After renting the courtyard and finding a place to settle, everyone’s tightly wound tension relaxed a bit.
After assigning some tasks, Zhao Ge took Shou Hou out for a stroll, saying they were going to find a bathhouse to take a bath and change clothes. As a young woman, Rong Niang and Zhao Qian found it inconvenient to go to the bathhouse so they chose a private room, boiled a pot of hot water, and prepared to clean up in the room.
They had been on the move for several days, covered in dust and dirt, reeking and sour, with a tinge of blood in their odor. They hadn’t taken care of these things earlier due to their escape, but now that they could breathe a sigh of relief, it was natural to clean themselves up.
Having run the school for many years, Zhao Ge and his disciples all liked to be clean.
During this time, the two butchers who were in charge of sheep slaughtering had already taken care of it in the kitchen, following the rule that the head and the offal belonged to them, which would cover their wages. The rest of the meat was chopped into large chunks, put into a pot of clean water with some salt, and stewed. But for a martial artist, it wasn’t just about eating meat; it had to be medicinal as well.
Rong Niang took some time to go to the kitchen and sprinkled a packet of medicinal herbs into the pot, additionally instructing the butchers to watch the fire carefully and not to uncover the lid so as not to let the medicinal essence escape.
The butchers, of course, didn’t dare to offend the martial artists and continuously agreed to the instructions.
But far from being dissatisfied, they were actually very happy. After all, this job was a big deal for them; butchering dozens of sheep was an opportunity not to be found on regular days. Not only could they feast on sheep offal for a while, but they could also sell the rest and earn enough money to cover half a year’s wages.
Earning half a year’s wages in less than a month, even after deducting the broker’s cut, was quite impressive.
Hence, they not only refrained from slacking off but also put extra effort into their work.
While everyone was resting and recuperating, Li Yi watched the Eight Treasure Deer locked inside a cage in the middle of the courtyard.
This was a male deer.
But its antlers were gone, presumably taken by someone. Moreover, it had wounds all over its body, some even festering. Even though it was a miraculous Shan Zhen, the old deer was weak from age, and after being confined without food or drink for many days, it wasn’t faring well. If he couldn’t be subdued today and kept alive, then tomorrow, as his master had said, they would have to slaughter and eat it.
Li Yi’s approach caused the Eight Treasure Deer’s skin to shiver.
This shivering was very much like when he performed Skin Training.
Obviously, the deer also had the ability for Skin Training, making it really not easy to catch in the wild.
Li Yi now simply raised his hand and smacked down, Jin Qi bursting forth and neatly shattering the crude wooden cage, releasing the old deer.
"Zhao Qian said that Shan Zhen are sentient and shouldn’t be treated like ordinary beasts. I think you can understand what I’m saying. Let’s have a proper talk. How about this, I take care of your wounds and feed you, and you knock your head against the ground in acknowledgment to accept me as your master, how about that? If you refuse, you’ll be stewed tomorrow, which would be such a pity," Li Yi said while squatting in front of the Eight Treasure Deer, trying to persuade it.
Despite being intimidated by the smell of the Qiu Dragon Skin, the Eight Treasure Deer couldn’t help but shiver, yet its eyes, stubborn like an obstinate old man, refused to bow down, only laying on the ground with its eyes closed, ignoring Li Yi.
"If you don’t want to kowtow to acknowledge a master, it’s fine. Then consider me your big brother and you my little brother. I’ll look after you, how does that sound? That way you won’t be bullied or eaten, and I can also help you with food. In the future, you could continue your cultivation and possibly rejuvenate, living a few more years," Li Yi continued to persuade, increasing the stakes.
This offer seemed somewhat tempting. The Eight Treasure Deer slightly opened its eyes and looked at Li Yi, as if pondering and hesitating like a person.
Indeed, Shan Zhen did have spiritual intelligence and could understand human speech.
Seeing that there might be hope, Li Yi immediately brought over a bottle of Golden Nutrient Liquid and poured a lidful, offering it: "If you drink this cup of nutrient liquid, it counts as acknowledging me as the big brother."
The Eight Treasure Deer twitched its nose, sniffing the Golden Nutrient Liquid.
Though it didn’t know what it was, the temptation was great, and instinctively it longed to lick it, just like coming upon a valuable medicine in the wild, an inexplicable urge surged within it.
The Eight Treasure Deer remained cautious, staring at Li Yi once again.
"The path lies before you. The choice is yours," Li Yi said with a smile.
Perhaps it was the Qi Dragon Skin’s aura on Li Yi’s body subduing the deer, or maybe Li Yi’s terms moved it, or perhaps the Eight Treasure Deer just wanted to live and not end up as someone’s stew... In any case, after a moment of struggle and hesitation, the Eight Treasure Deer relented and began to extend its tongue to lick the small bowl of Golden Nutrient Liquid before it.
This was the first time the Eight Treasure Deer had eaten since being captured.
After tasting it, hunger was triggered, and the deer licked with growing vigor, quickly finishing off the bowl of Golden Nutrient Liquid.
After finishing, the Eight Treasure Deer still wasn’t satisfied and looked up at Li Yi, its eyes no longer filled with the previous hatred but a kind of pleading.
It was hungry and old, in need of the Golden Nutrient Liquid to nourish and heal.
Seeing this, Li Yi decided to be generous, got a porcelain bowl and poured a full large bowl for the Eight Treasure Deer. The amount would be enough to satisfy even him, and it should be enough to fill the old deer as well.
Seeing the nutrient liquid presented before it, the Eight Treasure Deer immediately began to gulp it down.