spoken, several people scrambled over from the crowd, their clothes disheveled, as if afraid of being three seconds too late.

These Grade-D House Guard, terrified of offending their Guard, meticulously reviewed the daily Patrol Duty schedule.

How could I not know who I was patrolling with today?

Li Xian hadn't been Grade-D House Guard for long, so his experience wasn't deep and he wasn't very clear about it.

However, he didn't want to figure out the intricacies of it all.

The group was quickly assembled: two Grade-C, seven Grade-D, plus Li Xian, making a total of ten people.

Among the seven Grade-D, there was a familiar figure— Zhuo Yilie with Li Xian. He kept his head down, not daring to look at Li Xian.

"The Palm Print of that Jade Luo Palm are still there..." Li Xian glanced at it and saw that the purple and blue Palm Print had not faded, and muttered to himself.

He kept the matter of the Jade Luo Palm in his heart.

At this moment, I thought to myself:

"I will soon enter the Idle Martial Pavilion to be selected for Entry Vehicle Martial Arts."

"The choice of martial arts doesn't really matter to me, so I might as well switch to the Jade Luo Palm. Once I've mastered the palm technique, I can settle this matter of cause and effect as well. Why not?"

Li Xian said, "Now that everyone is here, come with me."

This patrol route is very long and winding, taking a full two hours to complete, and it also involves leaving the village.

Before setting off, Li Xian led everyone to the Dining Hall to collect a sufficient amount of hot dry pancakes.

Each person is given two pieces. Grade-D is a plain, unfilled flatbread. Grade-C has a vegetable filling, while Grade-B has a meat filling, containing beef and full of fat.

Li Xian has a big appetite and is still growing, so she took three pieces.

"We might not have time for Patrol Duty today, so we'll just have some dry biscuits for a meal."

Li Xian called out.

"Set off!"

Li Xian walked at the front of the group, passing through two large bends and turning into a deserted garden. The place was Yin Qi cold, and the wind chilled one to the bone.

After walking for about 15 minutes and turning out of the garden, the scenery suddenly opened up, and after walking a few more steps, we arrived at the side gate of the manor.

Grade-B House Guard are highly skilled and lead patrols, usually venturing outside the village.

We need to go to some mountainous areas, woodlands, and fields to check the situation. The routes were planned in advance.

After all, the lady's assets are not limited to what's in the Manor.

A cool breeze blew in, Human Essence.

Li Xian stretched and looked around. What could be more beautiful than this mountain forest?

Thousands of trees are draped in silver, and the frost and snow are broken by the clear sun.

This magnificent scenery stretches for thousands of miles, yet it is already occupied by its inhabitants. Only the cool breeze and the thin sunlight are slightly more generous, showering everyone with their own blessings.

"Uncle Li, should we go to the forest farm first, or the Mulberry Garden?" Fu Yongfa asked.

"Let's go to the forest farm first."

There is a forest farm on the west side of the village, and the firewood used for cooking and boiling water in the Manor all comes from the forest farm.

After walking seven or eight miles, you will see a vast expanse of forest. Today, a southwest wind is blowing, and from a distance, the leaves are being blown down, creating a green ocean.

This is the "Evergreen Wood," which does not lose its leaves in winter and grows very quickly.

The village had over a thousand people, and every day they burned an unknown amount of firewood.

Li Xian led the team through the area, checking to see if anyone was stealing firewood.

Who goes there!

Fu Yongfa suddenly shouted, Grade-D House Guard beside him leaped into a patch of weeds.

A moment later, a beggar was brought out. The Guard poked the beggar in the back of the knee with his toe, and then pressed down with both hands, forcing the beggar to his knees.

"Ouch..." the beggar cried out in pain.

"So, you dare to steal firewood? Beat you up!" Fu Yongfa.

"No... no... sir, I was just... passing by..." the beggar hurriedly begged for mercy.

The Guard wouldn't listen to his explanation and was about to take action when Li Xian said, "This man has no axe on him, so he's not the one who stole firewood. Let him go."

"Uncle Li, this kind of scoundrel, even if he doesn't steal firewood today, he'll definitely steal it tomorrow."

"Why not just kill him and bury him? Heh heh, since he likes firewood so much, let him become nourishment for the firewood. That'll fulfill his wish, and who knows, he might even thank us in the underworld."

Fu Yongfa a fawning suggestion.

The beggar boy shook his head immediately, terrified, and cried.

"Oh?"

Li Xian was very displeased with this suggestion, and seeing Fu Yongfa's despicable face, his obsequiousness to superiors and his bullying of subordinates, she had no good feelings towards such people.

Thinking about it again, burying and killing beggars was clearly a common practice, and the fact that this forest was so lush might well be due to this reason.

If Li Xian goes against the tide, people will naturally not dare to disobey, but they will definitely gossip behind his back. It would be better to use this opportunity to establish his authority and make them fearful and terrified, thus reducing a lot of trouble.

He immediately swung his hand back and slapped Fu Yongfa the face. "Does it hurt?"

Fu Yongfa was stunned, a handprint appearing on his face. He didn't know why Li Xian had hit him, but he dared not be angry or hateful. Completely unaware of the humiliation, he chuckled and said, "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. It's my honor that Uncle Li slapped me."

Li Xian flicked his hand again. This time, he channeled his Inner Qi and imbued it with the essence of the Four Directions Fist. Although it was just a light slap, it seemed to come from all directions, making Fu Yongfa tremble all over in fear.

He sensed the approach of death and tried his best to escape. But there was nowhere to hide. With a "bang," Fu Yongfa slapped to the ground.

A nosebleed was gushing out.

"Thank you, Master Li. Thank you, Master Li."

Fu Yongfa covered his face, knelt down and kowtowed, tears streaming down his face. If Li Xian hadn't stopped, he would have been slapped to death.

Terrified, this Master Li was so young, yet his martial arts skills were profound. He dared not harbor the slightest disrespect.

"Release them," Li Xian said calmly.

The Grade-D House Guard dared not disobey and immediately released the beggar.

Li Xian said, "Don't come here again."

"Yes... yes, thank you for your mercy, sir." The beggar ran away frantically.

Such a person wouldn't dare steal firewood; he probably just wanted to steal some fruit. He got lost last night, used the weeds for shelter from the wind, and drifted off to sleep in a daze.

They released the lost beggar child and continued patrolling the forest.

Not far away, a group of Miscellaneous Servant were chopping firewood. Usually, at times like this, the Guard would make a special detour to bask in the envious glances of everyone.

Finding it troublesome, Li Xian glanced at it from afar, then left the forest farm and headed for the "Mulberry Garden."

Upon arriving at the Mulberry Garden, we were even more amazed.

The lady's estate is enormous, encompassing tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, and this Mulberry Garden also occupies a considerable area.

Moreover, being nestled among mountains, the area is sheltered from wind and snow, making it surprisingly warm even on a cold winter's day.

More than a hundred women were employed to tend the mulberry fields and raise silkworms. The Silkworm Silk they produced was crystal clear and easily broken, clearly indicating that these were not ordinary mulberry trees, nor were these silkworms ordinary insects.

The division of labor in the Mulberry Garden was clear: some picked mulberries, while others spun the silk. The mulberry girls were skillful and their movements were light and practiced, causing the patrolling group to slow down.

"What are these Silkworm Silk usually used for?" Li Xian stopped a mulberry maid and asked curiously.

"Ah! What a young man from the Yi family! I've never seen you before." The young woman's eyes lit up.

Li Xian smiled and said, "I've just been promoted."

The woman replied to the previous question, saying, "I make many things, including clothes and cloth, which have many uses, and I also make ropes."

"Some sell to clothing shops in the marketplace, others to Jianghu sects, there are so many, I can't list them all in a short time."

The woman was hired; she did not sell herself.

In terms of status, it's not low.

The more senior mulberry maids in the Mulberry Garden can even direct the Guard.

"The lady's assets are truly bottomless."

Li Xian used the patrol as an excuse to actually broaden his horizons.

I gradually came to understand a truth: a martial artist who Bone Recasting, though possessing incredible power and an unfathomable lifespan, is not an ethereal immortal or god; he is still a person with his feet firmly planted on the red earth!

It needs industrial support to back it up!

Martial artists stand above reality, yet they are not completely detached from it.

When evaluating a martial artist, one cannot only look at their strength, but also at the resources behind them!