Chapter 321: Number Ink Search Journey

In the early morning, Li Banfeng prepared to leave, taking his projector with him.

The projector, languishing by the bed, said, "Director Qi, please choose someone else. The art in my heart has withered away."

During the battle against Ba Shan Master, the projector had performed exceptionally well among all the magic artifacts. Li Banfeng had used the projector to alter the cave's layout, tricking a multitude of strange monsters into entering his portable residence, which resulted in a grand feast for his entire family. However, the projector missed out on this lavish banquet. Li Banfeng had forgotten about it. The projector had remained in the cave the entire time, not getting a single bite of meat. By the time it returned to the portable residence, Honglian had already cleaned everything, leaving not even a drop of blood. Consequently, the projector's mood had become extremely negative.

After Li Banfeng left, the projector remained by the bed, silently staring into space. The Glove walked over and offered a comforting word: "Little brother, don't be like this. It pains me to see you so down. Let's find somewhere to talk."

The projector's voice was flat: "My art has turned to ashes. I have nothing to discuss with you."

"Look at yourself. Where's your manly spirit? Come with me. Talking things through will lighten your heart."

After much coaxing, the Glove finally convinced the projector to go to the third room. Closing the door, the Glove lowered its voice and said, "Brother, don't say I don't look after you." With that, the Glove spat out a piece of flesh and blood. "This is from the Local God, Ba Shan Master. Try a bite and see its quality and taste."

The projector trembled, and a layer of mist covered its lens. "Brother Tao, how can I ever thank you..."

"Don't mention it, just eat quickly!" the Glove said magnanimously.

The projector summoned a woman, who placed the flesh and blood into its film compartment. Even after so many days, the flesh and blood remained fresh; it was unclear what method the Glove had used to preserve it. The Local God's flesh and blood truly was of a different quality. The projector, which had less than half of its mainspring left, now felt invigorated and found its cultivation rapidly advancing.

"Brother Tao, thank you so much."

"There's no need for formalities," the Glove said, wagging a finger. "We work so hard every day, and life isn't easy. The master can't always look after everything, so we have to take care of each other."

"Brother Tao, this meat is so precious. How can I ever repay you?"

"No need for repayment. I just have a few heartfelt words I want to share with you. We live under the same roof, and we all work for the master. I'm not a greedy person; I give the master what's due. It's only human nature to keep a little something for oneself occasionally. Sometimes when I hide things, please don't always record it. It makes the master irritable, and it's difficult for me to explain. Such things shouldn't be known by the master."

At Dongping Teahouse, Li Banfeng found Qin Xiaopang and inquired about Ling Family Entertainment.

Qin Xiaopang replied, "Ling Family Entertainment certainly hasn't closed. Our Silver Seal branch investigated, and aside from 'Blood Blade Detective,' they're also filming two other movies. Everyone there is incredibly busy."

"Ling Miaoying is dead. Who is in charge of Ling Family Entertainment?"

"From what I know, there are two pieces of information, and it's hard to say which is true. One is that Ling Miaoying is still alive and merely faked her death, performing a double act with Lu Chunying." This news was clearly released by Lu Maoxian, not only to justify his actions against 'Blood Blade Detective' but also to tarnish Lu Chunying's reputation. "The second is that there's a major figure behind the Ling family, possibly the film queen Tu Yinghong."

"Tu Yinghong..." Hearing that name, Li Banfeng recalled the ambush he had experienced that day. He had first used "Glancing at Flowers" to incapacitate Ling Miaoying, then shot and injured Tu Yinghong. Without his portable residence, he had relied entirely on seizing the initiative to save his own life. Could the black-clad assailant who went to Xiaoyaowu also have been Tu Yinghong?

"Do you know Tu Yinghong's background?"

Qin Xiaopang replied, "Our Silver Seal branch is still investigating. Previously, it was said that Tu Yinghong originally worked as a secret prostitute in Greenwater City, and only became the film queen after pleasing Ling Miaoying. However, we've now clarified that this claim is pure nonsense. Tu Yinghong isn't originally from Greenwater City; she comes from Black Stone Slope and is a Craft Cultivator. It's still unclear who served whom between her and Ling Miaoying."

"Brother, this needs to be clarified as soon as possible."

"Brother Qi, as soon as I have news, I'll..." Qin Xiaopang trailed off, feeling short of breath, hungry again.

Li Banfeng looked at Qin Xiaopang's expanding physique, which was nearly rivaling Qiu Zhiheng's. "Didn't I tell you to ask me if you're short on money? Don't be afraid to eat. What did your Silver Seal branch say about the qualifications I asked you to inquire about last time?"

"Brother Qi, our Silver Seal truly is a straightforward person. He said that since I have an empty copper seal, it's reasonable for me to convert to a formal one. However, he'll need a considerable sum of money to help me arrange it, and I felt too awkward to mention it to you."

Li Banfeng put down his teacup. "Aren't you delaying things by not telling me? How much exactly?"

Qin Xiaopang held up a finger. "One thousand silver dollars."

"I'll cover it. This afternoon, I'll go to Xiaoyaowu to withdraw fifteen hundred silver dollars. Pick a good spot."

Qin Xiaopang thanked him profusely, and Li Banfeng returned to Xiaoyaowu.

Qiu Zhiheng had once mentioned that the attacker was a high-level Craft Cultivator possessing an invisibility artifact. The Three Heroes Gate had investigated Tu Yinghong's background, and she was indeed a Craft Cultivator. Along the way, Li Banfeng was able to largely conclude that the black-clad person that day was Tu Yinghong. Was she here to avenge Ling Miaoying? He couldn't wait for her to come to him; he needed to find a way to lure her out.

Li Banfeng entered his portable residence and used the projector to display an image of Ling Miaoying. The Phonograph asked, "Husband, that person has already been refined into a pill. Why are you bringing him out again?"

"As bait. His beloved is seeking revenge against me, and I want to draw her out."

"This movie looks just like a real person, indeed difficult to distinguish. But since it's the original owner's beloved, she's probably very familiar with this projector, isn't she?"

Li Banfeng looked at the projector. The projector's mood had improved, and it replied solemnly, "I do have some understanding of Ms. Tu Yinghong. I've filmed her from all angles—her advances, retreats, offense, and defense. Unfortunately, I don't have those film reels with me."

Li Banfeng was also worried about this. Tu Yinghong was very familiar with the projector, making it highly probable she wouldn't fall for the trick. However, the Phonograph had an ingenious strategy for this situation: "Oh, husband, bait isn't always for fishing; it can also be used to catch shrimp."

Li Banfeng understood his wife's point: Ling Miaoying's image could indeed lure others. But he needed to deal with Tu Yinghong specifically.

"Wife, I don't want to catch shrimp; I only want to catch the fish."

"If the shrimp eat the bait, they'll pass the information on to the fish. The bait might not fool the enemy's general, but it might just fool their spies."

Li Banfeng smiled, affectionately embracing the Phonograph. "My wife truly knows how to wage war!"

Lu Maoxian emerged from the Pearl Academy, with the academy's master praising him repeatedly: "Old Master, your knowledge is profound. Your disciple has truly learned a great deal this time." In essence, Lu Maoxian had displayed a new unique skill the previous night.

Lu Maoxian nodded and chuckled, "You are indeed a diligent student. You read by candlelight all night long, yet I never hear you complain of hardship or fatigue."

The academy master shyly replied, "I did cry out, but your disciple didn't feel any pain."

Lu Maoxian stroked the academy master's cheek. "You're good in every way, but to read by candlelight, you need good candles. The candles here are a bit lacking in quality." The academy master quickly made a note about the candles. Lu Maoxian was the Pearl Academy's most important regular client, and every request he made had to be treated with utmost diligence.

Outside the academy gate, thirty-three escorts were waiting. Was it appropriate for Lu Maoxian to have so many people accompany him for this task? In the past, Lu Maoxian would have brought no more than two escorts; he preferred to avoid such a large spectacle. However, ever since his encounter with Ling Miaoying, Lu Maoxian had gained a new perspective. At the theater, Ling Miaoying showing that movie had certainly damaged Lu Maoxian's reputation, but what did it matter? Everyone in the Lu family still praised the Old Master for his enduring vitality. The hand Ling Miaoying had severed still hadn't healed properly, and that was what truly bothered him. The matter of the movie hadn't settled yet, so increased vigilance was crucial.

Lu Maoxian rode in a rickshaw, with his escorts positioned around him, covering all directions. The night was deep, and there were no other pedestrians on the street. A block away from the mansion, one of the escorts suddenly clutched his neck and fell to the ground, blood streaming through his fingers. Another escort stepped forward to check on him, but as soon as he squatted down, his head fell to the ground.

Sensing grave danger, Lu Maoxian shouted, "A gentleman is magnanimous!" Using his Shared Texts, Common Rules technique, he intended to make his opponent reveal themselves and engage in an open fight. But the technique seemed ineffective. The escorts around Lu Maoxian dropped one after another. In the blink of an eye, only two of the thirty-three remained. These two stood on either side of the rickshaw, ostensibly protecting Lu Maoxian, but in reality, they were protecting their own lives. They clearly understood that if they didn't move, they wouldn't die, but a single movement would guarantee their demise.

Lu Maoxian pulled out his brush and wrote the character "Forbidden" on the rickshaw! A barrier formed around the rickshaw. As Lu Maoxian pondered his next move, he suddenly heard someone whisper in his ear, "Nothing is forbidden." The barrier shattered! Was his opponent using the "Word Becomes True" technique? Was his opponent a Scholar Cultivator? Regardless of the opponent's sect, his chances of escape were dwindling.

Lu Maoxian waved his brush, flinging ink from its tip. Within a ten-meter radius, countless characters materialized, clawing and snarling like dark specters, attacking anyone they encountered. This was the Scholar Cultivator technique: "Counting Ink to Find Lines." Scholar Cultivators were not proficient in close combat, so if engaged up close, "Counting Ink to Find Lines" was their best escape technique. Within the technique's range, the characters formed by ink would gain sentience and engage in combat. These characters could convey both meaning and form, possessing extraordinary combat power. Their only flaw was their inability to distinguish between friend and foe.

The character "Big" (大), with outstretched arms, seized an escort and began tearing him apart. The character "Elephant" (象) transformed into a long-tusked elephant, trampling another escort. The character "Insect" (蟲) transformed into three "insect" (虫) characters, each of which then became a swarm of flies buzzing everywhere. These characters even attacked Lu Maoxian, but he managed to find a way through the chaos of words. He quickly burst out of the technique's range and sprinted furiously towards his mansion. He ran incredibly fast, much faster than usual. The "Counting Ink to Find Lines" technique only lasted a few seconds before dissipating, but by then, Lu Maoxian had already reached the mansion entrance.

How did he run so fast? It seemed he had fewer burdens than usual. Lu Maoxian looked down and realized something was indeed missing. Blood was seeping through his trousers. Lu Maoxian collapsed at the entrance, and only then did he feel profound despair and pain. The phrase "old but vigorous" would no longer apply to him.

He Jiaqing, disguised as a middle-aged man, walked up to Lu Maoxian and chuckled, "Old Master Lu, congratulations! From now on, you'll be rid of that root of trouble." Lu Maoxian dared not resist, clutching his injured vital area and remaining silent, gritting his teeth.

He Jiaqing didn't kill him. He stood up and left alone. As he reached the street corner, he suddenly saw a beggar dozing off. He Jiaqing's heart seized. He carefully perceived his surroundings. Was this Greenwater City, or Green Beggar's abode? The beggar opened one eye, glanced at He Jiaqing, and then closed it again. What did that mean? Did he not want to fight? Was the Greenwater Beggar trying to show goodwill?

News spread across the major newspapers: Lu Maoxian had been attacked again and gravely wounded, with the attacker's identity remaining elusive. He Jiaqing put down the newspaper and said to Old Wan, "You're the most reliable. Remember, don't kill Lu Maoxian until we've uncovered his full depth." Wan Jinxiang nodded repeatedly.

That same day, He Jiaqing visited several cinemas. 'Blood Blade Detective' had a good attendance rate, with major theaters reporting about seventy percent capacity. He Jiaqing was very satisfied with this performance. During a lull in a movie's screening, he quietly entered the projection room. The projectionists were chatting idly, completely oblivious to He Jiaqing's presence. He Jiaqing tore a single frame of film from the projector and took it into a private cinema box. He pulled a dropper from his pocket and applied a single drop of liquid to the film. A silver ring appeared on the film. He Jiaqing placed the ring on his forehead, and his body trembled for a moment. "The quality isn't bad!" He Jiaqing exclaimed, then rubbed his fingers together to conjure a ball of flame, using it to incinerate the film.

The next day at noon, He Jiaqing departed for Yuezhou, and Wan Jinxiang saw him off at the station. As he was leaving, He Jiaqing repeatedly cautioned, "Keep a close watch on Tu Yinghong. Don't let her leave the building."

Returning from the station, Wan Jinxiang entered Tu Yinghong's room. Tu Yinghong was organizing her personal weapons. She looked at Wan Jinxiang and said, "Didn't you think to knock before coming in?"

Wan Jinxiang replied, "My subordinate saw Ling Miaoying."

"Where?"

"At Xiaoyaowu. They saw him yesterday, and again today. Do you want to go see him?"