Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

The Blue Leaf Poplar indeed had medicinal properties that could neutralize Pill's Poison, but these properties couldn't be utilized.

The Medicine Powder provided by Zuo Wugang contained dozens of medicinal ingredients, likely intended as substitutes for the Blue Leaf Poplar.

Yet, since Red Lotus had already deciphered the prescription, why didn't she just provide the formula directly, instead of making Li Banfeng go through so much trouble to find the Blue Leaf Poplar?

Li Banfeng trusted Red Lotus's judgment. He believed that the substitute ingredients were probably not easy to obtain, and their effectiveness would certainly not match that of the Blue Leaf Poplar.

The old man advised Li Banfeng against searching for the Blue Leaf Poplar, but Li Banfeng was very resolute.

"Since I've come all this way, I can't return empty-handed."

The old man let out a long sigh and said, "First, help me pick some oranges."

These dozen or so burnt orange trees were beyond saving. The old man climbed up to pluck the oranges while Li Banfeng caught them below. Before long, the large oranges piled high like a small hill.

After the oranges were collected, Li Banfeng followed the old man to carry water for the saplings.

In the vast Orange Orchard were three wells. The old man was quite proud of them, saying, "In New Land, whenever a plot is cleared, a well can be dug. I cleared these three plots myself."

This clarified things. He was the owner of this Orange Orchard.

After watering the saplings, the old man and Li Banfeng went to rid the orange trees of insects. In the course of the afternoon, they caught hundreds of elephant beetles.

Catching the beetles was quite enjoyable. Li Banfeng climbed up and down among the orange trees, not feeling tired at all. If the old man hadn't asked him to rest, Li Banfeng could have kept at it all day.

"All these elephant beetles are yours. You could sell them for a good amount of money," the old man persuaded Li Banfeng once more.

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "I don't want the elephant beetles. I just want the Blue Leaf Poplar."

The old man sighed repeatedly. "Fine then, go take a look at the tree you've planted."

He went to the spot where Li Banfeng had planted the seeds and poured the remaining water from his bucket onto it.

After watering, the old man silently observed the moist soil and slowly said, "I've been in this Orange Orchard for I don't know how many years. To prevent these oranges from being wasted, I've endured countless beatings.

"I've been hung from a tree and beaten, pinned to the ground and beaten, hit with sticks, and even stabbed with knives.

"Just moments ago, I was almost burned by the fire.

"There were also those who didn't waste the orange trees, and you're one of them.

"There were a few who spoke up for me. Over all these years, less than ten have done so, and you're one of them.

"A few have lent me a hand. Over the years, just three, and you're one of them.

"No one has ever helped me plant oranges before. You're the first."

As he spoke, the soil made a rustling sound, and a sapling broke through the earth.

Li Banfeng watched calmly as the sapling grew taller and broader until it sprouted green branches and grew blue, tender leaves.

He had sown orange seeds. Unexpectedly, a Blue Leaf Poplar had sprouted.

Could it be that Oranges were Blue Leaf Poplars?

But the leaves on the nearby orange trees were all green.

Li Banfeng couldn't fathom the reason. He just quietly watched the poplar tree grow quickly.

When it reached over a foot thick and more than ten meters high, the poplar ceased growing.

The old man looked at Li Banfeng and said, "The Blue Leaf Poplar is a fine thing, but it's a pity that people were too greedy and chopped it down to extinction. Young man, how much do you want? Take as much as you want."

Li Banfeng saw several fallen branches and leaves on the ground, picked them up, and pocketed them. "This is enough."

This wasn't Li Banfeng being modest. He felt he could only carry so much.

When he thought about what he had done, it was nothing more than helping the old man deal with two villains—a task the old man could have easily handled himself, even without Li Banfeng's intervention. As for helping the old man with the oranges, that was simply a minor effort. Planting the seeds had clearly moved the old man, but Li Banfeng didn't think he had done anything earth-shattering. Oranges are delicious, and delicious things should be cherished. The principle was that simple; there was no need to take undue credit for such a small deed. Moreover, the old man had shared the origin of Greenwater Bay with Li Banfeng, and the value of that information alone was immeasurable to Li Banfeng. Taking in moderation and knowing when to stop—these were Li Banfeng's genuine beliefs.

The old man smiled, gazing at Li Banfeng for a long time. "How good it would be if everyone in the world were like you."

With that, the old man waved his hand, and a two-meter-long branch fell from a poplar to the ground in front of Li Banfeng.

"Young man, take this. This Blue Leaf Poplar branch has lost its life. It won't grow if planted, so don't bother trying. If this isn't enough, come find me again."

Li Banfeng picked up the branch and thanked the old man.

The old man laughed and said, "Need anything else? Want to take some water along?"

Water sources in New Land were hard to come by, and most people would have finished their water long before reaching the Orange Orchard.

But Li Banfeng didn't need any. He had water in his Portable Residence.

Seeing that Li Banfeng didn't need water, the old man asked if he wanted anything else.

With the old man being so generous, why would there still be so many people coming to damage the Orange Garden? Why would anyone want to waste such fine oranges?

Li Banfeng looked around and said to the old man, "I'd like to eat an orange."

The old man laughed, led Li Banfeng to the pile of oranges, and peeled one for him by hand. "Eat, eat your fill!"

After eating two oranges, Li Banfeng got up to leave.

The old man said with a smile, "If you ever want to eat oranges again, come visit me."

Carrying the branch, Li Banfeng left the Orange Orchard and returned to his Portable Residence. Once inside, he took the branch straight to the outer chamber.

His wife exclaimed, "My dear, what's this? Isn't this the Blue Leaf Poplar? Why have you brought this thing home?"