When Liao Zihui proposed that a replacement balancer be provided, Li Banfeng pondered seriously for a long time before recommending a candidate. "I know a man named Dai Jingxuan. He's eloquent and quick-witted, very well-suited to be a balancer."
Liao Zihui was taken aback. "What does this man do?"
"He tells stories under the overpass by Greenwater City station," Li Banfeng replied.
Liao Zihui blinked. "Brother Li, do you honestly think just anyone can be picked to serve as a balancer?"
"Can't they?" Li Banfeng asked, just as perplexed. "You casually demanded that I compensate you with a balancer. I thought this whole affair was child's play to begin with."
Liao Zihui raised his eyebrows. "My fault. I didn't make myself clear."
Having finished his first cup of tea, Liao Zihui poured Li Banfeng a fresh one. "Brother Li, let me put it more bluntly. What I mean is: I want you to be the balancer."
Li Banfeng chuckled. "Now that sounds even more like a joke. Do you really think I'm suited to be a balancer?"
"You are," Liao Zihui nodded. "The purpose of a balancer is to balance relations between the Outer Province, the Inner States, and Puluo Province. We select a balancer based on two criteria: first, they must be born and raised in Puluo Province; second, they must maintain certain ties with both the Outer Province and the Inner States."
Li Banfeng still didn't understand. "And you think I meet those criteria?"
"I think you fit them perfectly," Liao Zihui nodded.
"You think I was born and raised in Puluo Province?"
"At first, I truly didn't think so," Liao Zihui admitted honestly. "I thought you were Li Banfeng. Have you ever heard of him?"
Li Banfeng pretended to search his memory. "I think I saw that name in the newspapers."
Liao Zihui nodded. "Yes, he was in the papers. Back when the He and Lu families clashed over the Xuansheng Red Lotus, an outsider from the Outer Province named Li Banfeng got involved. At the time, the Lu family was scouring Yaowang Ravine for him and requested the Garrison Office's cooperation, which we granted. Taking advantage of the opportunity, we launched our own investigation into Li Banfeng.
"This Li Banfeng was a university classmate of He Jiaqing, the He family's eldest son. Initially, the leads we uncovered suggested that Li Banfeng had colluded with Lu Xiaolan to seize the Xuansheng Red Lotus, grievously injuring He Jiaqing in the process, before turning against Lu Xiaolan and swallowing the lotus for himself.
"Later, as the investigation deepened, we discovered that He Jiaqing's situation was not so simple. It turned out he had never been injured at all; he was the head of a secret organization known as the Brotherhood Alliance, and we suspected Li Banfeng was one of its members.
"Regardless of which lead was more credible, we firmly believed the Xuansheng Red Lotus was in Li Banfeng's hands. We mapped out his movements into a timeline, and Li Banfeng showed a significant amount of overlap with the sudden rise of the powerhouse Li the Seventh. Naturally, I suspected you were Li Banfeng.
"However, once I discovered the Xuansheng Red Lotus at Yesong Bridge, that conclusion was overturned. Li Banfeng never had the lotus at all; it was held by Yesong Bridge's local spirit.
"Before coming to Puluo Province, Li Banfeng was an uninitiated mortal with no cultivation. Without the Xuansheng Red Lotus, he could not possibly have become a fifth-tier dark-energy user. Therefore, the hypothesis that Li the Seventh was Li Banfeng collapsed.
"Looking back at the previous investigation results, every investigator I dispatched reached the exact same conclusion: Li the Seventh's original name was Song Zhuowen, a native born and raised in Puluo Province.
"At first, I suspected that conclusion was false. Only now do I realize that the one who was wrong was me.
"You are Song Zhuowen. You were born and bred in Puluo Province. This conclusion isn't mistaken, is it?"
Li the Seventh raised his teacup and drained it in a single gulp. "Spot on! Chief Envoy Liao couldn't be more correct!"
Liao Zihui said, "So when I say you are suited to be the balancer, there's no flaw in that reasoning either, is there?"
"Hold on," Li Banfeng said. "You just mentioned two conditions: first, being born and raised in Puluo Province; second, having ties to both the Outer Province and the Inner States. I don't believe I meet that second condition."
Liao Zihui gave a bitter laugh. "Brother Li, I came here in good faith. I came to see you because I truly want to resolve this matter. Can't you be honest with me? You studied in the Outer Province—that constitutes a tie to the Outer Province. You don't need me to produce the records and proof of your schooling, do you?"
This was the fake identity Ma the Fifth had forged for Li Banfeng, so Li Banfeng naturally understood. "No need to produce the Outer Province evidence. But what about the Inner States?"
Liao Zihui said, "I admit, Brother Li, you handled your affairs with the Inner States with great discretion. Even so, I managed to uncover some traces."
Li Banfeng grew interested. He had indeed killed people from the Inner States, which was his most direct connection to them. Could Liao Zihui have found out about that?
"Pray enlighten me, Chief Envoy Liao."
Liao Zihui sighed. "Still refusing to be straight with me even now? Brother Li, that's not very fair of you.
"Fine, I'll lay it all out bare. He Jiaqing went by the moniker 'Benefactor.' You must know that, right?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I honestly didn't know that."
Liao Zihui smiled. "Fine, let's say you didn't. Using the identity of the Benefactor, He Jiaqing clashed with the Sage on Sage Peak. At the peak of their conflict, you intervened as well and engaged in numerous open and covert struggles with the Ling brothers. You won't deny that, will you?"
Li Banfeng frowned. "Now you've thoroughly confused me. First you spoke of He Jiaqing, and now you're bringing up the Ling brothers?"
Liao Zihui chuckled. "Brother Li, you aren't truly confused; you're just feigning ignorance. The Ling brothers were core members of the Brotherhood Alliance and answered to He Jiaqing at the time. Sage Peak maintained intimate ties with the Inner States. Your intervention in the struggle between He Jiaqing and the Inner States is proof enough of your connection to the Inner States. Am I wrong?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "A reach, Chief Envoy Liao. That argument is far too flimsy. My clash with the Ling brothers stemmed from competition in the shadow play theater industry. The Lings played dirty with me, and I certainly wasn't going to roll over. What does that have to do with the Inner States?"
Liao Zihui laughed softly. "Fine, you still won't admit it. Let's set that aside for now and move on to the next matter. When Chu Shaoqiang came to Puluo Province, his goal was crystal clear: he intended to seize a piece of proper land for the Inner States."
Li Banfeng took a sip of tea. He had to admit that Liao Zihui was no simple figure; he had even uncovered Chu Shaoqiang's true objective.
Liao Zihui continued, "At the time, you were reclaiming newland and somehow managed to turn it into proper land—which is now Qiqiu City.
"For Chu Shaoqiang, that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yet why didn't he make a move on Qiqiu City?
"There may be many external excuses, but there is only one root cause: your ties to the Inner States prevented Chu Shaoqiang from daring to lay a finger on you. You won't deny that, too, will you?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I certainly cannot agree to that! Chu Shaoqiang did make a move against me. We nearly fought to the death back then."
Liao Zihui laughed. "Keep spinning your tales. If you and Chu Shaoqiang fought to the brink of mutual destruction, why would Chu Huaiyuan devote herself entirely to serving you—even going so far as to kill Xia Shumin for your sake? Do you really expect anyone to believe that?"
Li Banfeng was struck speechless.
It truly made no sense.
Yet Chu the Second never operated on reason!
How on earth was Li Banfeng supposed to explain that?
Liao Zihui smiled. "What, done arguing? Then let me bring up one more thing and see how you explain it.
"Daogui Ridge suddenly appeared at Sage Peak. According to our findings, the Sage brought that upon himself.
"Whatever went wrong along the way, the daolao ghosts on Daogui Ridge ran completely out of control. Sage Peak was wiped out, the Sage vanished without a trace, and all of Sage Peak and its surrounding territories became a breeding ground for daolao ghosts.
"Daolao ghosts can only be described as a mortal scourge to humankind. The people around Sage Peak were virtually wiped out.
"I keep saying 'the area around Sage Peak,' which is rather roundabout. We both know what that place is actually called: Jianrengang. When disaster struck Jianrengang, would anyone lift a finger to help them?
"Logically, no one would. In Puluo Province, neither the Sage nor the 'lowly folk' are welcomed. Yet someone stepped in and helped them anyway. Care to guess who that was?"
Li Banfeng chuckled. "You're not talking about me, are you?"
"If not you, who else? Over ten thousand civilians from Jianrengang were resettled by you at Huangtu Bridge. Those people are living proof. You were the only one who lent a hand to Sage Peak—because that place still maintained ties with the Inner States. Isn't that right, Brother Li?
"You're not going to tell me you saved over ten thousand people out of the goodness of your heart, are you?"
Li Banfeng blinked. "What if I told you it really was out of pity?"
Liao Zihui burst out laughing. "You, pitying that wretched lot? Not just in Puluo Province, but in the entire world—who would believe such words?
"There's no point in continuing to argue. You are the ideal candidate for the balancer."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I wouldn't say I'm the best choice. Chu Shaoqiang was born and raised in Puluo Province and currently serves the Inner States. He's clearly far more suitable than I am."
Liao Zihui's smile faded. "Brother Li, you know the answers full well. Must we lay everything out in the open?
"Officially, Chu Shaoqiang holds an office in the Inner States, and someone like that cannot serve as a balancer.
"Personally, Chu Shaoqiang and I have bad blood. Many people in Puluo Province still believe that I was the one who killed him back in the day, so you should understand how deep the grudge runs between us.
"Under such circumstances, how could I ever recommend him to be the balancer? If he became the balancer, could I ever live in peace in Puluo Province again?"
Li Banfeng set his teacup down on the saucer and said impassively, "Whether you can live in peace or not is something I haven't considered. But let me make one thing crystal clear: I have no desire to be this balancer."
Liao Zihui nodded. "I understand. A balancer has to live in the Outer Province. No matter what conditions the Outer Province offers, they pale in comparison to being Lord Seventh commanding wind and rain in Puluo Province. But that is only true under the premise that Puluo Province can maintain its status quo."
"Why can't Puluo Province maintain its status quo?" Li Banfeng asked.
Liao Zihui replied, "Xia Shumin's death counts as a major incident, but it doesn't have to be blown out of proportion. Claiming that Xia Shumin accidentally perished while executing an important mission is a perfectly reasonable explanation.
"However, if the culprit who killed the Garrison Chief Envoy bears no responsibility whatsoever, makes no gesture of amends, refuses to rein in his future conduct, and might even push matters past the point of no return, that situation cannot be reasonably explained away."
Li Banfeng nodded. "If it can't be explained, then don't explain it."
This attitude was precisely what Liao Zihui feared most. "Brother Li, if it truly cannot be explained, this could escalate into war."
Li Banfeng said calmly, "If it escalates into war, then we fight. Some things can only be settled by fighting."
Hearing this, Liao Zihui made no reply for a long time.
The water on the tea stove boiled. Li Banfeng lifted the kettle and poured Liao Zihui a cup. "Chief Envoy Liao, why the silence? Is your throat dry?"
Liao Zihui picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Brother Li, I often remind myself of a phrase: The people of Puluo Province do not know how strong they are, and under no circumstances must they ever be allowed to realize it.
"I know very well in my heart that eventually, someone would come along who recognized the power of Puluo Province. From the day I first crossed paths with you, I suspected that person might be you.
"Now, I see that it truly is you."
Li Banfeng smiled. "So you want me to become the balancer?"
Liao Zihui shook his head. "It isn't what I want; it's what the Outer Province wants. As they see it, if you remain in Puluo Province, the province will spin completely out of control sooner or later. Only by having you serve as the balancer can this matter be put to rest."
"And what if it isn't put to rest? It's just going to war, isn't it?"
Liao Zihui gave a heavy sigh. "Brother, what do you think war looks like? Do you think the Outer Province will send armies and weapons over by train and simply start shooting?"
"Is it not?"
"If that were truly how it was fought, I won't hide it: given Puluo Province's current state, it really is hard to say who would win and who would lose, because most of the Outer Province's technology doesn't function in Puluo Province.
"But that is not how a real war is waged. Similar conflicts have occurred between Puluo Province and the Outer Province before. The Outer Province's solution was to withdraw the Garrison Office entirely!"
Li Banfeng laughed. "Good riddance if you pull out. Is anyone begging you to stay here?"
"It wouldn't matter if the Garrison Office left, but the Boundaries won't leave. These Boundaries originally belonged to Puluo Province. The Outer Province possesses the methods to manipulate the Boundaries, but Puluo Province does not. Once the Outer Province departs, Puluo Province will be completely severed, and communication between its various territories will be cut off entirely."
Li Banfeng frowned. "Weren't the Boundaries ignited by you people?"
Liao Zihui shook his head. "The Boundaries weren't ignited by the Outer Province. Originally, all the Boundaries in Puluo Province were blazing. Some were extinguished by the Garrison Office, and others couldn't be snuffed out even by us.
"Take Yunshui Road in Yesong Bridge, for example. There's a Boundary running along that road. The Garrison Office used specialized equipment to extinguish it, igniting it only when needed. When I took on the Boundless Battalion, catching them off guard by igniting that Boundary was precisely how I did it.
"The Garrison Office's locations are chosen under very specific conditions. Some sit in city centers, some on the edges of towns, and others deep in primeval forests.
"Some claim these locations were picked for strategic considerations and long-term planning, but that's utter nonsense. Every single site was determined by the Boundaries. The Garrison Office chooses locations encircled by Boundaries to ensure its own security.
"Those Boundaries aren't particularly strong, and the Garrison Office can control their activation and deactivation. But the Boundaries separating major regions are tremendously powerful. Even the Garrison Office cannot control them; we can only carve out small, localized passages within them.
"Once the Garrison Office packs up and withdraws all its equipment, there will no longer be any passages through the boundaries between Puluo Province's territories. Every region will be entirely cut off from the rest. Is that truly what you wish to see?"
Li Banfeng twirled the teacup in his fingers. "So your plan is to sever the territories of Puluo Province and defeat them one by one?"
Liao Zihui shook his head. "Not necessarily us. It could also be the Inner States."
It could also be the Inner States!
That struck right at the heart of the matter.
Liao Zihui said, "Puluo Province is wedged between the Outer Province and the Inner States. That geographical reality doomed it from the start to find no easy way out.
"There are no Boundaries between newlands and proper lands, and every newland's local spirit was enfeoffed by the Inner States. You should be able to connect the dots.
"The Inner States would like nothing more than to see Puluo Province fractured. Divide and conquer is their favorite tactic.
"Brother Li, I've told you a great deal today. Much of it is classified information I had no business sharing. My sole purpose in telling you all this is to demonstrate my sincerity.
"I once told you that I want to stay in Puluo Province after I retire. That wasn't just polite banter; it came straight from my heart.
"You want what's best for Puluo Province, and you truly have the ability to make it happen. I can see it clearly: the major families have ceased fighting, and Greenwater City is flourishing now.
"Qiqiu City is thriving as well; its newland was just converted into proper land, and all sorts of businesses are up and running smoothly. Even Huangtu Bridge, a hopeless lost cause, was brought back to life by you.
"It took so much effort to build things up to where they are today. Brother, are you truly willing to watch it all be ruined?"
Li Banfeng made no reply.
Liao Zihui sighed. "You might not believe anything I've said. You can go to the Outer Province and see for yourself. Test it on your own and verify whether I've lied to you.
"To tell you the truth, going to the Outer Province might put you in danger. You might be placed under surveillance, and your life might even be at risk.
"However, you might also find more answers there. The Outer Province has conducted in-depth research into Puluo Province. Perhaps you can find a way forward for Puluo Province through that knowledge. After hearing all this, do you still distrust me?"
After several minutes of silence, Li Banfeng looked up. "If I agree to be the balancer, the matter will be settled here. If I refuse, war breaks out immediately. Is that the gist of it?"
Liao Zihui nodded. "If you are unwilling to be the balancer, please notify me as soon as possible. I will lead forces to strike at the Chu family first—after all, Xia Shumin died by Chu Huaiyuan's hand.
"That will count as a declaration of war against Puluo Province. Next, the Garrison Office will target the major families one by one. After fighting for a period, if met with resistance, the Garrison Office will ignite all Boundaries and withdraw from Puluo Province.
"This is the outcome I least want to see, but it is beyond my power to control. I have said my piece. As for your decision, I await your word."
***
Liao Zihui departed, and Li Banfeng returned to the companion dwelling.
"Darling wife, if I have to go to the Outer Province, will you come with me?"
Silence fell over the companion dwelling. The Lady asked, "Husband dear, why go to the Outer Province?"
Li Banfeng recounted the gist of what Liao Zihui had told him.
The gramophone sighed gently. "Your humble slave has traversed life and death, and I have forgotten many things. But on this point, Liao Zihui is not lying. If the outsiders from the Outer Province all depart, no one will be able to open the Boundaries across Puluo Province."
The sickle chimed in, "So what if they can't open them? Brother Seven can open Boundaries, and the Old Master can crash through them, too. We can live our lives just fine."
The liquor gourd said, "I think Little Sister Sickle speaks sense."
On the wall, Mengde nodded repeatedly. "I also think we shouldn't go to the Outer Province."
The gramophone knew Li Banfeng's thoughts were not so simple. After a moment of silence, she puffed out steam and crooned in a slow, rhythmic melody, "Marry a rooster and follow the rooster; marry a dog and follow the dog. Since I took my husband's hand, this humble slave belongs to him. Wherever my husband goes, this slave shall follow."
Li Banfeng walked up and wrapped his arms around the gramophone, nuzzling his cheek against her brass horn for a long while.
Tickled, the gramophone giggled. "Husband dear, ask our old house first. See if he can go to the Outer Province."
This was the crux of the matter. If the companion dwelling could not go to the Outer Province, Li Banfeng would never agree to be the balancer.
Li Banfeng asked, "Old Master, can you follow me to the Outer Province?"
The companion dwelling fell silent for a moment before replying, "There is a Boundary between the Outer Province and Puluo Province. What kind of Boundary it is, I have forgotten. But I recall that it was thinner than the Boundary separating Puluo Province from the Inner States.
"With eight tracks beneath me now, I should be able to punch through. But if I can't..."
"Then none of our family will go to the Outer Province." On this point, Li Banfeng did not hesitate in the slightest.
The Lady said, "The most pressing matter right now is Husband's cultivation. Over the past few days, I've observed that your soul has stabilized, and your physical constitution has largely recovered. Perhaps you have already reached tier one above the clouds."
"Can we test that?" Li Banfeng asked.
"We can!" the gramophone said. "Just test it with a local spirit seal. The local spirit seal of Yesong Bridge must contain human presence. Husband need only press the seal against your head. If you can sense your cultivation advancing, you have reached tier one above the clouds."
The next day, Li Banfeng went to Mount Yeqing and found the two branches Sun Tiecheng had stuck into the ground in the woods.
Sun Tiecheng insisted that these two branches formed a talismanic array, invisible to outsiders, as was the burial spot of the covenant deed. He had repeatedly urged Li Banfeng to memorize the exact placement of the branches so that he wouldn't stick them back wrong next time.
Yet Li Banfeng could see the two branches clear as day. Sun Tiecheng's explanation for this was that it was the enlightened vision of a fool cultivator!
Li Banfeng scooped away the soil and retrieved the local spirit seal. Right beneath the seal lay the covenant deed; he was careful not to dig too deep, for unearthing the deed itself would cause massive trouble.
He placed the local spirit seal atop his head, and the human presence accumulated from Yesong Bridge flowed into the crown of his skull.
There was a reaction!
A clear sensation of his cultivation advancing!
Li Banfeng was capable of absorbing human presence, which proved he had officially reached tier one above the clouds!
The feeling brought Li Banfeng immense pleasure and excitement. The only drawback was that it was too fleeting—the entire process lasted less than a minute.
The human presence within the local spirit seal was quickly exhausted. The Sedan Carrier had harvested human presence just two months prior, so the stockpile in the seal was limited.
Having reburied the local spirit seal and repositioned the branches, Li Banfeng thought of something else: could he harvest the human presence from his own territory?
Inside the companion dwelling, the Lady answered, "You can harvest it, but the local spirit seal of a newland is unique. It holds both human presence and cultivation. The human presence is nurtured by the strange beasts, while the cultivation is used to nourish them. Husband must take care not to mix them up."
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "When I press the local spirit seal to my head, can I choose what to absorb?"
"You can. The cultivation in a newland is chaotic and disorganized. Husband need only use your intent to block it."
"Can I leave Yesong Bridge now?"
"Husband has already reached tier one above the clouds. Leaving your territory is no problem at all."
Using the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng returned straight to his territory, entered the local spirit's dwelling, and retrieved the local spirit seal.
Pressing the seal atop his head, a torrent surged into the crown of his skull.
It felt completely different from human presence. Human presence was like clear water, nearly devoid of impurities. But this torrent seemed mixed with vast amounts of sand and dirt, thick as mud.
Li Banfeng immediately used his mental intent to push back against the rushing current. Before long, the turbid flow receded into the seal, and clear, pure human presence began to trickle down slowly.
Since the Mountain Puller's death, the human presence inside the local spirit seal had never been drawn. Although a newland possessed far less human presence than proper land, the reserve exceeded Li Banfeng's expectations. It took a full five minutes to absorb it completely.
Removing the seal, Li Banfeng felt revitalized and clear-headed, his body filled with significantly more vigor.
His cultivation had indeed progressed, but upon closer examination, the extent of the increase was exceedingly modest.
If the cultivation between tier one and tier two were taken as a whole, would the combined human presence of both territories even amount to a single percent?
Clearly not.
The Mountain Puller had still been at tier one above the clouds right up until her death, and the Sedan Carrier had gone so far as to slaughter every high-tier cultivator in his domain just to advance his realm. The path of cultivation above the clouds was truly arduous.
The cultivation stored within the local spirit seal needed to be distributed as well. Since the strange beasts guarded this territory, they naturally deserved their share of rewards.
Previously, the companion dwelling had used Celestial Heart Stones to construct a grand station on Li the Seventh's territory, which permitted a one-hour stop. Using the projector to disguise his appearance, Li Banfeng carried the local spirit seal and swiftly made a circuit around the land. Whenever he encountered a strange beast, he pressed the seal down on its head.
The first strange beast stamped with the seal promptly fainted from an excess of cultivation.
At first, Li Banfeng lacked experience, but after stamping dozens of times, his technique grew practiced, and he distributed the cultivation much more evenly.
Once all the strange beasts across the territory had received their share, some cultivation remained in the seal. Li Banfeng bestowed it upon the eyeless beasts in his residence. Having lost their eyes, they diligently guarded the local spirit's dwelling; earning this bit of cultivation was the very hope that kept them alive.
With affairs in his own territory largely settled, Li Banfeng turned his gaze toward Bei Wushuang's territory.
Only Li Banfeng knew where Bei Wushuang's covenant deed was buried. How to handle that land was a matter for future planning.
Returning to Yesong Bridge, Li Banfeng went to the Garrison Office to find Liao Zihui.
"I can agree to the matter of the balancer, but three conditions must be met."
Liao Zihui nodded. "Any reasonable condition can be discussed."
Li Banfeng produced covenant paper. "I am in no mood to negotiate. If you can agree, sign the deed. If you cannot, the talks are over.
"First condition: the Xia Shumin incident ends here. None of the people involved will bear any responsibility whatsoever. Otherwise, it will be treated as an act of war."
Liao Zihui nodded. "Naturally. I will sign this covenant deed myself."
"Second condition: restore all transit in Yesong Bridge immediately. Moving forward, if you ever disrupt transit anywhere in Puluo Province again, you must notify me in advance. Otherwise, it will be treated as an act of war."
Liao Zihui hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Agreed."
"Third condition: if you ever cease to serve as the Garrison Chief Envoy, the two prior terms will remain in effect. Otherwise, it will be treated as an act of war."
Liao Zihui said, "If I step down as Chief Envoy, I will have the next Chief Envoy sign an identical covenant deed. Since we are using covenant paper, my own life is on the line here. I will never break my word."
Li Banfeng handed the covenant deed to Liao Zihui. "Those are all my conditions."
Liao Zihui promptly pressed his bloody handprint onto it. "Brother Li, now that the matters of Puluo Province are settled, it's time to talk about you. Aren't you worried about your own safety once you arrive in the Outer Province?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Not at all. As I recall, people in the Outer Province are quite kind-hearted. I'm sure I'll get along with them splendidly."
Chapter 499