His wife brought up the unnameable again, yet Li Banfeng truly had no concept of it.
The gramophone explained, "The so-called unnameable knows no distance, no direction, no length, and no size. Across all manner of arts and techniques, there are unnameable aspects.
"When my husband uses Half Step Without Trace, between footstep and footstep lies the unnameable. When my husband uses Golden Bower Hiding a Beauty, between life and death lies the unnameable. When my husband uses Smooth Travel Without Hindrance, between reality and illusion lies the unnameable. When my husband uses Sprawling Compound, between inside and outside lies the unnameable."
Put that way by the gramophone, Li Banfeng gained some inkling of understanding.
The unnameable was the most critical link in any art, and the element within an art that defied explanation.
His wife continued, "Husband, above-the-clouds arts take these unnameable aspects to their absolute limit. Just now, that wretched Hong Ying used a method of seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster, determining in advance where you were going to strike and moving her ankle out of the way before you arrived. Naturally, my husband couldn't hit her.
"Such is the mystery of the Free and Unfettered art. Against an above-the-clouds journey cultivator, ordinary combat tactics are utterly useless. Even if she stood completely still, you wouldn't harm a single hair on her."
In other words, even if Hong Ying stood motionless on the spot and enemies swept the area with machine guns, they wouldn't hit her. Any space a bullet was about to pass through would simply be shifted away by her.
The gramophone went on, "The Free and Unfettered art isn't just used for defense, either. Back at her peak, Hong Ying fought three above-the-clouds Arrow Cultivators all on her own.
"All three remained over a hundred paces from her, fighting around her like a revolving lantern. Above-the-clouds Arrow Cultivators can cross the boundary between reality and illusion, never missing a strike. Even using the Free and Unfettered art, one cannot evade them.
"At the time, I thought the girl was doomed. I intended to stall those three Arrow Cultivators with my own arts to buy Hong Ying a chance to flee.
"To my surprise, the girl split herself into three and killed all three Arrow Cultivators in a single blow."
Hong Ying hugged the gramophone and rubbed against it. "Xiaowan, you still remember a trifling thing like that?"
The gramophone gave Hong Ying's peach of a backside a sharp smack with its wooden board. "Stop clinging to me! I'm speaking of serious matters with my husband, not reminiscing about your merits."
Li Banfeng found it genuinely peculiar. "Didn't you say ordinary methods can't hurt Hong Ying? Yet that board of yours strikes true every time without ever missing."
The gramophone chuckled. "Husband, there is trickery involved. When the board swings through the air, it inevitably stirs up wind. The sound of that wind rises and falls, lengthens and shortens, completely scrambling the girl's wits.
"She can't calculate when I'll strike, nor whether I'll hit left or right. So every time I hit her, she can't dodge. But my husband must not look down on this art. Free and Unfettered is the core essence of the journey cultivator pathway."
Li Banfeng carefully pondered his wife's earlier description. "Killing three enemies at once at a critical moment between life and death... did she use an avatar technique?"
Hong Ying chuckled. "Calling it an avatar technique wouldn't be wrong, but I didn't create fake bodies. Rather, I used the Free and Unfettered art to split a single true body apart.
"I used two hands to kill one Arrow Cultivator, my left foot to kick another to death, and my right foot to kick the third to death. Just like that, all three Arrow Cultivators were dead. Qilang, you can't learn that trick just yet. Start from the basics first."
Li Banfeng thought for a moment and asked, "What kind of pathway is an Arrow Cultivator?"
Hong Ying said, "Just playing with bows and arrows."
The gramophone smacked Hong Ying once more. "My husband is asking you a serious question! Stop spouting nonsense! Husband, Arrow Cultivators have all trained with bows and crossbows, but it's not as simple as shooting arrows. This pathway contains many arts, with Never Misses as its foundation."
"What is Never Misses?"
"Anything an Arrow Cultivator throws or shoots will inevitably hit, so long as it is within a certain distance."
Li Banfeng said in pleasant surprise, "Wife, I have the talent of an Arrow Cultivator!"
Hong Ying scoffed. "With the front door and back door so close together, I've never seen you hit the right mark."
The gramophone smacked Hong Ying again. "Don't talk back to my husband!"
Rubbing her backside, Hong Ying said, "Forget about Arrow Cultivators for now. Let's study the arts earnestly. The key to this art lies in clearly perceiving every part of your body. Doors are doors and gates are gates—never mix them up again."
The gramophone rained over a dozen smacks upon Hong Ying. "Doors and gates every single day! Can't you think of anything else? Do you think my husband is as depraved as you?"
The essential trick to Free and Unfettered lay in allowing different parts of the body to act independently.
Li Banfeng had actually experienced this sensation before. When his homestead cultivation suppressed his journey cultivation by two layers and the cultivation backlash struck him, he had felt as if his limbs were separating from his body. That sensation was remarkably similar to Hong Ying's description.
Recalling that feeling, Li Banfeng began diligently studying the art. His wife, holding the gu worm, was still examining it.
"Husband, this worm lacks combat power, but its life force is remarkably tough. Did those people from the Outer States truly clean everything up?"
"Fire Cultivators and Cold Cultivators scrubbed the ground back and forth. It should be thoroughly cleansed." Li Banfeng had specifically urged Shen Jingye to repeatedly cleanse the site.
"Didn't they have explosives? Blasting it several times over should have cleared it completely."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "The explosives failed."
"Why did they fail?"
"Why..." Li Banfeng suddenly froze.
His wife's question had struck right at the heart of the matter.
With the situation so urgent earlier, Li Banfeng hadn't thought deeply about it.
Those explosives had been laid by the Dark Star Bureau's professional demolition team. Why would they fail?
Under what circumstances would explosives fail?
***
Late at night, He Jiaqing slipped silently into the He Family Compound.
He Yuxiu had just finished listening to bookkeeper Sheng Shanzhou's report on the ledger. Frankly speaking, that stuff was pure sleep medicine. Before he even got two and a half sentences in, He Yuxiu would already be nodding off.
Propping her eyelids open with her hands, she had endured for half an hour. Just as she changed into her nightgown and prepared to slip under the covers, she noticed someone standing beside the bed.
Martial Cultivators didn't possess exceptionally strong perception, but He Yuxiu was at the peak of the eighth layer, bordering on the ninth.
For a person to stand right beside her without her noticing gave her quite a fright.
Just as she was about to strike, she found the figure familiar. "Jiaqing?"
He Jiaqing smiled at He Yuxiu.
He Yuxiu smiled too. "You little scoundrel, when did you get back?"
The two of them hadn't seen each other in a long time. Frankly speaking, He Yuxiu had heard plenty of rumors about He Jiaqing—about the Red Lotus, about the Brotherhood Alliance, and even about He Haiqin. Rumors claimed that He Haiqin had died at He Jiaqing's hands.
Yet that was simply He Yuxiu's temperament. She didn't care about rumors, much less suspect her own nephew over them. Seeing He Jiaqing made her genuinely glad.
He Jiaqing, however, did not share that temperament; he was intensely sensitive to rumors.
He had come this time to verify the incident with the Red Lotus at Yesong Bridge. Yet seeing He Yuxiu, he couldn't resist asking another question—one that had been brooding in his heart.
"Aunt, did you and Li Seven ever..."
*Thwack!*
With a kick from He Yuxiu, He Jiaqing went flying right out the door.
Sleeping on the third floor, Yan Yulin was startled awake. She considered going downstairs to see what was happening, but remembered that He Yuxiu was always in a foul mood after the bookkeeper went over the ledgers. Probably she was venting her temper right now, so it was best not to interfere.
He Jiaqing wasn't angry. He dusted himself off, stood up naturally, and re-entered the bedroom. "Aunt, I'm just reminding you. The two of you belong to different generations. You ought to feel a little shame..."
*Thwack!*
He Jiaqing was kicked out once again.
Given He Jiaqing's cultivation, He Yuxiu couldn't beat him in an actual fight. But an aunt was an aunt, and he still maintained the baseline respect. "Aunt, just tell me the truth. How many times did you two do it?"
***
Having thoroughly questioned her about the incident at Yesong Bridge, He Jiaqing departed the He Family Compound.
From He Yuxiu's description, what she had seen at Yesong Bridge was indeed the Xuansheng Red Lotus.
This matter was truly baffling.
Out in the Outer States, He Jiaqing had attained above-the-clouds cultivation by relying on the Red Lotus. Now, however, he had to confront a troubling possibility: the Red Lotus he once possessed might not have been real.
If the Red Lotus was fake, was his cultivation real?
Having been trapped in that basement for so long, He Jiaqing's thoughts were somewhat muddled.
He rubbed his forehead. Amid his mounting agitation, he suddenly felt an itch on his body.
He Jiaqing took a sharp breath, hearing a familiar voice: "A thief must never let his mind wander. Space out like that, and you'll lose your life in the blink of an eye."
Lühuazi!
He Jiaqing spun around, eyes gleaming coldly as he stared at the Lüshui Beggar.
The Lüshui Beggar smiled. "Baring your teeth at me now, are you? Back then, you acted meek as a cat; I truly failed to see you were a tiger. First, tell me—where did the Sage's jade seal go?"
***
Dark Star Bureau, office.
Li Banfeng was reviewing the entire operation. Two key factors pointed the whole affair in the exact same direction.
First, the signal inside the textile factory had been atrociously bad.
Second, the explosives inside the textile factory had failed.
According to feedback from the demolition team, over seventy percent of the charges had not detonated.
Over seventy percent.
In Puluo Province, the probability of explosives successfully detonating hovered around one-third.
In Puluo Province, radio signals practically could not transmit through normal means.
Why had an abandoned textile factory displayed the distinct characteristics of Puluo Province?
Li Banfeng summoned Tangyuan, instructing her to search for similar cases connected to textile factories. Before the materials arrived, however, Li Banfeng received a notice for an emergency meeting.
Shen Jingye was calling a session to focus on issues relating to the Ruirong Textile Factory case.
It seemed he had also realized the gravity of the situation.
Li Banfeng headed off to attend. At the door, conference staff collected everyone's phones.
For a classified meeting, leaving phones behind was standard protocol, and Li Banfeng rarely used mobile phones anyway.
The palm-sized projector sat inside his jacket pocket. Li Banfeng reached his hand in, and the projector automatically passed both the smartphone and the satellite phone into his grasp.
After handing in the phones, he entered the conference room. Twelve deputy directors were seated in their places, some flipping through files and others whispering together, waiting for the meeting to begin.
As was customary, Shen Jingye entered last, took his seat in the Director's chair, and announced the commencement of the meeting.
Li Banfeng had assumed the primary focus of this meeting would be the textile factory incident.
The meeting did indeed revolve around the incident, but the primary discussion wasn't about the textile factory or the case itself—it was about assigning liability and blame.
The outcome of the operation had been good: the anomalous organism was thoroughly eradicated without causing a broader disaster.
Yet problems had arisen during the execution. Nine members of the demolition team had perished, and liability for this had to be determined.
At the mention of liability, none of the directors uttered a word. Shen Jingye had come prepared, questioning Director Cao, who oversaw the testing laboratory, first.
There had been worms inside the meatballs. The laboratory had failed to detect them beforehand, a liability they couldn't possibly dodge.
Director Cao had also come prepared. He produced three documents. The first was the sampling log: nothing was wrong with the sampling procedure; in accordance with protocol, they had taken samples from the surface down into the core.
The second was the test log: nothing was wrong with the testing process or the results; every required experiment had been conducted step by step.
The third was the retest log: the laboratory had retained backup samples, and upon retesting, the results remained identical—the samples contained only filamentous proteins, devoid of cellular structure and certainly devoid of living worms.
Shen Jingye did not debate the point. No matter how reasonable Director Cao's arguments were, the laboratory could not escape accountability.
Next came the liability of the demolition team. Over seventy percent of the explosives had failed to detonate, so the demolition team bore inescapable responsibility as well.
On this matter, Director Yin, who oversaw the demolition division, offered little defense. He emphasized only two points: procurement of the explosives had been completely standard, and their quality had met all inspections without issue.
As for their application on site, the primary liability fell upon the demolition team leader and the participating members. On this point, no one raised any objections.
With liability clearly designated, Director Shen gave a brief summary of the operation, praising the Security Team's performance.
As the meeting drew to a close, Li Banfeng interrupted Shen Jingye. "The Security Team fought a bloody battle, and all they get is a few words of praise?"
Shen Jingye stressed, "We have accorded the Security Team's performance our highest recognition."
Li Banfeng said, "Since you recognize it, bring out something practical. Are you giving them money, or are you giving them promotions?"
Shen Jingye's brow furrowed slightly. "In this operation, we achieved certain successes, but that cannot mask the problems. To speak of achievements before the problems are fully addressed—isn't that inappropriate?"
Li Banfeng said, "Some problems have already been explained clearly. Other problems can never be explained, because those problems lie with you!"
Shen Jingye glared. "Director Li, you must take responsibility for your words. What problems lie with me?"
"You were the overall commander of the operation, and you were the one who finalized the on-site demolition plan. Did you ever consider the consequences of that blast?
"Now that the blast failed, you pin the blame on the demolition team. Had the blast succeeded and scattered those worms everywhere beyond control, who would you have blamed then?
"If those worms had spread through Yuezhou City, who would have shouldered that responsibility?"
Shen Jingye shook his head. "These hypothetical scenarios of yours don't hold up..."
"How don't they hold up?" Li Banfeng produced Shen Jingye's operational plan. "These aren't hypothetical. These are the battle plans you wrote in black and white. Blasting the meatballs to bits was the exact result you wanted. If that result doesn't hold up, why did you write these plans? Were you just bullshitting?"
Shen Jingye said nothing. Everyone understood the reasoning, but no one dared say it aloud to his face.
Li Banfeng swept his gaze over the attendees. "When something goes wrong, the first instinct is to push the blame onto the dead, while keeping silent about the merits of the living. From start to finish, all you think about is passing the buck. Who indulged you in this habit?
"The demolition team executed their mission on site without error. There is no fault on their part. Having died in the line of duty, they must be treated justly! The Security Team performed an indispensable service and must receive their rightful rewards!"
As his words fell, everyone lowered their heads in silence.
Cold sweat covered Shen Jingye's face. After a long silence, he opened his mouth. "The main purpose of this meeting is to delineate responsibility. Other matters..."
"The battle plan is sitting right here, and the fault lies entirely with you. Hasn't responsibility already been delineated?"
Shen Jingye shuddered, feeling as though that single sentence had pierced straight through his chest.
Even Li Banfeng himself felt a sense of shock from that utterance.
Where had that penetrative force come from?
Analyzing it carefully, it seemed to stem from two sources: first, the Fool Cultivator art of Ironclad Evidence; second, the Homestead Cultivator art of Sprawling Compound.
The Fool Cultivator art deepened the psychological impact, the Sound Cultivator art deepened the sensory impact, and Hong Ying's aura further intensified the mental pressure on everyone present.
Yet how could both arts appear within the exact same sentence and blend together so seamlessly?
Shen Jingye could barely breathe. He was certain Li Banfeng had employed an art, yet he couldn't name what art it was.
Under the crushing pressure of that aura, Shen Jingye spoke slowly: "In this matter, I do bear responsibility..."
Li Banfeng glanced at the secretary. "Note it down: Director Shen bears all responsibility!"
Shen Jingye offered no defense, continuing, "As for rewards, adjustments in position require the appropriate procedural channels."
That sentence meant promotions were practically off the table.
Shen Jingye followed up, "Every post carries a fixed salary, clearly stipulated by institutional regulations."
That sentence meant pay raises were also impossible.
Shen Jingye pressed on, "In accordance with performance evaluation measures, the Security Team as a whole may be credited with one commendation, and bonuses will be disbursed according to regulations."
Li Banfeng immediately had the secretary look up the regulations. After reviewing them, Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead. The bonus amount was pitifully meager.
Shen Jingye said, "Material rewards are always secondary measures. What we emphasize is spiritual encouragement."
Li Banfeng's eyes brightened. He spotted a special clause within the regulations: "Meritorious dark-energy users may have their tier raised through standard procedures. This is also a form of reward."
Shen Jingye shook his head. "In principle, we do not adopt this form of reward."
"Why not?" Li Banfeng frowned. "What principle are you basing that on?"
"The primary principle of exercising extreme caution regarding dark energy." Shen Jingye glanced at his watch. "There is still plenty of work ahead. That will be all for today's meeting.
"Director Li, I can understand your eagerness to grant greater encouragement and support to the Security Team, but nothing can be achieved overnight. The reward package for the Security Team requires deeper analysis and discussion."
Having said that, Shen Jingye didn't even formally dismiss the meeting before walking straight toward the door, intending to deny Li Banfeng any further opportunity to speak.
Seeing Shen Jingye rise, the other directors rose as well, preparing to leave.
Li Banfeng quietly watched Shen Jingye walk to the front door, and quietly watched him walk back in through the conference room's rear door.
Shen Jingye was lost; he couldn't find his way out of the room.
To be precise, the passage Shen Jingye had just walked through was not a door at all. The projector had silently altered the layout of the conference room.
After circling several times, Shen Jingye sat back in his seat, silently staring at Li Seven.
The other directors also returned to their seats, some pretending to tidy their notes, others pretending to review documents.
They could vaguely sense that Director Shen was on the verge of exploding, about to completely fall out with this newly arrived Balancer.
Shen Jingye sat quietly for a moment, then looked at Li Seven with a tight smile. "Director Li, are you aware there are cameras in this room? Are you aware our proceedings are being recorded? Do you realize that your current irrational behavior will cause serious trouble?"
Li Banfeng showed an expression of sudden realization. "So this meeting has been recorded all along? Should I make the footage public? Why don't we show it to the Security Team and demolition team first?"
The veins on Shen Jingye's forehead bulged, his teeth clenched tight. "Just how long do you intend to keep this up?"
Li Banfeng looked at his watch. "Nothing can be achieved overnight. I can understand your eagerness to leave the conference room, but the specific method of leaving requires further analysis and discussion."
Some wanted to make phone calls, but their phones weren't on them; before entering, all devices had been confiscated by the staff.
Some wanted to shout for the personnel outside, but after glancing at Li Seven, none dared open their mouths.
From eleven in the morning until half past one in the afternoon, the discussion finally yielded a result.
The outcome was clear: missing a meal was bearable, but being denied the restroom was utterly unbearable.
Following in-depth study and discussion, both the assignment of liability and the reward plan were finalized.
The demolition team bore zero liability, and the Security Team was rewarded with harmonizing agents.
Li Banfeng had seen the concept of harmonizing agents in relevant dossiers; they were essentially the Outer States' equivalent of Puluo Province's medicinal pills.
Li Banfeng agreed to the meeting's conclusions, and Shen Jingye was finally able to exit the conference room.
Deputy Director Wang followed close behind Director Shen, asking in a low voice, "In future meetings with Director Li, shouldn't we bring security personnel along?"
Shen Jingye nodded. "It's time to consider that."
***
The Security Team received their harmonizing agents, and Chen Changrui knew Li Banfeng had secured them on their behalf.
"Director Li, I truly must thank you for this. Our team members..."
Chen Changrui expressed his sincere gratitude while Li Banfeng carefully reviewed the distribution sheet.
Every member of the Security Team had received harmonizing agents, including those who had not taken part in the battle from start to finish.
According to Tangyuan's explanation, converting it into Puluo Province terms meant each person received roughly the equivalent of one snake-spot pill.
Those who contributed more, like Tangyuan and He Bensheng, received an extra day's worth of harmonizing agents.
The distribution scheme had been personally drafted by Shen Jingye, leaving the team no choice but to execute it strictly.
Li Banfeng offered a series of wry smiles, yet Chen Changrui didn't consider it too little. "I believe this is the true foundation for enhancing our capabilities. With this incentive, I trust every team member will be tremendously encouraged.
"I believe certain people and certain things do not change just because the environment shifts. I believe I was not mistaken in you."
These words were an attempt to sound out Director Li. Chen Changrui firmly believed that he was the very Li Banfeng who had left Yuezhou two years ago.
Setting the sheet down, Li Seven looked at Chen Changrui. "I think you are the one who needs to change. You should be fighting for more on behalf of the Security Team. That is your duty as their captain."
Chen Changrui was taken aback. He had wanted to offer Li Banfeng some elder guidance, never expecting that Li Banfeng had no need of his advice.
***
Upon returning to his residence, Li Banfeng received a phone call from Luo Zhengnan: the key leading to the newland had been completed.
Though called a key, it did not take the shape of one; it took the form of an electrical test pen.
Carrying the key, Luo Zhengnan arrived at Flower Lake Park and first demonstrated how to use it.
He pressed his thumb against the tail of the test pen, running its screwdriver-like tip slowly across the ground until the pen lit up, locating the position of the keyhole.
This process was simple for Luo Zhengnan, as he could perceive the direction of the entrance.
For Li Banfeng, however, it posed some difficulty. Lacking the innate talent of the Electric Cultivator pathway, he could only probe blindly with the test pen, bit by bit.
After probing for over ten minutes, the test pen finally illuminated. Luo Zhengnan instructed Li Banfeng to insert the pen into the soil and twist it.
"Don't rush, turn it slowly. As long as the pen grows brighter, it proves you're turning in the right direction."
After nearly three full rotations, the flat ground began to blur and fade, and Li Banfeng and Luo Zhengnan tumbled into the lake waters.
Under the water, the method was identical: find an appropriate spot in the silt at the lakebed, rotate the test pen, and open the next entrance.
Having entered the newland, Li Banfeng examined the test pen for a moment and asked Old Luo, "Can't I just memorize the position of the keyhole to save the trouble of searching all over the ground each time?"
Old Luo shook his head. "I've tried; it doesn't work. The location is different every single time."
Li Banfeng couldn't make sense of it. "The entrance to the newland changes every time? Is that a unique feature of the newland in the Outer States?"
Luo Zhengnan explained, "Seventh Master, in truth, the entrances to newlands in Puluo Province also change every time."
Li Banfeng chuckled. "How could that be? I go in and out of newlands all the time, and the entrance is always the same."
Luo Zhengnan said, "Seventh Master, that's because you haven't looked closely enough. Not just you—out of ten thousand people, not even one might notice the shift.
"Take the entrance to the newland at Lanyang Village. Whether you pass through now or an hour later, there will be variations within it."
"What variations?" Li Banfeng had no recollection of anything like that.
Yet this truly wasn't something derived from memory; Luo Zhengnan had measured it inch by inch with a ruler.
"Seventh Master, there are many shanties near the newland entrance at Lanyang Village. You recall that, right?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I recall. In Lanyang Village, those too poor to afford housing live in shanties. The closer a shanty is to the newland, the easier it is to find, because fewer people fight over them."
"The shanty closest to the newland sits thirty-two chi from the entrance. Ordinary folk dare not live there for fear of being attacked by anomalies.
"Once, entering the newland at eight o'clock, I measured from that shanty to the entrance: the distance was thirty-two chi and six cun.
"When I entered again at eight-thirty and measured once more, the distance was thirty-one chi and three cun. It had shortened by an entire chi and three cun."
"That big a difference?" Li Banfeng thought for a moment. "Old Luo, could there have been an error in your measurement? Besides, what exactly do you define as the entrance? Is there a precise location?"
"Of course there is," Old Luo said. "Seventh Master, my pathway is special. I can clearly perceive the boundary between the newland and the proper land; there's no mistaking it.
"That shanty stands firmly in place without moving, yet that boundary shifts constantly. Sometimes it's a matter of length, sometimes it sways left or right. Every single measurement yields a different result.
"I cannot explain the principle behind it, let alone the cause, but the shift is undeniably real."
Indefinable in length, indefinable in direction.
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Should it be called... the unnameable?"
Luo Zhengnan nodded. "I believe it is identical to what certain pathways call the unnameable."
Li Banfeng rubbed his chin, sinking into deep contemplation.
Luo Zhengnan remained quiet, knowing better than to disturb Li Banfeng at such a moment.
Yet despite his desire not to interrupt, a disturbance came anyway. His skull gave a sudden shudder as an incoming call reached him.
Pulling an antenna from his pocket, he plugged it into the crown of his head and answered the call.
Once the call ended, Luo Zhengnan turned to Li Banfeng. "Seventh Master, news from Fifth Master. Qin Tianjiu has been found."
Li Banfeng asked, "Is he still alive?"
"He's alive for now," Luo Zhengnan replied, his expression grave. "Hard to say how long he can hold out."
Chapter 506