Chapter 879: Chapter 875: Just a Slip of the Hand
After doing some quick math and converting the fine by exchange rate, he realized it came out to almost exactly ten thousand yuan. Xiao Tian really couldn’t help but shake his head in admiration—just judging by this move alone, the boss running this place really was a goddamn genius!
"Then we’ll give up on this attraction."
This time, it was Xiao Tian who spoke, because he was really worried that Xiang Yiting’s emotions would flare up again, so he could only be the one to step in and handle the talking.
"Sure, no problem!"
To his surprise, the boatman agreed very readily this time. But both Xiao Tian and Xiang Yiting understood perfectly well that it was way too early to be relieved—they had to hear the other side out to the end.
Sure enough, the next sentence followed immediately: "According to scenic area regulations, you’ll need to sign a voluntary waiver for this service, and at the same time pay a deposit of over 1,000 US Dollars. The deposit will be refunded three months after your trip ends."
At this point, Xiao Tian was too exhausted to even complain. He didn’t need to think about it to know that once that so‑called deposit was paid, the odds of actually getting it back were under one percent.
"Alright, I’ll take that option."
As he spoke, Xiao Tian took out the jade cup from the drawer. The boatman in front caught sight of it, and his eyes lit up with a grin, the icy expression on his face easing noticeably.
His face might be wearing a smile, but his mind had already started spinning at full speed. Such a plump cash cow, and such a gentle, compliant cash cow at that—if he didn’t shear a few extra layers of wool off him, he’d feel like he was letting himself down.
As for Xiang Yiting, she was naturally very unhappy with Xiao Tian’s move. But at this point whatever she said would be too late, so she could only focus all her attention on stabilizing her emotions.
A moment later, seeing Xiang Yiting with her eyes half‑closed and her lips moving slightly as though silently reciting something, Xiao Tian couldn’t help sharpening his hearing, only to pick up something like the Calming Mantra.
That part was easy enough to understand. For someone like Xiang Yiting whose emotions tended to swing wildly, yet who absolutely could not allow big mood swings, it was only natural to study some scriptures or mantras that could calm the mind and settle the spirit.
The only thing Xiao Tian couldn’t figure out was that as Xiang Yiting silently chanted, a faint ripple of energy seemed to emanate from her body.
The fluctuation was extremely weak. If not for sheer coincidence, even Xiao Tian would never have been able to detect it so easily!
What’s more, the intermittent, on‑and‑off fluctuation coming from Xiang Yiting wasn’t the same as ordinary True Qi, nor was it the kind of aura that naturally radiates from a treasure.
If he had to label it, he could only categorize it as a type of energy fluctuation, something that existed somewhere between the material and the immaterial.
However, Xiao Tian wasn’t fully confident he hadn’t sensed wrong, because that faint fluctuation lasted only for an instant. The moment passed and it was gone, and no matter how he pushed his Perception Power, he couldn’t pick it up again, as if it had never appeared at all.
Of course, Xiao Tian didn’t intend to dwell on it.
Generally speaking, it wasn’t impossible for ordinary people to have energy fluctuations on them, it was just that without the right guidance, they didn’t stand out.
Besides, even if there really was some special energy fluctuation on Xiang Yiting like the one he had just sensed, it was so weak that it’d be hard for it to do anything anyway, so he didn’t pay it too much mind.
...
"We’re here!"
As the oars in the boatman’s hands stopped moving, their destination for this trip was finally reached.
Jolted awake, Xiang Yiting lifted her wrist and glanced at her delicate little watch, her brows instantly knitting together as if she wanted to say something but held it back.
Xiao Tian of course knew what she was worried about. They’d agreed on a half‑hour meeting time, and it was about to be up, yet they had only reached the center of Confucian Spring. It would take time to get back too, so of course she was anxious.
Knowing this, Xiao Tian had no intention of stopping to admire the scenery. He picked up the jade cup from the drawer and scooped up a full cup of spring water from the constantly rippling surface beside him.
At a glance, the spring water in the jade cup was crystal clear, not a single impurity visible. It really did look a lot nicer than ordinary drinking water.
Of course, he couldn’t rule out the psychological factor either. After spending that much money, if it tasted just like regular drinking water, anyone would feel ripped off.
He brought the cup to his lips and took a small sip. A sweet taste bloomed on his tongue, and as the water slid down his throat, he immediately focused his mind, carefully probing with his senses, wholeheartedly experiencing its mysteries.
A moment later, Xiao Tian took another big gulp. A wonderfully refreshing sensation spread through his entire body, all the way to his limbs and bones. Even the True Qi in his meridians seemed to gain a bit more vitality. It was honestly a few hundred times better than those so‑called mineral waters.
Right now, if someone said the locals owed their longevity to the water from Confucian Spring, Xiao Tian was actually kind of inclined to believe it.
Granted, for experts who could use True Qi to regulate their bodies internally, this water wasn’t that big of a deal. But for ordinary people, it was an absolutely major boon!
"Do people around here drink this water regularly?" Xiao Tian asked while fiddling with the jade cup in his hand.
When there was no reply for a long while, Xiao Tian chuckled softly, pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket, and tossed it with perfect accuracy at the boatman on the bow, who was currently staring up at the sky with a "I didn’t hear anything" expression.
The next second, the boatman froze for a moment, then turned around and snapped, "What’s that supposed to mean? We never take money from guests." But as he spoke, his eyes darted around and he started furiously winking at Xiao Tian.
After carefully scanning the surroundings and noticing the cameras hidden in the dark, Xiao Tian gave him a knowing smile, took the money back and said, "My bad, slipped out of my hand."
Then he deliberately shifted to an angle where the cameras couldn’t see, and calmly slipped the money back to the boatman.
After pocketing the tip, the boatman’s mood clearly improved. He answered, "What were you asking just now? Oh right, you wanted to know if people here all drink this water, right?"
"On that point, I don’t think I even need to say anything. After what just happened, you can see it for yourself, can’t you?" The boatman gave a self‑mocking smile. "To tell you the truth, the water here’s been monopolized by several big forces for a long time. Only people like the royal family and the Mizuno Clan get to enjoy it."
"Besides, this water’s also special supply for state banquets. Ordinary folks have no chance of drinking it."
Hearing this, Xiao Tian couldn’t help asking in puzzlement, "But they say this place is a famous ’land of longevity,’ right? If those long‑lived people can’t drink this water, how are they supposed to stay that way?"
As soon as he finished, the other man looked at him like he was an idiot. "That kind of line only works on you out‑of‑towners. The so‑called ’land of longevity’ is basically just a gimmick cooked up by the developers and investors together."
"Then with the media and the internet hyping it up like crazy, of course it blew up. As long as it draws people here, there’s money to be made. Whether it’s real or fake, who the hell bothers to care?"
