Chapter 379: Little Young Master

"The doors will remain open during normal stopping times," Suishenju offered as a solution.

Li Banfeng was overjoyed.

With the railway tracks, Suishenju could now transport Li Banfeng to any designated location according to his wishes.

However, there was a significant drawback: the key remained outside Suishenju and couldn't move with it. If Suishenju closed its main door after Li Banfeng had left, he wouldn't be able to get back inside.

But if the main door remained open, this problem would be resolved.

Li Banfeng asked Suishenju, "How long is a normal stop?"

"That depends on whether it's a major or a minor station."

"How do you distinguish between a major and a minor station?"

"By the scale of the platform."

Li Banfeng stood up and declared, "I'll build a major station, one where a train can stop for a whole day."

"There's no station like that. Unless the train breaks down, it won't stop for an entire day."

"Then what's the maximum stopping time at a station?"

"A major station can stop for a maximum of one hour, and a minor station for half an hour."

This time was quite limited, but considering the typical stopping duration of normal trains, Suishenju's stopping time was not insignificant.

Li Banfeng pulled out a map and began planning.

"I'll build a major station in my territory, a major station in Greenwater City, a major station in Yaowanggou, and also one in Heishipo. The soda at Qishuiyao is delicious, so I'll consider building a major station there. The food at Haichiling is excellent, so a major station there would also be good. At Kudaikan, I probably won't need a full hour, but a major station there would still be splendid…"

As Li Banfeng enthusiastically sketched, the Gramophone gently reminded him, "My dear husband, you should first ask our house how much material a major station requires. These materials might be difficult to acquire."

He had almost overlooked that detail.

"What kind of materials are needed to build a station?"

Suishenju replied, "To build a major station, you'll need stone."

Li Banfeng smiled. "Stones are no problem. There are stones everywhere here. I have several mountains in my territory; you can dig as much as you need."

"Ordinary stones cannot be used to build my stations. Major stations must be constructed with Heaven's Heart Stone."

Heaven's Heart Stone?

Li Banfeng had never even heard of it.

His wife reminded him, "Husband, Heaven's Heart Stone is extremely expensive."

"How expensive?" Li Banfeng asked with a dismissive look. "Is your husband short on money or something?"

Suishenju responded, "The price of one Heaven's Heart Stone is equivalent to a pair of railway tracks. To build a major station, you'll need three Heaven's Heart Stones."

Li Banfeng fell silent for a moment, then said, "Building such a large station in this remote wilderness seems a bit too extravagant. Let's talk about minor stations first. Do minor stations also require Heaven's Heart Stone?"

"Minor stations can be built with earth, but they require Heavenly Spring Joy Soil."

"Heavenly Spring Joy Soil…" Li Banfeng rubbed his hands. "Judging by the name, it's not cheap, is it?"

"Whether it's cheap or not is beside the point. Do you even know where to buy it?" Suishenju's tone was slightly sarcastic.

Is it sold at the general store?

Li Banfeng had never even heard the name. Where would he possibly buy it?

After a moment of silence, his wife spoke.

"I've seen Heavenly Spring Joy Soil before. If my husband is lucky, perhaps he can collect some."

Li Banfeng's eyes lit up. "Where can I collect it?"

"I used to know a few locations, but all the Heavenly Spring Joy Soil there has been depleted. This soil is a medicinal ingredient; when consumed, it can invigorate a man's vigor and enhance a woman's tenderness."

"Then can't I just buy it at a pharmacy?"

"Husband, ordinary pharmacies don't carry such rare items, and even if they did, how much would they have? People use it as medicine, but we're building a station; a few ounces wouldn't be nearly enough. I know a type of insect in the New Land called the 'Three Joys Worm.' These worms live for about a hundred years and engage in 'joyful activities' three times a day, making them extremely fond of this type of medicine. If we could catch a few Three Joys Worms in the New Land, perhaps we could ask them about the whereabouts of Heavenly Spring Joy Soil."

"Wife, what does this insect look like?"

"Their bodies are oily and shiny, with very long antennae. Their sizes vary greatly; some are as small as a fingernail, while others can be up to three feet long…"

After his wife's detailed description, Li Banfeng immediately went out to catch some insects.

Soon after, Li Banfeng returned with an insect. After inspecting it, his wife said, "Husband, this is a cricket."

Li Banfeng went out again and returned with another.

"Husband, this is a longhorn beetle."

Li Banfeng brought back yet another.

"Oh, husband, quickly throw that away! You can't bring a cockroach into the house."

Trying to find an insect based solely on a description proved to be extremely difficult.

The Gramophone said, "Three Joys Worms aren't uncommon, but they do possess some spiritual awareness, making them difficult to locate. I'll teach my husband a song called 'My Young Husband.' I've often used this tune to attract these worms, and it never failed. Husband, why don't you try it too?"

The pipa played, and his wife began to sing a ballad: "The sun ascends above the flowering shrubs, I preen before the mirror. My heart aches with longing for my love, yet I resent his indifference. When he returns home, I'll keep him close. My silk robe for him to loosen, my sash for him to untie. A pair of red lips nestled in his embrace, all I desire is my young husband…"

No wonder the song was said to never fail.

Putting the Three Joys Worms aside for a moment, Li Banfeng was already behind the Gramophone, holding an oil can.

The Gramophone exclaimed, "Oh, husband, let's focus on the task at hand! Have you learned this song?"

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "Oh, wife, you're truly making things difficult for me. Do you think I can learn it? Even if I did, would my singing sound good?"

The Gramophone said, "No worries, I'll engrave a record for you, husband. You can play it in a suitable location, and just catch any similar-looking insects you see. Three Joys Worms don't possess much spiritual awareness, and there are very few people in the world who can communicate with them. Your skill in comprehending spiritual sounds isn't quite developed yet. I, however, can speak with these worms, so as long as you catch the right one, I can inquire about…"

Li Banfeng waved his hand and said, "That's too much trouble, wife. Just come out with me to catch the insects."

The Gramophone froze for a moment. "Husband, did you just suggest I leave the house?"

Li Banfeng knew that house spirits couldn't leave the house freely. "Wife, please don't misunderstand. I'm simply asking for your opinion. If you'd like to go out for a stroll, we can wander around together. Whether we catch any insects or not doesn't matter; I just want you to get some fresh air. If you don't wish to go out, just pretend I didn't say anything."

The Gramophone was very excited; she hadn't been outside since entering Suishenju.

Li Banfeng picked up the Gramophone, ready to leave.

The Gramophone exclaimed, "Husband, wait! Do you truly trust me?"

Taking a house spirit out of the house was equivalent to lifting the house's restraints on it.

A house spirit could kill its house cultivator, and once the cultivator was dead, the spirit could kill anyone it wished. At that point, a house spirit would be indistinguishable from a malevolent spirit.

Li Banfeng smiled. "What is there not to trust about my own wife?"

"But…" The Gramophone still had some reservations.

Li Banfeng knew why his wife was worried; a house spirit needed the house's permission to leave.

Li Banfeng said to Suishenju, "We're just going out for a stroll to clear our heads. We'll be back soon."

Suishenju was silent for a long moment, then said, "Just this once; don't let it happen again. You must return within two hours, and no combat power is allowed outside."

No combat power allowed outside?

Such a restriction exists?

Li Banfeng looked at his wife and asked, "My dear wife, do you still want to go out?"

"I, your humble servant, wish to go out and see."

Li Banfeng carried his wife out the door.

The moment she left the door, his wife completely lost her combat power, retaining only some non-combat techniques, and even struggled to move.

Taking a breath of the New Land's air, his wife's body couldn't help but tremble slightly. Her three horn mouths swayed around in the night, as if greedily observing the surrounding scenery.

In reality, there was no special scenery around, just a desolate mountain, but his wife observed it intently for a long time.

A melody began to play, and his wife started singing 'My Young Husband' again. Just halfway through the song, an insect about the length of an index finger, with an oily, shiny body and long antennae, was perched on a tree, quietly listening to the music.

The Gramophone extended its needle, and the insect obediently landed on the needle's stand. His wife then communicated with the insect using her spiritual sound comprehension technique.

"Oh, husband, this insect doesn't know much. Twenty *li* to the east, there's a canyon, and an old worm over sixty years old lives there. It should have some knowledge. Let's go and check it out."

Li Banfeng carried his wife and walked east. The Gramophone, slightly abashed, sang, "My body is a bit heavy; I'm truly troubling my husband."

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "How could I feel tired carrying my own wife? My steps are a bit fast; you're not feeling too bumpy, are you?"

"I wish to be bumpy in my husband's arms for a lifetime."

Amidst the misty haze, Li Banfeng sprinted with the Gramophone in his arms. The Gramophone, fearing Li Banfeng's fatigue, persuaded him to put her back into Suishenju: "Husband, if I return to the house, and the house follows you, doesn't that mean I'm still accompanying you?"

If they went back now, it would be difficult to come out again.

But the Gramophone was content. She whispered into Li Banfeng's ear, "Husband, just seeing it once is enough. There will be plenty of other opportunities in the future."

Suishenju was in a good mood today and agreed this time because of the station, but whether there would be future opportunities was hard to say.

"No way!" Li Banfeng smiled. "My dear wife, since it's rare for you to come out, you must have a good stroll with your husband."

The night wind was bone-chilling. The Gramophone hung its horn mouths on Li Banfeng's shoulder, gently puffing steam. Too close, she feared burning her husband; too far, she feared he'd get cold. As she carefully adjusted her position, Li Banfeng occasionally tickled her sides, then her back, then her armpit, making the Gramophone almost burst into laughter.

Running all the way to a mountain stream, Li Banfeng put his wife down. She wiped his sweat and sang 'My Young Husband' again. This time, after just two lines, an insect nearly three feet long emerged from the soil and stopped beside her.

This was an aged Three Joys Worm. After his wife finished her song, she communicated with the Three Joys Worm for a few moments, then turned to Li Banfeng and said, "It knows where Heavenly Spring Joy Soil is. It's over eighty *li* from here. If I sing two more songs for it, it will lead us there."

Li Banfeng nodded slightly. While his wife sang, he first returned to Suishenju, changed into a coarse cloth outfit, and put on a pointed bamboo hat, dressing himself as a New Land hunter.

Suishenju was getting a bit impatient. "It's almost time to bring that girl back!"

Li Banfeng chuckled, "Don't worry, two hours aren't up yet."

His wife sang two more short tunes, and the Three Joys Worm was very pleased. It then led Li Banfeng and the Gramophone southeast.

After walking over ten *li*, they had already reached the boundary of Li Banfeng's territory. The Three Joys Worm was not fast, and a lot of time had passed.

The Gramophone said, "Husband, time is almost up. Please take me home. Don't make the house angry. And it's best if I don't show myself in someone else's territory."

Li Banfeng sent his wife back into Suishenju, then followed the Three Joys Worm out of his territory.

After walking another ten *li*, they came to a small stream. A man with a turban on his head, leading a dromedary camel, shouted to Li Banfeng, "Traveler, come take a look! I've just stocked a new batch of good wares. Pick whatever you want, and I'll even sell it at cost!"

A peddler?

This was indeed a peddler, but not the one Li Banfeng was familiar with.

These types of peddlers only conducted business in the New Land, selling daily necessities to pioneers and hunters, and were also known as New Land traveling merchants.

The hawker's call sounded friendly enough, so Li Banfeng stepped forward and bought a beaded flower for his wife, two hair ties for Hong Ying, and a rag for Tong Lianhua.

In the New Land, supplies were extremely scarce, and prices were much higher than in the Main Land. Li Banfeng simply patronized the business out of friendliness and didn't buy much.

After paying, Li Banfeng continued with the Three Joys Worm to search for Heavenly Spring Joy Soil. After walking a bit more than two *li*, Li Banfeng bent down to tie his shoelaces and dropped two silver dollars on the ground.

When Li Banfeng had walked away, the traveling merchant, leading his camel, followed and saw the silver dollars on the ground.

This was Li Banfeng's warning to him, urging him to take his earnings and not continue following.

The traveling merchant paused for a moment, but the camel beside him urged, "What are you dallying for? Follow him, keep going. When the time is right, take his life."

The traveling merchant nodded, touched the goods rack on the camel's back, checked the position of his weapon, and with a murderous look, continued to follow Li Banfeng.

Not far after, Li Banfeng's figure suddenly vanished, completely unnoticed by the traveling merchant.

By the time he noticed, his body instantly swelled up and then exploded into a mass of flesh and blood.

Li Banfeng didn't continue on his way. He stood about ten meters away, watching the dromedary camel next to the traveling merchant.

The camel also looked at Li Banfeng and calmly said, "Friend, what impressive skills you have. May I ask what brings you to this place?"

Li Banfeng's tone was also calm. "And who might you be, if I may ask?"

As they spoke, the Three Joys Worm had already run far away.

The dromedary camel snorted and said to Li Banfeng, "I only have one hump on my back. People like to call me Old One-Hump, but some also call me Matchless Hump."