What Is an Artisan Cultivator?

Duan Tielu dimly saw Li Banfeng walking toward him. The magical treasures in the reception room were of the finest quality, and Duan Tielu had made his most thorough preparations here. The reception room also held a treasure he was deeply reluctant to part with. Yet reluctant or not, he had to let it go. He knew clearly in his heart that an entire room full of magical treasures had turned traitor, and the current battle situation was exceedingly dire. How could they all have defected? Duan Tielu had killed many Dwelling Cultivators in the past and had even clashed with the Heavenly Maiden. He had seen the technique of Enumerating Family Treasures before; even the Heavenly Maiden couldn't use this art with such supreme mastery. Right now, he had to flee for his life. Several routes lay before him: through the door, out the window, or down a secret passage. The window and secret passage were slightly farther away; the door was closest to Duan Tielu. A veteran of countless battles, Duan Tielu did not hesitate for a second. He charged straight toward the reception room door. As he reached the doorway and was about to burst into the corridor—clang!—he was tripped by a chair and crashed to the floor. This chair was truly loyal to Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng had only sat on her for a short while, yet here she was, still fighting on his behalf. In truth, the chair was a shrewd thing; she understood better than anyone that if Li Banfeng failed to take down Duan Tielu today, Duan Tielu would turn right around and dismantle her. With Duan Tielu sprawling on the floor, Li Banfeng caught up, lunging forward with Five Horses Dismembering the Household to tear him apart. Snap! Duan Tielu's body split open, but he did not die. A bed flew out from one of the dormitory rooms, snapping into two halves before Li Banfeng. Duan Tielu appeared inside the dorm room, completely unscathed. He scrambled up and kept running. Watching from the shadows, He Jiaqing was stunned for a moment. *That was the Thief Cultivator technique, Stealing the Beam to Swap the Pillar. Duan Tielu isn't a Thief Cultivator—how could he execute the technique so smoothly?* *Did he use an artifact again?* *If he really has a Thief Cultivator artifact on him, why didn't I see him use it earlier?* Duan Tielu did indeed possess a Thief Cultivator artifact, but he didn't keep it on his person. That artifact was a trash bin in the hallway. Normally, a Thief Cultivator artifact shouldn't be crafted into something so clumsy and heavy. Initially, Duan Tielu had fashioned it into a prayer bead bracelet for ease of carrying. Later, during battles, Duan Tielu discovered this artifact was disloyal: whenever it stole something, it always stashed away a portion for itself. After Duan Tielu punished it several times, the artifact began slacking off on the job, refusing to steal anything at all. Refusing to steal was tolerable; keeping it around could at least serve as a defense. On two occasions when Duan Tielu encountered formidable foes, this artifact had deployed Stealing the Beam to Swap the Pillar. However, both times, it had swapped itself out, utterly disregarding Duan Tielu when he was injured. Afterward, Duan Tielu reforged the artifact, greatly diminishing both its combat strength and spirituality, and placed it in the first-floor hallway for emergencies. Provided it did not threaten its own safety, the trash bin was indeed willing to lend Duan Tielu a hand. This time, Duan Tielu was saved by the trash bin. Seizing the moment before Li Qi caught up, Duan Tielu plunged straight into the ground and vanished without a trace. Li Banfeng walked over and inspected the spot where Duan Tielu had burrowed into the floor. The entire floor showed only smooth, level tiles, without the faintest trace of damage. There was no telling how Duan Tielu had burrowed inside. Duan Tielu reached the basement and dared not linger for a second. He had a premonition that Li Banfeng would catch up in the blink of an eye. He immediately climbed a ladder straight up to the third floor. At the top of the stairs, Duan Tielu first opened a hidden door in the wall. Behind it were more than thirty pipes and over fifty valves. Duan Tielu opened eleven of the valves, causing ten of the pipes to shift their shape, revealing another hidden door. Faint footsteps seemed to drift to his ears. *Has Li Qi caught up?* Duan Tielu accelerated his pace, using three keys to unlock this secret door. Passing through, Duan Tielu stepped into a corridor and made a beeline for the room at the far end. This room held the greatest number of magical treasures. Though of uneven quality, Duan Tielu believed he could overcome Li Banfeng through sheer numbers. As for He Jiaqing, Duan Tielu planned to let the treasures defend against him autonomously; losing a few pieces to his thievery didn't matter. A thief ultimately sought wealth, but that ruthless brute Li Banfeng wanted his life. Pushing the door open and taking a step inside, Duan Tielu stared at Li Banfeng, dumbfounded for a long time. Duan Tielu hadn't stepped into the room with the most treasures; he had walked right back into the reception room. He never imagined that besides Enumerating Family Treasures, Li Banfeng's most mastered art was Broadening the Bridal Chamber. The highest pinnacle of Broadening the Bridal Chamber was using it inside someone else's home, and this was an art Li Banfeng had mastered to absolute perfection. While they were clashing downstairs, Banfeng Zi and his shadows had been scouring the upper floors the entire time. Banfeng Zi knew precisely which room Duan Tielu was heading into. Guided by Banfeng Zi, Li Banfeng had swapped Duan Tielu right back. "Furnace, you'd better not run anymore. Let's just talk things out here." Li Banfeng genuinely wished to speak with Duan Tielu. Yet Duan Tielu was far too stubborn. He knocked open a secret door on the wall, turned, and bolted again, heading to the second floor this time. Li Banfeng simply sat in the reception room. Barely a minute passed before Duan Tielu pushed the door open and entered once more. Broadening the Bridal Chamber—once linked, it was nearly impossible to break free. "Li Qi!" Duan Tielu ground his teeth. "Are you dead set on driving me to my death?" Li Banfeng reasoned with him patiently: "Furnace, I came to discuss business with you. You were the one who made a treacherous move against me first." Duan Tielu smiled with his hands behind his back. Along his frantic route this time, he had gathered a vast array of magical treasures and brought them on his person. "Treacherous move or fair move, I didn't come empty-handed this time. Li Qi, I hold you in very high regard. I brought along a great deal of my family assets to treat you properly. "While you still can, laugh a few happy chuckles and treat this as gorging on your last meal before the chopping block. Across all of Puluo Province, no more than five people have ever received such hospitality from me. Every one of them was a top-notch—" "Shh!" Li Banfeng raised his right index finger, signaling Duan Tielu to be quiet. He was listening to a sound. "I really didn't expect their resentment to run so deep!" Li Banfeng looked at Duan Tielu. "Do you never talk to them?" Duan Tielu started. After pondering for a moment, he realized: the magical treasures on his body were speaking to Li Banfeng. His face darkened as he looked at Li Banfeng. "Are you ready to be sent on your way?" "Don't be in such a rush!" Li Banfeng listened a bit longer, then looked at Duan Tielu with astonishment. "You actually can't speak to magical treasures? What kind of artisan cultivator patriarch are you supposed to be!" For an artisan cultivator, once their cultivation reached a certain level, they could communicate with spiritual natures. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to craft magical treasures and spiritual items. There were many ways to communicate with spiritual natures—some relied on psychic perception, others on observing physical behavior. Only individuals with exceptional talent, or those who possessed specialized techniques, could speak directly to magical treasures like Li Banfeng did. Li Banfeng possessed a specialized technique: the art of Discerning Spiritual Sound. Old Train possessed extraordinary natural talent; not long after entering the path, he could speak with magical treasures. Duan Tielu was an anomaly. His talent in this area was mediocre, and he had mastered no such technique. His communication with magical treasures relied entirely on observing behavioral cues. Relying on behavioral cues was an exceedingly inefficient method of communication. Duan Tielu had also wanted to improve his communication efficiency. In the past, he had forged several Peeping Cultivator artifacts to listen to the voices of his treasures. Over time, however, issues cropped up with all of them—concerning the exact same matter, their accounts would differ by worlds. The Peeping Cultivator artifacts could indeed hear the voices of other treasures, but when relaying information, each applied varying degrees of artistic embellishment for the sake of their own personal interests. After being burned several times, Duan Tielu destroyed those Peeping Cultivator artifacts and reforged them, and he ceased having lengthy communications with magical treasures altogether. In his eyes, magical treasures were merely tools. Developing as many uses for them as possible while paying as little cost as possible was the true secret to wielding magical treasures. Now that Li Banfeng had poked at his sore spot, Duan Tielu was thoroughly infuriated. "Li Qi, are you really that fond of talking to magical treasures? Chatty treasures are all defective, didn't you know that? Anyone who spends their free time blabbering to magical treasures is sick in the head—can't you tell that about yourself?" Li Banfeng laughed. "Just because you can't speak to magical treasures, you assume everyone else is sick in the head? With a mind so petty, how did you ever become an artisan cultivator patriarch?" Duan Tielu glared at Li Banfeng. "Artisan cultivation is built on solid, honest work—we never play with illusions. What does the ability to chatter have to do with artisan cultivation? We aren't Scholar Cultivators, nor are we Virtue Cultivators. What good is flapping your gums? Do you even understand what an artisan cultivator is?" Li Banfeng said, "I truly don't. How about you enlighten me? Just what is an artisan cultivator?" Duan Tielu stroked his hands, then held them out. "What is an artisan cultivator? An artisan cultivator is craft! True skill shows best in the craft! An artisan cultivator is quality! True ability shows best in the quality! "Craft never lies. Every cut of the blade, every stroke of the axe, every blow of the hammer, every round of smelting—every ounce and drop of effort is laid bare before your eyes, brooking no ambiguity. Neither the proportions nor the heat can deviate in the slightest. If you are off by a hair, the finished piece will lack in quality! "Whatever comes from my hands must possess first-rate quality! Without first-rate quality, it's trash, fit only to be destroyed and reforged!" Li Banfeng looked at Duan Tielu. "In your eyes, is quality really that important? Pick anyone out from the crowd—who among them doesn't have a few flaws?" Duan Tielu sneered. "Magical treasures are not people; they are weapons endowed with spiritual nature. Innate flaws, I can tolerate. Take a blade: if it can't cut through the Hundred-Layer Stone of Heroes Mountain because its materials fall short, it can still serve in a pinch. "Acquired defects, however, I will never tolerate. If a blade refuses to exert itself when it's supposed to, then its quality is deficient! A blade deficient in quality is trash! "Li Qi, plenty of trash has fallen into your hands today. Consider them my gift to you, sacrificial offerings for your funeral! Bring all those pieces of trash out, and let's have a proper fight right now. I'll let you see the quality of an artisan cultivator forefather!" Li Banfeng stood up. "Those aren't trash as you claim. Since they chose to follow me, they are my family. Since you've invited my family out, I'll broaden your horizons too, and let you see the quality of the Grand Master of Puluo!" As his words fell, several figures materialized before Duan Tielu. Since the Spirit Cultivator treasures now belonged to Li, Li Banfeng had no reservations left. It was time to invite Duan Tielu to the table. Duan Tielu swept his gaze across them, his limbs turning slightly weak. "Old Duan, remember me?" Fifth Maiden smiled, running her tongue over her teeth. "I had you forge a few weapons for me back in the day. Your craft was indeed superb." Hong Ying ran her hand along her spear. "You were among those who went to the City of Fools back then too. You collected quite a few corpses, probably hoping to take them back to forge artifacts, weren't you?" Jiu'er toyed with her hair and chuckled. "Don't waste your breath. Fool Cultivators are notoriously hard to refine into artifacts. You don't have that skill." "A truly first-rate artisan artifact depends on spirituality. Old Duan, your craft is genuinely good, but you really fall short when it comes to nurturing spirituality. No wonder Old Train didn't bring you along when he made Little Train!" A'yu shook her head at Duan Tielu with a look of regret. The Heavenly Maiden glanced at Duan Tielu. "I can see you seem rather afraid of the Peddler. When I was in Puluo Province, I wasn't very familiar with you. Let me ask you: are you afraid of me?" Duan Tielu was terrified. In Puluo Province, anyone with genuine experience would be terrified upon seeing these figures. Li Banfeng looked at Duan Tielu. "Come on. Let's fight!" Duan Tielu understood completely now—this was the backing of the Grand Master of Puluo Province! He let out a couple of dry laughs. "Seventh Master, I just checked the almanac, and today is actually an auspicious day. How about we have another good chat?" Li Banfeng stood before Duan Tielu. "Furnace, when I sought to talk at first, you didn't want to talk, and you made treacherous moves against me. Now that you want to talk, I'm afraid it's too late." Duan Tielu turned to flee again, but Hong Ying was already standing behind him. He wanted to leap out the window, but A'yu saw through his intentions and blocked the window alongside the Heavenly Maiden. There was still a secret passage beneath the bed, but crawling under the bed now would be difficult; Li Qi likely wouldn't give him the chance. Fight them with magical treasures? What a pipe dream! How many treasures would it take to fight this lineup? Even without an opening, he had to take the gamble. Duan Tielu still tried to dive toward the bed, only to realize a grave problem. Where was the bed? Such a massive bed had vanished without a trace. Jiu'er toyed with the bamboo sticks in her hands, grinning as she watched Duan Tielu. A'yu had noticed the bed's unusual position earlier and tipped off Jiu'er in advance, so Jiu'er had concealed the bed with a formation. Duan Tielu had Peeping Cultivator artifacts; using several together would surely see through the formation. Just as he went to draw an artifact, A'yu shook her head at him. "Old Duan, don't move. Don't make a move under any circumstances. Everything you're thinking of doing is clear as day to me. One more move, and you'll regret it." Duan Tielu turned his gaze toward Li Banfeng. "Seventh Master, is there no room for compromise?" Li Banfeng said, "How about this: I'll set a banquet table at my home. You come sit at the table and have a meal, and we'll clear everything up." In Li Banfeng's household, sitting at the table and eating were two very different roles performed by two different parties. Duan Tielu didn't know the house rules, but he knew that once he set foot in Li Banfeng's home, he would never walk out alive. "Li Qi, you're forcing my hand!" Duan Tielu stomped violently. The move was so sudden that A'yu hadn't heard his inner thoughts beforehand. Duan Tielu was throwing caution to the wind; this decision hadn't been premeditated, but wrung out of him in a life-or-death crisis. Unless pushed to absolute extremity, he never would have taken this step. A'yu's gaze snapped over, and she cried out, "Old Seven, watch out for the desk!" Li Banfeng turned back toward the desk and saw the cabinet beside the drawer slide open. The baseboard of the desk slid forward, presenting an object. The object had a massive, thick base mounted with a bracket, atop which sat a gigantic hoop. Inside the hoop, dark shadows trembled back and forth. "The Great Totem!" A'yu gasped, suddenly feeling her soul turn unstable. Jiu'er and A'yu faltered one after the other. Hong Ying barely kept her footing, her body shivering violently in waves. Li Banfeng reacted with lightning speed, sending his family members back into the companion dwelling one by one. "Save—save me—" The chair at the door cried out to Li Banfeng for help. The teacup on the desk could no longer make a sound; sitting too close to the Great Totem, the originally white porcelain cup was already turning a celadon hue. The reading glasses in his hand were trembling, the hammer's head was quivering, and the cigarette case in his pocket was on the verge of cracking. These magical treasures had chosen to follow Li Banfeng; no matter what, he had to preserve their lives. He sent all the treasures he had seized and those He Jiaqing had stolen back into his home. But then he heard waves of desperate cries for help coming from Duan Tielu's body. Duan Tielu had brought many magical treasures over; none of them could withstand the Great Totem, and their spirituality was about to be swallowed whole by it. Even the blinding light in the room faded away—the artifact creating the intense illumination had already had its spirituality consumed by the Great Totem. A thought struck Li Banfeng: why not just swap Duan Tielu into the companion dwelling as well? He had considered doing this earlier, but had always hesitated. Duan Tielu was an artisan cultivator patriarch, possessing many artisan techniques beyond the eighteenth wheel. If he were sent inside, it would surely put the companion dwelling in grave danger. The moment Duan Tielu entered, he might dismantle the dwelling altogether. Desperate cries overlapped in waves as the spirituality of the magical treasures was sucked out from Duan Tielu's body by the Great Totem. Li Banfeng deployed Broadening the Bridal Chamber again, intercepting the spirituality just ahead of the Great Totem and pulling it all back into his home. Seeing this, Duan Tielu laughed. "Li Qi, you'd even take in scrap like that?" Li Banfeng nodded. "I'll take them all. They all count as family." While the two were talking, the Heavenly Maiden tried to step forward to destroy the Great Totem. But the moment she approached the desk, her body swayed and she nearly collapsed onto it. The desk was packed with mechanisms; she had just stepped on an iron hook that snagged her sole. Given her strength, dealing with an iron hook should have been child's play, but the situation today was unique—the Great Totem was right before her eyes. The Heavenly Maiden was a living person, but her soul had been separated from her body for far too long. Resisting a Spirit Cultivator artifact was no trouble, but resisting the Great Totem was simply asking too much. Li Banfeng sent the Heavenly Maiden back into the companion dwelling as well. Duan Tielu burst out laughing. "Oh, Li Qi! I really thought your foundation was solid. After all that, it turns out to be nothing but a bunch of dead souls! Now that you've sent that entire crowd of dead souls home, what do you have left?" Li Banfeng tugged the brim of his hat down. "The spirituality of your magical treasures has been completely drained. What do you have left?" "I still have weapons!" Duan Tielu flicked a pair of fire tongs out from his sleeve. The tongs hovered in midair, their jaws continuously opening and closing. Hiding in the shadows, He Jiaqing wanted to find an opportunity to steal the fire tongs, but he didn't dare make a move. The fire tongs seemed to have already detected He Jiaqing's location. Based on He Jiaqing's experience, if he reached for them now, he would be severely wounded. Duan Tielu stroked the tongs and smiled at Li Banfeng. "Do you think a weapon's combat strength can't match a magical treasure's?" Li Banfeng said, "I'm not the only one who thinks so. Isn't that common knowledge in Puluo Province?" Duan Tielu chuckled. "That's common knowledge in Puluo Province, not universal truth across the realm! Weapons and spiritual items are separated by spirituality, while the spirituality of spiritual items falls somewhat short of magical treasures. "Yet these tongs of mine possess spirituality no worse than a magical treasure, boast combat strength superior to a magical treasure, and are fiercely loyal to me. Guess what this thing is?" Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "It's an Inner Province first-rate weapon." "Sharp eyes!" Duan Tielu praised. "It is indeed a first-rate weapon!" "How did you bring a first-rate weapon out?" Duan Tielu shook his head. "First-rate weapons can't be brought out. I made this." *Is this truly a first-rate weapon?* Li Banfeng glanced back at the Great Totem beside the desk. Duan Tielu laughed. "Curious, aren't you? Why can the Great Totem drain the spirituality of magical treasures, yet cannot take the spirituality of a first-rate weapon? "Because the casing on a first-rate weapon is vastly harder than a magical treasure's. "Forget magical treasures—even a cultivator of the same tier might not defeat a first-rate weapon of the same tier. That is the essence of a first-rate weapon." He had truly cracked the artisan craft of first-rate weapons! This signified something profound. If Duan Tielu were employed by the Inner Province again, he could produce first-rate weapons in Puluo Province, which would spell total doom for Puluo. Conversely, what if he could work for Puluo Province? With first-rate weapons, Puluo Province's overall military strength would leap to an entirely new tier. On the battlefield, they could wrestle head-to-head with the Inner Province; in certain areas, they could even deploy first-rate weapons to stand guard directly. Such a glorious picture was exhilarating just to imagine. Moreover, what he could offer wasn't limited to first-rate weapons. There was something even more enticing beside the desk—if they could bring the Great Totem to Puluo Province as well... Yet the problem was how to get Duan Tielu to work for Puluo Province. Duan Tielu sighed. "Li Qi, fighting up to this point, I truly acknowledge your ability. You're worthy of running Puluo Province. "I came to the Curse Gu Ruins purely to research artisan craft in peace and quiet; I have no desire to get involved in anything else. "If you don't believe me, go ask around in the Inner Province. How many times did the Prince of Anshun beg me? Did I help him? Not once! In my heart, I still lean toward Puluo Province. "If you trust me, let's call it a day right here. I'll stay living here in the Curse Gu Ruins, and whenever you need something, you can find me anytime. "If we ever clash with the Inner Province's troops again in the future, just give me word. To be frank, when war breaks out, I don't dare step onto the battlefield; I'm timid. "But if you're ever short on weapons, just come to me. I have plenty of every kind of weapon you could want. "Seventh Master, Puluo Province is crawling with ruthless warlords, none of them kind or gentle. For me to speak to you this candidly is more than honorable, wouldn't you say?" Li Banfeng's brow furrowed slightly. "If you only offer mere words, how can I believe you?" "We'll do it according to Puluo Province rules: I'll make a covenant deed!" Duan Tielu pulled out a sheet of covenant paper from his robes, drafted a covenant deed, pressed his bloody thumbprint on the spot, pinched it with the fire tongs, and extended it to Li Banfeng. "Seventh Master, don't take offense. I wouldn't dare hand it to you palm-to-palm. You have too many tricks; I don't want to touch you!" Li Banfeng took the covenant deed and skimmed it. The content was written with utmost sincerity: Duan Tielu declared that he would fully obey Li Banfeng's directives in the future, and as long as he wasn't forced onto the front lines to kill enemies, he would carry out every other matter without question. There were no apparent loopholes in the deed, and the covenant paper seemed devoid of issues as well. Li Banfeng signed his name, but was in no hurry to press his thumbprint. Something about this felt slightly off. As he pondered, Li Banfeng looked at the Great Totem beside the cabinet. "Where did this thing come from? Did you make it as well?" Holding the fire tongs, Duan Tielu smiled. "I'm not boasting here. When the Sage rebuilt the Great Totem, he relied on me; later, when Qiao Yi took charge of the Great Totem, he still relied on me. "While building the Great Totem, both the Sage and Qiao Yi were quite generous, supplying unlimited materials. I figured if I didn't pocket a little on the side, I'd be letting down the blood of Puluo Province. "So I used the leftover materials to craft this small sample. Calling it the Great Totem might be too grand a title, so let's simply call it the Lesser Totem! "Seventh Master, if you like it, this Lesser Totem is yours. Everything the Great Totem can do, it can do too—its power is just slightly diminished." Li Banfeng smiled. "Such a lavish gift—is it appropriate for me to accept it?" "What's inappropriate about it? Isn't it just a token of sincerity—" Before Duan Tielu could finish his sentence, Li Banfeng's figure vanished abruptly. *Where did he go?* Duan Tielu froze. Then Li Banfeng's voice sounded right by his ear: "Furnace, why do you keep pointing those fire tongs at me?" "I'm just doing it for self-defense! Seventh Master, you know I'm timid!" Duan Tielu had used the tongs to pass the deed to Li Banfeng, and afterward held the tongs poised for self-defense; it appeared entirely reasonable. Yet Li Banfeng sensed something was amiss. He said to Duan Tielu, "Furnace, give me those tongs, and we can consider this covenant sealed." Duan Tielu seethed with hatred inside! *Why is this Li Qi so impossible to deal with?* The name was already written on the deed—penned by Li Banfeng himself. The tongs had been pointed at him for quite a while, establishing an attunement. Once Li Banfeng pressed his bloody thumbprint, securing the blood, the curse would be complete. Yet right at this critical juncture, Li Banfeng had noticed something wrong. These tongs were vital to Duan Tielu; he definitely couldn't hand them over to Li Qi. Since he wouldn't hand them over, Li Banfeng stepped forward to snatch them himself. Yet the fire tongs anticipated Li Banfeng's intention a step ahead. Not only did they perceive his intent, they even detected Li Banfeng's form. This was an advanced Peeping Cultivator art. The tongs darted away into the distance, leaving Li Banfeng clutching empty air. To slip past Li Banfeng's grip, the speed of these tongs was truly extraordinary. Since the tongs had fled far off, Li Banfeng no longer bothered with them, turning his hand to kill Duan Tielu instead. He used Five Horses Dismembering the Household. Duan Tielu's clothes split open, exposing his spine, but unexpectedly, the tongs flickered before Li Banfeng's eyes and vanished. *What's happening?* Bang! A burst of searing pain flared in Li Banfeng's chest. *These tongs know Glancing at Flowers from Horseback?* *How can this technique be so sinister?* Fortunately, the power of the tongs' Glancing at Flowers from Horseback was limited, leaving Li Banfeng largely unharmed. But flickering in and out of sight before his eyes, the tongs kept him entangled. Seizing the opportunity, Duan Tielu rushed toward the desk, scooped up the Lesser Totem, turned, and bolted. Li Banfeng kicked the tongs away and hurled an iron implement toward Duan Tielu. Duan Tielu caught it with one hand, glanced at it, and chuckled. "What a treasure! Isn't this the key to the train?" He truly had an eye for goods! As Li Banfeng moved to charge at Duan Tielu, the tongs plunged into the floor, and a wall of fire erupted from the ground, blocking Li Banfeng's path. The flames raged fiercely, but Li Banfeng didn't dodge; he charged straight through the wall of fire using Benevolent Dwelling Heart. The fire tongs immediately conjured a pool of water before Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng was thoroughly astonished. *What is this now?* *How can it use Water Cultivator techniques as well?* Water and fire could not be dual-cultivated; that was common knowledge. How on earth had such a monstrosity been created? After the pool of water came another wall of fire. Li Banfeng found himself hemmed in by alternating layers of water and fire. Duan Tielu was holding the key, rubbing it meticulously: "Why are there traces of blood and markings on this key? Let me see what good thing this blood is. "This should be called a spiritual imprint, right? A Dwelling Cultivator method—you're about to hit me with Mystic Light Evil-Slayer! Heh heh, Li Qi, did you really think I'd fall for your trick?" An artisan cultivator cloud technique: Effortless Mastery! When it came to technical mastery, Duan Tielu truly stood at the pinnacle of artisan cultivation. With a few rubs, he rubbed the spiritual imprint away completely! "The train is mine! Take your time fighting the tongs!" Li Banfeng praised, "Those tongs are quite a treasure!" "Of course they are." Holding the key and cradling the Lesser Totem, Duan Tielu recalled the fire tongs, offered Li Banfeng a grin, and resumed running. After taking two steps, Duan Tielu felt his body grow weak. After two more steps, Duan Tielu discovered his body had begun to glow. *What's happening? Did I get hit by Mystic Light Evil-Slayer?* *That's impossible! I already rubbed the spiritual imprint off!* Duan Tielu glanced down at the key in his hand; the bloodstains were indeed gone. He looked again—the entire key was gone! Where had the key gone? He had been holding it in his palm the whole time—how had it vanished in the blink of an eye? Stolen by He Jiaqing? Impossible! Duan Tielu had been on high alert, his eyes glued to it; He Jiaqing didn't have the skill to steal the key right out of his grasp. Could the key have been an illusion? That was impossible too. It looked real, it felt real—how could it not be real? Could it be the technique only the Heavenly Maiden possessed, All Wishes Fulfilled? Duan Tielu looked back toward Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng was still sparring with the fire tongs. *It's fine. Even if the key was fake, as long as I didn't touch the real key, I won't be struck by Mystic Light Evil-Slayer.* *Forget the train; holding onto the Lesser Totem is enough.* After another two steps, Duan Tielu could no longer bear the weight of the Lesser Totem. With a thud, he collapsed to the floor. *Just what on earth is happening?* His body was still glowing. Had he really been struck by Mystic Light Evil-Slayer? Even if struck by Mystic Light Evil-Slayer, he had no need to panic. With Duan Tielu's cultivation, a single wave of mystic light couldn't kill him. Gritting his teeth, Duan Tielu struggled to his feet and continued running. The fire tongs weren't too far from the Lesser Totem; they could stall Li Banfeng for a long time. Duan Tielu was confident he could get away. *The fire tongs...* Duan Tielu paused for a moment and looked back at the fire tongs again. The fire tongs were still fighting Li Banfeng tooth and nail. *Wait, I recalled the fire tongs just now. Why are the fire tongs still fighting Li Banfeng?* *Why did I recall the fire tongs in the first place? The fire tongs were meant to cover my retreat!* *Li Banfeng said it was a good treasure, and a good treasure ought to be retrieved, so I retrieved it...* *What did I just retrieve into my grasp?* Thud! Duan Tielu collapsed to the ground once more. His hair turned stark white, falling from his scalp in clumps. His skin slackened at visible speed, and his bones turned brittle and powdery. This time, he couldn't get back up.