Chapter 377: Farming and Land Reclamation

Little Gengzi came to Li Banfeng's plot to reclaim land, which greatly surprised Li Banfeng. When he saw Gengzi raise the bucket, the situation was no longer just surprising.

"Gengzi, why did you come here to reclaim land?" Li Banfeng repeatedly pressed his palm downwards, signaling Gengzi to put the bucket down first.

Gengzi carried the bucket on his back and said seriously, "Seventh Master, isn't this the good place you mentioned? Although it's a bit remote, there's food nearby, and Big Brother Zhang and I want to do business, so this place is very suitable."

Zhang Wanlong coughed beside him, signaling Gengzi not to say too much. It was unnecessary for him to do so; Gengzi would never hide anything from Li Qi.

Zhang Wanlong quickly took off his sun hat and smiled at Li Banfeng, "I am Zhang Wanlong. Gengzi and I just met recently, and we got along very well, so we became friends."

Li Banfeng pointed to Meng Yuchun's territory: "If you want to cultivate, you should go there. The food is on that land, and there are more people there, so you'll have some help if needed."

Li Banfeng was certain that once these saplings matured, their combat power would absolutely not be inferior to the watermelons from Geng Family Pharmacy.

"You're being modest, Brother Zhang. Cultivators endure hardships to become powerful; a fifth-level cultivator can dominate as a marquis. It seems your cultivation is far beyond the fifth level; I'd guess it's not even bound to the land anymore, right?"

Seeing that the two were somewhat relaxed and not very focused, the mosquito quietly rose, aiming its long proboscis at Youtao's back of the head and stabbing downwards.

This Zhang Wanlong should be the good-for-nothing cultivating disciple that Elder Xu mentioned.

Li Banfeng stared at the saplings for a long time.

Gengzi told Li Banfeng, "I boarded the train at Yaowang Valley and met Big Brother Zhang not long after it started moving."

She was very diligent; yesterday, she not only fetched hot water but also helped He Yuxiu wash from head to toe, cleaning every part meticulously. Even now, He Yuxiu still felt a tingling sensation all over her body when she thought about it.

Little Gengzi said, "Seventh Master, I'm not boasting; this Big Brother Zhang is indeed a capable person."

Connecting the preceding and following remarks, Li Banfeng understood Gengzi's meaning.

Was this sapling really just for amusement? This was a joke.

New sprouts grew rapidly, and roots successively pierced the leech's skin, burrowing into the ground. This was the "Zhang Wanlong" that Zhang Wanlong himself had planted.

The mosquito was very patient, resting beside Youtao and waiting for a full two hours without making a move.

"This humble servant means that you, my lord, can use the techniques of the 'Deep Mansion and Grand Courtyard' to borrow some skills from Hong Ying."

The next day, Li Banfeng, holding the judge's brush, flew to the plot to see how they would reclaim the land.

Gengzi shook his head and said, "That place can't be visited. Big Brother Zhang said our business isn't convenient for others to see."

Although large, this mosquito acted very cautiously.

He touched the sapling, but heard a delicate female voice emanating from it. "Softer."

"That depends on luck. If that person is lucky enough to encounter Meng Yuchun, Meng Yuchun should offer some help. Afterwards, you, my lord, can share some of the cultivation power from the land with Meng Yuchun as a reward."

This tree could talk.

Zhang Wanlong waved his hands repeatedly, "Seventh Master, you've misunderstood. Gengzi likes to joke around too. We won't be creating people."

This was a place Li Qi had introduced. The local deity here might be acquainted with Li Qi, so if Gengzi truly lost his life, at least Li Qi would receive the news.

Gengzi chose this place after careful consideration. Could he be allowed to reclaim land here? This matter depended on perspective. This was telling Li Banfeng that Zhang Wanlong very likely also came from Yaowang Valley.

He Yuxiu took a handkerchief and said, "I can wipe myself. Don't put your hand in my clothes."

"I figured I should choose a quiet place in the New Land, so I picked this spot."

Zhang Wanlong could grow such eerie things that could talk within ten minutes; his methods were indeed extraordinary.

Gengzi knew Zhang Wanlong was a truly capable person, and also a difficult one to deal with.

Li Banfeng asked Gengzi, "What kind of business can't be seen by others?"

Gengzi looked at the bucket and said, "Seventh Master, what's wrong with my method?"

Gengzi raised the bucket and said, "Yes, as long as there are materials, it's possible."

Zhang Wanlong waved his hands repeatedly, "Seventh Master, you're embarrassing me. My cultivation is not presentable; I wouldn't dare show off in front of you."

What about Gengzi?

Li Banfeng's heart tightened. He scanned the area above the plot for a moment and found Gengzi quietly lying in the wild grass at the center of the plot.

This time, a mosquito arrived, about the same size as Youtao.

Zhang Wanlong shook his head and laughed, "What wealth? I just wander around, making a living wherever I go."

With so much New Land available, why not just pick any barren plot? If they had chosen a random plot, Gengzi might not even know how he died if Zhang Wanlong turned hostile.

Li Banfeng looked at the sapling Zhang Wanlong had planted, pulled down his hat brim, and turned to leave.

Li Banfeng looked at Zhang Wanlong and asked, "Brother Zhang, you said you came to plant things. What good things are you planting? Can I see them?"

Li Banfeng did not use the Spirit Insight technique nor the Whispering Earrings. In less than a minute, only a shriveled husk of Zhang Wanlong remained on the ground.

In fact, he could have chosen a location near Zhengjing Village, but he didn't, because he didn't trust Zhang Wanlong and didn't want to bring trouble to Zhengjing Village.

The fact that he caught Elder Xu's attention proved Zhang Wanlong's considerable strength. Li Banfeng had helpers by his side and could drive him off the territory, but killing this person would definitely not be easy.

Would driving him away be useful? No.

"If someone who successfully reclaims land asks for my help, should I also ignore them?"

About twenty to thirty meters from Gengzi, the leech raised its body again.

Hong Ying nodded repeatedly, "Seventh Lord, as long as you speak, these things are easy to arrange. First, tell me how these two businesses are conducted..."

The next afternoon, Li Banfeng left his residence and went to He Yuxiu's plot to inspect.

"Your method easily angers the local deity. Reclaiming just one li of barren land, Big Brother Zhang definitely has his own techniques."

However, according to Shu Yongquan, these types of trees would need to grow for at least a hundred years to potentially develop sentience. As for whether they could learn to speak, that would depend on suitable opportunities.

As of now, Zhang Wanlong had not shown any malice, so this matter could continue to be observed.

As he spoke, Gengzi kept looking at Li Banfeng.

The leech wriggled behind Zhang Wanlong, suddenly reared its body, and swallowed Zhang Wanlong's head in one gulp.

"Then blame his bad luck. He'll have to fend for himself. If he spills blood seeking help and the local deity doesn't respond, the reputation of this territory will be ruined."

Youtao praised continuously, "Sister is so capable! Sister, drink some water. Sister, eat something. Sister, you're sweating; I'll wipe it for you."

Li Banfeng left. There was no need to watch the test here; for He Yuxiu, the strange creatures here were not worth her attention. Someone who dared to reclaim a three-li territory naturally possessed some strength, and the strange creatures brave enough to challenge them were also of a vastly different caliber.

Gengzi nodded, "Yes, it can be for amusement. Big Brother Zhang has a pot of flowers that are much smarter than this tree. That pot of flowers talks endlessly every day and is very perceptive."

The leech sniffed around, seemingly detecting some scent, and wriggled towards Gengzi.

About ten minutes later, the seed broke through the soil, sprouted, and grew into a sapling over a foot tall.

"Gengzi, put the bucket down," Li Banfeng advised earnestly. "I don't think your material is very suitable for creating people."

Li Banfeng looked at Little Gengzi, then at Zhang Wanlong, and seriously asked, "How will the two of you create them?"

He didn't see Gengzi, only Zhang Wanlong holding a hoe and tilling the field.

Little Gengzi lowered his voice and said, "We're here to create people."

Zhang Wanlong's body instantly shriveled. The segments on the leech's body rippled like waves, trembling layer by layer as it absorbed Zhang Wanlong's flesh and blood.

The leech plunged its head into the mud, then quickly raised it, its body experiencing intense waves of contraction. Gengzi remained motionless, with no trace of fear on his face.

What was this doing? Was it going to attack Gengzi? This was not the real Zhang Wanlong.

His wife had long made plans for Li Banfeng: "This depends on whether you, my lord, value the reputation of this territory. If you don't care about the reputation, just abandon the plot here and pay it no mind."

Returning to his residence, Li Banfeng told his wife, "The plot has been reclaimed, and two more groups of land reclaimers have arrived."

Li Banfeng was stunned. Some were originally ordinary trees that had been imbued with spiritual essence after years of immersion in the New Land, becoming sentient strange creatures. And if a conflict were to arise between them, Zhang Wanlong would likely kill Gengzi first.

It repeatedly coiled and uncoiled its body, clearly in intense pain.

Zhang Wanlong nodded repeatedly, "I also think Gengzi's method isn't suitable. Even if the plot is reclaimed, it will be difficult to manage later."

She spread her membranous wings and lay on the ground, blending in with the dry branches and fallen leaves, showing no discernible change.

Crawling along, the mosquito entered the plot unnoticed by He Yuxiu and Youtao.

The local deity had too many matters to handle. Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead, feeling a little distressed.

Zhang Wanlong smiled humbly, "These are all minor trifles, not worth mentioning. Since Seventh Master has asked, allow me to present my humble skill."

If she were to be stung by this, even without venom, the sheer external injury would be enough to kill Youtao.

Zhang Wanlong said, "We just want to find a quiet place to plant some flowers and plants, sell them to others as amusing trinkets. I truly don't have any other skills."

This wouldn't do.

The green stem grew thicker and thicker, the leaves more numerous, and the stems and leaves intertwined, forming a round eggplant over a meter in diameter on the leech's body.

Gengzi had prepared offerings, and Li Banfeng was genuinely worried he would place the bucket on the altar.

He Yuxiu casually threw the long proboscis, accurately piercing the mosquito's skull. The mosquito was terrified and flapped its wings, trying to escape.

"Congratulations, husband, the territory is prospering. This is good news."

This, however, reminded Li Banfeng of something very strange.

"The business you just mentioned was..."

Zhang Wanlong shook his head and said, "Seventh Master, let's put aside the 'creating people' topic for now. We want to reclaim a plot of land here and plant some things."

This matter was difficult to weigh. Although Gengzi knew it was dangerous, he hoped Li Banfeng would give him a chance to continue interacting with Zhang Wanlong, because Zhang Wanlong could bring Gengzi unimaginable opportunities.

Zhang Wanlong looked a bit awkward. Weigh it carefully.

He heard it very clearly; the small tree was indeed speaking. But these strange creatures all had complex origins; some were once humans, and even cultivators of no low level, whose souls, after death, came to the New Land, attached themselves to trees, and became strange creatures.

Zhang Wanlong sprinkled a seed on the ground and added a few drops of liquid medicine.

Li Banfeng didn't dare to drink it, so he accepted the liquor and lit up the plot. The distance was clearly off.

After entering the territory, it wasn't long before the first strange creature came to test them.

What was happening? Li Banfeng looked again at Zhang Wanlong, who was tilling the field. A leech over five meters long was wriggling towards him, coiling its body, yet Zhang Wanlong seemed completely unaware.

"No business really. Coming here is mainly for cultivation." Zhang Wanlong tried to gloss over the topic.

Li Banfeng had seen plant cultivators before. When a plant cultivator used their methods, trees grew even faster than this, so this particular trick wasn't surprising.

"What if they don't encounter Meng Yuchun?"

The eggplant slowly split open, and Zhang Wanlong emerged from within, holding a hoe, and continued tilling. Judging from Zhang Wanlong's appearance and demeanor, he had far more experience than Gengzi.

He had seen talking trees before; there were many on Shu Yongquan's and Qiu Luoye's territories.

Li Banfeng looked at Zhang Wanlong and asked, "Brother Zhang, where did you make your fortune before?"

"Is this Big Brother Zhang?" Li Banfeng looked at Zhang Wanlong.

He could find another territory to reclaim and continue planting these strange flowers and exotic grasses.

The gramophone slapped the rag on Hong Ying's face, then said to Li Banfeng, "My lord, you must carefully weigh the gains and losses. Forcibly seizing a position is inherently extremely difficult; even a slight mistake could lead to all efforts being in vain."

"If you value your reputation, then you, my lord, cannot travel far. For a hundred li of land, you must diligently protect it. Enemies you can handle, deal with yourself. For those you can't, immediately seek help from Meng Yuchun. With your speed, doing so shouldn't be difficult."

Fortunately, Zhang Wanlong was a sensible man. On the altar, there was a pot of corn liquor, emitting an enticing aroma. The stems and leaves quickly formed a new eggplant, and another Zhang Wanlong, holding a hoe, emerged from it.

Watermelons that could fight. If successful land reclamation didn't grant the protection of the local deity, who would be willing to reclaim land here in the future?

"Oh, my dear wife, I still cherish the reputation of this territory."

"No more washing." He Yuxiu shook her head; this girl named Youtao was a bit too enthusiastic.

As the proboscis approached her hair, He Yuxiu reached out and grabbed it. With a twist of her wrist, the proboscis immediately snapped.

On the rough black skin, there were slight bulges, and a tender green new sprout broke through the skin.

"But we need to agree: this territory cannot be reclaimed using your method."

"Good news is good news, but with more people, things get troublesome. What if I'm not near the territory in the future? How will these matters be handled?"

The leech on the ground was still struggling, with more roots and stems continually sprouting from its body.

Li Banfeng looked at the sapling, "Is this for amusement?" Li Banfeng felt he was being mocked.

The mosquito died on the spot. He Yuxiu kicked the corpse and chuckled, "Creatures of this caliber dare to come for a test? The strange creatures in this territory aren't very impressive!"

Li Banfeng nodded, "Gengzi, when you meet capable people like Big Brother Zhang, you should learn from them. I have other matters to attend to. You can stay here with Big Brother Zhang and reclaim the land."

He Yuxiu prepared for the test. Youtao followed behind, asking concernedly, "You'll be gone for three days. How about we wash up before we go?"

The real Zhang Wanlong rose from the tall grass, fiddling with a seed in his hand.