Fine Goods Have Arrived

Toudaoling, Shaomai Street, Wonton Alley. Inside a private residence, the woman of the house cautiously opened an iron trunk, then opened the wooden box inside it, scooped two bowls of rice from the box, and hurriedly shut both containers back up. Her husband was in the kitchen as well, clutching a flyswatter on vigilant guard. The woman washed the rice quickly and rushed it into the pot. Only then did the couple relax a little. Wiping sweat from his brow, the man said, "It's been half a month without a mosquito. I think the damn things are truly extinct." "Who can say for sure!" The woman didn't believe it. "Last time, didn't that Lu Dongjun claim he'd wiped them out, too? And what happened when the mosquitoes came back? Where did he run off to? If I hadn't been quick on my feet and stashed away this little bit of rice, a thickhead like you would've starved to death." The man planted a fierce kiss on her cheek. "That's why you're such a good wife. You go ahead and cook. I'll head out to the street to buy some incense and candles." "What are you buying those for? You got spare money to burn?" "We've got to buy at least a little. We have to pay respects to Seventh Master. Word's spread everywhere out there that Seventh Master brought the insect plague under control. Every household is burning incense! If anyone isn't sincere, the mosquitoes will come right back to their home next year." At the mention of mosquitoes, the woman shuddered. "Is that true? Who told you that?" "It's true! Everyone's talking about it! Over in Sandaoling, they're already building a temple for Seventh Master." In Sandaoling, a temple was indeed being built. In Laobing Village, construction was underway. Niu Fuzhi summoned the village's only Craft Cultivator, Niu Xiaoxian, and asked with a furrowed brow, "How'd you build Seventh Master's idol like this? You can't even see his face!" Niu Xiaoxian scratched his head. "I don't even remember what Seventh Master looked like. Do you?" Niu Fuzhi didn't remember either. "Th-then ask around! Isn't there anyone in our village who remembers?" "Nobody remembers. I've asked everyone. What else was I supposed to do!" *** Erdaoling, Guokui Town. Li Banfeng saw many people out buying incense and candles. They couldn't even afford meals, yet they were buying incense and candles? Every trade in Erdaoling was depressed, yet the incense and candle shops were doing booming business. "Maybe we should open an incense shop too!" Li Banfeng bought two bowls of congee and six guokui flatbreads from a breakfast stall, then squatted in an alley to eat with Critick. This breakfast stall was the first eatery to reopen in Guokui Town. Though customers were few, the owner put his heart into it, and the flatbreads tasted delicious. As Critick ate, he habitually set his begging bowl out in front of him. Li Banfeng was thoroughly baffled. "You're not short on money. Why must you beg?" Critick answered with utter seriousness, "It's out of respect for the founder of my pathway. Until the pus-filled sores on my body are healed, I will continue to follow his path of cultivation." Li Banfeng glanced at the begging bowl, then thought of Lü Huazi's appearance, and a wave of goosebumps broke out across his skin. "Will your founder heal your sores?" "No, he won't," Critick shook his head. "Though I've only met him once, I'm certain he is a vicious and ruthless man. The only person who might be able to heal my sores is probably the peddler." "Then why don't you follow the peddler's path of cultivation, push a cart, and go out selling?" Critick pointed at his own face. "I'd love to go out selling, but looking like this, would anyone buy from me?" After roaming Erdaoling for several days, they saw not a single mosquito on the streets. Li Banfeng bought a newspaper; in Toudaoling, the mosquitoes had vanished completely as well. "Looks like we pulled it off." Li Banfeng glanced at Critick. Someone tossed a few coins into Critick's ragged bowl, and Critick was busy thanking them. Tucking the coins into his robes, Critick took out some white rice and placed it in the bowl. After waiting half a day, no mosquitoes appeared. They had conducted similar tests several times. It seemed the insect plague in Haichiling was truly conquered. Of course, the one with the most authority on the matter was the local spirit. After lunch, Pan Dehai's voice drifted into his ear: "Young lad, the Extinction Mosquitoes are truly extinct this time. Rash and arrogant though you are, you are a virtuous man. I intend to give you another gift. What would you like?" Li Banfeng gave it some thought. Initially, he had wanted money. But Li Banfeng had his own ways of making money. With such a good opportunity, he ought to ask for something far more valuable. Ask for another magical treasure to let the bronze lotus reforge it? That fan still hadn't come out of the pot yet; the lotus seemed to be having trouble with it. Pondering back and forth, Li Banfeng thought of a fine item: "Old Pan, do you happen to have any heart-flesh to spare?" Pan Dehai flew into a rage: "Unprincipled! Shameless! Utterly depraved! This old man never should have paid any heed to an insolent rogue like you!" As his voice faded, a worm appeared in front of Li Banfeng. It was thumb-sized, legless, a white grub. "What's the use of this worm?" "This is a supreme treasure of Food Cultivators, a Hungry Gut Silkworm, a rare marvel unique to Haichiling. If a Food Cultivator swallows it, their appetite will surge tremendously, surpassing even what one feels here in Haichiling. If you do not wish to eat it, carrying it on your person will allow you to find sustenance in dire straits." "What do you mean by finding sustenance in dire straits?" "In a place without food, it allows you to take things that are ordinarily inedible and use them as sustenance." He spoke so cryptically that Li Banfeng had to question him for quite a while before understanding. His meaning was actually very simple: in places devoid of food, one could substitute other things for food. For example, eating leaves, eating grass, or chewing on wood—even sand and stones could barely serve to fill the stomach. Li Banfeng held the worm and studied it for a long while. The insect lay motionless in his hand, stiff as a board. "Is this thing even alive?" "It is alive, merely dormant. Once you swallow it into your belly, it will come alive. But you are not a Food Cultivator, so you had best not swallow it, or you won't be able to endure the ravenous hunger. The gift is yours, and my debt is paid. Young lad, until we meet again." Pan Dehai departed. Li Banfeng kept the worm on him, and before long, he felt hungry. Just carrying it around had this much of an effect? This truly was a rare marvel. Li Banfeng went and bought a few more guokui flatbreads, ate half himself, and gave half to Critick. Critick looked at Li Banfeng. "Are you leaving?" Li Banfeng nodded. "My business in Haichiling is finished." Critick went silent for a good while, then suddenly smiled. "If one day I cause everyone in the world to die of herpes, I hope there will be one person who survives. I hope that person is you." Li Banfeng waved his hand. "That day will never come. If you actually dared do that, the first one to die would definitely be you." Watching Li Banfeng's retreating back, Critick muttered softly, "Perhaps that day isn't so far away." Not long after Li Banfeng left, the sound of a rattle-drum gradually echoed in Critick's ears: "I have some top-grade vanishing cream here. Care to buy a jar?" With an expression of pleasant surprise, Critick asked, "Can it cleanse the founder's power inside my body?" "No, it cannot." The light in Critick's eyes dimmed. "Then what use is this vanishing cream?" "It can turn Lü Huazi's purulent blood into a layer of cultivation." Critick offered profuse thanks. "Tomorrow I'll tattoo four words on my chest: 'I love the peddler.'" The peddler went silent for a moment. "If you really intend to do that, you won't live to see tomorrow." *** "The insect plague in Haichiling was truly brought under control?" He Haiqin leafed through the newspaper, deeply astonished. He had received similar reports before, but assumed it was like before—just a temporary extermination of a portion of the mosquitoes. He Haisheng had just returned from Haichiling, and he confirmed the news: "Brother, it's different this time. The mosquitoes in Haichiling are truly extinct." He Haiqin put down the newspaper. "Quick, head to Haichiling at once and get our family's half of the business running." He Haisheng shook his head. "Brother, you already sold all the businesses to Ling Miaoying." He Haiqin slapped his forehead. "That doesn't count! We sold it to him for dirt-cheap back then. It's not that price anymore." Beside him, He Yuxiu chimed in, "Right, it can't count! I'll go burn down his movie studio and get all the contracts back." He Haisheng tried to dissuade them. "Brother, Sister, the three Ling brothers aren't that easy to deal with. We acted too rashly in the first place." He Haiqin rubbed his forehead. "We beat Lu Dongjun to death, yet the Ling family reaped the spoils. Why do I feel like we were the ones who got played?" *** Lying on his hospital bed, He Jiaqing received a message from Ling Miaoying. Haichiling's insect plague had been brought under control. "Who did it?" Ling Miaoying replied, "We haven't found any clear leads yet. There are only rumors among the common folk saying a deity called Seventh Master saved Haichiling. A trend of worshipping Seventh Master has swept across the area." "Seventh Master?" He Jiaqing had never heard of such a figure. "How are they worshipping him? Burning incense or making offerings?" "Depends on the place. In Toudaoling, they only set up a spirit tablet and burn a bit of incense. In Erdaoling, they give offerings, and some have erected statues. In Sandaoling, the incense is flourishing; some villages are even building temples for Seventh Master." "What does the statue look like?" "All sorts of looks. Some are young, some old, some ugly, some handsome—every face is different." "Any common features?" "If there's any common feature, all these statues seem to have thick, luxuriant beards." A beard? He Jiaqing pondered for a long while before telling Ling Miaoying, "Go check the local spirits of the newlands around Haichiling. Report back as soon as you find any leads." Ling Miaoying agreed, then asked, "The He family came to reclaim their businesses. They claim the half they sold to us was too cheap, and they want to back out." He Jiaqing sneered, "Do you really need me to teach you how to handle this? If the soft approach doesn't work, use force. If words don't work, use fists. If open means fail, use dirty tricks." "There are plenty of ways, but that's your own family." "I've told you many times, there's no need for scruples in matters like this. Hasn't Old Wan gone to Lüshuiwan? If all else fails, have him pay another visit to my father. That foreigner's whereabouts are unknown; if rashes break out on my father again, let's see if he gets scared or not." Outside the hospital room door, someone cast their gaze toward the bed. He Jiaqing instantly cut off communication with Ling Miaoying and swiftly entered deep sleep. The one watching him was Chen Changrui, Captain of the Dark Star Bureau's Security Squad. At that moment, he was inquiring about He Jiaqing's condition from the attending physician. "Still no idea when he'll wake up?" The attending physician shook his head. Leaving the hospital, Captain Chen got into the car. "Tangyuan" You Xuehan quickly took out her notebook, waiting for Captain Chen's instructions. Captain Chen took out a cigarette and lit it. "Still no telling when he'll wake up. If nothing's wrong with him, we'd better send him back to Puluo Province as soon as possible. With this guy lingering in Yuezhou, nobody can rest easy." Lightbulb looked back at Chen Changrui. "What kind of place is Puluo Province, anyway?" Chen Changrui chuckled. "You want to go see for yourself? You little punk really ought to go get whipped into shape there." *** Jiaozi Town, Sanxian Village. Li Banfeng unfolded the map Old Yao had given him and arrived at the entrance to the newland. With his business in Haichiling concluded, he was ready to return to Lanyang Village. Just as he was about to step into the newland, the liquor gourd suddenly spoke: "Little brother, can I discuss something with you?" "Go ahead." Li Banfeng looked at the gourd with a smile. "I'd like to make a trip back to Yaowanggou to tell Old Yao about what happened in Haichiling. I won't blab; I'll only mention the insect plague. Once this matter is settled, I'll have fulfilled my obligation to him, and from then on, I'll follow you with absolute devotion." Li Banfeng agreed readily: "Sure. I'd like to see Old Yao as well." Inside his pocket, the pendulum shifted twice. Li Banfeng patted the pendulum, reassuring her not to worry. Many thoughts had already quarreled within his mind. The decision Li Banfeng reached was the consensus of those many thoughts. Just as Li Banfeng was about to change course, he suddenly heard the sound of a rattle-drum drifting toward him. "Clatter-clang, clatter-clang!" "Foreign soaps, vanishing creams, a whole cart of fine goods for you to choose!" The peddler? Li Banfeng turned around and saw the peddler pushing his handcart over. "Valued customer, come take a look! I've got plenty of fine goods today. The prices are negotiable—as long as I break even, I'll sell!" "What fine goods do you have?" Li Banfeng was quite interested and walked over to the cart. "Fine goods aplenty! How about this?" The peddler picked up an enormous locust head, its antennae still twitching. Li Banfeng blinked. "What's the use of that thing?" The peddler grinned. "It's got plenty of uses! You can stew it into soup, boil it into congee—it's delicious and goes great with rice! Selling it to you for twenty yuan, want it?"