Chapter 82: Add Another Child for My Husband

"Do nothing?"

Helmsman Shi Boyu was very displeased with Sun Xiaoan's answer. "The dance hall was bombed, and the Geng family's pharmacy was burned down. Are we just going to ignore these incidents?"

Sun Xiaoan shook his head repeatedly. "Boss, these might not be related at all."

"How can they not be related? The Geng family's pharmacy and the Yu family's textile shop were fighting. The Geng family's pharmacy must have been burned by that 'Man-Granny.' I sent people to watch the Yu family's textile shop, and then the dance hall was bombed. Isn't that 'Man-Granny' retaliating?"

Sun Xiaoan held his hookah and sighed. "Boss, I'll say it again: 'Man-Granny' doesn't have the capability to bomb a dance hall. What kind of person is Du Hongxi? Could he really have been defeated by 'Man-Granny'? Even if the Geng family's pharmacy was burned by 'Man-Granny,' that was her feud with Geng Zhiwei. Now that Geng Zhiwei is dead, that grievance is over."

Shi Boyu grew even more displeased. "What do you mean 'over'? The Geng family's pharmacy was under the protection of our Jiangxiang Gang. Now that lives have been lost, are we just going to stand by?"

Sun Xiaoan shook his head. "How can you say we're not involved? Haven't we done enough? Three out of the four managers at the helm station are gone. Isn't that giving them enough face? And before this, 'Man-Granny' killed Rong Jin'an, and Geng Zhiwei killed more than a dozen of 'Man-Granny's subordinates, then burned down 'Man-Granny's old home in Baixiang Village. 'Man-Granny' didn't dare utter a sound, hiding and not daring to show her face. What do you think she fears? Isn't it the reputation of our Jiangxiang Gang? We gave the Geng family enough face. It was Geng Zhiwei who didn't know his place and lost his life. Who else can we blame for this?"

Shi Boyu remained silent, his face grim. Sun Xiaoan continued, "As for the dance hall incident, it might be related to Fatty Qin. We don't know what kind of relationship Fatty Qin has with 'Man-Granny.'"

Shi Boyu asked, "Who exactly is this Fatty Qin?"

Sun Xiaoan packed some tobacco into his hookah and took a puff. "I've never heard of him before, but now he's a member of the Three Heroes Sect. I don't know if you've heard of the Three Heroes Sect's reputation in Greenwater Bay, but if this matter is related to them, we shouldn't act rashly."

Shi Boyu was silent for a moment, then said, "We'll wait for the Hall Master's orders."

He didn't agree with Sun Xiaoan's explanation, but Sun Xiaoan said no more, quietly puffing on his hookah.

That afternoon, the Hall Master sent someone to the helm station. Shi Boyu, dressed formally, was about to go meet the Hall Master when the messenger told him, "You don't need to see the Hall Master. He said to let this matter pass. Don't get involved with the Geng family's pharmacy, and don't get involved with the Yu family's textile shop. Find Jia Quansheng to be a scapegoat, and demand a sum of money from the old man of the Geng family to rebuild the dance hall."

Shi Boyu was stunned speechless upon hearing this. "Is this how the matter is to be handled?"

The messenger took out a letter. "Helmsman Shi, this is from the Hall Master. He also instructed you: 'Let your heart calm, and your hands move swiftly. First calm your mind, then settle the matter, and deal with the rest step by step.'"

***

Li Banfeng slept in his Portable Abode until afternoon, woken by the need to urinate. As he was about to go outside, he suddenly saw Zhou Yujuan, the proprietress of the dance hall, standing emotionlessly by his bed.

"How is she alive?" Li Banfeng immediately got up and grabbed the sickle by his pillow.

*Hiss, hiss, hiss~* The gramophone spoke, "Oh, husband, don't be afraid. This woman has already been subdued by your humble servant. From now on, she will surely serve you wholeheartedly."

"Subdued?"

"Didn't you eat her?"

"Her soul has been consumed, but her body remains. With a bit of spiritual essence, it can still be put to some use."

"What use?"

*Hiss, hiss~* The gramophone cleared its throat. "Husband, bring that wretched Red Lotus, and choose a good weapon. Refine them together, and you can gain a magical artifact."

"What kind of magical artifact?"

"That depends on Red Lotus's ability."

Using a weapon and a corpse to refine a magical artifact. Li Banfeng scratched his scalp.

"What kind of weapon would be suitable?"

"That pair of scissors from yesterday would be good. It's a weapon with spiritual essence!"

Li Banfeng wondered, "That pair of scissors can actively kill enemies; isn't it also a magical artifact?"

The gramophone patiently explained, "Master, you might not know, but magical artifacts are like jewels: they understand things, have temperaments, know situations, recognize their masters, and can improve. Weapons with spiritual essence are merely like unpolished jade: dull and foolish; they don't recognize masters. The two are vastly different in their levels."

So there's such a difference between magical artifacts and spiritual weapons.

Li Banfeng retrieved the copper lotus from the outer room. Its petals were open, and inside were three lotus seeds—yesterday's harvest.

One was Du Hongxi's. He was a second-level Nightmare Cultivator. When the lotus seed burst, four Xuanzhi Pills appeared. The number of pills refined increases exponentially with cultivation level. If he were to kill a ninth-level cultivator someday, wouldn't he be able to refine five hundred and twelve Xuanzhi Pills? One Xuanzhi Pill grants ten days of cultivation. Five hundred and twelve Xuanzhi Pills would mean over five thousand days of cultivation, which would be equivalent to directly increasing his cultivation by one and a half levels.

What was he thinking? Kill a ninth-level cultivator? Are ninth-level cultivators that easy to kill?

The next two lotus seeds burst one after another, each producing two Xuanzhi Pills. In total, Li Banfeng now had twenty-four Xuanzhi Pills. Accumulating them slowly like this wasn't bad. With the addition of that Zihuan Pill, he could gain nine months of cultivation time. If he kept this up, he'd quickly earn a year's worth of cultivation. Of course, if he could sell them successfully, exchange them for money, and return directly to the outer provinces, that would be even better.

He put the pills into his cloth pouch. Li Banfeng placed the copper lotus next to Zhou Yujuan's corpse and then placed the bloody scissors beside Zhou Yujuan. Red Lotus sensed something and absorbed Zhou Yujuan, but ignored the scissors.

*Clatter, clatter, clatter~* The gramophone exclaimed, "Oh, husband, quickly stop that wretched Red Lotus! She's trying to save trouble by only refining the corpse. In a moment, it'll turn into just two Xuanzhi Pills, which won't be very useful!"

Stop the copper lotus? Is it that easy to stop? The petals had already closed, and Li Banfeng didn't know how to open them.

The gramophone roared in anger, "This wretch doesn't know what's good for her! Husband, don't be afraid. I'll administer domestic discipline on your behalf. Watch me punish her!"

As soon as it heard "punish," the copper lotus got angry, scattering dewdrops and preventing Li Banfeng from approaching. The gramophone became furious. "Oh, husband, look how spoiled you've made this wretch! Now she doesn't even show you respect. Let your humble servant teach her a good lesson!"

Steam billowed, heating the copper lotus until it glowed red. The copper lotus spat dewdrops, striking the gramophone's horn with a *clink-clink* sound.

"Oh, what an insolent hussy!" the gramophone roared. "Husband, help me!"

"Alright!" Li Banfeng agreed, then turned and ran into the outer room.

The gramophone shrieked, "Husband, where are you going? Husband, you've abandoned your humble servant!"

Li Banfeng closed the door, lit a candle, and quietly sat by the table, flipping through a newspaper. Household matters are about human relations, not fighting. He'd talk to them properly once they'd cooled down.

After an hour, there was no more sound outside the door. Li Banfeng carefully returned to the main room. The steam hadn't dissipated yet, and the copper lotus hadn't cooled down.

The gramophone softly whimpered, "Flowers wither and fly across the sky, their scent faded, who will pity? Fine threads gently tie to the spring pavilion, drifting catkins lightly cling to the embroidered screen."

The Burial of Flowers. One of Puluo Province's most mournful songs.

"Wife, there's no need to feel so wronged, is there?"

The gramophone cried, "Husband, you are so heartless! That wretched hussy was arrogant and domineering, and when your humble servant tried to administer domestic discipline on your behalf, you didn't even help me."

She spoke as if she had suffered a great loss. Although he hadn't personally witnessed the battle, judging by the situation, the gramophone had no scratches, while the copper lotus was still glowing red.

"Household matters, all just household matters," Li Banfeng placated. He then saw the lotus slowly open its petals.

In the heart of the lotus, there was a lotus seed. The copper lotus had only consumed the corpse, not the scissors. Logically, it should have only refined two red pills. But when the lotus seed burst, a golden earring popped out.

Li Banfeng picked up the earring and examined it. The entire hoop was about the size of a silver dollar, with a gap in the middle for hanging it on an ear. Where did this earring come from? Li Banfeng thought back carefully. This earring seemed to have been worn on Zhou Yujuan's ear all along, and Li Banfeng had forgotten to remove it. The copper lotus ate the corpse but left the earring. What did that mean?

*Hiss, hiss~* The gramophone couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, husband, this earring has been worn by that Scryer for so long, it might have acquired some spiritual essence. Red Lotus was quite useful after all, refining this earring along with the Scryer into a magical artifact."

Li Banfeng asked, "What's this earring for?"

"This woman was a Scryer in life, skilled in 'wind-hearing' (clairaudient) abilities. If husband wears this earring, you can gain seven or eight tenths of that wretched woman's techniques."

Wearing this grants 'wind-hearing'? Li Banfeng quickly clipped the earring onto his earlobe. Although he didn't have pierced ears, the earring was heavy and hurt when it hung on his ear. After listening for a while, Li Banfeng heard nothing.

"Wife, is this thing not working?"

"Oh, dear husband, you are a Dwelling Cultivator, and she was a Scryer. The paths are different, and so are the mechanisms."

Li Banfeng took off the earring. "So it's still useless, isn't it?"

"Don't be anxious, husband, come closer!"

"Another intimate moment?" Li Banfeng felt a little resistant.

*Hiss, hiss~* The gramophone sounded a bit wronged. "Husband, do you perhaps have a new love interest outside, and are you now disliking your old one?"

"It's not dislike, it's just that I find you a bit too enthusiastic, Wife..."

Before he could finish, the gramophone burst into tears. "Your humble servant is fated to suffer, oh, so fated to suffer~~"

*Sizzle!* A large cloud of steam enveloped Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng felt intense pain all over his body, as if a layer of skin had been stripped off. She's serious! Why did this gramophone suddenly go crazy?

Li Banfeng didn't think much of it and immediately ran towards the door. Before he could reach the door, he heard the gramophone crying out again, "Husband, where are you going? Husband, are you truly abandoning your humble servant? Husband!"

The crying was shrill, and steam billowed. Amidst the scalding heat, Li Banfeng lost consciousness.

Hadn't he gotten along well with this gramophone before? Hadn't they been intimate before? How could she turn hostile so suddenly...?

Late at night, Li Banfeng woke up to the sound of singing.

"As autumn arrives, lotuses are fragrant,The young maiden dreams of home each night,Waking, she sees no parents' faces,Only the bright moonlight outside the window."

The Four Seasons Song. Why was she singing the Four Seasons Song? I can still hear the singing. I'm still alive; she didn't kill me. Wait, don't be blindly optimistic. Perhaps only my soul remains, or even my soul has been devoured by her.

Li Banfeng struggled to get up, using the steam gramophone's light to look at his surroundings. It was the Portable Abode. I'm still in the Portable Abode, not inside the gramophone's big horn. Li Banfeng touched his skin. His skin was still there, and he could feel it. Not only did he have sensation, but he was completely unharmed, with no burns left. Good, he was still alive.

Li Banfeng groped along the wall, quietly moving towards the door. While the gramophone's mood seemed stable, he planned to leave the Portable Abode immediately.

*Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter~* The singing abruptly stopped, and gongs and drums sounded. Li Banfeng was so scared he pressed himself tightly against the wall. This push was a bit too forceful. Li Banfeng suddenly felt emptiness behind him, and his entire body pushed a hole in the wall.

Do I have that much strength? Of course not. Li Banfeng carefully examined the hole he had created. Its lines and edges were very neat. This was a door! The Portable Abode had gained another door! What did another door mean?

Li Banfeng looked around. Although it was pitch black, he clearly sensed a change in the space. The Portable Abode had gained another room.

The gramophone hummed and began to sing:

"My master is away, your humble servant's heart flutters,A devoted heart speaks of desolation,A woman without a husband is without a master,I'll add another room for my master."

Added another room? The gramophone added another room to the Portable Abode? How much power did she still have hidden?

*Hiss~* The gramophone sighed softly, "Husband, don't be angry with your humble servant. Your humble servant presents you with two levels of cultivation."

What two levels of cultivation? How did I get two levels of cultivation?