Li Banfeng certainly didn’t think Ma Wu had gotten a good deal.
Previously, without Ma Wu’s reinforcement, Li Banfeng couldn’t have held out to the end in the valley. Without Ma Wu’s management, this piece of land would have been of no use in Li Banfeng’s hands.
Indeed, this was superb territory, with lush forests ensuring a supply of timber, vast flatlands providing space, and a salt lake offering provisions. It was an excellent foundation. Ma Wu could recruit Hunters to hunt nearby, directly stock the warehouse, and then concentrate on transporting the goods out. Some special game could be raised on this piece of land. If they employed Farming Cultivation, they could plant plenty of good things on this land.
Ma Wu left marks everywhere, ready to go all out.
"Old Qi, from now on, the income from this land will be split 70-30; you take seventy, I take thirty," Ma Wu proposed.
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Split it in half! Stop beating around the bush!"
Ma Wu was a man of action. The very next day, he had Chuanzi gather people, and within three days, the first batch of wooden houses was complete.
The largest wooden house served as the meeting hall, where guests could be entertained and important matters discussed.
Knowing Li Banfeng enjoyed listening to music, Ma Wu specially bought a new phonograph from Ling Miaosheng’s Phonograph Shop. It was a Windmill Phonograph, almost identical to the one in Blue Poplar Village.
Li Banfeng tested the phonograph with a record.
Ma Wu brought up the matter of Waterfall Gate. "That Spiritual Object is still with me. Should we move it to this territory, or to your original land?"
"You keep it. I’m giving it to you."
Ma Wu repeatedly waved his hands. "No, I can’t keep taking advantage of you!"
"I told you not to fuss over it. Just keep it," Li Banfeng insisted.
As the two listened to music and chatted, Chuanzi walked into the hall and announced, "Someone has come to clear land."
Li Banfeng put down his wine glass. "Clearing land on our territory?"
"Not on our land, but very close by."
Ma Wu frowned. "Someone really wants to cause trouble? Old Qi, you rest here; I’ll go take a look."
Both Li Banfeng and Ma Wu were adept at investigation, but their methods differed. Li Banfeng preferred to use his Home Cultivation talent to approach the other party unnoticed and observe from the shadows. Ma Wu preferred to talk directly to the other party, probing them openly with his experience and insight.
Following the lakeshore and emerging from the woods, Ma Wu saw two people setting up an offering table. They weren’t setting it up on the Border Line; the table was on Qiu Luoye’s territory. This avoided many potential disputes.
Ma Wu breathed a slight sigh of relief and walked directly up to the offering table. There was only a single bottle of wine on the table, indicating they intended to claim one li of territory. The scent of aged wine and the placement of the offering table were arrangements most likely to attract the attention of the Local Deity.
"Experts indeed," Ma Wu praised.
One person looked up with a laugh. "It’s our first time here. We consulted with some experts beforehand but don’t know if this method will be effective."
The other person kept their head low and remained silent throughout.
Ma Wu glanced at that person. They wore a gray short coat and a felt hat that obscured their face, but their figure seemed familiar. He sniffed again.
After a casual chat, Ma Wu returned to the wooden house.
Li Banfeng asked, "Did you find out their background?"
Ma Wu shook his head. "I didn’t check their background. They’re clearing land on Qiu Luoye’s territory, but it is indeed very close to ours."
"Being close is fine, as long as it’s not on the Border Line."
Ma Wu shook his head slightly. "But I think I saw an old acquaintance."
"Which acquaintance?"
"Speaking of this old acquaintance, you know them too."
He took a sip of wine, waiting for Ma Wu to reveal the person’s name.
Ma Wu looked up at Li Banfeng and said, "That person seemed to be Lu Xiaolan!"
GULP!
Li Banfeng swallowed his wine and immediately coughed several times.
PS: Does Lu Xiaolan dare to seek out Li Banfeng? Does she no longer wish to live?