Li Banfeng went to the laboratory, expecting Madam to fly into a rage because he had arrived late. To his surprise, she was so engrossed in her experiments that she had completely lost track of time.
"Darling Husband, wait for your humble servant just a little longer. Just a moment will do." Madam was still reluctant to leave. Li Banfeng wanted to lend a hand, but the experiments were complex; having arrived midway, he could not get a foothold and was less useful than the Pendulum and Mengde.
Since he had to wait anyway, Li Banfeng returned to the companion dwelling first to mete out rewards for the battle according to merit.
The top merit had to go to the Lady of Room Nine.
Friction still remained between Li Banfeng and Room Nine, but merits and faults had to be judged distinctly. Without the Three Gates, Three Openings Array, the City of Fools certainly could not have been held this time. What deserved a reward had to be rewarded.
Besides, Sun Tiecheng had a message to pass to Room Nine. Li Banfeng entered Room Nine, carried the red lotus out, and expressed his gratitude to her first.
Room Nine replied, "You shouldn't thank me; I should thank you. You were the one who went out to fight and risk your life. Without you, the City of Fools would still have suffered disaster."
Li Banfeng asked, "Do you miss the City of Fools that much?"
"I do. Truly." The Lady of Room Nine spoke in a placid tone, but her words came straight from the heart.
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "I'll discuss it with the Old Master. If he agrees, I can take you to the City of Fools to have a look."
"Truly?" The Lady of Room Nine grew very excited.
Li Banfeng said, "But if the Old Master doesn't agree, you can't blame me. Moreover, taking you out is only for a visit; once you've seen it, you must come back, and you cannot speak of what happens in this house."
"I'll draft a covenant deed! If I don't return when time is up, or if I reveal anything about this house, whether intentionally or unintentionally, I'm willing to accept your harshest punishment!" Her composure broke. The moment she saw hope, her voice trembled slightly.
"Senior Brother Sun also hopes very much that you'll return. He said that if you don't hate him so much, you should go back and visit." Li Banfeng delivered Sun Tiecheng's words and turned to leave, but the Lady of Room Nine called him back.
"Wait. I don't want to go to the City of Fools anymore."
Li Banfeng paused in surprise. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
"'If you don't hate him, go back and visit.' If I actually go, doesn't that mean I don't hate him?"
What kind of logic was this? Inverting cause and effect?
The Lady of Room Nine's voice suddenly turned low and gravelly. "Why shouldn't I hate him? How could things be that simple? Even if it means never returning in this lifetime, I will hate him until the day I die!"
Li Banfeng asked, "Just how deep is the grudge between you two?"
"Heh heh..." Room Nine gave a cold laugh. "Junior Brother, please return the red lotus to me. With this elder sister keeping me company, life is pleasant enough."
Li Banfeng moved the red lotus back into Room Nine. After calming herself down, the Lady of Room Nine teased the lotus, "Elder Sister, tell me, what kind of disposition does the man from heaven have?"
The red lotus said, "How many times do I have to tell you? I really don't remember."
"You must remember some things. The heavenly light that fell upon the ground—did the man from heaven truly unleash it?"
"What benefits did that madman give you that makes you try to pry information out of me every single day?"
"Elder Sister, I'm not prying. I'm genuinely curious."
Since the Lady of Room Nine refused her reward, it was time to reward the second greatest contributor.
Today's second contributor was the glove. At the crucial moment, had it not lent Li Banfeng a hand, Li Banfeng very likely would have fallen to the Thief Cultivator patriarch.
Li Banfeng pulled the glove from his chest. "Brother, you rendered great service today—brother, what's wrong?"
Li Banfeng called out for a long time before the glove feebly twitched its fingers, offering no further response. Terrified, Li Banfeng heard the companion dwelling sigh. "Ah Tao was injured by that old dog Xiao Qianshou. He must have been that old dog's disciple."
"How could Xiao Qianshou have hurt him? He never even touched the glove."
"He placed curses on all his disciples. What method he used, I cannot say for certain."
During the clash with Xiao Qianshou, Xiao Qianshou had indeed mentioned sensing a disciple of his pathway.
"The glove has already turned into a wondrous item, and the curse can still take effect? Is Xiao Qianshou's curse technique that formidable?"
The companion dwelling said, "Xiao Qianshou doesn't know curses himself. There is an expert beside him who does, and that person's curses are not easy to unravel."
Li Banfeng tucked the glove back into his chest. "I'll go find Song Qianhun. He has the renowned physician Kang Zhenchang under him. He ought to have a way to heal the glove."
The companion dwelling replied, "Ah Qi, when breaking a curse, seek no physician, lest a slip of the hand send the soul to the Western Pure Land. Knowing Ah Tao is afflicted by a curse, you had better not look for a Medicine Cultivator. If a medicine cultivator misunderstands the curse's mechanics, it will only make things worse and cost Ah Tao his life."
"Then what method should be used to break the curse?"
"The best way to break a curse is to find the caster. But you certainly cannot go to that old dog Xiao Qianshou. There is another good method—a skill above the clouds of the Dwelling Cultivator pathway called Sleep Soundly Without Care. Unfortunately, you haven't learned it yet."
Li Banfeng said, "I'll go find Madam right now and learn it."
The companion dwelling cautioned, "Ah Qi, you cannot be reckless about this. To learn the technique, you must advance first. But you have advanced too quickly; your physical frame cannot endure it. Go listen to what your wife has to say first."
Madam was still busy in the laboratory. Li Banfeng said, "Madam, I want to learn a technique."
"Darling Husband, it's only been a few days, and you're already fretting about advancing again?"
"It's for our glove." Li Banfeng presented the glove to Madam.
Madam started in surprise. Only after asking the reason behind the glove's injury did she understand Li Banfeng's purpose.
"Darling Husband, you wish to learn the technique of Sleep Soundly Without Care?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "The Old Master said this technique can break curses."
The gramophone said, "The technique of Sleep Soundly Without Care can not only break curses, but also treat wounds and cure illnesses. It is indeed a fine technique of the Dwelling Cultivator pathway. Yet our pathway possesses many formidable techniques. Wouldn't my husband like to consider others?"
Li Banfeng said, "Let's learn Sleep Soundly Without Care first, and I can learn other techniques later."
"Husband, you won't be able to learn other techniques later. Three layers above the clouds is already the ceiling. Higher still lies Beyond the Clouds."
"Beyond the Clouds?" Li Banfeng stared, dumbfounded. "Madam, there are ten layers on the ground. How can it end after only three layers above the clouds?"
"Husband, that is simply how cultivation progresses. That is why your humble servant urges you to proceed with utmost caution."
Cultivation above the clouds was far too short, which Li Banfeng found difficult to accept for the moment. "Then... could I not learn techniques above the clouds once I reach Beyond the Clouds?"
Madam swayed her horn. "Once you reach Beyond the Clouds, you can no longer learn the techniques within the pathways. The so-called techniques Beyond the Clouds are all original creations of the cultivators themselves. For a cultivator Beyond the Clouds, the concepts of tiers and techniques vanish, and worldly renown loses its use. Husband will no longer have a clear path of cultivation to follow; you can only grope forward through affinity and experience. Husband, heed my advice: before you thoroughly understand the mechanics of the pathways, do not step into Beyond the Clouds lightly. Otherwise, it will be exceedingly difficult for your cultivation to advance any further in the future."
Li Banfeng looked at the dying glove, pondered for a moment, and said, "I want to advance to the third layer of Dwelling Cultivator, and the technique I will learn is Sleep Soundly Without Care."
"There are several other techniques among Dwelling Cultivators that are exceptionally formidable. Husband, hear your servant out. There is a move called Connected Bridal Chambers; this move—"
"Darling Madam, say no more, or you'll make my heart itch. I don't want to learn any other technique; I will learn Sleep Soundly Without Care. The glove ended up like this entirely because of me. If he had stayed still, Xiao Qianshou might not have noticed him; he could have avoided Zhao Lanmeng even while asleep. I must repay this favor. No matter what, I have to save him."
Madam sighed. "Then I shall yield to Husband. Hand the glove to me first, and I will stabilize the curse. I have consumed a good deal of ingredients lately, so helping Husband advance will not be difficult. Over the next few days, Husband must consume more worldly renown, rest adequately, and take your medicinal pills on time."
***
Green Water City, Lu's Bookstore.
Boss Lu arrived at the second-floor warehouse and inspected the equipment Yu Yaoming had finished building.
In appearance, with a long barrel and two wheels, it looked somewhat like a cannon.
In size, the cannon sat over a meter high on the ground, with a barrel diameter of nearly thirty centimeters. Bringing it onto the streets would be far too difficult.
Boss Lu went down to the first floor, took an old newspaper from the rack, and brought it back to the warehouse. "Xiao Zhenggong once created a contraption called a magnetic shock cannon, only to make a fool of himself when both man and cannon were trapped inside the Boundary. This thing of yours shouldn't be like his, right?"
Yu Yaoming took the newspaper, glanced at it, and said to Boss Lu, "I don't know Xiao Zhenggong, nor do I know the origins of his so-called magnetic shock cannon. I am certain my equipment will not cause similar anomalies in the Boundary."
Boss Lu looked at the massive contraption Yu Yaoming had constructed, his expression turning solemn.
Yu Yaoming grew somewhat displeased with Boss Lu's attitude. "My equipment has a remote control. Even if a problem arises, we can leave the scene immediately. I believe such safety measures are enough to put your mind at ease. I would think there ought to be a minimum level of trust between us."
"My trust in you is far more than minimal." Boss Lu retrieved a book from the shelf.
It was a thread-bound copy of *Tales of Added Fragrance*. Plain in exterior, its paper and craftsmanship were remarkably exquisite. Most precious of all, every page featured an exquisite illustration.
The illustrations had been drawn by the grand painter Shan Yougui and block-printed by the renowned artisan Su Guangrui. Very few copies circulated on the market; the book alone was worth several hundred silver dollars.
Not to mention, the book contained Boss Lu's special methods.
Boss Lu turned to one of the pages. The illustration on this page was magnificent: after resolving their misunderstanding, the male and female protagonists consummated their love in the wild countryside. The man appeared free and slightly arrogant, while the woman displayed tenderness amidst her shyness, the entire scene brought vividly to life.
Boss Lu wiggled his eyebrows at Yu Yaoming. "Looks good, doesn't it?"
"Yes!" Yu Yaoming nodded vigorously.
Boss Lu said mysteriously, "What comes next looks even better."
"Truly?" Yu Yaoming wanted to take the book and study it carefully.
Boss Lu waved his hand. "No rush. We'll look after we finish our proper business."
He raised *Tales of Added Fragrance* and pressed it down over the cannon.
The entire cannon vanished.
While Yu Yaoming was still stunned, Boss Lu showed him the illustration.
In the desolate countryside, alongside the man and woman, an extra cannon had appeared.
Even more wondrous was that the male and female protagonists in the painting were staring together at the cannon beside them, their expressions filled with horror.
Yu Yaoming remained speechless for a long time. He looked at Boss Lu. "What kind of technique is this?"
Boss Lu smiled. "In Puluo Province, never ask about someone else's techniques unless they bring it up themselves."
Yu Yaoming knew he shouldn't have asked, but his curiosity lingered. "I've read quite a few books in your shop. You call people with special abilities cultivators, and you have different definitions for tiers of cultivation. You must be a cultivator Beyond the Clouds, right?"
Boss Lu sighed. "Don't just read about those things; take a look at the local customs of Puluo Province as well. Not only should you not ask about techniques, you shouldn't ask about cultivation either."
Yu Yaoming grumbled, "If I'm not allowed to ask anything, how am I supposed to live in Puluo Province in the future?"
Boss Lu thought about it. "That is true enough. To tell you the truth, I am not a cultivator Beyond the Clouds."
"Then when can you reach Beyond the Clouds?"
Boss Lu shook his head. "I will never reach Beyond the Clouds."
"Is it because of a lack of talent?"
Boss Lu frowned. "Do people in the Outer States have no manners? Is that any way to speak? The reason I don't wish to go Beyond the Clouds is that I walk a different path. Even if someone Beyond the Clouds truly came, they might not be my match."
Putting away the book, Boss Lu had just led Yu Yaoming downstairs when the bell above the main door chimed. A customer had entered the bookstore.
Yu Yaoming turned to run back upstairs, but Boss Lu signaled him to stay still and remain standing by the second row of bookshelves.
Boss Lu rounded the third row of shelves and reached the bookstore entrance, where he saw He Jiaqing walking through the door.
"Young Master He, it's been a while." Boss Lu greeted him and promptly instructed his clerk to brew tea.
He Jiaqing waved his hand. "Don't trouble yourself. I just came back from the teahouse with a belly full of tea. I stopped by to see if you have any new books."
Boss Lu smiled. "There are new books on every shelf. Take your time, sir."
He Jiaqing walked past each row of shelves in turn. When he reached the second row, he paused slightly longer.
He sensed that the person he was looking for was nearby, but despite employing several methods, he could not see the man's figure.
After completing a round, He Jiaqing purchased a set of the *Collection of Embroidered Frost*.
The *Collection of Embroidered Frost* was a story anthology spanning twenty-seven volumes, gathering over six hundred bawdy folk tales. People often said that while one might endure three volumes of *Tales of Added Fragrance*, one could never endure a single volume of *Embroidered Frost*, which attested to its sheer power.
Boss Lu teased from the side, "Young Master He, you never lack for women by your side, yet you still enjoy this set of books?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "Boss Lu, you're an insider. The sentiment and charm found in these books cannot be found in women."
The two exchanged a knowing smile.
Twenty-seven volumes were far too heavy for He Jiaqing to carry, so he left an address and asked Boss Lu to deliver them.
Boss Lu agreed. After seeing He Jiaqing off, he waited about ten minutes before circling back from the third row of shelves to find Yu Yaoming by the second row.
Yu Yaoming was also reading the *Collection of Embroidered Frost*, his hands trembling as he turned the pages.
Boss Lu said, "Time to go."
Yu Yaoming shook his head slightly. "How about we go another day? I'd like to pursue my scholarship in the bookstore today."
"Pursue your scholarship after the proper business is done. There is plenty of scholarship to pursue in this shop—who knows how many years it would take you."
Taking *Tales of Added Fragrance* with them, the two left the bookstore and stepped onto the street.
Yu Yaoming lowered his voice. "You should at least give me some disguise. Coming out like this makes me stand out too much."
After arriving in Puluo Province from the Outer States, Yu Yaoming had changed into a Sun Yat-sen suit and black leather shoes and tidied his hair, but he had done nothing else to disguise his face.
Boss Lu shook his head. "I've thought this through carefully. The people looking for you are no ordinary folk. If I put a disguise on you, they'll see right through it with a single glance. It's better for us to conceal nothing at all; that way, we won't draw attention."
Boss Lu's reasoning was sound, but today was an exceptional case: they had been spotted by an ordinary fellow.
Across the street, Qin Tianjiu was handling business at a jewelry shop.
This jewelry shop belonged to Shen Jinzhong, the Great Gold Seal of the Three Braves Sect. Business had originally been good, but thieves had plagued it lately.
Earlier, a female Gourmet Cultivator had barged in to rob the place. Although her clothes and pockets were burned off, she still managed to snatch several pieces of jewelry; neither the items were recovered nor was she caught, which caused Shen Jinzhong to throw a massive fit.
Two days later, several Thief Cultivators came and swept through the jewelry shop again. At first, no one noticed, but later the thieves sent a letter expressing their thanks; only after taking inventory did the shop realize goods were missing.
These thieves were far too brazen. Shen Jinzhong had not only lost money but also his reputation, infuriating him to the point where he nearly shut down the jewelry shop.
Closing it would have saved trouble, but after weighing it back and forth, Shen Jinzhong could not bear to give up the business. Turning around, he placed the pressure onto Chubby Qin.
Out of respect for Li Qi, Shen Jinzhong did not dare make things too difficult for Chubby Qin, but Chubby Qin couldn't bear the shame, so he had no choice but to stake out the area near the jewelry shop.
Today, he happened to see Boss Lu leaving the bookstore with a man. At first, Chubby Qin didn't pay it much mind, assuming the man was Boss Lu's clerk.
Yet after a few extra glances, Chubby Qin felt something was off. That man looked familiar.
Where had he seen him...?
Chubby Qin recalled a photograph Li Qi had shown him. This man was named Yu Yaoming, an outsider from the Outer States. Li Qi suspected he had come to Puluo Province and instructed Chubby Qin to keep a sharp eye out; once there was any news, he was not to tell anyone, but immediately contact Luo Zhengnan to pass the word to Li Qi.
He had searched Green Water City many times without finding a trace of this man. Who could have thought he was right in the bookstore across the street!
Chubby Qin pulled out his simplified telephone and was about to dial when he saw Boss Lu leading Yu Yaoming into an alleyway.
Where were they going?
Boss Lu had taken the man away, and there was no telling if they would return. By the time Brother Qi received the message and rushed here, the two of them might be nowhere to be found.
Boss Lu was merely a bookstore proprietor, and this Yu Yaoming possessed little combat strength. Qin Tianjiu was already a fourth-layer Gourmet Cultivator; tailing the two of them should not be difficult.
He would follow them for a stretch first, at least figure out what they were up to, and then send word to Brother Qi.
Qin Tianjiu ordered his subordinates to watch the jewelry shop while he followed Boss Lu, heading toward Yangjiao Park.
A great deal had occurred at Yangjiao Park recently. Liao Zihui had activated the surrounding Boundary, sealing off more than half the park.
A stretch of the Boundary cut straight through the woods within the park. The Boundary itself was invisible, but its traces were glaringly obvious: no vegetation grew in its vicinity.
Boss Lu opened *Tales of Added Fragrance*, turned to the previous illustration, and gave it a shake.
The cannon Yu Yaoming had built silently appeared before them, while the expressions of the man and woman in the illustration returned to normal.
"The blast won't be too loud, will it?"
Yu Yaoming shook his head. "There will be no sound."
After connecting all the equipment, Yu Yaoming stood at a distance with the remote control and pressed the firing button.
There was no bright light and no sound. From start to finish, only a few parameters on the instrument panel shifted.
Boss Lu looked toward Yu Yaoming. After carefully comparing the parameters before and after the discharge, Yu Yaoming told him, "It succeeded."
"Just like that?"
Yu Yaoming nodded. "In the direction the muzzle is facing, a pathway into the wormhole has already formed."
"Did you create this wormhole?"
"Of course I didn't create it. This wormhole existed to begin with; I merely captured an entrance at a specific location and altered its shape. Judging by the parameters, the entrance is two meters high and two meters wide, capable of accommodating a person of normal build."
Boss Lu fell silent. Yu Yaoming said, "If you don't believe it, I can go test it."
He moved forward, but Boss Lu stopped him.
Boss Lu opened *Tales of Added Fragrance* again and found another illustration.
The page depicted a bustling street where a middle-aged man walked along carrying a birdcage.
Boss Lu reached his hand into the illustration, opened the birdcage under the man's stunned gaze, and took the caged bird.
He placed the bird on his palm, stroked its head, tickled its chin, and whispered a few words to it.
The bird chirped in response and flew straight toward the Boundary, vanishing the instant it crossed through, leaving behind only a wisp of dust.
Boss Lu looked toward Yu Yaoming. Yu Yaoming said, "Don't rush; it will come out soon."
After waiting for over ten minutes with no movement, Yu Yaoming said, "Perhaps your bird lost its bearings inside the wormhole."
Boss Lu shook his head. "I have trained this bird for many years. It is far cleverer than an ordinary person."
"That's impossible," Yu Yaoming said, shaking his head. "Human cognition operates differently from avian cognition, which dictates that certain tasks can only be accomplished by humans."
Boss Lu sighed. "Why remain stubborn? The bird clearly slammed into the Boundary and disintegrated into ashes."
Yu Yaoming said, "If it passed through the Boundary by ordinary means, it would indeed disintegrate into ashes. But passing through via the wormhole entrance will not cause such an outcome."
Boss Lu frowned. "Did you not see the ashes just now?"
"Those ashes are different; they didn't come from the bird. I have experienced similar things before. At the time, I also thought the dust came from the test subject, but in fact, those ashes came from the dust at the wormhole's entrance. That dust possesses certain fundamental characteristics of the wormhole and differs greatly from the residue left by destroyed physical objects."
Boss Lu did not want to argue any further; he found talking to this man exhausting.
Yu Yaoming remained utterly stubborn. "Birds easily lose their sense of direction in an unfamiliar environment. It is not human, after all, and lacks human adaptability and responsiveness."
"You mean that if a person is sent in, they will be able to walk out?"
"In principle, yes."
"Fine!" Boss Lu pulled a rope from the book and flicked his wrist.
The rope flew into the grass, binding Qin Tianjiu fast.
Qin Tianjiu tried to break free, but to no avail; the rope bound him tightly, leaving him not the slightest room to struggle.
Boss Lu yanked the rope, dragging Qin Tianjiu before him.
Qin Tianjiu tried to shout, but Boss Lu raised his hand and wrote the character for 'Silence' on his face, rendering Qin Tianjiu completely mute.
"Here is a living person. If he goes in and can still walk out, it will prove you are right." Boss Lu swung his hand, sending Qin Tianjiu and the rope crashing toward the Boundary opposite the cannon.
A puff of dust drifted by, and Qin Tianjiu vanished without a trace.
After waiting another half hour with no sign of Qin Tianjiu, Boss Lu looked at Yu Yaoming. "What else do you have to say?"
Yu Yaoming lowered his head and looked at the cannon. "Perhaps there are still areas that need improvement."
"Needing improvement is nothing to fear; we can take our time. Why cling desperately to your pride?" Boss Lu opened *Tales of Added Fragrance*, stowed the cannon away, and the two departed Yangjiao Park.
***
"I hurriedly shake the branch to make it sway, grabbing a handful of dirt to scatter dust! You and I have neither old grievances nor recent hatred; I beg of you, old sir, to right this wrongful death!"
Luo Zhengnan brewed a pot of tea, reclined in his lounge chair, and listened to *The Tale of the Black Basin* when a burst of static suddenly sounded in his ear.
*Zzz-crackle—*
Luo Zhengnan adjusted the position of his antenna. The static vanished for a moment, only to buzz again shortly after.
He pulled the antenna from his skull and inspected it carefully.
"Is it time to replace this thing? The trouble is, it's not easy to buy one."
After adjusting it back and forth several times, Luo Zhengnan felt the static was rather peculiar. It sounded noisy and harsh, yet seemed to carry a certain rhythm.
This didn't sound like ordinary static from a radio broadcast.
P.S. It seemed this static had actively sought him out.
Chapter 586