Chapter 47

The loss of a corpse for alchemy filled Li Banfeng with deep regret.

He sincerely regretted it for a full minute, then began searching for the homestead spirit.

The homestead spirit was Li Banfeng’s most urgent desire—without exception.

With a homestead spirit, a homestead cultivator could advance; this was the only possible way to bridge the gap between traveling and homestead cultivators, and it was a matter of Li Banfeng’s life.

Of course, acquiring a homestead spirit meant Li Banfeng would have to live in this house, maintain a certain level of travel to sustain his traveler cultivation, and remember to return home in time to preserve his homestead foundation.

It sounded contradictory, but Li Banfeng believed he could find a solution.

What did a homestead spirit look like?

Probably human-shaped?

Since it was called a spirit, it must be human-shaped.

The courtyard had three tile-roofed houses and one storage shed—the storage shed was the seed room, containing only a pile of firewood; there were no human-shaped beings here.

He went to the eastern room, filled with bottles and jars, mortar and pestle, clay pots.

This must be De Cai’s room—all these were tools for brewing poison.

Is the homestead spirit here?

Li Banfeng still saw no human-shaped being.

Leaving De Cai’s room, Li Banfeng saw a human-shaped being.

“My benefactor, we haven’t even thanked you yet,” Xiao Ye Ci said cautiously, watching Li Banfeng.

Watching him kill just now, Xiao Ye Ci was still shaken.

Behind her, another figure peeked out—her daughter Lu Chunying, timidly glancing at Li Banfeng.

“No need for courtesy,” Li Banfeng said, ignoring the mother and daughter, sidestepping them to head straight for the central tile-roofed house.

“My benefactor, what are you looking for?” Xiao Ye Ci followed.

“I’m looking for my money pouch—it was taken from me,” Li Banfeng replied offhandedly. “You were robbed too—find your things quickly and leave.”

“My benefactor, you shouldn’t wander around this house—it has a homestead spirit.”

She knew there was a homestead spirit in this house?

Li Banfeng didn’t rush to open the door; he feigned ignorance. “What did you just say about a homestead spirit?”

“A homestead spirit is a spirit cultivated by a homestead cultivator—you know the old lady was a homestead cultivator, right?”

“What’s a homestead cultivator? I don’t know anything about it!” Li Banfeng continued pretending.

“A homestead cultivator is a Daoist who stays within a house—outside the house, they’re weak, but inside, they’re terrifying.

Just now, that old lady, despite her age, was so fierce—you couldn’t hurt her, and I couldn’t argue with her. She’s probably only first-layer, but in her own house, even a second-layer might not defeat her—all thanks to her homestead spirit.”

This woman seemed experienced. Li Banfeng suppressed his intense curiosity and asked calmly, “What does a homestead spirit look like?”

“It’s hard to say—some homestead spirits look like water jars, some like ladles, some like roof beams, some even like the old yellow dog that guards the gate.”

Li Banfeng exclaimed, “Can a homestead spirit look like a person?”

Xiao Ye Ci thought a moment: “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

Li Banfeng stared at Xiao Ye Ci. “Have you ever seen a homestead spirit?”

Xiao Ye Ci shook her head. “Never.”

“You’ve never seen one, yet you’re spouting nonsense! Your mouth cultivation is too reckless!” Li Banfeng no longer wanted to deal with this woman.

Xiao Ye Ci’s cheeks flushed. “My benefactor, ‘mouth cultivator’ is an insult—we’re actually called literary cultivators.

Because we have the art of speaking like blooming lotuses, people often mock us as ‘mouth cultivators.’ Everything I told you just now, I read in books.”

Lu Chunying peeked out from behind. “My mother has read many books—she’s very learned, and her verbal skills are formidable!”

Li Banfeng replied casually: “Yes, her skills are formidable indeed.”

So this woman was a literary cultivator—what abilities did literary cultivators have?

Before Li Banfeng could ask, the woman volunteered: “To cultivate our Dao, one must read many books—only by reading widely can you know how to speak to whom and how to respond to any situation.”

Li Banfeng asked seriously: “When you met that old lady, what did you do?”

“My benefactor, you’re teasing me,” Xiao Ye Ci lowered her head. “I was decent at the art of speaking like blooming lotuses, but I’d never encountered a homestead cultivator—I didn’t expect this old woman to be immune to words.

Still, her two sons were swayed—if not for her, they would’ve let me go.

Her youngest son, De Mao, is still missing—he told me his mother was a homestead cultivator, and that the homestead spirit was in her room.”

So she’d extracted this information from De Mao—likely reliable.

“Did he say what the old lady’s homestead spirit looked like?”

Xiao Ye Ci shook her head. “He dared not say—he said the homestead spirit could hear. He only said it was a small object.”

A small object?

Li Banfeng recalled the old lady’s hairpin, then the short knife.

If the homestead spirit was something like that, could it be carried on one’s person?

If it could be carried, wouldn’t the conflict between homestead and traveler cultivation be fully resolved?

“If a homestead spirit could be carried, even outside the house, the homestead cultivator would still be protected—wouldn’t that make homestead cultivators invincible?”

“Take a homestead spirit outside the house? That’s unthinkable!” Xiao Ye Ci widened her eyes. “My benefactor, you know nothing about homestead cultivation.

Even most homestead cultivators don’t know what a homestead spirit truly is—how could they dare take it outside?”

“What would happen if you took it out?”

“Some books say a homestead spirit is actually an evil spirit—within the house, it’s chained up; outside, the chains vanish.

Once unchained, who knows what an evil spirit might do?

I’ve never heard of a homestead cultivator taking their spirit outside, but I’ve heard of homestead spirits growing strong enough to escape—those evil spirits kill anyone they meet. Several nearby villages were wiped out.

The homestead cultivator and her family fled for over a year, yet still couldn’t escape death—all were slaughtered by the homestead spirit, not one left alive.”

Li Banfeng smiled. “Good thing it can’t be taken out—otherwise, next time I meet a homestead cultivator, I wouldn’t know how to handle them.”

He said it aloud, but inwardly he felt desolate—the conflict between homestead and traveler cultivation was truly not easily resolved.

But no matter what, he’d first secure the homestead spirit.

Yet before claiming it, he needed to get the mother and daughter out—he didn’t want others to know his Dao, nor did he want any mishaps while receiving the homestead spirit.

Xiao Ye Ci said: “My benefactor, De Cai told me everything they stole is stored in the cellar in the back courtyard—not inside the house.”

The three went to the back courtyard. Xiao Ye Ci added: “He said the cellar is under the big stone beside the well.”

Beside the well was indeed a stone slab. Li Banfeng was about to move it, then turned back to look at Xiao Ye Ci.

What if I move the stone, and she kicks me into the cellar?

Xiao Ye Ci froze. “My benefactor, I’m not lying—I’m telling the truth!”

Whether she was telling the truth couldn’t be verified yet, but Li Banfeng was curious about one thing.

Why did I believe her?

Is this the power of mouth cultivation?

Xiao Ye Ci sensed his doubt and hurried to explain: “My benefactor, sometimes my art of speaking like blooming lotuses slips out without control.

Don’t doubt me—here, let me move the stone myself—I’ll go down and bring up the things!”

The stone slab looked several hundred jin heavy—Li Banfeng didn’t believe this woman could move it.

But Xiao Ye Ci was confident: “We’re both cultivators—our strength isn’t like ordinary people’s. My benefactor, just watch—I don’t need your help.”

Li Banfeng stood by, watching—no matter what flowers she spat, he wouldn’t lift a finger.

Xiao Ye Ci crouched low, legs apart, tightened her buttocks, gripped the stone slab, and drew a deep breath.

Clenching her teeth, her face flushed crimson—she strained every ounce of strength and actually moved the stone slab.

Beneath it was indeed a door. Xiao Ye Ci panted: “My benefactor, I’ll go down first—Chunying, stay up here and don’t move!”

Li Banfeng made no protest, watching as Xiao Ye Ci descended into the cellar. Soon, she climbed back out. “My benefactor, there are many things down there—I don’t know which is yours.”

“Don’t bother with mine—grab your own things and come up quickly!”

Xiao Ye Ci climbed out carrying a willow basket. “My benefactor, all our belongings are here. What does your money pouch look like? I’ll go down again and get it for you.”

Li Banfeng lowered his gaze, studying Xiao Ye Ci. “Why are you helping me?”

Xiao Ye Ci lowered her head. “My benefactor, we owe you our lives.”

“You’re helping me out of gratitude?” Li Banfeng didn’t believe it.

“It’s for gratitude—but—but I also have a request,” Xiao Ye Ci’s voice grew quieter.

Li Banfeng’s face was expressionless. “What request?”

“My daughter and I are going to the inner ravine of Yaowang Gou—we’re strangers here, and the journey is dangerous. We beg you to escort us.”

“No.” Li Banfeng refused outright. “It’s not far—only thirty miles. I can point you the way.”

He drew a simple map on the ground.

Xiao Ye Ci looked at the map, then at Li Banfeng, pleading: “We’ve never been to Yaowang Gou—we’ve been terrified the whole way. My benefactor, escort us. We’ll pay!”

“Even payment won’t do—I must stay here and fight the homestead spirit to the death. You two must leave quickly!”

Xiao Ye Ci blinked. “My benefactor, you’re going to fight the homestead spirit?”

Li Banfeng straightened his posture. “What else? Let this evil spirit remain here to harm others?

You've read so many books—don't you know what "the greatest hero" means?

PS: Look at our Banfeng’s righteous heart—dear readers, leave comments and vote!

(End of Chapter)