Li Banfeng purchased a steamship. Piloted by a group of shadows, it carried Zhang Wanlong and Little Genzi toward White Falcon Commandery.
Little Genzi had never set foot on a steamship before. The entire voyage felt novel to him, filled with endless scenic wonders to behold.
Zhang Wanlong had traveled far and wide and taken plenty of boats, but this time his seasickness was severe, leaving him vomiting incessantly the entire way.
Upon reaching the boundary of the Sea Market, Li Banfeng gave advance word. The Border Defense Bureau dispatched personnel to open the Boundary, and after two more days of sailing, the vessel finally arrived in White Falcon Commandery.
When they docked at Baitao Island, Zhang Wanlong's limbs turned numb and weak, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.
Introduced by Li Banfeng, Ling Baitao offered him a peach.
Taking a bite of the luscious, savory fruit, Zhang Wanlong gradually recovered. Color returned to his cheeks, and some strength flowed back into his limbs. Yet the moment his eyes fell upon the peach trees across the island, the blood drained from his face once more.
"Are those... trees?" As the foremost Farming Cultivator of his generation, he could tell at a single glance that not one peach tree on this island was a genuine tree.
Ling Baitao said nothing.
Li Banfeng lowered his voice. "Brother Zhang, didn't you visit White Falcon Commandery before?"
Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "I never have."
"If you've never been here, how did you know seeds wouldn't work in this place?"
"In the past, someone bought seeds from me and had them delivered to White Falcon Commandery. In the end, the seeds failed to take root, and that person came back to start a fight with me."
Zhang Wanlong took a stroll around the island. At first, it made his flesh crawl. But once Li Banfeng explained the origins of these trees, Zhang Wanlong was filled with profound reverence and bowed deeply toward the peach grove.
He gathered some soil to study its properties carefully. When Ling Baitao asked who this man was, Li Banfeng replied, "This is a Farming Cultivator I brought to help you grow crops."
Ling Baitao smiled and gave a gentle shake of her head.
The peddler had brought in many Farming Cultivators before, but not one had ever managed to cultivate anything in White Falcon Commandery. Ling Baitao harbored little hope for Zhang Wanlong, but since he had been brought by Li Qi, she had to at least grant him a try.
Zhang Wanlong spent an entire day studying the ground, selected a plot, took out some eggplant seeds, and planted them in the dirt.
This variety of eggplant had originally been bred by Xu Han, and Zhang Wanlong had further improved it.
Genzi recognized the seeds. Their greatest virtue was remarkable resistance to toxins. "Brother, do you think the dirt here is poisoned?"
"Nothing grows here except peaches. It's definitely poisoned."
From Zhang Wanlong's tone, it sounded like a sheer guess, leaving Genzi feeling rather uneasy. But once the medicinal solution was applied, the eggplants began to sprout. Zhang Wanlong beamed with delight. "See that? That's your big brother's discerning eye."
Genzi picked up a ladle. "You really have the skill, brother! With eggplants, we'll have soldiers."
"We can't just grow eggplants. We also have to—"
Before Genzi could even apply fertilizer, the eggplant sprouts withered.
The freshly unfurled green leaves turned yellow in the blink of an eye. Before Genzi could set down his bucket, the leaves had already dropped.
"What kind of poison acts this fast?" Genzi was astonished. The toxicity was terrifyingly swift.
Zhang Wanlong scooped up a handful of earth and rubbed it between his fingers for a good while. "We need to study this closely and devise a way to neutralize the poison."
Ling Baitao stepped forward and addressed Zhang Wanlong, "Friend from afar, thank you for your kind intentions. But this land is bound by a curse. Neutralizing poison will achieve nothing."
At the mention of a curse, Zhang Wanlong's brow furrowed deep. Lifting a curse was vastly more complicated than detoxifying soil.
Li Banfeng was unfamiliar with Curse Cultivators, having only heard his lady describe them. "Brother Zhang, do you know any Curse Cultivators? I can invite one over to help."
"I know a few, but none I'd call friends. You can't ever become truly close with those people. Curse Cultivators are treacherous to deal with. I advise you against seeking them out. Even if you don't cross them, you might still end up suffering a hidden loss."
Li Banfeng's lady had once said that among the hundred disciplines under heaven, Curse Cultivators were the most insidious sort.
Zhang Wanlong added, "Besides, every Curse Cultivator has their own distinct methods. Even if I summoned every one I knew, they might not necessarily unravel the curse laid upon this land."
"Then let's replace the soil." Li Banfeng found a deserted spot and, with a cadre of shadows, unloaded fresh earth from the companion dwelling.
This soil had been brought by Li Banfeng from the newland. All of Zhang Wanlong's seeds had been cultivated upon that very ground.
"Master Seventh, what marvelous skill! How did you manage to transport so much soil?"
Li Banfeng said, "I possess a magical treasure capable of holding cargo."
"Is it the Old Devouring Cart?" Zhang Wanlong truly possessed vast experience, knowing even of such things.
Li Banfeng shook his head, and Zhang Wanlong did not press further.
With newland soil in hand, Zhang Wanlong felt confident. This time, instead of eggplants, he planted wax gourds. Wax gourd men were massive and sturdy, capable of taking hits and dealing punishment.
Yet shortly after sprouting in the newland soil, the wax gourd seedlings withered as well.
Even this soil did not work.
Li Banfeng asked, "Could there be something wrong with the water?"
Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "I watered the seedlings just now with water from my canteen, drawn straight from the underground city. The curse has nothing to do with either the water or the soil. Where on earth was it cast?"
Li Banfeng could not answer. Fortunately, even Curse Cultivators had natural nemeses.
His lady had told him that Peep Cultivators were the ultimate counter to Curse Cultivators. At comparable tiers, a Peep Cultivator could uproot a curse entirely.
He touched his Qiansi Earring. Qiansi had been earnest; ever since Ling Baitao mentioned the curse, she had been searching for its source. Yet after scouring for a long time, she found no lead. The tier of this curse far surpassed her own.
If Qiansi couldn't manage, there was still Boluo.
Li Banfeng invoked Broadening the Bridal Chamber to bring Boluo outside, having the projector trail closely behind to obscure Boluo's figure as much as possible.
Boluo paced Baitao Island. He caught the scent of the curse, yet could not pinpoint its root.
The dark spots covering his face twisted together in frustration; Boluo felt his pride wounded. He had been through countless battles and faced numerous formidable foes, where victory and defeat were commonplace, but against Curse Cultivators, he had never once lost.
Li Banfeng suspected the root of the curse might not be on Baitao Island. White Falcon Commandery comprised five islands in total. He brought Boluo over to Huangtao Island.
The situation on Huangtao Island was identical. Pantao, Youtao, and Shuimitao Islands were the same. A curse lingered over every single island, yet its source remained elusive.
With his pride stung, Boluo sat sulking by the shore.
Zhang Wanlong, however, grew more determined with every setback. Over the next two days, he applied his cultivation techniques to newland soil and planted a crop of sweet potatoes.
"This technique is called 'Deeply Rooted and Firmly Grounded.' It resists disease, resists toxins, and even withstands curses. Though sweet potatoes can't fight very well, their yield is enormous. If a battle really breaks out, we can have the sweet potatoes take the front lines and catch the blades!" A genius among Farming Cultivators indeed, Zhang Wanlong saw this crop of sweet potatoes through to full maturity.
Li Banfeng sat beside the field, waiting for the sweet potatoes to transform into sweet potato men.
After waiting several hours, Zhang Wanlong laughed self-deprecatingly. "White Falcon Commandery has nothing to eat but peaches. I just wanted to give them something else."
The sweet potatoes grew, but the sweet potato men failed to manifest.
Each sweet potato plant grew over a meter tall across a sprawling patch. Ling Baitao promptly ordered her people to harvest them and distribute the crop household by household.
Having sweet potatoes to eat brought immense joy to the islanders, who expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Zhang Wanlong.
Yet the more profusely they thanked him, the more chilled Zhang Wanlong felt inside.
Sitting at the edge of the field, Zhang Wanlong stroked his bearded chin. "I poured real effort into those sweet potatoes. Just how brilliant is this curse, that I couldn't even produce a single sweet potato man?"
Li Banfeng said, "Having sweet potatoes is already good. They serve as food."
Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "Living on sweet potatoes alone won't do. People need variety—but let's set aside food for a moment. We came here to provide White Falcon Commandery with troops. Where exactly is the missing link?"
Zhang Wanlong stayed awake all night, and neither did Boluo sleep.
The next morning, Boluo sought out Li Banfeng. "Master Seventh, could you take me higher into the air?"
"How high?"
Barely ten meters above sea level was the cavern roof. If Li Banfeng wanted to fly any higher, he had to use Sever the Path to Forge a Way, and carving out an extra ten meters was already an immense ordeal.
Boluo estimated the distance. "At least thirty meters."
Li Banfeng glanced up at the cavern roof. "I'll give it a try. If all else fails, I'll have to call Hong Ying over."
He took hold of Boluo, first using the art of Ride the Wind and Mount the Clouds to fly to the ceiling, then executing Sever the Path to Forge a Way to chisel open a fissure, pulling Boluo inside with him.
This fissure was fifteen meters deep. Factoring in the distance from the cavern roof to the ground, their total height exceeded twenty meters.
Yet Boluo remained dissatisfied. "Master Seventh, inside this fissure, I can't see anything. My sightline is far too obstructed."
Li Banfeng invoked Sever the Path to Forge a Way once more to widen the opening.
The field of view was still insufficient, leaving Li Banfeng with no choice but to push through with raw endurance.
After cleaving away for over an hour, an exhausted Li Banfeng dropped back to the ground. Ever since learning Sever the Path to Forge a Way, he had never trained it as rigorously as he did today.
Boluo took out a sheet of paper and began sketching the dimensions and positions of the five islands.
With only the flight height and field of view they had just achieved, an ordinary person couldn't possibly take in the full panorama of the five islands.
Yet Boluo was a high-tier Peep Cultivator. By piecing together observations from different angles, he mapped out the exact layout of the five White Falcon islands.
"A formation!" Boluo discerned the curse's origin. "Master Seventh, these five islands were constructed according to a curse formation. Their orientations, distances, and proportions all correspond to a cursing array. No wonder we couldn't locate the source—the source is the five islands themselves!"
Li Banfeng could not read curse formations. "Is there a way to break it?"
"Yes, by reclaiming land from the sea," Boluo answered, drawing upon his past experience in breaking formations. "I measured it just now: the sea here isn't particularly deep. If we reclaim enough land to raise an extra island, turning the five islands of White Falcon into six, the curse will be broken."
Reclaiming land from the sea was a monumental undertaking; who knew how many years it would take to build an entire island?
Still, at least it was a viable method. Li Banfeng immediately contacted Tan Jinxiao, instructing him to prepare vessels and transport earth toward White Falcon Commandery.
Upon hearing the news, Zhang Wanlong stopped Li Banfeng. "Reclaiming land won't work."
As a Farming Cultivator, he possessed an acute sensitivity to the earth. "The sea floor is shifting. All the surrounding ground is in motion, while only these five islands remain stationary. If you dump soil into the sea, the moment the bedrock moves, the earth will be swept away. No matter how much you dump, it will all be wasted effort."
Hearing Zhang Wanlong's words reminded Li Banfeng of something: in truth, these five islands themselves could move as well.
Whenever the Inner State opened an exit, the five islands would shift directly beneath it.
Dumping soil was indeed unfeasible. What other options remained?
Zhang Wanlong resolved firmly, "Give me more time. I will definitely break this curse."
For several consecutive days, Zhang Wanlong drew upon the newland soil, using the technique Deeply Rooted and Firmly Grounded to breed crops continuously. He grew potatoes, pumpkins, Chinese cabbage, and Hami melons.
The pantry of White Falcon Commandery grew far richer, yet not a single crop man was produced.
The soil Li Banfeng had brought was limited, and its fertility was nearly exhausted.
Mentally and physically drained, Zhang Wanlong was on the verge of collapse.
That day, a cargo vessel arrived at White Falcon Commandery. Li Banfeng had arranged for supply ships to deliver provisions each month.
Li Banfeng boarded the ship to look around and see if there was anything useful to aid Zhang Wanlong. To his surprise, Tan Jinxiao had personally accompanied the shipment. "Master Seventh, I heard my junior brother is here. Where is he?"
"Your junior brother?"
"Indeed! Two junior brothers came together!"
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. Tan Jinxiao was a Metal Cultivator; it was entirely plausible that he was also a disciple of Old Xu.
Li Banfeng pointed toward Zhang Wanlong and Little Genzi by the field. Tan Jinxiao hurried his men to bring up gifts. "Master Seventh, I'll go chat with my two junior brothers. Why don't you go receive the old gentleman?"
"Which old gentleman?"
"Who else could it be but our master!" Tan Jinxiao lowered his voice. "Our old master has spent his entire life minding his own little acre and a third of land, never willing to meddle in other people's affairs. But he came today, meaning he truly intends to lend a hand. It's just that he can't get past his own pride, so he's embarrassed to come ashore."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? I'll go see him!" Li Banfeng climbed aboard with delight.
Carrying the gifts, Tan Jinxiao walked over to Zhang Wanlong and Little Genzi.
The two did not recognize Tan Jinxiao. Tan Jinxiao grinned warmly. "I finished my apprenticeship early, while you entered the sect later. We're true brothers who don't need formal kowtows! I'm your Eldest Senior Brother, you're the Senior Junior Brother, and he's the Youngest Junior Brother! These trinkets are a small token of my regard—take them for now."
Inside the cabin, Li Banfeng met Old Xu.
Old Xu stood beside the window with his hands clasped behind his back, staring outside. "This old man was merely passing through, and decided to check on his worthless disciples while he was at it."
At this, Old Xu paused briefly and asked, "How are their affairs progressing?"
He knew Zhang Wanlong and Genzi were here, and he knew what they were attempting.
Li Banfeng said, "Things haven't been going smoothly. The five islands of White Falcon Commandery form a curse formation. In White Falcon Commandery's native soil, nothing can grow. Even when we swap the soil and use techniques, we can only produce ordinary food."
"So it is a curse." Old Xu had heard that White Falcon Commandery was peculiar, but he hadn't known the underlying cause. Outside his own little plot, he truly disliked getting involved.
Old Xu stepped onto the deck, oriented himself, and flew in a circuit close against the cavern roof, gaining a general grasp of the five islands' distribution.
Li Banfeng handed him the diagram drawn by Boluo, which possessed pinpoint accuracy. Studying the parchment, Old Xu began to see the underlying pattern.
"This curse is no simple matter. Expecting Zhang Wanlong to break it purely with Farming Cultivator techniques is asking too much of him. To banish evil, one must rely on Ten Thousand Rays of Golden Light!" Old Xu pondered for half a day, then wrote out a prescription. "Hand this to Tan Jinxiao and Genzi. Have them lend Wanlong a hand."
Li Banfeng took the formula. Zhang Wanlong was not a Metal Cultivator and could not make sense of it. Tan Jinxiao frowned deeply upon reading it. "Materials of this quality will be difficult to find."
Genzi was full of confidence. "There are so many people in White Falcon Commandery. As long as we put our minds to it, we're bound to find what we need."
"Fair enough. I won't leave yet. We brothers will figure this out together."
After unloading the cargo, the freighter made its return voyage. Tan Jinxiao remained on the island, while Old Xu relocated to Li Banfeng's passenger ship.
Over the course of two days, Tan Jinxiao and Genzi concocted a bucket of night soil and poured it directly across the field.
Per Old Xu's instructions, they let the field nourish for two days before Zhang Wanlong sowed his seeds once more.
This time showed promise. The seedlings grew considerably taller, yet before reaching maturity, they withered all the same.
Zhang Wanlong saw hope and decided to switch to new seeds.
Come nightfall, while no one was around, Old Xu inspected the shoots. Returning to the ship, he revised the formula for the night soil.
Back and forth they tested for a dozen days, yet still they could not produce a single crop man.
Li Banfeng grew increasingly anxious. Ling Baitao consoled him, "Brother, do not push these friends too hard. They have already brought us so much food, and for that we are deeply grateful. The peddler once tried to break the curse here, and even he failed."
Indeed, the peddler must have attempted numerous methods; even if only to secure food for White Falcon Commandery, he would have done everything in his power to dispel the curse.
If even the peddler could not accomplish it, could anyone else?
Zhang Wanlong stood on the ridge of the field, watching the leaves gently sway in the corn patch.
He knew his master had come.
He quietly slipped away from the field and found Li Banfeng. "Master Seventh, if you have other business, go ahead and tend to it. We'll still need quite a bit of time here."
"Can it really work?" Li Banfeng lacked confidence.
"It will!" Zhang Wanlong clutched a handful of seeds, his gaze lingering continuously on the fields.
Out in the field, Old Xu cursed under his breath, "Cursed cur! If I ever cross paths with him, I'll shove him in a bucket and soak him for the rest of his miserable life!"
Tan Jinxiao remarked from the side, "Master, what's the use of venting your spleen? We won't run into Curse Cultivators. They work their mischief from the shadows, never showing their faces."
Xu Han glared at Tan Jinxiao. "Do I need you to lecture me?"
A vast swathe of corn had withered, and Xu Han simply could not swallow this indignation.
Late that night, he approached Tan Jinxiao and murmured, "Get me some aged phlegm."
Tan Jinxiao blinked in surprise. "How aged?"
"So aged that it won't dissolve after soaking in water for three days!"
"That's not going to be easy to find."
Xu Han ground his teeth. "If it were easy, would I be asking you?"
"The main thing is, what good could that possibly do?"
"Stop babbling and get to it!"
"Master, your temper is far too fierce. Aren't you just grasping at straws?"
***
Qiao Yi was feeling his way through an official dossier and had only read half of it when Nian Shangyou entered, announcing urgent business.
This broke Qiao Yi's train of thought, forcing him to review the entire document from the beginning.
Fingers were simply no match for one's own eyes; during the reading process, it was impossible to focus his mind on deliberation.
And that was merely handling documents—dealing with people was even more troublesome. In court today, while managing state affairs face-to-face, Qiao Yi hadn't known where the Minister of Revenue was standing, leading to numerous blunders in conversation.
It could not be helped; Qiao Yi could hardly go touching the Minister of Revenue's face in front of the whole assembly.
His heart seethed with frustration, lacking an outlet, just as Nian Shangyou arrived.
"What is it?" Qiao Yi demanded sternly.
Nian Shangyou replied, "Prince Pingyuan has arrived in Chaoge."
Qiao Yi was startled. Previously, no matter how they invited him, Li Qi had refused to come. Yet now he had arrived of his own accord.
"What has he come for?"
"He said he came to pay a friendly visit to our lord."
Qiao Yi's heart clenched. "Why would he visit me?"
Nian Shangyou shook his head. "He did not state the specific reason. He merely stressed to this humble subordinate that he came to visit as an equal, not to pay sick calls."
Stunned, Qiao Yi asked, "Can he see?"
Nian Shangyou considered it. "From what I saw, Li Qi moves with complete freedom, requiring no assistance. This time, he steered Tianyi City here alone, without the Luo sisters in his retinue."
Qiao Yi deliberated briefly. "Invite the Prince to the main hall for discourse."
When Li Banfeng reached the main hall, Qiao Yi went to welcome him. Sound was screened off within the hall, leaving only Nian Shangyou standing in attendance.
Meeting face-to-face, Li Banfeng took Qiao Yi's hand. "Brother Qiao, I've come to see you. I can see with crystal clarity—can you see me?"
Qiao Yi forced a series of dry chuckles, offering no reply.
Once seated, Li Banfeng inquired about someone. "Where is Shan Chengjun? I have long admired the martial patriarch's renowned name and wish to meet him."
Qiao Yi sighed. "Your Highness jests. Shan Chengjun followed the usurper king in defecting to Tufang and is now an enemy of Great Shang."
"He defected to Tufang? Surely he didn't go empty-handed. Did he present some treasure to the Demon Lord?"
Qiao Yi said, "This old man knows nothing of the matter."
Li Banfeng gritted his teeth. "You claim you know nothing? Then how did my eyes get ruined?"
Qiao Yi feigned shock. "What happened to Your Highness's eyes?"
"Still playing dumb? Wasn't it you who directed Shan Chengjun to harm my sight?"
Qiao Yi denied it at once. "I know nothing whatsoever of this."
"If you knew nothing, why did you send Nian Shangyou to look for me? If you knew nothing, why are you blind as well? You violated our covenant deed to harm me, and now divine retribution has found you—yet you still dare claim ignorance?"
Left speechless, Qiao Yi said, "This old man is currently investigating the underlying cause."
"Take your time investigating, then. Let's not bring up the past. Now that I can see, do you intend to stay blind forever?"
Qiao Yi understood Li Qi's objective. "Your Highness, name your price."
"Splendid!" Li Qi raised his teacup and named his terms. "Enfeoff me a city."
"Which city does Your Highness desire?"
"Bo City."
Qiao Yi shuddered.
Nian Shangyou nearly burst out laughing.
*Bo City?*
*Why don't you just ask for Chaoge while you're at it?*
Nian Shangyou kept his mouth clamped tightly shut. He could never utter that thought aloud—if he did, Li Qi might actually demand Chaoge.
Drawing a deep breath, Qiao Yi said, "Your Highness, do not jest."
Li Banfeng spoke with utter solemnity. "I'm not jesting. I've taken a fancy to Bo City. I particularly like that sacrificial altar of theirs."
Qiao Yi's expression turned frigid. "Such mockery goes too far."
Li Banfeng said, "Then there is nothing to discuss."
Qiao Yi stated, "Though my eyes are blind, my heart remains bright. Even if I can never behold the light of day again in this lifetime, I will never cede the foundation of my ancestors to an outsider."
With that, Qiao Yi turned his gaze toward Li Banfeng. For an instant, it was as if he could see.
Li Banfeng gazed back at Qiao Yi and nodded slightly. "You think that because you swallowed some Peep-seeker powder, you actually have eyes? Tomorrow, I will spread word across the entire Shang State that you have gone blind. Do you suppose your secret won't slip?"
Qiao Yi said nothing. Flaws would inevitably show.
Li Banfeng continued, "Peep Cultivators possess many arts tied to vision. If you are blind, how will you cultivate hereafter? If you cannot cultivate, can you even preserve your life?"
Finishing his words, Li Banfeng rose to leave.
Nian Shangyou stepped forward to bar Li Qi's way. "Your Highness, please quell your anger. You cannot set the price in stone with a single word. At least permit us a counteroffer."
"No bargaining. I want Bo City!" Li Banfeng shoved Nian Shangyou aside and made to walk out.
Qiao Yi called out, "I recently uncovered the whereabouts of the Grandmaster of the Artisan Order. Does Your Highness wish to know?"
Li Banfeng turned back and asked, "Let's make this clear first: does the Grandmaster of the Artisan Order refer to Old Train?"
Qiao Yi nodded. "Precisely him. Your Highness, I shall inform you of the Grandmaster's whereabouts, and you inform me of the method to heal my eyes. We conclude this transaction—what do you think?"
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I think that's unacceptable. Whereabouts and methods are both ethereal concepts; they don't sound tangible enough."
Qiao Yi said, "Then I must trouble Your Highness to name a more tangible price."
Li Banfeng thought for a moment. "You still owe me two cities, correct?"
Qiao Yi nodded. "Those two cities—this old man will never renege. However, which specific cities they are must be negotiated with me."
Li Banfeng said, "I won't take those two cities, and I will heal your eyes. But you must let me bring Old Train back to Puluo Province in one piece, whole and unharmed. Deal?"
Nian Shangyou looked toward Qiao Yi.
Two cities plus a pair of eyes in exchange for Old Train's life—this price was more than fair.
After weighing it repeatedly, Qiao Yi instructed Nian Shangyou, "Prepare the covenant deed."
***
Outside Chaoge, Tianyi City was submerged and swimming through the sea. Banfeng II steered the helm, Ba Suan directed the coordinates, and Boluo tuned the radio.
Many voices came crackling through the receiver, yet not a single scrap of news concerned the Bandit-Subduing Battalion.
Boluo snapped at Ba Suan, "This is the optimal location you chose?"
"What do you know? This is topology!" Ba Suan clutched his scrap paper. "I don't know where the Bandit-Subduing Battalion is; all I know is that this spot intercepts the most signals."
*Clack-clatter! Clack-clatter!*
Outside the door, the Dragon Bone Waterwheel stood upright.
Banfeng II took fright. "Be on your guard, everyone! Someone has slipped into Tianyi City!"
The Dragon Bone Waterwheel stood sentinel at the entrance. Before it stood an elderly man with greying hair, a round face, a prominent nose, and large eyes.
"Elder Brother!" Banfeng II stepped outside. The man standing before him was none other than Train Eunuch.
"Why do you call me Elder Brother?" Train Eunuch wore an icy expression.
Banfeng II said, "We are sworn brothers! We settled it back in the Dream Weaving Tower."
"Who did you settle it with?"
"With Train Eunuch!"
"I am not Train Eunuch—I am his shadow!"
Banfeng II replied, "I am a shadow too."
Train Eunuch reflected for a moment, looking at Banfeng II with tears welling in his eyes. "Brother, why have you come?"
Chapter 740