Weeping Blood with Every Character

Shu Wanjuan had crossed paths with Li Qi before. Even though he had been severely wounded back then, to this day he still looked down upon Li Qi's combat prowess. If not for the sudden arrival of heavenly light back then, combined with Lian Buda's presence on the scene, Shu Wanjuan felt he could have easily finished Li Qi off. The troublesome one right now was Zhou Wencheng. Shu Wanjuan knew this disciple of his very well; to take him down, he had to secure an overwhelming advantage and press him ruthlessly to the very end, wearing him out with defense and never granting him a chance to strike back. Thus, Shu Wanjuan's objective was crystal clear: the primary target to deal with was Zhou Wencheng, while Li Qi could be handled casually— Wait, Li Qi seemed to have vanished. *Bang!* Shu Wanjuan's chest split open, erupting into a vast splash of ink. *The kid strikes fast!* Shu Wanjuan possessed the Heavenly Harmony technique. Although he had been struck by Viewing Flowers from Horseback, he suffered no injury; the damage had been substituted away with writing. He whipped two volumes of books from his sleeves, boxing Li Qi in from all sides. Seeing Li Qi enveloped by the dense flock of characters, Shu Wanjuan flashed over near Zhou Wencheng, sprinkled a few drops of fresh blood into the ink, and brandished his brush to write four characters: "Awe," "Fatigue," "Rage," and "Despair." A Scholar Cultivator technique above the clouds: Weeping Blood with Every Character. Though only four characters, the might of each was staggering. The character "Awe" took the form of a towering mountain, looming before Boss Lu. Craning his neck, he could not even see its peak; standing at the mountain's foot, a person could only feel utterly insignificant. Boss Lu had to do everything he could to avoid this character "Awe," or else under its intimidation, he would lose the courage to continue fighting. He spilled a streak of ink across the ground. Gliding atop the ink, Boss Lu bypassed "Awe," only to encounter "Rage." With just a single glance at the character "Rage," fury blazed within Boss Lu; with a second glance, every insult and humiliation he had suffered during his student days surged into his mind at once. Boss Lu wished he could charge forward right then and fight Shu Wanjuan to the death. Fortunately, knowing Shu Wanjuan's habits, he swallowed down his rage and did not act rashly. He observed the battlefield carefully and saw that Li Qi was already locked in a bitter struggle in a corner of the courtyard, in quite a dangerous predicament. Earlier, when Li Qi struck Shu Wanjuan, he hadn't hesitated in the least. From this, Boss Lu deduced that Li Qi hadn't come here to sit on the mountain and watch tigers fight, nor had he come to snatch the Heirloom Seal of the Realm amid the chaos—he had come to help him. As for why he had stepped in to help, Boss Lu did not know for now, but since they were friends, Boss Lu could not just stand by and watch Li Qi suffer. Bypassing "Rage," he flicked a line of characters noiselessly from his lapel. Like a slithering serpent, the characters glided along the ground, rushing to support Li Qi. Boss Lu thought his move had been concealed well enough, but Shu Wanjuan still noticed the line of writing. With a wave of his writing brush, Shu Wanjuan sent the character "Fatigue" in pursuit. The dot at the bottom of "Fatigue" blinked like a drowsy eye toward the slithering serpent. The characters that had moved as nimble as a snake instantly went limp and drained of energy; barely reaching Li Qi's vicinity, they collapsed into a puddle of scattered ink. *Strange, Li Qi doesn't seem to be here.* Through that line of writing, Boss Lu discovered that the one under siege was not Li Qi, but a shadow. *A Shadow Cultivator technique?* *Where did Li Qi's true body go?* Just as Boss Lu's characters dissolved in exhaustion, Li Qi suddenly materialized in midair, planting a kick squarely in Shu Wanjuan's face. Shu Wanjuan's entire body disintegrated, turning into a splash of ink that scattered across the ground. In the middle of the flowerbed, Shu Wanjuan's figure reappeared. That kick just now had been extraordinarily potent. Although Shu Wanjuan had weathered it with his Heavenly Harmony technique, it had cost him half a book in exchange. Even after taking a loss, Shu Wanjuan still did not regard Li Qi as his principal opponent. Using Shadow Cultivator techniques to create distractions, then relying on Travel Cultivator techniques for surprise attacks—Shu Wanjuan had seen similar tactics before and knew how to handle them. A Shadow Cultivator's greatest weakness lay in the connection to their shadows. If a shadow was damaged, the Shadow Cultivator's true body would suffer as well. Whether it was shadows or true body, Shu Wanjuan besieged them all with characters, waiting to see how long Li Qi could hold out! It seemed he could hold out for quite a long time. The two books dispatched earlier had already been completely spent, yet there were still dozens of shadows left. Shu Wanjuan's brows knit slightly. He realized he had underestimated Li Qi's attainments as a Shadow Cultivator; his Shadow Cultivator cultivation seemed no lower than his Travel Cultivator cultivation. A few more shadows made no difference—he would just slaughter them all. Once all the shadows were wiped out, let's see if Li Qi could still remain standing. Over a dozen books flew out of his cuffs. Adhering to his steady course against all changes, Shu Wanjuan continued to overpower Li Qi with characters. Boss Lu seized the opportunity to produce a brush washer and splashed out clean water. The clear water transformed into a torrential downpour, pouring down in sheets and washing away the greater part of the surrounding ink traces. This caught Shu Wanjuan off guard. Just as Boss Lu was about to press the advantage, he had not expected the clear water would fail to wash away the character "Despair." The character slammed into Boss Lu's chest; his gaze dimmed, and the desire to pursue evaporated immediately. *What's the point of pursuing? Even if I catch him, even if I land a blow, won't Shu Wanjuan still be unharmed? Can't he just use characters to ward off the damage? With his Heavenly Harmony technique, what's the use of continuing to fight him?* *Besides, the characters washed away just now can be replenished in no time. Who knows how many tomes he keeps hidden on him? His available words are countless.* Under the influence of "Despair," Boss Lu lost all will to fight, standing rooted to the spot, seemingly utterly despondent. In truth, Boss Lu had not truly given up. He quietly penned a row of characters for "Fight" onto himself, swiftly rekindling a spark of fighting spirit. Yet Shu Wanjuan gave him no chance to recover further. Ripping the character "Veneration" out of a book, he pressed it before Boss Lu. Boss Lu felt his breath stall, a single thought echoing relentlessly through his mind: *I should not raise my hand against my master.* The character "Veneration" pressed forward step by step. While Zhou Wencheng struggled to hold it off, Shu Wanjuan cast out a volume of *A Hundred-Foot Cage*. This was an early work by Zhang Xiuling, centered around a prisoner trapped in a dungeon, telling the story of an ordinary person breaking free from the cage of the mind. This book was widely circulated in Puluo Province. The first half of the story described the structure of the dungeon in meticulous detail, and Shu Wanjuan intended to use this very description to trap Boss Lu within a cage. *Rustle-rustle-rustle—* The book pages trembled in the wind and abruptly expanded to five meters long and three meters wide. A cage woven from layer upon layer of steel bars slowly materialized from the pages, rapidly descending over Boss Lu's head. As the cage was on the verge of crashing down, right before Shu Wanjuan could lock Boss Lu inside, Li Qi employed the Five Horses Dismembering the Household technique, tearing the volume to shreds. In the blink of an eye, the steel cage vanished. Boss Lu backhanded the character "Veneration" into pieces, dismantling Shu Wanjuan's art. Shu Wanjuan was taken aback. He was not surprised by Zhou Wencheng, for Zhou Badou had always possessed such caliber. What truly shocked him was Li Qi. Besieged by over a dozen books, in such dire straits, how could he still have the spare strength to support Zhou Wencheng? Those dozen-odd books contained upwards of a million characters. After fighting for so long, how many of Li Qi's shadows could possibly remain? Over a hundred remained. Shu Wanjuan looked closely. He hadn't misjudged—there really were more than a hundred. *Why are there more of his shadows the more I kill?* Seeing the shadows charge forward, Shu Wanjuan finally realized one thing: he could no longer afford to overlook Li Qi. Shu Wanjuan took off his outer robe and swept it back and forth in midair. Hundreds of book rolls flew from his lapel into the sky, pages scattering and fluttering in all directions. The characters on every page rained down onto the earth, transforming into armored soldiers that moved to surround Li Qi. This was Shu Wanjuan's master technique, Voluminous Tomes. Back in his days on the battlefield, Shu Wanjuan had defeated countless armies with this move. The armored soldiers formed from these characters were not particularly strong in individual combat prowess, but their numbers were immense. Using any means to brawl with them seemed a losing bargain. Li Banfeng released his Boundary, extending it all the way past the courtyard wall. Throughout its extension, the Boundary remained silent and soundless, inflicting no harm whatsoever. Once the Boundary reached its mark, Li Banfeng slowly drew it back. Still devoid of any shimmering halo, this time Li Banfeng activated its lethal power. Vast swathes of characters collapsed into puddles of ink as the Boundary sliced through them. At the same time, brush in hand, Boss Lu wrote twenty-eight characters for "Spring" in the middle of the courtyard. Twenty-eight springs gushed with water in unison, their streaming clear torrents washing the entire courtyard clean of characters. Zhou Wencheng's counterattack was so fierce. Shu Wanjuan had originally held the upper hand, but now his situation had turned dire. He had lost many of the books on his person, yet Zhou Wencheng remained unhurt, and Li Qi was still flanked by a vast throng of shadows; his earlier offensive had melted into nothingness in the blink of an eye. Dealing with both at once, Shu Wanjuan felt stretched beyond his limits. Seeing Zhou Wencheng raise his writing brush once more, Shu Wanjuan prepared to retreat. Yet leaving was not something he could do simply because he wished to. Banfeng Two led the shadows to swiftly fall into position, cutting off Shu Wanjuan's path of retreat. Shu Wanjuan looked at Li Qi with a smile on his face. "Your Imperial Highness, why push things so far? Are you truly looking to stake your life?" Li Banfeng replied, "If you don't dare stake your life, where did you get the nerve to come looking for me?" Shu Wanjuan badly wanted to clarify that he hadn't come looking for Li Banfeng—it was Li Banfeng who had actively sought him out. On second thought, why bother explaining that to him? He was the grandmaster of a path; why should he offer explanations to a junior? Even if he made it clear, it wouldn't help his current predicament in the slightest. With a wave of Shu Wanjuan's hand, a screen of characters blocked Li Banfeng's advance. Li Banfeng pursued using Sever the Path to Forge a Way, while Shu Wanjuan continuously obstructed the path with characters. Though it wasted a tremendous number of book rolls, it temporarily halted Li Banfeng's pursuit. Fleeing all the way to the base of the wall, two giant pythons burst from the soil, nearly ensnaring Shu Wanjuan. These two pythons were formed from the ink scattered across the ground. Boss Lu had gathered the ink on the earth to write two characters for "Snake." Do not underestimate these two characters: hidden within them was Boss Lu's master technique. If Shu Wanjuan dared force his way through, Boss Lu was completely confident he could subdue him. Yet Shu Wanjuan was in no hurry to force his way through. He had his characters hold them off for a moment, and looking back, he saw Li Qi and his shadows had already closed in. Shu Wanjuan wanted to keep sticking to his routine, using characters to defend, but when he raised his writing brush, he tapped his own forehead. *What am I doing?* *When Li Qi chases me, all I do is throw up characters to block him?* *Is this how a Scholar Cultivator fights?* *How is this any different from that crude brute Shan Chengjun?* Shu Wanjuan genuinely could not fathom it. Ever since he began tangling with Li Qi, his tactics had become a total mess. "Never press a cornered foe!" Shu Wanjuan shouted. Li Qi could no longer give chase, standing beneath the perimeter wall with both feet as though rooted to the earth. Shu Wanjuan chuckled. A single decree of Shared Script and Common Rule had pinned Li Banfeng on the spot. However, Boss Lu knew how to unravel Shared Script and Common Rule. Seeing Boss Lu about to catch up to him, Shu Wanjuan shouted once more: "You who betray your master and forsake your forebears, what face do you have to swagger here? Fall back at once!" Words Become Truth! The muscles in the calves of Boss Lu's legs cramped backward. After struggling for a moment, he was forced to retreat. One couldn't chase, and the other wasn't permitted to chase. Shu Wanjuan leaped unhurriedly over the perimeter wall, a smile on his face, strolling from the residence's backyard to the front yard. Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng were waiting in the front yard. Shu Wanjuan pondered what had just transpired and felt it made no sense. Earlier, they were fighting in the front yard. He had jumped over the wall, only to land in the backyard, and then wound up back in the front yard. What kind of logic was this? Shu Wanjuan paused in bewilderment for a moment, then said, "I shall take my leave first. Never press a cornered foe." "Fine, we won't chase!" Li Banfeng agreed readily. Shu Wanjuan turned and walked toward the backyard again. Passing through the back door, he saw Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng once more. Now it was rather awkward. For a moment, Shu Wanjuan did not know what to say. Li Qi took the initiative to say, "Go ahead. We truly won't pursue." Shu Wanjuan was in no hurry to leave. The backyard connected to the front yard, and the front yard connected to the backyard. Seasoned in battle, Shu Wanjuan instantly realized he was trapped in a bewitching maze. "Petty parlor tricks, yet you dare flaunt them in the light? Cease all conflict, let the array disperse!" Shu Wanjuan waved his hand with a faint smile and cast a glance back at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng nodded. "Move a little faster!" Being hurried by Li Qi left a bitter taste in Shu Wanjuan's mouth. He thought he would surely be able to leave the residence this time, but he had never expected that outside the courtyard wall, a Boundary lay waiting for him. Li Banfeng's Close the Doors and Bar the Gates technique had been refined under Jiang Ling'er's guidance, its power on an entirely different level compared to the past. Passing through it this time, Shu Wanjuan's left leg snapped, and his right leg was torn into a mangled pulp of blood and flesh. Caught entirely off guard, Shu Wanjuan had not activated his Heavenly Harmony technique, and this time he was genuinely injured. *Where did this trap come from?* Li Banfeng's Boundary could remain devoid of any glowing aura; Shu Wanjuan could discern no trace of it, nor could he be sure what kind of thing had harmed him. Worse still, having cleared the perimeter wall, the three-story Western-style building still stood before his eyes. Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng were still waiting in the courtyard. *Didn't I just use Shared Script and Common Rule to disperse the array?* *Why is this bewitching maze still here?* This was no bewitching maze; this was Li Qi's Broadening the Bridal Chamber. Shu Wanjuan had said not to pursue, and Li Qi could indeed refrain from pursuing, but Li Qi had never promised to let Shu Wanjuan leave. "Never press a cornered foe!" Shu Wanjuan's voice was loud, but he had no confidence left. "Are you leaving or not?" Li Banfeng and a swarm of shadows saw him off. Passing through the courtyard wall once more, Shu Wanjuan used a surrogate this time, and he realized where the problem lay. *This is a Dwelling Cultivator Boundary, laid out with immense concealment.* *Is there an expert Dwelling Cultivator nearby?* Amid his racing thoughts, two pythons erupted from the ground. One python coiled tightly around Shu Wanjuan. Shu Wanjuan dissolved into ink, which the python swallowed down, swelling its body a full ring larger. Shu Wanjuan emerged within another patch of characters, only for the other python to burst from the earth and wrap around him again. Shu Wanjuan broke free once more using a character surrogate, but the moment he materialized, he was instantly bound by the other python. The two pythons struck in alternation, endlessly siphoning the characters off Shu Wanjuan's person. Shu Wanjuan had no time to deploy any other techniques, and the characters on his body were nearing total exhaustion. Boss Lu stroked the mustache above his lip, looking at Shu Wanjuan with a grim expression. "Master, you will no longer have to feel thorns at your back or find food impossible to swallow on account of this disciple of yours." Shu Wanjuan didn't even have the chance to speak; he had to exert every ounce of strength just to withstand Zhou Wencheng's art. This technique had been designed specifically against Shu Wanjuan. The pythons originated from ink, and the ink came from Shu Wanjuan; thus, the two pythons could lock onto Shu Wanjuan at all times. The speed at which Shu Wanjuan swapped between his true form and surrogates was too fast. A single python could not keep pace with him; there had to be two pythons hemming him in by turns. If Shu Wanjuan revealed his true body, the two pythons could inflict grievous wounds on him. If Shu Wanjuan used surrogates, the two pythons would destroy his surrogates time and again and continue draining ink from them. The entire process was just like sucking blood. Shu Wanjuan grew increasingly weak, and his chances of escaping dwindled by the second. This was why Shu Wanjuan had not dared allow Zhou Wencheng to reclaim the initiative: once Zhou Wencheng seized the upper hand, he could drive Shu Wanjuan to the brink of life and death. Watching Shu Wanjuan struggle bitterly within the technique, Boss Lu looked sorrowful. The rims of his eyes reddened, and tears slowly began to fall. Li Banfeng carefully observed Boss Lu's expression. Could Boss Lu be preparing to send Shu Wanjuan on his final journey with the Ironclad Evidence technique? Did he know Fool Cultivator techniques? Why was he weeping with such genuine sorrow? Could he actually be reminiscing about their bond as teacher and disciple? Boss Lu truly seemed to have softened his heart. The two pythons gradually lost strength, slowing down, their combat vigor waning considerably. In the gap between the two pythons alternating, Shu Wanjuan found an opening and broke free. Li Banfeng could not let him escape. He rushed forward, preparing to surround Shu Wanjuan to death with his shadows, when he suddenly heard cries and weeping rising and falling all around him. Some wept bitterly at the top of their lungs; some whimpered softly; some struggled to hold back tears but could not suppress their sobs; some wept as they sang, the lyrics sometimes clear and sometimes garbled; some wept as they shouted, at times pleading piteously and at times hurling foul curses. Amid the cries, Li Banfeng felt his eyes swell, his nose sting, and a sticky, salty taste rise in his mouth. Tears could not help but stream down his face. With this crying, Broadening the Bridal Chamber slackened, and Close the Doors and Bar the Gates slackened as well. This momentary lapse was faster than the blink of an eye, yet Shu Wanjuan had precisely the skill to capitalize on it. He successfully seized the opportunity; a row of book scrolls bridged together, and stepping over the scrolls, Shu Wanjuan dashed right out of Li Banfeng's residence. The moment Shu Wanjuan hit the ground outside, he worried he would find it hard to get away—Li Qi was a Travel Cultivator and could catch up at any moment. Yuan Youshang suddenly appeared. "Marquis, follow me!" The array activated, and over a dozen ghost servants burned to ashes. Both Shu Wanjuan and Yuan Youshang vanished without a trace. Inside the residence, Boss Lu and Li Qi were still shedding tears. Boss Lu rubbed his eyes and said to Li Banfeng, "This is a Crying Cultivator technique, Lament of Wailing Geese. There is an exceptionally high-tier Crying Cultivator nearby." Li Banfeng took his shadows and searched all around, but could find no trace of Shu Wanjuan or that Crying Cultivator. Yuan Youshang and Shu Wanjuan tumbled out of the array together. Yuan Youshang landed firmly on his feet, while Shu Wanjuan collapsed to the ground, unable to rise for a long while. "Marquis, you are injured." Yuan Youshang reached out to support Shu Wanjuan, but Shu Wanjuan waved his hand gently in refusal. His wound was not fatal—he had only been hurt by the Boundary once—but his combat capability was severely impaired. He had been close to fully recovering, but this ordeal had nearly wiped out all his progress. The more vulnerable the moment, the less Shu Wanjuan trusted anyone. Yuan Youshang looked around. Although they had left Lüshuiwan, they were still within the territory of Puluo Province, and he remained somewhat uneasy. "Marquis, this is no place to linger. Let us find another spot to speak." Shu Wanjuan said nothing. He ripped strips of cloth from his clothes and bandaged his wounds. Given his level of cultivation, what use was such crude bandaging? He clearly had no desire to pay any heed to Yuan Youshang. Yuan Youshang felt a twinge of grievance. Looking at Shu Wanjuan, he said, "Marquis, I came to save you with genuine sincerity, without any ulterior motives." Shu Wanjuan didn't even lift his head. "My thanks to you. Your name is Yuan Youshang, correct? Hero Yuan, I recall you are not very old, likely in your early forties. Indeed, every generation brings forth new talents." "Marquis, do you know how high a price I paid to save you?" This was not Yuan Youshang fishing for credit: to save Shu Wanjuan, he had deployed a two-tiered array and sacrificed countless ghost servants. Shu Wanjuan nodded. "Rest assured, I will not treat you poorly. Once we return to Chaoge, I will petition for a reward on your behalf. As for how much the reward will be, that will depend on Lord Qiao's discretion." Expressionless, Yuan Youshang stood silently to one side. Inside Lu's Bookhouse, the clerk had warmed the wine, brewed tea, and prepared tea pastries and snacks to accompany the liquor. Boss Lu first toasted Li Banfeng with a cup of wine. "Seventh Master, this Lu owes you a life." "No need for such talk between us," Li Banfeng said, glancing at the paper and brush on the desk. "Or perhaps... write me an IOU?" Boss Lu produced an IOU straightaway. "I have already prepared it." "Look at you. I was only making a joke, yet you took it seriously." Li Banfeng took the promissory note, read it through carefully twice, and after confirming everything was in order, tucked it into his breast pocket. Exchanging cups, drinking wine and tea together, Boss Lu asked, "Seventh Master, your arrival in Yuanzhu Ward today—could it be that you came specially to save me?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "Just passing through by coincidence. How did you happen to run into Shu Wanjuan in Yuanzhu Ward?" In truth, what he really wanted to ask was: *Running over to scribble and scrawl all over my house—that wasn't premeditated, was it?* Boss Lu sighed. "Blame it on my incorrigible passion for books. Whenever I see a scholar, my guard drops. Master disguised himself as a down-and-out scholar selling books, and I fell for his trick." "He lured you out just to kill you?" "He also wanted to ask about certain matters... Forget it, let's not speak of that." Boss Lu asked Li Banfeng to wait a moment while he went into the bedroom, brought out two volumes from his personal collection, and handed them to Li Banfeng. "These are treasures from my personal collection. Please accept them as a modest gift, Seventh Master. Do not misunderstand—this has nothing to do with repaying a debt of gratitude; it is merely a token of my regard." Neither book had a title on its cover. Li Banfeng picked up one of them, and Boss Lu introduced, "This is *Portraits of Beauties*, which compiles thirty peerless beauties throughout history." Li Banfeng looked displeased. "Boss Lu, it's improper for you to give me this sort of book. Although I love books, it's not like I only care about looking at pictures. Not that pictures aren't nice to look at, but... where are the pictures? Where are they?" Flipping through dozens of pages, Li Banfeng did not see a single illustration. Boss Lu said, "The portraits lie between the lines. It depends on whether you are willing to behold the splendor of these beauties, Seventh Master." Between the lines? Li Banfeng checked the table of contents and turned to a page. The text read as follows: "The lady Xiaowan: her countenance like morning glow upon snow, her eyes like icy pools quenched with stars, a veiled sharpness dwelling within her glance. Rouge and powder could not conceal the marrow of a hero; the ferocious tigress's dread majesty shook the eight wildernesses. Black tresses coiled high beneath a silver-scaled helm, slanted with a three-inch Vermilion Bird plume swaying like flame; clad in red-gold chainmail, at her waist hung a six-foot Longyuan sword whose gleam seized the nine heavens. Vermilion lips touched with frost, a smile that could shatter the courage of a thousand armies; willow brows harboring baleful intent, wrath that could rend ten thousand miles of layered clouds. Going to war, rouge turned to blood; fair hands grasped the commander's seal, and wherever the command flag pointed, the three armies stirred like thunder. Laying aside armor, heroic vigor yielded to gentle grace; silk robes replaced iron mail, and as her lotus steps shifted, the entire court shone with radiance." The reason he had flipped to this page was that it described Li Banfeng's wife. Among the thirty peerless beauties of history, Zhao Xiaowan held a place. Could he truly behold his wife from between these lines? Without steam or a giant horn, was this truly his wife? The diction was somewhat archaic and obscure, yet Li Banfeng was still utterly engrossed. Boss Lu said, "Seventh Master, the other book is called *Floating Clouds Inquiring at Post Stations*. It is a travelogue, suitable to flip through for leisure." Li Banfeng put away both books. After chatting a while longer, Boss Lu handed *Mochun Pavilion* to Li Banfeng. "This was written by a friend of mine. I invite your critique, Seventh Master." Flipping through several pages, Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly. "This book is well-written. It has the flavor of real humanity!" "How does it compare to *Yuxiangji*?" Li Banfeng compared them carefully. "I think it's even better than *Yuxiangji*." Boss Lu drank a cup of wine, smiling quite proudly. Returning to the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng showed Hong Ying the description of Zhao Xiaowan from *Portraits of Beauties*. Jiu'er gave a playful smile from the side. "Written so eloquently and scholarly—can Yingying even understand it?" Hong Ying snorted. "Who do you think you're talking to? Why don't I let you have a look first, and if there's anything you don't understand, I can explain it to you." This was by no means an empty boast. Hong Ying truly possessed such ability; she came from a noble, cultured family and was a literary enthusiast. Reading a few lines of classical prose was no challenge for her at all. "All things considered, this truly leaps off the page. That was exactly what Xiaowan looked like back then," Hong Ying praised genuinely after reading it. "Leaps off the page!" Li Banfeng fell into contemplation. After Jiu'er read it, she didn't react much; she wasn't that familiar with Zhao Xiaowan during her military days. Li Banfeng confirmed with Hong Ying carefully, "Is this passage written that vividly?" Hong Ying nodded. "When I read these words, my mind is completely filled with Xiaowan's image from her days in the army." Li Banfeng pondered for a long time. Fetching paper and brush, he copied out the description from *Portraits of Beauties* character by character. When he finished copying, Li Banfeng carried the manuscript outside the companion dwelling, sprinkled a drop of blood onto it, and activated the Hiding Beauty in a Golden House technique. The characters blended and coalesced within the blood, and his wife, clad in military regalia, emerged from the surface of the paper. P.S.: Banfeng, why did you never think of this—Hiding Beauty in a Golden House doesn't necessarily have to be a drawing.