Chapter 712: Little Yu

Ai grumpily pulled a cart of stones, walking ahead, while Li Banfeng grumpily pushed the cart, following behind.

Ai grumpily asked, "Do you know how much effort I put into entering Haozhou's Ninefold Gate?"

Li Banfeng grumpily retorted, "Why did you put so much effort into entering Haozhou's Ninefold Gate?"

"I did it to get Earth Seed!"

"Haven't you already got some?"

"I haven't got enough yet!"

"How much more do you plan to get?"

"I'll stop once I have enough to make an altar."

"When do you plan to make the altar?"

"Only stones from an altar can be used to make an altar!"

"But don't we have stones now?"

"Who knows if these stones can produce Earth Seed?"

"Are you saying none of these many stones can produce Earth Seed?"

Ai retorted defiantly, "What if none of them can? Don't we need to go a few more times and gather stones from various locations to be sure?"

Li Banfeng also retorted defiantly, "Why so many 'what ifs'?"

The two bickered all the way back to Hulu Village, pulling the stones.

After unloading the cart, Ai was still shaken. "We almost didn't get away just now. Can you please consult me before you go crazy next time?"

Li Banfeng looked puzzled. "If I consulted you beforehand, would it still be called going crazy?"

Ai fumed, "I've told you, a Crazy Cultivator masters restraint. Do you think you should act like that in such a big matter?"

Li Banfeng looked utterly bewildered. "If I don't dare go crazy in important matters, would I still be a Crazy Cultivator?"

Ai fell silent, unable to argue with Li Banfeng. "Fine, stop messing around. Let's get down to business. We don't even know which stone can be used."

The huge altar had been completely blown to ruins, scattering stones everywhere. Ai had improvised a flatbed cart, so the amount of stone they could bring back was quite limited. These stones were selected by Ai from different locations.

Li Banfeng picked up a stone and asked, "Can you make Earth Seed?"

Ai shook her head repeatedly. "You're beyond redemption."

"It says no!" Li Banfeng put down one stone and picked up another. "Can you make Earth Seed?"

This one also said no.

After trying more than ten stones, Li Banfeng felt one stone was particularly unique. While the other stones were shattered into sharp, irregular fragments, this one was relatively smooth and rounded.

He held the stone and asked, "Can you make Earth Seed?"

The stone's voice was faint. Li Banfeng pressed his ear against it and listened for a while. Then he looked up at Ai and said, "It says it can't make Earth Seed. It says it's a First-Class Weapon."

"What?" Ai paused for a moment. "It really said that to you?"

Li Banfeng communicated with the stone again. "It said it's a First-Class Weapon."

Before he finished speaking, the stone cracked open into a gaping, blood-red mouth and lunged, biting at Li Banfeng's head.

Its speed was so great that Ai saw double.

Li Banfeng was a Cloud-Three Traveler Cultivator, so his speed was naturally faster. He flung the stone away with a toss of his hand.

The stone landed next to a pine tree, opened its mouth, and swallowed the tree in a couple of gulps. It then sprouted two branches for arms, two tree trunks for legs, a tree crown for a head, and two pine cones for eyes.

Its transformation from stone to human-like form happened in the blink of an eye. The stone monster spat a mouthful of pine oil onto Li Banfeng's feet, immobilizing him. It then lunged forward and bit his neck.

"My neck's broken, it's broken, help!" Banfeng B let out a desperate cry. The moment it was bitten, Li Banfeng and Banfeng B swapped places.

Li Banfeng immediately used the Five-Horse Dismemberment technique, shattering the stone monster's limbs to pieces, but without damaging its core.

This was the true quality of a First-Class Weapon; this stone monster could both attack and endure.

Li Banfeng and the stone monster engaged in several rounds of combat. Ai shouted at the stone monster, "Stop fighting! You're in my territory. Who are you putting on a show for?"

The stone monster said something to Li Banfeng, and Li Banfeng conveyed the gist of it to Ai: "It says protecting the altar is its duty, and as long as the altar exists, it will fight us to the end!"

Ai said, "The altar is gone now!"

The stone monster spoke again, and Li Banfeng relayed its words: "It says it wants to avenge the altar. If it can take one more enemy with it, its life's mission won't be in vain!"

Ai chuckled, "Alright, let all the men, women, and children of the village come and watch. Let's see how many enemies it can take down!"

At Ai's command, someone relayed the message, and many villagers came to watch.

The stone monster, seeing itself surrounded, showed no fear. It hovered in mid-air, exchanged a few words with Li Banfeng, and prepared for a fierce battle.

Li Banfeng said, "This stone truly has spirit. It says killing one is breaking even, killing two is profiting one, and today it will kill until not even a chicken or dog is left in this place."

Ai burst into laughter, and the villagers followed suit.

For some unknown reason, Li Banfeng also felt like laughing.

There was a cornfield nearby. The stone monster burrowed into it and ate half an acre of corn.

Cornstalks became its limbs, corn leaves its weapons, and with a two-foot-long corn beard, the stone monster charged towards a group of villagers.

An hour later, Uncle A-Gen played his lusheng, A-Long strummed his yueqin, and the stone monster, holding hands with the villagers, danced joyfully.

Ai called the stone monster over and offered it a cup of wine. After drinking, the stone monster was eager to go back to dancing, but Ai stopped it.

"Seventh Brother," Ai said, "it seemed to speak just now. What did it say?"

Li Banfeng said, "It says it will never surrender!"

Ai shook her head. "I don't care if it surrenders or not. Ask it if any of these stones can produce Earth Seed."

Li Banfeng said, "I've asked those stones, and they all said they can't produce Earth Seed."

Ai gritted her teeth. "I don't believe it!"

Li Banfeng frowned. "Can stones lie?"

Ai continued to grit her teeth. "I don't believe you!"

Li Banfeng angrily asked, "Then why are you asking me?"

Ai turned to the stone monster and asked, "You definitely know which stone can produce Earth Seed. Are you going to tell me or not?"

The stone monster relayed its message through Li Banfeng: "It absolutely will not tell!"

Ai angrily declared, "Then lock it up! Play music by its ear and don't let it out to dance!"

What kind of punishment was this?

Li Banfeng found it hard to understand, but he could confirm one thing: this stone had been afflicted by some unknown Crazy Cultivation technique.

The stone was locked in the dungeon. Uncle A-Gen and A-Long played music in front of the dungeon door, and A-Yun, with the other girls, sang there.

The stone monster endured for over an hour before speaking to Li Banfeng.

"It says it won't reveal which stones can produce Earth Seed, but it wants to catch up with old friends."

Ai ordered the stone monster to be released.

The stone monster emerged from the dungeon, rummaged through the pile of stones for a moment, found three, and set them aside.

Ai asked the stone monster, "Are these all your old friends?"

The stone monster said nothing more and went back to dancing with A-Yun.

All three stones cried out that they could not produce Earth Seed.

Ai took these three stones back to her residence and studied them with Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng said, "How about we go back to the altar and get more stones? I can go by myself; they might not notice me."

Ai shook her head. "It's too late. We're already back in Purozhou."

Li Banfeng was startled and looked at the stone monster outside the window. "Can that First-Class Weapon also be brought back to Purozhou?"

There was a First-Class Weapon in Boundless City, Jiang Ling'er.

Boundless City never dared to cross the boundary, and the boundary would not allow First-Class Weapons to pass.

Ai carefully examined the stones. "Outside the village, no. Inside the village, yes."

Her words were difficult to understand, and Ai offered no further explanation. Regardless, she had indeed brought a First-Class Weapon into Purozhou, which sparked some thoughts in Li Banfeng.

"Purely in terms of transport capability, which is stronger: Hulu Village or the small train?"

Ai smiled. "You'd have to ask the small train!"

Li Banfeng tentatively asked, "Do you know where the small train is?"

Ai looked at Li Banfeng and smiled playfully, "Right behind you."

Li Banfeng deliberately glanced behind him. "Is it really behind me?"

Ai leaned close to Li Banfeng's ear and whispered, "I wasn't sure before, but I saw it clearly just now. You took out a key before you detonated the explosives."

"My movements were that fast, and you still saw it?" Li Banfeng had indeed taken out a key to escape the explosion.

"I can't say for sure about anything else, but I recognized that key. It's because that key was made by me and Old Train together," Ai said, pulling two pairs of pliers from a cabinet and handing them to Li Banfeng. "The small train seems to have some trouble. These are the pliers used to build the small train back then. Take them; they might still be useful."

Li Banfeng took the pliers. Ai then took out a jade bracelet.

"This is for A-Yu. She's grown so big, and I've never given her anything good. Consider this my belated token of affection."

Li Banfeng took the bracelet. "Who is A-Yu?"

"A-Yu is my younger sister. The Peddler put her on the small train all those years ago. She should be awake by now. I don't know if she'll be willing to see you."

"Do you feel you owe her?"

Ai put down the stone in her hand, her expression a mix of emotions. "I wasn't good to her. Not good at all, from childhood onwards. By the time I wanted to be good to her, I couldn't see her anymore.

I did see her in a dream that day. I asked her what she wanted, and I said I'd give her anything she wanted. Mountains of gold and silver, no hesitation. That's the honest truth."

Li Banfeng sighed, "Actually, she doesn't want mountains of gold or silver. She only wants you to teach her more Crazy Cultivation techniques."

"Really?" Ai looked at Li Banfeng with deep affection.

Li Banfeng nodded. "Really."

The two looked at each other for a moment. Ai then playfully poked Li Banfeng, "I'm talking about *my sister*!"

Li Banfeng lifted his hat brim and continued to look at Ai with deep affection. "Actually, I am your sister."

Ai couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You don't believe me?" Li Banfeng's figure suddenly vanished. He had used the key to return to his Portable Abode.

A short while later, a halo of light appeared at Ai's feet, and Ninth Sister suddenly materialized before Ai.

Li Banfeng had used the "Bridal Chamber Connection" technique to swap Ninth Sister out.

Ai looked at Ninth Sister in surprise. "Are you really my sister?"

Actually, Li Banfeng was standing in a corner of the room, unnoticed by Ai.

Ninth Sister seemed unwilling to see Ai. She turned to leave but didn't know where to go.

Ai gently pulled Ninth Sister's hand and softly said, "Why didn't you tell your sister sooner? Your sister missed you so much. Who would have thought I'd already met you?"

Ninth Daughter frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? I just came out. When did you see me?"

Ai stared at Ninth Daughter for a long time. "It's my fault, too. I didn't look closely enough. Even if you were wearing men's clothes, I would still recognize you."

"When did I wear men's clothes? It's so hard talking to you!" Ninth Daughter's eyes were a little red, but she didn't want Ai to notice, so she deliberately looked away.

"Yu'er, stop with the angry words. Come sit down." Ai helped Ninth Daughter sit beside her.

Ninth Daughter turned her face away and said, "Who's Yu'er? My name is Ninth Daughter. Don't get it wrong."

"Ninth Daughter?" Ai was startled, then her face suddenly darkened. "Girl, have you become someone's concubine?"

Ninth Daughter was startled. "How do you know—what nonsense are you talking about?"

"Your name is Ninth Daughter, so did you become someone's ninth concubine?" Ai's expression grew even uglier.

"What's wrong with being the ninth?" Since Ai had already figured it out, Ninth Daughter no longer held back and said stubbornly, "Being a concubine is better than you! You're so old and can't even get married!"

"Pah!" Ai spit at Ninth Daughter. "You have the nerve? I can't get married, but I can *marry* a wife! You're someone's ninth? Do you even know how shameful that is!"

"You spit at me?" Ninth Daughter wiped her face. "You're a woman! Marry a wife? Which of us isn't ashamed!"

The two sisters started fighting.

Li Banfeng did not interfere, and Ai and Ninth Daughter fought for an entire night, reducing the newly renovated building to ruins.

Autumn Leaves had nowhere to sleep. He found a spot, set up a tent, and sighed deeply. "If only I could dream of Seven Autumn City tonight, or even the New Land."

In the New Land, the Local Deity Chen Zuixiang slowly appeared. He held a wine pot, took a sip from its spout, looked at the spider in front of him, and asked, "Have you come to seek refuge with me?"

The spider was the size of a water buffalo. It arched its eight legs, sprawled on the ground, and pressed its head against the earth, showing submission to the Local Deity.

Chen Zuixiang asked, "What is your cultivation level?"

The spider used its front leg to write "three" on the ground.

Chen Zuixiang was not very pleased. "Your cultivation isn't high, and you can't even speak. I'm not really inclined to take in someone like that."

The spider spat out a silk sac, about the size of a pumpkin. When the sac was opened, it was full of silver dollars.

Chen Zuixiang looked down. "Where did this money come from?"

The spider lay on the ground, bowing its head repeatedly, as if to say it had earned it.

Chen Zuixiang was angry. "How could a monster get so much money? This money definitely isn't from a good source!"

The spider, holding the silk sac with its front claws, continued to bow.

Chen Zuixiang stretched out a hand, and the silk sac flew up and disappeared.

"I shouldn't accept money of unknown origin, but seeing your pitiful state today, I'll make an exception. However, you must explain this matter to me later."

The money was accepted, which meant it was allowed to stay. The spider was overjoyed and continued to bow in gratitude.

"Whatever you do here, there must be rules. I'll go get you a contract." Chen Zuixiang had only taken two steps when he suddenly felt a sticky sensation on his face.

He had walked into a spiderweb.

Where did this spiderweb come from?

Before Chen Zuixiang appeared, he had thoroughly checked, and there were no spiderwebs anywhere nearby.

He could never have imagined that the spiderweb was secretly spun by the spider while it was talking to him. Chen Zuixiang had not noticed the web-spinning at all.

"What do you want? How dare you—" Chen Zuixiang's words were cut short as a ball of spider silk blocked his mouth.

He tried to spit out the silk, but it clung tightly to his throat and tongue, making it impossible to dislodge.

He tried to melt the silk with the wine in his mouth, but all the wine was used up, and the silk remained intact.

He truly couldn't imagine how high this spider's cultivation level was.

The spider transformed into human form: He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing had stolen a technique from a transformed body cultivator and made some improvements to it.

He used to look down on body cultivation techniques, but today his attitude had changed; some of them were indeed very effective.

He Jiaqing wrapped some spiderwebs around Chen Zuixiang and pulled hard a few times, causing beads of blood to seep from Chen Zuixiang's body.

"I have some questions for you now. What are the names of the other Local Deities who were enfeoffed with land alongside you, and what Daoist sects do they belong to?" After speaking, He Jiaqing loosened the spiderweb in Chen Zuixiang's mouth.

Chen Zuixiang looked at He Jiaqing, his eyes glinting with cold light. He refused to speak.

He was not afraid; this was his territory.

He Jiaqing smiled, "Do you think I wouldn't dare kill you in your territory?"

Chen Zuixiang had indeed thought so. "I can't kill you," He Jiaqing said, "but someone else can." He Jiaqing waved his hand, and Big Head walked over from behind, carrying a knife.

He Jiaqing's cultivation was above the clouds, and according to the Peddler's rules, he could not kill Chen Zuixiang in this territory.

Big Head's cultivation was still at the ground level. If he killed Chen Zuixiang in this territory, it would not be considered a violation of the Peddler's rules.

But wouldn't the Peddler investigate this matter?

Big Head was He Jiaqing's subordinate. If He Jiaqing was involved in this matter, even if he didn't personally act, he might still be held accountable by the Peddler.

However, this particular venture was tacitly approved by the Peddler, and some details would not be thoroughly investigated.

Chen Zuixiang tried to struggle free from the spiderweb, but a strand of silk wrapped around his neck.

He Jiaqing jumped onto the spiderweb, swinging twice. "I'll broaden the terms a bit. Just tell me their names, and I'll let you go. If you still don't cooperate, I'll take half your life first, just half."

Qiao Yi opened his eyes, lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Xie Gong urged, "Brother, please eat something. You haven't eaten for three days."

Zhu Jin also urged, "Elder Brother, if you don't eat, you'll truly starve us to death."

Qiao Yi refused to eat, so Xie Gong and Zhu Jin dared not eat either.

Qiao Yi coughed twice and asked, "Have the culprits who destroyed the altar been found?"

Xie Gong whispered, "The Ministry of Justice has sent people to investigate, but there are no leads yet."

Qiao Yi's chest ached with coughing. He asked again, "How much longer will it take to repair the altar?"

Zhu Jin said, "Elder Brother, you just fell asleep. I happened to look at the Ministry of Works' documents. To restore it to its original state would take three years. If we simplify the construction methods, one year will suffice."

Qiao Yi waved his hand. "Simplify it!"

Xie Gong said, "Brother, be cautious. The altar pertains to rituals, and matters of ritual cannot be easily simplified."

Qiao Yi covered his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of blood. "If this vengeance isn't exacted, I'd be no man! Have the Ministry of Justice send more men. If the identity of this villain isn't found within three days, everyone from the Minister of Justice downwards shall be dismissed and investigated!"

Xie Gong urged, "Brother, calm your anger. In my opinion, don't rush to pressure the Ministry of Justice. First, consider the cause and effect of this matter. This villain was able to break into Haocheng, enter the Ninefold Gate, destroy the altar, and then retreat completely unharmed. How many people in this world have such daring, and how many have such means?"

Qiao Yi wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Could it be that the bandit leader came in person?"

The bandit leader referred to the Peddler.

Zhu Jin nodded and said, "I think it must be him. No one else would dare to do this. Elder Brother, you were focusing on the grand scheme, aiming to use chaos to control chaos, letting them exhaust themselves until you could net the entire rabble. Who would have thought he'd destroy our altar? Now the momentum is lost—"

*Pah!*

Qiao Yi coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Zhu Jin quickly urged, "Elder Brother, don't be angry. I don't think this happened because the Peddler is too powerful, but because there was a mole at the altar. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for him to come and go."

A mole?

The administrator of the altar was Yang Yueze, a trusted confidant whom Qiao Yi had promoted against all objections. Now you're saying there was a mole.

Qiao Yi coughed violently, feeling a renewed wave of metallic saltiness in his throat.

Xie Gong told Zhu Jin to stop talking. "Brother, don't dwell too much on the past. Let's think about the consequences. That newly created territory that day—"

He could only say half of it, because Xie Gong himself had only guessed half.

Zhu Jin still didn't understand. "What happened to that newly created territory that day?"

Qiao Yi struggled to sit up in bed. "No good! Send Shu Wan Juan to the New Land, quick! They're going to suffer a terrible fate!"

Before he finished speaking, Qiao Yi fainted, collapsing limply onto the bed.

Zhu Jin still didn't understand. "Who's going to suffer a terrible fate?"

Xie Gong was terrified and was about to call for a medical officer.

Zhu Jin said, "Second Brother, why don't we not call the medical officer? Let's call the cook first."

Xie Gong was startled. "Why call the cook?"

Zhu Jin said, "While he's passed out, let's you and I have something to eat."

*Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling!*

Li Banfeng pushed open the window and saw the Peddler entering Hulu Village. Today, the sound of the rattle-drum was off, and the cart was not moving steadily.

"Foreign soap, vanishing cream, matches, foreign candles, foreign shovels—"

*Bang!*

The cart hit a bump, and many goods fell off.

The Peddler bent down to pick them up, and Li Banfeng helped him.

A-Yun came with a girl to buy vanishing cream. The girl's name was A-Mi; Li Banfeng knew her.

A-Mi had been abandoned by her parents, her younger brother had been imprisoned after a fight, and her grandfather was a gambler who owed a mountain of debt. When she first arrived in Hulu Village, A-Mi cried herself ragged day and night, looking utterly wretched.

Now, she had let go of her sorrow. Her complexion was better, her figure fuller, and she had grown into a pretty young woman.

Some came to buy vanishing cream, others to buy leather buckets. Business was quite good today, but the Peddler was having a lot of trouble pushing his cart.

Ai came down from upstairs and looked at the cart wheels. "Where did you get these wheels? They're completely unsuitable."

The Peddler patted the cart. "That's why I came to you. Make it look decent."

Ai inspected it. "These broken wheels aren't worth repairing. I'll just give you new ones!"

The Peddler nodded. "Name your price for labor and materials. You won't be shorted a single coin."

"Talking about money makes us strangers, doesn't it? Given our friendship, I'm telling you, this isn't something that can be fixed in a day or two. You'll have to leave the cart here for a few days."

Ai pushed the cart into the building. The Peddler followed her in and asked, "Have you been up to something big lately?"

"No!" Ai shook her head.

"Really not?"

"I didn't blow it up!" Ai still shook her head.

The Peddler looked at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng offered the Peddler a cigarette. "I blew it up."

The Peddler took the cigarette. "I put a lot of effort into helping Ai build the road to Haocheng. With your explosion, you've cut off this entire road."

The Peddler asked, "Why did you do that? The New Land and the Boundary are two major priorities for Purozhou. This road is connected to the New Land."

Li Banfeng said, "The New Land and the Boundary are both important, but there's something even more important."

"What is that?"

"Capital," Li Banfeng said. "We can't let Neizhou come to Purozhou to do business so casually. They need to understand what 'capital' means, and how much it hurts to lose money."

The Peddler smiled, rolled a cigarette, and handed it to Li Banfeng.