Chapter 292

Li Banfeng held a feather duster and searched everywhere in the Personal Dwelling.

Nothing in the main room.

Nothing in the second room either.

When he reached the third room, Li Banfeng saw Tang Dao leaning against the doorframe, asleep, with several rags beside him.

Tang Dao loved cleanliness and often wiped his body with cloth; Li Banfeng glanced once around the third room, then closed the door and left—yet one of the "rags" beside Tang Dao moved silently.

It wasn't a rag—it was a glove, its dirt and grease making it blend in perfectly.

It extended two fingers and crawled slowly along the floor, preparing to slip into the storage chest.

Li Banfeng suddenly flung open the door and swung the feather duster, beating the glove mercilessly.

The glove cried out: "Don't hit, don't hit! Catch the thief with the stolen goods—without proof, you can't just beat someone!"

As he shouted, he scrambled toward the door, dashed into the main room, and was immediately engulfed by steam, nearly scalded to death.

In desperation, the glove crawled toward the door of the Personal Dwelling, struggling for a long time at the crack but unable to squeeze through.

Unless carried on Li Banfeng's person, no one could enter or exit the Personal Dwelling at will; in despair, the glove curled into a ball and wailed: "Stop beating! If you kill me, you'll all be sued!"

Li Banfeng pointed the feather duster at the glove: "Where's my wallet?"

"Who knows where your wallet went? Do I owe you something? Do I even have to guard it for you every day?"

The glove stubbornly denied it.

But Li Banfeng was certain it was him.

Li Banfeng had always doubted the glove's Dao path.

It moved fast, yet differed from Traveling Cultivators in key ways—especially in its body technique, which was distinctly more devious.

When facing danger, Traveling Cultivators relied on speed and adaptability, but the glove used skill and insight instead—this reminded Li Banfeng of a Dao path he deeply despised: Thieving Cultivators.

Li Banfeng had been cheated by Thieving Cultivators in Lüshui City; just now encountering a robber had brought back memories of his encounter with them.

"You won't admit it, huh? I'll let A Lian take care of you!" Li Banfeng grabbed the glove and headed for the sixth room.

The glove cried out: "Under the bright sun and clear sky, how can you falsely accuse me? I didn't take your wallet—it wasn't me! I just picked it up!"

Li Banfeng held the glove and asked: "Tell me clearly—where did you pick it up?"

"From your clothes."

"Isn't that stealing, then?" Li Banfeng swung the feather duster and beat him again.

"I don't hate anything else—I hate theft. A true man acts with integrity. If you're short on cash, we go rob openly—why sink to stealing, this filthy business?"

The glove's fingers scrambled in all directions, dodging wildly, then spat out Li Banfeng's wallet: "Stop beating! Catch the thief with the stolen goods—without proof, why are you beating me?"

Li Banfeng kept striking: "The wallet's right here—how can you say I have no proof?"

The glove cried: "I have something to say—I didn't steal your money out of greed. I wanted you to see my worth!"

"What worth?" Li Banfeng stopped.

The glove stood on its thumb and pinky, curled its index and ring fingers together as hands, and raised its middle finger as a head, swaying before Li Banfeng: "Your cultivation base isn't low, and your magic treasure is substantial—just that record player, clearly no ordinary item..."

Li Banfeng smacked the glove flat with the feather duster: "Speak properly—don't raise your middle finger."

"And that record player is my wife—not a magic treasure. You'll address her as Madam from now on."

The glove lowered its middle finger, replaced it with the index finger as its head, swaying again: "Let's not talk about your wife—let's talk about cultivation first."

"Since your cultivation base isn't low, you know how skilled I am—I stole your wallet without you noticing a thing. That's my true ability!"

"From now on, if you carry me with you, whatever object you want from the other side, I'll bring it back."

"Especially when facing strong enemies—anything you can see, I'll retrieve; anything you can't see, I'll still retrieve."

"After two exchanges, you'll have reclaimed their magic treasure—how could you lose such a fight? I have such skill, yet you lock me in this room—isn't that wasting talent?"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "Not a waste of talent—more like wasting a thing."

The glove snorted, dissatisfied with Li Banfeng's wording.

Li Banfeng asked: "So you're a Thieving Cultivator, not a Traveling Cultivator?"

The glove's index finger twitched slightly: "I don't like the term 'Thieving Cultivator.' I consider myself a Traveling Cultivator."

"Our path requires constant relocation, frequent movement—staying too long in one place invites capture. Isn't that just like Traveling Cultivators?"

"Bullshit!" Xiang Hongying snapped. "You piece of trash—who the hell is like you? You're a bird-thief begging for death!"

The spear's aura was too overwhelming—the glove collapsed, sprawled on the floor, and cried: "Catch the thief with the stolen goods—you have no evidence! Why are you beating me?"

Li Banfeng frowned: "Why do you keep saying that?"

The glove rose, repositioned itself, and shook its head: "I always said it when I was beaten—it's become a habit."

Li Banfeng nodded: "So you're sincerely following me?"

The glove nodded: "A wise minister chooses his lord; a wise bird chooses its tree. I think you have good character—I'll charge into battle for you without hesitation."

"Didn't you say the same to Wu Decheng?"

Wu Decheng, Elder of the Qingshou Society, was the glove's former master.

At a critical moment, the glove refused to obey, leaving Old Wu with no chance to retaliate.

The glove shook his head: "Old Wu's character was far worse than yours. I only played along with him."

Li Banfeng nodded and smiled: "And with me, you're sincere?"

"Absolutely!"

"All magic treasures have a cost—tell me, what's the price of using you?"

The glove tapped the table with its ring finger, adopting the posture of a dignitary negotiating: "Talking about cost is too formal—we're so well-matched, we should have some mutual trust."

"Whatever you want, I'll fetch for you. Afterwards, just let me take one thing from you."

"Don't worry—I won't take anything too valuable. You gain, so I must gain too—some compensation is only fair."

Li Banfeng waved the feather duster: "Can you be clearer?"

"Let me give an example: You take me into battle, I steal you a magic treasure worth 100, 00 silver dollars."

"Then I take 20, 00 silver dollars from you—is that unreasonable?"

Li Banfeng nodded: "Not unreasonable."

The glove continued: "Sometimes I don't take silver dollars—sometimes it's other things: gold, silver, gems, paintings, antiques—anything, as long as its value doesn't exceed what I stole. I won't let you lose!"

Li Banfeng nodded: "Besides these, there must be more—occasionally, you also take magic treasures from me, right?"

"Not necessarily..." The glove's voice grew quieter—he'd been caught on the spot.

Li Banfeng pressed: "Do you sometimes take things from me—heart, liver, arms, legs, eyeballs?"

"Usually not..." The glove's voice dropped even lower.

Li Banfeng asked: "If the price is right, could you take my life?"

The glove sighed: "How do I even say this..."

The gloves sighed: "How am I supposed to answer that..."

Li Banfeng poured a splash of tea over the glove, scalding it into a shrill wail: "Catch the thief with the stolen goods—even if you catch the stolen goods, you must take it to the authorities! You can't abuse private punishment!"

Li Banfeng turned to the record player: "Madam, give him a proper lesson—teach him our household rules."

The glove tried to flee, but was trapped by Lao Cha Hu's barrier; Lao Cha Hu sighed: "Young brother, you must change your cost rules."

The glove shook his finger: "These rules can't change—they're the foundation of my survival!"

"Young brother, I once thought the same—ended up being disciplined for months. I no longer think that way. Either way, the outcome's the same—why inflict pain on yourself?"

The glove snorted: "People differ. Gloves differ from teapots. I'm not a coward!"

The teapot sighed and poured another pot of tea.

Madam smiled, then sent a wave of steam.

Half an hour later.

All the glove's fingers lay flat on the floor—only one index finger remained, trembling as it raised itself toward Li Banfeng: "Master, what are your orders?"

Li Banfeng said: "I'll reward you for serving me—but you don't get to decide what you get. I give you what I choose. Understood?"

The glove nodded frantically: "Whatever Master orders, I'll do. I'll obey you from now on."

Li Banfeng said: "No empty words—we'll sign a contract!"

Normally, magic treasures and their masters had contracts—but Li Banfeng trusted his treasures and never required them.

But the glove was an exception—high-level, cunning, and needed strict control.

The contract was simple: the gourd had written one for Yao Lao—just a few lines, binding the treasure not to betray its master.

The glove read it twice carefully, unsure if he could find loopholes.

He picked up a pen, ready to sign—Li Banfeng took it away and replaced it with inked seal paste: "Don't fake a name. Give me your fingerprint."

The glove stared at the seal paste, repulsed: "This stuff sticks—it won't wash off!"

"I know how to wash it off," Li Banfeng smiled. "Stop whining—press it."

The record player still worried, warning Li Banfeng: "Husband, this glove is too sinister. Keep him locked up for a while—wait until you reach the sixth layer before taking him out."

My dear wife, you don't know—your husband has long surpassed the sixth layer.

Your husband has cultivation at the eleventh layer—can't he control one magic treasure?

Your husband has cultivation at the eleventh level—can't he suppress a single magic treasure?

In the Lu family mansion, Duan Shaohong still wept before Duan Shaoxia: "Sister, have mercy on your elder sister—let me take Huaiyi away!"

Duan Shaoxia remained silent, face grim.

She was tired of Duan Shaohong's nagging—especially when she nagged in front of "Zhang Huaiyi."

Qiu the Monkey entered the main hall; Duan Shaoxia quickly changed the subject: "Little Qiu, have you set the wedding date?"

Monkey Qiu entered the main hall, and Duan Shaoxia quickly changed the subject: "Little Qiu, have you set the date for the wine banquet?"

Duan Shaoxia had also heard the news of Lu Mao's severe injuries, and she felt this was the perfect opportunity to host a banquet.

Qiu Zhiheng said, "Lady, let's discuss the banquet later—Miss Dongchun has arrived."

Duan Shaoxia froze. "Lu Dongchun? What does she want?"

"She's here to discuss matters concerning the old patriarch."

Duan Shaoxia waved her hand. "I won't see her—it makes me sick!"

PS: Who is Lu Dongchun, anyway? Why does the Lady despise her so?

Thank you to the patrons Xiyuzhou, Xue'erfen, and 20170316211056786 for your tremendous support.

The extra chapter for the patron will be delayed by a few days.

(End of chapter)