Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

As soon as Ma Wu stepped out of the Ji Qing Group, he was robbed.

He found some newly gathered herbs from the New Land to treat his wounds. Li Banfeng had to admit, this wealthy young master truly knew a great deal; Li Banfeng himself had learned much from him during this time.

With his wounds slightly improved, Ma Wu gave Li Banfeng a deep bow. "Brother Li, I owe you a great debt. I don't know when I'll be able to repay it. After tonight, I'm moving out. I can't involve you in my family's troubles."

Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows. "We haven't made enough money yet, and you want to leave now?"

Ma Wu smiled. "Once I shake off this mess, I'll return to work on big plans with you, Brother Li."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Well then, if you must go, let's split the money we've earned these past few days."

Ma Wu shook his head. "That's your money. I was working for you."

"Stop talking nonsense. We were able to earn money in Blue Poplar Village all thanks to your skills. You'll get your share; not a penny less."

Ma Wu shook his head again. "Brother Li, you don't need to split the money with me. Not a single penny. I can't keep it. Sooner or later, it will all be stolen."

Li Banfeng frowned. "What is your family up to? Who is so ruthless they don't want you alive?"

Ma Wu sighed. "It could be my fourth brother, or possibly my eldest and second sisters. I've lived in the Ma Family for more than twenty years, and there are some things I just can't see through."

Li Banfeng's brows furrowed deeply. He had already stirred up trouble with the Lu Family and gotten involved with the He Family; now it seemed he might offend the Ma Family as well. Offended was offended. Many debts don't crush a man. First, he needed to get a clear understanding of the situation. Li Banfeng still felt that Ma Wu was confused about the matter; it might not even be the Ma Family's doing.

"Tomorrow, I'll go with you to the Ji Qing Group," Li Banfeng said.

Ma Wu was startled. "What are you going to do at the Ji Qing Group?"

"Cultivate, of course! It's such a good place. I'll go increase my skills too."

In Puluo State, places of leisure and pleasure were varied. There was the Hundred Joy Gate, The Great World, and countless dance halls, both large and small.

Compared to these places, a "banzi," or troupe, was an ancient kind of establishment, even older than Puluo State itself.

At the Ji Qing Group, one wouldn't find fashionable singers or dancing girls, only a dozen or so women who welcomed guests by singing traditional tunes. This particular troupe was very old; it was said to have passed through dozens of Troupe Masters, yet its signboard had never come down.

Ma Wu went to cultivate with a girl he knew. Although he had passed the First Layer, the thrice-daily fundamental cultivation sessions were essential. To advance to higher layers, one needed to cultivate five times a day.

Li Banfeng also chose a girl.

The Ji Qing Group had no grand Western-style houses or gardens, only a row of single-story buildings. The girl led Li Banfeng into a room and first had him lie on the bed. She gave him a back massage and rubbed his legs, then asked if he wanted to hear a song.

If he chose not to hear a song, they would get straight to business. If he wanted to hear a song, he would have to give an extra tip.

Since he was already there, of course, he wanted to hear a song. Li Banfeng asked the girl to sing her best piece. She took down her pipa and began with "Full Moon and Blooming Flowers."

"The clouds disperse~ the bright moon shines upon people arriving..."

Li Banfeng listened intently to the entire song. It was mediocre, he thought. Compared to his wife, this singer wasn't even in the same league.

The girl put down her pipa, ready to proceed with the main business, but Li Banfeng said, "Sing 'Song of Four Seasons' for me next."

The girl frowned. "Still singing?"

Li Banfeng took out one hundred Huan Country Banknotes and placed them on the table.

In the Ji Qing Group, this was no small sum. The girl's face lit up with a smile, and she sang "Song of Four Seasons."

When this song ended, Li Banfeng was even less satisfied.

"You're singing too carelessly. Switch to 'Endless Yearning.'"

The girl cleared her throat and, bracing herself, sang a few lines, "The spring breeze brings endless yearning through the night, such endless yearning, deeply and sincerely expressed to you, such... that..."

"Which 'that'?" Li Banfeng was getting angry. "You can't even remember the lyrics! What kind of singing is this?"

The girl stared for a moment. "Tell me, Guest Master, did you really come here just to listen to songs?"

"If not to listen to songs, why else would I come here? I'll sing a line, then you sing a line. You're going to learn this properly from me."

Two hours later, Ma Wu finished his "cultivation" and left his room.

An attendant came to inform him that Li Banfeng had also come out.

The girl Ma Wu favored, named Xiao Die, her face full of tenderness, saw him off, "Master Wu, will you come again tomorrow?"

"Yes, definitely."

The girl Li Banfeng had chosen, named Xiao Cui, her face tinged green, also came out to see him off. "Guest Master, if you come again tomorrow, perhaps you could consider another girl."

Xiao Die, noticing something was amiss with Xiao Cui's voice, asked, "Cui'er, why is your voice so hoarse? What kind of commotion was going on in there?"

Xiao Cui didn't know how to respond. "The commotion was huge. I didn't stop for a moment."

Ma Wu glanced back and asked Li Banfeng, "How was that girl, Xiao Cui?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Far from good. She still needs a lot more practice."

Ma Wu grew curious. "Brother Li, when you say she needs more practice, where exactly is she lacking?"

"Her voice, of course."

Ma Wu became even more curious. "Is the voice really that crucial?"

Li Banfeng was also very curious. "If the voice isn't crucial, then what is?"

Ma Wu nodded. "I see. Brother Li has... different tastes."

The two chatted idly as they walked. When they were about two hundred meters from the wooden cabin, Li Banfeng suddenly stopped, moving out of the line of sight from the cabin's windows.

He sensed danger.

Ma Wu was taken aback, then asked, "Is there trouble at the cabin?"

Li Banfeng gestured for Ma Wu to be silent. He pressed his Earrings to his ear, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside the cabin.

There were many houses nearby. If he were using a weapon with Spirit Attribute, it would be hard to tell what he might hear. But a Magical Treasure was different; it knew exactly what Li Banfeng wanted to hear.

There were panting sounds.

There were voices conversing.

There were footsteps.

One person was at the door.

Two were on the second floor.

And one was in the main hall.