[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-31":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Proles",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2290329,4478,"Chapter 31: Copper Lotus, what are you doing?","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>At dusk, the herbalists left the open area and headed to the next location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their departure proved the snake-spot chrysanthemums here had been mostly harvested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Smoke Cannon sucked his pipe, exhaled a plume of smoke, and kept following the herbalists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After trudging over an hour, they finally found a second good spot with the herbalists—a relatively sparse forest, more remote, with even more flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with more flowers, everyone’s efficiency dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist on Kuwu Mountain was eroding everyone, including the herbalists; all grew weak and sluggish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fatty was affected least; Li Banfeng was affected most—he felt numbness in his limbs and his vision blurred in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By nightfall, the night mist thickened further, making their situation even more dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peach Girl had a pocket watch; it was past nine, and she too was barely holding on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s retreat, shall we? We’ve already broken even on this trip.” Peach Girl had gathered thirty-five snake-spot chrysanthemums, worth two thousand nine hundred seventy-five yuan—truly enough to break even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had gathered two more than Peach Girl, matching his expectation, and he felt if they didn’t descend soon, their lives would be in danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fatty refused to leave; he’d gathered the fewest flowers—only sixteen—worth over a thousand three hundred yuan at the herbalists’ posted price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deducting all expenses along the way, would he still make a profit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d still make a profit, just a small one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fatty wasn’t satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snake-spot chrysanthemums here were clearly easier to find than at the first spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Fatty’s physical condition was clearly better than everyone else’s; by his own estimate, he could hold out until dawn without issue—this was the perfect moment to push harder, gather more, earn more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He refused to leave; Little Leaf refused too, relying on various medicinal candies to sustain her, her body showing no major ill effects yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Smoke Cannon smoked two more pipes; in his words, as long as he had tobacco, he could endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since none of them left, Peach Girl stayed too—she too felt unwilling to give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her waist sway, those two peach-like curves nearly motionless, Li Banfeng truly wanted to urge her to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no strength to speak; under intense dizziness, saying even a few words might make him vomit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he barely knew Peach Girl—he was more worried about Fatty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fatty stubbornly refused to leave, so Li Banfeng descended alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, Little Leaf stepped forward and warned: “Brother Baisha, if you’re a Wu Xiu, you must rest at least half a month after returning—Wu Xiu bodies are weak and suffer the most from this toxic mist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re from another Dao sect, you’ll still need at least three to five days of rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re a Zhai Xiu, then forget what I just said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng was just catching the key point when Peach Girl interrupted: “Sis, what’s wrong with Zhai Xiu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Leaf widened her eyes: “Sister, are you a Zhai Xiu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peach Girl smiled: “I was just asking out of curiosity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Leaf lowered her voice: “Even a Zhai Xiu without a Zhai Spirit can neutralize the poison by sleeping seven or eight hours in their residence; if they have a Zhai Spirit, they don’t even need seven or eight hours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the power of a Zhai Xiu—as long as they return to their residence, they fear nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peach Girl sighed softly: “If only I were a Zhai Xiu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Leaf shook her head: “Sister, Zhai Xiu rarely venture out—so are you really…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Little Leaf kept staring at Peach Girl, clearly intrigued by her sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peach Girl patted Little Leaf’s cheek: “After we finish this job, come visit my residence—you’ll find out if I’m a Zhai Xiu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had no patience for this chatter; he leaned close to Fatty and warned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stay here and keep gathering flowers. Don’t move locations. Gather a few more, then descend immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fatty nodded vaguely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t change locations—there were indeed plenty of flowers here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wouldn’t leave easily—he planned to endure until morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gold-Rimmed Glasses had said: snake-spot chrysanthemums bloom at unpredictable times, but always last a full day and night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flowers opened around seven this morning; they wouldn’t wither until seven tomorrow morning. This night, they’d surely yield another twenty blooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Descending after dawn means enduring a few days of vomiting and diarrhea, but a couple good meals will make up for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him focus on gathering flowers, Li Banfeng left the forest, hid his key in a secluded spot on the trail, and returned to his personal residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t descend—the advice from Little Leaf had reminded him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose to recover first inside his residence; once sufficiently restored, he’d descend—otherwise, he might face disaster on the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was wrong with this journey—seriously wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t trust Gold-Rimmed Glasses, though most of his actions seemed reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone else’s behavior was also reasonable—a group of strangers offering mutual support within reasonable limits was a wise choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing wasn’t reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d been attacked three times by the same person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Kuwu Mountain, everyone wanted snake-spot chrysanthemums; being robbed was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But being robbed three times by the same person? That wasn’t reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first encounter with the bald man on the path was coincidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second encounter on the mountain trail—what was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the third time, when the bald man came again to steal flowers—how do you explain that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling it coincidence no longer holds water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bald man must be following our group—but how is he tracking us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Kuwu Mountain, visibility is terrible; tracking someone is extremely difficult. Without Old Smoke Cannon, this group couldn’t have kept up with the herbalists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this bald man followed us the whole way—could one of them be a skilled tracker?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or did someone leave marks for him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng unslung his sack, tossed it aside, and lay flat in his residence, trying to reconstruct the events—but searing pain across his body prevented focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt too much. This mist on Kuwu Mountain was deadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dizziness paired with pain made Li Banfeng want to vomit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—he couldn’t vomit inside his residence. Not on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This room had no ventilation; if he vomited on the ground, the stench would linger for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t hold it in!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng tore open the sack, spilled out the snake-spot chrysanthemums, and used the sack to vomit—emptying his stomach, even the bitter bile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After vomiting clean, he felt better, tied the sack shut, tossed it aside, and collapsed onto the floor, falling into deep sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slept for an unknown length of time before suddenly waking to a strange odor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside his residence, besides dust, there should be no other scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it the scent of snake-spot chrysanthemums?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Kuwu Mountain, he hadn’t noticed any special smell from these chrysanthemums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist on Kuwu Mountain must have masked their scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, back in his residence, with no other odors interfering, he smelled them again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be the snake-spot chrysanthemums—he detected a unique floral fragrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d nearly forgotten: Little Leaf said these flowers were poisonous! Eat one, and you’re dead!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was the fragrance itself poisonous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng froze in alarm and sat up quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snake-spot chrysanthemums had been carelessly scattered across the room—he had to find a safe place to store them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out a match, lit a candle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, after sleeping, his pain was gone, his dizziness vanished—he felt nearly fully restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next moment, his scalp prickled, as if electric currents rolled from his forehead to the back of his skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where are my snake-spot chrysanthemums?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thirty-seven painstakingly gathered snake-spot chrysanthemums—where did they go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single one remained!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing the flowers meant losing the money—but that wasn’t the worst part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only I can enter this residence—so who stole the flowers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could I have eaten them myself while sleepwalking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t eat these things!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng searched everywhere—but not a single petal remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candle’s light was limited; he hadn’t noticed his feet and tripped over something, stumbling hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned the candle back and saw it was the copper lotus on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait—is this the copper lotus?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The copper lotus had always been on the floor, its position unchanged—but its condition was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had bloomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng saw the flower’s center, saw the lotus pod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the pod was a single seed—fully ripe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng carefully peeled off the lotus seed, and the lotus flower immediately closed, nearly trapping his finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale green lotus seed trembled gently in the center of Li Banfeng’s palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had no idea where the lotus seed came from or what to do with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the lotus seed swelled, expanding to the size of a fist, then burst with a loud pop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng flinched and quickly pulled his hand back; eight beads fell from the shattered seed, each the size of a thumbnail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng picked up one of the beads, examined it—it had a white base with black spots, as if inlaid with some kind of scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Salad has decided—tomorrow’s chapter will be an extra long one. Dear readers, give Salad some strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1552,"2026-06-20T03:43:13.043Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","126f14e5a7b436319ccd350f89cc3b8606b124087315db0b3225eb1256b01e09","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-32","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-30",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]