*Chug! Chug! Chug!*
The train pulled into Santoucha, and Liao Zihui boarded.
If not for his rotund build, Li Qi might not have recognized him. Liao Zihui was bundled up tightly from head to toe, with a heavy mask covering his face.
"Brother Li, good to see you well!
"Old Shen, how long has it been since we last met?"
Liao Zihui took off his mask and greeted them one by one. Aboard the train, there was no need to guard against heavenly light, so he could temporarily take off his gear.
Li Banfeng exchanged a few pleasantries with Liao Zihui, specifically adding, "The Autumn Singing Festival at Xiaoyaowu is coming up soon. Chief Envoy Liao, you absolutely have to come and support it."
Liao Zihui waved his hands repeatedly. "Director Shen is listening right beside us! You can't talk about that in front of him, or he'll definitely file a little report against me when we get back."
Shen Jingye smiled. "What's wrong with listening to some singing? Puluo Province's foremost singing queen, Jiang Mengting, seems to be in Xiaoyaowu, isn't she? Everyone says she sings exceptionally well. I wouldn't mind going to hear her myself."
After the pleasantries, they got down to business.
Liao Zihui produced a list. "Brother Li, here is the roster of the five thousand. Have a look first."
Looking at the roster was useless; Li Qi had never been to Santoucha and didn't know anyone on the list. "Chief Envoy Liao, were these people all selected from Sinners' City?"
This had been Lüshuigong's condition: he had insisted that the three-headed people he wanted must come from Sinners' City.
Liao Zihui nodded. "Where we are right now is Sinners' City, and the people I picked are all from here as well. If you don't believe me, you're welcome to question every single one. If one lies, maybe I coached him. But all five thousand couldn't possibly lie, could they?"
Li Qi really did intend to verify it. "Since you've said so, Chief Envoy Liao, let's step off the train!"
Liao Zihui had his men fetch gear. Li Banfeng put on a hat, donned a heavy protective suit, and slipped on a mask.
"Director Shen, coming along?" Liao Zihui asked.
Shen Jingye scratched his neck. "Chief Envoy Liao, would you mind getting me some inhibitors? I took some before coming, but the effects seem to be wearing off now."
People without cultivation would be affected by the territory upon arriving in Santoucha: their necks would itch, their thoughts would scatter, and they would hallucinate that two more heads were growing out of them.
Of course, this depended on how long one stayed in Santoucha. A few hours wouldn't be much of an issue; the hallucinations would quickly dissipate.
But if one stayed for ten days or a fortnight, it might no longer be a hallucination—two heads might truly sprout.
To be safe, those without cultivation were best off taking inhibitors upon arriving in Santoucha. Shen Jingye's request for inhibitors at this moment was first to signal his cultivation status—he was merely an ordinary white lamb, so it was best not to make him get off the train.
Second, it signaled his stance: now that they had reached Puluo Province, these matters were none of his business.
Liao Zihui hurried to have someone bring Shen Jingye the inhibitors, then led Li Banfeng off the train.
The platform was just as before. Beyond the iron grates, crowds of three-headed people were still packed tightly together.
They reached their hands through the grates with open palms, looking at Li Qi with longing on their faces.
Li Banfeng asked Liao Zihui, "Are all of these people boarding the train today?"
Liao Zihui shook his head. "Not all of them."
"What do you mean?"
"Some are family members here to see them off," Liao Zihui said. "Once they leave, who knows if they'll ever see each other again in this lifetime. Of course they had to come send them off."
With that, Liao Zihui waved his hand and ordered the gates opened.
Five thousand people formed a line and entered through the station entrance via a temporary corridor.
The temporary corridor was flanked by iron grates. As they moved forward, people outside reached through the mesh, grabbing at their clothes and clutching their hands.
Li Banfeng heard weeping and murmured parting words.
Li Banfeng saw many people extending both hands toward him, clasping them together in bows of gratitude.
For as long as he could remember, Li Banfeng had rarely avoided anyone's gaze. Whether speaking or handling business, he usually looked people straight in the eye.
Yet today, he averted his eyes.
"Chief Envoy Liao, how many three-headed people are there in Santoucha?"
Liao Zihui replied, "Over two hundred thousand in Sinners' City. Those hiding outside the city haven't been counted."
Over two hundred thousand...
Li Qi looked at the five thousand people boarding the train. They were being loaded into freight boxcars, the kind without any windows.
"Have food and water been provided?"
Liao Zihui chuckled. "Don't worry, we certainly won't let them starve to death."
Li Qi inspected each boxcar one by one. Once everyone was inside, the train blew its whistle; it was time to depart.
Li Qi boarded the train and stood by a window, watching the station.
Outside the platform, people were still bowing to him.
As the train slowly started moving amid chugging puffs of steam, Li Qi heard drumming—a deep, low rumble of drums.
Liao Zihui frowned. "Why are they beating drums today? What kind of trouble are they trying to stir up now?"
They weren't trying to stir up trouble.
This was a grand drum unique to Sinners' City, sounded under only two circumstances:
First, at the New Year, representing Sinners' City's hopes for life.
Second, when survival became impossible, representing Sinners' City's struggle for life.
Today was not New Year's, but they saw hope. They didn't know why these five thousand people were leaving Sinners' City, nor did they know where they were going.
Yet to leave was to have hope.
*Thump! Thump!*
Standing by the window, Li Banfeng silently watched the platform recede into the distance.
*Wait for me. I will return.*
En route, Li Qi went to the boxcars carrying the three-headed people to count heads. Liao Zihui took the opportunity to ask Shen Jingye, "Why did Lühuazi take an interest in these three-headed people?"
Shen Jingye shook his head repeatedly. "I haven't figured that out either. By the way, when does the Autumn Singing Festival at Xiaoyaowu usually start?"
"Not for a while, still another month," Liao Zihui replied, then asked, "I heard Director Du ran into Lühuazi over there too. How are things on his end?"
"Still in treatment. Do all those top singing queens of Puluo Province attend this Autumn Singing Festival?"
"Hard to say in previous years, but this year they definitely will. Xiaoyaowu is the territory of Li Qi and Ma the Fifth—which singing queen would dare not show up? I just wanted to ask, did Director Du really run into Lühuazi? Even with Kang Zhenchang around, Lühuazi's pathogen isn't easy to treat."
"With Doctor Kang there, he should be fine." Shen Jingye asked with a mysterious look, "Old Liao, tell me the truth—are you interested in Jiang Mengting?"
Liao Zihui let out a scoff. "Is there any point in that?"
Neither of them spoke after that.
Shen Jingye hadn't shared a single piece of useful information, so dragging out the conversation truly had no point.
Two days later, at ten at night, the train reached Lüshui City. Deputy Chief Envoy Tang Huanjie brought men to meet them at the station. Liao Zihui said to Shen Jingye, "Old Shen, how about coming to my place for a drink in a bit?"
Shen Jingye waved his hand. "Not today. I have to rush back—a whole pile of business is waiting at the bureau."
Liao Zihui frowned. "What's the matter, Old Shen? Haven't seen each other in so long and now you're treating me like a stranger? Didn't you say you wanted to attend the Autumn Singing Festival?"
"When the day of the singing festival comes, be sure to let me know, and I'll definitely come. Right now I really can't get away. Let's finish the paperwork so I can hurry back tonight."
Shen Jingye didn't even step off the train.
His mission was simply to escort Li Qi to Lüshui City; everything after Lüshui City was left entirely to Liao Zihui and had nothing to do with him. He drew that line with utter clarity.
Outside the station, Liao Zihui dispatched twenty-five steam trucks, each hauling four trailers, with fifty people packed into each trailer, transporting the five thousand into Lüshui Bay.
Passing through Lüshui City, the three-headed people peered out through the cracks between the wooden slats of the trailers.
The gaps were small, preventing them from seeing clearly what lay outside; they only saw streaks of colorful halos flashing past in the night, vibrant and mesmerizing.
In Sinners' City, they were terrified of light in the night, because if light appeared at night, it inevitably meant heavenly light had come.
Yet today's light was not frightening at all—they just didn't know where it came from.
*Snap!*
A piece of wood was pried off the carriage wall, revealing a hole.
Through the hole, the three-headed people could see clearly.
Outside were tall buildings, with all sorts of lights gleaming upon them.
People walked the streets, wearing splendid clothes, weaving to and fro beneath the halos of light.
As the vehicle passed Heping Mansion, a very young three-headed person named Shuanzhu tilted up all three of his heads, gazing at the tall tower, and asked, "What place is that?"
No one could answer him. No one knew what such tall, beautiful buildings were used for.
Shuanzhu stared at Heping Mansion for a long time, until it vanished entirely from sight. "So pretty... That place is so pretty. The people there are pretty too. Are they the same as us?"
A middle-aged man beside him scoffed. "How could they be the same? They don't have three heads."
"They are all the same!" Li Qi pried off another wooden plank from the carriage wall. "They're all people. There's no difference."
By four-thirty in the morning, the trucks stopped at Sheqiao Village.
This village was extremely remote. Deserted for many years due to rampant bandits, its dwellings lay in dilapidated ruins.
Liao Zihui ordered the trucks unloaded. Once the five thousand three-headed people had climbed down, Liao Zihui's task was complete.
"Brother Li, Lüshuigong is meeting them here in a bit?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes. Wait here a moment—he'll be here soon."
"Why should I wait for him? I'm no kin of his."
Had it been anyone else, Liao Zihui might have stayed a while. But with Lühuazi, running into him might mean catching who-knew-what bad luck.
The trucks drove off. Before long, two groups arrived at the deserted village: one from the He family, the other belonging to Ma the Fifth.
Over the coming days, they would be responsible for looking after this group of three-headed people.
In Qiqiu City, Ma the Fifth had seen plenty of three-headed people and ought to have been accustomed to them, yet seeing five thousand standing before him all at once still made him somewhat tense.
He Yuxiu was nervous too, though not because of the three-headed people. Having traveled all across Puluo Province, she had seen everything; her nerves stemmed from her upcoming breakthrough.
The three-headed people had arrived, which meant the day to force her advancement above the clouds was fast approaching.
He Yuxiu breathed into her palms; for the past two days, her hands had been icy cold.
"Seventh Brother, I feel a bit unreconciled."
Li Banfeng blinked. "Unreconciled about what?"
He Yuxiu smiled faintly. "I'd like to have a child. When I was young, I didn't want one. Now that I've reached this age and want one, I can't find the right person."
Li Banfeng thought she was joking again. "Life is long. Take your time looking."
"Aren't I about to advance soon?" He Yuxiu said. "Who knows if I'll ever have the chance again."
Li Banfeng frowned. "Last time, you told me you knew the method to force advancement above the clouds."
The mechanics of Martial Cultivators differed from those of Journey Cultivators and Dwelling Cultivators; Li Banfeng's method of advancement could not be applied to He Yuxiu.
"I know it—the double doorway method." He Yuxiu did know it, but whether she could pull it off was another matter entirely.
"What is a double doorway?"
"Just a method in our martial trade." He Yuxiu didn't want to elaborate, fearing Li Qi would worry. "Seventh Brother, I owe you a lot in this life. If this fails, the He family will still depend on you to look after them. If it succeeds, I truly won't know how to repay you. From then on, I'll be your person. Don't overthink it, I didn't mean anything improper, I... I don't know how to talk—"
"You really don't," Li Qi said with a smile. "You've been my person for a long time already!"
With some banter and laughter, He Yuxiu relaxed considerably. Once all arrangements were properly settled, Li Qi headed to Qishuiyao.
Arriving at the factory, he found Feng Daiku waiting outside. "I told Luo Lijun that the Garrison Office is preparing to relocate, but she doesn't believe it. She wants to go out and see for herself."
Li Qi shook his head. "That won't do. She cannot leave that workshop. That rule cannot be bent."
The two entered the workshop. Luo Lijun was pacing beside the pool. Seeing Li Qi arrive, she waved her antennae and came up to meet them. "No matter what you say, you must let me go out and see! It's not that I don't trust you—I even brought the covenant deeds along—but I must have verification. You can't expect me to just take your word for it."
Luo Lijun truly had brought both pieces of the covenant deed. Li Qi took them and examined them, asking, "Is this truly a matched pair?"
"Of course it's a pair!" Fearing Li Banfeng wouldn't believe her, Luo Lijun even explained the method of verification: "Once the Garrison Office moves away, I will give you the local spirit seal and tell you the location of the newland. Take the covenant deeds to the newland and test them with drops of blood. If both respond, it proves there is nothing wrong with the deeds."
Li Qi remained somewhat uneasy. "Let's be completely clear: this newland will belong entirely to me. You are not permitted to leave behind any curses or other tricks."
Luo Lijun brought out a paper deed. "As long as the Garrison Office has relocated, we can establish the paper deed right now!"
Judging purely by sincerity, one truly couldn't find fault with the Inner States' approach.
Li Qi certainly couldn't let this river snail leave the workshop, yet refusing her any chance to verify would indeed be unfair. "Send someone out then. Don't you have plenty of Puluo Province locals working under you?"
The snail maiden pondered seriously, considering who could be considered dependable.
After much thought, Luo Lijun gave a name: "Chu Shaoqiang. Do you know him?"
Li Qi nodded. "I know him."
Feng Daiku also knew Chu Shaoqiang. "Why disclose this person to us? Aren't you afraid we'll cause trouble for him?"
"This is a fair transaction," Luo Lijun said. "I prefer to put things out in the open. Chu Shaoqiang will arrive in Qishuiyao within a day or two, and when he does, he certainly won't escape your notice. Since we have an agreement beforehand, I also ask that you do not make things difficult for him."
This was indeed candid, and events proved Luo Lijun's approach correct.
Feng Daiku possessed special methods, and since Qishuiyao wasn't a large territory, she could quickly detect Li Qi whenever he arrived.
Chu Shaoqiang arrived in Qishuiyao the next day, and before half a day had passed, Feng Daiku discovered him.
That evening, Luo Lijun met Li Banfeng again, with Chu Shaoqiang present.
Luo Lijun said, "Chu Shaoqiang has confirmed the situation: the majority of the Garrison Office's personnel have already pulled out. I trust you. Today we will finalize the paper deed, hand over the local spirit seal, and inform you of the newland's location."
She had prepared a map marked with the position of the newland.
Li Banfeng had assumed this newland would be in an extremely remote location, but reviewing the map, he found it wasn't far from Lüshui City.
Things seemed almost too smooth.
Both sides executed the paper deed, and Li Banfeng took custody of the local spirit seal; from that moment, the newland was in hand.
Chu Shaoqiang left the factory alongside Li Qi and Feng Daiku.
Upon parting, Chu Shaoqiang cautioned Li Banfeng, "Be very careful."
Li Banfeng asked, "Careful about what?"
Chu Shaoqiang glanced around and lowered his voice to Li Qi. "A newland with two complete covenant deeds—I've never seen such a thing. To be frank, I envy you, and I certainly won't be the only one. There are bound to be countless people who covet this newland. Now that you've got it, whether you can keep it in the end will depend on your own ability."
Once Chu Shaoqiang left, Feng Daiku also felt uneasy. "Young Master Li, the Inner States might have backup schemes. You must be on guard."
Li Banfeng held the paper deed, looking over it repeatedly twice. "To be honest, I really can't see what hidden traps could be in here."
Feng Daiku shook her head. "If the Inner States were this honorable in their dealings, their reputation wouldn't be so terrible. It's hard to say what mystery is concealed here."
Li Banfeng also knew things shouldn't go this smoothly, yet he couldn't imagine what moves the Inner States might have left. After thinking for a long time, Li Banfeng asked, "I'd like to ask Miss Feng about a technique. How did you know Chu Shaoqiang had arrived in Qishuiyao?"
Speaking of this ability, Feng Daiku was indeed formidable; Ma the Fifth had mentioned before that whenever he arrived in Kudaikan, Feng Daiku would sense it without fail.
Hearing this, Feng Daiku smiled. "Young Master Li, do you wish to learn it?"
Li Banfeng was well aware that such an advanced technique wouldn't be handed over easily. "I never ask people to do things for nothing. Whatever conditions you have, Miss Feng, we can discuss them."
Feng Daiku sighed. "The condition is far from simple. I can perceive everything in the territory because I have planted roots of emotion all across it. If you wish to learn this craft, Young Master Li, you must enter my pathway."
This was indeed difficult. Li Banfeng was already running two trades; opening a third would be far too perilous.
Besides, even if he could open a third, it couldn't be as an Emotion Cultivator.
Seeing Li Qi remain silent for a long while, Feng Daiku didn't press. "Young Master Li, once the Outer States leave, the Inner States will face fewer constraints. It's hard to say how many variables might arise in the future. As for this territory of Qishuiyao, I hope you will look after it."
With matters agreed upon, Li Qi left Qishuiyao, reached Lüshui City, found He Yuxiu, and took her on a walk through the newland first.
This territory was quite fine: it had a tall mountain, vast forests with no shortage of timber or stone, and wide expanses of open plains. In the future, if Farming Cultivators were brought in, there would be land suitable for cultivation.
He Yuxiu marveled, "What a truly wonderful place!"
Li Qi took out the two pieces of the covenant deed. "If you like it, spill your blood on it."
He Yuxiu bit her lip. "All right. Let's pick a place to bury the deeds first."
On the mountain, He Yuxiu found a sinkhole. Along the sinkhole's rock face was a cave. He Yuxiu pried away a boulder and chiseled out a hollow, then asked Li Banfeng, "Seventh Brother, how about this spot?"
Li Banfeng looked around, feeling that this spot wasn't particularly secure, but He Yuxiu had other preparations in store.
She took out a palm-sized clam and set it on the ground, cut her palm, and spilled blood over it.
Upon tasting the blood, the clam meat squirmed continuously within its shell.
Before long, a white mist puffed out from inside the shell. Beneath the mist, the hollow He Yuxiu had just chiseled out vanished from view.
Li Banfeng activated Piercing Golden Autumn Insight, pushing the technique to its limit, and was only barely able to make out the outline of the hollow on the rock wall.
He Yuxiu was very confident in this magical treasure. "This is called a mirage clam. It's of very high caliber. I spent a small fortune to get this thing. As long as it's kept here, no one will ever find the deeds."
Li Banfeng nodded. "It really is a fine item. Xiur, where do you plan to hide this mirage clam?"
He Yuxiu looked at Li Qi, pursing her lips without a word.
"Do you honestly think she could figure out something like that?" The mirage clam spoke. Having the skill of Discerning Spiritual Voices, Li Banfeng heard it clearly, but He Yuxiu couldn't hear a thing.
Crouching on the ground, Li Banfeng asked the clam, "What good idea do you have?"
The mirage clam replied, "Have her feed me one liang of blood every month. It doesn't have to be her own blood, but the cultivation level must be at least tier eight. I'll figure out a way to hide myself, and I can watch over the deeds for her too."
Li Banfeng stared at the mirage clam in silence.
If this were a magical treasure of his own, the matter would be settled right then and there. But He Yuxiu couldn't communicate with magical treasures, so this clam's loyalty remained to be tested.
The mirage clam seemed to sense Li Banfeng's concern. "He Yuxiu and I have a covenant deed between us! If I dare betray her, it'll cost me my life!"
Li Banfeng turned back and asked He Yuxiu, "Do you have a deed with this magical treasure?"
"I do." He Yuxiu handed the covenant deed to Li Banfeng.
The deed was written on covenant paper, detailing various constraints with great precision, leaving no loopholes to exploit.
Li Banfeng brought out covenant paper and also drew up a deed with the mirage clam: from now on, it would receive two liang of blood each month, but if it ever betrayed them, it would suffer two punishments.
With everything arranged, He Yuxiu prepared to sprinkle blood onto the covenant deeds, but her hand trembled slightly.
Li Banfeng stopped her. "Xiur, if you're afraid, wait a little longer."
He Yuxiu blushed. "I'm making a fool of myself in front of you."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I'm not laughing, nor should I. There's nothing funny about it."
"I... I'm not really afraid of dying, it's just that I—"
"Being afraid of dying isn't wrong either. You only have one life—why shouldn't you be afraid?" Li Banfeng handed He Yuxiu a cigarette. "Think it over carefully. Tell me when you've made up your mind."
That night, He Yuxiu went to sleep right in the cave, while Li Banfeng quietly returned to the companion dwelling.
Through Fifth Girl, Madame saw He Yuxiu. After scrutinizing her for a while, she asked, "Is that woman even thirty?"
Li Banfeng thought about it. "She's probably around forty."
"Doesn't look it. So pretty, with such a fine figure. Husband, be honest with your humble servant: have you slept with her?"
"Precious wife, I swear on the oil pot, I've never touched her."
Madame giggled, then asked, "Husband, put down the oil pot first and tell me—what method does she plan to use to ascend above the clouds?"
Li Banfeng recalled for a moment. "She said the method is called the double doorway. I don't know what kind of technique that is."
Hong Ying chimed in, "I know about the double doorway!"
"It's not what you're thinking," the gramophone snapped, giving Hong Ying a swat, then said to Li Banfeng, "The double doorway is the crudest advancement method for a Martial Cultivator. First, she must take the forbidden martial medicine, the Heart-Piercing Pill, to pile up Dao affinity."
"What kind of medicine is the Heart-Piercing Pill?" Li Qi truly hadn't heard of it.
"The Heart-Piercing Pill is a potent catalyst for Dao affinity. Swallowing one is the equivalent of being blasted by heavenly light twice in succession. An ordinary white lamb explodes after being hit by heavenly light once. Even though He Yuxiu has tier-nine cultivation, being blasted twice will reduce her to a cripple, even if she doesn't blow up."
"If she turns into a cripple, how can she advance above the clouds?"
"That's when she must carry out the second step of advancement: smear initiation powder onto her body to enter the pathway a second time, forcibly seizing the above-the-clouds cultivation. That's why this method is called the double doorway."
Li Banfeng considered this. "That method truly is crude. Isn't there a better way?"
"There is a better way, but only someone with an extraordinarily meticulous mind can pull it off."
"How meticulous?"
"Meticulous to the point where her own physique, cultivation, fullness, emptiness, strength, and weakness are all crystal clear to her, where she can perceive even the slightest fluctuation."
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "She probably can't manage that."
"If she lacks such a meticulous mind, then using this double doorway method is the only option. She looks physically robust to me, so barring unforeseen mishaps, she should be able to weather this ordeal.
"Husband, you must remember: once she takes the Heart-Piercing Pill, her bones will go soft and her sinews numb, so she might not be able to hold the powder. When the time comes, you'll need to help apply it to her.
"The amount of powder must be measured with utmost precision. Too little, and it won't take effect; too much, and it will ravage her physique. Even a tiny speck too much could cost her life instantly. So take a little bit at a time and apply it gradually, testing as you go.
"After taking the Heart-Piercing Pill, her qi and blood will surge violently. Husband, look for thick, fleshy areas to apply the medicine, and switch spots with every application. On no account let her skin break; otherwise, she'll bleed uncontrollably, which could also take her life."
"Precious wife, when you say thick and fleshy, you mean...?"
"Do I really need to spell it out? Think for yourself."
Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then came to a sudden realization. "Wife, you mean her heels!"
The gramophone was silent for a long while. "The heels are thick indeed. But husband, after advancing, she needs to familiarize herself with the territory. If her heels are ruined, how is she supposed to walk?"
By daybreak the next morning, He Yuxiu had made up her mind. "Seventh Brother, a person only gets one life either way. I'm going to risk it all this once. I'll spill the blood!"
"Have you truly made up your mind?"
"I have!"
He Yuxiu went to the sinkhole, sprinkled her blood onto the covenant deeds, and drew up a paper deed as well. With one hundred li of territory documented by this proof, He Yuxiu's name was etched onto the deed.
Once the covenant deeds were buried, followed by the local spirit seal, He Yuxiu officially became the local spirit of this territory.
According to the previously established plan, He Yuxiu would first familiarize herself with the territory, complete her advancement, and only then bring the three-headed people over to open up the wasteland.
The purpose of this approach was to allow He Yuxiu to advance above the clouds under relatively concealed conditions. Otherwise, bringing five thousand people directly to the newland would surely attract attention. If the location of the newland were exposed, securing a peaceful advancement for He Yuxiu would become vastly more difficult.
Over the next two days, He Yuxiu explored the territory, striving to stabilize her status after the breakthrough.
Carrying the bowl, Li Banfeng sought out a location for her advancement.
Once He Yuxiu was thoroughly familiar with the terrain, Li Banfeng decided to help her advance in a pine forest.
"In a forest?" He Yuxiu looked around. "Wouldn't the cave be better?"
"Trust me," Li Banfeng said. "This place is the most suitable."
Holding the Heart-Piercing Pill, He Yuxiu looked at Li Banfeng and took a deep breath. "Seventh Brother, if I can't pull through, kill me. Don't leave me to spend the rest of my life as a cripple."
"Don't worry, you'll make it through." Li Banfeng slipped on rubber gloves and waited beside her. If He Yuxiu was in good condition, she would apply the initiation medicine herself; if she was in poor shape, Li Banfeng would apply it for her.
He Yuxiu was terrified, but Li Banfeng had great faith in her.
Taking the Heart-Piercing Pill, He Yuxiu opened her mouth and swallowed it down.
She sat silently leaning against a pine tree, motionless, while Li Qi had the powder ready beside her.
Ten minutes later, the Heart-Piercing Pill began to take effect. Beads of sweat slid down He Yuxiu's cheeks one by one.
"Is it time?" Li Banfeng asked softly.
He Yuxiu shook her head. "Wait a bit longer."
The medicine's potency hadn't fully kicked in yet. He Yuxiu gritted her teeth and endured.
Another ten minutes passed, and the medicine had reached full potency. He Yuxiu wanted to reach for the powder, but she couldn't lift her hand.
Li Banfeng dipped his fingertips into the powder and gently rubbed it onto He Yuxiu's right hand.
The skin of human palms was relatively thick.
He Yuxiu shuddered in agony. After waiting for over two minutes, she gave a slight shake of her head.
Not enough powder.
Li Banfeng dipped his fingertips into another pinch of powder and rubbed it onto He Yuxiu's left hand.
Madame had cautioned that the powder must not be concentrated in one place; if external wounds opened, it would be extremely perilous.
With a bit of powder smeared onto both hands, He Yuxiu still shook her head. The quantity remained insufficient.
Li Banfeng took another bit of powder, unfastened the front of He Yuxiu's jacket, and rubbed it onto her belly.
He Yuxiu cried out from the pain, but the quantity was still not enough.
What came next required the utmost caution. Li Banfeng had just dabbed a bit of powder with his right hand when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the woods.
He Yuxiu was still conscious enough to quickly clutch Li Banfeng's lapel.
If someone barged in right now, He Yuxiu had zero combat strength and Li Banfeng had to look after her—the two of them wouldn't be able to resist at all.
Li Banfeng looked at He Yuxiu with an unruffled expression, signaling for her not to worry.
A voice drifted in from outside the forest: "Sister, is that you? Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you."
Whose voice was that?
Li Banfeng didn't know; he wasn't familiar with this person.
He Yuxiu was stunned. She knew that voice all too well.
He Haiqin.
The previous head of the He family, who had abandoned his physical body to go to the Inner States after ascending from tier nine to tier ten.
Why was he here?
He Yuxiu was reckless by nature and deeply valued family ties, but at a juncture like this, even she couldn't be sure of He Haiqin's intentions.
"Sister, are you in those woods? If you don't answer, I'm coming over!"
Just as He Haiqin started walking toward the forest, a plume of smoke drifted over.
"Eldest Brother, don't go in."
He Haiqin paused, lifting his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
The smoke hovered around He Haiqin. "Eldest Brother, leave our sister alone."
He Yuxiu grew even more tense. She knew this voice as well.
Li Qi's expression remained calm. Dabbing a little powder on his fingertips, he gently turned He Yuxiu over and applied the medicine to a different spot.
Chapter 528