Chapter 123: Mind Cultivation

At critical moments, it doesn’t always work.

That’s not good.

Li Banfeng recalled his clash with Huang Guangshi—he’d been stabbed in the cheek with an iron ruler, had planned to flee, but failed.

He had intended to use Kuibu Wuhen, but panic seized him at the critical moment of life and death.

This technique demands great mental composure!

Use intention to guide your steps.

I steal one step.

Li Banfeng took a step forward—it failed.

I steal another step.

Still no success.

Watching Li Banfeng stumble forward, Ma Wu frowned: “Brother Li, you’re overthinking. You’ve only been in the sect for a few months—why push for the second level?”

“I’m just preparing now, so when I do advance, I won’t be lost. Brother Ma, do you know the three-tier techniques of Travel Cultivators?”

“I don’t know. Each sect’s techniques are rarely written down, especially those above the third tier—few cultivators reach them, and they never reveal their methods. Only a handful even know them.”

“If a book truly recorded such techniques, it’d be priceless. Even the Ma family’s library probably doesn’t have one.”

As they spoke, the two reached the marshland and soon found the sticky mud.

This lump of sticky mud was hard to distinguish—it looked nearly identical to the sludge scattered everywhere in the marsh. Ma Wu, knowing its traits, lowered his voice: “The sticky mud has a black hem. Near water, you can see the hem trembling.”

Li Banfeng studied it closely—the edge of the black mud was indeed quivering.

Overall, the lump resembled a rotting jellyfish.

“Brother Li, move gently. This mud is an anomaly—it has spirit. If you make too much noise, it’ll flee. You hold the jar. I’ll take the mud.”

Ma Wu put on gloves and stepped two paces into the marsh—his foot slipped into a mud pit and began sinking.

He panicked, trying to pull his foot free, but his other foot sank into the sludge too.

This isn’t right—the marsh has changed! It’s different from when he last came.

Ma Wu stopped struggling and turned awkwardly to look at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng held the iron jar, standing silently on the bank, watching Ma Wu sink lower into the marsh.

…

After hauling Ma Wu out of the mud, Li Banfeng put on gloves and walked toward the sticky mud.

Travel Cultivators have a natural advantage in marshes—each step Li Banfeng took let him sense the fortune or misfortune of the next step, greatly reducing the risk of sinking.

About five steps from the mud, a splash rang out—the movement was too loud.

The sticky mud sensed it—the surrounding hem began trembling rapidly.

Ma Wu frowned—the mud was trying to escape.

He dared not urge Li Banfeng, fearing he’d panic and step wrong.

Li Banfeng stepped forward swiftly.

The mud’s body rolled violently, trying to sink beneath the sludge.

Underestimated its speed.

Li Banfeng took another step.

The mud’s body had already vanished into the sludge.

Li Banfeng bent low, plunged his hand into the muddy water, grabbed the entire lump, and shoved it into the iron jar.

“Almost came for nothing,” Li Banfeng smiled.

Ma Wu stared in shock: “Brother Li, you just stole a step.”

“What do you mean, stole a step?” Li Banfeng looked confused.

Ma Wu didn’t know how to explain.

When the mud vanished into the water, Li Banfeng was three steps away.

Three steps—over two meters.

Unless Li Banfeng had lain flat in the water, he couldn’t possibly have reached the mud.

In that instant of bending down, he stole a step—a long one.

The distance shrank to one and a half steps—that’s how he barely reached the mud.

When Li Banfeng stepped out of the marsh, Ma Wu couldn’t help asking: “Brother Li, what level are you?”

Li Banfeng replayed the motion of retrieving the mud and realized the distance had been strangely off.

“I’ll just say,” Li Banfeng said calmly, “this stuff needs preparation—you never know when you’ll ascend.”

Ma Wu stopped asking.

He’d never asked much about Li Banfeng.

Why could he kill first- or even second-level opponents? Why could he dispose of corpses without a trace? Why had he suddenly gone to Green Water City to buy a phonograph? Why had he thrown it away? How had he escaped the Cloak Moth Lady? Why hadn’t he paid after eating noodles?

Ma Wu never asked about these things—he knew he shouldn’t.

But this moment made him unable to hold back.

He and Li Banfeng found the peddler on the same day, joined the sect on the same day—he’d barely passed the first level, yet Li Banfeng was already at the second?

That’s impossible.

Even if he ate Snake Speck Elixir every day, he couldn’t do it.

Not even if he took one Xuan Chi Elixir daily—he still couldn’t do it!

What’s the reason?

Could it be because he was bathed in heavenly light?

Surviving after being bathed in heavenly light—could that be what’s called innate talent?

“Brother Li, what method do you use to cultivate? Could you give me a hint?” Ma Wu asked sincerely.

Li Banfeng thought a moment, then replied: “Cultivation depends mostly on mindset. When the mindset arrives, the cultivation base arrives.”

Mindset?

Ma Wu wasn’t familiar with the term.

Maybe it’s similar to “heart state”?

Is my cultivation not devout enough?

Li Banfeng came from Medicine King Gully to Green Water Bay—not just to flee the Lu family. He’s cultivating.

Crossing the border must have been filled with countless dangers. Travel Cultivators accumulate more time in peril—he did this for cultivation.

His heart state is far more devout than mine.

I seem obsessed with Joy Cultivation, but can I truly be as relentless as he is?

I can’t slack off anymore.

…

The two returned to Blue Willow Village. Soon after entering the village gate, Song family’s chief steward Tang Tianjin stepped before them.

Behind him stood three men—Ma Wu recognized them as Song family’s enforcers.

What are they up to?

Looking for trouble?

“Young Master Wu, off hunting new land again? Catch anything good?” Tang Tianjin stroked his beard and smiled at Ma Wu.

Ma Wu pointed to the stinking fish slung over his shoulder: “Went to fish for peaches. Bad luck—the peach trees didn’t come.”

Tang Tianjin chuckled: “Too few fish—of course the peach trees won’t come.”

Ma Wu grimaced: “Only two of us. Even if we wanted to carry more stinking fish, we couldn’t lift them.”

Tang Tianjin nodded: “It’s hard on you, Young Master. Our master feels bad seeing you work so hard. How about this—we send a few more hands tomorrow to help you?”

“No, no—I don’t deserve such favor. I just want to pick a few peaches to earn my meals. I dare not trouble Master Song.”

“How’s that trouble? Business is about negotiation. Please come with us—our master is waiting for you both at the great warehouse.”

Ma Wu sensed trouble. He glanced at Li Banfeng, signaling him to prepare to flee, then turned back to Tang Tianjin with a smile: “Master Tang, please tell Master Song we’re just trying to earn a few coins. If we’ve offended, we’ll come to your estate to apologize another day.”

“Don’t want to go?” Tang Tianjin’s face darkened. “Today, you’re going whether you want to or not!”

At those words, Ma Wu turned to run.

But his body twisted—his legs refused to move.

Go with him. Go with him.

A thought churned repeatedly in his mind.

That thought slowly took control of Ma Wu’s will.

Ma Wu stepped toward Tang Tianjin, one step at a time.

Damn—it’s a Mind Cultivator!

He’s controlling me with mental force.

Ma Wu still resisted subconsciously—but it was useless.

Because his core thought had been seized.

Everyone has many thoughts in their mind, but one dominates—it determines a person’s actions.

Mind Cultivators can seize a person’s dominant thought and thus control their actions.

Tang Tianjin smiled at Ma Wu, then turned to Li Banfeng.

He didn’t know who this man was—he knew Ma Wu had a helper, but because Li Banfeng was a Home Cultivator, he’d always ignored him.

Strange, Ma Wu has already walked over—why is he standing still?

Could his cultivation base be high enough to break through my mental force?

If he had that level of cultivation, why would he still follow Ma Wu and suffer like this?

What is he doing over there?

Seems like he’s talking?

Li Banfeng was indeed speaking, but Tang Tianjin couldn’t hear what he said.

Doesn’t matter if you can’t hear—he wasn’t speaking to you.

“They told you to go over—why don’t you go?”

“What would I go over for? I don’t even know him.”

“But I think you should go.”

“If you want to go, then go.”

“If you’re standing there Budong , how am I supposed to go?”

“How long are you two going to keep arguing? This is a battle—can’t you see?”

Tang Tianjin was stunned.

He didn’t understand Li Banfeng’s condition.

Like any normal person, Li Banfeng had many thoughts.

But Tang Tianjin couldn’t find the primary thought.

Tang Tianjin had never encountered such a situation, but he was confident in his technique.

He was a Level Two Mental Cultivator—he refused to believe he couldn’t subdue such a young pup.

He intensified his technique, then suddenly felt his head splitting open.

Inside Li Banfeng’s mind, countless thoughts argued among themselves, their clamor seeping through mental force into Tang Tianjin’s mind.

This man was truly different.

He had no primary thought.

The thoughts in Li Banfeng’s mind had no hierarchy—they were all equal.

Tang Tianjin was just about to withdraw his technique when Li Banfeng suddenly appeared before him.

A step?

Level Two Travel Cultivator…

Before Tang Tianjin could react, Li Banfeng slashed his throat with a sickle.

Three enforcers rushed forward—Tang Dao drew his blade, one cut per man, two fell to the ground in succession.

The last one turned and ran—Ma Wu suddenly looked up and glanced at him.

Ma Wu, having passed the First Trial, had learned the Confusion Technique—the enforcer shuddered, lost his footing, stumbled—and Li Banfeng raised his sickle, hooking it into the man’s skull.

“Brother Ma, check around—any other ambushes?”

Ma Wu understood: Li Banfeng didn’t want witnesses while collecting corpses, so he hurried off to scout the distance.

Li Banfeng sent the four corpses into his Personal Dwelling. His wife yawned and sang: “Husband, you’ve worked hard—your humble wife will prepare the ingredients right away. These ones need quick handling—I can tell they’re about to break.”

Li Banfeng said: “Should I give them some herbs?”

“No need for such trouble—I’ll just eat faster.”

Li Banfeng exited his Personal Dwelling, found Ma Wu, and prepared to return to the wooden hut.

Ma Wu told Li Banfeng: “Brother Li, we must pack up quickly—we can’t stay in Lanyang Village. The Song family won’t let us go. We need to find another place.”

“Are there other places?”

“There are plenty. The Lu family is in chaos now—they’re not paying attention to you. We can find a quieter town near Lüshui City to settle for now, but those places aren’t near the New Lands, so we’ll have to find a new trade.”

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then shook his head: “This trade is so good—I really hate to give it up. Let’s do one more job. Just now, that old man mentioned the Song family’s great warehouse—what’s that place?”

Ma Wu’s eyes widened: “Brother Li, what are you planning?”

Li Banfeng’s expression remained utterly calm: “I’m just asking—does his warehouse have anything valuable?”

PS: Identifying an opponent’s core thought is the essence of a Mental Cultivator’s technique.

(End of Chapter)