Chapter 365: Blood Cost

The scythe and Niangzi both came from Feng's General Store — saying they came from the same place is perfectly true.

Huff~ huff~

The phonograph said slowly, "When I was in the general store, I didn't notice you. You probably didn't have a spirit back then."

The scythe replied, "I don't know what you mean by 'spirit,' but I remember you. I even remember the tunes you sang back then."

Li Banfeng was taken aback and asked Niangzi, "So you're saying she already had a spirit when she was in the general store?"

The phonograph was silent for a moment, then said, "Oh my, husband, I dare not claim to have seen everything, but my eye for things is passable—

back then at Feng's General Store, I saw plenty of rare things. If this scythe truly had a spirit, I couldn't possibly have missed it.

This scythe may well have remembered some things back then, but that would only count as having a touch of spiritual essence. There are far too many things in this world with spiritual essence—

finely crafted objects have spiritual essence; works born of natural artistry also have spiritual essence.

A high-level painting cultivator's every painting carries spiritual essence. The film recorded by our own projector also carries spiritual essence.

Things with spiritual essence have memory, but spiritual essence is a far cry from a true spirit. This scythe's spirit only came about recently — where it came from, I truly cannot fathom."

"Niangzi, you said earlier she is a self-born spirit — what exactly is a self-born spirit?"

"A self-born spirit is an object with spiritual essence that, nourished by an external spirit, achieves its own spirit.

Under normal circumstances, self-born spirits are extremely rare. For an object with spiritual essence to encounter an external spirit already depends on fate.

Even if by chance they meet, if the spirit's nature doesn't match the essence's nature, not only will it fail to become a self-born spirit, the conflicting spirits may even turn it into a demonic object."

Li Banfeng listened very attentively. Whenever Niangzi lectured on knowledge, her tone and bearing always made Li Banfeng's heart tremble.

Niangzi continued, "But within a residence cultivator's dwelling, self-born spirits aren't quite so rare. Many residence cultivators' dwelling spirits are born from the dwelling itself, nourished by the earth's spirit.

But our dwelling has no foundation, so by rights it shouldn't be able to birth a dwelling spirit. So, husband, pull the oil brush out first and let me catch my breath."

Li Banfeng closed the cabinet's back panel and sat down properly beside the phonograph.

The phonograph struck up a slow tempo and sang softly, "If it wasn't born from the dwelling, then where did this spirit come from?"

The scythe hovered around Li Banfeng, seeming somewhat uneasy. "Li Lang, could you stop talking with her about these things — things that concern me? I don't want to hear it."

She felt uneasy, yet didn't know where the unease lay.

She could speak a little, but couldn't speak very clearly.

This matches the traits of a self-born spirit.

But the phonograph was still uneasy — what if this spirit's origins were unknown and might threaten Li Banfeng's life?

Should she seal the scythe away first and examine her slowly?

The phonograph reconsidered and felt that would be improper.

This scythe is the weapon her husband is accustomed to. If she truly has become a self-born spirit, she's a rare treasure indeed. If they interrogated her harshly, it might ruin her disposition, and she'd only harm her husband later.

Test her a little more.

"Scythe sister, since we're all one family, we should all eat from the same pot. That man's flesh and blood — I'll just give it to you."

The scythe looked at the peep-show man.

Inside Leaving Leaving Suishenju's main room, upon seeing flesh and blood, every magic treasure has the urge to feed — the scythe was no exception.

The phonograph offered encouragement: "Go on, sister, eat up. It's good stuff — everyone in this room knows it's good stuff."

The scythe flew over to the corpse and made a cut into the flesh.

The peep-show man shuddered again and again. The scythe made several cuts, wanting to eat, but not knowing how to take a bite.

The phonograph watched very carefully — this was a trait of a self-born spirit; she hadn't yet learned certain skills.

But was it possible she was sly by nature and deliberately putting on an act?

After much deliberation, the phonograph said to Li Banfeng, "Husband, take this scythe with you. Teach her some manners day by day — when she shouldn't strike, don't act rashly. In battle, teach her a few more skills."

Keeping a self-born spirit by its master's side is the best way to nurture its disposition.

As for combat ability, Li Banfeng wasn't worried — judging by today's performance, the scythe's battle experience was quite impressive.

The phonograph tapped the gourd lightly with the needle: "Sister, you've seen more of the world, so put in some extra effort and teach this scythe a thing or two — hands-on, step by step."

The gourd understood perfectly — there was no need to teach combat; this scythe had natural talent for it.

The phonograph wanted her to stay on guard — when necessary, she could act against the scythe.

Li Banfeng looked at the peeled skin and said to the pendulum, "We need to make something good. There are quite a few places I'll need your help with."

The pendulum was clever and understood Li Banfeng's meaning. She gathered some scraps of cloth and waste paper to stuff into the skin.

The phonograph said, "Oh my, husband — is this the Golden House Conceals Beauty Art? With that face of his, no matter what you do you can't make a beauty, and the thing you make won't have much combat power either."

This is the difficulty of the Golden House Conceals Beauty Art — whether painting or sculpture, the more beautiful the result, the stronger its combat power.

Li Banfeng's craftsmanship was lacking, which made the Golden House Conceals Beauty Art the technique Li Banfeng was least skilled in.

Besides, that bird-man peep-show operator's looks were truly hopeless — no matter how good the craftsmanship, it had nothing to do with beauty.

Fortunately, Li Banfeng didn't need him to fight; being able to say a few lines was enough. Li Banfeng was, after all, a seventh-layer residence cultivator — reaching this step shouldn't be hard.

After working for over an hour, Li Banfeng left Leaving Leaving Suishenju and hurried back to Black Stone Slope.

Luo Zhengnan was frantic with worry. Seeing Li Banfeng safe and sound, his heart finally settled.

"Seventh Master, it was all my fault — I didn't think things through. Punish me however you like!"

Li Banfeng waved his hand and said, "This isn't your fault. Jiang Xiang's side was too well prepared.

In a while I'll go to their branch and lure them all out. Do me a favor — rescue the children."

……

Late at night, a fortune-teller at the alley entrance hadn't packed up yet. From afar he saw the peep-show man coming and asked in a lowered voice, "Old Mei, where's the cart?"

The peep-show man replied, "The job went through. Everything's been settled."

"Where's the hall master?"

"He's waiting at the Great Warehouse. Warehouse Six, Storehouse Five — he's calling for all our brothers to bring the kids along."

"Go together?" The fortune teller was quite taken aback.

"This is the Hall Master's order."

"What about the travel pass?"

"That's hardly something for us to worry about."

The peep-show man offered no explanation, and the fortune teller didn't dare hesitate, hurrying back to the lodge.

Before long, two men arrived at the lodge and asked the peep-show man: "The Hall Master really wants every brother to go? The brothers from every branch too? We've got to leave at least a couple behind to watch the house, right?"

The peep-show man shook his head and said: "I don't know about that. What kind of status do I have? The Hall Master only gave me one line, and I didn't dare ask more."

No one dared delay, and they hurried off to gather the men—fortunately, the Black Stone lodge didn't have that many people to begin with.

The peep-show man said: "I brought back five today. I'll send them to the Great Warehouse first."

With that, the peep-show man left. He was following the rules, so no one suspected anything.

Li Banfeng seized the chance to bring this skin back to Leaving Leaving Suishenju and sprinkle some fresh blood on it again.

This was a limitation of the Golden House Conceals the Beloved art—blood had to be sprinkled inside the dwelling to maintain its spiritual essence.

A group of Jiang Xiang Gang disciples gathered the children they had previously abducted, bound their hands and feet, blindfolded them, gagged them, stuffed them into a horse cart, and sent them all to the Great Warehouse.

Arriving at the gate of the Sixth Warehouse, Fifth Vault, the peep-show man stood at the entrance and gestured for them to hurry inside.

The Jiang Xiang Gang men lifted the children from the cart to unload them, but the peep-show man shook his head: "Leave them at the door first. Wait for the Hall Master's orders."

Everyone went into the Great Warehouse together. The peep-show man and Luo Zhengnan shut the Great Warehouse door and fastened the bolt and lock.

The peep-show man stopped moving—its spiritual essence was spent, and its mission was complete.

Luo Zhengnan waited at the door a moment and saw fresh blood seeping out from the crack.

This blood would easily draw attention.

He gathered some dirt and spread a layer beneath the door crack to cover the blood, then drove the cart at once, delivered the children to a friend, and sent them home one by one.

By the time Luo Zhengnan returned to the warehouse, Li Banfeng's side was already dealt with. Everyone from the Black Stone lodge had been sent away, not even a corpse left behind.

There were some bloodstains left in the warehouse. Luo Zhengnan said: "Seventh Master, you needn't worry about that. I'll find someone to handle it.

You hurry and pack up. We've got to leave Black Stone Slope as soon as possible. I've made inquiries—the Garrison Commissioner here has just been replaced, and this one has quite a temper. I reckon something big will happen in the next day or two."

Li Banfeng had long been prepared: "You head to the train station right now. Return to Green Water City tonight."

Luo Zhengnan said: "Seventh Master, if you don't leave, I absolutely won't leave."

"You must go. There's important business to attend to." Li Banfeng took out a roll of film and handed it to Luo Zhengnan. "Deliver this roll of film to Ma Wu. It must be handed to him personally—don't let anyone see it.

Tell him only he alone may view this film. What to do afterward, he'll know on his own."

Luo Zhengnan tucked the film away safely and hurried off to Green Water City.

Li Banfeng boarded a small train, sat by the window, and watched the scenery along the street.

Passing a branch of the Jiang Xiang Gang, the place was pitch-black inside—looked like everyone had cleared out, but Li Banfeng wasn't sure whether some fish might have slipped through the net.

Passing the Garrison Office, Li Banfeng pulled the brim of his hat down low.

He knew the Garrison Office would certainly take action. He wanted to see just how much blood-capital the Garrison Commissioner would spend for the Jiang Xiang Gang.

PS: Blood-capital means capital made of blood.

(End of chapter)