Setting out from the Wireworm River in the newland of Lanyang Village in Lüshuiwan, Li Banfeng had hitched a ride on a wireworm and, after countless twists and turns, had arrived in the newland of Jiangyue Village in Yaowanggou.
Li Banfeng truly had not anticipated this turn of events.
Not only had he never expected it, but even Yu Nan, born and bred here, likely had no idea why either.
There were passages connecting the newlands. What their origin was, Li Banfeng did not know. He knew only one thing: walking through this passage just once had advanced his cultivation as a second-tier journey cultivator by nearly a full year.
Especially within that briar thicket—covering a single li felt as if he had run for an entire day.
If he strolled along this path whenever he had nothing better to do, would his cultivation keep skyrocketing?
Did high-tier journey cultivators know this secret and frequent the place to cultivate?
Just how high would a cultivator's tier have to be to defeat that human head in the thicket?
A single glance from that head could set a person on fire.
Moreover, the conditions required for high-tier cultivation were far more grueling than for the second tier.
Regardless of whether high-tier cultivators possessed such prowess, under current circumstances, Li Banfeng had no desire to walk that path a second time.
It was better to just eat Golden Origin Pills.
Thinking of this, Li Banfeng felt a twinge of regret for Lu Dongliang.
*Ah, Dongliang, you were a formidable figure of your generation, yet you died just like that.*
*How wonderful it would be if you could come back to life just once more.*
*The pills you produced weren't quite enough to go around!*
"Boil some hot water. I want to take a bath."
Yu Nan froze. After being parted for so long, the first thing he wanted upon meeting again was a bath.
Could this be some kind of hint?
Yu Nan hurriedly ordered her people to boil water for Li Seven, then returned to her room to dress up with great care.
She was overthinking it. Li Banfeng simply wanted to wash off the grime.
Soaking his entire body in hot water was immensely comfortable; Li Banfeng nearly dozed off in the tub.
Yet once the comfort faded, he had to face a practical question.
How was he going to get back to Lüshuiwan?
He obviously could not stay and live in Yaowanggou; Lüshuiwan was where he had painstakingly established his foundation.
Head back into the newland and keep searching for the course of the Wireworm River?
Li Banfeng did not want to do that. That path was far too dangerous.
Find a way to secure a travel permit and return to Lüshuiwan through official channels?
That was a good option.
However, there was no counting on Yu Nan for that; she didn't even dare step outside the Yu Family Stronghold.
To find a travel permit, he had to go to Ligou.
After bathing and eating a bit of food, Li Banfeng slipped back into the Portable Abode and slept soundly.
His wife had not awakened, the bronze lotus was still refining pills, and everything at home remained as it had been.
When he woke, Li Banfeng sought out Yu Nan and asked about the state of affairs in Yaowanggou.
Previously, a massive manhunt for Li Banfeng had swept Yaowanggou, causing quite a commotion. Yu Nan had worried that Li Banfeng and Li Seven might be linked somehow; on one hand, she feared bringing harm to Li Seven, and on the other, she feared bringing trouble upon herself. For that whole period, she had stayed tucked away in the newland, not daring to venture out.
Once misfortune befell Lu Dongliang, the storm surrounding Li Banfeng blew over, and Yaowanggou returned to its former calm. Even so, Yu Nan still dared not return to Ligou.
Geng Zhiwei's beating had terrified her, to the point where she had even considered staying in the newland for the rest of her life.
Li Banfeng gave his advice: "Shopkeeper Yu, if your mind is truly settled, cultivating properly here in the newland wouldn't be a bad choice. But if you can't find peace here, you'd best return to Ligou to do business."
Yu Nan sighed softly. "I only worry that the Jiangxiang Gang will keep pestering me. I'm not like Boss Qin—I have no backing to watch over me..."
Li Banfeng didn't know what to say. Yu Nan was utterly blind to what she had.
She did have backing, and it was the strongest backing in all of Yaowanggou.
She knew how to contact the Medicine King, Old Mr. Yao, but in her eyes, Old Mr. Yao was merely someone who treated illnesses and sold medicine.
This matter could not be spelled out; revealing it would be a sign of disrespect toward Old Mr. Yao.
Furthermore, Li Banfeng saw through Yu Nan's intentions. "Do you want the Sanying Gate to look out for you?"
Yu Nan looked at Li Banfeng with great hope. "I'm afraid my relationship with Boss Qin isn't strong enough..."
Li Banfeng happened to need to go to Ligou anyway, and judging by Yu Nan's description, it was safe enough to visit now. "I can put in a word with Qin Tianjiu for you, but if I'm not mistaken, the price Sanying Gate demands won't be cheap either.
"If you truly wish to keep running your business, you'll still have to rely on your own genuine capability. Even if the Sanying Gate agrees to look out for you, the most they'll do is lend you their name. Don't forget what happened with Geng Zhiwei—when a real crisis hits, you still have to shoulder it yourself."
In Puluo Province, unless two parties shared a special bond, protection offered by the strong to the weak was strictly an equal exchange.
With the meager profits of a fabric shop, how much of a cut could she possibly offer the Sanying Gate? How much effort would the Sanying Gate expend for her?
Rather than bargaining over the underworld codes of various gangs, she would be far better off thinking carefully about how to do a few deals with Old Mr. Yao.
Yu Nan thanked Li Banfeng profusely. After replenishing his water supply, Li Banfeng departed from the Yu Family Stronghold that very day.
*He's leaving just like that?*
Yu Nan had longed day after day to see Li Banfeng, yet after seeing him only once, he was already gone.
Standing at the entrance of the Yu Family Stronghold, Yu Nan felt full of hope, eager for Li Seven to connect her with the Sanying Gate.
Yet as she watched Li Banfeng's departing figure, she also felt a pang of loss.
*Will I ever see him again?*
***
Late that night, after eating and drinking his fill, Qin Xiaopang returned to his small courtyard to sleep. But the moment he entered the room, he saw Li Banfeng sitting on a chair, pouring himself tea.
"Seventh Brother, when did you get back? Last time you left without a word, I was worried sick!"
"Nothing major, just went out for a stroll." Li Banfeng brushed it off with a few vague words, saying nothing about Lüshuiwan. Once the Lu family settled their affairs, they might well investigate the whereabouts of the Red Lotus; knowing too much would do Xiaopang no good.
Li Banfeng told Xiaopang about Yu Nan's situation. Xiaopang nodded. "That's easy enough. I'll make the call. Tell Boss Yu to offer whatever cut feels right, just so long as it doesn't make me look bad. When Sixth Brother gets back, I'll let him know."
"Where did Zhang Liuze go?"
"Sixth Brother went to Haichiling. There's a famine over there, and a lot of people have died. Haichiling is the foundation for us Food Cultivators, so I wanted to tag along and see, but Sixth Brother only managed to get one travel permit. Our bronze seal made me acting iron seal and won't allow me to leave Yaowanggou."
Li Banfeng had also heard about the insect plague in Haichiling, but he couldn't understand why Xiaopang was so eager to join in the trouble. "What would you go to Haichiling for? Do you know how to farm or kill bugs? There's already nothing to eat there—are you running off to starve?"
Xiaopang's eyes gleamed. "To claim territory and seize turf, of course! This famine has wiped out the businesses of many sects and gangs. Once the plague passes, whoever can scoop those businesses up will hit the jackpot. If I went to Haichiling, I could easily earn myself a bronze seal at least."
No wonder Lu Dongjun was so invested in Haichiling; he wanted to use the pest eradication effort as a chance to establish a new stronghold there.
It truly was a golden opportunity. Haichiling was bound for a major reshuffle. If Lu Dongjun truly brought the pestilence under control, no one would be able to shake his standing in Haichiling for a very long time.
However, seizing territory required genuine strength.
"What tier is your cultivation at right now?"
Xiaopang said, "First tier! You saw it with your own eyes the day I advanced!"
"How much time have you accumulated?"
Xiaopang scratched his head. "I haven't accumulated any time. Just keeping up with daily cultivation is hard enough."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Then you'd better stay away from Haichiling. I suspect Zhang Liuze went there ready to lay his life on the line."
"Of course he has to risk his life. Our chief gave the order: no matter what tricks Lu Dongjun pulls, Sanying Gate's own business must never fall into his hands."
A vicious battle among the major families and gangs was bound to erupt in Haichiling.
Because Zhang Liuze was away, Qin Xiaopang was serving as acting iron seal, which meant he had received plenty of insider intelligence lately.
"The Lu family has always been on good terms with our Sanying Gate. A few days ago, the elder master of the Lu family, Lu Maoxian, made a special trip to Yaowanggou and shared several meals with our silver badge shopkeeper. I even went to keep them company for one, though my status wasn't high enough to sit at the same table as Old Master Lu.
"A couple days later, the eldest young master of the Lu family, Lu Yuanshan, came as well and invited our shopkeeper to dinner. I wanted to toast Young Master Lu with a drink, but our bronze seal big brother wouldn't let me.
"He said we should steer clear of the Lu family's business, since it's still anyone's guess who will take charge. I heard from our bronze badge that our three gold seals aren't seeing eye-to-eye over this either.
"The second-in-command thinks Old Master Lu will call the shots, while the third-in-command thinks the Lu family will ultimately answer to the eldest young master. Our chief keeps his distance from both sides, staying neither too close nor too far, so nobody knows what he's thinking..."
This was the advantage of Qin Xiaopang belonging to a major gang—it allowed Li Banfeng to hear news that he couldn't have gathered even in Lüshui City.
Judging by the Sanying Gate's attitude, they all believed Lu Dongliang had met with foul play, yet no one was siding with Lu Dongjun. The other gangs were likely taking the same stance.
Li Banfeng gave Xiaopang two Xuanzhi Pills and told him to cultivate diligently and keep as far away from these squabbles as possible.
Leaving Xiaopang's residence, Li Banfeng headed to Feng's Grocery Store.
Seeing Li Banfeng, Shopkeeper Feng was delighted. He ushered Li Banfeng into the back room and, without probing into other matters, immediately handed over the proceeds from the pill sales.
The Xuanzhi Pills had sold at high prices. After deducting Shopkeeper Feng's commission, Li Banfeng received over a million.
Li Banfeng asked about travel permits to the Outer States. Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. "A travel permit to the Outer States is rather difficult right now. Haichiling is plagued by pests, and the Outer States fear drawing the Extinction Mosquitoes over, so they've suspended all permits heading there lately. Even the trains have stopped running."
Li Banfeng did not press further; returning to the Outer States was not an urgent matter to begin with.
What was urgent was returning to Lanyang Village.
"Are travel permits to Lüshuiwan easy to get?"
Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. "In the past, going to Lüshuiwan really wouldn't have been an issue. But whenever a disaster strikes, the Outer States tighten permit control drastically. I can ask around for you, but I doubt it will pan out."
"Then don't bother asking. I won't be staying long in Yaowanggou anyway." Li Banfeng understood Shopkeeper Feng's predicament. He purchased some canned food and biscuits from him, along with machine oil and fuel, as well as two tailcoats, two western suits, and a fedora.
Shopkeeper Feng felt a bit sheepish. "Boss Li, you aren't short on money now. The clothes in my grocery store are hardly fit for someone of your status."
"I happen to like the clothes here."
Chunsheng hailed a carriage to deliver the goods for Li Banfeng. This time, Li Banfeng did not have the carriage unload halfway, but had everything taken straight to the Taoyuan Inn.
In Yaowanggou, the Taoyuan Inn was considered a mid-range establishment. The place was not large, and the rooms were nothing special, but its advantage lay in being inconspicuous.
Li Banfeng booked a room, stowed the goods into the Portable Abode, and then retrieved a sheet of yellow paper.
He had originally bought two sheets of yellow paper from Old Mr. Yao, and this was one of them.
This was the most important objective of his trip.
To do business with Old Mr. Yao, one had to devise a pretext beforehand and avoid making excessive demands.
The yellow paper burned, and Li Banfeng heard Old Yao's voice.
"Do you seek treatment, or do you wish to buy medicine?"
The voice was as warm as ever, cutting straight to business without unnecessary pleasantries.
"I wish to buy medicine, and I also seek treatment."
"What medicine do you wish to buy?"
"I'd like to buy your medicinal liquor—a large amount, enough to treat several hundred people." Old Mr. Yao's liquor was excellent for both setting fires and treating wounds; it was only natural to stockpile more of it.
"Bottled or bulk?"
"Bottled."
"And what illness do you wish to treat?"
"Homesickness."
"Homesickness? Where is your home?"
"Lüshuiwan."
"To go to Lüshuiwan, you have no need of me. Just obtain a travel permit and buy a train ticket."
"I don't have a travel permit."
"Then how did you come to Yaowanggou? However you came, walk back the same way."
"I came from the newland, all muddled and confused, and now I can't find my way back."
"From the newland..."
Old Yao fell silent for a moment, seemingly understanding what Li Banfeng had been through.
"Young man, your timing today is unfortunate. The bottled liquor is sold out, but I still have a wine gourd here."
"How much liquor is in your gourd?"
"One jin."
"Isn't that a bit little?"
"It isn't little. With one jin of wine in the gourd, so long as you don't drink it dry and leave just a single mouthful, there will be another jin of wine the next day. However, once poured out, it must be consumed, or it will turn to clear water by the next day."
A dharma treasure!
This was a dharma treasure!
Old Mr. Yao wanted to sell him a dharma treasure?
And an exceptionally valuable one at that!
What was his motive in doing so?
"Young man, do you want to buy it?"
"Please tell me the price first." Li Banfeng did not dare speak rashly.
"We'll stick to the old price: five hundred thousand."
Five hundred thousand—this price was absurdly low. Could he have gotten the currency wrong?
"Do you mean Huan Country notes?"
"Yes, Huan Country notes."
Li Banfeng found it hard to believe. How could a dharma treasure of inestimable value be sold for a mere five hundred thousand?
This was nothing more than a token fee, yet Li Banfeng still could not fathom Old Yao's intention.
Old Yao continued, "As for treating your illness, I won't charge you anything. I have a map here that can guide you to Lüshuiwan, Kudaikan, Haichiling, Kucaizhuang, Jianrengang, and Tiemenbao.
"The newlands shift from year to year. This map is from last year, so it has slight discrepancies. You are a journey cultivator with a gift for traversing roads, so these small deviations won't trouble you.
"This map should still be usable for another year or two. Consider it a gift."
Li Banfeng hesitated to accept.
The value of this map alone was far more than five hundred thousand.
"Old Yao, is there something you need me to do?"
"There is indeed a matter I'd like to ask your help with. Anyone capable of crossing the newland must possess some skill, and I trust you.
"If you are willing to agree, take this map and make a trip to Haichiling to deliver a prescription to Pan Dehai.
"Tell him that this medicine can summon insects, but it can also kill them. For the peddler's sake, I will help him this once.
"If he dares to draw the insects to Yaowanggou, I will risk this old life of mine to ensure he dies all over again!"
Chapter 153