The grand cabinet issued a proclamation: after entering the melting furnace to temper his physical vessel anew, Qiao Yi had fully recovered from his severe injuries.
From top to bottom, all of Chaoge erupted in jubilation.
The tempered Qiao Yi was left with only a single head, while Zhu Jin and Xie Gong were declared to have fallen in battle.
This explanation was accepted by the vast majority of the people, though a few still harbored doubts about Qiao Yi's royal bloodline.
Yet those few were inconsequential.
Luo Shaojun had remarked that many in the imperial court wanted Qiao Yi to become emperor, and that claim was by no means an exaggeration.
In recent years, how many losses had the Great Shang suffered at the hands of Tufang? Now, under Qiao Yi's command, they had not only won a resounding victory, but had also seized thirteen cities from Tufang's territory.
Such a monumental achievement was more than enough to carve his name onto monuments and into chronicles. A legendary figure like him—regardless of how many heads he had—was undeniably of royal blood. The dignity and prestige of the imperial house rested entirely on heroes of his stature, leaving not the slightest room for dispute.
Every scheme had been laid out in the open, yet once carried out, it left everyone speechless. Even Li Banfeng could not help but praise, "Qiao Yi played this hand brilliantly."
Still, one person drew Li Banfeng's attention.
Xi Zhaofu's disguise technique was certainly exceptional. Ground-level cultivators would find it exceedingly difficult to see through his true identity, and even for cultivators above the clouds, piercing the veil of his art took considerable effort.
Yet there was one person who shouldn't have failed to notice.
Shan Chengjun was the Martial Patriarch, a preeminent figure whether in the Inner Province or Puluo Province. The one he had injured was Xi Zhaofu—could he truly have failed to realize that?
If Shan Chengjun had noticed the deception and reported it straight to the Sage, it would have become a formidable weapon for the Sage to strike at Qiao Yi.
Yet Luo Shaojun had sent word to investigate, and there had been no movement whatsoever from Tufang. This was a golden opportunity to bring down Qiao Yi; why hadn't Tufang and the Sage seized it?
Certain answers had to be sought from Qiao Yi himself. Now that Qiao Yi had reclaimed his single-headed identity, Xi Zhaofu's mission was complete, and Li Banfeng needed to bring him back.
Li Banfeng first had Luo Lijun deliver a message, stating that he intended to visit Chaoge to congratulate Qiao Yi.
Qiao Yi readily agreed, set a time, and instructed Luo Lijun to reply. At the same time, he had Nian Shangyou bring Xi Zhaofu over.
Xi Zhaofu no longer needed to impersonate Three-Headed Qiao Yi. Having returned to his original appearance, he looked like a charming, lovely woman whom anyone would adore.
Qiao Yi said, "Worthy Brother, Prince Pingyuan will soon arrive in Chaoge to meet with me. I presume His Highness intends to take you back to Puluo Province. Having spent so much time together, some sentiment has inevitably grown between us. If you wish to return to Puluo Province, I will by no means stand in your way. If you are willing to remain by my side, I shall also treat you well."
Hearing this, Xi Zhaofu hurriedly bowed to Qiao Yi, assuming such a pitiful, delicate posture that even Nian Shangyou could not help stealing an extra glance.
"This subordinate shall etch Your Lordship's kindness into his heart. Yet a loyal minister does not serve two masters, just as a virtuous woman does not wed two husbands. Since I follow Seventh Master, I can only repay Your Lordship's immense grace in the next life."
Qiao Yi did not press the matter. "Pack your bags and wait for the prince to take you home."
Xi Zhaofu offered profuse thanks. Once he departed, Nian Shangyou turned to Qiao Yi. "My Lord, Xi Zhaofu knows a great deal about our affairs. Letting him leave just like that means Li Qi will likely learn everything."
Qiao Yi picked up a brush, dipped it into the ink on the inkstone, and praised, "This inkstone yields truly fine ink."
Seeing that Qiao Yi hadn't addressed his point, Nian Shangyou reminded him again, "My Lord, you surely don't believe Xi Zhaofu's words of loyalty, do you? The moment he returns to Li Qi's side, he will spill everything."
"No matter, let him speak." Qiao Yi brushed it aside without concern, instructing Nian Shangyou, "Bring forward the report on the Disease Cultivators."
Qiao Yi now took the Disease Cultivators far more seriously; the annihilation of Tufang's vanguard camp had struck him profoundly.
Nian Shangyou found this truly bizarre. Qiao Yi's attitude was just like his stance regarding those thirteen covenant deeds—entirely indifferent.
Xi Zhaofu had seen the melting furnace, which was the core secret of the Shang State. Did Qiao Yi genuinely not care about that either?
After reviewing the report on the Disease Cultivators, Qiao Yi dipped his brush and jotted down an annotation: "Lüshuigong hasn't shown himself in quite some time, but his disciple, Critic, has stirred up quite a tempest."
Nian Shangyou was aware of this matter. "That foreigner has carved out his own stronghold in Daogui Ridge. If he grows into a major threat, he will be troublesome to deal with later."
Qiao Yi shook his head. "No need to wait for later; he is already a threat. Tufang's vanguard camp was very likely wiped out by his hand."
Nian Shangyou was somewhat surprised. "This subordinate thought Lüshuigong was the one behind it."
Setting down his brush, Qiao Yi handed the annotated document to Nian Shangyou. "The peddler doesn't trust Lüshuigong and would never entrust such a task to him. Have Shu Wanjuan look into Critic's movements."
After reading the report on the Disease Cultivators, Qiao Yi examined the peace negotiation documents from Tufang.
Once Tufang had stabilized its footing and heard Qiao Yi was on his deathbed, they had initially prepared to fight.
Now, learning that Qiao Yi had survived, they chose to negotiate peace once more.
Qiao Yi nodded. "The terms for peace this time show some sincerity. Let us talk with them."
Three days later, Qiao Yi received Li Banfeng at his estate in the Sixth-Tier City.
Although his shadow had visited the Sixth-Tier City before, Li Banfeng still acted thoroughly amazed, displaying immense curiosity toward every single building within the city.
Upon arriving at the manor, host and guest took their seats. Li Banfeng had come to offer congratulations: first on the Shang State's sweeping victories at the front, and second on Qiao Yi's complete recovery from his grave injuries.
Qiao Yi expressed deep gratitude and did not forget to offer a return gift: "In this great victory, we seized thirteen cities from Tufang in succession. I am willing to bestow Shuiwa City and Yangui City upon Your Highness. What are Your Highness's thoughts?"
Capturing cities from Tufang was an achievement that would immortalize Shang in history. Did Qiao Yi have no fear of public criticism by gifting cities to Li Qi?
He truly had none.
Here he called it a gift, but once the formal decree was issued, it would surely be presented as an imperial enfeoffment. As Prince Pingyuan, Li Qi would simply receive two additional fiefs, but both cities would still belong to the territory of the Great Shang.
If Li Qi accepted them, his interests would become more deeply entwined with Qiao Yi's. Furthermore, Tufang would view Puluo Province as a mortal enemy, willing to fight to the death just to reclaim the lost land.
Moreover, Li Banfeng was almost certain not to accept them.
Shuiwa City and Yangui City were virtually adjacent to the heart of Tufang. Accepting them meant guarding the border on Shang's behalf.
Besides, these were cities on the Fertile Continent, where the geography shifted. No one knew when they might drift elsewhere, and a single misstep could leave one encircled by Tufang forces.
Sure enough, Li Banfeng declined the two cities: "Brother Qiao, I would like to exchange those two cities for a person."
Qiao Yi had already anticipated Li Banfeng's intention; he wanted Train Elder. "Regarding the whereabouts of the Artisan Sect Grandmaster, I have been investigating all along. Some claimed he was in Chaoge, yet I have searched every corner of the capital and found no trace.
"I promise that should there be any news of him, I will notify Your Highness immediately. As for the return gift, let us keep this debt recorded on my account. Once Your Highness makes a decision, we may discuss it again."
With that, Qiao Yi told Nian Shangyou to summon Xi Zhaofu. "Worthy Brother, His Highness has arrived to bring you home."
Xi Zhaofu looked at Li Banfeng, his face brimming with joy and anticipation.
Li Banfeng gave Qiao Yi a slight nod. Speaking with Qiao Yi was remarkably effortless; many things didn't need to be stated for him to understand.
In Xi Zhaofu's presence, Qiao Yi made another attempt to retain him: "Your Highness, this worthy brother stayed with me day and night, handling matters great and small on my behalf. Now that he is departing, my side will lack a close retainer. Would Your Highness be willing to accommodate me and let him remain by my side for a few more days? Having just recovered from my injuries, I still have many important affairs that require his assistance."
Qiao Yi claimed he could not do without Xi Zhaofu. Since Xi Zhaofu had become his personal attendant, he could certainly gather considerable intelligence for Li Banfeng, making keeping him behind seem advantageous.
Yet Li Banfeng had no intention of doing so. "Brother Qiao, I cannot do without this worthy brother either. It was only due to an emergency that I lent him to assist you. Now that you have regained your true identity and carry out your duties with proper standing, my brother should come home with me."
Qiao Yi nodded. "How could I dare deprive Your Highness of what you hold dear? Very well. Worthy Brother, return with Prince Pingyuan."
Xi Zhaofu was returned just like that.
Qiao Yi even left a deed acknowledging that he owed Li Qi two cities, open for discussion whenever Li Qi wished.
Li Banfeng brought Xi Zhaofu to Boundless City, where Luo Shaojun arranged a residence for them to stay. Once there were no outsiders around, Xi Zhaofu immediately brought up the melting furnace.
He had countless things he wanted to say, knowing many of Qiao Yi's undisclosed secrets—including his daily habits and personal quirks—but he felt the matter of the melting furnace was of paramount importance.
"Qiao Yi took me to the Ninth-Tier City and showed me the melting furnace. I thought he was going to smelt me down, but he didn't.
"He told me he showed it to me out of trust, hoping I would stay by his side and continue to assist him."
Li Banfeng had always been deeply intrigued by the Shang State's melting furnace. It was the source of supreme-grade weapons and the origin of the Shang people's special physique—one could even say it was the vital reliance that had allowed the Shang State to survive to this day.
"What did the melting furnace look like?"
Xi Zhaofu gestured with his hands as he explained, "It was massive, taking up the entire chamber. And that chamber was enormous too, bigger than an ordinary family's manor..."
Xi Zhaofu's description was scattered and fragmented, making it somewhat difficult for Li Banfeng to follow.
In truth, Xi Zhaofu's powers of observation were keen, but when observing the furnace, he had been gripped by fear and nervousness, leaving his thoughts in disarray.
Rather than listening to Xi Zhaofu's scattered account, it would be far better to retrieve Banfeng Yin's memories directly. Ever since Xi Zhaofu first impersonated Three-Headed Qiao Yi, Banfeng Yin had remained hidden in Xi Zhaofu's shadow, aware of everything Xi Zhaofu saw and heard.
Yet Banfeng Yin had not returned to Li Banfeng's side.
Li Banfeng could sense Banfeng Yin's presence, but for some unknown reason, Banfeng Yin turned a deaf ear to his summons.
Had something gone wrong with Xi Zhaofu, causing Banfeng Yin to stay hidden so as not to alert the enemy?
After rambling for ten minutes about trivial details, Xi Zhaofu finally reached the crucial point: "That melting furnace can open petal by petal, just like a blooming flower. A gust of wind blows from the center of the blossom, capable of sucking in all the surrounding souls. Yet it wouldn't suck me in, nor would it suck in Qiao Yi."
Li Banfeng stared at Xi Zhaofu for a long time.
He felt that Xi Zhaofu's description sounded remarkably like the Xuansheng Red Lotus.
The details closely resembled the scenes when the Xuansheng Red Lotus fed. The only difference was that the Red Lotus did not devour living beings, whereas the Shang State's great furnace consumed everything.
What was the connection between the Red Lotus and the melting furnace?
Li Banfeng had no desire to beat around the bush; he wanted to return and ask the Red Lotus directly.
Walking outside, Li Banfeng found a secluded spot and reached into his coat pocket for the key, but his hand froze inside the fabric.
Two things could not be explained.
First, why had Qiao Yi let Xi Zhaofu see the melting furnace and then allowed him to leave Chaoge alive?
It certainly wasn't out of trust for Xi Zhaofu. He had deliberately shown it so that the state of the furnace would be conveyed to Li Banfeng. What was his objective?
Second, why hadn't Banfeng Yin responded at all? Where did the problem lie?
With his hands tucked in his pockets, Li Banfeng paced around the courtyard. The first possibility that came to mind was a hook.
There was a hook planted on Xi Zhaofu, and Banfeng Yin refused to come out because he feared exposing himself beneath the hook's gaze.
Qiao Yi had shown the melting furnace to Xi Zhaofu because he anticipated that once Li Banfeng heard the description, he would inevitably connect the furnace to the Red Lotus.
If Li Banfeng sought out the Red Lotus right now, Qiao Yi could use the hook to track down its location.
*Wait.*
That didn't match Qiao Yi's style.
Xi Zhaofu couldn't remain glued to Li Qi at all times. If Li Qi left Xi Zhaofu behind and visited the Red Lotus alone, Qiao Yi still wouldn't learn a thing about the Red Lotus.
Qiao Yi was always cautious; he wouldn't act so recklessly. The hook most likely wasn't on Xi Zhaofu.
Was it on Banfeng Yin?
Had Qiao Yi discovered Banfeng Yin?
Li Banfeng prepared to use the Linking the Bridal Chambers technique to bring out the Seventh Room for inspection.
With his hand still in his pocket, Li Banfeng didn't grab the key. Instead, he prepared to pull out his dagger, prick his fingertip, and scatter his blood.
After fumbling for a moment, Li Banfeng refrained from drawing the blade.
Was there any difference between Banfeng Yin and Xi Zhaofu in this regard?
There was a difference, but not a large one.
Banfeng Yin didn't need to stay with Li Banfeng either.
Just like right now, Banfeng Yin refused to come out, which meant Qiao Yi still couldn't see the Red Lotus.
Qiao Yi would surely have thought through all these points. If he had truly planted a hook, whom would he plant it on?
A sudden chill ran down Li Banfeng's spine.
*Could it have been planted on me?*
*Did he plant the hook during our meeting just now?*
Planting a hook on Li Banfeng was no simple task. He was at the dual-fourth tier above the clouds; a Peep Cultivator attempting to make a move on him could hardly escape his perception.
Furthermore, Li Banfeng held immense wariness toward Qiao Yi. During their meeting, Discerning Spiritual Sound, Exquisite Hundred Flavors, and Golden Eyes Discerning Autumn Down had all been pushed to their limits; a Peep Cultivator had no chance of getting near him.
Could the hook have been planted through another channel?
Li Banfeng suspected Qiao Yi was watching him this very moment.
He wanted to test it using the hand-cranked gramophone, but the gramophone was inside the companion dwelling.
If he entered the companion dwelling now, the dwelling would be exposed to Qiao Yi.
Even if he used Linking the Bridal Chambers to swap the gramophone out, the fact that Li Banfeng was a Dwelling Cultivator would be revealed to Qiao Yi—and the cost Qiao Yi would pay was merely the loss of a single hook.
*That old bastard wants to make an enormous profit without investing a single copper again.*
Keeping his hand in his pocket, Li Banfeng didn't pull out the dagger. Instead, he drew out the simple telephone.
He found a wing room in the manor and dialed a number.
In the Inner Province, Luo Zhengnan's simple telephone couldn't connect at all, yet Li Banfeng spoke into the receiver nonetheless: "Tell Shan Chengjun to bring the Red Lotus to the usual spot. I have something to ask him."
***
Qiao Yi sat in his study at the manor, staring into a porcelain basin on his desk.
The basin was half-filled with water. Through the reflection on the surface, Qiao Yi could clearly see Li Banfeng's current condition and hear his voice; he could even hear Li Banfeng's footsteps as he paced the courtyard.
Hearing the name Shan Chengjun, Qiao Yi's cheek twitched.
Nian Shangyou stepped forward at once. "My Lord, I shall dispatch men to keep an eye on Shan Chengjun right away."
"No rush!" Qiao Yi stopped Nian Shangyou. "Do not fall for that fellow's scheme. We will wait right here. I want to see whether Shan Chengjun comes or not."
While Qiao Yi waited, Li Banfeng didn't bother waiting around. Hanging up the phone, Li Banfeng collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
This sleep lasted several hours, and Qiao Yi spent every minute watching. Seeing that Li Banfeng showed no sign of waking, Qiao Yi called Nian Shangyou over. "Gather several men to monitor Li Qi in shifts."
Nian Shangyou asked, "How should we handle Shan Chengjun?"
Qiao Yi pondered for a moment. "Send someone to check on his situation. Do not alert him under any circumstances."
***
Meanwhile, in a secret chamber within the palace, Shan Chengjun was having an audience with the Sovereign of Tufang.
The reason for meeting in a secret chamber was that the Sovereign did not want the Sage to know of this matter.
He had invited Shan Chengjun to host a celebratory feast in his honor: "Marquis Shan, a warrior like you ought to have been crowned a king under my reign long ago."
Shan Chengjun exchanged a few polite words: "What virtues or merits does Shan possess to receive such favor from Your Majesty? I am truly overwhelmed by Your grace."
The Sovereign said, "We speak only the truth. Had Marquis Shan not ventured into the enemy camp alone and heavily wounded their commander, who knows how much territory our people would have lost in this campaign? Meeting you, Marquis Shan, is the fortune of our race."
For the ruler of a nation to speak to this extent was granting Shan Chengjun tremendous face.
Shan Chengjun had to express his stance: "I thank Your Majesty for your deep affection. It is only regrettable that my fortune was too shallow to meet Your Majesty sooner!"
The Sovereign personally raised a cup. "It is not too late even now!"
They toasted back and forth, their conversation growing increasingly warm. For an entire night, Shan Chengjun did not emerge from the secret chamber.
Scouts inquired everywhere, but no one knew Shan Chengjun's whereabouts. Nian Shangyou reported the news to Qiao Yi: "My Lord, Shan Chengjun may truly harbor disloyalty."
Qiao Yi said little, simply ordering, "Continue investigating."
***
At the Jade Emerald Brothel, Zhao Xiaowan was discussing opera with Jiang Ling'er. When they touched upon *The Muke Fortress*, Jiang Ling'er looked at Hong Ying's figure and marveled, "If Yingying were to play a martial heroine, she wouldn't lose to Xiaowan in the slightest."
Hong Ying was delighted. "Do you have the costume? Dress me up!"
Jiang Ling'er didn't have an outfit for a martial heroine, but that was no difficult hurdle. She fetched needle and thread, and within minutes tailored an opera costume for Hong Ying, complete with helmet, pheasant plumes, and opera flags. When Hong Ying put it on, both women showered her with praise.
Hong Ying picked up a spear, intending to perform a routine, when Banfeng Zi slipped into the room along the floor.
"First Madam, Second Madam, Outside Madam, something has happened to Lord Jia. It seems someone has planted a hook on him."
Zhao Xiaowan found it strange. "Who could possibly have the skill to plant a hook on my husband? No matter, I will go remove it."
"You must not!" Banfeng Zi stopped Zhao Xiaowan. "If First Madam goes and is seen through their hook, wouldn't our identities be exposed?"
Zhao Xiaowan had other methods: "I'll carve a record. You find a gramophone to play it, and that will purge the hook just the same."
"That won't do either!" Banfeng Zi dissuaded her. "This hook was planted by Qiao Yi. That fellow is exceedingly crafty; he will likely deduce Madam's identity."
Hong Ying fumed, "That old thief is so insidious! Let us head back to Chaoge right now, storm in, and kill Qiao Yi!"
Banfeng Zi shook his head helplessly. "We must first confirm whether Lord Jia truly has a hook on him, and what kind of hook it is."
Zhao Xiaowan thought of a way: "Did you bring the key? I'll find a way to bring out the Seventh Room."
Banfeng Zi handed the key to Zhao Xiaowan, but on second thought, how would Zhao Xiaowan bring out the Seventh Room?
Once she returned to the companion dwelling, she wouldn't even be able to get out herself.
Hong Ying didn't see the problem: "Just have Seventh Brother swap her out using Linking the Bridal Chambers!"
Zhao Xiaowan frowned. "You girl truly don't use your head. If he really uses Extending the Wide Bridal Chamber, his status as a Dwelling Cultivator will be leaked. Wait here, I have a way."
Returning to the companion dwelling, Zhao Xiaowan summoned Boluo and walked up to the door of the main room, but it wouldn't open.
Zhao Xiaowan murmured a few words that no one could make out. After trying several times, the door opened.
In truth, she had repeated only a single sentence over and over: "Old Master, grant us accommodation."
Stepping out of the companion dwelling, Zhao Xiaowan brought Boluo near the manor. Without entering, they pressed against the outer wall of the wing room and quietly eavesdropped.
After listening for several minutes, Boluo gestured for Zhao Xiaowan to find another place to speak.
The two returned to the Jade Emerald Brothel, where Boluo told Zhao Xiaowan, "Madam, Seventh Master has been struck by a living hook."
"What is a living hook?" Hong Ying had never heard of such a thing.
Not only had she never heard of it, Zhao Xiaowan hadn't either.
Jiang Ling'er, however, knew of it: "A living hook is an exceptionally rare variety among Peep Cultivator hooks. These hooks can move and transfer from one person to another."
Banfeng Zi understood.
The hook had indeed been planted on Xi Zhaofu initially. Banfeng Yin knew a hook was on Xi Zhaofu, which was why he hadn't dared to move.
And while Li Banfeng was bringing Xi Zhaofu back, the hook had transferred onto him.
Hong Ying scoffed, "Making it sound so mystical—is that even still a hook? What level of Peep Cultivator could possibly employ such a thing?"
Boluo said, "Miss Jiang is correct. This hook is extraordinarily unusual. My master used it once; a single hook could move through over a dozen people. He was never willing to teach me this technique, claiming my aptitude was insufficient and I could never master it."
Hong Ying said to Boluo, "Never mind whether you know how to use it—can you help Seventh Brother remove it?"
Boluo lacked confidence.
Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "There are plenty of ways to remove a hook. The key is not letting Qiao Yi detect anything. If he uses a single hook to uncover our foundation, our loss will be immense."
Hong Ying finally understood: Qiao Yi's investment was minuscule, but his potential gain was staggering.
For a moment, no one could devise a workable plan.
Banfeng Zi said, "Since there is no other good way, we can only use Lord Jia's method. The question is whether I can run fast enough."
Hong Ying said, "If you can't run fast enough, let Banfeng Yi go. He has good legs."
"Blockhead!" Zhao Xiaowan chided. "Does Banfeng Yi dare emerge from my husband? Can he evade that hook? Think of a way to find Ayi and see if she can give Banfeng Zi a lift."
Finding Ayi was not difficult; Li Banfeng carried the jade pendant on him.
Yet once there, whether she was willing to help was another matter entirely.
***
Shan Chengjun stayed in the palace for a full day before finally emerging. Returning to his estate, he didn't even bother seeing the Sage; these days, the Sage was pleasant every day and never took offense at minor lapses in etiquette.
He wrote a letter to Shu Wanjuan. Once finished, he burned it over a candle; the ashes drifted out the window and vanished into thin air, destined to reach Shu Wanjuan soon.
The scouts spotted the ashes drifting from the window and promptly relayed the news to Nian Shangyou. Knowing this was a method of message delivery, Nian Shangyou hurriedly asked Qiao Yi for instructions: "Shan Chengjun just sent a letter out. Should we intercept it?"
Qiao Yi shook his head. "We cannot ruin major affairs over a single sentence from Li Qi. Have the scouts continue surveillance. Do not offend Shan Chengjun, and do not cause unnecessary complications."
***
Ordered to investigate Critic, Shu Wanjuan had just arrived at Jianren Mound when he received Shan Chengjun's letter.
The paper ashes coalesced, forming lines of script on his palm. After reading it, Shu Wanjuan shook his head repeatedly.
The contents stated that Shan Chengjun had gained great favor in Tufang and had developed new ideas.
"Old Shan, you're going to get me killed sooner or later!"
Having signed a covenant deed with Shan Chengjun, Shu Wanjuan could hardly refuse. He traced a few words with his finger as an agreement, then brushed the ashes from his hand and continued on his way.
***
Atop the ridge, Critic prepared for battle. Today, he had received word from Zuo Anna that a formidable enemy was approaching Daogui Ridge.
Though she had not identified the foe, figures capable of raising the White Falcon League's alarm were few and far between.
Just as the orders to prepare for battle were issued, the entrance to Hulu Village suddenly appeared before Critic. Luckily, it was Banfeng Zi who stepped out; otherwise, Critic would have struck at Hulu Village immediately.
"My friend, why have you appeared at this moment? Where is your main body?"
Banfeng Zi replied, "My main body cannot come over; he is under surveillance. I need your assistance with something. I want you to help me write a letter."
After hearing Banfeng Zi's explanation, Critic found himself in a dilemma. "I cannot leave Daogui Ridge right now, for I face a formidable enemy."
"What kind of enemy?"
Critic thought for a moment. "My friend, I do not intend to ask you for help this time. I will face this enemy myself. I can offer you assistance, but since I cannot be present in person, the help I can provide is very limited."
Before long, Banfeng Zi returned to Hulu Village holding a letter in his hand.
Ayi asked, "Whom is this letter for?"
Banfeng Zi said, "For Lord Jia."
"Who is Lord Jia? Let me see it!"
"This involves classified matters; others cannot look!"
Ayi scoffed, "What's so special about it? Why was that foreigner unwilling to come?"
"He said he encountered a powerful enemy, yet he refused to name that enemy."
Ayi chuckled. "Can he not even trust you?"
Banfeng Zi sighed deeply. "Some things cannot be foretold. When heaven wants to rain, a mother wants to remarry—let him be."
Ayi gasped in delight. "You know my mother?"
Banfeng Zi was startled. "Where does that even come from?"
*Who leaked that information?*
Ayi said excitedly, "My mother's name is 'When Heaven Wants to Rain, a Mother Wants to Remarry'!"
***
In Boundless City, Li Banfeng was honing his techniques. With Hong Ying unable to show herself, he practiced together with Luo Shaojun.
Luo Shaojun, carrying his snail shell on his back, slammed into Li Banfeng with full force. Yet an attack of this magnitude posed no threat to Li Banfeng at all, leaving him unable to execute the Bent on One's Own Way technique.
After dozens of exchanges, Luo Shaojun was thoroughly exhausted. "Brother Seven, I can't hold out any longer."
As the two rested, someone brought Li Banfeng a letter.
Watching this scene through the hook, Nian Shangyou hurriedly called Qiao Yi over.
Li Banfeng looked at the envelope, which bore not a single word. Even so, he acted with extreme caution, dismissing everyone from the room before opening the seal.
Realizing the origin of this letter was highly unusual, Qiao Yi also dismissed Nian Shangyou and the others, staring alone at the water basin in his study.
If this letter truly involved Shan Chengjun, dealing with him would present a real dilemma.
The letter was densely packed with text. Holding it, Li Banfeng did not focus his gaze on the writing.
Through the hook, Qiao Yi read with utmost concentration. The identity of the sender was unclear, but the general gist stated that Shan Chengjun had broken faith and already handed the Red Lotus over to the Sovereign of Tufang, warning Li Banfeng to prepare defenses early.
Qiao Yi read through it several times from beginning to end, only to feel every character on the letter stinging his eyes.
It wasn't out of fury; Qiao Yi still doubted the letter's authenticity. But the script was genuinely harming his eyes, causing them to bleed.
The characters on the letter gradually dissolved—a sign that the disease locus had spread.
Estimating that enough time had passed, Li Banfeng scattered blood onto the ground and activated the Sit Back and Relax technique.
The hook was easy to locate and simple to dissolve.
As Li Banfeng removed the hook on his end, Qiao Yi collapsed to the floor in agony on the other.
Nian Shangyou and the others rushed into the chamber and helped Qiao Yi up.
Qiao Yi asked, "How is Li Qi's situation?"
The hook had already been severed. Nian Shangyou stared into the clear water in the basin for a long time before shaking his head repeatedly. "My Lord, we cannot see."
"Cannot see?" Qiao Yi fumbled across the table for a while before finally touching the water basin.
"Cannot see..." Qiao Yi truly could not see; before his eyes lay complete, pitch-black darkness.
Chapter 737