Chapter 287: Cultivating Through the Pictures
While Monkey Qiu—Qiu Zhiheng—finished packing his luggage, his wife and son boarded the rickshaw first.
The task Duan Shaoxia had given him was something he could never do, no matter what.
She wanted to give Zhang Huaiyi a new identity as a member of the Lu Family, and she wanted Monkey Qiu to handle the matter personally. After thinking it over and over again, Monkey Qiu ultimately felt that leaving the Lu Family was the wisest choice.
Just as Monkey Qiu carried his suitcase downstairs, Duan Shaoxia rushed out and dropped to her knees in front of him.
Monkey Qiu tried to pull Duan Shaoxia to her feet, but she absolutely refused.
"Zhiheng, you can't leave."
Since Duan Shaoxia refused to stand, Monkey Qiu knelt down as well. "Madam, I have to leave."
"Zhiheng, if you insist on leaving, then I will remain on my knees forever."
"Madam, if you refuse to let me leave, then I'll crawl out on my knees."
Neither side could persuade the other.
Monkey Qiu was a dignified man. He had not wanted things to turn out like this either.
However, Duan Shaoxia wanted to acknowledge her nephew as her son, and it was simply impossible for Monkey Qiu to make that reality.
Monkey Qiu's wife stepped back into the house and tried to persuade Duan Shaoxia, but Duan Shaoxia grabbed onto her and burst into tears.
Once Duan Shaoxia started crying, Monkey Qiu's wife's resolve weakened.
She said, "Zhiheng, the master and madam have both treated us well. You can't just leave like this."
Monkey Qiu stood there frozen, completely at a loss for what to do.
Just then, Ma Wu arrived with some men to deliver the dividend money. Monkey Qiu first had his wife escort Duan Shaoxia back to the main residence while he stayed behind in the smaller building to receive Ma Wu.
After handing over the dividend money, Ma Wu did not stay long and immediately prepared to leave.
Monkey Qiu called out to Ma Wu. "Junyang, I take it you've already heard the news... about some matters?"
Ma Wu turned around and gave a slight nod. "The whole of Greenwater City is already talking about them."
"If I told you all the news was true, would you still hand over this dividend money?"
Ma Wu replied, "Whether out of personal ties or duty, this money is still mine to hand over."
Monkey Qiu let out a bitter laugh. "Junyang, you should start making plans for yourself early. The Lu Family may no longer be able to protect you all."
"Thank you for the warning, Uncle Qiu," Ma Wu replied. He gave a slight nod before leaving the house.
As he walked into the courtyard, he suddenly heard someone call out behind him, "Old Wu!"
Ma Wu turned around and saw Zhang Huaiyi walking toward him.
Ma Wu knew him, but they were not particularly close. Hearing Zhang Huaiyi casually call him "Old Wu" felt rather strange to him.
"Huaiyi, long time no see," Ma Wu said in greeting.
"It really has been a while," Zhang Huaiyi replied. He pointed at the main residence. "Want to come inside and sit for a bit?"
Ma Wu waved his hand. "I still have quite a few business matters to handle, so I need to get going. Let's meet another day."
The two parted ways, and Ma Wu glanced back at Zhang Huaiyi as he walked away. Ma Wu muttered inwardly, Since when did this kid start acting like this place is his home?
***
On the way back, Ma Wu pondered the Lu Family's current situation.
News about Lu Yuanshan and Lu Yuanhai had already spread throughout Greenwater City. Previously, it had been impossible to tell whether the rumors were true. However, after seeing Monkey Qiu today, Ma Wu could confirm one thing—something had indeed happened to the two brothers. The Lu Family's pillar had collapsed.
If they could not support one of Lu Dongliang's other children to take over, then onkey Qiu would definitely be unable to withstand Lu Maoxian.
If Lu Maoxian were to take control of the Lu Family, then Ma Wu and Li Banfeng would likely have a hard time ahead of them.
Should they lend Monkey Qiu a hand?
Ma Wu knew the whereabouts of one of Lu Dongliang's daughters, and Lu Dongliang had even acknowledged her as his daughter.
Nevertheless, Ma Wu could not act rashly. He had to discuss this matter with Old Qi first.
***
Li Banfeng was still at Blackstone Slope, and recently, he had become obsessed with cameras and film recorders.
Grandpa Train had said that once Wanderlust Cultivators reached a certain level, the paths they walked were no longer ordinary ground. Li Banfeng was still walking on ordinary ground for now, but certain experiences had left a deep impression on him.
While watching The Legendary Bloodspear Detective 3, the filming location at Properfolk Village reminded him of many of his own experiences there.
As he watched the film, he entered a deeply immersive state, as though he himself were wandering through the New Land near Properfolk Village.
This feeling was not merely an illusion. Li Banfeng could clearly sense that his cultivation as a Wanderlust Cultivator was advancing. It was just a tiny bit of advancement, but he had, undeniably, advanced.
That gave Li Banfeng some ideas.
If he were to make visual recordings of his travels in the future, would it be possible for him to cultivate even while staying at home?
He bought a camera and a film recorder. In Puluo, such equipment was far from lightweight. A full set weighed dozens of kilograms, and that did not even include the film rolls and reels.
Fortunately, Wanderlust Cultivators excelled at carrying heavy loads. The footwork techniques used for pulling rickshaws were unsuitable for combat, but during filming, they allowed Li Banfeng's endurance limit to be far above that of ordinary people.
As for technical skills, Bai Qiusheng and Yu Wenqi were both highly skilled photographers, and they taught him all the skills he needed.
Within just a few days, Li Banfeng had photographed nearly all of Blackstone City. He had taken every photograph and video with immense care and effort.
"Come on, Miss, give me a smile. Lower your waist a little more, and lift those peaches higher!"
Li Banfeng had gained quite a lot from his new obsession, and Little Chuan had dedicated himself to it as well.
He built a spring-powered projector for Li Banfeng. The machine's greatest feature was its compact size. The stand was less than a meter tall.
When the projector body on the stand, together with the film reel wheel, was roughly the size of a pickling jar laid on its side.
Among projectors in Puluo, this size was considered exceptionally refined and compact.
After examining the projector, Li Banfeng asked, "How much does it cost to make this projector?"
Little Chuan asked, "Including labor costs?"
"Yes!"
"Less than twenty thousand Huan bills."
"So expensive?"
"Master Qi, the spring, gears, bearings, and steel frame all use top-grade materials. The material costs alone come to eighteen thousand, and I only estimated the labor at two thousand."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "What if we don't use such high-quality materials?"
Little Chuan replied, "If the materials aren't good, the machine won't last. This one could easily be used for decades without problems."
Li Banfeng laughed. "Silly kid, who needs it to last for decades? Three years is enough. Simplify the craftsmanship too. There's no need to make it this refined. Try to get the cost below three thousand."
"Three thousand?" Little Chuan shook his head. "That's not even enough to cover the spring. This spring can keep running for five hours."
Li Banfeng waved his hand dismissively. "No need for five hours. Half an hour is enough."
"But half an hour isn't even enough to finish a film."
In Puluo, movies typically ran for around an hour.
"Then just show half of it. Wind the spring again afterward and continue with the second half!"
Little Chuan scratched his head and went back to tinkering with the projector.
Li Banfeng packed his belongings and returned to Greenwater City.
This trip to Greenwater City was mainly to seek out Shui Yongquan and ask him about matters related to Land Deities.
At the Dreambinding Tower in the Inner Provinces, Li Banfeng had seen quite a number of level-ten cultivators. According to Grandpa Train, they were all striving for a chance to become Land Deities, though Grandpa Train never had the time to explain the details behind it.
Of course, Shui Yongquan might not necessarily be willing to tell him either, and Li Banfeng was still considering what kind of terms he could use in exchange for the information.
As soon as they arrived in Greenwater City, Ma Wu first told Li Banfeng about the Lu Family's situation.
"There's no one left in the Lu Family who can hold things together. The only person who can save them now is probably Lu Chunying."
Lu Chunying and Xiao Yeci were currently in Properfolk Village.
Li Banfeng considered it for a moment before saying, "We'll need to discuss this with the mother and daughter first. If they're willing, settle things with Monkey Qiu beforehand and escort them to the Lu Family.
If the mother and daughter refuse, then arrange for them to leave Properfolk Village immediately so they don't get dragged into this mess."
Ma Wu sighed. "Hopefully, this works out. If Lu Maoxian takes over the Lu Family, we probably won't have them as our backing left in the future."
"There is no backing that lasts forever. Regardless, we can't let that old dog Lu Maoxian benefit from this."
Li Banfeng lowered the brim of his hat and returned to Properfolk Village together with Ma Wu.
Along the way, Ma Wu brought up Zhang Huaiyi. "He's Lu Yuanshan's cousin, but according to the rumors, he's actually Lu Dongliang's son. Now he's already treating the Lu Family's residence like it's his own home."
Li Banfeng raised an eyebrow. "Is Madam Duan that open-minded? Or is there some other reason behind this?"
After arriving at Properfolk Village, they asked if Lu Chunying would be willing to return to the Lu Family. She refused straight away.
"Why would I go back to that house? It's not like I can't make a living elsewhere. I'm living a pretty good life here in the village with my mother, working together as teachers."
Lu Chunying had borrowed some money from Li Banfeng and opened a small school in Properfolk Village.
Surprisingly enough, most of the hunters had some spare cash. They genuinely wanted to learn how to read, but because they were older, they felt too embarrassed to study elsewhere. Nonetheless, in Properfolk Village, they did not need to be concerned with their image. Master Qi did not care much about it, while Master Wu never cared about it at all.
The school was doing quite well. After deducting living expenses, Lu Chunying and Xiao Yeci could still earn one silver dollar every two days.
Lu Chunying continued, "I can live honestly here with my mother and teach at the school. We can even wander through the New Land from time to time to advance our cultivation. Why should I return to the Lu Family just to suffer their abuse?"
Li Banfeng said, "If you refuse to return to the Lu Family, then you probably can't stay in the village either."
"Why?" Lu Chunying asked, sounding deeply aggrieved.
"You and your mother interact with so many hunters every day. It won't be long before your whereabouts get leaked. Lu Maoxian will acquire information about you sooner or later. Then he'll silence you permanently."
Lu Chunying's eyes reddened. "I refuse to believe there isn't a single place in all of Puluo where my mother and I can survive!"
Li Banfeng replied, "There are places where you can survive, but definitely not in Greenwater City. I can help you find somewhere else to settle down, but you'll have to live under false identities for the rest of your lives, and even then, I can't guarantee your safety completely."
Lu Chunying lowered her head and fell silent.
Xiao Yeci bit her lip lightly and said, "Ever since we received that letter, this outcome was already destined, eh. Nannan, go to the Lu Family. They won't mistreat you."
"Mom, then what about you?"
Xiao Yeci smiled. "I'll still be teaching here, isn't that perfectly fine? Nannan, we were destined to belong to different worlds from the very beginning, eh."
Lu Chunying refused at first, but Xiao Yeci simply smiled and brought her back to the wooden cabin. They discussed it through the entire night, and Xiao Yeci ultimately persuaded her. Lu Chunying agreed to return to the Lu Family, but it was only under certain conditions.
After hearing the conditions, Li Banfeng looked at Lu Chunying with newfound admiration. "You're quite clever, girl."
"Big Bro Qi, if he agrees to my conditions, then I'll go to the Lu Family's residence. Otherwise, I'll open up a New Land myself and stay there with my mother."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Your mother and I are from the same generation. Calling me Big Bro Qi doesn't seem very appropriate, does it?"
Lu Chunying wore an innocent, silly smile. "You can't just judge things by seniority. What matters most is personal ties."
Early the next morning, a weary-looking Monkey Qiu was sitting inside his house when one of his subordinates delivered an invitation card.
Monkey Qiu opened it and saw that it was a message from Ma Wu, inviting him to gather at Freewind Wharf that evening.
He tossed the invitation aside. In his current state, how could he possibly have the mood to visit Freewind Wharf?
After a while, he picked up the invitation again and noticed that besides Ma Wu's name at the bottom, there was also the character for "Qi."
Li Qi?
Monkey Qiu pondered silently for a moment before burning the invitation.
That evening, Monkey Qiu arrived at Freewind Wharf. Ma Wu had already prepared fine wine in the private room. After a few drinks and some polite conversation, Ma Wu found an excuse to leave the room. Li Banfeng lowered the brim of his hat and walked in.
"Elder Brother Qiu, it's been a long time," Li Banfeng said as he sat across from Monkey Qiu and poured himself a cup of wine. "I invited you here because I have news regarding a young miss of the Lu Family. A young lady from the main family's bloodline."
A young lady from the main bloodline referred to one of Lu Dongliang's daughters.
Monkey Qiu frowned. "You mean Lu Xiaolan?"
Even now, Lu Xiaolan was still considered a sinner of the Lu Family, and that status would never change.
Li Banfeng shook his head. "It's news about Lu Chunying."
Monkey Qiu froze in shock for a moment, and the wine cup slipped from his hand onto the floor.
"Where is Miss Chunying?" He looked at Li Banfeng anxiously, as though he had just seen a lifeline. "Brother, I won't ask this favor for free. Just name your price!"
"Forget the price for now. Let's talk about the conditions first. The young lady said she's willing to return to the Lu Family, but she won't return to the Lu Family's residence itself."
"You mean she wants to live separately outside?" Monkey Qiu's expression turned grave. "If that's the case, I can't guarantee her safety."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Elder Brother Qiu, let's be honest. Even if Lu Chunying lived inside the Lu Family's residence, could you really guarantee her safety?"
Monkey Qiu did not answer.
If Lu Maoxian wanted to kill Lu Chunying, Monkey Qiu could still gather men and confront him head-on. But if Duan Shaoxia wanted Lu Chunying dead, Monkey Qiu would have absolutely no way to stop her.
After weighing the pros and cons, Monkey Qiu agreed. "We'll do as she says. She won't enter the residence."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Now, for the second matter. I heard Lu Yuanshan's cousin, Zhang Huaiyi, is also staying at the Lu Family's residence. What's going on there? Is Madam Duan trying to acknowledge him as her son?"
Monkey Qiu gave a slight nod.
"How do you plan to handle this matter?" Li Banfeng asked.
How was he supposed to handle it?
Monkey Qiu did have a solution, but it was not convenient for him to take action personally. "The best option would be to spread the news, but the news absolutely cannot come from me."
Li Banfeng proposed an idea. "The two Lu brothers have met with disaster, and there's no one left managing their newspaper office. We used to run a newspaper back at Blackstone Slope, so we have some experience. Why not hand the business over to us for now?"
Monkey Qiu pondered for a moment before nodding with a smile. "I can hand the business over to you, but the name has to be changed."
"Don't worry. Our newspaper is called Night-Blooming Jasmine."
"Then it's settled."
Li Banfeng lowered the brim of his hat and took out the contract.
