Chapter 230: The Matter Is Settled

Li Banfeng looked at Sui Donglan's large bouquet of flowers, sniffing each one in turn.

"You call this a good flower? Not a single scent—what kind of good flower is this?"

Sui Donglan frowned, eyes wet: "How was I supposed to know what kind of flowers you wanted? I thought you just wanted something pretty."

Li Banfeng shoved the flowers aside: "With these trash flowers, you think you can erase the characters on your face? Dream on!"

"Don't!" Sui Donglan grabbed Li Banfeng. "How about this—I'll take you somewhere with flowers, flowers so fragrant you can pick as many as you want."

To be fair, though Sui Donglan was a con artist, she'd put real effort into her research.

The place she recommended was a bit far, but the flowers there were truly abundant.

Li Banfeng picked flowers of every color and wove them into a large wreath; from afar, its fragrance was overpowering.

He then asked Sui Donglan to recommend some rouge—color aside, the scent was undeniably exquisite.

Once the gifts were ready, Li Banfeng prepared a thousand silver dollars; at midnight, he carried the box, the wreath, and the rouge into the side building.

Han Juncheng was still slumped at the door, dead, but no one dared to collect his body.

Li Banfeng swallowed hard and walked further into the building.

He remembered the shape of the spear, but not its location—he dared not wander carelessly inside the side building.

Fortunately, his nose was sharp—even sharper than Han Juncheng's.

He possessed the technique of Hundred Flavors and Luminous Perception; following the chilling yin energy, he quickly found the second floor.

At the end of the corridor, Li Banfeng did not push open the door; instead, he placed the wreath on his head, opened the rouge box, and waited silently.

The fragrance slowly drifted into the room; the door creaked open.

Li Banfeng saw the weapon rack, and on it, the spear.

Carrying the wreath and rouge, he stepped forward cautiously; the spear sensed the fragrance approaching and suddenly spoke.

"Who are you?"

The voice was low and cold, its pressure striking like a blow, making Li Banfeng shiver.

Li Banfeng slowed his steps but kept moving forward—then the spear roared again: "What do you want?"

No answer was needed, nor possible—she couldn't hear him.

Li Banfeng could only gauge the shifts in her pressure to adjust his pace.

"Don't come closer! Take another step and I'll take your life!" The spear roared; Li Banfeng trembled.

Yet he gritted his teeth and pressed forward—his steps slowed, but never stopped.

He couldn't stop—the technique of Avoiding Misfortune and Seeking Fortune told him not to stop.

Hong Ying was suspicious now; if he stopped, he'd likely die instantly.

Li Banfeng occasionally touched Tang Dao, murmuring: "Every cut takes a head—prove yourself."

Tang Dao shuddered all over, unable to speak.

He came from the military, yet now faced his ultimate nemesis.

All other magic treasures trembled—even the wine gourd and the old teapot fell silent.

Li Banfeng slowly approached the spear, gathered his courage, and placed the wreath upon it.

"Flowers…" The spear fell silent for a long while, then asked, "For me?"

Li Banfeng took a deep breath, dipped his finger in rouge, and smeared it onto the spear.

"What are you doing? How dare you! This… this is rouge?"

She hadn't applied rouge in so long—some things, Lao He didn't understand.

Li Banfeng used the rouge to slowly write two characters on the spear.

Hong Ying.

The spear shuddered; Li Banfeng heard her breathing.

"You know my name?"

Li Banfeng wrote it again on the spear's shaft.

Hong Ying.

"You… are calling me?"

This was the most critical step.

Sweat poured down Li Banfeng; his clothes soaked through instantly.

He gripped the key tightly in his hand.

If the spear's pressure increased even slightly, Li Banfeng would flee immediately.

But the pressure didn't rise—it slightly weakened.

He waited five full minutes; during those minutes, he nearly suffocated.

Finally, the spear spoke.

"You… want me?"

Li Banfeng gently stroked the spear.

"I'm blind and deaf—and you still want me…"

How long had Hong Ying been trapped here?

How desperately had she longed for someone to accept her?

Meeting Lao He must have been sheer luck; now that Lao He was dead, Hong Ying likely feared she'd never meet another Zhaixiu.

Hong Ying fell silent—whether moved or suspicious, no one could tell.

This had to show sincerity—immense sincerity!

Li Banfeng pulled out silver dollars and lightly touched them to the spear.

The spear exploded in rage: "What is this? Do you think I'm some common whore?"

Li Banfeng trembled violently, nearly fleeing for his life.

Fortunately, the spear calmed quickly and asked: "Those were silver dollars, weren't they?"

Li Banfeng picked up two silver dollars and touched them to Hong Ying.

"Only two? Do you think I'm some cheap woman?" Hong Ying snapped.

"There's more," Li Banfeng said, though he knew she couldn't hear.

Li Banfeng picked up a handful of silver dollars and gently rubbed them along Hong Ying.

Hong Ying snapped: "Don't touch my belly—it's itching!"

Li Banfeng moved his hand upward.

Hong Ying grew angrier: "I'm a girl—how dare you touch there?"

Li Banfeng moved his hand downward.

"Even worse there!"

So where the hell was it okay?

This woman was harder to please than a wife.

Li Banfeng carefully placed each silver dollar against the spear, rubbing them one by one.

The spear occasionally sneered: "Vulgar man—you bring me vulgar things. Do you think I actually care?"

Let me tell you—each silver dollar may touch me only once. If you dare touch me twice with the same coin, I'll make you regret it!"

Soon, all one thousand silver dollars had been touched once; Li Banfeng dipped his finger in rouge and wrote her name again on the spear.

Hong Ying.

"Why write my name again?" The spear's pressure surged, then softened. "Didn't I already agree to you?"

Li Banfeng gathered courage and gripped the spear.

The pressure remained—but the spear no longer resisted.

Success was one step away—the house.

If the house refused to let Hong Ying leave, Li Banfeng would have to fight it.

Hong Ying had prepared for this: "I've been in this house for many years—I fear it will try to force me to stay.

Don't get entangled with the house—wait for the right moment and leave quickly!"

Li Banfeng wiped his sweat, lifted the spear, and walked straight to the side building's main door—the house made no move to stop Hong Ying or Li Banfeng.

Hong Ying had overthought it—the house had long grown tired of her.

Hong Ying felt slightly embarrassed and explained to Li Banfeng: "You chose your moment well—the house is deep in slumber and hasn't awakened yet. Take me to your home quickly."

Li Banfeng brought Hong Ying into his Suishenju.

The wine gourd stayed silent.

The Blood-Soaked Pendulum pressed tightly against the Thread-Ear Pendant.

Meng De in the calendar covered his eyes.

The old teapot pretended to sleep.

The Judge's Brush truly slept.

Tang Dao flew recklessly into the second room.

Li Banfeng lifted the spear and looked at the phonograph.

The spear still spoke: "Is this your home? Already back so soon? Your house is close to where I was—

This place is strange… what kind of house is this? Who are you?"

Hong Ying sensed something was wrong and roared: "You lied to me! How dare you deceive me—what place is this? This is…"

She realized it wasn't just the house that was wrong—there was something inside.

"Wicked woman, I smell your stench—this is your den, I damn well…"

Li Banfeng gripped his spear tightly and said: "Attack!"

A cloud of steam rushed forward, wrapping tightly around the spear.

The spear shuddered, wrenching free from Li Banfeng's grip, turning to stab him.

The steam moved first, shielding Li Banfeng, as the Lady cried out: "Husband, leave the rest to your humble servant!"

That earlier tug on Hong Ying had given the Lady the opening she needed—she used a wisp of steam to hurl Li Banfeng into the second room, sealed the door, and began fighting Hong Ying.

Li Banfeng crouched behind the door, listening as the two women battled and screamed at each other.

"Wicked woman, how dare you scheme against me? I've been searching for you! Let's settle this today!"

"Wretch, what are you talking about settling? Just clamp your face between two peaches—you've already thrown away your dignity anyway!"

Li Banfeng grew anxious.

Lady, why are you insulting her? She can't hear you.

After half an hour of fighting, the Lady seemed to be gaining no advantage.

This was Li Banfeng's house—she was his house spirit, and yet in his own dwelling, she still couldn't gain the upper hand?

What should he do?

Li Banfeng couldn't think of any way to help the Lady.

Huff~ huff~

The Lady's voice grew frantic—she was clearly losing ground.

A voice crackled from the speaker: "Husband, aid me—focus your will and open a passage!"

"How?" Li Banfeng didn't understand.

"Husband, concentrate your will—open a passage for her."

"Which passage?"

"Her ears!"

Li Banfeng focused his will, picturing only the shape and form of an ear.

The moment he imagined the ear canal, a scream rang out from outside the door.

The scream came from Hong Ying.

Her ears were open.

Li Banfeng hadn't expected a house spirit and a house cultivator could coordinate like this.

This must be a new combat technique the Lady developed after taking the Xuan Yun Pill.

Hong Ying had been deaf for so many years—now that her ears were open, she should be overjoyed.

But before the phonograph, this was no blessing.

The Lady began to sing:

"In spring, green grass grows, stitching battle robes with care.

In summer, red flowers bloom, drums and horns thunder loud.

In autumn, yellow leaves fall, severing enemy heads on the field.

In winter, snowflakes fly, blood sprinkled to honor the fallen."

The Lady sang this mournful battle hymn.

At the first notes, Hong Ying lost all reason.

"Wicked woman! I did nothing wrong! How dare you shame me!"

"Wretch, how can you claim innocence? Do you even remember a warrior's duty?"

"I'll kill you!" The spear, driven mad, lunged straight at the phonograph.

As the song trembled, Li Banfeng and the other magic treasures remained unharmed—only the spear lay motionless on the ground.

Li Banfeng stepped out of the room and looked at the spear: "Lady, finished?"

The phonograph panted for a moment: "Finished!"

A heavy weight lifted from Li Banfeng's heart—he picked up the spear: "Good. I'll deal with her."

Sell this thing straight to Luo Zhengnan—the Lady's vengeance is settled, and the Tiemenbao matter is closed.

"Husband, wait!"

Li Banfeng froze: "What is it, Lady?"

"Husband, she's not dead."

"Not dead?" Li Banfeng immediately dropped the spear. "Lady, this isn't a joke—such a fine dish, eat it while it's hot! Why keep her?"

"Husband, I beg you—let this wretch live a few more days. I have questions for her.

These words have been buried for countless years—if I don't ask them now, my heart will never be at peace."

"Lady, keeping such a fierce woman in the house makes me uneasy."

"Husband, rest assured—she's bound by my technique. She can't use any of her powers."

"But this…"

Li Banfeng was torn.

He needed to get this troublemaker out of his house fast.

But now the Lady refused—what should he do?

The phonograph knew Li Banfeng didn't want to keep Hong Ying, but some things couldn't be left unanswered—otherwise, the pain would haunt her for life: "I've troubled you, Husband, but I must know the truth. I beg you—grant me a few more days.

Husband, I beg you,

Husband, I sincerely beg you."

The Lady's feelings were understandable.

But how should he handle this now?

Li Banfeng stared at the spear lying on the ground—its aura still radiated menace.

Aura…

Li Banfeng unfastened his belt.

The phonograph shuddered: "Oh, Husband, are you going to use the family discipline?

You can beat me if you must—I deserve it—but don't let the household see!"

Li Banfeng said nothing. He turned and went into the second room, retrieving a weapon.

It was a spear he'd taken from Old Lady Han's house—he'd never been skilled with long weapons, so it had sat unused in his personal quarters all this time.

Holding the belt and the spear, he looked again at Hong Ying on the ground and asked the phonograph: "Lady, can she still speak?"

"Yes. When she wakes, she'll speak."

Li Banfeng nodded, then tore off the buttons from his robe.

…

A woman selling cloth approached Luo Zhengnan, pretending to buy vegetables, and whispered low: "Someone broke into the Lord's mansion last night. This morning, the seals on the mansion were gone."

Luo Zhengnan smiled: "So it seems the plan succeeded!"

PS: This old fox is hard to fool!

Extra chapter today—noon, twelve o'clock. Dear readers, all your monthly votes go to Shala!

(End of Chapter)