Who Exactly Is It?

Holding the handkerchief, Li Banfeng called out, "Jiang Ling'er." Inside Yucui Tower, a woman answered. Who had replied? Li Banfeng rose and searched the surroundings. The glove shivered and spat out a longsword. "Master, this place gives me the creeps. Take this with you. The Tang dao is useless after three strikes, so use this for self-defense." Li Banfeng took the longsword. The weapon was not particularly large, but it possessed considerable heft. He gave it two swings and asked, "I don't know swordsmanship. How do you use this thing?" That stumped the glove. It didn't know how to wield these Inner State weapons either. Li Banfeng carried the longsword up to the second floor. Seeing no one, he activated Golden Eyes Autumn Down and swept his gaze across the room, spotting a woman on the bed. The woman wore robes of greenish-blue gauze, silently looking at Li Banfeng. "Are you Jiang Ling'er?" The woman countered, "Which one do you mean?" Li Banfeng said, "I'm talking about you." The woman asked again, "Which one is it, really?" Her voice was faint; Li Banfeng could barely hear her only after activating Discerning Spiritual Sound. In the hazy dimness, Li Banfeng stepped closer. But before he could get a clear look at her face, the woman vanished in the blink of an eye. Li Banfeng pushed Golden Eyes Autumn Down to its limit and searched upstairs and downstairs, but couldn't find her anywhere. Was this a vengeful spirit? Even a vengeful spirit cultivated to an Injured Demon Fiend could not escape Golden Eyes Autumn Down. Li Banfeng was a Travel Cultivator and Homestead Cultivator of the third tier above the clouds, possessing extraordinary reflexes and speed. For this woman to vanish right before his eyes, what cultivation level did she possess? He couldn't stay in Yucui Tower any longer. Li Banfeng originally planned to seek out the five Luo sisters to get to the bottom of this, but before he could even make it out of the backyard, his eyes refused to stay open. He was truly exhausted—sleepy beyond measure. Just then, Shaojun came walking over. Li Banfeng said, "Arrange a place for me to stay. I need to sleep a while." Luo Shaojun hurriedly brought Li Banfeng to her former boudoir, kicked out Bao Yingjun's concubine, and settled Li Banfeng into bed. "Shaojun, there's something I need to ask you. That Yucui Tower—" Halfway through his sentence, Li Banfeng fell fast asleep. When he opened his eyes again, Shaojun was still sitting beside the bed. "Brother Seven, things in the city have basically settled down. Seventy percent of the Senior Officials are willing to follow our Luo family, while the other thirty percent were noncommittal. Elder Sister sent them home for now and stationed people around their manors to keep them under surveillance." Luo Lijun had governed Wubian City for years, so Li Banfeng didn't need to worry about internal city affairs. What concerned Li Banfeng now were matters outside the city. "Is Wubian City heading toward Chaoge right now?" Luo Shaojun nodded. "Heading straight for Chaoge, and the journey has been quite smooth." Li Banfeng said, "Hopefully it stays smooth. Bao Yingjun ambushed us the moment we met, which was likely tied to the Sage. The Sage won't stop targeting us." Luo Shaojun nodded repeatedly. "Brother Seven is right. I questioned several Senior Officials, and lately Bao Yingjun was always spouting that phrase, 'To eat the sovereign's grain is to serve the sovereign's cause.' The one who made him Marquis was almost certainly the Sage! I already told Elder Sister. She said she tightened our defenses and had us sisters take turns keeping watch in the Mingxi Great Hall so we can respond immediately if anything happens. Elder Sister just headed to Left Fifth Street. Several of Bao Yingjun's old subordinates live there, and word is they've gathered quite a crowd to cause trouble. Who knows what grade of weapons they're holding, but we'll probably have to fight them." Li Banfeng unfolded the map of Wubian City drawn by Hu Chihong. "Where is Left Fifth Street?" Luo Shaojun shook her head. "Brother Seven, don't worry about that. Elder Sister will definitely handle it properly. Just rest with an easy mind." At the mention of resting, Li Banfeng felt his eyelids grow heavy again. Those two hours apparently hadn't been enough sleep. That didn't make sense. When did I become such a heavy sleeper? After staring at the map a little longer, Li Banfeng remarked, "The shape of Wubian City looks rather peculiar." Luo Shaojun smiled. "Brother Seven, do you think Wubian City looks like a worm?" Li Banfeng nodded. "You guessed right, Brother Seven. Would you like to see the Eyes of Wubian City? There are inner eyes and outer eyes, both visible from the Mingxi Great Hall." Li Banfeng had been to the Mingxi Great Hall and hadn't seen anything back then. "Does it require a technique?" "It does require some technique, but not a pathway technique from Puluo Province, nor a Blood Seed technique of our Great Shang. In Puluo Province, such arts are called boundless techniques. If you want to learn, Brother Seven, I can teach you." Li Banfeng nodded. "I really would like to learn." "Brother Seven, follow me downstairs!" "Alright, downstairs—" Li Banfeng took a step onto the staircase and froze, dumbfounded. "Where is this place?" Luo Shaojun replied, "Yucui Tower." "Wasn't I just sleeping in your room? How am I back in Yucui Tower?" Li Banfeng looked utterly bewildered. Luo Shaojun also found it strange. "Seeing that you were asleep, Brother Seven, I went to help my sisters. When I came back, you weren't in my room anymore. I searched the backyard for a long time before finding you here. I thought you didn't want to sleep in my room, or perhaps felt Bao Yingjun's concubine had made it dirty." Li Banfeng shook his head. "I think your room is fine. Yucui Tower is the dirty place. From now on, I'll sleep in your room." Blushing, Luo Shaojun murmured, "I'll do whatever Brother Seven says..." Before she could finish, Li Banfeng grabbed her arm and hurried downstairs. Once at the bottom, Li Banfeng was still pondering: how had he gotten to Yucui Tower? He certainly hadn't walked here on his own; he must have been moved here. With his current level of cultivation, who could transport him here while he was asleep? Was it the woman in the attic? Just how high was her cultivation? At that thought, waves of lingering dread washed over Li Banfeng. "How long will it take us to reach Chaoge?" Luo Shaojun considered for a moment. "By my estimate, roughly three days' travel. Let's go to the Mingxi Great Hall and take a look!" *** In the murky seawater, visibility was under ten meters; aside from drifting debris, nothing could be seen. Such conditions made it difficult to determine direction, but the blonde, blue-eyed Zuo Anna was brimming with confidence. She assured He Jiaqing that this was indeed the path to Chaoge. He Jiaqing rubbed his forehead and lowered his hand from the rock face. Zuo Anna chuckled. "Tired?" He Jiaqing nodded. "There's nothing out there to see, and it drains too much energy." Zuo Anna shook her head. "You say there's nothing to see now, but before long, you'll be looking out there again." He Jiaqing frowned. "Why do you say that?" Zuo Anna smiled. "Because you don't trust me. I've met countless people, but never anyone as suspicious as you." He Jiaqing thought of someone. "Does that include your younger brother?" "You mean Critic?" Zuo Anna considered it, then shook her head. "Critic isn't so suspicious. He is genuine toward most people and things. And strictly speaking, he isn't my brother. At the time, we merely entered into a partnership—one based on an exchange of interests." Zuo Anna led He Jiaqing out of the cave and onto the main street. The main street was completely desolate, with not a soul in sight. It wasn't just the main street; from Left First to Left Eighth Street, and Right First to Right Eighth Street, not a single figure could be seen as far as the eye could reach. He Jiaqing remarked, "In truth, this small town is a worm, isn't it?" With a hint of admiration, Zuo Anna asked, "How did you tell?" "The main street is broad and vast because we are walking along the worm's central axis. As for Left First to Left Eighth Street, they are actually extensions of the worm's eight left legs. Am I correct?" Zuo Anna nodded. "In the Great Shang Empire, creatures of this kind have another name. They are called bondservants." He Jiaqing said, "I've been to Great Shang, and I've been to Chaoge. I've seen bondservants, but never one so immense. Nor have I ever seen an ocean this vast. In my memory, Chaoge was a massive city, but certainly nothing with a worm-like structure like this." Zuo Anna stepped into a teahouse, drew water from a pressure well, filled a kettle, and placed it on the tea stove. Before long, the water boiled. Zuo Anna skillfully brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for He Jiaqing. "Do you want to know where the well water here comes from?" Holding the cup, He Jiaqing nodded slightly. "Drink the tea, and once you do, I'll tell you." Zuo Anna poured a cup for herself as well, but she didn't drink; she merely fixed her eyes on He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing raised the teacup, then set it back down. "It seems I won't be getting an answer to that today." Zuo Anna picked up her cup and drained it in a single gulp. "You won't get an answer because you're overly suspicious. The tea isn't poisoned, but you simply won't trust me." He Jiaqing twitched an eyebrow. "Why should I trust you?" Zuo Anna raised an eyebrow in return. "If you don't trust me, why seek answers from me? Don't you find yourself quite contradictory?" He Jiaqing let out a long sigh. "You're just like your brother, possessing a peculiar stubbornness in the way you do things." Zuo Anna shook her head. "This isn't stubbornness; it's respect for fairness. If you don't trust me, you have no right to demand that I trust you. If you aren't willing to pay a price, don't fantasize about reaping benefits from me." "Do you only care about profit?" He Jiaqing offered Anna a cigarette. "There's something I've never understood. What profit did you gain by having Critic cure my father?" Taking the cigarette, Zuo Anna smiled. "You want answers for nothing again. First tell me, what price are you willing to pay?" He Jiaqing produced a sheet of blank paper. "I am going to Chaoge to retrieve some covenant deeds. I've already drawn up a list, and you can add one or two names to it." Zuo Anna picked up a pen and asked, "Can you be more direct? One, or two?" He Jiaqing said, "Different numbers come with different prices. If you want to add one person, first tell me why you saved my father. And don't tell me it was just for money—with your methods, there are far too many ways to get rich." Pen in hand, Zuo Anna looked at the blank paper, weighing the price. After careful consideration, she decided the deal was worthwhile. "Saving your father was partly at Xiao Zhenggong's request, and partly to infiltrate the Great Shang Empire." "Who did you intend to use to infiltrate the Great Shang Empire?" He Jiaqing asked in surprise. "Not my father, surely?" Zuo Anna nodded. "He Haiqin himself. We hoped Critic would establish good relations with him, so we could leverage his status as a ninth-tier Food Cultivator to gradually infiltrate the Great Shang Empire. But we failed. Although Critic saved He Haiqin, he couldn't build any friendship with him. He Haiqin's prejudice against foreigners exceeded our expectations." He Jiaqing said, "Then I don't understand. Why infiltrate the Great Shang Empire through my father? Even if he reached the tenth tier, he would only go to Great Shang as a bondservant. Infiltrating an empire through a bondservant—doesn't that sound absurd? As far as I know, you have contacts with many high-ranking figures in Great Shang." Zuo Anna said, "We chose He Haiqin because he could make contact with another group of people: Puluo Province natives living in Great Shang. These people possess formidable combat strength and outstanding abilities; some can even rival the Peddler. Your grandfather, He Caiyuan, is one of them." He Jiaqing waved his hands dismissively. "Don't overestimate my grandfather. He doesn't have the strength to rival the Peddler." "I wasn't referring to your grandfather. I was referring to the foremost figures in their group. To some extent, this faction compensates for the Great Shang Empire's weakness in individual combat prowess. This poses an enormous threat to Puluo Province, Earth, and even our own planet. If He Haiqin could enter the Great Shang Empire smoothly, He Caiyuan would certainly look after him, and he would quickly gain high status within this unique faction. Through his status, we might have been able to sway their stance." He Jiaqing chuckled. "I'm afraid you were disappointed. My father's stance has always been rock-solid. 'Master civil and military arts, sell them to the royal house'—that has been his lifelong conviction." Zuo Anna nodded. "Quite true. He Haiqin's conduct was indeed disappointing. Back then, we had another candidate, but unfortunately, you ruined that plan." "Another candidate..." He Jiaqing thought for a moment. "You mean Lu Dongliang?" Zuo Anna looked at him. "That is a separate question. If you want an answer, you must pay an additional price." He Jiaqing disagreed. "Madam, I am offering you a local spirit's covenant deed. You ought to know its value. The answer to a single question hardly equals such compensation." Zuo Anna shook her head with a smile. "Where is the covenant deed?" "I haven't retrieved it yet." "Then you had best wait until you have it in hand before asking certain questions." He Jiaqing looked down at the blank paper. "Write the name of the covenant deed's master. I will do everything I can to bring you the deed you want." Zuo Anna penned three characters: Rong Sijiao. "The local spirit who calls himself the Rongku God," He Jiaqing said, somewhat surprised. "I know Rong Sijiao, but he disappeared a while ago, though the title of Rongku God remains. Could Critic have detained him?" Zuo Anna reminded him again, "If you want to ask questions, you must pay a price." He Jiaqing pressed on, "As far as I know, Critic is different from you—he isn't a member of the Baiji League. What is your real goal in helping him obtain this covenant deed?" Zuo Anna grew slightly impatient. "I told you, we have a cooperative relationship with him. You ask so many questions, yet why do you pay so little attention when I answer?" "Your cooperation is purely transactional, yet Critic hasn't brought any substantial profit to the Baiji League. At least, I've never seen him accomplish anything for you. On the contrary, you've constantly pursued benefits on Critic's behalf. In my father's case, Critic didn't help you achieve your goal, yet you helped Critic secure Xiao Zhenggong as a financial backer. Moves like that make no sense to me. It points to only one explanation: your relationship with him is anything but ordinary. You said you aren't his sister—could you be his lover? Or perhaps you've unilaterally convinced yourself that you are?" Zuo Anna chuckled. "You're adept at provoking people, but that isn't the best way to get answers. Stop trying to be clever. Rather than wearing yourself out trying to pry words from my mouth, you'd do better to think about what price you can offer. Once you get the covenant deed, you'll receive plenty of answers." Thud! The tea on the table sloshed slightly. He Jiaqing asked, "Has Sui'an Town stopped?" Zuo Anna nodded and returned to the cave entrance to observe conditions outside. "A city is approaching us. Sui'an Town doesn't want to be detected, so it chose to lie low for now." He Jiaqing nodded. "I never imagined this worm possessed such high intelligence." "He is human. Great Shang calls them bondservants, but they are human beings nonetheless," Zuo Anna warned He Jiaqing. "Do not attempt to use any techniques lightly, or Sui'an Town will be exposed." He Jiaqing touched the stone wall with his hand and sensed a colossal shadow rapidly approaching outside Sui'an Town. "Was this city transformed from a bondservant as well?" Zuo Anna nodded. "Yes. I recognize this city. Its intelligence is exceptionally high; it should belong to the Luo family's forces." *** Li Banfeng sat in the Mingxi Great Hall, rubbing his forehead. Through the hall, Li Banfeng could view the scene outside Wubian City, but to be frank, apart from seawater and reefs, he couldn't make out anything. "Wubian City can still find its way under these conditions?" Luo Shaojun pondered. "In the parlance of Puluo Province, Wubian City could be said to possess the talent of a Travel Cultivator. Finding the way is a Travel Cultivator's gift." Li Banfeng said, "The entire city has a Travel Cultivator's talent?" Luo Shaojun giggled. "That was just an analogy. Great Shang has no pathways; true pathways exist only in Puluo Province." Li Banfeng grew curious. "How do you turn people into cities?" Luo Shaojun crawled out of her conch shell, transformed into human form, and sat beside Li Banfeng. "Brother Seven, if I speak to you looking like this, you won't be angry with me, right?" Li Banfeng was taken aback. "What kind of logic is that?" Luo Shaojun answered earnestly, "Such a cute little girl like me couldn't possibly harbor bad intentions. Even if you got angry, you wouldn't have the heart to hit me." Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "Go ahead and speak. I won't hit you." Luo Shaojun said, "Every year, the various Marquises select ten of the sturdiest newborn bondservants and feed them medicinal pills. These pills are extremely toxic, but if they can endure the poison, the bondservants grow at an astonishing rate, expanding dozens of folds each year. Their lifespans also lengthen. After nurturing them for a century or several centuries, a city can be cultivated." Li Banfeng said, "Selecting ten bondservants a year—does that mean you can cultivate ten cities every year?" Luo Shaojun shook her head. "Hardly. Out of ten bondservants, seven or eight are typically poisoned to death within their first year, and the remaining two or three are likely poisoned to death the year after. Out of several hundred bondservants, perhaps only one or two survive. And whether they can become a city also depends on whether their innate talent is sufficient. After painstaking efforts over so many years, the Luo family has only raised a single Wubian City. The other cities were bestowed upon our ancestors by the royal house." "Can other cities swim freely through the sea like Wubian City?" "No. Cities fall into two categories: mobile cities and stationary cities. Wubian City is a mobile city, while Wujiang City is a stationary city." There was a Wujiang City as well? Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of city is Chaoge?" Luo Shaojun shook her head. "It's hard to say. Most people say Chaoge is a stationary city that has never moved in ten thousand years, but quite a few claim Chaoge has moved, and more than once. Rest assured, Brother Seven. As long as Chaoge stays put, Wubian City will definitely find it. Even if Chaoge moved, Wubian City is so clever that it would surely track down its trail." Li Banfeng nodded. "You're the experts on that, so I won't meddle. Has Yucui Tower ever been haunted before?" Luo Shaojun blinked in surprise. After thinking for a long while, she asked, "Brother Seven, when you say haunted, do you mean a deceased person's spirit returning to cause trouble?" Li Banfeng nodded. Luo Shaojun blinked and said, "Brother Seven, our customs here are different from yours. We have no concept of hauntings. After people die, their spirits shed their memories and re-enter the cycle of reincarnation smoothly. There's nothing to make a fuss about." Li Banfeng had never quite understood the reincarnation of life. "In your Inner States, does reincarnation mean being melted down and remade?" Luo Shaojun glanced around and lowered her voice. "Brother Seven, people come and go through the Mingxi Great Hall; it's no place to talk. Let me take you to the archives." Arriving at the archives, Luo Shaojun showed Li Banfeng several books. According to the records, reincarnation for the people of the Inner States was divided into three categories: Sinners entering reincarnation went into the Crucible to be melted down and reforged. Innocent commoners and bondservants went to the Netherworld for random reincarnation. Royalty, feudal lords, Senior Officials, and scholars went to the Pure Land, ensuring they remained nobility in their next lives. What the Crucible, Netherworld, and Pure Land looked like, along with their precise procedures, were all clearly documented. Luo Shaojun said, "What is written in these books represents Great Shang's doctrinal laws of reincarnation. From top to bottom, everyone in Great Shang believes in this doctrine." Li Banfeng nodded and continued flipping through the pages, when he suddenly heard Luo Shaojun whisper, "I don't believe it." Li Banfeng set down the book. "Why don't you believe it?" Luo Shaojun said, "Once a person dies, only their soul remains. Can Great Shang's laws govern souls? I've never seen any government office manage spirits. I suspect that when people die in Great Shang, all deceased spirits go to the Crucible—regardless of guilt or innocence, whether commoner or noble. In the end, they all share the exact same fate." "What does the Crucible look like?" Luo Shaojun shook her head. "I've never seen it. The Crucible is controlled solely by the royal house." "The Luo family was once foremost among the feudal lords, yet you've never seen the Crucible either?" Luo Shaojun dropped her voice even lower. "The Crucible is guarded with extreme secrecy. Forget feudal lords—hardly anyone even within the royal house has ever laid eyes on it. All of Great Shang's formidable weapons come out of the Crucible. We only get to use whatever the royal house grants us, and once they're damaged, we must return them to the royals." Li Banfeng said in surprise, "You mean to say that when it comes to Inner State weapons, you only know how to use them, not how to forge them?" Luo Shaojun lightly touched Li Banfeng's lips, signaling for him to keep his voice down. "Brother Seven, I'm only telling you this. You must never tell anyone else. In Great Shang, nobody except the royal house knows how to forge those special weapons. Anyone who claims they can is lying to you!" Li Banfeng fell silent for a long while, then asked Shaojun, "Are there any books specifically explaining these weapons?" Luo Shaojun shook her head. "There are no dedicated books on that, but there are mentions scattered in various texts. Let me find a few for you, Brother Seven." Shaojun expended considerable effort and finally located a few books. Li Banfeng had barely flipped through two pages before he couldn't help stifling a yawn. He felt rather awkward; it seemed somewhat disrespectful. Shaojun didn't mind at all. She asked with concern, "Brother Seven, are you feeling drowsy?" Li Banfeng also found it strange. "I just slept for so long. Why am I sleepy again?" "Brother Seven, respiration in Great Shang differs from Puluo Province. You just arrived, so your body hasn't adapted yet." What did respiration have to do with it? Li Banfeng thought about it for a moment before understanding: the atmospheric composition here was different from both Puluo Province and Earth. Just as Luo Shaojun was about to help Li Banfeng check more books, someone called out from outside: "Shaojun, are you in the study?" It was Luo Yanjun's voice. Shaojun replied, "Sister, I'm here." "Hurry to the Mingxi Great Hall! Wubian City refuses to move. See if you can persuade him." "I'm coming!" Luo Shaojun had food and drink prepared for Li Qi, then hurried after Yanjun to the Mingxi Great Hall. Li Banfeng read two pages of the book, only to find the characters blurring and doubling. He pushed himself to read half a page more before his eyelids gradually sealed shut. *** Thud! The tea on the table trembled again; Sui'an Town had resumed movement. He Jiaqing asked, "Did it dodge Wubian City?" Zuo Anna touched the rock wall, sensing for a long moment, then nodded. "It did evade Wubian City, but the road ahead will likely be rough." "Why rough?" Zuo Anna said, "Wubian City is also heading in the direction of Chaoge. Just what is going on here?" He Jiaqing asked, "Does that mean we have to follow behind Wubian City the entire way?" Zuo Anna nodded. "We have to follow it without letting Wubian City notice us. This journey will be extremely dangerous." He Jiaqing sighed. "I'm genuinely curious: why take such immense risks to transport people in and out of Great Shang trip after trip?" Zuo Anna smiled. "You have too many questions. Once you have the compensation ready, it won't be too late to ask." *** "Which one do you mean?" A woman's voice sounded right beside Li Banfeng's ear. Not fully awake, Li Banfeng barely cracked his eyes open to a slit, only to see the woman in the greenish-blue gauze robes standing beside his bed, her long hair dangling onto his face. "Which one is it, really?" the woman spoke again. Li Banfeng's eyes snapped wide, his exhaustion vanishing in an instant. He dodged swiftly away from the bed. Turning around to look, there was no blue-robed woman beside the bed. Aside from the curtains, there was nothing. Activating Golden Eyes Autumn Down, Li Banfeng scanned the room. It was still the second floor of an attic, with nothing out of the ordinary. Wait... Why was he in the attic again?! Li Banfeng could not fathom how he had returned to Yucui Tower! In the midst of his shock, Shaojun pushed open the door and entered. "Brother Seven, why did you come here again?" Li Banfeng turned his head. "Shaojun, go ask—" "It's her!" The blue robes fluttered behind Luo Shaojun. Luo Shaojun showed no reaction whatsoever. Li Banfeng grabbed Shaojun into his arms and dodged the blue figure. The blue-robed woman lunged and missed, turning around to charge at Shaojun again. Li Banfeng barely evaded the blue figure. Holding Shaojun, he attempted to leap out the window, but suddenly felt an intense, burning pain across his body. There was a barrier over the window. Li Banfeng used Sever Path to Open a Road, attempting to breach the barrier by force. Shaojun huddled in Li Banfeng's embrace, shivering uncontrollably. He couldn't escape directly—Luo Shaojun's conch shell was still sitting by the doorway, and the two could not be separated by too great a distance. Li Banfeng dashed to the doorway, swept up the conch shell, and prepared to carve an escape path straight through the wall when a stray strand of hair suddenly brushed across his cheek. The blue-robed woman peered around from behind Li Banfeng and whispered right against his ear, "It's her!" Li Banfeng asked, "What do you mean, 'it's her'?" With her cheek pressed against Li Banfeng's face, the blue-robed woman said slowly, "You said it was her." Li Banfeng retorted, "What if I say it's not—would that work?"