Chapter 430: Two Contracts

Killing Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen was only half the battle.

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "According to my deduction, this Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen should be a Contract Guardian, a confidant who guards the contract for Lady Madame Wuqin."

Li Li Banfeng and Qiu Qiu Luoye understood the concept of a Contract Guardian; they had heard it from Xiao Yeci.

But Li Li Banfeng didn't think Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen was a Contract Guardian.

"Two brothers, Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen's cultivation is not low. It should be above the clouds, right?"

Qiu Qiu Luoye nodded: "Definitely above the clouds. Using this mud so skillfully and not being able to be killed for half a day—this is not something a ground-level cultivator can do."

Li Li Banfeng said: "Can a cultivator above the clouds be a Contract Guardian for someone else?"

Shui Shui Yongquan was cautious by nature and thought for a moment: "In the past, when talking about Madame Wuqin Township, they always said the Earth Deity was Lady Madame Wuqin. I have never heard of Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen's name."

Qiu Qiu Luoye waved his hand: "Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen is a fake name used to cover her identity. Does this still need much thought?"

"We cannot be arbitrary," Shui Shui Yongquan shook his head slightly. "She might be Lady Madame Wuqin's confidant. Even if her cultivation has gone up, she is still loyal to Lady Madame Wuqin."

Qiu Qiu Luoye hummed: "We are not related. Why talk about loyalty in this broken place?"

Shui Shui Yongquan was speechless for a moment. Qiu Qiu Luoye's words made sense. Talking about loyalty in Madame Wuqin Township seemed like a very ridiculous thing.

Qiu Qiu Luoye added: "Just now, the three of us fought with her for so long. This person should have the cultivation of the second layer above the clouds. You say she is a follower; I definitely don't believe it."

"Furthermore, if Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen was really a follower, she was beaten like that just now, so why didn't she call Lady Madame Wuqin for help?"

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "Maybe Lady Madame Wuqin is not here."

Li Li Banfeng said: "If she is Lady Madame Wuqin, we have saved trouble. If she is a Contract Guardian, it proves she is guarding the contract. Finding the contract will make things easier to handle."

Qiu Qiu Luoye nodded: "Old Seven is right. Why talk nonsense here? Hurry up and find the contract!"

The three came to the door of the mansion. Qiu Qiu Luoye walked inside directly, but Shui Shui Yongquan pulled him back again.

"Don't be anxious. We still have to be cautious."

Qiu Qiu Luoye said anxiously: "Cautious, cautious, so much caution. What do you want? Hurry up and say it!"

"I'll find a way to scout the path first." Shui Shui Yongquan shook his water gourd, but there wasn't much water left inside.

Li Li Banfeng said: "I am a Traveling Cultivator. I have the technique of seeking good fortune and avoiding evil, and my footsteps are fast. Let me scout the path."

After saying that, Li Li Banfeng jumped into the courtyard.

Qiu Qiu Luoye looked at Shui Shui Yongquan and said: "It's shabby, Old Shui. At our age, we still let the little brother scout the path in front. It's really shabby to do things with you!"

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "My water is not enough, and I don't want to let Old Seven take risks either."

In fact, Li Li Banfeng was also somewhat worried. Regardless of whether this was where the contract was or the Earth Deity's residence, there were bound to be all kinds of traps inside. If Lady Madame Wuqin was still alive, once they encountered her, they might lose their lives.

To be safe, Li Li Banfeng went back to the Leaving Suishenju and brought two cabbage Li Banfengs, wanting them to walk around the courtyard now.

As a result, they didn't even walk half a circle before all the cabbage people fell into the mud pit and disappeared.

Li Li Banfeng was very nervous. He pulled out more than a dozen cabbage people from the Leaving Suishenju. With cooperation, they walked to the main room with difficulty, paving a path for Li Li Banfeng.

Li Li Banfeng made marks along the way, collected the cabbage people, and called Shui Shui Yongquan and Qiu Qiu Luoye to come in.

The three entered the main room together. Li Li Banfeng observed for a long time but couldn't see where the contract could be hidden.

At this time, he still had to rely on Shui Shui Yongquan.

There wasn't much water in the water gourd, but it was barely enough for indoor exploration. Shui Shui Yongquan poured a few drops on the ground.

Qiu Guogua Qiu Daxiang smacked his lips: "Old Shui, is this golden liquid? You are so stingy with it; you might as well pour a bit more."

Shui Shui Yongquan frowned: "This is spiritual water I refined. Don't compare it with golden liquid!"

The few drops of water dispersed, forming an invisible water film that covered the entire room.

This was a second-layer Water Cultivation technique: "Entering Through Every Pore."

Under this technique, the water film could penetrate all the gaps in the room, replacing Shui Shui Yongquan's eyes to search for secret compartments in the house.

After searching for a long time, Shui Shui Yongquan came to the inner room and crawled under the bed. Before long, he took out a jar.

Qiu Qiu Luoye frowned: "Is the contract inside this?"

Shui Shui Yongquan opened the jar, and a foul stench drifted out.

"What is this?" Qiu Qiu Luoye pinched his nose.

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "This is a jar specially used to hold silt. It can turn silt into puppets. It is a top-grade magic treasure."

Li Li Banfeng listened with the technique of "Insightful Spiritual Sound," and the jar was talking: "Too dry, too dry, give me some water."

Shui Shui Yongquan said to Li Li Banfeng: "Old Seven, it's a good thing. You keep it."

Magic treasures that could turn into puppets were indeed rare. Li Li Banfeng wanted to keep it, but his wife loved cleanliness, and he was afraid this thing wouldn't be welcomed: "It's not convenient for a Traveling Cultivator to carry such a large magic treasure. Better give it to Brother Qiu."

Qiu Qiu Luoye shook his head: "Don't want it! I have magic treasures, but this thing is too smelly."

"If you don't want it, forget it!" Shui Shui Yongquan kept the jar himself and fumbled under the bed for a long time.

There was a clanging sound under the bed. Shui Shui Yongquan triggered quite a few mechanisms, but fortunately, his cultivation was high enough; he dodged some mechanisms and withstood others.

After probing for more than an hour, Shui Shui Yongquan took out something.

It wasn't the contract, but a yellow box with a silver-white ring engraved on it.

Qiu Qiu Luoye laughed: "This is the Earth Deity Seal!"

Having found the Earth Deity Seal, it was equivalent to finding the contract. Li Li Banfeng prepared to crawl under the bed to dig out the contract, but Shui Shui Yongquan advised:

"Old Seven, we have already obtained the Earth Deity Seal, so there is no need to dig out the contract. The human aura inside belongs to us."

"With human aura, we have cultivation. This is, after all, the contract of a normal land Earth Deity. If we really dig it out, I'm afraid..."

Bang!

Qiu Qiu Luoye flipped the bed.

"Listening to your nagging makes me angry. The contract is found, why not dig it? Lady Madame Wuqin is already dead. If we don't dig it, are we waiting for others to come and take it?"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Dozens of crossbow arrows drilled out from under the bed. Qiu Qiu Luoye was too lazy to dodge, letting the crossbow arrows stick into his body, then pulled them out and threw them aside.

Whoosh!

A ball of flames erupted, burning Qiu Qiu Luoye all over.

Qiu Qiu Luoye wiped the black ash off his face and continued digging.

A large patch of loaches flew out, hanging on Qiu Qiu Luoye's body and drilling into his flesh.

Qiu Qiu Luoye pulled the loaches off, threw them on the ground, and stomped them to death, still digging.

After dozens of mechanisms, Qiu Qiu Luoye didn't dodge a single one, tried them all, and dug out the contract.

Seeing the contract, Qiu Qiu Luoye was speechless for a long time, and Shui Shui Yongquan was also taken aback.

The contract was arched, and the style was the same as their contract.

But this contract wasn't one piece; it was two pieces.

Logically speaking, all Earth Deity contracts were two pieces—one in the Earth Deity's hand, and the other in the Inner Continent.

But why were both pieces of this contract here?

Qiu Qiu Luoye didn't know the reason, and Shui Shui Yongquan couldn't figure it out either.

Both pieces of the contract had eight characters on the front: "Hundred miles of land, take this as proof."

Like other contracts, these eight characters all had bloodstains on them.

Flipping to the back, Qiu Qiu Luoye blinked and remained silent for a long time again.

Shui Shui Yongquan laughed: "What's wrong? Too many words, can't recognize them all?"

Qiu Qiu Luoye shook his head: "No words."

Shui Shui Yongquan frowned: "If you don't recognize them, just say you don't recognize them. Don't I know you? Would I laugh at you?"

Qiu Qiu Luoye gave the two pieces of the contract to Shui Shui Yongquan and Li Li Banfeng respectively. Both took a look, and there was indeed not a single word on the back of the contract.

That's impossible!

According to Shui Shui Yongquan's deduction, the contract on the normal land should record many things, including how this piece of territory was formed, who the successive Earth Deities were, what had happened, especially wars, winning or losing, and gaining or losing territory—all of this should be written clearly.

But after observing repeatedly for a long time, there was indeed not a single word on it.

Qiu Qiu Luoye said: "Could this contract be fake?"

Li Li Banfeng didn't speak. He couldn't distinguish the true from the false contract.

Shui Shui Yongquan stared at the contract, observing the technique and material repeatedly: "This contract should be real. I have seen them making contracts when I was in the Inner Continent. Some techniques only they can do, but it's hard to say what the origin of this contract is."

Qiu Qiu Luoye laughed loudly: "Does this still need to be said? Buried in Madame Wuqin Township, naturally it is the contract of Madame Wuqin Township!"

Li Li Banfeng handed the contract to Qiu Qiu Luoye: "Two brothers, sprinkle your blood on the contract, and this piece of territory will belong to you. We agreed beforehand that each family gets half."

Qiu Qiu Luoye felt somewhat ashamed: "Old Seven, this was fought down by the three of us. In the end, we two divided it. I feel bad about this."

Li Li Banfeng laughed: "My cultivation is still at the ground level, so it's useless even if I take it. You two brothers be the Earth Deities here, and I'll manage the business. I won't lose out either."

Qiu Qiu Luoye sighed: "Old Seven, your heart is too good. I don't know what to say."

Li Li Banfeng laughed: "Brother, our hearts are all good, otherwise we couldn't be so compatible."

Shui Shui Yongquan nodded: "Just finished killing people, when dividing the loot, let's not talk about hearts. Qiu Guogua Qiu Daxiang, this piece of territory belongs to you; I won't divide it."

Qiu Qiu Luoye frowned: "What's wrong with you again? Why so many problems?"

"Nothing wrong. I'll be satisfied with that mud jar." Shui Shui Yongquan felt uneasy. A piece of normal land suddenly appeared in front of him, and he didn't quite dare to reach out.

And this contract was a bit strange.

"Take that mud jar and get lost!" Qiu Qiu Luoye was angry, took a knife to cut his palm, and was about to sprinkle blood.

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "Wait a moment!"

"What? Do you regret it?"

Shui Shui Yongquan shook his head, poured some water from the water gourd, and dripped it onto the two pieces of the contract.

The water droplets moved on the contract, soon wiping the original bloodstains clean.

His water was so powerful!

Shui Shui Yongquan said: "Lady Madame Wuqin doesn't know whether she is dead or alive. If your bloodstains drip together, maybe you will have to live together in the future. Wipe her bloodstains clean, and we will add a paper contract. This piece of territory will belong to you alone."

Paper contract, that is, a contract made of paper.

Qiu Qiu Luoye and Shui Shui Yongquan fought a battle and lost. Qiu Qiu Luoye cut thirty miles of land to Shui Shui Yongquan. At that time, both sides established a paper contract and sprinkled blood on the ceded territory, so the land cession was considered effective.

Judging from Shui Shui Yongquan's words just now, Earth Deities also need paper contracts when they are enfeoffed and receive land. It seems there is a special resonance between paper contracts and iron coupons.

Shui Shui Yongquan found paper and pen in the room. Qiu Qiu Luoye picked up the pen and thought for a long time, then asked: "What should I write?"

This wasn't enfeoffment; it should be considered a war.

If it was a war, it should be written that Lady Madame Wuqin was defeated by Qiu Qiu Luoye and agreed to cede the entire Madame Wuqin Township.

But was the one defeated just now Lady Madame Wuqin?

Even if it was her, did she agree to this?

She had already been beaten into slag, so this matter wasn't easy to ask.

Li Li Banfeng suggested: "Anyway, the bloodstains of the original owner have been wiped off the iron coupon. Just write that Qiu Qiu Luoye obtained Madame Wuqin Township. No need to write too clearly about who he obtained it from."

Shui Shui Yongquan was still cautious: "The word 'seize' is not good. Just write 'Qiu Qiu Luoye obtains Madame Wuqin Township'."

Qiu Qiu Luoye was very satisfied. Seven characters, except for the word "obtain," the others weren't too difficult.

Shui Shui Yongquan demonstrated several times. Qiu Qiu Luoye learned the word "obtain," picked up the pen, wrote the paper contract, sprinkled blood on the contract, and sprinkled blood on the territory.

Qiu Qiu Luoye said to Shui Shui Yongquan: "In this battle, you contributed the most. I can't take advantage of you for nothing. The territory belongs to me, and we will split the human aura fifty-fifty. When you want human aura, come to me to get it."

"My territory, plus Madame Wuqin Township, the landlord is Old Seven. He can do whatever he wants. From now on, Li Li Banfeng can do whatever he wants in these two territories, and I won't be angry at all!"

Shui Shui Yongquan laughed: "Qiu Guogua Qiu Daxiang, I didn't misjudge you!"

Li Li Banfeng said: "Brother Qiu, I am a good person."

Qiu Qiu Luoye sprinkled blood on the two pieces of the contract again.

Two lines of text appeared on the back of the two pieces of the contract simultaneously.

First line: Qiu Qiu Luoye obtains Madame Wuqin Township.

Second line: Territory of three thousand one hundred and eighty-eight square units.

Qiu Qiu Luoye was startled: "Can this contract write words? Why didn't I see text before?"

Shui Shui Yongquan shook his head: "I can't figure out the reason either."

The paper contract and the iron coupon really had resonance, and the resonance came from Qiu Qiu Luoye's blood.

But a hundred miles of land normally had ten thousand square units. Why were there only three thousand and some here?

Who wiped away the previous text on the contract?

This matter couldn't be figured out for a while. Li Li Banfeng said to Qiu Qiu Luoye: "Brother Qiu, you first find a good place to bury the contract. I'll go deal with Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen's corpse to avoid suspicion."

Qiu Qiu Luoye praised repeatedly: "Old Seven, you are so thoughtful."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 431 =====

Who erased the text that was previously on the contract?

Li Li Banfeng couldn't make heads or tails of this for a moment, so he said to Qiu Qiu Luoye, "Brother Qiu, you find a good place first and bury the contract. I'll go dispose of Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Shaofen's body so as not to arouse suspicion."

Qiu Qiu Luoye exclaimed repeatedly, "Lao Qi, your thinking is truly thorough."

(End of chapter)