The Grand Banquet

In Yuezhou, at the Cultural Palace black market, Jin Shunying had just delivered two ghost servants to Fourth Mother Yin. She now sat quietly in her car in the parking lot, smoking a cigarette. To be honest, she despised Fourth Mother Yin. It was precisely because of delivering goods to Fourth Mother Yin that she had crossed paths with that lunatic who called himself "Boss." She originally never wanted to do business with Fourth Mother Yin again. But her buyers were limited; if she abandoned the line with Fourth Mother Yin, many ghost servants would pile up in her hands. Without enough money to purchase harmonizing agents, her plans to advance her cultivation would be thrown into disarray. In the martial world, grudges were never kept overnight; business still had to go on. Besides, that Boss had disappeared, so the matter could be considered past. That lunatic had insisted on capturing such a powerful Brawler, and from that night onward, he had never been seen again. Why was that madman so out of his mind? Talking to her about dreams and ambitions. Look at him now—he had even lost his life. Truth be told, he hadn't been a bad guy… Jin Shunying sighed softly. Just as she was about to start the engine, she suddenly heard Li Banfeng say, "The payment for capturing that Brawler last time—I kept forgetting to give it to you. I just put it in your back seat." Startled, Jin Shunying turned and realized that two large suitcases had appeared on the back seat. Sitting beside the suitcases was Boss. "Y-You're still—" For a moment, Jin Shunying could not find the right words. Li Banfeng nodded. "I'm still alive. I came looking for you today because I want to do some business." "What business?" Jin Shunying felt nervous, yet also a bit excited. Boss was actually still alive, and he had even brought her the payment. Did he manage to subdue that Brawler? No wonder there hadn't been any stir from the Brawler lately. Li Banfeng asked, "Any news about the Ferry Gang recently?" "Yes. The day after tomorrow, there's a Grand Banquet in Yanlou Village. Word is they're serving a showstopping centerpiece dish." "What is a Grand Banquet?" "This Grand Banquet is basically an auction. They auction off dharma treasures, ghost servants, and medicinal pills, with items going to the highest bidder." "Why don't they sell them at the black market?" "What's sold at the Grand Banquet is no ordinary fare. It wouldn't fetch top dollar at the black market. I heard the Ferry Gang got their hands on something incredible this time—a massive deal worth millions, maybe even tens of millions." A massive deal. Li Banfeng said, "I'm quite interested in this Grand Banquet. Do you have a way to get in?" "I do, but I'm not going with you." "Why not?" "You need an admission ticket, and tickets are very expensive. Besides, I can't be of much help to you, so going would just be throwing money away." "Don't worry about it. Tickets are on me. Let's go together." "In that case… all right, then—" Jin Shunying started the car and drove Boss toward Yanlou Village. She truly didn't want to attend the Grand Banquet with Boss. It wasn't just about the ticket price; more crucially, this Boss was too reckless and seemed to hold a grudge against the Ferry Gang. If he stirred up trouble at the banquet, she would be dragged into it as well. Still, one could see many extraordinary items at such an event, which seemed like a rare opportunity to broaden her horizons. Jin Shunying glanced at Boss's expression. His invitation sounded like an order, leaving her no room to refuse. In truth, Jin Shunying felt this was fine too. When given no choice, there was no need to agonize over decisions; she would simply follow Boss's lead. By the time they reached Yanlou Village, dawn was just breaking. The shops in town were not yet open. Li Banfeng suggested finding a hotel to catch some sleep, but Jin Shunying was reluctant to spend the money, so she folded down the back seats to let Li Banfeng rest in the car. After waiting for over an hour, an incense and candle shop opened its doors. Jin Shunying told Li Banfeng, "The shopkeeper is named Chang Shigui. People say tickets for this Grand Banquet can be bought at his place. His family also has an item being served up at the banquet this time." "What item?" Jin Shunying shook her head. "That I don't know." After learning a few basic protocols from Jin Shunying, Li Banfeng walked into the incense and candle shop. The shopkeeper, Chang Shigui, sat behind the counter and greeted him. "What can I get for you, sir?" Li Banfeng said, "My belly is rumbling. I came to buy a meal ticket from you." Chang Shigui paused. "Sir, this is an incense and candle shop. You came here to buy a meal?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "Not buying a meal, buying a ticket. As for eating, that'll have to wait until tomorrow night." With just a few words, his intention was clear. Chang Shigui invited Li Banfeng into the back room and poured him a cup of tea. "How should I address you, boss?" Li Banfeng replied, "You addressed me correctly. Just call me Boss." Seeing that he was unwilling to reveal his identity, Chang Shigui did not press the matter, merely offering a reminder: "Tomorrow's meal ticket is quite pricey." "Name a price first and let's see how pricey it is." "One dollar per ticket, but the return gift isn't shabby either—it comes out to about eighty percent." His meaning was that one ticket to the Grand Banquet cost ten thousand yuan, but there would be a return gift at the banquet worth roughly eight thousand yuan. Setting such a steep threshold was meant to prevent idle bystanders who had no intention of buying anything from crowding in just to watch the spectacle. Li Banfeng immediately took out twenty thousand yuan and bought two tickets. The shopkeeper leaned down, pulled two wooden plaques from behind the counter, and handed them to Li Banfeng. "Keep them safe, Boss." Li Banfeng examined the wooden plaques. They were pale yellow with visible grain, showing the natural color of the wood. One side bore two characters—*Grand Banquet*—while the other side was inscribed with the date and venue of the gathering. The craftsmanship was rustic and simple, appearing easy to counterfeit at a glance. Yet as Li Banfeng traced his fingers across them, he sensed a faint spirituality within. How much spirituality it contained and of what quality, Li Banfeng couldn't quite tell, which meant forging them would be no simple task. Putting away the tickets, Li Banfeng asked, "Could I inquire what good items will be on offer tomorrow night?" Chang Shigui replied, "I can't speak for other families' treasures, but my family's treasure is tomorrow's grand finale." Ordinary people might not understand the concept of the grand finale, but Li Banfeng had learned it in the theaters of Puluo Province. The grand finale was the very last dish served at the Grand Banquet—the final lot to be auctioned tomorrow. Did the final lot have to be the most valuable? Not necessarily. The most valuable item was the second-to-last lot, known as the penultimate showstopper. The grand finale dish was of lesser grade than the showstopper; at the Grand Banquet, it was also referred to as the guest-farewell dish. Once that item was sold, the banquet would conclude. Even though his treasure occupied such a slot, Chang Shigui was still bursting with pride. This was the first time an item of his had ever made it onto the Grand Banquet. "Shopkeeper Chang, what kind of treasure are you putting forward?" "My treasure is a pair of shorts!" Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment, then asked, "The final dish of the banquet is… shorts?" Chang Shigui nodded with a solemn expression. Li Banfeng pondered for a moment before asking again, "Would anyone actually want to consume something like that?" "That depends on whose shorts they are." Because Li Banfeng had bought tickets—two of them at that—Chang Shigui decided to show him the item as a gesture of sincerity. He washed his hands first, lit incense, and prayed for about ten minutes. Only then did he retrieve a small-leaf red sandalwood chest from a safe in a hidden chamber of the rear hall. Unlocking two separate locks and releasing a ghost servant to stand guard, Chang Shigui finally opened the chest. The interior was lined with golden-threaded yellow silk. Inside lay a neatly folded pair of blue-and-white striped boxer shorts. Li Banfeng was still bewildered. "Whose shorts are these, exactly?" Chang Shigui lowered his voice. "You know that the Great Spirit visits Yanlou Village once a month, right?" Li Banfeng nodded. "I've heard." "When he visited last month, he left this treasure behind in our village." Li Banfeng thought through the logic and asked, "Why would he leave his shorts in the village?" Chang Shigui's eyes shone with profound reverence. "Because of the utmost devotion of every soul in this village! Every time the Great Spirit arrives, the entire village welcomes him with the warmest hospitality. As long as a household has enough to put food on the table, they will never fall short in offering incense to the Great Spirit. "Every month we make our wishes. Whether they are granted or not is one thing, and how outsiders act is none of our business, but the villagers never complain. Even if someone grumbles a word or two in private, they never let it be overheard. "We revere the Great Spirit from the bottom of our hearts, so naturally the Great Spirit bestowed his grace upon us." Li Banfeng asked, "So he bestowed a pair of shorts upon you?" From Li Banfeng's tone, Chang Shigui detected a hint of contempt, and his face fell. Chang Shigui recalled the ghost servant, closed the chest, bowed respectfully toward it, and locked it back inside the safe. Li Banfeng asked, "What purpose do these shorts serve?" Chang Shigui said, "To my knowledge, these shorts were worn by the Great Spirit for over a decade. Soaked in divine power for over ten years, think about how much immortal essence they must carry! Ponder that for yourself." "I think I'll pass on pondering that." Li Banfeng turned and walked out of the shop, beginning to harbor doubts about the authenticity of the tickets in his hand. This Shopkeeper Chang treated a pair of shorts of dubious origin as a cherished treasure. Judging by such discernment, Li Banfeng could not help but wonder if the tickets he sold were even genuine. "They're real," the glove whispered. "Master, those shorts are genuine. It truly is a treasure. I gave it a good sniff just now. The shorts are thick with yin energy, mixed with a trace of incense aura. They must be the personal garment of a high-tier cultivator." Li Banfeng was astonished. "You sniffed it that thoroughly?" The glove whispered, "Objects kept close to high-tier cultivators over many years all develop spirituality. The spirituality of these shorts is quite potent. If a third- to fifth-tier Demonic cultivator got their hands on them, they'd have a shot at subduing a seventh- to eighth-tier ghost servant. Wouldn't you call that a treasure?" It was really a treasure? Li Banfeng looked back at the incense and candle shop and saw a man dressed in a white shirt and black trousers enter. They were quite far apart, and Li Banfeng could only make out a vague silhouette from behind, but the man looked somewhat familiar. He wanted to step closer to the shop entrance for a better look, but after just two steps, he suddenly sensed a foreboding aura of danger closing in. He couldn't go closer? Who on earth was that man? What was he planning to do? The man in the white shirt and black trousers approached the counter. Chang Shigui asked, "What can I get for you, sir?" The man said, "I want to buy a treasure." "A treasure?" Chang Shigui furrowed his brow slightly. "I don't understand what you mean." The man said, "Tomorrow night, there's a Grand Banquet in town. I heard you have a treasure you're planning to part with." Chang Shigui fell silent for a moment, then said, "There is such a thing. If you're genuinely interested in buying, we can see about it at the banquet tomorrow." "Don't wait for tomorrow's banquet. I want it today." "That won't do," Chang Shigui said, waving his hand. "I've already agreed with the banquet organizers, and the contract is signed." "I'll pay the breach of contract penalty. Name a figure." "That goes against the rules. Even if the penalty is covered, it would ruin my reputation in the end," Chang Shigui insisted, refusing to yield. "Besides, once an item is put up at the Grand Banquet, it goes to the highest bidder. I can't say for sure what price it'll fetch. If you ask for it now, I wouldn't even know how to appraise it." The man pulled out a check. "Based on market estimates, this treasure is worth a little over three million at most. I'll offer seven million to take it off your hands right now. Not only will you not lose out, you'll earn more than double. What do you think?" Chang Shigui shook his head. "My friend, your sincerity is clear, but I cannot sell it to you. I've run this shop for over twenty years, and this is the very first time an item of mine has qualified for the Grand Banquet." The man frowned. "What difference does it make whether it goes to the Grand Banquet or not?" Chang Shigui smiled. "To each their own. To you, it might mean nothing, but to me, it's a lifelong dream. My friend, if you want to buy anything else, take your pick from whatever I have. But if your heart is truly set on that treasure, my words stand: I'll be waiting for you at the banquet." With the deal falling through, the man walked out of the shop with a dark scowl. A dice cup in his bosom chuckled softly. "Your shorts are about to be put on an auction block. Let's see where you hide that old face of yours." The man gritted his teeth. "If all else fails, I'll just snatch them back!" The dice cup laughed even louder. "Snatch them, go ahead and snatch them! A local spirit getting into a brawl with commoners from an outer province over a pair of shorts—if word gets out, it'll be written into the history books!" The man grew angrier with every step. As he walked, he suddenly pivoted and headed straight toward Li the Seventh. Li the Seventh felt a surge of malice sweeping toward him. When the man reached him, he asked, "Did you hear everything?" Li the Seventh nodded. "I heard. Those shorts… are yours?" The man was startled. How did Li the Seventh know whose shorts they were? Had he received some information? Had word already gotten out? Li the Seventh hadn't received any news; it was purely a deduction. He recognized the man before him—it was none other than Song Qianhun, the local spirit of Tiemenbao. For a local spirit to insist on buying a pair of shorts was peculiar in itself. Moments ago, the glove had mentioned that the shorts were the personal garment of a high-tier Demonic cultivator. Li Banfeng naturally connected the dots: the shorts belonged to Song Qianhun. Song Qianhun pulled out his dice cup and said, "A frank person doesn't mince words. Those shorts are indeed mine. Let's have a gamble right here. If I win, you're not allowed to tell anyone about this. If you win—" Li Banfeng waved his hands repeatedly. "Senior, there's no need to gamble. I definitely won't tell a soul. I just wanted to ask you one thing: how did those shorts end up in Yanlou Village?" An autumn breeze swept past, carrying a biting chill. Song Qianhun was the Great Spirit of Yanlou Village, and the Great Spirit was not in a particularly good mood. Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows. "Never mind, I won't ask." Li Banfeng turned and walked away. Song Qianhun stood frozen in place, his chest burning with frustration. "I can't let those shorts make it onto the banquet. No matter what, I have to stop this," Song Qianhun muttered under his breath. The dice cup said, "Stop obsessing over your shorts. Don't lose sight of the real business." *** Li Banfeng gave one ticket to Jin Shunying and returned to the Dark Star Bureau alone. Shen Jingye came to Li Banfeng's office of his own accord. Knowing that the armistice document from the Inner States had arrived, he dispensed with formalities in front of Li the Seventh, expressing his gratitude directly and insisting on treating Li the Seventh to dinner that evening. Li the Seventh had no time for small talk. "Xiao Shen, I have some urgent matters to attend to. Let's catch up another day." After seeing Shen Jingye out, Li Banfeng summoned Tangyuan. "Do you have the files on Yanlou Village?" When it came to gathering intelligence, Tangyuan was remarkably capable. In less than an hour, she brought the files to Li Banfeng. "Director Li, Yanlou Village is also known as the Spirit Market. Due to its unique geographic position, it holds a powerful attraction for departed spirits, making it one of the largest gathering spots for spirit mediums. Every year, a vast number of spirit mediums head to Yanlou Village to hunt and trade in deceased spirits." Flipping through the documents, Li the Seventh asked, "Do these spirit mediums hold legal status?" Tangyuan shook her head. "Most of them do not possess legal status, and the transactions they conduct are illegal as well." "Yet according to these records, the bureau doesn't seem to have carried out many operations against Yanlou Village." Tangyuan adjusted her glasses and lowered her voice. "Director Li, that's somewhat difficult for me to explain." Li the Seventh grasped her meaning. "The same situation as the Cultural Palace? The bureau tacitly permits it?" Tangyuan answered tactfully, "Autonomous conscious dark-energy aggregates—what you commonly refer to as resentful spirits—pose a high threat level, but capturing them is extremely difficult. Certain methods can be utilized appropriately." Translated into plain terms: vicious ghosts were hard to catch, but others were willing to catch them instead. Hunting ghost servants was an effective way to keep the population of resentful spirits in check, so under ordinary circumstances, the authorities turned a blind eye. This information was vital for Li Banfeng. If the Dark Star Bureau exercised strict control and intervention over Yanlou Village, his operation the following night would face considerable resistance. But as long as the Dark Star Bureau maintained a policy of tacit consent, Li Banfeng could rule out many unexpected variables. He spent the entire day reviewing the dossiers, gaining a detailed understanding of Yanlou Village's layout, key figures, and the procedural specifics of the Grand Banquet. *** The next night at eleven o'clock, Li Banfeng and Jin Shunying arrived at Yanlou Village and made their way to a dance hall at the village entrance. During the 1980s and 90s, dance halls had been all the rage. Nowadays, such venues were hard to find in Yuezhou City, yet Yanlou Village still maintained one. Normally, no one came here to dance. The true nature of this dance hall was essentially identical to that of the Cultural Palace. Li Banfeng walked up to the entrance and presented his ticket. The ticket collector placed the wooden plaque onto a tray adorned with an image of a flower bud. A moment after touching the plaque, the flower bloomed, confirming the ticket was genuine. The verification process was rather sluggish. Once inside the hall, they found that only about thirty people had actually come to attend the Grand Banquet. Most of the booths in the hall were vacant. Li Banfeng chose a seat toward the middle-rear. Under the dim lighting, this spot was perfectly enveloped by surrounding shadows, making it easy for bystanders to overlook him. Jin Shunying took a relatively conspicuous seat in the front row. Her task was to place bids. According to Li Banfeng's plan, if Shui Yongquan appeared at this banquet, Jin Shunying had to win the bidding for him at all costs, with Li Banfeng covering all expenses. Only after rescuing Shui Yongquan would they consider how to deal with the Ferry Gang. Based on the intelligence currently available, Li Banfeng did not know how many men the Ferry Gang had brought, nor could he be certain of their true objective. Shui Yongquan had used the Cleansing the Heart and Purging Thoughts technique to wash away all his memories. While he still retained a relatively high cultivation base, as a ghost servant, how much value did he truly possess? Was the Ferry Gang selling him purely for money? Could they be using Shui Yongquan as bait? Li Banfeng had to guard against all these possibilities. After waiting for about ten minutes, the banquet commenced. Though styled as a banquet, the spread was indeed no half-hearted affair. Over a dozen dishes were set out on each table, alongside an assortment of wines and beverages. Those who came here had not come to eat, but the hosts were obliged to put on a grand show, which was also part of the return gift. Several women wove between the tables, distributing a vial of harmonizing agent to each guest. A single vial was worth around seven thousand yuan; this was the primary component of the return gift. Holding the harmonizing agent, Jin Shunying hesitated over whether she should accept it. Her ticket had been provided by Li Banfeng, so by right, the return gift belonged to him. She stole a glance at Li Banfeng. He sat cloaked in the shadows, his outline barely discernible unless one looked closely. The women handing out the harmonizing agents had bypassed him entirely. Jin Shunying did not dare look any longer. Boss had warned her that once the banquet began, she was under no circumstances to speak to him, lest she ruin his plans. A woman in her early thirties walked to the center of the dance floor. She was the proprietor of the hall and the host of the Grand Banquet, named Chi Huiyi. After greeting the guests, she called out, "Twelve appetizers! Guests, please have a taste!" Appetizers referred to auction items of modest value: pills, weapons, and spiritual objects. Among them, the weapons and spiritual objects were tailored for Demonic cultivators. Jin Shunying's heart stirred as she watched, but as the prices rose round after round, she quickly composed herself. Although she had some savings, and Boss had just given her a sum of money, she maintained strict plans for every expenditure. Goods with an obvious markup were generally beyond her consideration. Once the appetizers were cleared, it was time for the main courses. There were three main courses in total. The first dish was a puppet. Chi Huiyi announced, "The vendor presents the dish!" This signaled for the seller to introduce the merchandise personally. An elderly man in his seventies walked to the center of the dance floor. Without speaking, he slipped his hand into the puppet's mid-back and began operating it. Without exaggerated movements, the old craftsman displayed every joint of the puppet step by step. Li Banfeng did not understand mechanical arts, but he had seen plenty of first-rate craftsmanship in Puluo Province. The craftsmanship of this puppet was exceptional: the flexibility of its joints, the resilience of its frame, and every hidden mechanism within its body were executed with exquisite precision. When the demonstration finished, Chi Huiyi said, "The vendor opens at one-fifty, seeking your favor!" One-fifty meant 1.5 million. Since this Grand Banquet primarily catered to Demonic cultivators, featuring a puppet as a centerpiece seemed somewhat out of place. Yet connoisseurs knew that such a puppet was immensely useful to Demonic cultivators. Certain souls were unsuited for direct combat, but by possessing a puppet, they could unleash far greater combat strength. Considering both the materials and the craftsmanship, 1.5 million was by no means expensive. "One-point-seven!" "Two million!" "Two-point-three!" The guests called out bids continuously until the lot finally hammered at 3.1 million. The old man left the dance floor to settle payment and delivery with the buyer. Chi Huiyi called out, "The second main course! The vendor presents the dish!" Seeing the second main course, Li Banfeng remained motionless, but his heart jolted violently. He saw Shui Yongquan. Shui Yongquan wore a short-sleeved tunic and plain trousers, his body bound in iron chains. With a vacant expression, he was led to the center of the dance floor by a man holding his tether. All the seated guests appraised Shui Yongquan at once, murmuring among themselves. "This is an Injured Demon Fiend? He's aged to this point?" "Look at that withered frame. Can he even fight?" "He doesn't seem to have much vitality either. Is he sick?" "This thing won't come cheap. Don't be fooled by the grand title—if he's just a sickly donkey, can he turn a millstone or plow a field? What use is buying him back?" Listening to the crowd's chatter, Li Banfeng's brow twitched faintly. Shui Yongquan, a local spirit, a feudal lord of his domain! And now he was being inspected and critiqued like livestock. The vendor wore a coir raincoat and a massive bamboo hat. Facing the crowd, he said, "This is an Injured Demon Fiend. I need not say more." He spoke only that single sentence, his voice heavily disguised, but the earring still picked out the underlying timbre. "Master, it's him." Chu Zikai. Li Banfeng gently squeezed his fingers, remaining perfectly composed. Chi Huiyi announced, "The vendor opens at ten million, seeking your favor!" The dance hall fell silent. Among the guests present today, many had come specifically for the Injured Demon Fiend. However, cultivation bases were invisible, and Chu Zikai's introduction had been far too brief. No one could tell whether this Injured Demon Fiend was genuine or what quality he possessed. Taking advantage of the silence, Jin Shunying spoke up first: "Eleven million!" Adding a million straightaway—if no one contested, the matter would be settled. "Thirteen million!" a man behind her raised the bid. Jin Shunying's heart tightened. Who was that? She wanted to check Boss's reaction, but dared not turn her head casually. Remembering Boss's instructions, she had to secure this Injured Demon Fiend no matter what. "Thirteen-point-five million!" Jin Shunying raised it by another five hundred thousand. The guests murmured; such an increment was rather modest. "Eighteen million!" the man behind her raised again. "Eighteen-point-five million!" Jin Shunying's voice trembled slightly. Even though it wasn't her money, the figure far exceeded what her nerves could bear. "Twenty million!" the man continued to bid. Who on earth was this? Li Banfeng was curious as well. Jin Shunying kept bumping the price by five hundred thousand, while the man raised it by two or three million at a time. Li Banfeng glanced back at the man. He was wearing a black trench coat with the collar turned high, and a hiking hat pulled low over his brow. When it came to using a hat brim to conceal one's face, Li Banfeng was an expert. Activating his keen perception, Li Banfeng peered through the shadows and caught glimpses of the man's features. The man had used disguise techniques, but Li Banfeng could still make out certain details. It looked like Song Qianhun. His presence here was likely for his shorts, which did not surprise Li Banfeng. But why was he offering such an exorbitant price for Shui Yongquan? He was a Demonic cultivator—did he simply want another ghost servant? "Thirty-two million!" the man raised the bid again. This time, the earring identified the voice. "Master, it's that senior." Li Banfeng slipped soundlessly to the man's side and whispered, "Senior Song, you want this Injured Demon Fiend that badly?" Seeing that Li the Seventh had recognized him, Song Qianhun dropped all pretense. "He's my friend. I can't let him be humiliated like this!" With that, Song Qianhun called out his bid: "Thirty-five million!" The price had exceeded all expectations. Chu Zikai smiled triumphantly. Behind him, by the bar of the dance floor, stood a blond, blue-eyed elderly foreigner. This old man had come alongside Chu Zikai, and he watched the reactions of every guest in silence. If the transaction went smoothly and they pocketed the money, that was well and good. If the transaction ran into trouble, he was fully prepared to respond. In any case, the Ferry Gang would not come out on the losing end. Song Qianhun was still bidding when Li Banfeng said, "Since he's Senior's friend, I'd like to ask Senior for a favor." Song Qianhun asked, "What do you mean?" "Let's join forces: rescue our friend, and take back the shorts."