Chapter 649

Li Li Banfeng held the gold coin and practiced manipulating the copper coin. This practice lasted for three full hours.

During these three hours, the technique of Family Treasure Counting was always on. Li Li Banfeng's physical strength was squeezed dry, his face was pale, and sweat poured down like rain.

The phonograph felt very distressed but didn't stop Li Li Banfeng. Li Li Banfeng rarely polished his techniques usually. Family Treasure Counting was the pillar technique of Residential Cultivation and also the technique Li Li Banfeng was most proficient in, but even so, the phonograph still felt that this technique was a bit lacking.

After these three hours, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Li Li Banfeng had reached the pinnacle of using the technique; at least in the phonograph's view, this technique was worthy of the cultivation of the third layer of the Cloud Above.

The gold coin had completely surrendered. It didn't need Li Li Banfeng to use any skills; now, just by saying a word to it, it could understand.

"Stand up!"

The gold coin stood on Li Li Banfeng's palm.

"Dance!"

The gold coin spun several times on Li Li Banfeng's palm.

"Smile!"

The gold coin pulled the copper coin over, the two coins overlapped, the gold coin acted as the upper lip, the copper coin acted as the lower lip, and the two coins laughed for a long time.

Li Li Banfeng patted the gold coin: "Sensible!"

The gold coin rubbed against Li Li Banfeng's fingertips and drilled into Li Li Banfeng's pocket.

There was still one copper coin left, which Li Li Banfeng gave to the lady.

The lady sealed it with steam and said to Li Li Banfeng: "My husband, this copper coin is a good thing. If you find it in the future, don't throw it away; give it all to Little Slave for safekeeping."

Li Li Banfeng was stunned: "This also counts as a good thing?"

"A legitimate good thing. Little Slave will help my husband collect as many as my husband can find."

"Good, I'll go out and search around." Li Li Banfeng stood up to leave.

The phonograph stopped Li Li Banfeng affectionately: "My dear husband, take this person away first; no one in the house is hungry."

Almost forgot one thing: Zhu Zhu Yugui was still alive.

Just now, the glove dug two coins out of his body, and Zhu Zhu Yugui was injured and fainted from the pain.

Li Li Banfeng glanced at Zhu Zhu Yugui: "My lady, this guest has already entered the house; there is no reason to let him leave. Why don't you eat his soul, and I'll take the corpse out?"

The lady gave a bitter smile: "I suffered to eat him, so they don't have to use chopsticks? Husband, this logic doesn't hold up!"

"Then what does my lady think is the best way?"

The phonograph thought for a moment and said to Li Li Banfeng: "Husband, leave the blood-containing pendulum behind, and leave the rest to Little Slave to handle."

Li Li Banfeng left and gave the blood-containing pendulum to the phonograph.

The pendulum shivered all over, and the phonograph poked the pendulum's cheek with a needle: "Little sister, want to eat a soul?"

The pendulum shrank into the corner of the main room: "How dare I compete for food with Madam."

"You don't dare? Then I'll lend you some courage! Feel free to eat!"

Zhu Zhu Yugui still emitted a pungent smell, and the pendulum said with a trembling voice: "Madam, I can't eat a soul."

Hiss~

A cloud of steam struck, and the pendulum let out a scream, her whole body scalded bright red.

The phonograph laughed: "Back in the old house in the wilderness, you manipulated dozens or hundreds of wandering souls, and now you tell me you don't eat souls? Do you believe this yourself?"

The pendulum looked at Zhu Zhu Yugui again: "Madam, I really can't eat this."

The phonograph softened her tone: "Little sister, you are almost pregnant; being so picky, how can you grow fat?"

Hearing that the matter was exposed, the pendulum hurriedly begged for mercy: "Madam, I know I was wrong; spare me this once, Madam..."

The phonograph gently stroked the pendulum's cheek and said softly: "Silly sister, if you want a body, why didn't you just tell me? Can I stop you? Can you hide it?"

"I let you eat this soul for your own good. Your soul is not complete now; even if you have a body, you can't manipulate it. Hurry up and eat this soul!" Another cloud of steam struck, and the pendulum was almost melted.

Since the phonograph had said so much, the pendulum knew she was ashamed and didn't dare to argue half a sentence. While sobbing, she ate the soul.

The phonograph was quite satisfied: "Good sister, chew carefully, eat slowly, and savor the taste well. After you finish eating, Did Honglian will eat."

Swish!

Did Honglian closed her flower leaves in the second room, looking like an ornament, sitting on the ground without moving.

Watching the pendulum finish eating the soul, the phonograph snorted coldly: "If Did Honglian doesn't eat, you can share it; choose for yourself!"

Xiang Xiang Hongying looked at Nine Girls upon hearing this.

Nine Girls stepped forward and pressed Did Honglian down, and Xiang Xiang Hongying pried open Did Honglian's petals.

After leaving the Leaving Suishenju, Li Li Banfeng found Tan Tan Jinxiao: "Old Tan, I know you never chicken out. I want to help you take the mark out today; do you dare or not?"

"What's there not to dare?" Tan Tan Jinxiao didn't hesitate at all. "Seventh Master, if this thing can be taken out, even if I die here, it counts as me dying clean and tidy. When I walk on the road to the Yellow Springs, my back will be straight!"

This person is truly a good man. Li Li Banfeng took out the music box and played a song for Tan Tan Jinxiao.

With Tan Tan Jinxiao's cultivation, the music box couldn't knock him down, but Li Li Banfeng told Tan Tan Jinxiao: "Old Tan, you have to sleep. If you don't sleep, I can't take the mark out."

Tan Tan Jinxiao followed Li Li Banfeng's suggestion, lay on the bed, listened to the little tune in the music box, and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Li Banfeng used the beggar's bowl to hit the dark dimension and let the glove take the copper coin out.

Out of curiosity, Li Li Banfeng probed with the bowl for a while, but found that the dark dimension in Tan Tan Jinxiao's body had disappeared.

A dark dimension wouldn't disappear out of thin air, but why couldn't it be perceived after taking the copper coin?

After thinking for a long time, Li Li Banfeng made a reasonably rational speculation.

This dark dimension wasn't originally on Old Tan. After Old Tan was marked, the dark dimension ran to Old Tan by itself and took the copper coin in.

This process wasn't easy to understand; was it a Crafting Method or some other means?

Li Li Banfeng turned the copper coin on his fingertips and felt that this thing really had to be given to the lady for careful research.

Buildings, copper coins, dark dimensions... Master Master Kongfang is not only good at fighting, but his techniques are also extraordinary.

Tan Tan Jinxiao woke up from his sleep, looked at the copper coin in Li Li Banfeng's hand, and was stunned: "Is this the mark?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded slightly.

Tan Tan Jinxiao looked at the copper coin, his hands trembling a bit.

He thought he would never be able to shake off this mark in his life, but he didn't expect that there would really be such a day when someone could take this thing out.

"Seventh Master, can this be thrown away..." Tan Tan Jinxiao didn't dare to hold it for too long; he was afraid that the copper coin would drill into his body again. He was truly scared.

"Don't throw it away; I still have use for it." Li Li Banfeng put the copper coin away.

"Seventh Master, I still have quite a few brothers who are marked; can you..." Tan Tan Jinxiao knew this matter definitely wasn't easy, and he didn't find it easy to speak. He said half, then wanted to swallow it back.

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "I can help them take the marks out, but we have to find a suitable time. This matter cannot let them know, otherwise the matter will definitely reach the Proprietor's ears."

Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded repeatedly. He trusted his brothers, but such a big matter—if one was not careful, the news would leak out.

He sat uneasily in front of Li Li Banfeng; he didn't know how to express his gratitude to Li Li Banfeng.

Kowtow one?

Seventh Master doesn't allow kneeling or kowtowing.

Treat Seventh Master to a drink?

How can a drink repay such a matter?

How about I just...

Tan Tan Jinxiao hadn't come up with an idea yet, but he saw Li Li Banfeng leave with the copper coin: "Carefully investigate the Proprietor's whereabouts; tell me as soon as there is news."

After waiting for three full days, there was no movement from the Proprietor's side; he didn't come to the human market.

Tan Tan Jinxiao also felt this matter was abnormal: "Strange, did the Proprietor change his temper? The entire human market has been lost, and he still doesn't show his face?

But I estimate he can't hold back for too long. The human market is the most profitable place, and he definitely can't let go of this business. Let's wait another two days."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the tracks on the road: "No more waiting; go directly to the Earth Market."

The tracks had been empty for a full day; no small train came to collect goods today.

This meant the Proprietor had already taken action; he had cut off the economic lifeline of the human market.

Without being able to ship goods, the factory had no source of income. If the factory closed, the workers would have no livelihood.

As for Zhu Zhu Yugui's vault, the money inside was indeed quite a lot, and it could support them for a while just by distributing money.

Should we wait a bit longer?

This really couldn't be waited out.

The vault could support the financial path, but it couldn't support the hearts of the people. Quite a few bosses were already standing at the factory gates with their workers, stretching their necks waiting for the small train to appear.

Tan Tan Jinxiao was a bit troubled: "Seventh Master, I'm not chickening out, but I want to give a reminder: can we not go to the Earth Market and go to the Sea Market first?"

"Why not go to the Earth Market?"

"The boss of the Earth Market, Bai Ling Miaosheng, is not easy to deal with. You must have heard of him. Farming Cultivation, once it reaches the Cloud Above, is almost like a spirit; it can grow anything.

Moreover, the group of people living in the Earth Market don't dare to challenge the Proprietor; their livelihood is held in the Proprietor's hands. We must take the Sea Market first to win a way of life for the Earth Market."

Li Li Banfeng didn't understand Tan Tan Jinxiao's meaning, and Tan Tan Jinxiao couldn't explain it clearly: "Seventh Master, let's go to the Sea Market together to take a look, and you will understand."

The Sea Market is not close to the human market, and there is a section of road in the middle separated by the Earth Market, blocked by ox carts and horse carts everywhere, making it difficult to move an inch.

If it were any other place, Li Li Banfeng would have taken a detour long ago, but the Underground City is special. Most of the roads from the Earth Market to the Sea Market are long, narrow mountain caves, with no way to detour.

Li Li Banfeng looked at these drivers; judging from their clothing, they should all be farmers.

This was within Li Li Banfeng's expectations. The human market lives by human labor, so most of those living in the human market are workers; the Earth Market lives by land, so those living in the Earth Market should be farmers.

But what are these farmers doing carrying so much soil to the Sea Market?

"They are going to exchange soil," Tan Tan Jinxiao explained. "The soil in the Earth Market is dug out from the cracks in the rocks. It's barely enough to plant luminous seeds, but for non-luminous seeds, the fertility is not enough."

Luminous seeds refer to normal crops; in the words of the Outer Continent, they are plants that grow using photosynthesis.

Non-luminous seeds, some do not perform photosynthesis, and some perform photosynthesis with special properties, which are not the same as plants in the traditional sense.

The plants growing in the New Land are non-luminous seeds. The growth of this type of plant relies on the fertility of the land. The so-called fertility is also not quite the same as the definition in the Outer Continent; not many people can clearly explain the specific difference.

Tan Tan Jinxiao pointed to the horse carts carrying soil and said: "These soils have been planted for a year and have been squeezed dry. Isn't spring coming? Farmers have to hurry up and change the soil, or nothing will grow in the fields next year."

Where can this soil be exchanged?

Li Li Banfeng was about to ask clearly when he heard Xiao Yeci say: "Benefactor, that donkey is eating coal!"

The donkey Xiao Yeci mentioned was not far from Li Li Banfeng—gray hair, long ears, big face; judging from its appearance, it was indeed a donkey.

The old man driving the donkey shoveled a shovel of coal from a sack on the cart and sent it to the donkey's mouth.

The donkey chewed and ate it, and after eating, it called out "Hee-haw, hee-haw" several times.

Outside, the spring was cold, but there were many people in the cave, and it was a bit stuffy.

Every time this donkey called, it would spray thick mist.

It wasn't just this donkey; all the other livestock pulling the carts had a common characteristic: every time they breathed, they would spray a large amount of white mist.

This was clearly not the livestock breathing; this was a steam engine spraying steam.

"Are these livestock from the Inner Continent? They look like livestock, but they are actually machines."

Tan Tan Jinxiao shook his head: "They can't be considered as coming from the Inner Continent. They are like Old Chen's wife; it's unclear where they come from.

Some say they grow in the ground, some say they are born in the water, and others say they are transformed from insects. Some say that ever since there were people in Santoucha, they have existed.

When the Inner Continent attacked, they didn't associate with the Inner Continent; when people from Puluo Continent came, they didn't associate with the Puluo Continent people either.

People from the Outer Continent wanted to take them out for research, but once they left Santoucha, they wouldn't last long before they were finished; their bodies were shattered, and their souls had nowhere to be found."

Li Li Banfeng touched a cow beside him.

That cow glanced at Li Li Banfeng, a bit angry, a bit wary, and a bit afraid. It called out and hid beside its owner.

Looking at the cow's disgusted eyes, Li Li Banfeng gave a dry laugh: "Their temper is quite special."

Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded: "It is indeed different. They only associate with people from Santoucha. As long as they have a home in Santoucha and meet the right person, they are willing to live with them."

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Has anyone ever met the right person with you?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao lowered his head and whispered: "If there really was such a one, my child would be able to buy soy sauce."

Li Li Banfeng raised his hat brim, dumbfounded: "What did you just say? Can they still have children?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded: "Yes! Some are born as humans, some are born similar to them, and some are born and form their own lineage, looking like neither side!"

Li Li Banfeng couldn't speak.

He looked at the cow again, not knowing how to address this type of living creature.

Calling them machines is definitely inappropriate.

Call them robots?

It doesn't seem appropriate either.

"What do you usually call them?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao said: "We usually call them locals, because they never leave Santoucha."

Locals?

Where do the locals come from?

This title made Li Li Banfeng have some associations.

"Hasn't a single local ever left Santoucha?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao thought for a long time: "There is one. I can't remember things too far away, so let's talk about what's right in front of us.

A few years ago, a young man who dug for medicine in the mountains saved quite a bit of money and left Santoucha. It is said that a local was as close as a brother to him and also left with him.

As for what that local looked like, there are many versions. Some say it was a cat, some say it was a bird, some say it was a horse, and others say it was a gun he often used. That's how the rumors go, but whether this matter is true or false, I can't be sure."

The two chatted while following the crowd forward.

After walking for a full day, Li Li Banfeng smelled a dampness with a fishy smell.

This is the fishy smell unique to rivers and lakes. Li Li Banfeng walked a bit further and heard the sound of waves hitting rocks!

The sound of the tide!

Li Li Banfeng followed the crowd forward; the road went faster and faster, and the speed of the crowd became faster and faster.

Not long after, the long, narrow, and cramped tunnel came to an end, and the crowd that had gathered together dispersed, because the space ahead was very open, giving the farmers who had been rushing all the way plenty of room to move.

Li Li Banfeng stood on the beach and looked into the distance.

He saw stone pillars extending from the ceiling to the water surface, and also saw stalagmites extending from under the water to the ceiling. He saw ethereal and faint mist lingering and entangling in the darkness.

The scenery was indeed spectacular, but these were not the point.

The point was, Li Li Banfeng saw the sea.

He saw an endless sea surface in a cave where the space was extremely oppressive.

This matter cannot be explained. The walls of the cave disappeared here, or perhaps they were beyond Li Li Banfeng's line of sight.

But Li Li Banfeng could still clearly see the mottled rock ceiling and the surging sea under the ceiling.

Whoosh!

The waves rushed onto the shore, and the deafening sound of the tide echoed repeatedly in the cave.

Li Li Banfeng scooped up some seawater and placed it in his palm. The water was very cool and very clear. Crucially, it didn't have the salty taste of the Outer Continent's seawater. He turned back and asked Tan Tan Jinxiao: "Can it be drunk?"

"Yes!" Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded. "This is different from the outside; this seawater is fresh and much cleaner than the water outside!"

Li Li Banfeng was about to take a sip to taste it when he heard someone fighting beside him.

"You didn't give enough soil. I just unloaded the cart, and the soil pile is right there. How much did you exchange for me? Let's compare right here to see whose soil pile is higher."

"It's useless to say all this. Let's look at the scale, not the pile. One catty for one catty; if you don't exchange, take it away."

"Your scale is definitely wrong. Soil prices rose this year, and you still didn't give enough weight. You are too deceitful!"

A farmer and a boat boss were fighting.

Tan Tan Jinxiao lowered his voice: "Seventh Master, this is exchanging soil—exchanging old soil for new soil, and you have to add money.

It's not easy for farmers to earn two coins. Six-tenths of the grain at home is handed over for rent. Of the remaining four-tenths, two-tenths are kept for themselves to eat, one-tenth is sold at the market, and the remaining one-tenth is all used to exchange for new soil."

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Where does this new soil come from?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao looked into the distance: "From the Soil-Nurturing Island. This island is quite far. By boat, it takes three to five days to go and return. Farmers in the Earth Market send the old soil to the Sea Market, pay the money, exchange it for new soil, and pull it back.

The boats in the Sea Market pull the old soil to the Soil-Nurturing Island, unload the soil, load up new soil, and come back. This is the annual soil exchange. Whether it's the Earth Market or the Sea Market, this is a big job."

It is indeed a big job, especially for farmers in the Earth Market.

An old farmer had just loaded a cart of soil. Li Li Banfeng looked at the quantity and asked: "How much land can this cover? Is there half a mu?"

"Half a mu?" Tan Tan Jinxiao shook his head. "Seventh Master, you're joking. Ten carts of soil can't even cover one mu of land!

Exchanging soil is not a one-day job. From the end of the autumn harvest, you have to start exchanging soil. Except for resting for two days during the New Year, you have to run back and forth all winter. Even working this hard, when spring comes, the soil still isn't finished exchanging!"

Li Li Banfeng looked at the many people in the distance driving livestock and pulling soil toward the shore. The crowd flowed endlessly in the long, narrow cave, just like...

Just like a train traveling in a mountain cave.

"Why not use a train to transport soil?" Li Li Banfeng was pondering this matter. "Using a train to pull old soil over is much faster than using ox carts and horse carts, right?

And you don't need so many farmers to walk here; just hiring a batch of loading and unloading workers would be enough!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao sighed: "The logic is that logic, but the Proprietor said that not so many railways can be built."

"Why can't they be built? Doesn't the human market have plenty of railways?"

"Seventh Master, the railways in the human market are for transporting goods! Transporting goods is for the business of the Underground City; this is an urgent matter!"

Li Qi felt this matter had even more problems: "Spring planting and autumn harvest, and then soil exchange in winter—this is not letting people rest all year round, right?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao was speechless; this matter wasn't decided by him either.

Li Li Banfeng saw the clue: "Spring planting and autumn harvest, and then soil exchange in winter—this is not letting people rest all year round, right?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded: "It's just not letting them rest. They are afraid that if they are idle, they will think about things. Seventh Master, the reason I didn't let you go to the Earth Market before is also for this reason.

Soil is the life of farmers. When exchanging soil, if we go to the Earth Market and the Proprietor blocks this road to the Sea Market, the soil can't be exchanged, and there will be no harvest for a year. How can these farmers live?"

"So to take the Earth Market, we must take the Sea Market first."

"You think the Sea Market is so easy to take?" A boatman beside them, wearing black pants, a blue jacket, and a bamboo hat, smiled at the two.

Tan Tan Jinxiao looked at the boatman: "Guan Guan Huodong, you came really coincidentally."

Guan Guan Huodong shook his head: "This can't be called coincidental. Your voices were too loud, and I had been watching you for a long time."

This is the boss of the Sea Market, Guan Guan Huodong. He is a Peeping Cultivator of the Cloud Above. From the coast to the sea, there are his hooks everywhere. Even though Residential Cultivators have the characteristic of not being easily detected, it is very difficult to hide from his ears.

Li Li Banfeng looked Guan Guan Huodong up and down and asked very seriously: "Is there any logic to your name?"

Guan Guan Huodong frowned: "Does this have anything to do with you?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao explained from the side: "He chose this name himself; it means 'clear as fire'!"

Li Li Banfeng was startled: "I didn't think of that!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao praised: "Most people wouldn't think of it. The name Guan Guan Huodong has literary talent; he has read books!"

The two talked and laughed, and it seemed there was nothing big happening in front of them.

Guan Guan Huodong smiled: "Old Tan, you are playing the fool with me when you are about to die. Let me give you a reminder: next life, come to the Sea Market, don't make such a big noise when you talk. This noise makes you look stupid, makes you look clumsy, makes you look like you haven't learned your lesson!"

As the words fell, Guan Guan Huodong's eyes turned, staring at Li Qi, and he clenched his right hand into a fist.

The words were directed at Tan Tan Jinxiao, but the means were directed at Li Qi. He used all his strength in this move; even if he couldn't kill Li Qi, he had to make Li Qi a useless person.

Tan Tan Jinxiao hadn't reacted yet, but Li Qi clutched his chest, as if he had a heart attack, and fell to the ground.

What's going on...

Tan Tan Jinxiao was stunned. Li Qi could help him take the mark out; did he not take the mark out of his own body?

"Don't worry about him; now it's your turn." Guan Guan Huodong looked at Tan Tan Jinxiao with a smile, and just as he was about to clench his fist, he suddenly felt someone standing behind him.

Li Li Banfeng stood behind him, smiling slightly: "I think you are the one who is anxious. It's just your turn now; it's not his turn yet."

PS: Where is the end of the Underground Sea?