"Uncle Yu, I've said all I have to say. You had best head back."
Yu Zhihe sat in the accounting room, steady as Mount Tai. "Junyang, no matter how capable you are out there, the family has its rules. If you want to drive me out, you don't have the standing."
Ma the Fifth said no more. Leaving the accounting room, he headed to a private box.
Li Banfeng was having a drink inside. Ma the Fifth sat down beside him.
"He won't leave?"
Ma the Fifth nodded.
Li Banfeng poured himself another cup. "Go deliver the invitations to the various families. We still open in three days."
Once Ma the Fifth had left, Li Banfeng pulled down the brim of his fedora, entered the accounting room, and turned back to lock the door.
Yu Zhihe was taken aback. "Who are you?"
Li Banfeng answered, "The master of Xiaoyaowu."
Yu Zhihe rose to his feet. "This is the Ma family's business. What kind of thing do you think you are? Where is Junyang? Tell him to come see me!"
Li Banfeng stepped close to Yu Zhihe and asked, "How old are you, venerable sir?"
Yu Zhihe retreated two paces. "What do you want?"
Li Banfeng smiled. "You've lived to such a ripe old age and enjoyed plenty of good fortune, yet you're still so lacking in sense. In my view, the funeral arrangements ought to be kept simple."
...
Ma the Fifth sent invitations out to the major families, and the Ma family received one as well.
Looking at the invitation, Ma Chunting's hands trembled with rage.
The fourth son of the Ma family, Ma Junjiang, hurriedly kneaded his father's shoulders and massaged his back. Once Ma Chunting had eased up a bit, he shouted, "Go! Tell Old Yu to seal Xiaoyaowu's accounting room! Don't let that beast take out a single copper! Let's see how he opens for business then!"
Ma Junjiang dispatched men to Xiaoyaowu, but they did not return until nightfall.
"Why did it take you so long?"
"Master, Young Master, we went to Xiaoyaowu, but we couldn't find Mr. Yu."
Ma Chunting frowned. "That old rascal must have slipped off again, damn him! Go fetch him from his home!"
"Master, we already checked Mr. Yu's residence. His family said he hasn't returned."
"Where on earth could he have gone? Visiting a whorehouse? That motherfucking..." Ma Chunting froze.
Having scrambled through the martial world for decades, he had a bad premonition.
"That beast... that beast..." Ma Chunting's hands began to tremble once more.
Ma Junjiang hurried forward to massage his shoulders and back.
"He... he wouldn't dare. He certainly wouldn't dare..." Ma Chunting had guessed what happened, but he could hardly bring himself to believe it was true. "Take men to Xiaoyaowu and demand him back! If you can't find Old Yu, smash Xiaoyaowu to pieces for me!"
Ma Junjiang had just started to move when Ma Chunting called him back.
He couldn't let his fourth son go.
Old Yu had gone and vanished without a trace.
If his fourth son went, would he come back alive?
Old as Ma Chunting was, he had not gone senile. He realized his youngest son was no longer who he used to be.
"How did he turn out like this? How does he dare? That beast... who taught him this..." Ma Chunting had Ma Junjiang sit back down, then fell silent for a long time.
"Father, I should still go ask. Perhaps there's some misunderstanding."
Ma Chunting shook his head. "No need to ask. Send word to all the major families. Tell them that if they still give Old Ma any face, none of them is allowed to attend the day Xiaoyaowu opens! Chu the Second was left hanging once at the Paramount, yet this beast still hasn't learned his lesson. He even dares to play dirty tricks on his own father! I'll make sure he loses everything down to his last copper! I'll leave him without a gutter to beg from!"
...
Monkey Qiu had just received the invitation when word from the Ma family arrived.
Lu Yuanshan found himself in a dilemma. "Uncle Qiu, regarding Xiaoyaowu's grand opening, are we going or not?"
Monkey Qiu chuckled. "What do you two think?"
Lu Yuanhai said, "If you ask me, we should go. Back when it came to unhooking the gramophone, Old Five pulled his weight for our family."
Lu Yuanshan was more cautious. "But this is the Ma family's internal affair. It wouldn't be good for us to meddle."
Both turned to look at Qiu Zhiheng. This matter still required his decision.
Setting down the invitation, Qiu Zhiheng lit a cigarette and asked the two brothers, "If we don't take Ma the Fifth into consideration, would the two of you go or not?"
The brothers exchanged a glance, failing to grasp Monkey Qiu's meaning.
If Ma the Fifth wasn't considered, the matter seemed trivial.
Smoking his cigarette, Qiu Zhiheng looked at them and said, "Ma Chunting truly has grown old. He mistakes the Ma family for the Lu family. The Lu family could leave Chu the Second hanging, and he thinks the Ma family can do the same to Ma the Fifth. Does the Lu family need to consult him on whether we attend or not?"
The brothers looked at each other and grinned, understanding Qiu Zhiheng's point.
...
Three days later, Li Banfeng swallowed two medicinal pills. Once the pill poison had completely cleared, he walked out of his private box into the grand dance hall.
An urge to run stirred in his legs. Li Banfeng calculated the time he had accumulated; it seemed the moment had arrived.
This was not merely because he had consumed so many pills, but also because of the many perils he had recently traversed—Haichiling, Baiman Valley, the City of Fools. With every step, his cultivation had multiplied and surged.
Only two hours remained until the opening ceremony. The band, singers, and dancing girls were all prepared. Ma the Fifth was on edge; not a single guest had arrived yet.
"Old Seven, are we going to be left hanging as well?"
"If we're left hanging, so what? It's no big deal, we can celebrate by ourselves!" If they wanted to stand tall in Lüshui City, they had to open today no matter what.
With an hour left, Qiu Zhiheng arrived, accompanied by the two young masters of the Lu family, and the first wife, Duan Shaoxia, had come along as well.
Ma the Fifth relaxed slightly and hurriedly welcomed the Lu family to the seats of honor.
Shortly after the Lu family arrived, the Chu family arrived as well.
The Chu family's eldest young master, Chu Huaijun, brought his family to the VIP seats.
Chu the Second was still in Kucaizhuang, and Yang Yanzheng presented a congratulatory gift on her behalf.
Sanying Gate came, Qingyun Association came, and Baihua Sect came too.
Guests poured in one after another, all taking their cue from the Lu family.
A quarter of an hour before the opening, He Yuxiu arrived. "Junyang, your Uncle Haiqin wanted to come in person, but business tied him up, so he had me offer his apologies."
Ma the Fifth promptly ushered He Yuxiu to the VIP seats. "Aunt Xiu, you flatter me too much! Having you here today has me over the moon!"
Once the guests were seated, the ceremony began.
Qiu Zhiheng glanced toward a corner of the dance hall and raised his glass.
Li Banfeng raised his glass as well, and the two drank in one gulp.
The reporters' flashbulbs never ceased, nor did Ma the Fifth's wine cup.
Their focus was entirely concentrated on the Lu family.
This was prestige, and it was also deterrence. Only today did Li Banfeng truly sense the Lu family's caliber in Puluo Province.
Would he possess such standing one day?
Pondering that now seemed a bit premature.
Yet there was one matter right before his eyes that he had to see to immediately.
The songstresses Jiang Mengting and Xu Qiulan took turns singing on stage, bringing the ceremony to its climax.
Li Banfeng walked quietly to Yang Yanzheng's side and whispered, "Senior Yang, might I trouble you to come to a private box for a moment?"
Seeing it was Li the Seventh, Yang Yanzheng asked no questions and followed him to the box.
Melodious music drifted through the room, the sound pure and crystal clear without the slightest hum or crackle, as if a songstress were performing live.
Whatever else could be said, Ma the Fifth had equipped this place with a remarkably high-end gramophone.
After chatting idly for a brief while and drinking two cups of wine, Li Banfeng turned to business. "I invited you over because I have something to ask your guidance on."
"Brother, no need to be polite. Speak freely."
"You and I belong to the same pathway; we are both journey cultivators. I wanted to ask you about our techniques."
Yang Yanzheng knew Li Banfeng was a journey cultivator, and he asked with keen interest, "Brother Li the Seventh, did you reach Tier 2?"
"I am aware of the Tier 2 technique."
Yang Yanzheng blinked in surprise. "Then what you want to ask about is the Tier 3 technique?"
Li Banfeng paused in silence for a moment. "The Tier 3 technique is also known to me."
Yang Yanzheng scrutinized Li Banfeng closely. The oversized fedora shaded his face, and thick whiskers covered his cheeks.
To tell the truth, he couldn't tell Li Banfeng's age, but by his impression, this man shouldn't possess Tier 4 cultivation.
Li Banfeng smiled. "Senior, you misunderstand. My cultivation reached Tier 2 not long ago. I simply wish to learn more about our pathway's techniques to prepare for my future cultivation."
This was the honest truth; Li Banfeng truly had not been at Tier 2 for very long.
Yang Yanzheng shook his head and laughed. "You're preparing far too early! Having just arrived at Tier 2, you're asking about Tier 4 techniques?"
"Learning a bit more never hurts."
Yang Yanzheng shook his head. "It goes against the rules."
Li Banfeng raised his wine cup. "I am asking you with utmost sincerity."
Yang Yanzheng hesitated.
Although this Li the Seventh was close to Ma the Fifth, he rarely initiated conversation with others and carried an indescribable cold aloofness about him.
For him to show goodwill of his own accord today was truly rare. Yet techniques could not be casually disclosed to outsiders—that was the rule among cultivators.
Still, if I don't tell him, someone else will sooner or later. Is offending Li the Seventh over this really worth it?
The Second Young Miss once said that in Lanyang Village, the real decision-maker is Li the Seventh. Offending Li the Seventh is tantamount to offending Ma the Fifth, not to mention that the Second Young Miss's relationship with Li the Seventh is rather unusual.
Yet having just reached Tier 2, he's asking for Tier 4 techniques. It defies common sense.
Is he really only Tier 2?
Seeing how sincere he looks, it must be true...
After agonizing over it for a long while, Yang Yanzheng felt a headache coming on, throbbing fiercely.
Forget it. It's not worth racking my brains over such a small matter. He's only just reached Tier 2; there's no harm in telling him.
"Brother Li the Seventh, the Tier 4 technique of our pathway is called Unimpeded Passage. To put it plainly, you can think of it as the art of walking through walls."
As he spoke, Yang Yanzheng demonstrated. Standing by the wall to the left of the door, he kicked off with his left foot and executed a Half-Step. With a flash of his silhouette, he vanished from sight.
From the adjacent room came a sharp scream—not a woman's shriek, but a young man's yelp.
Following the cry came He Yuxiu's curses: "Old Yang, you old bastard! What the hell are you wandering in here for?!"
Thwack!
He Yuxiu kicked Yang Yanzheng right back out.
Yang Yanzheng patted the dust off his clothes and returned to Li Banfeng's box with an unruffled expression. "Brother Li the Seventh, this technique must be used with caution. Before passing through a wall, you'd best know what lies on the other side."
Li Banfeng asked, "Can the Tier 4 technique only pass through walls?"
"More than that. I heard a senior say that if one's cultivation reaches a certain depth, passing through mountains is possible. But at Tier 4, you can only penetrate a barrier three chi thick at most. Moreover, once executed, the technique cannot be turned back. If the barrier exceeds three chi, you'll be trapped inside and unable to escape. That is the technique's most perilous pitfall; you must never act recklessly before using it."
"I noticed that before performing the technique, you used a Half-Step first."
Yang Yanzheng nodded. "To use Unimpeded Passage, you must first employ Traceless Half-Step. That is the rule of the technique. Once you initiate the Half-Step, your eyes must instantly perceive no obstacle and your heart must hold no obstruction. You must focus your intent solely on unobstructed passage for the technique to succeed. Even the slightest hesitation will cause it to fail. Here, let me demonstrate once more."
This time, Yang Yanzheng switched to the wall on the right side of the door and phased through it.
Another cry of dismay arose, still that young man's voice.
"Old Yang, you damn bastard! What did you come back for?!"
Thwack!
Yang Yanzheng was kicked out by He Yuxiu once again.
Back in the box, Yang Yanzheng sat in silence for a long time, unable to make sense of the situation.
The left wall connected to He Yuxiu's box, where He Yuxiu was occupied with a young lad.
The right wall also connected to He Yuxiu's box, where He Yuxiu was still occupied with the same business.
Just how many He Yuxius were there?
While he was puzzling over it, Yang Yanzheng noticed that Li Banfeng had vanished.
Someone pushed open the private box door. Yang Yanzheng looked up, and there was He Yuxiu again.
Gazing at Yang Yanzheng with seductive eyes, He Yuxiu murmured, "Old Yang, popping over again and again to take a peek... are you craving a taste?"
"N-No, of course not. How could I dare..."
"If you crave it, just say so. I'll grant your wish." He Yuxiu sat down beside Yang Yanzheng.
"Eldest Miss, I... how could I ever be worthy of you?"
To say he didn't desire her would be a lie. Yang Yanzheng had admired He Yuxiu since their youth, all the way to this very day.
"What's this nonsense about being worthy?" He Yuxiu stroked Yang Yanzheng's cheek. "Neither of us is young anymore. Aren't you afraid of letting this whole life slip by?"
"I..." Yang Yanzheng looked up at He Yuxiu. No matter her age, she remained breathtakingly glamorous in his eyes.
The singing in the private box grew increasingly enchanting, and Yang Yanzheng's blood pressure soared.
Only, he failed to notice that there was no record on the gramophone at all.
The one actually singing was the calendar poster hidden behind the drapery.
...
After a shudder, Yang Yanzheng woke up.
Li Banfeng spoke from beside him. "Senior Yang, how did you fall asleep?"
Yang Yanzheng looked all around, but He Yuxiu was nowhere to be seen.
Was that a dream just now?
"I've probably... been a bit fatigued lately." Yang Yanzheng wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart filled with an unspeakable regret.
Such a wonderful dream—why did I have to wake up?
He had forgotten most of what happened in the dream, but that might well have been his once-in-a-lifetime chance...
Li Banfeng said, "I invited you over because I have something to ask your guidance on. You and I belong to the same pathway, and I wanted to ask you about our techniques."
Yang Yanzheng smiled. "Brother Li the Seventh, did you reach Tier 2?"
"I've only just reached Tier 2, and I don't yet know what our pathway's Tier 2 technique is."
"Our pathway's Tier 2 technique is called Traceless Half-Step..."
...
At the Ma family mansion, Ma Chunting gnashed his teeth in fury.
He had received word that every major family in Lüshui City had attended the banquet at Xiaoyaowu.
"Ungrateful whelp! Vile beast! No matter how you beg me, don't you ever dream of stepping foot in this house again!" Ma Chunting smashed his teacup, swung his arm back to slap Ma Junjiang across the face, and went back to his bedroom to lie down.
Chapter 208