Chapter 328: The Will of Fire Still Wasn't Recognized

The man turned and left, as if he had made some kind of determination, and never looked back at him again.

"Leaving" in the dictionary is explained as separating from a person or a place, and at that moment, Lin Li understood what it meant to leave.

"Brother, I'm not sick!" Lin Li shouted.

But the man's footsteps became more and more hurried.

However, fortunately, he had just dropped the cigarette butt.

Lin Li picked up the cigarette butt and pressed it on his arm. The stinging pain of the burning made his arm pause slightly.

Just as expected, since the other attributes before could have progress, then he burned himself like this, and "Fire" indeed rose, but it also rose very, very little.

Lin Li threw away the cigarette butt and crushed it, then used 【Healing】 to start healing the few scars burned on his arm.

【Healing】 was growing with the effect of his strength. Now it was no longer the negligible ability that even bruises had to be eliminated several times.

After three days of separation, one should look at each other with new eyes. 【Healing】 was no longer the trash ability he first knew in September; it was now the trash ability of November.

—Now bruises and the like could be eliminated in one go.

The newly born burn scars quickly faded to the point where they couldn't be seen without careful inspection. Another time and it would be restored as before.

Lin Li felt that with this ability, he was quite suitable to take a bottle of Monster energy drink, cut his wrists, and take od pills to become a visual-kei landmine man.

In stereotypes, I've heard that as long as you aren't afraid of a 'landmine girl' self-destructing or haunting you like a ghost, this circle is easy to screw around in.

It is a very authoritative and very worthwhile circle to join—emphasize again, it is a stereotype.

Withdrawing his thoughts, Lin Li picked up the crushed cigarette butt on the ground and threw it into the trash can.

Although the progress of "Fire" rose, the degree of its rise was about the same as the progress of "Water" during the ice water shower, far slower than swimming and moving bricks.

That is to say, he would have to be burned by cigarette butts like this tens of thousands of times to complete "Fire."

【Healing】 couldn't even heal it. Even if the fire resistance reward arrived, it wasn't very realistic to complete the mission like this. He still had to find another way.

Sigh, the people of Xiling are really uncultured.

Lin Li had just called that funeral home again, asking in very polite language if they really didn't accept orders for burning living people, but was scolded as a big idiot.

Lin Li wasn't angry about being scolded as a big idiot before, but being scolded as a Korean, he really couldn't bear it.

He wished he could take off his pants and swing them through the phone to the opposite side, telling him that he was not short at all.

But the person on the funeral home side said after listening, "Sorry, sir, you misunderstood. I didn't mean you were short."

Then he popularized for Lin Li that the Korean star Ma Dong-seok had already changed his nationality to American, so there was no Ma Dong-seok in Korea now.

And when he said Lin Li was a Korean, he was just scolding Lin Li for also having no Ma Dong-seok.

He didn't say Lin Li was short.

Oh, oh, then it was indeed a misunderstanding.

Misunderstandings are fine once they are explained. Arguing at the grave and making up at the end of the grave, Lin Li and the funeral home reconciled.

—Although the funeral home still refused to accept the order to burn Lin Li.

Sighing, Lin Li wrote this sentence in a memo titled "Need to secretly memorize in the quilt at 4 AM," and would find an opportunity to use it on Bai Bufan tomorrow.

Driving school.

【Mission 2: Comprehend the mysteries of the five elements, seek to temper yourself with the power of the five elements (1/5)】

Through using the "Thunder-Containing Seed" for these few hours, "Wood" was completed.

Lin Li's car was parked on the side of the road. He was in the driver's seat, holding a spirit stone in his left hand to absorb it, and holding his phone in his right hand to browse Taobao.

Magic fire paper, fire stoves, igniters, warm babies, dripping wax, fire extinguishers, all ordered!

Swimming is the strengthening of Water, these are the strengthening of Fire!

For the mission, for Daoist Shanqing's warmth, he had to become a "burning goods"!

Burning up.

Looking at the time, unknowingly, it was almost 10 PM.

Just in time for the new class period to be finished, Lin Li drove the car back to the garage, waiting for the final face scan to be completed.

Today's study time was about done here.

Xiren Driving School provided night training, and it wasn't a "money private lesson" given to him by Coach Yu. There were not a few people practicing driving at this time. Not wanting to disturb others, after telling Yu Jianan on his phone, Lin Li hailed a taxi to the market night market.

Arrived at Pinglu Street.

Pinglu could be considered a relatively remote area in Xiling. There was a Jade Belt River nearby, and relying on the flat terrain by the river, it was also one of the reasons why this place had always been chosen as the market fair location.

In the night, thousands of tent lights spread from the heart of the stone-paved street to the river beach, and then climbed and grew along the winding river, and one couldn't see the end at a glance. The later the stall owners came, the further the position of the stalls they set up was from the street.

But breaking away from the restrictions of the street was the real market night market.

The LED light strings of the new era and the retro red lanterns wove complex light paths by the river.

The stalls were varied, and you could also see inflatable castles and merry-go-rounds for children to play with. Eating, drinking, and playing, everything was available.

There was also a stage that was being built and almost completed; it should be the venue for tomorrow's performance.

Although it was already 10 PM, which counted as "late night" in this small town of Xiling, this side was brightly lit at this moment, and there were still quite a few people strolling and eating, very lively.

Lin Li wasn't here to stroll. If he finished strolling now, what would he stroll with everyone tomorrow?

Lin Li, who had his own purpose, just ran forward along the movement line drawn by the stalls.

Arrived at the end.

"This position, feels about right," Lin Li looked at the opposite bank of the Jade Belt River and muttered to himself.

Because it was already far from the street, this side was slightly desolate. If it weren't for the market fair today, it was feared that no one would come here at ordinary times. The ground wasn't flat, and further away, weeds were overgrown, and one could hear the calls of birds, crickets, and frogs.

Not to mention the opposite bank of the river, it was almost a piece of darkness.

I have a rough idea in my heart.

Very good, time to go home and prepare to have a good time tomorrow; tasks and such can go to hell first.

Ride-hailing cars don't drive in here very well, and it's troublesome to explain to the driver where I am later, so Lin Li walked back.

"Pat."

While running, he kicked something. Lin Li stopped his pace and saw a wallet he had just kicked away.

He stepped forward to pick it up. There wasn't much cash in the wallet—just one hundred-yuan bill, one fifty-yuan bill, a few coins left, and several bank cards or membership cards.

He rummaged through it but didn't find any identification information.

Lin Li, with a net worth of forty million, naturally wouldn't covet these trinkets. He closed the wallet and walked toward a roadside stall, asking gently:

"Ma'am, do you know where the lost and found office is around here?"

Although the night market is something that remained through convention, it still requires official approval and management now, so there must be a place like a lost and found office.

"Lost and found? Probably over at the neighborhood office, but I'm not sure. Why don't you go take a look yourself?" The stall owner frowned and thought for a while before pointing in a direction and answering uncertainly.

"Okay, okay, thank you, ma'am."

The stall owner wasn't wrong; although it was very sloppy, there was indeed a newly posted 'Lost and Found' sign here.

"Uncle, I just found this wallet near the 300 block on the street. I don't know who lost it, so I'm leaving it here. Could you help me find the owner?" After reaching the window, Lin Li passed the wallet through the small opening.

"Understood, leave it here. I'll thank you on behalf of the owner." The staff member nodded, took it, and said to Lin Li with a smile.

"No problem."

Lin Li waved his hand indifferently and turned to leave.

Then he paused his steps.

——The "Metal" of Task Two had moved again.

Eh?

The original progress for "Metal" was almost non-existent, but just a moment ago, it jumped up a notch.

Of course, it was good news, but Lin Li, whose task had progress, was completely bewildered.

Your mom.

What kind of "Metal" tempering is this?

Yes, returning lost property is indeed resisting the temptation of money, but how can the "Metal" in the Five Elements be the metal of money?

Lin Li was shocked and didn't understand.

System, you damn technician not looking for HR—you're not acting like a human.

After being stunned for a while, Lin Li had a complex expression.

Regardless... it finally gave him a direction. Lin Li put his phone, which he had already opened the ride-hailing app on, back into his pocket and looked toward the night market.

"Uncle, I just found this wallet, phone, clothes, and backpack at 447 Pinglu Street. Leaving them here." Lin Li appeared at the window again.

"Found more? People these days really don't look after their own things. This person even more so, how can they be so careless to lose so much? Alright, leave it here! Thank you."

The staff member looked slightly surprised, then nodded and complained, hating that the person didn't live up to expectations.

When the light at the window was blocked by an object, the staff member looked up and saw it was Lin Li again; he was stunned for a moment.

Lin Li giggled: "Uncle, I just found a five-yuan bill by the river. Leaving it here."

"Eh? Five, five yuan?" Hearing this, the staff member was stunned a second time.

To be honest, for five yuan, even if the owner realized they lost it, they would most likely not come here to look for it and would just accept their bad luck, right?

But never mind, it was the good intention of this young man who was skilled at finding things. The staff member still nodded with a smile:

"Okay, you can leave it here."

When the staff member looked up and discovered it was Lin Li's handsome but somewhat punchable face again, his mouth twitched.

how: how; are: are; you: you.

howareyou?: why is it you.

howtmoldareyou!!: why the fuck is it always you!!

"Child... what did you find this time?"

Lin Li poured several coins onto the small platform at the window, clatter-clatter, and then enthusiastically introduced:

"Uncle, here are four one-yuan coins and one fifty-cent coin, found at number 90 and 305 respectively, and another one about a hundred meters from the alley entrance..."

Although Lin Li knew them like the back of his hand.

The staff member wanted to set him up.

"(; o_o)?"

"Child," the staff member's expression was complex, "... for this kind of money, Uncle thinks, why don't you just keep it and use it yourself? It doesn't matter, you don't have to turn it in to me, everyone understands..."

The little bastard, right in front of him, one of the coins Lin Li gave him was covered in dirt stains.

This was obviously thrown in the dirt for a long time; how did this kid find this money?

Did he turn the whole ground over?

Is this kid treating himself as a joke, deliberately coming to torture him?

"How can that be." However, Lin Li shook his head upon hearing this, staring at the staff member. Although his words were calm, they were much more serious:

"Uncle, returning lost property is a virtue. Do not refrain from a small good deed, and do not commit a small evil deed.

The song 'I Found a Penny on the Road' is sung by all of us. Finding property that doesn't belong to you, no matter how much, cannot be kept as your own!

This is not a question of the amount; this is a question of principle.

Uncle, your words, are they worthy of your status as a Young Pioneer! Are they worthy of your red scarf!"

Staff member: "..."

How old am I, and I'm still wearing a red scarf.

"It's my thinking that had a problem, I'm sorry..." But these words were too dazzling; the staff member didn't dare to look Lin Li in the eye or argue, and lowered his head in shame, "... give me the money, I'll register it all."

"That's right~" Lin Li was gratified.

A few minutes later, when he saw Lin Li appear not far away again, the staff member looked dead inside. He sighed first, then braced his spirit, put on a smile, and asked after Lin Li approached:

"Child, what did you find this time?"

Lin Li seemed to be stunned for a moment, then spread out his hands: "I found two cigarette butts and a plastic bottle. Uncle, do you want them?"

Staff member: "(; o_o)?"

Hey! Wait!

"Child! We are a lost and found office, not a garbage recycling center! You giving us this is disrupting our work! Let's see what you can argue now! I really can't take it anymore!"

The staff member was suddenly somewhat excited, stood up, pressed his hands on the table, and shouted at Lin Li excitedly.

He had been suspicious all along, but never found an opportunity!

Now he finally found a handle, and it was his turn to stand on the moral high ground and attack this kid!

"Ah? I know that, of course. I definitely didn't intend to give them to you. I was looking for a trash can to throw them away. Look, this trash can." Lin Li was even more confused, his words sounding innocent.

And his brows gradually furrowed, his gaze looking at the staff member becoming increasingly strange, full of confusion and bewilderment, and even concern.

Staff member: "... o_o."

"Haha, haha, ha, i-is that so." Besides an awkward laugh, the staff member didn't know what to do for a moment.

The smile gradually turned into despair.

Fuck, how embarrassing.

"I'm going to the bathroom."

Boom, the window of the lost and found office was closed, and the curtains were drawn.

And Lin Li shrugged his shoulders with a look of surprise, threw the cigarette butts into the trash can, clapped his hands to remove the dust, and called for a car home again.

He never thought about messing with the staff member, and just now wasn't intentional either.

It's just that there aren't that many people in this world losing things at the same time.

Furthermore, in this day and age, only very small children and very old people use cash. As for more precious things like mobile phones—many people wouldn't even lose their phones if they lost their children.

And as long as someone sees the property on the ground before him, regardless of whether that person intends to return it or keep it, it has no intersection with him.

The second wave being able to find that phone, wallet, and clothes was already a very low-probability event.

Lin Li really could only find and turn in those small coins and small-denomination bills afterward.

As for the round of searching he just went back for, it was simply a complete failure, but as the saying goes, a thief doesn't leave empty-handed, so Lin Li, upholding the attitude of a good person doing good deeds, picked up two cigarette butts, which counted as protecting the environment.

These efforts, of course, still had rewards.

In the car, Lin Li began to review the results just now.

Returning lost property can satisfy the "Metal" required in the task, and it is not limited to specific money. As long as one resists the temptation to keep these valuable items as one's own, it counts as conducting and passing the tempering.

Nowadays, the progress bar has already moved one-sixth. When turning in the clothes and phone, there was still progress, and the vast majority of the progress was gained in this step.

The higher the value, the faster the progress increases.

As for those four-point-five yuan in coins, they were better than nothing.

That is to say, if someone were careless enough to lose one hundred million in cash in front of Lin Li, as long as Lin Li returned it, "Metal" could probably be completed instantly.

But this opportunity is probably not easy to encounter.

Lin Li looked at the task.

The training method truly related to the metal element has unsatisfactory completion progress, yet the abstract metal has fast progress.

Is the orthodox method unsatisfactory because, from the perspective of a cultivator, these elemental powers seem too childish for cultivation?

If so, following this logic, will the other four attributes also have abstract but fast ways to complete this task?

"Wood" has already been completed, and there are still "Water," "Fire," and "Earth."

Then he suddenly took out his phone and opened Naruto.

"I want to top up all forty million into Naruto!"

"Watashi! This is my own Will of Fire!"

The task didn't pay any attention to him.

Lin Li played two arena matches and touched the opponent's head, but it was still useless.

Lin Li went to look at some borderline bloggers.

However, facing the temptation of these sluts, Lin Li clearly didn't get tempted by his firm Dao heart, but the system's "Fire" was still like the belly of a wife whose husband inherited infertility—completely motionless.

Forget it, if you deliberately plant flowers, they won't bloom; if you unintentionally plant a willow, it might get pregnant.

This thing doesn't feel like it can be tested in a moment.

Because he had been a patrol dog back and forth in Pinglu, it was already approaching midnight. Feeling sleepy, Lin Li returned home and went to sleep immediately.

The next day, Saturday.

Lin Li was at home practicing the spiritual energy chapter of the Eight-Section Body-Forging Art.

When the last section of the last chapter finished circulating in his body, Lin Li suddenly felt enlightened, and a sense of mastery emerged.

【Task One completed.】

【You have received the reward: Title: Fruit of Persistence; Physical improvement: Qi and blood increased by 100%, physical strength increased by 100%; Mid-grade spirit stone * 5; System currency * 200.】

【Fruit of Persistence: After equipping, when you are focused on a certain thing, your efficiency in this thing will slowly increase. The longer you are cumulatively focused on this thing, the greater the increase. This increase has no upper limit. When the title is unequipped, the cumulative time does not reset.】

Lin Li digested the brief discomfort brought by the increase in qi and blood with a smile on his lips.

It was very brief. Unlike the previous few times of qi and blood increases, Lin Li felt that the dizziness lasted less than half a minute before he completely returned to a vigorous state.

Now, Lin Li's qi and blood buff has accumulated to an increase of 250%.

Taking off the 【Light of Xiling】 worn during practice, Lin Li equipped the new title in the main title slot.

If nothing unexpected happens, this title will be permanently stationed in his title slot.

And just as expected, when the title reward appeared, the 'series' task came to an end, and no new tasks popped up.

It makes sense, after all, the "Eight-Section Body-Forging Art" has already been practiced to perfection.

But in reality, Lin Li's Eight-Section Body-Forging Art still has a lot that can continue to be practiced—Daoist Shanqing used this art as a foundation and supplemented it with content that could take his physical strength to the next level.

Anyway, the habit of waking up early has already been formed, so he can just continue waking up early in the future. With less mandatory constraints, the schedule can be more free.

He went to the driving school again and clocked in two hours of driving practice.

All matters ended, it was time to prepare for the joy coming today.

Lin Li returned home and found a barbershop near his house.

Although it was the weekend, the barbershop was still deserted in the morning, with only one female customer getting her hair done.

"Hello, how much for just washing and blowing without a haircut?" Lin Li asked the free barber, who looked quite young, like an apprentice.

"15," he answered.

"Are there any level divisions like store manager or something? I want the best wash and blow, it doesn't matter if the price is a bit higher." Lin Li asked again.

"There is wash, cut, and blow, but no wash and blow," the middle-aged man helping the woman with her hair nodded with a smile, "but it's fine, I am the store manager, it's still 15 yuan. The apprentice will wash, but I'll blow it for you later."

"Okay, thank you."

"Coming to wash and blow early in the morning, do you have a date today?"

When washing hair, barbers always chat a few words more or less, and each one is very talkative.

Therefore, for many introverted people, compared to blind massage, they need a mute barber more.

"Yes." But Lin Li was naturally not among them, and nodded with a smile upon hearing this.

Today is indeed a day that needs to be taken seriously from the head down.

"What kind of hair do you want to blow?" The female customer didn't need operation at this stage, so after Lin Li finished washing and sat next to her, the store manager walked over immediately.

"I don't know much about this, boss, you look at it and decide. See what suits me and do it that way."

Lin Li said upon hearing this.

"That works too," the boss nodded, twisted Lin Li's head a few times, and then took out a curling iron from the side: "You have a good foundation, nothing looks ugly on you. Should I give you a 70/30 split?"

Lin Li frowned upon hearing this: "Would a 70/30 split be too mature? I prefer something younger."

Store manager: "?"

What kind of 70/30 split is this?

Seeing the store manager stunned, Lin Li smiled and said: "Store manager, what I mean is, forget about the 30/70 or whatever, just make it natural. No need to be too flashy."

"Then I understand. Should I give you some layering?"

"Okay."

"It's blown. It's about like this. There's no deliberate styling. You take a look yourself to see if you can accept it. If you're satisfied, I'll put some product in to set it and finish up."

The store manager put down the hairdryer, looked at Lin Li in the mirror, and nodded, very satisfied himself.

Damn, hairstyles sometimes are still too dependent on the model.

Lin Li tilted his head left and right, then revealed a smile:

"Boss, next time I'll bring more people to your shop."

"Hehe," the store manager was very happy upon hearing this, "Okay, I'll give you a dis—"

Lin Li: "At that time, you should also call more people, don't say we're bullying you o(∩_∩)o."

Store manager: "【o｀Дo】!?"

(End of chapter)