What If I'm Wrong?

The Dark Star Bureau building had thirty-six floors, and the campus supermarket had thirty-six lockers. Was that merely a coincidence? Li Banfeng and Mu Yuejuan had fought on the thirty-sixth floor, and this black serpent had inexplicably appeared in Locker Thirty-Six. That was certainly beyond what a coincidence could explain. Recalling the course of their fight, Li Banfeng had used Viewing Flowers from Horseback to blow the black serpents on Mu Yuejuan's body flying everywhere. If there was some level of intersection between the Dark Star Bureau and the campus supermarket's lockers, was it possible that a serpent had been blasted into a locker back then? Yet back then, even Mu Yuejuan could not walk out of Layered Shadows of Wisteria and Pines. How high could the chances be for a single serpent to be blasted out? Perhaps Mu Yuejuan had clashed with the artisan cultivator Old Train right from the start; she had used the black serpents, and Old Train had sent one into the locker by some means. What kind of connection existed between the lockers and the Dark Star Bureau? Was this Old Train's artisan technique, the Heavenly Maiden's art, or a technological product of the Dark Star Bureau? Li Banfeng looked toward the campus supermarket, then toward the direction of the Dark Star Bureau. In the midst of his pondering, the projector brought over the makeshift telephone. The call was from Ba Suan. "Seventh Lord, over a dozen passenger ships have entered Dingye City. Judging roughly from their draft depth, the number of troops transported might have reached fifty thousand." "Fifty thousand?" Li Banfeng was startled. "Is the calculation accurate?" "I can't say for certain, only make a rough judgment. Their passenger ships are heavily guarded, so we can't get close, nor can we be certain whether the ships carry troops. They might also be transporting armaments and provisions." If it truly was troops, matters would be dire. Fifty thousand soldiers of the Bandit Suppression Army—even if Li Banfeng were given an opportunity to launch a surprise attack, victory was by no means assured. And these were merely fresh recruits, not counting the forces previously accumulated by the Bandit Suppression Camp. While these fifty thousand men had not yet completed their training, he had to urge A'yi to take action ahead of schedule. Returning to the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng handed Teacher Song's notebook to his wife. Zhao Xiaowan flipped through two pages, just beginning to find some interest in them, when Li Banfeng said, "Wife, we must conclude our deal with A'yi as quickly as possible. The Bandit Suppression Camp has brought in fifty thousand new troops. If we don't act now, we won't have another chance." "An army of fifty thousand?" Zhao Xiaowan looked doubtful. "Just how many royal family members does the Shang State have in total? They couldn't have mobilized en masse, could they?" Li Banfeng said, "I think it's very likely they mobilized en masse. Even though Qiao Yi hails from the royal family himself, other royal members are both sharp blades and stumbling blocks to him." Zhao Xiaowan gently ran her fingertip across a record, and a soothing erhu melody began to play. After pondering for a moment amidst the music, Zhao Xiaowan nodded slightly. "Husband speaks the truth. The only ones who can stop Qiao Yi from proclaiming himself emperor are the members of the royal family. "Sending all royal members off to battle, letting the disobedient die on the battlefield, having the obedient achieve military merits, and placing the obedient in high positions—Qiao Yi stands to profit immensely from this. "Conquering Puluo Province externally while smoothing the path to declaring himself emperor internally—it is a shrewd calculation indeed." Li Banfeng said, "I want to go to Dingye City tomorrow. If things go smoothly, I'll wipe out the Bandit Suppression Camp. If not, I'll scout the terrain first." Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "I heard Husband say before that you agreed on a ten-day deadline with A'yi. Less than half that time has passed. "If you push A'yi so forcefully, the job certainly won't be done properly. When that time comes, if she opens an incomplete path and Husband forces his way through, I fear it will bode ill." Li Banfeng replied, "If I don't force my way through now, the Bandit Suppression Camp may finish taking shape." Hong Ying felt Li Banfeng was overthinking. "It shouldn't be that fast, right? Didn't you say before that for the Bandit Suppression Army to possess combat power, the three-headed people must have cultivation? Cultivation isn't that easy to accumulate. Even with that kind of potion from the Outer States, a few days wouldn't be enough." Li Banfeng shook his head. "We don't know when Qiao Yi started accumulating cultivation for them." Hearing this, Jiu'er nodded repeatedly. "Ah Qi is right. These royal members might have arrived in Dingye City merely to train. Their cultivation might have been accumulated over a long time already, perhaps even reaching certain tiers." Hong Ying was a renowned general of her era, so she naturally understood this point. "If you put it that way, things will be difficult. Drilling simple formations isn't hard at all; a few days of practice might truly be enough." Li Banfeng cast his gaze into the depths of the companion dwelling. Zhao Xiaowan understood that Li Banfeng intended to hand over the television set. "Husband, have you ever considered what the consequences would be if you truly hand Yuan Miaoping over to A'yi?" Li Banfeng had been considering this matter recently. "A'yu will maintain contact with A'yi, coordinating from the inside and outside to rescue both the Heavenly Maiden and A'yu." Zhao Xiaowan asked again, "Does Husband know what the consequences will be if the Heavenly Maiden gets out?" Li Banfeng said, "It may alter the entire situation in Puluo Province, but under the constraints of A'yu and A'yi, things should remain manageable." Beside them, Jiu'er nodded. "Although there are some rifts between me, my mother, and my elder sister, I still trust their character. They can keep the Heavenly Maiden in check and won't let Puluo Province suffer. I think Ah Qi's reasoning is sound." Li Banfeng heard the old gentleman's voice: "Lai Wuju and the Red Lotus are under our control, so they can't stir up any great storms either." From this deduction, handing the television set over to A'yi would indeed not lead to severe consequences; the companion dwelling shared the same view. Yet his wife thought differently. She turned to look at Hong Ying. "Yingying, what do you think?" Hong Ying pondered for a moment. "I think Xiaowan is right." Zhao Xiaowan raised her ruler. "I haven't even spoken yet, and you're already saying I'm right!" Hong Ying chuckled. "Whatever you say, I think you're right." Zhao Xiaowan looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Husband, you and Jiu'er are both treating Yuan Miaoping merely as a television set." Hong Ying chimed in, "Isn't she a television set?" Zhao Xiaowan shot Hong Ying a sidelong glance. "She is the founder of Electric Cultivation, an outsider from the Outer States capable of establishing a whole lineage in Puluo Province. All of you have underestimated her. "Jiu'er, you said before that she is an old-timer, yet you haven't considered whether she would be content remaining a mere communication tool once she lands in A'yi's hands. "Husband, Luo Zhengnan is your capable assistant; you should know how powerful an Electric Cultivator's methods can be. Once the Heavenly Maiden emerges, no one knows whom Yuan Miaoping might contact. "Standing behind her are the members of the Brotherhood Alliance, all the disciples of the Electric Cultivation lineage, and possibly people from the Outer States, or even the Inner States. "After A'yi rescues the Heavenly Maiden and A'yu, no one can say for sure whether those two will be in A'yi's grasp or Yuan Miaoping's. If the Heavenly Maiden truly falls under Yuan Miaoping's control, what kind of situation Puluo Province will end up in becomes utterly uncertain." Li Banfeng was struck with sudden clarity. He had indeed been deceived by Yuan Miaoping's outward appearance. "But if we don't hand Yuan Miaoping over to A'yi, what compensation can we offer her?" Hong Ying said, "Aren't Xiaowan and A'yi sworn sisters? Xiaowan said earlier that there was room for discussion." Xiaowan smiled without speaking. Hong Ying turned her gaze to Jiu'er. "If sworn sisters won't do, don't we have a blood sister right here?" Jiu'er lowered her head and said, "I can't persuade her either." Li Banfeng shook his head. "Regardless of whether they are blood sisters or sworn sisters, there is no reason to expect someone to work for nothing. Dingye City is heavily guarded; even the Baiji Alliance couldn't come up with a plan. "Without A'yi's help, we can never get into Dingye City. When that time comes, we would have to wait for the Bandit Suppression Camp to invade. Facing tens of thousands of the Bandit Suppression Army, what does Puluo Province have to hold them off? Most crucially, we don't even know where they will strike from." Zhao Xiaowan understood the stakes. "If we want to negotiate with A'yi, the price must indeed be agreed upon. Since her goal is to rescue A'yu, if no other price can be agreed on, then we will help her rescue A'yu." Li Banfeng looked at Zhao Xiaowan. Before uttering those words, Zhao Xiaowan had weighed them thoroughly. "Husband, if the Heavenly Maiden and A'yu emerge together, the situation in Puluo Province will surely change drastically. Rather than leaving the situation in the hands of others, it is better to take control of it ourselves." Jiu'er was greatly shocked. "That is the Heavenly Maiden! Can we hold control over her?" Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband alone might not be enough. Our entire family must unite as one before we can figure out a way." Having said that, the lady looked at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng put on his fedora and pulled the brim low. That afternoon, Li Banfeng used the technique of Broadening the Bridal Chamber to bring Zhao Xiaowan and Jiu'er out of the companion dwelling, taking the two of them to Hulu Village. The one welcoming them into the village was A'yun. Seeing Zhao Xiaowan and Jiu'er, A'yun asked Li Banfeng, "Seventh Brother, did you inform the village head?" Li Banfeng shook his head slightly. A'yun said, "Bringing people into Hulu Village casually like this goes against the rules." "I will explain to the village head. I definitely won't implicate you." Had it been anyone else, A'yun would never have agreed, but she knew that A'yi and Li Banfeng were sworn siblings. After hesitating repeatedly, A'yun led the three of them into the village. The three waited beneath the village head's building for a short while, and A'yi walked out of the building covered in grease and soot. Standing before the three, A'yi swept her gaze over them. "Oh my, all three sisters have come." Li Banfeng placed special emphasis on his words: "I am the elder brother." Jiu'er hid behind Li Qi. A'yi chuckled. "What are you hiding for? If you didn't want to see me, why did you enter the village?" Zhao Xiaowan smiled. "Since we entered the village, it naturally means we missed you." A'yi looked delighted. "All three of you missed me?" Zhao Xiaowan nodded repeatedly. "Yes, we all missed you." "Missed what about me? What's there to miss about me?" A'yi's smile vanished abruptly. She turned to Li Banfeng and asked, "You want to back out of your debt, don't you?" Before Li Banfeng could speak, A'yi turned to Zhao Xiaowan and Jiu'er. "You two came along to help him renege on the debt, right?" Those words left Li Banfeng at a loss for an answer. In all the time he had spent with A'yi, the two had always treated each other with sincerity. Yet today, Li Banfeng did not dare look into A'yi's eyes. Zhao Xiaowan said, "We don't want to renege on our debt; we want to negotiate a different price with you." "Price?" A'yi laughed. "Talking about price between us—wouldn't that make us strangers? Today, elder brother is here, and two sisters are here as well. Why don't the four of us become sworn siblings together?" Zhao Xiaowan took Li Banfeng's arm. "This is my husband. It wouldn't be proper for us to become sworn siblings." A'yi felt those words sounded distant. "What's improper about it? Back in the day, my mother and my father were sworn siblings too." Zhao Xiaowan sighed. "I'm afraid the two of us do not possess such a carefree disposition." "Refusing to become sworn siblings means not giving me face. Since you won't give me face, why come to my village? Do you take me for someone easy to bully?" A'yi still wore a smile, but a chill crept into her eyes. Li Banfeng felt danger looming. The dust on the ground began vibrating up and down like ripples of water. In the cornfield, a "man" draped in corn leaves, carrying a corn stalk, and wearing a beard of corn silk walked over to A'yi's side. This person who resembled an ear of corn was actually a stone, a first-rank weapon used by the Inner States to guard the altar in Haozhou. A'yi was ready to fight. *Clang! Clatter!* The gongs and drums resounded. Accompanying herself in the primary Erhuang meter, the lady sang: *"The roar of Longquan shakes the celestial plains,* *How can it match the Peach Garden oath of old?* *Bloodied prints upon the golden orchid scroll,* *Sword tassels entwined in concentric knots—* *Has this bond truly been forgotten?"* Once the song ended, the originally enraged corn man calmed down considerably, and the rippling dust settled back onto the ground. A'yi tilted her head, gazing expressionlessly at Zhao Xiaowan. "You came here to bully me, yet you dare speak of bonds? Not a single man is good, and not a single woman is good either!" Li Banfeng hung his head in silence; he was in the wrong from the start. Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, this matter between us sisters has nothing to do with you!" "Well said!" A'yi barked in anger. "Since it has nothing to do with him, let him get far away!" As her voice fell, A'yi waved her hand, and the scenery around Li Banfeng abruptly shifted. The village head's building was gone, and the surrounding farmland was gone as well. Li Banfeng stood on a road, able to see passing pedestrians and vehicles. Hulu Village was A'yi's territory after all. Burdened by guilt, Li Banfeng had lowered his guard, and so he had been sent out of the village and returned to Yuezhou City by A'yi. He clutched his jade pendant, wanting to return to Hulu Village, but this time, the entrance to Hulu Village did not appear. Li Banfeng drew his key, intending to return to the companion dwelling. He had a residence in Hulu Village, and he could return to that residence using the technique of Broadening the Bridal Chamber. Before the door to the companion dwelling could open, the projector brought over the makeshift telephone. "Director Seven, Qin Tianjiu is calling. Judging from his tone, something terrible seems to have happened." Li Banfeng picked up the phone. Qin Tianjiu panted heavily and said, "Seventh Brother, the brothers over at Medicine King Gully sent word—they spotted people from the Inner States in the outer gully!" "How many came?" "Not sure yet! I'm rushing over to Medicine King Gully with the brothers right now, but I don't know if we can beat them!" Medicine King Gully held iron tendon bamboo, which was the raw material for refining Daoist medicinal powder. For the whole of Puluo Province, it was a critically important location. Yet why had the Inner States chosen this moment to attack Medicine King Gully? Was this the work of the Shang State, or the Tufang State? Fatty had limited information, and for the moment, he didn't know the enemy's combat strength either. Xu Han was still in White Falcon Commandery, and the one currently defending Medicine King Gully was Half a Mouthful of Yellow Broth Qiao Wuzui. Li Banfeng wasn't very familiar with Qiao Wuzui and didn't know if the man was reliable. Should he go to Medicine King Gully to take a look? What about matters in Hulu Village? Or should he find a way to notify Xu Han and have him return to Bitter Mist Mountain? While Li Banfeng was still weighing his options, the phone rang again. It was Qiu Zhiheng calling: "Old Seven, White Falcon Commandery has been attacked! The Inner States sent troops to strike!" They struck? Qiao Yi made his move so quickly? Had the Bandit Suppression Camp completed its training so fast? Li Banfeng's scalp went numb. Could it be that he had acted too late? "How many people did the Inner States send?" Qiu Zhiheng said, "The number is unknown for now. Tan Jinxiao has rushed over to reinforce them, and I'm currently gathering people to head over as well." Old Xu and Zhang Wanlong were both in White Falcon Commandery, but if tens of thousands of the Bandit Suppression Army arrived at once, could they hold the line? Go to White Falcon Commandery first? Why were these two events happening together? Why did these two calls come through at the exact same time? In truth, Qin Tianjiu and Qiu Zhiheng had been trying to call Li Banfeng repeatedly. Li Banfeng had previously been in the companion dwelling and then gone to Hulu Village, so the calls had failed to connect. Go to Medicine King Gully first, or White Falcon Commandery first? Before Li Banfeng could decide on a destination, the phone rang yet again. This time it was Luo Zhengnan calling: "Seventh Lord, the brothers I planted in the Suihuang Plains sent word—people from the Inner States have invaded." The Suihuang Plains had Old Yao and a group of Ironbone seed. It was still unknown whether the Ironbone seed could stand on their own yet. If it was the Bandit Suppression Camp, could they withstand them? He had to go to the Suihuang Plains first! Yet the Suihuang Plains were not somewhere one could visit on a whim; that place was far too remote. Li Banfeng was still in Yuezhou right now. After thinking for quite a while, Li Banfeng could not find a suitable route. Run toward the Suihuang Plains using the companion dwelling, to see if he could make it across? The phone rang once more, and Li Banfeng felt a wave of dizziness. *Qiao Yi, just where do you intend to strike?* Li Banfeng picked up the phone. "What is it now?" "What do you mean, what is it?" "Where else has trouble broken out?" "What trouble?" "Who are you?" "I'm your senior brother!" Li Banfeng froze. The one calling was actually the peddler. This was the first time he had ever heard the peddler's voice over a telephone. Was it truly the peddler? That made no sense! "How could you possibly call this telephone?" The peddler said, "Why couldn't I? Isn't it just Electric Cultivation? It's not some remarkably sophisticated technique." Li Banfeng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I was once your senior brother. Do you remember?" The peddler said, "The beating at Tiemen Fort was still too light." Confirming that the other party truly was the peddler, Li Banfeng said, "Trouble broke out at Medicine King Gully, as well as White Falcon Commandery and the Suihuang Plains. I'm planning to head to the Suihuang Plains right now—" "Don't go to the Suihuang Plains for now. Concentrate fully on doing what's right in front of you. How did your price negotiation with A'yi go?" Li Banfeng was stunned. "You even know about that?" "I know. I have an operative planted in Hulu Village. Settle things properly with her, take down the Bandit Suppression Camp, and dispatch your troops according to the agreed-upon time. Never rush into things. I've found helpers for you; when the battle begins, they will assist you." "But right now..." "Pay no mind to what's happening right now. Brother, the Bandit Suppression Camp is the major concern. The Tufang State has made a move against us first, and I can't pull myself away; otherwise, I would take care of the Bandit Suppression Camp personally. "Qiao Yi invested heavily this time. He's stirring up so much trouble right now precisely because he doesn't want Puluo Province to find peace; he wants to hide his principal capital. "If you can wipe out his capital, you'll break his bones, and he won't dare lay a finger on Puluo Province lightly ever again. "Accomplishing this won't be easy. You must not get distracted. I have suffered from distractions before. As long as neither of us gets distracted now, we can win this war." Just as the peddler was about to hang up, Li Banfeng suddenly shouted, "Senior Brother, what if I release the Heavenly Maiden? I mean, what if—" He had to tell the peddler about this. Even if the peddler turned against him on the spot, he had to let him know; he could not leave all the consequences for the peddler to bear alone. "If she comes out, so be it." Li Banfeng had thought the peddler would fly into a rage, but unexpectedly, the reply came with utter calm. "Senior Brother, once the Heavenly Maiden emerges, it might be disadvantageous to you." "Brother, she was meant to come out in the first place. Trapped in the Outer States, who knows what might happen in the future? "Especially at a crucial juncture like this—if your sneak attack fails, and the Outer States sell us out, forcing her to withdraw the Boundary, the Inner States will march in both the Bandit Suppression Army and their first-rank weapons. When that happens, striking back will be truly difficult. "All these years, regardless of right and wrong, regardless of original intent, she has been protecting Puluo Province. She cannot be left in the dark for a lifetime." "Yet people say that the moment the two of you meet, you must fight to the death. I don't know whether that rumor is true or false." The peddler said, "The rumor is true. Having hidden for so long, I can't hide for a lifetime anyway. Having a resolution would be fine as well." A cold wind blew up abruptly, and Li Banfeng shuddered. "What if I did the wrong thing?" "With a matter so monumental, who can guarantee doing everything completely right? Making a mistake doesn't matter; as long as it's not too grievous, I'll find a way to salvage it. If anyone blames you, push it all onto me." The peddler hung up the phone. The wind blew harder and harder. Li Banfeng stood in the wind for a while. Just as he was about to return to the companion dwelling to reach Hulu Village through Broadening the Bridal Chamber, he noticed the entrance to Hulu Village appearing by the street. A'yun was waving at Li Banfeng with a smile. Inside the village head's small building, A'yi rubbed the bruise on her face and poured a bowl of wine for Zhao Xiaowan. "If you had made things clear earlier, we wouldn't have had to fight like this!" Zhao Xiaowan wiped away the trace of blood on her forehead. "We are all sisters. Trading a few blows once in a while is no big deal." A'yi raised her wine bowl and said, "Elder Sister, I like your candor. I don't trust Yuan Miaoping either. Now that you're willing to lend a hand, I feel much more at ease." Zhao Xiaowan wore a wide smile, but sighed inwardly: *You feel at ease, but our side has so much more work to do now.* Since no other price could be agreed upon, when all was said and done, they still had to help A'yi rescue her mother. A'yi looked at Jiu'er and said, "Xiao Yu, the one we are rescuing is our mother and our eldest sister. Xiaowan has offered her help, so why aren't you saying a single word?" Jiu'er glared at A'yi. "What is there for me to say to you? You hit so hard that you knocked out one of my teeth." A'yi pinched Jiu'er's cheek. "We've been fighting since we were little. Are you still holding a grudge against me? Besides, this is just a puppet body, and the craftsmanship doesn't look like much to me. One of these days, your elder sister will make you a better one!" Speaking of puppets, Zhao Xiaowan remembered something. "A'yi, you have achieved great mastery in artisan cultivation; in terms of skill, you are not inferior to Eighteen Wheels. "Right now, Eighteen Wheels' soul is incomplete, and his artisan physique is incomplete as well, with part of his artisan body seized by the Travel Cultivator side. As long as we bring you into the Dark Star Bureau, you should be able to break his artisan techniques." A'yi smiled. "Sister truly flatters me. From whom did you hear that my artisan techniques aren't inferior to Old Train's?" "I've heard quite a few people say so." A'yi shook her head. "That rumor is false. Eighteen Wheels dislikes artisan cultivation, but his attainment in artisan cultivation runs far too deep. Among living artisan cultivators, not a single one can compare to him. "Don't be fooled by his incomplete artisan physique; if we want to rescue my mother, we really can't go head-to-head with him. Since you want to help me, you must have already thought of an idea, right?" PS: Even if she hadn't thought of one, she had to say she had; no one knew when A'yi might turn hostile.