Chapter 449: The Most Exhausted Local God

Back at Yan Sha Zhai, Tan Fu was crouching by the door, eating noodles with a group of beggars; broth had spilled on his clothes, and he casually wiped it off with the Book of Surnames.

Li Li Banfeng blinked: "You used a book to wipe your hands?"

Tan Fu didn't care: "Didn't have a handkerchief, made do."

Why did his attitude change so fast? Yesterday he was ready to chop off his fingers just for sneezing.

"You've greased up the book—how are you going to read it later?"

"I won't read it!" Tan Fu shook his head. "Too tiring. I've lived half my life without books—didn't do me any harm."

Scritch~

A nearby beggar tore out a page and used it to wipe his mouth.

Li Li Banfeng wanted to return to his room but saw Xiao Yeci in the corridor; she had dressed simply and was about to take Lu Lu Chunying out.

"Aren't you reading today?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "No more. Too many books—gives me a headache. Finally got out, I want to take Nannan for a walk. Sir, want to come along?"

"You go. I'll sleep."

Lu Lu Yuanxin stepped out of his room to escort Xiao Yeci and her daughter; seeing they were still far off, he lowered his voice to Li Li Banfeng: "Seventh Master, something feels off. This morning I suddenly felt like reading—read a few pages, then couldn't focus anymore."

Li Li Banfeng smiled: "Maybe you've just forgotten how."

Lu Lu Yuanxin shook his head. "I think someone used a technique."

Lu Lu Chunying urged Lu Lu Yuanxin to hurry; Li Li Banfeng called out: "Watch your step."

He He Yuxiu once said that when Lu Lu Yuanxin gets serious, he's like Lu Lu Dongjun—but different in key ways. He's smarter than Lu Lu Dongjun.

From their behavior, Li Li Banfeng understood the meaning of the three lines on the scroll.

"The blind should feel shame" referred to men like Tan Fu—illiterate, ashamed of their ignorance.

"The literate should strive" referred to scholars like Xiao Yeci—in Ink Fragrance Shop, they became diligent and driven.

"All people should study literature" referred to ordinary folk who weren't illiterate—they developed a desire to study cultivation through literature in Ink Fragrance Shop.

These three lines were the order of Ink Fragrance Shop.

The one who controlled this order was the local god of Ink Fragrance Shop; Murong Gui had repeatedly written these lines to reinforce the order.

Exhausted from battling Ge Ge Junma, Murong Gui had temporarily ignored "All people should study literature," pouring more energy into the fight—so Lu Lu Yuanxin was unaffected at first.

Last night, Ge Ge Junma was wounded and no longer threatened Murong Gui; Murong Gui reestablished the order of "All people should study literature," which affected Lu Lu Yuanxin—this morning, he wanted to read.

Li Li Banfeng wasn't affected because his level was too high; if he stayed longer, he'd likely end up like Lu Lu Yuanxin.

The recent fierce battle forced Murong Gui to abandon all order and fight full force—this restored everyone to normal.

Such a fragile order.

Murong Gui maintained the realm's order this way—Li Li Banfeng had never seen a more exhausted local god.

Could he have collapsed from overwork?

"Abi, why is there such an exhausted local god?"

The Judge's Pen slowly replied: "Reading is tiring. No other way."

Back in Leaving Suishenju, Li Li Banfeng lay on the bed, closing his eyes to rest.

The glove drifted to his ear, wagging its index finger: "Master, you're not related to him, and this local god's a child. You've done enough."

The gourd added: "Little brother, let's go. I don't want to stay here."

The teapot sighed: "Kucaizhuang is better than this place."

The projector said: "This place has no art."

Even the usually silent scythe spoke: "The people here are annoying."

True enough—the Ink Fragrance Shop was annoying; the people, the atmosphere, and the local deity were all irritating.

But this was Like Puluozhou's territory. No matter how annoying, it couldn't fall into Neizhou's hands.

Lao Luo was still on his way to Haichiling. Was there any way to warn the peddler sooner?

Right—Leaving Suishenju now had six iron tracks, reaching some vague places.

Li Li Banfeng pictured the scenery of Haichiling, and the peddler's image—shaking his rattle, hawking on the street.

After a minute and a half, Li Li Banfeng thought it enough—he was about to leave when Leaving Suishenju said: "No need to go out. I didn't move."

Li Li Banfeng froze: "Why not?"

Leaving Suishenju sighed: "Seventh, not everything can be done. Tracking the peddler? That's one thing you can't do. Not me, not you."

Even Leaving Suishenju feared the peddler?

Xiang Xiang Hongying urged: "That peddler's mind is hard to fathom. Even if you find him, he might not help."

Tang Dao added: "Lord, whether the peddler comes depends on Ink Fragrance Shop's fate. Maybe this place deserves its calamity."

"Let this annoying place rot on its own."

"Let's leave quickly. Stay too long, we might get dragged down."

The phonograph said nothing, only wrapped Li Li Banfeng in a cloud of steam.

Li Li Banfeng looked at the Judge's Pen.

The Judge's Pen leaned against the wall, curled in the corner, silent.

…

The next noon, Luo Zhengnan delivered news: "Seventh Master, I reached Haichiling. Couldn't find the peddler."

Too late?

Li Li Banfeng said: "Go to Feng Kudai Kan immediately."

"Seventh Master, I contacted an old friend. The peddler didn't go to Feng Kudai Kan."

According to the peddler's patterns, he should've been at one of these two places.

Where did he go?

"Lao Luo, keep looking. Tell me the moment you find anything."

Li Li Banfeng went to the Poetry Society, still pondering what poem to leave for Cui Ti.

The poem had to cleverly encode the meeting time and place—Cui Ti had to understand it, but no one else could.

Outside the door, Li Li Banfeng already heard passionate recitation:

"Dreams walk in Ink Fragrance Shop! Life's value lies in Ink Fragrance Shop! The meaning of struggle is in Ink Fragrance Shop! I dedicate everything to Ink Fragrance Shop!"

Li Li Banfeng stood at the door and waved to Cui Ti.

Amid the scornful glares of girls and young men, Cui Ti stepped out.

"Unfair! I poured my heart into these lines—and even men hate me!" Cui Ti grumbled, clutching his teacup.

Li Li Banfeng couldn't grasp Cui Ti's mental state: "With Lüshui Gai chasing you so hard, how can you still have time for matchmaking?"

Cui Ti shrugged: "What can I do? My investigation channels are limited. Even if he's the founding master, I can't be expected to solve this overnight."

"I've already solved it."

Cui Ti startled: "What did you find?"

In the private room, there was a phonograph; Li Li Banfeng took a record from the cabinet, placed it on the machine, and played "Where Is the Soul Mate?" to mask their conversation:

"The local god of Ink Fragrance Shop is Murong Gui."

"Murong Gui, a gifted literary cultivator," Cui Ti sipped tea. "I've heard of him—he's a legend of Ink Fragrance Shop. I once suspected he was the local god. Is your information reliable?"

"Extremely reliable. I can also confirm He He Jiaqing's report is accurate—Murong Gui's condition is indeed poor. You've noticed some anomalies too."

Cui Ti didn't fully understand: "What anomalies do you mean?"

"Yesterday morning, you'd have noticed changes among the people of Ink Fragrance Shop."

Cui Ti thought a moment, then nodded: "Yesterday morning, including me, only three people came to the Poetry Society. The other two didn't want to recite poetry—they said it was meaningless, too tiring to live that way. They left after sitting a while."

"Because the local god grew extremely weak—he'd just fought a battle."

Cui Ti tensed: "Who did he fight? Did Chu Shaoqiang arrive?"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "Not Chu Shaoqiang. Ge Ge Junma."

"Strange name," Cui Ti thought, then shook his head. "I don't know this person."

"Your founding master knows him. Even if he doesn't, he's heard of him. Tell him—he'll find a way to verify. As for your source? Make up a lie."

Cui Ti spun his teacup, then drained it.

"I trust you. This information is too valuable. In exchange, I'll tell you something about He He Jiaqing."

"Your friend has become an ally of my Dao sect's founding master. His cultivation is extremely high—he can break through the Layered Peaks Technique of Jianren Gang."

Li Li Banfeng recalled his experience in Jianren Gang: "The Layered Peaks Technique—isn't that a method that traps people inside Jianren Gang?"

Cui Ti nodded: "Yes. A very advanced Joy Cultivation technique. If I'm not mistaken, your friend stole a path out of the technique and led me out."

From this, he must be a thief—the so-called Dao Xiu of Like Puluozhou. And his cultivation isn't at Dipi level.

Cloud-level cultivation requires special support for one's position. His previous position anchor was lost; now it comes from dogtail grass. You should recognize him."

"You mean the beggar I killed?"

Cui Ti nodded: "My founding master took his covenant as bargaining chip and gave it to He He Jiaqing."

Li Li Banfeng was curious: "What's so valuable it's worth trading a covenant?"

Cui Ti puffed out his chest proudly: "Me!"

Li Li Banfeng blinked: "Lüshui Gai traded a covenant for you? He must value you highly!"

"That's why I love my founding master," Cui Ti poured tea for Li Li Banfeng. "My information's done. Is it fair?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "Fair enough."

As Li Li Banfeng turned to leave, Cui Ti asked: "Still doing shady business?"

"Do it," Li Li Banfeng lowered his hat brim. "If you get news, come back to the teahouse and find me."

……

"Ge Ge Junma went to Ink Fragrance Shop," said Greenwater Beggar, sitting in the corner with his begging bowl, unable to suppress a laugh.

He He Jiaqing tossed a silver dollar into the bowl: "Is this information reliable?"

Greenwater Beggar stared at the silver dollar in the bowl for a moment, then suddenly said: "You've already given it…"

Before he finished speaking, the silver dollar vanished from the bowl.

"Impressive skill," Greenwater Beggar praised. "Cui Ti got this info through Huineizhou—he's been to Huineizhou, so he wouldn't dare lie to me."

He He Jiaqing spun the silver dollar between his fingers: "For safety's sake, we'd better wait a while longer. Let Chu Shaoqiang show himself before we act."

"No need to wait," Greenwater Beggar stood up. "Ge Ge Junma is at Ink Fragrance Shop—Chu Shaoqiang will definitely go to rescue him."

"We go there, take the land rights, seize the deeds, and collect Chu Shaoqiang's head too. Where else will you find such a good deal?"

He He Jiaqing continued fiddling with the silver dollar: "Before we open this business, we should settle the split first. Do you want the head or the land? We need to clarify this."

Greenwater Beggar sneered: "Aren't you after a new Like Puluozhou? Are you really going to haggle over this little thing?"

He He Jiaqing smiled: "I want to change Like Puluozhou, but I need a foothold first. Like any business, you need a shop to start with."

"I really want the land rights to Ink Fragrance Shop. If you want it too, we can discuss it slowly."

Greenwater Beggar frowned: "You took the deed from me, and now you want the territory? Isn't your business getting too greedy?"

He He Jiaqing tossed the silver dollar back into Greenwater Beggar's bowl: "You already gave me the deed. Let me make a little more profit—you won't lose out."

Greenwater Beggar shook the bowl; the silver dollar clinked inside. "If you want more profit, bring more effort. Chu Shaoqiang, Ge Ge Junma, Murong Gui—three heads. How many can you cut?"

PS: The water's getting murkier. Let's see who can catch the fish.

(End of Chapter)