Troubled Water Business

Cui Tike came to Li Banfeng to do business.

Li Banfeng found a teahouse, booked a private room, and had a detailed discussion with Cui Tike.

He started by asking a question, "Why did Chu Shaoqiang want to seize the land of the Ink Fragrance Shop?"

Cui Tike replied, "According to my information, Chu Shaoqiang is eager to obtain a piece of Proper Land. Under pressure from the Inner State, he wants to find an easy target to target."

Is Ink Fragrance Shop an easy target?

Li Banfeng expressed deep skepticism. "Shouldn't the Local Earth God of the Ink Fragrance Shop be a scholar?"

Cui Tike nodded. "After arriving here, I was influenced by the local culture and developed a great interest in Pro State's literature. This must be the influence of the Local Earth God through some means."

Li Banfeng took out a map, which he had bought on the street. "Ink Fragrance Shop is no small place. It's rare for a local Local Earth God to be able to influence the entire area with their own abilities."

Wenxiu is one of the largest Daoist sects in Pro State, and its strength is considerable. If Chu Shaoqiang wanted to find an easy target, he probably wouldn't have chosen this place.

Cui Tike said, "I've had similar guesses, but according to the information your friend found out, the Local Earth God has encountered some kind of misfortune and has fallen into an extremely weak state."

My good friend.

He was referring to He Jiaqing.

"Is this news reliable? What exactly is the Local Earth God's situation?"

Cui Tike said, "My master didn't reveal any more information. As for whether this news is reliable, he asked me to verify it."

Li Banfeng was curious. "How do you test it?"

"The method my master taught me was to find a place near the Ink Fragrance Shop, spread a plague, kill all the locals, and see if the Local Earth God would intervene."

If the Local Earth God doesn't show up, it proves your friend's information is accurate, which also means Chu Shaoqiang could arrive at the Ink Fragrance Shop at any time.

At that time, the patriarch will have many options. He can wait until Chu Shaoqiang is over before reaping the benefits, or he can seize the Ink Fragrance Shop before Chu Shaoqiang and wait for the rabbit to run into the tree stump.

Li Banfeng asked, "You don't want to do this?"

"In no mood."

"Because you couldn't bear to?"

Cui Tike shook his head and said, "I can bear it, but I'm afraid. If I cause a disaster at the Ink Fragrance Shop, and the Local Earth God of the Ink Fragrance Shop doesn't go into a bad state, then the one who will go into a bad state will probably be me."

Even if the Local Earth God doesn't intervene, as you said, Wenxiu is the second most powerful sect in Pro State, and their influence won't let me off the hook.

Therefore, if I were to actually do that, regardless of the outcome, I would be the one who dies.

I'd love to wipe out everyone in the world with a plague, but only if I truly had the power. Until I do, I want to live a little longer.

Li Banfeng could understand Cui Tike's situation.

"Given this situation, what kind of business can you possibly do with me?"

"I want to find out about the Local Earth God situation at Ink Fragrance Shop in a different way, in a more normal and gentler manner."

But you know Pro State isn't very friendly to foreigners, and I'm not good at reconnaissance myself. When I was hunting you down, I had to rely on Dabo Ensi's resources.

I hope you can help me find out information about the Local Earth God. In exchange, I can reveal some information about He Jiaqing to you.

Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of information can you provide? If it's not of much value, I don't want to waste my time."

Cui Tike said, "The information I provide to you is of equal value to the information you provide to me. This isn't the first time we've done business together, and we're sure we can reach an agreement on this. I also know your capabilities and methods, and I won't risk my life in this matter."

Li Banfeng swirled the teacup in his hand. "The situation of the Local Earth God is not so easy to find out. I may only be able to find out part of the results."

Cui Tike nodded and said, "I understand. Given our cooperative relationship, I might as well tell you another truth: I don't intend to tell my master the whole story, but I need to fabricate a relatively believable lie."

The dwelling place and cultivation level of Local Earth God, or even just their name—if any one piece of information is true, then the lie becomes believable.

Of course, if you eventually discover the true nature of the Local Earth God, our deal can be upgraded. I can then selectively share some information with my ancestor, allowing him to respond appropriately, whether right or wrong.

"After Chu Shaoqiang, my ancestor, your friend, and the Local Earth God of Ink Fragrance Shop start their battle, perhaps an even bigger surprise awaits us."

Li Banfeng smiled, "You want to fish in troubled waters?"

Cui Tike said, "I think it's disrespectful to leave such delicious fish in muddy water."

"That depends on how murky and deep the water is."

Cui Tike picked up his teacup and took a sip. "No matter how murky or deep the water is, I have to go in. I have no choice."

But you're different. You can choose not to go into the water, and even if you do, you can get back on shore anytime. You won't lose out on this deal.

Li Banfeng looked out the window, from where he could still see the old Poetry Club: "Will you still go to that Poetry Club?"

"Yes," Cui Tike nodded. "There aren't many places where you can find information, so this is a good place. Even if the girls there don't like me, at least I can still gather some folk customs and anecdotes."

"If you see my poems in the poetry book, it means I've found the results. Wait for me at the Poetry Club, and I'll contact you when I have the chance."

Li Banfeng left the teahouse, strolled around the Ink Fragrance Shop, and returned to Yan Sha Study as night fell.

Tan Fucheng was reading in the courtyard. He didn't know many characters, so he had to use a dictionary, which made reading very difficult.

He pulled up a chair for Li Banfeng: "Seventh Master, please sit down."

Li Banfeng didn't sit down. Tan Fucheng was a Confucian scholar, and sitting in his chair might cause trouble. It wasn't that he didn't trust Tan Fucheng, but Tan Fucheng's condition seemed a bit off.

"Seventh Master, over the years my cultivation has grown higher and higher, my business has expanded, I've acquired over a dozen mansions, and married over a dozen wives. I thought I had enjoyed all the blessings in the world, but now I realize that I've wasted half my life."

All the truths of life are contained in this book. If I hadn't seen it today, my life would have been wasted!

What book touched Tan Fucheng so deeply?

The book was thin. Li Banfeng glanced at the cover and realized it was "The Hundred Family Surnames".

That's hard to understand.

What human principles does the "Hundred Family Surnames" convey?

"Seventh Master, I can't explain it clearly. I don't understand. I'm too slow. Please wait until I've thoroughly understood this book, and then I'll explain it to you!"

Tan Fucheng's accomplices were all reading, Xiao Yeci was also reading, and Lu Yuanxin was feeding insects in the room.

Upon seeing Li Banfeng, Lu Chunying said with delight, "Seventh Brother, there's business to be done at the Ink Fragrance Shop. There are vast farmlands outside the city, and many Farming Cultivators. Every year, a considerable amount of grain is sold out. You can make a lot of money doing grain business here."

"But people who stay here for too long start to act strangely. Brother Tan and the others, for some reason, are so engrossed in reading that they don't even want to eat."

It seems Lu Chunying went to quite a few places this afternoon. Li Banfeng asked, "Don't you want to read?"

Lu Chunying shook her head and said, "I watch it at home with my mom every day, isn't that enough? It's rare for me to come out, so I need to accumulate some cultivation points too."

The Ink Fragrance Shop did not affect Lu Chunying and Lu Yuanxin, but it is still impossible to determine whether it affected Xiao Yeci.

Back at Portable Abode, Li Banfeng took out his Judge's Brush and asked, "Is Ink Fragrance Shop your home?"

The Judge's Brush did not answer.

Li Banfeng then asked, "Who is the Local Earth God of the Ink Fragrance Shop?"

Judge's Brush Pen remained silent for a long time, then the record player spoke up, "This Little Slave knows about this. The Local Earth God of the Ink Fragrance Shop is Wise Scholar, one of the leading figures in literary cultivation. He has extremely high combat power and is exceptionally intelligent. You can find many rumors and anecdotes about him in the Ink Fragrance Shop."

Li Banfeng took out the book he had bought at the Lu Family Bookstore: "Wife, take a look, is the record in this true?"

The phonograph player quickly flipped through the pages. "My lord, this Little Slave doesn't know much about the affairs of the Wise Scholar, but the rumors from various places are pretty much the same."

The Wise Scholar was named Murong Gui. He could guess someone's intentions in three sentences and understand their heart in five. His Scholar Cultivation Technique were unparalleled, and his martial arts foundation was not to be underestimated.

He was skilled with a Judge's Brush; once wounded by that weapon, though not fatal, one would be instantly rendered powerless.

Hong Ying said, "Isn't that just referring to our cheap pen?"

The record player said, "How can you be so sure?"

Hong Ying was taken aback. "Wicked Woman, are you testing me? Is there even a need to ask? If you use poison, the opponent can still struggle for a while. But if you use the Lazy Cultivator Technique, the opponent will be too lazy to fight, and then they will be completely powerless, right?"

Lazy Cultivator skills plus Judge's Brush, isn't that exactly what describes our cheap pen?

"Seventh Son, this wretched pen seems intent on returning to its old master; you'd better be careful."

Li Banfeng looked at the Judge's Brush and asked, "Do you want to go home?"

"Hmph~" The Judge's Brush replied with a single word.

"If you want to go home, I can let you go back."

Hong Ying hurriedly said, "Seventh Son, we can't let him go! He knows so much about us. If he reveals it to his master, we'll be in danger!"

The Judge's Brush trembled with rage, and he blurted out, "Then don't take me out!"

Seven characters in total!

These seven characters fully express the anger and dissatisfaction of the Judge's Brush.

"Don't worry, I trust you," Li Banfeng said calmly. "A'Bi, if you really want to go home, let's draw up a contract, promising not to mention our past, and I'll personally take you back."

"Hmph~" Judge's Brush turned around and ignored Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Are you afraid that if I find the Wise Scholar Murong Gui through you, it will bring trouble upon him?"

The Judge's Brush remained silent.

Li Banfeng said, "If I find Murong Gui, he'll be lucky. But if Green Water Beggar or Chu Shaoqiang finds him, that would be a real disaster."

Not only Murong Gui in grave danger, but the entire Ink Fragrance Shop is in dire straits. You should carefully consider this matter.

Late at night, Li Banfeng was fast asleep, clutching his record player, while all his magical artifacts were at rest.

The Judge's Brush quietly stood up from the table without making a sound.

He flew into the air and silently looked down at Li Banfeng.

He silently gripped the dagger under the bed, his gloves concealed.

He woke up.

Even if the Judge's Brush doesn't make a sound, it can still wake him up.

Based on the glove's judgment, if the record player is woken up now, the Judge's Brush will preemptively strike against Li Banfeng.

But if it's just a matter of parrying, the gloves are confident they're faster than the Judge's Brush, and the record player will wake up when it hears the noise.

The Judge's Brush paused for a moment, then woke Li Banfeng.

"Seven, I need to discuss something with you."

PS: What exactly happened to Wise Scholar?