Patriarch, Just Give In!

Li Banfeng had the liquor gourd inspect the scene. Lühuazi's remaining flesh and blood had to be scrubbed clean, or an epidemic might still break out. Critic hurried to Li Banfeng's side and lowered his voice. "No need to worry about that. My patriarch's flesh and blood are rare treasures; I will never let them go to waste. But I do need your help with something." "Speak." Critic said, "The place I most want my patriarch to go is Daogui Ridge. We are talking about the same place, aren't we?" Li Banfeng nodded. A look of excitement shone in Critic's eyes, excitement he had never intended to hide in the first place. "From what I've seen and heard in Puluo Province, Daogui Ridge is the most wondrous place in all the province, and the daolao ghosts are the most miraculous creatures. Back on Sage Peak, many powerful figures whose cultivations surpassed the realm above the clouds were scared away by the daolao ghosts. "Yet I don't believe the daolao ghosts are guaranteed to kill my patriarch. His might shocks me just as much. I am very curious to see what kind of miracle my patriarch and the daolao ghosts will create together—especially after our joint efforts to improve the daolao ghosts..." Li Banfeng's eyes turned frosty as he glared at Critic. "You did that on your own. It has nothing to do with me!" Critic chuckled. "You don't need to be so polite. I'm not someone who hoards credit. I mainly want to ask a favor of you. I would dearly love to witness the miracle my patriarch performs on Daogui Ridge, but the ridge is far away, and reaching it requires crossing the boundary between the Outer States and Puluo Province. Getting there isn't easy." Li Banfeng said, "You want me to give you a lift?" Critic nodded. "Precisely." "Not right now. I need a bit of time to recover—" Li Banfeng suddenly shuddered. Critic twitched his nose, catching the scent of high fever. "The patriarch is utterly ruthless in his methods. When you used Parting by Ten Thousand Li, he must have planted a disease focus in you." This had been within Li Banfeng's expectations. After clashing with Lühuazi, coming away with lingering afflictions was unavoidable. Critic said, "I can take care of this for you." Li Banfeng asked, "On the condition that I deliver you to Daogui Ridge, right?" Critic laughed. "Don't underestimate our friendship. Whether you are willing to send me to Daogui Ridge or not, I am willing to help you. The focus my patriarch left behind this time is hidden very deep and won't be easy to handle. Please clear your mind of distracting thoughts and keep your mindset as calm as possible. I will remove the focus for you right now." *Clear distracting thoughts?* Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and asked, "During the removal process, is the patient's state of mind that important?" "Not really," Critic shook his head. "I just want you to stay calm so that, if my hand slips, you won't hit me." With a calm mind, Li Banfeng accepted Critic's treatment. Critic stood before Li Banfeng like a clay statue, his gaze drifting slowly across Li Banfeng's body. Li Banfeng first felt a wave of cold, followed by a rush of heat. Once Li Banfeng's body temperature returned to normal, Critic let out a long breath. "The patriarch's disease foci are delicious as always. You can rest easy now—I swallowed every last bit of them." Li Banfeng expressed his thanks. "Meet me tomorrow at this time at the Huayuan Residential Community on Qingzhou Road in Baiyuan District. I'll send you to Daogui Ridge." Letting Critic go have a look wasn't a bad idea either. If Lühuazi managed to escape again, at least Critic could relay the news to Li Banfeng. Watching Li Banfeng leave Suichen Road, Critic walked over to He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing was at his last gasp. Critic thought for a moment and made up his mind. "Regardless, our tripartite cooperation was achieved in the end, and I saw the result I wanted. Therefore, I will honor my promise and clear your disease focus." Half an hour later, He Jiaqing regained consciousness. The stench of pus and blood in his breath was finally gone. His body was exceedingly weak, and several attempts to sit up ended in failure. Critic checked his pocket watch. "I must go. I advise you to leave as soon as possible, too. The Dark Star Bureau will be here very shortly." He Jiaqing nodded. "Thank you, my friend." Critic shook his head. "Don't be so quick to call me a friend. We aren't that close yet." He Jiaqing reflected, "Back then, I was the one who rescued you from Sage Peak. That counts as a life-and-death bond between us." Critic remembered that as well. "Back then, you came to rescue me for the sake of that covenant deed. Even though that doesn't change the outcome, I will still take the motive into consideration." Critic departed, but at that moment, both he and He Jiaqing were pondering the exact same question. Where was Lü Shuigong's covenant deed? *** Zhong'er waited outside the cordon. As the depths of Suichen Road fell silent, he grew even more anxious, because Director Li still hadn't emerged. Tangyuan asked from the side, "Is the fighting over?" Lightbulb wasn't certain. "It should be over, right?" Zhong'er stepped across the cordon. "I'm going in to check." Lightbulb stepped forward to stop him. "Don't go. Wait a bit longer!" Zhong'er brushed Lightbulb aside. "I don't know what headquarters is playing at! They promised reinforcements, but not a single person has shown up to this moment. They haven't even deployed a single drone! There's something wrong with this operation!" Reaching the deeper part of Suichen Road, they saw faint scorch marks and a scattering of broken bricks and shattered tiles. The place had been ruins to begin with, so even after a vicious battle, not many distinct traces remained. "Where did Director Li go?" Zhong'er's worry deepened. Lightbulb searched the surroundings for a long while without spotting any sign of Li Seven. Tangyuan said, "Let's head back outside the cordon to keep watch. Seventh Master definitely won't be in danger." *** Li Banfeng lay on the bed in the companion dwelling while his lady tended to his injuries. The glove paced back and forth across the dwelling, appearing restless. Li Banfeng said to the gramophone, "My lady, see if the glove is hurt." The gramophone raised its stylus, about to skewer the glove over, but the glove dodged repeatedly, protesting, "Master, I'm not hurt! I just felt that battle was far too perilous, and shouldn't we review a few matters thoroughly?" "Indeed, we should review things thoroughly," the companion dwelling chimed in. "In this battle, Ah Tao's contribution was by no means small. Adapting to circumstances on the battlefield, offering strategies to Ah Qi—merit deserves reward. Ah Tao, come to the Third Room. I've prepared several good items for you; pick whatever you like." The glove wagged its index finger. "Old Master, we must handle things fairly. I don't covet unearned credit; I believe in doing my duty properly. In the battle against Lühuazi, the Tang dao deserves first credit, Old Master takes second, and third goes to Sister Gourd and the Projector. I was just running errands; it's not my turn to claim a reward." The companion dwelling said, "Rewarding merit can be left to Ah Qi. You and I primarily need to review the battle." The Tang dao had sustained heavy injuries. Red Lotus had concocted a medicinal pill and had the liquor gourd dissolve it in liquor before applying it to the blade. At the mention of reviewing the battle, the Tang dao grew rather excited. "Today's battle truly deserves a proper talk! It was no easy fight, and our victory was hard-won. In particular, that beggar's alms bowl of Lühuazi's dragged our lord and the rest of us into that nameless place. It scared the wits out of us at the time!" The companion dwelling agreed heartily. "Ah Lü speaks the truth. But where did that alms bowl end up?" The glove expressed great curiosity. "Yeah, where did it go?" The liquor gourd recalled, "During the fierce clash, I remember Lühuazi clutching that bowl without letting go. How did it suddenly vanish?" The companion dwelling said, "I'm worried about that very thing. If an item like that isn't kept securely, and someone brushes against it or touches it, they might end up trapped in that nameless place. Getting out then would be easier said than done. Wouldn't you say so, Ah Tao?" The glove nodded its index finger. "Yes, indeed, we must be extra careful with this. Exactly who took that alms bowl?" The room fell dead silent. The atmosphere turned somewhat tense. Li Banfeng instinctively stroked his lady. His lady was focused entirely on treating his wounds, with no leisure to pay them any mind. The pendulum whispered a couple of words to the earring, who shook vigorously. "Sister, everything was in such chaos back then, I really didn't hear a thing." The Old Master's voice abruptly lowered. "Ah Ji, what do you say?" The projector looked first at the glove, then glanced around, his voice trembling slightly. "At the time... I had run out of film." The Old Master asked again, "Sickle, you never lie. Tell me, where did that bowl go?" The sickle replied, "Back then, I wanted to fight that beggar with my life, but I lack combat experience and never found an opportunity to strike. I didn't see the alms bowl either." A tremor ran through the room; the Old Master was displeased. "Brat, you refuse to confess no matter what?" The companion dwelling's voice turned hoarse and sinister. "Old Master, to catch a thief you must catch him with the goods!" The glove's breathing remained steady, its tone casual as ever. The companion dwelling fumed, "Catch you with the goods? If I hadn't knocked him flat, what chance would you have had to make a move? Do you have no conscience when you speak?!" The glove protested indignantly, "When you knocked him over, I was still far away from him. How do you know it was me?" The two began to argue, while the rest of the household watched in silence. The Tang dao stepped forward to mediate. "A matter like this must be sorted out clearly! Neither side should yield an inch!" The Judge's Brush yawned, flew into the Ninth Room, flopped onto the desk, and pulled a sheet of newspaper over itself to sleep. After another round of bickering, the glove finally came clean. "Fine, I took the thing! But let me make this clear: I had no intention of keeping it for myself. Keeping it would do me no good anyway, and holding onto it only makes me fret in fear." The bowl had indeed been taken by the glove, and everything it said was true. The reason it had been pacing back and forth so restlessly was precisely out of fear that the bowl might act up out of control. If the glove were sent into that nameless place by the bowl, it truly wouldn't know how to get back. The companion dwelling asked, "Then why were you unwilling to hand it over?" The glove explained, "I took the bowl because I wanted to save it for Master. If used properly, this thing can both kill enemies and save lives. It's a genuinely rare treasure!" Put plainly, the glove was afraid the companion dwelling would snatch it by force. Li Banfeng, on the other hand, took an open view of it. "Old Master, the glove's contribution cannot be overlooked, and I trust him. As for that bowl, if you truly have a use for it, giving it to you is fine as well!" The companion dwelling pondered for a moment. "Bring it out for a look first." Before everyone's eyes, the glove spat out the begging bowl. The crowd studied it for a long while without noticing anything out of the ordinary. After a long pause, the companion dwelling finally spoke: "This is a key." Li Banfeng asked, "A key to unlock Lühuazi's residence?" "More than that," the companion dwelling said. "It is a key to unlock nameless places." Li Banfeng didn't quite understand. "Isn't Lühuazi's residence a nameless place?" The companion dwelling replied, "The place we entered earlier was not his residence. It was a nameless place located in the Outer States." The gramophone asked, "Old Master, which nameless places can this bowl unlock?" The companion dwelling answered, "If used properly, it can unlock any nameless place anywhere." Silence fell over the room. Many still didn't fully comprehend, but everyone recognized that this item was extraordinary. The gramophone could sense the weight of those words. "Old Master, I doubt Lühuazi possessed such skill, did he?" The companion dwelling said, "He had mastered thirty percent. The remaining seventy percent, he had yet to learn." Li Banfeng had the glove carry the bowl into the Third Room. "Then let Old Master study it slowly." The projector asked Li Banfeng, "Director Seven, I collected a good amount of Lühuazi's ashes. How should we handle them?" Even though it was burned to ash, there was no guarantee the substance was clean. His lady thought for a moment and said, "Hand them to that wretched wench Red Lotus. She might have a way." Red Lotus inspected the ashes with evident distaste, yet after tasting a tiny pinch, she detected some flavor. "This can be used to refine pills, but the resulting pills won't increase cultivation. They will only create diseases." Li Banfeng considered this. "Then refine them." The projector handed all the ashes over to Red Lotus, had the gourd wash out his film chamber, and then took the mobile phones and satellite phone to stand guard outside the companion dwelling. In the entire companion dwelling, only the projector could maintain external communication with the Fifth Room's young lady. Moreover, he possessed methods to block tracking and surveillance. With him guarding outside the door, Li Banfeng felt completely at ease. *** After resting in the companion dwelling for a night, Li Banfeng's injuries were mostly healed. Stepping out of the dwelling, he found the projector holding four phones. "Director Seven, many people called you. I didn't answer a single one." The phones issued by the Dark Star Bureau were filled with calls from agency personnel. Shen Jingye had placed one call, while Lightbulb, Zhong'er, and Tangyuan had each called more than a dozen times. On the other personal mobile phone, there were only calls from Teacher Song—over thirty of them. Just as Li Banfeng was about to call Teacher Song back, the projector said, "This phone received even more." He was referring to the makeshift telephone Luo Zhengnan had built for Li Banfeng. According to the projector, it had barely stopped ringing all night. Li Banfeng called Luo Zhengnan back first. Old Luo was frantic. "Seventh Master, I couldn't reach you all night! Did something happen?" Li Banfeng said, "I fought a battle against Lühuazi last night." Old Luo was stunned for a long time before asking cautiously, "Which Lühuazi?" "Who else could it be? Lü Shuigong, the local spirit of Lüshui City." Luo Zhengnan's mind went blank. *Seventh Master actually fought Lü Shuigong? I must have misheard.* Li Banfeng said, "Tell me about your side first." Luo Zhengnan shook his head to clear it. "Seventh Master, news came from Fifth Master. He clashed with people from the Inner States." Li Banfeng was startled. "How is Old Five?" "Fifth Master is fine. I'll patch the line through in a moment so you two can speak privately." Li Banfeng let out a long breath. As long as Ma the Fifth was safe, that was what mattered. Shortly after, the phone rang again. Luo Zhengnan connected the line, leaving the two of them to talk alone. "Old Seven, the matter has been investigated." "You scared me half to death. You aren't hurt, are you?" "Just some minor flesh wounds, nothing serious. The Inner States have an entrance in Qishuiyao. The guard at the entrance was a crucian carp whose flesh was stripped clean by the Outer States side, leaving only a skeleton, yet it's still alive. The Inner States wanted revenge and killed over fifty Outer States people. Before dying, those people claimed to belong to a task force, all taking orders from Special Commissioner Xu Shouming." *What background does Xu Shouming have? Why would he strike against people from the Inner States?* Li Banfeng couldn't fathom the reasons behind it. Ma the Fifth continued, "The Inner States will definitely seek vengeance; this war probably can't be stopped. I'm currently discussing this with Luo Lijun. What we fear most is them clashing inside Puluo Province. Once war breaks out here, Puluo Province is finished." "Who is Luo Lijun?" "A native of the Inner States. Pureblood." "A pureblood Inner States native is discussing terms with you?" "She wasn't willing to talk at first. With Miss Feng's help, we beat her into submission." Nearby, the river snail maiden snorted, "I am not submissive!" Ma the Fifth glared back at her. "What do you mean by that?" The river snail maiden lowered her head. "I just refuse to yield." Feng Daiku's face darkened. "This insolent wench still needs disciplining. I'll give her another thrashing in a moment!" Luo Lijun's tone sounded thoroughly aggrieved. "If you have the guts, don't gang up on me! Come at me one by one, and I won't fear either of you!" Ma the Fifth sneered, "Such big talk! I'll sort you out first in a bit, and we'll see if your tongue stays sharp." "Don't you start—" The river snail maiden seemed rather afraid of Ma the Fifth. "As for Feng Daiku, I'm definitely not afraid of her!" With the call still connected, Li Banfeng had no idea what they were going on about. "Old Seven, I'm due for an advancement in the next couple of days. If you can spare the time, come back and take a look. Regarding the Inner States matter, you'll need to talk to Luo Lijun again, and Miss Feng has something she wants to discuss with you as well." Hanging up the phone, Li Banfeng was completely bewildered. *After fighting a battle against an Inner States native, Ma the Fifth is about to advance? How does that advancement even work? There's no logic to it!* Li Banfeng placed a call to Teacher Song. Hearing his voice, Teacher Song became exceedingly agitated. "Did you run into Lü Shuigong? Are you hurt? Did you contract his disease foci? What is your condition right now? Where are you? I'll contact Kang Zhenchang immediately—he should know how to treat it!" Teacher Song spoke so rapidly that her words slurred together. Li Banfeng hurriedly reassured her, "Take a deep breath and calm down. I'm fine, nothing is wrong." "You don't need to worry about me; I haven't had an episode in a long time." Teacher Song panted for a moment before her tone steadied. "Where are you right now? Can I see you? Don't worry, no one can tap my phone." "At ten o'clock, pick a suitable place and call me. Make sure no one spots me, and I will come see you." Li Banfeng headed to the Huayuan Residential Community on Qingzhou Road. A demon cultivator had once lived here, and a rogue ghost servant had resulted in a homicide. By now, the few remaining residents had mostly moved away. The surroundings were desolate and deserted. Critic had been waiting there for a good while. "This place was really hard to find—even harder to locate than that spot last night." Li Banfeng said, "A large number of Dark Star Bureau personnel will be investigating Suichen Road. It's relatively safer here." Critic stretched his limbs and assumed a stance. "I'm ready. We can head to Daogui Ridge at any time. But since we are friends, could we negotiate one small thing? Could you please not use your foot?" Li Banfeng solemnly agreed. When ten o'clock arrived, Li Banfeng received Teacher Song's call. He pulled a feather duster from inside his trench coat. Critic was taken aback. "Why do you keep something like that hidden in your clothes? A push would be enough—" Li Banfeng swung the feather duster with full force across Critic's back. Daogui Ridge was so far away; if he didn't use enough force, Critic might not make it all the way. *Smack!* The blow landed fiercely. With a cry of pain from Critic, the two of them flew into the air simultaneously. Critic flew an immense distance at such blinding speed that the scenery around him was an utter blur. Upon landing, Critic rubbed his back and, without wasting a second, immediately mobilized the disease foci within his body, swelling his frame until he assumed the likeness of a daolao ghost. On Daogui Ridge, tensions ran high. Swaths of daolao ghosts were marching toward the mountainside, their gait indicating that they were headed for battle. "Hu-ya! Hu-ya! Hu-hu-hu-ya!" A daolao ghost approached Critic, waving its sausage-like arm to signal that Critic shouldn't fear and should press bravely forward! "Hu-ya-ya-ya! Hu-hu!" Critic waved his arm in return, indicating that he was fearless and ready to fight to the bitter end. Following the horde of daolao ghosts to the mountainside, he spotted Lü Shuigong, covered in wounds and locked in a bloody struggle against a swarm of daolao ghosts. The pus sores on his body were gone, leaving him looking fairly clean, which meant his disease foci were virtually exhausted. Beneath his clothing, numerous weapons were concealed; he was relying on martial cultivator methods to slaughter the daolao ghosts. Lurking among the ghosts, Critic dearly wished to urge his patriarch: *Patriarch, just give in!* *Why put yourself through this?* *Even the Sage leading all of Sage Peak couldn't hold off these daolao ghosts. How long can you possibly last? Why can't you just willingly become a happy daolao ghost?* Just as Lü Shuigong appeared on the verge of exhaustion, Wan Jinxian led another pack of daolao ghosts in a charge against him. This was already the second charge. Earlier, Wan Jinxian had led a wave of ghosts to attack, only for all of them to be wiped out. Now, another fresh wave followed him into battle. Wan Jinxian held high status among these daolao ghosts, and his grudge against Lü Shuigong ran deep. Where did that grudge come from? Did it stem from Wan Jinxian's past memories? *Does Wan Jinxian still retain his former memories?* Critic realized there was still much to study about the daolao ghosts. Furthermore, he needed to keep a close eye on Wan Jinxian—if memories truly survived, Wan Jinxian's impression of Critic wouldn't be very favorable either. *** Li Banfeng soared straight into Teacher Song's home. During his university years, he had visited here, so he was no stranger to her residence. Teacher Song was not surprised to see Li Banfeng arrive. When he had asked her to call him, she had already deduced he would use Parting by Ten Thousand Li. She first inspected Li Banfeng's injuries. Confirming he was in no serious danger, she asked about the events of the previous night. Li Banfeng said, "I was deceived. Someone told me to deal with a bagworm moth, but I ended up facing Lü Shuigong. Teacher, do you know who set me up?" Teacher Song hesitated briefly before answering, "This matter has already gone beyond the scope of the Dark Star Bureau." Li Banfeng nodded slightly and did not press further. If Teacher Song had not stated it outright, she certainly had her difficulties. Teacher Song advised him, "The situation is extremely complicated right now, and the balancer's position will be very dangerous. I suggest you return to Puluo Province for a while to lie low." "I will give it serious thought. Please do not disclose our meeting today to anyone, Teacher." Teacher Song handed Li Banfeng her research notes and lecture materials on dark energy. "I don't know if these will still be of any use to you." "They will. These are precious. Thank you, Teacher." Li Banfeng bowed to Teacher Song. Teacher Song urged him, "Calls between you and me cannot be intercepted. If you encounter difficulties, you must reach out to me. I will definitely help you." Leaving Teacher Song's home, Li Banfeng headed to Huahu Park. He was indeed going to Puluo Province, but not to seek refuge. The Inner States were preparing to wage war against the Outer States; Li Banfeng had to understand the causes and consequences of this conflict. Crossing through the newland, he ran all the way to Qishuiyao. Arriving at the location Ma the Fifth had described, Li Banfeng saw Miss Luo Lijun. Perhaps because he had spent so much time around Ma the Fifth, or perhaps because he had seen Ge Jun and the workshops before, Li Banfeng acted perfectly natural before this massive river snail maiden. "Miss Luo, could you let me see the guardian of the entrance?" "What do you want to see him for?" Luo Lijun's voice was icy. "Do you wish to mock him as well?" Ma the Fifth frowned. "Still looking for a fight?" Luo Lijun lowered her head, slithered to the edge of the pool, and lightly tapped the water's surface with her antennae. Before long, an intact crucian carp skeleton floated up. The skeleton could move and even bite, darting with considerable agility. Li Banfeng observed it with his Golden Eyes of Keen Detail for a moment, discovering that the carp's bones contained not the slightest trace of life force—it was indeed dead, yet a faint green glow lingered between the joints of the bones. A green glow meant its soul was still present. The fish was thoroughly dead, yet its soul had not departed, clearly having fallen under the technique of some pathway. "Is this a Demon Cultivator technique?" Li Banfeng asked. Luo Lijun replied, "You underestimate me. If it were merely the method of soul possession, how could I fail to recognize it?" Soul possession was a foundational demon cultivator technique; recognizing it was indeed not difficult. Yet if it wasn't a Demon Cultivator technique, what else could it be? Seeing Li Banfeng remain silent, Ma the Fifth explained from the side, "At first, I thought it was a demon technique as well. But a demon cultivator's ghost servants all know they are dead, whereas this fish genuinely believes it is still alive. That doesn't seem like an act." *Genuinely believes it is still alive...* This reminded Li Banfeng of a certain place. The City of Fools. All the residents in the City of Fools believed they were still alive. Could this be the work of a Fool Cultivator? As far as Li Banfeng knew, the Outer States did not possess the methods of Fool Cultivation. Could it be that this wasn't done by the Outer States? There were no living Fool Cultivators left in the world. Sun Tiecheng had taken only two disciples outside his lineage—one was Li Banfeng, and the other had been killed by Li Banfeng. Deducing from this, was this done by Sun Tiecheng? What was his purpose in doing this? Luo Lijun asked Li Banfeng, "I heard Ma Junyang say you are the Outer States' balancer. If you came to act as a lobbyist for the Outer States, I advise you not to waste your breath. Don't expect to resolve this war with a few sweet words." Li Banfeng shook his head. "I have no intention of resolving this war. How you and the Outer States fight is up to you, but you cannot fight in Puluo Province." Luo Lijun said, "Ma Junyang discussed this with me as well. All I can do is try my best to persuade my people to minimize destruction in Puluo Province." Li Banfeng shook his head. "I didn't come here to negotiate with you. I am informing you that you cannot wage war in Puluo Province. I don't care what your people think, but if they dare show themselves in Puluo Province, they will pay with their lives." Luo Lijun's antennae trembled. "War between us and the Outer States is unavoidable. Puluo Province lies between our two territories, so both sides can only battle within Puluo Province." Li Banfeng said, "Are you sure about that? Does the Inner States truly possess no other avenue to engage the Outer States? You had better look into the matter properly." Luo Lijun didn't understand what Li Banfeng meant, and Li Banfeng offered no further explanation. Newlands had already appeared in the Outer States, along with Inner States creatures like the Centipede Workshop, proving that the Inner States and the Outer States were already bordering each other. If they wished to wage war, they could certainly find another battleground. "You know very well what happens when a pureblood Inner States native appears in Puluo Province." Li Banfeng glanced around the factory and continued, "This factory sits right on the boundary between the two realms. We won't hold it against you if you remain inside this workshop. But step outside this factory, and you had better prepare to forfeit your life." The river snail shell shook violently; Luo Lijun was furious. "Is that any way to speak to someone from the Inner States?" Li Banfeng nodded. "I have always spoken like this. You and your kin had best learn to get used to it." Feng Daiku chimed in from the side, "I'll lay my words bare as well: if an Inner States native shows up in Qishuiyao, I will kill every last one I see." There was a particular weight behind her words. *Is there some special connection between Qishuiyao and Feng Daiku?* Luo Lijun moved to the edge of the pool. "I will relay your words to my people." With that, she dove into the water. Feng Daiku turned to Li Banfeng. "Young Master Li, there is something I would like to discuss with you as well. I wish to take over Qishuiyao and become Qishuiyao's local spirit." Li Banfeng was taken aback. "Does that need to be discussed with me?" *** PS: In Miss Feng's eyes, Li Seven's status seemed rather out of the ordinary.