Chapter 221: The Lord of the Castle Is Called the Lord of the Castle

Li Banfeng walked out of his portable dwelling and arrived at the front gate of the manor.

A group of manor guardians stood neatly by the gate, awaiting Li Banfeng's orders.

"What are you all doing here? Have you completed the tasks I assigned?"

Wu Yongchao stepped forward and replied, "Everything is done. Zhou Anju and Ma Dingfu's subordinates have been dealt with, and someone has also been sent to the cliff top."

"How many people were sent?"

"One."

Li Banfeng frowned. "I told you to send people, and you sent only one? Add two more! Three people per shift, changing every three hours. One on lookout, one for reporting, and one for support!"

Wu Yongchao nodded. "I'll see to it right away."

"How many people are at the boiler room?"

"Five, all from the fortress. They take turns stoking the boiler."

"Add two more lookouts at the gate and remind them to be sharp. Close the gate immediately if there's any movement. Everyone else should return indoors and remain vigilant. The fortress master's manor will be designated a restricted area from now on. No one is allowed within 100 meters of the courtyard."

Wu Yongchao acknowledged. He called two other people and meticulously measured out 100 meters with a tape measure, drawing a boundary line. Everyone retreated beyond the line. They insisted on measuring it with a ruler and drawing a line. Actually, this was fine. Although a bit rigid, at least this group of manor guardians was obedient enough.

Li Banfeng entered the manor alone and pushed the windmill phonograph out of his portable dwelling. A new record, recently carved by his wife, was on the phonograph. As the evening breeze blew, the windmill slowly turned, continuously winding the spring and playing music:

"I raise a glass of bitter wine high,You know in your heart I'm not drunk,Only for you, my love,Do I drink this toast, do I drink this toast…"

The song was called "A Man's Tears." This manor spirit had just killed a manor guardian, so it should be affected by this song. An unowned manor spirit could turn into a malevolent spirit at any time. Although his wife's plan was thorough, Li Banfeng was currently very nervous.

The music played for half an hour, but there was no movement from the annex.

Li Banfeng returned to his portable dwelling and said to the phonograph, "My dear, this record of yours isn't working. She won't come out."

"That shouldn't be!" His wife sounded surprised. "I put my heart into singing that song. Any spirit should be touched by it. Even if the manor spirit can't leave the manor, it should show some reaction. My dear, get a little closer to the manor."

"Closer? If she can really come out, I might lose my life! Do you want to be a widow?"

The phonograph confidently replied, "Don't worry, my dear. Once you reach the annex entrance, immediately open the door and let this humble servant test her."

Li Banfeng cautiously approached the entrance, and a chilling aura immediately washed over him. He immediately opened the door, and his wife's singing instantly reached the entrance. This wasn't from the windmill phonograph; his wife was singing it herself. In the past, whenever dealing with spirits, his wife's singing had never failed. But there was still no movement from the annex, as if the other party truly couldn't hear his wife's singing.

Li Banfeng waited for a moment at the annex entrance, with the door of his portable dwelling open. The singing abruptly stopped. His wife felt a strong deterrence and shouted from inside the portable dwelling, "My dear, step back! I know who this person is! It's that deaf and blind wretch!"

Deaf and blind? What did that mean...

A chilling wind blew again, and a woman's voice also emerged from the annex: "Wicked woman, is that you? I smell your cheap rouge, the cheapest on the street. A big box for two coins—it suits you perfectly! How many years have I waited for you? Come in, quickly! Let's finish this!"

"My dear, quickly leave!"

Li Banfeng put away his key, left the manor, and returned to his portable dwelling.

"My dear, you know this manor spirit?"

"I do, that vile wretch!" His wife was full of killing intent, and the drums and gongs clanged intensely.

"My dear, what's the feud between you two?"

"It's a big one. I blinded her."

So that's how she became blind.

"Then how did she become deaf?"

"She made herself deaf to avoid my singing."

This woman was quite miserable.

"It seems you won that battle decisively, my dear."

"I didn't win," his wife calmly replied. "I was careless and died by her hand!"

So she died by her hand... Died by her hand!

Li Banfeng was startled. This was a mortal enemy. His wife was still so calm talking about it! His wife had died by her hand back then. How powerful was this manor spirit?

Li Banfeng asked, "My dear, do you want to get revenge on her?"

"Revenge must be had, but now is not the time," she replied. "Unless she's lured into this dwelling, this humble servant won't stand a chance. If I go into her manor, I still can't defeat her."

Even in her own manor, his wife couldn't defeat her? There was such a monster in Iron Gate Fortress?

"It seems Iron Gate Fortress can't be kept."

"Don't worry, my dear," she said. "That wretch's manor guardian is dead. She's deaf and blind and doesn't know the way; even if the manor left a loophole for her, she wouldn't be able to get out. Tell the manor guardians of Iron Gate Fortress to stay as far away from this place as possible. If they must enter this manor, they absolutely must not go into this annex. A contract can be formed between a manor guardian and a manor spirit. If any guardian accidentally speaks the manor spirit's name, it would be like giving that wretch a new practitioner, and things would become difficult."

Hiss, hiss, hiss.

Honglian made a sound. She also seemed to recognize the manor spirit.

The phonograph turned its speaker towards Honglian and asked, "Sister Honglian, you're saying you have a way to subdue this wretch?"

Honglian affirmed.

A long silence fell over the portable dwelling.

Li Banfeng spoke first. "My dear doesn't eat the dead."

The phonograph then added, "Honglian doesn't eat the living."

A manor spirit was considered a living entity.

Li Banfeng and his wife laughed together. Their laughter was eerie.

Honglian spoke again.

His wife relayed, "She says she has another way."

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. He picked up Honglian and went to Room Five.

"Reflect here for a few days. No food for you!"

You have another way? Aren't you just trying to trick me into letting you out?

Watching Li Banfeng's retreating figure, the copper lotus sprayed a string of dewdrops.

Li Banfeng exited his portable dwelling and entered the main building. Don't ask too many questions about his wife's affairs unless she wants to speak about them herself.

There were still many valuable items in this manor. Ma Dingfu knew where they were kept, and he had told Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng first went to a secret room on the third floor and retrieved two spiritual artifacts.

The first artifact was a black button that could alter a person's voice. This artifact was refined from pure ethereal energy. Due to its limited spirituality, it couldn't be refined into a magical treasure and had no ability to advance, but its function was extremely powerful. The button had four buttonholes. Normally, only one hole needed to be sewn onto clothing for it to be used. The method of use was slightly complex. By rotating the button, one could continuously change their voice, and the exact vocal position had to be discovered by the user through experimentation.

The second artifact was a belt. According to Ma Dingfu, this belt was even more valuable. It was refined from a Great Phantom, which was a collective body of ethereal energy. The belt's only function was to create an imposing aura. Zhou Anju had no cultivation, but simply by wearing this belt, he could make Li Banfeng fall into fear. A double fourth-tier cultivator would fall into fear before a mere "white lamb." The power of this belt seemed to be like the techniques of a Foolish Cultivator, capable of transcending tier limitations.

Besides these two spiritual artifacts, Li Banfeng also found 150,000 silver dollars and many gold bars in Zhou Anju's manor. He summoned several manor guardians and had them carry the silver dollars and gold bars out of the manor.

Wu Yongchao called around, and all the manor guardians gathered. Li Banfeng looked at the money boxes and said, "This is your money, the money Zhou Anju extorted. Achao, check the roster, calculate the amounts, and distribute it among you."

Wu Yongchao led people to count the money, while the other manor guardians silently watched Li Banfeng. They couldn't see his face; his hat brim was pulled low, revealing only his bearded face. They had encountered many people who took money, but never one who gave it to them.

After a long silence, an old man stepped forward to thank him. "Peddler master, I thank you..."

"Don't call me peddler," Li Banfeng said, shaking his head. "Peddler is my junior brother's title."

"Then, what..." The old man didn't know how to address Li Banfeng.

After Wu Yongchao finished counting the gold and silver, he said to Li Banfeng, "Fortress Master, the amounts have been counted, and the money to be distributed per person has also been calculated." He called Li Banfeng "Fortress Master." He was an honest man, but he wasn't foolish. He knew who treated him well.

"Fortress Master, thank you," the old man said, bowing to Li Banfeng.

"Fortress Master!"

"Fortress Master!"

"Thank you, Fortress Master!"

The manor guardians one after another began to call him "Fortress Master."

Li Banfeng sneered, "I killed two of your fortress masters. Now you want me to be your fortress master? Is that appropriate?"

Everyone didn't know how to respond. It certainly wasn't very appropriate, and they were quite conflicted.

Li Banfeng burst out laughing. "I think it's quite appropriate!"

Was it really appropriate?

Li Banfeng continued, "From now on, I am your fortress master! If anyone objects, step forward!"

The crowd still didn't know how to respond. They felt even more conflicted.

A female manor guardian named Li Zhijuan asked in a low voice, "What if someone kills this fortress master again?" Her voice was very low, but Li Banfeng still heard it.

Li Banfeng shouted loudly, "Even if someone kills me, he won't be your fortress master, because from now on, you will only have me as your fortress master! Are there any other questions?"

A male manor guardian named Hu Fangyuan quietly asked, "What if you die?" This was a crucial question. These manor guardians, their mouths were as sweet as honey!

"When I'm alive, I'm your fortress master. When I'm dead, I'm still your fortress master. Even as a ghost, I won't let you go! Anything else to ask?"

A female manor guardian named Tang Yanning gathered her courage and asked, "Fortress Master, what is your name?"

Li Banfeng replied, "My name is Fortress Master. Remember that?"

The Fortress Master's name was Fortress Master... Everyone was so conflicted they didn't know how to be more conflicted.

A male manor guardian named Yuan Zhenguang very sincerely asked, "We don't know your name, and we can't clearly see your appearance. What if someone impersonates you?"

Li Banfeng said, "As manor guardians, you should recognize your wives in bed, your shoes off the bed, the way back once you leave the fortress, and your fortress master once you enter the fortress. If you can't even figure out these simple things, what kind of manor guardians are you?"

Once inside the fortress, they had to recognize the fortress master? Did manor guardians have such a function? Did things work this way?

While the manor guardians were still processing their thoughts, Li Banfeng set down three rules: One: The Fortress Master's name is Fortress Master! Two: Iron Gate Fortress has only one Fortress Master! Three: Everyone in the fortress must obey the Fortress Master!

After hearing these three rules, the manor guardians were no longer so conflicted. They found this very reasonable!

"Once you've received your money, go about your respective duties. Every task I've assigned must be completed well. Now we must guard against retaliation from Flying Eagle Mountain. Lookout, reporting, and gatekeeping — all must be done with utmost effort. Do you understand?"

The manor guardians responded loudly. Each received their share of money and went about their own tasks.

The next morning, Li Banfeng put on a mask and changed his clothes, ensuring the manor guardians wouldn't recognize him. He ascended the cliff. On the platform, three manor guardians were on duty. Diligent and meticulous in their work, this was a strong point of the manor guardians. The three of them showed no slack for a moment, all staring at Li Banfeng.

The one on lookout saw Li Banfeng and quickly informed the other two.

Li Banfeng closed his eyes and sighed. I'm right here in front of you. What are you informing them for?

The one responsible for support asked, "Who are you?" Alright. At least this attitude was correct.

The most infuriating was the messenger, who was using a rope to climb down the cliff. Li Banfeng asked, "Where are you going?" The messenger didn't say a word. I'm going to deliver a message. Can such a secret be told to others?

Li Banfeng was furious. "Couldn't you just bang a gong or beat a drum? Did you have to run all the way down to deliver the message yourself?"

This group of manor guardians had decent combat ability, and their will to fight was not bad either. They lacked combat experience. Where could they get some experience? Li Banfeng looked towards the distant Flying Eagle Mountain. Why aren't they here yet?

Whoosh, clatter, clatter.

A disciple of the River Gang from the Medicine King Hall dialed a phone number behind Hall Master Luo Zhengnan. The call connected.

Xiao Zhenggong was soaking in a swimming pool, with over a dozen young women soaking with him. "You'd better have something important to tell me!" Xiao Zhenggong said, with a cigar in his mouth, trying his best to maintain his patience.

Luo Zhengnan dismissed his subordinates and lowered his voice. "Gang Master, good news, I've found that 'gun'!"

"Which 'gun' are you talking about?" Xiao Zhenggong asked, tossing his cigar.

"The one you've always wanted! Zhao Xiaowan!"

Xiao Zhenggong's body trembled uncontrollably.

Iron Gate Fortress was Banfeng's first stronghold of loyal followers. The Lord of the Common People begins as a fortress master.

(End of chapter)