Inside the Portable Abode, Li Banfeng opened his eyes in a daze, hearing his wife murmuring beside his ear: "Aiya, Husband, running two businesses at once really isn't easy."
Hong Ying laid down her eyebrow pencil. "What do you mean by two businesses anyway? Opening both doors together? Can Seventh Brother even do that?"
"You shameless vixen!" Using her stylus, the wife flicked up a rag and hurled it onto Hong Ying's spearhead. "Brooding over nonsense all day long—have you no decency!"
After washing up, Li Banfeng held the gramophone and was affectionate with her for a good while, sensing that her body had grown slightly thinner.
This wouldn't do. He had worked so hard to feed his wife plump, and in just a few days she had lost weight.
The gramophone comforted Li Banfeng: "Husband, your humble servant has been studying craft techniques these days, swinging a hammer day after day. The exertion was rather high, so I slimmed down a little. My belly isn't hungry—truly, not in the least."
Such a sensible wife.
The more she spoke like this, the more uncomfortable Li Banfeng felt inside.
A puff of steam enveloped Li Banfeng as his wife said softly: "Husband, you truly don't need to worry about your servant. By my count, today is the third day. Husband ought to go to the plot and take a look.
"If the plot was successfully reclaimed, Husband can ask Meng Yuchun for some good seeds to plant herbs that accumulate Dao affinity.
"If the plot wasn't successfully opened, Husband needn't get angry either. Above all, don't forget to reward the anomalies with some cultivation.
"While having more human presence is certainly good, having a greater number of anomalies is also a fine thing—they can boost Husband's cultivation too."
"Having more anomalies can also boost cultivation?"
"It can. Living humans bring human presence, and anomalies resembling humans also bring human presence. It's just that compared to living humans, the human presence anomalies bring is much less.
"Some local spirits know they can't manage to cultivate human presence, so they simply throw everything into recruiting anomalies from all sides. By slowly accumulating them, their cultivation can advance as well.
"Husband is still far from rising above the clouds; building up a deeper foundation is always good. Even setting aside the little bit of human presence anomalies bring, they still serve as fighting strength under Husband's command.
"If war breaks out with other local spirits in the future, charging into battle will depend on the anomalies, so you mustn't treat them poorly."
His wife had a point. In a place this remote, recruiting more anomalies was indeed a viable path. If Lord Mountain-Uprooter had possessed such awareness back then, she wouldn't have delayed until her oil ran dry and her lamp burned out before staking her life against Meng Yuchun.
When he exited the Portable Abode and took a turn around his territory, Li Banfeng realized a practical issue.
This couldn't be blamed on Lord Mountain-Uprooter—in this remote place, even the number of anomalies was extremely limited.
Compared to Shui Yongquan's territory, the number of anomalies on Meng Yuchun's turf was probably less than twenty percent of his.
In terms of combat prowess, Shui Yongquan and Qiu Luoye were also above Meng Yuchun; the disparity in the number of anomalies contributed to the difference in their cultivation.
Needless to say for Li Banfeng's territory—it likely had less than ten percent.
The human presence brought by anomalies fell far short of that brought by living mortals, and if anomalies couldn't even form a scale, it proved this path wouldn't work either.
Forget it; he would check on Youtao's plot first.
Youtao was gnawing on a leg of lamb on the plot. Over these three days, she had endured.
The incident with Xiaofeng had dealt her a heavy blow, but the cook's culinary arts were an immense temptation. What the cook said made sense: as long as one's stomach was full, there really was no emotional knot that couldn't be untied.
Yet resolve was resolve, and strength was strength. Youtao lacked the strength for land reclamation; it was entirely thanks to the cook's help that she had held out until now.
Past noon, the trial ended.
Li Banfeng felt a sudden palpitation in his chest.
Youtao looked up at the sky and saw the faint glimmer of Heavenly Light.
"Is that... Heavenly Light?" Youtao could hardly believe it.
Li Banfeng handed Youtao an iron shovel. "Try digging a bit to see if there's water."
With undiminished vigor, Youtao dug with the shovel for an hour and saw water gushing out.
Success!
Youtao was ecstatic. "Brother Baisha, Big Brother Cook, it worked! I've opened the plot! I have land!"
Li Banfeng smiled with approval.
The cook nodded repeatedly. "I'll whip up a couple of dishes in a bit, and we'll have a good drink together."
Tears welled in Youtao's eyes. "From now on, this is my land. If anyone bullies me, I'll spill my blood, and the local spirit will protect me, right?"
The cook nodded. "Those are the rules of the newland."
Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer.
This was a bit troublesome; Li Banfeng couldn't stay here forever.
Yet this was a duty a local spirit had to fulfill.
He would have to find a way to solve this problem in the future.
While Li Banfeng was still pondering, Youtao excitedly drew a knife and aimed it at her palm: "I'll test it right now!"
"Don't!" Li Banfeng hastily stopped her.
If she tested it now, things would get complicated—how would the local spirit show up?
"You can't test it now. If you summon the local spirit right now, won't the cook and I become intruders?" Li Banfeng offered a plausible explanation.
Youtao thought it over, realized it made sense, and put the knife away.
Li Banfeng had wanted to ask Meng Yuchun for some seeds, but the cook had already prepared them.
"Having received Heavenly Light, you ought to sow some good seeds that yield Dao affinity."
The cook had helped immensely this time. Li Banfeng gave him three Xuanchi Pills. Once the seeds were sown, Li Banfeng and Youtao watched in silence.
"Having one's own land really is wonderful," Youtao said, eyes full of hope. "It would be even better if there were a few more plots."
Indeed, it would be wonderful if more plots could be opened. Li Banfeng also hoped to see more Heavenly Light.
A territory of a hundred li held ten thousand plots of one li square each.
Li Banfeng wasn't greedy. He didn't expect all ten thousand plots to light up in a short time, but lighting up a hundred or so would be fine—only then would this territory look like something.
Yet who could he rely on to reclaim land in this place?
Reclaiming land for Li Furong in the identity of Li Qi?
That would be too ridiculous, and might even trigger a backlash from the covenant deed.
Yet so far, only Youtao had come to reclaim land. Relying on her to open a hundred plots would be far too difficult.
"When did you enter the pathway?" Li Banfeng asked.
Youtao smiled. "I entered at sixteen. Counting up to now, it's been eight years. I'm not far from the second tier."
The cook twitched his brows. "I'm going to cook."
He was too polite to say it bluntly: with Youtao's condition, she was still quite far from the second tier.
Li Banfeng said, "Your cultivation grows too slowly. You usually don't put much heart into your practice, do you?"
Youtao sighed. "Cultivation is a matter of destiny. Without a suitable partner, whom could I even practice with?"
As she spoke, Youtao looked toward Li Banfeng, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
Li Banfeng stared at Youtao, his gaze turning slightly cold.
She still knew how to blush?
She still knew shame?
Her attitude toward cultivation was fundamentally flawed!
Ma the Fifth had entered the pathway a year and a half ago and reached the third tier—he never picked or chose partners.
Whether human or not, he never discriminated.
Seeing Li Banfeng's grim expression, Youtao lowered her head. Thinking of Xiaofeng again, she couldn't help feeling a wave of sorrow.
Li Banfeng reminded her, "Your cultivation has been interrupted for three days. You need to find a partner as soon as possible."
As they spoke, Huangdie fluttered over. Li Banfeng thought she might be a decent candidate, though he didn't know if Meng Yuchun would agree.
Youtao, however, had zero interest in Huangdie; frankly, Huangdie's appearance made her slightly uncomfortable.
Huangdie hadn't come for Youtao either; she had come looking for Li Banfeng.
"A crazy woman has arrived in Lady Meng's territory, saying she's looking for you. That woman is fierce as can be."
Which woman could be that fierce?
Li Banfeng suddenly remembered He Yuxiu and hurried over to Meng Yuchun's territory.
He Yuxiu grabbed a python and demanded, "Did you hear what I just asked? Has a man come through here?"
The python was scared so pale it looked like a green grass snake; it had no idea which man He Yuxiu was talking about.
Meng Yuchun watched from the shadows, her fists slowly clenching.
By rights, a local spirit shouldn't interfere in such trivial matters, but she had a hot temper and couldn't stand He Yuxiu acting wildly on her turf.
Li Banfeng went to Meng Yuchun's side and explained, "This is my younger sister. If she's offended you, I apologize on her behalf first."
Meng Yuchun let out a cold snort and turned to leave. Li Banfeng walked over to He Yuxiu. "You made it here so quickly?"
He Yuxiu tossed the python aside and dusted off her hands. "Brother Qi, this place really isn't easy to find. Have you finished handling your business?"
After returning to Lüshui City, He Yuxiu had secured a sum of money, no small amount.
Yet she was still wearing that oversized men's suit Li Banfeng had bought her.
A plaid shirt, a beige suit, hair tucked up into a fedora—she still looked handsome and dashing.
Li Banfeng stared at He Yuxiu for a long time, then grabbed her hand. "Sister, follow me."
"Where to?"
"To my place. I'm in a hurry."
"In such a hurry?" He Yuxiu was taken aback. "Um, Brother, I've been walking all this way and broke quite a sweat. Let me find a place to wash up first."
"It's fine, you can wash when we get to my place. I have water there."
"So impatient, Brother Qi..."
Li Banfeng was indeed impatient; the more he looked at He Yuxiu, the more eager he became.
Look at how solid this woman's build was!
Look at these shoulders, look at this back, look at these arms, look at this waist—and look at those peaches!
Such a handsome woman with such a fine build—if she didn't reclaim land, wouldn't that be a total waste?
Arriving in Li Banfeng's territory, Li Banfeng said, "Sister, pick one!"
He Yuxiu was startled. "Brother, doing that sort of thing out in the open... at least put something down underneath! The ground pricks terribly!"
Li Banfeng felt the ground and said to He Yuxiu, "It's very smooth. Not prickly at all."
"How can it not be prickly?" He Yuxiu said, sounding a bit aggrieved. "If you don't believe me, try lying down yourself."
Li Banfeng was surprised. "Why lie down?"
He Yuxiu lowered her head. "Not lying down is fine too, but the palms and knees can't take it either."
"What's so hard to take? Aren't you a martial artist?"
"A martial artist... still, this place isn't appropriate."
"If this place isn't appropriate, we can change spots. First, tell me how big you want it!"
He Yuxiu froze. "How can you ask how big I want it? That depends on how big you are, Brother Qi!"
"I have whatever size you want!"
He Yuxiu was dumbfounded.
What did "I have whatever size you want" mean?
Isn't there only one of that thing?
Could Li Qi not be a journey cultivator, but a body cultivator?
He Yuxiu deliberated for a moment. "Your little sister thinks... slightly bigger is better."
"True," Li Banfeng nodded, then added, "It shouldn't be too big either."
"Yes, if it's too big, one can't handle it either."
Li Banfeng considered for a moment. "How about three li?"
He Yuxiu asked in horror, "Measured in li?!"
"Yeah. One li, three li, five li—pick one. Don't pick ten li for now; one person really can't handle that."
He Yuxiu fell into a daze, finally grasping what Li Banfeng meant.
...
A three-li plot. He Yuxiu set out the offerings and burned the covenant deed.
She decided what Li Qi said made a lot of sense: hiding from disaster in the newland required having a plot of one's own.
Li Banfeng hung from the Judge's Brush, lit up the plot first, and then flapped his hands as he came over to the offering table to eat the offerings.
A jug of sorghum liquor, a whole roast lamb—Li Banfeng didn't usually have such a huge appetite, but He Yuxiu had bought this from the cook.
The cook's culinary skill was truly superb. Li Banfeng ate a substantial amount, storing the leftovers into the Portable Abode to save for the next meal.
He had also wondered where this sheep had come from—if it came from the newland, could it be toxic?
However, the cook had assured Li Banfeng that he could eat without worry; no matter where the sheep came from, as long as it was an ingredient, any toxicity could be eliminated in his hands.
He Yuxiu didn't make extensive preparations. For a three-li plot, as long as no unexpected circumstances arose, it posed little difficulty for her.
She wanted to find a place to rest, and Youtao had already pitched a tent.
He Yuxiu was taken aback. "Girl, do I know you?"
"My name is You Xuetao. A friend surnamed Li asked me to come lend a hand."
A friend surnamed Li.
Li Qi had sent her.
He Yuxiu smiled. "Alright. What pathway are you, and what tier?"
One shouldn't ask such things casually, but since You Xuetao had come to He Yuxiu of her own accord, stating her background was only proper.
"I'm a Joy Cultivator, tier one."
"Tier one is a bit lacking. Can you do odd chores?"
"Yes!" Youtao nodded vigorously, stealing glances at He Yuxiu now and then. This woman had such a heroic air, looking all the more handsome dressed in men's clothes.
Youtao didn't know He Yuxiu; she rarely read newspapers, and a figure of He Yuxiu's stature was completely beyond her reach.
He Yuxiu said to Youtao, "Go draw some water for me. I'm going to wash up."
"Okay!"
She wanted to wash up.
Her heart pounding and face flushed, Youtao scurried off.
...
Splendid, absolutely splendid!
With He Yuxiu around, reclaiming eight or ten plots would be no problem at all.
Just as Li Banfeng was celebrating, he felt another wave of palpitations in his chest.
Someone else was reclaiming land!
Business on this turf was booming!
Li Banfeng flapped his arms and flew over excitedly. Halfway there, the Judge's Brush dropped him onto the ground.
"Walk yourself!"
It was rare for the Judge's Brush to speak in such a loud voice—it was genuinely infuriated.
Li Banfeng arrived near the plot, and indeed, people were setting up an offering table.
The ones reclaiming the land were two men. A middle-aged man said, "Brother, we still need to make some preparations. Even though a one-li plot isn't difficult, being cautious is never wrong."
"Leave this entirely to me. I won't boast about more, but on a one-li plot I've never failed. I've prepared all the materials.
"Besides, this is a place Seventh Lord introduced; the anomalies aren't too numerous."
"It's not that I don't trust you. In land reclamation, accidents are inevitable. What if we run into a roaming anomaly? Making more preparations never hurts."
"I've made plenty of preparations. I'll take them out right now to show you."
The young man untied a bucket and casually picked up a ladle.
Li Banfeng bolted over like the wind: "Genzi, put that bucket down!"
Chapter 376