Late at night, Ma the Fifth had just finished arranging the cinema and was about to pack up for the day. Just as he reached the doorway, an exquisitely featured woman walked toward him.
She was very pretty, but her expression was stiff. Running into someone like that in the dead of night was genuinely unnerving.
"Junyang, it's been a long time."
*She knows me?*
Ma the Fifth also thought she looked familiar, but for the moment he couldn't recall who she was.
Zuo Wugang recognized her at once. "Miss Dongchun!"
The newcomer was indeed Lu Dongchun. She rarely went out and had only met Ma the Fifth twice, so it was only natural that he didn't remember right away.
However, Zuo Wugang had once been Lu Dongliang's head guard, and he had seen Lu Dongchun plenty of times.
Lu Dongchun was Lu Maoxian's daughter. Lu Maoxian had never seen eye to eye with Seventh Master, so Zuo Wugang worried she meant harm to Ma the Fifth and signaled him to keep his distance.
Expressionless, Lu Dongchun gazed at Ma the Fifth. Her eyes were so limpid that he could see his own reflection in her pupils.
"Can we find a place to talk?" she asked.
Ma the Fifth led her into the cinema and opened a private booth. Zuo Wugang stood guard at his side, never leaving his flank for an instant.
Lu Dongchun looked at Ma the Fifth and said in a voice without inflection, "I've come to discuss avenging my father with you."
Ma the Fifth understood the rules. He had paid dividends to the Lu family and counted as part of their outer family forces; when something happened to the Lu family, reason dictated that he should lend a hand.
Yet the outer family differed from the inner family. If Ma the Fifth didn't want to go, he had grounds to decline.
He followed the Lu family's direct lineage; he was under no obligation to take orders from Lu Maoxian.
He could even be more ruthless about it, severing ties on the spot and declaring he would no longer need the Lu family's protection.
But Ma the Fifth was a cautious man. Lu Dongchun's visit was too sudden, leaving him unprepared, and without preparation, he never made hasty decisions.
"Aunt Dongchun, let us have a drink first." Ma the Fifth moved to pour wine for her, but Zuo Wugang stopped his hand, gesturing for him not to pour.
Lu Dongchun kept her eyes fixed on Ma the Fifth, staring until he felt uncomfortable all over.
He set down the cup, dropping the pleasantries. "Allow me to give this matter careful thought. I will give you an answer within a day or two."
After seeing Lu Dongchun off, Ma the Fifth sought out Li Banfeng and recounted what had happened.
"Old Seven, do you think we should get involved in this?"
"Of course. The Lu family just ran into trouble—if we throw up our hands and walk away now, who would dare do business with us in the future?"
Ma the Fifth understood the reasoning, but he still felt aggrieved. "I really don't want to help that old dog Lu Maoxian."
"Who said we're helping him? We have our own person."
Ma the Fifth was taken aback. "You mean Lu Chunying?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "She belongs to the inner family, so Monkey Qiu will definitely bring her along. This is a fine opportunity to establish her authority. Besides, Ling Miaoying has his sights set on us right now. We might as well take this chance to deal with him once and for all."
Ma the Fifth nodded. "To take on Ling Miaoying, relying on Zuo Wugang alone definitely won't cut it. I'll go to Zhengjing Village, talk it over with Qiu Luoye, and borrow Ah Qin and the Street-Scolding Crone. Both of them are skilled hands."
With the plan settled, Ma the Fifth set off for Zhengjing Village that very night. When he found Qiu Luoye and explained the situation, the local spirit gave it serious thought.
"The man you're going up against is a Tier Seven Scrying Cultivator, ruthless to the core, and he has a whole heap of magic treasures. Both the Street-Scolding Crone and Ah Qin are Tier Six. If you take them along, I fear you won't gain the upper hand. I'll find you someone more effective."
With the local spirit showing such enthusiasm, Ma the Fifth could hardly refuse, though he worried Qiu Luoye might bring in a monstrosity like Madam Bagworm Moth—creatures of that sort were difficult to bring into Lüshui City.
To his surprise, Qiu Luoye had thought things through thoroughly. He brought forth a tall, robust woman who looked around thirty and was quite gorgeous.
"Her name is Huo Ling, a fire spirit of Tier Seven cultivation. She's got great moves and holds an advantage in her pathway—rarely finding a match even across my territory. I'm lending her to you. When you have time, just have your men build a few more buildings here to liven the place up, and consider the debt repaid."
Qiu Luoye truly handled business with refreshing briskness. Ma the Fifth took Huo Ling to find Shui Yongquan to mask her monstrous aura.
Shui Yongquan recognized Huo Ling. Taking Ma the Fifth aside where no one was around, he asked privately, "What are you taking her to the proper land for?"
Ma the Fifth hid nothing and gave him the general outline.
Shui Yongquan frowned. "You should have taken Ah Qin for this. She's a first-rate assassin. The Street-Scolding Crone would work too; she handles things reliably and won't easily slip up."
Ma the Fifth replied, "Qiu Luoye said Huo Ling has higher cultivation, is a better fighter, and gives us a surer hand."
Shui Yongquan smacked his lips. "Back when I was in the mortal realm, I did plenty of this sort of work. Choosing the right hands takes an eye for it; the best fighter isn't necessarily the most useful. Since you and Qiu Daxiang have already agreed on it, I won't interfere. Just be sure to keep Huo Ling in good humor. Her temper isn't very pleasant."
Shui Yongquan masked Huo Ling's aura.
Her temper was indeed foul. Shui Yongquan was a Water Cultivator, and the techniques he used repulsed her; she even traded sharp words with him during the process, though Shui Yongquan didn't stoop to bickering with her.
This was also Ma the Fifth's first time meeting Huo Ling, and seeing her disposition, he found her none too easy to get along with. Throughout the journey, the two barely spoke, only trying to get some sleep in the carriage.
Upon returning to Xiaoyaowu, Huo Ling found the carriage had been too bumpy for a restful sleep, so they found a room and slept again.
After two sleeps, things were no longer so awkward between them.
That afternoon, Ma the Fifth received word from Lu Dongchun: they were moving against Ling Miaoying that very night.
Ma the Fifth felt it was much too rushed, but Huo Ling thought it wasn't rushed at all. "The sooner we finish the job, the sooner we wrap this up, and the sooner I can go back to sleep. Look at you all fussing over killing a mere person or two—given that much time, I could slaughter everything for a li around!"
When Li Banfeng received the news, he thought the timing was just right. "If we delay any longer, Ling Miaoying will catch wind of it. Never mind how many people the Lu family has gathered; Ling Miaoying is a Scrying Cultivator with plenty of magic treasures and plenty of men. If he prepares himself fully, who wins and who loses really won't be certain."
He returned to the Portable Abode to prepare for the fierce battle ahead.
Staying inside the dwelling before a brutal fight not only kept his combat strength at its peak, but also maintained his property of being easily overlooked.
The last time he came face-to-face with Ling Miaoying, Li Banfeng had been away from the Portable Abode for more than seven hours. Back then, he had fooled Tu Yinghong, but he hadn't managed to fool Ling Miaoying's eyes.
If he had just stepped out of the dwelling, perhaps Ling Miaoying might not have noticed him the instant he appeared.
Wait!
Li Banfeng sat bolt upright in bed.
What was the difference between not being noticed and not being seen?
Conceptually speaking, there was a distinction. Not being seen meant never entering the other person's line of sight at all.
Not being noticed meant appearing within their sight, but the other person paid no attention.
Yet in essence, the result was identical: the opponent did not perceive his existence.
For the skill of Viewing Flowers on a Galloping Horse, was the effect identical as well?
If he had stared continuously at Tu Yinghong yesterday, would he have blown her to pieces right then and there?
Did Dwelling Cultivators and Journey Cultivators truly only restrain one another?
Could it be possible that they also mutually promoted each other?
There was no one to ask about this, for under normal circumstances, one could not cultivate both the Dwelling and Journey pathways, making it almost impossible to find a precedent like Li Banfeng.
He couldn't ask, but he could test it. Tonight's reckoning with Ling Miaoying was the perfect opportunity; even if he couldn't handle Ling Miaoying right away, he could test it out on his subordinates.
If Viewing Flowers on a Galloping Horse and the Dwelling Cultivator's trait of being easily overlooked complemented one another, Li Banfeng would make an enormous profit!
Vision!
Viewing Flowers on a Galloping Horse required not just speed, and not just avoiding being seen, but also acute vision.
How should he train his vision?
Li Banfeng lay flat on the bed, letting the blood flow freely through his vessels. Concentrating his intent into his eyes, he brought out the photographs taken at Heishipo.
Grandpa Train had said that once a Journey Cultivator reached a certain level, they no longer traveled over bare ground. Staring at the photographs, he could sense his cultivation creeping slowly upward; this had to be a fine way to train his vision.
While looking at the photographs, he recalled the scene from that time, trying to pierce through the pictures with his eyes to see the original setting.
And sure enough, his cultivation seemed to grow considerably faster. This trick was genuinely effective!
Beside him, the wife spoke up in reminder: "Oh, husband, don't stare with your eyes so wide, or you might drop your eyeballs right into that young lady's peaches."
The wife was teasing again.
Li Banfeng's train of thought was broken, and the rise in his cultivation stalled.
He switched to another photograph to keep going, but suddenly realized something was off.
The wife's voice just now hadn't sounded right.
Her voice was notably weaker than before.
"Wife, are you hungry again?" Li Banfeng had gone out often to buy groceries recently, but the ingredients were simply sub-par; only two ruffians had reached Tier One, while the rest were all white lambs.
The wife chuckled softly. "Don't worry, husband. Your humble servant is not hungry."
Hearing her speak with so little strength sent pangs through Li Banfeng's heart.
Nearby, Hong Ying smirked. "Vicious woman, if you go without a full meal any longer, never mind helping him to Tier Six—I fear you won't even be able to preserve your own cultivation!"
The gramophone snorted coldly. "Pay no mind to that wench's nonsense. Your humble servant truly isn't hungry."
Li Banfeng gently caressed the gramophone's turntable. "Wife, don't worry. Your husband will go buy groceries tonight and bring back top-quality fare."
He lay back down on the bed, holding the photographs to continue training his vision.
***
Meanwhile, Ma the Fifth distributed the spiritual items and magic treasures at his side to Zuo Wugang and Huo Ling. Huo Ling found them cumbersome and pushed them right back to him.
"None of these are of any use. Once the fighting starts, you'll see what I can do."
***
Qiu Zhiheng took Tan Fucheng to an estate in the east of the city.
Lu Chunying and Xiao Yeci had long been waiting in the main hall.
Xiao Yeci was terrified. "Steward Qiu, you must look after my little girl! You promised she's only there to show her face—she must not fight!"
Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "Rest assured."
Lu Chunying said, "Brother Qiu, if a fight truly breaks out, you don't need to look after me. I can't claim I'm good at fighting, but at least I can run. Watch out for yourself, and don't let anything happen to you."
Qiu Zhiheng smiled and said nothing. Tan Fucheng chimed in from the side, "Miss Chunying, both of your brothers call him Uncle Qiu, yet you call him Brother Qiu. Is that appropriate?"
Lu Chunying puffed out her chest. "We don't go by seniority—we go by affection!"
Qiu Zhiheng smiled and nodded, leading Lu Chunying out of the estate. They arrived at Lu Maoxian's residence to rendezvous with Lu Dongchun.
***
Seeing that the time was nearly right, Li Banfeng straightened his clothes and stroked the gramophone's horn. "Wife, endure for just a bit longer. Good food will be here shortly."
The gramophone was somewhat worried. Li Banfeng had spent hours staring at the photographs, and she feared he would be exhausted. "Husband, be extra careful."
Li Banfeng put on his fedora, tugged the brim down low, and stepped out of the Portable Abode, reaching for his keys.
*Where are the keys...?*
Li Banfeng stared down at the floor for a long moment, realizing that this wasn't the wooden flooring of Xiaoyaowu. This was the red-brick floor of a factory workshop.
This wasn't Xiaoyaowu...
A familiar voice reached his ears:
"Come on, sweep your hair up—don't let it cover your face! Drop your waist a bit lower, push those peaches up a little higher..."
*Click, click!*
The shutter snapped continuously.
Li Banfeng walked over and called out, "Qiusheng?"
Bai Qiusheng lowered his camera and turned around. "Seventh Master? What brings you here?"
Chapter 293