With the Pill’s Poison thoroughly neutralized, Li Banfeng paced the New Land for a while.
Seeing no trace of Strange Monsters around, he figured they must have gone to the Local Deity’s place to prepare for battle.
Having almost earned his day’s quota of cultivation, Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence.
WHEEZE... RATTLE... WHEEZE... RATTLE...
The breathing sounds of the Phonograph were very strange.
"Wife, have you woken up?"
WEAK WHEEZES...
"Wife, what’s wrong with you?"
SCRAAATCH!
A harsh scraping sound was heard, leaving a long scratch on the record.
"Wife!" Li Banfeng touched the Phonograph; its front cabinet was burning hot while its rear cabinet was as cold as frost.
STATIC... CRACKLE...
The Phonograph seemed to want to speak, but it couldn’t form any words.
Li Banfeng looked around. He had placed the Tang Sword, the Clock Pendulum, the Earrings, the Wine Gourd, and the Teapot in the Fifth Room. Only the Judge’s Pen remained here.
Li Banfeng picked up the Judge’s Pen and questioned it for a long time, but only got two words out of it: "Don’t know."
In his panic, he suddenly heard the Songstress Flower, who was standing by the wall, speak up, "Sir, just now Madam and the Second Lady had a bit of an argument. I don’t know what means the Second Lady used, but Madam suddenly became unable to speak."
"An argument?" Li Banfeng entered the outer room, his eyes fixed on Red Lotus.
Red Lotus did not respond, her gaze also locked on Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng moved Red Lotus to the main chamber, positioning her to face the Phonograph directly.
The Songstress Flower added from the side, "I don’t know what happened either. Madam has been arguing with the Second Lady frequently of late, and this isn’t the first time..."
The leaves of the Red Lotus Flower trembled, annoyance stirring within her.
Red Lotus truly wanted to absorb the Songstress Flower, but she couldn’t do so right now.
Li Banfeng glanced at the Songstress Flower, then turned his head, focusing his attention back on Red Lotus.
After a moment of silence, Li Banfeng said, "Ah Lian, absorb that flower."
The Songstress Flower wailed, "Sir, I speak nothing but the truth!"
The Lotus Flower slowly blossomed, a whirlwind stirring within its Lotus Heart, sweeping the Songstress Flower inside.
The Songstress Flower cried and wailed as she was drawn in, but Li Banfeng showed no sign of pity.
Having spent so much time with her, Li Banfeng knew a fair bit about the Lotus Flower’s schemes and methods.
After dealing with the Songstress Flower, Li Banfeng went to the Fifth Room and fetched the Wine Gourd.
The Wine Gourd observed the Phonograph for a moment and asked, "Sister, where are you feeling unwell?"
HISS... HISS...
The Phonograph couldn’t speak, and clouds of Steam constantly swirled around Li Banfeng.
Since the Wine Gourd couldn’t figure it out, Li Banfeng brought over the Old Teapot.
The Old Teapot, being worldly and experienced, might know something about this.
After observing for a long while, the Old Teapot responded, "I’ve never seen anything like this. Perhaps there’s something wrong with the Foreigner’s creation."
The "Foreigner’s creation" referred to the Steam Phonograph itself.
Li Banfeng inspected it carefully. He usually oiled the machine, tightened screws, and occasionally replaced small parts, so he was quite familiar with the Phonograph’s structure. He saw no mechanical issues.
LOW WHEEZES...
The Phonograph’s breathing grew lower and more subdued, yet the clouds of Steam continued to linger around Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng was somewhat at a loss.
FAINT WHEEZES...
The Steam seemed to grow colder.
Flustered, Li Banfeng hurriedly refueled the Phonograph. The needle suddenly slid into his palm and moved slowly along its lines.
She wanted to leave a mark in Li Banfeng’s palm, afraid that he would forget her.
But she was afraid of hurting Li Banfeng; the tip of the needle couldn’t bear to pierce his flesh.
As it traced the lines, the tip of the needle stopped moving.
Li Banfeng turned to look at Red Lotus. "Is it because of that Elixir? Is it?"
Red Lotus looked at Li Banfeng, into his eyes.
A LOUD CRACKLE!
The Phonograph suddenly emitted a sound.
Red Lotus suddenly grew worried.
And Red Lotus had guessed right.
That was exactly what the Phonograph was thinking; she couldn’t let Red Lotus harm Li Banfeng.
The Lotus Flower suddenly bloomed, and a piece of white paper flew into its Lotus Heart.
In the blink of an eye, the white paper transformed into a Lotus Seed.
Li Banfeng cracked open the Lotus Seed, and two strips of paper burst out.
The first strip read: The body is weak and cannot take supplements.
The second strip read: One Revolving Noble Flower.
Li Banfeng asked the Wine Gourd, which had never heard of it.
The Old Teapot, however, had some recollection. "The Revolving Noble Flower is an herb. In all my years, I’ve only seen it once. I forget its exact medicinal effects. I only remember that this herb is extremely precious. It’s hard to find and difficult to harvest. Moreover, it cannot be stored for long. Once picked, it spoils within a day. A spoiled Revolving Noble Flower has no medicinal properties left."
Li Banfeng first moved the Copper Lotus Flower to the Fifth Room. Under the current circumstances, he wouldn’t allow anyone near the Phonograph.