Li Banfeng was operating the gramophone to play records when he suddenly heard the Thread-Hook Earring cry out, "Watch out!"
Without a shred of hesitation, Li Banfeng instantly used Half-Step to vanish from where he stood. A handsome woman lunged with a blade from behind, missing his back by a mere few inches.
Li Banfeng whipped his sickle around and struck the woman.
Clang!
A crisp chime!
The sickle ricocheted away, leaving only faint scratches on the woman's body.
A stone creature!
Li Banfeng did not continue attacking her, instead rapidly shifting away using Half-Step.
He was very familiar with this style of combat.
Golden House Conceals a Beauty!
This was a Dwelling Cultivator's fourth-tier skill.
A stone beauty was fierce in a fight and could take a beating. Clashing head-on with her was not only pointless, but Li Banfeng would also fall into an ambush.
An ambush from the Dwelling Cultivator himself!
Steward He was a Dwelling Cultivator, at least of the fifth tier, higher than Li Banfeng. No wonder the skill of seeking good fortune and avoiding calamity hadn't sensed his malice.
Old He was very familiar with this building. Was this his dwelling?
Probably not.
A few days ago, when I came to steal the records, Steward He hadn't noticed at all. If it truly were his dwelling, his dwelling spirit would have sensed me right then.
Even if it wasn't his dwelling, he was intimately familiar with the building. Fighting here would put me at a distinct disadvantage.
Li Banfeng pushed open a window, intending to leap clear of the building at once. From above the window frame, Steward He suddenly dropped upside down, thrusting a long knife straight toward Li Banfeng's face.
This old bastard is venomous!
Using the Dwelling Cultivator's easily overlooked nature to ambush someone!
That's clearly my trick for ambushing others, yet he has the gall to use it on me. Look at the sheer character of this man!
With the window blocked, Li Banfeng bolted for the door.
Just as he reached the doorway, another stone maiden sprang out, slashing toward his face.
Li Banfeng narrowly dodged and cursed loudly, "How fucking shameless can you get! Camping someone right at the door! If you've got the guts, fight me fair and square!"
Most Dwelling Cultivators were honest folk, but their combat tactics were anything but honest.
Cultivators with the simplest minds used the most sinister methods.
Shaking off the stone maiden, Li Banfeng dashed toward the staircase.
Sprinting all the way to the end of the corridor, Li Banfeng found no stairs.
What's going on?
Where did the stairs go?
They were right here when I came up.
Why bother looking for stairs anyway—weren't there windows in the corridor? Jump through a window!
Li Banfeng spun around, only to see that every window in the hallway had vanished.
When he first entered the building, the windows were clearly there. How had they disappeared in the blink of an eye?
What kind of skill is this?
The corridor suddenly grew much quieter.
The stone maidens were gone, and all the other doors had vanished as well.
At the very end of the hallway, a single door swung open, seemingly the only way out.
Near that open door, Li Banfeng sensed no danger whatsoever.
Would he walk inside?
Of course not!
Trying to bait me into such an obvious trap—do you take me for a lunatic?
If I step into your room and you shut the door to unleash your dwelling spirit, will I have any chance of surviving?
Only a Dwelling Cultivator could truly appreciate the sheer malice of another Dwelling Cultivator.
Li Banfeng aimed at the outer wall, executed Half-Step, and barreled straight through.
Fourth-tier journey cultivator skill: Unimpeded Passage.
Li Banfeng had thought of phasing through the wall earlier, but it was a newly learned skill, and he feared unexpected complications; unless left with no alternative, he was reluctant to use it casually.
This pass took him straight outside the outer wall. Falling from the fifth floor to the ground, Li Banfeng stumbled on landing.
Fortunately, a journey cultivator's agility spared him from injury. Looking back at the layout of the entire residence, he pondered Steward He's intentions.
Judging by the position of that corridor door, he wanted to lure me into the eastern wing. That's probably where Old He's dwelling is.
Stepping into his dwelling means facing his dwelling spirit—the exact outcome I want to avoid.
I can't enter that wing, and I shouldn't linger in this courtyard either. Forcing a Dwelling Cultivator out of their familiar battleground is the cardinal rule when a journey cultivator fights a Dwelling Cultivator.
Just as Li Banfeng moved to leave the courtyard, a vast swarm of stones flew up from the ground, blocking his path.
The stones varied in size—some as big as fists, others slightly smaller than eggs—pelting toward Li Banfeng like rounds from a machine gun.
This scene felt vaguely familiar...
Relying on his nimble footwork, Li Banfeng ducked behind a large tree.
The tree's branches twisted and coiled, binding Li Banfeng fast, spinning him around, and thrusting him right back in front of the flying stones.
First the layout of the building shifted.
Then the stones in the yard became weapons.
And now even the tree is under his control?
Is this Steward He's doing?
Is this a skill or a magical artifact?
Li Banfeng tore free from the tree and dodged frantically amid the flurry of stones. For a split second, he genuinely wanted to duck back into the Portable Abode.
No.
I can't open the Portable Abode here. If I can't take down Old He, it could expose far too many secrets.
Li Banfeng fled toward the front gate; the stones pelted him relentlessly.
He fled toward the back gate; the stones pelted him just as hard.
He ran toward the outer wall; the stones kept hammering away.
There was only one direction where the stones didn't attack.
The eastern wing!
Old He was trying to herd Li Banfeng straight into that eastern wing.
Scheming by every trick and measure, exhausting so many methods, he just wanted Li Banfeng to walk into his dwelling.
Out of the question. Not on your life!
As Li Banfeng dodged with all his might, the stones suddenly ceased.
What happened?
Old He ran out of strength?
Showing mercy?
Neither.
A bird-man was swooping toward Li Banfeng.
That wasn't an insult—the person genuinely looked like a bird, complete with wings, tail feathers, and a beak.
Under interrogation by a roomful of Dwelling Cultivators, Ma Dingfu had panicked, transformed into a bird, and flown out.
He was the fort lord, so naturally Steward He couldn't harm him, which was why the hail of stones in the courtyard had stopped.
Had Ma Dingfu simply fled, that would have been that. But in his fury, he chose to launch a sneak attack on Li Banfeng.
He had only his own overconfidence to blame.
Li Banfeng didn't dodge or hide, standing right where he was to wait for him.
As the distance closed, Li Banfeng suddenly drew his sickle and drove it straight into Ma Dingfu's forehead.
Within five meters, he never missed.
The moment the blow landed, Li Banfeng immediately vacated the spot. He had already anticipated that Old He would launch a sneak attack.
This prediction stemmed from his understanding of Dwelling Cultivators.
Sure enough, a stone maiden materialized behind Li Banfeng, aiming to stab him in the back, but she was a beat too slow.
Li Banfeng hoisted Ma Dingfu off the ground. Ma Dingfu wasn't dead yet, still squirming. Li Banfeng whispered in his ear, "You demanded five hundred dollars. That has to be repaid. You'll serve as my shield."
Dangling Ma Dingfu in his grip, he severely tied Old He's hands.
The barrage of stones was off-limits, and ambushes required precise timing.
A stone maiden emerged from behind a decorative rockery, attempting to slash Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng blocked with Ma Dingfu, and the blade caught Ma Dingfu squarely in the chest.
Ma Dingfu shrieked in agony, making Old He flinch.
He could no longer use the stone maidens.
Though Golden House Conceals a Beauty was a Dwelling Cultivator's signature art and Old He's mastery was indeed exquisite, these creations had limited intelligence after all. To subdue Li Banfeng, Old He would have to rely on his own abilities.
One by one, the stone maidens withdrew, and silence returned to the courtyard.
Li Banfeng patted the liquor gourd. Understanding the signal, the gourd quietly uncapped its spout.
A crowd of Dwelling Cultivators rushed out of the hall, seeking to settle scores with Ma Dingfu. Li Banfeng shouted, "All of you, get out!"
This residence was far too sinister. They needed to leave the courtyard immediately; a step too slow, and Old He might wipe them all out in one fell swoop.
Wu Yongchao trusted the "peddler" and urged everyone to get outside at once.
While the chaotic mob was pouring out of the courtyard, Old He manifested quietly in the yard, preparing to strike in person.
Old He's objective was clear: kill Li Banfeng, rescue Ma Dingfu, and subdue all the other Dwelling Cultivators to await Ma Dingfu's judgment.
Just as he drew alongside Li Banfeng, a searing pain suddenly flared in his eyes.
This was the very moment Li Banfeng had been waiting for.
Old He's cultivation surpassed Li Banfeng's; if he crept up close, Li Banfeng might well fail to detect him.
Not only him—the Tang dao, the clock pendulum, the liquor gourd, and even the Thread-Hook Earring might not notice either.
Not noticing didn't matter.
Li Banfeng had instructed the liquor gourd to generate a layer of liquor mist around him, starting one chi away and extending past three chi.
Under the concentrated alcohol vapors, Old He's eyes stung fiercely and his breathing quickened slightly, giving him away at last.
"You old ghost! Come outside and play!"
Li Banfeng seized Old He in a tight grip and bolted toward the courtyard gate.
Blood streamed from Old He's eyes as he shrieked, "No, no..."
He suddenly unleashed the skill of Heart Arrowing Home, his strength soaring tremendously.
With just one more second, he would have broken free from Li Banfeng's grasp.
Unfortunately, the courtyard was not that large, and Li Banfeng was a fourth-tier journey cultivator. In the blink of an eye, he burst through the gates.
Old He's cultivation was so high and his combat experience so rich, yet Zhou Anju had never brought him outside.
This proved Old He could not leave easily. Once outside the residence, his combat strength would inevitably plummet.
Following this deduction, Li Banfeng's strategy for dealing with Old He had been to drag him out of the dwelling.
And how to deal with him once dragged out?
If the other Dwelling Cultivators came to their senses and were willing to help, they would surround and kill him.
If they hadn't come to their senses and refused to help, Li Banfeng would keep tangling with him, leading him toward treacherous terrain to finish him off with a journey cultivator's advantage.
As Li Banfeng was pondering his next move, he heard a woman's voice screech from inside the courtyard: "Where are you going? You don't want me anymore? Don't leave!"
Old He heard the voice as well.
Tearing himself from Li Banfeng's grip, he tried to scramble back into the courtyard, but it was already too late.
His skin ruptured layer by layer, blood spraying in all directions.
His skeletal frame collapsed in an instant, internal organs spilling across the ground.
Old He truly could not leave the residence.
Leaving the residence did not just diminish his battle power—it killed him.
In his astonishment, Li Banfeng observed closely with Golden Eyes Discerning the Minutest Detail and noticed a halo of light rising from the mangled flesh, drifting about.
It was Old He's soul.
His soul wanted to flee Tiemenbao.
From inside the fort lord's residence, out of that eastern wing, countless tendrils of light resembling vines surged forward, locking tightly onto Old He's soul.
"Don't go, don't leave, you can't abandon me, you can't..."
Whoosh—
A cold gust blew, and both the tethering cords and the soul vanished into the eastern wing.
Golden Eyes Discerning the Minutest Detail was a special technique granted to Li Banfeng by his wife. The other Dwelling Cultivators had no such sight; they merely saw Old He die abruptly and horribly.
Li Banfeng barked at the crowd, "Without my permission, none of you are to step into this courtyard!"
The Dwelling Cultivators exchanged glances, and several nodded toward Li Banfeng.
With Old He dead, whom could they question about the rest?
Ma Dingfu was still alive.
Even with a sickle lodged in his forehead, he wasn't dead.
His eyes were shut, playing dead. Li Banfeng leaned down, hauled him up, and wrenched the sickle from his head.
The pull made Ma Dingfu convulse in agony, completely unable to keep playing dead.
Li Banfeng smiled. "You owe me five hundred dollars. You have to pay it back."
Ma Dingfu managed with difficulty, "Just now... didn't that count as paying it back?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Taking one blade for me counts as paying it off? Nothing comes that cheap. Hey, don't just stand there watching! Someone give me a hand tying him up!"
Wu Yongchao was the first to step forward, pinning Ma Dingfu down.
The others brought rope and bound Ma Dingfu securely.
Li Banfeng used his sickle to cut a slit across Ma Dingfu's cheek and kindly advised, "My blade is poisoned, and you've already taken two hits. You'd better talk fast. First, tell me what your connection to Feiying Mountain really is. Don't you dare say there's none, or you're getting another cut."
Ma Dingfu answered truthfully, "I was originally an undercover operative from Feiying Mountain, specifically responsible for wind patrols, casing targets, and gathering intelligence down below. Apart from our chief, not many on the mountain know of me."
Li Banfeng was fairly satisfied with this answer, then asked, "Which chief of Feiying Mountain was Zhou Anju?"
Ma Dingfu shook his head. "I can't say for sure. Only our chief knows that."
Chapter 219