The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 1 Storyteller

"A peak Quasi-Emperor, having reached the pinnacle of his power, wields an ultimate imperial weapon and strikes down an unparalleled foe on the Boundary Sea!"

Upon hearing this, everyone around gasped in surprise and rushed forward, urgently calling out:
"And then?"

"What kind of monster is so terrifying?"

"Tell me quickly, tell me quickly!"

The person who was surrounded at the deepest part of the crowd continued speaking calmly:
"Above the Boundary Sea, a colossal creature with azure scales burst forth from the water, its body tens of thousands of feet long, its eyes like the sun! Its dorsal fins, sharp as blades, cleaved through the clouds, facing off against a peak Quasi-Emperor! It seems that within the span of a millennium, these two supreme beings will engage in a battle that will shake the heavens and the earth!"

The crowd grew increasingly impatient, eager to hear what would happen next.

Therefore, there were many shouts and urgings, and some wealthy customers even untied their money pouches from their waists, grabbed a handful of coins, and scattered them while shouting:
"That was great! That was great! Tell me quickly, and I'll make sure you get your reward money!"

The sound of the coins hitting the ground, combined with the increasingly rousing story, naturally heightened the atmosphere among the crowd.

The persuader, who was completely surrounded and could not be seen at all, deliberately dragged out his voice until the crowd was really getting impatient, then smiled and continued speaking.

As the sun began to set, the storytelling session gradually came to an end.

"The sea above the boundary has long since calmed down, as if that supreme battle were nothing but a fleeting dream, a mere illusion. Only the imperial weapon wailes and howls, circling above, unwilling to leave. The figure that once swept across the eight wastelands has ultimately sunk into the abyss along with that azure scale!"

Finally, the last members of the crowd let out a long, satisfying sigh, followed by a collective lament:
"What a pity, such a person still acted rashly."

"If that monstrous talent hadn't relied on the advantageous terrain of the Boundary Sea and possessed an ultimate imperial weapon, how could he have died at the hands of a beast?"

"Exactly, exactly, they're just bullying people because they have a good location!"

Even though they knew it was just a story, the crowd couldn't help but gossip about it.

Of course, this also demonstrates the excellence of the story and the brilliance of the storyteller.

A good story and a good persuader are both indispensable.

Among the dispersed crowd, the storyteller finally came into view.

Unlike the waiters in teahouses and restaurants, this gentleman looked exceptionally young.

And for some reason, his hair was very short, making people wonder if he was a monk who had just left the monastic life.

But none of that matters. What matters is that on this secluded mountain road, he is not only the only storyteller, but also the best storyteller they have ever seen!

In the past, those doctors who sat in the clinic were not only ridiculously arrogant, but they also wouldn't let you ask for a penny less than the minimum fee for sitting in the clinic or the tip.

This young gentleman is different; it doesn't matter if he doesn't have money, it's good to show his support.

Of course, it would be even better if you could give me a few copper coins, a sesame seed cake, and a pot of herbal tea!

The most crucial point is that the doctors who used to sit in the clinic were spouting the same old stale stuff that they had heard seven or eight hundred times already.

But this guy not only got along well with them, these poor folks who had traveled over mountains and valleys, but also told them all sorts of novel stories that they had never heard of before.

Therefore, everyone who came and went liked to listen to his storytelling and was willing to respectfully call him "Little Master".

But people are all different. There are those who support you, and naturally there are those who are dissatisfied.

So, outside the crowd, a group of caravan members scoffed:

"In the end, isn't it just a case of an ignorant fisherman who got dragged to his death by a big fish and drowned at the bottom of the lake?"

These words immediately drew the ire of the others:
How can you talk like that?

"You think the young man's speech was bad? Did you pay him? You have nothing, so where do you get the nerve to say that?"

"Does having more people mean we have fewer people?"

The other party was clearly surprised that this group of people would defend the storyteller so much.

He was momentarily at a loss for words.

But to save face, he still stubbornly said:

"I'm new here, so I won't give you any tips."

As soon as he spoke, someone chuckled:
"Don't listen to his nonsense. I saw him arrive a long time ago, and he was craning his neck to listen!"

These words not only put him in an even more difficult position, but also drew laughter from the crowd.

"So he's just a penniless, stubborn loser. He dares to call himself a member of the caravan? More like a bootlicker! Hahaha!"

These words not only insulted the man, but also the caravan behind him.

Although this caravan didn't carry any banners, indicating it wasn't one of the more famous caravans, the people who could assemble packhorses for trade naturally possessed a certain arrogance.

Since there were many young people among them, several couldn't contain their impatience and immediately rushed forward to fight. Seeing this, the young gentleman picked up the last copper coin that the wealthy customer had just spilled and stepped into the crowd, saying:
"Everyone, everyone, please calm down. We're all just trying to make a living, there's no need to lose our harmony. I know you all mean well, and I also know this gentleman just doesn't like what I'm saying."

"In that case, sir, why don't you tell me what you'd like to hear more about?"

Seeing that someone was offering a way out, the caravan, knowing there were many people on the other side, went along with it.

"I just want to hear something different."

What makes them different?
Of course, if the other party says something casually, he'll say "good" and give them a little extra money, and everyone will get through the matter happily.

In this way, the storyteller received the money, the audience heard the story, and he didn't lose face.

How wonderful!
The only thing that surprised him was that the young man pondered for a moment before saying:
"They're different? Then may I ask you, sir, what do you think is the most frightening thing about hiking and horseback riding?"

What are you most afraid of?
what is this?
But he still hesitated and said:

"That's because there are fewer people in the industry."

Those who can go out to trade are basically acquainted with each other, or even brothers from the same village or clan.

This is what is known as fellow villagers.

If something unexpected happens on the way and someone is missing, then I really don't know how I'll go back to face their family.

He thought that was right, but the young man shook his head and said:

"No, guess again."

Guess again?

What else could it be?
Is there anything more terrifying than losing people?
Is this guy trying to cause trouble?
Thinking of this, the man's expression darkened slightly as he said:
"I'm not guessing. What else could it be?"

The young man looked at them meaningfully and said:
"What's even more terrifying than having fewer people is having one more person!"

Upon hearing this, everyone around was taken aback at first, then they all laughed:

"What's there to be afraid of if there's one more person? We'll pick up one or two people on the road, that's a common occurrence!"

"Yes, yes, if it were bandits, that would be a bit troublesome, but now the world is at peace, where would there be bandits?"

Amidst the laughter of the crowd, the young man shook his head and said:
"Well, I'm not afraid if I know it myself, but what I'm saying is, there's clearly one more person, yet no one noticed!"

The laughter and teasing disappeared instantly.

Although the setting sun still shone its light on the area, the sun's lack of warmth only amplified the desolate chill unique to the mountains.

After a long while, the crowd awkwardly said:

"Young sir, how could we not know that there's one more person here? Well, I just realized it's getting late, so we'll set off now!"

The group, who felt a chill run down their spines, suddenly realized what was happening. They glanced at the sun, then at the road ahead, and began packing up their things to set off.

Seeing that everyone was about to leave.

The young gentleman then cupped his hands in greeting and said:

"So that you all know, I should still be here for the next few days, so please remember to look for me when you pass by."

At this point, he smiled again:
"I also want to ask you all for a bite to eat!"

The crowd naturally echoed:

"Natural, natural."

"Don't worry, we're even more worried about you not being here than you are!"

Meanwhile, the caravan members outside the crowd, who were also preparing to leave, felt inexplicably uneasy.

There wasn't a shortage of people, but rather an extra person?

They all knew this was a story, a fantastical tale often told by storytellers.

They specialize in making money off fools.

However, no matter how much they explained to themselves, they couldn't help but look at their companions.