Chapter 397: The Performance

Winter comes, snow blankets all,

My lord suffers, my heart breaks,

My love is true—do you know it?

I'll add another room for you.

The machine finished its song; steam scalded Hong Ying until her skin turned red: "Worthless woman, why won't you sing with me?"

Hong Ying snapped: "I served him all night—up, down, up, down—and now I have to sing for him? What do I owe him?"

"Worthless woman! Serving your own husband, and you complain? Sing with me, sing louder! If you don't, a hundred military lashes—you'll die, you worthless thing!"

……

Amid their quarrel, Li Banfeng fell into a deep sleep—and slept for three days.

Three days later, Li Banfeng awoke, glanced at the calendar, and asked Meng De: "What time is it?"

"Master, it's twelve fifteen at night."

Twelve fifteen—the busiest hour in Xiaoyaowu.

The key was still inside Xiaoyaowu; in the past, Li Banfeng would avoid appearing here at this time.

But now is not the past.

Li Banfeng was now an Eighth-Level Dwelling Cultivator; even if he appeared directly on Xiaoyaowu's main dance floor, ordinary people wouldn't notice him.

For safety, Li Banfeng didn't appear on the dance floor. Before leaving, he recalled the backstage scene: there was a large wardrobe, and emerging from it would be less conspicuous.

After stepping out, Li Banfeng realized something was off—he had indeed appeared inside a wardrobe, but not the backstage one. It was Jiang Mengting's private dressing room wardrobe.

Jiang Mengting was changing clothes in the dressing room; she had just performed on stage, singing five songs in a row, drenched in sweat, and now she was completely naked.

Li Banfeng said nothing, lowered his hat brim, and prepared to walk through the wall. Jiang Mengting suddenly cried out: "Seventh Master!"

She saw me?

According to Li Banfeng, Jiang Mengting had no cultivation base—how could she notice him?

In truth, Jiang Mengting hadn't noticed Li Banfeng. Lately, she'd been distracted, seeing everyone as Li Qi; when alone, she often muttered "Seventh Master."

But Li Banfeng didn't know this. Since he'd been spotted, he openly acknowledged it.

"It's me." Li Banfeng nodded.

Hearing Li Qi's voice, Jiang Mengting shuddered, staring at him for a long while.

"Seventh Master… it's really you…"

Li Banfeng raised a finger to his lips, signaling Jiang Mengting to stay silent.

Jiang Mengting clapped her hand over her mouth, nodding hard, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Li Banfeng was puzzled. He knew Jiang Mengting well enough—he was her boss, she was a singer. Beyond that, they had no other connection.

Where did this feeling come from?

From shared life and death.

Forget flowery romance and oaths of eternal love—Jiang Mengting had seen too much of that. Men who swore on their knees they'd never take another wife? She couldn't count them.

When life and death hung in the balance, Seventh Master didn't abandon her. That bond she could never forget.

Jiang Mengting wiped her tears and hugged Li Banfeng tightly: "Seventh Master, I'm overstepping—but let me hold you for a moment."

Li Banfeng frowned slightly: "A moment's fine, but first put your clothes on."

While Jiang Mengting dressed, Li Banfeng left the dressing room and hurried to the backstage exit.

The backstage exit was at the side door. Jiang Mengting poked her head out and whispered: "Seventh Master, be careful—something's wrong. Ever since you left, no one who goes out that door comes back."

Go out—and can't come back…

Damn it!

Li Banfeng quickly left the backstage area. In the dance hall, guests were dancing.

He pried the key out from between the floorboards, then heard a firm, low chant: "Even if the stage ends, art still holds firm."

Li Banfeng had slept three days; the projector had held firm for three days.

"Brother, I was wrong." Li Banfeng tucked the projector into his pocket.

Jiang Mengting finished dressing in a white trench coat and a white hat with a veil, standing at the backstage door, waving at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng took Jiang Mengting to a private booth and asked: "Where's Ma Wu?"

"Fifth Master is searching everywhere for you. He Jia's daughter is looking for you too. The Garrison Commander, San Ying Men—all are searching for you. The entire Lüshui City is talking about you."

"What are they saying?"

"Some say you killed San Ying Men's Grand Boss. Others say you were killed by him.

Zhang Xiuling says you and Grand Boss Bao Yingchen took to each other, swore brotherhood, and retired together to avoid turmoil."

"How could she think that…" Li Banfeng sighed helplessly—he couldn't fathom this talented woman's logic.

"How's San Ying Men doing? What are you staring at? I asked you a question!"

Jiang Mengting had been staring at Li Banfeng, lost in thought: "Ah, San Ying Men? Second Boss Shen Jinzhong is in charge now—but he's only acting. He can't become Grand Boss."

Li Banfeng frowned: "What about Third Boss Yang Xingbo?"

"Yang Xingbo was killed by He Yuxiu. They say he died horribly—He Yuxiu had him tortured all day long, searching for you."

San Ying Men had three Golden Seals. Two were gone. Why couldn't Second Boss Shen Jinzhong take the throne?

Li Banfeng didn't understand.

Jiang Mengting knew a bit about San Ying Men's infighting: "Chu Huaijun pushed an Elder to replace the Third Boss."

"San Ying Men has Elders?"

"They're just veteran Silver Seals who never rose to Gold Seal—so they became Elders.

This Elder's name is Dong Kai-bin. His cultivation and seniority are both high; reportedly, he joined before Second Boss."

The Chu family is still scheming. Chu Huaijun installed Dong Kai-bin to keep San Ying Men under his control.

If they find Bao Yingchen, Chu Huaijun hopes he'll resume leadership. If not, he wants Dong Kai-bin and Shen Jinzhong to tear each other apart.

Bao Yingchen's head still exists—Li Banfeng deliberately left it with Hong Lian. Though bloody and mangled, it could be cleaned up and used.

Could handing Bao Yingchen's head to Shen Jinzhong help him ascend?

No. Absolutely not.

Doing so wouldn't help him rise—it would brand him with the crime of murdering a Golden Seal. For Shen Jinzhong, it would not only disqualify him from the Grand Boss position, but turn him into San Ying Men's mortal enemy.

So what now? Is Bao Yingchen's head useless?

Li Banfeng pondered long, then said to Jiang Mengting: "That story Zhang Xiuling wrote about me and Bao Yingchen becoming sworn brothers—where did you see it?"

"'Xiu Ling's Night Tales'—it's Zhang Xiuling's magazine. Seventh Master, if you want to read, I've got copies."

Jiang Mengting brought Li Banfeng several magazines. He skimmed through them.

Honestly, Zhang Xiuling's story was vivid—blood and steel leapt off the pages.

If this spread, Li Banfeng and Bao Yingchen would truly become a legendary tale of enemies turned brothers.

Li Banfeng took all the magazines and told Jiang Mengting: "I have business to attend to. Don't tell anyone I'm back."

Jiang Mengting blinked her big, fluttering eyes in surprise: "Not even Fifth Master?"

"Not even him."

Jiang Mengting's heart pounded.

Seventh Master is back—and he didn't tell Fifth Master. He told only me.

He came to Xiaoyaowu's backstage, slipped into my dressing room—just to tell me he's safe?

Am I imagining too much…

As Jiang Mengting still daydreamed, Li Banfeng stood, lowered his hat brim, and left.

Watching Li Banfeng's retreating figure, Jiang Mengting's cheeks burned.

Back in the dressing room, the front desk manager was frantic: "Miss Jiang, it's your turn!"

"What song?"

"'I Love You, Rose, Rose'—dozens of guests requested it."

"Tell the band to hold it. Next song: 'The Moon Is Full, the Flowers Are Beautiful.'"

"Change now?" The manager froze.

"Hurry!"

Jiang Mengting changed into a qipao, picked up a round fan, and stepped onto the stage amid a circle of dancers. To the music, she sang of the full moon and blooming flowers.

"Clouds scatter—the bright moon shines on us, tonight's reunion is perfect. Clear pond, mandarin ducks play; red robes and green leaves, lotus blossoms bloom side by side."

The guests below stared, spellbound.

Why was Jiang Mengting so sweet tonight?

Her smile was sweet. Her singing sweeter still.

……

Li Banfeng went to Dongping Tea House.

The moment he saw Li Banfeng, Qin Xiaopang dropped to his knees in the private room: "Seventh Brother, you're alive—I knew you'd survive!

I betrayed you, Seventh Brother. One of my men was a spy sent by the Grand Boss. If anything happened to you, I wouldn't want to live."

Li Banfeng pulled Qin Xiaopang up: "I'll say it again—don't kneel to anyone. Go arrange a meeting with your Second Boss. I have business with him. Remember—the location must be secret."

……

Li Banfeng entered one of his outlying residences—unattended, always empty.

After hiding the key, he entered his personal chamber. The pendulum was still repairing Bao Yingchen's head. Li Banfeng stroked the pendulum's face: "No need to fix it."

Zhongbai flushed and said, "Master, do you think I'm moving too slowly?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "It's not that you're slow—it's that things have changed."

He pulled a seed from his bag, took a drop of Bao Yingchen's blood, and sprinkled it onto the seed.

He buried the seed in the courtyard, dripped two drops of medicinal water on it, and soon a head of cabbage sprouted from the ground.

The cabbage split open, and a cabbage-man crawled out, wearing a tunic and pants of white tinged with green, staring blankly at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng ate two leaves of the cabbage core; they were sweet and crisp, yet carried a unique bitterness that made him break into a sweat, releasing from within a distinct cabbage-like odor.

"Go." Li Banfeng gave the order.

The cabbage version of Bao Yingchen followed Li Banfeng into the Portable Dwelling.

Could this cabbage-man replace the real Bao Yingchen?

Clearly not—even someone barely familiar with Bao Yingchen could spot the flaw after seeing him.

Li Banfeng turned on the projector and played back the footage of his battle with Bao Yingchen.

Bao Yingchen's clothing and appearance were fully displayed.

Changji, facing the image, helped Zhongbai dress the cabbage-man; during the process, she stared at the halo in the footage for a moment, feeling its shape was hard to comprehend.

"Husband, the Eighth-Level Technique was forged together with our dwelling—our home is unique, and I can't fully explain the cultivation essentials. You'll need to ask the old master for guidance in the future."

Li Banfeng nodded, wrapping his arms around his wife and affectionately holding her for a long while.

His wife sniffed. "You smell of powder and rouge—some lowly woman left it on you. We have so many sisters here to serve you—aren't you satisfied?"

The scent of powder and rouge came from Jiang Mengting.

Hongying snorted. "No doors, no windows—what can you possibly serve him with? All you do is talk big!"

Changji looked at the seeds in the bag and chuckled. "Lowly woman, don't get cocky—the doors and windows are coming soon. Every sister will have one!"

Li Banfeng paid no mind to doors and windows—he cared more about Bao Yingchen now.

"Can you make him speak?"

His wife's Voice Cultivation Technique could easily make the cabbage-man speak, but she had never heard Bao Yingchen's voice—he was already mute when brought in.

"Husband, you've got to modify this projector—next time, it must record sound."

"We'll deal with future matters later—first, solve what's before us. Wife, make him say something."

Changji stuck the needle into the cabbage-man, who spoke: "Brother Li Qi, I'll follow your orders."

It was an old man's voice—but unlike Bao Yingchen's.

"Make the voice clearer—it's too hoarse. This old man has strong breath."

His wife adjusted the steam flow; Li Banfeng listened, but it still fell short.

Though the projector hadn't recorded the sound, he was highly sensitive to voice.

"Add a slight rasp to the lower tones, more breathiness to the higher tones, and slow the pace just a little more…"

Changji tapped the projector with her needle. "Don't talk to me in that foreigner's tone!"

Though the tone was off, the projector wasn't wrong—gradually, as they adjusted according to his description, Bao Yingchen's voice and cadence were restored.

Could this Bao Yingchen be used now?

Not yet—the cabbage-man lacked spirit.

Li Banfeng sprinkled a drop of his blood onto the cabbage-man and activated the Golden Chamber Conceals Beauty Technique.

This time, the cabbage-man had spirit.

"Husband, this thing might pass for a quick show, but to fool all of San Ying Gate? It won't work."

Li Banfeng handed Changji a magazine. "We don't need to fool them all—just make the obedient ones silence the disobedient ones."

Changji read the story in the magazine, thought for a moment, then said: "This is something I'm familiar with. Let's write the script first, then find the obedient ones and rehearse the lines with them."

PS: This magazine still carried that scent of powder and rouge—this lowly woman seduced our husband!

(End of Chapter)