Chapter 318: The Divine Name of Li Banfeng

Li Banfeng opened the seal box, inside which lay a golden seal.

On the front of the seal was engraved a silver-white circular ring, identical to the pattern on the box.

Li Banfeng put away both the seal and the box.

The soil beneath the box was looser, likely to facilitate the seal's absorption of cultivation base.

Li Banfeng dug half a foot deeper with his hands and found no book, only a shiny, arched iron plate.

What was this iron plate used for?

On the plate, vertically engraved in red characters were eight words: Within a hundred li, this serves as proof.

Is this the covenant?

There were specks of blood on the characters—whose blood? The land god's?

Li Banfeng turned the iron plate over and saw two lines of small characters:

First line: The Mountain-Pulling Lord was granted this land.

Second line: The Mountain-Pulling Lord was defeated by Bei Wushuang, ceding ten li to the southeast.

What did the second line mean?

The Mountain-Pulling Lord was defeated by a land god named Bei Wushuang and ceded ten li of land.

But who wrote this?

Did the Mountain-Pulling Lord carve it herself after being defeated?

No, that couldn't be.

Once the covenant was buried, it could not be dug up—digging it up would forfeit the land god's position; the Mountain-Pulling Lord's covenant could never have been unearthed.

If it was never dug up, then who wrote these words?

Li Banfeng grew more confused, feeling this object carried something sinister.

He opened his dwelling and brought the covenant, the land god seal, and the box before his wife.

His wife praised: "Husband, your skill is remarkable—you retrieved the covenant so quickly."

"This iron plate is the covenant?"

"This is the land god's covenant, also called the Dan Shu Tie Quan—the very proof of a land god's authority."

Li Banfeng flipped the covenant over: "Who wrote these characters?"

"The covenant wrote them itself."

"Can a covenant write characters?"

"Yes. The first line was inscribed when the old woman received her grant—she sprinkled her blood upon the land, and the covenant recorded it automatically.

The second line…

His wife paused, then continued: "It was when the old woman fought the land god Bei Wushuang, lost, and ceded ten li to him.

Both sides signed a covenant, sprinkled blood on the transferred land, burned the covenant, and their Dan Shu Tie Quan automatically registered the land transfer.

So it had this function!

Speaking of the second line, his wife's tone grew heavy: "This old thing made such a mess—this is the hardest issue to handle."

Li Banfeng said: "I think it's easy to handle—I'll write a covenant saying this old thing fought me, lost, and ceded all her land to me, then sprinkle blood, burn it, and the Dan Shu Tie Quan will record it."

"This is a major matter—it will draw the attention of Neizhou. Husband, you must not write it lightly."

"Do land gods' wars draw Neizhou's attention?"

"Land gods' wars do not, but husband—are you a land god?"

"No."

"You're not a land god—on what grounds do you claim a land god's territory? If Neizhou finds out, they'll send someone after you. You'll lose your position as land god—and likely your life."

Li Banfeng thought a moment: "The covenant has been buried underground all this time—no one could see it. How would Neizhou know?"

"Oh, husband, any text appearing on the Dan Shu Tie Quan is visible to Neizhou—we must find a way to hide it from them."

"How can we make them unable to see it?"

"There are hundreds of land gods—Neizhou wouldn't even remember the Mountain-Pulling Lord. If we make them overlook you, we can deceive heaven and earth."

"Then it's simple—just don't let my name appear on the Dan Shu Tie Quan. I'll have Meng Yuchun sign a covenant saying she defeated the Mountain-Pulling Lord and seized all her land."

"My dear husband, that won't work—it's just giving Meng Yuchun the land. Where does that leave you? The iron covenant must bear your name—and your blood."

As she spoke, the phonograph emitted a puff of steam, swirling around the iron covenant.

After a moment, the bloodstains slowly faded.

"My darling husband, bear the pain." The phonograph pierced Li Banfeng's finger with its needle; he sprinkled his blood onto the iron covenant.

"Husband, half is done. Now comes the name—the covenant must bear your name."

"But if I put my real name, won't I be exposed? Neizhou has never seen me."

"Didn't I say? There are hundreds of land gods—Neizhou can't remember them all.

If you quietly change the name, Neizhou won't notice, especially here, so remote—they won't pay attention at all.

But unfortunately, this old thing lost a battle, and her name is surely on Bei Wushuang's covenant. I can't alter Bei Wushuang's covenant. If the two records don't match, it's a vulnerability—so this is hard to handle."

Yes—on Bei Wushuang's covenant, it must read: Bei Wushuang defeated the Mountain-Pulling Lord, gained ten li.

The Mountain-Pulling Lord and Li Banfeng—these two clearly conflict.

Unless we overthrow Bei Wushuang too and dig up his covenant as well.

What are you thinking?

Do you treat land gods like wild greens—pluck one whenever you please?

After a pause, the phonograph asked: "Husband, I cannot think of a complete solution."

"Then don't think," Li Banfeng shook his head. "Just carve my name on it. Neizhou can't remember so many things—they won't cross-check two land gods' battles."

"That's true, but I'm uneasy. Your real name should not appear on the covenant."

"Won't it work without my real name?"

The phonograph pondered, then sang: "Not your real name—but not a false one either. It must be half-real, half-false. Do you have a nickname?"

"I have nicknames—plenty!"

"Ordinary nicknames won't do. It must be a special one—one you yourself acknowledge, known to few."

This confused Li Banfeng.

His wife explained: "Husband, you must acknowledge it yourself—only then will the covenant resonate with you and bind you to the land god's position.

But you're not a land god—we're deceiving heaven. If someone traces the nickname back to you, trouble follows. So few must know it."

"Then I'll make up a new nickname—only we know it."

"Oh, husband, you can't make one up now. The nickname must have been used before, must be familiar—otherwise, you yourself won't resonate with it."

That was hard to think of.

Li Qi was out—too many knew it.

Boss, Benefactor, Night Boss—too many knew those too.

Li Baisha!

Few knew that nickname.

Besides those in Fuli Academy, only He Jiaqing, Qin Xiaopang, You Tao, and Cao Ye knew.

Still not safe—Qin Xiaopang, You Tao, and Cao Ye are still in Puluozhou.

Is there a safer nickname…?

"Li Furong." Li Banfeng thought of a nickname.

Wu Laotai of Fuli Academy—whenever life improved, she always made Li Banfeng buy Furongwang cigarettes. This nickname was certainly well-known.

Besides those in Fuli Academy, only He Jiaqing knew it—he'd mentioned it casually over dinner, and he'd probably forgotten.

Even if he remembered, He Jiaqing would never imagine I became a land god here, so remote.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiang Hongying burst out laughing: "Li Furong? That's no man's name!"

Other magic treasures joined in laughter.

The phonograph did not laugh: "Husband, I just said—this cannot be made up. It's serious. You must be careful."

"It's not made up—it's my real nickname."

Seeing Li Banfeng so certain, the phonograph no longer doubted.

She heated the Dan Shu Tie Quan with steam and, with her needle, painstakingly rewrote the characters. Half an hour later, the name was changed.

First line: Li Furong was granted this land.

Second line: Li Furong was defeated by Bei Wushuang, ceding ten li to the southeast.

"Husband, the covenant is altered."

"Oh, wife, am I now a land god?"

"Oh, husband—as long as Neizhou doesn't discover it, you are a land god!"

"If there's human presence on my land, will my cultivation base grow?"

"Not yet, husband. Your cultivation base is still in the soil. The cultivation from human presence belongs to the clouds—you won't benefit until you reach the Cloud Layer. Then, even if Neizhou discovers you, you'll have the power to deal with them!"

"Good, wife!" Li Banfeng felt confident about the future.

"Husband, find a place to bury the covenant—hide it well. Place the land god seal on top. Then the deed is done."

Li Banfeng nodded: "I'll bury it back in the original spot."

"Is the original spot hidden enough?"

Li Banfeng nodded: "Extremely hidden. Ordinary people can't find it—and even if they did, they couldn't enter."

After leaving the personal dwelling, Li Banfeng buried the Iron Credential back in its original spot, carefully restoring the soil to its former state.

He took the Landlord Seal and used the Skill of Unimpeded Passage to exit the cellar, where he saw the eyeless wolf.

The mountain wolf stepped forward, sniffed Li Banfeng, and asked, "Master, have you found the covenant?"

"I found it. I'm taking the covenant away now."

"Then… you're abandoning us?" The mountain wolf sounded anxious.

Li Banfeng asked, "Can't you get out?"

"How could we get out? This mansion has no exit!"

"Besides, we're all blind—what would we do if we left?"

"What do you usually eat?"

"The living things of the land offer incense, candles, and offerings to the Landlord God. These offerings rise with the smoke and reach the mansion's granary. The Master of Uprooting Mountain eats first, then gives us what's left."

Judging by the wolf's emaciated frame, it clearly hadn't eaten well in a long time.

"From now on, everything in the granary belongs to you. You're a sensible one—come with me to divide the grain later. From now on, I'll distribute it by my rules."

The mountain wolf exclaimed joyfully, "Really?"

"Really!" Li Banfeng picked up the Landlord Seal. "I'll also grant you some cultivation base as a reward."

The mountain wolf howled with delight.

Li Banfeng lowered his voice and asked, "How do you use the Landlord Seal?"

The mountain wolf said, "Just press it lightly on my head… gently…"

Before he finished speaking, Li Banfeng pressed the seal onto the wolf's head.

Blue smoke rose from the wolf's skull; it collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

"Master, just a light touch, please—this much cultivation base, I can't handle it!"

Li Banfeng stared at the Landlord Seal, frowning slightly. "Too much?"

"Master, what you just did was twice as much as what the Master of Uprooting Mountain gave me." The wolf's voice trembled.

Li Banfeng stroked the wolf's head. "My fault. Next time, I'll be more careful."

"I don't blame you," the wolf's voice shook even more. "You're a good person. As long as you don't reject me, I'll follow you for life. Could you tell me your name?"

Li Banfeng said, "I am the Landlord God. My name is Landlord God."

…

In Yuezhou, at the Garden Sports Stadium, a football match had just ended, and tens of thousands of spectators were leaving.

Two spectators walked and chatted.

"First time watching a match live? Feels different, right?"

"It's different, truly different—I've shouted myself hoarse."

"That's exactly the atmosphere we want!"

Outside the stadium gate hung a poster: tomorrow, a popular boy band would hold a concert.

He Jiaqing stood beneath the poster, quietly watching the flowing crowd, a faint smile on his face.

At two a. ., He Jiaqing infiltrated the empty stadium, his body transforming into a pool of water that flowed through the sewer into the underground.

In the sewer, He Jiaqing took human form and opened a hidden door beside a gate.

Inside the hidden door was a cavern less than three square meters, holding a box—a yellow wooden box engraved with a white circular ring.

He Jiaqing opened the box and removed a golden seal.

Gazing at the seal, He Jiaqing sighed. "If I keep doing this, won't I go bald?"

He gritted his teeth, pressed the seal onto the top of his head, and his body convulsed.

Dear readers, Banfeng has become the Landlord God. Please give him a like.

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(End of Chapter)