Chapter 843

Chu Shaoyang and Chu Huaiyuan stood at the foot of Dao Gui Ridge, waiting for the transcendent master Li Qi had summoned.

The father and daughter were tense; to claim they weren’t afraid on Dao Gui Ridge was a lie—especially Chu Er, who had actually been wounded by the Dao Laogui.

Seeing the Dao Laogui scattered across the mountainside, she found it hard even to breathe.

Yet she had to wait here; even if her cultivation was insufficient to help much, she had to stand here—only by her presence could Chu Shaoyang remain.

After waiting over ten minutes, Li Banfeng’s figure appeared, followed by a round-faced middle-aged man and a petite, strikingly beautiful young woman.

Before Li Banfeng could introduce them, Chu Shaoyang stepped forward and bowed to Face Not Big and Courage Not Big.

Face Not Big was surprised: “You know me?”

Chu Shaoyang indeed recognized Face Not Big—he’d received an order from Neizhou to capture him just days ago.

Courage Not Big also recognized Chu Shaoyang: “You’re from Neizhou.”

Oil instantly glistened on Face Not Big’s face—his battle-ready state: “Old Qi, what’s going on?”

Li Banfeng explained: “He’s the helper I brought. He had some past ties to Neizhou, but now he’s one of us.”

Courage Not Big chuckled: “It’s more than just ‘some ties,’ isn’t it? This kid dared to strike at the Peddler and the Heavenly Maiden’s house—what wouldn’t he do?”

Li Banfeng glanced at Chu Shaoyang—he truly didn’t know about this.

Chu Shaoyang bowed again to Courage Not Big: “Senior, I wasn’t the only one who did it. At the time, I had no choice.”

“The imperial court ordered me and a group to enter that mansion and retrieve something important. To be honest, even today, I don’t know what that thing was.”

Chu Er was utterly confused: “What thing exactly?”

Courage Not Big’s face darkened: “Girl, can you speak properly? Who are you calling a ‘thing’?”

Face Not Big clearly held animosity toward Chu Shaoyang; Courage Not Big also despised Chu Huaiyuan. Just as tension flared, the Heavenly Maiden appeared.

Chu Huaiyuan was startled.

Chu Shaoyang froze in place, as if he’d lost consciousness for an instant.

The Heavenly Maiden looked at Courage Not Big and said: “Over the years, countless have tried to sneak into my mansion to harm me—do you remember them all?”

Courage Not Big didn’t look at her, but replied: “Of course I remember. I hold grudges. Whoever crosses me, I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

“Most who entered the mansion died at my hands. Only a handful survived. This Chu man is one of the few who walked out alive.”

The Heavenly Maiden smiled faintly, then turned to look at Chu Shaoyang.

Chu Shaoyang paused, then pressed down on Chu Er’s head and bowed repeatedly to the Heavenly Maiden.

Chu Er had no idea what was happening.

Chu Shaoyang kept warning Chu Er: “Don’t lift your head under any circumstances.”

The Heavenly Maiden waved her hand—an invisible force straightened the father and daughter: “I dislike elaborate rituals, and I have no interest in dwelling on the past.”

Li Banfeng looked at Chu Shaoyang and Courage Not Big: “Let’s put the past behind us. Now we’re partners. Rank doesn’t matter—your tasks are the heaviest. We all follow your orders.”

“This humbles me!” Chu Shaoyang bowed again to Courage Not Big. “I am willing to take your commands.”

Courage Not Big didn’t refuse: “Let’s scout together. We’ll talk as we go.”

Chu Shaoyang agreed.

Courage Not Big turned to Li Banfeng: “You two wander the mountain, get familiar with the terrain. Especially Yuan Miaoping—she’ll need to pull her weight on this mission.”

Chu Shaoyang took Chu Huaiyuan and followed Courage Not Big; the Heavenly Maiden carried Yuan Miaoping away.

Li Banfeng walked a short distance up the mountain with Suishenju, then summoned Hong Ying and Jiu’er out through Liankuo Dongfang. Jiu’er, seeing Dao Gui Ridge, glared at Li Banfeng: “Why did you bring me here again? I want to go home!”

Hong Ying pulled Jiu’er back: “Girl, don’t be afraid. Do you sense any danger here?”

Hong Ying’s skill in avoiding misfortune was mediocre, but if she felt no danger at all, it meant Dao Gui Ridge was perfectly safe.

The three ascended together. Jiu’er carefully observed the Dao Laogui around them—they chopped wood, wove baskets, built houses; apart from their grotesque appearances,

their behavior was no different from ordinary people.

“What’s going on? Why are the Dao Laogui so docile?”

Hong Ying picked up a branch, tapped it lightly on a Dao Laogui’s skull. The Dao Laogui grew angry, snatched the branch, and threw it on the ground—but didn’t pursue her further.

“With Dao Laogui like this, they couldn’t even fight in the Undercity.”

Li Banfeng chose a spot halfway up the mountain and told Hong Ying and Jiu’er: “We’re searching for one person on this mountain. Five hours from now, whether you find him or not, you must return here.”

Jiu’er asked: “Who?”

“Lü Huazi.”

Hong Ying didn’t know Lü Huazi; Jiu’er wasn’t familiar with him either. The projector cast his image into the air. As they prepared to move, Li Banfeng warned: “Once you find him, no matter where he is, don’t engage him. Just remember his location.”

Three Forks, Undercity, Tushi.

Qiao Yi summoned two thousand Totem soldiers and handed the command seal to He Jiaqing: “These two thousand troops are now under your command.”

Prince Anshun thought two thousand was too few. He Jiaqing was his recommendation—if underused, it would reflect poorly on him.

He stepped forward and bowed: “Commander Qiao, He Young Master is a rare talent of this age. Two thousand troops are far too few.”

Qiao Yi smiled but said nothing.

He Jiaqing quickly replied: “I come from the wilderness. I know some martial tricks, but none are fit for the battlefield. I still need training. Commander Qiao trusting me is already more than enough. Two thousand troops are plenty.”

Qiao Yi praised: “A young man who knows his limits, understands when to advance or retreat, and lacks arrogance—rare indeed.”

“General He, you do need training. Today, take these two thousand troops and launch a surprise attack on the Human Market. The number of victories doesn’t matter—but casualties must not exceed twenty percent. Can you manage that?”

Prince Anshun frowned, glancing at He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing immediately accepted: “I shall give it my all!”

After He Jiaqing left, Prince Anshun and Qiao Yi spoke privately: “He Jiaqing was once a formidable rival of ours, yet this proves he’s a rare talent. Treating him so lightly now not only shows a lack of magnanimity in seeking talent, but also wounds his sincerity in defecting. Please reconsider.”

Qiao Yi picked up his brush, wrote a letter, and handed it to a general. Then he said to Prince Anshun: “Your Highness, remain calm. Once I spread word of He Jiaqing’s sortie, we’ll decide accordingly.”

Prince Anshun’s face turned pale: “What do you mean by this? You give him only two thousand troops, then leak his location—isn’t this a death sentence?”

Qiao Yi shook his head and smiled: “You spoke of magnanimity and sincerity. We do have the magnanimity to seek talent—but He Jiaqing’s sincerity is hard to verify. After this test, whether real or feigned, his sincerity will be proven genuine.”

Prince Anshun smiled politely in agreement, but seethed inside.

He Jiaqing was still preparing tactics when Qiao Yi had already spread the news.

Zhen Luoming ran up to Ku Pozi: “Old sister, trouble’s coming—the Undercity’s about to attack again.”

Ku Pozi was gathering bitter greens from Kucai Zhuang, ignoring Zhen Luoming entirely: “Let them attack. Neizhou sent tens of thousands of Totem troops—do you think they came for the scenery? Why are you so agitated? Isn’t Xu Han determined to hold the Human Market? Let him hold it—we’ll watch!”

Zhen Luoming shook his head: “Old sister, Neizhou’s force isn’t large—only two thousand. But their commander is special: He Jiaqing!”

The bitter greens slipped from her hands. Ku Pozi stared at Zhen Luoming: “Where did you hear this?”

Zhen Luoming replied: “The source is unclear, but I’m not the only one who knows. Xu Han knows too!”

Song Shu beside her grew tense: “Is this reliable? How could Jiaqing lead Neizhou’s troops?”

Zhen Luoming nodded urgently: “That’s exactly the problem! He avoided battle before, and many already disliked him. Huan Wuchang claimed he fought Neizhou in the New Lands—that was plausible. But now he’s defected? That’s impossible to explain!”

A needle dropping echoed continuously: “That’s exactly it—before, he never came to the battlefield, and plenty already disliked him; Huan Wuchang said he fought in the New Lands and Huineizhou, which was barely explainable, but now that he’s defected to Huineizhou, there’s no way to justify it!”

Ku Pozi spoke calmly: “Unverified rumors like this are common on the battlefield. If we believed every word, no war could be fought.”

Hearing this, Zhen Luoming grew displeased.

He wasn’t from the Hand and Foot Alliance. He came here personally to warn Ku Pozi out of respect for her prestige—he hoped to find a patron, since Li Qi and Shiba Lun both disliked him, and his stance usually aligned with hers.

Now he brought her such vital news, yet she dismissed it and rebuked him—this was too much for a Kuixiu Master to bear.

Zhen Luoming bowed: “Old sister, you’re experienced and measured. I’m narrow-minded and easily startled. I’ve disturbed you. Goodbye!”

After Zhen Luoming left, Ku Pozi gathered all the bitter greens into her bag and told Song Shu: “Mobilize every Hand and Foot Alliance member. Prepare for battle immediately.”

“If the enemy commander isn’t He Jiaqing, we’ll let this pass. But if he truly defected, we must act first—cleanse the traitor from within!”

“The Hand and Foot Alliance’s reputation cannot be ruined by him!”

After five hours on the mountain, Li Banfeng, Hong Ying, and Jiu’er regrouped.

All three were top-tier Traveling Cultivators; five hours was enough to cover Dao Gui Ridge entirely. Hong Ying found no anomalies, only noticed a minor dispute between Chu Er and Courage Not Big.

Li Banfeng noticed something unusual: some Dao Laogui still guarded the shrine atop the ridge, maintaining rituals and patrols, showing signs of lingering combat readiness.

Jiu’er discovered a cave near the summit. She didn’t enter: “Master, that cave holds danger. On this entire ridge, it’s the only one that makes me shiver.”

If even the Dao Laogui didn’t want to fight, who could make Jiu’er shiver?

Li Banfeng and Hong Ying followed Jiu’er to the cave. They stood at the entrance for a moment. Li Banfeng turned to Jiu’er and Hong Ying: “You two guard the entrance. Act as needed.”

They asked no questions, watching as Li Banfeng entered the cave.

Inside, darkness swallowed everything—some technique blocked vision. Even with their cultivation, Hong Ying and Jiu’er couldn’t see inside.

Li Banfeng activated Jin Qing Qiuhao and crept forward cautiously. After two bends, he saw dozens of Dao Laogui.

Unlike those outside, these Dao Laogui were half resting, half on watch. Those resting hung from the ceiling or crouched against the walls—nimble, and positioned with precision.

These Dao Laogui had clearly been trained by Cui Ti, and had fought alongside him.

The cave held ample food and canned rations—clearly supplies left by Cui Ti. A pool of water also lay inside; Cui Ti had even secured their water source.

These Dao Laogui were highly alert—but they couldn’t see Li Qi.

What were these Dao Laogui doing here?

Li Banfeng traced the cave wall, walking back and forth.

Passing a rock, he paused—he felt a faint chill from it.

He pulled out the music box, wound it, and played a tune.

The Dao Laogui heard the music and searched for its source. After a moment, finding nothing, overwhelming drowsiness swept over them. One by one, they fell asleep.

Li Banfeng closed the music box and pulled on his gloves: “Brother, try?”

“Master, wait a moment.” The gloves’ five fingers scrambled up the rock. Its black-and-white spots flickered. The rock loosened slightly, kicking up dust.

Li Banfeng put away the music box and pulled on his gloves: “Brother, give it a try?”

“Boss, wait a moment.” The gloves used all five fingers to climb the rock, their black-and-white spots flashing briefly; the rock loosened slightly, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Li Banfeng pushed aside the rock, revealing a cave entrance behind it.

Stepping inside, he saw it was a cave within a cave, with a space of seventy or eighty square meters; Lüshuigong stood rigidly at the center, his expression stern.

Li Banfeng revealed his form and studied Lüshuigong closely.

Seeing Li Banfeng, Lühuazi smiled: “Li Qi!”

Li Banfeng smiled back: “Huazi!”

“How long has it been since we last met?”

“Many days.”

“Why don’t you ever come visit me?”

“You’re the Ancestor of Illness Cultivation, I’m the God of Blade Labor—our paths aren’t the same. Too much contact isn’t appropriate.”

“What kind of bond do we have, and you still care about that? Don’t be formal—come sit inside!” Lühuazi lunged forward, flashing his long, sharp nails, and grabbed for Li Banfeng’s face.

“You don’t need to be formal either—let’s sit together!” Li Banfeng sidestepped and kicked Lühuazi onto his back.

Lüshuigong had stood perfectly still earlier, making Li Banfeng think he was motionless; he didn’t realize Lühuazi had long since neutralized the illness left by Cui Ti and was now waiting for an opportunity to escape the cave.

Jiu’er and Hongying listened intently at the cave entrance; they heard the two greeting each other inside and assumed their relationship was quite cordial.

Hongying even asked: “Isn’t Qi Lang enemies with Lühuazi? Didn’t they fight to the death?”

Jiu’er didn’t understand either: “Perhaps because of the great threat from Neizhou, they’ve buried the hatchet—”

Before she finished, they heard fighting sounds again and rushed into the cave, finding the floor littered with Dao Laogui. Thinking something had gone wrong, they entered the inner cave—only to see Li Banfeng and Lüshuigong sitting on the ground, drinking together.

Li Banfeng’s face was covered in pustules; he held a wine gourd and poured a bowl for Lüshuigong first: “Huazi, I came here because I have an urgent matter—I fear you won’t agree.”

Lühuazi, bloodied and mangled, lifted the bowl, sipped, and said: “You say that like we’re strangers. What kind of bond do we have? If I refuse, you’ll kill me anyway. Just say it—no need for pretense.”

“Then I’ll be direct—I want you to bring your Dao Laogui and help me fight a battle.”

Lühuazi set down his bowl: “Who with?”

“Neizhou.”

“Neizhou isn’t impossible to fight—Huo Lang once made me fight them too. But Huo Lang was fair—he never made me fight without compensation!” Lühuazi raised an eyebrow at Li Banfeng, his gaze heavy with meaning.

Li Banfeng admired Lühuazi’s attitude: “I won’t make you fight for free either. After this battle is won, I’ll let you live in Puluozhou.”

Lühuazi wasn’t satisfied: “That’s meaningless—I’m already alive.”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “I don’t mean alive in this cave. I’ll give you a proper territory.”

“How big?” Lühuazi gestured to the surrounding rock walls, drawing a circle in the air. “I want the entire Dao Gui Ridge. Can you give it to me?”

“No need to rush!” Li Banfeng laughed. “Which land, how much—I decide that. As long as you fight well, I won’t shortchange you!”

Lühuazi picked up his bowl again and drained it in one gulp: “No choice anyway—I accept. As long as the price is right, I won’t hold back in battle!”

“I trust you!” Li Banfeng poured Lühuazi another cup.

Lühuazi drank it, wiped his mouth, and said: “I almost forgot to tell you—this rash on your face has no cure. Don’t worry too much. As long as you keep your word to me, I’ll heal it when the time comes.”

“No cure?” Li Banfeng exclaimed. “Lühuazi, you’re cruel!”

“Don’t blame me for being cruel—it’s—” Lühuazi didn’t finish—he noticed the rash on Li Banfeng’s face had vanished.

Was it an illusion?

Lühuazi sensed his illness had disappeared from Li Banfeng’s body.

“Where were we?” Li Banfeng held up his bowl. “Continue—I’m listening.”

“Nothing. I was just joking. Whatever you say, I’ll do.” Lühuazi bowed his head to drink, sweat mixing with blood dripping down his face.

That night, Li Banfeng waited at the mountain’s base as Danbudan, Liangbuda, Chu Shaoqiang, and Chu Huaiyuan returned together.

Tian Nü returned with Yuan Miaoping.

Everyone sat in a circle; Danbudan spoke first: “I’ve confirmed the situation. At this critical moment, moving the entire Dao Gui Ridge to Santou Cha is impossible without Qiao Yi noticing.”

Tian Nü pushed back her hair and looked at Danbudan: “So you’re saying you can’t do it?”

Yuan Miaoping quickly interjected: “Let’s not rush—let him finish speaking.”

Danbudan sketched a rough map of Dao Gui Ridge on the ground:

“Moving the whole mountain won’t work—not even half. But if we move only one-tenth—”

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“Just the peak—I can fool Qiao Yi.”

Everyone turned to Li Banfeng. He calculated the number of Dao Laogui and the location of water sources, then shook his head: “One-tenth isn’t enough. At least three-tenths.”

“Three-tenths is troublesome!” Danbudan drew a line at the three-tenths mark. “Three-tenths of Dao Gui Ridge is far taller than the underground city.”

Li Banfeng looked at Chu Shaoqiang: “Didn’t you say you could drill a hole through the ceiling of the underground city?”

Chu Shaoqiang nodded: “Drilling a hole isn’t a problem.”

Danbudan shook her head: “I have a problem. I heard from Miss Chu that there are still many Watcher Cultivators in the Totem Army. If you drill above their heads, how could they not notice? Even if they don’t see the hole, can they miss the rocks falling from above?”

Drilling directly won’t work. If you insist on moving three-tenths of Dao Gui Ridge, we need an existing cave to slide it into.”

Li Banfeng thought for a long while, then unfolded the map of the underground city.

“There is an existing cave—but not in Tushi.” He circled the location of Huantu Island.

Chu Shaoqiang had also considered Huantu Island—the farmers of Tushi annually sent infertile soil to Haishi, which transported it to Huantu Island.

Huantu Island connects to the surface, allowing it to absorb sunlight frequently to replenish soil fertility—so indeed, there is a Dongkou leading to the surface above it.

But now there’s a problem.

If we send Dao Gui Ridge to Huantu Island, how do we get it to Tushi afterward?

Huantu Island is already occupied by Neizhou; their troop exit lies nearby. How could the Totem Army miss such a massive mountain appearing on Huantu Island?

Danbudan had prepared her stance: she first looked at Li Qi: “How to fight is your business—I won’t interfere.”

Then she looked at Chu Shaoqiang: “How to move the mountain is your business—I won’t interfere.”

Finally, she looked at Tian Nü: “To deceive the enemy’s eyes—that’s my job. I’ll deliver.”

“In three days, I’ll deliver Dao Gui Ridge to Tushi. Will you take this deal?”

Li Banfeng said: “Three days is too long—I fear Ren Shi won’t hold out.”

Danbudan shook her head: “Whether they hold out depends on you. To do this unseen and unheard, we need at least three days.”

Li Banfeng considered, then nodded: “Settled. Three days.”

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