Li Banfeng changed into the guard's uniform and slipped into the medicine storeroom without making a sound. In the storeroom, he saw shelves stacked with all kinds of medicinal herbs.

He couldn't recognize the medicinal herbs or the prepared concoctions. There were large sacks filled with medicinal herbs, but he assumed those were the cheap ones and ignored them.

He figured the ones in bottles and jars were the good stuff, so he moved everything into the Pocket Dwelling, taking trips after trips.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

He spotted a wooden chest secured with a lock. Judging from that, its contents must be the most valuable of all, so he took that as well. When the gramophone saw the pile he had hauled back, it let out a puff of steam in clear disdain.

After emptying the storeroom, Li Banfeng checked the front counter and found eighty-three thousand two hundred and eighteen yuan in cash as well as one hundred twenty-six silver dollars. He tucked them all into his Pocket Dwelling.

Once Li Banfeng had gathered nearly everything, he went back to the room where the watermelon men were kept. He ate a few pieces of watermelon pulp before dragging a burlap sack out of the corner.

He shoved the fertilizer into the watermelon man's mouth. The dull-eyed creature's eyes snapped wide open, now blazing with murderous intent. However, with the scent of watermelon emanating from Li Banfeng, it recognized him as one of its own.

"Kill!" Li Banfeng ordered and the twenty over watermelon men walked out of the house and entered the courtyard in an orderly manner.

Over a dozen guards were sleeping in the side rooms of the medicinal trading house. With a thunderous crash, the doors burst open and the watermelon men stormed in.

One guard rubbed his eyes. When he saw the watermelon men rushing in, he shouted, "Oh no! Quick—"

He had barely shouted three words before a watermelon man cut off his head with a single strike.

The other guards woke in a panic. The timid ones, too confused to react, were cut down at once. The braver ones snatched up their weapons and fought back, but the watermelon men felt no pain and knew no fear. The guards were no match and soon fell, slain beneath their blades.

The two sharpest guards leapt straight out the window and shouted, "Top Thug, something's wrong!"

In the back courtyard, Song Boming, the Top Thug[1], heard the commotion. He ordered two first-level Martial Cultivators, "Stay here in the rear yard. Don't go anywhere!"

With that, Song Boming rushed into the front courtyard. He had planned to see who the intruder was and talk things over first. But when he saw the courtyard swarming with watermelon men, his brows knit at once. How did these things get out of control?

For a watermelon man to attack, two things had to happen. It had to be fed fertilizer, and someone had to eat the special watermelon, sweat it out, and give the command. In theory, that should have been impossible, since there were people specially assigned watching over them.

However, dwelling on why it happened was pointless. Song Boming shouted to a guard, "Go get the watermelons!"

The guard had barely taken two steps before a watermelon man lunged and drove its blade through his chest.

Seeing this, Song Boming dashed toward the medicine room himself, preparing to take the watermelons.

The watermelon men cut down everyone in sight and surrounded Song Boming in the courtyard's center.

Amidst his panic, Song Boming suddenly bent forward and his arms bulged at once, tearing through his clothes.

From his shoulders down to his fingertips, his arms hardened into a shell of armor. His palms swelled again, and his five fingers melded together into two big fingers, curving into massive pincers. With a sharp snap, he clamped down and crushed a watermelon man's head like a ripe fruit.

Watermelon pulp burst out. Song Boming scooped up a handful, ready to stuff it into his mouth. Yet, the layer of armor weighed him down, and his movements were too slow.

The headless watermelon man still swung its machete and fought on. Song Boming's pincers rose and fell, chopping the watermelon men into a splattered mess of pulp and rind.

This man…looks like a crab. So this is what Physique Cultivators are? Their path seems to be about developing traits or abilities by imitating other living beings. It's like the bionics.

Li Banfeng thought. Still, he didn't waste any time. While Song Boming was trapped by the crowd of watermelon men, he climbed onto the rooftop of the rear courtyard.

Geng Zhiwei stood in the middle of the courtyard and shouted at his guards. "Who the hell let the watermelons out? I swear I'll skin him alive today!"

Two Martial Cultivators rushed forward and pleaded, "Young Master, please go back inside. The courtyard is dangerous."

"What's there to be afraid of? Bring me a watermelon. With a single shout, they will all stop. I spent a fortune on these things. If one or two get ruined, I will let it slide. But if all of them are destroyed, just wait and see how I deal with you!"

One of the guards ran to the front courtyard's medicine room and fetched a watermelon.

The pretty third concubine stepped out of the house in a blue silk jacket. She clung to Geng Zhiwei's arm and said in a sweet voice, "Darling, please come back inside. I'm scared."

She truly was afraid. Her body shook all over, and even her ample bosom and curvy butt quivered with her trembling.

Geng Zhiwei shoved her aside and shouted at the guards, "Where's the watermelon? How long are you going to drag this out?!"

That was the watermelon men's weak point. Once someone ate the special watermelon and began to sweat, they could command the watermelon men.

At this rate, Geng Zhiwei would eat the special watermelon and command the watermelon men soon. However, Li Banfeng's goal wasn't just to steal pills or money, or to let the watermelon men stir up trouble.

He had come to do something far bigger! It was something he could handle on his own, but if he wanted to finish it quickly and thoroughly, he needed a helper.

If he wanted something done, he had to pay the price! If he wanted something great, the price had to be great!

Li Banfeng lay flat on the roof beam, struck a match, and set fire to the joss paper in his hand. A gust of alcohol-scented air swept past, and Old Mister Yao's voice reached his ears.

"What do you want from me? Don't tell me you want me to kill someone. That isn't suitable for someone like me."

This didn't surprise Li Banfeng. Old Mister Yao had always said he would never do anything unbefitting his status.

"I wouldn't dare trouble you with killing."

"Then what is it? Treating an illness or buying medicine? If it's anything else, forget it."

"I want to buy medicine. The best medicinal liquor you have," Li Banfeng said.

"Medicinal liquor?" The old man chuckled. "Do you want it strong or mild?"

"Strong. The stronger, the better."

"Is it just for you to drink?"

Li Banfeng made a quick estimate. "Enough for more than a hundred people."

"That much? I sell medicinal liquor, not poison. You better think this through!"

"I've thought it through," Li Banfeng answered firmly. "The liquor to treat Chubby Qin's illness is the most suitable."

"Where do you plan to drink this liquor?"

"Right here in the medicinal trading house."

The old man asked again, "I have bottled liquor, or the kind sold in bulk, rough and unrefined. It's stronger, but messier to serve. Which do you want?"

"The bulk stuff. The rougher and stronger, the better. Best if you spit it out yourself, Elder."

The old man chuckled. "On top of the deposit, the liquor costs another five hundred thousand. No haggling. You can drink it here in the trading house, but you can't take it outside."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Deal!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the joss paper flared and crumbled into ash.

Whoosh!

A fierce gust of wind tore through the air. A rich aroma of liquor instantly filled the entire medicinal trading house.

Old Mister Yao's voice echoed by his ear. "Remember this well. My medicine is the finest in Medicine King Gully, and it can only be used for healing."

Li Banfeng replied earnestly, "Rest assured. This really is to treat their illness."

"Heheheh!" Old Mister Yao let out a bout of laughter, then his voice slowly faded away.

Li Banfeng took out the Blood-Drinking Pendulum, twisted its screw, and released the last of its oil in a fine spray. He struck a match and flicked it into the trail of misting fuel.

A fiery serpent shot across the night sky, and in the blink of an eye, flames swallowed the entire Geng Family Medicinal Trading House.

Li Banfeng opened his Pocket Dwelling and flung the key beyond the courtyard walls of the trading house.

Back in the main room, he sat deep in thought, mulling over Old Mister Yao's words. Old Mister Yao had said that if Li Banfeng were smart, he would naturally figure out his identity once the deal was done.

Did Li Banfeng figure it out? He did. Old Mister Yao had claimed his medicine was the best in Medicine King Gully. And whose medicine could that be, if not the Medicine King's?

Beyond the borders of Medicine King Gully, the Medicine King could not exert any strength. However, if it was within its bounds, he could help. The Medicine King of the Medicine King Gully was an Inebriate Cultivator.

Was this surprising? Li Banfeng had no time to be surprised. He still had other matters to attend to.

***

When the fire spread out of control, Young Master Geng Zhiwei finally lost his composure. He rushed into the courtyard, shouting at the top of his lungs, "What are you waiting for? Put out the fire! Get moving! I told you long ago to store more water. What were you doing all that time?

"You two, follow me inside! Get everything out! Cash first, then silver dollars, then the calligraphy and paintings!"

Geng Zhiwei stumbled out with two chests of cash, while the two Martial Cultivators followed behind, each dragging two chests of silver dollars.

He shouted for others to fetch the calligraphy and paintings, but by then the fire had already swept into the house.

Terrified to step back inside, the guards bolted toward the back courtyard gate, desperate to escape with their lives.

"You useless bastards! Get the pills first!" Geng Zhiwei roared. He started forward, ready to dash to the front courtyard, but froze as the watermelon men came marching into the rear courtyard in perfect formation.

How did the watermelon men break into the back courtyard? And where in the world is Song Boming?

Geng Zhiwei thought.

Song Boming had already fled. It was not a matter of loyalty. He was only human, and humans feared fire, while the watermelon men did not.

The blaze grew fiercer, and more watermelon men poured into the courtyard. The two Martial Cultivators hurriedly urged, "Young Master, we must go! If we don't leave now, it will be really bad!"

Gritting his teeth, Geng Zhiwei clutched the money chest and rushed toward the gate at the back of the courtyard.

The two Martial Cultivators followed close behind, while the third concubine was too slow. She staggered after them, struggling to keep up.

By the time they reached the rear gate, the smoke grew so thick that Geng Zhiwei could barely keep his eyes open. He stumbled over some items on the ground and almost fell.

One guard rushed up to support him. "Young Master, follow me!"

Geng Zhiwei quickly followed him, leaving the two Martial Cultivators behind seething with anger.

Who the hell is that guy? Shameless bastard! We are almost out the door, and now he shows up to steal the credit? Where was he when we were risking our lives to protect the young master?

Both of them immediately chased after Geng Zhiwei. However, the moment they passed through the rear gate, they suddenly saw that Geng Zhiwei vanished right in front of them

Oh no! This must be a scheme! That person might not even be a guard!

The two martial cultivators shouted in alarm, "Young Master!"

They sprinted in the direction where Geng Zhiwei had vanished, but after only a few steps, their vision was swallowed by sudden darkness.

Clink-clang!

Li Banfeng tossed out his key.

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

The guard who had led Geng Zhiwei's escape had been Li Banfeng all along.

Li Banfeng had been wearing the guard's uniform. Being a Homebound Cultivator, he was easily overlooked. With Geng Zhiwei panicking and half-blinded by smoke, he never noticed that the guard was a stranger. And so, Li Banfeng led him all the way into his Pocket Dwelling.

Feeling his way through the dark, Geng Zhiwei cried, "Where are we? What is this place?"

The two guards sensed Li Banfeng's presence but were unsure of his exact location. They spat curses. "Where did this rat come from? What kind of trick are you using to fool our eyes? Come out now! Show yourself and we will leave you a corpse!"

Li Banfeng let out a long sigh. "I only meant to feed my little wifey one. I was afraid she'd get too plump. Who would've thought three would come in?"

He had only intended to lure in Geng Zhiwei, but he had not expected the two martial cultivators to be so loyal that they followed him into the house as well.

Hearing Li Banfeng's voice, the two martial cultivators pinpointed his location and charged at him, ready to fight to the death.

However, could they really defeat Li Banfeng? The combat power of a first-level Homebound Cultivator in their house was on par with that of a second-level cultivator. And besides, the gramophone was still waiting for her meal.

Clang, clang, clang!

The beat of drums and gongs rang out.

Li Banfeng easily fended off the two martial cultivators. He even took a moment to remind the gramophone, "My little wifey, the feast is served. Eat slowly."

Pop! Crackle! Pop!

"My husband, oh! I cannot hold back this hunger. Mock me not, for I am starving indeed~"

1. 大支挂 is a gang slang. The author added (captain of the guards) next to the words. ☜