Chapter 248: Saint

Li Banfeng returned to his portable residence and informed his wife about the meeting scheduled for ten days later.

His wife pondered for a moment and said, "Husband, I don't think you should meet him."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "If I don't see him, how will I leave?"

His wife's tone was grave. "My dear husband, let's think of another way."

Red Lotus hissed, seemingly agreeing with the phonograph.

Hong Ying scoffed, "You should know the caliber of someone who possesses a broken chrysalis, and you also have some idea of your own abilities. However, these ten days they've given you are quite long."

Li Banfeng was also curious why the other party gave him ten days.

Back at Benefactor's Stronghold, Li Banfeng ordered heightened vigilance. He suspected the Saint might launch a surprise attack during these ten days. In fact, he had a similar plan: to give the Saint a surprise of his own.

The next day, neither the Saint nor his disciples appeared. Instead, dozens of people came to seek refuge at Benefactor's Stronghold. Their reasons were similar to others: they could no longer endure the exploitation by Sage Mountain and the bullying from the Saint's disciples.

Among them, one woman had suffered the most. She was a cultivator of the land, in her early twenties, named Dong Qiaoqin. She was a stranger to the region. At thirteen, she entered the Path of Cultivation. At fifteen, she was abducted into Jingde Village and sold to a family as a daughter-in-law. At sixteen, she consummated her marriage, and the couple had a son and a daughter. Although she was only a first-level cultivator, Dong Qiaoqin was proficient in various farming techniques, sericulture, and animal husbandry, living a relatively content life.

At twenty, her husband defied a Saint's disciple and, along with their two children, was beaten to death in the village. That day, she had gone to the neighboring village to buy silkworm seedlings, narrowly escaping death. Upon returning to the village and hearing the tragic news of her family's demise, Dong Qiaoqin nearly took her own life. From then on, the villagers' attitude towards her changed. The reason wasn't that she considered suicide, but that she "nearly" did. In the eyes of Jingde Village residents, Dong Qiaoqin should have died, together with her husband and children. Her survival proved that something was amiss. Especially her in-laws, who insisted that Dong Qiaoqin had colluded with the Saint's disciple and deliberately caused her husband's death. Unable to confront the Saint's disciple, they unleashed all their fury on Dong Qiaoqin.

For two full years, Dong Qiaoqin's property was plundered, and she endured countless acts of bullying and beatings. First, her in-laws beat her, then the villagers of Jingde Village, followed by villagers from surrounding areas, and even the Saint's disciples came to beat her. Why did the Saint's disciple also beat her? Because he felt he hadn't benefited from her, and his reputation had been ruined by her, so he had to seek revenge.

Just half a month ago, Dong Qiaoqin was attacked by a mob of villagers. The little food she had left was stolen, and she was beaten so severely that she couldn't get out of bed for several days. Unable to go on, Dong Qiaoqin entered the mountain forest and sought refuge at Benefactor's Stronghold.

Xiao Yeci deeply sympathized with the unfortunate woman. She even made room for a bed in her own house and lived with her. Dong Qiaoqin was indeed a capable woman. After settling in, she selected a plot of land at the edge of the forest, sowed a bag of "fast-growing" seeds, and began cultivating. The plot was quite large. Although Dong Qiaoqin had techniques, she couldn't manage it alone, so Xiao Yeci gathered many stronghold members to help her farm. These people had all endured hardship in the villages, so farming was no challenge for them.

This bag of "fast-growing" seeds was also very special, much faster than the seeds from Haichi Ridge. Seeds sown on one day would sprout the next, and be ready for harvest on the third day, yielding a considerable harvest. Xiao Yeci was overjoyed and awarded Dong Qiaoqin thirty silver dollars. As an important member of the stronghold, Xiao Yeci felt this was the right thing to do.

Dong Qiaoqin took the thirty silver dollars and bought many poultry and livestock from other villages. Raising chickens and ducks, herding cattle and sheep, three more days passed, and chicken coops, duck pens, and animal shelters were all constructed. Dong Qiaoqin then went to the village to buy some silkworm seedlings, gathered mulberry leaves, built a silkworm shed, and led the women of the stronghold in raising silkworms.

"This is good, it's good..." Xiao Yeci repeatedly reminded herself, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Dong Qiaoqin also felt wronged. "Sister Xiao, tell me, what exactly did I do wrong?"

Xiao Yeci couldn't articulate it. She went to Li Banfeng. "Benefactor, I just feel like something is off with Miss Dong, but I can't put my finger on what it is."

Li Banfeng nodded. "I know something's off about her."

"Is she sent by the Saint? Are her stories of suffering just made up to deceive us?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I investigated in Jingde Village; her experiences are all true."

Xiao Yeci stammered for a moment. "Well, if it's true, then it proves I was just overthinking things."

Li Banfeng still shook his head. "You're not overthinking it. She's very likely sent by the Saint."

Xiao Yeci looked perplexed. "Then I don't understand."

Li Banfeng gave a wry smile. "I don't understand either. Why would she still work for the Saint after enduring so much suffering?"

Xiao Yeci said, "Let's just send her away, Benefactor. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, I can handle it."

Li Banfeng sighed. "What can you do? If you send Dong Qiaoqin away, what will you tell the others? Tell them growing food is wrong? Tell them stealing food is the right path?"

Xiao Yeci was speechless.

Li Banfeng looked at Xiao Yeci and said, "In the stronghold, everyone except me has suffered more than you and your daughter, right?"

"Yes, they've been here longer than us."

"Why do you think there are so many villages in this area?"

"I-I don't know..."

"Did the Saint come first, or did these villages exist first?"

"I don't know..."

"They've suffered so much, yet as long as they can get by, they forget all their hardships. Why do you think that is?"

"I-I still don't know..."

Xiao Yeci truly didn't know, but she knew Li Banfeng was right. The people in the stronghold now just wanted to live a stable life; if asked to go out and rob again, they would certainly refuse.

Li Banfeng pulled down the brim of his hat, stood up, and said, "I'm meeting the Saint tomorrow. You and your daughter should discuss whether you're willing to leave if I find a way out."

Xiao Yeci remained silent.

Li Banfeng left the stronghold, found a secluded spot, and entered his portable residence.

"Husband, tomorrow is the appointed day. Are you really going to meet the Saint?"

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment, not answering directly. Instead, he asked about something else: "Wife, is Hong Ying considered my dwelling spirit?"

His wife was a little angry, but knew this wasn't the time for a tantrum. "Husband called her by name to her face, and that wretch acknowledged it to her face. So naturally, she's considered your dwelling spirit."

Li Banfeng then asked, "Are the techniques of a grand estate spirit effective through her?"

Hong Ying's voice was chilling. "Faithless husband, wicked woman, what exactly are you plotting? Let me tell you clearly, don't even think about scheming against me. I won't fall for your tricks."

Li Banfeng said, "I'm not trying to scheme against you. I just want to borrow something from you."

"What do you want to borrow? Do you want to borrow techniques from me?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I don't want to borrow techniques, not for now. Relying solely on techniques is useless against the Saint. I want to borrow some of your intimidating presence."

The phonograph pondered for a moment. "So, Husband wants to scare the Saint?"

Hong Ying sneered, "So you want to use the tactic of the fox pretending to be the tiger. Madman, have you thought this through carefully? If the Saint sees through this, will you still come back alive? The current plan should be to hide and not meet him. That madman is no gentleman; it's just a verbal agreement, why bother taking it so seriously?"

"Hide and not meet him?" Li Banfeng asked. "Where would I hide? For how long? This is his territory; won't I eventually fall into his hands anyway?"

Li Banfeng was right. As long as he didn't leave Wretch Ridge, his life would remain in the Saint's grasp.

The phonograph made up its mind, enveloping Hong Ying in steam. "This matter is settled."

Hong Ying retorted angrily, "You say it's settled, and it's settled? Why should I agree to your terms?"

The phonograph said, "You've known my nature all these years we've been together. If you help me, I naturally won't mistreat you. As for those matters between us, as long as you don't want to speak of them, I won't press you further, provided you genuinely help my husband this once."

The next day, sixty-four disciples from Sage Peak descended the mountain, carrying a palanquin. Along the way, as they passed each village, all the villagers would kneel at the entrance an hour beforehand, waiting. No one dared to rise until the Saint had departed, and they would continue kneeling for another hour to show their reverence.

At ten o'clock that evening, the palanquin arrived at Benefactor's Stronghold. Hearing that the Saint had personally arrived, everyone in Benefactor's Stronghold hid in the caves. Only Xiao Yeci and her daughter bravely remained in the stronghold.

Li Banfeng sat in the wooden house, brewing tea.

A white-robed disciple was the first to enter the house. He said to Li Banfeng, "My master is waiting for you outside. He said to come out and speak with him."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "No, tell him to come in and speak."

The white-robed disciple relayed the message. The Saint chuckled and stepped down from the palanquin. The moment his feet touched the ground, all his accompanying disciples knelt, their foreheads pressed firmly to the earth. If Li Banfeng hadn't previously issued an order prohibiting kneeling, a large portion of Benefactor's Stronghold's residents would likely have knelt as well.

The Saint entered the wooden house and sat opposite Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng poured a cup of tea and drank it himself. The Saint smiled. He appeared to be in his forties, also wearing a round-topped hat. His face was thin, complexion fair, and he sported a prominent mustache. It was clear he was a person of great status, but entirely different from the image of the Saint Li Banfeng had imagined.

The Saint asked Li Banfeng, "Have I made myself clear?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "You haven't said anything yet."

"You're an intelligent man. You should have understood without me saying anything."

Li Banfeng didn't deny it. "I suppose I understand."

The Saint nodded slightly. "Since you understand, I'll just ask you one question: Do you want to leave?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes."

The Saint picked up a teacup and poured himself some tea. "Then this is easily resolved. You can leave tonight. I'll let you go, and you are never to return."

Li Banfeng held his teacup and said, "Not enough."

"Not enough?" The Saint doubted his hearing. "What do you want?"

"I want to take some people with me. Anyone who wants to come with me, I will take them."

The Saint shook his head. "There is no such precedent."

Li Banfeng calmly replied, "Then I'll trouble you to set one."

"You still don't understand." A surge of domineering aura emanated from the Saint, causing the entire wooden house to shake. Lu Chunying, hiding in the distance, nearly wet herself. Xiao Yeci had already wet herself, but she was too embarrassed to say anything. The disciples kneeling outside trembled like sieves.

Li Banfeng did not tremble. He wanted to tremble, but he controlled himself. He slowly raised his head, his eyes fixed on the Saint. An imposing presence surged forth, matching the Saint's domineering aura.

Li Banfeng calmly took a sip of tea. "I think I understand perfectly."

The Saint frowned deeply, the remaining half cup of tea gently swaying in the cup.