Open and Aboveboard

Li Qi was still applying the medicinal powder to He Yuxiu, dabbing on just a little at a time to ensure she received enough medicine while keeping her from getting hurt. Having taken the Heart-Piercing Pill, He Yuxiu's qi and blood surged furiously, leaving her sense of pain extraordinarily keen. She had always been a proud, unyielding woman, holding out whenever she could bear it. Only when the agony became truly intolerable did a couple of groans slip out. Those two groans were all it took for He Haiqin to hear her. At that moment, he was standing in the clearing outside the woods, poised to step in at any second. He Haisheng dissolved into a cloud of smoke, barring He Haiqin's path. He Haiqin stared at the smoke, his tone tinged with anger. "Our sister is ascending above the clouds. I've been through it once and know the difficulties, so I came to lend her a hand. What's the meaning of blocking my way?" Remaining in his smoke form, He Haisheng asked in reply, "Brother, could you tell me first how you found this place?" He Haiqin countered, "How did you find it?" He Haisheng replied, "Never mind how I found it. I didn't come here to scheme against our sister, nor to scheme over this territory. I came purely looking for you!" "What are you looking for me for?" He Haiqin snapped. "Brother, I've had my eye on you ever since you returned to Puluo Province. You lingered around Lüshui City for days without going home once, without seeing anyone in the family, and without asking a single thing about family matters. "Instead, you asked everywhere about Li Qi's whereabouts. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were related to him. The moment you heard Li Qi had arrived in Lüshui City, you raced here ahead of everyone else. What on earth is behind all of this? Won't you tell me?" "That's none of your business! My affairs aren't for you to worry about! Get out of my way!" He Haisheng gathered the smoke into a tighter mass. "I won't. Brother, as long as I'm here, don't even think about touching our sister." He Haiqin sneered. "Are you out of your mind? Ever since we were kids, did our sister ever look at you with respect? Out of all of us siblings, aren't you the one she disliked the most?" He Haisheng had never looked at it that way. "I never felt that Sister disliked me. Whenever someone bullied me as a boy, she always stood up for me." He Haiqin burst into laughter. "No matter which one of us was bullied, she always stepped forward! Did she treat you any differently?" He Haisheng answered, "I never asked for special treatment. She was good to me, and I remember it." He Haiqin's face darkened. "Get out of the way!" The smoke lingered. He Haisheng said, "No!" "Old Third, don't blame me for this. You brought it on yourself!" Before his voice had fully faded, He Haiqin threw his mouth open. The corners pulled back from below his nose all the way to the bases of his ears, and his lower jaw dropped straight down to his navel. A Food Cultivator tier-nine technique: Swallowing Mountains and Rivers. This move naturally countered pathways like Smoke Cultivators, Water Cultivators, and Fire Cultivators. If He Haisheng remained dissolved in smoke, He Haiqin could swallow him alive. He Haisheng quickly reformed his physical body, though a portion of the smoke was still gulped into He Haiqin's stomach. "Clear the path!" He Haiqin roared in fury. "Never!" He Haisheng rubbed his fingers together and sparked a cluster of flame. Before He Haiqin could figure out what kind of method this was, he felt a sudden burning scorch inside his belly. This was a method He Haisheng had prepared specifically against Food Cultivators. A part of his body had been consumed by He Haiqin, and there was no getting it back. If that was the case, he would simply burn it away. Right now, a fraction of He Haisheng's limbs was already ablaze inside He Haiqin's body. Against an ordinary person, He Haisheng could have burned clean through their entrails, but against He Haiqin, the trick clearly fell short. The higher a Food Cultivator's tier, the thicker and coarser their stomach and intestines became. He Haiqin rubbed his belly, let out a satisfied burp that puffed out some smoke and fire, and chuckled. "Is that all you've got?" "Not by a long shot!" He Haisheng snapped his fingers again. The smoke rapidly expanded, ballooning He Haiqin's belly outward. This technique was called Lost in a Sea of Smoke, originally meant to create mist and illusions out of smoke. But deployed inside He Haiqin's belly, it directly stuffed his stomach and bowels to bursting. Bloating a Food Cultivator so he couldn't swallow anything else was a sound tactic. He Haiqin rubbed his expanded gut and smiled. "Old Third, you didn't practice these Smoke Cultivator arts for proper purposes. Every single one of them was meant to deal with me. Have you been eyeing the family head's seat all along?" He Haisheng shook his head. "I never wanted to be family head. Food Cultivators counter Smoke Cultivators, so I trained these moves purely for self-defense. Eldest Brother, don't push me any further. Just leave." With that, He Haisheng rubbed his fingers once more. A tearing agony struck He Haiqin's innards. This was the Smoke Cultivator technique Smoke Clears and Clouds Scatter. He Haisheng could disperse smoke into nothingness, ripping an enemy apart along with the dissipating fumes. Yet He Haiqin wasn't afraid of even so vicious a technique. Rubbing his abdomen a couple of times, his belly shrank down as he digested every trace of the smoke. He Haisheng was appalled. He Haiqin's strength had grown far beyond what it used to be. Before he could recover his wits, He Haiqin abruptly dissolved into thick smoke and encircled him. A Food Cultivator technique: Devour a Hundred, Transform a Hundred. Having eaten part of a Smoke Cultivator's body, He Haiqin had temporarily gained the arts of a Smoke Cultivator. He Haisheng wanted to turn into smoke as well, but held himself back. Even after transforming into smoke, He Haiqin retained his swallowing capabilities. If He Haisheng turned to smoke now, it would be delivering himself straight to his brother's platter. The smoke solidified, and He Haiqin slammed into He Haisheng's chest like a colossal warhammer, smashing him back into the woods. He Haisheng struggled to get up, but He Haiqin morphed into the massive hammer once more, crashing down toward He Haisheng's head. Now he had no choice. If he didn't turn into smoke, he would die on the spot. He Haisheng turned his head to smoke, but his reaction was a fraction too slow. He absorbed more than thirty percent of the force and crashed to the ground, unable to rise. He Haiqin resumed his human form and initially intended to finish He Haisheng off, but then he caught the sound of He Yuxiu's breathing. Having been siblings for so many years, He Haiqin knew one rule intimately: under no circumstances should anyone underestimate He Yuxiu. He Yuxiu hadn't wanted to make a sound, but the pain was so severe she simply couldn't hold it back. Besides, there was no longer any need to suppress it. He Haiqin was right in front of her, barely a hundred meters away. He had surely seen her. Had he really? He Haiqin looked all around, but he genuinely couldn't see a thing. The sound was right beside his ears, so why was there no one in sight? He Haiqin gave a cold snort. "An illusion? Quite sophisticated!" He parted his jaws once more, preparing to invoke the Tiger Crouching, Whale Swallowing technique. Li Banfeng didn't understand. If the man suspected an illusion, why swallow? Could a Food Cultivator's techniques devour illusions as well? In fact, they could. In the early tiers, Food Cultivators had few diverse methods beyond being tough, sturdy, and possessing great arm strength. They seemed competent at everything, yet mastered nothing in particular. In the later tiers, however, that changed completely. By weaving various techniques together, a Food Cultivator could swallow up intangible, invisible, bodiless methods like illusions, charms, poisons, curses, and phantom arts whole. If Li Banfeng had used the projector to conceal himself and He Yuxiu, He Haiqin's swallow would have truly devoured the projected image, and potentially even the projector itself. Yet no matter how much He Haiqin swallowed, He Yuxiu remained invisible. What was the reason? Because He Yuxiu was not in the same space as him. Using the bowl, Li Banfeng had found a dark-dimension space in the woods to help He Yuxiu advance. Different dark-dimension spaces possessed different traits. The property of this one was that those inside could see and hear the outside, while those outside could hear the inside but could not see in. He Haiqin could hear He Yuxiu's breathing, but he couldn't lay eyes on her. Without a way to open this dark-dimension space, he couldn't touch either of them at all. Thus, Li Banfeng wasn't the least bit anxious, calmly continuing to apply the medicine to He Yuxiu. "Is the dosage enough?" Li Banfeng asked. Gritting her teeth, He Yuxiu said, "A little more." He Yuxiu had a fantastic figure, and the two mounds below her waist were thick enough to endure it. Li Banfeng rubbed on another portion. He Yuxiu shuddered violently before forcing herself through it. "That should about do it. Old Third, he—" He Yuxiu struggled to push herself up. He Haisheng was on the verge of losing his life; she couldn't just sit by and watch. "Rest first. I'll handle this." Li Banfeng took out a blanket, covered He Yuxiu with it, and began conferring with himself. "Brother, no matter how we bicker usually, we're on the same side after all. You have to help me with this." "Helping you is fine, but why should you stay here looking after Xiu'er while I go out and risk my neck?" "Why make such distinctions between us?" "Since there's no distinction, you go out and risk your neck, and leave Xiu'er to me!" "It can't just be about what you want. It also depends on what Xiu'er feels." Xiu'er was dumbfounded. What was going on here? Li Qi was talking to himself, but in two completely different pitches and tones, exactly like two distinct people. "Stop arguing, you two! Shuffling her back and forth is an embarrassment. Leave Xiu'er to me, and both of you go risk your necks together!" "I think I'm the more attentive one. Leave caregiving to me, and leave the neck-risking to you lot!" Xiu'er's eyes went wide as saucers. There were more than two! Outside, He Haiqin was even more startled. Only Li Qi was supposed to be beside He Yuxiu, so why had so many people suddenly shown up? Before he had laid eyes on a single person, he felt as though he was surrounded. After Li Banfeng's clamoring selves hammered out an agreement, the surroundings gradually quieted down. He Haiqin heightened his vigilance. Suddenly, a dark shadow darted out, flashing right past his eyes. Viewing Flowers from Horseback? He Haiqin knew Li Qi was a Journey Cultivator and had to guard against Viewing Flowers from Horseback. Seeing Li Qi vanish into the night, He Haiqin followed without hesitation, keeping his gaze locked onto him. A well-fed Food Cultivator was undeniably fast, and the dark shadow wasn't moving excessively quickly either. Running deep into the forest, He Haiqin gradually caught up, only to find the shadow was pitch-black and exceedingly difficult to make out in the night. What technique was this now? Probably a shadow-cloaking method. According to the information He Haiqin possessed, Li Qi's cultivation wasn't very high. He was likely using a shadow-cloaking art to break line of sight and find an opportunity to use Viewing Flowers from Horseback. A lion must use all its strength even when hunting a hare. He Haiqin did not underestimate his foe. He unleashed Tiger Crouching, Whale Swallowing once more, intending to devour the shadow-cloaking art off Li Qi. Opening his enormous mouth, a sudden whirlwind whipped up, and even the dark shadow warped slightly, proving the technique's sheer power. Had He Haiqin's cultivation been sufficient, he could have swallowed Li Qi's shadow outright. But he was still a fraction short of that mastery; since arriving in the Inner States, he had only reached tier one above the clouds. Seeing the shadow remain largely unchanged, He Haiqin charged close to strike. Suddenly, the shadow vanished. He Haiqin blinked in bewilderment, only to feel a savage jolt of pain in his back as he was swept feet-over-head and crashed into the ground. He had been struck by Li Banfeng's Treading Ten Thousand Rivers. *Wait, that can't be right! The rumors were wrong—how could this kid's Treading Ten Thousand Rivers hit so hard? His cultivation isn't low at all!* *And who was that shadow just now? Did he bring an accomplice?* Li Banfeng had cast out his shadow using the technique Body and Shadow Comforting Each Other to divert He Haiqin's attention. Unfortunately, his mastery wasn't fully refined; while using Body and Shadow Comforting Each Other, he couldn't use other techniques, meaning he had to recall the shadow before executing Treading Ten Thousand Rivers. Before He Haiqin could climb to his feet, a halo of light rippled beneath Li Banfeng's feet, shaving off another layer of flesh from He Haiqin. An ordinary opponent would wonder where this halo had come from. A few moments of hesitation would be enough for Li Banfeng to trade a couple of blows and end the fight. He Haiqin was different. He was a veteran of a hundred battles who had honed himself in the Inner States. At a moment like this, he didn't care about where it came from; he only thought about how to counter it. Food Cultivators could take a beating. Enduring the searing pain, He Haiqin lunged forward and locked Li Banfeng in a bear hug, opening his massive maw to swallow Li Banfeng's head whole. Pinned firmly in He Haiqin's grasp, Li Banfeng had no room to dodge as that gaping maw lunged straight for his skull. It was close—dangerously close. If He Haiqin truly swallowed his head, no matter how many methods Li Banfeng had up his sleeve, he wouldn't escape death. Fortunately, at the critical juncture, Li Banfeng wrenched both arms free. One hand grabbed He Haiqin's upper jaw while the other gripped his chin. With a burst of strength, he dislocated He Haiqin's jawbone. He Haiqin was shocked. Li Qi was a Journey Cultivator; how could he possess such monstrous strength? This was the Dwelling Cultivator tier-nine technique: Expand the Domain and Open the Frontiers. Li Banfeng hadn't mastered the technique deeply, but within the boundary of the halo, it was no different to him than being inside his residence. Both his speed and power were elevated to a whole new level. He Haiqin wrenched himself free from Li Banfeng's grip. With his left hand, he popped his jaw back into joint, while his right hand flicked a backscratcher out of his sleeve. The backscratcher shot toward Li Banfeng's face. Li Banfeng ducked, and the backscratcher adjusted its direction on its own, spreading five fingers to bare inch-long claws aimed at scraping Li Banfeng's skull. He Haiqin was already positioning himself for an ambush. If Li Banfeng kept dodging, he would fall right into He Haiqin's clutches. The Tang sword reacted swiftly, leaping out from Li Banfeng's waist. It first parried the backscratcher, then, seeing He Haiqin closing in, chopped straight toward He Haiqin's forehead. He Haiqin dodged the Tang sword, and the backscratcher clamped onto the sword's blade from behind. Its five fingers interlocked, twisting forcefully in an attempt to snap the Tang sword. For a moment, the blade truly couldn't break free. The pendulum jumped out, crashing against the handle of the backscratcher. Knocked off balance, the backscratcher lost its leverage. The pendulum and the backscratcher clashed. Having just been refined alongside the golden bead, the pendulum's speed was vastly heightened, trading blows evenly with the scratcher. Watching for an opening from the side, the Tang sword slashed down and cleaved the backscratcher in two. He Haiqin found himself in dire straits. Li Banfeng was in front of him, and the halo was behind him. Crossing the halo meant injury, but trading blows with Li Banfeng inside the halo put him at a severe disadvantage. Opponents Li Banfeng had faced in the past would typically hesitate inside the halo. He Haiqin didn't waver for an instant; sacrificing a layer of skin and flesh, he leaped straight out of the halo. Li Banfeng couldn't help but admire him. He Haiqin was exceptionally decisive. Leaping out mattered little; Li Banfeng would simply chase him down and keep fighting. Li Banfeng was faster than He Haiqin. Just as the halo was about to sweep beneath his feet again, He Haiqin snatched up a nearby stone and shoved it into his mouth. *Gulp!* With the stone down his gullet, He Haiqin's entire body turned as coarse and tough as rock. When the halo swept across him, he barely suffered any damage. Having eaten the stone, He Haiqin turned and slammed into Li Banfeng. What seemed like an ordinary counterattack was backed by his full strength, and the sheer speed of his rush made it almost impossible to avoid. Li Banfeng braced with Benevolent Dwelling Heart, yet the impact still left him dazed. Before Li Banfeng could recover, He Haiqin opened his mouth and swallowed the broken backscratcher off the ground. Spreading both hands, his fingernails lengthened into a pair of sharp talons that lunged for Li Banfeng's skull. Li Banfeng narrowly dodged, seized He Haiqin from behind, and invoked the technique Heart Arrowing Home. Inside the halo was equivalent to being inside the residence. Li Banfeng already held the advantage in strength, and with Heart Arrowing Home added to it, He Haiqin couldn't resist and was dragged all the way to the doorway. He Haiqin didn't know where he was being taken, but he knew with absolute certainty that he could not enter this door. Striking a match, he swallowed the flame, and raging fire erupted from his head to his toes. Li Banfeng's clothes and hair caught fire, yet he kept clutching He Haiqin, straining with all his might to drag him inside. He Haiqin gripped the doorframe, refusing to go in. The gramophone instructed, "Yingying, a guest has arrived at the door. Why haven't you welcomed him?" Hong Ying stepped forward, studying He Haiqin's face through the firelight. With a mouth that huge, he was clearly a Food Cultivator. She drove a fist into He Haiqin's spine. With a cry of agony, He Haiqin threw up the massive amount of food he had consumed earlier, along with the stone, the match, and the backscratcher. With all that vomited out, the Food Cultivator's combat strength plummeted by more than half, and the flames on his body sputtered out. Exerting his strength, Li Banfeng dragged He Haiqin into the room and shut the door. He Haiqin scrambled to his feet at once. Seeing a humanoid figure before him whose face resembled the sharp tip of a spear, he opened his mouth to devour her. Hong Ying stepped up and kicked him flat onto the ground. He Haiqin exclaimed in admiration, "What a fine artifact!" Hong Ying kicked him again. "Who are you calling an artifact?" With his breastbone fractured by the kick, He Haiqin clutched his chest and looked around again. This was an ordinary room. Recalling Li Qi's methods—the halo on the ground, the explosive surge in combat power within it—this was clearly the fighting style of a Dwelling Cultivator. He Haiqin arrived at a conclusion that seemed utterly contradictory, yet was the only plausible explanation. "Li Qi, you're a dual cultivator of Dwelling and Journey?" Li Banfeng said nothing. He Haiqin looked at Hong Ying. "You're not an artifact. You're his dwelling spirit!" Hong Ying had intended to deliver another kick, but finding that title rather pleasant to the ear, she let him off. He Haiqin was thoroughly astonished. To think such a thing existed—dual cultivation of Dwelling and Journey was truly possible! No wonder Li Qi was so difficult to handle, and no wonder so many formidable figures— *Hiss!* A blast of steam scalded He Haiqin, raising blisters all over him and cutting off his train of thought. Hearing him call Hong Ying a dwelling spirit hadn't sat well with the gramophone. He Haiqin looked at the gramophone, having no idea what kind of artifact this was either. Not daring to ask, he turned back to Li Qi. "You're Jiaqing's friend, aren't you?" Li Qi remained silent. He Haiqin smiled. "Back then, I thought Jiaqing had handed the red lotus over to you. When the Lu family was searching high and low for news of you, I even broke out in a cold sweat on your behalf." How artfully phrased. Claiming he had broken out in a cold sweat meant he had never harbored any ill will toward Li Banfeng, and had even worried for him. In reality, the He family had directed their spearhead at Lu Xiaolan at the time, not bothering with Li Banfeng at all. What kind of status had Li Banfeng possessed back then? In the eyes of the He family's eldest young master, he hadn't even counted as a person, let alone someone to worry over. Li Banfeng still said nothing. Seeing Li Banfeng's attitude, He Haiqin dropped the past and addressed their current predicament. "My coming here today was truly born of a misunderstanding with my sister. "There were some things I only wanted to make clear to her. I never intended to actually come to blows with her. Before this, I honestly didn't know you and my sister shared such affection." Li Banfeng smiled. This man was truly an expert, rambling and diverting to smooth things over. "Let me ask you one thing first. How did you find this territory?" Li Banfeng finally spoke. He Haiqin replied, "Shen Jinzhong, the Great Golden Seal of Sanying Gate, told me." "How would Shen Jinzhong know where He Yuxiu went?" "Shen Jinzhong and my sister had a history when they were young. Even now, they haven't cut off contact. She must have told him herself." Li Banfeng nodded slightly, inwardly praising He Haiqin. That was how a lie ought to be spun; it took real skill. If Li Banfeng had truly been He Yuxiu's lover, those two sentences alone would have shifted his entire focus onto Shen Jinzhong. He Haiqin continued with utter composure, "If you don't believe me, you can summon Shen Jinzhong here, and I'll confront him face-to-face." Li Banfeng shook his head. "No need to trouble Shen Jinzhong. I believe you." From the side, the gramophone chimed in deliberately, "Why not have Shen Jinzhong come over? We wouldn't want to wrong the Great Golden Seal." Li Banfeng said, "It's inconvenient, my lady. Shen Jinzhong went to Qishuiyao to visit his old flame." The gramophone asked, "Who is his flame?" "Luo Lijun, of course," Li Banfeng said, patting He Haiqin's cheek. "That girl who looks like a river snail. Do you know her?" He Haiqin pondered for a moment, falling silent. With Li Banfeng laying the truth bare, the lie could no longer be maintained. Since he couldn't keep spinning his story, Li Banfeng built a bridge for him instead. "Old He, I don't want to make things hard for you. You're right—Jiaqing is my friend. When I first arrived in Puluo Province, your He family indeed never gave me a hard time. If you hadn't been tying down the Lu family back then, I might not have made it this far." Li Banfeng began paving the slope. "Back in Qishuiyao, Yuxiu and I were ambushed by the Jiangxiang Gang. If the two of us hadn't fought a bloody path out with our lives on the line, we would have left our corpses in their hall." He Haiqin nodded slightly. He actually knew about this. When the incident was real, the sentiment felt genuine. Anchored by Ironclad Evidence, the slope became even smoother. "And just a few days ago, Jiaqing and I ran into Lühuazi in the Outer Province. You know full well how capable Lühuazi is, yet the two of us still defeated him. What do you call that? Brothers united, strong enough to cut through metal!" Now this was something He Haiqin genuinely hadn't heard. Li Qi and Jiaqing had fought Lühuazi? They had a grudge with Lühuazi? "Then why are you still working for Lühuazi? Why did you get five thousand Three-Headed people for him?" He Haiqin stepped onto the slope. Though suspicions lingered, he began following Li Banfeng's train of thought. Li Banfeng smiled. "No grudge in the jianghu lasts overnight. Once things are in the past, why dwell on them and insist on fighting to the death? "Brother He, Yuxiu and I are truly fond of each other, and Jiaqing and I are true brothers. Could our friendship be fake? "We traded blows today, but let's just treat it as an exchange of greetings between brothers, and let bygones be bygones. "Once we resolve this feud, we'll bring Jiaqing along in the future and bow together as sworn brothers." The generational hierarchy was a bit muddled, but He Haiqin didn't fuss over it. "Can our feud really be put behind us?" Li Banfeng chuckled. "I went through immense trouble to obtain a plot of land from Luo Lijun. I wouldn't give it to anyone else, but I gave it straight to our Xiu'er. Looking at this affection, do you still doubt me?" He Haiqin nodded. "Fine, I trust you. Since you've spoken the truth, I won't hide anything from you either. I came today precisely for this newland. The ones who gave me the news were those people from the Inner States. "They didn't just tell me; they told others as well. The news grew legs and traveled at lightning speed, and those people will be arriving one after another. The Inner States laid down the word: whoever can seize this land keeps it. Whoever wins this land will no longer be under the Inner States' jurisdiction and can reign freely as an independent local spirit." Li Banfeng frowned. "A lot of people already know about this?" "What do you think?" He Haiqin pointed out the door. "How do you think He Haisheng found out about it? That proves the news has already reached him! "I might as well tell you the honest truth. Several local spirits of nearby newlands—including Lu Huowang, Sha Dingzhong, Chu Yaoxian, Rong Sijiao, and Xie the Scoundrel—are all heading this way. "And from further away, major figures are also on the move: Pan Dehai, Tao Xuehong, Hua Manchun, Dou Jiyan, Song Baijin... Which of them can you afford to provoke? "You care for Yuxiu, and I understand that sentiment. But handing this territory over to her is as good as sending her to her death!" Li Banfeng rubbed his chin, looking utterly appalled. "Brother He, if you hadn't warned me, I would have made a terrible mistake." He Haiqin sighed. "It's not too late now that you understand." Li Banfeng stood up and set aside all his artifacts. "Brother He, I'll go talk to Yuxiu. We can't be reckless about this. We can't hold this territory, so it has to be handed over to you." He Haiqin waved his hands dismissively. "I won't do. I might not be able to hold it either!" Li Banfeng smiled. "We're all family; there's no need to be so modest. You have the Inner States backing you, Brother He. Whether it's Pan Dehai or Tao Feiyan, who would dare challenge the Inner States?" He Haiqin shook his head, offering a modest smile. Li Banfeng turned to the gramophone. "Precious wife, why don't you host everyone for dinner first? I'll be back shortly. Don't forget to invite Brother He to the table; he's our guest of honor." Hong Ying chimed in, "Don't worry, Husband. If he doesn't take the table, what are we supposed to eat?" "Who told you to call him Husband! Who gave you permission to run your mouth!" The gramophone gave Hong Ying two smacks with a board, then said politely to He Haiqin, "Brother He, it really is time for you to take the table." He Haiqin sensed that something was wrong. The moment Li Banfeng walked out, he felt something was off. Thinking back to everything he had just told Li Banfeng, he felt it was even more wrong. *How could I have believed him?* *Why did I tell him the truth?* He Haiqin opened his mouth toward the pile of Li Banfeng's artifacts, preparing to swallow them and fight to the death. Hong Ying grabbed a bottle of premium light soy sauce and shoved it into He Haiqin's mouth. "This brand of soy sauce is excellent and full of flavor. Xiaowan, you go ahead and eat; I'll marinate him first." The glove walked over to the door and heard two groans. The backscratcher lay prone on the ground. Though snapped in half and swallowed once by He Haiqin, this artifact had a tenacious life and wasn't completely dead yet. "Better keep it. The master might find a use for it." The glove collected the backscratcher. Back in the woods, Li Banfeng spotted He Haisheng. He Haisheng had remained seated near He Yuxiu all this time. He couldn't see her, but by sitting there, he could hear his sister's breathing. Seeing Li Qi, He Haisheng looked up and asked, "Where's my brother?" Li Qi replied, "He left. He was in a rush to head back for dinner." He Haisheng understood Li Banfeng's meaning. They were family after all; He Haiqin surely wouldn't have the heart to strike a fatal blow. Since he had left, the matter had likely blown over. He Haisheng glanced toward He Yuxiu's direction and said to Li Qi, "Thank you for taking care of my sister." Li Banfeng nodded slightly. He Haisheng took a couple of steps, then turned back. "Treat her well." Li Banfeng nodded again. Once He Haisheng was far away, Li Banfeng stepped into the dark-dimension space. He Yuxiu was sitting against a pine tree, her gaze somewhat vacant. "Seventh Brother, I truly never imagined Old Third would be the one to save me. Out of all the siblings, he was the one I disliked the most." Li Banfeng asked casually, "Why did you dislike him?" He Yuxiu offered a wry smile. "I can't quite remember. I just disliked him from when we were little. I remember he was terribly clingy, always wanting to burrow into my embrace. "When he was five or six, that was fine. At seven or eight, he could still be doted on. But when he was fifteen or sixteen, he still tried to burrow into my embrace. Who could put up with that?" Li Banfeng turned back to look at He Yuxiu. "At fifteen or sixteen, he still burrowed into your embrace?" "Yes!" He Yuxiu nodded. Li Banfeng looked toward the edge of the forest, gazing in the direction He Haisheng had departed. He Haisheng had already walked a long distance when he suddenly halted his steps and looked back toward the distant woods. "You must treat her well," He Haisheng muttered to himself. With that, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. Li Banfeng supported He Yuxiu as they traversed the newland. Now, He Yuxiu had to familiarize herself with the territory; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to hold her status. Walking was grueling for He Yuxiu, forcing her to rest after every three to five li. Sitting beneath a tree, He Yuxiu remarked, "I still can't figure out how my two brothers managed to find this place." Li Banfeng said, "The news was leaked by the Inner States. They called on people to come and seize this territory, decreeing that whoever takes it keeps it." He Yuxiu pondered for a long time. "Truth be told, doing that doesn't actually violate the contract." Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, it doesn't violate the contract. They did it completely open and aboveboard, ensuring we wouldn't be able to hold the territory while leaving us unable to pick any fault with them." "If all those ruthless figures come to seize the land, how are we supposed to fight them?" Unable to come up with a solution, He Yuxiu slapped her thigh. "Seventh Brother, since we can't hold this land, let's just abandon it! You return to Lüshui City right away, and I'll wait by the covenant deed. If worse comes to worst, I'll dig up the deed and destroy it on the spot. Even if it costs my life, I won't let them profit off it!" Li Banfeng shook his head. "This is our territory; no one gets to take advantage of us. I anticipated the Inner States would pull this trick, and I prepared for it long ago." He Yuxiu thought for a moment. "You mean those three-headed..." Li Banfeng pulled out the simple telephone, fitted the rotary dial, and contacted Ma the Fifth through Luo Zhengnan. "Old Fifth, send those five thousand people over." Moving five thousand people to the newland—especially three-headed people—was no simple task. Ma the Fifth had already sketched out a general plan: "Old Seventh, I plan to send them over in ten separate batches using large boxed carriages, claiming we're transporting freight to the newland." Li Banfeng said, "No need for ten batches. Move them all at once." Ma the Fifth replied, "Then there'll be no hiding it. Moving five thousand people at once—what kind of carriage could possibly hold them all?" "No need for carriages. Have them march straight over, proudly and openly!" Ma the Fifth was stunned. "Old Seventh, what's gotten into you? We can't mess around like this! Five thousand three-headed people marching toward the newland together—won't that spread across all of Lüshui City?" Li Banfeng said in all seriousness, "If it spreads across all of Lüshui City, that's the best outcome possible. If it doesn't, we'll publish it in the newspapers, saying Li Qi gathered five thousand Three-Headed people for Lühuazi and sent them all to the newland." Ma the Fifth fell silent for a moment before catching Li Banfeng's drift. "Old Seventh, you had this move prepared all along!" He Yuxiu understood as well. "Seventh Brother, you want to do this open and aboveboard too?" "That's right, completely open and aboveboard," Li Qi said, gazing into the distance. "At first, we sought peace and quiet for your advancement. If too many eyes were on the territory, variables would inevitably arise. Now that the advancement is complete, we'll develop this land open and aboveboard. With Lühuazi standing right here with five thousand Three-Headed people, let's see how many dare come looking for trouble." He Yuxiu looked up at Li Qi, suddenly feeling an inexhaustible well of strength within her. "Seventh Brother, once they come over for land reclamation, will I need to learn how to respond to them?" "That's quite difficult, so you'll indeed have to study it carefully." Speaking of land reclamation, Li Banfeng stood upon the wilderness and looked all around. "Xiu'er, don't you feel this plot of land is missing something?" Xiu'er also felt something was lacking. "It does seem a bit quiet."