Stealing and Robbing Combined

Li Banfeng opened the door. Li Banfeng walked out the door. The door closed. Once the door was closed, outside lay another world; that person was as good as dead. It was an entirely reasonable sequence of events, so much so that Duan Tielu overlooked a simple fact: before the door closed, Li Banfeng could still come back. This involved the technique of Reversing Cause and Effect, as well as the methods of a top-tier Dwelling Cultivator and Travel Cultivator. He could return at blinding speed without drawing the slightest notice from anyone around, to the point where neither He Jiaqing nor Duan Tielu noticed that Li Banfeng had returned. "Impressive skill, Li Qi. Truly worthy of being the Grand Master of Puluo Province. You have my apologies." Duan Tielu rose to his feet and gave Li Banfeng a formal, proper bow. "Don't be so polite, Old Duan. Take another close look at the almanac and see whether today really is a good day to do business." Li Banfeng's face was still filled with utmost sincerity. Duan Tielu pushed his chair over in front of Li Banfeng. "Seventh Master, there's nothing more to say. You drank my tea, which makes you my guest. Please, have a seat first." Li Banfeng sat down in the chair and looked toward the reception room's glass window. In the lobby, fierce flames were raging. Li Banfeng said, "He Jiaqing is about to be burned to a crisp. You aren't going to do anything about it?" Duan Tielu responded politely, "Seventh Master, do you think I ought to?" Li Banfeng waved a hand. "If you won't, then don't. Just let him burn!" Duan Tielu chuckled. "Straightforward as always, Li Qi. I do like this temperament of yours, Seventh Master. Just sit right there, and once you're settled, don't move." Li Banfeng did not quite understand. "And what happens if I move?" Duan Tielu fingered the teacup beside his hand. "You've drunk the tea, so that's no longer up to you." Li Banfeng glanced at the teacup on the desk. "This is an Offering Cultivator artifact?" "Indeed! Seventh Master, you've got a sharp eye!" Duan Tielu nodded. "I originally thought that if you refused to leave, I'd use an Offering Cultivator artifact to force you out. Who knew you'd walk out on your own? I thought I wouldn't need it after all." Li Banfeng said, "You're being too formal. Since you went to the trouble of preparing it, how could I let your good intentions go to waste?" "Li Qi, that mouth of yours really is stubborn. Let's see how long it stays that way." Duan Tielu tapped the chair, and the entire seat instantly turned glowing red like burning charcoal. "Seventh Master, this chair is a Penance Cultivator artifact. How does it feel sitting there?" "Why don't you try it and find out?" Li Banfeng stood up. The chair flew into the air and slammed right into Duan Tielu. This caught Duan Tielu completely off guard. He hadn't expected that Li Banfeng wouldn't be affected by the Offering technique. The teacup had been in Li Banfeng's hands, and Li Banfeng had drunk the tea. By all rights, the Offering technique should have taken effect. What Duan Tielu did not know was that Li Banfeng was a top-tier Dwelling Cultivator, nor did he know that Li Banfeng's most adept technique was Enumerating Family Treasures. The teacup had been in contact with Li Banfeng for so long that it had long since become Li Banfeng's family; how could it bear to use its technique on him? Even less did Duan Tielu expect the chair under Li Banfeng to fly up and attack him. Knowledgeable and experienced, he knew Tou Youlu possessed an ultimate move—using the technique of Riding the Wind and Driving the Clouds to make other people and objects take flight. He wanted to dodge, but couldn't. Li Banfeng controlled the technique with absolute precision; within five meters, he never missed. The chair chased after Duan Tielu until it clamped down right onto him. Duan Tielu clapped his hands together; by rights, the chair should have cooled down immediately. Yet it did not cool down. The chair refused to obey, growing redder and hotter instead. Earlier, when Duan Tielu had invited him to sit, Li Banfeng knew ill intentions were afoot, yet he had sat down anyway. Li Banfeng had sat there for a good while, and through Enumerating Family Treasures boosted by Headlong Course, this chair had also become his family. Smoke rose from Duan Tielu's body where the chair scorched him, but in truth, his injuries were not severe. The clothing on him rapidly grew across his entire body, shielding his flesh first. The chair wouldn't obey, but he had other artifacts. Duan Tielu hooked a finger, and a washbasin crawled out from under the desk. The washbasin looked empty, but in truth it held an inexhaustible supply of water. Once this water splashed onto other objects, it would freeze rapidly; Duan Tielu intended to use it to forcefully cool the chair down. The basin was fast, but unfortunately, it couldn't outpace the Tang dao. The Tang dao beat it to the punch, slashing into the rim of the basin, followed closely by the scythe, which hooked into the bottom. Though all were artifacts, there was a gap in combat strength. Duan Tielu's washbasin had been refined from an Above-the-Clouds Cold Cultivator, retaining eighty-five percent of its combat strength; ordinary artifacts would be frozen solid on the spot. Yet the Tang dao and scythe were no ordinary artifacts. The Tang dao's original body had also been Above the Clouds. Although it hadn't retained much of its combat strength initially, it had been fed delicious food and fine drink over the years; for its first three strikes alone, its combat prowess surpassed when it had been alive. With the first strike, the basin cracked right open. The scythe seized the opening to gouge through the bottom, and with both blades exerting force together, they split the washbasin apart. The water from the basin froze into ice upon hitting the floor. Even split in half, the basin still tried to move, but the scythe and the clock pendulum chopped it to smithereens. Duan Tielu was still roasting beneath the chair. Just as he was about to summon another artifact, the teacup on the table, brimming with scalding tea, splashed right onto his face. Li Banfeng said, "Well? Is it hot?" Duan Tielu did not answer, but this time, it truly burned! His clothes could fend off the roasting chair, but scalding tea seeped right through the fabric. The Old Teapot said, "Look at him, not even saying a word. He's taking offense, thinking we didn't give him enough tea. Let me pour him a bit more." Li Banfeng nodded. "A bit more it is. Let him lie still and enjoy his tea." Scalding tea welled up beneath Duan Tielu, submerging his entire body. He tried to summon other artifacts again, only to find he couldn't move. "Scalding or not, you've drunk my tea," Li Banfeng said with a chuckle. "Now it's time for you to obey me." Duan Tielu was startled. Could the teapot in Li Banfeng's hands also possess the properties of an Offering Cultivator? That shouldn't be possible. Duan Tielu stared at the Old Teapot for a moment; judging from experience, this teapot ought to be a Penance Cultivator artifact. Earlier, Li Banfeng had taken Duan Tielu's teacup and poured a cup of tea over him. Could it be because of that cup? Only then did Duan Tielu realize something was wrong with his own teacup: instead of using the Offering technique on Li Banfeng, it had used it on him. How could such a thing happen to his teacup? What a Li Qi! What kind of trick had he pulled? A Dwelling Cultivator's Enumerating Family Treasures? Li Qi is a Dwelling Cultivator? Dwelling Cultivators were easily overlooked, and from the moment Li Qi entered this building until now, he truly had been overlooked several times. He had assumed earlier that the white cloak Li Qi wore was cloaking his presence. Looking closer now, though the cloak was decent quality, it shouldn't have been able to bypass so many Peeping Cultivator artifacts in the building. He could also scout the building with shadows—and an extraordinarily large number of them at that. It looked very much like a Shadow technique, but on closer thought, it could also be a Dwelling Cultivator's Pitying One's Own Shadow technique. He is a Travel Cultivator. How could he also cultivate as a Dwelling Cultivator? Could his Travel Cultivation be a disguise Li Qi fabricated with artifacts? Despite his dire predicament, Duan Tielu remained remarkably calm. The big toe of his left foot was gently twitching. Afflicted by an Offering technique, he shouldn't have been able to move by rights, but Duan Tielu knew artifacts still had weaknesses. The Offering teacup had been made by his own hands. The Offering technique unleashed by the cup had a flaw, and that flaw lay in the big toe of the left foot. This wasn't Duan Tielu's oversight, but an inherent defect of the artifact. He wiggled his left big toe three times. Suddenly, a broom crawled out from under the bed; its handle levered under the chair and flipped it away. The Tang dao stepped forward and severed the broom with a slash. While the handle was still contending with the blade, the broom head slapped across Duan Tielu's face, unraveling the Offering technique bound to him. Duan Tielu rose to his feet immediately and slapped the desk. The desk had three drawers and a cabinet; the first drawer popped open. A pack of printing paper burst out from the drawer. Its wrapper split open on its own, and in an instant, sheets of paper flew all across the room. The Tang dao hesitated, unsure what so much paper was meant to do. The Qiansi earring caught the sound of tearing air and shouted, "Master, look out!" A sheet of white paper whizzed past him, leaving a bloody gash across the back of Li Banfeng's hand. This was a Blade Cultivator's method! White sheets of paper swirled through the entire room. Li Banfeng had no room left to maneuver and had to rely on the Free and Unfettered technique to evade. Continuing the fight like this would put him at a huge disadvantage. Li Banfeng considered using the Traveler Without Boundaries technique, but that technique could only be used once in a short span of time; wasting it on a single artifact clearly wasn't worth it. Before he was certain of finishing off Duan Tielu, it was best kept in reserve. The Wine Gourd leapt out and sprayed a mist of liquor across the room, while the Gloves took a match and struck it to ignite the spray. A vast swathe of white paper was reduced to ashes, but once the flames died down, the papers in the room grew only denser. The Wine Gourd simply couldn't burn them all. Were all these sheets of paper Blade Cultivator artifacts? Impossible. How many Blade Cultivators would have to be refined to make this? Li Banfeng saw sheets of paper continuously flying out of the desk. Was the desk a Blade Cultivator artifact? He prepared to destroy the desk, and Duan Tielu smiled at the sight. Li Banfeng had taken the bait. The desk was no Blade Cultivator artifact—in fact, it wasn't an artifact at all. It was packed with numerous mechanisms and spiritual entities. If Li Banfeng truly entangled himself with that desk, he would be tied down, and the rest of the battle would fall entirely under Duan Tielu's control. Yet just as Li Banfeng drew near the desk, all the printing paper in the room fell to the floor, the Blade technique losing its effect. Startled, Duan Tielu glanced toward the drawer. The wrapper of the pack of printing paper inside the drawer had vanished. The real Blade Cultivator artifact was that wrapper! It was the one hurling paper outward with Blade techniques. Ordinary people would never imagine that a tattered paper wrapper could be such a high-grade artifact. Where did that paper wrapper go? Duan Tielu had no time to ponder; he was gathering up the white paper from the ground. Li Banfeng stepped forward to take Duan Tielu down, but Duan Tielu hurled the papers in his hand into the air, creating layers of shields that temporarily blocked Li Banfeng. At the same time, a thermos on the desk flew toward Li Banfeng. The Tang dao lunged forward first and slashed the thermos apart, releasing a torrent of hot water. The Tang dao feared no hot water, but Li Banfeng sensed something was amiss. There was a strange odor in the water—an odor Li Banfeng had smelled during his clash with the Totem Army at Wuyouping. He controlled the Tang dao to dodge immediately, but while the Tang dao evaded the hot water, it could not evade the steam. Wherever the steam brushed past, patches of rust broke out along the blade's edge. The steam spread rapidly through the room. Not just the Tang dao—the scythe, the clock pendulum, and the earring all broke out in rust. "Master, it hurts!" cried the earring. Li Banfeng swiftly used Broadening the Bridal Chamber to swap them all back home, while warning the Gloves to be extra careful. This was from one of Puluo Province's rarest paths: Rot Cultivation. The airborne thermos was no real artifact; the truly high-grade artifact was the water inside. Not only did this water possess Rot Cultivator characteristics, it also held powerful spirituality. It could distinguish friend from foe and would actively attack targets prone to corrosion. With water flowing beneath his feet and steam expanding through the air, the Projector stepped up. Between flashes of its lens, it collected both steam and hot water with its technique of Withering. Having absorbed it, the Projector wasn't in great shape. "Director Seven, this thing is profoundly unartistic. I need to take a break." Li Banfeng swapped the Projector into the companion dwelling as well. Duan Tielu stood in a corner of the room, his full attention fixed on Li Banfeng, failing to notice that Banfeng Chou and Banfeng Yin had already arrived at his feet. Li Banfeng's figure flickered, seemingly about to use Glancing at Flowers While Trotting. Duan Tielu put on a pair of reading glasses, and his figure blurred. This artifact was formidable: Duan Tielu put on reading glasses, but Li Banfeng became afflicted with presbyopia. Not only him, but the vision of Banfeng Yin and Banfeng Chou blurred as well. Banfeng Yi, however, did not hesitate and planted a kick of Trampling Countless Rivers squarely into Duan Tielu. Banfeng Yi's vision was blurred too, but he often handled scouting and trailblazing, and was accustomed to fighting under harsh conditions. Though he couldn't see clearly, that kick landed right on target. Duan Tielu staggered from the blow, but protected by armor beneath his clothes, he suffered no heavy injury. "What formidable shadows! I really can't tell whether that's a Shadow technique or a Dwelling technique." Duan Tielu flipped a switch on the wall, and lights flared up from all sides of the room. These lights chased after shadows; none of the shadows could withstand this trick, all retreating to huddle beneath Li Banfeng's feet. Glaring light combined with blurred vision left Li Banfeng completely unable to see Duan Tielu's location. Duan Tielu picked up a hammer from by the wall and struck the wall with it. The room seemed as if wired to a hundred speakers; deep drones and piercing screeches rang incessantly in Li Banfeng's ears. With wave after wave of ringing in his ears, Li Banfeng couldn't hear Duan Tielu's footsteps. Whoosh! A cigarette leapt out of the cigarette pack on the desk and lit itself, emitting pungent smoke that masked the scent of Duan Tielu's body. The Gloves warned, "Master, be careful! This bastard has too many tricks—" Before it could finish, its voice began to stutter and lag. Intertwined within the smoke, waves of eerie, chilling wind blew through. "Not good!" The Old Teapot recognized this tactic. "Spirit Cultivator!" When Li Banfeng had drinks at Lu's Bookhouse, he had heard Boss Lu speak of Spirit Cultivators. This path originated from Demon Cultivation, but its combat methods differed significantly from Demon Cultivators'. Demon Cultivators fought using ghost servants; their method of increasing combat power was collecting more ghost servants and strengthening them. Spirit Cultivators turned the methods of taming ghost servants into combat techniques: they directly attacked spirituality. The more poorly one's spirituality was concealed, the more vulnerable one was to a Spirit Cultivator's attack. The spirituality of deceased souls was almost entirely exposed, leaving them almost helpless before a Spirit Cultivator. An artifact's spirituality was protected by the vessel it inhabited, yet still struggled to fend off a Spirit Cultivator's assault. Living people had flesh bodies, offering the best spiritual protection, yet high-level Spirit Cultivators possessed the ability to strike at a person's soul. This path was so sinister that everyone sought to destroy them on sight. Even Demon Cultivators, who shared the same root, could not tolerate them, because Spirit Cultivators posed immense lethality to ghost servants. Under the joint crusade of the various paths, Spirit Cultivators had gone extinct. Who could have imagined that Duan Tielu still possessed such an artifact? Li Banfeng promptly invoked Broadening the Bridal Chamber, sending all the artifacts and spiritual entities on him back into the companion dwelling. Hong Ying shouted to the Old Man, "Fighting like this won't work! Qilang can't overcome him. I'm going out to help Qilang!" The companion dwelling said, "You cannot go out." Hong Ying asked, "Why can't I?" "The other side has a Spirit Cultivator artifact. It will do too much harm to you." Hong Ying said, "I have a physical body! What should I fear?" "Yet you have not truly been resurrected after all." The companion dwelling looked across the entire household, wondering who would be suitable to send into battle. Hong Ying wouldn't do, Jiu'er even less so, nor would A'yu. Lai Wuju and Yuan Miaoping were out of the question as well; none of them were living people in the true sense. The Shadow Cultivator in the second compartment wouldn't do either, nor could any of the half-awake passengers in the other compartments be sent out. Zhao Xiaowan was completely resurrected, but she was in Hulu Village studying the imperial seal—she wasn't here! Who else could be sent out? In the midst of his pondering, the Heavenly Maiden suddenly stood up and said, "I'll go." She wanted to go, yet the companion dwelling could never put his mind at ease; he remained wary of the Heavenly Maiden. The Heavenly Maiden frowned. "I really don't understand what you're on guard against. In this room, I've known him the longest—longer even than you. When have I ever harmed him?" The Old Man couldn't think of a better solution either. Just as he was about to let the Heavenly Maiden out, he found the door wouldn't open. The Heavenly Maiden grew impatient. "What's going on now? What tricks are you playing this time?" The companion dwelling wasn't playing tricks. "I've been struck by a technique. Ah Qi, use Broadening the Bridal Chamber to swap the Heavenly Maiden out." Li Banfeng hadn't intended to swap the Heavenly Maiden out yet, but he had indeed tried to use Link Bridal Chambers just now. He had wanted to swap himself into the companion dwelling; Duan Tielu's wave of artifacts had come on too fiercely, and he wanted to take cover for a moment, yet Link Bridal Chambers hadn't worked. This was bizarre. When swapping artifacts inside, there hadn't been the slightest issue, yet when it came to himself, Broadening the Bridal Chamber had suddenly stopped working. Clang! Duan Tielu struck the wall with the hammer once more, and the drones and screeches inside the room fell silent. Li Banfeng immediately activated Discerning Spiritual Sound and casually asked Duan Tielu, "What do you mean by this? Going easy on me on purpose?" "Yes, I'm going easy on you," Duan Tielu said. "I think you're quite a decent lad. I'd hate to see you die just like that." Li Banfeng smiled. Duan Tielu couldn't possibly be going easy on him. Whatever his purpose was in doing this, it remained unknown. Yet regardless of his purpose, Li Banfeng could now pinpoint Duan Tielu's position through Discerning Spiritual Sound. Not just Duan Tielu, but many of Duan Tielu's belongings as well. Li Banfeng heard quite a few grumbles and complaints; evidently, Duan Tielu didn't treasure his artifacts much in daily life. "The artifacts on you are quite formidable!" Duan Tielu gave Li Banfeng a heartfelt compliment. "Who made these artifacts for you? Was it Eighteen Wheels?" Li Banfeng nodded. "Eighteen Wheels made them. Does seeing them make you furious? Are you terribly envious of Eighteen Wheels' craft?" Duan Tielu laughed. "You know Fool Cultivator techniques. Just now, those words of yours carried Speaking with Utmost Certainty, and I really was provoked by you. "But on careful reflection, there's no need for me to be angry. Don't I know what Eighteen Wheels is capable of? "The things he makes are novel enough, but lack finesse. The artifacts on you definitely weren't made by Eighteen Wheels. These artifacts have far too much spirituality; I can't imagine who could possess such craftsmanship. "However, that thing behind you was indeed made by Eighteen Wheels. I can't see it, nor can I hear it, but I know it's here. Because whenever I encounter it, I sense it, and whenever I think of it, my teeth itch with hatred." Li Banfeng feigned confusion. "What are you talking about? What's behind me?" "Heh!" Duan Tielu shook his head with a chuckle. "Why keep up the stubborn front? You're a Dwelling Cultivator, and the Little Train is your dwelling, isn't it? "In this fight so far, you've gained so much advantage precisely because your dwelling is here. Fighting at your doorstep allows you to deploy so many Dwelling Cultivator methods, doesn't it? "You feared the Spirit Cultivator's methods and sent all your artifacts back inside. Once sent back, they stay back—you can't bring them out anymore, because I've locked your dwelling." Li Banfeng offered Duan Tielu a compliment in return: "Clever scheme. You brought out that Spirit Cultivator artifact just to force me to send all my artifacts back home." Duan Tielu said, "You didn't have to send them back. If you hadn't, I would have harvested all of your artifacts' spirituality." As they spoke, the smoke in the room grew thicker, and Li Banfeng coughed twice. The cigarettes on the desk continued to burn one after another. Not only did they impair one's sense of smell, they carried virulent poison as well. This deadly poison was clearly targeted: it harmed only Li Banfeng, leaving Duan Tielu completely unaffected. Duan Tielu laughed. "Can't take it already, Li Qi? Let me tell you, I'm in no rush to finish you off. If you caught the Peddler's eye and became the Grand Master of Puluo Province, you must be a man of real ability. Don't be a spoilsport now. Let's fight a while longer—we'll take our time." Li Banfeng detected a change in the voice. Although Duan Tielu had used Sound Cultivator methods to conceal it, Discerning Spiritual Sound could penetrate most disguises and lay bare the nuances of the sound. Duan Tielu was shifting positions, each step slow and cautious. No wonder he had silenced the noise in the room: that din wasn't targeted, so while it disrupted Li Banfeng's judgment, it also impaired Duan Tielu's own. It wasn't just the noise; because Duan Tielu's artifacts lacked sufficient spirituality, similar defects were blatant. The glaring light in the room wasn't targeted either, severely affecting Duan Tielu's vision. The poison in the cigarettes was targeted, but the smoke was not, hindering Duan Tielu's sight as well. Neither side could easily track the other's movements now. Li Banfeng was a Dwelling Cultivator and easily overlooked; if this situation dragged on, Duan Tielu would actually be at a disadvantage. Duan Tielu had silenced the noise and spoken to Li Banfeng of his own accord in order to pinpoint Li Banfeng's location, while also determining the Little Train's position to confirm whether he truly had locked the Little Train. As for whether his own voice might expose his position, Duan Tielu was not worried in the slightest. He knew Li Banfeng possessed a Peeping Cultivator artifact, but that artifact had already been sent back home by Li Banfeng to avoid having its spirituality drained. Without a Peeping artifact, how sharp could a Dwelling Cultivator's ears possibly be? Duan Tielu could mask his position easily with any ordinary Sound Cultivator artifact. Unfortunately, he did not know that Li Banfeng also possessed the Discerning Spiritual Sound technique. Li Banfeng sighed. "Furnace, you're so timid and hesitant in everything you do. I fear you won't amount to much in the future." "Who are you talking to?" Duan Tielu walked to the door and picked up a thick fountain pen beside the register. "Let me tell you, aside from the Peddler, I have never lost to anyone in my life. Whatever skills you have, bring them out! I'm giving you plenty of chances—don't go saying I bullied a junior!" As he spoke, Duan Tielu pulled another sheet of printing paper from his pocket. This was the sheet of paper that had sliced Li Banfeng's wrist earlier, bearing traces of Li Banfeng's blood. "Li Qi, what are you waiting for? Didn't you just call me timid and hesitant? Come over and fight me then! I'm standing right here waiting for you. Don't disappoint me now!" Pen in hand, Duan Tielu kept talking to Li Banfeng while pointing the nib directly at him, holding it there for over ten seconds. The fountain pen was a Curse Cultivator artifact; inside its barrel was housed a Xuyuan silkworm. The curse technique of this artifact was extraordinarily vicious, but its weakness was equally clear: it required pre-combat preparation. First, it had to obtain the target's blood; second, it had to know the target's name; third, the nib had to be aimed at the target until a connection was sensed. Duan Tielu already had the blood. Having served as the dorm manager, he naturally knew Li Banfeng's name. But pointing the nib at Li Banfeng was no easy task. Under normal circumstances, let alone ten seconds, Li Banfeng wouldn't have given him even a single second of opportunity. Yet right now, Li Banfeng was disrupted by the reading glasses, his vision heavily blurred. With glaring light and dense smoke filling the room, Li Banfeng couldn't see what he was doing. After a dozen seconds or so, the nib registered a sensation—the third condition was met. Just as Duan Tielu was about to write Li Banfeng's name on the paper, his right hand suddenly slipped out of control, scribbling wildly across the sheet. The name was botched, the curse ruined; the preparation would have to start all over again. What happened? Duan Tielu suspected Li Qi had closed the distance and perhaps used some technique to injure his right hand. Faced with this situation, Duan Tielu's first reaction was to dodge. He leapt onto the bed, only to lose his footing upon landing and tumble to the floor with a thud. Was this Dashing East and Rushing West? The disruption to his writing earlier had also been Dashing East and Rushing West. He guessed correctly. Using Discerning Spiritual Sound, Li Banfeng had heard the scratching of writing and immediately triggered Dashing East and Rushing West. The technique's power wasn't great, but it activated at lightning speed. Duan Tielu recognized this technique: it was an Above-the-Clouds technique created by Tou Youlu. Yet most Above-the-Clouds Travel Cultivators wouldn't bother learning Dashing East and Rushing West, deeming it lacking in value; even Duan Tielu possessed no such artifact. If Li Banfeng hadn't used an artifact, then it was his own technique. He truly was a dual cultivator of Dwelling and Travel! Duan Tielu scrambled to his feet, produced a pair of nearsighted glasses, and searched for Li Banfeng's whereabouts. These nearsighted glasses were a Peeping Cultivator artifact that cut through the glaring light. Through the smoke, he caught sight of Li Banfeng's silhouette. Li Banfeng was right next to him. Their eyes met, and Li Banfeng stared at Duan Tielu, complaining, "You had such a good pair of glasses—why didn't you put them on earlier?" The question stumped Duan Tielu. Indeed, why hadn't he put them on earlier? He couldn't wear nearsighted glasses before; he needed to wear reading glasses to disrupt Li Banfeng's vision. Then why was he wearing them now? Where were the reading glasses? Li Banfeng held the reading glasses in his hand and waved them before Duan Tielu's eyes. Startled, Duan Tielu turned back to search for the hammer. Li Banfeng was holding the hammer too, waving it in front of Duan Tielu. Duan Tielu blurted out in stunned disbelief, "When did you steal—" "Don't talk nonsense!" Li Banfeng said sternly. "When you fell, the reading glasses dropped to the floor, and I took them right in front of your face. That isn't called stealing—that's called robbing! "As for this hammer, it was indeed stolen, but not by me." "If not you, who stole it?" Duan Tielu glanced out the window. He Jiaqing, who had been burning in the lobby all this time, was gone. Hadn't he burned to death? Li Banfeng said, "I said he was almost burned to a crisp, not that he was dead." He Jiaqing had entered this room too! Where was he? Duan Tielu gripped the fountain pen in his hand, intending to secretly point it at Li Banfeng to gamble one more time. Li Banfeng waved a bloodstained sheet of white paper before Duan Tielu's eyes, then popped it into his mouth and ate it. Duan Tielu still tried to control the reading glasses and hammer in Li Banfeng's hands. He rubbed his fingers together repeatedly, but neither the glasses nor the hammer gave any reaction. Duan Tielu reached for the cigarettes on the desk. The cigarette pack was in Li Banfeng's pocket. "This one, I robbed." Duan Tielu moved to retrieve a pair of pliers from under the bed. The pliers were tucked into Li Banfeng's trousers pocket. "A Spirit Cultivator artifact. This one, He Jiaqing stole." Duan Tielu reached beneath the pillow for a small padlock. The padlock was in Li Banfeng's shirt pocket. "A Lock Cultivator artifact. This one, I also robbed." Duan Tielu clenched his fists. Whatever artifact in this room could still be used, he would just grab it and try. Yet after waiting for what felt like an eternity, not a single artifact responded. Li Banfeng's brows relaxed, the corners of his eyes crinkled downward, and his lips curved upward, exposing two rows of teeth as he gave an amicable smile. "Stop looking. They told me you don't treat them well. From now on, their family name is Li." With that, Li Banfeng put on the reading glasses. Duan Tielu felt his vision blur in waves. In the haze, all he could make out was a dark shadow carrying a hammer, walking toward him. PS: Stealing and robbing combined—even Duan Tielu couldn't take it. A whole room of possessions gone just like that. But Duan Tielu's possessions don't stop at this room alone. Whether he can make it out of this room will depend on his luck.