Chapter 182

Li Banfeng returned to Chu Er's residence and found Chu Er still asleep; he quietly entered his personal dwelling.

His wife gasped: "Oh my, husband, how badly you're hurt!"

Li Banfeng was indeed badly injured; his face was bruised and swollen, nearly unrecognizable.

"Wife, I have something to ask you—do you know Old Bitter?"

"Old Bitter? Which Old Bitter?"

"Old Bitter of Bitter Cabbage Village."

Li Banfeng had asked this before—of the wine gourd, of Tang Dao, even of the Judge's Pen; none of his magical artifacts recognized Old Bitter.

Perhaps some memories vanished with the soul, or perhaps they never knew Bitter Cabbage Village to begin with.

It seemed only his wife knew.

Tap-tap-tap~ Dang!

"Old Bitter of Bitter Cabbage Village!"

"Yes," Li Banfeng nodded, "is she the land spirit of Bitter Cabbage Village?"

Tap-tap-tap~ Dang!

"Oh no, she's not a land spirit."

His wife knew Old Bitter, but her tone was strange.

"Oh no, oh no—if she's not a land spirit, then what is she? What could she be?"

Why was she asking me this?

Li Banfeng traced along the phonograph arm and rubbed his wife's armpit: "Wife, are you alright?"

His wife didn't laugh—why wasn't she ticklish anymore?

Huff~ huff~ huff~

Steam spewed rapidly, gears spun fast, flames leapt high in the oil tank.

Li Banfeng hurried to refill the water tank—he feared his wife would burn dry.

What's wrong with his wife?

"Oh no, oh no—she's not a land spirit, then what is she? What could she be? Hohohoho~"

His wife burst into wild laughter; steam filled the entire main room.

"Wife, what's wrong?" Li Banfeng grew tense.

"Who are you?" The phonograph's voice lost all inflection, its tone chillingly cold.

Li Banfeng replied: "I'm your husband."

"Oh my, husband, you've come back from buying groceries?" His wife's tone softened again.

"Today… I didn't buy groceries."

"If you didn't buy groceries, you're not my husband—my husband never lets me go hungry. Who are you really?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer when a whirlwind swept through the outer room; Lotus swept Li Banfeng inside and slammed the door shut.

Outside, a series of explosions rang out; Li Banfeng feared his wife might be in danger.

When the noise subsided slightly, Li Banfeng rushed out and found the phonograph unharmed, though the room was unbearably hot.

"Wife?" Li Banfeng called out.

Huff~ huff~

After several bursts of steam, the phonograph responded: "Oh my, husband."

Good—she still recognizes me.

Li Banfeng exhaled in relief.

Huff~ huff~

"Did you buy groceries, husband?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer.

He saw the singing girl Hua standing by the wall—maybe he could feed her to his wife if all else failed.

But she was only a spirit left—her soul had been devoured; would his wife even want her?

In his dilemma, his wife suddenly asked: "Husband, who hurt you like this?"

Again this question.

Had his wife forgotten?

Forgotten everything that just happened?

This time he couldn't answer carelessly.

If I say I was beaten by a ruthless person, and she asks who it was, she might remember Old Bitter—and go mad again.

I must distract her, keep her from thinking of Old Bitter.

"A few bandits—they outnumbered me, I couldn't fight back, so I got hurt."

"What kind of bandits?" His wife grew furious. "Were they Traveling Cultivators? If so, bring them home—I'll kill them, hohoho, kill them all!"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "Not Traveling Cultivators."

"Even if they're not Traveling Cultivators, bring them home—anyone who hurts my husband deserves to die—I'll kill them all! Hohoho!"

His wife was still not right.

Li Banfeng agreed: "Yes, kill them all. Wife, are you tired? If you're weary, rest a while."

Huff~

The phonograph yawned.

"Come to think of it, I am a bit tired. Husband, go find those bandits later—let me rest a moment."

While his wife hadn't yet fallen asleep, Li Banfeng took out the old teapot and said to her: "I'm now a Level Four Dwelling Cultivator—this treasure's seal should be breakable now."

"Oh my—this teapot is too high-level; breaking its seal now might harm you, husband."

"Wife, you're too cautious—when Zhong Desong was only Level Two, he used it just fine."

"He was a cultivator of hardship—he could endure the teapot's torment. Very well, husband, bring the teapot closer—I'll speak with him first."

Li Banfeng brought the teapot near the phonograph. Though he possessed the Technique of Perceiving Spiritual Sound, their speech was too fast—he caught nothing but the record spinning rapidly on the tray and the drumming sounds bursting from the speaker.

His wife was intimidating the teapot; they were likely negotiating terms.

After over five minutes, his wife exhaled a puff of steam: "The matter is settled—the treasure's price must still be paid,

Previously, his price was too high—one use meant burning the master. Now, his price has changed—he only asks you to take a hot bath."

Li Banfeng looked at the teapot: "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Don't worry, husband—the bathwater won't be too hot, and he won't harm you."

Using a treasure and getting a free bath? Could such a deal exist?

Li Banfeng doubted the teapot's motives, but his wife yawned: "Husband, I'm truly exhausted—I'm going to sleep."

His wife fell asleep; Li Banfeng took the teapot to Room Five.

Room Five was at the end of Room Three—the farthest from the phonograph.

The room was empty; Room Five had just been opened, and Li Banfeng hadn't furnished it yet. He held the teapot and asked: "Do you know Bitter Cabbage Village?"

The teapot replied: "I know that. All cultivators of hardship in the world come from Bitter Cabbage Village."

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

"Heh—heh—not necessarily. Besides the peddler, there are many other sources for the powders. Wealthy families stockpile plenty of literary and martial cultivator powders—not bought from peddlers."

Ma Wu had indeed said wealthy clans kept powders—not from peddlers. Then where did they come from?

"I don't know about the affairs of the wealthy, but the cultivator of hardship powders all come from Bitter Cabbage Village."

Bitter Cabbage Village has no borders—it connects with every region of Pu Luo Province. Anyone who wishes to come may come; stay three days in the Free Meal Hall, endure the suffering, and Old Bitter will give you the powder—you'll then be admitted into the Dao."

"Anyone who shows up gets powder? No need to accumulate Dao affinity?"

"Bitter Cabbage Village is a special place. Stay three days, and Dao affinity is already gathered."

"Similar to Three Forks?"

"Not at all. Three Forks is dangerous—the things gathered there aren't necessarily Dao affinity."

"Young man, you just asked about Old Bitter—have you already reached Bitter Cabbage Village?"

Li Banfeng didn't deny it: "I'm in Bitter Cabbage Village now—I can't leave. Old Bitter won't let me go; she says she must temper me."

"If she won't let you leave, stay in the village awhile. Our house doesn't even have a calendar—I don't know what month it is. But she stays at most three months a year; wait until she leaves, then you leave.

Don't argue with her, don't fight her—you're no match. A thousand yous, ten thousand yous—you still wouldn't be her match."

A thousand… ten thousand…

That's exaggerated.

What level is she?

Could a land spirit hold her back?

"My wife says she's not the land spirit of Bitter Cabbage Village—then who is?"

"Bitter Cabbage Village once had a land spirit, but now it doesn't.

Also, don't compare land spirits to Old Bitter—they're not worthy."

Even land spirits aren't worthy?

"What level of cultivation is Old Bitter?"

The teapot coughed twice: "Young man, I'm your treasure—I won't hesitate in battle. But I have my nature—I refuse to be anyone's servant.

If you respect me, let's be friends across generations—call me Big Brother, I'll call you Little Brother."

If you look down on me, call me old man—I won't slack on my duties either.

I don't remember much, but anything I can tell you, I will.

I've mostly forgotten about Old Bitter Lady; if you've forgotten too, don't ask about it.

Though Li Banfeng still didn't trust the teapot, he accepted its attitude of equal treatment.

"Big Brother, I won't ask any more about Old Bitter Lady. But tell me more about Bitter Cabbage Village—I'll be staying here over two months. What should I watch out for?"

"Remember three rules. First: endure hardship. In Bitter Cabbage Village, you must bear suffering—don't dream of comfort here.

Don't drink, don't smoke, don't crave good food, don't think of sleeping with women.

Your room is special—having a few wives there to amuse you is fine, but once you leave it, you must obey the village rules.

Outside Bitter Cabbage Village, plenty of pleasures await you. Don't let fleeting indulgence ruin your greater purpose."

"What happens if you ruin your purpose?"

"If I remember right, those who break the rules in Bitter Cabbage Village have only two fates: those Old Bitter Lady doesn't want stay, she expels; those she wants to keep, she sends to New Land.

Brother, I don't know much about your past, but I guess you've been to New Land—you know how dangerous it is.

New Land here is especially deadly. If Old Bitter Lady sends you there, she won't let you return. You'll likely spend your whole life there. Weigh it carefully."

To New Land!

Going to New Land is great!

Then I can walk back to Blue Poplar Village.

While pondering, the teapot spoke again: "Second rule: don't ask about origins. In the village, never ask anyone's background—not even their name. It's an unspoken rule."

"What happens if you break this rule?"

"Nothing serious—just that people will despise you. Everyone here came to suffer; your past and village affairs are unrelated.

Third rule: don't kill. Even Old Bitter Lady herself doesn't kill in Bitter Cabbage Village.

Never break this rule. When I first came here, two men fought over food—one died, the other vanished that same night.

No one knows where he went, or whether he's alive or dead. Anyone who kills here meets the same fate."

No wonder Li Banfeng sensed great danger when he tried to kill Chu Er.

This also warned Li Banfeng: he could stir up trouble in Bitter Cabbage Village, but absolutely no one could die.

But this was also good—if he caused trouble here, Old Bitter Lady wouldn't kill him.

The old teapot continued: "As long as you don't break these three rules, Old Bitter Lady generally ignores everything else."

Li Banfeng asked the teapot: "Since you're back in familiar ground, wouldn't you like to go see it again?"

"Brother, I'll say it again: if you want to fight in Bitter Cabbage Village, I won't hold back when the time comes.

But if you don't want to fight, don't take me there. Don't make me step inside again."

He held deep resentment toward Bitter Cabbage Village.

Li Banfeng put away the teapot and went to sleep in the main house.

The teapot was different from other magic treasures.

It seemed to possess something more than others.

…

The next morning, Li Banfeng stepped out of his portable dwelling, retrieved his key, and saw Chu Er crouched on the wall, scanning the surroundings.

Li Banfeng walked up behind him and barked: "What are you looking at?"

Chu Er jolted, tumbling heavily off the wall: "What the hell are you doing? Trying to scare me to death?"

Li Banfeng demanded: "Sneaking around—what were you doing on the wall?"

"I was looking for you! Where'd you vanish this morning? Tomorrow's free meal day—come on, let's go before Old Bitter Lady comes to beat you again."

Outside the gate, Li Banfeng asked as they walked: "What does 'free meal' mean?"

"Everyone in the village goes to the Free Meal Hall tomorrow and eats for free all day."

There's such a thing?

"Still just corn cakes?"

Chu Er gave a bitter laugh: "If we got corn cakes, we'd be lucky. At the Free Meal Hall, you eat rice."

"Isn't rice better than corn cakes?"

"You'll see when you get there."

"We're leaving today for tomorrow's meal? Isn't that too early?"

"There's only one Free Meal Hall in all of Bitter Cabbage Village. I'm close; those farther away must start three days ahead."

The whole village eats at one place? How huge must that hall be?

Li Banfeng followed Chu Er for a full day and night. Actually, the Free Meal Hall wasn't far—just over eighty li.

But Chu Er wasn't a traveling cultivator and couldn't move as fast as Li Banfeng; the road was rough, the sandstorms fierce. By the time they arrived, dawn was nearly breaking.

All of Bitter Cabbage Village gathered before the Free Meal Hall, waiting for the meal.

The so-called Free Meal Hall wasn't a grand restaurant—just a large earthen hut, barely holding seven or eight big tables.

Could this hold everyone from Bitter Cabbage Village?

It could.

Li Banfeng roughly counted: fewer than seventy people waited outside.

"Aren't there more who haven't come?"

Chu Er looked around: "Almost everyone's here."

"That's all there is in Bitter Cabbage Village?"

"That's plenty. Wu Xiu are few to begin with; those willing to return here to cultivate are even fewer. Anyone with even a little status wouldn't come here for nothing."

At seven a. ., the Free Meal Hall opened. The rice server gave each person a bowl of rice, with bitter greens as the side dish.

Li Banfeng took a bite of the rice, chewed twice, carefully assessing the ratio of sand to grain.

Fifty percent sand, fifty percent rice?

No—it felt like more sand.

Li Banfeng wanted to vomit. Chu Er quickly stopped him: "Don't spit it out—you'll get beaten."

Li Banfeng swallowed the rice, placed the bowl on the ground: "I'm full."

Chu Er shook his head: "Don't leave food—leftovers get you beaten too!"

The rice server stared at them, eyes full of anger.

Li Banfeng still set the bowl down.

Chu Er panicked: "Don't cause trouble—the rice server's coming!"

"He's the one who wants to beat me, right?" Li Banfeng stood up. "Fine—I'll fight him!"

It wasn't that he couldn't endure the hardship—it was the insult he couldn't bear.

Why mix sand into good rice?

Behind the Free Meal Hall, piles of grain lay stacked. The village had so few people—the grain was clearly enough. Why torment them like this?

The rice server stormed toward them, took two steps, then stormed back.

Li Banfeng had already prepared to fight—why wasn't he coming?

Chu Er kept his head down, eating silently.

Someone seemed to have appeared beside him.

Li Banfeng turned and saw Old Bitter Lady standing behind him.

Everyone inside the Free Meal Hall lowered their heads, not daring to move.

They knew who had arrived. They knew Li Banfeng was in trouble.

Old Bitter Lady looked at Li Banfeng and spoke calmly: "You won't eat your meal? I see you still haven't been tempered enough."

Looks like another beating was coming.

But even if beaten, Li Banfeng wouldn't eat that bowl of rice.

Mixing sand into good rice was deliberate humiliation!

Seeing Li Banfeng's stubbornness, Old Bitter Lady didn't beat him.

She pulled a bitter green from her sleeve: "You're still not fit to endure hardship. If you won't eat rice, eat this vegetable."

Chu Er crouched on the ground, tugging at Li Banfeng's pant leg.

Seventh Master, I beg you—eat it. Don't keep tempting death.

PS: Why force him to eat the vegetable?

(End of Chapter)