Chapter 170: Good Goods Have Arrived (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Toudao Ridge, Shaomai Street, Wuntun Alley.

In a private residence, the mistress of the house carefully opened a tin box, then opened a wooden box from inside the tin one, scooped out two bowls of rice, and hurriedly closed both boxes.

The master of the house was also in the kitchen, holding a flyswatter, standing guard cautiously.

The mistress quickly washed the rice and put it on the stove, and only then did the couple relax a little.

The master wiped his sweat and said, "It's been half a month without seeing a single mosquito; I think these things are truly extinct."

"Who can say for sure!" the mistress didn't believe it. "Didn't that Lu Dongjun also say he'd wiped them out before? In the end, the mosquitoes came, and where did he run off to? If I hadn't been quick with my hands and saved this bit of rice, you'd have starved to death, you useless oaf."

The man gave the woman a hard kiss on the cheek: "If you weren't so thrifty and capable, what would we do? You finish cooking; I'm going to the street to buy some incense and candles."

"What are you buying those for? Do you have any spare money?"

"I have to buy a little. We have to worship the Seventh Lord. It's spread everywhere that the Seventh Lord is the one who cured the plague, and every household is burning incense. If anyone isn't sincere, the mosquitoes will go to their house next year."

Hearing the word "mosquitoes," the mistress shuddered: "Is that true? Who did you hear that from?"

"It's true, it's spread everywhere! They're even building a temple for the Seventh Lord over at Sandao Ridge."

They really were building a temple at Sandao Ridge.

In Laobing Village, they were in the middle of construction. Niu Fuzhi called over Niu Xiaoxian, the village's only craftsman, and asked with a frown: "How is this statue of the Seventh Lord being built? You can't even see the face!"

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

Niu Fuzhi didn't remember either: "Then... then ask someone else. Is there no one in the village who remembers?"

"Nobody remembers. I've asked everyone, and there's no way around it!"

Erdao Ridge, Guokui Town. Li Banfeng saw quite a few people out buying incense and candles.

They couldn't even afford to eat, yet they were buying incense?

Erdao Ridge was in a state of economic decay, but the incense and candle shops were doing a booming business.

"Maybe we should just open an incense and candle shop!" Li Banfeng bought two bowls of porridge and six guokui flatbreads from a breakfast stall and squatted in an alleyway to eat with Cui Tike.

This breakfast stall was the first to open in Guokui Town. Although there weren't many customers, the owner put effort into the food, and the guokui tasted very good.

Cui Tike, while eating, habitually placed his begging bowl in front of him.

Li Banfeng was very puzzled: "You aren't short on money, so why do you insist on begging?"

Cui Tike answered very seriously: "This is out of respect for the sect's founder. Until the sores on my body are healed, I will continue to follow his path of cultivation."

Li Banfeng looked at the begging bowl, then thought of the appearance of Green Flower, and a layer of goosebumps rose on his skin: "Will your founder heal your sores?"

"That, he won't," Cui Tike shook his head. "Although I only met him once, I am certain he is a ruthless person. The only one who could heal my sores is likely the Peddler."

"Then why don't you follow the Peddler's path of cultivation, push a cart, and go out to sell things?"

Cui Tike pointed to his own face: "I would very much like to go out and sell, but looking like this, would anyone buy anything?"

After wandering around Erdao Ridge for several days, there wasn't a single mosquito to be seen on the streets.

Li Banfeng bought a newspaper; the mosquitoes in Toudao Ridge had also gone extinct.

"It looks like we've finished the job." Li Banfeng glanced at Cui Tike.

Someone tossed a few coins into Cui Tike's broken bowl, and Cui Tike was busy thanking them.

After putting the coins away, Cui Tike took out some white rice and placed it in the bowl. After waiting for half a day, he didn't see a single mosquito.

They had performed similar tests several times. The insect plague in Haichi Ridge seemed to have truly been cured.

Of course, the ones with the most authority to speak were the local deities.

After lunch, Pan Dehai's voice reached his ears: "Young man, the extinction mosquitoes are truly extinct this time. Although you are arrogant, you are a person of virtue. I intend to give you one more thing; what do you want?"

Li Banfeng thought about it.

At first, he wanted money.

But Li Banfeng had his own channels for making money. With such a good opportunity, he should ask for something of greater value.

Ask for another magic treasure and have the Copper Lotus refine it?

That folding fan still hadn't come out of the pot; the lotus seemed to be having difficulties.

After thinking it over, Li Banfeng thought of a good item: "Old Pan, do you have any spare 'Heart Flesh' left?"

Pan Dehai was furious: "Lack of virtue! Lack of conscience! Shameless! I shouldn't have bothered with you, you madman!"

As the words fell, a worm appeared in front of Li Banfeng.

It was the size of a thumb, legless, a white wriggling worm.

"What is the use of this worm?"

"This is a supreme treasure for a Martial Cultivator, the 'Gut-Rolling Silkworm,' a rare treasure unique to Haichi Ridge. If a Martial Cultivator swallows it, their appetite will increase greatly, even more so than when in Haichi Ridge.

If you don't want to eat it, you can carry it with you; it can help you find food in times of distress."

"What do you mean by 'find food in times of distress'?"

"In places without ingredients, you can take things that are otherwise inedible and use them as ingredients."

It was explained so obscurely that Li Banfeng had to ask for a long time before he understood.

The meaning was actually quite simple: in places without food, one could use other things as substitutes.

For example, eating tree leaves, eating grass, or even chewing wood, or even sand and stones, could barely stave off hunger.

Li Banfeng looked at the worm for a long time; the worm didn't move at all in his hand; it had gone stiff.

"Is this not a live worm?"

"It is a live worm, it's just not awake. If you eat it, it will be alive. But you are not a Martial Cultivator, so it's best not to swallow it, otherwise, you won't be able to handle the hunger.

The item is yours, and my intentions have been fulfilled. Young man, we shall meet again."

Pan Dehai left. Li Banfeng carried the worm with him, and not long after, he felt hungry.

Just carrying it with him had such a big effect?

This was truly a rare treasure.

Li Banfeng went to buy more guokui, ate half himself, and gave half to Cui Tike.

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

Li Banfeng nodded: "The business in Haichi Ridge is finished."

Cui Tike was silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled: "If one day, I make all the people in this world die of herpes, I hope one person will be able to survive. I hope that person is you."

Li Banfeng waved his hand: "That day will never come. If you really dared to do that, the first one to die would definitely be you."

Watching Li Banfeng's back, Cui Tike whispered: "Perhaps that day is not so far away."

Li Banfeng hadn't been gone long when the sound of a rattle-drum gradually rose in Cui Tike's ears: "I have top-quality snow cream here. I'll sell you a bottle; do you want it?"

Cui Tike said with pleasant surprise: "Can it clear away the power the founder left in my body?"

"That, it cannot."

Cui Tike's eyes dimmed: "Then what is the use of this snow cream?"

"It can turn the pus and blood of Green Flower into a layer of cultivation."

Cui Tike was extremely grateful: "Tomorrow I will tattoo four words on my chest: 'I love the Peddler'."

The Peddler was silent for a moment: "If you really want to do that, there won't be a tomorrow for you."

"The insect plague in Haichi Ridge has really been cured?" He Haiqin looked through the newspaper, feeling very surprised.

He had received similar news before and had thought it was just like the previous situation, just a temporary elimination of a portion of the mosquitoes.

He Haisheng had just returned from Haichi Ridge and confirmed the news: "Brother, the situation this time is different. The mosquitoes in Haichi Ridge are truly extinct."

He Haiqin put down the newspaper: "Quick, go to Haichi Ridge and get that half of the business of ours up and running."

He Haisheng shook his head: "Brother, you sold all the business to Ling Miaoying."

He Haiqin slapped his forehead: "That can't count. That was sold to him at a cabbage price back then; it's not that price anymore."

He Yuxiu added from the side: "Right, it can't count. I'll go burn down his film studio and get the contract back."

He Haisheng advised: "Brother, sister, the three Ling brothers aren't that easy to deal with. We didn't think this through."

He Haiqin rubbed his temples: "Lu Dongjun was killed by us, and the peaches were picked by the Ling family. Why do I feel like we were the ones being calculated?"

He Jiaqing lay in his hospital bed and received a message from Ling Miaoying.

The insect plague in Haichi Ridge had been cured.

"Who did it?"

Ling Miaoying responded: "We haven't found any clues yet. We only heard some rumors among the common people, saying that a deity called the Seventh Lord saved Haichi Ridge, and a trend of worshipping the Seventh Lord has arisen in Haichi Ridge."

"Seventh Lord?" He Jiaqing had never heard of this person. "How do they worship him? Burning incense or making offerings?"

"It depends on the place. In Toudao Ridge, they only set up a spirit tablet and burn some incense.

In Erdao Ridge, they make offerings and even set up statues.

In Sandao Ridge, the incense is even more prosperous; some villages are even building temples for the Seventh Lord."

"What do the statues look like?"

"They look like anything. Some are young, some are old, some are ugly, some are handsome; their appearances are all different."

"Do they have anything in common?"

"If there is a common point, these statues all seem to have lush beards."

Beards?

He Jiaqing pondered for a long time and said to Ling Miaoying: "Go check the local deities in the New Lands around Haichi Ridge. Once you find a clue, tell me immediately."

Ling Miaoying agreed, then asked: "The He family has come to collect the business, saying that the half of the business sold to us before was too cheap and they want to go back on their word."

He Jiaqing sneered: "Do I still need to teach you how to handle this? If soft doesn't work, use hard; if civil doesn't work, use martial; if open doesn't work, use secret."

"There are many ways, but that is your family."

"I've told you many times, don't have any scruples about such things. Didn't Old Wan go to Green Water Bay? If it really doesn't work, have him go pay a visit to my father again.

That foreigner's whereabouts are unknown. If my father gets rashes again, let's see if he's afraid or not."

Outside the hospital room door, someone cast their gaze toward the bed.

He Jiaqing immediately cut off the connection with Ling Miaoying and quickly entered a deep sleep.

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

At this moment, he was asking the attending physician about He Jiaqing's condition.

"Still don't know when he'll wake up?"

The attending physician shook his head.

Leaving the hospital, Captain Chen got into a car. "Tang Yuan" You Xuehan hurriedly took out a notebook, waiting for Captain Chen's instructions.

Captain Chen took out a cigarette and lit it: "Still don't know when he'll wake up. If he's fine, we'd better send him back to Puluo Province as soon as possible. Having this person stay in Yuezhu Province makes one feel uneasy."

Tang Yuan turned his head to look at Chen Zhangrui: "What kind of place is Puluo Province?"

Chen Zhangrui smiled: "You want to go see? You kid really should go train."

Jiaozi Town, Sanxian Village.

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

With the business in Haichi Ridge finished, he prepared to return to Lanyang Village.

Just as he was about to step into the New Lands, the Wine Gourd suddenly spoke: "Little brother, can I discuss something with you?"

"Go ahead." Li Banfeng looked at the gourd with a smile.

"I want to go back to Medicine King Valley and tell Yao Lao about the Haichi Ridge affair. I won't say too much, just about the insect plague. Once this is done, I'll have fulfilled my duty to him, and after that, I'll follow you with peace of mind."

Li Banfeng readily agreed: "Sure, I also want to see Yao Lao."

The pendulum in his pocket moved twice.

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

Many thoughts had argued in his mind.

The decision Li Banfeng made was the result of many thoughts reaching a consensus.

Li Banfeng was about to turn when he heard the sound of a rattle-drum.

"Ding-la-guang-dang, ding-la-guang-dang!"

"Foreign soap, snow cream, a cart full of good goods for you to pick!"

The Peddler?

Li Banfeng turned his head and saw the Peddler pushing his cart toward him.

"Old customer, come take a look. There are quite a few good things today. The price is negotiable; if it covers the cost, I'll sell."

"What kind of good things do you have?" Li Banfeng was quite interested and walked over to the cart.

"There are plenty of good things. How about this?" The Peddler picked up a huge locust head, its antennae still twitching.

Li Banfeng was stunned: "What is the use of this thing?"

The Peddler smiled: "This thing has many uses. It can be stewed into soup, boiled into porridge; it tastes delicious and goes well with rice. I'll sell it to you for twenty dollars. Do you want it?"

PS: I don't think twenty dollars is expensive. What do you all think?

(End of Chapter)