CHAPTER 480: 336 DISASTER AVOIDANCE_2

"What is Puluo State called?"

"You know about Puluo State?"

"I’ve heard you mention it before. You said it’s a place where one can truly develop their skills."

Chen Changrui smiled. "In Puluo State, this Strange Monster is called a Domestic Silkworm."

"Hearing the name, it doesn’t seem to be taken very seriously."

"Taken seriously? How should I put it?" Chen Changrui said with a bitter smile. "In Puluo State, there’s a special place called New Land. There, any hunter can easily bring down a Domestic Silkworm. It’s just that because there’s nothing valuable on a Domestic Silkworm, hunters can’t be bothered with them."

Qin Minghui was listening intently. "So, isn’t Puluo State very powerful?"

Chen Changrui shook his head. "The people of Puluo State are formidable, but Puluo State itself isn’t strong. You’ll understand once you’ve been there."

...

Ma Wu stared into Ah Qin’s eyes for a long time.

Yesterday, he had plucked the Emotional Root out of Huoling’s eyes, and she quickly returned to normal. However, try as he might, the Emotional Root in Ah Qin’s eyes just wouldn’t come out; it was like a soft thorn that was hard to get a grip on.

Fortunately, Ah Qin was somewhat lucid. When Ma Wu told her not to watch movies anymore, she listened to his words and simply stayed at the newspaper office for the night. When he checked the next morning, the Emotional Root was gone from Ah Qin’s eyes.

When asked about the movie "Blood Blade Detective," Ah Qin no longer had any special feelings.

"It was just something new to look at. It’s not that great a movie," she said.

Huoling agreed. "I watch movies for fun, but this movie wasn’t really fun, though it did preach quite a few grand principles."

Ma Wu found it all the more strange.

Could it be that he was overly concerned? Could it really be that the two women simply wanted to see something new?

He had Bai Qiusheng arrange a Guide Token and bought train tickets, preparing for a trip to Pants Belt Pit.

Huoling was not pleased. "Wulang, what are you doing going there? Aren’t the two of us enough?"

Ah Qin also tried to persuade him. "You’ve just been promoted; you need to be careful with your conduct."

Ma Wu looked at the bloodstain on the handkerchief, left there by Huoling.

Was this really an Emotional Root? Maybe only she could verify it.

...

At Medicine King Valley Station, Li Banfeng got off the train and asked around the square for the Coachman with the Fire Wheel.

It was a rare visit, and if he could meet him, he’d like to learn about the Seventh Layer Technique.

An old master who was familiar with the Coachman with the Fire Wheel said, "That brother of mine went home yesterday afternoon. He said he was going to avoid disaster and even told me to go home and hide too.

"But how could I? If I don’t work for a day, I can’t make a living. My whole family depends on me for food."

Avoid disaster?

The Coachman was a big shot among Traveling Cultivators. His ability to Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster was not to be underestimated. If he said he needed to avoid disaster, there must be something up.

What could it be?

Li Banfeng heightened his guard, didn’t take a coach, and walked directly into Li Gou.

Li Gou felt familiar. It was Li Banfeng’s first stop in Puluo State. He was especially familiar with Paifang Street; every shop was well-known to him, including the Xianle Dance Hall he had blown up.

The dance hall had been rebuilt, and the facade looked much the same as before. He heard it was still a business of the Jiang Xiang Gang.

Should he blow it up again? Another day, perhaps.

First, he needed to find Shopkeeper Feng.

Li Banfeng arrived at Feng’s Grocery Store, only to find the shop’s doors closed.

Where had they gone off to enjoy themselves? Was Chunsheng not around either?

The neighboring Yu Family Cloth Store was also closed.

What was going on?

Li Banfeng was about to ask someone for information when he suddenly felt someone approaching from behind.

He whipped around and saw a lanky figure blurting out, "You’re back and didn’t even tell anyone?"

Qiu Zhiheng was thrilled to bump into him on the street by chance.

Perhaps accustomed to their unspoken understanding, Li Banfeng said little, and Qiu Zhiheng asked little. He directly took Li Banfeng to Qiu’s Pharmacy, saying, "Come on, let’s go home for dinner."

Upon arriving at the pharmacy and after being introduced by Qiu Zhiheng, his Sister-in-Law learned that this man was Li Qi.

The Sister-in-Law was also delighted and personally cooked for the two of them.

The medicine shop was doing brisk business. After stumbling along for many years, Qiu Zhiheng finally had his own venture and managed it with great care.

With a table full of food and drink prepared by his Sister-in-Law, the two men had a few drinks, and Qiu Zhiheng said, "Take a look at the account books later and calculate the Hua Hong."

It was clearly agreed from the start: Li Banfeng would provide the funds, and Qiu Zhiheng would do the work, sharing the profits fifty-fifty. When it came time to split the money, Qiu Zhiheng certainly wouldn’t let Li Banfeng lose out.

Li Banfeng waved his hand. "You can use my share of the Hua Hong for now. Let’s work on expanding the business. I came this time to find Shopkeeper Feng of Feng’s Grocery Store. Do you know where he’s gone?"

The Sister-in-Law interjected, "He said he’s gone into hiding to avoid disaster and also told us it might be best to close for a couple of days."

Why would Shopkeeper Feng be hiding to avoid disaster? What exactly is going on?

Qiu Zhiheng said, "We’ve just opened for business; we can’t just close down like that. I suspect the Jiang Xiang Gang is looking to make trouble. I want to see what kind of tricks they can pull here."

Is it really the Jiang Xiang Gang? It makes sense that Shopkeeper Feng is hiding from the Jiang Xiang Gang. But why would the Coachman need to hide from the Jiang Xiang Gang? Could there be something else going on here?

While he was pondering, Qiu Zhiheng’s son ran in with a flushed face, laughing, "Sister Cao Ye has come."

Cao Ye? Which Cao Ye?

Li Banfeng stepped outside to see, and it was indeed the same Cao Ye he had met on Kuwu Mountain. Cao Ye stood at the entrance of the pharmacy with red eyes, a carriage halted behind her.

Next to the carriage stood a man, around sixty, wearing a short jacket and a parted hairstyle, sporting a profound smile, and speaking to Cao Ye in the tone of an elder, "Don’t take it the wrong way when I say this, but what’s the use of the business you’re running? How much can you earn from delivering a batch of herbs? You still want to open a medicine shop? You still dream of doing big business? Take a look at yourself. Do you have what it takes? Have you thought about whether you have the fate for it?"

Upon hearing these words, Cao Ye burst into tears.

That seems a bit much. On Kuwu Mountain, Cao Ye was someone who had fought for her life; surely she wouldn’t cry over a few words from this old man, would she? Who was this old man to her?

While Li Banfeng was still assessing the situation, Qiu Zhiheng’s Sister-in-Law rushed out the door and pulled Cao Ye into the pharmacy.

Qiu Zhiheng said to the customers in the pharmacy, "My apologies, everyone, we’re closing for today. Please come back another day?"

The customers were displeased. What time was it? How could they just close down like that?

Qiu Zhiheng didn’t explain and sent all the customers away, locking the door immediately afterward.

Li Banfeng asked, "Big Brother Qiu, what’s happened?"

Qiu Zhiheng frowned deeply. "I’ve been away from Medicine King Valley too long; I’m out of the loop."

His Sister-in-Law interjected, "Nonsense! Shopkeeper Feng told you to go into hiding, and you wouldn’t listen!"

Qiu Zhiheng was very annoyed. "He didn’t explain himself clearly. I thought he had an enemy coming after him. Who knew this thing would show up!"

In the midst of their conversation, the old man outside shouted, "What’s the meaning of this? You close up as soon as I arrive? Is that how you do business?

"I’ll say this, though you might not like to hear it—if your pharmacy treats customers like this, it’s bound for failure!"

Qiu Zhiheng gritted his teeth. "Bad luck!"

Li Banfeng asked, "What does this man do exactly?"

"He’s a Grieving Cultivator!"

PS: What kind of Taoist Sect is a Grieving Cultivator? Why does everyone avoid them like the plague?