Brother, You Came?

He Jiaqing swiftly swapped out the covenant deeds on the bookshelves. With every deed he replaced, his cheek gave an involuntary twitch. With every twitch, he cursed inwardly: *Ptui! Shameless bastard!* *Stealing my stuff!* *What kind of hero steals? If you want good stuff, can't you go take it yourself? Coming here to steal from me—utterly shameless!* Banfeng Two had fled, skimming right along the floorboards, and He Jiaqing hadn't dared to make a sound. He had no idea where this shadow had come from, but he certainly couldn't afford to go down here along with it. Fortunately, the shadow had only stolen ten covenant deeds. He Jiaqing took the remaining nineteen. There was still one deed he hadn't managed to find: Rong Sijiao's. Rong Sijiao's deed wasn't in Wenyuan Pavilion. Who had taken it? Having ten deeds stolen pained He Jiaqing deeply, and failing to secure Rong Sijiao's made him feel all the more aggrieved. He Jiaqing had always been thorough in his work; in his robes was another fake deed, completely blank with nothing carved into it, originally meant as a spare. He swept his eyes across the shelves to see if any other suitable deeds were ripe for the taking, and two names caught his eye. The first name gave him a start: Chu Yaohan. Hadn't Chu Yaoxian's deed already been taken? It had been placed in one of the pouches, only to be stolen by that shadow. How had another one popped up— Looking closer, this wasn't Chu Yaoxian's deed; Chu Yaohan and Chu Yaoxian differed by a single character. Who was Chu Yaohan? He Jiaqing had never heard of such a local spirit. *Take it anyway; it might come in handy.* He Jiaqing pocketed Chu Yaohan's deed and placed the fake intended for Rong Sijiao in its spot. Then there was another deed: Li Furong's. Seeing this name, He Jiaqing was reminded of a place—the barbecue joint across from Yuezhou University. At that barbecue joint, during the last time He Jiaqing had drunk and dined with Li Banfeng, Li Banfeng had once mentioned why Old Lady Wu at the orphanage called him Li Baisha. "Because she was always sending me out to buy cigarettes for her. Back then, she liked smoking Baisha, so she called me Li Baisha. "Before that, she called me Li Hongmei, and even earlier, Li Yingchun. For a stretch when times were good and she smoked finer brands, she called me Li Furong." Li Banfeng had said those words himself. Could this deed belong to him? Li Banfeng's cultivation had long reached above the clouds; he would certainly need territories to sustain him, so serving as a local spirit in the newlands made complete sense. Naturally, there was another person linked to Furong: Li Haoyun, the head of Furong Zhai. Could this deed belong to Li Haoyun? If this deed belonged to Li Banfeng, bringing it back would be of immense value. Even if it wasn't Li Banfeng's, Li Haoyun was still a formidable power in Green Water City, so pocketing it wouldn't be a loss either. He Jiaqing pulled the blank fake deed from his robes and quickly carved the name Li Furong onto it with his ring. The carving was a bit rough, but no matter; the three-headed guards minding the deeds couldn't possibly inspect each one closely. Both pouches were now full. He Jiaqing tucked the deeds into his robes, quietly slipped out of the deed depository, and locked the Unnameable Land from the outside. Leaving Wenyuan Pavilion, He Jiaqing was still simmering with anger. Yet in his frustration, he spotted some red ink stains on the floor. He Jiaqing smiled. There was very little ink, just a few drops, but for He Jiaqing, that was plenty. This shadow cultivator was sloppy; he hadn't thought to switch pouches. He Jiaqing had left a mark on his pouches. The moment a pouch left his hands, the mark would trigger, and these red ink drops were precisely what it left behind. *Let's see who this shadow cultivator really is. Let's see just where you can run!* Banfeng Two sprinted all the way toward the Fifth Gate carrying the pouch. There were far too many guards; forcing his way through carried too great a risk. The city wall was extremely thick, and Banfeng Two's Unimpeded Passage was nowhere near mastery; he wasn't sure if he could pass through it. He gave it one try and nearly dissipated on the spot. The wall was not only thick, but rigged with mechanisms inside. He looked toward the city gate again, wondering when these guards would change shifts. *If only Banfeng Zi were here.* Banfeng Zi possessed homestead cultivator talents; by using Following Form Like a Shadow to attach to him and form Banfeng Two-Zi, Banfeng Zi would easily be overlooked while Banfeng Two provided the speed, significantly increasing their chances of breaking through. As he pondered, Banfeng Two suddenly sensed danger approaching. Purely on instinct, he ducked into an alleyway. Following the ink traces, He Jiaqing arrived at the city gate in the blink of an eye. The ink traces on the ground were still fresh. Without breaking stride, He Jiaqing turned straight into the alley. Banfeng Two raced frantically through the alleyways, with He Jiaqing hot on his heels. *How is he tracking me?* Banfeng Two realized there might be an issue with the pouch, but right now there was no time to switch it; He Jiaqing was pursuing him too closely. *I have to find someone to help, or he'll snatch this bag of deeds right back.* *Where did Banfeng Zi go?* Banfeng Zi was lingering before the Sixth Gate. He had already memorized most of the government offices past the Fifth Gate, and wanted to see what lay inside the Sixth Gate. But the Sixth Gate had twice as many guards as the Fifth; if even a single guard noticed an extra shadow on the ground, Banfeng Zi would find it hard to escape. He couldn't just sneak straight in; he needed someone to cover for him. A three-headed man strolled leisurely toward the gate. Seeing how tall he was and how long his shadow stretched across the ground, Banfeng Zi seized the moment the man wasn't paying attention to slip directly into his shadow, moving forward in step with it. Truth be told, this three-headed man suited Banfeng Zi perfectly. His gait was steady without unnecessary fidgeting. With Banfeng Zi huddled within his shadow, as long as he kept proper pace, there were virtually no flaws to give him away. Having followed the three-headed man past the Sixth Gate, Banfeng Zi still didn't dare act rashly. Beyond the Sixth Gate lay numerous palaces, with guards patrolling every street. Looking ahead, pavilions and towers stood packed together in rows, resplendent with vermilion lacquer, glazed tiles, and blazing lanterns. *Is this an imperial palace?* *Chaoge has Nine Gates—could we already have reached the imperial palace at just the Sixth Gate?* *This three-headed man can enter the palace—what is his background?* Seeing him stroll leisurely down the streets without any clear destination, calm and composed, it was as if the entirety of Chaoge lay under his command. *Could he be the Sage?* *When did the Sage grow three heads?* Hard to say. The Sage might have learned that Santoucha had produced a new sovereign, and to resolve his own bloodline legitimacy, forced himself to sprout two extra heads. The man traversed several wide avenues in succession, occasionally greeting passersby along the way. After walking for a long time, pedestrians grew sparse, the lights dimmed, and the patrolling soldiers vanished from sight. Banfeng Zi prepared to slip away. He didn't want to wander aimlessly behind this three-headed man; he wanted to survey the Sixth Gate as quickly as possible and find a chance to venture into the Seventh Gate. The three-headed man stood quietly on a street for a moment. This street was unlike other areas: there was not a soul in sight, and the lanterns were few and far between. There were buildings flanking the street, but they were uninhabited. Though the red bricks and grey tiles remained intact, a thick, hazy grey fog seemed to shroud them, creating a bleak, lifeless aura. Seeing that this place was ideal for slipping away, Banfeng Zi carefully emerged from the shadow. Just as he was about to skim across the ground and leave, a gust of freezing wind suddenly blew in, nudging him slowly toward the depths of the street. *What kind of wind is this? How is it so powerful?* Banfeng Zi gripped the ground with all his might, yet his body kept sliding forward, leaving several scratch marks in his wake. Though his travel cultivator talent wasn't great, Banfeng Zi still possessed the technique of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity. The avenue seemed endless, yet he could feel an immense danger drawing near. *I can't go any further!* Banfeng Zi struggled desperately, but to no avail. Laments echoed in his ears, sounding like countless people weeping and wailing. Phantom silhouettes drifted before his eyes, as though many others were struggling as well. Banfeng Zi was on the verge of exhaustion. His form was about to lift off the ground, poised to be swept away by the howling gale alongside the throng of phantoms. The three-headed man stepped forward and seized Banfeng Zi in a firm grip. "This is the Path of the Dead. If you keep going, you'll end up in the furnace." The three-headed man led Banfeng Zi to the side of the street. Away from the gale, Banfeng Zi steadied himself. Having survived by a hair's breadth, his entire form heaved up and down as if panting violently. Three heads, six eyes, all staring at Banfeng Zi at once. The head on the left asked, "Why are you panting so hard?" Banfeng Zi replied, "I was terrified." The head in the middle said, "Can you really breathe?" Banfeng Zi nodded. "I can." The head on the right asked, "Then are you still my shadow?" Banfeng Zi didn't know how to respond. His identity was already exposed—why was this man asking such questions? Was this an interrogation or mockery? Whatever the man's intentions, one thing was certain: this three-headed man possessed terrifying strength. Banfeng Zi had no hope of fighting him, nor any chance of escape. The three heads spoke in unison: "I asked you just now, and you haven't answered. Are you still my shadow?" Banfeng Zi answered evasively, "I am indeed a shadow." The three heads asked again together, "I have three heads. Since you're my shadow, why do you only have one head?" Banfeng Zi thought of another evasive reply: "Because I'm not a three-headed person." The left head exclaimed in surprise, "Our shadow isn't a three-headed person?" The right head said blankly, "Then are we still three-headed people?" The middle head cried out, "Doesn't seem like it!" With that, all three heads burst into hearty laughter. "Hahahaha!" Once the laughter subsided, the three heads merged into one. The man's hair turned white, and his beard turned white too. His eyes grew larger, and his cheeks grew rounder. A memory surfaced before his eyes. Banfeng Zi stared in disbelief for a long while before suddenly calling out, "Elder Brother!" Grandpa Train chuckled, looking just as he had when they had parted: "Brother, how did you get here?" Banfeng Zi was Li Banfeng; he shared every single one of Li Banfeng's memories. He had so much he wanted to say to Grandpa Train, yet found himself at a loss for words. Gazing at Grandpa Train, Banfeng Zi took a long time before speaking: "Brother, your younger brother promised he would come to save you." Grandpa Train smiled warmly. "Silly boy, you really came. We haven't seen each other in so long—your cultivation must have been bitter, eh?" Banfeng Zi nodded. "It was a bit bitter." Grandpa Train sighed. "One look and I knew you've had it rough. You've gotten so dark from the sun." Banfeng Zi paused, then said, "I am indeed rather dark, but it isn't from the sun. I'm a shadow." Grandpa Train pondered this. "Are you really a shadow?" "I really am." "Then swear an oath!" Banfeng Zi swore an oath right then and there. Grandpa Train still couldn't wrap his head around it: "Since you're a shadow, why aren't you following my brother? How can you run around on your own?" Banfeng Zi wanted to mention the Shadow and Form Relying on Each Other technique, but remembered another matter: Grandpa Train utterly loathed homestead cultivators. "Actually, it's because... I'm dual-cultivating as a shadow cultivator." Banfeng Zi found a fitting excuse. Even if Grandpa Train looked into it later, Banfeng Two genuinely knew shadow techniques, so it was the honest truth. Grandpa Train stared at Banfeng Zi for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Why dual-cultivate as a shadow cultivator?" From Grandpa Train's gaze, Banfeng Zi caught a flicker of coldness. *Does he hate shadow cultivators too?* "At the time, I was thinking—" Banfeng Zi was still trying to formulate an answer. Grandpa Train's voice suddenly turned low and raspy, his genial smile vanishing in an instant: "A fine travel cultivator man, why dual-cultivate as a shadow cultivator? I treated you like my own brother—how could you do this to me?" Banfeng Zi hadn't anticipated the issue being so severe. "Brother, please let me explain! As the Sage says—" "The Sage?" Grandpa Train glared at Banfeng Zi. "What I hate most is that Sage! What do you mean by bringing him up to me?" Banfeng Zi didn't know what he was trying to convey either. All he knew was that the coldness in Grandpa Train's eyes had vanished, replaced by murderous intent. "You've pissed me off," Grandpa Train said word by word. "I'm going to kill you!" Banfeng Zi was at a complete loss. "Aren't you scared? If you're scared, start running," Grandpa Train advised. "If you don't run, I really will kill you." Banfeng Zi took to his heels and bolted. Grandpa Train gave hot pursuit from behind: "Run faster! I'm about to catch you, and once I do, I'll definitely kill you!" Banfeng Zi accelerated with everything he had, reaching an intersection ahead. Grandpa Train yelled, "Don't go straight! Ahead is still the Path of the Dead! Turn left to dodge it!" *How could it still be the Path of the Dead ahead?* *Wasn't the Path of the Dead behind him?* Grandpa Train shouted, "The layout of Chaoge shifts constantly! You've lost your bearings!" Banfeng Zi hastily turned left. After sprinting down half another street, Grandpa Train grabbed Banfeng Zi. "What are you running for?" Banfeng Zi replied, "I'm afraid you'll kill me." "Why would I kill you?" "Because I dual-cultivate as a shadow cultivator." Grandpa Train chuckled. "What of it? I'm dual-cultivating as a craft cultivator myself. Dual-cultivating isn't a crime." If that was the case... Banfeng Zi's voice trembled. "Brother, you can't scare me like that. I'm just a shadow. You frightened me so badly just now I nearly scattered into pieces." Grandpa Train put on a deadpan expression. "You and I share quite a fate—I'm a shadow too!" Banfeng Zi looked up. "Truly?" "I'm not fooling you! I'll swear an oath to you too: I really am a shadow!" Grandpa Train somehow produced a handful of sand and a handful of lime, rubbing them together in his palms until they turned into several glass lenses. Banfeng Zi asked, "Brother, where is your true body?" "My true body can't get out. If it could, I would've run off ages ago." Grandpa Train took a few lengths of bamboo, trimmed them down, fitted the lenses inside, and fashioned a monocular telescope. "Brother, come with me." Grandpa Train led Banfeng Zi to the rooftop of a pavilion, extended the telescope, and took a look. "Brother, do you know who that is?" Banfeng Zi took a look. He really did recognize the man. The Sage! The Sage was leading a troop of forces down toward this street from afar. The ranks were somewhat disorganized, consisting of cavalry and infantry; among the soldiers were three-headed people, beasts and birds, machines, and ordinary one-headed humans. Grandpa Train remarked, "These forces were cobbled together on the fly. That old bastard is truly backed into a corner!" Banfeng Zi grew exceedingly tense. "Brother, are they coming for you?" Grandpa Train shook his head. "Not for me. They're coming for you." "I'm just a shadow—" "Not your shadow—your true body," Grandpa Train said. "Hurry back and send word to your true body." Banfeng Zi said, "I'm afraid I won't make it in time." Grandpa Train was also anxious. "On foot, you definitely won't make it. Take the train." "Where is there a train?" "*Woo-woo! Choo! Choo!*" Grandpa Train blew his whistle twice, hoisted Banfeng Zi onto his back, and barreled straight through the city wall. Having transformed into a train, Grandpa Train's voice even changed, shifting from an elderly gentleman into an articulate woman: *"The next station is Fifth Gate Station. Dear passengers, please gather your personal belongings and prepare to disembark."* Grandpa Train deposited Banfeng Zi right beside Banfeng Two. Banfeng Two had been playing cat-and-mouse with He Jiaqing for quite some time, exhausted to the bone. Seeing Banfeng Zi made him overjoyed. "Quick, let's go find Old Jia! I've got good stuff for him." Banfeng Zi nodded. "I'm looking for him too—I've got urgent news for him!" Grandpa Train handed a wooden staff to Banfeng Two. "You must have learned your shadow techniques from the Second Room, right?" Banfeng Two nodded. Wait. Who was this old man? How did he know about the Second Room? There were memories Banfeng Two had yet to retrieve. "That fellow in the Second Room is a bit finicky, but his skills are genuine. Go learn a couple more moves from him. If he refuses to teach you, thrash him with this stick—give him one beating and he'll behave. Chaoge's terrain shifts constantly, but the locations of the city gates generally stay fixed. Be extra careful." With that, Grandpa Train vanished. Banfeng Two was still dazed. "Just now... who was that—" Banfeng Zi said, "First let's find Lord Jia to make things clear. The situation is dire." Banfeng Two used the Following Form Like a Shadow technique to attach himself to Banfeng Zi. Combining homestead and travel talents, Banfeng Two-Zi charged out of the Fifth Gate and raced toward the Third Gate. Just as He Jiaqing was about to pursue them, a voice called out behind him: "What are you doing here?" At the sound of that voice, He Jiaqing shuddered and hurriedly turned back with a bow: "Senior, I've finally found you!" Grandpa Train did not reveal his form; only his voice echoed: "You came here looking for me?" He Jiaqing nodded. "I came here to rescue Senior and get you out." "You came to rescue me, yet you're carrying two bags of covenant deeds?" Grandpa Train had already recognized them as deeds; further excuses were pointless. He Jiaqing said, "I passed by Wenyuan Pavilion, and just conveniently..." Grandpa Train sighed. "Truly worthy of being Xiao Old Pincers' disciple. You nearly lost your life in Wenyuan Pavilion, yet you still dared to steal! You never learn your lesson, only remember the prize!" He Jiaqing said, "Senior, I truly wanted to rescue you—" Grandpa Train chuckled. "Even caught red-handed with the loot, you still refuse to admit it. That part doesn't take after Xiao Old Pincers. Get moving. Major trouble is about to erupt in Chaoge; at a juncture like this, don't you dare give my brother a hard time." "You have a brother here?" He Jiaqing doubted his own ears. Grandpa Train said, "Just focus on fleeing; don't ask about anything else." With that, Grandpa Train's voice vanished. He Jiaqing ran all the way to the First Gate, only to find the gates shut tight and all sorts of machinery stationed atop the ramparts. He had visited Chaoge before and knew these machines were extraordinary; escaping would require seizing the right moment. The time wasn't right yet, so He Jiaqing hid near the wall, quietly waiting for his chance. *That shadow who stole the deeds looked somewhat familiar... like Li Banfeng.* *When did he dual-cultivate as a shadow cultivator?* *Why is the First Gate sealed tight? Who are they targeting? Just what in the world happened?* Inside the Third Gate, in a teahouse, Banfeng Wu lay on the ground, still listening to the storytelling. The storyteller slapped his gavel and smiled at the crowd: "That concludes today's tale! Thank you all for your support!" The listeners refused to leave. A three-headed man yelled, "Don't be in such a hurry! I was just getting into the flavor of it, and you're leaving already?" The crowd below chimed in with clamorous banter. The storyteller clasped his hands and pleaded, "Gentlemen, I'm getting on in years and truly can't hold out much longer. Talking this long, my vocal cords are completely swollen. Please, spare me and let me rest a while!" "Vocal cords are swollen" was slang for having lost one's voice. A three-headed man replied, "Nonsense, your pipes are still in fine shape! If you're too worn out for the long epic, do a short piece instead!" Meaning: if he was too tired for a long saga, a short skit would do just fine. The more the storyteller demurred, the more the audience egged him on, with many tossing copper coins onto the stage, determined not to let him leave. Unable to resist their fervor, the storyteller returned behind the table and addressed the crowd: "Since you distinguished guests are so gracious, I'll tell one more segment today. Guests, listen closely!" *Smack!* The gavel sounded once more, and dead silence descended upon the teahouse. Those cheering froze with their mouths open, unable to utter a sound. Those applauding held their hands aloft, unable to clap them together. Those cracking melon seeds kept shells held between their lips, unable to spit them out. Those pouring tea watched the liquid overflow their cups and stream across table edges, their teapots held frozen mid-air, utterly motionless. Every patron was frozen stiff, including Banfeng Wu on the ground; none of them could budge an inch. The storyteller stepped down from the platform, approached Banfeng Wu, and squatted down beside him. "This technique is rarely seen nowadays. Are you a shadow cultivator or a homestead cultivator?" With a wave of the old man's hand, Banfeng Wu regained mobility, but when he tried to flee, he discovered only his head could move; everything below the neck was as rigid as stone. "Did you hear what I asked just now? I asked whether you are a homestead cultivator or a shadow cultivator." Banfeng Wu remained silent. The storyteller asked again, "Are you Li Qi?" Banfeng Wu still didn't say a word. Though lazy in his day-to-day habits, his character was exceptionally unyielding. "You listened to my stories for so long without tipping a single copper, and when I ask you questions, you refuse to answer. I suppose I'll have to leave something on you so you can deliver a grand gift on my behalf." The storyteller extended his right hand, intending to write characters across Banfeng Wu's face, when someone suddenly chuckled: "Sour Scholar, what grand gift do you have that you're sending my way?" At the sound of that voice, the storyteller withdrew his hand, rose to his feet, and said, "Old Train, whose side are you on?" Grandpa Train's voice echoed through the teahouse once more: "I'm on nobody's side. I just want to watch you all tear into each other. If you slaughter yourselves down to mutually assured destruction, I might just find a chance to slip away." The storyteller sighed. "You won't escape. Regardless of who wins, neither side will let you leave." Grandpa Train laughed. "Doesn't matter if I stay; this place isn't bad anyway. I just want you to grant me a bit of face and let my little brother go." The storyteller felt this was rather lacking: "You only sent a shadow over to negotiate—and that counts as giving me face?" Grandpa Train's tone was thoroughly helpless: "My true body can't make it over, or else I'd certainly catch up with you over old times." The storyteller hesitated for a brief moment, then waved a hand toward Banfeng Wu: "Go." Banfeng Wu's body regained its movement, and he sprinted toward Hanmo Garden as fast as he could. The journey back was far from easy. The teahouse wasn't far from Hanmo Garden, but Banfeng Wu had gotten turned around and had to circle around several times before finding his way. By the time he returned to Li Banfeng's side, Banfeng Two and Banfeng Zi had already arrived ahead of him. Within the plum grove, Qiao Yi had arranged feasts followed by music and dancing, interspersed now and then with matters concerning the peace talks. "The Santoucha region has been entrenched by Outer States for years, and the common folk have suffered greatly. Your Highness Li Qi has eliminated tyrants and brought peace to the good people of Santoucha; I have heard tell of your many heroic feats. "The other day, I selected a batch of top-grade machinery intending to send them to Santoucha. This gesture is to benefit the common folk, as well as to offer a modest contribution toward Your Highness's foundational enterprise. I wonder what Your Highness thinks?" Li Banfeng remained silent for a moment, then looked up and said, "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's talk about serious business." Qiao Yi was taken aback. "Why does Your Highness say that? Are peace talks between our two factions not serious business?" Li Banfeng said, "You summoned me here and spun all these pleasantries—isn't it just to lure the Sage here? With so many ambushes laid inside and outside this garden, how many are meant for him, and how many are meant for me?"