Chapter 223: Chapter 169: Good Stuff Has Arrived (Vote for Monthly Ticket)
First Ridge, Shaomai Street, Wonton Alley.
In a residential house, the wife carefully opened a tin box. From the tin box, she opened a wooden one, scooped out two bowls of rice from it, and swiftly closed both boxes.
The husband was also in the kitchen, holding a flyswatter, on high alert.
The wife quickly washed the rice and got it on the stove. Only then did the couple relax a little.
The husband wiped his sweat and said, "It’s been half a month since we’ve seen any mosquitoes. I think they’re really extinct now."
"Who’s to say for sure!" the wife didn’t believe it. "Last time, Lu Dongjun also said he had eradicated the mosquitoes, right? And when they showed up again, where did he run off to? If I hadn’t been quick to save this bit of rice, you’d have starved to death, you blockhead."
The husband planted a solid kiss on his wife’s cheek. "Isn’t that why they say you’re capable? You get started with cooking; I’ll go out and buy some Incense Candles."
"Why buy those? Do you have spare cash?"
"I’ll buy just a little. We have to worship Seventh Master. Word is spreading that Seventh Master has controlled the pestilence. Every household is offering Incense Candles. They say that if anyone is insincere, mosquitoes will visit their homes next year."
Hearing about mosquitoes, the wife shivered. "Really? Who told you that?"
"It’s true, it’s spreading! They’re even building a temple for Seventh Master over at Third Ridge."
Third Ridge really was building a temple. Pancake Village was indeed building a temple. Niu Fuzhi, frowning, called over Niu Xiaoxian, the village’s only Craftsman Cultivator, and asked, "Is this how Seventh Master’s Divine Image is supposed to be made? You can’t even see the face!"
Niu Xiaoxian scratched his head. "I don’t remember what Seventh Master looks like. Do you?"
Niu Fuzhi didn’t remember either. "Then, then ask around. Isn’t there anyone in our village who remembers?"
"No one remembers," Niu Xiaoxian replied. "I’ve asked everyone; there’s nothing that can be done!"
...
Second Ridge, Helmet Town. Li Banfeng saw quite a few people going out to buy Incense Candles.
They can hardly afford to eat, yet they’re buying Incense Candles?
Businesses at Second Ridge were in decline, but the Incense and Candle Shops were thriving.
"How about we open an Incense and Candle Shop too!" Li Banfeng bought two bowls of porridge and six Guokui from a breakfast stall and squatted in an alley with Cui Tiq to eat.
This breakfast stall was the first to open in Helmet Town. Although it didn’t have many customers, the owner cooked with care, and the Guokui tasted very good.
Cui Tiq, while eating, habitually set his begging bowl in front of him.
Li Banfeng was puzzled. "You’re not short on money. Why insist on begging?"
Cui Tiq answered very seriously, "This is out of respect for the Taoist Sect’s Grandmasters. Until the carbuncles on my body are healed, I will continue to follow his path of cultivation."
Li Banfeng glanced at the begging bowl, then thought of Green Flower’s appearance, and goosebumps rose on his skin. "Will your Grandmasters heal your carbuncles?"
"They won’t," Cui Tiq shook his head. "Although I only met him once, I’m certain he’s a cruel man. The only one who might be able to heal my carbuncles is probably the Peddler."
"Then why not follow the Peddler’s path of cultivation? Push a cart, go out and sell?"
Cui Tiq pointed at his face. "I would love to go out and sell, but with a face like this, would anyone buy from me?"
After several days wandering around Second Ridge, there wasn’t a mosquito in sight on the streets.
Li Banfeng bought a newspaper; the mosquitoes at First Ridge had also vanished.
"It seems we’ve accomplished our task," Li Banfeng said, glancing at Cui Tiq.
Someone tossed a few Steel Coins into Cui Tiq’s broken bowl, and Cui Tiq was expressing his thanks.
Cui Tiq pocketed the Steel Coins, then took out some white rice, placed it in his bowl, and waited for half a day. Not a single mosquito appeared.
They had conducted several similar experiments. It seemed the insect plague at Hai Chi Ridge had truly been brought under control.
Of course, the one with the most authority to speak on this was the Local Deity.
After lunch, Pan Dehai’s voice reached Li Banfeng’s ears, "Young man, the Clan-Exterminating Mosquitoes are truly extinct now. Although you are unruly, you are a virtuous man. I am prepared to offer you another item. What do you desire?"
Li Banfeng thought for a moment.
Initially, he had wanted money.
But Li Banfeng had ways to make money. With such a good opportunity, he should ask for something more valuable.
Another Magical Treasure for the Copper Lotus Flower to refine?
The fan had yet to be finished, and the Lotus Flower seemed to be having difficulties.
After much thought, Li Banfeng came up with a good idea. "Old Pan, do you have any surplus of your most cherished possessions?"
Pan Dehai became furious. "Immoral! Unscrupulous! Shameless! I shouldn’t have bothered with you, you madman!"
As his words fell, a worm appeared before Li Banfeng.
It was thumb-sized, legless, a white worm.
"What is this worm good for?"
"This is a treasure for Food Cultivators: the Intestinal Wheelworm, unique to Hai Chi Ridge. When a Food Cultivator swallows it, their appetite greatly increases—even more so than if they were actually in Hai Chi Ridge. If you don’t want to eat it, just carry it with you; it can help you obtain food in dire straits."
"What do you mean by obtaining food in dire straits?"
"In places without ingredients, it allows one to consume things that are normally difficult to swallow as food."
The explanation was so vague that Li Banfeng had to ask repeatedly to understand.
Actually, its meaning was quite simple: in places devoid of food, one could use other things as substitutes. For instance, one could eat leaves or grass, even chew on wood. In a pinch, sand and Stone could even serve to stave off hunger.
Li Banfeng examined the worm for a long while. It didn’t move at all in his hand, as if petrified.
"This isn’t a live worm?"
"It is alive, just dormant. It will awaken once you eat it. However, since you’re not a Food Cultivator, it’s best not to swallow it; otherwise, you won’t be able to endure the resulting hunger. I’ve given you the item, and my goodwill has been conveyed. Young man, farewell for now."
Pan Dehai left. Li Banfeng kept the worm near him and soon felt hungry.
Just having it nearby could have such a big influence? This was indeed a rare treasure.
Li Banfeng went to buy more Guokui, eating half himself and giving the other half to Cui Tiq.
Cui Tiq looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Are you about to leave?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "My business in Hai Chi Ridge is done."
Cui Tiq fell silent for a while, then suddenly smiled. "If one day, I make everyone in the world die of herpes, I hope there will be one person who can survive. I hope that person is you."
Li Banfeng waved his hand dismissively. "That day won’t come. If you really dared to do that, the first one to die would definitely be you."
Watching Li Banfeng’s retreating figure, Cui Tiq murmured to himself, "Maybe that day isn’t so far off."
Not long after Li Banfeng had left, the sound of a rattle gradually began to reach Cui Tiq’s ears. "I’ve got some top-quality Snow Cream here. I’ll sell you a jar. Want it?"
Cui Tiq looked delighted and asked, "Can it remove the Grandmaster’s power from my body?"
"That it cannot."
Cui Tiq’s eyes dimmed. "Then what’s the use of this Snow Cream?"
"It can transform the pus and blood from Green Flower into a layer of cultivation level."
Cui Tiq was incredibly grateful. "Tomorrow, I’ll tattoo four words on my chest: ’I love the Peddler’."
The Peddler was silent for a moment. "If you really intend to do that, you won’t see tomorrow."
...
"The insect plague in Hai Chi Ridge has really been resolved?" He Haiqin flipped through the newspaper, looking very surprised.
He had received similar news before but had assumed it was like previous situations—just a temporary eradication of some mosquitoes.
He Haisheng had just returned from Hai Chi Ridge, and he confirmed the news. "Brother, it’s different this time. The mosquitoes in Hai Chi Ridge are truly extinct."
He Haiqin put down the newspaper. "Quick, go to Hai Chi Ridge and get our half of the business up and running!"
He Haisheng shook his head. "Brother, you sold the business to Ling Miaoying."
He Haiqin slapped his forehead. "That doesn’t count! I sold it to him for a song back then. It’s not worth that price now."
He Yuxiu added, "Right, it doesn’t count! I’ll go burn down his studio and get the contracts back."
He Haisheng advised, "Brother, Sister, the three Ling brothers aren’t easy to deal with. We didn’t think this through properly."
He Haiqin rubbed his forehead. "We killed Lu Dongjun, and the Ling Family snatched Peach. Why do I feel like we’ve been played?"
...
He Jiaqing lay in his hospital bed, receiving news from Ling Miaoying.
The insect plague in Hai Chi Ridge had been resolved.
"Who did it?"
Ling Miaoying replied, "We haven’t found any clues yet. There are only rumors circulating among the populace that a deity named Seventh Master saved Hai Chi Ridge, and a trend of worshipping Seventh Master has emerged there."
"Seventh Master?" He Jiaqing had never heard of this figure. "How do they worship him? By offering Incense Candles or sacrifices?"
"It varies by place. At First Ridge, they just set up a spiritual tablet and burn some Incense Candles. By Second Ridge, they offer sacrifices, and some even erect Divine Images. By Third Ridge, the Incense Candle offerings are abundant, and some villages are even planning to build temples for Seventh Master."
"What do the Divine Images look like?"
"All sorts. Some young, some old, some ugly, some handsome, differing greatly in appearance."
"Any common traits?"
"If there’s a common trait, these Divine Images all seem to have luxuriant beards."
Beards?
He Jiaqing pondered for a long time, then said to Ling Miaoying, "Check on the Local Deities in the New Land surrounding Hai Chi Ridge. As soon as you find a clue, tell me immediately."
Ling Miaoying agreed, then asked, "The He Family has come to reclaim the business. They’re saying the price for which they sold us their half was too low and they want to go back on the deal."
He Jiaqing sneered. "Do I still need to teach you how to handle this? If soft tactics don’t work, use hard ones. If diplomacy fails, use force. If overt methods don’t work, use covert ones."
"There are many methods, but that is your family."
"I’ve told you many times not to worry about these things. Isn’t Old Wan in Greenwater Bay? If worse comes to worst, have him pay my father another visit. If that Foreigner remains missing and my father develops more rashes, let’s see if he’s scared then."
Outside the sickroom, someone cast their gaze towards the bed.
He Jiaqing immediately cut off contact with Ling Miaoying and quickly fell into a deep slumber.
Watching him was Captain Chen Changrui of the Dark Star Bureau’s Public Security Team.
At that moment, he was inquiring about He Jiaqing’s condition with the attending Physician.
"Still no idea when he’ll wake up?"
The attending Physician shook his head.
Leaving the hospital, Captain Chen got into the car. You Xuehan, also known as ’Dumpling’, quickly pulled out a notebook, awaiting Captain Chen’s orders.
Captain Chen took out a cigarette and lit it. "We still don’t know when he’ll wake up. If he’s alright, it’s best to send him back to Puluo State as soon as possible. Having this man in Yuezhou is unsettling."
Light Bulb looked back at Chen Changrui. "Captain Chen, what kind of place is Puluo State, really?"
Chen Changrui laughed. "Want to go see? Kid, you really should go there for some toughening up."
...
「Dumpling Town, Three-Fresh Village.」
Li Banfeng unfolded the map Elder Yao had given him and arrived at the entrance to the New Land.
Having resolved the matters in Hai Chi Ridge, he was ready to return to Blue Poplar Village.
Just as he was about to step into the New Land, the Wine Gourd suddenly spoke up, "Little brother, can I discuss something with you?"
"Go ahead," Li Banfeng said with a smile, looking at the gourd.
"I want to return to Medicine King Valley and inform Elder Yao about the Hai Chi Ridge situation. I won’t say too much, just about the insect plague. Once this matter is settled, I’ll have fulfilled my duty to him, and then I can follow you with peace of mind."
Li Banfeng readily agreed. "Sure, I’d like to meet Elder Yao too."
The Clock Pendulum stirred in his pocket.
Li Banfeng touched the Clock Pendulum, signaling her not to worry.
Many thoughts had contended in his mind. The decision Li Banfeng made was the consensus reached among them.
Li Banfeng was about to take another route when the sound of a rattle approached.
"CLACKETY-CLACK, CLACKETY-CLACK!"
"Soap, Snow Cream! A cart full of fine goods, take your pick!"
Peddler?
Li Banfeng turned around and saw the Peddler pushing his cart towards him.
"Old customer, come take a look! I’ve got plenty of great things today. Prices are negotiable. As long as I break even, I’ll sell it cheap."
"What fine goods do you have?" Li Banfeng was quite interested and walked over to the cart.
"Plenty of fine goods. How about this?" The Peddler picked up a huge locust head, its antennae still trembling.
Li Banfeng was taken aback. "What’s the use of this thing?"
The Peddler chuckled. "This thing is very useful. It can be used for soup or porridge. It’s delicious and goes well with rice. Twenty bucks. Want it?"