Chapter 219: Honest Taoism and Ruthless Battle Tactics

Li Banfeng was operating the record player when he suddenly heard the Threaded Earring shout, "Watch out!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Li Banfeng immediately used his 'Pace Step' to move from his spot. Just then, a beautiful woman lunged at him from behind with a knife, missing his back by mere inches.

Li Banfeng swung his arm back and threw his sickle, striking the woman.

There was a sharp clang!

The sickle bounced off, leaving only slight scratches on her body.

A Stone Figure!

Li Banfeng didn't continue his attack on the woman; he quickly used his 'Pace Step' to vacate his previous position.

He was very familiar with this type of combat.

The 'Golden House Conceals Beauty'!

This was a Tier Four skill of a Dwelling Cultivator.

A Stone Beauty could both fight and withstand blows. Confronting her directly was not only pointless, but Li Banfeng would also fall into an ambush.

An ambush set by the Dwelling Cultivator himself!

Butler He was a Dwelling Cultivator, at least Tier Five, a higher level than Li Banfeng. No wonder his 'Fortune and Misfortune Aversion' skill couldn't detect He's malice.

Old He was very familiar with this building. Was this his dwelling?

Probably not.

A few days ago, when I came to steal the record, Butler He didn't notice. If it were truly his dwelling, his Dwelling Spirit would have sensed me then.

Even if it wasn't his dwelling, he was still very familiar with the building. Fighting here would certainly be disadvantageous to me.

Li Banfeng pushed open a window, intending to leave the building immediately. Suddenly, Butler He dangled upside down from above the window, thrusting a long saber towards Li Banfeng's face.

This old scoundrel is truly insidious!

He's using the easily overlooked characteristics of a Dwelling Cultivator to ambush others!

This was clearly my own trick for ambushing others, and he's using it against me! Look at his character!

Since the window was impassable, Li Banfeng sprinted towards the door.

Just as he reached the doorway, another Stone Beauty emerged, striking at Li Banfeng's face with a knife.

Li Banfeng narrowly dodged, cursing loudly, "That's utterly shameless! Someone's even crouching by the door! If you've got the guts, fight me fair and square!"

Most Dwelling Cultivators were honest people, but their combat methods were anything but honest.

The cultivators with the purest minds used the most sinister tactics.

Shaking off the Stone Beauty, Li Banfeng ran towards the staircase.

He ran all the way to the end of the corridor, but Li Banfeng couldn't find the staircase.

What was happening?

Where had the staircase gone?

The staircase had been there when I arrived.

Why bother looking for the staircase? Weren't there windows in the corridor? Jump out the window!

Li Banfeng turned to look, and all the windows in the corridor were gone.

The windows had clearly been there when he first entered the building, so how had they vanished in the blink of an eye?

What kind of technique was this?

The corridor suddenly grew much quieter.

The Stone Beauties were gone, and all the other room doors had vanished too.

A door had opened at the end of the corridor, seemingly becoming the only exit.

Near that door, Li Banfeng didn't sense any danger.

Would he go inside?

Of course not!

This was such an obvious trap, and they still expected him to walk right into it? Did they think he was crazy?

If he entered their room, and they closed the door and released their Dwelling Spirit, would he stand a chance?

Only a Dwelling Cultivator could truly understand the malice of another Dwelling Cultivator.

Li Banfeng aimed at the wall and activated his 'Pace Step', crashing straight through.

A Tier Four skill of a Traveler Cultivator: Unimpeded Movement.

Li Banfeng had long wanted to phase through the wall, but this was a newly acquired technique. He was worried about unforeseen complications and was unwilling to use it unless absolutely necessary.

With a single phase, he went straight through the building wall and landed outside the five-story building, stumbling as he did so.

Fortunately, Traveler Cultivators were agile, so he wasn't injured by the fall. He looked back at the layout of the entire dwelling, contemplating Butler He's intentions.

Judging by the location of the door in the corridor, He had been trying to lead him to the eastern annex building, which was likely Old He's actual dwelling.

Entering his dwelling would mean facing his Dwelling Spirit, which was the outcome Li Banfeng most wanted to avoid.

He couldn't enter the annex, and he should also try his best not to remain within this compound. Making a Dwelling Cultivator leave their familiar combat environment was the primary tactic for a Traveler Cultivator fighting a Dwelling Cultivator.

As Li Banfeng tried to leave the compound, a large shower of stones flew up from the courtyard, blocking his path.

The stones varied in size, some as large as fists, others slightly smaller than eggs, pelting Li Banfeng like machine gun fire.

This scene seemed somewhat familiar...

Relying on his nimble footwork, Li Banfeng dodged behind a large tree.

The tree's branches twisted, binding Li Banfeng tightly, then spun him around and deposited him directly in front of the barrage of stones.

First, the layout of the main building had changed.

Next, the stones in the courtyard became weapons.

And now even the large tree was under his control?

Was this Butler He's doing?

Was it a skill or a magic artifact?

Li Banfeng broke free from the tree and awkwardly dodged among the flying stones. For a moment, he genuinely considered retreating into his 'Portable Dwelling'.

No.

He couldn't open his 'Portable Dwelling' here. If he failed to deal with Old He, many things might be exposed.

Li Banfeng fled towards the main gate, but the stones continued to pelt him relentlessly.

He fled towards the back gate, and the stones still struck him.

He ran towards the wall, and the stones kept coming.

There was only one place where the stones didn't hit.

The eastern annex building!

Old He simply wanted Li Banfeng to enter that annex building.

He was trying every trick, every means, using all these methods, just to get Li Banfeng into his dwelling.

He couldn't enter it, absolutely not!

Li Banfeng desperately dodged, and then the barrage of stones suddenly ceased.

What was happening?

Had Old He run out of strength?

Was he showing mercy?

Neither.

A bird-man swooped towards Li Banfeng.

This wasn't an insult; the person genuinely resembled a bird, with wings, tail feathers, and a beak.

Ma Dingfu, questioned by a room full of Dwelling Cultivators, panicked and transformed into a bird, flying out.

He was the fort master, so Butler He naturally couldn't harm him. That's why the scattered stones in the courtyard stopped.

It would have been fine if Ma Dingfu had immediately fled, but in his anger, he decided to launch a sneak attack on Li Banfeng.

This showed how he overestimated himself.

Li Banfeng didn't dodge or hide, standing his ground and waiting for him.

As the two drew closer, Li Banfeng suddenly drew his sickle and directly impaled it into Ma Dingfu's forehead.

Within five meters, he never missed.

After delivering that blow, Li Banfeng immediately vacated his spot. He had already guessed that Old He would attempt a sneak attack.

This prediction stemmed from his understanding of Dwelling Cultivators.

Sure enough, a Stone Beauty appeared behind Li Banfeng, intending to stab him in the back, but she was a bit too slow.

Li Banfeng picked up Ma Dingfu from the ground. Ma Dingfu wasn't dead; he was still struggling. Li Banfeng whispered in his ear, "You asked for five hundred coins. You owe me, so you can be my shield."

With Ma Dingfu casually held by him, Old He's actions were restricted.

The barrage of stones couldn't be used anymore, and any sneak attack would have to be perfectly timed.

A Stone Beauty emerged from behind a rockery, aiming to strike Li Banfeng with a knife. Li Banfeng used Ma Dingfu as a shield, and the blade struck Ma Dingfu directly in the chest.

Ma Dingfu let out a pained shriek, and Old He flinched.

The Stone Beauties could no longer be used.

Although 'Golden House Conceals Beauty' was a specialty of Dwelling Cultivators, and Old He's skill was indeed superb, these figures had limited intelligence. To subdue Li Banfeng, Old He would have to rely on his own methods.

The Stone Beauties retreated one after another, and silence returned to the courtyard.

Li Banfeng patted his wine gourd. The gourd understood and quietly opened its spout.

A group of Dwelling Cultivators rushed out of the main hall, intending to confront Ma Dingfu. Li Banfeng shouted, "Everyone get out of here!"

This compound was too sinister; he had to get them out as quickly as possible. If they delayed even a step, Old He might just make mincemeat out of all of them.

Wu Yongchao, listening to the 'Peddler', urged everyone to leave immediately.

As the crowd noisily made their way out of the courtyard, Old He quietly appeared within the compound, ready to act personally.

Old He's goal was clear: kill Li Banfeng, rescue Ma Dingfu, control all other Dwelling Cultivators, and await Ma Dingfu's instructions.

Just as he approached Li Banfeng, he suddenly felt a searing pain in his eyes.

This was the moment Li Banfeng had been waiting for.

Old He's cultivation was higher than Li Banfeng's. If He approached Li Banfeng, Li Banfeng would likely not detect him.

Not only would Li Banfeng not detect him, but neither would his Tang Saber, Pendulum, wine gourd, or even his Threaded Earring.

Not being detected didn't matter.

Li Banfeng had his wine gourd create a layer of alcoholic mist around him. This mist extended from one foot to three feet away from Li Banfeng.

Within the dense alcoholic mist, Old He's eyes burned with pain, and his breathing grew slightly ragged. Finally, Li Banfeng detected him.

"You old devil! Let's take this outside!"

Li Banfeng grabbed Old He and ran towards the compound gate.

Blood streamed from Old He's eyes as he shrieked, "No, no..."

He suddenly unleashed his 'Homeward Bound' skill, and his strength became immense.

If he had just one more second, he would have broken free from Li Banfeng's grasp.

Unfortunately, the compound wasn't very large, and Li Banfeng, a Tier Four Traveler Cultivator, burst out the gate in the blink of an eye.

Old He's cultivation was so high, and his combat experience so rich, yet Zhou Anju never took him outside.

This proved that Old He couldn't easily leave. Once he left his dwelling, his combat power would undoubtedly be greatly diminished.

According to this deduction, Li Banfeng's strategy against Old He was to lure him out of the dwelling.

What then, after bringing him out?

If the other Dwelling Cultivators came to their senses and were willing to help, they would surround and kill him.

If they didn't, and refused to help, then Li Banfeng would continue to engage him, trying to lead him into treacherous terrain and use the Traveler Cultivator's advantages to defeat him.

As Li Banfeng pondered his next move, he suddenly heard a woman's voice shriek from inside the dwelling, "Where are you going? Are you abandoning me? Don't leave!"

Old He also heard the voice.

He immediately broke free from Li Banfeng's grip, intending to run back into the dwelling, but it was too late.

His skin burst in layers, and blood splattered everywhere.

His skeleton rapidly collapsed, and his internal organs scattered across the ground.

Old He truly couldn't leave his dwelling.

After leaving the dwelling, he didn't just lose combat power; he died.

Startled, Li Banfeng carefully observed with his 'Golden Gaze of Autumn Hairs' and saw a ball of light float up from the flesh, hovering around.

This was Old He's soul.

His soul wanted to escape Iron Gate Fortress.

From within the fort master's dwelling, specifically the eastern annex building, countless vine-like wisps of light flew forth, tightly trapping Old He's soul.

"Don't go, don't go, you can't leave me behind, you can't..."

A cold wind blew, and both the ropes of light and the soul vanished into the annex building.

'Golden Gaze of Autumn Hairs' was a special technique given to Li Banfeng by his wife. Other Dwelling Cultivators didn't possess such means; they only saw Old He suddenly die a truly tragic death.

Li Banfeng shouted to the crowd, "No one enters this compound without my permission!"

The Dwelling Cultivators exchanged glances, and a few nodded at Li Banfeng.

Old He was dead, so who would they ask about the remaining matters?

Ma Dingfu was still alive.

Even with a sickle embedded in his forehead, he wasn't dead yet.

He was feigning death with his eyes closed. Li Banfeng bent down, grabbed him, and pulled the sickle from his head.

The pull made Ma Dingfu wince in pain, making it impossible for him to continue feigning death.

Li Banfeng smiled. "You owe me five hundred coins. You need to pay me back."

Ma Dingfu struggled to speak. "Didn't I just pay you back?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Taking one blow for me counts as repayment? Things aren't that cheap! I say, stop just standing there and watching! Someone help me tie him up!"

Wu Yongchao was the first to act, holding Ma Dingfu down.

The others brought ropes and tied Ma Dingfu securely.

Li Banfeng used his sickle to cut a gash on Ma Dingfu's face, then kindly warned him, "My blade is poisoned. You've already taken two hits, so you'd better speak quickly.

First, tell me, what is your exact connection to Flying Eagle Mountain? Don't even think about saying 'no connection,' or you'll take another hit."

Ma Dingfu answered truthfully, "I was originally an undercover agent on Flying Eagle Mountain, specifically tasked with patrolling, scouting, and gathering intelligence down in the foothills. Besides our Chief, not many on the mountain knew about me."

Li Banfeng was fairly satisfied with this answer and then asked, "What position does Zhou Anju hold on Flying Eagle Mountain?"

Ma Dingfu shook his head. "I can't say for sure about that. Only our Chief knows."

(End of Chapter)