Time for Your Medicine!

Wulao Valley ran north to south, with its exits situated on the east and west sides. There was an exit right near Qiao Yi. Many soldiers dashed straight toward it, only to be impaled and bloodied by jagged spikes jutting from the rock walls. Wulao Valley was still fighting, for the stone forest remained. The stone forest's presence meant the peddler was still fighting; bound by the life covenant, as long as the peddler fought, the canyon fought. The exit Qiao Yi saw was an illusion cast by Huan Wuchang. There were many other exits along the eastern and western cliffs, but which ones were viable, Qiao Yi did not know—nor did he care to find out at this moment. Huan Wuchang's illusions were indistinguishable from reality, and he was not the only master of illusions among the enemy forces. Qiao Yi could not afford to gamble against phantoms; the only correct course of action was to break out of this valley immediately. Qiao Yi ordered his army to regroup and launch an all-out assault against Eighteen Wheels and Tou Youlu. Just as the army was about to advance, another stone forest blocked their path. Why was there another stone forest? Had this one also formed from the peddler's blood? Qiao Yi glanced toward the peddler. The man was still sitting beside his pushcart, eyes wide open, holding an extinguished rolled cigarette in his hand. Was he even alive? Qiao Yi ordered a squad of soldiers forward to scout a path. The squad entered the stone forest and was promptly jammed between the stone pillars. Sun Tiecheng squatted atop one of the pillars and said with a chuckle, "Old Qiao, why don't you come over? These pillars are all fake." Tucking his hands into his sleeves, Huan Wuchang squatted down beside Sun Tiecheng and looked at Qiao Yi as well. "When the false is taken for the true, the true becomes false. Can you tell what's real and what isn't?" Qiao Yi truly could not tell right now. Even Granny Ku in the distance watched in astonishment—Huan Wuchang was actually collaborating with Sun Tiecheng, and the synergy between them was remarkably seamless. All around them were Fool Cultivators Sun Tiecheng had brought along. Some coordinated with Sound Cultivators, others with Painting Cultivators, and some even meshed with Penance Cultivators from Kucaizhuang. The innate trait of Fool Cultivators had not changed: they did not clash with any pathway. With Illusion Cultivators in particular, their coordination seemed innate. Even Zhen Luoming, a grandmaster Scrying Cultivator, had strained with immense effort without being able to distinguish the real pillars from the illusions. When Illusion Cultivators joined hands with Fool Cultivators, the deception was simply overwhelming. With no way forward and no way back, Qiao Yi had never felt such despair since the day he marched to war. Yet after a brief moment of despair, clarity returned to him. These stone pillars were produced by Sun Tiecheng and Huan Wuchang using techniques, worlds apart from the peddler's authentic manifestations. He immediately barked an order to force their way through with a frontal assault. Sure enough, these stone pillars were far more fragile than those conjured by the peddler. A soldier shaped like a mole cricket could topple one with a single strike. Yet when molten lava began to spread throughout the stone forest, the soldiers froze, terrified to advance. This lava was neither a Fool Cultivator technique nor an illusion; it was Granny Ku's signature technique, Purgatory Tempering. This lava was real. The Totem Army could not form the Thousand-Man United Strength Formation within the stone forest and could only pick their way through slowly. No one had the nerve to stand soaking in molten magma. To escape the lava, some soldiers tried every conceivable method to take to the air. Tou Youlu flew into the sky, making those airborne soldiers soar even higher with him. Feng Xuanzhen pulled tight threads of silk in midair, wrapping each airborne soldier in a silk net to ensure they could not struggle, and then Tou Youlu hurled them down to the ground one by one, smashing them to death. Those who survived the impact were swallowed by the lava. Where the lava did not reach, wine flowed across the ground, and Smoke Cultivators ignited it, instantly turning the area into a sea of fire. Flames surged and thick smoke billowed, laden with deadly toxins, while diverse wandering souls darted through the haze. Champions of the various pathways fought in mutual coordination, interlocking their core abilities link by link, driving the Totem Army into continuous retreat—all thanks to the drilling Eighteen Wheels had subjected them to over these past days. In normal times, they cooperated only under duress, intimidated by Eighteen Wheels' ruthlessness. But today, they fought for the man sitting beside the pushcart. The peddler's eyes were still open, still watching. Amid the billowing smoke, Qiao Yi desperately swallowed various herbs while still directing his troops to counterattack. A figure clad in a black suit appeared before him. The moment he saw Li Qi, Qiao Yi lowered the herbs in his hand. All the surrounding soldiers were fighting, yet not a single one noticed Li Qi. Qiao Yi called for soldiers to support him, but before a few dozen could even get close, Zhao Xiaowan and several of Banfeng's shadows cut them down. The remaining soldiers no longer rushed to his aid. The past two days in the valley had been pure torture; they now cared only about fighting for themselves, desperate to hack out a bloody path of escape. Li Qi tilted up the brim of his hat, looked at Qiao Yi, and asked, "Anything else you want to say?" Qiao Yi looked at Li Banfeng. "Killing me won't change anything. Puluo Province can no longer reverse its decline. This is the inevitable tide of history." Li Qi gave a faint smile. "I'd really like to show you what an inevitable tide actually looks like, but even if I did, it wouldn't make a difference. Even if you saw it, you'd remain stubborn to the very end." As the words left his mouth, Li Banfeng swung his blade and severed Qiao Yi's head, then wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye. Watching dust drift down through the air, Li Banfeng grit his teeth. Turning back to see the peddler sitting beside the cart, Li Banfeng hurriedly wiped his tears away. He couldn't cry right now. "Healing Cultivators!" Li Banfeng shouted. "Are there any Healing Cultivators left? Come here, all of you!" The Healing Cultivators had already come. They had examined the peddler's injuries and only shook their heads. "Useless, every last one of you!" Lu Qianjiao cursed through her tears. "A hundred Healing Cultivators aren't worth a single Disease Cultivator!" "What about Medicine Cultivators!" Li Banfeng called out again. Several Medicine Cultivators tried applying various wound medicines, but no one could tell if they had any effect. Judging by all indications, the peddler was seemingly already gone. Others did not dare tell Li Banfeng the truth, but Zhao Xiaowan spoke up from beside him: "Husband, call the Nightmare Cultivators over to try." Song Qianhun and Gui Jianchou were already waiting nearby. After trying for quite a while, both shook their heads continuously. They could not locate the peddler's soul. Sun Tiecheng squatted on the ground and let out a long sigh. "He staked his very life to uphold the life covenant. You all kept saying the peddler owed you. What do you have to say now? Let me ask you all right now—what exactly did he ever owe you?" No one answered. In silence, they slaughtered the enemy. Not many of the Totem Army remained. Trapped in extremely unfavorable terrain and with their commander dead, while the allied champions shared bitter hatred and soaring morale, the Totem Army was nearly wiped out entirely after an hour. A handful of survivors remained, roughly twenty or so, who followed Nian Shangyou into hiding deep within the mountains. Nian Shangyou understood very clearly: showing his face meant certain death, and going straight to Moxiang Shop meant death as well. By lying low quietly in the deep mountains until everyone forgot about him, he might still have a slim chance of survival. Li Banfeng sat beside the peddler, his expression dazed. From inside the Traveling Abode came the Bronze Lotus's voice: "Let me look at him. Just one look, I beg you." Li Banfeng said nothing. The Old Master said to the Bronze Lotus, "Stop making things hard for Old Seven. Once you go outside, it will be radiant sky light everywhere. Who could withstand that?" "There's a way! Don't let me go out in this body. This body is a fake red lotus I made—I made this fake red lotus to deceive the Outer Provinces, to deceive Old Train, and to escape the Dark Star Bureau! It has spirit imprints on it. Just let me switch bodies! Hulu Village can isolate spirit imprints." The Old Master sighed. "If we let you switch bodies, who knows what you'll do?" "I won't do anything! I just want to see him once! I'll draw up a covenant deed for you, using the peddler's covenant paper! I beg you!" The Bronze Lotus cried until her voice went hoarse. Li Banfeng returned to the Traveling Abode and picked up the Bronze Lotus. After waiting a moment, he pushed open the door. Outside the door was the cloud-top house in Hulu Village. A'yu was inside, dabbing at a wound on her chest. "You're hurt?" Li Banfeng asked. "Just a minor scratch. A'yi was fighting at Santoucha, so I went to lend a hand. That battle is going terribly—the enemy is just too ferocious. The Quenching Battalion turned out to be even fiercer than the Edge-Grinding Battalion this time..." A'yu looked up and froze, seeing the Bronze Lotus cradled in Li Banfeng's arms. A'yu was stunned into silence for dozens of seconds. "You... you're planning to..." Li Banfeng said, "Let her see the peddler once." "The two of them... cannot meet." For some reason, though A'yu ought to have been thrilled to see the Bronze Lotus—having longed for the Celestial Maiden's soul to return to her body—she was at a complete loss right now. The Bronze Lotus broke free from Li Banfeng's hands and leaped to the Celestial Maiden's side. She unfurled her lotus leaves and closed them again. She tried several times, but perhaps because she was in too much of a panic, she could not return to her body. A'yu asked Li Banfeng, "What happened to the peddler?" Li Banfeng lowered his head, the brim of his hat concealing his face. "Just... let them see each other." A'yu pieced together what had happened. Looking at the Bronze Lotus, she sighed. "Keep throwing fits, then. You two quarreled your entire lives, and now life and death have been decided. He's dead. Are you satisfied?" Covered in dew, the Bronze Lotus unfurled her leaves, clawing and scratching at the Celestial Maiden's body. From the side, A'yu used some unknown technique to give the Celestial Maiden a hand, guiding the soul back into her physical body. The Celestial Maiden lying on the bed struggled to her feet. Perhaps having remained motionless for so long, she barely knew how to walk, staggering forward step by wobbly step. Frantic to rush out the door, she couldn't open it. She turned and grabbed Li Banfeng. "Help me... h-help me..." The Celestial Maiden could barely speak, her articulation stiff and slurred. Li Banfeng understood what she meant and used Interlocking Chambers to bring her back to the Traveling Abode. ... In Wulao Valley, the battlefield was being cleared. Zhen Luoming and Granny Ku were discussing matters: "The peddler is gone, but Puluo Province cannot be left without a master." "Indeed," Granny Ku said, looking toward the crowd. Song Shu worried that bringing this up on such an occasion was inappropriate. Sure enough, Lu Qianjiao flared up first: "Fine, just fine! The master is still lying right here, and you're already scheming to carve up the family estate!" Granny Ku sized Lu Qianjiao up and down. "I had my disputes with the peddler in the past, but right now I harbor no selfish motives. Everything I do is for Puluo Province." Sun Tiecheng tucked his hands into his sleeves and said, "And just how is this for Puluo Province? Speak up then—who could possibly take the peddler's place?" Ye Jianhuang held his pipe bowl and chimed in, "You're not talking about He Jiaqing, are you? What kind of garbage is he? The war has dragged on to this point, and we haven't seen hide nor hair of him!" Huan Wuchang spoke up: "Jiaqing fought plenty of battles over in the newlands. Those were troops dispatched by Qiao Yi, so you can't say Jiaqing took no part in the war. Of course, I'm not defending him; I'm merely clarifying a fact!" Gui Jianchou sneered, "You call that fighting in the war? That was him guarding his own front door! Bluntly speaking, wasn't it all for those thirteen newlands of his? When all is said and done, isn't it entirely for himself? What effort has he ever contributed to Puluo Province?" Song Qianhun declared, "If He Jiaqing wants to be the master, I will never agree." Qiao Wuzui raised his wine jug. "I don't agree either!" Tang Shijiang snorted coldly. "Don't some people feel ashamed even uttering such nonsense? Can a man like him even be mentioned in the same breath as the peddler?" Watching everyone's reaction, Song Shu felt deeply embarrassed. He Jiaqing was the Lord of Puluo chosen by the Brotherhood Alliance, yet he was despised so thoroughly by the people of Puluo Province. She couldn't blame them; even Song Shu herself couldn't stand He Jiaqing. Granny Ku shook her head. "Brothers and sisters, I never said He Jiaqing should take charge. I did say Puluo Province needs a change in leadership, but I never said it should be someone like him." A clamor broke out among the crowd. Song Shu was stunned as well. Hadn't the Brotherhood Alliance always advocated replacing Puluo Province's order? Wasn't He Jiaqing the representative of that new order? Why had Granny Ku's stance completely shifted today? Not only had Granny Ku's attitude changed, but Huan Wuchang's was bizarre as well: "Who should take charge must be carefully considered. Jiaqing is too young. Whether by status or by generational seniority, the master's seat is not his to occupy." Song Shu was left dumbfounded. Why was Huan Wuchang suddenly talking about status and generational seniority here? This was a complete departure from his previous stance! She looked toward Yuan Miaoping. Chewing bubblegum, Yuan Miaoping rolled her eyes at Song Shu. "What are you looking at me for?" "Patriarch, aren't you going to say something?" Song Shu still considered Yuan Miaoping an important member of the Brotherhood Alliance. Yuan Miaoping looked Song Shu up and down. "What should I say? Didn't I tell you already? I belong to the Suiju Gang. I've had nothing to do with your Brotherhood Alliance for a long time." Song Shu shook her head. "Patriarch, you really can't say such things right now..." "What kind of words do you want me to say?" Yuan Miaoping snorted coldly. "Since you know I'm your patriarch, stop spouting this useless nonsense to me! Dragging me into this garbage at a time like this... If there weren't so many people watching, I'd enforce our pathway's house rules right here—pull down your pants and paddle your backside!" "Paddle me?" Song Shu was utterly bewildered. She had no idea who was in the wrong here. Flicking her bangs, Yuan Miaoping blew a bubble. "If I don't paddle you, who else should I paddle? You're so stupid, don't you deserve it? Did you really think the Brotherhood Alliance wanted He Jiaqing to be the Lord of Puluo? What they needed was a scapegoat to take the bullets! And you thought I joined the Brotherhood Alliance for your so-called ideals? When I was playing around with ideals, you were still wearing split-crotch pants! I was forced into it by necessity, do you understand?" Song Shu turned to look at Granny Ku, but Granny Ku's expression was grim, refusing to meet her gaze. Huan Wuchang, Feng Xuanzhen, Shang Yuzheng—none of the Brotherhood Alliance's core members would look at her. Song Shu felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Yuan Miaoping suddenly chimed in, "If we're talking about choosing a master, I think our gang chief is the best fit." Gui Jianchou frowned. "Who's your gang chief?" Yuan Miaoping replied, "The illustrious Seventh Master. Don't you know him?" Gui Jianchou's brow smoothed out. "Well said! If we're picking a master, it has to be our Old Seven!" Ye Jianhuang nodded. "I agree, Old Seven is the most suitable!" Fatty Qin shouted, "Our Three Heroes Sect declares right here: from now on, the head master of Puluo Province is our Seventh Brother!" Zhen Luoming flared up. Glaring at Fatty Qin, he snapped, "What kind of thing do you think you are? What cultivation do you have? What seniority do you possess? Is there any place for you to speak here?" "Why wouldn't there be a place for us to speak?" Ma the Fifth looked at the crowd. "When it came to fighting, did any of us flinch?" Sui Chanxin, patriarch of the Charm Cultivators, said, "We didn't flinch either! What we're discussing now is seniority. Yours isn't enough, and Old Seven's seniority isn't enough either!" Chu the Second chuckled. "The lotus pond in my courtyard has plenty of softshell turtles. None of them are young. Do you think their seniority is high enough?" Sui Chanxin was furious. Just as she was about to strike Chu the Second, she glanced toward Granny Ku. "Old woman, this disciple of yours has quite a temper! She talks to me like this—are you going to discipline her or not?" Granny Ku remained silent. Feng Daiku looked at Sui Chanxin and said, "If you want to be treated like a senior, act like one. The people before you crawled out of the bloody battlefield too. They didn't come here to watch you put on airs!" Bing Suling, patriarch of the Cold Cultivators, snorted. "What are you implying? Didn't we win this battle at Wulao Valley?" Qiao Wuzui sneered. "Show some shame when you speak! More than half of this battle was fought by the peddler! And over on the Suihuang Plain, Old Seven led these young people to victory!" Bing Suling retorted, "Didn't the Suihuang Plain also rely on the Ironbone Seeds?" As the crowd argued endlessly, Eighteen Wheels stood up and said, "If the peddler truly can't make it, Puluo Province should be handed to Old Seven." These past days, they had all followed Eighteen Wheels' orders. Hearing him speak, everyone felt a trace of genuine fear. The crowd fell quiet. Granny Ku looked at Eighteen Wheels and said, "Old Train, this isn't something you alone can decide, is it?" Eighteen Wheels turned to look at her. "Then who do you think can decide?" Granny Ku said, "It seems this can't be settled by mere words." Zhen Luoming nodded. "I don't think words can settle it either. How about we fight a round? Whoever wins gets the final say, so nobody complains." Eighteen Wheels looked at Zhen Luoming. "You fight me? Are you worthy? Go piss and look at your own reflection." Zhen Luoming possessed self-awareness: "Alone, I certainly can't. But there are several capable fighters among us. If you're truly a hero, test your mettle against all of us together!" Tou Youlu sighed. "This is exactly why I hate dealing with your lot." Sun Tiecheng bellowed, "What in the bloody hell are you people thinking? Is the war even over, and you're already turning on each other?" Zhen Luoming said, "Sun Tiecheng, don't stir up trouble. This isn't infighting. To wage war, we need a leader! Right now, we need to see who in Puluo Province can call the—the... the shots..." The Scrying grandmaster's speech suddenly faltered. Li Qi had arrived. What truly frightened him wasn't Li Qi; behind Li Qi followed two people. One was A'yu, who was easy enough to handle. The other, however, was another matter entirely. Though she wore only plain white robes and disheveled hair covered her face, Zhen Luoming was a Scrying Cultivator; even through the strands of hair, he could clearly make out the woman's features. At blinding speed, he retreated behind Granny Ku. Granny Ku's expression turned grave. She asked Li Banfeng, "Old Seven, who is this?" Before Li Banfeng could reply, a gentle breeze swept through the valley, parting the woman's hair. The crowd that had been bickering moments ago instantly fell dead silent. Every single person stepped back in unison, clearing a vast empty space around the Celestial Maiden. Only Old Train did not back away. Glaring at the Celestial Maiden, he demanded, "What do you want? Who permitted you to return to Puluo Province?" The Celestial Maiden glanced at Old Train. Her expression was serene, conveying no hostility. She said nothing, walking slowly toward the peddler. Tou Youlu turned to leave, but Sun Tiecheng stopped him: "What's your hurry? Go ask the lady—maybe she's interested in you." "Even if she fancies me, I wouldn't have her!" Tou Youlu declared resolutely. "That woman is utterly loathsome!" The Celestial Maiden stumbled toward the peddler, her feet still clumsy. Her mouth opened as if calling out a name, but no sound could escape. Her foot caught on a vine, and she crashed to the ground, face first. Finding the sight too heartbreaking, Li Banfeng lowered his head. Behind him, Sun Tiecheng complained, "Old Seven, why on earth did you bring her here!" A'yu walked up beside Sun Tiecheng and sighed. "She just came to see the peddler once. Let her have this." Sun Tiecheng sobbed, "The two of them shouldn't meet." A'yu sighed, "The peddler is gone anyway, so this doesn't count as breaking the original covenant." "Who knows what she's trying to do." "She can't do anything. Just trust me." Sun Tiecheng nodded. "I trust you." The Celestial Maiden scrambled up from the ground and stumbled onward, rushing toward the peddler. Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't utter a sound, yet tears bathed her cheeks. She ran faster and faster, when suddenly a stone pillar materialized right ahead and slammed straight into her face. The Celestial Maiden crashed to the ground again. With a trembling voice, Sun Tiecheng cried, "Why put yourself through this!" A'yu looked at Sun Tiecheng. "Something's not right here, is it?" "Sigh, I told you she shouldn't have come!" Sun Tiecheng wept inconsolably. A'yu lowered her voice and asked Sun Tiecheng, "How did that stone pillar just pop up?" Sun Tiecheng said, "What do you mean pop up? It was always there!" "Others might not see through it, but can I not?" A'yu dropped her voice even lower. "Is he really dead?" Sun Tiecheng tucked his hands together, squatting on the ground and wailing, "You... how am I supposed to talk to you? This is why I could never get along with you! Your heart is too wicked! He's already in that state—what more do you want?!" A'yu kicked Sun Tiecheng, looking down at his face. "You've been blubbering for so long, so how come you don't even have a single tear? Who are you trying to fool?" Sun Tiecheng snuffled, "My tears dried up long ago!" Jiu'er was about to cry as well, but Sun Tiecheng glared at her, scaring her tears right back in. The Celestial Maiden made her way to the peddler's side, only to be met by Lu Qianjiao's cold arrow. Drawing her bowstring, Lu Qianjiao snapped, "What are you here for? Seeking death?" The Celestial Maiden pointed at the peddler, then pointed at herself. "He... I..." Lu Qianjiao kicked the Celestial Maiden to the ground. "Get lost, or I'll take your life!" Sprawled on the ground, the Celestial Maiden continued crawling toward the peddler. Lu Qianjiao shot an arrow at her, the arrowhead lodging into her back. The Celestial Maiden shuddered, then continued crawling toward the peddler. Lu Qianjiao drew her bow again, nocking a fletched arrow, the arrowhead aimed right at the Celestial Maiden. As if blind to it, the Celestial Maiden kept crawling toward the peddler. Lu Qianjiao closed her eyes, lowered her carved bow, and sat down to the side. The Celestial Maiden crawled to the peddler's side and cradled his face in her hands. A'yu asked Sun Tiecheng, "Why did he close his eyes?" Sun Tiecheng straightened his posture and put on a solemn look: "Shouldn't they be closed?" A'yu said, "They were wide open just a moment ago!" Sun Tiecheng kept his face straight: "Well, he closed them! If he didn't see her, it doesn't count as meeting! I trusted you, so why can't you trust me?" Caressing the peddler's cheeks, the Celestial Maiden said with great effort, "I... come... It's me..." She drew the peddler into her embrace, hugging him tightly, murmuring repeatedly, "I'm here... It's me..." She held him so tightly, as if terrified someone would snatch him away. Her face was drenched in tears, yet she could not make a sound. ... Late at night, Li Banfeng brought the Celestial Maiden back into the Traveling Abode. The others found places to rest and reorganize, preparing to head out tomorrow to reinforce Santoucha. They agreed to follow Li Banfeng's commands. Though many harbored resentment in their hearts, with the peddler gone, the Celestial Maiden had no rival left; whoever was dissatisfied simply had to swallow it. In the dead of night, only Lu Qianjiao remained keeping vigil beside the peddler. Li Banfeng said to Lu Qianjiao, "Sister-in-law, find somewhere to get some rest." Lu Qianjiao shook her head. "I'm not tired." Li Banfeng said, "Could you let us brothers have a moment alone?" Lu Qianjiao looked at Li Banfeng and nodded slightly. Once Lu Qianjiao had walked away, Li Banfeng sat down beside the peddler. First, he took out a cigarette and offered it to the peddler. The peddler showed no reaction. Then he poured a cup of wine for the peddler. The peddler still did not react. "Senior Brother, I know your injuries are severe this time. I sought out renowned doctors everywhere and had them write a prescription. They said this formula can cure your wounds." Li Banfeng produced a clutter of bottles and jars and began mixing medicine for the peddler. "Loaches from Yaowangou. Stiff whiskers, reeking fishy stench, and exceptionally slimy. Bear with it in a moment." The peddler did not react. Li Banfeng brought out the second ingredient: "These are earthworms from the Tiexian River. There are no wireworms left there. I dug for a long time just to dig up twenty-odd earthworms. It's winter, so they're hard to come by—each about three inches long, exceptionally slippery." The peddler still had no reaction. Li Banfeng produced the third ingredient: "Blowflies from Tiewangang. Green-headed ones. I caught sixteen, each packed with eggs!" The peddler's cheek twitched. Placing the three ingredients into a medicine pot, Li Banfeng said, "I know this concoction is hard to swallow, so I prepared a medicinal catalyst. Old Xu is fighting at Santoucha, so I had Tan Jinxiao mix it—yellow and white, a bit of both." Li Banfeng put the medicine into the pot and shook it well. He took down a funnel from the pushcart. "Senior Brother, it's time for your medicine!" "You dare!" The peddler snapped his eyes open, glaring fiercely at Li Banfeng.