Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 412 - 287: The Cultivation Level in the Image

Monkey Qiu packed his bags; his wife and children had already taken the foreign carriage ahead of him.

The task Duan Shaoxia had entrusted to him was one he could never possibly complete. She wanted to give Zhang Huaiyi an identity and make him a member of the Lu Family. She had even tasked Monkey Qiu with managing this affair. After much consideration, Monkey Qiu felt that leaving the Lu Family was the wisest choice.

Monkey Qiu had just carried his suitcase downstairs when Duan Shaoxia rushed out and knelt directly before him.

Monkey Qiu tried to pull Duan Shaoxia up, but she stubbornly refused to rise.

"Zhiheng, you cannot leave."

Qiu Zhiheng knelt before Duan Shaoxia as well. "Lady, I must go."

"Zhiheng, if you insist on leaving, then I, your sister-in-law, will kneel here and not get up."

"Lady, if you don’t let me go, I will leave on my knees."

Neither could persuade the other.

Qiu Zhiheng was a respectable man; he did not want things to end up like this.

But Duan Shaoxia wanted to acknowledge her nephew as her son, and that was something Qiu Zhiheng could not handle.

Monkey Qiu’s wife stepped forward to offer a few words of persuasion, and Duan Shaoxia embraced her and began to cry.

At this, Monkey Qiu’s wife’s heart softened as well.

"Zhiheng, both the Master and Lady have been gracious to us; you can’t just leave like this."

Monkey Qiu stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

Just then, Ma Wu arrived with his men to deliver the Hua Hong. Monkey Qiu had his wife take Duan Shaoxia back to the main residence first, while he received Ma Wu in the small building.

Ma Wu handed over the Hua Hong money and, not staying long, rose to leave.

Monkey Qiu suddenly called out to Ma Wu, "Junyang, have you perhaps already heard about certain matters?"

Ma Wu turned, nodded slightly, and said, "It’s spread all over Greenwater City."

"If I tell you these things are true, would you still pay this Hua Hong?"

Ma Wu replied, "Whether out of sentiment or duty, I should pay this money."

Monkey Qiu managed a bitter smile. "Junyang, you need to start planning for your future. The Lu Family might not be able to look after you all anymore."

"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Qiu." Ma Wu nodded slightly and then left the small building.

As Ma Wu walked into the courtyard, he suddenly heard someone call from behind him, "Old Five!"

Turning, Ma Wu saw Zhang Huaiyi approaching.

Ma Wu recognized him but was not very familiar; Zhang Huaiyi calling him Old Five made Ma Wu feel a bit uneasy.

"Huaiyi, long time no see," Ma Wu greeted.

"It has been a while," Zhang Huaiyi said, pointing toward the main residence. "Care to come inside for a chat?"

Ma Wu waved his hand. "I still have a lot of business to attend to, so I must be going. Let’s get together another time."

After they bid each other farewell, Ma Wu watched Zhang Huaiyi’s retreating figure. How is this kid acting like he owns the place? he wondered.

...

On the way back, Ma Wu contemplated the Lu Family’s situation.

The news about Lu Yuanshan and Lu Yuanhai has spread throughout Greenwater City. At first, it was hard to tell if it was true, but judging from Monkey Qiu’s attitude, I can confirm it now: those two brothers have met with misfortune. The main pillar of the Lu Family has collapsed.

If Lu Dongliang’s other children cannot be supported, Monkey Qiu will definitely be unable to withstand Lu Maoxian.

And if Lu Maoxian takes over the Lu Family, Li Banfeng and I will likely face difficult times.

Should I lend Monkey Qiu a hand?

I know the whereabouts of one of Lu Dongliang’s daughters, and her identity was even acknowledged by Lu Dongliang himself.

No, I mustn’t act rashly.

This matter must be discussed with Old Qi.

...

Li Banfeng was still at Black Stone Slope, recently fascinated with photography.

Grandpa Train had once said that when Traveling Cultivators reach a certain level, they no longer walk the Earth Skin.

Li Banfeng was currently still walking the Earth Skin, but certain experiences had left a deep impression on him.

While watching "Blood Gun Detective III," the fact that it was filmed in Zhengjing Village reminded him of his many experiences there.

During the movie, he felt completely immersed, as if he were wandering near "Zhengjing Village" in the New Land.

This state was not just an illusion. Li Banfeng could clearly perceive that his Traveling Cultivation was advancing—by a very small margin, but it was undeniably advancing.

This gave Li Banfeng an idea. If I keep more visual records in the future, could I perhaps cultivate even at home?

He bought still cameras and movie cameras. In Puluo State, such equipment was not light; one set weighed dozens of kilograms, and that did not even include the film rolls and film stock.

Fortunately, Traveling Cultivators excelled at bearing heavy loads. While their cart-pulling Footwork was not suited for combat, it gave Li Banfeng extraordinary endurance during the process of filming and photography.

In terms of technique, Bai Qiusheng and Yu Wenqi were both excellent photographers, and they personally guided him in every skill.

Within a few days, Li Banfeng had photographed almost the entirety of Black Stone City, investing immense effort into every set of photographs and motion pictures.

"Come on, miss, smile a bit more! Bend lower, and hold the peach higher!"

While Li Banfeng was making considerable gains, Xiao Chuanzi had also progressed.

He had made a spring-driven projector for Li Banfeng, the main feature of which was its small size.

Its stand was less than a meter high.

The machine body on the stand, including the film reel, was about the size of an overturned pickle jar.

Among Puluo State’s projectors, this size was quite exquisite.

After examining the projector, Li Banfeng asked, "What’s the manufacturing cost for this projector?"

Xiao Chuanzi asked, "Does that include labor costs?"

"Yes!"

"Less than 20,000 Huan Country Banknotes."

"That expensive?"

"Seventh Master, the spring, gears, bearings, and steel frame all use top-quality materials. The material costs alone are 18,000, and I only estimated 2,000 for labor."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "What if we don’t use such high-quality materials?"

Xiao Chuanzi replied, "If the materials aren’t good, the device won’t be durable. You could use this machine for decades without any problems."