The Eternal Way

The Paibo Sect would certainly deny any knowledge of the matter. Moreover, for many years, their practices and actions have always appeared quite normal.

Under these circumstances, the authorities would likely only suspect Li Qi. Either he coincidentally learned some forbidden technique, or he was possessed by a demon using his appearance to commit murders before fleeing.

The Demon Extermination Bureau must already be mobilized, but Li Qi's earlier gamble seems to have paid off.

Being an outsider, divination techniques would struggle to locate him. Without divination, they could only rely on clues to track him down.

Unfortunately, the name "Li Qi" is so common that there are at least ten thousand people with that name in Lǐzhou. Searching by name alone would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Thus, they could only rely on portraits.

Who would provide the most accurate portrait of Li Qi?

Well, no one knows Li Qi better than the Paibo Sect. He trusted Uncle Six to ensure the portrait would be completely distorted. As long as he didn't expose the distinctive red skin from the Ox Power Technique in public, things should be fine.

Ultimately, the world is too chaotic. This kind of wanted notice, if not resolved within a few months, would simply fade away. It couldn't even be considered a true wanted notice—it was more of a public announcement.

A real arrest warrant isn't something so easily dismissed—it would be written on yellow paper. Clearly, the authorities knew the chances of capturing him were slim, so they hadn't officially filed a case. After all, filing a case would require explaining to higher-ups during year-end reviews. Without a case, there was no pressure. Would the Lìzhuàng Sect dare to pressure the government?

As long as he could get through this period, changing his name and identity, he could boldly return to Lǐzhou City without anyone paying attention.

Just like those merchants—Ba Kui and his group must have blood on their hands. These people wouldn't hesitate to do bad things when out in the wilderness. Normally, they're merchants, but given the opportunity, they turn into thieves, and they won't be held accountable.

This is the norm in this world. No one expects a world where individual power is exaggerated to still be peaceful, right?

"Because of this... I need to obtain the strength to protect myself." Li Qi nearly died on this solo journey, which deepened his desire for greater power.

But...

"Sigh, let's go. I need to find a place to sleep," Li Qi turned and left the notice board.

Groups were clearly demarcated, making it hard to join them. Whether it's a sect or a gang, you can't just join and immediately gain trust.

Either you grow up within the group, your background is clear, and thus, it's easier to gain trust, or...

You prepare to trade your life for trust.

If Li Qi hadn't repeatedly saved the Paibo Sect, he wouldn't have gained such trust.

The Paibo Sect is small and deals with minor issues, allowing him to showcase his abilities and earn trust. But in larger gangs and sects, what could he be? Even as a low-level member, he likely wouldn't gain access to core techniques, possibly ending up worse than Paibo Jing.

Thinking about it... getting a technique by chance was truly a stroke of luck.

So... what should he do next?

Li Qi paid one qian as an entry tax, a per capita tax. Upon entering the city, he received a wooden token called Chuan Yan. Whether staying at an inn or shopping, this token had to be shown.

The Chuan Yan system was advanced, but Li Qi wondered why each city in the Great Deer Kingdom managed its own tokens independently, without keeping records. If lost, it could be replaced for a fee, but wasn't valid in other cities.

These measures led to a chaotic population management system. Why such an odd system was adopted remained a mystery.

Perhaps there was some hidden reason.

Walking into the city, Li Qi didn't plan to stay at an inn. First, he took out his dry rations to eat tonight, then bought some fried rice and rice cakes to store.

There was no choice; rice was the cheapest.

He heard that in the north, flour was cheaper, but in the Great Deer Kingdom, with its mountains and waters, flatlands were scarce, making it hard to grow wheat. Therefore, most people ate rice.

Farmers cultivated terraces on hillsides, and supposedly, farmers had methods to allow crops to absorb mountain qi, enabling them to grow spirit rice yielding three thousand catties per mu.

In this world... even being a farmer required skills. Truly...

Thinking about these things, Li Qi bought a pot of tea at a roadside stall, along with complimentary rice cakes. He chewed his dry rations, which hurt his cheeks and dried his mouth. When his mouth became too dry, he drank some tea to relieve himself.

With a large stomach, he could eat seven or eight jin in one meal. This time, he prepared to finish all his stored food. By the time it got dark, he had eaten all his rations and drunk all his tea, feeling satisfied.

This meal consisted entirely of rice with no dishes, but there was no other option; money needed to be saved.

It was now dark. Although there were still taverns and brothels open, those weren't places Li Qi could afford. Eating at such places cost several dozen qian. He only had a thousand qian in total. With eight qian spent on tea stalls, dry rations, and entry fees, he now had slightly over nine hundred qian left, which needed to last half a year. He had to be frugal.

However, Ba Kui promised to treat him to a meal tomorrow.

By then, he should be able to enjoy some meat.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, enjoying the satisfaction of a full belly, Li Qi found a large house with an extended eave. Sitting under the eave, he tightened his bag, preparing to spend the night there.