Chapter 311: The Injury Demon Wraith

Cultivation base is partly retained in the soul, partly in the body; the soul's cultivation was consumed by my wife, while the body's cultivation was left to Lotus—Li Banfeng knew this.

Alchemy inherently involves loss; Lotus deserves some compensation for her effort—Li Banfeng could understand that.

But Ling Miaoying had a seventh-layer cultivation base, which meant six more decades of life after reaching that level.

Only six Golden Core Pills?

Six Golden Core Pills equate to six hundred days of life—less than two years. Under these circumstances, Li Banfeng had to ask questions.

"Lotus, how much did you take for yourself?"

Lotus had no means of direct communication; given Li Banfeng's current status, he couldn't hear her speak.

She wanted his wife to relay her words; his wife listened for a moment, then turned to Li Banfeng and said: "Husband, don't dwell on this."

Seeing his wife so confident, Li Banfeng relaxed.

Lotus indeed had her own schemes, but his wife seemed to have her own countermeasures.

After resting one day, Li Banfeng went to the new land again.

With the first round of reclamation over, Li Banfeng feared no one would volunteer for the second round.

But the outcome differed from his expectations—many volunteered for the second round, partly because Meng Yu was generous and gave reclamation workers plenty of specialty goods.

Second, food could be found here: within Meng Yu's territory lay a grove of trees with green-skinned, red-leaved fruit trees; the fruits, fist-sized, were edible, tasting like glutinous rice, oat, mutton, or even toenails—each different.

Not only the fruit was edible; nearby grew many wild vegetables, ensuring both meat and vegetables.

In the new land, finding food was extremely difficult; for hunters, any place with food was livable, even if remote.

Their willingness to reclaim land was good; Li Banfeng took the chance to wander nearby, walking dozens of li, when suddenly he saw Meng Yu standing amid flowers, smiling and waving at him.

"Come on, hurry!"

Li Banfeng froze—what could make her so happy?

Meng Yu called out: "Hurry over, before anyone sees."

No one sees?

What did she want to do?

Steal my things?

Li Banfeng grew wary.

Meng Yu grew impatient: "Why won't you come over?"

Li Banfeng said: "First tell me, what do you want me to do?"

"What else could it be? I've been waiting for you ages."

Li Banfeng found it incomprehensible: "Why are you waiting for me?"

Meng Yu pouted: "I've said it this plainly—do you really not understand?"

Li Banfeng truly didn't understand: "Just say clearly what you want!"

Meng Yu sighed: "What a dull man—meeting is fate; must everything be spelled out?"

Meeting is fate?

That phrase felt inappropriate.

Li Banfeng lowered his hat brim and asked: "You don't know me?"

"I…"

Meng Yu froze, her smile vanished, her expression twisting into something grotesque.

This Meng Yu was fake.

Who impersonated her—and so perfectly?

The two faced off, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Suddenly, someone nearby shouted: "Young brother, don't act rashly—this is the Injury Demon Wraith."

Li Banfeng turned to see a man around sixty, his hair and beard gray and tangled, wearing a dirty gray cloth robe, crouched in the wild grass, pressing his palm down to signal Li Banfeng not to move.

Who was this man?

As Li Banfeng pondered, the fake Meng Yu on the hillside lunged at him.

Li Banfeng retreated to dodge, preparing to observe her technique—when the hidden man rose first, pulling a bronze mirror from his robe and aiming it at the fake Meng Yu.

The mirror erupted in light; beneath its glow, the fake Meng Yu smoked violently, shrieking in agony.

The man turned to Li Banfeng: "Young brother, you go first!"

The moment he spoke, Li Banfeng's feet lifted off the ground—he floated upward, shooting straight into the deep forest.

What technique was this?

How could he make me fly?

Was this the fake Meng Yu's technique—or the old man's?

An invisible force lifted Li Banfeng's body, propelling him forward at speed.

Li Banfeng kicked repeatedly, shattering the source of the force; after flying over two minutes, he broke free and landed back on the ground.

He turned back—the fake Meng Yu was gone; he didn't know how far he'd flown, but the speed matched his own full sprint.

What the hell was going on?

Li Banfeng was baffled when the old man, panting, caught up: "Young brother, you're tough—if you'd taken one more step forward, I couldn't have saved you!"

Li Banfeng stared at the old man, confused, silent.

The old man chuckled: "I'm the local deity of the neighboring territory; by custom, I shouldn't enter Meng Yu's land,

but Meng Yu just became a local deity—she doesn't know all the rules, hasn't seen many things,

and she's carefree by nature. The Injury Demon Wraith disguised as her came to stir trouble—I feared she'd get hurt, so I came to check."

Li Banfeng remained silent.

The old man said: "Are you frightened? Don't worry—this Injury Demon Wraith still has some restraint; as long as I'm here, she won't dare chase you."

Li Banfeng blinked, staring seriously at the old man.

The old man placed two stones on the ground: "Don't worry—let's sit and talk."

He sat on one stone.

Li Banfeng didn't sit—he kept watching the old man.

The old man frowned: "What's wrong with you? I told you to sit, and you won't answer me?"

"You don't know me?" Li Banfeng finally spoke.

The old man startled, studying Li Banfeng closely: "You're…"

Li Banfeng frowned: "You really don't know me?"

The old man's cheeks twitched, then he smiled: "You've seen me? Then no need to explain—I'm about to act."

Li Banfeng tapped his toe and bolted!

The old man hovered midair, chasing relentlessly.

So fast! Is this old man also a Traveling Cultivator?

"The mountain path is rough—here, take a walking stick!" The old man threw a branch at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng dodged swiftly—the branch pierced the ground, missing him.

The old man called again: "You're in such a hurry—I'll give you a lift!"

A strange force surged from beneath his feet; Li Banfeng, now experienced, stomped before his feet left the ground—crushing the source with Step Through Ten Thousand Rivers.

"You're working so hard—I'll wipe your sweat!"

A gentle breeze blew, drying the sweat on Li Banfeng's face.

"Stop!" The old man shouted. Li Banfeng froze like a statue.

He was completely immobilized—legs unresponsive.

The old man hovered before Li Banfeng, solemn: "Listen carefully: you've received three offerings from me—now it's my turn to collect payment. Stay where you are—this is the first payment."

What did that mean?

What three offerings?

When had he received the old man's offerings?

The old man asked first: "I'll ask you something—this is the second payment. You must answer truthfully: when did you say you knew me?"

Li Banfeng didn't want to speak—but his mouth opened involuntarily.

Air passed through his throat; he struggled to hold back, but spoke the truth:

"I don't know you—I only asked if you knew me."

The old man's cheeks twitched again: "Clever boy, tricking me. I'll ask another: what's your relationship with Meng Yu?"

Li Banfeng again spoke involuntarily: "I'm reclaiming land in her territory—that's all."

The old man nodded: "Then you're useless—no need to keep you."

Li Banfeng's mind raced—how to escape?

His legs were locked—he couldn't use Traveling Cultivator techniques.

Even if he pulled out his key and opened the gate, he couldn't move to step through.

He had to break the old man's technique—or he'd die.

What Home Cultivator techniques could he use?

Try Return Heart Like an Arrow?

Tried it—legs still locked.

What about magic treasures?

Make the projector lend a hand?

The projector is too slow—by the time its help arrives, I'll already be dead.

A pistol?

What if it doesn't fire?

Tang Dao?

This old man's cultivation base is clearly above mine—by more than one level. Tang Dao's combat power is limited; it's unlikely to harm him.

What other magic treasures can I use?

The old man was thinking how to kill Li Banfeng: "Burn you alive—saves me the trouble of burying you. This is the third payment. Don't you dare put out the fire."

Don't put out the fire?

You say I can't? I won't listen.

It's actually possible.

He says I can't leave, so I can't leave.

He tells me to tell the truth, so I must tell the truth.

This is his technique.

If this technique is so powerful, why didn't he use it sooner?

Three offerings?

Offerings and payments are equal—that's a rule he must follow.

Li Banfeng quickly bent his head and hugged his arms tightly around it.

Will this block the fire?

The old man sneered, and a burst of flame instantly engulfed Li Banfeng.

Flames rolled over Li Banfeng's body, up and down.

Li Banfeng's clothes didn't burn, none of his magic treasures burned, not even his hair.

The old man froze, unsure what trick this was.

This is the Sixth-Level Zhai Cultivator technique: Zhai Xin Ren Hou!

Imagine yourself as a dwelling you carry with you—it can deflect fatal attacks.

A dwelling resists fire; Li Banfeng isn't afraid of burning.

The old man drew a short knife from his waist, aiming to slash Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng shouted: "Three offerings, three payments—do you think you can cheat me?"

Is that cheating him?

The old man hesitated, extinguished the flames, and shook his head: "I meant to burn you, but I didn't. The payment hasn't been reclaimed—I haven't cheated you."

He's reasoning with me?

Why is he reasoning with me?

If he thinks it's not cheating, why not just attack? Why explain it at all?

The old man's knife was about to come down.

Zhai Xin Ren Hou can only be used once—Li Banfeng must find a way to defend himself.

Tang Dao leapt up and strained to block the old man's short knife.

The old man roared: "Don't block!"

Tang Dao clattered to the ground.

Even my magic treasure is under his control?

The wine gourd leapt up, aiming to spray wine into the old man's eyes—but the old man shouted: "The third payment hasn't been returned—you're not allowed to fight back!"

The wine gourd truly couldn't spray any wine.

What kind of Dao sect is this?

Such a powerful technique?

If he has such a powerful technique and such speed, why does he still kill with a knife?

He must have a weakness—where is it?

Li Banfeng suddenly felt something tremble in his pocket—the pocket watch kept moving.

Meng De?

What does she want to do?

Li Banfeng pulled the watch stem, and a calendar instantly unfurled before him.

As the short knife descended, Meng De shouted: "You shameless old bastard—where did you get three offerings?"

The old man paused, then laughed: "What's there to ask?"

Meng De snapped: "If you don't explain clearly, what right do you have to demand payment?"

Li Banfeng suddenly felt his legs loosen slightly.

This meant the old man's technique was weakening.

Reasoning!

He must reason!

Reasoning is the key!

The old man nodded: "Fine, I'll explain the three offerings. He nearly encountered the Injury Demon Spirit—I saved his life. That's the first offering.

When he fled, I used my technique to drag him all the way—that's the second offering.

He was drenched in sweat—I wiped it off for him. That's the third offering.

I've explained clearly—what more do you have to say?"

Meng De said nothing; she couldn't think of anything to say—the three offerings were indeed clearly stated.

Li Banfeng's legs, which had loosened, tightened again—the old man's technique was reinforced.

The old man raised his knife once more, when Li Banfeng suddenly shouted: "Was I really attacked by the Injury Demon Spirit?"

The old man fell silent, not answering.

Meng De cried: "You shameless thief—you lied to him and still dare demand payment!"

De Cultivator technique: See Virtue, Strive to Match It.

The old man felt a pang of guilt—Li Banfeng had not actually encountered the Injury Demon Spirit.

Li Banfeng moved his knee—his right leg could move!

The old man's arm trembled slightly—he was suffering backlash from some force.

PS: If you met a deaf man who couldn't hear the old man's words, could he avoid the technique?

Is it really that easy?

(End of Chapter)