Chapter 576: Pillow City

Having scared off Zhang Gunli and Mr. Kong Fang, Li Banfeng quickly hid the key, uncertain if the two would suddenly return.

Back in Sui Shen Ju, Li Banfeng still held the rattle drum. If he hadn't brought this rattle drum earlier, Li Banfeng wouldn't have known how to escape. Zhang Gunli was so formidable, and Mr. Kong Fang was clearly superior to him. With Li Banfeng's current strength, it would be extremely difficult to deal with Mr. Kong Fang. However, judging by Mr. Kong Fang's escape speed, he didn't seem like the Peddler's subordinate; he rather seemed to have a grudge against the Peddler. How much hidden information was there in all this? Li Banfeng was unclear for a moment.

The Jukebox was applying flesh and blood to a clay figure with paste when she saw Li Banfeng covered in sweat. She asked with concern, "Husband, you look flustered and agitated. What happened?"

Li Banfeng shook the rattle drum in his hand. "There's a rumor that the Peddler fought with someone from Heaven and was killed by them."

Sui Shen Ju fell silent. Aside from a few artifacts who had been by Li Banfeng's side and knew this news beforehand, everyone else was stunned.

"No way, I don't think this could be—" As she spoke, the Jukebox lacked confidence. She knew what consequences Puluo Prefecture would face if the Peddler was truly gone.

Li Banfeng said, "Neizhou sent Zhang Gunli to fight Mr. Kong Fang, the second-in-command of Xuehua Pu. They are testing the Peddler. If Mr. Kong Fang is killed and the Peddler still doesn't respond, it will prove that the Peddler is truly gone."

The Jukebox said, "I haven't heard of Mr. Kong Fang, nor do I know the caliber of Xuehua Pu's second-in-command. Have you met this person, Husband?"

"I just met him. Mr. Kong Fang is a formidable individual who can defeat Zhang Gunli. Xuehua Pu isn't just an empty name; at least this second-in-command's strength is indeed powerful."

"Husband, the second-in-command of Xuehua Pu dares to show up in Puluo Prefecture, which proves the Peddler should be fine, right?"

"Hard to say," Li Banfeng twirled the rattle drum in his hand. He couldn't ascertain the true relationship between Mr. Kong Fang and the Peddler at the moment.

The Jukebox still found the matter strange. "The Peddler fighting someone from Heaven would be an earth-shattering event in Puluo Prefecture, but why was there no activity at all before the fight?"

The Old Teapot said, "Both the Peddler and the person from Heaven knew the consequences of this duel. No matter who wins or loses, it would be very detrimental to Puluo Prefecture. I estimate they didn't want to publicize it, so they hid themselves very well before the duel."

The Jukebox still didn't agree. "If they hid well before the fight, how did the news leak out afterward?"

The Glove said, "The news was spread by someone named Ye Haolong in Pillow City."

The Jukebox looked at the calendar. "Pillow City? That's even more ridiculous! People in Pillow City sleep for three seasons out of four. It's their sleeping season now. How could he have witnessed the Peddler and the person from Heaven dueling?"

This matter was indeed a bit strange.

Li Banfeng was contemplating a trip to Pillow City when he suddenly heard Red Lotus shout from the ninth room, "There's no smoke without fire. I estimate the Peddler and the person from Heaven are going to fight, but haven't yet. Can you help me deliver a message to the Peddler?"

Li Banfeng entered the ninth room, carried Red Lotus to the main room, and asked, "Were you talking to me just now?"

Red Lotus said, "Besides you, who else in this household can speak to the Peddler? The Peddler calls you brother; you must be friends, right?"

"He and I are friends. What message do you want me to deliver?"

Red Lotus said slowly, "Tell the Peddler not to fight the person from Heaven. Neither of you can afford to lose this battle."

The Jukebox heard this and said, "Sister Red Lotus, what's wrong with you? Are you worried about your Heavenly person?"

"Yes, I'm worried!" Red Lotus admitted generously. "But you should also know the predicament Puluo Prefecture would be in without the Peddler. I have a good relationship with the Peddler; he should listen to my advice."

The Jukebox sighed, "If it were that easy to persuade, their feud wouldn't have lasted so many years."

Red Lotus said, "Whether I can persuade him or not, just delivering the message is enough. I won't let you do this for nothing; I'll give you compensation!"

The Jukebox chuckled, "What compensation can you give?"

Red Lotus turned to the Jukebox, opening her petals. "I'll make a body for you."

The Jukebox was startled. "What body are you talking about?"

"Your body, Zhao Xiaowan's body, the body of the most beautiful woman in the world. Don't you want it?"

The Jukebox scoffed, "What's so great about that? It's just a puppet, isn't it?"

Red Lotus said, "This puppet can be made exactly like you were back then. Do you really not want it?"

"No," the Jukebox snorted. "Fake is fake. If I wanted a fake one, I'd rather have Husband grow one for me."

Li Banfeng could actually help her grow one. He had obtained a sword from Bei Wushuang, and there were traces of Zhao Xiaowan's blood on the sword. As long as the blood traces were restored to fresh blood, he could use the fresh blood to grow a "Zhao Xiaowan."

Red Lotus understood the Jukebox's meaning. "Do you really want to grow a cabbage person? How many days can that thing last?"

"Who said it had to be a cabbage person?"

"You could also have him grow a melon person for you, but how many days would that last? When the melon grows moldy and rots, wouldn't that drop of blood be wasted? How much blood is there on your sword in total? I've seen you use the Corpse Building method to make bodies for yourself. You're not a Glue Cultivator; you don't have that technique. What you make is neither here nor there. Why bother? Don't you want a real body? Don't you want to be a real couple with him? Just deliver a message, just get the word to him, and whether the Peddler agrees or not, I'll do this for you!"

The Jukebox stopped speaking. To say she didn't want it was a lie. Sometimes she envied Hong Ying; even if her appearance was a bit lacking, at least her body was real.

Seeing the Jukebox silent, Red Lotus asked Li Banfeng, "Do you agree?"

"Agree to what?" Li Banfeng had been contemplating his next steps and hadn't paid much attention to what Red Lotus and the Jukebox were saying.

Red Lotus repeated, "As long as you deliver the message to the Peddler, this matter is on me!"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I don't even know where the Peddler is. How can I deliver a message to him?"

"Find a way to look for him; you'll definitely find him. When you find him, tell him not to fight the person from Heaven!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Alright, if I encounter him, I will deliver the message. I'll go to Green Water City first to stabilize the situation, then go to Pillow City to see what's going on with that person named Ye Haolong."

Neizhou, Wubian City, Luo Family Mansion.

In a grand hall carved from a single, enormous crystal, Luo Lijun slithered down from the top of a thick, transparent ten-meter-tall pillar, approaching Zhang Gunli. Zhang Gunli stood with his head bowed. The floor beneath his feet was transparent, as were the surrounding walls and even the palace ceiling. Beyond the transparency lay endless darkness.

Luo Lijun had already reviewed the document Zhang Gunli submitted. Now, she only wanted to confirm a few things. "You saw the Peddler?"

Zhang Gunli nodded repeatedly. He couldn't say he had only heard the Peddler's drum; such an answer would lead to severe punishment.

Luo Lijun then asked, "According to your report, when you and Mr. Kong Fang fought, you were evenly matched, with Mr. Kong Fang even having a slight advantage. In such a situation, the Peddler shouldn't have needed to intervene."

Zhang Gunli had already prepared his explanation for this question. "Your subordinate believes that Xuehua Pu has repeatedly suffered heavy losses, and the Peddler likely wanted to use this opportunity to investigate the reasons behind these incidents."

Luo Lijun's antennae twitched. "Are you implying that the Peddler suspects us?"

"Your subordinate believes that is indeed a possibility." As he spoke, Zhang Gunli was very tense. If the person opposite him were tyrannical, they might vent their anger on him. But he knew Luo Lijun was reasonable; as long as his reasoning was sound, she should listen. Moreover, his words had to be utterly sincere. This was Neizhou, Luo Lijun's residence; any fluctuation in Zhang Gunli's thoughts could be detected by her.

Luo Lijun remained silent for a long time. Zhang Gunli kept his head bowed, sweat beading and rolling down his cheeks, dripping onto the floor, blurring the once-transparent surface. Not only the area beneath Zhang Gunli's feet, but the entire crystal hall became somewhat blurry. Beyond the palace, the darkness flickered with fleeting specks of light.

"You may withdraw," Luo Lijun flicked her antennae. Zhang Gunli retreated, leaving the crystal hall.

Luo Lijun slithered back and forth alone in the hall. In the darkness outside the hall, countless points of light converged into a line, twisting into a rope, swirling like silver serpents for a moment outside the hall, then scattering back into glittering specks.

From the top of another ten-meter-tall pillar, a giant snail-like creature slithered down. "Sister, what troubles you so?"

Luo Lijun sighed. "The Peddler is still alive. This war against the Demon Land cannot continue. I will immediately send someone to report the news to the Inner Cabinet." Luo Lijun's thought moved, and outside the crystal hall, several shrimp-like worms responded, slithering in all directions.

Luo Yanjun said, "Sister, others are easy to deal with, but Old Fan and his group might be difficult to convince. They yearn for war daily. If you tell them now that the war is off, I estimate they will entangle with you to the very end."

"What if they entangle?" Luo Lijun was somewhat angry. The previously transparent crystal hall turned slightly red. "Military affairs were never under Old Fan's purview. The last time we went to war with Outer Prefecture, it was Old Fan and his group who came up with the idea, and it resulted in defeat. Old Fan then simply washed his hands of it, claiming military matters had nothing to do with him. Later, he was the one who suggested sending spies to the Demon Land, refining hundreds of people into one spy, and sending out five, three of whom vanished without a trace. And now he again says it has nothing to do with him! Now, regarding military action against the Demon Land, they want to interfere again. At their age, do they have no shame?"

As she spoke, outside the crystal hall, a mass of flames burned from the east wall to the west wall. Luo Lijun was very angry.

Luo Yanjun sighed, "Sister, calm your anger. Old Fan and his group have higher 'seed blood' than us. If they insist on interfering, you really won't be able to do anything about them."

A mist of water shrouded the outside of the crystal hall, slowly extinguishing the flames. This mist came from Luo Yanjun and also from Luo Lijun herself. Luo Lijun knew in her heart that if Old Fan truly used his 'seed blood' to pressure her, she would have no countermeasure.

Not long after, a worm slithered on the wall, informing Luo Lijun that Old Fan and his group had arrived. Luo Lijun adjusted her expression slightly in the crystal wall's reflection and met them at the Heavenly Hall entrance. "Lord Fan, Lord Lu, Lord Bi, what an honor to have you grace us with your presence. Please forgive my lack of a proper welcome."

One person entered the hall, and Luo Lijun addressed him as 'Lord' three times. This was because this person had three heads.

"Lord Luo, I hear this war is off. Could you explain why?" The middle head, Lord Fan, spoke first.

Luo Lijun said, "I have already explained the reason to all of you, my Lords. The Peddler is still alive. It would not be wise for us to rashly send troops against the Demon Land."

The head on the left, Lord Lu, strongly disagreed with Luo Lijun's statement. "What if the Peddler is alive? Our army acts under divine authority to suppress rebels. Are we to fear a mere peddler?"

Luo Yanjun interjected, "Lord Lu, that's not quite right. A peddler he may be, but to call him ordinary? That would be a huge understatement, wouldn't it?"

Luo Lijun said, "My Lords, we have suffered many losses at the Peddler's hands. I'm sure you haven't forgotten the past battle examples. It was precisely because we received news of the Peddler's death that the court planned to conquer the Demon Land. Now that the Peddler is alive, military action should naturally be discussed at length."

The head on the far right, Lord Bi, also spoke. "Although that peddler is still alive, Xuehua Pu has repeatedly suffered heavy losses, yet he remained indifferent. And this time, when Zhang Gunli fought the leader of Xuehua Pu, the Peddler appeared, but Zhang Gunli still managed to retreat unscathed. This shows that the Peddler is heavily wounded and unable to fight. Now is precisely an excellent opportunity to suppress the rebels."

The fact that Zhang Gunli encountered the Peddler and still returned alive was indeed a bit strange.

Luo Lijun was about to explain further, but Lord Fan didn't give her a chance. "Lord Luo, I hear you have had much interaction with the Demon Land. Is there perhaps some collusion involved?"

Luo Lijun's body stiffened, and she grew angry. "Lord Fan, stabilizing the Demon Land first and then slowly conquering Outer Prefecture—this was a clear directive from the court, written word for word. Now you turn around and accuse me of colluding with the Demon Land? Are you implying the court instructed me to collude?"

Lord Fan remained silent. Lord Lu, beside him, said, "Lord Fan was merely making an analogy."

Luo Lijun's temper flared, and she spoke without regard for their respective positions. "Earlier, Lord Fan suggested sending spies to Outer Prefecture. May I ask how many lives our clan lost for that, and how much information was ultimately gained? That matter has yet to be clearly explained, and now you falsely accuse me of colluding with the Demon Land, Lord Fan. Aren't you being too overbearing?"

Lord Bi interjected, "We merely offer suggestions. How things are decided is up to those of you who manage military affairs."

"Since you don't manage military affairs, why are you three Lords interfering in the matter of conquering the Demon Land now?"

Lord Fan grew angry. His robust body suddenly grew three feet taller. The crystal palace creaked and expanded significantly along with Lord Fan's body. Lord Fan looked down at Luo Lijun and said in a deep voice, "As one with the imperial bloodline, it is my duty to share the court's burdens and offer strategies for the nation. This is my rightful responsibility, to exert my wisdom without shirking. Lord Luo, what is your intention in bringing up past matters? Are you trying to find fault with me and silence me?"

*Creak, creak, creak*

The crystal hall continued to expand.

Luo Yanjun sighed softly. The 'seed blood' was ultimately an insurmountable threshold. Luo Lijun controlled her emotions and tone. "According to Lord Fan, how should this matter be handled?"

"How it should be handled is your military affair. We are just offering suggestions. Spread the news in the Demon Land that the Peddler is dead, and see if the Peddler dares to show himself. If he doesn't dare to appear, it proves his combat power is insufficient. We should seize this opportune moment to annihilate the demon forces in one fell swoop."

Luo Lijun remained silent for a long time, then sighed lightly. "Very well, it shall be done according to your wishes, my Lords."

In Carefree Dock, Li Banfeng held a wine cup, listening to Xiu'er's incessant chatter. "Seventh Brother, did something really happen to the Peddler?"

Li Banfeng didn't answer.

Zhang Xiuling, beside him, said, "Seventh Master, if something truly happened, just give us a straight answer. I'll get our gang brothers ready; we'll stake our lives against Neizhou!"

Li Banfeng still remained silent.

Han Yaomen, the head of the Green Cloud Society, grew anxious. "Seventh Master, please say something! I can't speak for others, but the Green Cloud Society brothers will definitely not bow to Neizhou."

Everyone spoke at once, their questions unending. Ma Wu, fearing they might irritate Li Qi, kept trying to calm them down. "Everyone, let's discuss this slowly. There are some things our Seventh Brother doesn't know either."

"How could Seventh Master not know?" Shen Jinzhong, the Great Golden Seal of Three Heroes Gate, shook his head. "I think the Peddler is in grave danger. We should prepare early."

"What nonsense are you spouting? What 'grave danger'?" Li Qi put down his wine cup. "Two days ago, I saw the Peddler in Xindi. He's been busy these past couple of days and hasn't had time for business. How did so many rumors about him come up with you? Where did you hear all this news?"

He Yuxiu said, "It's all over the newspapers. Not just Green Water City, but the whole of Puluo Prefecture is about to know."

"Which newspaper is spreading this news? I'll smash their office later!" Li Qi stood up. "All of you, manage your own businesses and territories. Life should continue as usual. Neizhou might be stirring up trouble, deliberately spreading rumors here. Gather your people and heighten your defenses."

Li Qi left Carefree Dock. His few words weren't enough to reassure everyone, so they gathered in the private room, continuing to argue.

By seven in the evening, Carefree Dock still had little business. People in Green Water City were in a panic, losing even the desire to go to dance halls. The situation was similar throughout Puluo Prefecture. If the Peddler didn't appear, who knew what further problems would arise?

But how could the Peddler appear?

*Clang, clang, clang!*

"Foreign soap, vanishing cream, silk scarves, handkerchiefs, sewing kits!Leather buckets, and... what's that, metal buckets too, and shovels!Pickle jars, soy sauce bottles, rice scoops, ladles, chopping knives!A cart full of good old-brand goods, everything sold at a flat price, take your pick!"

The Peddler pushed his cart to Changfeng Village in Green Water Bay. A few children were playing at the village entrance. A little girl saw the Peddler and went up to him, wanting to buy medicinal candy.

"Where did I put the medicinal candy?" The Peddler searched for a long time before finding the candy jar on his cart. "How many do you want?"

The girl said, "Two orange-flavored, one pear-flavored."

"Which one is orange-flavored...?" The Peddler searched for a while, then handed five medicinal candies to the girl. "I'll give you two extra; don't be picky about the flavors."

Hearing about the extra candies, the other children all gathered around."I want three oranges!""I want one cantaloupe!""I want one hawthorn!"

The Peddler pursed his lips and muttered, "How much was medicinal candy again?"

The Glove reminded him, "The Peddler always sells at market price, thirteen cents a piece."

The pricing was awkward, difficult to calculate, and hard to make change for.

A village woman came to the village entrance, calling her children home for dinner. From afar, she saw the Peddler and couldn't help but shout, "Oh my god, he's here! He's alive!" The woman had a really loud voice. Her shout startled half the village. Villagers came to the entrance, surrounding the Peddler and asking for prices.

"How much is this bucket?" The Peddler thought for a moment. "You can take a look. I'll sell it to you for half price today."

"I'll take that pickle jar." The Peddler nodded. "Alright, just give me whatever you think is fair."

"Two clothes hangers, a pack of candles, two boxes of matches, a back scratcher, plus a pair of scissors. How much is that in total?" The Peddler scratched his head. "You want so many things?"

The person laughed. "I'm not buying; I'm just asking for prices."

"Get out of the way! If you're not buying, why are you bothering?"

A young man stepped forward, saying excitedly, "I want Martial Cultivation powder!"

The Peddler opened his display case, looked inside, and shook his head. "Martial Cultivation powder is sold out!"

"Then... then I'll buy Literary Cultivation powder."

"Can you read?"

"No."

"If you can't read, why would you be a Literary Cultivator?"

The young man thought for a moment. "Then I want Fire Cultivation powder."

"Such rare powder, it's not just available when you ask for it."

"Then Water Cultivation?"

"No Water Cultivation either."

The young man anxiously asked, "What kind of powder do you have?"

The Peddler looked carefully again. "Only Metal Cultivation."

The young man looked delighted. "Metal Cultivation powder, is that the Daoist art of turning stone into gold?"

The Peddler shook his head. "It's about carrying a gold bucket and collecting gold sap everywhere."

The young man didn't understand. The Peddler brought a bucket and showed it to him. The young man repeatedly shook his head. "Isn't this for carrying manure? No, absolutely not this one."

"Take it or leave it, you're so picky." Capitalizing on that phrase and sentiment, the Peddler pushed his cart away.

The villagers didn't care whether they bought anything or not. Usually, seeing the Peddler wasn't particularly special to them. But seeing him today, they felt genuinely happy. Word spread from one to another, gradually reaching the surrounding villages. From Changfeng Village to Lanyang Village, then from Lanyang Village to Xindi.

Having left his cart in Xindi, the Peddler sat by the road, wiped his sweat, took out the Old Teapot, and poured himself a cup of tea. This Peddler was Li Banfeng in disguise.

Only by seeing the Peddler could Puluo Prefecture settle down, and Neizhou calm down. However, Li Banfeng couldn't keep impersonating the Peddler. He didn't have the ability to remember all the goods' names or prices—though that was secondary. The main issue was he didn't have the medicinal powders and couldn't keep fooling people with just Metal Cultivation. He still needed to go to Pillow City to clarify things.

Pillow City was a proper city, and trains went there. Upon disembarking, the station staff yawned as they checked tickets. Outside the platform, the area was empty, not a soul in sight.

The small city wasn't large, just one main street. Walking along it, there were no pedestrians, and all the shops on both sides were closed. After walking for a long time, he finally encountered a rickshaw puller. The puller was lying in his rickshaw, asleep. Li Banfeng tried to ask for directions, calling for a long time, but the puller didn't wake up.

"Brother, don't waste your energy," the Teapot spoke up. "If it were in the area just outside the station, sleeping people might still wake up. But once you're in the city, trying to wake someone up, you'll have to wait until next spring."

Li Banfeng took out the Teapot. "Are you very familiar with this place?"

"Very. I was born and grew up here. I don't remember how many years I stayed, but I only remember one day when I felt people shouldn't live like this. People need aspirations, they need goals. So, I decided I should go out and explore. Who knew, I ended up stumbling into Kucai Zhuang."

It didn't matter if there was no one to ask for directions. Li Banfeng was a Travel Cultivator, with an excellent sense of direction. Following the address Liao Zihui had given him, Li Banfeng found his way by himself.

Entering an alley, it became quite lively here. An older man was sprawled at a courtyard gate, his hands in a posture as if trying to crawl into the yard. This courtyard was probably his home. Why was he sleeping at the gate and not inside his house?

The Old Teapot yawned. "He wanted to go home, but didn't make it back before falling asleep."

Further ahead, a peddler selling miscellaneous goods was asleep on his stall. Across from the stall, a woman lay sleeping, one hand clutching a box of rouge, the other holding loose change. She must have bought the rouge and was about to pay, but the stall owner hadn't had time to collect the money. Both had fallen asleep right there.

The Old Teapot looked at the rouge in the woman's hand. "This kind of rouge is hard to buy. This girl was probably afraid she wouldn't be able to buy it later. The stall owner was also greedy, insisting on doing this extra business, and as a result, didn't have time to pack up, ending up like this."

Li Banfeng was curious. "If business is halfway done, can't they wait a bit longer? Do they have to fall asleep right here?"

As he spoke, Li Banfeng couldn't help but yawn. The Old Teapot chuckled, "On the day of Lixia (Start of Summer), as soon as it passes midnight, everyone in Pillow City, from top to bottom, gets so sleepy they can't keep their eyes open. If you're sensible, you rush home to sleep. If you're not sensible and insist on doing some work, you might end up sleeping on the street, and you won't wake up until next Lixun (Start of Spring)."

Li Banfeng still didn't understand. "What about urgent bathroom needs?"

"The local Earth God has a way. In Pillow City, as long as you clean yourself before falling asleep, there are no urgent needs after falling asleep."

"What's the name of the Earth God here?"

"I don't remember his name."

"What Daoist path is he?"

"He's a Lazy Cultivator."

Li Banfeng touched the Judge's Brush. "This place is perfect for you!" The Judge's Brush didn't respond; it had already fallen asleep.

This stall owner wasn't the most extreme case. Li Banfeng walked deeper into the alley and saw an outhouse. A woman was sprawled at the outhouse entrance, presumably having just finished using it and tried to run home, but failed, falling asleep near the outhouse. Even more absurd, there was an older man half-lying inside the outhouse; he had fallen asleep mid-use.

After walking for about ten minutes down the alley, Li Banfeng found Ye Haolong's residence. It was a large, wealthy household with three courtyards deep. Li Banfeng didn't knock; he knew no one would answer. He used his unhindered passage technique to go straight through the wall. In the front courtyard, the servants were asleep in their respective rooms.

In the main courtyard, Li Banfeng went straight into the main room. A man was sleeping alone in the inner room, covered by a quilt, and his bed was neatly made. The man looked over seventy, with white hair and beard. This should be the Ye Haolong that Liao Zihui mentioned. Li Banfeng called out to Ye Haolong several times, but he didn't wake up.

"He's a First Layer of Cloud cultivator; he can't resist Pillow City's rules either?"

"He can't," the Old Teapot's voice was a bit sluggish. "Even with his high cultivation, in Pillow City, unless he wants to wake up himself, it's difficult to wake him."

What to do then? If he didn't wake up, there was no way to communicate. Li Banfeng looked around. "Are there places like Pillow City in the world? Aren't they afraid of thieves?"

"No, truly not afraid," the Old Teapot yawned. "In Pillow City, if you take something you shouldn't, you won't be able to leave this area. You'll sleep for three to five years, and after waking up, you'll have to pay back double. If you harm someone in the city while they're asleep, you can forget about ever waking up again; your life will just end like that. Brother, think of a plan quickly, I'm almost asleep, and I'm afraid you won't be able to hold on much longer either."