Chapter 241: Relying on Skill to Make a Living

Xiao Yeci?

It had been so long since they last met that Li Banfeng could barely recall Xiao Yeci's appearance, but he certainly hadn't forgotten her distinct way of speaking.

"Oh, Benefactor," she pleaded, "hurry and come with me! Don't stay in this village. It would be disastrous if the Sage found you!"

Xiao Yeci pulled Li Banfeng into a mountain hollow. Inside a cave, Li Banfeng saw Xiao Yeci's daughter, Lu Chunying.

Besides Lu Chunying, he also saw several other children, ranging in age from four or five to twelve or thirteen.

"Oh, Benefactor, how did you come to this place?"

How did I come?

That's hard to explain.

Li Banfeng replied, "Don't ask me first. How did you two get here?"

Xiao Yeci lowered her head, her face flushed, and said, "I'm not afraid you'll laugh, Benefactor, but I brought my daughter here to study."

Li Banfeng actually laughed. "To study in a place like this? When we first met, I remember you seemed quite knowledgeable. How could you do something so absurd?"

Before Xiao Yeci could speak, Lu Chunying interjected from the side, "Isn't that why I say she's all talk? In the end, she's only good with her words!"

Xiao Yeci angrily retorted, "You brat, you're so disrespectful! Oh, Benefactor, I came here wanting to teach my daughter some real skills. Since we parted ways at Medicine King's Gully, my daughter and I have been through a lot. Some things are not convenient to mention to you..."

"If it's not convenient, don't mention it," Li Banfeng said. "Get to the point: how did you get here?"

"My daughter and I wandered for a while to escape our enemies. We lived in fear during that time, mainly because our cultivation was insufficient. No matter where we went, we were pitiful wretches, easily trampled to death by anyone.

Later, I heard a piece of news: there was a place that was an excellent spot for cultivation. Regardless of one's sect, anyone could rapidly improve their cultivation there.

I got this news from a friend, who was originally quite reliable..."

Lu Chunying snorted coldly and cut in, "Yes, quite reliable. My mom's friend was from the Jiangxiang Gang. She cheated us out of two hundred silver dollars and tricked us into coming to this place."

Li Banfeng was startled. "You have dealings with the Jiangxiang Gang?"

From the very first day he arrived in Purozhou, Li Banfeng's impression of the Jiangxiang Gang had been utterly negative.

Xiao Yeci glared at Lu Chunying. "Don't talk nonsense! Oh, Benefactor, at that time, I truly didn't know she was from the Jiangxiang Gang. Otherwise, I would never have fallen for her trick.

After she tricked us here, and I heard so many legends about the Sage, I initially thought I had come to the right place. But my daughter learned nothing here and was often beaten. As soon as I saw the situation was wrong, I took my daughter and fled the village."

Lu Chunying looked at Xiao Yeci and said, "Mom, can you stop trying to make yourself look good? Did you get fewer beatings than me? If I hadn't been quick on my feet, you might not have escaped yourself."

"You brat, don't always talk back to me!"

Li Banfeng looked at the other children and asked, "Did all these children escape with you?"

Xiao Yeci nodded. "Some of them, like us, were tricked into coming here, while others were sent by their parents.

But none of them are local. The local children don't run away; they don't dare to, nor do they want to."

Li Banfeng was confused. The demographic composition of this place seemed quite complex.

"First, tell me, what is this place called?"

"Doesn't Benefactor know? This village is called Jingde Village."

"I'm not asking about this village," Li Banfeng clarified, finding it a bit difficult to communicate. "I'm asking about this *entire area*!"

"Which place?" Xiao Yeci didn't quite understand.

"From that tallest mountain, called Sage's Peak, all the way to this village—what is *this whole area* called?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "They're not the same place. Jingde Village is Jingde Village, and Sage's Peak is Sage's Peak."

She answered very seriously, but this was not the answer Li Banfeng wanted.

"Is Sage's Peak not related to Jingde Village?"

"There is a connection," Xiao Yeci replied. "The Sage of Sage's Peak sent out dozens of disciples to give lectures in dozens of surrounding villages. Those villages are grateful for the Sage's benevolence day and night.

But we are not from these villages. After staying for a while, we felt something was amiss."

Li Banfeng asked, "What can one learn by following these disciples of the Sage?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "You can't learn anything proper. At first, they taught literacy. My daughter already knew how to read, so she didn't need to learn that.

Later, they taught some sacred words and teachings, but after listening for a while, it all seemed like empty, superficial nonsense.

My daughter didn't understand some parts, and when she asked them a few questions, they just raised their hands and hit her. They also said my daughter wasn't sincere and would never become a disciple of the Sage in this lifetime."

After months of study, they still hadn't taught anything proper. Li Banfeng asked, "To what extent must one learn to become a disciple of the Sage?"

"That's hard to say," Xiao Yeci replied. "Of ordinary people, nine out of ten will never become a disciple of the Sage in their lifetime. They said that to become a disciple of the Sage, one needs fate, sincerity, and perseverance. Waiting ten or eight years is nothing to them."

"You realized they were swindlers, so you led this group of children to escape?"

Xiao Yeci lowered her head. "I wouldn't dare say they are swindlers, but I don't think they are good people. These children all wanted to escape, and they had the courage to, so I brought them along."

Li Banfeng frowned. "This place isn't far from the village. Didn't anyone from the village come looking for you?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "We weren't originally from the village, and they don't want to bother with us. These past two days, we couldn't find any food. I wanted to get some from the village, and that's when I ran into you, Benefactor."

"Get some?"

Xiao Yeci's face reddened. "Well, I... I stole it. The children needed to eat, and I... I really couldn't think of any other way."

Lu Chunying snorted. "I'm faster on my feet; it would've been better to let me go. Waiting for you to get food, we'd all starve to death."

Looking at the group of emaciated children, Li Banfeng asked, "How long have you been out?"

"For about a month."

"It's been a month already, and you're still staying here. Didn't you think of leaving?"

"Oh, Benefactor, we can't get out. I remember the way we came, but when we tried to go back, we couldn't get out.

In the past month or so, we've tried many paths, but not a single one led out. We just kept circling within these few mountains! We're afraid we'll never get out in our lives!"

"You can get out." Li Banfeng went into the forest, hunted a deer, and gave it to Xiao Yeci, telling her to feed the children a hearty meal first.

After everyone was asleep, Li Banfeng returned to his Portable Dwelling and asked the Phonograph, "My dear, what kind of place is Sage's Peak?"

The Phonograph thought for a long time before replying, "I haven't heard of this place."

Hong Ying sneered, "How ignorant. I know about this place, Sage's Peak."

The Phonograph puffed out a cloud of steam and said, "Do tell."

"Why should I tell you?" Hong Ying retorted. "Unless you let me out!"

Clang-clang!

The Phonograph clanged its gongs and drums and sang, "You hussy, trying to play tricks on me! Don't you know shame?"

Hong Ying remained silent.

The Phonograph snorted. "My dear, don't believe her. She doesn't know about Sage's Peak either."

Li Banfeng sighed helplessly, "I've been trapped here for a whole day and still can't get out."

The Phonograph said, "Oh, my dear, 'Sage's Peak' is probably not its real name. You still need to find out the true origin of this place.

You're lost here, either because the place itself is special, or because you've fallen victim to a villain's scheme. Once we clarify the root cause, we'll know how to deal with it."

A villain's scheme.

Li Banfeng had indeed overlooked this matter.

He had always thought it was due to the special nature of the area that prevented him from leaving.

Now that he thought about it, it could also be that this Sage didn't want him to leave.

What is his purpose in keeping me here?

Li Banfeng slept in his Portable Dwelling for a night. The next day at dawn, he searched for a way out, but by late night, he was still going in circles.

This was even more frustrating than getting lost in Fool's City; this place was even more detestable.

During this day, Li Banfeng saw groups of children being tormented by the so-called Sage's disciples, and groups of impoverished farmers bringing their most precious harvests to Sage's Peak.

Returning to the cave, Li Banfeng saw Xiao Yeci sitting by the campfire, her face bruised and swollen.

Lu Chunying complained from the side, "I told you to let me go, but you just wouldn't listen to me?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "I can't let you do this. You're still too young; I can't let you get your hands dirty with such things."

Li Banfeng asked, "What happened? Did someone find you?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head. "The deer Benefactor hunted yesterday is almost all eaten. I went to the village last night to find food, was seen, and got beaten..."

Li Banfeng frowned. "You got caught stealing? Aren't you ashamed? And you call yourself a scholar!"

Xiao Yeci's voice trembled slightly, "What else could I do?"

"Why couldn't you?" Li Banfeng took out a short knife and handed it to Xiao Yeci. "Get a good night's sleep; tomorrow, you're coming with me to rob someone."

Xiao Yeci held the knife, staring blankly at Li Banfeng. "Oh, Benefactor, this... isn't robbing shameful?"

"What's shameful about robbing? We're earning a living with our skills, making an honest living."

"What kind of skill is this?"

"There are many skills!" Li Banfeng asked very seriously, "Can you recite folk songs?"

The next day at dawn, several farmers pushed carts, delivering grain to Sage's Peak.

Xiao Yeci lay prone in the tall grass, her whole body trembling.

Lu Chunying said from the side, "Mom, if you can't do it, let me go instead."

"Who says I can't?" Xiao Yeci retorted. "You're too young; I can't let you go."

Li Banfeng said from the side, "Stop dawdling. Have you memorized the lines?"

Xiao Yeci nodded. "I've memorized them!"

"Then hurry up and go!"

Xiao Yeci jumped out of the tall grass, blocked several farmers delivering grain, and shouted loudly:

"This mountain is mine, this tree I planted. If you wish to pass, leave your road toll!

Whoever dares to utter a single 'no' will be met with a blade; I'll kill you, but I won't bury you!"

Li Banfeng and Lu Chunying simultaneously shook their heads.

She had been doing so well before!

That incessant 'ya' at the end! How demoralizing!

The farmers angrily shouted, "Where did this wild woman come from? This grain is for the Sage! Do you dare to rob it?"

Li Banfeng emerged from the tall grass and said to the group of farmers, "I am the Sage's father. This is what he should give me. It's not robbery; it's filial piety. Your contribution counts as fulfilling his duty to me."

"What an arrogant lunatic!"

"In the Sage's territory, you dare to say such things? You must have a death wish!"

Lu Chunying jumped out of the tall grass, holding her knife and pointing it at a farmer. "Are you giving it or not?"

This girl has potential.

A group of children kicked up dust and shook leaves in the tall grass, creating an illusion of a larger force.

These children also have potential!

The farmers were still hesitating when Li Banfeng, holding his short knife, moved around among them and made a cut on each person's face.

The farmers were terrified and took off running.

Li Banfeng told Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying to take the children and push the grain back, while he stayed by the roadside, continuing to rob.

If you won't let me leave, then I truly won't leave.

From now on, everything the villagers send you, I'll collect on your behalf.

I'd like to see what kind of Sage you really are!

(End of Chapter)