Chapter 383: Eighth-Layer House Cultivation Technique

Li Banfeng knew that learning techniques across layers was extremely dangerous, but the Closed Door and Shut Window technique was vital to him.

It wasn't that the technique itself was particularly important, but rather that its underlying principle, in Li Banfeng's view, bore some resemblance to border lines across different regions.

Under Li Banfeng's persuasion, Meng Yuchun, considering the bigger picture, revealed the technique's principle to him: "Once a House Cultivator reaches the eighth layer, they first sprinkle blood around the residence—usually at four points, whose connections define the boundary's shape; some use only three points, making the technique easier to form; others use six, creating a neater boundary—it all depends on the individual's methods."

Sprinkling blood defines the position and shape of the boundary.

Li Banfeng asked: "After sprinkling the blood, do you just activate the technique to light up the boundary?"

"Not yet," Meng Yuchun shook her head. "You must harness the residence's power to create resonance between the house and the blood. This step is the hardest—it usually takes months of staying indoors, perfectly synchronized with the residence, to ignite the boundary. Those with insufficient talent may need years."

Once successful, the blood becomes resonant with the residence: as long as the House Cultivator is inside the house or nearby, activating the technique triggers the boundary, which acts like Chongchongmenhu, protecting both the residence and the cultivator.

As the resonance between the residence and the blood deepens, the boundary can expand outward. Those with low talent find their boundary always clinging to their courtyard; those with exceptional talent can extend it miles beyond as their cultivation advances.

At this point, Meng Yuchun looked slightly proud—clearly, she had some talent for the Closed Door and Shut Window technique.

Li Banfeng asked: "You often say you'll seal off your territory—does that mean you can extend your boundary across the entire hundred-li area?"

Meng Yuchun's expression darkened—this question exposed her weakness.

"I'm not trying to pry into your technique," Li Banfeng pressed, appealing to emotion and reason. "We're going to war. Before battle, I must understand how far your technique can reach…" Meng Yuchun finally told the truth.

"My technique can extend no farther than twenty li—it doesn't cover my entire territory. Claiming I'll seal the territory is just to intimidate enemies."

Seeing Meng Yuchun's simple nature, she could still boast without restraint.

Still, extending the boundary twenty li was already astonishing.

But the technique's key lay in sprinkling blood around the residence—a task that posed a serious difficulty for Li Banfeng.

He couldn't define the concept of "around his residence."

Worse, the Mobile Residence moved.

After a moment's thought, Li Banfeng asked: "If you changed residences, what happened to the blood you'd sprinkled around the old one?"

"It became useless," Meng Yuchun replied. "After I ascended to the ninth layer and moved to Neizhou, my residence in Puluozhou was abandoned, and its House Spirit was killed by Neizhou people."

When I reached Yunshang First Layer and became the local deity of a new land, I had to rebuild the residence and find a new House Spirit—sprinkling blood had to start over from scratch.

Thinking of it still saddens me—if I hadn't changed residences, and kept using the blood around my original house, my boundary might have stretched thirty li.

After switching residences, I had to expand the boundary slowly from scratch—and even twenty li now feels barely sufficient.

Li Banfeng said: "You already have Yunshang First Layer cultivation. After changing residences and sprinkling blood, you still have to expand the boundary slowly from the house?"

Meng Yuchun said: "It has nothing to do with cultivation level. Resonance between residence and blood takes time—no matter how high your cultivation, you can't skip this process."

The eighth-layer House Cultivation technique is completed jointly by the residence and the blood.

Blood sprinkled around the residence, through prolonged resonance, forms the boundary.

The Mobile Residence is always moving—where should I sprinkle the blood?

Nowhere is suitable.

Outside the Mobile Residence, I can't even see it.

I have no idea where it is.

Even if the Mobile Residence told me its location, and even if I sprinkled blood around it, how could I possibly stay indoors for months to let it resonate with the blood?

I'm a Traveling Cultivator—I must move constantly. Staying indoors for months would kill me.

Even if I didn't care about my life and endured cultivation backlash, staying inside the Mobile Residence until I successfully ignited the boundary—what good would it do?

When I leave, the Mobile Residence goes with me, and the blood remains behind—all wasted…

Li Banfeng pondered repeatedly and realized one thing: he could never master the eighth-layer technique.

This was the fundamental incompatibility between House Cultivation and Traveling Cultivation—even with the Mobile Residence, the problem remained unsolvable.

Seeing Li Banfeng's gloomy expression, Meng Yuchun asked: "What are you worried about?"

Li Banfeng changed the subject: "I thought your technique could protect my territory too, but now it seems you can barely protect yourself."

Meng Yuchun looked ashamed: "All we can do now is hope this brutal battle doesn't spread to our territory."

For Li Banfeng, this wasn't merely about defending territory.

By common logic, local deities in remote new lands usually had Yunshang First Layer cultivation.

Pan Dehai, as a proper land deity, should have Yunshang Third Layer cultivation.

Bei Wushuang was vastly weaker than Pan Dehai—if they fought, Pan Dehai would likely kill Bei Wushuang.

After killing Bei Wushuang, Pan Dehai would likely seize his covenant.

What would Pan Dehai do with the covenant once he had it?

If Pan Dehai handed the covenant to Neizhou in exchange for longevity, Neizhou would see its record of Bei Wushuang's war against Bashan Lord.

By comparing it with another covenant, Neizhou might notice discrepancies in the war's records—in the other covenant, Bashan Lord's name had been replaced with Li Furong.

At that point, the deception would be completely exposed.

From Li Banfeng's perspective, it would be best if Pan Dehai didn't win this battle.

Should he give Bei Wushuang some help?

Ridiculous!

Bei Wushuang was one of the creators of the insect plague—how could Li Banfeng help such a scoundrel!

This was his third time participating in a land deity war, and unlike the first two, he had previously served as an assistant to land deities.

This time, he would fight as a land deity himself—he still had no clear strategy for how to fight this battle.

The information was still too scarce.

But who could he ask for information at this level?

Xu Lao might know something—he could visit Yaowang Gou.

Or he could have Ma Wu ask Feng Daiku for intelligence.

…

The wooden hut was built. He Yuxiu was scolding You Tao inside: "Why do you keep squeezing against me when you sleep?"

You Tao looked innocent. "I'm cold."

"I gave you two blankets—why are you still squeezing me?"

You Tao looked concerned. "I'm worried you're cold."

He Yuxiu fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "You Tao, don't think I don't know—you're a mirror polisher."

You Tao lowered her head and bit her lip.

"Don't be afraid," He Yuxiu lit a cigarette and shoved it into You Tao's mouth. "I've seen everything. I've tried mirror polishing too. Occasionally joining you isn't a problem—but I really don't like it. I prefer men."

You Tao blushed. "Actually, I like some men too."

He Yuxiu laughed. "You're young, but your tastes are wild—you're fine with both long and short?"

You Tao blushed. "It depends on who it is."

He Yuxiu nodded. "A Cultivator of Pleasure should have such boldness. When the storm passes, I'll take you to Lüshui City. Whatever you like—men or women—go ahead and take it."

"Thank you, sister," You Tao was deeply grateful, but her smile slowly faded. "But… I feel… what we're doing is wrong."

He Yuxiu froze. "What do you mean is wrong?"

You Tao's expression grew heavier, her speech more halting: "I… I feel I shouldn't do this. It's… too shameful."

…

"Yuchun, aren't we being a bit too shameless?" Huang Die pushed Meng Yuchun aside and crawled out from under the covers.

Meng Yuchun blinked. "What did you just say?"

Hong Die also crawled out. "Yuchun, I think she's right—we're both women. Doing this every day… what does it look like?"

Meng Yuchun stared at Huang Die and Hong Die, then felt a sudden pang inside.

Someone had come to her territory.

…

Li Banfeng walked around Meng Yuchun's territory, then specifically visited his own three-li plot.

The entire plot was neatly managed by the Toad, with the Mountain Wolf and the Eagle contributing significantly.

But the house was poorly built—Li Banfeng had hired a group of Earth Pigs as laborers, and they'd built the house underground.

Underground was fine—the Earth Pigs were skilled craftsmen, ventilation was excellent, and in New Land, where darkness reigned and only faint sky-light filtered through, the difference between above and below was negligible.

Li Banfeng was satisfied with the plot and pulled out many Xuan Chi Pills to reward them.

But unexpectedly, they refused to take them.

The Toad bowed his head. "Master, I can't accept these pills—I haven't fulfilled my duty."

Li Banfeng blinked. "How haven't you? The place looks great."

The Toad sighed. "A group of Two-Faced Sheep came and nearly ate all the grass on our land. I told them to leave, but they wouldn't. They were too numerous—I didn't dare fight them."

Li Banfeng laughed. "What's the big deal? Which sheep doesn't eat grass? New grass will grow next year. I don't need all that grass anyway."

The Toad shook his head. "Whether it's useful or not is up to you, Master. I failed in my duty—I can't accept your reward."

The Mountain Wolf spoke up: "This isn't the Toad's fault—it's mine. As Head of the Outer Guard, I shouldn't have let those Two-Faced Sheep enter Master's land. I have no face to stay here."

The Eagle added: "I'm Head of the Outer Guard too. I saw those Two-Faced Sheep coming from far away. If I'd warned you earlier, maybe we could've driven them off—but that day my wife insisted on…"

The She-Eagle kicked the Eagle. "Why tell everyone?"

The Eagle snapped: "Can't I say it? Did I say something wrong? You shameless woman—you're always clinging to me. You just had two rounds with me—I'm embarrassed just thinking about it."

What was going on?

The grass was eaten by sheep—a minor issue, yet it had sparked such a commotion.

Li Banfeng's eyes flickered. He addressed them: "Take these pills. All of you."

"Master, we can't accept them."

"If you refuse to take it, it's seen as disloyalty—take it right now, then all of you hide at my residence."

The toad shook its head. "That won't do—it's the Master's residence. How can we servants just walk in?"

"I told you to go—go at once! Don't come out unless I give the order!"

All of them hid inside Li Banfeng's underground residence.

Li Banfeng activated the Golden Eyesight Technique and, relying on his Traveling Cultivator's steps, began searching across Meng Yu's territory.

Under a tree, an old man wearing a round-capped hat and round-framed glasses, with a mustache like a pair of Bazi, looked like a relic of the former dynasty. He smiled at Li Banfeng: "Li Qi, it's been a long time. I'm a few years older than you—don't you even bow when you see me?"

Pan Dehai had arrived.

Li Banfeng truly wanted to bow to Pan Dehai—he struggled to suppress the urge.

He found an excuse to convince himself: "I won't bow to a man without virtue."

"You say I lack virtue?" Pan Dehai blinked. "Where did that come from?"

"You spied on a married couple—that's lacking virtue!" Li Banfeng was referring to the pair of mountain eagles.

Pan Dehai denied it: "I didn't look!"

"If you didn't look, why were they embarrassed?"

"They were doing something improper in broad daylight—they should be embarrassed!"

"What exactly did they do? How do you know? And you still dare say you didn't look? You old shameless bastard!"

Pan Dehai stared wide-eyed at Li Banfeng, speechless for a long while.

PS: "Polishing mirrors" is a term everyone understands—no need to elaborate further.

(End of Chapter)