Smoked Land

Li Banfeng led Xiao Yeci and followed Juanzi westward. Radish Mountain was located on the edge of Three Heads Junction. They walked for three days, and the three of them kept getting closer to the central area of Three Heads Junction.

Xiao Yeci took out a pen and paper and wrote down what she saw and heard along the way. The reason Li Banfeng brought her here was because Xiao Yeci and had a good writing style, and she was able to record the local customs and culture of Three Heads Junction on paper.

The projector also captured many precious images, but by the third day, there wasn't much left to record.

There were no more villages along the way, and fewer and fewer people. At first, we could still see some exotic flowers and plants, but after walking for most of the day, the ground was covered with bare, dark rocks, and we couldn't even see any soil, let alone flowers.

Around 3 p. m., Juanzi pointed to a hill not far away and said, "Seventh Master, let's stay in that cave tonight."

Li Banfeng opened his Pocket Watch and glanced at it. "It's only a few o'clock, and you're already checking in?"

"Seventh Master, if we keep going forward, we won't find a suitable place to stay until dawn. There's also a lot of daylight in this area at night."

According to Juanzi, the daylight varies in different areas of Three Heads Junction. The area they are currently in is called Black Yellow Beach, and its characteristic is that there is less daylight during the day and more at night.

From dawn till dusk, you might not see a ray of sunlight for miles around.

But by nightfall, the same area might be completely ravaged by the daylight.

We need to find a suitable place to stay before dark, and the cave that Juanzi mentioned is quite suitable.

After settling into the cave, Xiao Yeci organized her notes, Li Banfeng asked Juanzi, "Where did the name 'Black Yellow Beach' come from?"

The "black" likely refers to the black stones scattered all over the ground. What does "yellow" refer to?

Juanzi didn't know the origin of the name either, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "It might be related to Smoked Tree."

"Trees? There's not even any soil left, where would the trees be?"

"There's a piece of land in Black Yellow Beach called Smoked Land, where the smoke is so thick that most trees can't survive, only Smoked Tree can."

The leaves of the Smoked Tree are yellow all year round; I guess that's where the name "Black Yellow Beach" comes from.

Those of us who are physically strong can walk through the Smoked Land when the wind is strong and the smoke isn't too thick. But those who are weaker will choke to death halfway through.

As she spoke, Juanzi looked at Xiao Yeci.

Xiao Yeci was indignant. "What do you mean by that? I'm also a third-level cultivator, and my physique isn't bad."

Juanzi looked at Li Qi: "Seventh Master, are we really going to the Smoked Land? I'm worried about Seventh Madam..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Xiao Yeci blushed. "I'm not the Seventh Madam, really not..."

Li Banfeng took out canned food and biscuits from his backpack and distributed them to Juanzi, Mengzi, Xiao Shan, Xiao Yeci.

Xiao Yeci was very curious about how much stuff Li Qi had in his backpack. He had enough food every day, and after walking for three days, Xiao Yeci felt that he had gained a little weight.

After eating and drinking their fill and tidying up a bit, Xiao Yeci and Juanzi went to sleep, while Li Banfeng returned to Portable Abode.

Opening Xiao Yeci's notebook and referring to the image on the projector, Li Banfeng drew a map of Three Heads Junction on his own.

The record player glanced at the drawing and asked Li Banfeng, "My dear husband, what's this pointy thing you drew?"

"It's a mountain."

"What about these two trees?"

"A tree is just a tree."

"Why are the trees painted the same height as the mountains?"

"Why bother with all that? As long as I can understand it, that's enough."

"My husband is so meticulous; he even drew a house next to the mountain."

"It can't really be called a house, it's more like a cave where you can sleep."

The record player sighed, "My dear husband, you can understand this map now, but I'm afraid you won't be able to understand it in a few days. You should tell Han Xue about the route; she knows Western Painting techniques and can help you draw the map."

Blood-Containing Pendulum quickly came over to help Li Banfeng draw. Hong Ying was also good at painting, but the record player didn't like her ink painting style, so she could only watch the fun from the sidelines.

After watching for a while, Hong Ying got sleepy; the pendulum was being drawn too slowly.

Li Banfeng asked, "Have you been working too hard these past few days?"

The Blood-Containing Pendulum didn't know how to answer.

These past two days have just been spent traveling, and she hasn't done any physical labor, so it's impossible for her to be tired. However, she has indeed become much less responsive.

After thinking for a long time, the pendulum explained, "Master, I haven't been feeling well these past two days."

Upon hearing this, Hong Ying burst into laughter. "You don't even have a body, yet you say it's inconvenient!"

In this room, the only one who dares to say it's inconvenient is Hong Ying, whose body truly grew naturally.

The record player chuckled, "I also think it's inconvenient for you, Blood Girl. I see you've gotten quite plump these past few days."

Zhong Bai quickly explained, "What you say is true, Madam. Last time I dealt with Lai Baifan, I drank a lot of blood. I haven't been fighting these past two days, so I've been resting and not exercising. I've gained a lot of weight, and my movements are indeed less agile."

The record player rubbed the pendulum twice with its stylus. "Alright, then let's get it moving and draw this map."

By late at night, the map was about 70-80% complete, Li Banfeng went to sleep, and the pendulum also went to rest.

She woke up at 4:30 a. m. and heard some noises from the second room.

She wanted to activate her Discern Spiritual Sounds to listen carefully, and the flame on her chest flickered slightly. Although the movement was small, it still couldn't hide the change in light.

This is a troublesome matter. Every time the record player tries to use a technique, the flame changes and it's hard to conceal. Ordinary people wouldn't notice, but the people in the second room are not ordinary.

After a while, the flames on the record player returned to a steady state, and the puppet placed to the side moved slightly, transferring the record player to Zhao Xiaowan's body.

Using this body requires extreme caution. Although I have adapted to it for a long time, the puppet is not as agile as the singer most of the time. If I am not careful, I will make a noise.

Fortunately, the puppet doesn't emit any flames, so when using techniques, it won't be detected.

Zhao Xiaowan stood still, silently activating her Discern Spiritual Sounds, and soon heard the sounds coming from the second room.

Tick-tock!

The sound of dripping water.

To be precise, it was the sound of dripping blood.

The pendulum did indeed have a lot of blood inside her, but it wasn't what she wanted to eat herself. It was the reward she had saved for Red Lotus. The record player had already discovered the pendulum's little scheme.

The pendulum is currently feeding blood to Red Lotus is a special person in this family, and everyone is wary of her.

If it were anyone else, upon discovering this, they would definitely find the pendulum and severely punish her, perhaps even beating her to a pulp.

But the record player didn't do that; she knew the pendulum's intention.

Zhongbai's relationship with Red Lotus wasn't about vying for a position at home, nor was it about harming Li Banfeng; she simply wanted a body.

The record player empathizes with this. It is jealous when it sees Hong Ying pregnant, and it is also happy when it sees that it has a puppet.

When the pendulum was alive, she was a socialite. How could she not be tempted by other people's bodies? As long as she didn't do anything too outrageous, the record player wouldn't hold it against her. Otherwise, with so many people in the family, if everyone had to be completely free of selfish thoughts, life would be unbearable.

What really caught the record player's attention was another sound.

Two people were talking inside the second room:

"If he hadn't arrived first, with my vast knowledge and talent, how could I have willingly remained subordinate to someone else?"

"Your talent is indeed remarkable, but the time is not yet ripe. It is too early to talk about replacing me."

"If we can join forces with my brother, what great things cannot be accomplished?"

"Brother, don't rush. I trust you. But we need to carefully consider the timing of our actions."

The second room gradually fell silent. The Wife withdrew her Discern Spiritual Sounds Technique, and her soul left the puppet, silently returning to the record player's body.

The firelight remained gentle, the record player seemed to be asleep, but in reality, thoughts were churning:

That scoundrel from the second wife conspired with the mole within the family.

The mole's voice was muffled, and his identity could not be confirmed at the moment.

They were speaking very softly, so Zhongbai certainly couldn't have heard them. If she had heard them, she wouldn't have dared not tell me.

Did Red Lotus hear that?

That bitch should be able to hear this; we still don't know which side she's on.

The record player glanced at Li Banfeng, who was fast asleep on the bed, occasionally stroking her body.

Such a big thing happened at home, and my husband was unaware and just fell asleep, which is fine. But I didn't expect the old man to be sleeping so soundly too. Does he not know, or does he not want to care?

The record player remained calm. Having seen it all before, she wasn't in a hurry to make a move, even if it meant taking action.

First, we need to Chu Er and what level of cultivation they possess. We also need to find a way to root out the traitor!

The next day at dawn, Li Banfeng left Portable Abode, woke up Juanzi and Xiao Yeci, and continued on their journey.

After leaving the cave and walking for more than twenty miles, the smoke gradually thickened, causing Xiao Yeci to cough repeatedly.

"Is this the Smoked Land?"

Juanzi nodded. "Seventh Madam, hurry up and cover your mouth and nose with a damp towel."

The smoke was tinged with yellow, and the loose soil on the ground was also yellowish. The most eye-catching thing was the Smoked Tree, from branches to leaves, all of them were a uniform scorched yellow. Coupled with the black stones all over the ground, it was a black and yellow expanse everywhere. It seems that the Black Yellow Beach really did have such an origin.

After walking for more than an hour, Xiao Yeci took a step forward and couldn't see where her toes were; the smoke had become so thick.

Wearing goggles and with a damp towel over her hand, she stumbled forward, too weak even to cough.

After taking two more steps, Xiao Yeci swayed and fell to the ground. Li Banfeng Xiao Yeci her up and carried her back to the cave.

In the afternoon, Xiao Yeci woke up.

Li Banfeng prepared medicine, water, and food for her. "Ye Ci, go back to Radish Mountain and wait for me. I'll tell you about what I've seen and heard along the way when I get back."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yeci felt a pang of sorrow. "My Benefactor, do you no longer want me?"

This was a bit inappropriate, but Xiao Yeci was anxious and didn't think much of it.

Li Banfeng didn't mince words. "Now that we've reached the Smoked Land, I have to keep going. If you can't get through, there's nothing I can do."

"My Benefactor, let me try one more time. I'll take some medicine beforehand, and I'm sure I can pull through."

Li Banfeng nodded. "I believe you can pull through. If it were a life-or-death battle, we would definitely fight to the end. But this is just scouting a way out. It wouldn't be worth risking our lives for this."

There was no point in saying more, so Li Banfeng made up his mind to send Xiao Yeci back. That night, Xiao Yeci reorganized her notes, afraid of making any mistakes.

Li Banfeng had given Xiao Yeci two Golden Essence Pills, but Xiao Yeci could only help Li Qi with this one thing, and now she hadn't even finished it yet. Xiao Yeci felt full of guilt.

Li Banfeng answered the phone; Liang Wucai was calling through Luo ZhengNan.

"Seventh Master, where are you?"

"We've reached Black Yellow Beach, and we're about to reach Smoked Land. We're currently in a cave." Li Banfeng didn't want to go into too much detail. Liang Wucai nor he was familiar with the place, so there was no point in telling them too much.

After hearing this, Liang Wucai confirmed with the people around him and said to Li Banfeng, "Seventh Master, I know where you are. Wait for me in that cave for a day, and I will bring you a guide. He said you'd better not go through the Smoked Land."

Where did the guide come from?

Could there be a more professional guide than Juanzi?

Upon hearing that they wouldn't have to walk through Smoked Land, Xiao Yeci was overjoyed. "My Benefactor, if there's anywhere I can walk, you still have to take me with you!"

The next afternoon, Liang Wucai arrived with a guide.

Li Banfeng had walked for three days before, which was because she was carefully observing the surroundings and moving very slowly. Liang Wucai, had traveled much faster. They had borrowed Spiritual Object from Qiu Zhiheng and carried a guide, running all the way here.

"What a pity, we missed the scenery along the way." Liang Cai was still a little sad.

Liang Wu handed the guide over to Li Banfeng, a middle-aged man with a vacant stare and a crooked mouth and eyes, who seemed to be quite ill.

Liang Wu: "Seventh Master, this man is the thug who caused trouble at the restaurant, Tan Jinxiao, Cloud Above Cultivator runs three businesses."

He was injured by Tang Changfa and Qiu Zhiheng and would not recover for a while. He wanted to act as a guide for Seventh Master to make amends and save his life.

Li Banfeng took a closer look at Tan Jinxiao. This man walked unsteadily, spoke with a lisp, seemed to have little fighting strength left, and seemed to be not very clear-headed.

"How can someone in this condition still be a guide?"

Liang Wu patted his chest and said, "Seventh Master, don't worry, he can still distinguish right from wrong."

Liang Cai coughed twice and said, "Don't pat too hard, that's my chest too."

Liang Wu specifically tested Tan Jinxiao: "Old Tan, what should you do if you're hungry?"

"Let's eat!" Tan Jinxiao answered loudly.

Liang Wu nodded. "Seventh Master, you see, he can distinguish right from wrong, there's nothing wrong with him!"

Li Banfeng asked Tan Jinxiao, "If we don't go through the Smoked Land, where do you want to take us?"

"The Underground City!" Tan Jinxiao answered very decisively.

Li Banfeng looked at Juanzi.

Juanzi shook her head repeatedly and said, "I know there is such a place, but I have never been to the Underground City, and I don't know where the entrance to the Underground City is."

"The entrance is nearby." Tan Jinxiao looked at Juanzi, then at Li Banfeng. "I'm hungry, let's eat!"

Li Banfeng took out canned food from his backpack. Xiao Yeci still couldn't understand how many cans were in the bag. Including Liang Wucai, there were eight people in total, yet there was still enough food.

After finishing his meal, Li Banfeng confirmed one more thing. "Can an ordinary person get through the Underground City? Is there any smoke in the Underground City?"

Xiao Yeci blushed. This question was clearly asked on her behalf. Among the people present, she was the one with poor physical condition. If the Underground City was also full of smoke, then there was no need to let Xiao Yeci take the risk.

Tan Jinxiao looked at Li Banfeng and said, "The smoke from the Underground City all goes to the Smoked Land. Ordinary people shouldn't walk into the Smoked Land, or they'll definitely be suffocated by the smoke."

After hearing what he said, Li Banfeng could roughly imagine the situation of the Underground City.

"If you're going to the Underground City, let's set off now," Tan Jinxiao said, glancing outside the cave. "We should be able to get there before dark."

After quickly tidying up, the group followed Tan Jinxiao northwest. After walking for more than two hours, they reached the end of the road.

They encountered neither mountains nor rivers; instead, a cliff blocked their path.

Standing on the edge of the cliff and looking down, you can barely see more than 30 meters below. Beyond that, there is only a vast expanse of fog, making it impossible to discern the depth or what lies below.

Xiao Yeci threw a stone down the cliff, but after waiting for a long time, she didn't hear the stone hit the ground.

"My Benefactor..." Xiao Yeci looked at Li Banfeng with a pale face. Before she could speak, Tan Jinxiao stepped off the cliff, hovered for a moment, and then disappeared.

Did it fall to its death, or did it fly away?

Liang Wucai didn't know how to explain, "Seventh Master, Qiu Zhiheng told us he can't fight anymore, we don't know either, how did he just fly away..."

It's getting dark soon, and dawn is just around the corner. It's probably too late to go back to the cave now. It seems these people can only wait for the Shine Heaven Light come.

Li Banfeng wasn't in a hurry; he knew Tan Jinxiao hadn't flown.

There were steps on the edge of the cliff. Tan Jinxiao went down the steps. Because of the Illusion Technique, ordinary people could not see him, so they all thought that Tan Jinxiao had disappeared. But Li Banfeng could see him clearly with his Golden Eyes Autumn Down.

"I'll walk down the cliff first. Remember, I didn't fall; I walked down. Don't worry if you can't see me."

"There are steps on the edge of the cliff. Once I step onto these steps, you may not be able to see me anymore, but as long as you feel your way down, you can keep up with me..." Li Banfeng explained briefly, then began to walk down the steps, his steps light and steady.

Although the stairs were very narrow, Li Banfeng wasn't worried even if he missed a step and fell; he could fly.

But the others didn't have that ability, and they were terrified the whole way.

They couldn't see the stairs, so they cautiously probed downwards with their feet. Liang Wu them accidentally stepped into a hole, Liang Wu scared the soul out of him.

"You scared me to death! Be careful!"

"Don't be afraid, my sister," the Liang Cai offered Liang Wu comfort. "If I scare you to death, I will have your body, and you will have your freedom. It's a win-win situation for both of us."

Liang Wu spat out. "I'll borrow something from Seventh Master later to gag you. I'll have some peace and quiet, and you'll be comfortable. It's a win-win situation."

After walking down several dozen meters, Li Banfeng spotted a cave with his Golden Eyes Autumn Down, where Tan Jinxiao was waiting.

The group entered the cave together, and only then did they break free from the illusion and see the entrance to the Underground City.

The cave was several meters long and wide, with a spacious and flat road built inside. It was hard to imagine that they hadn't been able to see the cave at all from the cliff.

Tan Jinxiao pointed to the depths of the cave and said, "This is the Underground City, and ahead is the Human Market."

Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of place is the Human Market?"

"A place that sells people."

"Besides the Human Market, where else is there?"

"There's also the Earth Market, a place that sells soil."

"Besides the Earth Market?"

"And there's Sea Market, a place where fish are sold."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Is there a sea in the Underground City?"

"There's the sea!" Tan Jinxiao nodded seriously. "There's a huge sea."

Juanzi nodded in agreement. "That's the same rumor I heard when I was a child. There's a sea in the Underground City, with an endless supply of fish and shrimp, so no one will go hungry there."

Tan Jinxiao shook his head and said, "We'll still go hungry."

Li Banfeng was very interested in this Underground City: "Besides Sea Market, are there any other places like it?"

"Yes, but we can't go to the remaining area; that's the Celestial Market Enclosure."

What kind of place is Celestial Market Enclosure?

"Great place, I bet it's a great place!" Tan Jinxiao walked ahead. "Let's go to the Human Market first, that's where I know it best. I've been living there since the war ended!"

He's talking about war?

"What battles have you fought?"

Tan Jinxiao was taken aback. "What war? Who told you about a war?"

Li Banfeng wanted to ask more questions, but Tan Jinxiao walked away.

The group followed Tan Jinxiao deeper into the cave. Torches were stuck in the rock walls on both sides, giving Li Banfeng a sense of nostalgia and period drama.

This sense of nostalgia didn't last long. When Li Banfeng reached the first intersection, he saw two more railway tracks ahead.

Huff! Huff!

A Steam Train roared past, sweeping away the atmosphere of the ancient era with the billowing steam.

The truck was loaded with coal, and the carriages were all open. The truck was moving slowly. Tan Jinxiao jumped into the carriage, poked his head out, and waved to Li Banfeng.

Getting on the train was no trouble at all. Not to mention Li Banfeng, even Xiao Yeci, who was the least skilled, was a third-level cultivator and easily entered the carriage.

Tan Jinxiao said, "I don't want to ride in his car, nor do I want to take advantage of him. There's a lot to learn here; you should all learn from him!"

What profound knowledge is this?

The cave was narrow and winding, Li Banfeng couldn't see the road ahead. He asked Tan Jinxiao, "Where is this car going?"

"Go to the factory. The factories are all in the Human Market. Where would the factories come from if there were no people?" Tan Jinxiao lay on the coal pile, his eyelids heavy, and he quickly fell asleep.

The train stopped after traveling for more than an hour. The doors of the carriages clattered open, and Xiao Yeci nervously, "My Benefactor, shouldn't we get off the train now? This isn't a good situation."

Li Banfeng didn't pay much attention; it was just a ride, nothing serious.

Xiao Yeci patted her pockets, preparing to explain things to the person properly, or at least pay them for the ride if necessary.

A man stood outside the carriage, dressed in a black shirt and wearing a sun hat. He glanced at the group and asked, "You've arrived?"

Well?

Li Banfeng was stunned.

The way you asked that question makes it sound like you know me very well.

Tan Jinxiao woke up, got up, and nodded. "Coming!"

The man outside the carriage looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Your clothes don't look like something you'd do in this line of work!"

Tan Jinxiao laughed and said, "Everyone has their own style when it comes to clothes and hats. Don't worry about what we wear; we're very meticulous in our work."

"Fine," the man sneered, "You're good at getting things done. Two bucks each for this job. Go get your tools."

The man left after he finished speaking.

Tan Jinxiao got out of the car and shouted, "Brothers, grab your weapons!"

"What kind of weapons are you going to use?" Li Banfeng still didn't understand. Were they going to smash up someone's factory?

Tan Jinxiao said with a serious expression, "This job won't be easy, but they're paying a lot!"

Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of work is it exactly?"

Tan Jinxiao didn't explain much. He went to a corner of the platform and brought back a few shovels. "Here, one for each of you. Don't fight over them."

Li Banfeng, holding a shovel, asked, "What are you going to do with this?"

Tan Jinxiao snorted, "Judging from your appearance, I can tell you've never done this kind of work before. This is big business, so you all have to listen to me. Stick the shovels into the coal, and then throw them out!"

Snap, whoosh~

Tan Jinxiao demonstrated it a few times.

Li Banfeng realized that this job required some skill. Tan Jinxiao threw each shovel of coal almost the same distance, and when it landed on the ground, it formed a pile.

You have to learn this!

Li Banfeng stuck the shovel into the coal and swung it up twice with a snap.

Tan Jinxiao exclaimed, "Great skill! Your shovel strikes are quite accurate!"

Li Banfeng laughed and said, "You don't need to tell me that. I never miss within five meters."

Tan Jinxiao shouted, "Don't just stand there, get to work!"

Juanzi was quite familiar with this job. "You've brought us here to unload coal?"

Tan Jinxiao puffed out his chest and said, "Yes!"

Li Banfeng was taken aback, and holding the shovel, asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Tan Jinxiao was also stunned. "What are you saying? They're paying you, two yuan each!"

Clang!

Li Banfeng threw away the shovel and got off the train.

The Liang Cai and asked, "Is he really sober now?"

Liang Wu asked, "Are you referring to Seventh Master, or Tan Jinxiao?"

Liang Wu thought for a moment, "Is one of them sober?"

The Liang Cai panicked. "Stop talking nonsense, get off the bus right now!"

Tan Jinxiao caught up with Li Banfeng and said, "These are about ten train cars. Now is not the time to be stubborn. We need to hurry up and get to work. Two yuan is a lot!"

Li Banfeng snorted and said, "Don't even mention two yuan, I wouldn't do it for five yuan!"

Tan Jinxiao curled his lip. "You want five more? Are you crazy? I'm only ahead of you. Go ask around outside, there are plenty of people willing to do it for just one yuan!"

The train stopped in a factory. Li Banfeng looked around at the factory buildings, steam turbines, conveyor belts, pressure reducing valves... all standard equipment in a steam workshop.

The largest boiler room is just ahead, and its most distinctive features are its massive steam drum and towering chimney.

This chimney is quite unique; one half is built inside a cave, while the other half is inserted into the cave's ceiling, its destination unknown.

"Does this chimney extend all the way out of the cave?"

"Yes!" Tan Jinxiao nodded, "Otherwise, where would the Smoked Land come from?"

Once outside the factory, Li Banfeng glanced around and saw a large number of people waiting for work. There were Three-Headed People and ordinary people, and many of them were carrying shovels, shouting loudly, "Need workers? Boss, just one yuan!"

They all shouted at Li Banfeng because Li Banfeng was dressed the best.

Tan Jinxiao chimed in, "I wasn't lying! Look, they brought shovels and only charged one yuan!"

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "This isn't about money!"

Tan Jinxiao frowned and said, "You still think it's too little? That's how Human Market. If you earn one yuan a day, you can eat rice; if you earn two yuan, you can eat vegetables; if you earn three yuan, you can have meat."

"After we unload the freight cars, we can do something else, and then we'll have some meat today. What are you still not satisfied with?"

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm ungrateful."

"So what are you doing? Isn't it stupid to not do the work?" Tan Jinxiao thought for a moment and seemed to understand what Li Banfeng meant. "You're afraid they won't pay you, right?"

Let me tell you, you don't need to be afraid. If they dare to renege on their debt, we'll just lie down in front of their factory gate and let them kick and stomp on us; we won't leave.

"If they have guts, they can kill us. If they don't, they'll still give us every penny. Follow me, and you definitely won't lose money!"

PS: Li Banfeng now knows where Tan Jinxiao's cultivation level came from.