Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 1016 544: Two Masters, Song Qianhun

"I don't know where this illness came from. I was planning to go to Greenwater City today, but as soon as I reached the city gate, I felt a tightness in my chest.

Initially, I could endure it, but it became more unbearable. My ghost servant is also a medical cultivator, so I asked the ghost servant to take a look. As a result, the illness wasn't cured, and the ghost servant contracted it instead."

As he spoke, Gui Jianchou glanced at Li Banfeng.

The key point of this sentence is that Gui Jianchou's ghost servant is a medical cultivator.

This is equivalent to telling Li Banfeng about Song Qianhun's situation. Song Qianhun himself doesn't understand medicine and is like Gui Jianchou; he is a nightmare cultivator who relies on his ghost servants for treatment.

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment, relying on ghost servants for treatment? This sounds familiar.

Gui Jianchou continued: "The ghost servant himself doesn't know how he contracted the illness. He went back to discuss matters with other ghost servants, and as soon as he spoke, the other ghost servants contracted it too, all feeling chest pain.

I was really at my wit's end, so I had to come to Iron Gate Fort to find you. But upon arriving in the village, I found you were avoiding me, making my heart turn cold!"

As he continued speaking, Gui Jianchou glanced at Li Banfeng again, with two key points in this sentence.

One is that Gui Jianchou came to Iron Gate Fort to find Song Qianhun, but when he couldn't find Song Qianhun, he sought help from Li Banfeng.

The other is that Gui Jianchou didn't mention Sun Tiecheng's affairs, and Li Banfeng must not bring it up.

Song Qianhun said, "Senior Brother, what you're doing is wrong. You knowingly came to this village while carrying an epidemic. Aren't you afraid of causing harm to all the people here?"

Gui Jianchou bowed his head and said, "Junior Brother's reprimand is right; what I did was indeed wrong."

Song Qianhun pondered for a moment: "You said you contracted the illness when you went to Greenwater City. Could it be the work of the Greenwater Beggar?"

Gui Jianchou nodded and said, "I suspect it's Green Flower's doing, and I must settle this score with him!"

Upon hearing this, Li Banfeng felt a bit tense.

Could it really be Green Flower's doing? Did Green Flower escape from Knife Ghost Ridge?

Song Qianhun turned his back to the conversation: "I don't have much contact with Green Flower, nor do I have any grievances. The conflict between him and my senior brother is not something I can get involved in."

Gui Jianchou waved his hands repeatedly: "I wouldn't dare trouble Junior Brother with revenge; I'll handle it myself.

Junior Brother's kindness, I will remember. I have urgent matters to attend to; I'll be on my way. Old Qi, what brought you here?"

Gui Jianchou intended to leave with Li Qi, but Li Qi couldn't leave just yet.

Li Banfeng looked at Song Qianhun and said, "I still have matters to discuss with Senior Song."

"Then you should discuss it properly. In the territory of Iron Gate Fort, when speaking to Junior Brother Song, you must be cautious."

Gui Jianchou left, marking the third time he's hinted this. Li Banfeng understood clearly that Song Qianhun was the local deity of Iron Gate Fort.

Li Banfeng once asked the coachman to find the local deity but couldn't find him at that time; today, he met him here.

Song Qianhun stared at Li Qi for a moment: "If my guess is right, you should be the fortress lord of Iron Gate Fort, someone named Fortress Lord."

Li Banfeng did not deny it: "Senior is correct."

Song Qianhun nodded with an approving smile: "You've done many practical things for Iron Gate Fort. It's evident you have a good heart and skills, but I must make it clear that I will not easily give up the seat of the local deity."

Li Banfeng shook his head: "Senior is overthinking. I've never intended to become the local deity of Iron Gate Fort. I came here today to find a friend,

His name is Cao Ye, a young man who sells rice. He vanished when he arrived at Songling Village, and the villagers disappeared too. Senior should know their whereabouts, right?"

Song Qianhun nodded: "I do know, but why should I tell you?"

Li Banfeng frowned: "What does Senior mean?"

Song Qianhun took out a handful of Silver Yuan, flipping them from left hand to right hand, then right hand to left hand. Amidst the silver light, it sometimes flowed like a silver waterfall, sometimes leaped like a silver dragon, with very skillful techniques.

As the silver light passed, Song Qianhun gathered his hands and presented them before Li Banfeng: "Let's place a wager. If you win, I'll tell you the truth. If you lose, leave Songling Village immediately, as if you never met me."

"Alright!" Li Banfeng agreed.

Song Qianhun extended his right hand: "Guess whether the Silver Yuan in my hand is odd or even?"

Li Banfeng said, "Odd."

Song Qianhun frowned: "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Li Banfeng said, "Senior, you took out eleven Silver Yuans, five in your right hand and six in your left hand, that's definitely correct."

Song Qianhun was silent for a moment before opening his right hand.

There were indeed five Silver Yuans in his right hand.

His technique was indeed skillful, but because he showed off too much, the Silver Yuan hovered in the air for too long, making it all clear before he gathered his hands.

Song Qianhun was honest; he didn't renege on the bet: "One must honor the wager. I'll tell you the truth. I know my Senior Brother Gui Jianchou came to Songling Village and brought the epidemic with him.

I was worried he'd spread the disease in the village, so I used some technique to send the villagers to my residence, including the young rice vendor,

They are all asleep at my place now. Once they wake up, they'll return to the village."

Li Banfeng said, "Senior's actions truly surprised me."

Song Qianhun paused, then laughed: "You didn't expect me to care about the villagers' lives?"

Li Banfeng nodded: "The people of Iron Gate Fort have been oppressed by fraudsters and mountain bandits for years, yet never saw Senior intervene."

Song Qianhun replied: "I hardly engage in ordinary people's disputes, but my Senior Brother is no ordinary person. The epidemic he brought poses an existential threat to Iron Gate Fort, this is something I can't ignore."