[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-218":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Proles",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2290516,4478,"Chapter 218: Senior Brother, Don","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-218",218,"\u003Cp>Is Luo Dagui the Zhou Fortress Master?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are they the same person?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of logic is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had no time to ponder logic—a group of furious Zhai Xiu charged toward him; he gripped the head in his hand and sprinted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Catch him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Avenge the Fortress Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He runs so fast—he’s clearly a Lv Xiu; not a single Lv Xiu is decent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After running over ten miles, Li Banfeng finally shook off the group of Zhai Xiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting on the hillside, Li Banfeng stared at Luo Dagui’s head in his hand, carefully organizing his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right before the Tiemenbao gate, Luo Dagui was still speaking with the Zhou Fortress Master—how could he suddenly become the Fortress Master?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly is going on here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now all those Zhai Xiu believe I killed the Zhou Fortress Master—how do I explain this to them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nearly forgot—there’s still a witness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Dagui didn’t know Sui Donglan was hiding in the grass because his cultivation base was too low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had the Thread-Ear Earrings—he heard every sound of her urinating, crystal clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went straight to Sui Donglan’s dwelling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Banfeng, Sui Donglan smiled: “You’ve come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve come,” Li Banfeng nodded. “You saw everything that happened today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today? What happened today? I’ve been home all day, waiting for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng blinked. “What are you talking about? I mean the Tiemenbao incident!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tiemenbao? What place is that? Will you take me there? I want to go with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this woman insane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng looked at Sui Donglan and sighed: “I originally planned to give you a cup of wine to erase the characters on your face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sui Donglan smiled blankly: “What characters? Are there characters on my face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng shook his head: “Since you’re already mad, I’ll leave these two characters on you—consider it a keepsake. Maybe someday you’ll come to your senses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Li Banfeng stood up and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sui Donglan collapsed on the ground and immediately clutched her legs: “Master Peddler, don’t leave! Have mercy on me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng snorted coldly: “You’re pretending to be mad? Do you think you’re convincing? Did you see everything that happened today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw,” Sui Donglan wept. “Luo Dagui was the Zhou Fortress Master—I saw it and went mad from fear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Come with me to Tiemenbao and explain everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, it won’t make sense—they won’t believe me. I’m an outsider, a fraud. Anything I say is useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s actually true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it. If it can’t be explained, then let it be—after all, the fraudster Zhou Fortress Master is dead, and the Feiyingshan’s Luo Pao is dead too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve done what needed doing. The rest is up to their fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just wonder if this will drag Wu Yongchao into trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yongchao did suffer a little consequence—just a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dingfu didn’t die; he was the first to step forward and accuse Wu Yongchao: “You wanted to open the gate—you wanted to let that peddler in. You’re his accomplice. Together, you murdered the Zhou Fortress Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fabricated a string of charges; Wu Yongchao replied with just one sentence: “I heard someone fighting bandits, so I went out to see—what’s wrong with that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are plenty of things wrong—why did you open the gate? Why…?” Ma Dingfu’s voice grew quieter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized one thing: Zhou Anju was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yongchao was a fourth-layer Zhai Xiu; Ma Dingfu was only a third-layer Ti Xiu. If they truly fought, Ma Dingfu would lose—and might even die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where were Zhou Fortress Master’s former subordinates? Couldn’t they back Ma Dingfu up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a steward named He, a fifth-layer cultivator, who stayed inside Zhou Fortress Master’s quarters—he never left, per Zhou Anju’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other subordinates all came from Feiyingshan; they were all lying outside Tiemenbao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dingfu insisted they were all killed by the peddler, but the loudspeaker wooden box was hard to explain, and so were their clothes and masks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the matter was hard to explain, Zhai Xiu were easily fooled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Dingfu focused his fury on the peddler, weeping with rage, teeth clenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Zhou Fortress Master died unjustly! This vengeance must be taken!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhai Xiu’s emotions were stirred—they joined in the shouting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Wu Yongchao did not shout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was honest, but not foolish—he was slowly connecting the dots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the crowd gathered Zhou Fortress Master’s corpse to prepare for the funeral, suddenly, drumming echoed from beyond the valley:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Soap, face cream, silk scarves, handkerchiefs, needles and thread, leather buckets, iron water pails, matches, candles, iron shovels…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler pushed his cart past Tiemenbao and saw a crowd rushing out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So many people!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler felt delighted: “Good business today! Do you want to buy…? What’s going on? What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crowd of Zhai Xiu roared: “Catch him! Kill him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick! Avenge the Fortress Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not him—it’s his senior brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoever it is, they’re no good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone be careful—he’s no weakling!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t fear—we Zhai Xiu aren’t cowards!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng gave Sui Donglan a choice: either keep the characters on her face, or suffer an hour of pain every day—her previous fraud couldn’t go unpunished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sui Donglan begged in vain and finally chose to keep the characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng gave Sui Donglan a cup of wine, relieving her pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Wu Yongchao’s directions, Li Banfeng found Taohua Lake; he circled half the lake and located the big rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He touched the water’s temperature, considering whether to jump in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng could swim, but he didn’t know what lay beneath the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His clothes weren’t suitable for swimming, but his Sui Shen Ju didn’t seem to have a swimsuit either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should he wait a little longer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—enough waiting. He’d have to return eventually. Ling Miaoying’s matter needed settling—he had betrayed me, so I won’t let him off easily. No matter how high his cultivation, there must be a way to deal with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced back at Tiemenbao, feeling uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he hesitated, a voice called from beside his ear: “Senior brother, where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior brother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that me you’re calling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng turned—and saw a bruised, swollen man standing behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who could approach Li Banfeng silently couldn’t be ordinary; Li Banfeng stepped back two paces and barked: “Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man laughed: “Senior brother, you don’t recognize me already?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng listened closely—the man’s speech was slurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Peddler? What happened to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peddler laughed more brightly: “Senior brother, you should ask yourself that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t keep calling me senior brother,” Li Banfeng felt embarrassed. “There’s a misunderstanding here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peddler nodded: “There’s a huge misunderstanding—can’t be explained. Set other things aside for now—let’s talk about this senior brother business. Tell me: where did you get this ‘senior brother’ title from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the Peddler rolled up his sleeves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng sensed danger and quickly reached into his pant pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t—don’t pull out the key,” the Peddler sneered. “Others don’t know your tricks, but I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, listen—I was doing good…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead, explain slowly. You ruined my reputation and pretended to be my senior brother—see how you explain this!” The Peddler yanked a feather duster from his cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, both men were bruised and swollen, sitting together by the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng sighed: “With your cultivation, how could a bunch of Zhai Xiu beat you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peddler grimaced: “We’re all mortals—I couldn’t really hurt them, could I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng rubbed his face: “You hit pretty hard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peddler stared at Taohua Lake: “So, you’re going back to Lüshuibay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng hesitated: “I want to go back, but I feel I shouldn’t. The Tiemenbao matter still feels unfinished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re honest people—but why should honest people be bullied? You handled Haichiling—why not Tiemenbao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler laughed. “The famine in Hai Chi Ridge was caused by the Insect King. What realm is he at? He’s targeting mortals—I can’t just stand by.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trouble in Tiemenbao was caused by a group of swindlers—a bunch of low-level frauds who conned them. How am I supposed to intervene?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Anju, relying on a massive iron gate, colluded with the bandits of Feiyingshan and easily deceived these home cultivators for decades.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ask those home cultivators if they’ve ever seen the bandits of Feiyingshan. Would those petty thieves from Feiyingshan dare set foot in Tiemenbao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Home cultivators are best at guarding their gates. Even if you sent the Lu family—the most powerful force in Pulu Province—could they even take Tiemenbao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Home cultivators ignore the world outside their doors—that’s their nature. But they’ve gone too far. A cat or dog meowing twice, and they think it’s a tiger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today Zhou Anju came and fooled them. Tomorrow, if Pei Anju shows up, will they still be fooled? Can I possibly handle them all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t handle them, won’t the Earth God step in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why should the Earth God care? As long as there are people on the land, that’s enough. Aren’t swindlers also people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then asked: “Does a sect of swindler cultivators even exist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler stared at Li Banfeng. “Are you asking about Fool Cultivators or Swindler Cultivators? You haven’t encountered any Fool Cultivators, have you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng shook his head rapidly. “No. I heard Fool Cultivators went extinct long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good you haven’t. Stay far away from the Fool Cultivators—that sect is dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re telling me this now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng quickly changed the subject. “I was asking about Swindler Cultivators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Swindler Cultivators?” The peddler’s tone grew profound. “You could say they exist—and yet, you could also say they don’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you be more straightforward?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It starts with their origin. Decades ago, a swindler from Pulu Province claimed to be a ninth-level Swindler Cultivator. He fabricated an entire backstory and explanation. Since cultivation level can’t be seen, his tale fooled countless people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ordinary folk, sure—but even many prestigious clans were deceived. He built a fortune, founded a large sect, and dominated Pulu Province for decades. No one ever exposed him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For decades, no one exposed him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler sighed. “He had three cultivation principles—remarkable ones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First: if you never act, your cultivation level is real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second: if you act but aren’t seen, your cultivation level is still real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third: if you’re seen, but others can’t understand what they saw, your cultivation level remains real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For decades, 99% of people couldn’t see through these three principles. A tiny few realized the truth after being fooled—but still couldn’t speak out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why couldn’t they speak out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler looked at Li Banfeng. “If you were a high-level cultivator, and a low-level swindler tricked you, what would you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d say, ‘I was just caught off guard by his technique.’ Otherwise, where would you save face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you know you’ve been humiliated, you should kill the swindler!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler smiled bitterly. “Reality isn’t like that. Knowing you’ve been fooled, you secretly hope others get fooled too. Seeing others fall for it makes you feel better. That’s just how people are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng fell silent for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler continued: “With these three principles, combined with rhetoric, strategy, power games, and psychological manipulation—plus a crew of accomplices and props—they formed a unique sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you say it’s not a sect, his cultivation principles actually work—and the longer he cultivates, the more refined his deception becomes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you say it is a sect, he has no real cultivation. So Swindler Cultivators are an indeterminate category.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng was deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When spoken of, it sounds earth-shattering; when questioned, no one has ever seen it. Li Banfeng realized Zhou Anju’s cultivation level must indeed be high—no wonder he dominated Tiemenbao for decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler stood up. “There are too many swindlers in this world. Some even I can’t tell apart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no paradise beyond the world. Kill one lord, and tomorrow another will take his place. If the home cultivators of Tiemenbao want to survive, they must rely on themselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng also stood. “They should rely on themselves—but someone should still lend them a hand. This matter isn’t finished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peddler was right: Tiemenbao was choosing a new lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhou’s old subordinate, Ma Dingfu naturally became the next lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yongchao was reluctant. He had no interest in the lord’s seat, but he always suspected Hu’s death was tied to Ma Dingfu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just Hu’s death—he even suspected the bandits of Feiyingshan were connected to Ma Dingfu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no proof. The other home cultivators didn’t care much about the lord’s affairs. Ma Dingfu seemed destined to become lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But everything must be done properly. Ma Dingfu planned a banquet to solidify his claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late at night, Wu Yongchao wrestled with whether to attend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t go, he’d be ostracized. If he went, seeing Ma Dingfu’s face made him sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he hesitated, someone knocked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yongchao peered through the door mirror—it was the peddler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me explain first—about your lord…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to explain. Come in,” Wu Yongchao opened the door immediately. “I trust you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, things became much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know where your lord lives?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: It’s not the honest person’s fault when they’re deceived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2220,"2026-06-20T03:43:16.386Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0b1e9c6c981f04c0480b56475330254b0647579d21db9e43fd26e3113ba0e762","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-219","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-217",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]