Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'-Chapter 36 - 29 Difficult to Pick the Beautiful Flowers

Little Fatty wasn’t opposed to finding a travel companion. To be honest, he and Li Banfeng weren’t really acquaintances; their only connection was a brief meeting at the Peddler’s.

The reason he had taken such good care of Li Banfeng along the way was precisely to find such a companion.

Now that they had encountered Gold-rimmed Glasses, an expert, Qin Xiaopang naturally wouldn’t refuse and immediately agreed.

When he agreed, the four people around him did too.

He was an expert, and spoke so sincerely; there really was no reason to refuse him.

The four people were: a middle-aged man in his fifties named Old Smoker, who claimed to be a First Layer Smoke Cultivator, never without his smoking pipe; a plump and pretty woman in her twenties named Oil Peach, who proclaimed herself a Body Cultivator, just at the entry level, without rank; a teenage girl around fourteen or fifteen, called Cao Ye, who declared herself a Medicine Cultivator, also just at the entry level, without rank; and a young man in his early twenties called Hu Gaizi, who claimed to be a First Layer Martial Cultivator.

Obviously, their names weren’t real, and whether their cultivation levels and Taoist Sects were true was also hard to tell.

Qin Xiaopang’s Taoist Sect had already been guessed by Gold-rimmed Glasses, so he frankly admitted, "I’m called Little Fatty, a Food Cultivator, without rank."

When it was Li Banfeng’s turn, he answered, "I’m called Bai Sha, a Lust Cultivator, without rank."

Little Fatty was stunned and stared at Li Banfeng for a long moment.

At first, he claimed his name was Li Qi. Whether Bai Sha was his real name wasn’t important.

But when had he become a Lust Cultivator?

Wasn’t he a Traveling Cultivator?

Was he deliberately not telling Gold-rimmed Glasses the truth?

Then was he telling *me* the truth?

Gold-rimmed Glasses was also curious and asked Li Banfeng, "You’re a Lust Cultivator? Did you come here alone?"

Lust Cultivators usually appeared in pairs with their partners, which facilitated their cultivation.

Li Banfeng pointed at Qin Xiaopang. "I came here with him."

All eyes focused on Qin Xiaopang. After a moment of silence, he unpacked his bundle to reveal the dry food inside and said to everyone, "I’m a Food Cultivator. I can eat five jin of dry food in one meal, sometimes even ten jin. I really am a Food Cultivator, I’m not lying to you. I’ll eat right now and show you."

Gold-rimmed Glasses said to everyone, "My name is Kaishan, a First Layer Traveling Cultivator. I enjoy journeying to famous mountains and great rivers. I’ve been to Kuwu Mountain several times before, and I’ll be sure to point out anything noteworthy along the way."

Hu Gaizi added from the side, "Brother Kaishan, we all trust you. You are our leader. After we collect the flowers, by the rules of the road, we’ll give you twenty percent. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, the rest of the group were not pleased. He’s just going to decide for everyone? Did he even ask us?

Gold-rimmed Glasses shook his head repeatedly. "I can’t take your flowers. Those flowers are earned with your lives.

"I haven’t done you any great favor. I help you, and you help me. It’s simply mutual support."

After hearing this, the group’s respect for Gold-rimmed Glasses deepened, and he naturally became their leader.

The figures from the Medicine Shop were faintly visible within the thick fog; Gold-rimmed Glasses led everyone at a steady pace behind them.

Up ahead was a stone bridge, more than a meter wide, able to accommodate two or three people walking side by side.

"This is called the Bridge of No Regrets." Gold-rimmed Glasses adjusted the nose clip of his spectacles. "You all might feel a little discomfort in your throats. That’s because you’ve already inhaled the toxic fog.

"After crossing the Bridge of No Regrets, we will be within Kuwu Mountain’s territory. Folks, I don’t know if the cultivation levels you’ve reported are genuine or not, but I sincerely advise those without cultivation not to go any further.

"Every year, people without cultivation try their luck on Kuwu Mountain. None who go up the mountain like that return alive.

"I’m not trying to block your path to fortune. I’m urging you to think twice before you proceed."

The group looked at each other but kept silent. Hu Gaizi scoffed, "Brother Kaishan, with what you’ve said, if there are still those who don’t understand the situation, they’re just seeking their own death.

"Little girl, I think you’re one without cultivation. If I were you, I’d leave right now while there’s still time."

The young girl named Cao Ye hung her head, her face flushed, and said, "I really am a Medicine Cultivator. I understand herbology; I can be of help."

Hu Gaizi then glanced at Old Smoker. "You old bones, even if you do have some cultivation, you wouldn’t be of much use on the mountain, right?"

Old Smoker laughed. "Whether I’m of use or not, we’ll see as we go."

Unwilling to turn back, the group of seven crossed the bridge.

Once on the other side, Li Banfeng felt a tightness in his throat and began to cough incessantly.

Li Banfeng had entered the Taoist Sect through Heavenly Light and, unlike the others who had accumulated cultivation over a long time, the gap in their physical fortitude was now apparent.

Gold-rimmed Glasses frowned. "Brother, you really do have cultivation, right?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, Lust Cultivation."

Old Smoker chuckled. "Lust Cultivators tend to be frail; it’s understandable they can’t withstand the bitter fog."

As he spoke, everyone’s gaze turned to Qin Xiaopang.

Qin Xiaopang puffed out his chest. "I am a Food Cultivator."

Gold-rimmed Glasses said to Li Banfeng, "Brother, if you can’t hold up on the mountain, come down early. Don’t lose your life over greed."

Cao Ye took out a palm-sized cloth bag from her bosom and pulled out a piece of Candy from it.

"Brother, have a piece of Medicine Candy, it’s effective."

Medicine Candy?

What’s that?

Li Banfeng looked at the Candy, contemplating whether to eat it.

Seeing Li Banfeng’s hesitation, Cao Ye put a Medicine Candy in her own mouth and handed another piece to Li Banfeng. "Brother, I’m not a bad person."

Refusing now would be rather impolite.

Li Banfeng popped one into his mouth. A cool, slightly sour juice slid down his throat, instantly relieving the dry itchiness.

No more coughing! This stuff really works.

Li Banfeng thanked her and followed the others onward. After walking for more than half an hour, they finally arrived at the foot of the mountain.

The winding dirt road stretched from the base up the mountain. Visibility was only about twenty to thirty meters, still not revealing the mountain’s full profile.

"Little Sister, give me one too. I’ll pay you after I sell the flowers," the voluptuous beauty Oil Peach also began to cough and asked Cao Ye for a Medicine Candy.

The mountain trail was narrow and steep. Everyone lined up and walked single file, with Li Banfeng right behind Oil Peach.

He had seen many pretty girls, but someone with a figure like Oil Peach’s was truly rare.

Her finger-waved hair, paired with a red and green qipao, revealed smooth shoulder lines and a slender, graspable waist. Especially below the waist, her rounded Tao’er were proud and grand, carrying a unique delicacy and Spirit Attribute.

No wonder she was called Oil Peach.

Those peaches were simply flawless.

There she was, right in front of him, swaying with each step...

Was she really here to pick flowers on the mountain?

Why wear a qipao to pick flowers on a mountain?

It was obviously impractical for movement!

She was clearly doing this to distract me on purpose!

Li Banfeng tried to shift his gaze away from those two Tao’er, but Oil Peach suddenly turned her head and smiled at him.

Her crescent-moon eyes were full of allure, and that smile made Li Banfeng’s heart skip a beat.

"Young Brother, are you really a Lust Cultivator? I’ve heard that seven or eight rounds a day is nothing for someone like you."

Li Banfeng replied indifferently, "You flatter me, Sister."

Oil Peach’s vermilion lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "Perhaps we could spar sometime?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "My cultivation level is still shallow; I’m afraid I wouldn’t be a match for you, Sister."

Oil Peach glanced at Little Fatty behind Li Banfeng and smiled knowingly. "Almost forgot, your Taoist Partner is here. You like them round, not flat."

Little Fatty wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I’m a Food Cultivator..."

Traveling Cultivators are very sensitive to distance. According to Li Banfeng’s calculations, they had walked just over five li on the mountain path when a black and white flower appeared by the roadside.

The shape of the flower was very unique; each petal was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, a white base with black spots, resembling a snake’s head covered in scales.

Snake-Patterned Chrysanthemum!

Gold-rimmed Glasses had described the appearance of the Snake-Patterned Chrysanthemum, and Li Banfeng recognized it. The flower looked exactly as he had described.

Little Fatty also recognized the flower. Just as he was about to go pick it in excitement, a man suddenly burst out of the bushes by the mountain road, holding long-handled shears, and snatched the flower first.

Little Fatty was furious, not just because someone had stolen the flower, but because it was *that* very person.

This man was none other than Baldy, whom they had encountered before they climbed the mountain.

It’s that damn guy again!

Little Fatty picked up his axe again; this time, he truly wanted to fight.

Baldy looked at him with scorn. "Dumb as a pig, you couldn’t even catch a fresh turd! What are you doing with that axe? Try swinging it, I dare you!"

Gold-rimmed Glasses held Little Fatty back as Baldy disappeared into the bushes.

Little Fatty swore through gritted teeth, "That damn mutt, I swear I’ll chop him up!"

Gold-rimmed Glasses pulled on Little Fatty. "Don’t worry about one or two flowers by the road. When we get to a better place, there’ll be plenty more."

"Where is this better place?" Little Fatty was still not satisfied.

Gold-rimmed Glasses glanced at the path. The people from the Medicine Shop were fast and already out of sight. "Let’s hurry," he said, "and see if we can catch up with them."

Old Smoker lit his tobacco pipe and took several deep drags, exhaling a cloud of white smoke tinged with yellow.

The smoke quickly flew forward as Old Smoker chewed on the pipe stem, savoring the flavor.

"They haven’t gone far," Old Smoker said. "There’s a fork ahead; they took the right path."

Hu Gaizi was taken aback. "Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know, old man."

Old Smoker tapped his tobacco pipe twice. "If you don’t believe it, then don’t follow us!"

Gold-rimmed Glasses believed Old Smoker, because there was indeed a fork in the path ahead.

They took a right at the fork and after walking for over an hour, a clearing appeared beyond the dense woods beside the mountain road.

"They’re in this place," Old Smoker said. He then entered the clearing, followed closely by Gold-rimmed Glasses.

Traveling Cultivators move quickly. Li Banfeng could have been ahead, but he deliberately slowed down, his eyes seemingly fixated on Oil Peach’s two peaches.

After searching the clearing for a moment, Li Banfeng saw a black and white flower next to his feet.

After watching those peaches sway the whole way, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Bending down for a closer look, he hadn’t been mistaken—it was indeed a Snake-Patterned Chrysanthemum.

He took out his Sickle and, following the method Gold-rimmed Glasses had explained at the mountain’s base, pinched the Flower Neck and cut the flower a little over an inch from the root.

His first Snake-Patterned Chrysanthemum! He’d gotten it!

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m fr𝒆ewebnove(l).com