Chapter 35

The little fatty looked at the bald man's corpse; the skullcap was gone, brains were flowing everywhere, which was a bit off-putting: "Brother Li, why are you so ruthless, always making your move on the skullcap?"

Li Banfeng explained: "I'm soft-hearted, I can't bear to hit their vital points. The skullcap is hard and can take it; if I hit other places, I'm afraid they'll be in pain."

Isn't the skullcap a vital point?

What kind of twisted logic is this?

Qin Xiaopang felt his comprehension wasn't enough and didn't understand Li Qi's thoughts. He looked at the two women lying in the woods; Mao Caoye was crying, and he didn't know what Oil Peach's condition was.

Oil Peach was still alive.

Mao Caoye gave Oil Peach two pills, and Oil Peach gradually became able to move.

She couldn't believe the scene before her eyes was real.

The bald man and his three subordinates, four people in total, were just taken care of by Bai Sha and Xiaopang like this?

How high was the cultivation base of these two young people?

Oil Peach asked Mao Caoye, but Mao Caoye couldn't explain it clearly either; she was terrified and hadn't seen the fight between the two sides at all.

Not only could they not figure it out, Xiaopang couldn't figure it out either.

The entire battle lasted too short a time; the group of six with gold-rimmed glasses disappeared in the blink of an eye, and Xiaopang didn't even have time to think about the process.

What kind of sects did these six people belong to? What kind of methods did they have?

Except for one Martial Cultivator with his own armor, Xiaopang had no impression of the others' methods because Li Banfeng didn't give them a chance to make a move at all.

Xiaopang had always felt that the man with gold-rimmed glasses was the most insidious person he had ever met.

Looking at Li Banfeng, Xiaopang was a bit uncertain whether the man with gold-rimmed glasses could be considered insidious.

The bald man and his three followers had snatched many people's snake-spotted chrysanthemums, totaling one hundred and seventy-six, including Oil Peach's thirty-eight and Mao Caoye's sixty-one.

Being able to save their lives, Oil Peach and Mao Caoye were very grateful. They didn't expect to get their flowers back, but Li Banfeng still returned them.

The remaining seventy-seven, plus Old Lao Yanpao's ninety-one, were split equally between Li Banfeng and Xiaopang.

Qin Xiaopang stared blankly at Old Lao Yanpao's corpse.

Old Lao Yanpao had saved his life; otherwise, Xiaopang would inevitably have died at the hands of the Tiger Bai Bai Gaozi. Regardless of what purpose Old Lao Yanpao had at the time, the grace of saving his life was real, and Xiaopang didn't want to leave him exposed in the wilderness.

Li Banfeng handed the shovel to Xiaopang: "Move quickly, we should head down the mountain."

While Xiaopang was digging the pit, Li Banfeng carefully searched the corpses of the bald man and his followers.

The bald man had over a thousand yuan on him, and the followers had three to five hundred yuan each, totaling over two thousand two hundred yuan.

Oil Peach and Mao Caoye had suffered losses, so Li Banfeng gave them three hundred yuan each as comfort. Li Banfeng and Xiaopang kept eight hundred each from the remaining money.

The bald man's knife was a good weapon, which Li Banfeng kept for himself. The three followers' weapons were very ordinary, so Li Banfeng let the others choose for themselves.

As for what else was on the man with gold-rimmed glasses and the Tiger Bai Bai Gaozi, that would have to wait until they returned to the Leaving Suishenju to handle. These two people were taken down entirely by Li Banfeng himself, so Li Banfeng decided to keep their belongings for himself.

Xiaopang buried Old Lao Yanpao, carried Oil Peach on his back, and the four of them headed down the mountain together.

Walking on the mountain road, a bloody smell emanated from Oil Peach, making Xiaopang sniff his nose repeatedly.

"You don't look like a Martial Cultivator," Xiaopang expressed deep doubt about Oil Peach's sect, "Martial Cultivators can all take a beating, how did you let them hurt you like this?"

Mao Caoye knew the inside story and didn't speak; a sect was a cultivator's secret.

But unexpectedly, Oil Peach didn't hide it and smiled: "I'm a Joy Cultivator. We're just passing acquaintances, so I didn't tell you the truth at first."

"So you're a Joy Cultivator," Xiaopang sighed, "It looks like those bastards got a bargain."

According to Xiaopang's speculation, Oil Peach falling into the hands of the bald man's group definitely wouldn't be as simple as just getting a beating.

"They didn't get a bargain; they wanted to save me for their boss," Oil Peach gave a bitter smile, "If they had dared to touch me, that would be fine. Standing up, I can't beat them, but lying down, not one of them would survive."

Li Banfeng sneered: "You're hurt like this, and you still don't forgive them with your mouth."

"You say I'm bragging? My skills aren't bragged out. Aren't you a Joy Cultivator too? Why don't we compare notes." Oil Peach looked at Li Banfeng with ambiguous eyes.

Li Banfeng looked at Qin Xiaopang: "I have a partner."

Qin Xiaopang looked at Mao Caoye: "I'm a Food Cultivator, I can eat a lot."

Oil Peach sighed and looked at Li Banfeng: "We've been picking chrysanthemums all the way, don't you want to change the taste? I think flat is better than round."

Mao Caoye blushed from her cheeks to the roots of her neck.

Li Banfeng just wanted to speak, but saw Qin Xiaopang explain to Mao Caoye: "I'm a Food Cultivator, really a Food Cultivator, I can eat a lot. I'll treat you to a meal in a while, and then eat for you to see."

The four walked to the foot of the mountain, and Oil Peach took out her pocket watch to look; it was already eight o'clock.

They had traveled more than twenty li back and forth on the mountain. Li Banfeng had sensed it long ago; his basic cultivation as a traveling cultivator was already enough, and not only enough, but with quite a bit to spare.

Bitter Wushan was a dangerous place. According to Li Banfeng's feeling, walking one li here was equivalent to walking three to five li in Ligou Town. Not only was his basic cultivation enough, but he should have also accumulated two more days of time.

In Li Banfeng's impression, dangerous places seemed to have special significance for him.

What significance was it?

Li Banfeng was dizzy from the poisonous fog and couldn't remember for a moment.

He slept in the house last night, and his homework as a Residential Cultivator was also enough.

If he couldn't remember, then he wouldn't think about it. What he needed to do now was to quickly trade the snake-spotted chrysanthemums for money and buy a train ticket back to Yuezhou.

As for how to trade specifically, Li Banfeng was still thinking.

He definitely wouldn't sell the flowers directly; Li Banfeng wanted to sell elixir.

This would depend on the strength of the copper lotus.

Crossing Wuhui Bridge and walking out of the range of the poisonous fog, the four breathed the fresh air desperately.

Oil Peach vomited twice, and Qin Xiaopang sat by the bridge panting, sweat dripping from his pale face.

Mao Caoye took out all her cooling powder and distributed it to everyone to take. After resting for more than half an hour, Oil Peach stood up and could barely walk on her own.

Cultivators' physical fitness was indeed good, but fast healing of external injuries didn't mean the poisonous fog in the body could be cleared so quickly.

Everyone walked staggeringly, very difficultly. Even Li Banfeng, who hadn't been out of the house for long, felt his feet a bit weak.

Mao Caoye urged everyone: "Brothers and sisters, when you get home, be sure to rest well for a period of time. This poisonous fog is very damaging to the body, so don't be careless."

Li Banfeng sighed: "For these few thousand yuan, is it worth it?"

Oil Peach hummed: "If you were rich, you wouldn't need to come here and risk your life with us. We're all cheap-lived people, yet we still talk about these useless things."

Qin Xiaopang looked at Oil Peach: "We risk our lives because we have no capital. With your looks and figure, do you still need to risk your life? There are plenty of men willing to support you for a lifetime."

"Old lady doesn't need others to support her!" Oil Peach snorted coldly, "Old lady can not only support herself but also earn money to support my partner."

Li Banfeng frowned: "Your partner still needs you to support her?"

"Old lady is willing, old lady has this ability!" Oil Peach rolled her eyes at Li Banfeng, "If you could support your partner, would you still let her come out and risk her life with you?"

Xiaopang was sweating on his head: "I'm a Food Cultivator, how can I explain this to you..."

"I know you're a Food Cultivator, this isn't anything shameful," Oil Peach smiled, "My partner isn't a Joy Cultivator either, she's a Residential Cultivator."

Mao Caoye suddenly realized: "No wonder sister asked me about Residential Cultivators. This is indeed difficult for sister; Residential Cultivators aren't convenient to go out and earn money."

"Earning money is secondary," Oil Peach shook her head, "She's a girl, I don't want her to show her face."

Li Banfeng suddenly realized: "So your partner is a girl."

Everyone nodded: "So it's a girl."

Walking a few more steps, Li Banfeng turned his face and looked at Oil Peach: "Your partner is a girl!"

"Can't she be? What's wrong with being a girl?" Oil Peach frowned slightly, "You think round is better than flat, I think flat is better than long, is there anything wrong with that?"

Li Banfeng nodded: "There's nothing wrong with that."

Oil Peach turned her face and pinched Mao Caoye's cheek: "Do you think sister is right?"

"Sister, that, right..." Mao Caoye distanced herself from Oil Peach.

Qin Xiaopang's expression was a bit dazed: "I'm that, a Food Cultivator."

Pedestrians on the road gradually increased. Li Banfeng became vigilant; he was worried someone would come to snatch the flowers.

He suspected this was a place with absolutely no legal constraints.

Oil Peach looked quite relaxed: "Don't worry, once you reach the foot of the mountain, you have to follow the rules, at least you can't do it openly, otherwise don't think about gaining a foothold in Yaowang Valley in the future!"

In the thick fog, flags of various colors were displayed.

The major pharmacies were right before their eyes; the time to earn money had arrived.

Qin Xiaopang and Oil Peach's eyes were both shining, and even the shy Mao Caoye couldn't hide her excitement.

The shopkeepers of each pharmacy had set up stalls to collect flowers, but when they walked up to the stalls, Li Banfeng heard bursts of arguing.

"Twenty-five yuan? Do you think you're collecting cabbage?"

What was twenty-five yuan?

Mao Caoye looked at the snake-spotted chrysanthemums in the bag, unable to believe it was true.

Qin Xiaopang went up to inquire about the news, and after a while, walked back, gritting his teeth.

"Let's go, let's go! We're not selling!"

People around also shouted: "Not selling! We won't sell even if it rots in our hands!"

"This is too bullying, we absolutely cannot sell!"

The shopkeeper of the Liu family pharmacy, baring a mouthful of yellow teeth, smiled and said: "If you don't sell, then forget it. If you think I'm giving too little, go to another shop and see."

Other pharmacies were the same. The boss lady of the Chu family pharmacy, while tidying up the powder on her face, said: "Twenty-five yuan a stalk, this is the price this year. If you want to sell, do it early; if not, I'm closing the stall."

Why did it become twenty-five a stalk?

Wasn't it eighty-five a stalk?

The situation was like this.

Several major pharmacies sent people up the mountain and found a cliff with patches of snake-spotted chrysanthemums growing on it.

They collected these snake-spotted chrysanthemums and each pharmacy got over a thousand stalks.

With these thousand-plus stalks as a base, the pharmacies weren't panicked and discussed together to suppress the price.

But this suppression was too ruthless.

Twenty-five yuan a stalk, four flowers to refine one snake-spotted elixir, cost one hundred, sell for ten thousand—a hundredfold profiteering.

Oil Peach sat on the ground, not speaking for a long time.

Mao Caoye lowered her head, tears couldn't help but fall.

Xiaopang stomped his feet in anger: "I won't sell, I just won't sell! I don't believe I can't find other buyers."

"Don't say such angry words!" Oil Peach gritted her teeth, "If you don't sell to them, who else can you sell to? All the major pharmacies in Yaowang Valley are here!"

Qin Xiaopang widened his eyes: "Then we won't sell in Yaowang Valley, we'll go further away!"

Oil Peach sneered: "What nonsense are you talking about? Where else can you go? Have you ever been out of Yaowang Valley?"

Qin Xiaopang sat on the ground: "Then I'll wait for the peddler!"

"Wait for the peddler?" Oil Peach gave a bitter smile, "That guy with glasses said that once picked, snake-spotted chrysanthemums rot in less than a day. If you don't sell them today, they won't be worth a cent tomorrow."

Qin Xiaopang hummed: "That guy with glasses wasn't a good person either."

Mao Caoye sobbed: "What he said is true, tomorrow these flowers will really rot, they won't be of any use."

Oil Peach sighed: "Forget it, sell them. Earning a little is better than nothing. I have thirty-eight flowers here, which can sell for nearly a thousand yuan, better than nothing. We just have this cheap life!"

"Anyway, I'm not selling!" Xiaopang threw his bag on the ground, getting angrier the more he thought about it.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly looked at Li Banfeng.

He leaned close to Li Banfeng and asked in a low voice: "Brother Li, is that elixir still there?"

Li Banfeng nodded and handed a snake-spotted elixir to Xiaopang.

Xiaopang looked around, took everyone to a quiet place, and showed the snake-spotted elixir to Mao Caoye: "Little sister, take a look and see if this is real?"

Mao Caoye was a Medicine Cultivator; she couldn't refine snake-spotted elixir, but she could tell the real from the fake.

After looking for a moment, Mao Caoye widened her eyes: "Brother Fatty, this really is snake-spotted elixir. Where did this come from?"

Xiaopang looked at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng said: "I saw an old lady on the mountain. She said she would trade elixir for my chrysanthemums—one elixir for ten flowers."

"Ten flowers?" Mao Caoye didn't believe it was true, and Oil Peach didn't believe it either.

Ten flowers could only refine two elixirs; this old lady only earned double?

The pharmacies here were earning a hundred times!

"Is this elixir fake..." Mao Caoye didn't quite trust her own eyes anymore.

Xiaopang said angrily: "Didn't you just say it was real?"

"I was afraid I saw it wrong. How can there be such a price in the world? I think I'd better..." Mao Caoye looked at the pharmacy's flag.

"I believe you!" Oil Peach gave her bag to Li Banfeng, "You gave me my life, and you gave me the flowers. Whether it's real or fake, I believe you! Even if I lose everything, I accept it!"

Xiaopang also gave his bag to Li Banfeng.

Mao Caoye hesitated for a moment, then handed her bag to Li Banfeng.

Xiaopang looked back at Bitter Wushan: "I don't know if that old lady is still on the mountain. Brother Li, can you help us..."

Asking Li Banfeng to go back to Bitter Wushan, Xiaopang also felt bad: "Brother Li, I'll go with you."

Li Banfeng shrugged his eyebrows: "I'll go try my luck, don't follow and add to the chaos."

Li Banfeng returned the way he came, and in the depths of the thick fog, opened the Leaving Suishenju.

He knew there were risks in doing this, which might invite unnecessary suspicion.

But if he kept holding onto the snake-spotted chrysanthemums without selling, he would also be suspected.

When he sold the snake-spotted elixir in the future, Li Banfeng had no connections and no helpers, which would likely bring more trouble.

Looking at the faces of that group of people from the pharmacy, it was hard to say what they would do. Li Banfeng really didn't want to sell the snake-spotted elixir to the pharmacy.

Help Xiaopang and the others, and see if he could ask for other ways.

Anyway, after finishing this business, I'll return to Yuezhou, and I'll never come to this place again, and I'll never meet this group of people again.

Entering the Leaving Suishenju, Li Banfeng held the snake-spotted chrysanthemums, just wanting to see how this copper lotus opened, but discovered the copper lotus had already opened.

On top of the seven-holed lotus heart, there were three lotus seeds.

Where did these three lotus seeds come from?

Li Banfeng was stunned.

He held a candle and looked around, discovering that some things seemed to be missing in the room.

What was missing?

Where did the corpses of the man with gold-rimmed glasses and the Tiger Bai Bai Gaozi go?

PS: Two chapters today, nine thousand words. Shala doesn't want to split the chapters too much, as that affects the reading experience.

(End of chapter)