Beneath the gentle caress of steam, Li Banfeng slowly opened his eyes.
"Oh, my dear husband! You are finally awake!"
The steam gently supported Li Banfeng as he sat up on the edge of the bed.
Li Banfeng rubbed the dull ache in the back of his head and asked the gramophone, "What kind of sound did I just hear?"
"An indescribable sound."
"What if I try listening to it again?"
"Oh, dear husband, if you listen to it again, this humble servant will be left a widow."
"Why can't I listen to it again? Is it because this dwelling has an extraordinarily high tier?"
"Indeed, husband. So high that it is unfathomably deep."
"Yet I still managed to hear some sounds just now."
"This... well..." The gramophone could not offer an explanation either. "Perhaps this house was not entirely bashful and deliberately let you catch a few clues. Dear husband, every magical treasure in this world demands a price for each use. The price of this earring is not steep, but if you use it too much, you will hear strange noises. Some sounds do no harm when heard, but others invite sheer catastrophe. Husband, you must proceed with utmost caution."
Hear strange noises?
A price like that was comparable to wearing a thick layer of theatrical makeup; it was hardly a big deal.
Li Banfeng wondered what other spiritual objects remained in the house.
All the spiritual objects had already been smelted by the bronze lotus.
From the side, the gramophone prompted him, "Husband, whether by intent or accident, that wretched Red Lotus just refined a magical treasure for you. Why have you not tried it yet? Do you detest magical treasures, or do you detest that wretched Red Lotus?"
He didn't detest them; he had simply forgotten.
Li Banfeng took out the earring, held it to his ear for a moment, and shook his head. "No sound."
"Husband, listen more closely."
He listened for a while longer, but still heard nothing.
"Focus your intent at your ear, husband, and listen with greater care."
This time, Li Banfeng pressed the earring firmly against his ear. At last, he heard a faint sound, like someone speaking.
Pressing the earring even tighter, he finally managed to make out the words.
It was a woman, whispering softly in his ear, "Master, tell me what you wish to hear, and I shall obey your command."
"I want to hear what my darling wife has to say."
"As you wish, Master."
*Hiss, hiss—*
The gramophone let out a couple of chuckles.
A string of deafening blasts exploded right beside Li Banfeng's ear, setting off a relentless ringing that nearly rendered him deaf on the spot.
He was simply too close to the gramophone; it was equivalent to hooking a supercharged loudspeaker directly up to it.
Li Banfeng swiftly pulled the earring away. The gramophone chuckled and sang out, "Oh, my dear husband, this humble servant is right by your side. Why would you need a magical treasure to hear me? Save this earring for matters you long to hear yet cannot perceive; that will not be too late. Since this earring weaves threads and fastens hooks, let us call her the Thread-Hook Earring."
Thread-Hook Earring—not a bad name.
Li Banfeng picked up the scissors and asked, "Does this thing have a name?"
"My lord, why would such a foolish, dull creature need a name? Better to hand it over to Red Lotus to smelt into a pill."
That would not do; in Li Banfeng's eyes, these scissors were still quite useful.
He held the scissors to his ear and listened for a moment, catching only a single word: "Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Indeed, when it came to intelligence, the scissors were an entire tier below the earring.
Li Banfeng put away the earring and scissors, straightened his clothes, and headed out to scout the Jiangxiang Gang's movements.
As he walked out the door, he heard the gramophone strike up a tune.
"Rose, rose, most delicate and fair,
Rose, rose, dazzling beyond compare,
Blooming all through the summer on the bough,
Rose, rose, I love you now..."
Inside the Portable Abode, the gramophone carried the room's clutter piece by piece into the newly created room, and then, using steam, pressed and washed each article of clothing Li Banfeng had cast aside until it was spotlessly clean.
Li Banfeng suddenly felt a wave of contentment.
***
Walking along the main street of Ligou, Li Banfeng looked for a place to eat.
It was already eight in the evening, and finding an open eatery proved difficult.
No matter how large Yaowanggou was, it was still just a town. In the absence of electricity, most small restaurants were already shuttered.
Grand restaurants drew too many prying eyes. Li Banfeng had just bombed the Jiangxiang Gang's dance hall, and risking exposure for a single meal was hardly worth it. After wandering for quite a while, he settled on the Fuwang Steamed Bun Shop.
He had intended to eat quickly and slip away, but no sooner had he pulled out a chair to sit down than someone called out to him, "Seventh Brother!"
Qin Xiaopang waved eagerly, motioning for Li Banfeng to come over and join him.
This was precisely why Li Banfeng had been reluctant to choose the Fuwang Steamed Bun Shop; the fat boy ate almost every meal here.
Brother Zhang Six had business today, leaving Xiaopang to dine alone. Just when he was lamenting having no one to chat with, he quickly called the server over to order two extra dishes and bring out a jar of wine.
Since he had already been recognized anyway, Li Banfeng dispensed with polite restraint. He set to work scarfing down two steamers of buns to fill his belly first.
Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, Qin Xiaopang took Li Banfeng by the arm. "Seventh Brother, come have a look at where I'm staying! I've got a place of my own in Ligou now."
Taking a look could not hurt.
Li Banfeng followed Xiaopang to his residence—a small courtyard on Xianchuanzi Alley with only a single room. It was a rental, but Xiaopang was thoroughly pleased with it.
Xiaopang might be pleased, but Li Banfeng was not fond of the location.
Xianchuanzi Alley was where the He family ancestral residence stood, and Lu Xiaolan was still staying inside.
Once indoors, Xiaopang brewed a pot of tea for Li Banfeng. Taking advantage of the tea break, he pulled a cloth pouch from his breast and poured out twenty pills.
Snake-spot pills!
Xiaopang offered the pills to Li Banfeng. "Seventh Brother, this is my gift of respect to you."
Li Banfeng paused in surprise. "Where did these pills come from?"
"This afternoon, I passed by the Geng family's manor, and old man Geng gave them to me as an apology—Geng Zhiwei's father!"
Li Banfeng smiled faintly. "His father backed down?"
Xiaopang gritted his teeth. "He refused to back down before! Whenever he saw me, he'd puff his beard and glare, thinking he could lean on the Jiangxiang Gang's backing and assuming I wouldn't dare touch him. Today, though, he caved. He invited me to a teahouse, apologized, bowed repeatedly, and handed over all these pills, begging me not to hold a grudge against him. Later, I heard from our Sanying Gate brothers that the Jiangxiang Gang washed their hands of the Geng family. The old man was scared out of his wits and came straight to apologize to me today!"
Li Banfeng frowned slightly. "You're only an ordinary disciple in Sanying Gate, while the Geng family is a local power. Would he really be that terrified of you?"
"If it were any other gang, it might be hard to say. But Sanying Gate holds a special status in Puluo Province. Forget the Geng family—even major clans like the Hes and the Lus have to give our Sanying Gate men full face whenever they meet us. Today, Shopkeeper Yu also sent someone over to ask for news; I reckon the cloth shop will be reopening soon. Seventh Brother, I don't care how that tomboy repays your kindness, but you must accept these pills no matter what."
Li Banfeng had no shortage of pills. "Keep them for yourself and stock up on more lifespan."
Xiaopang shook his head. "There's no point in me keeping them. I can't break through to the next tier, so eating them would just be a waste."
"Why can't you break through?"
Xiaopang sighed. "My stomach and intestines lack the capacity—they're simply not large enough. Our iron seal, Brother Zhang Six, told me he'd fetch me some Stomach-Clearing Powder. He said that stuff really works."
Li Banfeng had heard of that medicine; it was not rare in Yaowanggou. "Isn't Stomach-Clearing Powder sold all over the streets?"
"It's no ordinary Stomach-Clearing Powder. Brother Zhang Six said this batch can expand the size of your stomach and intestines. I'll take it for a while and see if I can advance. If I still can't, I'll just accept my lot in life."
After chatting a bit longer, Li Banfeng stood up to take his leave. Holding the pills, Xiaopang insisted, "Seventh Brother, you really have to take these."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "If you don't want to swallow them, trade them for cash. Also, ask around carefully regarding that Stomach-Clearing Powder so you don't get swindled."
Li Banfeng put on his fedora and walked to the doorway. Suddenly, Xiaopang called out, "Seventh Brother, did you hear? The Jiangxiang Gang's dance hall got blown up."
Li Banfeng feigned ignorance. "What dance hall?"
Xiaopang fell silent for a moment before asking, "Seventh Brother, did you do it?"
Li Banfeng smiled faintly. "What do you think?"
Xiaopang lowered his head at once. "Seventh Brother, pretend I never asked. I owe you my life, and this life belongs to you. Whenever you find a use for your little brother, just say the word, and I'll lay it down for you."
"You only have one life; keep it safe for yourself." Li Banfeng said no more and left Xiaopang's courtyard. Xiaopang saw him to the gate, watching Li Banfeng's retreating figure vanish into the distance, his heart brimming with joy.
Seventh Brother definitely did it.
Only Seventh Brother had that kind of capability.
For the rest of his days, he would follow Seventh Brother.
"Seventh Brother, if I want to see you in the future, where should I look for you?"
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and glanced at the old locust tree in Xiaopang's courtyard.
There was something peculiar about this tree; whether the wind blew or not, its leaves rustled incessantly.
Xiaopang usually paid it no mind, but Li Banfeng took careful note of it. "If you need to see me, pluck three leaves from this tree and stick them outside the bun shop's front door."
Xiaopang blinked. "There are plenty of locust trees in front of the bun shop. What if stray leaves stick to the wall and give you the wrong idea, Seventh Brother?"
"Don't worry, I won't mistake them." Li Banfeng glanced at the locust tree once more, tipped his hat slightly in a subtle greeting, and then set his fedora back in place before walking away from Xiaopang's home.
Perched upon the locust tree sat a woman in a long green dress, cloaked entirely in ghostly green flames that brushed against almost every leaf.
Leaves touched by such ghostfire were exceedingly rare; Li Banfeng would never mistake them.
She watched Li Banfeng's departing figure, sensing a thick scent of blood about him that filled her with dread.
Then she glanced back at Xiaopang, who was already spreading out his bedding, ready to sleep.
***
He had not expected the Jiangxiang Gang to fold so quickly. Feeling refreshed and lighthearted, Li Banfeng strolled through the streets of Ligou in Yaowanggou, finding that even the road seemed far wider than before.
"Extra! Extra! Xianle Dance Hall bombed, suspected work of Jia Quansheng! Young Master Jia suffers eyes gouged and heart carved out, corpse abandoned in the street! When will the vendettas of the jianghu ever end?"
A newsboy's hawking caught Li Banfeng's attention.
Done by Jia Quansheng?
How could Jia Quansheng possibly have dared to blow up the Xianle Dance Hall?
The Jiangxiang Gang had actually picked that useless fool to take the blame.
Li Banfeng bought a newspaper and skimmed through the report in good spirits.
Was the matter truly settled?
Just like that?
Was it really over?
Wasn't that a little too quick?
***
Five days later, outside the bun shop, Li Banfeng spotted three locust leaves—locust leaves tinged with ghostfire.
The Stomach-Clearing Powder promised by Zhang Liuze had arrived. After Xiaopang swallowed it, he felt his stomach and intestines expand by a whole size.
That very day, Zhang Liuze booked a banquet at the bun shop, inviting everyone to bear witness to the Food Cultivator Qin Tianjiu advancing to tier one.
Several brothers under Zhang Liuze's command turned out in full force, and several familiar shopkeepers from along the street also arrived.
Qin Xiaopang had never intended to make such a grand spectacle of it. All he had wanted was to share a drink with Li Banfeng and Zhang Liuze, then find a quiet corner somewhere to wolf down twenty jin of buns and be done with it.
Yet Zhang Liuze refused to hear of it, insisting on giving Xiaopang proper standing.
Shopkeeper Feng from the sundry shop arrived. "Boss Qin, congratulations, congratulations!"
"Don't, please don't! It's too early for that; I haven't even..." While Xiaopang was busy fumbling for an explanation, the proprietor of Qingwen Pharmacy stepped forward to offer his congratulations as well.
Yu Nan did not come, but Wang Xuejiao from the Yu Family Cloth Shop showed up. "Boss Qin, our shopkeeper is out restocking goods and couldn't make it back today, so I've brought her regards on her behalf!"
"Out restocking goods" was merely a polite euphemism.
Yu Nan was still hiding out in the newland, not daring to return to Ligou.
Li Banfeng walked up beside Wang Xuejiao and asked in a low voice, "Is the matter settled?"
Wang Xuejiao blushed. "Does Seventh Master mean the marriage matter?"
"Who's getting married to you? I'm asking about Old Mr. Yao."
"It's taken care of. Here is the yellow paper you purchased." Wang Xuejiao discreetly slipped the yellow paper into Li Banfeng's hand.
Seeing more and more people gathering, Qin Xiaopang wore a bitter expression as he said to Zhang Liuze, "Brother Six, what... what are we supposed to do? There are so many people here..."
Zhang Liuze paid the fat boy no mind. After exchanging pleasantries with the guests, he hollered, "Serve the food!"
The bun shop rarely hosted such large banquets, so many of the dishes had been commissioned from other restaurants.
Before long, the shop staff laid out a table loaded with substantial meat dishes. Xiaopang looked terribly distressed. "Brother, buns are all I need. Now isn't the time to eat all this..."
Zhang Liuze grasped Qin Xiaopang's hand and shouted to the crowd, "I, Zhang, have spent the better part of my life here in Yaowanggou, and I hold at least some modest face before my fellow neighbors! Tonight, we have set out this humble banquet to bolster my brother's courage and cheer him on as he breaches the tier-one barrier! I am putting my old reputation on the line right here on this table—if my brother fails to cross this hurdle tonight, I won't dare show my face on the streets of Ligou ever again!"
Xiaopang's face turned green. "Brother Six, why bring that up? I..."
The gathered guests cheered in unison. Zhang Liuze slammed his hand onto the table. "The auspicious hour has arrived! Brother, dig in!"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Qin Xiaopang began to eat.
From the start, he stuck strictly to buns, not even daring to take a single sip of water for fear of wasting precious space.
Once he had eaten more than half of the buns, a meddlesome fellow among the Sanying Gate crew picked up a chicken leg and offered it to Xiaopang. "Brother, try this!"
Qin Xiaopang took the chicken leg and sucked off a bite of meat, but the mouthful of grease instantly killed his appetite.
Zhang Liuze lunged forward, snatched the chicken leg away, and turned to plant a kick on his subordinate. "Who the hell told you to be so damn busy with your hands?!"
The table full of heavy dishes was not meant for eating; it was meant to be looked at, to stimulate the appetite.
Xiaopang had to consume twenty jin of food within an hour. Anything too greasy would not do, nor anything too dry, too salty, spicy, or bitter.
Buns were the only suitable choice.
In the blink of an eye, the fat boy had downed sixteen jin of buns.
In the past, that was his absolute limit; one more bite and he would have vomited everything back up.
Yet today, he had to keep eating!
First, he had taken the Stomach-Clearing Powder and believed his stomach and intestines had expanded enough to take it in.
Second, before so many onlookers, he could not afford to lose face.
Third, Brother Zhang Six had wagered his own reputation on this, and Li Banfeng was watching from the sidelines. Even if he had to stake his very life on it today, he had to force down all twenty jin of buns.
As he ate his seventeenth jin, Xiaopang's face began to turn pale. Zhang Liuze cheered him on from beside him, "Brother, grit your teeth and keep at it!"
The surrounding guests joined in with roars of approval: "Ninth Master Qin, well done! A true hero!"
"Fatty, eat like your life depends on it! Our Sanying Gate doesn't breed cowards!"
By the eighteenth jin, Xiaopang's face shifted from pale to bright red.
The onlookers saw this and cheered repeatedly:
"Ninth Master has caught his breath!"
"Brother, well done! Just two more jin and you'll hit the mark!"
Zhang Liuze's expression grew solemn, and he muttered in a low voice, "Not good..."
Standing nearby, Li Banfeng asked, "What's not good?"
"A Food Cultivator nourishes blood with food. This boy's qi and blood are surging far too fiercely—he can't hold it back!"
Chapter 84