Chapter 188: Spinning Qing Flower

With the erysipelas completely resolved, Li Banfeng walked around the new territory for a while. There were no signs of strange creatures anywhere; they had probably all gone to the local deity to prepare for battle. Once he felt he had accumulated enough cultivation for the day, Li Banfeng returned to his portable residence.

A strange, wheezing sound—"whoosh-whoosh, whoosh-whoosh"—came from the phonograph.

"My dear, are you awake?"

"My dear, what's happening to you?"

*Zzzzzzt!* A piercing scratch echoed, leaving a long mark on the record.

"My dear!" Li Banfeng touched the phonograph. The front compartment was scalding hot, while the back was icy cold.

*Zzzzzzt!* The phonograph tried to speak, but no words came out. What had happened?

Li Banfeng looked around. His Tang saber, pendulum, earrings, wine gourd, and teapot were all in the fifth room. Only the Judge's Brush remained. Li Banfeng picked up the Judge's Brush and questioned it at length, only to get two words in reply: "Don't know." The creature hadn't fully woken up yet.

In his panic, he suddenly heard Singer Hua, who was standing by the wall, speak: "Sir, the First Madam and the Second Madam had a few words just now. I don't know what the Second Madam did, but the First Madam suddenly lost her voice."

"Quarreling?" Li Banfeng entered the outer chamber, his eyes fixed on Honglian.

Honglian offered no response; she was staring back at Li Banfeng. What was this madman thinking? Did he really believe she had harmed that hateful woman?

Li Banfeng moved Honglian to the main hall, positioning her directly opposite the phonograph. Singer Hua, standing by, added, "I don't know what happened either. The First Madam has been arguing with the Second Madam a lot recently, and it's not the first time..."

Honglian's petals and leaves trembled, her heart filled with vexation. That wretch, so prone to gossip. She should have been refined into a magic artifact ages ago, but the incident with the Profound Elixir had caused a stir, allowing this wretch to survive until now. Honglian desperately wanted to deal with Singer Hua, but she couldn't do so now. If she acted, it would be an admission that she had harmed the phonograph. The previous incident with the Profound Elixir had already made Li Banfeng suspicious. If she were to be blamed for the phonograph's state as well, Li Banfeng might never set her free.

Li Banfeng glanced at Singer Hua, then turned his head, fixing his gaze back on Honglian. After a prolonged silence, Li Banfeng spoke:

"Ah Lian, deal with that flower."

Singer Hua wailed, "Sir, everything I said was the truth!"

The lotus slowly bloomed, and a whirlwind spun within its core, drawing Singer Hua into its heart. Singer Hua continued wailing as she was absorbed, but Li Banfeng showed no hint of mercy. Having spent so much time together, Li Banfeng knew a fair bit about Lotus's cunning and methods. If Lotus had truly harmed the phonograph, she wouldn't have left Singer Hua as a witness. Singer Hua had slandered Lotus to save her own life, knowing that Lotus could refine her into a magic artifact at any moment.

Having dealt with Singer Hua, Li Banfeng went to the fifth room and retrieved the Wine Gourd. The Wine Gourd examined the phonograph for a long moment, then inquired, "Sister, where do you feel unwell?"

The phonograph remained speechless, while wisps of steam continuously encircled Li Banfeng. Since the Wine Gourd couldn't determine the problem, Li Banfeng brought over the Teapot. The Teapot, being well-traveled and experienced, might know something. After a lengthy examination, the Teapot replied, "I've never encountered anything like this. Perhaps there's a malfunction with this foreign-made object." The "foreign-made object" referred to the steam phonograph itself. Could it be a mechanical malfunction?

Li Banfeng carefully inspected it. He regularly oiled it, tightened screws, and occasionally replaced minor parts, so he was quite familiar with the phonograph's structure. He found no mechanical issues. The phonograph's wheezing grew deeper, yet wisps of steam continued to swirl around Li Banfeng. What in the world was wrong? Li Banfeng felt a pang of helplessness. The steam seemed to be growing cold.

"What exactly is going on? Is it running out of fuel?"

Li Banfeng frantically added fuel to the phonograph. Suddenly, the stylus slid into his palm, slowly tracing along his palm lines. She wanted to leave a mark on Li Banfeng's palm, afraid he would forget her. Yet, she was too afraid of hurting him; the needle tip hesitated to pierce his skin. After a moment, the stylus stopped moving.

My dear...

Li Banfeng turned his gaze to Honglian. "Is it because of that elixir? Is it?"

Honglian looked at Li Banfeng, her gaze fixed on his eyes. He Jiaqing had once said that Li Banfeng never cried, and if he ever appeared to be crying, it was certainly an act. Why were his eyes red? Was it an act?

*Zzzzzzt!* The phonograph suddenly produced some sounds.

Honglian suddenly felt a surge of worry. She wasn't worried about Li Banfeng; he couldn't do anything to her. She was worried the phonograph would expend its last bit of energy to drag her down with it. Honglian's suspicion proved to be correct. The phonograph was indeed thinking that; it couldn't let Honglian harm Li Banfeng.

The lotus suddenly bloomed, and a piece of white paper flew into its heart. In the blink of an eye, the white paper transformed into a lotus seed. Li Banfeng peeled the lotus seed, and two strips of paper burst forth. The first strip read: "Physically weak, cannot endure strong tonics." The second strip read: "One Xuanqing Flower."

A Xuanqing Flower? What is a Xuanqing Flower?

Li Banfeng asked the Wine Gourd, which had never heard of it. The old Teapot, however, had some recollection: "The Xuanqing Flower is a medicinal herb. In all my years, I've only seen it once. I've forgotten its exact medicinal properties, but I remember it's extremely precious. It's difficult to find, hard to harvest, and cannot be stored for long. Once picked, it wilts in less than a day, and a wilted Xuanqing Flower loses all its medicinal efficacy."

Less than a day. Where could he find this herb? No apothecary would have it for sale. He had to find Ma Wu!

Li Banfeng first moved the Copper Lotus to the fifth room, determining that under the current circumstances, he could not allow anyone near the phonograph. Rushing to Ma Wu's territory, he found Ma Wu cultivating, and Yanzi crying out. "My young master, I've caught two wretches for you. Please spare me this once. Torture those two wretches to death, don't feel bad for them, just feel bad for me!"

His cultivation was at a critical juncture when Li Banfeng interrupted him. "Old Wu, do you know about Xuanqing Flower?"

Ma Wu nodded. "I've seen it mentioned in books, but their medicinal properties aren't recorded."

"Where can I buy it?"

"Buy it?" Ma Wu shook his head. "That's a legendary herb. It can't even be stored for a day; it's something you stumble upon, not something you can seek out."

Ma Wu couldn't provide any leads either. Who else could he ask? The peddler? He had no idea where the peddler was. Granny Ku? Would it be too late to run to Kucai Village? A day's journey might be enough, but Granny Ku had exiled him, so he couldn't enter Kucai Village. Old Yao? Medicine King Gully was too far, and the path was difficult. Who else was there? Shui Yongquan! Shui Yongquan, the local deity, seemed to be the only one he could rely on.

Li Banfeng returned to his territory, set out offerings and incense. Before long, a green flame appeared above the offering table. "You possess special techniques, so speaking with you isn't difficult. I won't even need to assume human form. Brother Li Qi, are you looking to achieve something great?"

"Senior, let me ask you something first: Have you heard of the Xuanqing Flower?"

"Hehehe," Shui Yongquan chuckled. "You've asked the right person. I know where to find Xuanqing Flowers."

"This is crucial; don't lie to me."

"Why would I lie to you? The Xuanqing Flower is a miraculous remedy for physical weakness, capable of restoring a fragmented soul. However, this herb cannot be consumed directly. A fresh flower, without the slightest hint of wilting, must be refined using secret methods for thirty years before it can be ingested."

The described efficacy was correct. But thirty years of refinement—how could his dear wife wait that long? Honglian must have a method, otherwise she wouldn't have provided this prescription.

"Senior, where can I find a Xuanqing Flower?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"You truly know?"

"Yes. I'll ask you again: why should I tell you?"

"What do you want?"

Shui Yongquan smiled. "I want my territory back. I want to defeat Qiu Luoye. If you can help me guard a vital transportation route, I can help you harvest one." A piece of white paper flew before Li Banfeng. The local deity continued, "If you don't trust me, I can draw up a written agreement, a formal contract."

"Is a formal contract effective on you?"

"Hehehe, hard to say. It depends on whether you dare to gamble. If you're a coward, there's nothing I can do. In short, there's no reason for me to help you for nothing. Let's make the stakes clear. If you can help me hold a crucial pass, I will get you a Xuanqing Flower. Do you dare to fight this battle?"

He couldn't fight. He couldn't trust him. This was far from a fair trade. If Li Banfeng tricked the local deity, Li Banfeng would surely die. But if the local deity tricked Li Banfeng, what could Li Banfeng do to him? He couldn't fight. It would cost him his life. He had to think of another way! There had to be another solution. Think...

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment, then looked at Shui Yongquan and said, "I'll fight."

There was no better alternative.

"Excellent!" Shui Yongquan was delighted. "Do you choose Hundred Vine Valley or Hundred Foot Cave?"

Li Banfeng scoffed, "I choose Hundred Foot Cave. Do you agree to that?"

A valley was different from a cave. If Shui Yongquan launched a surprise attack in the valley, Qiu Luoye would undoubtedly discover it.

"Uh," Shui Yongquan stammered awkwardly. "Little brother, I advise you to choose Hundred Vine Valley. The terrain there isn't as complex..."

"I'm not afraid of complex terrain. I choose Hundred Foot Cave!"

Shui Yongquan sighed, realizing that Li Banfeng had likely seen through his tactics. "Little brother, Hundred Foot Cave is already being held. Let's discuss this. If you choose Hundred Vine Valley, I'll raise the stakes."

"Since we can discuss it," Li Banfeng nodded, "give me a hundred men."

Shui Yongquan smiled bitterly. "I only have a little over a hundred people willing to fight for me in total. I can't spare any manpower for you. How about I give you a spiritual artifact instead?"

"What kind of spiritual artifact?"

*Clang!*

Two large gates, over three meters high, complete with their frames, landed before Li Banfeng.

"What good is this?"

"These are the Waterfall Gates. Drive them into the ground, pour two catties of water on them, and they'll take root, forming a barrier to block the entire valley and halt the enemy."

"So, simply placing this spiritual artifact in the valley will completely stop the enemy?" If so, that would be simple.

"Hmph!" Shui Yongquan sneered. "If there was such a convenient item, would I even need you to guard the valley? The Waterfall Gates can only hold for three minutes. After that, they'll wither and require three days to recover before they can be used again. Furthermore, they aren't magic artifacts; they have no sentience and cannot fight on their own. You must hold them in conjunction with them."

Li Banfeng eyed the two large gate panels. "How am I supposed to hold them in conjunction with me?"

"Push against the gates. As long as someone is pressing against them, they will hold. If you step away from the panels, the gates will open quickly. If the two panels open three feet, the barrier will shatter. If you win this battle, I'll give you a fresh Xuanqing Flower, and a territory ten *li* in radius! I'll also give you the Waterfall Gates. Shall we seal the contract now?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Li Banfeng shook his head. "I can't possibly win this battle. You just want to use me as bait to delay Qiu Luoye so you can flank him."

With the truth exposed, the ghostly flame flickered twice, its tone laced with admiration. "Impressive. Since you've seen through it, I won't hide anything. If you can hold for one hour, you'll have won this battle."

"One hour is impossible. Twenty minutes, at most."

"Twenty minutes is too short."

"That's all I'm capable of."

The ghostly flame hovered for a long moment before agreeing. "Very well. But if you flee for your life within those twenty minutes, you will die!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "If I hold for twenty minutes and you go back on your word, you will die. Even if the contract can't kill you, I will!"

Shui Yongquan burst into laughter. "What a bold claim! I believe you!"

The contract was prepared in an instant. Shui Yongquan dropped two drops of dew and told Li Banfeng, "Your turn. Press your handprint!" Li Banfeng bit his finger and pressed his handprint.

The ghostly flame hovered. "Brother Li Qi, the contract is made. Three days from now, the battle begins at 5 AM. You'll need to fight for your life on that battlefield. Within twenty minutes, aerial enemies don't count. As long as no ground-based enemy troops break through the canyon, you'll have held it. Also, let me remind you: you absolutely must ask Brother Ma Wu for help. He has three Mantis Moths under his command, which might be able to hold them back for a brief moment. Otherwise, you won't even last a minute."

Li Banfeng went to Ma Wu's territory, took two reams of white paper and two buckets of ink, then immediately returned to his own territory and began printing images. He printed three hundred sheets in total before stopping. There was still plenty of paper and ink, but Li Banfeng didn't have that much blood to spare. In addition to the printed images, he also needed to draw a few by hand. Li Banfeng summoned the Pendulum and instructed him on how to draw.

The phonograph had lost consciousness, but its wheezing persisted. Li Banfeng looked at the flame in the fuel tank and added half a bucket of fuel for his dear wife.

That evening, Li Banfeng went to Ma Wu's territory, intending to discuss the impending battle. Ma Wu was still unaware of Li Banfeng's specific plans. He had instructed his subordinates to pack up their valuables and for anyone without cultivation to evacuate immediately. For the next two days, only Ma Wu, Zuo Wugang, Cao Zhida, Zhen Jincheng, Xiaochuanzi, Xiaogenzi, and the three Mantis Moth Ladies remained on the territory.

According to Li Banfeng's calculations, the three Mantis Moth Ladies should be able to hold out for three minutes. Zuo Wugang could hold out for one minute. The others combined might be able to hold out for another minute. The Waterfall Gates would hold for three minutes. The remaining twelve minutes would be entirely up to Li Banfeng.

The canyon was long, so those twenty minutes wouldn't be spent entirely in combat. There was also the enemy's travel time. The canyon was ten *li* long, and even if the enemy advanced unimpeded, it would likely take them ten minutes to traverse. By this calculation, as long as there were no wandering cultivators on the opposing side, it wasn't entirely hopeless. Besides that, there was another question: how many people would survive this battle?

Ma Wu, unaware of the impending battle, was still preoccupied with defending his territory. "Old Seven, I'll send Yanzi over to help you guard the territory later, and Old Zuo is already with you. Don't act recklessly. After the fighting starts, if we find that Shui Yongquan is losing, we must retreat immediately. We can't hold onto this territory stubbornly."

"Yes, yes..." Li Banfeng replied, somewhat distracted.

Ma Wu frowned. "This is a matter of life and death; you need to focus."

"I am focused, I am..."

Still worried, Ma Wu suggested, "How about we send Cao Zhida over there too? That boy is quick-witted..."

Li Banfeng looked closely at Ma Wu. He was offering all his best men to him. Wasn't he afraid of dying himself? Li Banfeng shook his head. "Old Wu, no one needs to go. I can handle it myself."

Ma Wu frowned. "Why are you still joking? This is war!"

"I'm not joking. I run faster than any of you. More people would only be a hindrance."

Ma Wu thought about it and realized it made sense. Li Banfeng was a wandering cultivator, and indeed, he moved quickly. "Old Seven, I'm just afraid you might..."

"You don't need to worry; I won't hesitate when it's time to run," Li Banfeng said, standing up. He added a final instruction: "Three days from now, the battle begins at 5 AM. If I haven't come to find you by 5:30 AM, it means I've already fled. You should then make your escape immediately."

"Five o'clock?" Ma Wu frowned. "They'll only fight for half an hour?"

"Half an hour is ample time. The canyon isn't far from our territory. By the time the enemy charges through, it'll be too late for you to flee."

Li Banfeng left Ma Wu's territory. He didn't mention the battle. His tactics had to change. This was his own affair; he couldn't involve them.