Thinking of this, Li Aotian inquired about the whereabouts of the System Mall.
Immediately, a crystalline screen appeared before his eyes, displaying the contents of the System Mall!
The top-left corner showed his current balance of Arrogance Points available for transactions in the mall.
Then, he checked the items available within the system.
[1. Soul of Xiang Yu — Price: 3,000 points.]
[2. Zhuge Crossbow, equipped with 100 bolts — Price: 1,000 points!]
[3. Red Hare — Price: 500 points!]
[4. A loyal retainer — Price: 800 points!]
[5. Innate Art — Price: 10,000 points!]
[The system refreshes five items every day. The host may also lock the mall, and the exact same items will appear the following day.]
These were things he wouldn't even dare to imagine. Redeeming any random item among them would deliver a nuclear-grade shock to Han.
There was also that Innate Art priced at 10,000 points refreshed at the very end! This was a cultivation-level technique entirely!
Seeing these five rewards, saliva of envy practically threatened to drip from the corners of his mouth.
"I can't get this Innate Art for now; 10,000 points is much too expensive. Let's lock the first four rewards for now."
"Now, I am looking forward immensely to the upcoming... mission as an envoy to the Xiongnu."
"I wonder how many points a single Xiongnu can cough up for me, heh heh."
Li Aotian wore a playful smile, then straightened up, resting his hands on his knees as he spoke.
Just what kind of shock would he, Li Aotian, bring to the various tribes of the Xiongnu?!
……
In the blink of an eye.
Five days had passed.
Li Aotian had spent five days riding in a carriage, braving mountains and rivers, pushing through wind and sand, until he finally arrived at Mobei, the land where the Xiongnu resided.
It was now the end of the year, and the Han winter was bitterly cold. Only after being informed by Nan Wujue, the deputy envoy, did Li Aotian realize they had reached the Xiongnu Royal Court.
"Lord Li! The Xiongnu Royal Court has arrived, and the Xiongnu Chanyu has already prepared a banquet to receive us."
At these words, Li Aotian's lips curved upward as he lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.
He raised his gaze; across this Mobei land, wind and snow danced, and the biting wind blew fierce and cold.
"Lord Li, the weather is cold. Please put on an extra layer of clothing."
An entourage member at Li Aotian's side draped a large cotton-padded coat over him, then nodded and spoke.
"Everyone, we still have to spend quite a few days in this ghost of a place, Mobei! Once we reach the Xiongnu, you must all listen well to me and avoid stirring up trouble."
Li Aotian instructed them, though deep down he was terrified that these fellows would cause trouble in the Xiongnu Royal Court!
What he feared most... was mainly that these people would steal his spotlight!
If they were to behave even more outrageously than he did, there was no telling whether the system would still reward him.
And so.
Li Aotian followed the delegation to the front of the royal court's tents.
Opposite them stood a squad of Xiongnu soldiers wearing ghost-patterned masks!
On these masks, a number of Daoist patterns were carved, which looked somewhat familiar to Li Aotian.
To his understanding, the more patterns there were on these ghost-patterned masks, the more Han soldiers their wearer had killed!
"Lord Li! Ever since we learned of your embassy, we Xiongnu have been brimming with excitement. Our Great King has been so excited he couldn't even sleep, and now he has already prepared a welcoming banquet for you all."
"Our humble place is small, and I fear we may slight you esteemed envoys! We beg you not to take offense."
The speaker was a young junior commander leading this troop, who appeared to hold a fairly high position within the Xiongnu tribe.
Li Aotian walked over with a blank expression, then deliberately bumped his shoulder against the young Xiongnu commander as he said,
"Cut the polite nonsense and lead the way straight to your Xiongnu Chanyu."
How abrasive was Li Aotian's remark, and how insolent and crude his little stunt was!
At this sight, the fierce warriors behind the young Xiongnu commander each gripped their long sabers tightly!
Outrageous! How dare he treat their general this way!
You mere Han envoy! A two-legged sheep! How could you have the audacity!
Yet, the young Xiongnu commander's expression merely darkened for a fraction before he instantly switched back to a cheerful, amiable expression and said,
"Certainly, of course we will lead the way."
"Esteemed envoys of Han, this way please."
Throughout the journey, Li Aotian remained silent, simply observing the Xiongnu people passing by.
He had to admit that the Xiongnu Royal Court was quite large. The number of Xiongnu living here was probably tens of thousands, with eight or nine thousand soldiers alone.
As for elite soldiers, Li Aotian had yet to catch sight of any.
Of course!
Li Aotian didn't care where the Xiongnu's elite soldiers were either!
If that Chanyu had any spine, he could face him head-on right here in the royal court!
If he had the guts, he could come at him with a blade!
When the time came, Han would dispatch troops to wash away the grievances of his departed soul!
Besides, the system could still resurrect him anyway.
He had come to the Xiongnu for only one thing!
Making trouble! Making trouble! And more bloody trouble!
After walking for a distance, Li Aotian and his party finally entered the royal court.
Inside the royal court.
Slender dancing girls—all attractive young women of the Xiongnu—performed seductive dances before the Xiongnu nobles and the Xiongnu Chanyu.
At the same time.
Li Aotian sauntered in, swaggering like he owned the place, and stood directly behind the dancers, staring straight at the man in the wolf-skin coat seated in the very center as he proclaimed:
"I, Li Aotian, am an envoy of Han!"
"Chanyu Yizhixie, is it? Come down and pay respects to this envoy!!"
At these words.
Everyone present froze in place.
The Xiongnu Chanyu, who had been sitting on the upper seat enjoying the dance and drinking fine wine with the nobles, also raised his head in shock!
How arrogant!!
This fellow... seemed a bit *too* arrogant.
For a moment, many Xiongnu noble ministers and partisans of Chanyu Yizhixie flew into a towering rage!
Meanwhile, Li Aotian thought to himself inwardly:
"This wave should count as having a bit of arrogance, right?"
Sure enough, the system prompt sounded in his mind.
[Ding! The system has gathered 1,200 Arrogance Points!]
Hearing this prompt, Li Aotian's lips curled upward, his heart filled with delight!
Arrogance? Well, that turned out to be pretty simple after all.