Zhao Xiaowan tumbled from the clouds, singing opera high in the sky to the brisk meter of a xipi erliu rhythm:
"Ninefold heavenly tribulations strike upon my spine, twenty years of breathing mist and drinking morning shine! Three hundred autumns forging bone in frost and ice sublime—who'd have thought a pair of wings would burst through flesh in time? Grow faster, damn it!"
Zhao Xiaowan was beside herself with panic. She needed a pair of wings, and she was currently attempting to force them to grow using her technique of manifesting form through vocal cadence.
Yet she could not recall any opera libretto featuring wings at the moment, leaving her no choice but to improvise on the spot. Because she had made up the lyrics and sung them rather poorly,
no wings grew.
Her plummet grew faster and faster. Zhao Xiaowan also knew levitation arts, but at such an immense altitude, her levitation was practically useless.
She continued to sing: "One wing tip sweeps down the Northern Dipper's astral force, the other churns the Milky Way right off its cosmic course! Behold ninety thousand li of wind and frost congealing into wings, outrunning even Thunder Duke and Lightning Mother—oh, oh dear, what on earth am I supposed to do!"
The wings stubbornly refused to sprout. In the midst of her panic, Hong Ying rushed over and caught Zhao Xiaowan, gradually decelerating in midair until they landed safely on the ground.
Once on the ground, Zhao Xiaowan smiled toward Hong Ying. "Yingying, thank you for your trouble."
Hong Ying smiled. "It's nothing. The moment I used Parting Ten Thousand Li, I felt something was off, so I reined in my power right away. Neither of us flew too far.
"After falling from the clouds, I quickly found my bearings and used Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity to search all over for you. And I actually found you! Wouldn't you say I have great luck?"
Zhao Xiaowan smiled. "How could this be mere luck? You are exceptionally gifted, Yingying, and I hold your skills in the highest regard. Yingying, your topknot has come undone. Let me comb your hair for you."
Hong Ying froze. Xiaowan certainly had a big heart. The two of them had just plummeted from the clouds, had no idea what was happening up there, and didn't even know where they were right now. Yet she actually had the leisure to comb hair?
Still, since Xiaowan had brought it up, she might as well let her do it. If the spearhead poked out and someone saw it, that wouldn't look good either.
Hong Ying walked over to Zhao Xiaowan, turned around, and waited for her hair to be combed.
Zhao Xiaowan pulled out a wooden board, pinned Hong Ying down, and gave her a sound thrashing. "I'll teach you to use Parting Ten Thousand Li! A single stomp of Trampling Countless Rivers could have crushed that old scoundrel to death! Why on earth did you pull off a Parting Ten Thousand Li?"
Hong Ying struggled with all her might. "Xiaowan, I didn't want to use Parting Ten Thousand Li! That dirty water splashed on me, and my head suddenly stopped working. I wanted to use Trampling Countless Rivers, but for some reason, Parting Ten Thousand Li came out instead!"
Zhao Xiaowan gripped the board and kept striking. "If he splashes dirty water, you just take it? With martial skills like yours, couldn't you dodge?"
Hong Ying gritted her teeth. "You're wronging me! You've fought battles before. I wanted his life—how could I dodge in that moment? In a life-or-death struggle, whoever flinches loses!"
Her words were true. Hong Ying had fought like this her entire life. In a dilemma between offense and defense, Hong Ying never chose defense. If she could have landed that stomp on Shu Wanjuan first, it wouldn't have mattered what technique Shu Wanjuan wanted to use—it would have been too late.
Yet Zhao Xiaowan simply could not stomach her fury and gave Hong Ying a severe beating anyway.
Hong Ying shouted, "Stop hitting me for a second! Let's find a way back onto the clouds first!"
"Back? How do we get back? Do you know the Cloud Gate technique?"
Neither of them knew the Cloud Gate technique.
"Let's go find my husband first!" Zhao Xiaowan placed a phone call to Li Banfeng, but it failed to connect.
Hong Ying pondered for a moment. "If Seventh Brother isn't answering, that proves he hasn't run into an emergency and doesn't need our help."
"Nonsense!" Zhao Xiaowan's heart was racked with anxiety. "My husband must be locked in combat with someone right now."
Hong Ying asked, "Who is Seventh Brother fighting?"
Li Banfeng had departed in haste without explaining everything clearly. But according to the earlier message received from Pineapple, Zhao Xiaowan deduced that he had likely gone to the local deity's dwelling to fend off Shan Chengjun.
The local deity of the Ink Fragrance Shop lived in the Willow Garden. Li Banfeng had mentioned this to his wife, but Zhao Xiaowan had no idea where they were at present.
Hong Ying took Zhao Xiaowan onto her back and dashed wildly through the desolate mountains and wilderness, soon arriving at a village.
A small river flowed through the village, and by the water's edge, they encountered a woman washing clothes. Zhao Xiaowan stepped forward to ask for directions. "Elder Sister, excuse me, is the Ink Fragrance Shop far from here?"
The woman looked up at Zhao Xiaowan, speaking with a face full of surprise: "Cold river water can wash away dust, but can it wash away a person's memories?"
Zhao Xiaowan was taken aback, then forced a smile. "Elder Sister, I don't quite understand what you mean."
The woman became even more astonished. "The freezing river water stings my flesh and bone. Do you intend to use such words to sting my heart?"
Now Zhao Xiaowan was completely mystified. She did not know this woman, yet judging by her words, the woman seemed very familiar with her.
Hong Ying didn't overthink it; she merely felt that Zhao Xiaowan's way of asking directions was wrong.
She went to the riverbank, uprooted a willow tree as thick as a bowl, and dragged it before the woman. "I see you don't have a handy tool for washing clothes. Why don't you use this tree as a laundry club?
"One—"
The woman stared blankly for a moment, then stood up. "This is still within the territory of the Ink Fragrance Shop. Head east for twenty li, and you will reach the city."
Now Zhao Xiaowan understood. The woman was not acquainted with her at all; she had simply forgotten the local customs of the Ink Fragrance Shop.
Hong Ying hoisted Zhao Xiaowan onto her back and sprinted eastward all the way. Once they arrived in the city, Zhao Xiaowan asked for directions again: "Sir, how do I get to the Willow Garden?"
A man looked at Zhao Xiaowan. "Young lady, you also fancy willow trees? Do you know what kind of sentiment the willow represents?"
Hong Ying snapped a willow tree in half and threw it in front of the man. "Tell me, what sentiment does this represent?"
The man pointed toward the end of the main road. "The Willow Garden is straight ahead."
The two rushed to the Willow Garden and searched all around, but saw no sign of Li Banfeng.
"Has my husband already left?" Xiaowan was frantic. There were no traces of a fight in the grove. Could something else have happened?
She tried calling again, but the line still wouldn't go through. Seeing someone enter the garden, Zhao Xiaowan stepped forward and asked, "How many Willow Gardens are there in total in the Ink Fragrance Shop?"
An old woman replied, "There are as many willow trees in the Ink Fragrance Shop as there are ripples in my heart."
Veins bulged on Zhao Xiaowan's forehead as she glared at the old woman.
The old woman had seen plenty of the world and recognized that this woman was not someone to be trifled with. She hastily replied, "From the east of the city to the west, there are thirteen Willow Gardens in total. Which one are you looking for by name?"
Zhao Xiaowan turned to look at Hong Ying. Hong Ying said at a loss, "Don't look at me! He never told me!"
***
Goose Sand Studio was one of the most famous book studios in Puluo Province. Not far from Goose Sand Studio lay a willow garden, where Shan Chengjun and a middle-aged man were currently calculating the layout of the willow trees.
Carrying his scythe, Li Banfeng originally intended to walk up behind them to say hello, but Shan Chengjun unexpectedly turned around first.
"Seventh Brother, you're here." Shan Chengjun had suffered at his hands before; certain lessons seemed carved into his flesh, leaving him on guard against Li Qi.
Li Banfeng stowed his scythe and smiled. "Big Brother Shan, long time no see."
Shan Chengjun smiled as well. "Things have been good lately, I presume? Did you bring that covenant deed you took from me earlier?"
"Didn't bring it," Li Banfeng said, shaking his head. "The peddler came back that day, thought the deed looked pretty nice, so I turned around and sold it to him."
"Sold it?" Shan Chengjun looked a bit disappointed. "How much did he pay?"
Li Banfeng said, "A hundred silver dollars. No cash, though—I had to let him buy it on credit."
Shan Chengjun felt that was downright shoddy. "Look at that peddler. Why buy on credit for a measly hundred silver dollars? I have cash right here. Sell any covenant deeds you get to me in the future. I'll pay one hundred and fifty!"
Li Banfeng put on a look of pleasant surprise. "Big Brother Shan, are you serious? I've already taken the covenant deed for the Ink Fragrance Shop, so you don't need to dig around here anymore. How about I sell it to you?"
Shan Chengjun looked even more delighted. "Wonderful! Let me inspect the goods first!"
Li Banfeng patted his pockets. "Damn it, I left the deed at the inn. Big Brother Shan, why don't you make a trip with me?"
Shan Chengjun shook his head. "I'm busy here and can't get away just now. Trouble yourself to make a run to the inn and fetch the deed. As long as it's genuine, I'll pay cash on the spot."
Li Banfeng glanced at the middle-aged man standing beside Shan Chengjun. "Did this gentleman come with you?"
Shan Chengjun hurriedly introduced him: "This is the leader of the Calculation Cultivators, named Ji Xuanwei. Among all the living Calculation Cultivators, his attainment holds the topmost seat."
Ji Xuanwei cupped his fists toward Li Banfeng. Truth be told, he could not fathom the trains of thought of these two men, nor could he understand their relationship. Given the current situation, he couldn't even tell whether they were friends or foes.
Li Banfeng returned the gesture. "Senior Ji, did you come here to look for the covenant deed as well?"
Ji Xuanwei glanced at Shan Chengjun, unsure how to answer.
Shan Chengjun looked at Ji Xuanwei and said, "No need to be secretive. Seventh Brother isn't an outsider. We share a bond forged through life and death. Just speak the truth."
Ji Xuanwei said to Li Banfeng, "I came here to find the entrance to the local deity's dwelling."
Li Banfeng feigned surprise. "Is that hard to find?"
"Hard!" Ji Xuanwei answered earnestly. "The local deity of the Ink Fragrance Shop has an exceptionally secretive dwelling. He used a special algorithm to conceal it, one that ordinary people cannot decipher."
Shan Chengjun nodded. "Seventh Brother, as you know, I'm not good at arithmetic either, so I simply hired an expert to help me."
"So you're just here to help out." Li Banfeng looked at Ji Xuanwei. "Senior, you should leave. This place is not somewhere you should linger."
Shan Chengjun frowned. "He's a man I invited. On what authority do you tell him to leave?"
Li Banfeng looked at Shan Chengjun. "Then should I invite you to leave first?"
Shan Chengjun asked very seriously, "And if I refuse to leave, what can you do about it?"
It seemed a fight was imminent.
Ji Xuanwei looked at Shan Chengjun. Since he had chosen to follow Shan Chengjun, when the time came to fight, he naturally could not shirk his duty.
To his surprise, Shan Chengjun did not want his help: "Little Ji, go tend to your business. If you get tired of calculating, watch the excitement. When you've seen enough, go back to calculating. Just be sure not to intervene."
The moment the words left his mouth, Li Banfeng vanished.
Shan Chengjun chuckled. "Little Ji, see that? That's Viewing Flowers from Horseback, one of the nastiest techniques of a Travel Cultivator. Li Qi's Viewing Flowers from Horseback is particularly vicious, and it detonates twice, so one must prepare a countermeasure against it."
With that, Shan Chengjun kicked hard at the ground, kicking up a spray of snow that formed a curtain concealing his figure.
Such was Shan Chengjun's prowess; an effortless kick of his foot could obscure Li Banfeng's line of sight.
"If he can't see me, how can he use Viewing Flowers from Horseback? Little Ji, wouldn't you say that makes sense?"
*Bang!*
Ji Xuanwei blew up.
Shan Chengjun was shocked. "Li Qi, why did you detonate him?"
He hastily kicked up another spray of snow to envelop Ji Xuanwei in a curtain of white, but it was useless.
The first strike relied on focused sight; the second strike relied on focused intent. Even though Li Banfeng could not see him, Ji Xuanwei still exploded.
"Little Ji, say something! Look at me!"
Shan Chengjun cradled Ji Xuanwei, calling out repeatedly. Ji Xuanwei waved his hand weakly to signal that he was not dead. Moving with extraordinary speed, he produced several bottles of medicinal powder, calculated the precise proportions, mixed himself a dose of healing medicine, and swallowed it.
The medicine took effect with startling speed, and Ji Xuanwei's injuries were quickly brought under control.
Squatting in a willow tree, Li Banfeng asked, "Senior Ji, do you also practice as a Medicine Cultivator?"
Ji Xuanwei nodded. "My attainment in the Medicine path is roughly equal to that of the Calculation path."
Shan Chengjun roared in anger, "Li Qi, every debt has its debtor! If you have a grievance, direct it at me! What kind of hero attacks my friend?"
Li Banfeng looked at Ji Xuanwei. "Senior Ji, with all the years of friendship between us, you must never listen to an outsider trying to sow discord. When I hit you just now, I was doing it for your own good.
"This pine forest conceals layers upon layers of riddles that are exceedingly difficult to solve. If I beat you to death, you won't have to solve them, and you won't have to suffer anymore in the future. If you don't believe me, ask Shan Chengjun and see if my words make sense!"
Ji Xuanwei glanced at Shan Chengjun, wanting to explain that he had no friendship whatsoever with Li Qi.
Shan Chengjun snapped angrily, "What are you looking at me for? Could I possibly harm you? Hurry up and get back to work!"
Ji Xuanwei resumed calculating the location of the entrance. When Li Banfeng tried to move against Ji Xuanwei again, Shan Chengjun gave him no opportunity. Although Shan Chengjun could not match Li Qi in speed, his methods were by no means inferior. He brought down a willow tree thick enough for two men to encircle, tore off the branches, withered leaves, and bark, and sent them surging forward to besiege Li Banfeng.
A piece of bark became a short blade; a withered leaf became a throwing dart. The willow branches were the most formidable: the stiff ones served as spears, while the supple ones whipped about like soft lashes. A single tree had essentially been turned into an army in Shan Chengjun's hands—little wonder this fellow possessed such a towering reputation on the battlefield.
Li Banfeng had plenty of methods to engage him in a protracted fight, but right now he could not afford to get tied down.
Through his calculations, Ji Xuanwei was closing in on the entrance to the local deity's dwelling. With his capabilities, it seemed it wouldn't be long before he found the method to unlock the door.
Li Banfeng's assessment was correct. Ji Xuanwei had already narrowed the entrance down to a perimeter of thirty trees.
To narrow the scope further required even more precise calculation. According to Ji Xuanwei's algorithm, the next step was to eliminate ten trees.
After calculating for several minutes, ten trees were eliminated. But when Ji Xuanwei counted, there were still fifty-eight trees remaining.
If thirty trees had ten eliminated, why were there fifty-eight left?
The arrangement of the trees had shifted. In the zone Ji Xuanwei had originally identified, the trees had grown denser.
Why had this happened? Was an Illusion Cultivator using an obscuration technique, or was a Flora Cultivator planting trees here?
Sweat poured down Ji Xuanwei's face. After thinking it over repeatedly, he could find no explanation.
Shan Chengjun plucked a willow switch and coiled it around Li Banfeng's knee, chuckling. "Li Qi, you brought a helper too?"
Using the Free and Unfettered technique, Li Banfeng broke free of the willow switch and cast an invisible Boundary over the entire forest. "I had to bring a helper. This grove is too complex; I can't unravel the mechanisms here on my own."
Shan Chengjun was taken aback. "Why are you unraveling the mechanisms? Did you come here to dig up the covenant deed too?"
Li Banfeng paused as well. "What kind of question is that? If not to dig up the covenant deed, what else would I have come here for?"
Shan Chengjun hurled a clump of willow roots, sending Li Banfeng stumbling. "Why are you digging up the deed?"
Li Banfeng took a chunk of flesh off Shan Chengjun with his scythe. "Didn't I just say? Digging up the deed to sell for cash—one hundred silver dollars a piece!"
What did that even mean?
According to Shan Chengjun's understanding, Li Banfeng should have come to protect the Ink Fragrance Shop and stop him from digging up the deed. How had it suddenly turned into the two of them digging for the deed together?
*Bang!*
Ji Xuanwei took a heavy kick and collapsed to the ground, unable to rise. Shan Chengjun turned to protect Ji Xuanwei, only to take another slash from Li Banfeng.
Though the cut was deep, Shan Chengjun wasn't worried in the least. "Li Qi, I know who your helper is. It's Sun Tiecheng's daughter, Yu Buzhuo.
"I thought she was dead—I killed her with my own hands. How did you bring her back to life? Did you scoop her bones out of a mass grave?"
Hearing this, Jiu'er's veins throbbed with fury. She wanted to charge forward and fight Shan Chengjun to the death, but the wine gourd held her back.
Jiu'er understood what the wine gourd meant. She couldn't go now; stepping in would only make her a burden to Li Qi.
Shan Chengjun and Li Qi appeared to be exchanging casual banter, but their clash was savage, both of them already drenched in blood.
Moreover, Li Qi had been continually employing a peculiar technique against Shan Chengjun. Jiu'er sensed traces of Fool Cultivator arts in it, yet it also didn't quite resemble one.
Fool Cultivator arts weren't this absurd. What Li Qi was using was far more preposterous, his words completely chaotic, yet seemingly threaded by an invisible line of logic.
Could it be a new technique taught to him by Big Brother Sun?
Regardless of its origin, since it bore similarities to the Fool path, Jiu'er could lend a hand from within the technique.
After maneuvering for a brief moment, the two tangled in close quarters. Li Banfeng slashed Shan Chengjun first, lowering his voice to urge him: "Big Brother Shan, stand down. Leaving now won't bring you shame. As your brother, I truly have your best interests at heart."
Shan Chengjun impaled Li Banfeng's shoulder with a sharp branch. "Seventh Brother, I know you're a good brother. But explain the logic to me—why on earth should I stand down?"
Li Banfeng pulled the branch out and stabbed it back into Shan Chengjun's belly. "Big Brother Shan, you know full well what Yu Buzhuo is capable of. Dual cultivation in the Travel and Fool paths, both at the pinnacle! In another eight or ten minutes, she'll unravel the formation and definitely find the covenant deed. You can't stop her at all."
Shan Chengjun grabbed a piece of tree bark, attempting to slit Li Qi's stomach. "Seventh Brother, don't squirm. Let me see if you've taken the wrong medicine!"
Li Banfeng dodged the bark and used his clock pendulum to carve a gash across Shan Chengjun's belly. "Big Brother Shan, take a look at your own guts first! Even if you don't have intestines, you still have a stomach. Don't forget that Ji Xuanwei is a Medicine Cultivator. If you took his medicine, your mind will fall into chaos, and not even Yu Buzhuo will be able to save you!"
Spasms of pain shot through Shan Chengjun's scalp. Everyone said Li Qi was mad, but he hadn't expected him to be mad to this extent!
What kind of nonsense was he spouting? Why would Yu Buzhuo save me?
Yu Buzhuo is my enemy!
Back then, I killed her with my own hands!
The memories of the City of Fools were crystal clear in Shan Chengjun's mind. Fastening onto that memory, Shan Chengjun's train of thought smoothed out considerably.
I killed her back then, and I'm going to kill her again now. Killing her can't possibly be wrong.
Glancing behind him, Shan Chengjun saw Ji Xuanwei and Yu Buzhuo locked in a bitter struggle.
In terms of cultivation, both were dual cultivators. Yu Buzhuo's physique was clearly flagging, and many of her techniques weren't flowing smoothly. Ji Xuanwei's cultivation was actually slightly superior to Jiu'er's.
However, Ji Xuanwei's two lineages were not suited for direct, frontal combat, and he was being battered backward step by step by Yu Buzhuo.
Shan Chengjun snapped another willow tree. This time, he didn't tear it apart, hurling the entire trunk directly at Li Qi.
How could such a heavy willow tree hit Li Banfeng? Li Banfeng assumed he could dodge it with ease, but under Shan Chengjun's manipulation, the withered branches branched outward in all directions, hemming Li Banfeng in the center.
Li Banfeng used Unimpeded Passage to burst through the enclosure of branches, only to see that Shan Chengjun had already charged toward Jiu'er.
Judging by the distance between them, Shan Chengjun could claim Jiu'er's life at any second. Li Banfeng pursued with all his might, yet he heard Jiu'er cry out: "Big Brother Shan, watch out!"
Shan Chengjun paused. "Watch out for what?"
*Bang!*
Shan Chengjun was sent hurtling over twenty meters by the companion dwelling, crashing headfirst into the snow.
During their previous encounter, the companion dwelling had been in poor condition. But today it was in fine shape, and this ramming blow was remarkably solid.
Staggering, Shan Chengjun scrambled to his feet and saw Yu Buzhuo still pursuing Ji Xuanwei.
As Li Qi closed in, Yu Buzhuo shouted again, "Big Brother Shan, watch your back!"
Shan Chengjun hurled a handful of packed snow, driving Li Qi back, then hoisted a boulder and smashed it against the companion dwelling's locomotive engine.
Having repelled both Li Qi and the little train, Shan Chengjun looked toward Yu Buzhuo.
His expression was still dazed. Just now, Yu Buzhuo had warned him to be careful twice in a row.
Regardless of whether it was useful, she truly had warned him.
She really was saving me.
Is she truly a helper I brought along?
The situation was an utter mess, but Ji Xuanwei remained remarkably clearheaded. A top-tier Calculation Cultivator could maintain his composure even in a life-or-death crisis.
While parrying Yu Buzhuo, he reminded Shan Chengjun, "Don't get distracted! Give me ten minutes, and I can find the entrance."
This was by no means an exaggeration. Though Ji Xuanwei was taking a beating, he had not interrupted his calculations.
He had seen through Jiu'er's formation and located the entrance. The only thing left to calculate was the method of opening the door.
With his computational prowess, finding the way to open the door within ten minutes would hardly be difficult.
Seeing that the situation was turning dire, Jiu'er exerted every ounce of strength to kill Ji Xuanwei.
Ji Xuanwei continually swallowed medicine, relying on his fortified constitution to battle Jiu'er.
Shan Chengjun took giant strides and charged toward the two.
Li Banfeng's figure flickered as he moved to protect Jiu'er.
Shan Chengjun beat him to it, driving a fist straight through Ji Xuanwei's chest.
Ji Xuanwei looked down at Shan Chengjun's arm, then looked up at Shan Chengjun's face.
Even in death, he could not fathom what had gone wrong with Shan Chengjun.
Blood splattered across Shan Chengjun's face, bringing a sliver of clarity back to his senses.
Li Banfeng charged forward, wailing, "Senior Ji, I'll avenge you!"
The moment he wept, Ji Xuanwei dissolved into ash, which fluttered softly to the ground.
Amidst the falling ash and snow, Shan Chengjun battled Li Qi in a daze.
He didn't know why he had killed Ji Xuanwei, nor did he know whether he had killed the wrong person.
In that split second just now, he had felt that Ji Xuanwei was the greatest threat—because he could find the entrance.
In Shan Chengjun's logic, all threats had to be eliminated as quickly as possible.
So had he killed the wrong man?
Or had he not?
While Shan Chengjun was still caught in his dilemma, Li Banfeng kicked him high into the air.
Still wearing a face full of bewilderment as he flew through midair, Shan Chengjun was struck once again by the companion dwelling, which had rushed up from behind.
Shan Chengjun crashed down, flesh and blood flying everywhere upon impact.
Li Banfeng led his shadows and lunged forward, intending to finish Shan Chengjun with Five Horses Dismembering the Body. But Shan Chengjun flung the shredded flesh from his body, splattering it over Li Banfeng and the shadows.
Banfeng Yi was caught by a piece of flesh and shrank to the ground, immobilized.
Banfeng Zi narrowly dodged the flesh and quickly bolted into the distance.
This was not out of cowardice; he knew how lethal this flesh was.
In the previous battle, Shan Chengjun had nearly breached the companion dwelling with his flesh. Banfeng Zi finding a safe spot was to prepare an escape route for Li Banfeng.
His decision was exceedingly wise. Aside from Banfeng Zi and Banfeng Yin, all the other shadows, including Li Banfeng himself, were tainted by the flesh.
Li Banfeng swiftly swapped places with Banfeng Zi. Severely wounded, Banfeng Zi shrank beneath Li Banfeng's feet, but Li Banfeng had successfully escaped the peril.
Shan Chengjun stood up from the ground and wiped the blood from his face.
He looked first at Yu Buzhuo, then at Li Banfeng. "Yu Buzhuo is a Fool Cultivator—that much I know. I just didn't expect you to be a Fool Cultivator as well! The two of you plotted against me together!
"Li Qi, you started chatting with me the moment we met just to make me fall into a Fool Cultivator technique, didn't you?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "What I used just now wasn't a Fool Cultivator technique. I call this skill Madman's Delirious Babble, and it doesn't belong to the Fool lineage.
"As for chatting with you, in the past I only ever fought you and never talked much. Leaving everything else aside, chatting with you is actually quite entertaining."
Shan Chengjun gnashed his teeth, truly infuriated. "Back then, Shu Wanjuan and I fought you fair and square, open and aboveboard! And now you treat me like this?"
Li Banfeng wasn't pleased either. "You call two against one open and aboveboard?"
"Fine! Since you refuse to be reasonable, we won't talk reason. Let me show you what being unreasonable really means!" Abandoning all defense, Shan Chengjun charged straight at Li Banfeng.
"Ah Qi, watch out!" Sensing danger, the companion dwelling stepped in ahead of him and collided head-on with Shan Chengjun.
*Rumble!*
*Clang!*
The companion dwelling flipped over, its locomotive head severely caved in. It had failed to overpower Shan Chengjun!
Leaping onto the locomotive, Shan Chengjun rained down punches like a torrential storm, hammering the locomotive out of shape.
Li Banfeng charged forward to fight Shan Chengjun with his life on the line. Shan Chengjun ripped off a train wheel and hurled it at Li Banfeng.
The wheel missed, but the sight of the damaged cabin hurt worse than being struck. Seeing the state of the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng's eyes turned bloodshot. He rushed forward, snatched the wheel back, and smashed it over Shan Chengjun's skull.
Shan Chengjun's cranium cracked. Raising an arm, he landed a punch squarely on Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng withstood it using Boundless Traveler, holding the train wheel as he brawled with Shan Chengjun, simultaneously unleashing Five Horses Dismembering the Household.
Shan Chengjun's body warped, but it refused to tear apart. Having suffered Five Horses Dismembering the Household before, his body remembered the sensation, and every shred of flesh on him was actively resisting Li Qi.
After a stalemate of several moments, Boundless Traveler's duration expired. Shan Chengjun struck Li Banfeng's chest with a punch; Li Banfeng blocked it using Dwelling Mind's Benevolence, yet his sternum still snapped.
Jiu'er rushed forward to risk her life against Shan Chengjun, but after barely trading a few blows, she was knocked to the ground by Shan Chengjun, unable to rise.
The Five Horses Dismembering the Household technique gradually took effect. Shan Chengjun's skin and flesh began to split open, yet he was numb to pain, continuing to grapple savagely with Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng felt the pain acutely, but he did not yield a single step, keeping himself strictly within the casting range of Five Horses Dismembering the Household.
Shan Chengjun's flesh kept coalescing together; Li Banfeng simply could not tear his body apart.
How can I tear his body apart?
How can I stop his flesh from coalescing?
*Tou Youlu.*
Tou Youlu had defeated him.
Li Banfeng cast a glance at Shan Chengjun. Shan Chengjun's body suddenly lost its balance—his left hand jerked to the left, his right hand to the right, both arms spreading wide against his will.
He had been struck by Rushing About East and West.
The flesh that had been pulling inward toward the center exerted all its force outward to both sides in that single instant.
In that very instant, Five Horses Dismembering the Household fully engaged, and Shan Chengjun's body split apart.
***
PS: Never touch a Dwelling Cultivator's house or family—that is a Dwelling Cultivator's bottom line.
Chapter 811