Chapter 320: Emerging from the Cocoon |
The Sage's Peak, Vilefolk Hillock.
He Haiqin stood in the long hallway of the Sage's residence, waiting for the Sage's response.
After waiting for over an hour, there was still no response from inside the Sage's room.
The white-clothed youth said, "Are you getting impatient? The people outside often kneel for an entire day and still might not receive a single response."
He Haiqin said nothing. He knew his current situation, and he knew what he would have to face next.
The panting inside the room finally stopped, and the Sage coughed.
The white-clothed youth reminded He Haiqin, "Don't forget the rules!"
He Haiqin knelt on the ground and kowtowed toward the room.
Since the day he was born, he had never knelt to anyone except his parents. But today, he knelt.
He Haiqin had saved Lu Maoxian and dealt with the Lu Family and the Ling Family several times. Now, all of that had earned him this written order.
The written order was sealed in a lacquered box, and He Haiqin was not qualified to read it. Under the guidance of the white-clothed youth, he took the written order and went to the back of the mountain.
Halfway up the back of the mountain was a cave.
The white-clothed youth pointed at it and said, "Enter the cave, and go forward. Keep walking, and do not stop. Whatever you do, do not look back. You have broken free from the cocoon and emerged as a butterfly. You have already left the mortal coil behind, so cherish this fateful transformation."
He Haiqin carried the written order and walked through the cave. He was very hungry. Despite having lost his corporeal body, part of his Gourmandism Cultivator cultivation remained. He simply did not know what he could eat now.
There was no telling day from night inside the cave, and He Haiqin had no idea how long he had been walking. When he saw a streak of light, he quickly ran toward it.
He thought he had finally arrived at the cave exit, but in truth, he had only seen fire.
Where did this fire come from?
The flames suddenly surged up, illuminating the path ahead for He Haiqin. Further down the path was a stone wall with more than a dozen archways built into it.
He Haiqin stood there for a moment, stumped as to which way.
Then suddenly, someone said to him, "Give me the written order."
Who was that?
He Haiqin did not see even a silhouette of a person. That person's voice sounded as if a seventy-year-old man and an eighteen-year-old woman were speaking through the same mouth.
He Haiqin raised the box containing the written order, and it vanished instantly.
The mysterious voice that seemed to come from nowhere spoke again. "Take the third gate."
Which one's the third gate?
Counting from the left, the third archway lit up with a faint glow, and He Haiqin walked through it.
After walking for a long time, He Haiqin finally emerged from the cave. It was pitch-black outside, just like it was inside.
He Haiqin looked up at the sky. But he saw no stars, only a dim yellow haze that seemed like clouds and fog.
"Are you a cart driver?" someone asked.
He Haiqin looked around, but again, he saw no one.
"Are you a cart driver or not?"
Crack!
A leather whip struck He Haiqin across the face.
Despite not having flesh and blood, the lashing caused He Haiqin unbearable pain. He touched his face and felt a laceration already running from his cheekbone to his jaw.
Crack!
The whip struck him again.
"Are you a cart driver or not?"
"Yes!" He Haiqin answered loudly.
"Walk forward. The cart is up ahead!"
He Haiqin hurried forward and saw a horse carriage. The carriage was loaded with many stones, and He Haiqin drove it onward.
He knew he was no longer the head of the He Family. He knew that for some time to come, he would have to serve here as a slave and a servant.
He Haiqin was only allowed to become a servant because he had rendered service to the Sage. Most people did not even have the chance to become servants. They could only become utility animals.
Amid the scolding voices, He Haiqin drove the carriage into a stretch of wilderness, where dozens of people were working. Men and women alike were carrying heavy stone materials and building a massive stone statue of a silver-white ring.
"Unload the carriage!"
At the shouted order, several people stepped forward and moved the stone materials down from the carriage.
One of them was a Strength Cultivator. He used an ability to make the stones a little lighter. He did it very discreetly, but he was still discovered.
As invisible whips rained down on the Strength Cultivator, a thunderous voice rang out, "How dare you use an ability in a Holy Land? A madman like you deserves to be beaten to death!"
He Haiqin watched with his eyes and committed it to heart. He absolutely had to remember this. He could never use his cultivation abilities in the Inner Provinces.
No matter how unbearable it became, he had to endure it. It was all for triple the lifespan.
A year ago, He Haiqin had been bedridden and certain of his impending death. Only someone who had died once knew how terrifying death was, and only then would they know how important it was to be alive.
***
He Yuxiu sat in the He Family's main residence, listening to Sheng Shanzhou, the accounts keeper, report the accounts. For the first ten minutes, He Yuxiu listened very seriously. After those ten minutes, He Yuxiu kept yawning and nearly fell asleep.
After another ten minutes, He Yuxiu interrupted Sheng Shanzhou. "Stop fucking chanting scriptures. I don't understand any of it."
Chen Jitai, the large support hook, urged, "Big Sis Xiu, you have to listen. These two days are when the various families send their profit shares."
"Profit shares..." He Yuxiu scratched her head. "I almost forgot. All the families are sending their profit shares today, right?"
"That's right."
"Spread the word. Say that the He Family only acknowledges Lu Chunying, and tell the Lu Family's people not to send their profit shares to the wrong place."
Chen Jitai did not understand. "Big Sis Xiu, this is the Lu Family's matter. We shouldn't interfere."
"We have to interfere. I promised Monkey."
"Monkey Qiu is no longer part of the Lu Family. He isn't even in Greenwater City anymore!"
He Yuxiu looked at Chen Jitai and said, "This is why I say you don't know how things work, you rascal. Just because he left, does that mean my promise no longer counts? What would happen to my family's reputation?
"Besides, if Lu Chunying can't hold her ground, wouldn't that be the same as forcing Monkey to come back? What happens if he comes back? Do we keep fighting him?
"Duan Shaoxia's brain isn't working right, but ours has to. Stop standing there like an idiot, and get to work!"
***
When the major aristocratic families handed over their profit shares, the Lu Family's main branch and outer branches were no exception. Sixty percent of them handed their profit shares to Lu Chunying, as Lu Chunying was Lu Dongliang's child. Lu Dongliang had personally acknowledged that.
The remaining forty percent handed theirs to Lu Maoxian.
No one handed theirs to Duan Shaoxia. She had taken in an adopted son, and no one even knew whether she represented the Lus or the Zhangs now.
"That old bastard Lu Maoxian is a problem." Ma Wu poured Li Banfeng a cup of wine. "I checked the Lu Family's account books, and this hasn't just been going on for a day or two. Ever since Lu Dongliang disappeared, quite a few people have been handing their profit shares to Lu Maoxian. That old bastard has kept causing trouble for us. Once he gains power in the Lu Family, Greenwater City probably won't have room for us anymore."
"Lu Maoxian, level seven..." Li Banfeng rubbed his chin. "This old bastard's quality as a dish—no, I meant his capabilities. He's quite capable."
"It's not just him who is capable. He has plenty of ruthless people under him. I suspect he sent that woman who came to Freewind Wharf looking for you."
"That can't be right." Li Banfeng was rather doubtful. "Lu Maoxian is an old hand; he's shrewd and ruthless. That woman was very reckless. It's not his style."
Ma Wu shook his head. "Lu Maoxian isn't shrewd in everything he does. Take The Legendary Bloodblade Detective, for example. Lu Maoxian brought people straight to the cinema to cause trouble and made such a huge enemy because of one film. That really made no sense."
The Legendary Bloodblade Detective?
Li Banfeng asked, "They're still making that movie?"
"They are. The latest one has pretty good attendance, around fifty to sixty percent full for each showing. I need to think of some new tricks too, or I won't be able to compete with them in the future."
"Ling Miaoying is already dead, so who is making The Legendary Bloodblade Detective?"
"The Ling Family's film company still hasn't closed down. I'm guessing Ling Miaosheng is running it."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I doubt it."
"I'll look into it further. Speaking of movies, someone brought something over from Blackstone Slope yesterday and said you had to see it."
Ma Wu had someone bring over a shadow-play machine. It stood over a meter tall on the ground, but once the stand was folded up, it could be carried by hand.
Li Banfeng was pleasantly surprised. "Chuanzi had someone send this over, didn't he?"
Ma Wu nodded. "Little Chuan wore himself out making this thing. He also specifically told me that one machine costs three hundred twenty yuan, materials and labor included."
"Three hundred twenty!" Li Banfeng nodded. "That price is just right!"
Ma Wu added, "Unfortunately, the materials are too cheap, and the spring can't hold up. Once it's fully wound, it can only play for fifteen minutes."
"Fifteen minutes is enough. You think everyone is like you and can't even finish once in fifteen minutes?"
Ma Wu did not understand what Li Banfeng meant. "Finish what once?"
"Watching a film, of course!"
"What kind of film is that? Even the shortest film runs for at least half an hour!"
"You're talking about proper films," Li Banfeng replied.
He stared at the shadow-play machine for a long while, liking it more the longer he looked at it.
He continued, "Tell Chuanzi to start production at the factory and focus on making this kind of shadow-play machine. Have the workers make the parts separately. We can't let them learn the craftsmanship behind the shadow-play machine. Then tell Bai Qiusheng to start making films. Have him film them the same way those photos in the magazines are shot. Eleven or twelve minutes for each film will be enough."
Ma Wu understood what Li Banfeng meant this time. "You mean we let buyers play the films at home? This is what's called 'television' in the Outer Provinces, isn't it?"
"This isn't quite the same as television. There are plenty of things they can't release for television, but we can release them with this!"
Ma Wu shot to his feet. "I need to go to Blackstone Slope. This is big business! Even bigger than The Legendary Bloodspear Detective!"
***
In the top-floor office of the Ling Family's film company, Tu Yinghong sat on the sofa and said impatiently, "I've already finished the filming. When are you letting me leave?"
As He Jiaqing brewed some tea, he replied, "If I let you leave, are you going to Freewind Wharf again?"
"Where I go has nothing to do with you."
Wan Jinxian sat to the side, his expression turning dark. "Why don't you know what's good for you? If we hadn't saved you, you would already be dead!"
Tu Yinghong glared at Wan Jinxian. "I never asked you to save me!"
Wan Jinxian was furious.
However, He Jiaqing advised him, "We're all on the same side. Don't ruin the peace between us."
Then he turned to Tu Yinghong. "Movie Queen Tu, I only want to know one thing. Why exactly did you go to Freewind Wharf?"
"I already told you. I want to find Miaoying!"
He Jiaqing raised his brows. "It seems the two of you really do have genuine feelings for each other."
"So what if we do? I'm telling you, I'm Ling Miaoying's woman. I'll be his woman for the rest of my life. As long as I don't find him, I won't be done with Freewind Wharf!"
He Jiaqing sighed. "What a loyal and devoted woman. Once the next film is finished, I'll let you go."
Tu Yinghong turned and left the office, returning to her room.
She had built this building herself. Logically, she should have had a hundred ways to get out. Yet for some reason, she could not leave, no matter what she did. She had no idea what ability had been used on her.
***
Wan Jinxian asked He Jiaqing, "Do you think she really went to Freewind Wharf for Ling Miaoying?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "She's lying. She does have some affection for Ling Miaoying, the kind of affection that comes from sharing a bed. It would be the same if she had slept with someone else. She probably went to Freewind Wharf for that item."
"You mean the Crimson Lotus?"
He Jiaqing nodded. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have set her eyes on Li Qi."
Wan Jinxian said, "Why don't we use this chance to take back the Crimson Lotus?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "Now is not the time. I'll tell you when the moment comes."
Wan Jinxian gave a slight nod. He agreed that He Jiaqing's deduction seemed correct.
However, they had both misunderstood Tu Yinghong. Tu Yinghong was someone who valued loyalty and affection. She truly had not gone to Freewind Wharf for the Crimson Lotus. She had gone there to find her iron rulers.
The tea was ready. He Jiaqing had just poured Old Wan a cup when he felt the button on his chest vibrate.
He Jiaqing pinched the button and listened for a moment. Then he slammed the teapot heavily onto the table. "Lu Maoxian went to the cinema to cause trouble again. Why is that old dog so persistent?"
Wan Jinxian said, "We still haven't found out who is backing Lu Maoxian."
"Warn him again. This time, show no mercy."
Wan Jinxian nodded slightly, but his mind was not on Lu Maoxian.
