Chapter 655: Neizhou Border

Deep in the night, Zhao Xiao bit her lip, holding back a smile, listening to the quarrel in the second wing.

Li Banfeng Yi wept softly inside the second wing: "Big brother, you must help me—I'm truly wronged."

"Brother, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"

"What do you mean I caused trouble? I went to fight for him—facing life and death, I used One Step Ten Thousand Li—was that wrong?"

"After the battle ended, he turned on me, beat me again—how unjust is this!"

"Brother, the technique One Step Ten Thousand Li isn't to be used lightly—it can harm others if misused. Did you warn him before using it?"

"Warn him? In battle, who has time for that? Besides, when I used One Step Ten Thousand Li, he passed out—who could've foreseen that? This isn't my fault!"

"This time it really is your fault, brother. Let bygones be bygones—don't dwell on it. Go rest."

"I can't rest—there's still a pile of things outside."

"Then go tend to them."

"I won't help him. Big brother, teach me another technique—I'll fight him to the death!"

"Younger brother, you're forcing me into immorality!"

"Big brother, if you won't teach me a technique, I won't leave today—I'll turn the house upside down!"

"Younger brother, don't rush—everything can be discussed…"

It seemed Li Banfeng Yi was about to succeed again.

Zhao Xiao didn't know whether Li Banfeng Yi truly hated Li Li Banfeng or was just coming to the second wing to trick more techniques out of him.

But one thing Li Banfeng Yi hadn't lied about: outside the Leaving Leaving Suishenju, there truly was still a pile of things to handle.

Tan Tan Jinxiao was badly injured; Hu Lu had prepared medicinal wine, and Li Li Banfeng had forced it down his throat—Tan Tan Jinxiao was still unconscious.

All the crew on the ship had fled—even the cook had run away. Li Li Banfeng and the others didn't know the sea routes or where to go next.

Most critically, after studying the engine room for hours, Li Li Banfeng still couldn't figure out how to operate the ship—the vessel was stranded.

Liang Liang Wucai came up with an idea: "There are still several small boats on this ship—let's row one back."

Xiao Yeci looked around: "Row where? We can't even tell east from west."

Li Li Banfeng glanced at the galley—food and drink weren't a problem; there was still plenty aboard.

"Stay here for now. Wait for Old Tan to wake up—see if he knows the way. I'll go scout the surroundings for any place we can land."

Using the Wind-Riding Cloud technique, Li Li Banfeng flew a circle over the sea and actually found several small islands.

He drew a map, roughly marking the islands' positions. When he returned to the ship, Old Tan had woken up.

"Seventh Master, out here in the open sea, I know many places, but I'm not good with directions. From your map, this island should be Fish Fragrance Island—if we can get there, it'd be perfect."

"We can go!" Li Li Banfeng nodded. "I recognize the place."

The group packed enough food and drink, rowed two small boats, and sailed all the way to the island.

Though Li Li Banfeng's map was poorly drawn, his Wu Xiu talent ensured accuracy—the island they reached was indeed Fish Fragrance Island.

The island's greatest specialty was fish; all manner of edible fish from surrounding waters were farmed here. The island also housed many renowned chefs, each with a unique mastery of fish dishes—meals here meant fish every day, every meal, never tiring.

Xiao Yeci, Liang Liang Wucai, Juanzi, and Tan Tan Jinxiao all loved fish—this place suited them perfectly.

But for Li Li Banfeng, it was unsuitable—he didn't eat fish.

Li Li Banfeng arranged for them to stay on the island, bought dozens of nautical charts from merchants, compared them, and by nightfall, flew back alone to the passenger ship, opened the Leaving Leaving Suishenju, and took out his wife.

Chang Ji toured the ship, paying special attention to the engine room.

"Husband, the ship's machinery has no tricks—I can get it running, but I'll need a few more people to help."

Li Li Banfeng waved his hand, summoning over a dozen shadows, each assigned a role.

Li Li Banfeng became captain, his wife became first mate, Li Banfeng Bing became second mate, Li Banfeng Ding became chief engineer, Li Banfeng Wu became stoker, the rest became crewmen, and Li Banfeng Yi became general laborer.

After carefully studying the nautical charts, Li Li Banfeng took the helm himself, steering the passenger ship toward the border under his wife's guidance.

His wife had also calibrated the Shadow Bridge Cannon: "My beloved husband, we agreed—this trip is just to scout. We dare not venture deep."

"Don't worry, wife—I'm not reckless!"

The passenger ship sailed for three full days. Li Li Banfeng ordered it to stop. A group of shadows stood on deck, gazing into the distance—the sea remained calm, showing no difference.

Li Banfeng Yi swam a circle underwater, surfaced, and shook his head: "There are no fish underwater."

Li Li Banfeng didn't believe it: "Not a single one?"

Li Banfeng Yi shook his head: "I swam several circles—didn't see a single one."

Li Banfeng Bing also dove in and swam a circle—the underwater fish were truly gone. Chang Ji said: "Husband, there used to be plenty of fish here. Now they've vanished all at once—I suspect the border lies just ahead."

The border's position was hard to pinpoint. Li Li Banfeng flew into the air and cautiously probed forward.

His wife worried: "Husband, don't go—let me think of another way."

Other methods existed, but all carried risk. Li Li Banfeng picked up the kitchen's chopping block and hurled it forward—it flew dozens of meters and landed on the sea, proving the border was still far off.

Li Banfeng Yi snorted: "Wasteful fool—now you've thrown away the chopping block. What'll we use to cut vegetables?"

Li Banfeng Bing glanced at Li Banfeng Yi: "Don't we even need to eat vegetables?"

Li Banfeng Yi snapped: "That's your level of cultivation—only thinking of yourself?"

Li Li Banfeng retrieved the chopping block and probed further, his wife steering the ship behind him.

After advancing over three hundred meters and testing a dozen times, the chopping block, midair, turned to dust.

The border lay just ahead—but Li Li Banfeng looked across it: still caves, still sea—no difference from before.

The shadows prepared the Shadow Bridge Cannon. His wife entered the puppet body and transformed into Zhao Xiao.

Using Zhao Xiao's hands to calibrate the cannon was far more precise. His wife adjusted all parameters and fired the first shot—a shadow struck the sea.

Then came a dilemma: had the shadow fully covered the border?

The border was invisible; the shadow's length couldn't be compared to anything.

Li Li Banfeng looked at Li Banfeng Yi: "I trust you—go test it!"

Li Banfeng Yi protested: "Why don't you go?"

His wife was still thinking when she noticed the shadow on the bridge vanishing.

Li Li Banfeng checked his pocket watch—twenty seconds had passed since firing. The Shadow Bridge had lasted only that long. Under these conditions, Li Li Banfeng dared not step onto the bridge.

His wife was puzzled, readjusted the parameters, and fired again, extending the shadow slightly.

This time, the Shadow Bridge held a bit longer—over thirty seconds.

Without any input from Zhao Xiao, the Shadow Bridge vanished again.

"Beloved husband, this sea border is too strange—I haven't figured it out yet. You absolutely must not step onto the bridge."

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "I'll listen to you, wife."

Chang Ji tested several times and finally stabilized the Shadow Bridge. The sea border had a unique trait—the bridge couldn't hold if too long, nor if too short; only when it precisely covered the border could it remain stable.

Li Li Banfeng estimated the shadow cast on the sea was sixteen to seventeen meters long—that was the Shadow Bridge's length, and also the border's width.

"Beloved wife, you stay on the ship—I'll go take a look."

Zhao Xiao gripped Li Li Banfeng's hand, reluctant: "Husband, I beg you—don't go. I've never traveled this waterway."

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Have you ever been to Neizhou?"

"I think I've been to Neizhou, but I can't recall—I used to go mad just thinking about it. Even now, I only remember Neizhou holds endless peril."

"Can't you just stay? Let me find a safer path—or if you truly must go to Neizhou, consult the Luo sisters—they could take you, and you'd have protection."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "With them, I'll only see what Neizhou wants me to see. If I get a travel permit from the Border Office, I'll only see what Waizhou wants me to see.

I must go alone—otherwise, I won't see anything useful."

"Husband~" Zhao Xiao hugged Li Li Banfeng, truly unwilling to let him go.

Li Li Banfeng gave Zhao Xiao a simple telephone, turned, and stepped onto the Shadow Bridge. Zhao Xiao carefully adjusted the cannon's parameters until Li Li Banfeng emerged from the bridge on the other side—only then did her heart ease slightly.

There was no ground to stand on across the border. Li Li Banfeng could only fly through the air—he planned to circle the area first. If he found no island quickly, he'd have to return via the Shadow Bridge.

He raised his hand to bid farewell to his wife when he saw a wisp of smoke rise from the Shadow Bridge Cannon.

His wife turned and gasped, trembling, frantically readjusting the parameters.

After adjustments, the Shadow Bridge Cannon burst into flames.

"Husband, come back!" Zhao Xiao cried.

Li Li Banfeng was about to dive into the Shadow Bridge when a chilling dread surged up his spine—he couldn't help but shiver.

Avoiding misfortune, Li Li Banfeng could not step onto the bridge.

The shadow on the border flickered, lengthening and shortening—the Shadow Bridge had changed.

"Husband, don't step on the bridge!" Zhao Xiao also sensed something wrong, ordering Li Li Banfeng to stay put.

Hssss~

The Shadow Bridge Cannon erupted in flames—the shadow on the border vanished.

The Shadow Bridge was gone.

Li Li Banfeng wiped cold sweat—he'd have been trapped in a wormhole if he'd stepped on it.

His wife couldn't reset the parameters; helplessly, she shut down the Shadow Bridge Cannon.

After shutting it down and restarting it several times, the cannon refused to activate.

His wife opened the casing: "Husband, don't fear—I can fix this. I definitely can… fix it."

Her voice was weak.

Inside the casing, everything was burned to ruin.

Chang Ji had known Li Li Banfeng planned to enter Neizhou—many parts of the Shadow Bridge Cannon had been replaced with new ones and repeatedly calibrated. No one knew whether it was the unusual environment or some other reason, but at the critical moment, it failed.

What now?

Li Banfeng Bing and Li Banfeng Ding brought a crate of spare parts. Zhao Xiao grabbed tools and hurried to repair the equipment.

Li Li Banfeng wasn't idle either, scouring the islands on the opposite side of the boundary.

An hour later, Li Li Banfeng returned to the boundary and shook his head at Zhao Xiaojuan.

He hadn't found any islands.

Before finding an island, Li Li Banfeng could only drift on the sea.

Zhao Xiaojuan grew more anxious, but anxiety was useless—many components had burned out.

"Husband, don't be afraid, don't be afraid~" Zhao Xiaojuan tried to feign calm, but couldn't manage it.

Though far apart, Li Li Banfeng could see the beads of sweat on his wife's face.

Each of those beads proved the Dark Bridge Cannon couldn't be repaired in the short term.

Li Li Banfeng pulled out a simple telephone and connected to his wife's line through Luo Zhengnan.

Old Luo saw it was a new number, answered, and listened carefully.

Li Li Banfeng's first words startled Old Luo.

"Wife, don't worry."

Wife?

Luo Zhengnan froze—had Seventh Master gotten a wife?

A woman's voice came from the other end: "My dear husband, wait a little longer—I'll definitely fix this, it's just that some parts are missing."

"If parts are missing, have Luo Zhengnan buy them and send them to the ship. I'll find a place to stay and let you know when I do—rest easy."

Li Li Banfeng waved to his wife and vanished into the night.

Zhao Xiaojuan stood at the bow, gazing for a long time at the direction Li Li Banfeng had disappeared.

Li Banfeng Ding comforted: "Madam, don't worry—even if Master Jia doesn't return, we'll take care of you."

Li Banfeng Wu pinched his fingers and calculated: "Madam, I think Master Jia won't return—think one step further."

Zhao Xiaojuan stared darkly at the two shadows.

Li Banfeng Ding and Li Banfeng Wu each found an excuse and quickly left the deck.

In the engine room, the two whispered:

"Madam is even fiercer than Old Jia."

"Says who? Can two different people come from the same bed?"

"Still, I have to say, Did Honglian's puppet is truly excellent—it even sweats."

…

Luo Zhengnan pondered for two full days: who was this wife of Seventh Master?

The voice wasn't any of the ones he knew—it was too beautiful, far surpassing even Ah Hui from the radio.

It felt vaguely familiar, like something he'd heard on a record—could she be a singing queen?

Luo Zhengnan was still savoring the thought when, the next day, Zhao Xiaojuan called.

"Little Brother Luo, I have a few items you need to buy for me."

Little Brother Luo?

Luo Zhengnan's heart churned.

What age had Seventh Master found a wife?

Then he thought again—it didn't matter. Fifth Master was always with Feng Daiku, and I didn't even know what generation I was to Feng Daiku. This madam calling me "little brother" probably isn't that old.

Zhao Xiaojuan gave a list. To anyone else, these part names would be incomprehensible, but Luo Zhengnan understood—he was an insider.

"Madam, when I've bought these, where should I deliver them?"

"Deliver them to San Tou Cha Underground City. After we reach Haishi, we'll contact again."

Underground City?

This job wasn't easy.

Luo Zhengnan acted swiftly—he already had many parts in his warehouse; for the few missing, he traveled to Waizhou and bought them.

Once assembled, Luo Zhengnan obtained a travel permit, led a dog, and headed for San Tou Cha.

On the train, Zhao Xiaojuan called: "Little Brother Luo, don't go into the Underground City alone—you won't make it to Haishi."

"Go to Luobao Mountain, find Qiu Qiu Zhiheng, have him make arrangements—be extremely careful."

Luo Zhengnan immediately contacted Qiu Qiu Zhiheng, explained briefly, and Qiu Qiu Zhiheng summoned You Tao, Qin Qin Xiaopang, Dengpao, Tang Yuan, Zuo Seeing Seeing Zuo Wugang, and Kui Guan Bafang. He personally led these six to meet Luo Zhengnan on the road.

Before leaving, Chi Liuhexi worried about Tian Jiu's condition; she wrapped several lumps of coal into Xiao Pang's luggage: "Brother, can you manage?"

Qin Qin Xiaopang wasn't sure himself—he couldn't go a day without coal: "Sis, I can manage. You mustn't tell anyone."

Chi Liuhexi added: "If you see coal piles on the road, eat some—keep these few lumps for when you're truly desperate."

…

Luo Zhengnan, with his travel permit and dog, got off the train, left Sinren City, and hadn't gone far when he was followed.

What's going on? Has Waizhou gotten involved?

Luo Zhengnan was a seasoned veteran and moved very discreetly, but one thing he couldn't avoid was the travel permit.

To reach San Tou Cha by train, you must disembark at Sinren City—and to leave Sinren City, you need another travel permit.

Around Sinren City was a boundary line; without an exit permit, no one could leave.

When exiting Sinren City, names were checked on the spot, just like the procedure for crossing the boundary on foot from Like Puluozhou.

If Old Luo had used a false name in Sinren City, he couldn't evade the Guanfang Hall's Two Two Shi Xiu magic treasure.

No choice—he had to exit under his real name, and now he was being followed immediately after leaving—this had to involve the Guanfang Hall.

After circling a back road twice, Luo Zhengnan lost his tail, but he knew the follower would catch up soon.

A Kui Xiu's hook was attached to the back of Luo Zhengnan's coat.

The hook had been placed in Sinren City; Luo Zhengnan hadn't rushed to remove it. Now that he'd shaken off the follower, he took a tin frog from his satchel, wound it up, took off his coat, balled it up, tied it to the frog, and placed the frog on the ground.

The tin frog leapt high the moment it touched the ground, dragging Luo Zhengnan's coat behind it, hopping and darting into the woods.

Luo Zhengnan quickly left the back road, took the main path, and sprinted toward Luobao Mountain. After half a day's travel, dusk fell; he found an abandoned farmhouse and settled in.

It wasn't because he was tired—it was because the daylight outside was gradually increasing. This place resembled Heihuang Beach: little daylight by day, more at night.

Luo Zhengnan patted the dog's belly twice; the once lively dog stood motionless.

This dog was a mechanical dog made by a Gong Xiu from Waizhou—it couldn't scout, fight, or carry luggage.

Its only purpose was to attract daylight within a small radius.

Bringing such a dog into San Tou Cha—wasn't that asking for death?

The dog's ability to attract daylight was limited: centered on it, a five-meter-radius sphere would draw all daylight within it onto the dog.

That meant the daylight meant for Luo Zhengnan would fall on the dog instead—its function was much like a lightning rod.

After sleeping through the night, Luo Zhengnan patted the dog's belly again; the once-still dog became lively.

Luo Zhengnan led the dog out of the farmhouse, and twenty-plus men on horseback surrounded him.

Leading them were two women: one wore blue clothing and a blue cloak; the other wore the same style, but her clothes were red.

These two women not only dressed alike, they looked alike—without close inspection, you couldn't tell them apart.

"Brother, what's your greeting?" the red-clad woman bowed to Luo Zhengnan.

Luo Zhengnan returned the bow: "Aokouzi."

"Aokouzi" meant the surname Tang; if he were Luo, he should've said "Weizimang"—Luo Zhengnan lied.

The blue-clad girl said: "What business brings you to our sisters' territory?"

Luo Zhengnan smiled: "I'm visiting relatives in Yanxun Land."

"Brother, you're joking—no one lives in Yanxun Land."

"There is—my relative is a Yan Xiu, and he loves that smoky air."

"Which Yan Xiu practices in Yanxun Land? Tell us, so we sisters can learn something!"

Luo Zhengnan pulled out a bag of silver dollars: "New to the area, I didn't bring much—this small gift is my courtesy. Please accept it, and don't ask further."

The red-clad woman took the bag and counted—over a hundred silver dollars. A substantial sum.

She took the bag and shook her head: "Brother, this isn't enough."

Luo Zhengnan smiled: "Accumulating gold and jade isn't done in a day or two; attracting fortune isn't a one-family business. I offer this token as goodwill—do you expect to grow rich from my small gift?"

The blue-clad woman rode closer, lifted her whip, and traced its tip across Luo Zhengnan's face twice.

"We don't want your money—we want you. We'll both be your wives—do you want that?"

Luo Zhengnan's fingers brushed, electric current flickering; he smiled at the blue-clad woman: "I just need to pass through—give me a favor."

The red-clad woman stepped behind him, whispering softly: "Brother, we won't let you go—we're determined to keep you. What do you say?"

Luo Zhengnan blushed: "You make it sound like I actually have such luck."

"I say you do, you do," the blue-clad woman reached out as if to pull him onto her horse.

Luo Zhengnan actually extended his hand.

The blue-clad woman smiled, gripped his hand, and prepared to poison him.

But the moment she grasped his hand, her arm went numb—she couldn't push him away, couldn't muster strength, and was yanked off the horse by Luo Zhengnan.

The blue-clad girl fell; Luo Zhengnan leapt onto her horse and spurred it away.

The red-clad woman shouted: "Chase!"

The blue-clad girl rose, snatched a horse from one of her men, and gave chase.

Luo Zhengnan glanced back at the blue-clad woman—he couldn't yet identify their identity.

Their behavior resembled bandits, but their cultivation levels were off—the blue-clad woman's cultivation was far too high.

Luo Zhengnan had followed Li Li Banfeng and consumed no small number of good elixirs; in recent days, his cultivation had surged, nearing the Eighth Layer.

Just now, when the blue-robed woman struck, Luo Zhengnan went all out—but she immediately rose to her feet, proving she was no low-level cultivator and possessed formidable physical strength.

After running only a short while, Luo Zhengnan, unfamiliar with the terrain, saw himself about to be surrounded; he pulled from his sleeve a pair of iron needles, over a foot long.

He normally carried these, which looked like knitting tools; he whipped them backward, and a bolt of electricity struck a burly man.

The burly man shuddered, fell off his horse, paused briefly, then remounted and charged after him again.

This one's physique is also impressive!

These bandits are formidable—does every one of them have such high cultivation?

If this continued, he'd never escape; Luo Zhengnan scanned the surrounding terrain, preparing to unleash his most devastating technique, when suddenly a man accelerated, catching up from behind.

The two horses rode side by side; Luo Zhengnan prepared to electrocute him, but the man lunged first with his right hand—CRACK—and snapped off the horse's head.

What a massive pair of pincers! This man is a scorpion!

If those pincers had targeted Luo Zhengnan directly, he'd have dodged easily—but the horse didn't know how to dodge; its head was severed, and it collapsed instantly.

Luo Zhengnan didn't fall; an Eighth-Layer electric cultivator isn't that easy to bring down. Riding was just to conserve energy—he could flee just as well on foot!

Another man closed in on Luo Zhengnan; he didn't deploy his pincers, but suddenly whipped his tail.

Luo Zhengnan leapt aside, barely avoiding the tail; a deep trench remained on the ground.

This one's a scorpion too!

A gust of wind brushed his ear; Luo Zhengnan dodged just in time, narrowly avoiding the blue-robed woman's hook—she was a scorpion too.

Are all these people scorpions? All body cultivators from the same sect?

After several minutes of dodging left and right, Luo Zhengnan's strength was nearly spent.

This was bad—he couldn't even activate a major technique now.

One man dismounted, sprinted ahead, and blocked Luo Zhengnan's path, ready to end the fight.

Luo Zhengnan was still fighting others and hadn't noticed this man; when the distance was right, the man raised his pincers, swung hard, then lightly brushed Luo Zhengnan's body.

Luo Zhengnan was stunned—he couldn't dodge that move.

He kept fending off the others while checking his body for wounds.

No wound…

No injury. No poison.

Then what was that move for? What technique was that?

He'd never seen it before!

The technique's name is "Flirt and Scold."

It's not a body cultivation technique—it's a pleasure cultivation technique. That man had just been struck by Qiu Qiu Zhiheng's pleasure cultivation art.

He wasn't the only one affected; all the bandits' movements grew suddenly gentle.

It lasted less than ten seconds, then the bandits returned to normal.

But those ten seconds were enough—Luo Zhengnan broke free from the encirclement.

The red-robed woman shouted: "Chase!"

Two bandits—one man, one woman—mounted their horses and pursued Luo Zhengnan.

Qin Qin Xiaopang suddenly appeared, leaping onto the female bandit's horse and spitting a cloud of steam at her from behind.

The female bandit turned and fought Qin Qin Xiaopang; after only a brief struggle, she convulsed from the scalding steam, her body shrinking drastically, becoming several sizes smaller.

Qin Qin Xiaopang opened his mouth wide, crushed her into a ball, and swallowed her whole.

He burped, then extended his right hand—his hand transformed into a scorpion pincer.

With a single swing, the pincer moved at incredible speed; before the male bandit could react, Qin Qin Xiaopang clamped off his head.

Qin Qin Xiaopang turned and asked: "Master Luo, are you alright?"

Luo Zhengnan bowed: "Thanks to Master Qiu and the Ninth Master, I'm still alive."

Qin Qin Xiaopang glanced at the number of bandits, then at Qiu Qiu Zhiheng beside him.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng stared at Qin Qin Xiaopang's scorpion pincer—he felt something was deeply off.

He'd seen this technique before: "A Hundred Swallows, A Hundred Transformations"—a cornerstone technique of the Food Cultivators.

But this technique shouldn't be used so fast. With Qin Qin Tianjiu's current cultivation level, it was questionable whether he could even learn it—he certainly shouldn't digest so quickly.

Qin Qin Xiaopang extended his hand again, summoning another pincer; now wielding two, he clashed with the group of bandits.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng and Luo Zhengnan joined the fight; You Tao, Dengpao, Tang Yuan, Zuo Seeing Seeing Zuo Wugang, and Kui Guan Bafang arrived swiftly, and the tide of battle turned.

During the battle, Qin Qin Tianjiu slashed a horse with his scorpion pincer; the horse, wracked with pain, bolted wildly—then after two steps, its body went limp and collapsed.

Was the horse poisoned?

Scorpion pincers aren't poisonous—why is Qin Qin Tianjiu's scorpion pincer toxic?

Did he eat a scorpion, assimilate it, and then modify its properties?

The more Qiu Qiu Zhiheng watched, the more baffled he became.

PS: Is Qin Qin Tianjiu still even a Food Cultivator?