Yu Yunqiu immediately organized his scholars for battle, but faced with ground teeming with shadows, the scholars were at a loss, having never encountered such a thing before.
Li Banfeng was about to enter the fray himself when Ba Suan held him back. "Old Seven, don't rush. Their formation hasn't broken yet."
"Once I go down there, it'll break."
"Not yet," Ba Suan said, pointing toward several positions around Yu Yunqiu and Ao Shuangqian. "There are tactical formation traps near them. You can't just charge in recklessly."
Li Banfeng said, "I suppose there's still much to learn regarding tactical formations. Banfeng Two, you go."
Banfeng Two snapped to attention, looked at a nameless shadow, and snapped, "What are you waiting for? Get moving!"
The shadow seemed rather reluctant.
Banfeng Two barked furiously, "Cowering before battle—what punishment do you think you deserve?"
The shadow surged toward Yu Yunqiu. Dozens of scholars surrounding Yu Yunqiu instantly closed ranks, converging on the shadow with an assortment of weapons.
The shadow was battered into fine shreds, unable to reform in the short term.
Yet the formation restored itself rapidly. The defensive ring shielding Yu Yunqiu and Ao Shuangqian never faltered.
Li Banfeng carefully observed the scholars' positions and footwork, but couldn't discern any clear pattern.
Ba Suan glanced around and saw that Hong Ying was nowhere near.
This was the perfect opportunity to display his scholarship and flaunt his academic poise.
Lifting his chin and stroking his beard, he said, "No need to stare. This involves a vast amount of calculation cultivator lore. It's not something you can learn overnight."
Li Banfeng said, "Then you must know how to crack their formation."
Ba Suan smiled placidly. "Naturally, I have a method. Right now, having the shadows weave through and nibble away at them step by step is the finest way to wear down a formation. Once it's eroded to a certain degree, striking at its vital nexus will—"
*BOOM!*
Hong Ying charged forward and stomped down with Stomp Through Ten Thousand Streams. A massive swath of scholars was obliterated, and the formation was blasted to pieces.
Ba Suan's fingers remained frozen on his beard, completely at a loss for words.
He pulled a stub of chalk from his pocket, crouched on the city wall, and hastily sketched a rough diagram of the formation. "This sketch isn't entirely precise, but it captures the gist of their layout. Just now, the situation was like this—we were nibbling away, step by step... Old Seven, listen to me, don't walk away yet! I haven't reached the most critical step—"
Taking advantage of the utter chaos, Li Banfeng leaped down, bound Yu Yunqiu, and tossed him to Ba Suan to guard.
Hong Ying was still slaughtering her way through the ranks with fierce delight. Li Banfeng picked up several chunks of flesh and blood from the ground, compared them carefully, and found that none belonged to Ao Shuangqian.
*Where did that giant crayfish go?*
That man had to be dealt with; he could not be allowed to escape.
Ao Shuangqian had dug an underground tunnel and fled.
The tunnel hadn't been dug just now; he had carved it out earlier when he came to clear the premises, leaving only a thin layer of loose dirt covering the entrance.
Ao Shuangqian was far more cautious than Yu Yunqiu. He refused to fight any battle without an escape route.
Crawling out of the tunnel, he emerged onto a desolate wasteland outside the city. Stumbling and lurching, Ao Shuangqian prepared to flee back to his estate.
Then a second thought struck him: all the scholars under his command had fallen at the shipyard. If he went back to his estate now, what would he do if Li Qi gave chase?
He had only two Grade-Two weapons left at his mansion. Relying on such meager assets, there was no way he could stop Li Qi.
*Run!*
Ao Shuangqian bolted straight for the docks. His plan was simple: commandeer whatever vessel he encountered at the harbor and take to the sea.
Once out upon the water, the Ao family's colossal crayfish was still around. Holding off Li Qi would be child's play.
As for what to do afterward, he would bide his time and see how things developed. If the situation remained viable, he would stay in Great Shang and find a way to fight his way back into Xiaodu; if things looked bleak, he would head straight for Tufang and seek asylum with their Sovereign.
His plan was thoroughly thought out. Yet after running only a few paces, Ao Shuangqian realized the terrain was wrong.
Before him lay a sunlit sea of blooming flowers.
Sunlight alone was an impossibility in the Inner States, let alone a meadow of flowers he had never seen before.
*An illusion!*
Ao Shuangqian frantically searched his person for numinous artifacts. He still had two magical treasures, but neither could counter illusions. Amid his rising panic, he saw a woman cradling a bouquet of fresh blossoms, walking slowly toward him.
Any woman appearing inside an illusion was bound to be bad news. Ao Shuangqian raised his pincers and struck immediately.
The woman dodged the pincers with a fluid shift of her body. A burst of flames shot from Ao Shuangqian's sleeve, reducing the flowers in her hands to ashes.
That fire came from the magical treasure Tear Meteor concealed on his person. Ao Shuangqian had aimed directly for the woman, and by all rights, that blaze should have burned her to cinders. Yet for some reason, it had struck only the flowers in her grip.
"What a strange fire of yours." The woman showed no trace of panic; instead, she was calmly analyzing the fire's origin.
Across the open field, an immense silver screen materialized. Moving images played upon it, replaying the exact scene of him releasing the flame moments ago.
Ao Shuangqian was utterly astounded. He had never witnessed such an illusion technique before.
The woman watched the trajectory of the flame with great focus and praised, "A fine magical treasure. The burst shoots forth like droplets of water—swift, tricky, and terribly hard to defend against. Though it isn't your own technique, you and the treasure share a remarkably seamless rapport. You must get along quite well on ordinary days. Anyone who can treat their magical treasures well is a clever person, and I happen to appreciate clever people. I'll give you a chance to live. Would you like it?"
Ao Shuangqian asked, "What kind of chance?"
The woman gathered another fresh bouquet of flowers. "Are you willing to join the Brotherhood Alliance?"
*The Brotherhood Alliance?*
Why did that sound so familiar?
It seemed he had heard of it somewhere.
Ao Shuangqian remembered. "There's a Thief Cultivator in Puluo Province who founded an organization called the Brotherhood Alliance. Are you one of his subordinates?"
The woman laughed. "You must be speaking of He Jiaqing. You really flatter him. He is merely a member of the Brotherhood Alliance, but the alliance was not founded by him, nor am I his subordinate. He Jiaqing is nothing more than an imposter trading on borrowed fame."
"What is your name?" Ao Shuangqian was stalling for time; his other magical treasure required a bit of time to activate.
The woman replied, "Very few people know my true name. You may simply call me Wu Niang."
"Wu Niang, do you genuinely want me to join?"
Wu Niang held the bouquet before him. "If you are willing to join the Brotherhood Alliance, accept these flowers."
Ao Shuangqian reached out with his pair of pincer hands to take the bouquet, apparently agreeing.
Just before his hands touched the petals, Ao Shuangqian suddenly opened his mouth wide, spewing a furious torrent of flames directly at the woman.
Since when could Ao Shuangqian breathe fire?
He couldn't; the blaze was still unleashed by Tear Meteor.
Yet Tear Meteor was tucked inside his sleeve. How could the fire erupt from his mouth?
Banfeng Zi, hiding nearby, could not fathom it no matter how hard he racked his brains.
Wu Niang, however, saw through it instantly.
The blast of fire struck her square in the face without causing her the slightest harm, burning the fresh flowers in her hands to ashes once again.
Ao Shuangqian was dumbfounded. Was this an illusion as well?
The flowers in the woman's hands had genuinely turned to ash, and the soot drifting onto his face felt completely real. By no metric could this be an illusion.
If it wasn't an illusion, why had Tear Meteor missed twice? Why had the flames landed entirely on the bouquet both times?
Moreover, for the second strike, Tear Meteor had been coordinated with another magical treasure, Free Roamer. To launch an attack so abruptly, only for this woman to defuse it with such effortless ease...
Wu Niang looked at Ao Shuangqian. "Aside from that fire-wielding magical treasure, you have another rooted in Travel Cultivator foundations, utilizing the art of Carefree and Unfettered, correct?"
Banfeng Zi was stunned. He had never imagined the art of Carefree and Unfettered could be used in such a manner.
Ao Shuangqian nodded. "Lady, you have sharp eyes. I will gladly surrender both magical treasures to you. If there is anything else you desire, so long as Ao can manage it, you need only speak."
Wu Niang plucked another bouquet of fresh blossoms. Ao Shuangqian considered ambushing her while she gathered them, but he lacked the courage to make a move.
"This is your final chance. Are you willing to join the Brotherhood Alliance or not? Give me your word." Wu Niang presented the flowers before Ao Shuangqian once more.
Ao Shuangqian knew that if he did not agree, his chances of escaping were near zero. Yet if he truly consented, who knew how much disaster it would bring down on him in the future?
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Ao Shuangqian sought to negotiate terms. If he could talk his way through, that would be ideal; if negotiations failed entirely, it wouldn't be too late to agree to join the alliance then.
"Lady, I am a man of standing in Xiaodu. While I wouldn't claim to summon wind and rain, I certainly hold sway over a formidable territory. Whatever you wish to accomplish in Xiaodu, I can assist you. But as for joining the Brotherhood Alliance—"
*Whoosh!*
The flowers in Wu Niang's hands burst into flame.
This fire hadn't been set by Ao Shuangqian; Wu Niang had ignited the blossoms herself.
The blaze illuminated Ao Shuangqian. Caught in the radiant glare, Ao Shuangqian wailed in sheer agony. After enduring unbearable torment, he dissolved into a shimmering halo of light.
Wu Niang opened her mouth and swallowed the halo whole.
With a flick of her hand, the illusion dissipated, and she, too, vanished without a trace.
Banfeng Zi remained prone on the ground, completely motionless.
He felt as though he had witnessed a familiar art.
He wasn't certain whether Wu Niang had truly departed. Li Banfeng's orders were to keep her under surveillance, and he possessed more than enough patience to carry out his task.
***
With Yu Yunqiu captured and Ao Shuangqian dead, the remaining two thousand scholars were slaughtered to the last man; not a single one survived.
Li Banfeng could hardly be blamed for being ruthless. These scholars carried Grade-Three weapons, and several personal retainers wielded Grade-Two weapons. While the scholars' martial prowess was mediocre, those weapons were exceptionally vicious. The slightest slip could turn the tide of battle.
Fortunately, his Lady and Hong Ying were consummate veterans of the battlefield. Giving the enemy no room to turn the tables, they wiped them out clean.
Li Banfeng felt a pang of pity. Grabbing gunny sacks, he helped collect their remains, weeping as he gathered them. "These people were only following orders! When the Grandees commanded them to fight, could they refuse? How could you be so heartless as to exterminate every last one of them?"
Hearing him weep, the scholars under Tie Baisheng also felt a twinge of sorrow.
The City Lord was truly a man of sentiment and righteousness. Even when enemies deserved their deaths, the City Lord still remembered to gather their corpses.
*Yet why must he use gunny sacks to collect the dead?*
*And where were those sacks filled with corpses being sent?*
*Why was black ash drifting down from the sky in fits and starts?*
Several scholars harbored questions, but before they could ponder further, they saw Tie Baisheng climb to his feet from the ground.
"Grandee Tie, you're awake!" The scholars rushed forward to support him.
Tie Baisheng pushed them aside, his long equine face darkening as he demanded, "None of you made a move just now, did you?"
The scholars exchanged glances. One bold scholar shook his head and said, "Grandee Tie, we fought to the death against the enemy! Not one of us cowered!"
"Bullshit!" Throwing his dignity as a Grandee to the wind, Tie Baisheng cursed roundly at them. "Every one of you talks a grand game, but on ordinary days, how much real gold and silver have you pocketed from me? Even the workers had the guts to brace the gates! What were you lot doing? Strutting about posing with your bows—did you think I wouldn't notice?"
One scholar blurted in confusion, "Grandee Tie, didn't you faint earlier?"
Tie Baisheng beat his chest. "My body fainted, but my heart was wide awake!"
Everyone was touched by his words, save for Huan, who felt the explanation didn't quite make sense.
Huan nudged Shun and whispered, "Was he faking it just now?"
Shun glared at Huan. "Don't talk nonsense! He promised a wage hike this month!"
Tie Baisheng ordered the factory gates opened, leading a crowd of workers to express their gratitude to Li Banfeng.
Seeing Li Banfeng still gathering the corpses of their enemies, Tie Baisheng was deeply moved. "Look, all of you! See what kind of man our City Lord is! This is true honor and lofty virtue! Come, everyone lend a hand and help the City Lord gather the enemy remains!"
Li Banfeng hastily waved them off. "No need to rush! I can handle this small chore myself. Go back inside the factory and rest. Tie Baisheng, aren't you wounded? Hurry back and tend to your injuries!"
Just as the crowd moved forward to help, someone suddenly shouted, "He's not one of ours!"
The crowd fell silent and turned toward the voice. Shun spotted an elderly bondservant.
He recognized him—this was Gong, the most senior bondservant in the porcelain trade.
Gong looked toward Shun and pleaded, "Shun, speak from your conscience! We're bondservants from the same roots. Tell them, am I a bondservant or not?"
Shun nodded. "You are a bondservant. A bondservant for life."
Gong called out to the crowd, "You all heard him! I'm a bondservant too—we're on the same side!"
All the workers backed away; none of them considered him one of their own.
Huan shouted at Gong, "The one who forced Shun to open the gates earlier was you, wasn't it!"
Gong shook his head vehemently. "What kind of talk is that? The one forcing Shun to open the doors was the Master! How could I have such power? I only echoed those few shouts because the Master forced me to! Shun, when we worked under the Master, our hands were tied at every turn. I always treated you well in the past—you can't forget that kindness!"
"I haven't forgotten," Shun said, nodding. "The day Bei died, I swore before Bei's corpse that even if you were burned to ashes, I would never forget you. I'm going to eat your flesh raw!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Shun lunged forward and sank his teeth into Gong, ripping away skin and flesh piece by piece, uncontrollable by anyone.
Li Banfeng was curious. Over two thousand scholars had perished; how had this man survived?
His Lady, dressed in men's garments with her face veiled, murmured in a low voice, "The old dog must have played dead among the corpses. Seeing he was just a bondservant, the shadows likely let their guard down and didn't bother delivering a finishing strike."
*Let their guard down...*
Li Banfeng sensed something amiss and shouted, "Shun! Get back!"
Shun had gone blood-mad and heard nothing; even Huan could not pull him away.
With half his body gnawed raw, Gong suddenly reached into his belly and yanked out two porcelain dolls roughly a foot tall.
These two porcelain dolls were Grade-Three weapons. One doll raised a blade and slashed directly toward Shun's neck.
The other doll gripped a sword and lunged straight for Shun's skull.
Small though the blade and sword were, they were more than capable of taking Shun's life.
Just as Li Banfeng was about to step in to save him, the projector acted first, enveloping the two porcelain dolls in a beam of shimmering light.
The two porcelain dolls vanished on the spot, snatching Shun's life back from the brink.
Shun offered Li Banfeng endless thanks. Once done, he pinned Gong down and resumed chewing, gnawing him until Gong was reduced to a mangled mess of gore upon the ground.
"That bastard was more hateful than Yu Yunqiu!" Huan spat on Gong's remains.
Li Banfeng finished cleaning up the remaining corpses, threw Yu Yunqiu into a workshop, and prepared to have a private chat.
***
The glove retrieved a fine prize from the battlefield: a small flaming colt inside a round cage. Just as he was carrying the cage over to present it to the Master, the projector called him back.
"Brother Glove, I feel something strange happening to me."
"What's strange?"
"I feel like my film compartment is packed with bizarre things."
The glove wagged its index finger. "That's just bloating from overeating. It's nothing."
"Brother Glove, I don't think I ate that much."
"How is that not much? Didn't you use your Withering Art just now? Usually, you take in one object at a time, but you swallowed two Inner States weapons in a single gulp! It'd be weird if your belly wasn't swollen."
"Brother Glove, I think something is coming out of my film compartment!" The projector's light flickered incessantly.
"You took a dump?" The glove backed away in revulsion. "Don't go making a fuss about it. Go find a corner and clean it up yourself. I still have good treasures to present to the Master."
"It doesn't feel quite like taking a dump!" The projector popped its film compartment open, and a rich, medicinal fragrance drifted out.
The glove knew quality when it saw it; the moment it caught the scent, it recognized something extraordinary.
It peered into the film compartment for a moment. Resting inside was an elixir pill—a top-grade Xuanyun Pill!
"Brother, how on earth did you produce this—" The glove quickly secured the pill and dragged the projector over to see Zhao Xiaowan.
Zhao Xiaowan caught the medicinal aroma and hastily concealed the pill beneath her robes. "Where has my husband gone? Get this pill back into the companion dwelling at once; letting this scent disperse out here is bad news."
The glove fetched the key from Li Banfeng and carried the pill back inside.
Feeling much relieved in its film compartment, the projector drifted into a deep sleep.
Zhao Xiaowan studied the projector, sensing that something unusual was brewing.
***
Tie Baisheng cleared out a dedicated workshop so Li Banfeng could converse with Yu Yunqiu in private.
Li Banfeng opened with a question: "Where did those six swallows come from?"
"What six swallows?" Yu Yunqiu's expression remained unchanged, showing little fear toward Li Banfeng.
"The six messengers you sent, claiming to hail from Chaoge."
Yu Yunqiu sneered. "Your Highness, what sort of joke is this? What do emissaries from Chaoge have to do with me?"
"If it has nothing to do with you, why did you stage an ambush at sea? Don't even try telling me that wasn't your doing."
Li Banfeng had no idea what kind of ambush the Yu family had prepared at sea. In reality, he had never set foot on that ship; the figure aboard was a squash man, laced with deadly poison by Hong Lian, its seeds modified to look virtually identical to flesh and blood.
He threw out these words purely to bluff Yu Yunqiu.
Even though Li Banfeng spoke with utter conviction, Yu Yunqiu stiffened his neck and refused to admit it. "Your Highness, since Chaoge dispatched messengers, they must truly have urgent matters to discuss with you. You would do best to visit Chaoge first, lest you find yourself completely defenseless when Qiao Yi makes his sinister move."
Li Banfeng asked, "Do you think Qiao Yi still has the peace of mind to make a move on me?"
Yu Yunqiu smiled. "Qiao Yi is meticulous. Though he may be overwhelmed with troubles at present, he might not be entirely incapable of looking elsewhere."
"You even know he's overwhelmed with troubles?" Li Banfeng was slightly surprised. The fact that Qiao Yi had gone from three heads to one shouldn't have spread yet.
"With the Tufang State stirring up trouble ahead and Puluo Province launching relentless harassment behind, who wouldn't know of such a predicament?"
Li Banfeng felt somewhat relieved; Yu Yunqiu wasn't referring to the same issue. "How much do you know about the Tufang State?"
Hearing this, Yu Yunqiu saw a glimmer of hope for his survival. "Our two nations have clashed for years, and the Yu family has earned considerable military distinction on the battlefield. When it comes to the Tufang State, I can claim to know them inside and out."
Li Banfeng's eyes filled with curiosity. "Is their royal family also made of three-headed people like yours?"
Yu Yunqiu shook his head. "They are three-headed people, but entirely different. Their royal family is no mere ornamental display."
"How so?"
"The Tufang royal house is skilled in war and valiant in combat, truly worthy of their imperial bloodline. The Demon Lord possesses courage beyond ten thousand men and has personally led troops into battle to slaughter foes. How could petty scoundrels like Qiao Yi ever compare?"
"The Demon Lord is that formidable in combat?" That was something Li Banfeng genuinely hadn't anticipated. "Is their level of technology comparable to yours?"
The word "technology" puzzled Yu Yunqiu slightly.
Li Banfeng clarified, "The weapons on the battlefield, I mean."
Yu Yunqiu shook his head. "If Tufang's engineering could match even half of Shang's, the Shang State would have fallen beneath their iron hooves long ago. Even so, through all these years of constant warfare, Shang has never gained the slightest advantage."
"Why is the combat prowess of the Tufang royals so much stronger than Shang's?" Seeing Yu Yunqiu's throat dry from talking, Li Banfeng poured him a cup of tea.
With this cup of tea, Yu Yunqiu felt his odds of survival climb higher still.
He sipped the tea, his tone carrying a touch of gravity. "Because the Tufang royal house has never forgotten their royal duty. They temper their sinews and bones and master martial arts, unlike the frail, sickly royals of Shang. Especially over the past two years, the Tufang royals have grasped the path of cultivation. Possessing techniques and cultivation tiers, their individual combat prowess has advanced by leaps and bounds—enough, perhaps, to rival Puluo Province."
*Individual combat strength, rivaling Puluo Province?*
Li Banfeng asked, "What happened over the past two years?"
Yu Yunqiu glanced at Li Banfeng. Taking the hint, Li Banfeng promptly topped off Yu Yunqiu's cup.
After another drink, Yu Yunqiu lowered his voice and said, "I have a few acquaintances in the Tufang State and exchange correspondence with them from time to time. Regarding this matter, I do know a thing or two. It all begins with a certain individual. This man holds substantial standing in Puluo Province, being one of the leaders of Xuehuapu. At the same time, he enjoys high status in the Outer States and maintains deep ties with the Tufang State. His name is Du Wenming. I wonder if Your Highness has heard of him?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Never heard of him. Keep going."
"Indeed, few people know of Du Wenming, yet every move he makes strikes at the vital points. This is a secret among secrets." Yu Yunqiu looked at Li Banfeng, seemingly preparing to negotiate conditions.
Li Banfeng smiled. "Old Yu, the friendship between us remains intact. What's done is done; what is there that can't be discussed?"
Hearing this, Yu Yunqiu was completely put at ease. He recounted various past deeds of Du Wenming. Most of it Li Banfeng already knew, and the trivial details didn't interest him much.
However, one detail caught Li Banfeng's keen attention.
"Whether Shang citizens or Tufang people, using the medicinal powders of Puluo Province will never allow them to step onto the path of cultivation. Yet Du Wenming procured certain secret medicines from the Outer States—medicines that enable royals to step onto the cultivation path. He handed the formulas over to the Tufang State. With these powders, the combat prowess of the Tufang royals is night and day compared to the past."
*That scourge! No wonder he managed to carve out such elevated standing in both the Hundred Demons Workshop and the Birch Hermitage!* Li Banfeng gritted his teeth, cursing inwardly.
Yu Yunqiu remarked, "The trend of the realm favors those who go with the flow. Tufang's eventual unification of all under heaven is already foreordained. Fortunately, I have considerable foundations in Tufang. Since Your Highness and I share this bond of friendship, I am willing to prepare an escape route for Your Highness in Tufang."
Li Banfeng smiled. "I am an Imperial Prince of the Shang State. Isn't it rather inappropriate for you to say such things to me?"
Yu Yunqiu smiled as well. "For Seventh Master of Puluo Province to come to Great Shang and become a prince—wasn't that also to secure a retreat? Having more paths open can never do any harm."
"Well said." Li Banfeng poured more tea for Yu Yunqiu. The two chatted merrily, like old friends reunited after years apart.
After finishing two pots of tea, Yu Yunqiu rose to take his leave. "Allow me to return home first to handle a few domestic matters. Tonight, I shall pen a letter and send it to Tufang to introduce Your Highness beforehand."
Li Banfeng seemed taken aback. "No need to be in such a hurry, surely?"
"Times are unpredictable, and plans must be laid early. This matter admits no delay. Besides, Your Highness's affairs are my own affairs—"
Hearing this, Li Banfeng appeared deeply moved. He stood up promptly and said, "Brother Yu's generous sentiments leave me with no way to repay you. Today, I shall present Brother Yu with an intact corpse as a modest token of my regard."
"An intact corpse?" Yu Yunqiu stared, his jaw dropping.
Li Banfeng summoned a squad of muskmelon men and ordered, "Escort Grandee Yu to the Imperial City. I will see him off on his journey myself."
Yu Yunqiu fumed in rage, "Li Qi, what is the meaning of this? If you intended to kill me, why did you speak of friendship earlier?"
Li Banfeng chuckled. "Now you're being dishonest. When you spoke of sentiment and kindness to your bondservants, did you ever truly intend to spare them?"
"I truly—"
Li Banfeng pinched Yu Yunqiu's fish-like mouth shut. "When a man is about to die, his words should be kind. At this point, who are you putting on an act for? Let's move. Many people outside are waiting for you."
***
*Author's Note: Historically, the Tufang were the tribe that had the closest ties and most frequent conflicts with the Shang State.*
Chapter 728