Chapter 621: A Treasure Worth More Than a Thousand Gold

Seeing Chu Er took a small knife from the drawer, stabbed a cut into his palm, and twisted the blade tip several times inside the wound. Li Li Banfeng was astonished: "You just need blood—why go so far?"

Seeing Chu Er smiled: "This is called pain that reaches the heart. Without pain and suffering, how can I reach my father?"

She took a pen, dipped it in her own blood, and wrote a letter on paper. The message was simple: Seeing Chu Er wished to meet Chu Shaoqiang at ten o'clock tomorrow night, at the stone house by the lake.

Seeing Chu Er folded the letter, placed it in her palm, rubbed it for a moment, then returned it to the drawer and said to Li Li Banfeng: "The message has been sent." Li Li Banfeng froze: "Already sent? Will your father even receive it?"

Seeing Chu Er was confident: "Anyone who truly cares for me will receive it. My father always receives it." "Why have you never written me a letter?"

Upon hearing this, Seeing Chu Er pulled open the drawer on her right.

Inside were over a hundred letters, each stained with blood: "All of these were written for you." Li Li Banfeng blinked: "That's why I'm worried your method doesn't work."

Seeing Chu Er snorted: "You've never cared for me—not one bit."

That night, Seeing Chu Er took Li Li Banfeng to the lakeside stone house. Candles flickered inside; Chu Shaoqiang had indeed come.

"You two talk. I'll take a walk." Seeing Chu Er slipped away silently; from her steps alone, Li Li Banfeng could tell her cultivation had improved significantly. Li Li Banfeng entered the stone house and pulled a chair to sit across the stone table.

Chu Shaoqiang wore a gray-white overcoat with the collar pulled high. He lit a cigarette and asked Li Li Banfeng: "What do you want?"

Li Li Banfeng spoke plainly: "I want to do business with you. A local deity in Xin Di is my friend; she holds half her covenant in Neizhou. I want to buy back that half." Chu Shaoqiang choked on his smoke, coughing for a long while, then pulled a tin frog from his pocket, wound it up, and placed it outside the stone house.

The tin frog leapt rapidly around the lake's edge, then jumped into the water, swimming back and forth several times. Only when it returned to Chu Shaoqiang's side did he confirm no one was eavesdropping.

"Could you just say this outright?" Chu Shaoqiang was irritated.

Li Li Banfeng also felt he'd been too direct: "Then let me be more subtle—I want to buy. Will you sell?"

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head repeatedly: "Don't even think about it. Covenants from Neizhou have never left." As he said "left," he couldn't control himself and spat out a string of soap bubbles.

Li Li Banfeng laughed: "Ah Qiang, let's be honest. Show some sincerity." "Even if some ever slipped out, it wasn't the kind of 'business' you mean!"

As he said "business," he exhaled too hard and blew a large soap bubble. Li Li Banfeng grinned: "Then what kind of business is it?"

"I don't know—I've never done such business!" Chu Shaoqiang turned his face away, his back to Li Li Banfeng, as a large cloud of soap bubbles slowly rose before him. The soap from the peddler was too good—it still worked after so long.

Li Li Banfeng had indeed found the right person. He'd thought Chu Shaoqiang might at least point him toward a lead, but he never expected Chu Shaoqiang had actually been dealing in covenants. "Ah Qiang, stop beating around the bush—just name your price."

Chu Shaoqiang turned back, wiped soap foam from his lips, and asked Li Li Banfeng: "Why do you want the covenant?" "Didn't I just say? For a friend."

"Is it Meng Yu?" "How do you know?"

Chu Shaoqiang pulled a letter from his chest and handed it to Li Li Banfeng: "This was sent to me by Rong Rong Sijiao."

Li Li Banfeng opened it: Rong Rong Sijiao had reported to Neizhou that Meng Yu and Li Li Banfeng were colluding to turn Xin Di into Zheng Di, breaking free from Neizhou's control.

"This is an act of grave treason… hearing it makes one's hair stand on end…" Li Li Banfeng read a few lines aloud, sighing. Two Wu Cai's judgment of Rong Rong Sijiao was spot-on—this boy changed sides faster than anyone.

"Ah Qiang, why didn't you send the covenant to Neizhou?"

Chu Shaoqiang knew if he claimed he acted for the stability of Like Puluozhou, he'd have to spit bubbles again, so he spoke plainly: "I originally planned to send it to Neizhou, but I can't return now—Xingzhe Wujiang City and Wubian City are both suffering plagues."

Li Li Banfeng had never heard these names, but he was more interested in the plague. "What kind of plague?"

"Pustules, black with red spots. It doesn't kill immediately, but repeated treatments rarely cure it. The pathogen comes from Cui Ti, a disciple of Lühuazi—he used it to wipe out Zhong Desong Cliff. You've heard of that, right?"

Li Li Banfeng looked slightly dazed, as if thinking of something else.

Chu Shaoqiang frowned slightly: "What are you thinking? Don't tell me you're considering attacking Neizhou now that it's weak?" Li Li Banfeng clasped his hands together and smiled earnestly: "I'd never do such a thing."

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head vigorously: "Don't even think about it. This plague won't break Neizhou. Neizhou's territory isn't what you imagine, and its people's physiques aren't either. A plague means nothing to them—especially the powerful. They're unaffected. If you strike at them, things will get serious…"

His speech was rapid, every word tense—but he didn't spit any soap bubbles, proving he spoke truthfully.

"Li Qi, I've made it clear: this plague isn't lethal to Neizhou people—it's just hard to cure. If you really want war, don't come to me." Li Li Banfeng laughed: "Who's asking you for war? I came for business—I already said: I want the covenant!"

Chu Shaoqiang paused, then said: "Meng Yu's covenant was once heavily monitored by Neizhou." "Why?"

"Because Meng Yu holds deep resentment toward Neizhou. After leaving, she ignored every task assigned to her. Neizhou could punish her at any time—getting her covenant is extremely difficult."

"So you can't get it?"

"Not that I can't—it's just very expensive." Chu Shaoqiang held up two fingers. "Twenty Xiao Xuan Yun Pills." "Xiao Xuan Yun Pills?" Li Li Banfeng blinked. "You trade pills for covenants?"

Chu Shaoqiang nodded: "Xiao Xuan Yun Pills are the most precious elixirs in the world. If Meng Yu hadn't been under heavy watch, thirteen pills would've bought her covenant. The three Neizhou guardians each needed four pills, and I'd keep one as my fee."

"But since she's under watch, each guardian needs six pills. I bear great risk too—I need at least two pills as my fee. That's twenty total."

Normally, a local deity needed only thirteen Xiao Xuan Yun Pills to redeem their own covenant—Li Li Banfeng thought that wasn't much. Many must have come to Chu Shaoqiang for this.

Li Li Banfeng said: "If I'd known you existed, I should've used Xiao Xuan Yun Pills to redeem Qiu Qiu Luoye and Shui Shui Yongquan's covenants back then—no need for all this trouble."

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head: "Qiu Qiu Luoye and Shui Shui Yongquan have always been restless. They've been under heavier watch than Meng Yu. No matter how many pills you offer, you can't buy back their covenants."

"Besides, I heard Shui Shui Yongquan once spent a fortune to buy two Xiao Xuan Yun Pills—it nearly ruined him. With their wealth, how could they afford ten or twenty pills?"

Li Li Banfeng knew Shui Shui Yongquan had spent heavily on Xiao Xuan Yun Pills—but the part about going bankrupt? Shui Shui Yongquan never mentioned it. Chu Shaoqiang didn't spit bubbles—he wasn't lying.

"Are Xiao Xuan Yun Pills really that expensive?"

Chu Shaoqiang looked at Li Li Banfeng with clear disdain: "You don't even know the price of Xiao Xuan Yun Pills? What business are you even talking about?"

"Let me tell you: Xin Di in Like Puluozhou has countless local deities. Only a handful can afford to buy back their covenants—you could count them on one hand."

"Xiao Xuan Yun Pills are the most precious elixirs in the world. All other precious elixirs trade for cultivation time—but Xiao Xuan Yun Pills strengthen the cultivator's foundation to enhance power." Li Li Banfeng couldn't see the difference.

Chu Shaoqiang explained simply: "On the ground, cultivation is measured in years—ten years per level. Pills can substitute for time."

"But once you reach the Clouds, cultivation can't be measured in years. Pills like She Ban, Xiao Xuan Chi, Zi Da Huan, Jin Jin Yuandan—all useless. Only Xiao Xuan Yun Pills still work."

"Because Xiao Xuan Yun Pills aren't time substitutes—they strengthen your foundation. Only by solidifying your foundation can you keep walking the path of cultivation. That's the priceless treasure."

Li Li Banfeng didn't understand "foundation": "How many Xiao Xuan Yun Pills does one need to fully solidify their foundation?"

"It varies. I don't know exactly. For my physique, I'd need to take them my whole life—until my body matches the Neizhou imperial clan's—before I can truly walk the Gong Xiu path!"

Imperial clan? Three-headed?

"Are the Neizhou imperial clan's physiques that strong?"

"Their physiques are flawless. Neizhou doesn't understand Daoist arts; Like Puluozhou's powders can't make them enter Dao. If they had Dao arts, the imperial clan would've unified Neizhou long ago—Like Puluozhou would've been erased!"

Chu Shaoqiang realized he'd said too much. No matter how much Li Li Banfeng asked, he refused to speak further of Neizhou.

After smoking two cigarettes, Chu Shaoqiang stood: "I've told you the deal. Think carefully. I advise you to find out the price of Xiao Xuan Yun Pills first—prepare yourself. Three days from now, same place, same time—we'll discuss again."

Chu Shaoqiang left. Li Li Banfeng sat silently in the stone house.

Li Li Banfeng currently held seventeen Xiao Xuan Yun Pills. Because he had so many, he'd never treasured them.

But now, thinking back—he remembered how his wife carefully counted each pill one by one. He should've known how rare they were.

His wife was a prudent homemaker. She never dared to take them herself. If he used all seventeen, it would be like Wan ing out her heart. No—he couldn't do this business.

Ask Hong Did Did Honglian if she has a solution.

Li Li Banfeng returned to Leaving Suishenju, went to the Eighth Chamber, and gently stroked Hong Did Did Honglian: "Ah Did Did Honglian, what's the difference between Xiao Xuan Yun Pills and ordinary elixirs?"

"No difference," Hong Did Did Honglian replied indifferently. "Better materials make better pills. The refining steps are the same." "But my wife said Xiao Xuan Yun Pills are far more precious."

Hong Did Did Honglian extended a lotus leaf, hooking Li Li Banfeng's chin: "Then ask your wife. Why come to me?" Li Li Banfeng smiled innocently: "She's not home, so I came to you."

Chang Ji was indeed away, busy with experiments in the lab.

Hong Did Did Honglian extended two lotus leaves, tracing Li Li Banfeng's cheeks: "Ask quickly, then."

Li Li Banfeng cut to the point: "Your other pills directly trade for cultivation. Why isn't Xiao Xuan Yun like that?" "Who said my other pills trade directly for cultivation?"

"Isn't it obvious? She Ban Pills trade for one day's cultivation, Xiao Xuan Chi for ten, Zi Da Huan for thirty, Jin Jin Yuandan for a hundred. It's clear!"

Hong Did Did Honglian pinched Li Li Banfeng's cheek: "Who told you that? Did I ever say so?" Li Li Banfeng pushed the leaves away: "Everyone in Like Puluozhou says so."

Hong Did Did Honglian laughed: "So do you believe them—or me? I tell you all pills are the same. Why won't you believe me?" "Your other pills are similar, but Xiao Xuan Yun is so different—I naturally think it's unique."

A glow emanated from Hong Did Did Honglian's heart; a lotus seed flew into Li Li Banfeng's hand: "Don't you think this pill is special?"

Plop! The seed burst, spitting out two rusted pills.

Li Li Banfeng was terrified, quickly scooped them up, and washed his hands with water.

He washed several times but couldn't clean the rust. He used the Gao Zhen Wu You technique to turn the remaining rust into water, draining it from his palm. "Let's not compare obscure pills like this," Li Li Banfeng rubbed his palm. "Let's talk about pills related to cultivation."

Hong Did Did Honglian sighed: "They're all the same. Why won't you believe me?" "Ah Did Did Honglian, I believe you—I've always treated you as family." Li Li Banfeng sat beside Hong Did Did Honglian, gently stroking her heart. "But if you say rust pills and Xiao Xuan Yun Pills are the same—"

"I just can't understand it." "You treat me as family? When your woman returns, will I be a lowly servant again?"

Li Li Banfeng pursed his lips: "That's not what I think—I do care for you!" "If you care so much, take me out. Your woman keeps going out—why can't I?"

"It's not that we won't let you out—it just needs time to discuss."

"All the good things go to that wicked woman. With me, everything needs discussion. When you've decided, come back. Next time, go to her!"

Splash! He returned to the Eighth Chamber moments later.

All lotus leaves retracted; Hong Did Did Honglian became a static ornament, motionless. "Fine! I won't ask you!" Li Li Banfeng, angry, rose to leave.

Hong Did Did Honglian secretly rejoiced—until Li Li Banfeng picked her up and carried her back to the Ninth Chamber. Hong Did Did Honglian sprayed a mist of dew onto Li Li Banfeng. Xiang Xiang Hongying turned her face: "Why are you taking pills?"

The ninth room laughed and said, "Good younger brother, you've brought Ah Did Did Honglian back! Sister Ah Did Did Honglian, I've been so bored without you these days—come, let's sisters have a good chat!" Li Li Banfeng returned to the main chamber, sat beside the dressing table, and asked Xiang Xiang Hongying: "Xue Yingying, what do you think is the biggest difference between Xiao Xuan Yun Dan and other elixirs?"

The Ninth Chamber laughed: "Good younger brother, you brought Ah Did Did Honglian back! Ah Did Did Honglian, I've been so bored without you! Come, let's chat!" Li Li Banfeng returned to the Main Chamber, sat by the dressing table, and asked Xiang Xiang Hongying: "Xue Yingying, what's the biggest difference between Xiao Xuan Yun Pills and other elixirs?"

"I don't take that stuff. Cultivation comes from oneself." "How do you mean that?"

Li Li Banfeng was stunned for a long while, then replied: "You're impressive." He left Leaving Suishenju and went to the lab in Qiuqiu City to find his wife.

His wife was using Zhao Xiao's body, just finished an experiment, drenched in sweat. Li Li Banfeng rushed to wipe her: "Wife, I need to ask you something—Xiao Xuan Yun—"

"What about Xiao Xuan Yun Pills?" His wife jumped, immediately returned to Chang Ji's body, pulled out the pill box from the cabinet, and carefully counted each pill. There were seventeen. She exhaled deeply, then put them away.

"Husband, what were you asking me?" Li Li Banfeng rehearsed in his mind:

Wife, give me all the Xiao Xuan Yun Pills!

Husband, what do you need them for?

I want to trade them for a woman's covenant… If I say that, she'll be heartbroken—and I'll hurt myself.

What better way to say it?

"Husband, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing, wife—I'm not thinking of anything!"

"Husband, I've loaded some good items from Anxingju onto Anqiao Cannon. Now it can carry many more people." Li Li Banfeng perked up: "How many more?"

Chang Ji hugged Li Li Banfeng: "Guess, husband!" "Two hundred?"

"Just barely… a hundred." The singer had meant to say eighty, afraid Li Li Banfeng would be too disappointed, so he gritted his teeth and said a hundred. A hundred wasn't few—perhaps it could still become a big business.

Li Li Banfeng embraced his wife twice, then carried both the singer and the puppet back home.

Xiang Xiang Hongying asked Zhao Zhao Xiaowan: "Does he prefer this wooden singer, or that fleshy body?" Zhao Zhao Xiaowan sniffled: "He seems unable to tell the difference."

Hearing this, Xiang Xiang Hongying grew alert: "What exactly can't he tell?" "He can't tell anything!"

Zhao Zhao Xiaowan wiped her tears. A thought lingered in her mind, refusing to leave: "Will my husband rush to use the Dark Bridge Cannon? If we really get a hundred, I truly have no confidence." Li Li Banfeng was indeed planning to find the peddler.

A hundred and two hundred aren't much different. If we can rescue a group from Three Forks, we might as well try—it's been too long since they suffered; every day they escape Three Forks sooner is a day gained!

He was about to call Luo Zhengnan to ask about the peddler's whereabouts when Feng Daiku called first. "Young Master Li, Luo Su Lijun has gone mad—she says she must see you."

"Why has she gone mad?"

"I didn't ask in detail. She's infected with plague—I dare not get close. She said if she doesn't see you tomorrow, she'll break into Like Puluozhou even if it costs her life."

Li Li Banfeng went to the Soda Kiln overnight and peered through the window into the factory. Luo Su Lijun and Luo Luo Yanjun had both surfaced from the pool, accompanied by a slightly smaller snail. All three snails waved their antennae vigorously—their demeanor was clearly furious.

Feng Daiku prepared to shout across the factory, but Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "No need to shout—I'll go in and see."

"They're infected with plague," Feng Daiku tried to stop him, but Li Li Banfeng had already walked through the wall into the factory.

Li Li Banfeng wasn't afraid of plague—he still had antibodies. Even if they failed, he could neutralize the infection once he returned to his Personal Dwelling.

"Miss Luo, your current condition is…" Li Li Banfeng couldn't distinguish Luo Luo Yanjun from Luo Su Lijun, so he deliberately used vague terms of address.

"I can't take it anymore—the itching is excruciating, I'm about to go mad! This plague came from Zhong Desong Cliff—it was made by that foreigner. You know him, you must have a cure!"

All three snails trembled, revealing black pustules with red spots inside. Li Li Banfeng said: "Take it slow."

"Too slow! If we don't fix this today, I'll lead my people out and infect all of Like Puluozhou!" The unreasonable tone confirmed this was Luo Su Lijun.

Another snail spoke: "Young Master Li, we sisters have suffered terribly. If things go on like this, who knows what'll happen? You might not care if we're destroyed, but there are still some among us untouched—those untouched aren't good people. If this continues, your own days won't be easy either."

Speaking in roundabout ways—that was Luo Luo Yanjun.

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Can you explain clearly? If you're destroyed, why would our days be hard?" Luo Luo Yanjun wanted to explain, but couldn't bear the patience—she too was suffering from the plague.

The smallest snail spoke: "Because we don't like fighting, but we can't endure this plague anymore—we're all collapsing. Even if we don't die, we can't do anything. Only those who like fighting can still work. Soon, we'll have to fight. Do you understand now?"

The smallest snail spoke plainly, but Li Li Banfeng still needed to verify some details: "Those who like fighting—weren't they struck by the plague?" Luo Luo Yanjun tapped the little snail with her antenna, signaling her to stop.

But the little snail couldn't hold back: "Those who like fighting are Royal Blood—they're immune to plague! Hurry and get us medicine, we really can't take it anymore!" Royal Blood.

Three heads.

They weren't even affected by plague. What kind of bodies do they have?

"Really can't take it?" Li Li Banfeng raised an eyebrow. The little snail nodded vigorously: "Really! I'm not lying!"

Luo Luo Yanjun looked at Luo Su Lijun. Luo Su Lijun flicked her antenna sharply: "What's your price? Say it!" After spending time together, these two sisters were surprisingly in sync.

"The price won't be cheap—and success isn't guaranteed."

Luo Su Lijun snapped: "Forget whether it works—just name the price." Li Li Banfeng said: "I want a contract."

"Whose contract?" "Not just one person." "How many do you want?"

"That depends on how many people's medicine you want."

The little snail exclaimed: "Is it medicine that cures the plague? We want ten thousand doses!"

Luo Su Lijun shoved the little snail aside and scolded: "Ten thousand? Can you even produce ten thousand contracts?"

"Li Qi, we'll start with three people's worth—I'll bring three contract fragments in exchange. Yes or no? Reply by this time tomorrow!" Li Li Banfeng nodded and asked the little snail: "What's your name?"

The little snail said: "I'm Luo Luo Shaojun."

"Did you come to Like Puluozhou for medicine on the Royal's orders, or on your own?" "We can't even endure it ourselves—how could we care about the Royal?"

"You say you can't endure it—just because of the itching?" "Excruciating itch—try it yourself!"

"Didn't your Inner State make any medicine?"

"We did—ate the bitterest medicine powder. Two hours later, it stopped working." "Are all your symptoms just itching?"

"Not all of them… some of them…" *CRACK! *

Luo Su Lijun flicked her antenna and struck Luo Luo Shaojun's shell. The little snail shot upward and fell into the pool.

Li Li Banfeng liked Luo Shaojun—she answered everything honestly.

"Talk tomorrow," Luo Su Lijun said, leading Luo Luo Yanjun away.

In the pool, Luo Luo Yanjun asked: "Sister, if we three cure the plague, how will we explain it when we return?"

Luo Su Lijun said: "What's the rush? Once we get one dose, we'll have ten thousand. Do you think all those physicians and pharmacists are useless? My shell itches terribly—scratch it for me."

"Sister, don't scratch—it only gets worse." "I told you to scratch—stop talking back!"

Zhong Desong Cliff, Deyuan Village. Cui Ti was cultivating blood, with cans beside him, each containing that wildflower. The seeds Li Li Banfeng had given him remained unplanted.

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Why haven't you planted them yet?"

"Because I must first cultivate blood with antibodies before I can grow human-like plants that can survive here," Cui Ti put down his test tube and wiped sweat from his brow. "My technique is 'Barren Soil.' Human-like plants without antibodies can't survive here. Dao Dao Laogui's blood contains sufficient antibodies, but the peddler forbids them from living here."

"Don't your own blood contain sufficient antibodies too?"

Cui Ti shook his head: "No—I can't use my own blood. It's not just antibodies—it's more complex. If I mix my blood with the seeds, I don't even know what will grow."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the lifeless Zhong Desong Cliff: "Hurry. If fewer than a hundred people remain within a hundred li, this land will become Old Soil. I feel it's about to turn."

"There are still a hundred. I've calculated—they can last another ten days." Cui Ti placed Song Song Demei's severed head before Li Li Banfeng. Most of her brain had turned to soil, yet she still lived.

"Since time is ample, let's do something else. You spread plague in the Inner State—do you have medicine that can cure it within a limited range?"

Cui Ti froze: "You want to cure the plague in the Inner State?"

"I mean a limited range—say, ten thousand infected. Can you cure just three of them?" Cui Ti thought long: "Difficult. Unless I do it myself."

Li Li Banfeng smiled: "Then I'll trouble you to do it yourself."

Cui Ti weighed his options: "Is this payment for helping me get the seeds?" "No." Li Li Banfeng shook his head.

"Then why should I do this?"

"Because there's extra payment," Li Li Banfeng looked again at Zhong Desong Cliff. "This land is still Proper Soil, but it can no longer accumulate qi for you. I can give you a new plot—a complete, intact contract land. Though far from Proper Soil, at least it offers hope."

PS: What happens if the Three Heads receive the Entry Powder?