Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'
Chapter 74 - 61: Hundred Flavors Delicate, Golden Gaze Autumn Hair

Chapter 74: Chapter 61: Hundred Flavors Delicate, Golden Gaze Autumn Hair

Qin Xiaopang caught fire and, in a state of alarm, rolled around on the ground.

However, to the amazement of all present, other than Little Fatty himself, everyone was completely indifferent.

Yu Nan and the shop assistants from her cloth business all knew that Old Master Yao was a man of true skill.

Li Banfeng had great trust in Old Master Yao. The fact that Qin Xiaopang was able to roll around on the ground proved that his legs could straighten out now.

Less than two minutes later, Little Fatty’s clothes were burned away, his hair and all other body hair were gone too, and he lay on the ground, whining in pain.

Old Master Yao asked Little Fatty with concern, "Young man, what’s wrong with you? Are you perhaps hungry?"

Yu Nan looked embarrassed; she knew Old Master Yao tended to be jocular, but she thought it wasn’t the right time for such jokes.

Li Banfeng didn’t feel embarrassed at all; he thought Old Master Yao’s question made perfect sense! 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Little Fatty was annoyed, but upon careful consideration, he indeed felt a bit hungry.

The shop assistant went to prepare food. This had nothing to do with Old Master Yao. He slung his money bag over his shoulder and strode out of the residence with a sway, Li Banfeng following behind him.

Yu Nan tried to stop Li Banfeng, "Seventh Master, there’s no need for a lengthy send-off."

Li Banfeng bypassed Yu Nan, "I am not one to disregard propriety."

"It’s not about propriety; it’s that we shouldn’t..." Yu Nan couldn’t stop Li Banfeng, as the pace of a Smoke Cultivator fell far behind that of a Traveling Cultivator at the same level.

Old Master Yao walked fast, and not long after leaving the house, he was already out of sight.

But Li Banfeng wasn’t slow either; he quickened his steps and also disappeared into the night.

Yu Nan hurried to catch up, frowning, "This man really doesn’t understand the rules!"

Old Yao and Li Banfeng, one following the other, walked for nearly an hour.

Upon entering a grove, Old Yao turned around and looked at Li Banfeng, "Why are you following me? Are you thinking about stealing my money?"

"The patient has been healed; how could I touch your money? I just wanted to escort you some of the way," Li Banfeng said respectfully to Old Master Yao.

"Escort me?" Old Yao took a sip from his Wine Gourd. "Do you know where I live?"

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, "I guess it’s in a remote place, aren’t we almost there?"

"Far from it. The place where I live is not just remotely located; even with good legs, you wouldn’t be able to find your way out once there." This was Old Master Yao’s clear indication that Li Banfeng should stop following him. If he persisted, Yao might kill him.

Li Banfeng’s smile did not fade. "Old Master Yao, you are a man of true skill, and I want to make friends with you."

Old Master Yao laughed, "HEH HEH HEH, in my life, I really did make quite a few friends.

One friend I made when I was eight—he snatched away my sugar-figure treat and ate it.

Another friend I made when I was eighteen—he took away my wife, slept with her.

And yet another friend I made when I was eighty—he took everything that could be taken from me.

I, you see, have a bad eye for people. I don’t know how to make friends, nor do I wish to make any more."

Li Banfeng said, "Let’s not talk about friends, let’s talk business. I want to do business with you, Old Master Yao. What kind of price will it take?"

Old Master Yao took another drink, "Who are you talking to? Do you know who I am? Who gave you the courage to do business with me?"

Li Banfeng was not afraid and said earnestly, "You are a good person, an honest person, a skilled person."

Old Master Yao chuckled, "How do you know I’m a good person?"

"Because you saved Qin Xiaopang’s life."

"I didn’t save him for nothing; I charged a fee."

Li Banfeng stated seriously, "So I am here to talk business with you, Old Master Yao, to discuss business with real gold and silver, not to bother you with empty promises."

WHOOSH.

A cold wind blew by, and both fell silent for a while.

"HO, HAHA!" the elder suddenly burst out laughing. "You, young man, really hit it off with me. Tell me, what business do you want to discuss? Healing or buying medicine? It’s best not to talk to me about anything else."

Li Banfeng asked, "I haven’t decided yet. Where can I find you when I do?"

Old Master Yao turned to glance at Yu Nan’s house. "Don’t they know? Once you’ve arrived at Hundred Fragrance Village, just have them find me." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "Elder, if I come to Hundred Fragrance Village, I will surely seek an audience with you. But if I’m not in Hundred Fragrance Village, how can I discuss business with you?"

Old Yao unscrewed the cap off his Wine Gourd and took a large swig. "If you’re not in Hundred Fragrance Village, it depends on how far away you are. If you’re outside Medicine King Valley, I’m powerless to assist. If you’re within Medicine King Valley, I can still be of help.

As for how much I can help, that depends on your sincerity. Before we talk business, you need to give me a down payment."

Li Banfeng agreed on the spot. "Elder is making sense, but I’m not sure if this down payment should be given directly to you or if it should be burned for you?"

WHOOSH!

A gust of cold wind blew through the woods, rustling the leaves.

Old Master Yao paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Not old, but with a sharp eye.

If there’s ample time, it’s best to deliver the money to me.

If the matter is urgent, burning it for me will also do, but it has to be Money of the Dead, not Money of the Living."

"Where can I buy Money of the Dead?" Li Banfeng knew for sure it wasn’t ordinary Money of the Dead.

"I have one here, for fifty thousand. Are you buying?" Old Man fumbled in his worn-out clothes for a while and pulled out a crumpled piece of Yellow Paper.

Li Banfeng had come prepared and took out fifty thousand in cash from the cloth pouch around his waist, handing it to Old Master Yao.

Old Yao liked Li Banfeng’s straightforwardness and nodded slightly. "Let me be clear: once this paper money is burned, whether the deal goes through or not, there are no refunds.

Don’t come to me with business that doesn’t suit my status. As to what that status is, you’ll have to figure it out. If you’re smart, once the business is done, you’ll naturally find out."

Old Master Yao turned and walked away, disappearing into the mist.

After securing the paper money, Li Banfeng returned to Yu Nan’s place.

Seeing that Li Banfeng had safely returned, Yu Nan took a puff from her smoking pipe with a slightly dissatisfied expression, "Seventh Master, whatever you plan to do next time, give us a heads-up first. You might have come back alive this time, but next time you might not be so lucky."

Yu Nan was grumbling about what had just happened, but Li Banfeng seemed not to understand.

The assistant translated for him, "Shopkeeper Li, this Old Master Yao is no ordinary person; he is a reclusive expert from Hundred Fragrance Village.

You’re not familiar with him, so it’s better not to get too close. If you anger this elder by accident, no one can predict the consequences."

Li Banfeng asked the assistant, "How do you normally contact this expert?"

The assistant bowed his head, silent.

Yu Nan said to Li Banfeng, "Since he is a reclusive expert, he naturally doesn’t wish to be disturbed. Without Old Master Yao’s permission, we dare not reveal the mysteries of this place to you."

Li Banfeng thought about the time the assistant took to summon Old Master Yao. Half an hour, back and forth—the assistant clearly did not go to Old Master Yao’s home, for it was far away. Even at Li Banfeng’s speed, he could not reach it in an hour. Considering the earthly scent that clung to the old master, Li Banfeng had his answer.

Li Banfeng looked at the assistant and asked, "Did you set up incense and candles to summon Old Master Yao?"

With Hundred Flavors Delicate, ordinary scents truly couldn’t be concealed from Li Banfeng.

The assistant looked at Li Banfeng in astonishment, then turned to look at Yu Nan.

Yu Nan’s index and middle fingers were rubbing the smoking pipe up and down.

It was the same movement Li Banfeng had seen before when Yu Nan was agonizing over whether to kill Rong Jin’an. It was a small gesture she made when she was nervous. Yu Nan had the mannerisms of an experienced figure in the Jianghu, but now she seemed not as shrewd as he had thought. As for Old Master Yao, perhaps Yu Nan herself did not know his origin. Her description was not incorrect: a reclusive expert indeed. Old Master Yao was no longer part of this world.

With Golden Gaze Autumn Hair discerning Yin and Yang, Li Banfeng initially thought moss had grown on Old Master Yao’s robe until a closer inspection revealed his mistake.

It was not moss, but clusters of blue-green flames, identical to the Ghost Fires seen in cemeteries.