The Overlord of Puluo

Li Banfeng had started out in the New Land of Blue Poplar Village at Greenwater Bay. He had entered the Iron-Thread River and hitched a ride with the iron-thread insects. Then, after several twists and turns, he arrived at the New Land of River Moon Village in Medicine King Gully.

This entire process had truly caught Li Banfeng by surprise.

Even Yu Nan, who had been born and raised there, probably did not know the reason behind it, let alone an outsider like Li Banfeng.

There were passages connecting the New Lands. Li Banfeng did not know how they came about. He only knew one thing. After walking through that passage once, his cultivation as a level-two Wanderlust Cultivator increased by nearly a year.

In particular, walking half a kilometer in the thicket of thorns had felt like running for an entire day.

If he had nothing better to do and just kept strolling along this road, would his cultivation keep skyrocketing?

Did high-level Wanderlust Cultivators know about this secret and come here often to cultivate?

How high would a cultivator’s level need to be to defeat the human head lurking in the thicket of thorns?

Just one glance at that head was enough to set someone on fire.

Furthermore, the cultivation conditions for higher-level cultivators were far more demanding than those at level two.

Regardless of whether higher-level cultivators possessed the ability to take down the human head, Li Banfeng did not want to walk that path a second time under his current circumstances.

He would rather just take Golden Essence Pills.

Thinking of this, Li Banfeng felt regretful about Lu Dongliang.

Oh, Dongliang, you were a hero of your generation, yet you died just like that.

If only you could come back to life one more time.

The pills you produced truly weren’t enough to last!

”Heat some water. I want to take a bath,” Li Banfeng said to Yu Nan.

Yu Nan froze. After not seeing each other for such a long time, the first thing Li Banfeng wanted to do upon meeting her again was to take a bath.

Could this be some kind of hint?

Yu Nan hurriedly told someone to heat water for Li Qi, then she returned to her room and put in great effort to doll up for him.

However, Yu Nan was overthinking it. Li Banfeng simply wanted to take a bath.

Soaking his whole body in hot water made Li Banfeng feel incredibly content, and he nearly fell asleep in the tub.

However, once the feeling of contentment passed, Li Banfeng had to face a very real problem.

How was he supposed to get back to Greenwater Bay?

He clearly could not stay and live in Medicine King Gully. Greenwater Bay held the foundation he had painstakingly built up.

Should he return to the New Land and continue searching for the course of the Iron-Thread River?

However, Li Banfeng did not want to do that. That route was far too dangerous.

Should he find a travel permit and return to Greenwater Bay through official channels?

That was a good option.

But that was not something he could count on Yu Nan for. She did not even dare leave the Yu Family Village.

To get a travel permit, Li Banfeng would have to go to the Inner Gully.

After bathing and eating some food, Li Banfeng quietly returned to the Pocket Dwelling and had a sound and peaceful sleep.

The Gramophone still had not woken up, the Arcane Crimson Lotus was still refining pills, and everything at home was just as before.

After waking up, Li Banfeng went to find Yu Nan and asked about the situation in Medicine King Gully.

Previously, the patrol officers in Medicine King Gully had searched everywhere for Li Banfeng, causing a huge commotion. Yu Nan worried that Li Banfeng might have some connection with Li Qi. On one hand, she feared implicating Li Qi. On the other hand, she feared bringing trouble upon herself. Yu Nan had stayed in the New Land and had not dared to go out all this time.

After Lu Dongliang met with disaster and the storm surrounding Li Banfeng passed, Medicine King Gully returned to its usual calm. Even so, Yu Nan still did not dare return to the Inner Gully.

Getting beaten up by Geng Zhiwei had left Yu Nan frightened, so much so that she had even begun to think about staying in the New Land for the rest of her life.

Li Banfeng offered some advice. ”Shopkeeper Yu, if you can truly calm your mind, cultivating in the New Land is a pretty decent option too. But if you cannot settle down, it is better to return to the Inner Gully and do business.”

Yu Nan let out a soft sigh. ”I am afraid the Jiangxiang Gang will not stop pestering me. I am not like Trader Qin. I have no one backing me up...”

Li Banfeng did not know what to say. Yu Nan simply could not see through it.

She did have backing, and it was the most powerful backing in all of Medicine King Gully.

She knew how to contact Old Mister Yao, but in her eyes, Old Mister Yao was merely someone who treated illnesses and sold medicine.

This could not be spelled out. To say it outright would be a form of disrespect toward Old Mister Yao.

Moreover, Li Banfeng could see through Yu Nan’s thoughts. ”You want the Three Heroes Sect to back you?”

Yu Nan looked at Li Banfeng with clear anticipation. ”My bond with Trader Qin is probably not deep enough...”

Li Banfeng was already planning to make a trip to the Inner Gully. From Yu Nan’s description, it was safe enough to go there now. ”I can help notify Qin Tianjiu for you, but if my guess is correct, the price the Three Heroes Sect will ask for won’t be cheap.

”If you truly want to keep your business afloat, you still have to rely on your own ability. Even if the Three Heroes Sect agrees to back you, they will, at most, lend you their name. Do not forget Geng Zhiwei’s example. When something truly big happens, you will still have to shoulder it yourself.”

In Puluo, unless there was a special relationship, any protection a strong party gave to a weaker one always required an exchange of equal value.

With just that little bit of business from that cloth shop, how many dividends could she offer the Three Heroes Sect? How much effort would the Three Heroes Sect really put in for her?

Rather than negotiating all those jianghu rules with the major gangs, it was better to carefully think about how to conduct a few rounds of business with Old Mister Yao.

Yu Nan thanked Li Banfeng profusely. Li Banfeng replenished his water supplies and left Yu Family Village that very day.

He left just like that?

Yu Nan had been wishing every day that she could meet Li Banfeng again, yet after seeing him again just once, he was already gone.

Standing at the entrance of Yu Family Village, Yu Nan’s heart was filled with expectation. She hoped Li Qi could help her establish a connection with the Three Heroes Sect.

But as she watched Li Banfeng’s retreating figure, she also felt a sense of loss.

Would she be able to see him again in the future?

***

Late at night, after eating and drinking his fill, Chubby Qin returned to his small courtyard residence to sleep. The moment he entered his house, Chubby Qin saw Li Banfeng sitting on a chair, pouring himself a cup of tea.

”Brother Qi, when did you get back? Last time you left without a word, you really had me worried sick.”

”It was nothing major, I just went out for a stroll,” Li Banfeng replied, brushing the topic off casually.

He did not mention Greenwater Bay. Once the Lu Family had stabilized, they might start tracing the whereabouts of the Arcane Crimson Lotus again. Telling Chubby Qin too much about certain things would do him no good.

Li Banfeng told Chubby Qin about Yu Nan’s situation. Chubby Qin nodded and said, ”That’s easy enough. I’ll make the call. Let Shopkeeper Yu decide the dividends herself, just don’t make me look too bad. Once Brother Liu comes back, I’ll let him know.”

”Where did Zhang Liuze go?”

”Brother Liu went to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. There’s a famine there, and a lot of people have died. That place is the foundation of us Gourmand Cultivators. I wanted to go take a look too, but Brother Liu only managed to get one travel permit. The Copper Seal ordered me to temporarily act in place of the Iron Seal and forbade me from leaving Medicine King Gully.”

Li Banfeng had also heard about the insect calamity at the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, but he could not understand why Chubby Qin wanted to get involved. ”What are you going there for? Can you farm, or can you kill insects? There’s barely any food there to begin with. Are you going just to starve?”

Chubby Qin’s eyes lit up. ”To stake my claim on territory, of course. With this famine, many of the gangs’ businesses have collapsed. Once the insect calamity passes, whoever can pick those businesses back up will profit. If I were to go to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, I’d make at least a Copper Seal.”

It was no wonder Lu Dongjun cared so much about what was happening at the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. He wanted to use the mosquito extermination as a chance to start anew there.

It truly was a good opportunity. The Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs were due for a major reshuffle. If Lu Dongjun really managed to suppress the insect calamity, no one would be able to shake his position there for a long time.

However, seizing territory required real ability.

Li Banfeng asked, ”What level is your cultivation at now?”

Chubby Qin replied, ”Level one. You were there on the day I advanced!”

”How much cultivation progress time have you accumulated?”

Chubby Qin scratched his scalp and said, ”I haven’t really accumulated much. Just keeping up with daily cultivation is already pretty hard.”

Li Banfeng shook his head. ”Then you really should not go to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. I reckon Zhang Liuze went there ready to risk his life.”

”That is for sure. Our branch master gave the order. No matter what tricks Lu Dongjun pulls, the Three Heroes Sect’s own businesses absolutely cannot fall into his hands.”

The major aristocratic families and the major gangs were bound to fight a fierce battle at the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs.

Since Zhang Liuze was absent, Chubby Qin was temporarily acting as the Iron Seal, and during this period, he received quite a few pieces of internal information.

”Relations between the Lu Family and our Three Heroes Sect have always been good. Some days ago, the Lu Family’s old master, Lu Maoxian, even made a special trip to Medicine King Gully and had several meals with our Silver Seal shopkeeper. I went along once too, but my status was not high enough, so I did not sit at the same table as Old Master Lu.

”Not two days later, the Lu Family’s eldest young master, Lu Yuanshan, came as well and invited our shopkeeper to another meal. I wanted to toast Young Master Lu, but our Copper Seal elder brother would not allow it.

”He said we should stay out of the Lu Family’s affairs, since it’s not yet certain who will be in charge in the future. I heard from our Copper Seal that the three Golden Seals are also quite divided over this matter.

”The second-in-command thinks Old Master Lu can still call the shots. The third-in-command thinks the Lu Family will have to listen to the eldest young master in the future. As for our chief, he’s not particularly close or distant with anyone. No one knows what he is really thinking...”

This was the advantage of Chubby Qin joining a major gang. It allowed Li Banfeng to hear information he could not have uncovered even in Greenwater City.

Judging from the stance of the major figures in the Three Heroes Sect, they all believed that Lu Dongliang had already met with disaster, yet no one stood on Lu Dongjun’s side. Other gangs likely held the same stance.

Li Banfeng gave Chubby Qin two Mystic Blazing Pills and told him to cultivate diligently and stay as far away from those disputes as possible.

After leaving Chubby Qin’s residence, Li Banfeng went to Feng’s General Store.

Upon seeing Li Banfeng, Shopkeeper Feng was very pleased. He invited Li Banfeng into the back room and, without asking about anything else, first handed over the money he had gotten from selling the pills.

The Mystic Blazing Pills had been sold at a high price. After deducting Shopkeeper Feng’s commission, Li Banfeng received more than a million Huan yuan.

Li Banfeng asked about travel permits to the Outer Provinces. Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. ”Travel permits to the Outer Provinces are a bit difficult. The Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs has an insect calamity, and the Outer Provinces are afraid of drawing the Annihilation Mosquitoes over. During this period, all travel permits to the Outer Provinces have been suspended. Even the trains are no longer running.”

Li Banfeng did not press further. He wasn’t in a rush to return to the Outer Provinces anyway.

However, he did need to return to Blue Poplar Village urgently.

Li Banfeng asked, ”Is it easy to get a travel permit to Greenwater Bay?”

Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. ”If this were in the past, going to Greenwater Bay would not be difficult at all. But once disasters break out, the Outer Provinces tighten travel permits very strictly. I can help you ask around, but it probably will not work out.”

”Then there is no need to ask. I will not be staying long in Medicine King Gully anyway.” Li Banfeng understood Shopkeeper Feng’s difficulties. He bought some canned food, biscuits, engine oil, and fuel. He also purchased two tailcoats, two suits, and a fedora.

Shopkeeper Feng felt a bit embarrassed. ”Trader Li, you are not short on money now. The clothes in my general store are a little too humble for someone of your status.”

”I like the clothes you sell here.”

Chun Sheng hired a carriage to deliver the goods for Li Banfeng. This time, Li Banfeng did not have the carriage unload midway. Instead, he had everything taken straight to Peach Spring Inn.

In Medicine King Gully, Peach Spring Inn counted as a mid-tier inn. The place was not large, and the rooms were not particularly good, but its advantage was that it was inconspicuous.

Li Banfeng rented a room, entered it, and put his newly purchased items away into the Pocket Dwelling. Then he took out a sheet of yellow paper.

He had bought two sheets of yellow paper from Old Mister Yao back then. This was one of them.

This was the most important purpose of his trip.

To do business with Old Mister Yao, he had to think through a proper pretext first and avoid making unreasonable requests.

The yellow paper burned, and Li Banfeng heard Old Mister Yao’s voice.

”Do you want to treat an illness, or buy medicine?”

Old Mister Yao was just as cordial as ever, with no unnecessary pleasantries; he went straight to business.

”I want to buy medicine, and I also want to treat an illness.”

”What medicine do you want to buy?”

”I want to buy your medicinal liquor, quite a lot of it. Enough to treat several hundred people.”

Old Mister Yao’s liquor was excellent for both setting fires and treating illnesses, so it was only right to stock up more.

”Bottled liquor or bulk liquor?”

”Bottled.”

”What illness do you want to treat?”

”An illness of homesickness.”

”Homesickness? Where is your home?”

”Greenwater Bay.”

”To go to Greenwater Bay, you do not need to find me. Just get yourself a travel permit and buy a ticket.”

”I do not have a travel permit.”

”Then how did you come to Medicine King Gully? Go back the same way you came.”

”I came from a New Land. I arrived in a muddled way, and now I cannot make my way back.”

”From a New Land...”

Old Mister Yao fell silent for a moment, as if he understood what Li Banfeng had gone through.

”Young man, your timing today is unfortunate. The bottled liquor is sold out, but I still have one wine gourd.”

”How much liquor is in your gourd?”

”Half a kilogram.”

”Isn’t that a bit too little?”

”Not little at all. There is half a kilogram of liquor in the gourd. Do not drink it all. As long as you leave a single mouthful, there will be another half a kilogram the next day. But once you pour this liquor out, you must drink it. If you do not, it will turn into plain water by the next day.”

An enchanted artifact! It’s an enchanted artifact! Old Mister Yao wants to sell me an enchanted artifact? And one of extremely high value!What is his purpose in doing this?

”Young man, do you want to buy it?”

Li Banfeng did not dare speak rashly. ”Please state the price first.”

”The same old price. Five hundred thousand.”

Five hundred thousand. The price is absurdly low. Has he gotten the currency wrong?

”You mean Huan currency?”

”Yes, Huan currency.”

Li Banfeng found it hard to believe. How could an enchanted artifact of such immeasurable value be sold for only five hundred thousand Huan yuan?

This was clearly a symbolic price, yet Li Banfeng still could not understand Old Mister Yao’s intent.

Old Mister Yao continued, ”As for treating your illness, I will not charge you. I have a map here that can take you to Greenwater Bay, Girdle-Slipping Hollow, the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, Bitter Greens Manor, the Lowly Person’s Hillock, and Iron Gate Fort.

”The New Land changes every year. This map is from last year, so there will be some slight deviations. You are a Wanderlust Cultivator and have a knack for traveling. This bit of deviation will not stump you. This map should still be usable for another one or two years. I will give it to you.”

Li Banfeng did not dare accept it.

The value of this map alone was far more than five hundred thousand.

”Old Mister Yao, do you have something you want me to do?”

”There is indeed one matter I’d like to ask you to help me with. Anyone who can pass through a New Land has some tricks up their sleeves. And I trust you. If you are willing to help me, take this map, make a trip to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, and deliver a prescription to Pan Dehai.

”Tell him that this prescription can lure and kill insects. Out of respect for the Peddler, I will help him this once. If he dares lure those insects into Medicine King Gully, I will stake my life on the line to make him die one more time!”