Chapter 182

Li Banfeng returned to Chu Er's residence, saw Chu Er was still fast asleep, and quietly entered the personal residence.

The Miss exclaimed: "Oh my, husband, why are you hurt like this?"

Li Banfeng was indeed hurt quite badly, his face bruised and swollen, almost unrecognizable.

"Miss, have a question for you; do you know Bitter Granny?"

"Bitter Granny? Which Bitter Granny?"

"Bitter Granny of Kucai Village."

This matter, Li Banfeng had asked the Wine Gourd, asked the Tang Dao, even asked the Judge's Pen; among the magic treasures around him, none recognized Bitter Granny.

Perhaps some memories had disappeared with the soul, or perhaps they didn't understand Kucai Village to begin with.

It seems only the Miss knows about this.

*Da da da~ Tai! *

"Bitter Granny of Kucai Village!"

"Yes," Li Banfeng nodded, "Is she the local deity of Kucai Village?"

*Da da da~ Tai! *

"Oh my, oh my, she is not the local deity."

The Miss knows Bitter Granny, but her tone is a bit strange.

"Oh my, oh my, but if she is not the local deity, then what could she be? What could she be? *Hu ha ha ha ha~*"

Why is the Miss asking me back?

Li Banfeng followed the stylus support, touched the Miss's armpit: "Miss, are you okay?"

The Miss didn't laugh; why isn't she ticklish anymore?

*Hu chi~ Hu chi~ Hu chi~*

Steam sprayed rapidly, gears turned quickly, and the flames in the fuel tank shot up high.

Li Banfeng hurriedly added water to the water tank; he was afraid the Miss would burn the pot dry.

What happened to the Miss?

"Oh my, oh my, she is not the local deity, then what could she be? What could she be? *Hu ha ha ha ha~*"

The Miss suddenly laughed wildly, and the entire main room was full of steam.

"Miss, what's wrong with you?" Li Banfeng became nervous.

"Who are you?" The phonograph's voice became devoid of ups and downs, and the singing style became unusually cold.

Li Banfeng responded: "I am your husband."

"Oh my husband, did you come back from buying groceries?" The Miss's tone became gentle again.

"Today... I didn't buy groceries."

"Since you didn't buy groceries, then you are not my husband. My husband never lets me go hungry. Who exactly are you?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer, when suddenly a whirlwind blew in from the outer room, Honglian rolled Li Banfeng into the room and closed the door tightly.

A burst of explosive sounds came from outside the door; Li Banfeng was worried the Miss would have an accident.

After the sound subsided slightly, Li Banfeng immediately went out of the room and found the phonograph safe and sound, only the room was unusually stuffy.

"Miss?" Li Banfeng called out.

*Hu chi~ Hu chi~*

After spraying steam a few times, the phonograph responded: "Oh my husband."

Good, she still recognizes me.

Li Banfeng breathed a sigh of relief.

*Hu chi~ Hu chi~*

"Did husband come back from buying groceries?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer.

He saw the Songstress Flower standing by the wall; if it really doesn't work, feed her to the Miss.

But she only has spirituality left, the soul has already been eaten; would the Miss still fancy her?

While in a dilemma, he suddenly heard the Miss ask: "Husband, who hurt you like this?"

This question again.

Did the Miss lose her memory?

Forgot everything that just happened?

Can't answer casually this time.

If I say I was hurt by a ruthless person, and the Miss asks who the ruthless person is, it might make her think of Bitter Granny again, and she'll go crazy again.

Must try to distract the Miss's attention so she doesn't associate it with Bitter Granny.

"It was a few petty thieves; there were many of them, I was outnumbered, and I was hurt."

"What kind of petty thieves?" The Miss was very angry. "Are they traveling cultivators? If they are traveling cultivators, bring them home, I'll kill them, *hu ha ha ha*, kill them!"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "They aren't traveling cultivators."

"Even if they aren't traveling cultivators, bring them home. Anyone who hurts my husband deserves to die. I'll kill them all together! *Hu ha ha ha ha! *"

The Miss is still not quite normal.

Li Banfeng agreed: "Yes, kill them all. Is the Miss tired? If you're tired, rest for a while."

*Hu chi~*

The phonograph yawned.

"Now that you mention it, I am a bit tired. Husband, go find those petty thieves later; let me rest for a moment."

While the Miss hadn't fallen asleep yet, Li Banfeng took out the Old Lao Chahu and said to the Miss: "Now I am a fourth-layer residential cultivator; the seal on this magic treasure should be able to be unlocked."

"Oh my~ This tea pot's level is too high; unlocking it now, I'm afraid it's unfavorable for husband."

"Miss is too cautious. When Zhong Desong was only at the second layer, didn't he use it all along?"

"He is a bitter cultivator, he can withstand the torture of this tea pot. Very well, I'll trouble husband to bring the tea pot here; I'll have a few words with him first."

Li Banfeng brought the tea pot in front of the phonograph. Although he had the technique of Insight into Spiritual Sounds, the two spoke too fast, and Li Banfeng didn't hear clearly; he only saw the record constantly rotating on the tray, and dense gong and drum sounds came from the speaker from time to time.

The Miss was intimidating the tea pot; the two were probably negotiating the capital.

After waiting for more than five minutes, the Miss breathed out a mouthful of steam: "The matter has been negotiated. The capital of the magic treasure is ultimately needed.

Before, his capital was too big, and using it once meant being scalded once, but now the capital has changed; he only asks husband to take a hot bath."

Li Banfeng looked at the tea pot: "Isn't this all the same?"

"Husband don't worry, the bath water won't be too hot, and he won't hurt husband."

Using a magic treasure and getting a free hot bath; is there such a cheap thing?

Li Banfeng was very suspicious of the tea pot's motives. The Miss yawned: "Husband, I am truly sleepy, I'm going to sleep first."

The Miss fell asleep, and Li Banfeng took the tea pot to the fifth room.

The fifth room was at the end of the third room; this was the room furthest from the phonograph.

The room was empty; the fifth room had just been opened not long ago, and Li Banfeng hadn't prepared any household items. He held the tea pot in his hand and asked: "Do you know Kucai Village?"

The tea pot answered: "Know it. All the bitter cultivators in the world come from Kucai Village."

Li Banfeng frowned: "Aren't all the cultivators in the world from the peddler's medicinal powder?"

"Hehe, that's not necessarily true. Besides the peddler, there are quite a few sources of medicinal powder. Wealthy families all store quite a bit of literary and martial cultivator medicinal powder; this isn't bought from the peddler."

Ma Wu had indeed said that wealthy families all store medicinal powder, but if it's not bought from the peddler, where does it come from?

"The affairs of wealthy families, the old man doesn't know, but the bitter cultivator's medicinal powder all comes from Kucai Village.

Kucai Village has no boundaries and borders all parts of the Star Fall Continent. Those who want to come can come. If they stay in the White Food Hall of Kucai Village for three days, if they can endure this bitterness, Bitter Granny will give them the medicinal powder, and from then on, they count as having entered the Dao Sect."

"Anyone who comes gets medicinal powder? Don't need to accumulate Dao affinity?"

"Kucai Village is a special place. Staying here for three days counts as having accumulated Dao affinity."

"Similar to Three-San San San Tou Cha?"

"Far from it. Three-San San San Tou Cha cannot be gone to; the things accumulated there might not necessarily be Dao affinity.

Junior, since you asked about Bitter Granny, could it be that you have already arrived at Kucai Village?"

Li Banfeng didn't deny it: "I am currently in Kucai Village, can't get out. Bitter Granny won't let me leave, saying she wants to temper me."

"Since she won't let you leave, you just stay in the village for a few days. There isn't even a calendar in this room, and I don't know what month it is. Anyway, she stays for at most three months a year. When she leaves, you can leave then.

Don't argue with her, and don't fight with her. You are no match for her; a thousand of you, ten thousand of you, are no match for her."

A thousand, ten thousand...

Too exaggerated, right?

What level of person is she?

Can the local deity suppress her?

"The Miss said she is not the local deity of Kucai Village, then who is the local deity of Kucai Village?"

"Kucai Village originally had a local deity, but now there isn't one.

Besides, don't mention the local deity and Bitter Granny in the same breath; they aren't worthy."

Even the local deity isn't worthy?

"What level of cultivation is Bitter Granny?"

The tea pot coughed twice and said: "Junior, I am your magic treasure. I don't hold back when going into battle, but I have my own character. I don't want to be someone else's slave.

If you think highly of me, we can count as a pair of friends across generations; you call me brother, I call you brother.

If you look down on me, just call me old man; I won't fall short on the duties I should fulfill.

I don't remember many things, but what I can tell you, I naturally will.

I've mostly forgotten about Bitter Granny's affairs; don't ask about things I've forgotten."

Although Li Banfeng still didn't trust the tea pot, Li Banfeng agreed with the attitude of treating each other as equals.

"Brother, I won't ask about Bitter Granny's affairs anymore. Please tell me more about Kucai Village. I still have to stay here for more than two months. During these two months, what do I need to pay attention to?"

"Remember three rules. The first rule is bitterness. In Kucai Village, you must endure bitterness; don't think about enjoying happiness here.

Don't drink, don't smoke, don't think about eating good food, don't think about sleeping with girls.

This room of yours is a bit special; it doesn't matter if you have fun with your Misses in this room, but once you leave this room, you must follow the rules in the village.

Once you leave Kucai Village, there are plenty of fun things waiting for you outside; don't ruin big things because of momentary greed."

"What happens if big things are ruined?"

"If I remember correctly, there are only two outcomes for those who break the rules in Kucai Village. Those Bitter Granny doesn't want to keep will be driven out of the village; those Bitter Granny wants to keep will be sent to the New Territory.

Brother, I don't know much about your affairs outside, but I guess you should have been to the New Territory, and you should know how dangerous the New Territory is.

The New Territory of Kucai Village is exceptionally dangerous. If you are sent to the New Territory by Bitter Granny, she won't allow you to return to Kucai Village. I'm afraid you'll have to spend your whole life in the New Territory. Weigh the importance yourself."

Go to the New Territory!

Going to the New Territory is good!

That way I can walk back to Lan Yang Village.

While pondering, I heard the tea pot speak again: "The second rule is not to ask about backgrounds. In the village, don't ask about anyone's background; don't even ask for names. This is a customary rule."

"What happens if this rule is broken?"

"Nothing will happen, but you will be detested. Those who come to Kucai Village are all people who suffer; the identity outside has nothing to do with affairs in the village.

The third rule is not to kill. In Kucai Village, even Bitter Granny herself doesn't kill.

This rule must not be broken. When I first went to Kucai Village, two people fought over food; one died, and the other disappeared that night.

No one knows where he went, and no one knows if he is dead or alive. Killing in Kucai Village always has this result."

No wonder when Li Banfeng wanted to kill Chu Er, he perceived great danger.

This also reminded Li Banfeng that he could cause trouble in Kucai Village, but he absolutely couldn't cause any deaths.

But this is also a good thing; if Li Banfeng causes trouble here, Bitter Granny won't kill him.

The old tea pot continued: "As long as these three rules aren't broken, Bitter Granny generally doesn't care about other things."

Li Banfeng asked the tea pot: "Rare to revisit an old place, don't you want to go back and take a look?"

"Brother, I'll say it again. If you want to fight in Kucai Village, I won't hold back when it's time to strike.

If you don't want to fight, it's best not to let me go to Kucai Village, don't let me step foot in there again."

He has deep resentment toward Kucai Village.

Li Banfeng put away the tea pot and went to the main room to sleep.

The tea pot is different from other magic treasures.

He seems to have more things than other magic treasures.

The next morning, Li Banfeng walked out of the personal residence, took the key, and saw Chu Er lying on the wall looking around.

Li Banfeng walked behind her and shouted: "What are you looking at!"

Chu Er shuddered and fell heavily from the wall: "What are you doing, want to scare someone to death?"

Li Banfeng questioned: "Sneaky, what are you doing lying on the wall?"

"I'm looking for you; who knows where you ran to early in the morning. Tomorrow is the day to eat white food, hurry up and come with me, don't wait for Bitter Granny to come and hammer you again."

Out the door, Li Banfeng asked as he walked: "What does eating white food mean?"

"It means everyone in the village goes to the White Food Hall tomorrow to eat for free for a day."

There's such a good thing?

"Still eating steamed buns?"

Chu Er smiled bitterly: "If only there were steamed buns. Going to the White Food Hall, you have to eat rice."

"Isn't rice better than steamed buns?"

"You'll know when you go."

"Dinner is tomorrow; we're setting off today? Isn't it too early?"

"The whole Kucai Village has only one White Food Hall. It's close for me, but those who live far away have to set off three days in advance."

The whole Kucai Village goes to one place to eat; how big must that restaurant be?

Li Banfeng followed Chu Er for a day and a night; actually, the White Food Hall wasn't that far, just over eighty miles.

But Chu Er wasn't a traveling cultivator, couldn't walk as fast as Li Banfeng, and the road wasn't easy to walk, and the sandstorm was particularly strong. By the time they walked to the White Food Hall, the sky was almost bright.

Everyone in Kucai Village was gathered in front of the White Food Hall waiting for the meal.

The so-called White Food Hall wasn't a big restaurant; it was just a big earthen house that could barely fit seven or eight big tables.

This can fit everyone in Kucai Village?

It really can fit.

Li Banfeng roughly counted; there were only sixty-some people in front of the White Food Hall.

"There are quite a few who didn't come, right?"

Chu Er looked around: "Almost all came."

"Kucai Village only has these few people?"

"Not few. Bitter cultivators aren't many to begin with, and those willing to return to Kucai Village to cultivate are even fewer. But anyone with a bit of level, who would come here for no reason."

At seven in the morning, the White Food Hall opened for the meal. The uncle serving the food gave everyone a bowl of rice, and the side dish was still the bitter greens of Kucai Village.

Li Banfeng took a bite of white rice, chewed it twice, and carefully appraised the ratio of sand to rice.

Fifty percent sand, fifty percent rice?

Not right, it feels like there's even more sand.

Li Banfeng wanted to vomit, but Chu Er hurriedly stopped him: "Can't vomit; if you vomit, you'll be beaten."

Li Banfeng swallowed the rice and put the bowl on the ground: "I'm full."

Chu Er shook her head: "Can't leave leftovers; if you leave leftovers, you'll also be beaten!"

The uncle serving the food was looking over here, his eyes full of anger.

Li Banfeng still put the bowl down.

Chu Er was scared to death: "Don't cause trouble, the one serving food is coming over."

"So he's the one who wants to beat me, right," Li Banfeng stood up, "Easy to say, I'll fight him!"

It's not that he can't endure this bitterness, it's that he can't endure this anger.

Good rice, why mix in sand?

There was quite a bit of grain piled up in the open space behind the White Food Hall. Kucai Village doesn't have many people, and there's enough grain to eat; why treat people so wastefully?

The uncle serving food walked toward this side angrily, took two steps, and then retreated angrily.

Li Banfeng was ready to make a move and was wondering why the one serving food didn't come over.

Chu Er lowered her head and shoveled rice, not daring to make a sound.

It seemed there was one more person beside him.

Li Banfeng looked back and saw Bitter Granny standing behind him.

In the White Food Hall, everyone lowered their heads, not daring to move.

They knew who had come; they knew Li Banfeng was going to be unlucky.

Bitter Granny looked at Li Banfeng and said calmly: "If you have food and don't eat it, I see you still haven't tempered enough."

Looks like he's going to be hammered again.

But even if he's hammered, Li Banfeng won't eat this bowl of rice.

Good rice mixed with sand is just deliberately disgusting people!

Seeing Li Banfeng so stubborn, Bitter Granny didn't hammer him.

She took a bitter green out of her pocket and handed it to Li Banfeng: "Since you can't endure bitterness, if you don't eat rice, eat a bitter green."

Chu Er squatted on the ground and pulled Li Banfeng's pant leg.

Seventh Master, I beg you to eat it, don't court death anymore.

PS: Why must he be forced to eat greens?

(End of chapter)