After quite some time of not talking and just staring at each other, making the situation very awkward, the town chief took the initiative to ask, "Eunuch Li, how may I help you?" Rong Xi really didn't know, because although he was informed that there would be some eunuch would come to his town, no one outside of the eunuch palace knows what missions the eunuchs do. It's one of their privileges and a showcase of their authority. Of course, there were other ways to get to know what which eunuch does, but at least officially, no one knew.
"Clan Head Rong Xi, I came to your humble town this time to fulfil a mission, and I would like you to cooperate with me" Ji Li answered and went back to silence 'Wow, I really am well suited for this job, I just stare at him and wait till he is awkward enough to ask, I'm like some wall he's talking to. He dislikes it but has to respond, let's see how long his patience lasts, I got a whole year. Bullshit one full year to recruit, I will recruit some I like and are obedient and then train them for the rest of the time.'
The silence and awkwardness continued, but neither stone nor monkey commented, they were used to their big bros silence tactics and knew that no one ever lost to him in this regard. And they were right, after just half an hour of silence, Rong Xi already gave up and asked while smiling wryly "Well, I am very happy to provide you with assistance, if that is within my abilities".
"I am sure you can do it. I want a map and list of every and all members of your Workshops. In actuality, just make a list of your clan, who would be easier for both of us." Ji Li replied nonchalantly.
Rong Xi was surprised and frowned when he heard what was needed. A list and map of the whole clan? Not even the regional lords ask their vassals for that! How could he give something like that to some eunuch? Even with the authority of the Eunuch Ceremonial Hall, they couldn't ask for that!
"Eunuch Li, I have to apolo-" Rong Xi wanted to reject and just leave, how could someone ask for something? How dare they? Just because he seemed nice, didn't mean he could be taken advantage of! Not once in his time as a town lord did that happen!
"Town Chief Rong Xi" Ji Li interrupted sternly "Are you not in knowledge of the current situation? Has the peace of decades weakened the dwarf's instinct? I heard that dwarfs are known to feel when there is a heightened usage of metal elements. How could you not be aware? I am not asking, neither am I proposing. I am telling you that we will cooperate."
"Intermediate Eunuch Li, this is going too far! Do you not know the contract our king has signed with the emperor of the past? How dare you try to-" He was once again interrupted.
"How can you speak of a contract that is centuries old? How dare you speak like that to an Intermediate Eunuch! This is not the humans acting against the dwarfs! This is-" after interrupting the town chief, Qianyu was interrupted by Ji Li who raised his hand.
"Town Chief, how can you make such accusations? I am an Intermediate Eunuch talking to an Imperial Official, is that wrong? Have you forgotten your position; shall I remind you? The contract strictly states that the dwarves will treat equally like any and all resident of the empire, do you have rebellious thoughts? If that is the case, then I shall use my right as an Intermediate Eunuch to call the court for a judgement!"
"No! I apologize for my behaviour, oh esteemed eunuch" Rong Xi fell to his knees, his forehead sweating intensely. If a eunuch called forth the court, then the criminal would be imprisoned before he could explain himself. Worst is that the criminal's family would be grounded and is not allowed to leave their homes! The whole town his ancestors worked so hard to rebuild would be under arrest!
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"Hmph, do you think that Eunuch Li needs your apology?" Shixuan hinted the town chief, who understood and kowtowed as he replied.
"I apologize, esteemed eunuch! I will directly make a list and map and deliver it personally!"
Ji Li looked sternly as he said "Qianyu, serve the town chief tea before you send him out. We are not some people who are impolite to our guests, now are we?" Ji Li went deeper into the garden, as he was still close to the entrance, and he wanted to look deeper. Shixuan followed him while Qianyu took some tea ware from his sleeves, filled a teacup put it down in front of Rong Xi, who sniffed shortly when he smelled a weird smell.
What he smelled was a medical plant that was a pretty known one, as many people of advanced age would use it for a cleaner day to day life. The bad thing was that the whole tea was made of the plant, making the tea a very high dosage of laxatives itself! He smiled wryly as he drunk the tea in one gulp before he rushed out, sweat and a bit blood streaming down his forehead as the ground was a bit broken and slightly red.
Qianyu checked the entrance, opened and told the steward outside "When he comes later, just leave them in the room above and don't bother" afterwards he closed the door and used the formation door. Once he was sure everything was done, he immediately relaxed and hopped towards where Ji Li left. When he arrived, he saw how a flower that wasn't opened suddenly bloomed and a nice smell came over before the flower seemed frozen in time.
"Big brother! Did you do that? Woaaaaah! Is this your ability? Oh, I told them to just put the information into your room, was that right? And don't worry, I closed the door and put a silence formation, so no one will hear! Aghhh I hate this silence and being so wishy washy with what we have to do! I wish I could just throw them around the room until they just did and left! He's so strong, I bet you want to fight him, don't you, Shixuan?" Qianyu said excitedly.
"Of course! I think he's peak, what do you say big brother? If I fight him, how much of a chance do you have? And your ability is so cool! The ice looks so dangerous, exactly like you! You are like a bloomed and ice flower that will kill anyone who dares to touch you! Didn't you once say, "Every rose has thorns?" Shixuan also replied excitedly, before he was smacked on his head, which cause a small bump before the place froze and a rose grew where he was hit.
"No, you are a stupid rose! That's something you say about aged women who look like beautiful roses but can prick you at moments notice! Go try out and tell a beautiful, aged woman how old she is, and see how fast you are beaten into a bulb" Ji Li was upset being called a rose! How was he a rose? He was clearly a bloody cold vine that froze you the moment someone came close! "You can try fight him and instantly get shot away! Worst case he can just flee away from us, and we wouldn't be able to hold him here! The only reason he stayed is because he has a clan, the same we would do if the Eunuch Palace was at danger. He is barely a step away from the Talent Refining stage. Because we use Nature's Gift, our talent awakens the moment we become Essence Awakeners, but for others they awaken when they enter the Talent Refining Stage.
For us, we just strengthen our talent and foundation, which is why we usually call it the Foundation Building stage. Unlike others, we don't get something new during this stage, but that is also a benefit because we have more time to stabilize our cultivation without having any pressure to go to the next stage. Why do you think we are called the strongest in our stage? Anyways, why don't you both just chill and stabilize your cultivation? You just entered Peak Body Strengthening Stage a few days ago and are not ready to advance at all, so speak not of fighting anyone a whole stage above you!
My Talent is called 'Winter Bloom' which enables me to make flowers grow fast and freeze them. Right now, I don't know how good it is, but I can feel that once the flowers are at the highest point and freeze, then the zone around the flower is very cold and dense in Essence. It's like a domain of ice, which is very useful as domain is normally a high cultivation ability. Additionally, to that, the flowers can be used to freeze people if they come into contract with their body. But the best thing is that I can consume the flowers, as they have the same effect as Essence Stones and they are very strong in the wood and ice element, perfectly fit for me and others of these two elements. I can't keep them longer than a few minutes right now, but I think that later on, I will be able to make them permanent. I think the ability isn't only focused on flowers, but I only have the power to grow flowers fast right now. Although it's not the strongest right now, I can feel that in the future, it will spike very much. Anyways, I'm in no rush, and so should y'all!"