Seventy Percent Mastered

Puluo Province, Daogui Ridge. Critic was in the temple collecting the statues from the sunflower heads. Although Li Banfeng had previously explained the sunflowers' function, seeing the actual effect still astonished Critic. "So much human vitality, stored with frightening efficiency." Critic picked up a statue and pressed it against his head. The pure human vitality induced faint hallucinations. "It feels like new life is breeding inside my body!" Critic was thoroughly thrilled. "I have fresh inspiration. I can see my dream drawing closer and closer..." Deep in his joy, Critic's smile suddenly vanished. With guarded vigilance, he looked out beyond the temple. There were sounds—fighting. Someone had trespassed into Jianren Ridge. Critic couldn't be certain in his judgment. The method he used to heighten his hearing was to induce a degree of pathology in his auditory nerves. While this enhanced his ability to catch faint sounds, it also weakened his discrimination of what they were. "It could be the wind, falling rocks, or daolao ghosts roughhousing..." To be safe, Critic disguised himself as a daolao ghost and followed the noise to Songde Village. In a cornfield, he saw Zuo Anna under siege by daolao ghosts. The corn was growing splendidly, which delighted Critic—daolao ghosts needed to eat grain too. Zuo Anna was not in good shape. Critic hesitated over what to do. Though he and Zuo Anna usually addressed each other as sister and brother, she was, after all, an intruder. "Hrrr-kaah~" Critic let out a low, muffled roar. The daolao ghosts attacking Zuo Anna broke off their assault for the moment. Zuo Anna was covered in scorch marks and blood. Little intact skin remained on her once-lovely cheeks. Her vision was badly blurred, her consciousness just as hazy. Clutching her staff by pure instinct, she was still trying to mount a last stand. "Don't do anything reckless! I can offer you a degree of help, provided you no longer threaten the safety of this place." Critic's voice calmed Zuo Anna down slightly. Zuo Anna lowered her staff. She couldn't see Critic clearly, and even if she could, she would hardly recognize him in that form. Facing the direction of the voice, she said, "Give me some medicine and food, and I will leave immediately." Critic dearly wanted to do as she asked; after all, it would save a great deal of trouble. Yet before the daolao ghosts could bring medicine and food, Zuo Anna collapsed into unconsciousness. Left with no choice, Critic brought her into a cave on Daogui Ridge. After brief medical treatment, Zuo Anna awoke. Resting a while, she wanted to leave Daogui Ridge, but Critic stopped her. "For both your safety and mine, you must tell me the cause and consequence of what happened." Zuo Anna shook her head. "Act as though you know nothing, as though you never saw me. That will be safer for you." Critic dissuaded her. "Speaking this way might sound sentimental, but we must be clear on one thing: I have no desire to be dragged into any trouble because of you. By coming to Jianren Ridge, you've already dragged me in. If you leave without a word, I will become an unwitting victim—unprepared, with no way to respond, just like what happened before." As a member of the White Falcon League, Zuo Anna was bound by secrecy rules. But under the present circumstances, she felt Critic's demand was reasonable. "I received some intelligence and went to the Shang State on a crucial mission. But during the mission—" Critic shook his head. "Communicating like this is too inefficient. Speak more directly: what was the mission?" Zuo Anna hesitated for a moment. "We went to Meiyi to raid the Shang State's Bandit Suppression Battalion. Prior to that, we received intelligence and verified its reliability. But during the raid, we fell into a Shang trap. Over seventy percent of our hundred-plus sorcerers fell in battle. The remaining thirty percent struggled to flee Meiyi with me. "After leaving the Shang State, we were hunted again. Our pursuer is an extraordinarily powerful expert. To help the other sorcerers retreat, I chose to act as bait, drawing his attention. "Yet I never expected that even after fleeing to Puluo Province, I still wouldn't be able to evade his pursuit. Left with no choice, I had to seek your help." Critic pondered for a moment. "Our communication efficiency still has severe problems. Could you be clearer: what kind of person is this expert hunting you, and what kind of combat prowess does he possess?" Zuo Anna said, "As far as I know, he can manipulate the dead. In terms of sheer combat capability, some of his spirits even surpass me." Critic roughly deduced it: "The person hunting you is a Demon Cultivator, and his cultivation is definitely above the clouds. That path counters my Daoist school severely. You have brought me tremendous risk and danger." Zuo Anna lowered her head. "I am deeply sorry for this. I will leave right now." Critic frowned. "Do you think that if you leave now, that Demon Cultivator will let me off? You have put me in an extremely perilous position!" Zuo Anna was at a loss for words. She hadn't wanted to drag Critic down, but seemingly she already had. She wanted to confront the Demon Cultivator directly and end it, but going out right now would just be throwing her life away. Critic carefully considered countermeasures. "I have foci that can attack deceased spirits, but for a focus to take full effect requires at least six hours. During those six hours, the focus cannot kill powerful spirits—it can only weaken them to a limited degree. Furthermore, foci targeted at spirits spread at an abysmal rate. If he possesses numerous ghost servants, I will find it very difficult to hold out." Having roughly analyzed both sides' strength, Critic laid out three tactics to Zuo Anna: "First tactic: I hand you directly over to the Demon Cultivator to express sincerity in ending the fight. If the other party is willing to sign a covenant deed, that promise will offer some security. If he is unwilling, he may well continue to threaten my safety after taking you away." Zuo Anna kept her head lowered. "I don't have many objections to this tactic of yours. I only wish you wouldn't discuss it so candidly right to my face." Critic explained, "The reason I am being so candid is that I worry about not getting your cooperation during the execution of the tactic." Zuo Anna looked up. "How else do you want me to cooperate? Should I tie myself up?" Critic said, "Just tying yourself up probably won't be enough. Let us discuss the second tactic: I disperse the foci that combat spirits, then stall for time as long as possible to wipe out all of his ghost servants. "The difficulty in executing this tactic is that I can't find a way to stall for time. I am not good at solo combat, and right now you have virtually no fighting capacity." Zuo Anna said, "Is there a third tactic?" "Yes. The third tactic is to bypass the ghost servants and strike directly at the Demon Cultivator. I will carry out an ambush and plant rapid-acting foci on his body. "This tactic offers the highest return, but carrying it out carries the greatest risk. I need to gather more information, and I will need a bit of luck." Zuo Anna said, "I can give you a detailed description of the battles I encountered." "Too late." Critic looked toward the cave entrance. A rhythmic rushing whistle was approaching. The ground trembled. Critic asked, "That should be one of his ghost servants. But I can't determine its ability. Judging from the sound, it seems to be a Tyrannosaurus Rex!" Zuo Anna said, "You mean a dragon lizard from our homeland, don't you? T-rexes in the Outer States went extinct long ago. How could you have ever heard their sound?" Critic was thoroughly annoyed. "Do you think that's the point of contention right now? If the enemy can control dragon lizards, we had better not leave the cave. Dragon lizards are colossal; a cave's interior won't allow them to use their advantages." "I don't think it's a dragon lizard," Zuo Anna said after listening closely for a moment. "I think it's a train!" *Whoosh-chug~ Whoosh-chug~* It really was a train! Owing to his poor auditory discrimination, Critic had mistaken the train's sound for a dragon lizard's footsteps. Zuo Anna asked, "Are we still going to hold the cave?" Critic hesitated. "Is this train real or fake? Is it just an illusion?" Zuo Anna couldn't give an answer. The enemy was a Demon Cultivator; she didn't know what kind of ghost servants he used. *Wooo-hoo!* A steam train plunged into the cave. Critic saw the headlight. The headwind blasting toward them made Critic abandon all thought of holding their ground. Scooping up Zuo Anna, he sprinted through the cave. "I heard rocks crushing and crashing. This train is real. This ghost servant must be an Artisan Cultivator, and this train is a weapon he carries around with him! But how could a train be a portable weapon?!" Critic burst out of the cave's other exit, darting behind an enormous boulder to ponder how to deal with the train once it charged out. After waiting a long time, Critic saw no train, but instead heard someone speaking nearby. "If you had stayed inside the cave, I certainly wouldn't have dared go in, because you would have set many traps in there. "Even sending my ghost servants in felt unwise. Ghost servants are precious too, not to be wasted casually. So I thought of a way to draw you out. Do you think my line of reasoning was sound?" Critic stepped out from behind the boulder and looked at the man before him. The man was tall—well over two point three meters by the look of him. He was exceptionally gaunt, the contours of his skull clearly visible on his elongated face. Thin, wispy hair fell messily across his temples and forehead. Critic asked politely, "What is your name?" The man opposite pondered for a long time. The question wasn't easy to answer. "Are you asking me, or the one speaking?" Critic also pondered for a moment. "Is there a difference?" "Yes, a very big difference. My name is Yuan Youshang. The person speaking to you here is called the megaphone." This time, Critic understood. "Your true body isn't here." Yuan Youshang said, "Do you take me for a madman? How could I ever let my true body appear before you?" Critic glanced back toward the cave and asked, "The train inside wasn't real either?" Yuan Youshang's tone was calm, though tinged with faint smugness. "That was an illusion, an illusory scene created by another of my ghost servants. When have you ever seen someone carry a train around into battle? I lured you out of the cave using nothing more than an illusion. Wouldn't you say that was quite brilliant?" Critic looked toward the cave. "If I run back inside right now, would I still make it?" Yuan Youshang actually took the time to consider it. "Theoretically, it's possible, but the risk is extremely high. "The megaphone before your eyes is the deceased spirit of a Travel Cultivator. He is faster than you and could easily overtake you. "Moreover, you must keep your eyes on him. There is a Travel Cultivator technique called Viewing Flowers from Horseback. You should have heard of it. Although the technique is difficult, the megaphone wields it with great proficiency." Critic offered an objective assessment: "You are a very rational and candid person. Yet there are some details I would still like to discuss with you. "Earlier in the cave, I didn't just hear the sound of the train—I also felt the impact it generated and the heat from the steam. Were those effects created by illusion as well?" "Illusion doesn't merely refer to visual changes. Hearing, touch, smell, taste, and even psychological tremors are all essential components of an illusion. If we were to discuss it in earnest, these details would take a day and a night." Critic nodded. "Such knowledge is exceedingly precious. I am interested in hearing more." "Yet I don't have that much time. You surely possess corresponding techniques to infect my ghost servants with foci. Stalling works completely against me, so let us resolve this swiftly." The megaphone rotated his ankle, preparing to make a move on Critic. Critic pressed his palm downward, signaling for calm. "Don't be in a rush. I have a better way to resolve this conflict. I will hand Zuo Anna over to you right now, and our fight ends here. Do you agree?" The megaphone stood in place, making no response for nearly a minute. After careful deliberation, he finally reached a conclusion: "I decline. Even if you keep your word, after I obtain Zuo Anna, I might not make it out of Daogui Ridge alive. For me, killing you is the safest and wisest choice." "If you put it that way," Critic sighed softly, "then there is nothing left to negotiate." The moment the words left his mouth, Critic scooped up Zuo Anna and bolted. The megaphone tried to use the Viewing Flowers from Horseback technique, but failed to unleash it—he was not fast enough. Giving up on the technique, the megaphone pursued Critic directly. He felt his legs grow heavy, and as he ran, he could feel a pronounced, achy soreness. The megaphone's voice turned raspy and dull as he immediately transmitted a message to Yuan Youshang: "I've been infected by his focus." Yuan Youshang's voice sounded in his ear: "I didn't expect it to act so fast." "You shouldn't have wasted words with him! You should have just taken his life!" "A worthy opponent, a brilliant match. Finding someone like him is rare; if I hadn't exchanged a few words, I'd have felt cheated." "Aren't you getting cheated now?" "I'm not getting cheated. You are. The overall situation is fine; it's still under control." Critic carried Zuo Anna toward the temple, where the daolao ghosts were most numerous and could effectively block Yuan Youshang. However, Yuan Youshang was prepared in advance. Critic had only run a li or so when he was cut off by the deceased spirit of a Martial Cultivator. Left with no alternative, Critic had to fight him. Zuo Anna said, "You should just hand me over. It might buy you a little more time." "The problem is, a little time isn't what I need. If I only needed ten or fifteen minutes, I would have handed you over long ago. But what I need is several hours, so I have to find the right moment before handing you over." Panting, Zuo Anna said, "I really don't think you need to say thoughts like that right to my face." "Back then, you people indeed didn't say it out loud, but you did it. Otherwise, my younger brother wouldn't have starved to death." Critic rushed out of the cave and clashed with the Martial Cultivator ghost servant. While speaking just now, he hadn't even wanted to look at Zuo Anna. By dusk, Critic checked his pocket watch. He had stalled for over five hours. Yet a question was gnawing at him: was this stalling truly worth anything? The previous Travel Cultivator megaphone had already lost his fighting capacity due to severe illness, but Yuan Youshang simply switched to another megaphone. He had a large number of ghost servants and could replace them at will, all possessing respectable combat prowess. Crucially, they didn't appear all at once. The latest batch had appeared before Critic for the first time just five minutes ago, which meant Critic would have to stall for another six hours against this new group. Most infuriating of all, throughout the entire battle, Critic had been unable to break out of Yuan Youshang's bewildering formation. He couldn't find an opportunity to call on the daolao ghosts for help. Yuan Youshang was a master tactician, using patient, meticulous tactics to leave Critic unable to fight back. By this point, Critic was covered in wounds, his stamina nearly depleted. Looking at the plump, alluring megaphone before him, Critic offered a suggestion: "I'm giving up resistance. Give me a clean death." The megaphone was a woman, but her voice was a man's: "I refuse. A person like you would never give up on life. You've prepared a trap and want to lure me into it." Critic briefly bandaged his wounds, looked at Zuo Anna, and smiled. "See what you've brought me? Now I don't even have the chance to beg for death." Zuo Anna bowed her head, tears falling. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say..." Critic didn't want to hear anything. He pulled two pistols from his waist. Guns had limited utility in Puluo Province because of the high chance of misfire. All other weapons against deceased spirits were spent; only these two guns remained. Critic fired three shots in rapid succession at the charging Martial Cultivator ghost servant, but not a single round went off. Just as he expected the Martial Cultivator ghost servant to strike back, the servant turned expressionless and started walking down the slope. The ghost servant appeared to have lost control. "Where are you going?! Halt!" The megaphone tried to stop the Martial Cultivator ghost servant, but the ghost servant casually hurled two stones, knocking the megaphone to the ground. Struggling to get up to give chase, the megaphone heard a man's voice come from the slope: "You won't stop him. Be careful he doesn't hurt you." "Who's speaking?" The megaphone looked around, yet couldn't spot the speaker. "You're a clever man. Under these circumstances, you have no chance of winning. Why not leave earlier?" Yuan Youshang said, "How can you be so sure I have no chance of winning?" "That Martial Cultivator ghost servant just now wasn't loyal to you. You relied on binding methods to control him. But in reality, a Demon Cultivator's so-called binding method is just an invisible string. Am I wrong, Senior? "Yet that string has already snapped, and the end of it is in my hand. As far as you're concerned, that Martial Cultivator ghost servant belongs to me now." Hearing the voice, Critic found it exceedingly familiar. Was this He Jiaqing? Why had he come to Daogui Ridge? Critic's judgment was spot-on: the newcomer was indeed He Jiaqing. Yuan Youshang had heard He Jiaqing's name, but had never met him in person. Meeting for the first time today, he had actually had a ghost servant stolen by him. Such capability earned a compliment from Yuan Youshang: "A capable young man." "Senior, you made a name for yourself in Puluo Province over a decade ago. Counting it up, you aren't very old either. We're both young men. In honor of this twist of fate, I will grant you a way out. Go." Yuan Youshang felt insulted, but he wasn't angry. "You've only taken control of one of my ghost servants, and you think you can thoroughly defeat me? Don't you find that a bit childish?" He Jiaqing said, "One ghost servant is enough. He knows where you are and will find you shortly. Once I lay eyes on your true body, killing you will be easy." Yuan Youshang said, "You think I won't move? You think I'll stay put and wait for you to kill me?" He Jiaqing truly trusted his own judgment: "I'm betting you won't move. This is Daogui Ridge. Finding a hiding spot isn't easy; one reckless move, and your life might be forfeit." Yuan Youshang said, "Things might not be as bleak as you think. I've held out on Daogui Ridge for several hours, and not a single daolao ghost has discovered me." He Jiaqing also offered a word of praise: "I admire you. An old senior once attempted to ambush Doctor Critic on Daogui Ridge, but he failed. Yet you succeeded. "A remarkable person like you doesn't deserve to die like this. You should learn to cherish your life." The megaphone fell silent. Hidden in Huai'en Village, Yuan Youshang's true self was weighing his options. If he could kill Critic and Zuo Anna, upon returning to Chaoge, he would gain tremendous prestige and status. He would certainly no longer be ordered around by Nian Shangyou, and might even rise above him. However, if the wager was his life, he had to consider it from another angle. After weighing it over and over, Yuan Youshang ultimately decided to forfeit the opportunity. He walked out of the peasant cottage. The moment he reached the courtyard, he saw He Jiaqing standing at the entrance, waving at him. "Come, let's have a good chat." Hearing the voice, Yuan Youshang recognized that this was the very He Jiaqing who had just spoken to him on Daogui Ridge. He had been speaking on the mountain just a moment ago—how had he arrived in the courtyard in the blink of an eye? "How did you get here so fast?" Yuan Youshang couldn't believe his eyes. "The ghost servant leading the way hasn't even returned." He Jiaqing smiled. "When I said he was leading the way, you actually believed it? Once I found the string, I could find both him and you. A string always has two ends." No wonder He Jiaqing had been able to enter the battlefield so swiftly. His initial target hadn't been the person, but the Demon Cultivator's technique for controlling ghost servants. Yuan Youshang put his hand to his waist, feeling for something. He Jiaqing produced two sheets of yellow paper. "Looking for these? Don't be rash. When it comes to sneak attacks, you're far behind." Yuan Youshang did not panic. "You're a Thief. In terms of stealing, I certainly can't match you. Then let's not do sneak attacks. My martial skills aren't bad either; let's take each other head-on." He Jiaqing raised his index finger to his lips. "Don't make too much noise. Critic has already issued a kill order. The daolao ghosts will find you soon." Yuan Youshang figured He Jiaqing wouldn't dare make noise either. "And the daolao ghosts won't find you?" He Jiaqing shook his head. "I'm different from you. When I strike, I don't make a sound." A look of slight despair crossed Yuan Youshang's face, and two streams of tears rolled down his cheeks. He Jiaqing paused. "What are you crying for?" Yuan Youshang sobbed, "Because I'm sad." "Why are you sad?" He Jiaqing blinked for a moment, suddenly feeling a wave of soreness creeping into his own nose. *** Half an hour later, He Jiaqing returned to the slope, walking over to Critic with several daolao ghosts accompanying him. Along the way, He Jiaqing had exposed his tracks, effectively being escorted back by the daolao ghosts. Critic said, "Your skills have gotten rusty. Discovered by daolao ghosts so easily?" He Jiaqing said nothing. Finding a rock, he sat down. Only then did Critic notice that He Jiaqing's eyes were red from crying. Critic was astonished. "Why are you crying? Did killing Yuan Youshang make you feel sad?" He Jiaqing shook his head. "I didn't kill him. He dual-cultivated Weeping Cultivation. I was hit by his technique, and my skills really did deteriorate." Critic sighed. "Possessing such a formidable intellect while dual-cultivating two Daoist schools... Yuan Youshang is a man of boundless potential." "Yes, quite a formidable fellow. Fifteen years ago, he was just a Demon Cultivator and already struck terror into Puluo Province. Who would have thought he'd cultivate Weeping Cultivation to such a level as well?" He Jiaqing wiped his eyes, but the tears just wouldn't stop flowing. Critic thought for a moment. "His name is Yuan Youshang—grief and sorrow. Perhaps he was already dual-cultivating Weeping Cultivation back then, only few people knew. "Young Master He, you saved my life. I don't like being indebted to others. What payment should I offer you?" "No need for you to pay. Someone already paid on your behalf." Critic thought for a moment. "You mean the peddler?" He Jiaqing didn't answer. With tears streaming down his face, he looked at Critic and said, "Do you know? I'm very lonely." Critic stepped back to put distance between them. "Please don't say things like that to me." He Jiaqing rose and vanished into the night. Zuo Anna asked Critic, "The peddler knew you were in danger, so he sent He Jiaqing to save you?" Critic nodded. "Based on my deduction, that should be the case." "The peddler actually monitors the daolao ghosts' situation at all times?" Zuo Anna was stunned. "Do you think that with so many daolao ghosts here, the peddler would leave them unsupervised? If he truly didn't care, my dream would have been realized long ago." Critic bandaged Zuo Anna's wounds, then turned back to tend to the small flower inside the tin can. After watering it and adding some fertilizer, Critic turned back and asked Zuo Anna, "Why did he say he was lonely?" Zuo Anna looked at Critic, her tone gentle: "Perhaps because he was reminded of someone." *** Li Banfeng entered the companion dwelling. Starting from the main room, he walked back room by room. When he first crossed the threshold of cultivation, there was one room. With every level he advanced, another room was added. Level Ten had been skipped, and the four levels above the clouds had not been advanced within the companion dwelling. Counting the Third Room, there were thirteen rooms in total within the companion dwelling. Walking all the way to Room Thirteen, Li Banfeng stopped in his tracks, activated the Broadening the Bridal Chamber technique, and slowly felt along the side wall. He felt a slight crevice. Pushing firmly, the crevice immediately disappeared. Still not quite there. Li Banfeng used the technique dozens of times consecutively, pouring all his strength into every attempt. With bloodshot eyes, Li Banfeng never paused for an instant. Finally, he pushed open a door in the wall. *Eee-creak~* Behind the door, Li Banfeng saw a wooden staircase. He smiled. This staircase was very familiar. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, he saw Jiang Ling'er. Jiang Ling'er was sitting by the bed doing embroidery. She raised her head, looked at Li Banfeng, and revealed a faint smile. "Connecting Bridal Chambers—seventy percent mastered."