"I am Qin Yan, and this is Liya. You must be the legendary guardian of Korin Tower, Korin himself!"
Qin Yan spoke as he cupped his hands in a respectful greeting toward the cat hermit. Standing beside him, Liya observed Korin with intense curiosity shining in her eyes.
Korin was a feline being who possessed two thin, line-like eyes. Three whiskers sprouted from each side of his mouth, and his eyebrows were composed of three long hairs as well.
He was often seen clutching a wooden staff. Despite his appearance, he was an immortal cat over eight hundred years old, possessing profound knowledge and far-reaching insight.
He resided permanently at the top of the Martial Arts Holy Land, Korin Tower. In the past, he had guided Goku's training and consistently provided Senzu Beans to aid him in his battles against evil. He was a benefactor on Goku's path of cultivation essentially one of Goku's masters.
"Haha! I am indeed Korin, though I'm no guardian. I'm just a lonely old man living in seclusion. As for the title of 'Immortal,' I hardly deserve it!" Korin replied, momentarily stunned. He was inwardly shocked that Qin Yan actually knew his name.
"Young friends, you have come from afar. Please, come into the hall so we may talk."
Since guests had come from such a distance, Korin invited Qin Yan and Liya into the main hall of Korin Tower.
"Very well."
Qin Yan did not refuse the invitation. Giving a calm response, he took Liya's hand and they both flickered, reappearing instantly within the great hall of the tower.
Watching the two descend into the hall, Korin's heart was filled with confusion as to their purpose. He spoke up once more. "I wonder what brings you two here?
If there is any way this old man can help, I will do my best to provide answers. For two people as young as you to possess such formidable strength... you are truly heaven-sent talents. Your futures are surely boundless!"
Qin Yan felt a slight surge of surprise. Korin had actually seen through the fact that their strength was extraordinary.
On second thought, it made sense. As an old relic who had lived for over eight hundred years, Korin's experience and discernment were bound to be sharp.
In the original Dragon Ball story, during the period leading up to the battle against Cell, Goku and Gohan emerged from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber having mastered Super Saiyan Full Power.
They sought out Korin, and after Goku powered up, he asked the cat to judge who was stronger between himself and Perfect Cell. Korin had hit the nail on the head, stating that Perfect Cell's power was superior to Goku's Super Saiyan Full Power.
At that time, Goku's power was at least around ten billion, and Cell was even stronger. Yet, Korin could still perceive the extraordinary nature of their strength. It was clear his eyesight was far from ordinary; he was every bit as mysterious as Mr. Popo on The Lookout.
"Haha! Thank you for the praise, Korin. Our meager strength isn't worth mentioning. We have long heard of the Martial Arts Holy Land of Korin Tower and have taken the liberty of disturbing you. Please, forgive our intrusion."
Hearing the praise in Korin's voice, Qin Yan offered a slight smile and spoke humbly. He was not arrogant; he understood his own power very clearly. While they were strong in the eyes of others, it was all relative. They were still quite far from being true, top-tier powerhouses.
"Haha! Young friend Qin Yan, you are being too modest. Looking across history, from the ancient past to the distant future, there are few with talent as exceptional as yours."
Korin continued to heap praise upon them. In his view, Qin Yan and his companion were indeed powerful. If Qin Yan decided to cause trouble, Korin feared he would be powerless to stop him. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead as his heart filled with tension.
"Please, Korin, don't flatter us so. Our strength is still lacking in the context of the vast universe. By the way, the reason we came today is because we were hoping to ask for something from you. I wonder if you'd be willing to part with it?"
Seeing Korin's praise getting increasingly carried away, Qin Yan quickly shifted the topic to the purpose of their visit.
"Oh? I wonder what you desire? To be honest, given your strength, I can't imagine what this small place of mine could possibly have to attract your interest."
Korin asked with an expression of bewilderment. He truly couldn't think of anything he possessed that would be useful to people like them.
"Haha! It's nothing much. What I want isn't anything particularly important to you. I just wanted to ask for a 'few' hundred million Senzu Beans!"
Qin Yan smiled slightly and spoke to Korin in a casual tone.
"Oh! You even know about the Senzu Beans? I see. If you want them, feel free to take them. I do have quite a lot here, and I don't usually eat them myself."
Korin's eyes narrowed slightly. He realized Qin Yan had come prepared. Without hesitation, he agreed to give the beans to him.
Qin Yan was delighted and immediately expressed his gratitude. "Then I am truly thankful. This is a small token of my appreciation; please, you must accept it."
As he spoke, Qin Yan gave a large wave of his hand. Instantly, a massive basket filled with fresh, plump fish appeared before Korin.
"These are?"
Seeing the delicious-looking fish, Korin's eyes lit up, though he still asked out of some lingering confusion.
"A small gift. I hope you enjoy them," Qin Yan said with a smile.
"Hahaha! You're too kind, young friend. Just take the beans. This old man doesn't need any gifts."
Looking at the basket of fresh, succulent fish, Korin felt a pang of desire, yet he still politely declined Qin Yan's kindness.
"Please, take them, Korin! Just consider it a gesture of respect from a junior," Qin Yan said sincerely.
"Since you insist... very well, I shall accept them."
Seeing Qin Yan's genuine sincerity, Korin stopped refusing and accepted the gift with a smile.
"Because we were in a hurry, I didn't prepare much. Please forgive me. Next time I visit, I will definitely bring even more delicious dried fish to show my respect."
Seeing Korin accept his gift, Qin Yan was quite happy. He promised to bring even better offerings during his next visit.
"Haha! It's fine, truly! I am grateful for your sincere gift. These are already very precious to this old man. It's plenty, really."
Korin laughed heartily, clearly satisfied. He waved his hand dismissively before bringing out a large red jar. The characters for "Senzu" were written in bold on its side.
Hiss!
Seeing the jar overflowing with Senzu Beans, Qin Yan couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
"Wow! So many Senzu Beans!" Liya exclaimed beside him.
Neither of them had ever seen so many beans in one place. Although Qin Yan already had many, they didn't compare to the amount inside this jar.
Qin Yan looked at the hoard, wondering how many years Korin had spent accumulating them. Senzu Bean production was low, with a meager annual yield and an extremely high time-cost for cultivation. Only a few could be grown in an entire year; this full jar must have taken ages to fill.
At the same time, Qin Yan thought about how, in the original timeline, this entire jar was eventually gobbled up by Yajirobe. The thought made his teeth itch with irritation. In the original story, after Yajirobe brought Goku to the tower, he refused to leave.
When he ate the beans, he would grab them by the handful and shove them into his mouth. This led to the later years where Goku and the others struggled to even find a small bag's worth, with the quantity becoming so scarce they were counted grain by grain.
But now, Qin Yan had gathered them all beforehand. There would be no more wasteful situations in the future.
Ultimately, Qin Yan took the full jar of Senzu Beans. Of course, he left a few for Korin so the cat could stave off hunger if he felt like eating, though as an immortal, he likely wouldn't die even without food or water. Having achieved his goal, Qin Yan prepared to take his leave.
"Alright, that should do it. We ought to be going. Until next time, Korin."
"Are you leaving so soon? Why not stay for a meal before you go?" Korin tried to persuade them to stay.
"No, we still have to make a trip to The Lookout. Let's meet again another time!"
Qin Yan declined Korin's hospitality, insisting on leaving because he had important matters to attend to.
"The Lookout? I see. Well then, come back to visit often, young friend Qin Yan."
Hearing that Qin Yan knew of The Lookout and intended to go there, Korin stopped trying to keep them.
"Haha! Definitely. Goodbye, Korin."
As he spoke, Qin Yan rose and floated out beyond the circular tower. He looked back and waved farewell to Korin before flying straight toward The Lookout.
"Goodbye!"
Korin stood by the guardrail of the tower, looking up at the departing figures of Qin Yan and Liya, waving his hand in return.
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