Chapter 1: He is but a speck of dust

Huff! Huff!

A pitch-black locomotive, spewing white steam, traveled along the tracks.

Clang! Clang!

The crankshaft pulled the connecting rods, driving the wheels to spin rapidly, rhythmically colliding with the gaps in the rails.

Woo-ooo!

A whistle blew.

A train with only five carriages passed through a tunnel, moved through a valley, and headed toward the vast wilderness of Puluo Continent.

In the third carriage, a beautiful woman was drawing her eyebrows before a vanity mirror.

Why was there a vanity mirror in a carriage?

Why did she need to apply makeup in a carriage?

Not only could she apply makeup in the carriage, she could even dance in it.

Because she was the only person in this carriage.

She was Seeing Zhuo Yuling, the second concubine of the Lu family head, Lu Dongliang.

This train was the private transport of the Lu family, a wealthy and powerful clan of Puluo Continent.

Right now, she was the mistress of this train.

The first carriage was loaded with coal.

The second carriage held luggage and supplies for the journey.

The third carriage was partitioned into a corridor and two guest rooms.

The fourth carriage was a dining room and card room.

The fifth carriage was the master's bedroom.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling wore her hair in finger waves; her eyeshadow was deep, but her blush was light, and her fair cheeks set off her vibrant red lips.

She wore a cyan-blue Indanthrene high-collar cheongsam, the hem reaching just to her knees, with the slits on both sides revealing a hint of lace from her petticoat. Her tight waist and slightly padded shoulders carried an air of enchanting luxury.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling was nearing forty, but her exquisite attire and makeup made her look less than thirty.

Creak~

The carriage door was pushed open, and the figure of Lu Dongliang, the Lu family head, appeared under the pale yellow wall lamp.

Fine smile lines lifted along with the beauty mark at the corner of her mouth; Seeing Zhuo Yuling in the mirror revealed a sweet smile.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling did not like wearing shoes. Barefoot, she walked across the dark yellow floral carpet to Lu Dongliang and called out affectionately, "Master."

Lu Dongliang, over fifty, pinched Seeing Zhuo Yuling's cheek, always feeling that this woman remained as charming as when he first met her, always able to offer him a sliver of solace whenever he needed it.

But it was only a sliver.

An exhausted Lu Dongliang took off his suit jacket, unbuttoned his vest, loosened his tie, sat on the sofa, opened a bottle of foreign liquor, and poured himself a glass.

Halfway through the drink, the gloom in his heart was quickly written on his face, and Lu Dongliang couldn't help but sigh.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling sat beside Lu Dongliang, pulled a cigarette from an iron case, held it between her red lips, struck a match, lit the cigarette, and brought it to Lu Dongliang's lips: "Master, what is troubling you?"

Lu Dongliang took the cigarette and took a fierce drag: "He Haiqin is coming back tomorrow. I was playing cards with his aunt, He Yuxiu, just now, and from her tone, I'm afraid they intend to break off the engagement with Lu Xiaolan."

He Haiqin was the legitimate son of the powerful He family of Puluo Continent.

Lu Xiaolan was the daughter of Seeing Zhuo Yuling and Lu Dongliang.

If it weren't for the He family's decline in recent years, their legitimate son would never marry a concubine-born daughter of the Lu family.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling smiled indifferently: "Master, didn't we discuss this before? Xiaolan won't let He Haiqin return to Puluo Continent alive."

Lu Dongliang bit the cigarette, his brows furrowed: "That He family brat is gifted, and he has the Profound Life Did Honglian in his hands; he's not an easy character to deal with. I'm worried about Xiaolan..."

Seeing Zhuo Yuling shook her head: "Master is overthinking. That He family brat is just a mediocrity. He didn't focus on cultivation during his prime years, instead running off to Huan Kingdom to study. Four whole years of time, just wasted away like that. What has he gained?"

Lu Dongliang stroked his handlebar mustache: "He's young, a bit too playful. If he were to take charge of the He family business..."

Seeing Zhuo Yuling stood up and went to the phonograph: "Anyone who can't control their playfulness is a mediocrity. If a mediocrity gets their hands on a supreme treasure, they should become a dead man. As long as he gets on this train, he is sure to die."

The phonograph stood a foot higher than the nightstand, with three golden horns—one large and two small—on top.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling picked up an iron cup and added two cups of water into the small horn on the left.

Lu Dongliang looked at Seeing Zhuo Yuling and said: "I heard the young master of the Jiang Xiang Gang also wants to make a move on the Did Honglian. He has status in Huan Kingdom, and he's not easy to deal with either."

Seeing Zhuo Yuling sneered: "Master must mean Xiao Zhenggong, right? That idiot isn't even a mediocrity; he's just a cockroach, a disgusting cockroach.

If it weren't for his father's banner, Xiao Zhenggong would have been trampled to death long ago. With his little bit of wit, how could he possibly outmatch Xiaolan?"

Seeing Zhuo Yuling leaned over, pulled open the phonograph cabinet, and lit a candle wick inserted into a grease-filled iron box.

Whoosh!

A pale blue flame ignited, and before long, the horn on the left spewed out a bit of white mist.

Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!

This was a steam-driven phonograph.

Puluo Continent was a special place; it couldn't store large amounts of fuel, nor could it use electricity on a large scale, so steam engines were utilized to the extreme.

The phonograph tray, driven by gears, began to rotate along with the spewing steam.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling took a bakelite record and placed it on the phonograph tray.

Lu Dongliang extinguished his cigarette and leaned back on the sofa: "It's not that I don't trust Xiaolan, I'm just worried..."

"Master just doesn't trust Xiaolan," Seeing Zhuo Yuling smiled helplessly. "From the moment I gave birth to her until now, Master has never looked at her properly."

As she spoke, Seeing Zhuo Yuling placed the needle on the record.

Amidst the dense static, a melodious cello prelude began to play.

After the prelude, the piano accompanied the violin, laying out a soothing rhythm, and a steady, profound singing voice followed:

Moonlight~, so blurry.

The earth~, shrouded in night mist.

Oh, the person in my dreams,

Where are you~

"Person in My Dreams," Seeing Zhuo Yuling's favorite song.

No electricity, no magnetic disks, just the ancient phonograph, relying solely on the friction between the needle and the record.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling stepped forward gracefully, pulled Lu Dongliang up from the sofa, buried her head in his chest, held him, and slowly danced to the beautiful tune.

Lu Dongliang wrapped his arms around Seeing Zhuo Yuling's waist, still looking worried: "If He Haiqin dies, wouldn't the Profound Life Did Honglian be stranded in Huan Kingdom?"

Seeing Zhuo Yuling frowned slightly; she didn't want to talk about these trivial matters right now: "Xiaolan has already found out everything. He Haiqin has a friend named Li Banfeng. We can use him to find the Did Honglian.

Once He Haiqin is killed, Xiaolan will go find Li Banfeng; she naturally has a way to bring the Did Honglian back."

Lu Dongliang didn't hear clearly: "You just said He Haiqin's friend, named Li what?"

"Li Banfeng."

"Half-Crazy?" Lu Dongliang was startled. "What a strange name."

Seeing Zhuo Yuling smiled: "Master, you don't need to remember his name; it's not important. Once Xiaolan finds out the whereabouts of the Did Honglian, this person won't be in this world anymore."

"What kind of person is he? Is he also a mediocrity?" Lu Dongliang was very cautious, terrified that any link might go wrong.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling sneered: "He's not even a mediocrity; he's not even a person."

Lu Dongliang stroked Seeing Zhuo Yuling's hair: "Then is he just like Xiao Zhenggong, a cockroach?"

Seeing Zhuo Yuling shook her head: "His life is even cheaper than a cockroach's."

Lu Dongliang was even more curious: "What kind of person is this, exactly?"

"How should I put it?" Seeing Zhuo Yuling didn't know how to describe him.

A wisp of black ash drifted out of the phonograph's fuel tank and landed on Lu Dongliang's collar.

The phonograph's filter needed cleaning.

Seeing Zhuo Yuling wiped Lu Dongliang's collar with her finger, looked at the black ash on her fingertip, and smiled slightly: "His life is as cheap as this speck of dust. No parents, no relatives, he has nothing.

He grew up in an orphanage, relying on moving bricks, carrying heavy bags, and setting up street stalls just to get through university.

For a person like this, if he dies, he dies. It's just like blowing away this speck of dust; no one will care."

Having said that, Seeing Zhuo Yuling exhaled lightly and blew the dust off her fingertip.

Woo-ooo~

A whistle blew.

The train jolted.

Lu Dongliang's dance steps remained steady; this was the foundation of a traveling cultivator.

Fine fluff grew from the soles of Seeing Zhuo Yuling's feet, firmly gripping the carpet beneath her.

This was the talent of a martial cultivator.

After the jolt, the two continued to dance in each other's arms.

The next day.

Huan Kingdom, Yuedong Province, Yuezhou City, Yuezhou University, Dormitory 6, Room 606.

Li Banfeng lay on his bunk, taking a nap.

In his dream, he was driving his own yacht, accompanied by a group of young ladies, blowing in the sea breeze.

The Best Actress of the previous Golden Yuan Awards was holding Li Banfeng's hand, entering the yacht's bedroom...

Li Banfeng, hugging his pillow, drooled clearly, preparing to reach the pinnacle of life in his dream, when he suddenly heard someone calling in his ear:

"Banfeng, save me."

PS: Dear readers, Sala is here, the most conscientious writer is here!

"Person in My Dreams" is a famous song from the Republican Era. In Stephen Chow's movie "Kung Fu Hustle," this song was used as an interlude when the Landlord and Landlady danced together.

Dear readers, invest in the new book as soon as possible; our Banfeng will certainly not disappoint you all.

(End of chapter)