Chapter 938: Chapter 2: The Hardships and Riches of the Western Regions, Grand Aspirations and a Compassionate Heart
In that instant, Li Guanyi felt the atmosphere solidify around him. The people dressed in Western Region attire had their hands on the hilts of their swords, faces filled with vigilance, as Li Guanyi looked at the ancient artifact reduced to dust at his feet.
It needs compensation, how much money will it take...
Li Guanyi looked at the Western Region samurais holding their knives, a smile on his face. He steadied himself, holding Yao Guang with one hand while gripping the Fierce Tiger Sky Shouting Halberd with his right hand. This exaggeratedly heavy weapon glinted coldly in the moonlight, and Li Guanyi spoke:
"We are wandering merchants from the Central Plains, caught in a tornado. When the desert storm stopped, our goods were scattered, and the two of us were thrown here."
This was the Tuyuhun language of the Western Region, taught to Li Guanyi through intensive training due to his strong primordial spirit.
The people of the Western Region tribes exchanged glances, speaking for a while, but Li Guanyi couldn’t quite understand. He twitched his forehead; in the Jiangnan region, there are many dialects and variations, but at least people from the Central Plains can understand the official language.
Here in the Western Regions, even the language is a problem.
Li Guanyi realized he had underestimated the complexity of the Western Region.
Many of the great heroes of the Western Regions are celebrated in ancient epics. For a long time, they lacked their own writing and records. Three hundred years ago, Tuyuhun unified the Western Regions, but failed to imprint a unified mark like in the Central Plains.
Neither the writing nor the language achieved complete unification.
Li Guanyi felt a tap on his palm. Looking down, the silver-haired girl gently patted his hand. Li Guanyi let go, and Yao Guang lightly hopped, landing steadily on the ground.
Then she moved behind Li Guanyi.
Standing on a large stone, she tiptoed, pressing her cool, white fingers on both sides of Li Guanyi’s Sun Acupoint. She softly chanted, and a refreshing sensation flowed from Li Guanyi’s brow.
Previously, the Western Region’s chatter seemed chaotic, but suddenly it became clear.
Li Guanyi understood the words.
"What is this Central Plains person saying?!"
"It sounds like he said he’s a deity descended from the heavens?"
"Nonsense, are you saying Central Plains people can fly now? Did he fly here from the Central Plains?!"
Li Guanyi spoke: "Everyone."
When he spoke, the mystical skills allowed everyone to understand his words. The tribe members were startled, a clanging sound resonated as they drew their curved knives. Facing their hostility, Li Guanyi swept the Fierce Tiger Sky Shouting Halberd across the ground, leaving a trace behind.
Then he pointed to the shattered ancestor artifact there.
The young man, upright and resolute, yet shamelessly declared those two words.
"I’ll pay!"
Thus, the hostility was dissolved.
...
"Here, have a drink..."
In somewhat imperfect Tuyuhun official language, Li Guanyi thanked and accepted a slightly rough pottery cup. It contained cow and sheep’s milk, slightly salty in taste. Across from him was a girl younger than Li Guanyi and Yao Guang.
She wore Western Region style clothes, had a curved knife at her waist, and her skin was a bronze hue. One side of her black hair was tied with blue and red threads. This girl was one of the few in the tribe who could speak Tuyuhun official language, said: "You, from, where?"
Li Guanyi replied: "Central Plains, we are merchants."
"We just encountered a storm."
The girl named Saatanati made an acknowledging sound, though her expression clearly showed doubt. Li Guanyi used a Mo Family mechanism to release a flame, indicating his position to the rest of the Heavenly Strategy Mansion.
When the Ancient Red Dragon dropped people, it sent them with flowing wind.
It ensured an overall proximity but wasn’t precise enough.
Yao Guang took out her small wooden cup from the package, trying a little of the Western Region sheep’s milk. Meanwhile, a bearded man with two curved knives at his waist strode over aggressively, saying: "You said you would compensate; how will you compensate?"
Saatanati tried to speak but was pressed on the shoulder by this man.
This man had furrowed eyebrows and loudly declared: "This is our ancestor artifact, used by our forebears when they roamed this land, birthed in water and fire while Tuyuhun was still Buddha Slave."
"For us, it holds great significance and value."
"You shattered them, these are as important to us as our kin and ancestors..."
Li Guanyi thought for a moment, reached into his clothing, and took out a small pouch.
It contained things entrusted to Li Guanyi by the Miss from Changfeng Building. When opened, it revealed a handful of golden beans, shimmering with a golden glow under the moonlight.
Li Guanyi asked: "Is it enough?"
The man’s name was Batuer, meaning warrior, hero.
Li Guanyi’s action rendered him speechless.
With a beard and two curved swords, the man hesitated for a long time, his rugged face turning red, then gritted his teeth, extended his hand into Li Guanyi’s pouch, and took out a portion.
He counted and then returned part of it, leaving just a small amount.
He muttered: "Enough, enough!"
Li Guanyi, looking at the golden beans, grimaced with heartache. Just arrived in the Western Regions, nothing had been accomplished yet, and such a loss had occurred. Still, he put away the remaining golden beans, gaining significant favor from the tribe.
"Central Plains person, wandering merchant, Golden Pearl!"
Batuer, counting the golden pearls, called back the elders who were supposed to stay by the lake, whispering: "A Central Plains person fallen from the sky with golden pearls, a blessing from the Heavenly God. He brought golden pearls, and now you can journey further on this land."