Chapter 193 - 189: He Seems to Be Sick

The one-day promise no longer mattered.

From that day on, Long Yi sought out Nan Zishi for food every single day.

Besides meat, Nan Zishi also introduced him to various fruits.

They ate them raw, roasted, and dipped in sauces.

She even made him vegetable dishes.

However, Long Yi clearly preferred meat.

So Nan Zishi prepared meat in all sorts of ways: pan-fried, deep-fried, stewed, braised, and more.

She successfully hooked Long Yi, who now came looking for her meat dishes every day.

Long Yi was generous in return. Every time he came to see Nan Zishi, he would bring the finest ingredients or other small gifts for her.

Eventually, the aroma of Nan Zishi’s food attracted another person—a handsome female looking to score a free meal.

"What smells so good?"

It was Shi Ling, a female from the Golden Lion tribe, with a cool and handsome look that made Nan Zishi’s eyes sparkle.

Most females in the Beast World were pampered and delicate. This was the first time Nan Zishi had seen such a cool, dashing woman like Shi Ling.

Nan Zishi, ever the friendly one, asked, "Want some?"

"Yes! And don’t worry, I won’t let you lose out. I’ll bring you things in return!"

And so, Nan Zishi gained another female freeloader.

After their meals, both Long Yi and Shi Ling would accompany Nan Zishi around Ten Thousand Beasts City.

Long Yi and Shi Ling didn’t seem to get along very well; they tended to bicker whenever they met.

Nan Zishi would play the peacemaker.

Gradually, this triangular relationship stabilized and continued for some time.

A beastman cub was stuck in a tree, unable to get down. Nan Zishi climbed up and rescued it.

The beastman cubs cheered.

A beastman collapsed on the street from heatstroke. Nan Zishi rushed over, dragged them into the shade, and revived them by pressing on their philtrum.

The beastman cheered for Nan Zishi.

A beastman merchant was struggling with his accounts. Nan Zishi stepped in and quickly did all the calculations for him in a flash.

The beastman merchant cheered for Nan Zishi.

Just when Long Yi thought that Nan Zishi, a beastman who hadn’t even awakened her powers, would struggle to survive...

...he saw her selling the cooked hot pot meat she’d made.

She would buy a cut of meat for ten Beast Teeth, turn it into ten platters of cooked meat, and sell them for a total of one hundred Beast Teeth.

Soon, she had accumulated a great number of Beast Teeth.

It was more than enough to buy even more meat.

The most interesting events were the Wise Man symposiums held every few days.

Nan Zishi would drag Long Yi and Shi Ling along to watch. Afterward, she would share her own insights from the sidelines, and sometimes she would even go on stage to debate with the Wise Men.

When she explained her ideas, Long Yi felt like she was glowing.

And just like that, the name of Zhi Nan the Sage became famous throughout Ten Thousand Beasts City!

She not only integrated seamlessly into Ten Thousand Beasts City as a Wise Man but also gained a large following of devotees.

She even hit it off with the High Priest and the City Lord.

Ying Li asked, "What’s been going on with the High Priest lately?"

The Priests of the Priest Hall replied, "The High Priest and Zhi Nan the Sage have a mutual admiration. The City Lord is also very fond of that Wise Man. He probably went to find him."

Ying Li was speechless. "...Right."

As the Priests left, they added, "The partnership agreement between the High Priest and the City Lord is probably in jeopardy."

"I get the feeling City Lord Shi Ling likes Zhi Nan the Sage."

"Zhi Nan the Sage is young, full of life, and wise. Who wouldn’t like him?"

"It’s true. Such a special and spirited young male."

At a Wise Man symposium, a beastman was roaring in anger.

"He says his meat weighs the same as mine and wants to trade. But how is that possible? I’ve hefted them both, and mine is obviously heavier! If you don’t believe me, come and try it yourselves!"

Several beastmen stepped forward, using both hands to test the weight of the two cuts of meat.

"They feel about the same to me."

"The one on the left is heavier."

"I think the one on the right is heavier."

Then the two beastmen turned to the Wise Men and asked, "So, tell us, which one is actually heavier?"

In a barter economy, disputes often arose from the lack of a proper measurement system. Today’s argument was a perfect example of this.

Shi Ling casually draped an arm around her neck. "Zhinan, got any ideas?"

The look in Long Yi’s eyes instantly darkened.

"There are lots of ways," Nan Zishi said. "The most common is a balance scale. Once you have a balance, you can make a proper scale and standard weights. Trading would be much easier with those."

"A balance, a scale, and weights?" Long Yi nonchalantly removed Shi Ling’s arm from Nan Zishi’s shoulders.

’Shi Ling is a female. What does it look like, being so handsy with a handsome young male in public?’

Long Yi completely forgot that he couldn’t care less when Shi Ling got close to other males.

"That’s right." Nan Zishi clapped her hands and grinned. "Yi, Ling, just watch me. I’ll solve this."

"Alright."

Just as everyone was at a loss, Nan Zishi took the stage.

"Zhi Nan the Sage!!"

"It’s the Great Sage Zhinan!!"

"Oh my god, I’m his biggest fan! He’s amazing!!!"

Nan Zishi strode confidently onto the stage and smiled. "I have a way to determine which piece of meat is heavier."

"Go, Lord Zhinan!!"

"Great Sage Zhinan, I’m your most loyal follower!!!"

The other Wise Men, seeing it was Nan Zishi, gathered around, curious to see how she would solve the problem.

"Hold on, I need to find a few things first."

Nan Zishi found a rock to use as a fulcrum and placed it in the center. Then, she found a straight stick of uniform thickness to act as the beam. After balancing the stick on the fulcrum to find its exact center, she carved a small notch and set it upon the stone.

Next, she took two thin vines and tied them to the beam at equal distances from the center, repeatedly adjusting them until they hung in perfect balance.

Finally, she placed one piece of meat in each of the vine loops at either end of the balance.

As a result, one side of the beam sank while the other rose.

Nan Zishi announced, "The side that goes down is heavier, and the side that goes up is lighter!"

Nan Zishi’s method was simple and easy to grasp. Even without any knowledge of physics, all the beastmen understood.

The entire crowd erupted in cheers, absolutely ecstatic!

"Great Sage! Great Sage! Great Sage!"

"Great Sage Zhinan! Great Sage Zhinan!!!"

Her face flushed, Nan Zishi squeezed out from the cheering crowd and ran to Long Yi and Shi Ling. Grabbing one with each hand, she pulled them into a run.

"Run! They’re too enthusiastic! I can’t handle it!!!"

As he ran, Long Yi glanced down at the hand she was holding.

’Her hand... it’s softer than I imagined.’

By a small river, Nan Zishi waded barefoot in the water.

Long Yi nearly held his breath watching this "little male" splash around in the river, her mouth chattering away.

"Once we make standard weights, you can just put the weights on one side of the balance and the object on the other. Then you can find out the exact weight of anything."

"That way, bartering in Ten Thousand Beasts City will be much more accurate."

’It’s so strange. An ordinary little beastman with no Beast Pattern, shining so brightly just because of her intelligence.’

’The way she walks onto the Wise Man’s stage, solves problems, and discusses things with the other Wise Men... she’s so dazzling.’

’So many people watch her, so many people adore her.’

’How does she do it? Is there any beastman who doesn’t like her?’

’I want to keep watching her, watching her shine.’

’I think I’m sick.’

’As the High Priest of the Beast World, I have no right to be afflicted by such a sickness.’

’Should I return to my own path? I need to calmly consider my future.’