Chapter 123

It might not necessarily work at a critical moment.

That's not very good.

Li Banfeng thought about the process of fighting Huang Guangshi. He had an iron ruler stabbed into his cheek and originally planned to escape, but he didn't succeed.

At that time, he might have wanted to use 'Half-Step Without a Trace', but he lost his composure at the critical moment of life and death.

This technique really tests one's mindset!

Use intent to drive the footsteps.

I steal a step.

Li Banfeng took a step forward, but it didn't succeed.

I steal another step.

Still didn't succeed.

Watching Li Banfeng walking forward with a limp, Ma Wu frowned: "Brother Li, you're thinking too much. You've only been initiated for a few months, and you're already pushing hard for the second layer?"

"Just making preparations, so I don't lose my way when I reach that level later. Brother Ma, do you know the third-layer technique of a traveling cultivator?"

"I don't know that. The techniques of various sects are generally not recorded in books, especially techniques above the third layer. There are few cultivators, and they won't easily reveal their techniques, so very few people know them."

"If there really were books recording techniques, they would definitely be worth a fortune; I'm afraid the Ma family library hasn't collected them either."

While speaking, the two arrived at the swampy land and soon found that clump of glue mud.

This clump of glue mud was really hard to distinguish; it was almost indistinguishable from the silt found everywhere in the swamp. Ma Wu knew the characteristics of glue mud and lowered his voice to say to Li Banfeng: "Glue mud has a layer of black skirt edge. In places with water, you can see the black skirt edge moving."

Li Banfeng looked carefully, and the edge of that clump of black glue mud really had something trembling.

Looking at it as a whole, this clump of glue mud looked a bit like a clump of rotten jellyfish.

"Brother Li, the movement must be light. Glue mud is an alien species and has spirituality. Once the movement is too big, it will run away. You hold the jar first; I'll take this piece of mud."

Ma Wu put on gloves and took two steps into the swamp, inadvertently stepping into a mud pit, and one foot began to sink.

He was in a hurry to pull his foot out, and his other foot also sank into the silt.

This isn't right; this swamp has changed! It's different from when he came before.

Ma Wu didn't dare to continue struggling and turned his head to look at Li Banfeng awkwardly.

Li Banfeng held the iron jar, standing silently on the shore, watching Ma Wu getting shorter and shorter in the swamp.

After fishing Ma Wu out of the swamp, Li Banfeng put on gloves and walked toward that clump of glue mud.

Traveling cultivators have a natural advantage in swamps. Every step Li Banfeng took, he would perceive the good or bad luck of the next step, which greatly reduced the risk of sinking into the silt.

About five steps away from the glue mud, there was a splash of water; the movement of this step was a bit too big.

The glue mud sensed it, and the skirt edges all around began to tremble rapidly.

Ma Wu frowned; this glue mud was about to run away.

He didn't dare to urge Li Banfeng, fearing that Li Banfeng would walk in the wrong place in his haste.

Li Banfeng took a step forward rapidly.

The glue mud's body rolled suddenly, wanting to shrink beneath the silt.

He had underestimated the speed of this thing.

Li Banfeng took another step forward.

The glue mud's body had already entered the silt.

Li Banfeng leaned down, grabbed into the muddy water, dug out the whole clump of glue mud, and put it into the iron jar.

"Almost came for nothing." Li Banfeng smiled.

Ma Wu was stunned: "Brother Li, you just stole a step."

"What stealing a step?" Li Banfeng looked puzzled.

Ma Wu didn't know how to explain it.

When the glue mud sank into the water, Li Banfeng was three steps away from it.

Three steps, more than two meters.

Unless Li Banfeng lay in the water, he wouldn't have been able to reach that clump of glue mud at all.

At the moment he leaned down, he stole a step, a big step.

The distance became one and a half steps, which allowed him to barely reach the glue mud.

After Li Banfeng walked out of the swamp, Ma Wu couldn't help but ask: "Brother Li, what is your cultivation level?"

Li Banfeng reviewed the action of digging the glue mud and also realized that the distance was a bit eerie.

"That's why I said, this thing needs to be prepared in advance," Li Banfeng explained calmly. "Maybe I'll promote at any moment."

Ma Wu didn't ask any more questions.

Regarding Li Banfeng's affairs, he had never asked much.

Including how he could kill first-layer or even second-layer opponents? Why could he handle corpses without leaving traces after killing? Why did he suddenly run to Green Water City to buy a phonograph? Why did he throw it away after buying it? Why could he get rid of Madam Suoe? Why didn't he pay after eating noodles?

Ma Wu didn't ask about these things; he knew he shouldn't ask.

But this matter before his eyes made him unable to help himself.

He and Li Banfeng found the peddler on the same day and entered the sect on the same day. He had only just passed the first-layer barrier, and Li Banfeng was already at the second layer?

This is impossible.

Even if he ate snake-pattern pills every day, he couldn't do it.

Let alone snake-pattern pills, even if he ate one Xuan Chi Dan a day, he couldn't do it!

What is the reason for this?

Could it be because he shone in the heavenly light?

Being able to survive after shining in the heavenly light—could this be the so-called person with innate talent?

"Brother Li, what method do you use for cultivation? Can you give me a pointer?" Ma Wu asked sincerely for advice.

Li Banfeng thought for a while and replied: "Cultivation mainly depends on mindset. When the mindset is reached, the cultivation base is reached."

Mindset?

Ma Wu was not familiar with this term.

Should it be about the same as the meaning of state of mind?

Could it be that I am not pious enough in my cultivation?

Li Banfeng came from Yaowanggou to Green Water Bay, perhaps not just to avoid the Lu family; he was cultivating!

Crossing the border line must have involved countless dangers. Traveling cultivators can accumulate more time in perilous situations. He must have done this for cultivation.

His state of mind is much more pious than mine.

I seem obsessed with Joy Cultivation, but can I really be as persistent as him?

I cannot slack off anymore.

The two walked back to Lanyang Village. Not long after entering the village entrance, the Song family's head steward, Tang Tianjin, came before the two.

Behind him followed three men. Ma Wu recognized them; these were the Song family's thugs.

What is this for?

Looking for trouble?

"Fifth Young Master, went hunting in the New Land again? What good things did you catch?" Tang Tianjin stroked his beard and smiled at Ma Wu.

Ma Wu pointed to the stinky fish on his back: "Went fishing for peaches, luck was bad, the peach tree didn't come."

Tang Tianjin smiled: "If you put out too few fish, the peach tree naturally won't want to come."

Ma Wu let out a bitter laugh: "There are only two of us in total; even if we wanted to carry more stinky fish, we couldn't carry them."

Tang Tianjin nodded: "It's been hard on you, Fifth Young Master. Seeing you so hardworking, our master also feels bad. How about this, we'll send a few more hands tomorrow to help you out?"

"Forget it, I don't have that kind of fortune. I just want to pick a few peaches to earn a bowl of rice; how dare I disturb Master Song."

"How can this be called disturbing? Business is business; it can be discussed and talked about. Trouble the two of you to come with me; our master is waiting for the two of you at the Great Granary."

Ma Wu knew the situation was bad. He first glanced at Li Banfeng to let him prepare to escape, then turned his face to smile at Tang Tianjin: "Steward Tang, trouble you to tell Master Song that we brothers just want to earn two mouthfuls of rice. If there is any offense, we will go to the mansion another day to apologize."

"Don't want to go?" Tang Tianjin's face sank. "Today you go whether you want to or not!"

Hearing this, Ma Wu turned to leave.

But his body had turned, yet his two legs wouldn't listen to him.

Follow him, follow him!

An idea was churning repeatedly in his brain.

This idea slowly controlled Ma Wu's thoughts.

Ma Wu walked toward Tang Tianjin step by step.

Terrible, this is a thought cultivator!

He used thought power to control me.

Ma Wu was still resisting in his subconscious, but it was of no avail.

Because his most important thought had been controlled.

Everyone has many thoughts in their mind, but there is one that is the most important; this thought determines a person's behavior.

A thought cultivator can control the most important thought in a person's mind, thereby controlling that person's actions.

Tang Tianjin smiled at Ma Wu and turned his eyes to look at Li Banfeng.

He didn't know who this person was. He knew Ma Wu had a helper, but because Li Banfeng was a residential cultivator, he always ignored this person.

Strange, Ma Wu has already walked over; why is he standing there motionless?

Could it be that his cultivation is high enough to break my thought power?

If he had that cultivation, why would he still follow Ma Wu to suffer this hardship?

What is he doing there?

Seems to be talking?

Li Banfeng was indeed talking, but Tang Tianjin couldn't hear what he was saying.

It didn't matter if he couldn't hear; Li Banfeng wasn't talking to him either.

"Someone asked you to go over; why aren't you going?"

"Why should I go over? I don't even know him."

"But I think we should go over."

"If you want to go over, you go over."

"You're standing there motionless; how can I go over?"

"How long do you two want to argue? We're fighting a war here; can't you tell?"

Tang Tianjin was stunned.

He didn't understand Li Banfeng's situation.

Like a normal person, Li Banfeng also had many thoughts.

But Tang Tianjin didn't find the most important thought.

Tang Tianjin hadn't encountered such a situation, but he was confident in his technique.

He was a second-layer thought cultivator; he didn't believe he couldn't handle such a young man.

He increased the intensity of his technique, suddenly feeling a splitting headache.

Countless thoughts in Li Banfeng's mind were arguing with each other, and the sound of the argument permeated Tang Tianjin's mind through his thought power.

This person was truly different.

He didn't have a most important thought.

The thoughts in Li Banfeng's mind didn't distinguish between primary and secondary; they were all equal.

Tang Tianjin was just about to withdraw his technique when Li Banfeng suddenly arrived close by.

Half-step?

Second-layer traveling cultivator...

Tang Tianjin didn't react in time, and Li Banfeng cut his neck with a sickle.

Three thugs stepped forward together, the Tang Dao was unsheathed, and with one slash each, the two were knocked to the ground one after another.

The remaining one turned and ran. Ma Wu suddenly raised his head and glanced at him.

Ma Wu, who had passed the first-layer barrier, had learned the technique of confusion. The thug's body trembled, his feet were unstable, and he slipped. Li Banfeng raised his hand with a sickle and hooked it into his skull.

"Brother Ma, look around and see if there are any ambushes?"

Ma Wu understood and knew that Li Banfeng didn't want to be seen when disposing of corpses, so he hurriedly went to the distance to scout.

Li Banfeng sent the four corpses into the Suishenju. His wife yawned and sang: "Husband has worked hard. This little slave will prepare the ingredients right away. These few need to be prepared quickly; I see they won't be able to hold on much longer."

Li Banfeng said: "Should I get them some herbal medicine?"

"No need for such trouble; this little slave will just eat faster."

Li Banfeng left the Suishenju, found Ma Wu, and prepared to return to the wooden hut.

Ma Wu said to Li Banfeng: "Brother Li, let's go back and pack up quickly. We can't stay in Lanyang Village anymore. The Song family won't let us go; we have to find another place."

"Are there any other places?"

"There are plenty of places. The Lu family is in chaos now, and their minds aren't on you. We can find a more peaceful town near Green Water City to live in first, but those places aren't near the New Land, so we'll have to find this business again."

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Such a good business, I really can't bear to part with it. Let's do one more deal at least. That old man just mentioned the Song family's Great Granary; what kind of place is that?"

Ma Wu widened his eyes: "Brother Li, what do you want to do?"

Li Banfeng's expression was very calm: "I'm just asking. Are there any good things in his Great Granary?"

PS: Finding the core thought of the opponent is the core of a thought cultivator's technique.

(End of chapter)