Chapter 439: Girl, Are You Alive?

Hong Ying had no eyes, yet she wrote the character " Jian " with perfect accuracy.

Out of respect for Hong Ying, Li Banfeng didn't even wipe himself, asking softly: "Yingying, I'd like to ask about growing flesh."

Hong Ying laughed: "Thinking of my flesh? Do you like peaches or conscience? Your wicked wife can't grow any, can she? Now you're worried?"

Li Banfeng answered honestly: "This matter is indeed urgent."

"Fine, I'll teach you. Call me wife, and I'll teach you."

"Easy!" Li Banfeng pondered long, strained his muscles, and squeezed out a sound from his throat: "Yingying."

"I told you to call me wife!"

"Then, uh, precious Yingying."

"I said call me wife!"

The phonograph in the main chamber said: "Precious husband, just call her wife. Little servant isn't angry."

Li Banfeng took a deep breath, stared at Hong Ying for a long time, and still said nothing.

He couldn't say it.

Anything else was fine, but "wife" was only one.

Hong Ying gnashed her teeth: "Enough! I won't pressure you. I don't even understand how flesh grows—ask our old master!"

Li Banfeng rushed to the third wing and smiled: "Old master, about growing flesh..."

Suishenju sneered: "Come empty-handed and expect to learn? Are you shameless?"

Li Banfeng slapped his chest, raised his head: "I'll make it up later. I never ask for favors without repayment. Old master, name your price."

"Get me two lengths of railway track."

Li Banfeng lowered his head again: "Old master, you're making this hard. Can you just snap your fingers and get them?"

"Put it on credit. You won't learn this flesh-growing technique—it's blocked by a door."

"Bring Honglian here. Let her figure something out."

Is Honglian not blocked by a door?

Li Banfeng went to the ninth wing, hugged Honglian: "Ahlian, I've neglected you these days."

Honglian sprouted dew all over her body, drenching Li Banfeng's face.

To show sincerity, Li Banfeng didn't wipe it off!

He let the dew dry on his skin and carried Honglian to the third wing.

Suishenju told Honglian: "I'll explain the technique's principles. See if you can formulate a pill recipe."

No one knew how they communicated, but after over ten minutes, Honglian produced two lotus seeds.

The first seed exploded, and Li Banfeng received a Xuan Yun Pill.

It was forged from Guo the Metropolitan Graduate's corpse.

Again this thing.

Say it's bad—it's truly a rare treasure.

Say it's good—Li Banfeng can't use it yet.

Li Banfeng thought a moment, then asked: "Is this for Qiubrother?"

Honglian seemed to say something, but Li Banfeng couldn't hear it.

Suishenju translated: "This is for you. Qiuye can't use it. She wants you to look at the other seed."

Li Banfeng handed the Xuan Yun Pill to his wife for safekeeping and peeled open the second seed.

The seed exploded, and Li Banfeng saw the pill formula.

It listed one hundred thirty-two herbs, each requiring two jin.

"Open a pharmacy?" Li Banfeng couldn't hold back—Honglian clearly didn't want to reveal the formula.

Honglian closed her lotus leaves, as if sulking at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng needed her help, so he held his tongue and returned to his wife to ask about the Three Trials.

"Precious wife, the first trial is Soul Departure, the second is Rebirth—what's the third?"

"The third is Holding the Land. After Rebirth, you must find your position through your territory. The larger and more familiar the territory, the faster you find your position.

Qiuye must reclaim her position through Wuqinxiang to stabilize her cultivation base and then her soul. Any slight unfamiliarity, and she fails. Is she familiar with Wuqinxiang?"

Li Banfeng fell silent again.

Aside from killing Qiao Shaofen, Qiuye had never been to Wuqinxiang—she disliked its atmosphere.

Besides, Wuqinxiang's territory is small—only three thousand square miles, far smaller than her original territory.

Li Banfeng worried: "Precious wife, these three trials are too hard!"

His wife sighed: "I'd say less than one percent chance. Husband, the stakes are too high, the odds too slim—find another way."

There was no better way.

There was no time to think.

Neizhou could strike at any moment. Qiuye's life hung by a thread—she could vanish in an instant.

Li Banfeng left Suishenju and found Qiuye.

Qiuye was half-drunk, about to head home and sleep, when Li Banfeng said: "Qiubrother, I've thought of an idea. I don't know if it'll work, but if you trust me, let's gamble. Here's how..."

Li Banfeng explained the Three Trials to Qiuye, knowing the logic was hard to grasp—he made every detail as plain as possible.

After explaining, Li Banfeng asked: "Brother, anything unclear?"

Qiuye rubbed his nose: "It's just the Three Trials, right? What were they again?"

Li Banfeng blinked: "Brother, how much did you drink?"

Qiuye waved his hand: "Forget the trials—I'll follow your lead."

"To make this work, we must dig up your contract. This is a matter of life and death—you must decide yourself."

Qiuye wasn't afraid: "Dig it out! Either way, I'm dead. I trust you."

Since he'd decided, they began preparing.

"Qiubrother, go to Wuqinxiang first. Walk its territory, get familiar with it—get as familiar as you can."

"Old Seven, give me two days. I'll know Wuqinxiang inside out."

"Two days?"

"Two days isn't long—I barely ever went there before."

This couldn't be rushed. Li Banfeng hoped Neizhou wouldn't strike in these two days—then the third trial still had hope.

Li Banfeng first found Ma Wu and gave him the formula: "Buy me these herbs."

Ma Wu froze: "Buy all this? Planning to open a pharmacy?"

"I am indeed planning to."

Back at Suishenju, Li Banfeng told the old master: "I'm going to Zhengjing Village."

"What for?"

"To learn the Soul Departure technique."

Suishenju was puzzled—did anyone in Zhengjing Village know the Soul Departure technique?

But he didn't ask further. Li Banfeng imagined Zhengjing Village's appearance—and opened the door, and he was there.

Leaving Suishenju, Li Banfeng didn't enter the village but walked deep into the new land, slowly, covering over seventy li. Ahead, through thick fog, a city appeared.

Passing through the gate, a man approached and barked: "Where from? Paid the gate fee?"

"Gate fee?" Li Banfeng sneered. "Who are you fooling? Think I'm an outsider?"

The man blinked: "You're not an outsider?"

"I'm Tang Changfa, owner of Changsan Shuyu."

When leaving Fool's City, Sun Tiecheng had given Li Banfeng a business—the Changsan Shuyu—and entrusted it to Tang Changfa for temporary management.

The man sized up Li Banfeng: "Lies. I know Tang Changfa—he doesn't look like you."

Li Banfeng frowned: "I just swapped out my flesh and blood."

"What do you mean, 'changed flesh and blood'?" The man felt a chill run through him.

"Do you really not know, or are you pretending? Must I spell it out?"

"Who has time for your nonsense!" The man turned and walked away.

Knowing you're dead yet believing you're alive—only Fool's City people do this best.

Everyone here firmly believes they're alive, and believes it utterly.

It's caused by Fool Cultivation Technique. As Sun Tiecheng said, by convincing yourself with absolute certainty, you achieve it.

But Qiuye isn't a Fool Cultivator—how can he convince himself? How can he make death seem alive?

The first trial is too hard. Qiuye alone can't complete it. Li Banfeng must help him—but how? That needs serious study.

Studying alone won't help—he must investigate firsthand. Qiuye needs time to familiarize himself with his territory; this is the perfect time to learn the technique in Fool's City.

How much he learns, how deeply he applies it—depends on Li Banfeng's ability and Qiuye's luck.

Wandering Fool's City is extremely dangerous. Li Banfeng must quickly find his own territory—Changsan Shuyu.

Li Banfeng had never been to Changsan Shuyu. Sun Tiecheng had only given a rough direction.

He didn't ask for directions—in Fool's City, asking directions is like delivering yourself to the butcher. Li Banfeng followed the streets, groping his way.

A fortune-teller stepped forward: "Young man, you're doomed by bloodshed!"

Li Banfeng drew his sickle: "If you're right, I'm here to kill you."

The fortune-teller ran.

Li Banfeng continued walking forward when a hotel attendant stepped out to greet him: "Sir, are you staying the night?"

Li Banfeng asked: "How much?"

"Top room, eight silver dollars a night."

Li Banfeng extended his hand: "Give me the money."

The attendant blinked in confusion: "You're staying here, and you expect me to pay you?"

Li Banfeng drew Tang Dao: "I'm not staying. I'm robbing you."

"Goodbye, sir," the attendant said, then ran off.

Though Li Banfeng appeared aggressive, he dared not say much to them.

These people were inferior to Li Banfeng in cultivation base, but in Foolish Cultivation techniques, they were all seniors.

Foolish Cultivation methods ignored rank; a few more words could trap Li Banfeng in their logic.

After walking over half an hour, Li Banfeng found Chang San Shuyu.

A girl stepped out to greet him, wearing a emerald-green qipao embroidered with magpies heralding spring, her long hair tied back with a hairpin, her forehead adorned with gentle waves of curls, her features exquisitely delicate—though her powder was thick, obscuring her skin tone.

"Sir, come in and sit," the girl said, taking Li Banfeng's arm into the Shuyu and pouring him tea first.

Li Banfeng smiled: "Miss, what should I call you?"

"Your humble servant's name is Yan Hong."

"May I ask your rate?"

"Oh, sir, you really are," the girl scolded playfully, "you come to a Shuyu and ask about price? That ruins the scholar's elegance."

"My apologies. How much tuition do you charge for lessons here?"

The girl laughed and sat on Li Banfeng's lap: "Sir, this is a Chang San Shuyu—tea, wine, and overnight stay, all three silver dollars."

Li Banfeng pulled out ten silver dollars and placed them in her hand.

The girl panicked: "Oh my, sir, you give me so much—I don't know how to serve you properly!"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "No need for service. Just answer a few questions: are you alive or dead?"

The girl frowned: "Sir, why ask such a thing? Of course I'm alive."

"How do you know you're alive?"

"I have flesh and blood, I'm sitting here breathing—obviously alive."

"How did your flesh and skin attach to your body?"

The girl stood up, glaring at Li Banfeng: "Are you here to cause trouble?"

Li Banfeng pulled another ten silver dollars from his sleeve: "I just want to ask a few things."

The girl snapped: "So what if you have money? Does money let you act like a brute here?"

Her shout drew many girls from inside the Shuyu, peering out.

Tang Chang, who managed the Shuyu, stepped out holding a stick: "Who dares cause trouble here?"

Yan Hong pointed at Li Banfeng: "It's this man!"

Tang Chang stared at Li Banfeng for a moment, then swung his stick and struck Yan Hong's buttocks.

Yan Hong rubbed her buttocks, eyes red: "Why hit me? He's the one causing trouble!"

Tang Chang roared: "This is our shopkeeper—how dare you say he's causing trouble? You've got a skin itch, that's what!"

He swung a few more blows; Yan Hong clutched her buttocks, tears welling, silent.

Li Banfeng stopped Tang Chang: "Don't hit the girl. I only asked her a few questions."

Tang Chang dropped the stick and smiled: "Shopkeeper, she knows nothing. Ask me instead."

"Fine. Then answer me: are you alive?"

Tang Chang chuckled: "Of course I am!"

"How do you know you're alive?"

"Can a dead man talk to you?"

That made perfect sense.

"How did your flesh and skin attach to your body?"

"Grew on my bones since birth!"

Tang Chang's smile never faded; his answers flowed smoothly—he was of a different level, no matter how you probed, he didn't lose composure.

This had everything to do with cultivation base.

Learning from the person with the highest cultivation base yielded the highest success rate.

Was Tang Chang the one with the highest cultivation base here?

That couldn't be concluded hastily.

Li Banfeng called down all the other girls, lining them up, and questioned each one.

"Miss, what's your name?"

"I'm Yan Cui'er."

"Are you alive?"

Yan Cui'er replied, wounded: "I'm alive."

She was already hurt after just one question—far inferior to Tang Chang; her cultivation base was weak.

Li Banfeng asked the next: "Miss, what's your name?"

"I'm Yan Qing'er."

"Are you alive?"

Yan Qing'er answered: "Yes."

Though her face was expressionless, her tone carried sorrow—her cultivation base was still below Tang Chang's.

Li Banfeng asked the next: "Brother, what's your name?"

"I'm Sun Tiecheng."

"Are you alive?"

Sun Tiecheng replied: "What the hell do you want?"

PS: Sun Tiecheng showed up way too suddenly.

(End of Chapter)