Settled in Full!

The famous detective Daboynes stood on the main street of Sui'an Town, staring across at Li Seven. His expression was much like it had been when he first saw Bagworm Lady. He desperately wanted to run, but he knew that while he could have run a long time from Bagworm Lady, he wouldn't make it even ten meters against Li Seven. "I think... we can still talk this over—" Daboynes looked at Li Seven, then glanced toward Zuo Anna. Zuo Anna said to Li Seven, "I don't know how much bad blood lies between you two, but Daboynes is a member of our organization. It is my duty to protect him. At least within Sui'an Town, I must ensure his safety." Li Banfeng smiled. "Don't be so tense, both of you. Daboynes and I have quite an acquaintance. He came looking for me in the newland, he came looking for me in Yaowanggou, and he even tried to hunt me down in Lanyang Village. Our history runs rather deep." Daboynes grew even more terrified. Back then, for the sake of Red Lotus, he really had tracked Li Banfeng for some time, and near Zhengjing Village, he had even launched a lethal ambush against him. The grudge between them was deep. Daboynes did not believe Li Seven would spare him, nor did he believe Zuo Anna could stop Li Seven. Li Banfeng walked into a teahouse, pulled out a chair, and invited Daboynes and Zuo Anna to sit. Once the three were seated, Li Banfeng asked Daboynes, "How has Lu Xiaolan been doing lately?" Daboynes took a sip of tea, steadying his nerves. "Lu Xiaolan went back to Iron Sheep Mountain to keep running her stronghold. We rarely keep in touch anymore." Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "If you cross paths with her again, give her my regards." "Of course!" Daboynes nodded repeatedly. Setting the teapot onto the tea stove, Li Banfeng asked again, "How did you come to join the White Falcon League? From what I know, you were a member of the Light Chasing Group." Daboynes gave a dry chuckle. "That was a very long time ago." Zuo Anna was astonished. "When were you ever in the Light Chasing Group? I thought you were a member of the Birch Hermitage before this!" "You were even in the Birch Hermitage?" Li Banfeng's smile turned warmer. Daboynes explained once more, "Before I joined the Birch Hermitage, I was briefly with the Light Chasing Group. Just for a short time." Zuo Anna still shook her head. "That's not right either. According to the profile in your file, before joining the Birch Hermitage, you were a member of the Hundred Demons Workshop." "You were in the Hundred Demons Workshop too? My, aren't you quite the popular fellow?" Li Banfeng's smile became ever friendlier. Daboynes wiped the sweat from his face when the ground beneath them suddenly shuddered. Sui'an Town had "pulled to a stop." With a solemn face, Daboynes said, "I'll go check what happened!" Zuo Anna said, "No need. I'll go take a look. You stay and catch up with your old friend." Daboynes watched Zuo Anna's departing figure with a look of utter despair. Then he forced a smile, turned to Li Banfeng, and said, "What happened in the past... was my fault..." Li Banfeng nodded. "Then tell me, what was your fault?" "I took money to do a job. I didn't have much choice." Li Banfeng nodded. "So going by that, you didn't do anything wrong either." Daboynes tried to steer the topic away. "Speaking of which, when we first met, we actually hit it off rather well." Li Banfeng recalled the circumstances back then. "Hit it off? You mistook me for a woman at the time." "At least I didn't harbor any improper thoughts..." Layer upon layer of sweat poured down Daboynes's face. Zuo Anna returned. "A swift-fish came rushing past outside, darting along in a great hurry. No telling where it's headed." Daboynes stood up once more. "This is definitely unusual. We have to get to the bottom of it. I'll go investigate right away—" Li Banfeng and Zuo Anna both stared at him. Knowing he couldn't leave, Daboynes sat awkwardly back down in his chair. Sitting there now felt like perching on a bed of nails, and his body began to tremble involuntarily. Li Banfeng asked, "Across the entire Great Shang Empire, just how much of it is ocean?" Daboynes beat Zuo Anna to the punch. "You shouldn't just say the Great Shang Empire, but rather that their entire world is ocean. In the terminology of the Outer States, ninety percent of the Third Planet is covered in seawater. So if the imperial court chases you, as long as you escape into the sea, you've gotten away." Li Banfeng asked again, "I've heard others say that if you travel by land into the Inner States, you can still see vast stretches of terrain." Just as Zuo Anna was about to explain, Daboynes cut in again: "The so-called overland route is the Fertile Land. It's the remaining ten percent of land left in the Inner States. That ten percent is immense—the Fertile Land is larger than all the lands of the Outer States combined." Li Banfeng now had a rough picture of the Inner States—that is, the Third Planet. This planet was larger in volume than Earth. It had a supercontinent named the Fertile Land. Even though it accounted for only ten percent of the planet's surface area, that single supercontinent was still larger than the roughly twenty-something percent of land area across the surface of Earth. "Since there's such a vast Fertile Land, why was Chaoge built on an island?" Li Banfeng had assumed Chaoge ought to have been built on the supercontinent. These matters touched on classified secrets, and Zuo Anna had no desire to elaborate. Daboynes, however, laid everything bare without reservation: "There are two reasons. The first is that war never stops in the Fertile Land. When wars break out in the Inner States, they are far more ruthless than in Puluo Province or the Outer States. "Their weapons are extraordinarily powerful, capable of obliterating an entire nation in a very short time. To ensure their survival, many countries keep their capitals off the Fertile Land, leaving themselves an avenue of retreat. "The second reason is that the land in the Inner States is constantly shifting, and these shifts are even more pronounced in the Fertile Land. If a capital is built on the Fertile Land, after some time and shifting, that capital might end up displaced inside another nation's territory. This has happened before in Great Shang, which is why Great Shang has moved its capital several times. "In the Inner States, any nation of decent size will build its capital and important cities at sea. The White Falcon League is the sole exception." Zuo Anna glared at Daboynes for a long while, but Daboynes had no intention of stopping. "The capital of the White Falcon League lies in Seven Stars Mountain. Seven Stars Mountain is a patch of Still Land—land that never moves, very much like Chaoge's city gates. "Because the land of Seven Stars Mountain is so exceptional, it became ground fought over by every nation. To survive, the nations around Seven Stars Mountain formed an alliance, which was the earliest origin of the White Falcon League. "Later, during the shifts of the land, many small nations ended up bordering the countries around Seven Stars Mountain. What followed was rather remarkable. "As long as these small nations successfully joined the White Falcon League, their lands would also turn into Still Land, no longer shifting without end." Li Banfeng was surprised as well. "Why is the White Falcon League so special? What keeps their land from moving?" Daboynes said, "According to the White Falcon League's official explanation, it's because the power of covenants binds the land. According to the deductions of other nations, the White Falcon League must have mastered some method of manipulating land." Li Banfeng pondered for a long time, then suddenly asked, "That sounds very similar to the newlands of Puluo Province." Daboynes nodded vigorously. "You're completely right. The newlands of Puluo Province also demonstrate the link between covenants and land. Many people are researching the similarities between the two. "Some say Great Shang also mastered the method of controlling land with covenants, but they pinned all their hopes and means onto Puluo Province. The place where they produce and dispatch newlands is in the Fertile Land. "I've always suspected that the soil of the Fertile Land possesses some living quality, with a special sensitivity to covenants—" Zuo Anna reached the end of her patience. "Daboynes! Mister Li Seven has not yet joined the White Falcon League!" Daboynes hurriedly apologized. "I'm sorry, Lady Anna. Seeing an old friend from the past made me a little too excited, and I spoke without enough caution." Zuo Anna was clever; she knew full well why Daboynes was acting so out of character. He was currying favor with Li Seven, hoping Li Seven would grant him a path to live. "Mister Li," Zuo Anna petitioned Li Banfeng once more, "please do not put me in a difficult spot." "Set your mind at ease," Li Banfeng nodded, then turned to Daboynes. "Our reunion today shall be treated as though we were meeting for the very first time." *** Late that night, Sui'an Town reached Xiaodu. This was the former capital of the Great Shang Empire. Though it could hardly match its bygone splendor, it remained one of the largest cities in the realm. Zuo Anna headed toward the exit to receive their passengers. Daboynes stepped ahead of her. "Lady Anna, leave receiving the people to me." Having said that, Daboynes moved to leave. Zuo Anna stopped him. "If you go now, will you ever come back?" Daboynes shook his head. "Not anytime soon. I have to go into hiding. At least until this journey is over, I won't be returning." Zuo Anna frowned. "You're doing this just to dodge Li Seven?" "Yes," Daboynes answered candidly. Zuo Anna hoped Daboynes would stay. "I don't think you need to be this frightened. Just today, he gave you a promise. He considered today your first meeting, letting bygones be bygones." Daboynes shook his head. "Our language isn't the same as yours, and what Li Seven meant isn't what you think. "Li Seven said that our reunion today is like meeting for the first time. He wasn't letting me off the hook. When I met him for the first time back then, I didn't kill him; I gave him a chance to flee for his life. "From then on, he was on my hit list, and I never showed him mercy again. So there's no way he will let me go either. If I don't leave now, I won't have another chance." Zuo Anna said, "In Sui'an Town, I guarantee Li Seven won't harm you. He won't destroy our current balance over past grudges." Daboynes shook his head. "This balance is far too fragile. Seeking vengeance is the most natural thing under heaven. That he gave me a single day to flee for my life already makes me deeply grateful to him. "I plan to stay in Xiaodu for a few days. If you can provide me some convenience and give me a safe refuge, I would be most grateful to you as well." *** Boundless City reached its destination. Luo Lijun remained in Boundless City to continue overseeing government affairs, while Luo Yanjun served as a guide to bring He Jiaqing back to Qishuiyao. The moment they emerged from the pool and entered the workshop, He Jiaqing vanished without a trace. Luo Yanjun fumed, "That bastard sure runs fast!" Beneath her, Banfeng Two patted her snail shell, signaling for her not to worry; they had other plans ready. Luo Yanjun crawled along the workshop floor for a short while and soon ran into Feng Daiku. Feng Daiku had been waiting for news of Li Seven all along. Seeing only a single field snail arrive—and unable to tell which sister it was—she asked directly, "Miss Luo, where is Li Seven?" Luo Yanjun replied, "I don't know Li Seven's whereabouts. Right now, I need to see Ma Junyang immediately." Feng Daiku frowned slightly. "What do you want with Ma Junyang?" "It isn't me who wants to see him. A friend of mine needs to see him." "What is the background of this friend of yours?" "Truth be told, I don't know his background either." "You should at least know his name, shouldn't you?" Luo Yanjun shook her head. "I don't know his name." Feng Daiku stared at Luo Yanjun in silence for a long time. Li Seven had left with the Luo sisters and was now nowhere to be found. And now she wanted to arrange for someone else to meet Ma the Fifth. She couldn't explain the reason, couldn't explain the identity, and didn't even know the visitor's name. Feng Daiku truly could find no reason to trust Luo Yanjun. "I will inform Ma Junyang about this. Wait for my word." Feng Daiku turned to leave when Luo Yanjun glanced at the shadow on the floor. The shadow gave her a slight nod. Luo Yanjun called out, "The person who wants to see Ma Junyang knows Li Banfeng." "Who is Li Banfeng?" Feng Daiku felt like she had heard the name before, but the impression was faint. Luo Yanjun said, "Tell Ma Junyang that he knows Li Banfeng. He will definitely want to see this friend." In Puluo Province, not many people knew that Li Banfeng was Li Seven, and Ma the Fifth was one of them. Upon hearing the name Li Banfeng, Ma the Fifth rushed to Qishuiyao immediately and met Luo Yanjun. Luo Yanjun requested that Feng Daiku not be present; there were matters that this friend could only discuss with Ma the Fifth in private. Feng Daiku said, "You don't trust me, and you think I trust you? You still haven't clearly explained Li Seven's whereabouts!" "I won't be present either. I'll go with you!" Luo Yanjun said. "Just the two of them will talk alone. If anything happens to Ma Junyang, you can take my life on the spot." With Luo Yanjun offering her life as collateral, Feng Daiku had nothing more to say. The two women withdrew from the workshop. Ma the Fifth looked around for a moment. Before he could find this friend, a man's voice drifted out from the deep shadows in a corner: "My name is Li Banling. I grew up with Li Banfeng." The voice sounded familiar, very much like Old Seven's, yet with a subtle difference. Ma the Fifth looked toward the shadows and asked, "Are you a Shadow Cultivator?" "Yes. I came to find you because Li Banfeng needs your help to retrieve something." "What thing?" "A covenant deed for a newland. The deed owner's name is Li Furong. Li Furong is Li Banfeng." "Why would he be named Li Furong?" Hearing the name Li Furong, Ma the Fifth instinctively thought of Li Haoyun. "That is one of Li Banfeng's aliases. Right now, this covenant deed has fallen into He Jiaqing's hands. He Jiaqing also knows the name Li Furong, but he isn't certain that the deed belongs to Li Banfeng." Ma the Fifth asked, "How do you know he isn't certain?" "He tested me. He offered to sell the deed to me." Ma the Fifth was startled. "Did you make an offer?" "No. I said the covenant deed was useless to me." Ma the Fifth let out a long breath of relief. "Then there's nothing to fear. As long as you didn't name a price, we can get it back. Where is Old Seven right now?" "I'm looking for him as well. He Jiaqing said he returned to Puluo Province through another channel. As long as he's back, you'll definitely be able to contact him." Ma the Fifth nodded and left Qishuiyao that very day. *** He Jiaqing took Duan Shuqun and Qian Xiangjun to Furong Zhai to pay a visit to Li Haoyun. Li Haoyun had known He Jiaqing in the past. With He Jiaqing having recently absorbed many gangs and his influence at its peak, Li Haoyun naturally would not snub him. He chose a courtyard in his manor specifically to host He Jiaqing's party. After exchanging pleasantries, host and guests sat down. Li Haoyun raised his cup and said, "A modest spread of wine, prepared in haste and lacking in proper hospitality. I hope Lord Qing won't take offense." He Jiaqing raised his cup. Before he could speak, Qian Xiangjun piped up: "Lychee Yun, your hospitality is indeed lacking. Haste aside, what is the meaning of hosting our Lord Qing here? If you were truly sincere, you should at least have hosted us in your Lychee Garden!" Hearing this, Duan Shuqun's hand twitched. What was wrong with Old Qian? Qian Xiangjun and Duan Shuqun followed He Jiaqing together. He was the eldest and most steady of them, holding quite a reputation in the pugilistic world, and He Jiaqing usually addressed him as elder brother. Why was he speaking so recklessly today? Li Haoyun hated people bringing up two things above all: one was casually mentioning his wife, and the other was casually mentioning lychees. Both were sore spots in his heart. For friends he held in high esteem, Li Haoyun would entertain them in the Lychee Garden, but that was never something a guest should bring up unprompted. Qian Xiangjun had dealt with Li Haoyun plenty of times before. Had he forgotten the most basic rules today? While Duan Shuqun worried on his behalf, Qian Xiangjun acted as though nothing had happened, cheerfully smiling at Li Haoyun. He Jiaqing remained expressionless, with no intention of reprimanding Qian Xiangjun. Li Haoyun didn't make an issue of it either. "We've had heavy rains lately, and the Lychee Garden is somewhat muddy. Another day, I will invite Lord Qing to sit in the garden." Just when it seemed the matter had passed, after two rounds of wine, Qian Xiangjun spoke up again: "Skipping the Lychee Garden is one thing, but you should at least invite your two ladies out to share a cup of wine with us!" This time, Li Haoyun said nothing. It was obvious he was infuriated. Qian Xiangjun still paid it no mind, and He Jiaqing remained expressionless. Duan Shuqun could sit still no longer. "Old Qian, are you drunk?" Qian Xiangjun waved his hand. "Not drunk at all. How many cups have we had?" "You look drunk to me. Come outside with me to get some fresh air." Duan Shuqun dragged Qian Xiangjun out. Once outside the courtyard, Duan Shuqun asked, "What is wrong with you? Purposely jabbing at Li Haoyun's sore spots—what are you trying to do?" Qian Xiangjun laughed. "Just teasing him a bit. Couldn't you tell I was doing it on purpose?" "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind? Is Li Haoyun someone to provoke lightly?" Qian Xiangjun still shrugged it off. "What's so hard to provoke? Isn't he just the 'Three Unknowns'?" The Three Unknowns were Li Haoyun's trademark: first, his wealth was unknown—outsiders didn't know how much money he possessed; second, his manpower was unknown—outsiders didn't know how many men he commanded; third, his path was unknown—outsiders didn't know his Daoist discipline or cultivation level. Precisely because of these Three Unknowns, ordinary people could never gauge Li Haoyun's depths and held deep wariness toward him. During the height of the Four Great Families, neither the He family nor the Lu family would casually offend Li Haoyun. Today, Qian Xiangjun seemed to have taken the wrong medicine, insisting on pricking Li Haoyun right in the face. Old Qian shouldn't be acting this strangely. Duan Shuqun's eyes shifted, and he asked in a low voice, "Did Jiaqing tell you to do that?" Qian Xiangjun smiled without answering. Duan Shuqun punched Qian Xiangjun. "You didn't give me a heads-up beforehand! Scared the wits out of me. Let's go back and drink!" Qian Xiangjun shook his head. "No rush. Jiaqing is talking business in there right now." *** Inside, He Jiaqing first offered an apology to Li Haoyun: "Old Qian had quite a bit to drink before coming here, so his words lacked propriety. Lord Yun, please don't hold it against him." "No matter," Li Haoyun replied casually, picking up the teacup on the table. This was the customary gesture to see a guest off. Seeing this, He Jiaqing didn't hurry to leave. He continued, "My visit to Lord Yun today is to discuss a piece of business." "We can talk about business another day." Li Haoyun didn't want to discuss anything right now; he just wanted He Jiaqing to get lost. He Jiaqing asked another question: "Lord Yun, do you know a person named Li Furong?" Li Haoyun frowned slightly. "Lord Qing, is this a new nickname you've given me?" He Jiaqing smiled. "I'm afraid it's more than just a nickname, isn't it? And even if it were a nickname, I suspect it wouldn't be a new one, would it?" "What do you mean by that?" Li Haoyun set down the teacup. He Jiaqing retrieved a covenant deed from his robes. "Lord Yun, this is the covenant deed of a newland local spirit. That local spirit is named Li Furong. Do you know this person?" Li Haoyun's cheek twitched. He smiled and said, "To think there's a local spirit with such a name. That really is a coincidence." He Jiaqing tucked the covenant deed back into his robes. "So it was merely a coincidence. It seems this He sought out the wrong person. Farewell." Just as he rose to leave, Li Haoyun hastily urged him to stay: "Lord Qing, we've only had two cups of wine. How can you leave so soon?" He Jiaqing paused. "Just now, I saw Lord Yun pick up his tea. Weren't you seeing the guest off?" "I was thirsty and took a sip of tea, forgetting the old etiquette. My mistake." Li Haoyun offered an apology to He Jiaqing first. He Jiaqing said, "Old Qian offended Lord Yun just now. Lord Yun wouldn't harbor thoughts of dealing with him underhandedly, would you?" "What kind of talk is that? I, Li, am not such a petty man." As he spoke, Li Haoyun poured He Jiaqing a cup of wine, and the atmosphere eased once more. For someone to violate Li Haoyun's rules and have Li Haoyun force down his anger was a rare sight indeed. He Jiaqing was now certain that this covenant deed was tied intimately to Li Haoyun. After exchanging a few toasts and chatting idly, Li Haoyun could no longer contain himself and brought it up proactively: "Lord Qing, the business you mentioned earlier—were you referring to that covenant deed?" He Jiaqing nodded. "Yes, the covenant deed. I originally thought this object might have some connection to Lord Yun. Who knew I was mistaken? Just pretend I never mentioned it." Li Haoyun sighed. "Lord Qing, if you hadn't brought it up, the matter would indeed have ended there. But now that you've mentioned it, I can't get it off my mind. "To be honest, my cultivation isn't low among those grounded to the earth. In a few years, it'll be time for me to make a push above the clouds. Opportunities like this are rare, and I truly don't want to pass it up." Hearing this, He Jiaqing nodded. "Taking a covenant deed, claiming a plot of land, seizing a divine status by force, and ascending above the clouds without having to suffer in the Inner States—it is indeed a proper path. But I only have the deed, not the territory. I don't even know where this local spirit named Li Furong resides. "Leaving this thing with Lord Yun doesn't seem to be of much use either." Li Haoyun poured He Jiaqing another cup of wine. "Ascending above the clouds isn't something done overnight. Let's secure the deed first, and leave future matters for the future." He Jiaqing drank the wine. "In other words, this deal can be made?" "It can! Lord Qing, name your price." He Jiaqing chuckled. "Talking price between us makes things sound so distant. I have always regarded Lord Yun as a friend. If Lord Yun thinks well of me, why don't we become brothers from now on?" Li Haoyun understood what lay behind those words. Becoming brothers with He Jiaqing wasn't as simple as kowtowing and swearing an oath; He Jiaqing was inviting him into the Brotherhood Alliance. "Lord Qing, it's not that I don't appreciate the favor. We can certainly be brothers, but I am used to a leisurely life. Serving under Lord Qing, I'm afraid I wouldn't accomplish much. It's better for us to settle on a clear, upfront price." He Jiaqing was not surprised by Li Haoyun's response. Li Haoyun had tumbled through the martial world for so many years without ever easily joining anyone's faction. Back when Bao Yingchen ran the Three Heroes Sect, he had tried repeatedly to pull him in using threats, enticements, and every method imaginable, yet Li Haoyun had refused them all. "Since Lord Yun won't give me this face, then this He won't force the issue." He Jiaqing stood up once again to leave. Li Haoyun urged, "Lord Qing, this local spirit is named Li Furong. It has an affinity with me, Li, as well as with Furong Zhai. Such a fateful bond cannot be missed. Please grant me this favor and name your price." After weighing the matter back and forth, He Jiaqing named his terms: "Since Lord Yun wants this covenant deed so badly, then this brother will name a price. One million silver dollars. Lord Yun doesn't think that's too much, does he?" This demand was mercilessly steep. When Lu Dongjun sold the Paramount to Chu the Second, the asking price had been eight hundred thousand silver dollars—and that was the very facade of Puluo Province. Yet He Jiaqing opened his mouth and demanded one million. How many tycoons in Puluo Province could not produce that much even if they staked their entire net worth? Li Haoyun set down the wine flagon and fell silent for a long time. "Lord Qing, do you truly believe I possess such financial power?" "I believe you do!" He Jiaqing poured Li Haoyun a cup of wine. Li Haoyun gripped the wine cup, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine! If we can close the deal today, then consider it done!" He Jiaqing pulled out the covenant deed once more. "I brought the goods with me. Whether it's done depends on your word." Li Haoyun looked at the deed. "I trust you, but you wouldn't be duping me with a fake, would you?" He Jiaqing smiled. "The He family's reputation stands behind it. If this turns out to be counterfeit, I will compensate you double." Staring at the covenant deed, Li Haoyun nodded. "Lord Qing, did you bring enough men today?" "Enough. Several dozen brothers are waiting outside." "Very well. Lord Qing, follow me to the vault to haul the chests. We'll count the money face-to-face—paid and settled in full!"