Chapter 848: Where Is Your Body?

Li Banfeng arrived at Huan Tu Island with the Jade Seal, intending to block the passage from Huan Tu Island to Neizhou.

Blocking one passage isn’t difficult—just a single document is needed.

The passage’s exit lay on a reef less than ten li east of Huan Tu Island; Li Banfeng wrote the document, stamped it with the Jade Seal, and threw it into the passage, thus sealing it.

But the problem was, this wasn’t the only passage to be blocked—how many there were altogether, even Li Banfeng couldn’t say clearly.

The passage at Shengxian Peak must be sealed, Suihuang Plain certainly must be sealed, and there were also passages near the thirteen new lands, though Li Banfeng didn’t yet know where.

These were only the passages already in use by Neizhou; there were others Li Banfeng didn’t even know existed, and even with the Jade Seal, probing across the entire Puluozhou, he couldn’t locate all the passages or determine where they led.

“My dear wife, it’s truly true: you can’t be a thief for a thousand days, but neither can you guard against thieves for a thousand days.”

We can’t just plug holes—we must address the passages themselves.

My wife studied the Jade Seal for several days and felt it seemed strangely familiar.

“Husband, could I take the Jade Seal to Hulu Village? I’d like to study it together with Ayi for a while.”

Li Banfeng nodded: “Be careful while studying—don’t damage it. One of the two Jade Seals belongs to Lao Lu; we must return it.”

When they reached Hulu Village, Ayi studied for a long time and noticed something unusual:

“This isn’t just a seal—it’s a machine, but the craftsmanship is so exquisite, some parts are unclear to me.”

“Then find someone who can see clearly.” Li Banfeng summoned Ayu; Ayu stared at it for a full day, her eyes bloodshot: “It’s a machine!” Ayu was certain, “I saw gears—such a precise machine, I’ve never seen its like.”

“Husband, go attend to your affairs. When we sisters figure something out, we’ll discuss it with you slowly.” Zhao Xue was captivated by the machine; based on Ayu’s description, she had already sketched a rough diagram.

Looking at the sketch, Li Banfeng felt it looked vaguely familiar.

Leave professional matters to professionals; Li Banfeng didn’t interfere. He left Hulu Village and, using his original contact method, found Zuo Anna.

Zuo Anna lived in Lüshui City, renting a house near Wuji Hospital.

The hospital was still operating, but without Cui Ti, its treatments weren’t advanced—it was no different from an ordinary hospital, and patient numbers had dropped significantly.

Zuo Anna spent long hours at the hospital every day, so when she met Li Banfeng, she still carried a strong smell of disinfectant.

Her makeup was immaculate, her speech deliberate and dignified: “Mr. Li, I’m currently on a critical mission with tight timing—please speak plainly.”

Li Banfeng got straight to the point: “I want to know the whereabouts of Gong Xiu’s ancestral master.”

Zuo Anna paused, then said: “Gong Xiu’s ancestral master, Duan Tielu—I’ve heard of him. He had exceptional skill in craftsmanship.”

“There are many rumors about his whereabouts, but the most credible is that he now resides on the border between Shang State and Tufang State—he maintains close ties with both nations.”

The border between Shang and Tufang was vast; Li Banfeng asked: “Exactly where?”

Zuo Anna shook her head: “I can’t pinpoint his exact location—the border between Shang and Tufang shifts constantly; that’s a feature of Neizhou.”

“It’s said Duan Tielu has a special method to relatively stabilize his position. Do you understand what ‘relative stabilization’ means?”

Li Banfeng nodded: “I understand.”

Zuo Anna stared directly at Li Banfeng: “What do you mean? Did I not explain clearly?”

Li Banfeng felt a pang of discomfort—he thought he’d been perfectly clear: “You explained very clearly, which is why I understood.”

“Why comfort me? Why not speak directly?” Zuo Anna scrutinized Li Banfeng’s face, searching for hidden truths in his expressions.

Li Banfeng’s expression didn’t change; he stood: “Thank you for the information. If you need help, contact me anytime.”

He’d asked what he needed to ask; he’d said what he needed to say—he should leave.

“That’s it?” Zuo Anna was incredulous. “Circumlocution severely hampers communication. Why can’t you just speak plainly?”

Li Banfeng replied calmly: “I spoke plainly each time—I want to find Duan Tielu’s whereabouts.”

“There are many theories about Duan Tielu’s whereabouts, the most credible being—”

“You’ve already said that.”

“Why are you being so roundabout!” Zuo Anna’s eyes reddened. “Why can’t you just say it outright?”

“What do you want me to say?” Li Banfeng looked at Zuo Anna in confusion—he didn’t understand what was wrong with her.

“He’s dead, isn’t he? I’ve investigated extensively in Shang State—they all say he’s dead.” Zuo Anna stared at Li Banfeng with despair, seeking confirmation from him, yet fearing he’d confirm it.

Li Banfeng finally understood: “You mean Cui Ti?”

Zuo Anna gave a slight nod—she feared the answer, yet desperately needed to know.

Li Banfeng looked at Zuo Anna solemnly: “He’s still alive.”

Zuo Anna trembled, tears falling one by one down her cheeks.

“Where is he?”

That question stumped Li Banfeng—he didn’t know where Cui Ti was: “I can’t tell you yet.”

He expected Zuo Anna to press further, but she quickly wiped her tears, sat before the dressing table, and carefully retouched her makeup.

“It’s fine. I’ll find him. As long as he’s alive, that’s enough. When I find him, I’ll marry him.”

Li Banfeng was stunned: “You’ll marry him?”

Zuo Anna picked up her eyebrow pencil: “I know I’m not worthy of him. If he doesn’t want me, it’s fine—I’ll follow him, stay with him, wherever he goes.”

Li Banfeng knew Zuo Anna and Cui Ti weren’t blood-related, yet he couldn’t help asking: “Aren’t you always called brother and sister?”

“I never wanted to be his sister—not once!” Zuo Anna shook her head as she applied makeup. “I’m not his sister. I just lived in the same village as him. Since I was very young, I loved him—I wanted to marry him then.”

“How young?”

“Fifteen. At the time, Cui Ti was twelve—probably twelve. He couldn’t even be sure of his own age.”

Li Banfeng was familiar with people who couldn’t recall their age: “Was he an orphan?”

“He had parents, but they died early—from illness. Cui Ti and his younger brother Luo Leide were both prone to sickness. My father told me they were the devil’s sons, cursed by demons—their curse killed their parents.”

“Even so, I loved him. When he came to sell apples, I’d secretly buy a few. When he did odd jobs, I’d secretly slip him extra pay.”

“Cui Ti did everything to support his brother. Later, his brother fell ill, breaking out in rashes. Though Cui Ti explained the rashes weren’t contagious, no one believed him.”

“No one bought his goods or hired him. He begged everywhere—I’d give him extra bread. At that time, he called me ‘sister.’ I never liked him calling me that.”

“Later, Cui Ti fell ill too, breaking out in rashes. The villagers said it was an epidemic, contagious to others.”

“Some wanted to burn them alive, but they dared not—they feared smoke and fire might trigger the demon’s curse, or invite the demon’s revenge.”

“Some wanted to drive them out of the village, but the villagers knew Cui Ti and Luo Leide had never left this village—the nearest village was over a hundred li away. They feared the brothers would return to beg.”

“So someone devised a plan: they lied to Cui Ti, saying they’d found him a logging job, lured him up the mountain, broke his legs, and threw his sickly brother up there with him.”

“Cui Ti, with broken legs, couldn’t descend. Luo Leide, too ill to move, couldn’t go anywhere—they’d both die trapped on the mountain.”

Li Banfeng didn’t understand the villagers’ logic: “Didn’t they fear the demon’s revenge for doing this?”

Zuo Anna shook her head: “The villagers claimed they did nothing wrong—they said they merely moved the two children to a new home. That wouldn’t anger the demon.”

“Even if it did, they weren’t afraid. Our village is protected by the gods. As long as they didn’t kill the boys themselves, they could always find excuses—the demon wouldn’t harm them.”

Li Banfeng had heard fragments of Cui Ti’s past—he guessed the outcome: “Cui Ti couldn’t move. His brother starved to death.”

Zuo Anna put down her eyebrow pencil and fell silent for a long while, staring at the mirror: “It’s my fault.”

Li Banfeng was puzzled: “How is it your fault?”

Zuo Anna lowered her head: “I knew where they were. I went up the mountain to see them—I brought bread.”

“Cui Ti was strong. Even with broken legs, he smiled at me, hugged his brother, and kept thanking me.”

“I promised I’d come back tomorrow with more bread—and I said I’d bring ham from home.”

“Cui Ti kept thanking me, over and over. When I left, he crawled on the ground, trying to see me off, never taking his eyes off me.”

“He trusted me so completely—but I never returned to that mountain. When I got home, my family locked me up.”

As she spoke, Zuo Anna’s voice was calm, but tears kept flowing.

“I knew he waited for me on the mountain—he always waited. He believed I’d come. I stared at the mountain every day, thinking I’d never see him again.”

“Then one night, my father was drinking, my mother was listening to the radio, and someone shouted outside: ‘The demon’s back—he crawled back!’”

“I thought it might be Cui Ti—I was thrilled. I wanted to go out and see him, but my family wouldn’t let me.”

“The next day, when I went out, Cui Ti was gone.”

“From then on, villagers gradually fell ill—rashes covered their bodies, unbearable itching and pain. No treatment worked, not even prayers to the gods helped.”

“My father took our family away from the village. Later, I heard everyone in the village had died—no one survived except us.”

Li Banfeng had been ready to leave, but hearing this, he grew suspicious.

“You said Cui Ti never left the village—he was just a teenager. How did he gain Bing Xiu abilities?”

Zuo Anna shook her head: “I don’t know. I hadn’t heard anything about him for a long time.”

“When I saw him again, years later, he’d grown up.”

“My parents were killed by Tufang people. I joined the White Falcon Alliance. At the time, I was just a lowly operative, always at risk of dying on missions.”

“The White Falcon Alliance wanted to recruit Cui Ti. They knew our special connection—they promoted me and used me to collaborate with him.”

“Though Cui Ti always refused to join the White Falcon Alliance, I used my position to help him—I wanted to make amends. I hoped he could...”

Zuo Anna kept murmuring about her past with Cui Ti, but Li Banfeng’s thoughts remained fixed on one thing: How did Cui Ti become a Bing Xiu?

Before being tricked up the mountain, he was just a child. If he’d already been a Bing Xiu, they wouldn’t have broken his legs—he wouldn’t have helplessly watched his brother starve to death.

He wouldn’t have needed to stay in the village—he could’ve cured his brother first, then used Bing Xiu powers to survive.

That proves he was an ordinary child before going up the mountain.

But if he wasn’t a Bing Xiu before, what happened to him on the mountain?

Who led him into the Dao?

Did the Peddler go to Nei Amikan?

Perhaps—he might have gone there to repay debts.

But Bing Xiu didn’t have powder then. Dao transmission was true flesh-and-blood transmission: the next cultivator had to eat his master to enter. The Peddler couldn’t make Cui Ti a Bing Xiu.

Did the Peddler send him a piece of meat?

Why would the Peddler cultivate a Bing Xiu for Amikan? What benefit would that bring to Puluozhou?

Wait a moment.

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead; his thoughts couldn’t be limited to the peddler alone—could this matter have been done by someone else?

Did Lü Huazi personally go to spread the doctrine?

Or perhaps one of the Illness Cultivator disciples?

Whoever went to spread the doctrine, why choose Cui Ti? Why target a poor soul from a remote mountain village?

Perhaps only Cui Ti himself can clarify this matter.

“He’s still alive, right?” Zuo Anna asked Li Banfeng once again.

Li Banfeng nodded: “He’s alive. I believe you’ll meet one day. I believe Cui Ti doesn’t hate you.”

Zuo Anna stared intently at Li Banfeng: “I believe you’re not lying to me. I’ll help you find Duan Tielu’s whereabouts—if I find him,

promise me you’ll let me see Cui Ti once.”

“I’ll do my best to arrange it,” Li Banfeng said without giving a promise, then left Zuo Anna’s residence.

But Zuo Anna was full of confidence; she carefully dressed and adorned herself, as if Cui Ti would appear before her in less than an hour.

Less than an hour later, Li Banfeng returned.

“Has he come?” Zuo Anna looked at Li Banfeng, excited.

Li Banfeng shook his head: “He hasn’t come. I have a question for you: what was your mother doing the night Cui Ti returned to the village?”

Zuo Anna said: “She was listening to the radio.”

“Your village has a radio?”

Zuo Anna nodded: “Nei Amikan and Pulu Province both have radio stations—only ordinary people can’t hear them.

Our village is blessed by the gods; as long as a household has a radio, it can receive the broadcasts.”

Li Banfeng nodded slightly; he had no further questions.

Leaving Zuo Anna’s residence, Li Banfeng returned to his portable dwelling.

He moved the Yuan Miao Screen to the main room and stared at it quietly for a long time.

Yuan Miao Screen lowered her head, cheeks flushed: “Boss, you’re looking at me like that—I feel so embarrassed—”

Hong Ying snapped: “Seven Lang , since Xiao Wan isn’t here, you’re sneaking snacks! Even if you’re going to sneak, it shouldn’t be her—I’m still right here!”

Li Banfeng patted the TV casing and chuckled: “Even if I wanted to sneak, does her body even have a place for me to touch?”

Hong Ying snorted: “You never know what you’re capable of.”

Yuan Miao Screen grew annoyed; she glared at Li Qi: “You’re Xianqi me now? Is my figure bad? Look closely—where am I lacking?”

A disco tune played from the TV; the screen shifted angles rapidly as Yuan Miao Screen danced a sultry dance, her curvaceous form fully revealed.

Hong Ying grew angrier by the moment: “I knew this flirt wasn’t trustworthy—if she ever crawled out of the TV, she’d steal Seven Lang ’s soul!”

Li Banfeng was also curious: “Yeah, why don’t you ever crawl out of the TV?”

Yuan Miao Screen stopped dancing and laughed awkwardly: “I don’t have a body, so I can only stay inside the TV.”

“Where’s your body?” Li Banfeng lifted his hat brim to look at Yuan Miao Screen.

Hong Ying stayed silent; she sensed Li Banfeng’s tone was unusual.

Yuan Miao Screen grinned mischievously: “My body was eaten by Lai Wuju!”

The Fifth Chamber girl glanced at Yuan Miao Screen, her eyes filled with resentment.

Li Banfeng didn’t verify this with the Fifth Chamber; he felt it had nothing to do with them.

“Really eaten by Lai Wuju?”

Yuan Miao Screen’s smile vanished: “Boss, what’s wrong with you? I’m a little scared—”

“Don’t be afraid. I just want to know where your body went.”

Yuan Miao Screen pressed her lips together: “My sect emerged late, and I had conflicting interests with other sects.

You know the Fengqi in Pulu Province—everyone has experienced bloodshed. Back then, during a fierce battle, I lost my body and never got it back.

As for who took it, there’s no trace left, and I lack the ability to investigate.”

Li Banfeng didn’t believe her: “You have the ability to steal qi from people across the entire Outer Province for Dan Buda, yet you can’t find your own body? That’s a bit far-fetched.”

Yuan Miao Screen looked wounded: “But even if I found out, what use would it be? I’m like this now—how could I seek revenge?

I’m easygoing; I let the past go. I don’t want to dwell on it.”

Li Banfeng said: “You don’t dwell on it not because you’re easygoing—because no outsider benefited, right?”

Yuan Miao Screen blinked, picking up the thread: “Actually, that might be true. After all, I’m a founding ancestor—if my body was eaten by my own sect disciple, it would still count as passing on my cultivation.”

Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly, following her lead: “Indeed, it was passed on—even if not to your own sect, it was still to one of your disciples!”

PS: Yuan Miao Screen’s origins are extraordinary.

Today’s update is shorter; please forgive me, dear readers.