Chapter 170: Good Goods Have Arrived (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Toudao Ridge, Shaomai Street, Wonton Alley.

Inside a civilian home, the woman carefully opened a tin box, then opened a wooden box inside it, scooped out two bowls of rice, and quickly shut both boxes again.

The man was also in the kitchen, holding a fly swatter and guarding warily.

The woman swiftly rinsed the rice and put it in the pot; only then did the couple relax slightly.

The man wiped his sweat and said: "It's been half a month since we've seen a single mosquito—I think they're truly extinct."

"Who knows for sure?" the woman scoffed. "Didn't Lu Dongjun also claim he wiped out all the mosquitoes? Where did he run off to when they came back? If I hadn't been quick enough to save this rice, you'd be dead of hunger, you oaf."

The man gave her cheek a loud kiss: "That's why I say you're virtuous—go cook first, I'll go buy some incense and candles."

"Why buy that? Do you even have spare money?"

"Buy a little anyway—we must worship Seventh Elder. Everyone's talking about it: Seventh Elder has quelled the insect plague, every household is burning incense. If you're not sincere, next year the mosquitoes will come right back to your house."

At the word "mosquitoes," the woman shuddered: "Is that true? Who told you?"

"It's true—it's all over town! They're even building a temple for Seventh Elder over at Sandao Ridge."

Sandao Ridge really was building a temple.

In Luobing Village, they were building a temple. Niu Fuzhi summoned the village's only skilled craftsman, Niu Xiaoxian, and frowned: "How can you build Seventh Elder's statue like this? You can't even see his face!"

Niu Xiaoxian scratched his head: "I don't even remember what Seventh Elder looks like. Do you?"

Niu Fuzhi didn't remember either: "Then ask others—hasn't anyone in our village ever seen him?"

"No one remembers—I asked everyone. What can we do?"

…

Erdao Ridge, Guokui Town: Li Banfeng noticed many people going out to buy incense and candles.

They can't even afford food, yet they're buying incense?

Erdao Ridge's economy was in ruins, yet incense shops were thriving.

"Why don't we open an incense shop too?" Li Banfeng bought two bowls of porridge and six guokui from a breakfast stall and squatted in the alley to eat with Cui Ti.

This was the first breakfast stall to open in Guokui Town; though few customers came, the owner put real effort into his food—the guokui tasted excellent.

Cui Ti ate while instinctively placing his begging bowl in front of him.

Li Banfeng was baffled: "You're not short on money—why insist on begging?"

Cui Ti answered solemnly: "It's respect for the Daoist ancestors. Until the sores on my body heal, I will follow his path of cultivation."

Li Banfeng looked at the begging bowl, then thought of Lü Huazi's appearance, and broke out in goosebumps: "Will your ancestor heal your sores?"

"No," Cui Ti shook his head. "Though I've only seen him once, I'm certain he's a cruel man. The only one who might cure my sores is the Peddler."

"Then why don't you follow the Peddler's path? Push a cart and go sell things?"

Cui Ti pointed to his face: "I want to sell, but with this face—who would buy?"

After wandering Erdao Ridge for several days, not a single mosquito was seen on the streets.

Li Banfeng bought a newspaper: mosquitoes had vanished from Toudao Ridge too.

"Looks like we've accomplished our task," Li Banfeng said, glancing at Cui Ti.

Someone tossed a few copper coins into Cui Ti's broken bowl; he was thanking them.

Cui Ti put the coins into his pocket, then took out some white rice and placed it in the bowl. He waited half a day—no mosquitoes appeared.

They repeated this test several times; the insect plague in Haichi Ridge seemed truly quelled.

Of course, the most authoritative voice was the Earth God.

After lunch, Pan Dehai's voice reached his ear: "Young man, the mosquito plague is truly extinct. Though you're arrogant, you're a man of virtue. I'll give you one more thing—what do you want?"

Li Banfeng thought for a moment.

At first, he'd wanted money.

But Li Banfeng had ways to earn money; this was a rare opportunity—he should ask for something more valuable.

Another magic treasure? To refine the Bronze Lotus again?

That fan still hadn't been forged—the Lotus seemed to be in trouble.

After much thought, Li Banfeng thought of something: "Master Pan, do you still have any spare heart's flesh?"

Pan Dehai flew into a rage: "Vile! Dishonorable! Shameless! I shouldn't have bothered with you, you madman!"

As his voice faded, a worm appeared before Li Banfeng.

Thumb-sized, legless, a white, wriggling creature.

"What's this worm good for?"

"This is the ultimate treasure of the Food Cultivators—the Intestine-Whirring Silkworm, a rare marvel unique to Haichi Ridge. When a Food Cultivator swallows it, their appetite surges, even beyond Haichi Ridge's natural abundance.

If you don't wish to eat, carry it with you—it will help you find sustenance in dire straits."

"What do you mean by 'dire straits'?"

"In places with no food, you may consume things normally inedible as sustenance."

Li Banfeng didn't understand the cryptic explanation—he asked for a long time before grasping it.

His meaning was simple: in places with no food, you can substitute other things.

For example, eating leaves, grass, chewing on wood, or even sand and stones can barely fill your stomach.

Li Banfeng stared at the worm for a long time—it lay motionless in his palm, already stiff.

"This isn't alive?"

"It's alive—but dormant. Swallow it, and it becomes active. But you're not a Food Cultivator—don't swallow it. Otherwise, you won't withstand the hunger."

"I've given you the gift. My intent is clear. Young man, we'll meet again."

Pan Dehai left. Li Banfeng kept the worm on his person. Soon after, he grew hungry.

Just carrying it had such a strong effect?

This was truly a rare treasure.

Li Banfeng bought more guokui, ate half himself, and gave half to Cui Ti.

Cui Ti looked at Li Banfeng: "Are you leaving?"

Li Banfeng nodded: "Haichi Ridge's task is done."

Cui Ti fell silent for a long while, then smiled: "If one day I make every person on earth die of pustules, I hope one person survives—I hope that person is you."

Li Banfeng waved his hand: "That day won't come. If you dare do it, you'll be the first to die."

Watching Li Banfeng's retreating back, Cui Ti murmured softly: "Perhaps that day isn't far off."

Soon after Li Banfeng left, the sound of a rattle drum grew faintly audible near Cui Ti: "I have fine snow cream. Want a bottle?"

Cui Ti's eyes lit up: "Can it remove the power my ancestor planted in my body?"

"No."

Cui Ti's eyes dimmed: "Then what use is this snow cream?"

"It turns Lü Huazi's pus and blood into cultivation."

Cui Ti bowed repeatedly in gratitude: "Tomorrow, I'll tattoo four characters on my chest: I Love the Peddler."

The Peddler fell silent for a moment: "If you truly intend to do that, you won't live to see tomorrow."

…

"Has the Haichi Ridge insect plague truly been quelled?" He Haiqin flipped through the newspaper, astonished.

He'd received similar reports before and assumed it was just a temporary reduction, like before.

He Haisheng had just returned from Haichi Ridge and confirmed it: "Brother, this time it's different—the mosquitoes are truly extinct."

He Haiqin put down the newspaper: "Quick—go to Haichi Ridge and take over our half of the business."

He Haisheng shook his head: "Brother, you sold our half to Ling Miaoying."

He Haiqin smacked his forehead: "That deal doesn't count! I sold it for pennies then—now it's worth far more."

He Yuxiu added: "Yes, it's invalid. I'll burn down her photo studio and reclaim the contract."

He Haisheng advised, "Brother, sister, the Ling brothers aren't easy to handle. We underestimated them."

He Haiqin rubbed his temple: "We killed Lu Dongjun, and now the Ling family reaped the fruit. Why do I feel we've been outmaneuvered?"

…

He Jiaqing lay in bed, receiving a message from Ling Miaoying.

The Haichi Ridge insect plague had been quelled.

"Who did it?"

Ling Miaoying replied: "No leads yet. But rumors in the countryside say a deity called Seventh Elder saved Haichi Ridge—there's now a wave of worship for Seventh Elder."

"Seventh Elder?" He Jiaqing had never heard of such a figure. "How do they worship him? Incense? Offerings?"

"It varies by region. In Toudao Ridge, people just set up a tablet and burn incense.

In Erdao Ridge, they make offerings and erect statues.

In Sandao Ridge, the incense is thick—some villages are even building temples for Seventh Elder."

"What does the statue look like?"

"They all look different—some young, some old, some ugly, some handsome."

"Any common features?"

"The only common trait: all the statues have thick beards."

Beards?

He Jiaqing pondered long, then told Ling Miaoying: "Investigate the Earth Gods of newly claimed lands around Haichi Ridge. Report any leads immediately."

Ling Miaoying agreed, then asked: "The He family wants to reclaim their half of the business—they say they sold it to us too cheaply and want to back out."

He Jiaqing sneered: "Do I really have to teach you this? If soft doesn't work, go hard. If words fail, use force. If open won't do, go covert."

"There are plenty of ways—but that's your family."

"I've told you many times: no need to hold back. Old Wan's already gone to Green Water Bay, right? If all else fails, have him pay another visit to my father."

"That foreigner's still missing. If my father breaks out in another rash, I wonder how brave he'll feel then."

Outside the ward, someone turned their gaze toward the hospital bed.

He Jiaqing immediately severed his link with Ling Miaoying and slipped swiftly into unconsciousness.

The one watching him was Chen Zhangrui, captain of the Dark Star Bureau's security team.

Right now, he was asking the attending physician about He Jiaqing's condition.

"Still no idea when he'll wake up?"

The attending physician shook his head.

After leaving the hospital, Captain Chen got into his car. "Tangyuan" You Xuehan quickly pulled out her notebook and waited for his orders.

Captain Chen lit a cigarette: "Still don't know when he'll wake. If he's not seriously ill, we should send him back to Pulu Province as soon as possible. Him being in Yuezhou makes people uneasy."

Tangyuan turned back to look at Chen Zhangrui: "What's Pulu Province really like?"

Chen Zhangrui chuckled: "You wanna go see it? You really ought to get yourself trained."

…

Jiaozi Town, Sanxian Village.

Li Banfeng unfolded the map Yao Lao had given him and arrived at the entrance to the New Land.

Having finished the matter at Haichiling, he was preparing to return to Lanyang Village.

Just as he was about to step into the New Land, the wine gourd suddenly spoke: "Little brother, could I ask you a favor?"

"Go ahead," Li Banfeng smiled at the gourd.

"I want to go back to Yaowang Gou and tell Yao Lao about Haichiling. I won't say anything extra—just mention the locust plague. Once that's done, I'll have given him his due, and I can settle down and follow you properly from now on."

Li Banfeng agreed promptly: "Sure. I'd like to meet Yao Lao too."

The pendulum stirred twice inside his pocket.

Li Banfeng patted the pendulum, signaling her not to worry.

Many thoughts had clashed inside his mind.

The decision Li Banfeng made was the result of all those thoughts reaching consensus.

Li Banfeng was about to change his path when he suddenly heard the sound of a rattle drum.

"Ding le gong dang, ding le gong dang!"

"Foreign soap, snow cream—fine goods galore, pick your pick!"

A peddler?

Li Banfeng turned around and saw the peddler pushing his cart toward him.

"Old customer, take a look! Got plenty of good stuff today—prices negotiable. If I break even, I'll sell it cheap."

"What good stuff do you have?" Li Banfeng grew interested and walked over to the cart.

"Plenty of good stuff. How about this?" The peddler picked up a massive locust head, its antennae still twitching.

Li Banfeng froze: "What's this thing for?"

The peddler grinned: "This thing's got plenty of uses—great for soup, great for porridge, delicious and perfect with rice. Twenty yuan—I'll sell it to you. Want it?"

PS: I think twenty yuan isn't expensive—what do you think?

(End of Chapter)