The Bloodline of the Inner States

He Jiaqing pressed flat against the wall, his eyes fixed on the corner, on guard against an ambush while ready to strike at any moment. After a few seconds of standoff, He Jiaqing realized his tactics were flawed. His opponent was so fast that he was likely a Traveler Cultivator. Backing against a wall to defend against a Traveler Cultivator was obviously pointless. This He Jiaqing knew nothing about Li Qi. Dealing with cultivators on the ground level was well within his capabilities, but against an opponent above the clouds, his lack of experience showed. By the time he realized the problem, Li Banfeng had already used Unhindered Passage to slip right through the wall, appearing directly before him. Li Banfeng swung his scythe down toward his face. At the same moment, the projector leaped from his pocket and took up its position. He Jiaqing couldn't spare a thought for the projector. He had to dodge the scythe and keep his gaze locked on Li Banfeng to prevent him from suddenly vanishing and unleashing Viewing Flowers from Horseback. A Thief Cultivator's short-burst reaction speed was truly formidable. Ducking beneath the scythe, He Jiaqing lunged with a spiked ring toward Li Banfeng's throat. In close-quarters combat between cultivators of similar cultivation levels, the deciding factor between a Thief Cultivator and a Traveler Cultivator was who seized the initiative. Li Banfeng dodged the thrust. He Jiaqing swept his wrist horizontally, seeking to slit Li Banfeng's throat. He held the initiative now; by rights, he should press his advantage relentlessly without giving Li Banfeng any room to breathe. Whoosh! A rush of wind tore past his ear. He Jiaqing dodged frantically, but a blade still slashed across his back. Did he have an accomplice? In truth, Li Banfeng had no accomplice. That strike had come from his shadow wielding the Tang dao. Li Banfeng had deployed the art of Pitying One's Own Shadow, allowing his shadow to act independently. As a result, Li Banfeng could not use techniques himself, which was why he had opted for melee combat with weapons. Yet He Jiaqing was terrified. Facing a foe of comparable cultivation who seemed to outnumber him, he immediately switched tactics. Relying on his nimble footwork, he tried to circle behind Li Banfeng. Circling behind was a sound choice. It offered a quick escape, preventing Li Banfeng from locking eyes on him in time, and an ambush from behind could buy him some breathing room. Li Banfeng saw through He Jiaqing's intent, shifting his steps continuously so He Jiaqing had no opening to strike from behind. Reasonably speaking, realizing his opponent was prepared, he should have changed methods. But this He Jiaqing was extraordinarily stubborn—as though executing a rigid program, he insisted on circling behind Li Banfeng. Seeing how persistent He Jiaqing was, Li Banfeng traded a few more maneuvers before fishing a key out of his pocket. *If you want to get behind me so badly, have at it.* Li Banfeng twisted his wrist behind his back and swung open the door to the companion dwelling. Seeing Li Banfeng's footwork falter for an instant, He Jiaqing seized the opportunity, slipped behind him, and stepped right through the companion dwelling's doorway. Of all the foes Li Banfeng had ever encountered, plenty had come calling as guests, but this one was the most proactive of them all. Had He Jiaqing not seen the door in front of him? He truly hadn't. The projector had already cloaked both of their figures and altered part of the surrounding scenery, creating covert combat conditions for Li Banfeng. Once inside the doorway of the companion dwelling, He Jiaqing froze. The gramophone froze. Hong Ying froze as well. He Jiaqing had no idea where this place was, nor why he had stepped into this room. He had walked this street twice and knew it fairly well. When had another room appeared beside the corner café? The gramophone stared at He Jiaqing for a moment, finding him somewhat familiar. She had once seen He Jiaqing's photograph in a newspaper, though it was from years ago, when he looked younger and greener. The gramophone asked, "Are you a friend of my husband's?" He Jiaqing didn't know what kind of entity this gramophone was, but he could sense it was no ordinary object. He cupped his hands in greeting. "May I ask how your husband is addressed?" The gramophone said, "His name is Li Qi. Do you know him?" He knew Li Qi, of course. Li Qi was a pivotal figure. According to He Haiqin's description, Li Qi had to be Li Banfeng, and Li Banfeng was the keeper of the Xuansheng Red Lotus. Of course, that was in the past. The red lotus had been taken away to the Outer States, and whose hands it had fallen into since remained unknown. He Haiqin had mentioned that He Jiaqing had a bit of bad blood with Li Banfeng. Should he admit his identity now? While He Jiaqing was still hesitating, the gramophone ordered Hong Ying, "Go bring that red lotus slut over here. Tell her that her old flame has arrived." A woman whose figure was indescribably stunning, yet whose face was truly beyond description, carried the red lotus over. The Xuansheng Red Lotus! He Jiaqing was ecstatic! He had come to the right place! He Jiaqing cupped his hands. "Sister-in-law, I am a brother of Li Qi. I have come today only to borrow the red lotus for a bit." The gramophone chuckled. "Sister Red Lotus, your old flame is here to pick you up." The Xuansheng Red Lotus gently unfolded its leaves, seemingly sizing He Jiaqing up. She spoke up: "Jiaqing, do you still remember Teacher Song?" Teacher Song? He Haiqin hadn't mentioned any Teacher Song. "Of course I remember. That was the mentor who instructed me. How could I ever forget?" He Jiaqing followed along, fabricating smoothly. The red lotus asked again, "Have you met Teacher Song's wife?" "Once," He Jiaqing continued to spin his lie. "Mistress Song treated me very well." The red lotus turned to the gramophone and said, "This isn't He Jiaqing." "He Jiaqing" was taken aback. "What are you talking about?" The gramophone chuckled. "Sister, be certain. If this isn't He Jiaqing, he's going to become a dish on our table." The red lotus laughed too. "Listen to you. Even if he were He Jiaqing, having stepped into this room, wouldn't he end up on our table all the same? Teacher Song is a young woman. Where on earth would a 'Mistress Song' come from?" The gramophone snapped in fury, "I knew that instructing mentor was a shameless vixen!" Sensing something was terribly wrong, "He Jiaqing" spun around and bolted for the door. He tugged and pulled at the door for ages, but it didn't budge in the slightest. The gramophone was still fuming, complaining incessantly: "I knew that woman named Song was no simple creature! Just having all that talent would be enough to make that madman lose his mind. Tell me, is she pretty?" The red lotus thought about it. "It depends on how you compare. Compared to how you looked in life, she doesn't measure up. But compared to what you look like now..." The gramophone's voice trembled slightly. "What's wrong with what I look like now? Didn't that madman say he didn't mind?" Hong Ying chimed in from the side to soothe her. "Xiaowan, don't be mad. Don't listen to Red Lotus wagging her tongue!" "He Jiaqing" paused, wondering if he had overreacted. It seemed nobody in the room was paying the least bit of attention to him. Since none of them cared, there was no need to be polite. "He Jiaqing" looked around and spotted two other doors in the room—one on the opposite side, and one set into the wall. Fixing his direction, "He Jiaqing" dashed forward, snatched the red lotus with his left hand, and pushed open the door to Room Two with the fan in his right hand. Creak— The door swung open. Clang! The folding fan hit the floor. "He Jiaqing" startled. How could he have dropped his fan? It was his very life; this fan never left his hand. He looked at his bare wrist, and only then did he understand why. As it turned out, the fan hadn't left his hand—his hand had just fallen to the floor. Hong Ying had lopped off "He Jiaqing's" right hand. She picked up the fan from the floor, peeled away his severed hand, and inspected the object closely. "What kind of treasure is this? Why are you always holding onto it?" "He Jiaqing" moved to snatch the fan back. Hong Ying tapped her toes against the floor and backed into Room Two, waving at him. "I'll walk backward. If you can catch up to me, I'll give it back!" Enduring the excruciating pain, "He Jiaqing" gave chase frantically. Hong Ying retreated from Room Two into Room Three. The red lotus shouted, "Slut, stop playing around and rescue me first!" Hong Ying giggled. "Why should I rescue you? This man looks so much like your darling. While Husband isn't home, you two can get nice and cozy." Hong Ying chatted as she glided backward. "He Jiaqing" pushed with all his might, yet still couldn't catch her. He chased her all the way to Room Eight. Seeing Hong Ying slow down, "He Jiaqing" felt he could finally catch her. He mustered every ounce of strength and surged forward—only for his foot to slip, sending him crashing heavily to the floor. It was a nasty fall. He couldn't get up for quite some time, and Hong Ying snatched the red lotus back from him. A voice came from within the room: "That puddle was spilled at just the right spot." A calculation cultivator lived in Room Eight. He had been beaten into submission by Hong Ying and stood at her beck and call at all times. In a situation like this, with Hong Ying fighting an intruder, she didn't even need to give orders; the calculation cultivator in Room Eight took the initiative to assist. He had calculated Hong Ying's stride length and pace, and calculated "He Jiaqing's" as well. Factoring in the placement of Room Eight's furniture, he adjusted the position just enough for "He Jiaqing" to plant his foot right into that puddle of water. Holding the red lotus and the folding fan, Hong Ying teased him further: "The fan is in my hand, and your darling is in my hand. Keep chasing! It's rare for me to find some fun." With that, Hong Ying backed out of Room Eight and stepped into Room Seven. "He Jiaqing" could see the sheer gulf between himself and this indescribable woman. She could kill him whenever she pleased. Letting him live this long was purely for her amusement. If he wanted a quick death, he could just stop chasing. But the fan was in her hand... The logic was sound, but understanding the truth and coming to terms with it were two different things. What living creature didn't cling to life? "He Jiaqing" followed her into Room Seven. Hong Ying was about to taunt him further when she heard the gramophone shout, "You wretched little slut, haven't you played enough? Bring Red Lotus back here first. I have things to ask her!" Judging by this temper, she was likely going to grill her about Teacher Song. With Xiaowan in such a fury, Hong Ying didn't dare dawdle. Clutching the red lotus, she hurried back to the main room. "He Jiaqing" watched helplessly as Hong Ying drew further away. The fan moved further and further from his grasp, and his body grew increasingly sluggish. He couldn't move. Was it over, just like this...? "He Jiaqing's" thoughts ground to a halt. Hong Ying carried the red lotus before the gramophone. The gramophone hissed viciously, "Tell me, what dealings did that shameless Song vixen have with Husband?" The red lotus replied, "She was Li Banfeng and He Jiaqing's teacher. Her relationship with He Jiaqing was entirely innocent, but as for what dealings she had with Li Banfeng, I can't say for sure. After all, I didn't know that madman back then." "Was that man just now truly not He Jiaqing?" the gramophone demanded sharply. Faced with such ferocious presence, even the red lotus felt a twinge of fear. "Would I lie to you? He didn't even know whether Teacher Song was a man or a woman. He couldn't possibly be real..." "Who knows what glances and signals you two were trading? Yingying, go bring that man here. I'll question him myself!" Hong Ying carried the fan and hurried back to find "He Jiaqing," only to discover him lying motionless on the floor of Room Seven. "Xiaowan, what's with him...?" Hong Ying didn't dare act rashly. She could see "He Jiaqing" was in an abnormal state, and she could tell Zhao Xiaowan was in a foul mood. Back in the army, whenever Zhao Xiaowan lost her temper for real, everyone else had to tread on eggshells. "Useless! Why is bringing one person over so difficult for you?" Zhao Xiaowan entered Room Seven and gave Hong Ying a sharp smack. It stung so much that Hong Ying rubbed the spot for quite a while. As the fan drew near "He Jiaqing," after a moment, he gradually showed signs of life. His chest rose and fell; he seemed able to breathe again. The heaving grew more and more pronounced—it seemed to be far more than just breathing. The gramophone was taken aback. "What's happening to him?" Hong Ying watched for a moment, then hurriedly fetched an iron chain and bound "He Jiaqing" tightly. "Not good, this man is going to blow!" "Blow?" The gramophone couldn't understand why he would explode. Hong Ying tightened the chain. "I can't be mistaken. He's about to explode, just like someone struck by Viewing Flowers from Horseback! If you have questions, ask quickly—he won't last long." The gramophone asked, "What is your name?" "He Jiaqing" answered, "My name is Qiu Daoyu." The gramophone asked again, "Why did you disguise yourself as He Jiaqing?" "To become a high clansman." "You are from the Inner States?" "Yes. Now I am a high clansman." Zhao Xiaowan didn't quite believe the man's words. Inner States people shouldn't be of this size—they were far larger than people from Puluo Province. "How did you change your appearance?" "Burned in a furnace." Not only did he have to change his appearance, but he also had to learn He Jiaqing's traits and habits. "How did you know about He Jiaqing's past?" "He Jiaqing's father, He Haiqin, taught it to me bit by bit." That lined up. He Haiqin had indeed come out of the Inner States. "What mission did your clan give you?" "Use He Jiaqing's identity to seize the Paramount." "Where is He Jiaqing?" "I don't know... I couldn't find him..." Qiu Daoyu's voice grew weaker and weaker. "How many of your clansmen altered their appearances?" "A hundred entered the furnace with me. They all died. Only I was successfully forged... My cultivation was the highest, my constitution the toughest..." Clatter, groan— The iron chain creaked and rattled under strain. Hong Ying cried out, "Xiaowan, I can't hold it! He's about to explode! Let's get out of here!" Zhao Xiaowan said, "Let him explode. Why should we retreat?" Hong Ying said, "The force inside him is different! It's going to be a savage blast, enough to hurt us! Let's leave him here and let the Old Master deal with it." Just as they were about to leave, a voice rang out from within Room Seven: "No! He can't explode here!" The passenger of Room Seven spoke up. He took the initiative to warn Zhao Xiaowan: "If he explodes in here, this room is finished. It's a soul detonation, not his physical body. If you devour his soul, he won't be able to blow." Hong Ying protested, "If she eats him and he blows up inside Xiaowan's belly, what then?" The gramophone barked, "Nonsense! How could it blow up in my belly? Step back." Hong Ying retreated into the distance, watching as Qiu Daoyu's body swelled slowly. The gramophone jammed two needles into Qiu Daoyu, all three of its horns venting steam in unison. Before long, Qiu Daoyu's body ceased expanding, and the gramophone withdrew its needles. "Xiaowan, how is it?" Hong Ying walked over, looking on with concern. The gramophone made no sound; a clattering racket echoed from inside its front cabinet. "Xiaowan, say something! Don't scare me, Xiaowan..." Hong Ying reached out to feel the gramophone, her voice trembling. "Don't touch my belly!" The gramophone shoved Hong Ying aside and paced two circles around Room Seven. "Xiaowan, you're..." "Burp... gurgle..." The gramophone let out a satisfied belch and praised, "This saury fish was even tastier than that toad!" Hong Ying let out a long breath and slumped onto a chair. "Xiaowan, did you really want to scare me to death?" "No scaring, no scaring. Hurry and eat the meat. This truly is an Inner States breed!" Hong Ying looked at the corpse, swollen beyond human recognition. "Really? Let me taste it." "Don't eat it all yourself. The others of our household went out with Husband to fight. Save some for them, and leave some for this brother in Room Seven." Hong Ying took a bite of the flesh and blood, exclaiming in praise, "It really is tastier than that frog! Hey, you in Room Seven, what's your name?" The room replied, "If I knew my name, would I still be living like this, neither human nor ghost?" The gramophone said, "With eyes sharp enough to discern the source of the detonation, you must be a Peering Cultivator, right?" "Probably. So many years have passed, I can't even remember which pathway I belonged to." The gramophone chuckled. "It doesn't matter if you can't remember. Take your time to think on it. The days ahead are long, so let's look out for one another. Yingying, don't forget to save a portion for Room Eight as well." While Hong Ying set about dividing the food, the gramophone picked up Qiu Daoyu's fan. "The craftsmanship on this is out of the ordinary. There's a hidden mechanism inside." "There really is a mystery here... or did I eat too much Inner States flesh?" Hong Ying looked up at the gramophone. "Xiaowan, my lips feel strange." "Nonsense. Where would you get lips?" "It feels like I have them now." The gramophone turned its large horn and examined her carefully. "Well, what do you know? Would you look at that..." Originally, there had only been two eyes on the spearhead. Now, right below those eyes, a mouth had actually appeared. The gramophone marveled, "Oh, Yingying, you've just gained another line of business!" "Is this territory really being given to me?" Chu the Second couldn't quite believe it. She didn't believe Li Qi could be this good to her. "I've brought it right before you, so of course it's for you. You were the first person I thought of. No one is more suited than you." "Say what you just said again." Thinking Chu the Second hadn't heard clearly, Li Banfeng deliberately slowed his pace: "No one is more suited than you." "I mean the sentence before that. Say it again." "You were the first person I thought of." Chu the Second looked at Li Banfeng, sniffled, and her lips trembled for a moment before she actually burst into tears. "Why are you crying?" Li Banfeng asked, baffled. Chu the Second wiped her tears. "In all the time I've known you, this is the very first time I've heard you say you missed me." *Miss you?* *Wasn't there a difference between thinking of you and missing you?* Li Banfeng was about to correct her phrasing when he saw Chu the Second hold up the two covenant deeds. "Once I take these deeds, won't I become a local spirit? And if I clear all the wasteland, won't I become the local spirit of proper land?" "That's right!" Li Banfeng nodded. "Do you have any idea how many people want this territory? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" "I know you treat me well, and I truly have feelings for you too," Chu the Second said with lowered head and blushing cheeks. "But I don't know if I have what it takes. I'm afraid I won't be able to hold onto this land." "What's there to be afraid of? We have Second Aunt backing us up!" "Granny Kucai can't look after me forever. That said, when He Jiaqing came looking for me just now, was it for this land as well?" "That's impossible." Li Banfeng shook his head. Other than himself and Qiu Luoye, nobody knew he intended to give the territory to Chu the Second. There was no way He Jiaqing could have gotten wind of it. "Besides, I don't think that man was He Jiaqing." Chu the Second said, "Why wouldn't it be He Jiaqing? I've known him since childhood. That bastard was sinister and vicious from the start. I think he was He Jiaqing." Li Banfeng said, "Think carefully. If He Jiaqing truly wanted the Paramount, would he make a move in person? He holds plenty of businesses, all managed under the cover of Shen Rongqing and Duan Shuqun. When have you ever seen him show his face willingly? The Outer States still have a warrant out for him—would he dare come straight to your doorstep to muscle in on your business? If the Garrison Office found out, Liao Zihui would dispatch men to arrest him. Even if he could fend off the Garrison Office, doing that would be far too reckless." Chu the Second nodded. "Brother Seven is right. Thinking back now, that man truly didn't seem like He Jiaqing." "Hss!" Xiang Fenglan sucked in a sharp breath from the side. Just a second ago she said he was, and in the blink of an eye she says he wasn't. And that "Brother Seven is right"—that didn't sound like anything that could ever come out of Chu the Second's mouth! "Senior Sister Xiang, go check on Old Yang, Hongyan, and the others," Chu the Second glared at Xiang Fenglan. "Brother Seven and I need to talk business." Xiang Fenglan sneered. "Talk business, or do business? Can't I just watch from the side?" Li Banfeng stood up. "Everything that needed saying has been said. Hurry up, bury the covenant deeds, and claim the territory. You come from a prominent family—you know what to do." With that, Li Banfeng moved to leave. Chu the Second hated to see him go and tugged at his lapel. "You have to visit me often. In this whole wide world, nobody misses you more than I do." Xiang Fenglan kept her head lowered and said, "Not necessarily. I heard Jiang Mengting is sick. She hasn't gone on stage for two concerts in a row. If you don't go see her, she might not make it." "I'll head to Xiaoyaowu to take a look." Li Banfeng left the Chu family mansion. Chu the Second glared viciously at Xiang Fenglan. "You wretched slut, how did you know Jiang Mengting was sick? Did Ma the Fifth tell you? Just wait, I'm telling Granny about this in a minute!" Li Banfeng went to Xiaoyaowu. Ma the Fifth was chatting leisurely with two young women. Seeing Li Banfeng arrive, Ma the Fifth hurriedly introduced them: "Old Seven, these are two confidantes I've recently gotten to know. One is named A Chun, and the other is A Se." Both confidantes were wreathed in green fire, clearly not living souls of the mortal realm. Yet Li Banfeng was not surprised in the least. To Ma the Fifth, the supposed gulf between the living and the dead was nothing more than a trivial detail not worth mentioning! He went to find Jiang Mengting. She was indeed ill, looking haggard beyond belief. Li Banfeng brought water and administered medicine, looking after her with devoted care. The two young women continued pouring their woes out to Ma the Fifth. A Se sighed softly. "Fifth Brother, the two of us have such bitter fates. Having become bondservants to a cultivator, the slightest misstep brings punishment. We don't know how long we can endure this life." Ma the Fifth said with a solemn expression, "Set your minds at ease, ladies. Today you've met me, Ma Junyang, and that means your bitter days are at an end. Tomorrow I'll speak with your master and have him write a deed of release, transferring the two of you over to me." A Se clasped Ma the Fifth's hand tightly. "Young Master Five is truly a good man!" A Chun took hold of Ma the Fifth's hand as well. "Young Master Five is indeed wonderful, but... what did we sisters come here for in the first place?" A Se replied with a perfectly natural demeanor, "Need you even ask? To pay a special visit to Young Master Five, of course." A Chun blinked. "Is that so?" A Se fell silent for a moment. "I suppose..." A Chun looked at Ma the Fifth. "Young Master Five, was that gentleman who just walked past Young Master Li Qi?" Li Banfeng viewed A Se's painting and saw clearly the entire interrogation of the Inner States man, Huang Zennan, by Sun Tiecheng. A Painting Cultivator was not a projector, and A Se lacked the consummate skill of Mu Yuejuan; the images weren't especially lifelike, but the meaning came across crystal-clear. A Chun said from the side, "Young Master Li, Castellan Sun told you to be on your utmost guard. He made special mention of Zhang Gunli's abacus, saying it was extraordinarily peculiar, and sent our master to Black Rock Slope to have Tang Shijiang examine it." Li Banfeng recalled the details of his fight with He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing had held a folding fan the entire time, yet the fan hadn't functioned as either a weapon or a magical artifact. What had he been doing holding that fan, then? Could it serve the same purpose as the abacus? At Black Rock Slope, a merchant was fretting over land use. The parcel he had purchased was too small, the workshop floor space insufficient to house all his machinery. On a friend's recommendation, he had engaged an experienced engineer to help. This engineer wore overalls and a hard hat; he was tall and burly, his face bushy with a beard, and he wore a pair of spectacles that looked rather ill-suited to his rugged appearance. He seemed unremarkable on the surface, but little did anyone know that he was the local spirit of Black Rock Slope, Tang Shijiang. He held several identities at Black Rock Slope. An experienced engineer was just one of them; besides that, he had also been a bricklayer, a laborer, a fitter, a cook, a newspaper bureau director, and a magazine model, among many others. Tang Shijiang studied the blueprints for a long while before shaking his head. The workshop floor space was simply too small. The steam engine was the perennial power source across Puluo Province. Its complex steam-and-water circulation system inevitably resulted in massive bulk, which doomed this workshop to being unable to accommodate all the equipment. Bulk was an unavoidable hurdle for steam engines. Tang Shijiang had conducted extensive research into the problem, but with meager returns. Left with no alternative, the merchant could only pay more money to purchase additional land. As Tang Shijiang was revising the blueprints for him, he twirled the pencil twice between his fingers and tucked it behind his ear. He stepped out of the workshop, walked over to the perimeter wall, and asked, "Senior, you were looking for me?" Gui Jianchou chuckled. "No need to call me Senior. There's no need for such formalities between us." "Between us?" Tang Shijiang didn't think he and Gui Jianchou shared that deep of a relationship. "What did you seek me out for?" Gui Jianchou produced the abacus and handed it to Tang Shijiang. "Take a look at this and tell me what it is." Tang Shijiang took the abacus and shook it gently. Observing the trajectories of the beads, his gaze grew increasingly profound. After observing it meticulously for two full hours, Tang Shijiang flicked six of the abacus beads. As those six shifted, all the other beads began moving in tandem. Gui Jianchou knew nothing of Artisan Cultivation and had no idea what principle governed this contraption. The ghost servant A Tie exclaimed in admiration, "He actually figured it out! He really figured it out!" Tang Shijiang shook his head. "I've only figured out the mechanism; I haven't discerned the power source yet. This is a treasure—a rare, marvelous treasure." "It truly is a treasure. The craftsmanship of the Inner States is formidable indeed," the companion dwelling praised, then said to the gramophone, "Girl, pull the third rib of the fan upward a little. Don't use too much force." The gramophone gently pried the fan rib upward. Hiss! A sharp whistle sounded. A thread of white mist shot out. The gramophone gasped, "This fan... is a steam engine?" "Spot on," the companion dwelling chuckled. "Girl, I finally understand what kind of bloodline the Inner States people possess. No wonder their frames are so colossal!"