Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'-Chapter 742 - 480: The Sage Selects the Troops

Li Banfeng began discussing the price, making Chu Shaoqiang feel a bit uncomfortable.

He had used five Sky Heart Stones to lead Knife Ghost Ridge towards Sage Peak, and just as he was about to arrive, someone robbed him of them. These were Sky Heart Stones from a Saint—truly invaluable. He had lost five, and only two were being returned to him, yet he still had to offer a price to redeem them. No matter how I think about it, this is incredibly galling.

But feeling galling was useless; after all, he was the one who had lost the items. Chu Shaoqiang said to Li Qi, "Since you have the items, you might as well name your price."

Li Qi shook his head. "Firstly, these items are not in my possession. With my skills, it’s impossible to steal Sky Heart Stones from you. I don’t have that strength. It’s not just me; even the Local Deity of this territory lacks the power to steal Sky Heart Stones. Whoever managed it is clearly an expert of great skill."

Every word Li Banfeng spoke was true, without a hint of falsehood. To make one’s assertions as solid as words carved in stone, one must begin with some truth.

Chu Shaoqiang had no doubt about this. "I really want to know which expert stole the Sky Heart Stones. How high exactly are the skills of this expert?"

Li Banfeng replied, "I definitely cannot tell you his identity. As for his skills, I think they are about as high as the Peddler’s."

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head. "That’s an overstatement. As far as I know, whether in the Inner State, the Outside Provinces, or Puluo State, no one who walks the earth dares claim to be on par with the Peddler."

Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows and looked at Chu Shaoqiang but said nothing.

Chu Shaoqiang paused for a moment, seemingly understanding the deeper meaning behind Li Banfeng’s silence.

No one on earth dares claim to be like the Peddler. Could this person be the one from the Heavens? But there’s been no news of the one from the Heavens for many years. How many living people have ever seen him? With his status, why would he steal Sky Heart Stones? Or... could the one who stole the Sky Heart Stones be the Peddler himself?

Whether it was the one from the Heavens or the Peddler, both were individuals Chu Shaoqiang could not afford to provoke. Originally, he’d felt somewhat aggrieved, but now, a sense of fear began to creep in.

But is what Li Qi said true? Would someone of such high status really need to steal a few Sky Heart Stones?

Li Qi then said, "Knife Ghost Ridge has been here for many days. Yet, aside from ordering the Strange Monsters to patrol more diligently, the Local Deity hasn’t dared to do anything else. Can’t you deduce the identity of this expert from that?"

Chu Shaoqiang lowered his head in silence. He still had doubts, but they were no longer important. What truly mattered was what price he had to pay to make this deal happen.

Li Qi said, "I daren’t set the price. I lack the insight to know what kind of treasures would impress such a prominent figure. This affair has fallen into your lap. You cannot offend the Saint, the matter must not be publicized, and it also concerns your very life and death. You must think this through carefully yourself."

Chu Shaoqiang lit a cigarette and paced back and forth, carefully contemplating what price he should offer.

Money is out of the question; this deal itself can’t be measured in monetary terms. Offer a few Magical Treasures in exchange? That definitely wouldn’t work. The value of Magical Treasures isn’t equivalent to Sky Heart Stones, nor would it be fitting for someone of that expert’s status. Thinking carefully, nothing I possess seems worthy of such an expert. Could this deal even be made?

Yes, it could. The first rule of business is to know who you’re dealing with. This prominent figure Li Qi mentioned—whatever their actual standing—I’ve never met them, and this prominent figure isn’t the one I’m directly negotiating with. I’m doing business with Li Qi. The collateral I offer only needs to be enough to sway Li Qi.

After finishing his cigarette, Chu Shaoqiang took out a yellowish-brown scroll and handed it to Li Qi.

Li Banfeng unfurled the scroll to take a look but could not discern the material it was made from. It’s definitely not paper, nor does it resemble cloth or anything like animal hide. The material doesn’t matter for now. The crucial thing is that the scroll is completely blank—no words, no drawings. What is this thing for?

Chu Shaoqiang explained, "This is a map of the Inner State."

"Did you grab the wrong one?" Li Banfeng took the scroll, waving it in front of Chu Shaoqiang to show there was nothing on it.

Chu Shaoqiang stated, "The map of the Inner State can only become visible within the Inner State. You can take the map for now and show it to that expert. If he is knowledgeable, he should be able to discern its authenticity. As for the value of an Inner State map, I believe that expert would know it. It’s definitely worth two Sky Heart Stones."

Upon hearing this, Li Qi accepted the map and looked up. The sky was already bright.

"Let’s meet here at noon. I will give you an answer then, whether the deal goes through or not. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll return the map to you untouched."

Chu Shaoqiang nodded. "I trust you. I’ll wait for you here."

...

Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence and handed the scroll to the Phonograph. "My beloved wife, do you recognize this?"

The Phonograph ran its needle over the scroll for a moment and said in surprise, "This comes from the Inner State; it contains the Inner State’s Craftsmanship Method."

"Chu Shaoqiang said this item is a map of the Inner State. My wife, do you think it’s genuine?"

"I can only discern that this item is from the Inner State. Whether it’s a map or not, I cannot yet identify. Craftsman Cultivation is something I’ve recently learned; we still need to ask the Old Man about this."

Li Banfeng, holding the scroll, started towards the Third Room. His wife reminded him, "My dear husband, the Old Man isn’t in a good mood. Please be very careful what you say to him."

Why is he in a bad mood? Is it because repairing the station tired him out?

Upon entering the Third Room, Li Banfeng greeted, "Old Man, are you busy?"

After waiting a long time, he suddenly heard the Old Man sob. "Have you come to get stones from me?"