After traversing Worry-Free Plain for the better part of the day and re-entering New Land as dusk settled, He Jiaqing had finally reached Iron Gate Fort.
Upon arrival at Iron Gate Fort, he submerged himself in the lake and once more emerged in New Land. Following a full day of arduous travel, He Jiaqing eventually found himself at Flower Lake Park.
His journey to Yuezhou was motivated by the prospect of seeking aid from Li Banfeng. It was only through Li Banfeng's intercession that he could hope to earn Cui Tiq’s confidence.
But the crucial question lingered: how could he possibly sway Li Banfeng? How might he convince him to participate in this proposed collaboration?
He Jiaqing found himself utterly incapable of devising a suitable opening for such a critical conversation.
Perhaps, just perhaps, there was someone who could offer assistance.
He adjusted the collar of his coat, the bandages on his face concealed beneath it, and set his course towards Yuezhou University.
Several hours later, within the tranquil waters of Flower Lake Park, a single drop of pus, tinged with blood, quivered faintly.
More pus began to accumulate, coalescing into a viscous, gelatinous mass upon the lake's surface.
As this floating conglomeration drew together, a face, horrifyingly disfigured with sores, began to materialize.
The amorphous mass gradually took on a human form,Solidifying into the disheveled figure of the Greenwater Beggar.
The Greenwater Beggar emerged from the water and onto the lakeshore. He had taken only a few steps along the water's edge when he was suddenly startled by a voice from behind him, shouting, "Where do you hail from? What business do you have here?"
The Greenwater Beggar turned, his gaze falling upon a man advancing towards him.
"I'm asking you what you're doing? Can't you hear me?" the man bellowed, his voice laced with impatience.
The Greenwater Beggar, holding up his begging bowl, replied simply, "I am a beggar."
"Who permitted you to enter this park? Be gone from here at once!" The man strode forward and gave the Greenwater Beggar a forceful shove, causing him to stumble backward.
Green Flower regarded the man with astonishment, "You pushed me?"
The man sneered, fixing Green Flower with a glare, "And what if I did?"
As a Martial Cultivator, Green Flower's unsteadiness was solely due to the unexpected nature of the push.
This individual evidently held some authority. If he were to be matched with Puluo State's hierarchy, he might well be an operative from the Defense Agency.
"The higher-ups are arriving for an inspection shortly, and now we have a beggar causing a disturbance; is this not precisely the sort of trouble we cannot afford? Where is the security detail? How did this person gain entry!" The man scanned the vicinity, but no security personnel were in sight, only the bewildered Greenwater Beggar standing there.
"Are you still not departing?" The man stepped forward once more, intending to push the Greenwater Beggar again, but this time, he found himself incapable of mustering any strength.
His hand felt strangely numb, unnervingly soft.
Indeed, it had gone completely limp; from the elbow downward, the greater portion of his forearm hung uselessly, as if devoid of bone.
"Uh, gurgle..." The man parted his lips, attempting to cry out for assistance, but his voice was choked with a mixture of pus and blood, his jaw hanging slack, rendering him unable to close it.
His face instantly contorted and collapsed, his head lolling forward onto his chest like a grotesque mass of flesh. Viscous fluids streamed uncontrollably from both his mouth and nose.
Not only had his face succumbed, but every bone within him was being voraciously consumed by the affliction, riddled with countless perforations, turning soft, becoming brittle, and ultimately disintegrating into a fine powder.
The insidious disease, still present within the dust, continued its relentless corrosion of his body, reducing it to a mere pool of putrid liquid.
Under the relentless assault of the pus, even his garments dissolved into a slimy residue, seeping into the earth alongside the putrid fluid.
The Greenwater Beggar paid no heed to the ensuing pool of pus on the ground. Clutching his begging bowl, he resumed his aimless wandering through the park.
Upon exiting the park, the Greenwater Beggar observed the bustling traffic and the throng of people on the roadside, and he couldn't help but utter a sigh of admiration: "The people in the Outside Provinces are truly abundant, exceeding even those in Greenwater City. I can eliminate as many as I desire, and yet, there will still be..."
Bang!
A man shoved the Greenwater Beggar forcefully from behind, once again causing him to stagger.
"Who gave you permission to beg here? Vanish at once! Otherwise, I'll have you arrested right now!"
Push me again?
Green Flower turned, his eyes meeting those of a young man and woman standing behind him. Though they appeared youthful, they exuded an air of considerable authority. The vendors selling balloons, sausages, and cotton candy all seemed to regard them with apprehension.
The man gestured dismissively behind his back, his voice filled with indignant fury, "I am addressing you! Who granted you the right to solicit alms in this location?"
Their demeanor suggested they might be some form of patrol officers, yet patrol officers typically did not display such overt arrogance.
It was also plausible that they hailed from a prominent and powerful family.
The Greenwater Beggar offered a wry smile and inquired, "To which esteemed family do you belong?"
The man faltered, his eyebrows arching in surprise, "Why do you ask? What concern is it of yours?"
The Greenwater Beggar responded with apparent admiration, "The people of the other provinces are truly remarkable. In my homeland, very few possess the audacity to push me."
"The reason I pushed you..." Before the man could complete his sentence, he was seized by a violent coughing fit.
Initially mistaking it for mere wind, the woman beside him paid it little heed, busily urging the Greenwater Beggar to depart swiftly.
The man's cough worsened, his body shaking uncontrollably, nearly collapsing, yet the coughing would not cease.
The woman stepped forward to support him, observing his face turning a disturbing shade of bluish-purple, his eyes bloodshot, and the ceaseless coughing leaving her at a loss.
The Greenwater Beggar turned and departed, a laugh escaping him as he walked, "This place is quite intriguing, the people are rather amusing, and there are no peddlers to be found. Once I become Li Qi, I shall indulge in a bit more fun for a few days."
...
Ma Wu reached the Soda Kiln and, after securing lodging in a rented courtyard, promptly convened a gathering of his associates to solicit information.
The primary recent disturbance within the Soda Kiln involved a clash between the Qingyun Society and the Hundred Flowers Gate, which unfortunately resulted in casualties; this was the sole major incident.
However, this particular event would not rise to a level requiring the Balancer's intervention.
Ma Wu then approached Yan Songan, the Border Defense Envoy of Soda Kiln, but found him to be evasive, reluctant to divulge much information.
His very reticence served as confirmation of the situation's gravity. Under such circumstances, Ma Wu was adamant that Li Qi must not be permitted to enter the Soda Kiln.
Later that night, as Ma Wu pondered alternative avenues for information gathering, he was unexpectedly informed that Yan Songan had requested an audience.
Ma Wu swiftly ushered Yan Songan into the main hall, remarking, "Brother Yan, you dismissed me with mere pleasantries earlier today, and now you arrive alone under the cover of night. What exactly is the meaning behind this visit?"
"There is but one meaning: I wish to find a suitable location where we may converse privately," Yan Songan replied, casting a glance around as if deeming the living room inadequate for their discussion.
Ma Wu guided Yan Songan into his study, where Yan Songan lowered his voice, confiding, "Indeed, the Soda Kiln is facing trouble. I cannot fully articulate the extent of the problem, but I have gained some insight into its origins."
Yan Songan proceeded to inform Ma Wu about the location of the abandoned factory.
Ma Wu felt a pang of hesitation, contemplating a visit but uncertain whether it was prudent to proceed.
Simply relaying this information to Old Qi might still leave Old Qi undecided.
Yet, charging in himself would necessitate a careful assessment of his own capabilities.
Ma Wu, currently a practitioner at the Fourth Layer of Lust Cultivation, was accompanied by a contingent of guards, each possessing cultivation at the Fifth or Sixth Layer.
While dealing with minor adversaries presented no issue, the fact that even the Border Defense Envoy lacked insider knowledge suggested that the individual within the abandoned factory was far from insignificant.
Ma Wu engaged in deep contemplation for the better part of the night. Around two in the morning, a delicate fragrance suddenly reached his senses.
It carried the aroma of rouge, but whose scent was it?
Ah Qin was asleep, and Huoling was also resting, neither of them using such a perfume.
Wait, this was not rouge; it was a personal body fragrance.
Ma Wu promptly rose, drawing the woman behind him into an embrace.
The woman nestled in Ma Wu's arms playfully teased, "Wulang is so heartless, to have forgotten about me entirely."
Ma Wu kissed Feng Daiku's cheek, murmuring softly, "That was my failing, and I deserve proper punishment."
It turned out Feng Daiku had already arrived at the Soda Kiln.
As Ma Wu acted, a thought crossed his mind: Feng Daiku, being the local deity of Pants Belt Pit, how could she arrive at the Soda Kiln without the local deity of Soda Kiln taking notice?
Feng Daiku gently patted Ma Wu's cheek, inquiring, "Why did you pause? Is something weighing on your mind?"
Ma Wu shook his head, responding, "After so many days apart, I merely wished to savor the moment."
"Savor what?" Feng Daiku chuckled, "Could it be that the flavor has changed? Come now, tell me truthfully, what troubles you?"
Just as Ma Wu was about to explain, Feng Daiku patted his cheek once more, asking, "Why have you stopped again?"
"You are deliberately testing me," Ma Wu stated, his breathing steady as he resumed recounting the events, his pause broken.
Feng Daiku wiped the perspiration from Ma Wu's brow, her voice soft as she asked, "Wulang, do you truly intend to go there?"
Ma Wu nodded affirmatively, "I genuinely wish to investigate."
Feng Daiku shifted her position, drawing closer to Ma Wu and hooking his nose playfully. "Since you are set on going, I shall accompany you."
PS: Does Feng Daiku harbor such deep affection for Ma Wu?