Chapter 857: My Husband and I

Li Banfeng arrived at Hulucun and found his wife and Ai Yi.

“My dear wife, how’s the research on the jade seal going?”

Ai Yi smiled: “My dear husband, I’ve nearly finished it.”

Zhao Xiaowan burst into fury: “Who’s your husband? My man recognizes his own wife wherever he goes!”

After calming down, Zhao Xiaowan looked at Li Banfeng with a gentle smile: “Husband, the jade seal research is nearly complete—we plan to merge the two seals into one, recasting them into an iron seal using Bai Wusong’s technique, and embedding some components of the Dark Bridge Cannon inside.”

“Iron seal—” Li Banfeng’s eyes lit up, “so the jade seal has become an iron seal? Aren’t we getting the short end of this?”

Ai Yi gave Li Banfeng a look: “Brother, this is metaphorical—an iron seal stamped on documents can completely seal off a road; no one but the iron seal can open it. Even if Neizhou forges another jade seal, it won’t help!”

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then looked at the two jade seals: “Must the two seals truly be merged?”

Ai Yi nodded: “The jade seals can sense the Xuanyuan Road and block or open side paths. These two seals share similar materials but differ slightly in craftsmanship—both are indispensable to form the iron seal.”

Even if merged, they can only locate the fixed entry and exit points of the Xuanyuan Road. To expand the jade seal’s functions further, we must use Xiaowan’s equipment.”

Xiaowan’s Dark Bridge Cannon can link roads and create temporary entry points, but once you cross the bridge, you must descend using the correct method—or you’ll be trapped in the Xuanyuan Road.”

The Dark Bridge merely borrows the Xuanyuan Road’s concealment and shielding to cross boundaries, but the distance it can traverse is extremely short.”

Bai Wusong can forcibly enter the Xuanyuan Road without external devices because of his unique technique—he uses feathers as markers in the air to locate the Xuanyuan Road’s entrance.”

He treated this as a method of crossing boundaries, and he did succeed.”

Bai Wusong said to Li Banfeng: “I did succeed—I used to be able to cross the boundary.”

“He was just lucky,” Ai Yi explained while sketching, “the physical laws of the Xuanyuan Road differ from those of Puluozhou. Bai Wusong can find the entrance from outside, but using the same method inside the Xuanyuan Road, he cannot find the exit—you still need the jade seal to locate it.”

Ai Yi finished her diagram, and the functional linkage was now complete.

Once these functions were clear, the process of Hulucun and the little train traveling along the Xuanyuan Road became clear too.

Yet this travel process is invisible within both the little train and Hulucun—it’s an ineffable movement—but Zhao Xiaowan and Ai Yi intend to reveal the entire ineffable process.

Bai Wusong listened intently, nodding frequently.

Li Banfeng asked Bai Wusong: “Do you really understand this?”

Bai Wusong whispered: “If I didn’t act this way, she’d have to explain it all again.”

The two jade seals must be recast—this must be reported to Master Lu, and he must be compensated appropriately.

Li Banfeng went to Moxiang Shop; Master Lu was brewing wine in his study. Seeing Li Banfeng arrive, he quickly prepared snacks.

Though the matter was hard to bring up, Li Banfeng didn’t beat around the bush—he laid out the truth plainly.

Master Lu smiled calmly: “That object never belonged with me. Returning it now actually eases my mind. Yu Yao is skilled in this area—if you need his help, I’ll send him to Hulucun tomorrow.”

Yu Yao’s assistance would be welcome, but Li Banfeng still had to compensate Master Lu.

Master Lu thought long and hard, then made a request: “I want to compile the history of Puluozhou—it’s a monumental task beyond my capacity. I need vast materials and many hands. Some records I can’t obtain, some people won’t help me, and I lack both financial and material resources.”

“All of that is easily arranged.” Li Banfeng handed Master Lu two checks as financial and material support.

He also wrote a letter and gave it to Master Lu: “If you encounter difficulties, take this letter to my friends—they’ll help you.”

Master Lu accepted the letter and checks: “Thank you, Seventh Master.”

Li Banfeng waved his hand: “Don’t thank me—I don’t deserve it. Compiling history truly needs to be done. You’re doing this difficult task alone—I sincerely admire you.”

“I’ve lived in Puluozhou long enough—I’ve grown used to it. Many important things remain undone.”

Master Lu smiled: “It’s not too late. Seventh Master, you’ve helped me so greatly—I’ll surely record this in the annals.”

“Don’t you dare!” Li Banfeng shook his head. “I’m truly ashamed. You say I helped you, but that’s just giving me face. That money means nothing. My friends aren’t more numerous than yours. Consider it merely my goodwill.”

“Seventh Master, you’re too modest,” Master Lu brewed another pot of wine. “History records the soul of Puluozhou—it points to its future destiny.”

“But existing records of Puluozhou are too chaotic—I struggle to distinguish truth from falsehood.”

“One record claims that the Eight-Dou Poet Zhou Wencheng and the Learned Scholar Murong Gui competed in writing for three days and nights, and Murong Gui, outmatched, died exhausted beside his desk.”

“If Zhou Wencheng weren’t me, I’d believe it!”

“Murong Gui was the laziest of my disciples—he had no strength to compete with me for three days and nights. He’d collapse after two hours.”

Li Banfeng burst into laughter. They drank and chatted, and before they knew it, night had fallen.

Leaving the study, Li Banfeng bought fine wine and dishes at a restaurant, went to Willow Garden, wrote the character “Hui” beneath a willow tree, and arrived at the Earth God’s dwelling.

The Brush Spirit still hunched over his desk writing; Murong Gui, wrapped in a quilt, seemed asleep.

Li Banfeng placed the wine and dishes beside Murong Gui and called: “Brush!”

“Hmph!” Murong Gui turned his face away, eyes still closed, ignoring Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng set the wine and dishes on the ground: “Have a drink with me.”

The Brush Spirit slowly opened his eyes but remained silent.

Li Banfeng poured wine into a cup and brought it to Murong Gui’s lips; Murong Gui finally opened his mouth and drank.

The Brush Spirit eyed the lavish food, sniffed, then went back to writing.

Li Banfeng asked Murong Gui: “Can you let him rest for a while?”

Murong Gui looked at the Brush Spirit and said: “Come.”

The Brush Spirit happily sat over, and the three ate and drank together.

Li Banfeng had already eaten in the study; after two cups of wine, he spoke of home matters to Murong Gui.

Murong Gui listened intently, eager to interject at key moments, but felt too exhausted to speak.

After eating and drinking, the Brush Spirit returned to writing, and Li Banfeng prepared to leave.

“Brush, you must stay at Moxiang Shop a while longer.”

Murong Gui nodded, watching Li Banfeng’s retreating back, then suddenly cried out: “Seven—wait for me to come home!”

Leaving Willow Garden, Li Banfeng passed a teahouse and heard constant applause inside.

He stood for a moment—it was a group of patrons cheering the storyteller.

Li Banfeng looked around—he could only stand; every seat was taken. Whenever this storyteller appeared, the teahouse was always full.

His storytelling was truly excellent—he was recounting Wu Song fighting the tiger, and every listener’s Adam’s apple bobbed with Wu Song’s staff.

Some patrons gripped their teacups, mimicking Wu Song’s punches, their right hands trembling, making ripples in the tea.

Li Banfeng silently marveled—Shu Wanjuan’s skill was impressive; in Moxiang Shop, he was a major figure. Seeing his business so good today, he’d withhold the tip for now.

After hearing Wu Song fight the tiger, Li Banfeng quietly slipped out of the teahouse, when suddenly Shu Wanjuan called from the stage: “Ladies and gentlemen, let me take a sip of water and rest a moment.”

He then rushed out of the teahouse, gazing in Li Banfeng’s direction.

He sensed someone special had arrived, but couldn’t clearly make out Li Banfeng’s figure.

Li Banfeng didn’t hide—he stepped forward and greeted him.

Shu Wanjuan smiled: “Seventh Master, thank you for your patronage.”

“Sir, you’re too kind. I’ll be going—I won’t keep you from earning.”

Li Banfeng bowed to leave, but Shu Wanjuan followed him: “Seventh Master, how was my story?”

“Excellent!” Li Banfeng sincerely praised. “I couldn’t pull my ears away!”

Shu Wanjuan said: “I have a new story I’d like to tell you.”

“Can it wait?” Li Banfeng smiled. “I truly love your stories—I’ll come again!”

“Being a boss is hard—you’re too busy, probably have no time to listen,” Shu Wanjuan pulled a book from his sleeve. “I’m giving you this book—read it slowly at home.”

Li Banfeng accepted the book. They bowed to each other and parted ways.

If given the chance, Li Banfeng truly wanted to hear Shu Wanjuan’s new story.

He truly wanted to stay longer at Moxiang Shop—even a month wouldn’t bore him. He didn’t even care who that person was.

Someone was crouched in a pile of coal, smearing coal dust on his face.

No—it wasn’t smearing—it was eating the coal dust—he was shoveling it into his mouth.

Was this Qin Xiaopang?

No—his build was much larger than Qin Xiaopang’s.

At night, no one noticed the coal pile; if seen in daylight, his large frame would frighten people.

Li Banfeng stepped forward and grabbed him: “How dare you?”

The man, mouth full of coal dust, looked at Li Banfeng and burst into tears.

“P-P-Prince,” Nian Shangyou choked out, “I only came for food—I didn’t harm anyone, Prince—”

His face was already dark, now covered in coal soot; only his red, tear-filled eyes remained barely recognizable.

A passerby approached in the distance; Nian Shangyou trembled violently.

Li Banfeng used his Zhaixiu talent to conceal Nian Shangyou’s form and asked: “When did you arrive in Puluozhou?”

Nian Shangyou wept: “I don’t remember.”

His expression showed he spoke truth—he truly didn’t remember.

“Stop crying. Come with me.”

Nian Shangyou sobbed uncontrollably: “Prince, please spare me—I beg you—”

“I’m not here to kill you. I’m taking you somewhere.”

“Prince, I won’t go anywhere—I’ll die if I step onto the street.”

It was no wonder Nian Shangyou feared—the streets were patrolled by written characters, placed by Shu Wanjuan and Zhou Wencheng.

“Don’t worry—I’m here.”

Li Banfeng brought Nian Shangyou back to his home and gave him food: “How did you come to Puluozhou? Weren’t you killed at Qunying Mountain?”

Nian Shangyou shook his head: “I didn’t die. I stayed on the mountain with a dozen soldiers, hiding in a cave for days.”

Later, Lu Qianjiao forced us out. I and a few soldiers jumped off Qunying Mountain—the rest were killed by Lu Qianjiao.”

We reached Moxiang Shop and hid for less than two days, but Zhou Wencheng gradually discovered the soldiers one by one and killed them all.

I’ve been barely surviving on my own, hiding and never daring to show my face—today I was so hungry I had no choice but to come out for something to eat.

As he spoke, Nian Shangyou began to cry again.

Li Banfeng pointed to the food and wine on the table: “Eat. It’s all for you.”

“Your Highness, I—I dare not. I know I’m wrong,” Nian Shangyou’s voice cracked.

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Why fear eating? What’s wrong with that?”

“I—I’m still alive—”

Li Banfeng smiled: “How could being alive be wrong? Being alive is good—it’s the best thing in this world!”

“I—I fought against Pulu Province,” Nian Shangyou trembled, certain that Li Banfeng would raise his hand and kill him at any moment.

“In war, each side serves their master—this isn’t your fault,” Li Banfeng handed him a pastry. “What are your plans now? Do you want to return to Chaoge?”

Nian Shangyou lowered his head: “I dare not return. My entire army died. Commander Qiao is dead. If I go back, I’ll surely be executed too!”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Not necessarily. I’ll write you a letter. Deliver it to Anshun Commandery Prince—I guarantee you’ll live longer. Do you dare?”

Nian Shangyou shuddered: “How could I dare? That’s just asking for death!”

“It’s not asking for death—it’s seizing a chance to live. But this path is dangerous,” Li Banfeng thought of making Nian Shangyou a messenger between Shang State and Pulu Province. If he had enough courage and wit, he could not only save his life but gain real benefits.

Nian Shangyou’s tongue twisted in fear: “I can’t—I can’t do it—I really can’t—”

Li Banfeng didn’t press him: “Then choose another path. Go to Xiaodu, find Tie Baisheng, and say I sent you.”

“I’ll give you a token. He’ll take you in.”

Nian Shangyou thought for a moment, then shook his head: “My family is still in Chaoge. If they find out I went to Xiaodu, they’ll kill them all. Your Highness, I know Pulu Province won’t spare me—I’ll hide somewhere. I won’t trouble you. Pretend you never met me. Pretend I died on the battlefield. I beg you.”

Li Banfeng sighed helplessly: “Staying here is impossible. Here’s another idea: I’ll send you back to Chaoge via Tianyi City. Get your family out and bring them all to Xiaodu. Don’t you have the courage for that?”

Nian Shangyou stared at Li Banfeng in shock: “Your Highness—is this real?”

Li Banfeng nodded: “It’s real. But you must sign a contract with me. You must never cause trouble in Xiaodu, never fight against Pulu Province again, and tell me everything about Zhen.”

“I’ll do whatever Your Highness says!” Nian Shangyou immediately wrote the contract, carefully detailing everything about Zhen, even drawing several maps—every detail, without omission.

The music box secretly activated its recording function, capturing every word Nian Shangyou spoke.

This information was invaluable—it gave Li Banfeng at least a ten percent increase in his chances of victory.

Li Banfeng studied the maps alongside Nian Shangyou’s explanations, rethinking every tactical detail.

Nian Shangyou watched Li Banfeng nervously, terrified he’d be killed the moment he was no longer useful.

“Profit and loss—no debts left!” Li Banfeng tucked the maps away and immediately contacted Ba Suan and Boluo, sending Nian Shangyou back to Chaoge.

After seeing Nian Shangyou off, Li Banfeng walked through the soda kiln. Under Feng Daiku’s management, the place had truly improved. He called Ma Wu and gave him the details of his promise to Old Lu.

Ma Wu was also looking for Li Banfeng: “Old Qi, I know you’re busy and can’t spare time—I wouldn’t dare disturb you—but tomorrow is Fengyang City’s celebration. Can you come?”

Fengyang City was Ma Wu’s new territory. After all the land was fully reclaimed, it lay between Heishipo and Huangtu Bridge.

Ma Wu had placed Li Banfeng’s name before his own, wanting to tell him this city was also their shared foundation—but the war had delayed the celebration until now.

Li Banfeng agreed: “I’ll come tomorrow.”

Ma Wu was overjoyed and elevated the celebration’s scale, fearing it wouldn’t be worthy of Li Banfeng’s status.

That night, Li Banfeng dined with everyone. Xiao Yeci asked carefully: “Savior—can I still call you Savior? You’re now the boss of Pulu Province—”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Call me anything you like—just not Savior. I’ve done nothing for you. Call me Old Qi, like the others.”

“But that won’t do!”

“Old Qi has spoken—stop being stubborn,” Lu Chunying urged. “Mom, from now on, we’ll both call him Seventh Brother.”

“Then I’ll call you Seventh Brother too,” said You Tao, clinking cups with Li Banfeng. “Calling you Baisha Brother always causes misunderstandings.”

Li Banfeng asked: “Can you drink? Are you fully recovered?”

“About seventy or eighty percent. Don’t worry about it!” You Tao poured him another cup. “After fighting on the battlefield, I’ve seen the light. Do what you want—live as freely as Sister Xiu. I won’t waste my time in this world!”

He Yuxiu waved her hand: “Don’t copy me—I went blind right in the thick of battle, then went back to find He Jiaqing, that bastard. Never mind. Cold—so cold!”

“Old Qi, I’ve lost face. Now I’m trying to regain it. You came to Fengyang’s celebration—will you come to Lixiu’s? I followed your advice—I changed the ‘Li’! If you don’t come, you’ll break my heart!”

“I’ll come. Absolutely.”

Li Banfeng clinked cups with everyone. Chu Er sat beside him: “Seventh Brother, are you troubled?”

“No troubles,” Li Banfeng smiled. “The war’s over. What else could there be?”

After dinner, Ma Wu had a temporary stage built. Jiang Mengting performed live.

Though the place was crude, everyone was having fun. Ma Wu told Li Banfeng: “Old Qi, Chuan wants to build a business in Santoucha.”

“I agreed. I gave him two factories.”

Li Banfeng nodded: “That’s good.”

Ma Wu sipped his wine: “Chuan’s good at business. I’m worried he’ll grow bigger than us.”

Li Banfeng smiled: “That’s good too! Where does he want to operate?”

Ma Wu shook his head: “Chuan doesn’t want to do business. He’s gone farming with Zhang Wanlong. Says they have a village—his wife’s still there.”

“He really has a wife!” Li Banfeng confirmed. “I’ve been to that village.”

Ma Wu was curious: “Take me there someday.”

Li Banfeng said: “That place is in the new land—it’s far.”

“So what if it’s in the new land?” Ma Wu perked up at the mention of new land. “Our first money was made in the new land!”

Li Banfeng nodded: “Right—you sold peaches!”

“You sold peaches! We sold Cìtūnzhū—you’ve forgotten already?”

“I remember. How could I forget?”

Talking about the past, Ma Wu grew excited: “Old Qi, let’s go back to the new land—just you and me! Start over. Build another empire!”

The idea of starting over stirred Li Banfeng too—but now wasn’t the time: “Things aren’t like before. You’re the Land God now.”

“You must guard your territory well.”

Ma Wu was troubled by this: “Fengyang City is new, but the population isn’t small. Why hasn’t the Land God Seal gathered any vitality?”

Li Banfeng asked: “What about the sunflowers I told you to plant?”

Ma Wu nodded: “I planted them. They’ve produced plenty of seeds—each holds vitality—but the Land God Seal still won’t respond.”

Li Banfeng thought a moment: “It should work soon.”

At dawn, after everyone slept, Li Banfeng walked alone through Fengyang City, thinking about who else to contact.

He picked up the phone. As soon as it connected, Luo Zhengnan said: “Seventh Master, who would you like to speak with?”

No matter the day or hour, whenever the phone rang, Luo Zhengnan always said the same thing.

“Old Luo, you’ve worked too hard. You can’t do this alone anymore. Find someone to help you.”

Luo Zhengnan replied: “Seventh Master, you speak too formally. Without you, where would I be today? Serving you is my duty. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.”

“Besides, I can’t find others who can handle this door’s work—it must be me.”

“I’ll find you an apprentice someday.”

“What kind of apprentice?”

“A little girl. She likes tinkering with TVs. Very smart.”

“Is she suited for it?”

“I think she has talent.”

Li Banfeng talked with Luo Zhengnan for a long time, then returned to his personal quarters. He went to find Tian Nü: “I’ve always wanted to learn your Door-Closing Technique. Can you teach me the essentials?”

Tian Nü tilted her head, studying Li Banfeng: “Only the Door-Closing Technique? Don’t you want to learn my other arts?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “I don’t look down on them. Your techniques are all powerful. I have much to learn—but right now, Door-Closing is the only one I need.”

Tian Nü thought carefully: “The key to Door-Closing is distinguishing between the door and the household.”

Hong Ying sighed beside her: “No need to overthink it. Our Seventh Lord doesn’t know where to draw the line—he just goes wherever he ends up. Actually, that’s fine too.”

Tian Nü looked at Hong Ying: “How is that fine?”

“There’s surprise! You close your eyes and never know what he’ll do—”

Li Banfeng covered Hong Ying’s mouth, staring sternly at Tian Nü: “Let’s focus. What do you mean by ‘door’ and ‘household’?”

“The door is the main gate of the residence. The household is the extent it can expand,” Tian Nü waved her hand, using the Ten Thousand Wishes Technique to draw a diagram. “The first boundary must be built at the gate—defending the home is the foundation of the art.”

“The second boundary depends on how far you can extend the household. If you extend it to an entire city, you can create a boundary across the whole city.”

“If you extend it to all of Pulu Province, you can create a boundary across the entire province, just like me.”

“The third boundary lies between door and household. Once you master its principle, you can add as many boundaries as you wish—but remember: choose your location carefully. Find the earth veins.”

Li Banfeng didn’t understand: “What are earth veins?”

Tian Nü explained: “Simply put, earth veins are natural boundaries. Why is the boundary between Green Water Bay and Yao Wang Gou so strong? Because there was already an earth vein between them. I built the boundary atop it, making it extremely stable.”

“There are no earth veins beneath Santoucha’s underground city. I could create a boundary to enclose the Earth Market—but it would be extremely difficult. To make a lasting boundary, you’d need additional methods to simulate earth veins.”

Li Banfeng thought: “So Green Water Bay and Yao Wang Gou were originally two separate places?”

Tian Nü nodded: “That’s my belief. Wherever an earth vein runs, it marks two separate places. So I’ve built boundaries along every earth vein.”

Li Banfeng reflected on how new land became true land: “What if new land intrudes? The door and household must change. Surrounding boundaries must shift too.”

Tian Nü demonstrated on her hand-drawn diagram: “It’s not that new land intrudes—it’s that new land, once transformed into true land, is absorbed by Pulu Province. Land has spirit. Pulu Province has spirit too.”

“Pulu Province only recognizes true land. When new land becomes true land, it gains awareness. Its spirit drives it toward true land, and other true lands naturally draw it in. So in my view, only true land belongs to Pulu Province.”

Li Banfeng knew land had spirit. That Pulu Province itself had spirit was no surprise to him.

But what he most wanted to know was how boundaries were controlled: “Every time new land becomes true land, Pulu Province’s borders change. How do you handle your boundaries?”

“Do you rebuild them according to the shifting borders? But when Qiuqi City was born, you were still trapped in Anxing Bureau—how could you have created a boundary then?”

“I really don’t want to tell you this—”

The Heavenly Maiden blinked her eyes at Li Banfeng; this was her ultimate technique.

She knew Li Banfeng was about to undertake something great, and if she didn’t tell him now, she might never get another chance.

After a moment’s hesitation, she spoke: “The boundary lines covering Pulu Province shift automatically with changes in the province’s terrain.”

“I don’t need to control these changes myself, because I’ve embedded most of the Door-Closing Technique directly into each territorial zone.”

“As long as Pulu Province’s territorial zones shift, the boundary lines adjust along with the earth veins. You should still remember—when Qiūqiū City first became a proper territory, a new boundary line formed instantly the moment anyone entered its range.”

Li Banfeng was stunned: “You can embed techniques into territorial zones? Across the entire Pulu Province?”

The Heavenly Maiden nodded: “Not just me—The Peddler can too. He embedded some Cultivator-Contract techniques across all of Pulu Province’s territorial zones.”

“If I can reunite my body and restore my power to its peak, I won’t just be able to embed the Door-Closing Technique—I can embed other techniques into the land as well.”

Li Banfeng sighed: “If I had more time, I’d truly like to refine my techniques with you—I still can’t recognize earth veins.”

The Heavenly Maiden asked: “Don’t you have time now? Your Door-Closing Technique definitely needs refinement. So far, you can only create one boundary line in front of you—this is tied to the nature of your Dwelling-in-Body, but even when you enter other residences, you still can’t create a second boundary line. Your technique is crude indeed.”

Li Banfeng sighed helplessly: “Whether I have time or not isn’t up to me.”

The Heavenly Maiden thought for a moment and understood Li Banfeng’s meaning: “You’d better discuss this carefully with Zhao Xiao. She’s an expert in warfare.”

Li Banfeng went to Hulucun and found his wife’s residence.

His wife was asleep, slumped against the table.

He used the Connected-Drawing Technique to bring her into his Dwelling-in-Body, found a blanket, and was about to cover her when she suddenly opened her eyes.

“Husband, when did you return? Why didn’t you wake me?”

Li Banfeng smiled warmly: “Just got back. Went out to socialize with a few friends—and I bought you some cosmetics.”

He took the powder puff and carefully applied powder to her face, then painted her eyebrows.

As he painted her eyebrows, his hand trembled, and he drew both brows into a single continuous line. His wife grew angry and wrestled with him for a moment.

After their playful struggle, she asked: “Crazy man, why are you so tender today?”

Li Banfeng grew serious: “Don’t I always treat you tenderly?”

Zhao Xiao still sensed something was off: “Are you hiding something from me?”

Li Banfeng said: “There’s good news—we’ve acquired a new house.”

He led Zhao Xiao to the door, opened it—and behind it was not the second room, but Duan Tielu’s house.

Holding Zhao Xiao’s hand and wrapping his arm around her waist, he waltzed with her from the first floor all the way to the seventh.

As she danced, Zhao Xiao observed Duan Tielu’s house: “My darling husband, this is an excellent place—its construction technique is utterly miraculous.”

Li Banfeng said: “My old man said the same thing. The place I leave for you will always be the best.”

“What do you mean ‘leave’?” Zhao Xiao fixed her gaze on Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng explained: “I don’t like this place, and I don’t understand construction techniques—so isn’t it clearly meant for you?”

Zhao Xiao fell silent for a moment, then glared at him: “You crazy man—you’ve been letting me have my way in front of others, and now you’ve lost all sense of propriety. You’re hiding something from me—what do you think I am?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Wife, you misunderstand. You’re my heart and treasure—I’m just—”

A huqin melody began playing—the Dwelling-in-Body suddenly started playing “Heart and Treasure,” though no one knew what device the old man used.

“Heart and treasure, suddenly before my eyes—I gasp for breath, moved by you, hoping you’ll notice and return a string of longing!”

The voice was from an old record his wife had once carved. Li Banfeng loved this song so much that as he listened, his throat suddenly tightened.

“I’m just—this is—”

Zhao Xiao poked him in the chest: “Crazy man—you’re going to seize the Great Totem, aren’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“How could I not know?” Zhao Xiao touched Li Banfeng’s cheek. “Qiao Yi just attacked Qunyingshan—he’ll turn on Sāntóuchà next. The Great Totem produces soldiers too fast. If we don’t deal with it in time, no matter how many roads we block, the Inner Province will still invade Pulu Province.”

The Dwelling-in-Body sighed: “No matter how urgent it is, the family must find a solution together. A-Qi, you don’t plan to go alone, do you?”

Li Banfeng said: “If we can’t even handle a small totem, what chance do we have against the Great Totem? We’d be dead on sight.”

The Dwelling-in-Body had no reply.

Zhao Xiao said: “I don’t care what others do—my husband and I must stay together. I’m alive—I’m not afraid of the Great Totem.”

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, opened the corridor door, and used the Connected-Drawing Technique to return with Zhao Xiao to the Dwelling-in-Body.

Once inside the Nineteenth Chamber, Li Banfeng lifted the curtain, revealing the small totem.

Inside the small totem, there was no Xūyuán Silkworm—it remained dormant for now.

Zhao Xiao glanced at the small totem once—and froze in place.

Li Banfeng sighed deeply, covered the small totem, and embraced his wife.

“My heart and treasure, wait for me at home.”