Business in Troubled Waters

Critick came to Li Banfeng to propose a deal. Li Banfeng found a teahouse, asked for a private room, and sat down with Critick to discuss the matter in detail. He first asked a question: "Why does Chu Shaoqiang want to seize the territory of Moxiangdian?" Critick answered, "According to the intelligence I've gathered, Chu Shaoqiang is anxious to obtain a piece of proper land. Under pressure from the Inner States, he's looking for a soft persimmon to squeeze." Moxiangdian counted as an easy target? Li Banfeng was deeply skeptical of this. "The local spirit of Moxiangdian should be a Literary Cultivator, shouldn't he?" Critick nodded. "Ever since coming here, I've been influenced by the atmosphere and developed a tremendous interest in the literature of Puluo Province. That is likely an effect brought about through some method of the local spirit." Li Banfeng produced a map, which he had bought off the street. "Moxiangdian is no small place. A local spirit capable of affecting an entire territory with their own power is exceptionally rare. "Literary Cultivators are one of the largest pathways in Puluo Province, possessing formidable strength in their own right. If Chu Shaoqiang wanted an easy target, he shouldn't have picked this place." Critick said, "I've harbored similar suspicions. But according to the news your good friend dug up, the local spirit here encountered some sort of misfortune and has fallen into an extremely weakened state." *My good friend.* He was talking about He Jiaqing. "Is this information reliable? Just what kind of state has the local spirit fallen into?" Critick replied, "My Grandmaster didn't disclose any further information. As for whether the news is reliable, he told me to test it out." Li Banfeng grew curious. "Test it how?" "The method the Grandmaster taught me is to pick a spot in Moxiangdian, unleash a plague, and slaughter all the locals to see if the local spirit steps in to stop it. "If the local spirit doesn't show up, that proves your good friend's information is accurate, which in turn means Chu Shaoqiang could arrive in Moxiangdian at any moment. "When that time comes, the Grandmaster will have plenty of choices: he can wait until after Chu Shaoqiang acts and reap the spoils, or he can seize Moxiangdian before Chu Shaoqiang gets here and lie in wait." Li Banfeng asked, "You don't want to do that?" "I don't." "Because you don't have the heart for it?" Critick shook his head. "I have the heart for it, but I'm afraid. If I orchestrate a disaster in Moxiangdian and the local spirit hasn't actually fallen into a terrible state, then the one in a terrible state will be me. "Even if the local spirit doesn't personally deal with me, just as you said, Literary Cultivators are the second-largest pathway in Puluo Province. Their forces wouldn't let me off either. "Deducing from that, if I really went through with it, I'd end up dead regardless of the outcome. "I would love nothing more than to slaughter everyone in this world with a plague, but only on the condition that I truly possess the strength to back it up. Until I have that kind of strength, I'd like to stay alive a little longer." Li Banfeng understood Critick's predicament. "Under those circumstances, what business can you possibly do with me?" "I want to switch to a different way of investigating the condition of Moxiangdian's local spirit—a more normal, gentler way. "Yet you know Puluo Province isn't very friendly toward foreigners, and I'm not good at reconnaissance in the first place. Back when I was hunting you down, I even had to rely on Daboynes's resources. "I hope you can help me find information regarding the local spirit. In exchange, I can disclose some details about He Jiaqing to you." Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of news can you offer? If it isn't worth much, I don't care to waste my time." Critick said, "The value of the intelligence I provide you will certainly be equal to what you provide me. This isn't the first time we've done business; we can definitely reach an agreement on that point. I'm also well aware of your capabilities and methods. In this matter, I won't risk my life." Li Banfeng rolled the teacup in his hand. "The local spirit's situation won't be easy to investigate. I might only be able to uncover part of the truth." Critick nodded. "I understand that. Out of our cooperative relationship, I might as well tell you the truth: I don't intend to tell my Grandmaster everything, but I need to concoct a relatively believable lie. "The local spirit's residence, cultivation level, or even just a name—as long as a single piece of information is real, the lie becomes convincing. "Of course, if you ultimately uncover the local spirit's true condition, our transaction can be upgraded. I can strategically feed information to my Grandmaster to make him respond in ways either right or wrong. "Once Chu Shaoqiang, my Grandmaster, your friend, and Moxiangdian's local spirit all go to war, perhaps an even bigger surprise will be waiting for us." Li Banfeng smiled. "You want to fish in troubled waters?" Critick said, "I feel that leaving such a delicious fish in muddy water would be a sign of disrespect to the fish." "That depends on how muddy the water is, and how deep." Critick lifted his cup and took a sip. "No matter how muddy or deep the water is, I have to plunge in. I have no choice in that matter. "You, however, are different. You can choose not to step into the water, and even if you do, you can climb ashore at any time. In this deal, you won't lose out." Li Banfeng looked out the window. From here, he could still see the earlier poetry club. "Will you go back to that poetry club?" "I will," Critick nodded. "There aren't many places where one can dig up news, and that's a decent spot. Even if the young ladies there dislike me, at least I can collect some folklore and strange anecdotes." "If you see verses I've left in the poetry ledger, that proves I've uncovered something. Wait for me at the poetry club then, and I will find an opportunity to contact you." *** Li Banfeng left the teahouse, strolled around Moxiangdian, and returned to Yanshazhai around nightfall. Tan Fucheng was in the courtyard reading a book. He did not recognize many characters and had kept a dictionary beside him, struggling through the pages with great difficulty. He pulled up a chair for Li Banfeng. "Seventh Master, have a seat." Li Banfeng did not sit down. Tan Fucheng was an Enfeoffment Cultivator; sitting in his chair might invite trouble. It was not that he distrusted Tan Fucheng, but Tan Fucheng's state seemed somewhat amiss. "Seventh Master, over these years my cultivation has grown higher, my business has grown bigger, I've acquired over a dozen houses, and I've married more than a dozen wives. I thought I had enjoyed every blessing under the sun, yet only today do I realize that I've wasted half my life in vain! "Every truth in this mortal realm is contained right within these books. If I hadn't laid eyes on this today, my whole life would have been lived for nothing!" What book could have moved Tan Fucheng so profoundly? The volume was very slim. Li Banfeng glanced at the cover—it was the *Hundred Family Surnames*. That was truly hard to comprehend. "Just what truths of the mortal realm does this *Hundred Family Surnames* speak of?" "Seventh Master, I can't explain it clearly. I don't understand it yet—I'm too clumsy and foolish. Once I've thoroughly digested this book, I'll explain it to you!" The guards beside Tan Fucheng were all reading, Xiao Yeci was reading as well, and Lu Yuanxin was inside the room feeding his insects. When Lu Chunying saw Li Banfeng, she said with sheer delight, "Brother Seven, there's good business to be done in Moxiangdian! There are vast stretches of farmland outside the city along with quite a few Farm Cultivators, and huge amounts of grain are sold outward every year. Doing grain business here could make a fortune! "It's just that staying here too long makes people turn a bit strange. I don't know what's gotten into Brother Tan and the others—all they care about is reading, to the point they don't even want to eat." It seemed Lu Chunying had visited quite a few places this afternoon. Li Banfeng asked, "Don't you want to read?" Lu Chunying shook her head. "I accompany my mother reading at home every single day; haven't I had enough? It's rare for me to come out on a trip, so I ought to accumulate a bit of cultivation." Moxiangdian had not affected Lu Chunying or Lu Yuanxin, though whether it had affected Xiao Yeci remained impossible to tell. *** Returning to the Portable Abode, Li Banfeng took out the judge's brush and asked, "Is Moxiangdian your home?" The judge's brush gave no reply. Li Banfeng asked again, "Who is the local spirit of Moxiangdian?" The judge's brush remained silent for a long time. The gramophone spoke up from beside him: "Your humble servant knows about this. The local spirit of Moxiangdian is the Wisdom-Karmic Scholar, one of the foremost leaders among Literary Cultivators. He possesses immense combat prowess and peerless intellect. In Moxiangdian, one can find plenty of rumors and anecdotes about him." Li Banfeng took out the book he had purchased at the Lu Family Bookshop. "Take a look, Lady Wife. Are the accounts in this accurate?" The gramophone flipped through it briefly. "Dear Husband, your humble servant doesn't know much about the Wisdom-Karmic Scholar, but the rumors everywhere are more or less like this. "The Wisdom-Karmic Scholar's name is Murong Gui. Within three sentences he can deduce one's intention, and within five sentences he can see through a person's heart. His literary cultivation arts have reached the pinnacle, and his foundation as a Martial Cultivator is nothing to scoff at either. "He specializes in wielding a judge's brush. Once wounded by that weapon, though it is not fatal, one instantly loses all fighting capability." Hong Ying said, "Doesn't that sound just like our family's wretched brush?" The gramophone asked, "How can you be so certain?" Hong Ying paused. "Vicious woman, are you probing me? Does this even need asking? If poison were used, the opponent could still struggle for a while. But if Sloth Cultivator skills are used, the opponent becomes too lazy to fight—wouldn't they instantly lose all capability to battle? "Sloth Cultivator skills combined with a judge's brush—isn't that describing our wretched brush to the letter? "Brother Seven, this wretched brush probably wants to run back to his old master. You'd better be extra careful." Li Banfeng looked at the judge's brush and said, "Do you want to go home?" "Hmph~" The judge's brush replied with a single sound. "If you want to go home, I can let you return." Hong Ying said hurriedly, "Brother Seven, you can't let him go! He knows so much about us. If he spills it to his master, we'll be in grave danger!" The judge's brush trembled with fury and blurted out a sentence: "Then do not ever take me outside!" A full seven words! Those seven words thoroughly expressed the judge's brush's anger and indignation. "Don't worry, I trust you," Li Banfeng said in a calm tone. "Ah-Bi, if you truly want to go home, we can draw up a covenant deed guaranteeing never to mention what happened between us, and I will personally see you back." "Hmph~" The judge's brush turned around, paying Li Banfeng no heed. Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Are you afraid that by using you, I'll track down the Wisdom-Karmic Scholar, Murong Gui, and bring disaster upon him?" The judge's brush said nothing. Li Banfeng continued, "If I'm the one who finds Murong Gui, he can consider himself lucky. But if Lüshui Beggar or Chu Shaoqiang finds him, that will truly be an impending catastrophe. "Not only would Murong Gui face disaster, but the entirety of Moxiangdian would as well. Weigh this carefully." *** Late at night, Li Banfeng was sound asleep holding the gramophone, and all the magical treasures had gone to rest as well. The judge's brush quietly stood up from the table without making a sound. He floated into midair, silently gazing down at Li Banfeng. Beneath the bed, the glove soundlessly gripped the dagger. He was awake. Even without the judge's brush making any noise, it had still stirred him. By the glove's judgment, if he woke the gramophone right now, the judge's brush would strike at Li Banfeng first. But if it was merely parrying a blow, the glove was certain he was faster than the judge's brush; by then, the gramophone would also awaken upon hearing the commotion. After hovering for a moment, the judge's brush woke Li Banfeng. "Seven, I want to discuss something with you."