Chapter 141: Blue Leaf Dan

Blue-leaf poplar indeed possesses medicinal properties that can counteract dan-poison, but these properties cannot be utilized. The medicinal powder provided by Zuo Wugang contains dozens of ingredients, likely serving as a substitute for blue-leaf poplar. Since Honglian had already deciphered the prescription, why didn't she simply provide it directly instead of making Li Banfeng go to such great lengths to find blue-leaf poplar?

Li Banfeng trusted Honglian's judgment, believing that the substitute ingredients would likely be hard to acquire and certainly far less effective than blue-leaf poplar. The old man advised Li Banfeng against searching for blue-leaf poplar, but Li Banfeng remained very persistent.

"Since I've come all this way, I can't go back empty-handed."

The old man sighed deeply and said, "First, help me pick the oranges."

The dozen or so burnt orange trees were beyond saving. The old man climbed the trees to pick the fruit, and Li Banfeng caught them below. Soon, massive piles of oranges had accumulated, resembling small mountains. After the oranges were picked, Li Banfeng followed the old man to fetch water and irrigate the saplings.

The vast orange grove contained three wells, a fact the old man was quite proud of. "When you reclaim land in the New Land," he explained, "once a plot is cultivated, you can dig a well. All three of these plots were reclaimed by me." This made it clear: he was the owner of the orange grove.

After watering the saplings, the old man took Li Banfeng to remove pests from the orange trees. In just one afternoon, the two of them caught hundreds of weevils alone. Catching beetles proved to be an interesting task. Li Banfeng climbed up and down among the orange trees, feeling no fatigue at all. Had the old man not told him to stop and rest, Li Banfeng could have spent the entire day catching them.

"All these weevils are yours," the old man said, "you can sell them for a good sum back home." He continued to try and persuade Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "I don't want the weevils. I only want blue-leaf poplar."

The old man sighed repeatedly, "Alright, let's go see the tree you planted."

He walked to the spot where Li Banfeng had buried the seeds and poured the remaining water from the bucket onto the ground. After watering, the old man silently gazed at the wet earth and slowly said, "I've been in this orange grove for countless years. To prevent these oranges from being ruined, I've endured countless beatings. I've been hung from trees and beaten, pinned to the ground and beaten, struck with sticks, and stabbed with knives. Just now, I was almost burned by fire. Some people don't ruin the orange trees, and you are one of them. Some people have spoken up for me. Over all these years, there have been fewer than ten in total, and you are one. Some have helped me physically. Over all these years, there have been only three, and you are one. No one has ever helped me plant oranges. You are the first."

As he spoke, the soil rustled, and a seedling broke through the earth. Li Banfeng watched calmly as the seedling grew larger and larger, until it sprouted greenish branches and developed tender blue leaves. He had scattered orange seeds, but unexpectedly, blue-leaf poplar had grown instead. Could oranges be blue-leaf poplar? But the leaves of the surrounding orange trees were all green.

Li Banfeng couldn't grasp the reason behind this, quietly watching the poplar tree in front of him grow rapidly. After growing to over a foot thick and dozens of feet tall, the poplar stopped growing.

The old man looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Blue-leaf poplar is a good thing. Unfortunately, people were too greedy and cut these poplars until they became extinct. Young man, how much do you want? Take as much as you need."

Li Banfeng saw many fallen branches and leaves on the ground. He picked them up, put them into his pocket, and said, "This much is enough." Li Banfeng wasn't being polite; he genuinely felt this was all he could carry. Reflecting on his actions, he had merely helped the old man deal with two villains. Even if he hadn't intervened, the old man could have easily killed them. As for helping the old man pick oranges, that was just a small favor. Burying the seeds did indeed touch the old man, but Li Banfeng didn't feel he had done anything profound. Oranges are delicious, and delicious things should be cherished. The principle is that simple; there's no reason to claim credit for something so minor. Furthermore, the old man had shared the origin of Greenwater Bay with Li Banfeng, a piece of information whose value alone Li Banfeng could not estimate. Taking what was needed and knowing when to stop—this was Li Banfeng's true sentiment.

The old man smiled, staring at Li Banfeng, and continued smiling for a long time. "How wonderful it would be if everyone in the world were like you," he said.

With a wave of his hand, the old man caused a branch over two meters long to fall from a poplar tree, landing directly in front of Li Banfeng. "Young man, take this. This blue-leaf poplar branch has no life left in it; you won't be able to plant it, so don't even try. If this isn't enough, come find me again."

Li Banfeng picked up the branch and thanked the old man.

The old man smiled, "Do you want anything else? Some water, perhaps?" Water sources are extremely scarce in the New Land; most people reaching the orange grove would have already run out of their own supply. But Li Banfeng didn't need any, as he had water in his portable dwelling. Seeing that Li Banfeng didn't want water, the old man still asked if there was anything else he desired.

Given the old man's generosity, why did so many people still come to ruin the orange grove? Why would anyone destroy such good oranges? Li Banfeng looked around, then told the old man, "I'd also like to eat an orange."

The old man smiled and led Li Banfeng to the pile of oranges. He personally peeled one for Li Banfeng, saying, "Eat, eat as much as you want!"

After eating two oranges, Li Banfeng stood up and bid farewell.

The old man smiled, "If you want more oranges in the future, just come and visit me."

Carrying the branch, Li Banfeng left the orange grove and returned to his portable dwelling. Upon entering the portable dwelling, Li Banfeng carried the branch directly to the outer room.

His wife exclaimed, "Oh, dear husband, what is this? Isn't this blue-leaf poplar? Why did you bring this back?"

Li Banfeng had already prepared an explanation: "I want to reforge the Tang saber."

His wife spoke in a slow, rhythmic tone, "Husband, please listen to your humble servant. Don't reforge the Tang saber. This weapon is already formidable, and adding blue-leaf poplar would make it even more powerful, like adding wings to a tiger. If it ever harms you in the future, wouldn't that be like raising a tiger to become a menace?"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "My dear wife, you have a point. But this blue-leaf poplar was obtained after much hardship; we can't just waste it."

"Why not reforge your sickle, and also the iron ruler and the mandarin duck axes? You like these weapons, but they lack any spiritual essence. Make them stronger and tougher, worthy of your status as a husband."

His wife's words were indeed pleasant to hear.

"I'll listen to my wife."

Upon entering the outer room, the Tang saber trembled with fear, having overheard the conversation between Li Banfeng and the phonograph.

"My Lord, your subordinate is loyal. Please do not reforge me."

Li Banfeng sneered, "So you're scared now?"

After speaking, he threw the Tang saber, pendulum, earrings, and other magical artifacts into the fourth room. Ensuring no one would disturb them, the bronze lotus opened its petals. It absorbed the entire blue-leaf poplar into its lotus core, including the leaves and branches Li Banfeng had picked up. To be safe, it also absorbed the sickle, shovel, iron ruler, and mandarin duck axes.

Li Banfeng returned to the main room and slept for the night. His wife showed no unusual signs, only complaining that the day's ingredients were not very plentiful. The next morning, at daybreak, Li Banfeng woke up and went into the outer room, where the petals of the bronze lotus were already open. Its seven lotus holes were filled, totaling seven lotus seeds.

The first two lotus seeds each produced a Mysterious Crimson Pill, refined from the two people who burned the trees yesterday. The third lotus seed produced Li Banfeng's favorite sickle. Outwardly, the sickle showed no changes, but upon touching its texture, Li Banfeng could perceive an unprecedented toughness. He dared not touch the blade, as it was coated with potent poison. Next came the shovel, iron ruler, and mandarin duck axes. The last lotus seed remained in Li Banfeng's hand for a long time before finally bursting. With that, it produced one hundred seventy-seven blue pills. Each pill was similar in size to a Golden Yuan Pill, and because they were refined from blue-leaf poplar, Li Banfeng named them Blue-leaf Pills.

Could these pills counteract the dan-poison from Golden Yuan Pills? Li Banfeng trusted the bronze lotus. He wrapped the pills in tin foil, put them into a cloth bag, then took out a few weapons and specifically showed them to his wife.

Additionally, on the two people who burned the trees, Li Banfeng found a strange weapon: an iron rod, over a foot long, with a sharp tip at one end, made entirely of iron.

"What kind of weapon is this?"

"That's a Judge's Brush," his wife recognized it. "But this Judge's Brush isn't a weapon; it's a magical artifact. Husband, listen closely, this thing has a sound."

Li Banfeng could hear sounds from objects with spiritual essence. He listened for over ten minutes but heard nothing, which annoyed his wife. She told Li Banfeng to place the Judge's Brush next to the phonograph's platter, then blew a puff of steam onto it, heating the brush until it glowed crimson. The Judge's Brush began to speak. Its communication seemed highly efficient, so much so that Li Banfeng couldn't understand what it was saying. His wife cursed the Judge's Brush, "Anything made by Lazy Cultivator is useless."

Lazy Cultivator? What was that origin?

His wife told Li Banfeng, "This Judge's Brush can fly. One person can fly a hundred meters at a time, two people can fly forty to fifty meters, and three people can fly about ten meters. It can only carry a maximum of three people. Its use is simple: draw a circle on the ground, stand inside it, state your direction, and wait for the Judge's Brush to respond. However, this thing is too lazy; sometimes it won't respond for a day or two. Husband, let's find someone with spiritual essence to reforge it another day."

This Judge's Brush could fly, which meant those two individuals must have crossed Ironline River using it. Lazy Cultivator. Today he learned of another new Daoist sect. Li Banfeng wanted to ask more about Lazy Cultivator, but the phonograph, disinclined to look at such mundane objects, urged Li Banfeng to go buy groceries quickly.

Li Banfeng sneered, "Little Yellow Spring is up ahead. Can we buy vegetables there?"

That single question stumped his wife.

"Well, well, husband," his wife stammered, "Your humble servant ate a meal yesterday and isn't too hungry today. Let's not buy any vegetables from there."

Li Banfeng turned and left. His wife, fearing he might apply oil to her again, didn't dare say more.

Outside the portable dwelling, Li Banfeng used his "Avert Misfortune, Seek Fortune" skill to find a relatively safe spot on the desolate plain, then first consumed a Blue-leaf Pill. After consuming the Blue-leaf Pill, Li Banfeng then took a Golden Yuan Pill. Were the qualities of these two pills a one-to-one match? Probably, otherwise the bronze lotus wouldn't have refined so many.

After taking the Golden Yuan Pill, Li Banfeng's body began to feel numb, though he hadn't lost control yet. The dan-poison was still present, but the Blue-leaf Pill had also taken effect. He tried to take two steps forward, stumbling a bit with difficulty. After resting for an hour, he could walk like a normal person. Three hours later, his ability to generate wind on flat ground had largely recovered.

Effective! The Blue-leaf Pill was very effective! Should he try another Golden Yuan Pill? No. His body still felt a bit weak and numb; the medicinal effects hadn't been fully counteracted. This was the New Land, and it was hard to say what he might encounter, so he decided to maintain a pace of one pill per day for now. However, his return journey would have to be slower.

Lu Dongjun returned to his mansion, covered in injuries, and Wan Jinxian quickly stepped forward to inquire about his condition. Lu Dongjun was unwilling to elaborate, so his subordinates recounted the events to Wan Jinxian. Today, Lu Dongjun went to the casino to collect debts, unexpectedly finding his uncle, Lu Maoxian, already waiting. Lu Maoxian was a Level Seven Scholar Cultivator, and despite his advanced age, he theoretically shouldn't have been able to defeat Lu Dongjun. However, he had brought many subordinates, and under their combined attack, Lu Dongjun suffered a loss.

"Damn it!" Lu Dongjun cursed. "That old man doesn't know what got into him. After hearing a couple of words from Monkey Qiu, he actually attacked his own nephew!"

Wan Jinxian sighed, "Master, this certainly isn't just Monkey Qiu's doing."

Lu Dongjun nodded, "I know. Duan Shaoxia must be involved too!"

Wan Jinxian shook his head, "It's not just Duan Shaoxia. Consider this: Lu Maoxian has three sons. The eldest uncle is already down. If you also fall, among your generation, his family will be the most qualified. The position of family head would become uncertain."

Lu Dongjun suddenly realized, "He's deliberately ruining my reputation, wanting his sons to usurp my position! That old dog, he should take a good look in the mirror. What are those sons of his anyway!"

Wan Jinxian brought over a newspaper and said, "Lu Maoxian deliberately ruined your reputation. This is today's morning paper; the news has already spread. Take a look!"

Lu Dongjun took the newspaper and glanced at it, gritting his teeth in anger.

Headline news: "Sibling Rivalry: Lu Dongliang's Fate Uncertain, Orphan and Widow: Madam Duan's Pleas Unheeded."

Wan Jinxian said, "I can already imagine the next headline for the newspaper: 'Lu Family Ancestor Steps Forward, Cleanses the Clan, Upholds Justice, and Reclaims Leadership of the Lu Family!'"

Lu Dongjun was furious: "That scoundrel Ling Miaowen, spouting nonsense and dragging me into it? He must be tired of living. I'll go find him in a bit!"

Wan Jinxian advised, "Master, let's plan for the long term. You absolutely must not get angry now. Let's think about our next move. I actually have an idea, Master, perhaps you'd like to hear it."

Lu Dongjun tore the newspaper in his hand to shreds.

At Miss Chu Er's mansion, Chu Huaiyuan laughed aloud as she held the newspaper.

"The Lu family is in complete chaos. The Hundred Delights Gate is about to be mine. Have someone prepare the carriage; we're going to Blue Poplar Village."

Wen Hongyan licked her forearm, "Going to Blue Poplar Village again? Are you interested in Ma Wu?"

"Me interested in him?" Miss Chu Er scoffed. "What's so good about him? With his meager courage, I wouldn't even consider him. He utterly lacks that spark."

Wen Hongyan picked up a coconut, cut off its top, and took a sip of coconut water. "If you're not interested in him, why go to Blue Poplar Village?"

Miss Chu Er asked a maid to bring some dresses. "You don't understand business matters. The Hundred Delights Gate is a place where one can make money, but also lose money. I am indeed not as good as Ma Junyang at making money; I need to get him here to help me manage it for a while."

"Ma Wu is so cunning; he probably won't obey," Wen Hongyan said, opening another coconut.

Miss Chu Er chose a red long dress. "If he doesn't obey, we'll tie him up and bring him back. I have ways to make him compliant."