Chapter 217: Calling the Door (High Energy Chapter)

Li Banfeng was worried that someone would play dirty.

People who throw stones from the cliff need a crowbar just to move one; could such people climb down from a cliff tens of meters high and kill a third-layer Residential Cultivator?

Li Banfeng didn't believe it!

He suspected that someone inside Tiemenbao had killed Old Hu.

Old Hu refused to pay and even wanted to fight the bandits of Flying Eagle Mountain.

He was old and had arrived at Tiemenbao quite early, with more seniority than the Fort Master. Such a person easily became a target for the Fort Master to eliminate.

Old Hu is dead now; whose turn is it next?

In Li Banfeng's view, this time it should be Wu Yongchao's turn.

Wu Yongchao also advocated fighting, and his cultivation was high, which was clearly a threat to the Fort Master.

Why did Li Banfeng attribute all the suspicions to the Fort Master?

That's right, in Li Banfeng's view, the most suspicious person right now was this Fort Master.

An eighth-layer Residential Cultivator, unable to stop mountain bandits from entering the door?

Either his cultivation is fake, or he is colluding with the mountain bandits to bully this group of honest people together.

Li Banfeng exhorted repeatedly: "Before you hear me call the door, you must not go out."

Wu Yongchao didn't understand.

The House Spirit reminded him: "Kid, listen to him. As long as you're inside the house, that group of bastards won't dare to touch you. Even if they really dare to come, the two of us will fight them together!"

Wu Yongchao thought Li Banfeng couldn't hear the House Spirit speak, but in fact, Li Banfeng heard it clearly; he had the skill of Insight into Spiritual Sound.

This honest person's luck was indeed not bad; he had met a good House Spirit, and he had also met a good "Peddler."

Li Banfeng prepared to leave, but Wu Yongchao stopped him: "Don't go out; stay here first. If the Fort Master finds out..."

Li Banfeng laughed: "Leaving an outsider at home without consulting the House Spirit—this habit of yours isn't good.

I have a way to keep your Fort Master from knowing. Remember, when you hear me call the door, you must open it for me."

If the Fort Master is truly an eighth-layer Residential Cultivator, I would have been exposed long ago.

If the Fort Master's cultivation isn't too high, I'll have some fun with him.

At three in the morning, Li Banfeng took a sickle and, relying on the agility of a Traveling Cultivator, climbed up along the cliff.

The sheer cliff was hard to climb; Li Banfeng's hands were rubbed bloody.

The wine gourd said in his ear: "Little brother, do you really want to manage this?"

"I do." Li Banfeng answered very crisply.

"These honest people might not be useful to you in the future."

"This has nothing to do with whether they are useful or not."

Li Banfeng climbed to the platform, rested for a moment in the Personal Residence, and returned to the platform just before six o'clock.

People had already arrived on the platform, eleven in total—ten workers and one small leader supervising. The group was carefully preparing stones.

Seeing Li Banfeng arrive, the leading small leader was startled and asked in a low voice: "Who are you?"

Everyone stopped their work and looked at Li Banfeng with fierce expressions.

Li Banfeng lowered his voice: "The Bandit sent me to take a look. You just do your work, don't make any noise."

The small leader looked Li Banfeng up and down: "Sent by the Bandit? Why haven't I seen you before?"

Li Banfeng frowned: "You haven't seen me because you shouldn't see me. Why ask so much?"

"Who do you follow?"

"Still asking?" Li Banfeng frowned.

The small leader was a bit cowardly; Li Banfeng's appearance was a bit scary.

That's right, someone not recognized in the stronghold must be someone of status; one shouldn't ask casually.

"Well, well, you still have to report a name (report a surname), so I can have an explanation when our master asks."

"One-Foot Gate (Li)." Li Banfeng answered.

*Shuai Man Pan Gen* (reporting names and roots), basic underworld jargon, Li Banfeng could still understand it.

"Alright." The small leader didn't dare ask again and urged the underlings to work quickly.

Their task was to throw stones down after Gunnery Chief Luo Dagui finished speaking.

Eleven people, not a small number.

Fighting so many at once without making too much noise, Li Banfeng was a bit worried.

But seeing the way they worked, Li Banfeng set his heart at ease.

Just as he had anticipated, using shoulder poles and crowbars to move stones—they were likely not experts.

Judging by their strength, these people weren't even cultivators.

Li Banfeng took a *Kui* step behind the small leader, covered his mouth with his left hand, swung the blade with his right, and cut his throat first.

Everyone was busy working with their heads down; Li Banfeng killed one with every strike, killing nearly half before anyone reacted.

"What are you..."

Li Banfeng thrust out his iron ruler, piercing that person's throat.

The five underlings below rushed up together to fight Li Banfeng to the death.

Li Banfeng took the Mandarin Duck Axes and hacked them all down; those dead and those half-dead were all sent into the Personal Residence.

Having tidied up, Li Banfeng walked down the mountain.

At six o'clock, Ma Dingfu came to call the door again; Wu Yongchao hid behind the door and didn't make a sound.

"Little Wu, you're a man too. Hiding like this isn't a way. I know you're not well-off; tell me how much you can take out first. If it's not enough, brother will lend you some.

If you keep hiding like this, it's not right. We Residential Cultivators aren't spineless people.

If you really can't afford this money, you can move out. Delaying everyone's life here isn't something a man should do!"

No matter what Ma Dingfu said, Wu Yongchao just wouldn't go out.

At the entrance of the mountain stream, Sui Donglan hid in the messy grass, waiting for the "Peddler" to appear.

Waiting until nearly eight o'clock, the Peddler didn't come. *Woo-ooo! Woo-ooo! * The steam whistle blared, and the steam gate closed.

Not good, the bandits are here.

Sui Donglan wanted to run, but felt her legs go soft.

After brewing for a long time, she finally managed to stand up, only to see over a dozen burly men walking over from afar.

These dozen people wore thick long gowns, big leather hats on their heads, and hideous masks on their faces, carrying a large wooden box one meter high, one meter wide, and over two meters long, arriving at the entrance of the valley.

Sui Donglan hurriedly drilled into the grass, covering her mouth, tears streaming, while yellow soup flowed directly down her pant legs.

These are the bandits of Flying Eagle Mountain!

That god-damned Peddler insisted I wait here; now I've run into them!

*Clang! *

Several burly men placed the large wooden box on the ground, opened the lid, cranked the handle, and a large horn with a diameter of eighty centimeters rose from the box.

What is this thing?

The burly men looked around, seemingly observing whether there were others nearby.

Sui Donglan bit her lip, not making a sound.

"Fort Master Zhou, are you home?" Luo Dagui was shouting.

A voice suddenly came out of the large horn, shaking Sui Donglan's chest until it hurt.

So they used this thing to shout; no wonder the sound was so loud.

Sui Donglan remembered her experience during the Flying Eagle Mountain village massacres; every time she heard the sound, it was this loud, enough to scare people to death.

She had thought this was the means of high-level cultivators; she didn't expect the sound to come from this thing.

The yellow soup stopped.

Sui Donglan didn't seem so afraid anymore.

"Fort Master Zhou, you discussed with me yesterday, saying to give a few days' grace on the money. I agreed; I didn't kill anyone today!

But we have to make things clear. You said to slow down, but how exactly? If you can't take out ten thousand *yang*, you must have three thousand *yang*. Let me take three thousand today!"

When the Residential Cultivators in the fort heard this, their eyes lit up.

There's a reprieve!

The Fort Master is still capable; he negotiated the matter.

Three thousand *yang* is easy to scrape together; ten per household is enough.

Just as everyone was rejoicing, they heard shouting from outside the gate again: "Fort Master Zhou, not answering, right? Then I won't be polite!"

Why isn't Fort Master Zhou answering?

Doesn't even want to give three thousand *yang*?

Luo Dagui said he won't be polite; is he going to throw stones again?

The group of Residential Cultivators was terrified, but no matter how afraid they were, they guarded their rooms. Even if they were smashed to death in their rooms, they weren't willing to abandon their houses.

Ma Dingfu stood in the middle of the road, waiting quietly. He knew stones would fall in a moment.

This group of Residential Cultivators just needs a beating.

After waiting for a long time, there were no stones.

Ma Dingfu was puzzled, and Luo Dagui, standing outside the gate, was also confused.

Did this group of birds not hear clearly?

"I really won't be polite!" He roared again, and someone behind him turned the wheel on the box, the sound even louder than before.

After waiting for a long time, still no stones.

Luo Dagui panicked; he realized something might have gone wrong.

"Forget it, Fort Master Zhou. I don't want to hurt our harmony today. I'll come get the three thousand *yang* tomorrow. In a few days, I'll come get another three thousand. If you keep dragging it out, we'll follow the old rules and take one of your heads every day!"

Fort Master Zhou finally spoke: "Gunnery Chief Luo, you're ruthless enough. I, Zhou, am afraid of you. I'll send the three thousand *yang* to you tomorrow."

The Residential Cultivators in the fort were all stunned.

What does this mean?

Why is he ruthless enough?

No stones fell from the cliff, and no one died in the fort, so why is it called ruthless enough?

Sui Donglan was also strange; she had always thought Fort Master Zhou negotiated with Luo Dagui face-to-face, but she hadn't seen where Fort Master Zhou was, only hearing his voice.

Was Fort Master Zhou shouting from inside the fort?

He didn't dare to come out?

This caliber is quite a bit worse.

Luo Dagui waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave quickly.

Sui Donglan let out a long breath, thinking this disaster had been weathered.

*Ding-la-guang, ding-la-guang! *

Hearing this drum sound, Sui Donglan peed again.

God-damned, why did he come at this time!

Li Banfeng carried a sack, shook a rattle-drum, and arrived in front of the crowd.

"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Let's discuss this again. One head a day is too many; how about one every two days?" Li Banfeng discussed seriously with them.

Luo Dagui was startled and roared: "Who are you?"

"The Peddler!" Li Banfeng laughed. "I see everyone in this Tiemenbao is an honest person and doesn't know how to negotiate, so I'll negotiate for them. One head every two days, what do you think?"

Luo Dagui didn't speak, and the dozen burly men beside him all drew their weapons.

Li Banfeng laughed: "Since you're not speaking, I'll take it as an agreement. You count first; are these heads enough to cover the account for a few days!"

He threw the sack on the ground, and eleven heads scattered out.

Li Banfeng said: "One every two days, that can cover twenty-two days. Gunnery Chief Luo, this account is correct, right?"

Luo Dagui shouted: "Attack!"

The dozen burly men rushed toward Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng took the sickle and hacked at one person's face; that person dodged backward.

Li Banfeng turned his wrist, swept horizontally, and cut that person's throat.

Being able to dodge one move proved this person had some cultivation.

Others seemed to have some cultivation too.

Li Banfeng shouted loudly: "Open the gate and fight them!"

He was very close to the large horn, and the horn was still picking up sound, so it was heard clearly inside the fort. Li Banfeng was calling the door.

He called the door!

Wu Yongchao heard it clearly in the room.

The House Spirit said: "He said he would call the door; I thought it was our house's door. Who knew it was the fort's big gate? What should we do?"

"I have to open the door for him!" This is the stubbornness of a Residential Cultivator!

"No, don't be reckless, watch out for your Fort Master!"

"I have to open the door for him!" Wu Yongchao rushed outside the door and headed straight for the boiler room.

Ma Dingfu was startled and shouted: "What do you want to do?"

"Open the gate and fight the bandits!"

"No, I'm telling you, this won't do. Without the Fort Master's order, no one is allowed to..." Ma Dingfu followed quietly behind Wu Yongchao, clutching a dagger in his hand.

The distance between the two was less than ten steps. Wu Yongchao turned his head suddenly, holding a paintbrush, swung it, and stabbed it directly into Ma Dingfu's chest.

Ma Dingfu clutched his chest, fell to the ground, and the dagger in his hand also fell out.

"Want to sneak attack me!" Wu Yongchao gritted his teeth. "You bastard, you're not worthy!"

He is an honest person, but honest doesn't mean stupid!

Li Banfeng exhorted repeatedly; how could he not take precautions?

"Bastard, did you kill Old Hu!" Wu Yongchao stepped forward and kicked Ma Dingfu. Ma Dingfu didn't move; he seemed to be dead.

Wu Yongchao rushed straight into the boiler room and shouted at the crowd: "Open the gate!"

The crowd looked at each other, not understanding Wu Yongchao's meaning.

Wu Yongchao didn't say much and rushed up to pull the air valve.

Several boiler workers stepped forward to stop Wu Yongchao: "No, this requires the Fort Master's order."

Wu Yongchao and several workers fought in the boiler room.

Outside the gate, the fighting was even fiercer. Li Banfeng knocked down two people with the sickle, and two more wanted to sneak attack from behind. The Tang Dao suddenly unsheathed, cutting off two heads with one strike each, then turned back and cut down another person who rushed forward.

"The blade takes the enemy's head!" The Tang Dao immediately shrank and retreated into Li Banfeng's pocket.

The teapot splashed a sheet of tea, scalding two to death.

The wine gourd sprayed wine mist; Li Banfeng struck a match and burned three to death.

The pendulum struck one person's neck, instantly sucking that person dry, then struck another person's back of the head.

Among these people, not one had cultivation exceeding the second layer.

Li Banfeng was a dual-fourth-layer dual cultivator; in the blink of an eye, he cleaned up the dozen burly men.

Only Luo Dagui remained, and this person was quite composed.

"Good skills." Luo Dagui shook the handle, first put away the large horn, and confirmed it was no longer picking up sound. Luo Dagui said to Li Banfeng: "Which path are you on?"

Li Banfeng shook the rattle-drum in his hand: "Peddler, naturally the Peddler Path."

"We usually have no grudges. When I entered the path, I even ate your medicine powder. Speaking of which, it's a bit of fate."

"Is there such a thing?" Li Banfeng feigned surprise. "You must have eaten my junior brother's medicine powder. But speaking of which, what path are you on?

Looking at your posture, you don't look like a Martial Cultivator. Are you a Deception Cultivator?"

Luo Dagui nodded: "You guessed right. I am a Deception Cultivator, a seventh-layer Deception Cultivator."

Seventh layer!

The path wasn't guessed right, but the cultivation was. This guy really was seventh layer.

Li Banfeng retreated half a step.

Luo Dagui laughed: "Friend, regardless of whether you are a senior brother or junior brother, today you've taken enough advantage and made your point. I advise you to stop while you're ahead.

You keep saying you're a Peddler, but if I'm not mistaken, your level is far from his. If I really make a move, you won't be able to withstand a single strike.

The reason I'm not moving against you is that I'm worried you really have ties to the Peddler. I don't want to offend the real Peddler for this bit of business in Tiemenbao.

You know the reputation of Flying Eagle Mountain in this area; there's no need for us to form a death feud. Let's both take a step back today and end it here. What do you think?"

The oppressive aura made Li Banfeng's hands tremble a bit.

Dual-fourth-layer cultivation, fighting a seventh layer—can it be done?

Two fourth layers added together isn't eight layers?

Nonsense! How can you calculate it like that!

Is he really seventh layer?

A seventh-layer cultivator bringing so many small fry out to fight?

Just as Li Banfeng was thinking, he suddenly heard the steam gate sound.

*Huchi! Huchi! Huchi! *

Wu Yongchao knocked down all the workers in the boiler room and opened the gate.

Li Banfeng gritted his teeth!

There are two or three hundred Residential Cultivators in the fort; this is their doorstep.

The highest cultivation reached the fourth layer.

Is there any chance of winning?

Li Banfeng sighed: "Forget it, let's both take a step back today."

"Good!" Luo Dagui nodded, praising: "Knowing when to advance and retreat, understanding the situation—you'll have achievements in the future..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Banfeng arrived close by with a *Kui* step.

Residential Cultivators can't even guard their own doorstep; what kind of Residential Cultivators are they!

Fight a battle!

Li Banfeng swung the sickle, hacking toward the opponent's throat.

He didn't expect this strike to hit; he only sought to take the initiative.

This Luo Dagui likely isn't seventh layer. I'll suppress him with a wave, and when the Residential Cultivators in the fort rush out, we'll attack from front and back, striving to...

The head fell off.

Li Banfeng's blade swept past, and Luo Dagui's head fell off.

This...

Li Banfeng picked up Luo Dagui's head and looked at it for a long time, his thoughts swirling.

Just this level of cultivation, and he can be a gunnery chief in a stronghold!

Is the threshold for bandits so low?

Where did that oppressive aura of his come from?

Is this the talent of a Deception Cultivator?

The steam gate opened, and Wu Yongchao stood at the gate, looking nervously at the "Peddler."

Behind him, a group of Residential Cultivators were all looking nervously at the "Peddler."

Li Banfeng lifted Luo Dagui's head and shouted at the crowd: "The gunnery chief of Flying Eagle Mountain is dead!"

The Residential Cultivators couldn't believe the "Peddler" would kill someone from Flying Eagle Mountain.

They didn't understand why the "Peddler" would help them.

They didn't even dare to believe that the head in the "Peddler's" hand was really Luo Dagui's.

Looking at their questioning eyes, Li Banfeng took off Luo Dagui's mask: "Look carefully, do you recognize him? Do you remember him?

You are Residential Cultivators. No matter who fights to your doorstep, you must take their head. Guarding your own doorstep—this is the dignity of a Residential Cultivator!"

The Residential Cultivators were very excited; quite a few even shed tears.

Li Banfeng also felt what he said was quite moving.

A woman shouted: "Fort Master!"

Li Banfeng was stunned.

What master?

They are calling me Fort Master?

This is too...

Li Banfeng was too embarrassed.

Wu Yongchao said with a trembling voice: "You killed the Fort Master."

He means...

This is...

Fort Master?

Li Banfeng stared at Luo Dagui's head for a moment.

He said affectionately: "I'll be damned..."

PS: How could he be the Fort Master?

Didn't the Fort Master just talk to him?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 218 =====