Slick

Li Banfeng sat inside Room Three, picturing the layout of every single room in the companion dwelling with meticulous care. From the main room all the way to Room Thirteen, he didn't miss a single detail, as if walking through each one in person. Grandfather Train had once told him that among all the train's cars, Room Three was the most unique, able to move about freely. Li Banfeng felt that practicing Linked Chambers and Bridal Bed inside Room Three gave him the highest chance of success. In his mind, Li Banfeng was most familiar with the layouts of two rooms. The first was the main room. Whenever he was at home, he spent most of his time there with his lady. The tables, chairs, cabinets, and even the knickknacks on the shelves were etched into his memory. The second room he knew best was Room Thirteen. Room Thirteen had only appeared after his advancement to the third layer above the clouds; it had no furniture and sat completely empty. Li Banfeng wanted to swap the positions of these two rooms. The key to swapping their positions lay in the sequence and process held in his mind. He had to clearly define the distance between the two rooms and every fine detail before the swap, and carefully construct each step of the transposition within his thoughts. The concept made no logical sense in reality, but Li Banfeng had to rationalize it completely within his own perception. Fortunately, the true form of the companion dwelling was a train. Logically speaking, picturing two train cars swapping positions was relatively easy to conceptualize. He tried a dozen times without success. Digging his heels in, Li Banfeng refused to leave Room Three. Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he channeled the technique for nearly two hours. As he grew more and more immersed in the technique, Li Banfeng felt success was just within reach—when a sudden shiver ran down his spine. What was this? Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity? What danger could there possibly be in his own home? Or had he already mastered the technique? Li Banfeng pushed open the door and looked outside. Beyond the threshold lay vast emptiness. The main room had turned into Room Thirteen! Overjoyed, Li Banfeng hurried over to Room Thirteen to inspect it. Passing Room Nine, he spotted a trunk sitting on the floor. That trunk had originally belonged in the main room, where the glove often curled up to sleep inside it. How had this trunk ended up in Room Nine? Had Linked Chambers and Bridal Bed failed to swap the trunk over and left it halfway? No, that wasn't right. According to Li Banfeng's visualization, the two rooms should have swapped completely intact; the trunk shouldn't have been left behind. Li Banfeng circled the trunk, peered underneath, and asked, "Brother, what are you doing?" The glove wriggled out from beneath the trunk, its index finger drooping dejectedly. "There's too much stuff to move. We couldn't finish in time." "Who told you to move?" "The mistress told us to. She saw the master practicing all day and felt so heartbroken for you that she had us move everything into Room Thirteen." A wave of shame washed over Li Banfeng. Together with the whole household, he carried everything back into the main room. The gramophone consoled him. "Darling Husband, Linked Chambers and Bridal Bed isn't easy to learn. Techniques above the clouds must be polished gradually; one cannot rush these things." Hong Ying chimed in from the side, "There's nothing wrong with being a little impatient. Master Seven has always done things fast." Ninth Miss shook her head. "He's fast, but not because he's impatient." Hearing everyone's comforting words, Li Banfeng still looked somewhat downcast. The gramophone pondered for a moment and came up with a reason. "Husband, to master Linked Chambers and Bridal Bed, you must be in tune with the house. Our Old Master was injured and can't establish that resonance with you right now, so naturally the technique is difficult to bring forth." Hearing this made Li Banfeng feel a bit better, but his concern shifted to the companion dwelling. "I wonder when the Old Master will recover." The gramophone had inspected the companion dwelling's damage. "He was indeed severely hurt this time. If we want him to recover quickly, we'll need some materials to repair him." His lady was versed in artisan cultivation methods, so Li Banfeng naturally trusted her judgment. She wrote out a list, and Li Banfeng took it to the Outer States, tasking Tang Changfa with procuring the materials. He then paid a visit to the Dark Star Bureau to have Chen Changrui process official travel paperwork for Zhong'er. Li Banfeng was going to take Zhong'er to Puluo Province, and Chen Changrui was pondering what justification to write on the form. Li Banfeng said impatiently, "What justification could there be? You submit the request, I approve it, and that's that." "Bureau Chief Li, things aren't what they used to be. The higher-ups are watching us much more closely now. Every business trip to Puluo Province has to be discussed and reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We haven't even sorted out the matter with Lightbulb and Tangyuan yet." "What is there to explain to them! They've got too much time on their hands, making trouble over trifles every day. Just write that he's investigating Shang State personnel infiltration. I'll sign off on it in a moment and take him with me. The rest is for you to han—handle." "Isn't that acting first and reporting later—" Seeing that Li Banfeng was so angry that he was stuttering, Chen Changrui quickly corrected himself, "Take Zhong'er and head out, Chief. I'll arrange the train for you and take care of the rest." Li Banfeng hadn't stuttered out of anger; it was because a violent shudder had suddenly wracked his body. Once the train was arranged, Li Banfeng brought Zhong'er to Green Water City and settled him in Xiaoyaowu. He instructed Manager Zhang to keep an eye out for news of the peddler; the moment the peddler reached Lüshuiwan, he was to take Zhong'er there immediately for treatment. With instructions settled, Li Banfeng shuddered once more. What was going on? Danger? Where would the danger come from? Was something going to happen to Zhong'er? What could happen to him in Xiaoyaowu? Zhong'er knew a little about Puluo Province, but not much. "Bureau Chief Li, I'm injured so badly that even Doctor Kang was helpless. Can the peddler really heal me?" Li Banfeng smiled. "Don't worry. Even severed limbs can be cured." Having settled Zhong'er, Manager Zhang said to Li Banfeng, "Master Seven, a friend of yours has been coming by every evening at eight o'clock sharp looking for you over the past few days. He should be here in about two hours. Would you like to see him?" "What kind of friend?" "He wouldn't give his name, and there's nothing particularly distinctive about his looks, except that his face is pretty big." Li Banfeng nodded. "Go tidy up a private room and prepare a table of food and wine. Let me know the moment the guest arrives." While Manager Zhang went to prepare the room, Li Banfeng placed a call to Qiu Zhiheng. "Brother Qiu, have Lightbulb make a trip back to Green Water City. That friend I mentioned to him before has arrived." That evening, Lian Buda arrived at Xiaoyaowu, and Li Banfeng welcomed him warmly. "You're far too hard to track down," Lian Buda said, shaking his head repeatedly. "If I hadn't found you today, I was thinking of leaving. I heard my Daoist disciple came to Santoucha. Can you let me see him?" Li Banfeng was somewhat surprised. "How did you hear about that?" "I've got a few old friends in Santoucha. They told me they saw someone using my Daoist techniques, and that he was Li Seven's subordinate. I guessed it must be that disciple of mine from the Outer States. It isn't convenient for me to go to Santoucha, but hearing you visited Green Water City a while back, I came here looking for you. After several fruitless visits, when the manager mentioned you might not show up once in three to five months, I was honestly starting to lose heart." Li Banfeng said, "I've already sent for him. Do you intend to teach him your arts?" Lian Buda nodded. "My friends told me my disciple's cultivation is probably only at the third layer on the ground—and whether he even has three layers is up in the air. With just that pitiful cultivation, how could he keep our lineage alive? I was thinking of staying in Green Water City for a while to teach him some real ability. If something happens to me in the future, at least our Daoist path won't have its foundation severed." Hearing how sorrowful he sounded, Li Banfeng asked, "Did you catch wind of something? Is someone coming after you?" Lian Buda nodded. "Lately, the Inner States people have sent plenty of men to deal with me. I don't give a damn about the rest of them, but there's a man named Shan Chengjun whom I genuinely can't beat. Have you heard of him?" Li Banfeng nodded. "I have. He's the ancestral master of the Martial Cultivators." Lian Buda let out a sigh. "Not only can that man fight, but he's ruthless and vicious. A while back, after you stirred up unexpected trouble in Chaoge, Shan Chengjun took the Sage and fled to Tufang State, wagging his tail before the Demon Lord." Li Banfeng was taken aback. "The Sage defected to Tufang? Isn't Great Shang an enemy of Tufang?" Lian Buda gave a scornful laugh. "You think the Sage cares about that? So long as he can stay alive, he wouldn't hesitate for a second if you told him to call the Demon Lord 'Father.' Lately, he's been constantly sending people into Puluo Province—first to hunt you down, second to find me, and third to search for He Jiaqing. He's already claimed quite a few lives." Li Banfeng knew Shan Chengjun was looking for him; his lady had already informed him of this, and Snowflake Pu had even lost an expert over it. That Shan Chengjun wanted to find Lian Buda was also understandable, since Lian Buda held key technology. By securing that technology, the Sage might still stage a comeback in Shang State—and even if he couldn't, it would at least give him more capital to bargain with the Demon Lord. "What's his purpose in looking for He Jiaqing?" This part Li Banfeng found difficult to comprehend. Lian Buda said, "You shouldn't be asking me that! Didn't you go to the Inner States together with He Jiaqing?" Li Banfeng said, "I did go with him, but I'm not aware of anything he did to offend the Sage." Lian Buda's eyes went wide. "He stole so many covenant deeds—how does that not count as offending the Sage?" Li Banfeng thought about it and shook his head. "Stealing covenant deeds would offend the imperial court. The Sage has already severed ties with the court; would he really bother with that?" Lian Buda shook his head. "Whatever the reason, I don't understand it either. Most likely the Sage considers He Jiaqing your accomplice and sent Shan Chengjun to take revenge. Shan Chengjun struck with utter ruthlessness against He Jiaqing's faction. He killed over a dozen land divinities and nearly killed He Jiaqing himself. Brother, all I can say is, you need to be extraordinarily careful." Shan Chengjun killed over a dozen land divinities? He caused such a massive uproar? When did this happen? When Li Banfeng pressed for further details, Lian Buda didn't know any more. Two days later, Lightbulb arrived in Green Water City. Meeting his ancestral master for the first time, Lightbulb was quite intimidated and didn't dare speak. Lian Buda chuckled. "What are you afraid of? You've stumbled into good fortune, boy. Even with talent as great as your grandfather's, he never received my personal instruction in his whole life." Lightbulb was startled. "You knew my grandfather?" Lian Buda nodded. "Met him twice and even gave him some pills. A pity I was trapped back then; otherwise, I certainly would have taught him some real skills. Your talent looks pretty ordinary, but your luck is truly extraordinary. I visited Yaowanggou and learned your senior brother is gone. You're the only disciple left in our Daoist sect. I'll teach you as much as I can." Li Banfeng arranged a courtyard residence and settled Lian Buda and Lightbulb in. Once matters there were taken care of, Li Banfeng immediately headed to the newland to see Chu Er. He wanted to know what had really transpired here. Chu Er dismissed everyone, shut the door, fastened three locks, checked the window latches twice with a magical treasure, and shoved Li Banfeng onto the bed, pulling the blanket over their heads before she dared speak of it: "Brother Seven, I wanted to go find you about this ages ago, but I was terrified Old Mother Ku would find out." Li Banfeng frowned. "What does this have to do with Old Mother Ku?" Chu Er lowered her voice to a whisper. "He Jiaqing is an utter bastard! He called a gathering of land divinities, intending to take all their territories. My father is working for you now, so naturally he couldn't let He Jiaqing get his way. My father planned to disrupt the meeting, and I went along with him. He Jiaqing sent Shen Rongqing over to brush me off, and those two birdbrains Duan Shuqun and Zou Guoming showed up too. I didn't want to give them the time of day, but they kept pestering me. Just as a fight was about to break out between us, completely out of the blue, He Jiaqing slaughtered those dozen-odd land divinities—leaving only Chu Yaoxian alive!" Li Banfeng stared in disbelief. "You're saying He Jiaqing was the one who killed them?" Once He Jiaqing gathered all the plots of land, he was very likely to kill those land divinities and claim the entire territory for himself—Li Banfeng had anticipated that long ago. But killing them now? Wasn't that far too premature? Besides, he shouldn't have struck during an alliance assembly. If he did that, who would ever be willing to join the Brotherhood Alliance in the future? This didn't sound like He Jiaqing's style. Chu Er was utterly certain. "It was him! He did it just to seize those land divinities' covenant deeds! The reason he spared Chu Yaoxian was because he couldn't kill a land divinity on her own territory; that way, he didn't technically violate the peddler's rules! Tell me, isn't he repulsive? Is there anything that vile man wouldn't do? I wanted to tell you right away, but Old Mother Ku forbade me, saying she'd break my legs if I uttered a word! I truly don't understand why Old Mother Ku keeps protecting He Jiaqing. Even though she terrified me, you came looking for me today, so of course I had to tell you. The land divinities in the surrounding territories are frightened out of their wits by He Jiaqing—they all want to defect to you..." Li Banfeng covered Chu Er's lips and held her tight beneath the covers. The Qiansi Earring had just warned him that there was movement nearby—movement that didn't belong to any ordinary person. Struggling to breathe, Chu Er whimpered softly twice. When Li Banfeng finally released his grip, Chu Er gasped for air for a long time. Having heard the whimpers and panting, the eavesdropper departed; Qiansi could only detect the faintest trace of sound. That person was of an extraordinarily high tier. In the past, the Qiansi Earring wouldn't have been able to perceive them at all, but after gaining one of Old Pincers Xiao's hands, Qiansi's capability had undergone a qualitative leap. Once the figure had moved far off, Li Banfeng cautioned Chu Er, "Don't tell anyone about this. Have your father stay close by your side during this period, and if anything feels off, call me immediately." Seeing how much Li Banfeng cared for her, Chu Er's heart melted with sweetness. She held him beneath the covers for a long time before she was willing to let him leave. Walking along the road, Li Banfeng pondered the matter continuously. Who on earth had killed those land divinities? What Chu Er described and what Lian Buda said were completely different stories. He needed to ask someone closer to the event. Li Banfeng sought out Gu Wuyan. The incident had occurred near Gu Wuyan's territory, so his information would be more reliable. The moment Gu Wuyan saw Li Banfeng, he hastily bowed in greeting. "Master Seven, you're finally here!" Li Banfeng was surprised. "You were waiting for me?" Gu Wuyan nodded. "Master Seven, it's not just me waiting for you. Several old brothers around here have been waiting for you too. They're all willing to pledge allegiance to you. Back then, I, Gu Wuyan, was too ignorant. I was fucking blind! I actually doubted Master Seven and nearly joined the Brotherhood Alliance. Now I finally see clearly: that birdbrain He Jiaqing is a total scoundrel! Under the guise of holding a meeting, twelve land divinities died by his hand!" Gu Wuyan's account matched Chu Er's, yet Li Banfeng still found it strange. "Twelve land divinities couldn't defeat one He Jiaqing?" "Master Seven, He Jiaqing's cultivation is high—extraordinarily high! He's probably reached beyond above the clouds. Besides, those twelve land divinities had their guard down. They were all invited by Chu Yaoxian to attend a meeting on He Jiaqing's territory; who could have known he'd strike with such ruthless brutality? On top of that, Old Mother Ku stepped in! With her backing him up, how could those land divinities stand a chance? It was practically sticking their necks out for him to slaughter!" Li Banfeng was deeply shocked. "Old Mother Ku helped He Jiaqing murder land divinities? Old Gu, you can't throw around accusations like that lightly!" Gu Wuyan cupped his fists. "Master Seven, if I'm spouting nonsense, you can punish me however you see fit! When He Jiaqing was digging up covenant deeds on Zhuang Jiahan's territory, Old Mother Ku stood right beside him. Someone saw it with their own eyes!" Gu Wuyan was straightforward by nature; he wouldn't lie about something like this. Yet why would Old Mother Ku do such a thing? Gu Wuyan said, "We're all waiting for an explanation right now to see how the peddler will handle this!" Li Banfeng thought about it and said, "It seems this hasn't broken the peddler's rules. Isn't Chu Yaoxian still alive?" Gu Wuyan grew agitated and gritted his teeth. "Yes, that's right, Master Seven is correct. Those land divinities didn't die on their own territories, so technically it doesn't violate the peddler's rules. But just because they didn't die on their own turf, does that mean the peddler does nothing? If so, things will be easy from now on! I'll just go lure land divinities onto my own territory and slaughter them one by one! Even if I lack the ability, supreme powerhouses beyond above the clouds surely have it, don't they? Old Mother Ku definitely has it, doesn't she? If killings go on like this, land divinities will never dare leave their own territories; stepping outside will mean losing their heads! Twelve land divinities are dead just like that, and their lands all went to He Jiaqing. Nobody does anything? If the peddler operates like this, no one will ever respect his authority again!" Gu Wuyan was intensely worked up, his eyes bloodshot as he spoke. Li Banfeng said, "Calm down first. I need to investigate and get to the bottom of this." "Who are you going to investigate with? Do you still not trust me?" Li Banfeng said, "I have to question someone who was there. Isn't Chu Yaoxian still alive?" Gu Wuyan shook his head. "Master Seven, you cannot go looking for Chu Yaoxian! Chu Yaoxian was molded by He Jiaqing in his bed; she obeys his every word. He Jiaqing has lost his humanity, and she's cut from the exact same cloth. All twelve land divinities this time were lured in by that seductive slut. If you go see her, I'm afraid it will end badly for you!" Chu Yaoxian was sleeping when she suddenly felt a gust of cold air seep beneath her quilt. Opening her eyes, she saw Li Banfeng lifting her covers. Chu Yaoxian was startled. "Master Seven, what are you doing?" "Where did He Jiaqing go?" "He isn't here." Li Banfeng asked, "What really happened that day? Who killed the twelve land divinities?" Tears welled in Chu Yaoxian's eyes. "He Jiaqing killed them." "How did he kill them? On his own?" Chu Yaoxian nodded. "On his own. He used Thief Cultivator techniques as well as Penance Cultivator techniques. He didn't kill me because he said we had affection between us, and as long as I obediently listened to him from now on, he'd spare my life..." He Jiaqing knew Penance Cultivator techniques? Had he stepped onto the Penance Cultivator path, or had he stolen the techniques from Old Mother Ku? Given Old Mother Ku's cultivation, stealing techniques from her wouldn't have been easy. Yet Chu Yaoxian's words were delivered word for word, every detail crystalline, leaving Li Banfeng little choice but to believe her. Sitting in Xiaoyaowu, Li Banfeng felt a throbbing headache coming on. Four different people had given four different accounts. Aside from Lian Buda's completely unhinged claim, everyone else said He Jiaqing had done it, and two of those accounts implicated Old Mother Ku. Could this incident spark a vicious clash between Old Mother Ku and the peddler? Very likely! Li Banfeng couldn't shake the feeling that a massive conspiracy was at work here, but he couldn't find a single thread to unravel it. The next morning, Li Banfeng received a message from Chu Shaoqiang: "The land divinities of the newland can no longer sit still. Not only do they refuse to submit to He Jiaqing, but now they won't even submit to the peddler. The only one they respect is you. Your Highness, now is the prime opportunity to take them all under your wing. From here on out, they'll be loyal to you to the bone." The prime opportunity? Was it really that good? Li Banfeng shuddered. Danger seemed to be drawing very close. Before uncovering the full truth behind the incident, Li Banfeng had no intention of making any moves. In the afternoon, Lian Buda came looking for him. "Old Seven, why haven't I seen any stir in the newspapers?" "What stir?" Lian Buda smacked his lips. "Don't you own a newspaper office? Shan Chengjun slaughtering twelve land divinities is huge news—why haven't you put it out there?" Li Banfeng laughed. "Brother, if I may speak frankly, I went and investigated. Out of all the accounts I've heard, yours is the least reliable. How could I possibly publish that?" Lian Buda stamped his feet in frustration. "What are you investigating for? Can't you just treat it as Shan Chengjun's doing and be done with it?" Li Banfeng was bewildered. "What do you mean, 'just treat it as his doing'?" Lian Buda grew even more anxious. "What else can we do? Treat it as He Jiaqing and Old Mother Ku's doing? One or two land divinities might be swept under the rug, but this is twelve of them! The peddler has to give an explanation. Doesn't this force the peddler and Old Mother Ku into an open fallout? Old Mother Ku has been at odds with the peddler for years. If the two of them really go at it, they'll fight to the death. When that happens, the Inner States will seize the opening to invade, and who ends up suffering? Puluo Province!" Li Banfeng had considered this angle too. "If we don't want them to fight, we need to uncover the truth." "Truth, my foot!" Lian Buda shook his head frantically. "Just pin the whole thing on Shan Chengjun! Say the Sage ordered him to do it. Shan Chengjun is a bastard, and the Sage is an old bastard. Tying the two bastards together and tossing them into the pot to take the blame—isn't that just perfect?" So that was what Lian Buda was thinking. Li Banfeng shook his head. "It's not that simple. If we want to pin it on Shan Chengjun, we need evidence. And to find evidence, we still have to get to the bottom of the matter." Lian Buda waved his hand dismissively. "Stop investigating! Just pin it on him through sheer brazenness! The two of us can figure out evidence together; we can always fabricate some clues!" Li Banfeng said, "If we want clues, we at least have to know who actually did it!" Lian Buda sighed. "Since you're so hellbent on knowing, I'll tell you. Shu Wanjuan did it. Chaoge ordered him to." Li Banfeng froze. "How do you know that?" Lian Buda said, "I have an informant in Chaoge. I've already investigated thoroughly. This order came directly from Qiao Yi." Li Banfeng slapped his thigh. "Doesn't that make complete sense? He Jiaqing stole the covenant deeds, which undermined Chaoge. The land divinities defecting to He Jiaqing was an act of betrayal against Chaoge. Chaoge sent Shu Wanjuan to kill the land divinities and frame He Jiaqing, killing two birds with one stone! If we announce this, won't everything be completely explained?" As he spoke, Li Banfeng shuddered once more. Lian Buda gave a chuckle. "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity—now you sense the danger, don't you? This isn't killing two birds with one stone. There are plenty of wonderful outcomes behind this, but none of them are good for us! We cannot reveal this! Once it gets out, every accusing finger will point at one person." "Point at whom?" Li Banfeng still hadn't connected the dots. Lian Buda said, "Both you and He Jiaqing hold covenant deeds. Why was He Jiaqing framed while you came away completely untouched? With twelve land divinities dead and He Jiaqing framed, who benefits the most? Isn't it you? Go ask around! How many people want to defect to you right now? How many people refuse to submit even to the peddler and only bow to you? Once you spill the truth, what will everyone think? You are Prince Pingyuan of the Great Shang State. Won't it look like you instructed Shu Wanjuan to butcher twelve land divinities and then frame He Jiaqing? When that happens, you'll become the greatest villain in Puluo Province! What could you do then?" Li Banfeng was struck speechless, shudder after shudder racking his body. Lian Buda let out a long sigh. "You underestimate Qiao Yi. He isn't someone easily handled. This move of his is a trap of silent grievance—whoever swallows it will be left entirely defenseless to clear their name. If the truth is exposed and you're forced to swallow this bitter pill, you'll only have two paths left: either die without a burial plot in Puluo Province, or bring along the emperor you propped up and defect wholeheartedly to the Great Shang State. "This time, Qiao Yi played it seamlessly. If he successfully frames He Jiaqing and Old Mother Ku, Old Mother Ku will swallow the bitter pill, Puluo Province will tear itself apart in internal strife, and he can seize the chance to deploy troops—a massive win for him. "If the frame-up fails and the truth comes out, you swallow the bitter pill and are forced to defect to the Inner States—another massive win for him. "If you stubborn it out and refuse to go to the Inner States, dying in Puluo Province's infighting—still a massive win for him. "Old Mother Ku handled things decently; she almost certainly knows the truth but kept quiet, proving she wants to protect you. "However, the peddler needs an explanation. Otherwise, if things drag on and the peddler is forced to swallow the bitter pill while the land divinities revolt en masse, Qiao Yi still wins big! "No matter what happens, he profits. There's no way to break this game." Li Banfeng remained silent for a long time before asking, "Is there really no way to break the deadlock?" Lian Buda looked at Li Banfeng and asked, "Do you know what Oil Cultivators are best at?" Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "Slipping." Lian Buda nodded vigorously. "Brother, you finally get it! If we can't break the deadlock, we'll slip right past it! The key here is to give the peddler an explanation, and pin that explanation squarely on Shan Chengjun. This bitter pill was shoved right in front of our mouths, but we won't swallow it. We'll slip it away and shove it down that bastard Sage's throat—and won't that settle everything?" Li Banfeng rolled his shoulders and neck; the wave of chills running through his body vanished. PS: But the problem now is, Shan Chengjun isn't about to just accept the blame either!