Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Xiao Yeci's heart immediately leaped into her throat.

Lu Dongliang furrowed his brows slightly. "You're saying that thirteen years ago, you and I spent a night together at Bridge Yesong?"

The question was very direct.

Xiao Yeci's face turned red immediately. "Master," she stammered, "you... you probably don't remember..."

"I indeed don't remember," Lu Dongliang replied with complete honesty. He wasn't a very meticulous man. Throughout his life, there were two things he always failed to remember clearly: one was the women he had slept with, and the other was the money he had spent. Whether it was women or money, there was just too much of both for him to keep track of.

They both remained silent for a long time until Lu Dongliang suddenly asked, "How old are you this year? Are you even twenty-five?"

"I am, I am..." Xiao Yeci accidentally let her verbal tic slip again. She cleared her throat and adjusted her tone. "I am thirty-two years old this year."

"Thirty-two," Lu Dongliang snorted. "My eyes aren't blind. Your clothes are a bit old-fashioned, and your makeup is aging too, but I can tell you're at most twenty-four or twenty-five.

"Chunying, that child I saw, resembles me. She is indeed my offspring. But she's twelve this year; how could she possibly be your daughter?

"How old were you the year she was born? Even if I, Lu Dongliang, am a scoundrel, I wouldn't lay a hand on a mere slip of a girl."

"Master, I am really thirty-two! Master, I didn't deceive you! You truly don't remember me!"

"Alright, I believe you. Since you've come to seek refuge with me, I'll make you the Ninth Concubine. In a few days, I'll arrange a few banquets to formalize it and give you proper status."

"Thank you, Master." Xiao Yeci hurriedly bowed.

"Since you are mine, I will stay here tonight." Having said that, Lu Dongliang took off his yellow woolen coat.

Xiao Yeci's face turned as red as a persimmon. She knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. She couldn't, and shouldn't, refuse. Yet, while her heart agreed, her mouth blurted out another excuse, "I'm not feeling up to it today. In a few days, I will serve you, Master."

"HMPH," Lu Dongliang laughed aloud. "Alright, then we'll wait a few days."

He picked up his clothes and left.

It wasn't just that Xiao Yeci was unwilling; even if she had been, Lu Dongliang wouldn't have stayed the night. This woman was not Lu Chunying's mother. Lu Dongliang still didn't know what her true purpose was in coming to the Lu Family. However, Lu Chunying was quite to his liking. Once the matter is thoroughly investigated, this woman claiming to be Xiao Yeci will also have to disappear, he thought.

Lu Dongliang went downstairs.

Zhuo Yuling scaled the wall and climbed onto the rooftop.

This was her special skill. Her movements were so light that even Lu Dongliang, a Ninth Layer Traveling Cultivator, hadn't noticed.

But she knew she was no match for Lu Dongliang. She was only at the Fifth Layer of Body Cultivation, and Lu Dongliang could take her life with a mere blink.

She hung upside down from the rooftop, silently watching Lu Dongliang's retreating figure, her eyes filled with resentment.

She held a thumb-sized, shiny, deep-green worm in her mouth.

Every ounce of malice emanating from her was thoroughly devoured by this worm.

「...」

Li Banfeng and Ma Wu went to the New Land a few more times, earning over seven million in just over two months. With his previous savings, Li Banfeng was getting closer and closer to twenty million.

But the money wasn't just Li Banfeng's; he planned to give half to Ma Wu.

Besides, just having money wasn't enough; one needed connections to buy a Guide Token.

Li Banfeng asked Ma Wu about it. Ma Wu sighed. "If this were a few months ago, getting a Guide Token to the Outside Provinces wouldn't have been difficult for me. We wouldn't have needed twenty million. Just hosting a banquet during the day at Dongzhuang Restaurant, another round of drinks at the Hundred Joy Gate at night, bringing along a few good girls, and adding some Ocean Dollars would have almost certainly gotten it done. But talking about this now is useless. Even with twenty million, that group of people wouldn't come to see me now."

Li Banfeng asked, puzzled, "They wouldn't see you even for money? It seems like it's still not enough."

"It's not about the money; it's about status. My status now isn't the same as theirs. They wouldn't deign to earn my money."

"Money can be earned back, so can't status?" Li Banfeng then took out ten thousand in cash and gave it to Ma Wu. "Hurry up and cultivate. If I remember correctly, after today, you should be able to pass the First Layer."

Ma Wu nodded. "It's all thanks to you..."

Li Banfeng shook his head repeatedly. "Not thanks to me. You owe it to the girls from the Ji Qing Group, and you'll rely on them more in the future."

Ma Wu was about to go cultivate when he suddenly remembered that the Glue Mud he harvested last night hadn't been sold yet.

Goods should be sold as soon as they're in stock; it's best not to keep things at home. That was Ma Wu's way of guarding against the Song Family.

Glue Mud was a unique anomaly found only in the New Land. It was called an anomaly because its existence defied explanation.

One could say it was mud, or one could argue it was a living creature.

Ma Wu had ventured into the New Land alone yesterday, found this lump of Glue Mud in a swamp, and brought it back in an iron can.

Li Banfeng looked at the somewhat smelly mud and frowned. "What's the use of this?"

"Brother Li, you may not know this, but this thing is immensely useful," Ma Wu earnestly began to explain the properties of the Glue Mud.

It appeared to be just a lump of clay, and in the New Land, it was merely a docile lump of clay.

But if taken out of the New Land, this lump of clay would transform.

It would grow, as if alive. Placing a small lump of Glue Mud on a road could quickly turn an area several meters in radius into an extremely sticky surface. The most remarkable thing is that the road surface transformed into this sticky trap looks exactly like the rest of the road; there are no visible changes. This sticky surface can adhere to shoe soles, socks, and even skin. However, it won't stick to metal, nor can it grow on metal, which is why Glue Mud must be stored in metal cans.

"Brother Li, Glue Mud is one of the best materials for setting traps. Anyone who steps on it will have their shoes stuck. If they remove their shoes, their socks will get stuck. If they remove their socks, the soles of their feet will get stuck. Even if they were to chop off their foot, they couldn't get free. As soon as any part of them touches the road surface, they can't escape.

"To break free from a Glue Mud trap, one must belong to a special Taoist Sect, have a high enough cultivation level, or possess a unique Magical Treasure. Otherwise, the only option is to wear iron shoes. But think about it, how many people would go out wearing iron shoes for no reason?

"Don't underestimate this small can; this little bit of Glue Mud can sell for a million Ocean Dollars."

Li Banfeng looked at the can of Glue Mud, feeling astonished. "If this stuff falls on the ground, will that spot become a permanent glue surface?"

"It's not permanent. If it doesn't rain, after a day and a night, the spread-out Glue Mud will dry up. Once it's dry, the glue surface disappears. That's why it has to be sealed in an iron can."

A day and a night?

That's more than enough.

Li Banfeng took the iron can. "Leave selling it to me. You should hurry and cultivate."

"This is my responsibility, how can I let you handle it?" Ma Wu felt a little embarrassed, but his expression revealed his eagerness to return to the Ji Qing Group.

Li Banfeng picked up the Glue Mud. "Don't worry. I'm also acquainted with the guy who operates the road roller. Nothing will go wrong."

"Brother Li, Xiao Chuan is timid. Don't scare him."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Rest assured, I definitely won't take his road roller!"

Ma Wu thanked him profusely and ran off toward the Ji Qing Group.

Li Banfeng believed that Glue Mud was indeed very useful. He kept some for himself and took the rest to the village entrance.

Xiao Chuanzi, who operated the road roller, saw Li Banfeng and tiptoed over, softly asking, "Where's Master Wu?"

"He's occupied and can't come today. Take this iron can to the Imperial Workshop. You know the rest."

Xiao Chuanzi nodded. Li Banfeng gave him twenty Ocean Dollars.

Xiao Chuanzi hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "Sir, there's no need for so much."

"Just take it," Li Banfeng said. "And, uh, let me try driving the road roller."

"Sir, that's really not possible," Xiao Chuanzi replied.

"What do you mean, not possible? Hurry up and add coal," Li Banfeng insisted.

"Sir, you can't do this!" Xiao Chuanzi protested.

「...」

Driving the road roller didn't work out, as Xiao Chuanzi adamantly refused.

Li Banfeng returned to his cabin to study the Glue Mud's properties. In what felt like the blink of an eye, over five hours had passed.

Ma Wu entered, covered in injuries, collapsing to the floor before reaching the hall.

Li Banfeng rushed to help him up. "Brother Ma, what happened to you?"

Ma Wu gave a weak laugh and struggled to sit up. "Brother Li, thanks to your help, I've made it through the First Layer."

Li Banfeng asked in surprise, "Aren't you practicing Lust Cultivation? Shouldn't you just have been... focusing on your work? Why did you get beaten up? Which lady hits so hard?"

Ma Wu shook his head. "It wasn't a lady, it was men. Four of them. They took all my money and beat me into this state."