Safety and a Feast

"Old Master, is the seed-blood of the Inner States people really machinery?" Hong Ying couldn't wrap her head around it. "Indeed," the companion dwelling sighed. "For all these years, I couldn't figure out their seed-blood. If not for this fan, I truly never would have seen through the secret behind it." Hong Ying was still puzzled. "I've eaten plenty of Inner States seeds, but all I ever tasted was flesh and blood. I never tasted any machinery." The companion dwelling smiled without replying. The gramophone gave Hong Ying a gentle swat with her arm. "Silly girl, that's called the Ineffable. If you actually tasted machinery, would it have taken so many years without anyone uncovering their seed-blood? But speaking of which, the Outer States seem to know a bit about this..." Using her stylus, the gramophone flipped through Teacher Song's lecture notes. Hong Ying leaned in close. "What do the Outer States say?" "The Outer States call the Ineffable 'inconsistent observation results arising from differing observation angles.'" Hong Ying stared at it for a long while before shaking her head. "Don't understand." The gramophone chuckled. "There's plenty you don't understand. That said, that Song floozy really is quite impressive." "Hmph, what's so great about her?" Hong Ying retorted, unwilling to concede. "Do you think I don't know anything? I come from a prominent family, too, and I've read plenty of books!" With that, Hong Ying turned back toward the mirror and resumed painting her lips. When Li Banfeng returned home, Hong Ying rushed forward to meet him. "Qi-lang, you're finally back! I missed you to death!" "I missed you too," Li Banfeng said, stepping around Hong Ying to address his wife. "Wife, something major has happened." Hong Ying leaned in close. "Qi-lang, do you think I've changed?" "No change at all. Yingying is as charming and lovely as ever. Wife, remember when I told you Zhang Gunli died?" Before the gramophone could answer, Hong Ying stepped up directly in front of him again. "Do you really think I haven't changed?" Li Banfeng scrutinized her for a moment, sensing something was amiss. "Did you... change your hair tie?" "Look closer!" Hong Ying flared with annoyance. Opening her mouth wide, she latched onto half his face and planted a ferocious kiss on him. Li Banfeng rubbed his cheek for a good while before turning to his wife. "She's kissing me like this, and you're not going to stop her?" The gramophone gave a cold snort. "She's a girl of our own household. If she wants to kiss you, let her kiss you. It's better than getting kissed by those floozies outside." Li Banfeng blinked in surprise. "Which floozy are you talking about, Wife?" The gramophone ground her teeth. "Just how many floozies do you have?!" "Wife, let's leave the floozies aside for a moment and talk about the fan. Where is that man I brought back earlier?" "Down the hatch!" The gramophone patted her belly. "If you want to question him, I'll send you inside." Li Banfeng shook his head. "No rush to go in now. I take it you've already asked everything that needed asking?" Turning to serious business seemed to dissipate her temper. "His name is Qiu Daoyu, a purebred Inner States native. He was remade in the Inner States and disguised as He Jiaqing..." She recounted Qiu Daoyu's background, and Li Banfeng compared him with Huang Zennan. The two really were quite different. When it came to how deeply they inhabited their roles, the gap was like night and day. Huang Zennan had played Zhang Gunli with virtually no flaws, whereas Qiu Daoyu's performance as He Jiaqing was riddled with countless holes. After hearing Li Banfeng's explanation, the gramophone analyzed the situation. "The two of them drew their memories from different sources. Qiu Daoyu's understanding of He Jiaqing came entirely from He Haiqin. Exactly how much He Haiqin truly understood his own son is hard to say—especially regarding what happened after his son went off to college. There were plenty of things He Haiqin simply didn't know. "As for this Huang Zennan, Gui Jianchou and Mu Yuejuan are old acquaintances of his. In front of them, Huang Zennan didn't slip up at all, which proves his memories came directly from Zhang Gunli himself. From this, we can deduce that Zhang Gunli has very likely defected to the Inner States." Li Banfeng grew deeply concerned. "Now that the Inner States possess such methods, it will become impossible to distinguish between the real and the fake around us. We'll inevitably fall victim to their ambushes, and misunderstandings and suspicions could easily tear friends apart." "Husband, don't worry," the gramophone said, her mood brightening considerably at the mention of the Inner States people. "First, take a look at this folding fan. The Old Master has already seen through the secret behind it." She pulled on the ribs of the fan, demonstrating its functions. Li Banfeng was stunned. "This is a steam engine?" "Indeed, Husband. Even I was quite startled. The Inner States truly possess remarkable craft to create such an exquisite machine. More crucially, it carries the seed-blood of the Inner States. "So-called purebred Inner States people are the embodiment of steam engines. They have flesh and blood, and apart from being somewhat larger in stature, they appear little different from other living beings. "In truth, however, the Inner States use the art of the Ineffable to fuse steam engines with flesh and blood. In that floozy's terms, it's called 'matter state transformation under dark energy radiation.' "Because steam engines themselves are bulky, Inner States people are naturally large in frame, making them easy to spot even after transforming into living beings. "Now, the Inner States have developed a new technique to shrink the volume of the steam engine down to the size of this fan. But this fan isn't the entire person—it's only equivalent to their heart. The other primary components remain within the Inner States person's body. "By moving core components like the boiler and steam drum outside their bodies, they can keep their size in check, making them look no different from ordinary folk." Li Banfeng's expression grew solemn. This was precisely what worried him most. Yet his wife wasn't worried in the slightest. "Don't fret, Husband. This is a good thing!" "A good thing? How could that possibly be a good thing?" Li Banfeng didn't follow her logic. "Husband, listen to me carefully. While the core components of the steam engine are removed from the Inner States person's body, those parts cannot be turned into flesh and blood. They can only be disguised as objects like fans or abacuses. "Once transformed, the Inner States person must keep that object on their person. If it gets even slightly too far away, they lose their strength, just like an engine that has stalled. "The moment the machine stalls, their identity is blown. And if that external steam engine is brought back near them, the curse on their body activates, blowing their soul and flesh to bits together. "Bystanders will be caught in the blast as well. "As long as we grasp this crucial point, we have a way to expose them." By relying on the small objects they carried. Li Banfeng frowned. "That sounds difficult. Plenty of people like carrying small objects around. You can't just claim anyone holding a trinket is an Inner States native." Yu Nan always held a ladies' cigarette holder between her lips. Xiao Yeci was constantly seen with a book in hand. Could those really be treated as signs of an Inner States person? The gramophone chuckled. "That brings me to the good news I mentioned. Yingying, give Husband another kiss." Hong Ying pouted reluctantly. "I kissed him just now, and Qi-lang pushed me away." "It's rare enough that I let you take advantage of him, so hurry up and kiss him!" "I won't!" Hong Ying dug in her heels, playing coy. The gramophone snapped in irritation, "Didn't we already agree on this beforehand? You useless thing, are you asking for a thrashing?" Hong Ying puckered her mouth. "Don't hit me, I'll listen!" Li Banfeng protested, "I haven't agreed yet!" Hong Ying paid no heed to his protests. In one swift motion, she engulfed half his head in her mouth. "Wait—my eyeballs are getting sucked out!" Li Banfeng yelled, his mouth still free on the outside while everything from his nose up was stuffed inside Hong Ying's mouth. How could her mouth be this big? Her head wasn't even that large! Hong Ying patted his back, signaling him not to struggle—this was serious business. The gramophone enveloped both Li Banfeng and Hong Ying in a cloud of steam. The hot, damp vapor circulated for half an hour before Hong Ying finally released him. Li Banfeng rubbed his eyes for a long time before he could open them. The gramophone said, "Husband, try your Golden Eyes of Keen Detail." The moment he activated the technique, Li Banfeng clapped a hand over his eyes. A blinding glare flared from his wife. Li Banfeng groaned, "Wife, it's so piercing! What is that?" His wife chided him playfully, "That is my steam. What else would it be?" Steam? Li Banfeng deactivated the Golden Eyes of Keen Detail and indeed saw steam billowing from her horn. She explained, "Husband, the Golden Eyes of Keen Detail can not only pierce concealment and discern the souls of the dead, but it can also detect shifts between hot and cold. It's just that you aren't thoroughly practiced with the technique, so your sensitivity to thermal changes was dull. "I previously thought detecting heat and cold wasn't particularly useful. You have means to divine fortune and avoid misfortune, so you would naturally steer clear of scorching, perilous places, and I never paid it much mind. But looking at it now, we need to reinforce your technique." Li Banfeng felt a twinge of pride wounded. "If you said I was unpracticed in other techniques, fine, but I've been using the Golden Eyes of Keen Detail for over two years!" The gramophone gave a light laugh. "Back then, I spent a full fifteen years of painstaking effort mastering it. Does Husband really think two years counts as much? "Just now, I had Hong Ying help clear your meridians. Whether you can grasp the essentials depends on the solidity of your foundation." Li Banfeng activated Golden Eyes of Keen Detail once more. Around the gramophone's horn, he could faintly make out flickering light, though it remained somewhat blurry. "Husband, can you grasp the knack of it?" "I should be able to..." Li Banfeng practiced several times, but the effect was hit-or-miss, lacking stability. The gramophone sighed. "Still lacks sufficient heat. Yingying, give Husband another kiss!" "Hold on!" Before Li Banfeng could dodge, Hong Ying swallowed half his head again. The gramophone coaxed, "Husband, don't struggle. Letting Yingying give you a couple of kisses is hardly a loss for you. Do you know that Yingying possessed devastating beauty back in her day? We sisters treat you with all our hearts—count your blessings when you have them!" Did she have no other way to help Li Banfeng reinforce the technique? She did. She simply felt this method was the most fitting. Glancing through Teacher Song's lecture notes once more, she sighed softly to herself. *With us sisters loving Husband with all our hearts and souls, I refuse to believe an outsider could steal him away!* Over the course of two hours, Li Banfeng was showered with Hong Ying's 'affection' three times. Finally, he had an epiphany. "If an Inner States person wants to disguise themselves as an ordinary human, they must carry a steam engine on them. Since it's a steam engine, its temperature will inevitably be higher than ordinary items. As long as I use Golden Eyes of Keen Detail, I'm bound to spot it!" The gramophone smiled. "Husband has hit the mark. Once you master the technique, uncovering an Inner States person won't be difficult at all." Hong Ying held up the folding fan and asked, "Qi-lang, take a look. Do you notice anything different?" The folding fan was slightly warm, but to tell the truth, Li Banfeng still couldn't clearly discern it with Golden Eyes of Keen Detail just yet. Seeing Hong Ying waiting expectantly with puckered lips, he didn't dare say too much. "The technique still needs more honing. But there's something else I need to discuss with Wife. What if an Inner States person hides the steam engine somewhere intimate where I can't see it? What then?" The gramophone replied, "Husband, such a thing is hard to conceal. If it could truly be hidden away, Qiu Daoyu wouldn't have kept the fan in his hand the whole time. "Still, Husband can't keep the technique active indefinitely, and slips of the eye are bound to happen. I have already made preparations. First, hand the girl Qiansi over to me." Li Banfeng passed the Qiansi earring to the gramophone. She began imparting her knowledge to the earring: "No matter how exquisitely a steam engine is built, there will always be times when the steam pressure fluctuates. Every steam engine has a pressure-relief valve. When the pressure gets too high, steam must be vented. "The moment the valve moves, it makes a sound. You must remember this sound clearly! If there's any noise of venting steam, Husband has most likely run into an Inner States person! Listen closely to this sound." The gramophone took the fan, pulled out a rib, released a hiss of steam, and began training the Qiansi earring. Li Banfeng was still curious. "Such a small steam engine—what does it burn? Coal?" "We don't know for certain yet," the gramophone replied. The companion dwelling spoke up: "According to my deductions, coal can certainly be burned, but so can other things. Oil, liquor, wood, or even three meals a day could likely serve as fuel." Li Banfeng asked further, "Under what circumstances would steam pressure fluctuate?" The Old Master had studied this carefully. "Cramming such a massive steam engine into so small an object makes pressure fluctuations a common occurrence. According to my calculations, steam pressure should be tied to the Inner States person's state of mind. "Anger, hatred, joy, anxiety, terror—any of these should cause steam pressure to spike rapidly. When that happens, they must open the valve to vent pressure." Anyone sent out as a spy would likely have decent mental composure. Li Banfeng remarked, "What if the opponent remains calm as still water, their steam pressure never budging?" The glove chimed in from the side, "Would tickling him work?" "Tickling?" Li Banfeng didn't quite understand. The glove produced He Haiqin's backscratcher. "This thing might come in handy." The backscratcher cowered behind the glove, shivering and not daring to make a move. The gramophone looked at it and nodded repeatedly. "That really could be useful. Husband, go practice your technique a bit more. Yingying, bring that wench Red Lotus over. I want to have a proper chat with her." Li Banfeng returned to Xiaoyaowu and looked in the mirror. Both of his eyeballs were bloodshot, looking as if they might pop right out of their sockets. He washed them with cold water several times and applied some eye drops, but there was no improvement. Footsteps approached, followed by a knock at the door. Li Banfeng found a pair of sunglasses, put them on, and opened the door. It was Jiang Mengting. Having taken the medicine, her health had improved considerably, and she had come specifically to thank him. After a few pleasantries, Jiang Mengting shared her plans for the future. "Seventh Master, I want to enter a pathway and become a cultivator. This isn't a sudden whim, nor is it to reach the clouds and chase immortality. "Having walked this earth, if I just fade away quietly, I truly wouldn't be able to accept it. I don't know if there's a next life, and even if there is, with all my memories gone, I don't know if that would still be me. I just want to learn some real skills and live properly for once." Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "If you become a cultivator, you might end up in the Inner States after death, thrown into a kiln to bake bricks. Will you regret it then?" Jiang Mengting fell silent for a few moments, then shook her head. "I won't regret it." "Good." Li Banfeng wrote a check. "Take this money. When the peddler comes, buy some medicinal powder from him." Jiang Mengting shook her head. "I have money, and there's no need to wait for the peddler. Fifth Master already has powder on hand." Li Banfeng was surprised. "Which pathway do you want to enter?" Ma the Fifth did have medicinal powders—wealthy families usually kept some around, though the varieties were limited. Jiang Mengting lowered her head slightly. "I want to become a Martial Cultivator." Li Banfeng asked, "Why a Martial Cultivator?" "Seventh Master probably thinks I should become a Sound Cultivator, but I've sung songs for half my life. I really don't want to rely on singing for cultivation anymore. "I deeply envy the eldest miss of the He family. She doesn't need to please anyone. Every time I see her brimming with heroic vigor, I feel that people ought to live like that, rather than standing on a stage as a plaything manipulated by others." Li Banfeng shook his head. "That has nothing to do with the pathway." "Then what does it have to do with?" "Time. You're not young anymore. He Yuxiu has practiced martial arts since childhood. If you want to start from scratch, you might never reach her level in this lifetime." "I don't expect to reach her level." "Then don't envy her vigor. Her vigor doesn't come from being a Martial Cultivator; it comes from her strength." Li Banfeng pressed the check into Jiang Mengting's hands. "How you walk this road is up to you to decide. You've sung since childhood—it's best not to squander your time and talent." Jiang Mengting lapsed into silence. Li Banfeng took out two Golden Origin Pills and handed them to her. "Wait until you've reached a certain level before taking these pills." Jiang Mengting waved her hands frantically. "Seventh Master, such pills are far too precious. I can't accept—" Li Banfeng placed the pills in front of her. "I'm not giving them to you for free; I'm lending them to you. When you have the strength one day, repay me in full with interest." *** At ten o'clock the following evening, the gramophone finished modifying the Qiansi earring. Hong Ying carried the fan to the fourth room and gently pulled open the third rib. The earring remained in the main room. Though she couldn't see Hong Ying, she heard the sound. "Mistress, the valve opened." Hong Ying tested it twice more, and the earring called it correctly every time. The gramophone praised the earring, "Good girl! My faith in you wasn't misplaced! Husband, whenever you encounter an Inner States person from now on, no matter how deeply they hide the steam engine, as long as their valve moves, it won't escape Qiansi's ears." "What if they don't vent their valve?" "There's a way for that too." The gramophone picked up the backscratcher and gave it a slight wave toward Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng suddenly felt an intense itch and shuddered. The gramophone explained, "This backscratcher was originally a special weapon known as the Biyan Zhua. Its body has suffered some damage, but fortunately its spirituality remains intact, making it quite suitable as a concealed weapon. "It can strike someone from a distance, inflicting an agonizing itch. It can only be used once per hour, and afterward it extracts its price from Husband, making you itch for a brief while. "If Husband encounters someone suspicious who shows no flaws, you can test them with this backscratcher. When they feel that intense itch, their state of mind will inevitably fluctuate, making their steam pressure unstable. As long as the valve moves, Husband will surely hear it." Li Banfeng took the backscratcher and examined it for a moment. The backscratcher spoke up, "You can't test it now! That woman used it just a moment ago. You have to wait an hour—" Before it could finish, the glove slapped it across the face. "What do you mean, 'that woman'? Mind your manners! That is the mistress of our household!" The backscratcher fell silent, not daring to utter another peep. Li Banfeng handed it back to the glove for safekeeping. The gramophone said, "Husband, with the Golden Eyes of Keen Detail and these two treasures, we have nothing to fear from the Inner States. Every one we run into, we'll haul back. Let's see who can slip from Husband's grasp! Husband, wouldn't you say this is a wonderful thing?" Li Banfeng took a silk handkerchief and wiped the condensation from the gramophone's horn. "Wife is right. It truly is a good thing. Every one brought back is a fine dish on the table." *Whoosh—* His wife sounded displeased. "How can Husband say such a thing? Does this servant think only of food? Just like Husband, what I care about is the safety of Puluo Province!" Hong Ying wiped her lips. "The safety of Puluo Province must be considered, but saury is delicious too!" The Tang dao wiped its blade. "The Marshal is right. We all do this for the safety of Puluo Province." The projector cleared its film chamber. "For the future of Puluo Province, we need an artistic feast." The artifacts in the room chimed in with their agreement. Li Banfeng rose to his feet. "For both safety and the feast, it's about time I went out for a stroll." *** The next day, Li Banfeng visited the Garrison Office and handed the Inner States armistice covenant deed to Liao Zihui, telling him to pass it to Du Wenming so the matter of the ten thousand three-headed people could be settled without delay. Liao Zihui didn't dare dawdle and had the deed forwarded immediately. Li Banfeng had a meal at the Garrison Office and took a stroll around the premises. No Inner States people showed up. Li Banfeng sighed in admiration. "Zihui, you've done a fine job here." Liao Zihui was thoroughly baffled, having no idea what job he had supposedly done so well. Li Banfeng left, slightly disappointed. Two days later, Chu the Second arrived at the newland with her people. Li Banfeng went over to lend a hand, and Ma the Fifth accompanied him alongside Feng Daiku. Li Banfeng asked Ma the Fifth, "Chu the Second has already made her move. When are you planning to bury your deed?" Ma the Fifth replied, "I'm waiting for her to move first so I can see what trouble she runs into. That way, I can be prepared." As he spoke, Ma the Fifth gazed into the distance, his eyes somewhat distracted. Feng Daiku gave him a pinch. "Who caught your eye this time?" "No... nobody—" Ma the Fifth offered her a sheepish grin, though his gaze remained unfocused. Someone truly had caught his eye. Deep in the woods, Chu the Second was speaking with Chu Shaoqiang. Chu Shaoqiang sighed. "Your judgment of character is sharper than mine. Following Li Qi really hasn't done you wrong." Chu Huaiyuan let out a quiet sigh. "Dad, when you left us behind, my brothers and sisters suffered plenty." "What happened in the past was my fault. From now on, let's live well together." Chu the Second looked at him. "Can you live in peace? Will the Inner States let you off?" "There will be difficult moments," Chu Shaoqiang said candidly. "But what could compare to my own flesh and blood? Don't worry, I know where my priorities lie." While they were talking, Xiang Fenglan hurried over. "Huaiyuan, Granny is here." Chu the Second glanced at Chu Shaoqiang. Chu Shaoqiang gave a slight nod, and Chu the Second quickly followed Xiang Fenglan toward the riverbank. Granny Ku stood by the river, smiling cheerfully as she looked Chu the Second over. "Not bad. After taking so many beatings at Kucaizhuang, you've finally made some progress. Now you're about to become a local spirit." Chu the Second lowered her head. "This disciple's cultivation is shallow. I don't know if I can hold this territory." Granny Ku furrowed her brow. "It's fine to say that to me, but don't you dare utter such nonsense in front of Li Qi! The man fed the meal right to your lips, and you turn around and say you can't swallow it? Wouldn't that make you a laughingstock? Wouldn't that disgrace our entire pathway—" Mid-sentence, Granny Ku's gaze shifted into the distance. Before Chu the Second could react, Granny Ku's figure blurred. She appeared directly before Ma the Fifth and booted him straight into the river. "Where did this wild brat come from, staring at me like that?" Granny Ku looked down coldly at Ma the Fifth in the water. "You misunderstand, Madame! I only wanted to—" Ma the Fifth scrambled out of the water, only for Feng Daiku to yank him back. Feng Daiku pushed Ma the Fifth down, bowed respectfully to Granny Ku, and hurried away with him, hissing under her breath, "Are you out of your mind?! You dare make a move on her?!" Ma the Fifth looked a bit embarrassed. "I just saw how full of charm she was and wanted to get acquainted." Feng Daiku fumed, "Keep losing your mind, and one of these days you'll lose your life!" *** Li Banfeng wove back and forth among the guests. Quite a crowd had gathered today. While they ostensibly came to congratulate Chu the Second, they were all truly here for Li Qi. Sha Dingzhong, Rong Sijiao, and Xie the Scabby—several of the surrounding local spirits—had all arrived. Back when He Yuxiu first took over her territory, these local spirits had sent people to cause trouble. Now, none of them dared. Securing a newland with a complete covenant deed might be chalked up to luck or coincidence. Securing territory and holding it firmly, however, was something luck alone could never explain. Now that he had obtained a second territory, these local spirits recognized his capability and strength, realizing it was time to change their tune. "Brother Li Qi, Sha offers you his congratulations!" Sha Dingzhong, his face covered in dust, stepped forward with a gift. "Brother Sha, you're too polite!" Li Banfeng scrutinized Sha Dingzhong carefully for a long moment. This man wasn't an Inner States imposter. "Brother Li Qi, this elder brother acted improperly before. Please don't take it to heart!" Rong Sijiao had a peculiar appearance, with two horns protruding from his forehead and another two from the back of his head. He wasn't an Inner States imposter either. Puluo Province needed peace! The family needed a feast! These Inner States people were thoroughly disappointing—they hadn't even bothered to show up for an occasion like this. Xie the Scabby, his face covered in scabs, beamed obsequiously. "No grudge in the jianghu lasts overnight! What's past is past. I've come to beg a cup of wine—Brother Li won't turn me away, will he?" "Brother Xie, this way, please." This one wasn't an Inner States imposter either. Beyond them, figures of even higher stature were present. "Worthy Brother, your elder brother has arrived late!" At the sound of that voice, Li Banfeng pushed his Golden Eyes of Keen Detail to their limit, turned around, and cupped his hands. "Senior Pan, when did you arrive?" Pan Dehai said, "Hearing that Worthy Brother has, in a display of great virtue, invested a newland, how could this elder brother fail to attend?" He was the first to use the word 'invest.' At the sound of that word, many turned their gazes toward Li Banfeng. Was the term 'invest' appropriate? People considered it carefully and found nothing amiss. Li Qi truly had invested local spirits—and more than one. Li Banfeng wasn't thinking about investitures. His eyes never left Pan Dehai. Pan Dehai had no unusual small objects on him, nor any high-temperature items. Listening through the Qiansi earring revealed no sound of a venting valve either. *Should I test him with the backscratcher?* *Or maybe skip testing and just drag him home? Real or fake, bagging Pan Dehai would be a sound choice either way.* Pan Dehai was accompanied by Hundred-Eyed Fish and Gao Shuxia. As they chatted, a voice suddenly called out, "Old Seven, how could you go and forget your elder brother?" Li Banfeng turned around and saw Shui Yongquan approaching. "How could I ever dare forget you, Brother?" Li Qi hurried forward to greet him. "Did you just arrive?" Shui Yongquan let out a long sigh. "To be honest, I almost didn't want to come. It chilled my heart. You have such fine territory, yet you didn't think of your brother—only your sweethearts." Li Banfeng chuckled. "I actually gave this some thought. Let's find a quiet spot later and talk it through in detail." It was indeed a delicate matter. This territory wasn't far from Zhengjing Village, and Li Banfeng had anticipated that Shui Yongquan might feel slighted. Explaining it wasn't simple. When Li Banfeng mentioned a quiet spot, he had no ulterior motive. He genuinely wanted to discuss the matter of newlands with Shui Yongquan. If Shui Yongquan had the guts for it, Li Banfeng would certainly set aside a plot for him the next time he secured new territory. Yet Shui Yongquan took the words the wrong way. "What's this, Old Seven? Why go to a quiet spot? You looking to teach your brother a lesson? I was only joking with you, and you took it seriously?" *Hiss—* A faint sound came through the Qiansi earring. Li Banfeng stared at Shui Yongquan, looking him up and down. In his hand, Shui Yongquan held a teapot, sipping directly from the spout. Li Banfeng asked, "Brother, is that good tea?" Shui Yongquan shook his head. "Just something to quench my thirst on the road. Nothing special." "Could you spare me a sip?" Shui Yongquan clutched the teapot tighter. "That wouldn't be proper. I drank straight from the spout, and I'd hate for you to find it unclean. Once you return to the village, I'll treat you to top-grade tea." Li Banfeng smiled. "No need to wait until we're back in the village. I have fine tea right here. Brother, come sit with me first."