Chapter 807: Small Melting Furnace

A few small dishes, a pot of warm wine, discussing business and sharing stories of the martial world.

Yu Nan brought the entire Yu Family Gang to Greenwater City. "When I first arrived, I knew absolutely no one," she recounted. "I spent a fortune to acquire this shop, but it turned out I was scammed. The deed to the house was real, but the land deed was fake. The landlord told me to dismantle the shop and clear out within three days, or he'd send people to burn it down completely."

Li Banfeng took a sip of wine and asked, "Did you fight him, or did you try to negotiate?"

Yu Nan replied, "Initially, I wanted to negotiate. I figured being scammed was my own fault, so I was willing to pay extra to buy the land from him. But that scoundrel demanded three times the price, enough for me to buy another shop. No matter how I tried to negotiate, it was useless. He left me no choice but to fight him."

Li Banfeng glanced around the shop. "I heard your business is quite prosperous," he remarked. "You must have won the fight."

Yu Nan shook her head. "Not exactly. We fought many rounds, back and forth, but in the end, he still refused to concede the land. Because of his interference, I couldn't open for business, and I was just bleeding money. I seriously considered moving, but then, unexpectedly, this person died at Luo Zhengnan's hands."

Li Banfeng didn't understand. "What was his connection to Luo Zhengnan?"

Yu Nan gave a mischievous smile. "Thanks to you!"

Li Banfeng was surprised. "Thanks to me for what? You never told me you were doing business in Greenwater City."

Yu Nan refilled Li Banfeng's cup. "That's why I say it was a coincidence. The landlord and property owner of this shop were actually part of the same group. They were originally disciples of the Jiangxiang Gang. After you disbanded their gang, they took its assets, separating the land deeds from the property deeds. They used a few shops to repeatedly scam money from outsiders. Luo Zhengnan got wind of this and led his men to wipe out the remaining Jiangxiang Gang members, which brought them straight to these two. Both of them were ultimately dealt with, and the land deed ended up in Hall Master Luo's hands.

"I'd been thinking it wouldn't be easy to get the land deed from Luo Zhengnan, and his price probably wouldn't be any lower than the previous owner's. I'd been in Greenwater City for so long without making a single penny, and I was barely able to afford food and drink. I couldn't complain to others, but I cried countless times in private. But I never imagined that Luo Zhengnan would later send the land deed over, saying it was 'Seventh Master's instruction.' I thought you were giving me special treatment, but then I found out that all outsiders who were scammed by the Jiangxiang Gang got their land deeds back. So, tell me, isn't that thanks to you?"

Li Banfeng shook his head slightly, then asked, "So, once you got the land deed, did you open for business smoothly?"

"I opened for business, yes, but it wasn't that smooth," Yu Nan sighed repeatedly. "More than a dozen gangs, big and small, came asking for protection money. And when I asked about their leaders, they were all influential figures, none of whom I could afford to offend. But if I paid every single one of them, I wouldn't even make back my capital. Even now, thinking about those dreadful times still brings tears to my eyes."

Li Banfeng said, "You shed so many tears, and it never occurred to you to find me? Or if not me, you could have gone to Qin Xiaopang; he would definitely have helped you."

Yu Nan was silent for a moment, then looked at Li Banfeng and said with a mysterious expression, "Do you know? Nowadays, in the fabric business in Greenwater City, I'm considered quite a figure. Guess what they call me?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I can't guess."

"They still call me 'Man-Dame'!"

Li Banfeng picked up the wine pot and refilled Yu Nan's cup. "Brother Yu, why don't we become sworn siblings?"

Yu Nan smiled, raised her cup, and said, "Brother Li, cheers!"

After they finished the pot of wine, it was time for Li Banfeng to leave. He wrote out a check and handed it to Yu Nan, instructing her to send all the ready-made clothes and fabric to Xiaoyao Dock.

Yu Nan stared at the check, stunned for a moment. "Seventh Master, you're not joking, are you? You really want to clear out my entire shop?"

Li Banfeng said, "Didn't I make that clear just now? I want everything you have in your shop."

Realizing Li Banfeng wasn't joking, Yu Nan grew a little nervous. "Seventh Master, it's almost the end of the year, and securing such a large order is certainly good. But if the shop is completely emptied, I won't be able to do any more business. Can you wait for me to get new stock in so I can keep things running?"

Li Banfeng put on his top hat, his face grim as he looked at Yu Nan. "The goods must be delivered within three days, or I'll burn down your shop!"

Yu Nan was startled.

Li Banfeng stared at Yu Nan for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Am I being too domineering, acting without regard for the rules of the jianghu?"

Yu Nan let out a long breath and also laughed, a mix of complaint and reluctance in her expression.

The snow was falling heavily. Li Banfeng put on his top hat, pulled the brim low, and left the fabric shop. Yu Nan, braving the snow, saw him to the door, silently watching Li Banfeng's retreating back.

Would she ever see him again? Or should she just refuse to deliver the goods and wait for him to burn down her shop?

Yu Nan pondered for a moment, then woke up the accountant and the stock manager, urging them to prepare the goods immediately. Back when Li Qi burned down the Geng family's pharmacy, everyone thought it was impossible, but he really did it. Some things are best not tested with Li Qi.

After buying the fabric, Li Banfeng went to Miaosheng Record Player Shop to buy record players. Ling Miaosheng clutched a hand-cranked record player, refusing to let go. "This player has been with me for over twenty years!"

Li Banfeng said, "No one bought this twenty-year-old leftover stock. If I take it off your hands at the original price now, isn't that a bargain for you?"

Ling Miaosheng blocked the doorway, shouting, "You can't buy them all! These are my life!"

Li Banfeng grew angry. "You run the shop, you set the prices. I'm offering money to buy things, and you won't sell? Are you doing business or not?"

Tears welled up in Ling Miaosheng's eyes. "You can't run a business like this…"

After buying dozens of record players, Li Banfeng then went to Black Stone Slope, where he bought a large quantity of shadow play machines and films. Feeling he had acquired most of what he needed, Li Banfeng first returned to Greenwater Bay, went to his residence at Yuanzhu Workshop, dug out the Earth Seal, and absorbed all its remaining vital energy.

He then took a cart full of goods to Fool's City.

About three *li* outside the city, Li Banfeng found an empty space. He first unloaded the goods from his Portable Dwelling, then deactivated the easy-to-overlook talent of his dwelling cultivation, and walked directly towards the city gate. Fool's City was like home to Li Banfeng, and he intended to return openly and honorably!

As soon as he saw the city walls, Li Banfeng felt that Fool's City was different from before; every brick and tile seemed to radiate a new aura. By the time he reached the city gate, he couldn't tell if it was an illusion, but the main gate seemed to have been renovated, no longer carrying its former dilapidated and stagnant air. Observing the bustling crowds passing through the city gate, Li Banfeng noticed clear changes in them; they exuded a sense of contentment and joy in their lives.

A sixty-something old man enthusiastically approached Li Banfeng. "From out of town, are we? First, pay one silver dollar for the entry fee!"

Li Banfeng slapped the old man, sending him flying.

Not everyone had undergone a clear change, but that didn't matter. Li Banfeng could genuinely feel that Fool's City was different from before!

"Sir, would you like to buy some flowers?" A young girl, her cheeks flushed, approached Li Banfeng with a shy smile.

Buying a bouquet of flowers was appropriate. There was a vase in his study that used to hold artificial flowers; now it needed real ones!

"How much are these flowers?" Li Banfeng took a liking to a bouquet of peonies.

"Three yuan."

Not expensive! Such vibrant peonies, three yuan is a fair price!

"I'll take a bouquet!"

"Certainly, sir. That will be three hundred and ninety-six yuan," the girl said, handing Li Banfeng a bouquet of baby's breath.

Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment. "Wasn't it three yuan?"

"Three yuan per flower, honest dealing—"

Li Banfeng slapped the girl, sending her flying as well.

A burly young man approached, holding an ox gall bladder. "Esteemed sir, I can tell you're a connoisseur. This is the gall bladder from a six-headed bear I just hunted down in the new lands. You might have seen two-headed bears, perhaps even three-headed ones, but when have you ever seen a six-headed—"

The young man was also sent flying, landing about ten meters away beside an old woman. The old woman promptly sat on the ground, hugging the young man and wailing, "My child, why have you abandoned your mother—"

The young man didn't know the old woman, but seeing the atmosphere had reached this point, he simply lay down, closed his eyes, and stopped moving.

The old woman pointed at Li Banfeng and cried, "Everyone, come and see! Don't let this heartless person get away! He stole my child's bear gall bladder, and he hit my child—"

Li Banfeng stepped forward and kicked both the old woman and the young man into an alley.

Fool's City was quite something!

Upon arriving at Sun Tiecheng's home, Sun Tiecheng was delighted and quickly instructed his subordinates to prepare wine.

Li Banfeng said, "Big Brother, I've brought back some things. They've all been unloaded outside the city. Could you send some men to bring them back into the city?"

Sun Tiecheng chuckled, arms crossed. "This is your own home, why are you being so formal? A-Gui, take the ghost servants and bring the things back."

Gui Jianchou didn't want to go. "You're bothering me with such trivial matters? Why don't you get a few more people from the city to move them?"

Sun Tiecheng frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? If I let them move it, what would be left for me? Last time, a peddler delivered a cart of goods, and when I sent them to move it, the cart itself disappeared in the end."

Gui Jianchou was very reluctant, but he still went.

Li Banfeng asked, "Brother, where's your small melting furnace? Let me have a look."

Sun Tiecheng pointed to the backyard. "It's right there in the courtyard. A-Yi is studying it."

Li Banfeng squatted beside A-Yi to examine the small melting furnace with her. The small melting furnace looked exactly like the bronze lotus, the only difference being that it was constantly moving. Its lotus petals continuously opened and closed, and occasionally, a gust of wind blew from its core.

A-Yi asked Li Banfeng, "Can you make anything of it?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I think it's very similar to the Great Melting Furnace."

A-Yi then asked, "Have you seen the Great Melting Furnace?"

"Yes, I have."

"Did you see it from the inside, or from the outside?"

Li Banfeng looked at A-Yi. "What do you think? If I went inside the Great Melting Furnace, do you think I'd be able to come out?"

A-Yi sighed softly, pouting slightly. "That's no fun then. I want to know its internal structure; I want to disassemble it, but my Big Brother won't let me."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment and then asked, "Can you reassemble it after you take it apart?"

"Putting it back exactly as it was would be boring. I could put it together in many new ways," A-Yi said, reaching out to touch the small melting furnace's petals, but Sun Tiecheng stopped her.

"What are you doing?! Didn't I tell you touching it would summon the Heavenly Light?"

A-Yi retorted, "I can withstand it."

"Even if you can withstand it, don't be reckless. Just look at it here, and whatever you do, don't break it. This thing will definitely be of great use in the future."

A-Yi snorted, then turned to Li Banfeng and said, "Xiao Wan once told me she entered the Great Melting Furnace. Bring her here, and we can study it together!"

Li Banfeng found an empty room, used his Linked Wide Cave Dwelling to retrieve his wife, and explained the situation. His wife was somewhat scared. After meeting Li Banfeng, some of her memories had recovered, and she had developed some resistance to matters concerning Inner Continent. In the past, let alone seeing the Great Melting Furnace, just mentioning Inner Continent could have driven her mad. Now, being asked to look at a small melting furnace that was extremely similar to the Great Melting Furnace, his wife genuinely wasn't sure if she would lose control.

The moment she saw the small melting furnace, his wife's body indeed trembled. Li Banfeng was worried something might happen to his wife and was about to send her back, but then he saw her quickly calm down.

"This thing looks quite unique," his wife remarked. She wanted to touch the lotus petals, to see if they felt the same as the bronze lotus at home, but remembering the Heavenly Light, she didn't touch it rashly.

A-Yi didn't ask where Zhao Xiaowan came from; she only cared about what she wanted to know. "Xiao Wan, what's it like inside the melting furnace?"

Zhao Xiaowan stared at the small melting furnace for a while. She had thought that seeing something identical to the Great Melting Furnace would help her remember many things, but Zhao Xiaowan recalled nothing.

A-Yi asked cautiously, "Xiao Wan, you don't need to remember anything else. Just tell me directly, which aperture of the lotus core were you in back then? I want to see if the small melting furnace's core corresponds to the Great Melting Furnace's."

"Perhaps too much time has passed, I really can't remember," his wife rubbed her forehead. "Or perhaps it's because I died twice already, and things I shouldn't have forgotten have also been forgotten."

Confirming she couldn't recall, Zhao Xiaowan recommended another person to Li Banfeng. "My dear husband, Ling'er has remained in Inner Continent as a first-grade weapon ever since she emerged from the Great Melting Furnace. She hasn't experienced life-or-death situations again, so she must remember more than I do."

Since A-Yi and Sun Tiecheng had both seen Jiang Ling'er when they fought at the Anti-Bandit Camp together, there was no need to hide this matter. Li Banfeng handed the key to Zhao Xiaowan, then used his Linked Wide Cave Dwelling to go to Jadeite Tower and bring Jiang Ling'er out.

Jiang Ling'er glanced at the small melting furnace, then with a leap, jumped onto Zhao Xiaowan and refused to get down.

"Ling'er, don't be scared!" Zhao Xiaowan hugged Jiang Ling'er. "This isn't the Great Melting Furnace. Look closely, the Great Melting Furnace isn't this small. Do you still remember which aperture of the lotus core you were in back then? Ling'er, Ling'er—"

Jiang Ling'er's breathing first grew rapid, then stopped altogether. She had fainted.

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Quickly take Ling'er back to Jadeite Tower to rest. Whatever you do, don't mention the melting furnace again."

Li Banfeng took Jiang Ling'er back again. Back at Jadeite Tower, Jiang Ling'er woke up, huddled on the bed, and refused to speak to anyone.

Jadeite Tower was displeased. "Son-in-law, you took my daughter out for just a little while and she ended up like this. Don't you owe me an explanation?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to explain. "I took her to look at a Great Melting Furnace, not the real Great Melting Furnace—"

Jiang Ling'er gasped in alarm, shrinking entirely under the covers.

Jadeite Tower complained, "Why did you take her to see that thing? Do you know how much she suffered inside the Great Melting Furnace? Even when a couple is just teasing each other, you shouldn't tease like that!"

Li Banfeng was helpless. He stayed with Jiang Ling'er for a while until she calmed down. After that, Li Banfeng never dared to mention the Great Melting Furnace again and returned directly to Fool's City. During this time, Li Banfeng kept thinking about one thing: his wife also came out of the Great Melting Furnace, so why didn't she have such a strong reaction? Was it because she looked at the Red Lotus every day at home and got used to it?

Back in Fool's City, Zhao Xiaowan was discussing something with A-Yi. "Can your mother see this thing?"

A-Yi shook her head. "It's best not to show it to her. The Red Lotus was created by the Heavenly Maiden, and my mother has an obsession with anything related to the Heavenly Maiden."

Li Banfeng said, "What if we showed it directly to the Heavenly Maiden?"

A-Yi was startled. "Wouldn't that be the same as showing it to my mother?"

Zhao Xiaowan understood Li Banfeng's meaning. He wasn't referring to the Heavenly Maiden beside A-Yu; he wanted to show this small melting furnace to the bronze lotus. "My dear husband, it's best not to be reckless about this."

The Red Lotus at home was fake, while this one before them was real. If the real and fake Red Lotuses were to meet, no one knew what the outcome would be. The small melting furnace's lotus petals slowly unfolded, and the wind from its core suddenly intensified.

A-Yi looked at Zhao Xiaowan. "Gui Jianchou is here."

The Great Melting Furnace had a strong sensitivity to ghosts, and the small melting furnace retained this characteristic. Gui Jianchou currently carried many lingering souls. His wife didn't want to see Gui Jianchou, so Li Banfeng used his Linked Wide Cave Dwelling to send her back.

Gui Jianchou entered the backyard and smiled at Li Banfeng. "Seventh Bro, the things you brought back are really great! Old Sun is overjoyed, he doesn't even know how to distribute them. Go take a look quickly."

Li Banfeng was about to head to the front yard when he suddenly heard A-Yi ask, "Brother, do you think this lotus core is round?"

Gui Jianchou thought A-Yi was addressing him. "You shouldn't call me 'Brother,' you should call me 'Uncle.' And yes, it's round. Why wouldn't it be? It's rounder than the glutinous rice balls on the street!"

Li Banfeng wasn't a craftsman and wasn't that sensitive to measurements, but since A-Yi asked, he activated his Golden Sight and observed it closely for a while. "Sister, do you think this is an oval?"

A-Yi gestured with her finger. Gui Jianchou gasped in alarm, "Don't you dare touch it! The Heavenly Light is no joke."

"Brother, I don't even think it's an oval." A-Yi estimated the dimensions, finding the lotus core's shape to be very unusual.

This was what Li Banfeng worried about most. "Do you think the shape of the lotus core resembles the Great Totem?"

Gui Jianchou shook his head. "Seventh Bro, that's a bit far-fetched. The Great Totem is indeed round, but you can't say everything round looks like it. This lotus core has seven apertures, while the Great Totem is just a circle with nothing inside."

A-Yi nodded. "You're right. The peddler told me the Great Totem's shape cannot be replicated. I guess I must have been mistaken."

Shang Kingdom, Chaoge City.

Qiao Yi took Nian Shangyou for a tour around the city. The plague had largely subsided; those who could endure it had survived, and royal family members who had fled outside the city were gradually returning. These individuals had originally fled to Hao Province. Yu Zhuo's new pavilion, established in Hao Province, had just begun to show promise, and a suitable candidate for the new monarch had also been selected. But who would have thought that after a trip to Yindu, Yu Zhuo would simply vanish?

Qiao Yi issued a decree: if royal family members returned to Chaoge within one month, their past actions would be forgiven. Previously, they had left Chaoge with such resolve, but now, with the decree issued, most hesitated little and all began returning. The so-called new pavilion was completely dismantled within days, and opposition to Qiao Yi largely vanished.

The situation gradually returned to normal. Nian Shangyou had planned to enjoy a couple of quiet days, but upon returning to his residence, Qiao Yi instructed him to go to Puro Province.

"Go inform Li Qi to immediately take Cui Tik away. If he refuses, he will suffer the consequences!"

Nian Shangyou truly didn't understand what Qiao Yi intended to do. The plague was over. Why did he only now want to force Li Qi to take Cui Tik away? Besides, why would Li Qi listen to him? And 'suffer the consequences'? How many 'bitter fruits' had Great Shang already eaten during this time? Was there even any 'fruit' left for Li Qi to eat?

Nian Shangyou didn't want to go, but he needed a suitable excuse. Saying he was afraid of Li Qi definitely wouldn't be a suitable excuse. And if he claimed Li Qi wouldn't listen to advice, Qiao Yi would surely say, "You'll only know once you've advised him." He couldn't find an excuse related to Li Qi, so he decided to find one related to Cui Tik.

"My lord, why should we make Li Qi take Cui Tik back? Why not just keep Cui Tik in Chaoge permanently?" Nian Shangyou swept his hand downwards, making a killing gesture.

"Kill him?" Qiao Yi scrutinized Nian Shangyou. "Are you confident?"

Nian Shangyou bowed respectfully. "Yes!"

He wasn't bluffing; Nian Shangyou was indeed confident about killing Cui Tik. Cui Tik wasn't skilled in combat, and with a few first-grade weapons, he could definitely take his life. Previously, he couldn't kill him for fear that Cui Tik would drag them all down with him, bringing disaster upon Chaoge. But now the disaster had passed, Chaoge was already in this state, and there was nothing left to worry about. Why wait to kill him?

Who would have thought Qiao Yi's response would be: "Killing an imperial envoy would diminish the Emperor's dignity and harm the court's reputation. This action is inappropriate." What was he thinking? Still talking about the new Emperor's dignity now? They had already fallen out with Puro Province; did the new monarch even still count? Even if the new monarch still counted, killing an imperial envoy wouldn't harm their reputation. How many people had this imperial envoy killed? Which Great Shang official didn't want him dead? Killing Cui Tik would clearly be a cause for great rejoicing!

"My lord, your humble subordinate believes this matter—"

"No need to say more!" Qiao Yi drafted a letter and handed it to Nian Shangyou. "When you see Li Qi, advise him kindly! If he remains stubbornly unrepentant, then report back to me."

Nian Shangyou had no choice; he departed for Puro Province that same day.

That evening, the messenger He Shengdong requested an audience. By appearance, He Shengdong looked to be around fifty, but he was He Caiyuan's father and He Jiaqing's great-grandfather, making his actual age over a hundred. He bowed his head and entered the study, holding the letter tube with both hands above his head as he presented it to Qiao Yi. Then he stepped back a few paces, standing respectfully opposite the desk. From start to finish, He Shengdong's eyes remained fixed on his shoelaces; he never once looked directly at Qiao Yi.

Qiao Yi was in no hurry to open the letter. He looked at He Shengdong and said, "Your He family's great-grandson has caused great trouble!"

Hearing this, He Shengdong dropped to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly. "He Jiaqing is utterly wicked, his crimes unforgivable. I beg my lord to issue an order, allowing this old man to go and cleanse our family."

Qiao Yi sighed. "This person's crimes are heinous, and he should have been executed long ago. However, considering your loyalty, I will show leniency this once and spare him again. He made a grave mistake due to his greed for land. I shall grant him a piece of land and let him become a local magnate. I am treating him with such generosity; if he truly repents, he can still be of use in the future."

"Thank you for your great kindness, my lord!" He Shengdong kowtowed repeatedly, his head striking the floor with audible thuds.

Qiao Yi waved his hand. "No need to thank me. Repaying this favor means serving the court with utmost loyalty and wisdom. You may go and rest."

He Shengdong knelt and shuffled backward, exiting the study.

Once he was gone, Qiao Yi dismissed everyone else and opened the letter tube. The secret letter contained only one line: "The Great Totem is seventy-five percent repaired, which is its limit."

Qiao Yi tapped the table with his finger, nodding slightly. "Seventy-five percent, that's enough!"