Chapter 623: Temple Fair

Rong Rong Sijiao looked around inside the Leaving Suishenju and saw a peerless beauty.

He didn't think about anything else; he flicked a handful of silver powder from his hand, which transformed into a short blade and went straight across Zhao Zhao Xiao Wan's throat. "Li Qi, I don't care who this person is; even if I die, I'm taking one with me."

*Sss—*

The Phonograph laughed: "That's a puppet. If you want to make a move, go ahead. I'll have my sisters make me another one tomorrow." Xiang Xiang Hongying was combing her hair; Rong Rong Sijiao only saw a strand of hair flash before his eyes, then it vanished.

Whose hair was that?

The woman combing her hair? That woman didn't seem to have moved! Rong Rong Sijiao lowered his head to look again.

The blade made of silver powder was gone, and his only remaining left hand was gone too.

Rong Rong Sijiao fell to the ground, wailing. Li Li Banfeng retracted his two shadows and sat down close to Rong Rong Sijiao.

The lady had been staring at these two shadows: "Husband, what technique was that just now? Why was there an extra shadow?" Li Li Banfeng smiled: "I'm also just learning it. Strictly speaking, this is still the technique of 'Shadows Accompanying the Form'."

Xiang Xiang Hongying added from the side: "Not entirely. This is the Heavenly Union Technique that Seventh Young Master learned. You weren't home at the time, so you didn't see it." The Phonograph was somewhat surprised: "This technique is truly remarkable."

The family began to chat. Rong Rong Sijiao stumbled to his feet, wanting to run out the door, but he saw a strand of hair flash by again, and Rong Rong Sijiao's lower legs were cleanly severed from the knees down.

That strand of hair was pitch-black and straight; one look and it was clearly Xiang Xiang Hongying's.

Yet Rong Rong Sijiao could never see Xiang Xiang Hongying's face, only her back as she sat at the vanity combing her hair.

He glanced at the mirror on the vanity, but due to the angle, Rong Rong Sijiao still couldn't see Xiang Xiang Hongying's appearance.

Whether he could see Xiang Xiang Hongying no longer mattered. Rong Rong Sijiao had lost his limbs and the ability to escape; he was in such pain he wished he were dead. Li Li Banfeng asked him questions, but he didn't want to speak. Li Li Banfeng had a way; he had the Gourd of Wine prepare some medicinal wine, which he applied to Rong Rong Sijiao's wounds to stop the bleeding and pain.

Rong Rong Sijiao stopped hurting, and the desire to live returned. As long as Li Li Banfeng spared his life, he could find a way to reattach his severed hands and feet. "Seventh Young Master, I am convinced of my defeat in your hands. Whatever you wish to ask, I will tell you everything."

Li Li Banfeng didn't actually have much to ask. The first thing: "What benefits did the Inner Continent give you that made you work so hard for them?" Rong Rong Sijiao replied: "For a position."

"Reporting Meng Meng Yuchun can be exchanged for a position?"

Rong Rong Sijiao shook his head: "Reporting Meng Meng Yuchun alone isn't enough to exchange for a position. There are plenty of Local Deities in the New Land who want to serve in the Inner Continent; the Inner Continent can only take three or five a year."

"At times like this, it depends on who has performed the most meritorious service. Only by accumulating merit point by point can those ranked at the top exchange for this position. Reporting Meng Meng Yuchun alone only counts as one extra bit of merit, enough to make the people of the Inner Continent look at me twice."

Li Li Banfeng sneered: "You say you're cheap, how cheap are you?"

Rong Rong Sijiao didn't feel cheap: "Seventh Young Master, I'm not the only one doing this. Go look at the Local Deities of the New Land; whether old or young, eight out of ten are sharpening their heads to charge upward!"

"Every time there's something like this, do you report it to Chu Shaoqiang?"

"That's not it. In the past, the Inner Continent would send messengers. They would come every month or two to scour the New Land for information."

"Come once every month or two? That can't be right?" Li Li Banfeng had stayed in Zhengjing Village for a long time, but he had never heard Qiu Qiu Luoye or Shui Shui Yongquan mention anything about messengers.

He had occupied the territory of the Mountain Lord, and he had never heard of any messengers coming there either.

There were plenty of New Lands in the Pu Luo Continent; could it be that the Inner Continent messengers had to make a round every month or two?

Rong Rong Sijiao clearly hadn't told the whole story.

"We've reached this point, don't hide half of what you're saying."

Rong Rong Sijiao understood Li Li Banfeng's meaning: "I usually perform many meritorious deeds, so I'm a bit different from others. I count as being ranked near the front, and the messengers think highly of me..." In short, he had received special attention from the Inner Continent and had become a fixed contact person; the messengers would take the initiative to find him.

"Then why didn't you report the news to the messenger this time?"

"Something happened in the Inner Continent, and the messenger didn't come. Originally, I didn't want to hand the items over to Chu Shaoqiang because I knew Chu Chu Huaiyuan's relationship with you wasn't ordinary, and I was worried about the news leaking."

"But later, I saw that every family was restless. If I didn't report it, I would fall behind the others."

Li Li Banfeng laughed: "Calling you cheap really wasn't wronging you. Where did you hide your contract?"

Rong Rong Sijiao lowered his head: "Seventh Young Master, what do you want with my contract?"

"Not talking?"

"I'll talk!" Rong Rong Sijiao gritted his teeth. "I have a residence on the mountaintop. There's a well in the backyard of the residence, and my contract is buried in the well."

"Lady, entertain the guest for me first. I'll go and return shortly."

Li Li Banfeng left the Leaving Suishenju. Not long after, Rong Rong Sijiao trembled and collapsed on the ground, convulsing incessantly.

His status had dropped.

Li Li Banfeng returned, holding Rong Rong Sijiao's contract in his hand.

Rong Rong Sijiao shouted: "Li Qi, it's useless for you to take my contract! The people in my territory will never listen to you; they only believe in the Rongku God!"

"If you want to be the Local Deity here, I can help you. I'll be a Wounded Demon Sha, I'll assist you!"

"You assist me?" Li Li Banfeng laughed. "When the Inner Continent messenger comes, you'll report me again, and I reckon you'll have performed another meritorious deed."

"I've broken with the Inner Continent. I will never contact them again in this life!"

"Forget this life, wait for the next one." Li Li Banfeng exited the Leaving Suishenju.

Rong Rong Sijiao's body went completely limp, and his soul drilled out of its shell, wanting to follow Li Li Banfeng and rush out of the room.

This was a unique method of the Local Deities of the New Land. They had died once, and although their status had dropped, Rong Rong Sijiao still retained a portion of his combat power, allowing his soul to leave his body and act like a wandering ghost.

But this ability was of no great use; his body couldn't escape, and his soul couldn't escape either.

The only benefit was that everyone didn't have to wait for the Phonograph to eat first; the soul and body were already separated.

Xiang Xiang Hongying stood up and stepped on Rong Rong Sijiao's body.

The Phonograph extended its probe and grabbed Rong Rong Sijiao's soul.

"This guest, my husband has this kind of temper. If his words have offended you, please don't take it to heart."

"He said just now to wait for your next life; those were just angry words. You don't need to worry about this matter; you definitely won't have a next life."

"Brothers and sisters, last time husband brought back some rice balls, everyone didn't get to eat any. This time, while it's fresh, everyone pick up your chopsticks."

*Snap! *

Cui Ti walked to the foot of the mountain and stepped on a fallen leaf.

He picked up the fallen leaf; it was very thick and bright green in color.

Looking at the leaf stalk, it was very neat; it hadn't been broken off, but had fallen naturally. But why would such a fresh leaf fall from the tree? Could this be a leaf created by a Color Cultivator using a technique?

Cui Ti exclaimed: "It's actually this lifelike! The Color Cultivator's attainments in painting don't seem to be inferior to a Painting Cultivator."

The Rabbit stood to the side, not quite understanding Cui Ti's meaning: "Are you saying these were all painted by the Rongku God?"

"Yes, they were all painted. Purely from an artistic perspective, this counts as a great painting!" Cui Ti was just sighing when he suddenly discovered the fallen leaf in his hand slowly fading in color. Bright green turned to light green, light green turned to grayish-white, and grayish-white turned to yellowish-brown. The originally thick and fresh green finally turned into a withered leaf of mixed yellow and brown.

"There were leaves to begin with; the Color Cultivator just applied the color." Cui Ti was somewhat disappointed and changed his previous opinion. "The Color Cultivator's painting skills aren't that exquisite. Although the application of color is still very outstanding, because there was a ready-made compositional base, the art is discounted quite a bit."

The Rabbit couldn't believe it: "The leaves on this mountain were all dyed?"

While they were speaking, many leaves around them were fading. The Rabbit's lips trembled uncontrollably, and its large front teeth appeared and disappeared.

"Not just these leaves, including this entire mountain." Cui Ti jumped onto a tree and looked up into the distance.

The originally lush green mountain revealed spots of grayish-white.

The Rabbit watched from the tree for a moment, and its legs went soft.

How could this be!

Rongku Mountain brought its own four seasons; the prosperity and decay were all in the god's single thought!

"The Rongku God must be angry; this is to punish the common people." The Rabbit lay on the ground, kowtowing incessantly, praying silently in its heart, begging for the Rongku God's forgiveness.

Cui Ti looked around. Rongku Mountain, which had been lush everywhere, was now desolate. Most of the grass and trees had withered, leaving only the pine trees still green, but because they had been covered in pigment for a long time, they didn't look very lively either.

"Stop praying, the Rongku God won't respond to you." Cui Ti patted the Rabbit.

The Rabbit didn't dare move: "The Rongku God has sent down punishment; everyone who is disrespectful to the god will receive severe punishment!"

"How severe?" Cui Ti asked for instruction earnestly.

The Rabbit didn't know how to explain for a moment. Cui Ti picked up the Rabbit and pointed to the carcass of a wild ox, asking: "Are you talking about him?"

Him...

The Rabbit stared at the wild ox: "That's right, it's him! This wild ox was still alive yesterday, and today it's become like this. A single thought of prosperity and decay, the Rongku God moved his mind, and let..."

Cui Ti examined the ox's carcass and said to the Rabbit: "The reason this ox died here is because it ate poisonous pigment. After dying from poisoning, its body was also severely corroded by the pigment."

"There is still a lot of residual pigment on this mountain. This pigment is fatal to most creatures in this territory, so for a long time in the future, you still cannot come to this mountain to forage."

"But there is good news: you don't need to worry about punishment from Rong Rong Sijiao anymore. He was a pure Color Cultivator. Everything you saw on the mountain was a scene he decorated with pigment, and now that this pigment is out of control, it proves that his life has also come to an end."

The Rabbit looked up at Cui Ti: "Are you saying, the Rongku God, is gone?"

"Yes, he's gone." Cui Ti didn't know how to persuade a rabbit, nor did he know how to persuade the living creatures in this territory from now on.

He returned to the original spot and met up with Li Li Banfeng. Li Li Banfeng gave him a very good suggestion: "You don't need to persuade them; let the Rongku God persuade them."

Li Li Banfeng handed both contracts to Cui Ti: "From now on, you are the Rongku God. Spend more time together, and you will definitely be able to adapt to each other."

Inner Continent, Wubian City

Luo Su Lijun entered the Xuanhai Pharmacy. The pharmacist Lang Lang Daoshou and the physician Xie Xie Baheng stepped forward together to salute.

"Greetings, Lord Luo."

Luo Su Lijun waved a hand: "Forget it. How is the research on the medicinal agent going?"

The pharmacist Lang Lang Daoshou was a mantis shrimp. Just as he was about to speak, the physician Xie Xie Baheng preempted him: "We haven't figured out the medicinal properties yet. We ask Lord Luo to give us more time." "How much more time do you want?" Luo Su Lijun was angry. "The ready-made medicine is right in front of you; can't you even copy it?"

Xie Xie Baheng was a crab; he hurriedly apologized: "This subordinate is incompetent. Lord Luo, please calm your anger." "Where did Shan Dan Yuzhu go?"

Xie Xie Baheng said: "Dan Yuzhu went to prepare medicinal materials; she will be here shortly."

It had been Xie Xie Baheng answering the whole time, and Luo Su Lijun was somewhat dissatisfied. She looked at Lang Lang Daoshou: "Are you mute?" Lang Lang Daoshou shook his eyes and squeezed out a sentence: "Yes, she will be here shortly."

Luo Su Lijun said angrily: "What's the use of feeding you bunch of trash with such a large salary? Within three days, if I don't see the antidote, find an iron chain to lock yourselves up and wait for the prison!" Luo Su Lijun left. Xie Xie Baheng sat down on a chair: "What are we going to do!"

Lang Lang Daoshou wiped his tears with a pair of blade hands: "Isn't this all your fault?"

Xie Xie Baheng said angrily: "Old Lang, make yourself clear. Why is it my fault?"

Lang Lang Daoshou roared: "I solved the prescription, but your medical skills aren't enough to see the medical principles, and you're blaming me!" Xie Xie Baheng took out a piece of paper: "Look at the prescription you wrote yourself: soy sauce, white sugar, vinegar! Is this a prescription?"

"This stuff of yours is only suitable for making sweet and sour crab! If you try to fool people like this, you might as well stew me into medicinal soup!" Lang Lang Daoshou cried uncontrollably: "Speak with a conscience. I do things honestly; who did I fool?"

The two were arguing more and more fiercely when a scallop flapped its shell and entered the pharmacy.

"Two brothers, stop arguing. This medicinal agent is too special; we can't crack it at all. In my opinion, let's stop doing this useless work." Lang Lang Daoshou sobbed twice: "What do we do if we don't do it? Go to jail?"

Xie Xie Baheng waved his pair of pincer hands: "Let's reason. Why should we go to jail!"

Lang Lang Daoshou spat: "Bah! Still reasoning? Do you think Luo Su Lijun is someone who reasons?" Shan Dan Yuzhu said: "Since she doesn't reason, this matter can't be blamed on us. Let's run."

Lang Lang Daoshou was stunned: "Where to?"

Shan Dan Yuzhu said: "We definitely can't go north; they won't take us in. We can try the south; I have connections." Xie Xie Baheng lowered his head: "I have a family to take care of..."

Lang Lang Daoshou stood up: "Sister, I'll go with you. I'll bring my whole family; I absolutely won't go to jail!" Leaving Rongku Mountain, Li Li Banfeng called Luo Zhengnan to inquire about the Peddler's whereabouts.

Ever since he disappeared last time, the Peddler had broken his pattern of movement, and his whereabouts were not easy to judge. Luo Zhengnan contacted several old friends, and someone said they saw the Peddler at Ye Songqiao. Ye Songqiao was Li Li Banfeng's own territory; Li Li Banfeng knew the road well and arrived at the place in half a day.

He searched Ye Songqiao but didn't see the Peddler. He asked around, and the Peddler had left yesterday. Li Li Banfeng asked where the Peddler's next stop was, but because the Peddler had changed his route, no one else knew clearly. Where could he find him?

Li Li Banfeng returned to Green Water City, sat in the room at Xiaoyao Wu, and looked at the clouds in the sky...

White courtyard, white house, white room, white walls. In a snow-white residence, the Peddler was cleaning a scorch mark on the back wall in the living room.

This scorch mark wasn't actually very big, but the Peddler found it an eyesore, like an ink dot on a piece of white paper; the more he looked, the more uncomfortable he felt.

Dipping it in soap water, he wiped it several times. The scorched mark was wiped very faint, but even if only a trace remained, it still made the Peddler feel uncomfortable. He found some white paint from his cart, wanting to completely cover this scorch mark, but the color of the white paint was too bright, and it looked a bit uncoordinated.

This paint needs to be blended.

The Peddler found other pigments and mixed them into the white paint. Feeling it was about the same as the surrounding color, he took out a small brush, dipped it in the paint, and covered the scorch mark bit by bit. After brushing it back and forth several times, the trace was finally invisible. The Peddler was very satisfied, tidied up the flowers and plants in the courtyard, and pushed his cart out of the courtyard gate.

After walking quite a distance, the Peddler suddenly felt a palpitation in his heart. He looked back and discovered there was an extra figure in the courtyard. The Peddler pushed his cart back into the courtyard and saw Li Li Banfeng holding a lighter, burning the ivy on the back wall.

This was the back wall the Peddler had just brushed with white paint, and a large area had been scorched by Li Li Banfeng. The Peddler hurriedly extinguished the fire and asked Li Li Banfeng: "What are you doing here?"

Li Li Banfeng replied calmly: "Burning the house." The Peddler asked again: "Why are you burning my house again?" Li Li Banfeng retorted: "Isn't this a fire cloud?"

"I'll let you have a fire cloud!" The Peddler pulled out a feather duster, and Li Li Banfeng ran away. The two ran around the house once, Li Li Banfeng disappeared, and the Peddler pushed his cart and jumped down from the clouds.

Li Li Banfeng was sitting in the room at Xiaoyao Wu, dazed, when the Peddler pushed his cart and rushed in, pointing the feather duster at Li Li Banfeng: "Didn't I tell you not to burn my house? Why did you go again?"

Li Li Banfeng woke up as if from a dream, shook his head and said: "It wasn't me!" "Then what's in your hand?"

Li Li Banfeng lowered his head and discovered he was still holding the lighter, his thumb flicking the fire wheel, *snap, snap*, still striking fire. He figured out one thing: what exactly had caused the fire at Xiaoyao Wu before.

"This matter is so magical," Li Li Banfeng sighed, "I have no impression of it at all!"

"You have no impression? You burned my house, how do we settle this account?" The Peddler raised the feather duster and started hitting.

Li Li Banfeng hugged his head and shouted: "Senior Brother, put down the feather duster first. I have an urgent matter to find you for. I couldn't find you, so I had to use the Cloud Gate Technique." "What are you looking for me for?"

"I mentioned the boundary line to you before. You said it could only be used when two hundred people passed at once, so later I handled this matter." The Peddler put down the feather duster and rolled a cigarette for Li Li Banfeng: "Come, Junior Brother, sit down and talk slowly. Can two hundred people pass now?" Li Li Banfeng bit the cigarette and said: "Two hundred is too many. Is one hundred okay?"

"One hundred is a bit lacking..." The Peddler pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly.

Li Li Banfeng said: "Isn't the New Year coming? Save one if you can." The Peddler looked at Li Li Banfeng: "Let them have a good New Year?"

"Yes! Have a good New Year!"

The Peddler muttered to himself: "There is a group of people who might not live until after the New Year. There aren't many of them. Saving them is appropriate." "How many people are there?"

"Ten thousand."

"So many?" Li Li Banfeng's Dark Bridge could only carry one hundred at most. "If we bring all ten thousand people out, wouldn't we have to take one hundred trips?" "One hundred trips?" The Peddler shook his head. "Where would there be such a good thing? Bringing them out once is already considered our gain."

"Then bring out one hundred people?"

"No, if we bring them, we have to bring them all."

"How do we bring them?" Li Li Banfeng didn't understand.

The Peddler pondered for a long time and said to Li Li Banfeng: "Brother, go to Haichi Ridge, go to Sandaoling to get a cart." "Who do I find to get it?"

"Find Pan Pan Dehai."

"Okay," Li Li Banfeng nodded, "I've been to the teahouse he opened; I should be able to find him there."

The Peddler shook his head: "Don't go to the teahouse, don't go to the business he opened. Pan Pan Dehai is timid. If you go directly to him, there are some things he might not dare to do."

"Go to Sandaoling, go to a place with many people and walk around. It's best if Pan Pan Dehai can find you directly. If you don't see him after a day, ask someone where there are old carts for rent. Ask twice, and Pan Pan Dehai should come out."

Li Li Banfeng didn't know what exactly an old cart was: "My Dark Bridge can only carry one hundred people at most. If you load ten thousand people into the cart, isn't it still ten thousand people? The bridge still won't be able to carry it."

The peddler pondered for a moment, still feeling quite confident: "I estimate this bridge should be able to hold up; I just don't know if it can cross the boundary line of the Three-Fork Ridge." "Is the boundary line of the Three-Fork Ridge different?"

The peddler nodded and said: "It really is different. You go to the Three-Ridge first to scout the location, and together with Old Pan, pick a suitable spot. Brother, there is one more thing I must make clear to you: you are responsible for settling the ten thousand people we bring out this time."

"That's easy to handle. Send them all to Snake Bridge Village in Green Water Bay. There are already thirty thousand there; with ten thousand more, no one will notice." "Then it's settled. I'm off to find my sweetheart!" The peddler pushed his cart to leave.

Li Li Banfeng said angrily: "You're sending me to Sea-Eating Ridge while you go off to have fun with your sweetheart?" The peddler looked back and said: "I'm going to find my sweetheart to handle serious business; it's not as sordid as you're imagining!"...

Li Li Banfeng went to Sea-Eating Ridge via the New Land. This route was different from taking the train. If you take the train, you arrive at First-Ridge first; if you walk the New Land, you arrive at Three-Ridge first. Li Li Banfeng was very familiar with Three-Ridge; when he first came to Sea-Eating Ridge for disaster relief, Three-Ridge was the first place he arrived.

The layout of Sea-Eating Ridge hadn't changed. First-Ridge was the city, Second-Ridge was three towns, and Three-Ridge consisted of dozens of villages, large and small.

Nowadays, these villages were very busy. With the New Year approaching, every household was preparing New Year goods while also preparing offerings to worship the Seventh Master. Ever since Li Li Banfeng brought the insect plague under control, the custom of worshipping the Seventh Master in Sea-Eating Ridge had been preserved, with different methods of worship in different places.

In First-Ridge, they just lit incense and offered a few prayers; it was a gesture of the heart.

Second-Ridge was quite different; there had to be a proper spirit tablet, proper offerings, and a strict worship procedure. By the time you reached Three-Ridge, there were dedicated Seventh Master temples, and the rules for worship were much more numerous.

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, one had to come to the temple to light incense, set up a stage, and hire a troupe to perform seven grand plays in front of the temple gate; this was called cheering for the Seventh Master.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, one had to come to the temple again to light incense and invite artists from all walks of life to come and tell stories, sing songs, perform martial arts, do acrobatics, and perform magic tricks, keeping the place lively from morning till night; this was called welcoming the Seventh Master's triumphant return!

Among all the Seventh Master temples, the largest was in Pancake Village. From the twenty-seventh of the twelfth month to the seventh of the first month, the temple fair in Pancake Village never stopped, with a constant stream of visitors every day, even livelier than in the city. Li Li Banfeng stood in the temple and carefully looked at the statue of the Seventh Master.

The statue was wearing a suit and a top hat, with the brim pulled very low, making the face almost invisible. Li Li Banfeng found this appearance somewhat unfamiliar; he hadn't worn a suit in a long time.

A burly man passed by Li Li Banfeng, glanced at him, and said: "What are you doing? Where are you from? You don't light incense or pay respects, what are you looking at here? So rude!" Li Li Banfeng turned his face to look; he recognized this person.

Niu Niu Fuzhi, blessed and ambitious.

When Li Li Banfeng was controlling the insect plague in Pancake Village, he had once stayed at Niu Niu Fuzhi's home. After the plague was cured, Niu Niu Fuzhi was the first to stand up and build a temple for Li Qi. Later, when Li Qi went to Scoundrel Ridge, he even saved Niu Niu Fuzhi's nephew, Niu Niu Guangda.

Yet now, Niu Niu Fuzhi actually didn't recognize Li Li Banfeng. On one hand, it was because Li Li Banfeng's attire had changed too much; on the other, it was because Residential Cultivators had a talent for being overlooked. Li Li Banfeng shrugged his eyebrows and walked away.

Niu Niu Fuzhi snorted and said: "You're unhappy just because I said a couple of words to you? You look like you're from out of town. Do you know what place this is? You don't show respect to the Seventh Master, yet you dare to enter this temple!"

Li Li Banfeng strolled around Pancake Village for a while and saw Niu Niu Jingchuan, who was selecting seeds. Niu Niu Jingchuan was a Farming Cultivator; when Pancake Village was able to endure the insect plague, Niu Niu Jingchuan had performed a great service.

He was selecting seeds; every year, one had to carefully select a bowl of good seeds to offer to the Seventh Master; this was the rule of Pancake Village. Li Li Banfeng squatted beside Niu Niu Jingchuan and asked: "Is there anyone nearby who rents old carts?"

"Yes! Just over there toward the village entrance." Li Li Banfeng thanked him and left.

Niu Niu Jingchuan picked up a few seeds, stood up abruptly, and searched all around for the figure of the person just now. Who was that person?

The voice sounded a bit familiar.

Li Li Banfeng walked to the village entrance and saw the so-called old cart rental.

The old carts were carriage-style, some pulled by horses, others by oxen. They could carry people and cargo, and one could even sleep inside the carriage, making them the transport of choice for long journeys.

Many people hired these carts to travel from Three-Ridge to First-Ridge. When choosing a cart, one generally picked an older driver, as they knew what kind of roads to avoid and what kind of people to dodge; hence, these carriages were also called old carts.

Li Li Banfeng walked around the village entrance; there were three old carts waiting for work. Li Li Banfeng scanned them; he didn't look for the oldest, nor the strongest, but the one with the most virtue. He stepped forward and asked: "Old Pan, out doing business?"

Pan Pan Dehai looked around. He hadn't expected Li Li Banfeng to call "Old Pan" out directly. "Guest, where are you going?" Pan Pan Dehai still wanted to continue pretending to be a driver.

"Let's just ride around the area first." Li Li Banfeng got on the cart. Pan Pan Dehai drove the cart, and after not going very far, Pan Pan Dehai left a fake body outside to drive, while he himself entered the carriage. "Brother Li Qi, it's not that I want to lecture you, but this matter must be handled with extra caution. If word leaks out, it will be disastrous."

"The peddler told me to get a cart from you; is it this cart?" Although Li Li Banfeng had seen many superb techniques, he didn't think this cart could hold ten thousand people. Pan Pan Dehai shook his head and said: "What we need is the Sea-Eating Old Cart. I'll take you to see it in a moment. I have something good here; you take it first."

Old Pan took a small statue out of his pocket and handed it to Li Li Banfeng. Li Li Banfeng took a look; the statue was wearing a suit and a top hat, with the brim pulled very low. This was the statue of the Seventh Master.

"What does this mean?" Seeing Pan Pan Dehai acting so mysterious, it shouldn't be that he wanted to give Li Li Banfeng a trinket.

Pan Pan Dehai said: "This contains human popularity, the Seventh Master's popularity. By rights, for the popularity on my land, I should at least keep half,

but I am a man of virtue and won't take advantage of you, a member of the younger generation. Besides, we have such a deep friendship; I'll give you all of your popularity." Was this really something Pan Pan Dehai would say?

Was the person in front of him really Pan Pan Dehai?

Li Li Banfeng stared at Pan Pan Dehai for a long time. Pan Pan Dehai frowned and said: "If you don't want it, forget it. Do you think I'd lie to you?" "Can this thing really store human popularity?" Many people had told Li Li Banfeng that only a Land Seal could store human popularity.

"Whether it's true or false, you'll know once you try." Pan Pan Dehai removed a talisman paper from the back of the statue. Human popularity surged within the statue; Li Li Banfeng could feel it.

Since there was popularity, he collected it immediately to avoid any complications.

Li Li Banfeng placed the small statue on his head, and the popularity surged in continuously. It took more than ten minutes to absorb it all. Li Li Banfeng was very surprised: "There's this much popularity here?"

Pan Pan Dehai nodded: "If you waited until after the New Year, there would be even more. Right now is the time to worship the Seventh Master." "That shouldn't be right. How many people are there in Sea-Eating Ridge? It's only been two years; how could there be so much popularity?"

Pan Pan Dehai sighed: "This truly makes me envious. For there to be much popularity, it depends on sincerity. The heart that Sea-Eating Ridge has for you is real." PS: Where did Pan Pan Dehai learn the method to store human popularity?