Come, Brother!

Banfeng Two said, "Brother, we've talked it over. This time, we're definitely breaking you out." Grandpa Train shook his head. "How many times have I told you? Don't even think about saving me. You can't reach the place holding me." Recalling something, Banfeng Two asked hurriedly, "Brother, when I was in the Outer States, I ran into another you. Was that a shadow as well?" "The Outer States—" Grandpa Train started, visibly shaken. "What did the other me look like?" "A locomotive!" Old Train jolted with alarm. "Keep far away from him. That one really is me." Banfeng Two asked, "If he's really you, why should we steer clear of him?" Old Train explained in earnest, "I was split into two halves. That half is not easy to deal with. Where did Old Seven go?" Banfeng Two said, "He went to talk price with Qiao Yi. This time, we're going to force him to release you." "Utter nonsense! Old Seven must have been swindled by Qiao Yi! Call him back at once!" As he spoke, Grandpa Train's figure faded more and more. Banfeng Two asked with concern, "Brother, what's happening to you?" Grandpa Train opened his mouth wide, seemingly shouting at the top of his lungs, yet Banfeng Two could hear nothing. He could only watch as Grandpa Train vanished. This shadow could not venture too far from the true body, and this distance had exceeded his limits. *** Inside the mansion, Li Banfeng and Qiao Yi settled on the price, though differences remained on a few details. The two parties agreed to complete the trade ten days later. Li Banfeng would cure Qiao Yi's eyes while canceling the debts owed for the two cities. Qiao Yi demanded that the transaction take place entirely within Chaoge. As soon as his eyes were healed, Li Banfeng could take Grandpa Train away. Li Banfeng refused this condition outright. "Once your eyes are healed, what am I supposed to do if you go back on your word and refuse to release him?" Qiao Yi replied, "We shall establish a covenant deed. If I breach it, I will certainly suffer retribution." Li Banfeng shook his head. "You definitely have ways to bypass the covenant deed. The location of the exchange must be changed; it cannot be Chaoge." Qiao Yi sighed. "Then this poses a dilemma. The Artisan Master is currently in Chaoge. If we do not make the exchange here, where else will you find him?" Li Banfeng had long anticipated that Old Train was in Chaoge. "I will search for Grandpa Train in Chaoge. You will go to Tianyi City, without bearing any weapons, and I will have someone heal your eyes." Go to Tianyi City without weapons? Wouldn't that leave him entirely at Li Qi's mercy? Qiao Yi shook his head repeatedly. "Your Highness, do not make things difficult for this old man." Li Banfeng offered a guarantee: "In Tianyi City, I can assure your safety, provided you can guarantee that I can safely bring Grandpa Train out of Chaoge." After weighing the matter back and forth, Qiao Yi bargained again: "I cannot go to Tianyi City. No matter how many promises Your Highness gives, that is your territory. Once I step foot there, I might not come out alive. I can go to Boundless City; the Luo family can at least protect my life." Li Banfeng made a concession as well: "Then it is settled. Boundless City it is." *The old bastard definitely has backup arrangements in Boundless City.* Qiao Yi asked further, "If the Artisan Master is unwilling to depart with Your Highness, how should that be handled?" Li Banfeng did not understand. "Why wouldn't he want to leave with me?" Qiao Yi said, "The Artisan Master possesses an eccentric disposition. Even I cannot fathom some of his actions. I can wait in Boundless City for one double-hour at most. If Your Highness fails to take the Artisan Master away within one double-hour, how shall this venture be settled?" "One double-hour is far too short." "How long does Your Highness deem appropriate? Surely you cannot expect this old man to reside in Boundless City for half a year." Li Banfeng pondered carefully. "Three double-hours. If I fail to rescue Old Train, I will return to Boundless City to renegotiate terms with you." Qiao Yi said, "The transaction shall proceed in two steps: first we exchange intelligence, then we carry out the deed." Li Banfeng nodded. "Agreed." The two pricked their fingertips and pressed their blood prints onto the covenant deed. *** Returning to Tianyi City, Banfeng Two reported, "Just now, Grandpa Train's shadow came by. He told us not to save him." Li Banfeng had been worrying about precisely this. It seemed Qiao Yi had spoken the truth; Grandpa Train genuinely might not wish to leave. "Did you gather any news regarding the Bandit-Subduing Battalion?" Boluo shook his head. "We gathered plenty of other intelligence, but on the Bandit-Subduing Battalion, we didn't receive a single shred of news." Li Banfeng maneuvered Tianyi City to several different positions, yet still failed to obtain any information. With time pressing, he piloted Tianyi City out of the Shang State and rushed straight to Daogui Ridge. Ten days later, Li Banfeng arrived in Boundless City with Critic. Critic remained disguised as a daolao ghost, staying by Li Banfeng's side. Although the appearance was somewhat chilling, it spared them considerable trouble; aside from Luo Shaojun, everyone else kept their distance from Li Banfeng. With Brother Qi present, Luo Shaojun feared nothing. Moreover, she still remembered this "daolao ghost." When the epidemic had struck Chaoge back then, the three sisters had only recovered after taking medicine provided by this very ghost. Using Boundless City to approach Chaoge, Li Banfeng settled Critic inside Yucui Tower. Luo Lijun went ashore and escorted Qiao Yi into Boundless City. True to the agreement, Qiao Yi carried no weapons, keeping only Nian Shangyou by his side. He met with Li Banfeng inside the city to complete the first step of the trade: an exchange of information. "The Artisan Master is within the Ninefold City. I have prepared official passes for you; the soldiers along the way will not obstruct your path." "The one who can cure your eyes is in Yucui Tower. Wait on the first floor with him until I return." The members of the Luo family hid in the distance, daring neither to eavesdrop nor peek. They had no idea what business was transpiring between Qiao Yi and Li Qi, and they dared not inquire about things that were none of their concern. Luo Lijun escorted Qiao Yi and Nian Shangyou to Yucui Tower. Qiao Yi had ordered that no one was permitted to enter the rear garden. Luo Shaojun saw Li Banfeng out of Boundless City. Upon reaching the shores of Chaoge, she cautioned him, "Brother Qi, I don't know what you're planning to do in Chaoge, but I know whatever you do is important. Still, if you go deep into Chaoge, you must not be careless under any circumstances. Once you enter the Sixfold City, exercise extra caution." Li Banfeng nodded, bid farewell to Luo Shaojun, and passed through the First Gate. Seeing the documents issued by the Cabinet, the guarding soldiers granted passage immediately without a word. The subsequent gates were the same, until he reached the Sixfold Gate. The guards did not recognize Li Qi, but one still gave a word of warning: "My lord, once you enter the city, be careful in all things. If you encounter an emergency, maintain frequent contact with the guards." The layout within the Sixfold City resembled a vast palace compound, with pavilions and towers lined up shoulder to shoulder, while patrols of guards wove through the broad streets and narrow alleys. Li Banfeng himself had only visited Qiao Yi's mansion, but Banfeng Zi had explored far more; here, he had nearly been drawn into the furnace and had encountered Old Train's shadow. Guided by Banfeng Zi's memories, Li Banfeng avoided deserted streets as much as possible, walking all the way to the Sevenfold City. The Sevenfold City presented an entirely different spectacle. The city was packed with storied pavilions—some two stories tall, some five, with the tallest reaching well over a dozen floors. Flying eaves curved upward over carved beams and painted pillars, each pavilion extraordinarily magnificent. Covered walkways twisted and wound through the air, crisscrossing to link every building together. The only one who had ever been to the Sevenfold City was Banfeng Yin, who reminded him by his ear, "Keep your eyes fixed on the tallest tower. Its position does not shift, nor do the positions of the Seventh and Eighth Gates. "Trace the path between those three landmarks and follow the elevated walkways toward the Eightfold City. Whatever you do, don't lose your direction. "This place is dangerous. Qiao Yi once mentioned that the Sevenfold City contains seven hundred and seventy-seven towers, each tower a world of its own. Once you wander into the wrong place, you won't be able to get out." *One tower, one world?* *Over seven hundred worlds here?* Li Banfeng looked up, wondering whether Dreamtether Tower was located here as well. Following Banfeng Yin's guidance, Li Banfeng traversed the Sevenfold City and arrived at the Eightfold City. Beyond the city gate lay a sprawling lake, densely packed with floating vessels. There were colossal ships larger than the ocean liners in the Outer States, where standing on the shore, one could not take in both bow and stern at a single glance. There were also tiny skiffs akin to canoes, barely able to carry one or two passengers. Banfeng Yin had no idea where to go from here. "When Qiao Yi came, Nian Shangyou made arrangements beforehand. A boat came to receive him, ferrying him straight to the island in the middle of the lake. That island is the Ninefold City. But with so many boats here now, I have no clue which one to board." Not knowing was fine. Having visited plenty of unfamiliar places, Li Banfeng was accustomed to this; a Travel Cultivator never feared uncharted terrain. Li Banfeng employed the technique of Riding the Wind and Driving the Clouds, soaring toward the center of the lake. After half an hour of flight, a chill crept over him. It wasn't that peril was drawing near; the peril was already right before his eyes. Just how vast was this lake? Flying for this long at his speed, he still hadn't glimpsed the island Banfeng Yin spoke of. Was he even heading toward the center of the lake? Li Banfeng glanced back. The lakeshore and the city gate had long disappeared from view. Bereft of reference points, he could only fly forward by instinct. After less than five minutes of flight, someone caught up from behind. "This is an ocean! Flying like that, who knows where you'll end up!" Li Banfeng smiled. "Brother, you're here?" Grandpa Train shook his head. "I am not here; my shadow is here. Don't call me brother. I'm brothers with your shadow, which puts a layer between you and me." "Shall I call my shadow out, then?" Old Train snapped in annoyance, "Stop spouting nonsense! I went mad, did you go mad as well? You reckless brat, I told you not to come, yet you insisted on seeking me out!" "I am definitely saving you today!" "You can't save me!" "At least let me see where you are, or this trip will have been for nothing!" Helpless, Old Train adjusted their trajectory and led Li Banfeng along: "I'll take you to have a look at the Ninefold City. Once you see it, get out of here immediately! If you refuse to leave, I'll teach you a lesson!" At such high speed, they flew across the waters for another hour before finally reaching the Ninefold City. Li Banfeng asked in astonishment, "Was that truly an ocean just now?" Old Train scoffed. "What did you think? It's directly connected to the outer seas!" Li Banfeng estimated the journey. "The Eightfold City is actually this enormous?" Old Train said, "The Ninefold City isn't small either. We can't fly here; we have to proceed on foot. Fly too high, and the winds will sweep you away." The Ninefold City was indeed vast, yet its layout was relatively straightforward. Four palaces facing east, south, west, and north enclosed a central courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard stood a grand hall, within which the furnace was situated. Old Train stood at the entrance of the Eastern Palace, in no rush to enter. He told Li Banfeng, "Brother, when the gale kicks up, press yourself against the wall and don't move. Once the gale passes, then walk inside the palace gates." Li Banfeng asked why, and Old Train explained, "The grand furnace shifts wind directions every five minutes, following the order of east, south, west, and north. By my reckoning, it's currently drawing things in from the Western Palace. After the west comes the north, and after the north comes the east. "Once the wind turns to the Eastern Palace, we can no longer walk inside it, or we'll be sucked into the furnace. So we must pick the right moment to go in." Li Banfeng asked, "Does the furnace look identical to the Darkbirth Red Lotus?" Old Train paused. "What does the Darkbirth Red Lotus look like? I don't believe I've ever seen it." Li Banfeng was taken aback. "Brother, you've never seen the red lotus?" "I already told you I'm not your brother! I'm just a shadow." Old Train thought for a long moment. "My true body has lived so many years, so he ought to have seen it. But whether the memory lies in this half or the other half is hard to say." Waiting a little longer, the wind shifted toward the Northern Palace. Li Banfeng asked, "Brother, do you know where the Bandit-Subduing Battalion is located?" Grandpa Train had also been looking into the matter: "The Bandit-Subduing Battalion isn't in Chaoge, but I know they've resumed drilling recently. The Ministry of War has been constantly bustling, and the Grand Pharmacy has churned out plenty of new medicines." Hearing "Grand Pharmacy," Li Banfeng's eyes lit up. "Where is the Grand Pharmacy?" "The Grand Pharmacy is in the Sevenfold City. That place is tricky to find; even I've gotten lost there before. I drew a map and will let you look at it later." Old Train guessed Li Banfeng's intent. "That old bastard Qiao Yi must have gotten hold of the prescription. Destroying the Grand Pharmacy won't help; with the Inner States' capability, they can construct a brand-new pharmacy in less than three days." As the two were speaking, a violent gale rushed from the outside into the Eastern Palace. The wind proved extraordinarily fierce; pressed against the wall, Li Banfeng felt his feet lifted clean off the ground. Numerous wails and weeping voices echoed within the gusts. Activating the Golden Eyes of Keen Detail, Li Banfeng spotted many twisted figures struggling desperately in the wind. Those silhouettes were unmistakably the souls of the deceased. Old Train sighed. "If a person has no cultivation, they always feel they lived in vain. Yet if one attains cultivation, they forfeit any next life. "In Puluo Province, anyone with cultivation will have their soul drawn to Chaoge upon death. They don't know why they came, nor do they know what they are supposed to do after arriving. Only when they are sucked into the furnace can they let out a few dying shrieks." Li Banfeng asked, "Must those with cultivation inevitably end up in the furnace? Is there no way to escape this calamity?" "Of course there is. There are two ways to escape it. First, stay alive; don't die. Keep living, and you'll never enter the furnace. "Second, after dying, force yourself to cling to existence—even if it means becoming a lonely wandering ghost, even if you become a magical artifact or sentient relic, even if you serve as a ghost servant to a demonic cultivator. So long as your soul clings stubbornly to the mortal realm and refuses to leave, you won't enter the furnace either. "Even if the day comes when you truly enter the furnace, all hope isn't necessarily lost. Grit your teeth and fight them inside! If you win the brawl, you can keep yourself intact. When you break out of the furnace one day, you'll still be a true man! That's the day I'm waiting for!" Li Banfeng was dumbstruck. "Brother, you are inside the furnace?" Old Train grinned. "Why else do you think I told you not to come?!" *That old turtle bastard Qiao Yi!* No wonder he had agreed to this transaction so readily! Old Train was trapped inside the furnace and couldn't get out at all. How on earth was Li Banfeng supposed to save him? The old scoundrel was thoroughly malicious! After a while, the wind in the Eastern Palace subsided. Old Train led Li Banfeng through the palace gates. "The wind has shifted to the Southern Palace. We have fifteen minutes before it circles back to the east. Move faster. I'll take you to see the furnace, and once you've seen it, we leave immediately." Inside the Eastern Palace, halls nested within halls. Li Banfeng roughly counted some ninety-odd structures, no two alike. Old Train found it somewhat odd: "The Eastern Palace originally held numerous first-grade weapons. Why isn't a single one in sight today?" Li Banfeng said, "I already struck a deal with Qiao Yi. The covenant deed clearly stipulated that I was coming to retrieve someone, and he was not to obstruct me." Old Train sighed. "You shouldn't have negotiated with Qiao Yi. He only signed that covenant deed because he was certain you couldn't get me out." The two strode forward swiftly; simply walking out of the Eastern Palace took nearly five minutes. They had only fifteen minutes in total. Factoring in the return trek, Li Banfeng could linger near the furnace for merely five minutes. When the wind hit the Eastern Palace again, could he use the Unimpeded Passage technique to slip through the walls and take cover in the Western Palace? Li Banfeng stared at the walls, lost in thought. Old Train shouted, "Walk faster! Don't even think about phasing through the walls. Who knows how thick they are, or what kind of things are embedded inside!" Li Banfeng said, "We're moving this fast, and the timing is still so tight. How do ordinary people from the Inner States approach the furnace?" "Not just anyone from the Inner States can come here. Only certain special individuals can approach the furnace. The four palaces—east, south, west, and north—protect them. So long as they don't leap onto the furnace, they won't be drawn in. "Even if they do leap onto the furnace, provided they step in the right spots, the grand hall will shield them from plunging into its cavities." Reaching the grand hall, Li Banfeng finally laid eyes on the furnace. Lotus leaves unfurled and swayed gently. Whenever his wife couldn't see, the red lotus would stroke Li Banfeng's face with its leaves—a gesture Li Banfeng knew intimately. And now, this furnace was also using its lotus leaves to stroke faces—the faces of deceased spirits. Its lotus leaves were vastly larger; with just the tip of a leaf, it could completely drape over a ghost's entire face. With a tremor of the leaf, a cluster of souls tumbled onto its surface. The leaf curled inward, rolling the souls directly into the receptacle. So stroking faces with the leaves was merely the preparatory gesture before eating. Did the red lotus share the exact same habit? Li Banfeng realized he might have misunderstood some of the red lotus's past actions. Taking advantage of the unfurling leaves, Grandpa Train pointed toward the lotus receptacle: "The receptacle has seven holes. The one in the middle, slightly toward the east, is mine." Li Banfeng looked toward the receptacle. Old Train's true body was actually inside one of the receptacle's apertures! It was hidden far too deeply! Old Train's shadow gave a wry laugh. "Now you understand why I told you not to come, don't you? It's not that your elder brother doesn't appreciate your sentiment, nor that I look down on you, brother. It's that I simply cannot get out." As they spoke, a hand emerged from the hole positioned slightly east of the receptacle's center. Li Banfeng asked, "That hand is—" "That is the hand of my true body," Old Train said. "My true body has been trying to crawl out the entire time. When the wind slacks, he can inch forward two inches; when his strength flags, he gets sucked back in two inches. Perhaps one day, when he's gathered enough strength, he'll crawl his way out. "Brother, you've seen everything you needed to see. You truly cannot rescue me. Time is almost up; we should leave. Commit this route to memory, and I'll—hey, you reckless brat, what are you doing?!" Li Banfeng leaped into the air, landing squarely atop the receptacle. Just as Old Train thrust out his arm, Li Banfeng grabbed hold of his hand! He had come specifically to save him; having laid eyes on him, he was bound to drag him out. How could he possibly return empty-handed? Li Banfeng hauled with all his might, straining for a long moment until he managed to drag half the torso out. The true body's eyes were shut, seemingly bereft of consciousness, yet the body continued to move, clawing its way outward purely on instinct. "Put your back into it, Brother!" Old Train's shadow was stunned. For a fleeting instant, he seemed to catch a glimpse of the Little Train. *Is this Mind Traversing a Thousand Mountains?* Above the receptacle, the gale abruptly whipped up into a frenzy, as though the furnace had been provoked to fury. Old Train's shadow lunged onto the receptacle and dragged Li Banfeng back. "I told you not to go! Why won't you listen to me?!" Even as he spoke, Old Train's true body—the upper half that had just crawled out—was sucked right back inside. Li Banfeng stamped his foot in sheer exasperation. "Why did you pull me back?! We should have yanked the true body out together!" Old Train's shadow was gripped by lingering fear. "You can't yank him out! Look at how immense the furnace's pull is. Even my true body can't resist it, let alone you! Stay a moment longer, and you'll be sucked in too!" Li Banfeng reflected on his sensation just now. "I didn't feel the wind was that overwhelming. It shouldn't have been able to pull me in." Old Train snorted. "You activated the Boundless Walker technique! For that brief span, the furnace couldn't drag you." "Boundless Walker?" Li Banfeng scratched his head. "I only used Mind Traversing a Thousand Mountains just now to give myself an extra boost of strength. I haven't even learned Boundless Walker yet." "With the courage of a traveler, one flattens the hazards of a thousand mountains—boundless and borderless, fearless and undaunted! You dared to charge straight onto the furnace; willful obstinacy goes without saying, and the Boundless Walker technique followed naturally." "How long did I hold it just now?" Old Train pulled a brush from his robes, sketched a pocket watch onto his palm, studied it for a moment, and said, "Thirteen point two seconds. I don't care much for your other techniques, but this one was truly impressive. To sustain it for that long on your very first try..." Li Banfeng thrust out his chest. "I can't brag about other things, but my endurance is definitely long enough! Time me again; I'll give it another shot." Old Train grabbed Li Banfeng firmly. "Stop messing around! Even the Ancestral Master of Travel Cultivators could only use it twice a day, with half a day's rest in between! "Even if you could use the technique once more, you still couldn't drag me out! We have barely seven minutes before the wind shifts to the Eastern Palace. It's time for us to withdraw!" Li Banfeng stood firmly at the entrance of the grand hall, refusing to budge. Old Train sighed. "Brother, I hold your loyalty close to my heart. I agreed to bring you for a look, and you've seen it. If you keep acting foolish, you'll be in the wrong." "Brother, don't you know the Boundless Walker technique? Let's charge together, as brothers!" Old Train's shadow shook his head. "I already told you, I'm not your brother! Why won't you understand? I don't know the Boundless Walker technique. I'm just a shadow; there are many techniques I can't perform." Li Banfeng shook his head. "Brother, don't kid with me. When I met you in Dreamtether Tower, you didn't lack any abilities!" "That wasn't me either," Old Train's shadow said with a shake of his head. "That was the Old Train within the dream, possessing half of his soul. He was far stronger than I am. Sadly, he is trapped inside Dreamtether Tower and cannot come out. "How about this: come with me to Dreamtether Tower. We'll figure out a way to free that half of Old Train's soul, and then we can pool our wits together." Enter Dreamtether Tower and battle the Tower Master, Meng Qian? Within the dream realm, Meng Qian held every advantage, and Li Banfeng didn't even know where Old Train was located. That was completely unfeasible. Old Train's shadow had only brought it up to persuade Li Banfeng to leave. Li Banfeng gazed at the receptacle, still wracking his brains. Aside from Boundless Walker, was there any other way? After a moment's contemplation, Li Banfeng asked in a low voice, "Could she work?" Old Train grew anxious. "Could who work? Are you leaving or not? If you're not leaving, I'm going! Don't look down on me just because I'm a shadow; stepping out isn't easy for me, and I can't afford to perish here for nothing... Who was that speaking just now?" The shadow's hearing wasn't particularly sharp; he sensed someone speaking, but hadn't caught the words clearly. Li Banfeng, however, had heard it with absolute clarity. It was one of the voices most familiar to him. "Let her try." It was the companion dwelling. *Old Master, I knew you were awake!* After uttering those words, the companion dwelling let out a long sigh. Truth be told, even now, he wasn't certain whether Old Train ought to be rescued. Li Banfeng asked, "Where is she?" The companion dwelling replied, "In the fifth room." Li Banfeng quietly shed a drop of blood. Old Train urged urgently, "Hurry, there's no time! If you won't leave, I'll truly have to force you!" The wind began to shift, and Old Train glanced at his drawn watch. While Old Train looked down at his palm, Li Banfeng employed the technique of Bridal Chamber Linking, lifting the red lotus out into the open. The red lotus had originally been observing the outside situation alongside the rest of the household through the fifth room. Suddenly finding the gargantuan furnace looming before her eyes felt just like walking through the screen while watching a movie. The red lotus cried out in alarm, "What are you doing?!" Hong Ying inside the dwelling was equally scared out of her wits: "What is Seventh Master doing? Won't this summon the heavenly light?!" The gramophone remained calm, understanding Li Banfeng's line of thought: "This is the Inner States. The red lotus cannot contact the man from heaven, so it won't draw down the heavenly light. It all depends on whether she's willing to lend a hand." Watching with anxiety, Jiu'er said, "Time is running out." Li Banfeng said to the red lotus, "You said this furnace was crafted in imitation of you. As the original first-generation model, you ought to be able to control it, right?" The red lotus snapped furiously, "What kind of nonsense logic is that?! I didn't create this thing! How could I possibly control it?!" "No complicated control is needed. This thing possesses sentience. Say a word to it, and it's bound to understand. Tell it to release Old Train, and it will surely listen to you." The red lotus raged, "You madman! Listen to the raving nonsense coming out of your mouth! Why would it listen to me? I told you I've never even seen it..." Li Banfeng carried the red lotus forward. "I think the two of you should be quite familiar with each other. It's just that you've been apart for too long and grown distant." The red lotus unfurled her leaves, struggling to break free from Li Banfeng's grip. Old Train yelled, "Stop advancing!" Seeing the furnace drawing closer and closer, the red lotus shrieked, "Stand still! I'll think of something!" The red lotus certainly had the strength to break free from Li Banfeng's grasp, but she dared not take the gamble. She knew how swift a Travel Cultivator on the fourth tier above the clouds could be. If Li Banfeng charged onto the furnace's receptacle with her in his arms, it would be too late for regrets. The red lotus spread her leaves before the furnace, but the furnace showed no reaction whatsoever. Lady Nine calculated the remaining time: "Less than five minutes left." The red lotus tried more than a dozen times in succession. Gradually, the furnace seemed to sense something; its lotus leaves opened and closed, steadily synchronizing their rhythm with the red lotus. Mengde warned, "Less than three minutes remaining." The red lotus spread all her leaves wide. The furnace followed suit, unfurling its own leaves and laying the receptacle completely bare. A lotus seed sprouted atop the red lotus's receptacle, yet the furnace remained motionless for a long while. Mengde spoke up again: "Less than two minutes left." Old Train's shadow grabbed Li Banfeng. "Come with me!" Just as the words left his mouth, a lotus seed sprouted upon the furnace's receptacle as well. Thrusting upward, that lotus seed pushed Old Train's true body straight out from the heart of the receptacle.