Chapter 347: Today, You're Going to Move

Li Banfeng sat in Elder Yao's courtyard, watching a group of stone figures, each just over a meter tall, moving bricks, mixing mortar, and building a wall.

Outside the courtyard, a kiln had been set up, and several stone figures were firing bricks.

When Qiu Zhiheng came up the mountain, he only carried a sack of stones. Two buckets of clean water poured over that sack of stones transformed them into artisans: masons, tilers, carpenters, skilled in all kinds of trades.

"Brother Qiu, where did you get these things?"

Qiu Zhiheng replied, "I bought them from a high-level Craft Cultivator. I've always liked Craft Cultivator items. If I hadn't been forced into being a Joy Cultivator, I would have really wanted to be one myself."

Forced? Forced by Lu Dongliang? Li Banfeng didn't press for details on this matter.

"Brother, from now on, I'll stay here and guard Elder Yao. As long as the news doesn't leak, outsiders won't know something happened to him, and they won't dare cause trouble for Medicine King Gorge. You don't need to worry about the apothecary. Even though it's a bit far, I can still manage the business."

Li Banfeng asked, "What about your wife? Will she move here with you?"

Qiu Zhiheng sighed softly; this matter was indeed difficult to handle. He didn't want his wife to suffer with him, but as a Joy Cultivator, his wife had to remain by his side.

"I'll go back and discuss it with her."

Li Banfeng nodded, saying, "Tell your wife to move here in a few days. Then we can take turns guarding the mountain."

"You want to guard it? That won't do. You're a Wanderer Cultivator; you need to travel around. How can you stay in one place all the time?"

"In any case, I have a plan."

For the past few days, Li Banfeng had been thinking about who should look after Medicine King Gorge. He finally concluded that no local earth god was suitable for Medicine King Gorge. Medicine King Gorge wasn't particularly popular, certainly not comparable to Greenwater Bay. However, it was a 'proper land' — one of the three proper lands in Pro Province. Which earth god of the new lands wouldn't covet it? Even if Feng Daiku was invited, it was hard to say if she would have other intentions.

He decided to guard it himself, waiting for Elder Yao to wake up. "I'll guard it for a month first. If there's nothing to do, I'll wander around the nearby mountains without going far. If necessary, I'll rely on pills to sustain myself. Next month, Qiu Zhiheng can take over."

A few days later, the house was repaired, and Li Banfeng also gained a deeper understanding of the surrounding environment. The terrain in this area was complex, with intersecting mountain paths that could easily lead to getting lost. Elder Yao's courtyard was situated in a location that was easily accessible yet difficult to attack and easy to defend. Such a position was extremely rare to find, a testament to the vision of a renowned general. Moreover, the place was extremely remote. Li Banfeng couldn't help but wonder how the Omen Star had found it initially. As long as the news didn't leak, Li Banfeng believed no one would find this place for several years.

However, at noon that day, while he was strolling in the mountains, he spotted an old man approaching. The old man was dressed in coarse cloth clothes, with a towel wrapped around his head. He had a carrying basket on his back and held a sickle in his hand, appearing to be a herbalist. Of all places to gather herbs, why here? He was walking up the path, and at his current pace, he would soon discover Elder Yao's small courtyard. Li Banfeng wanted to stop him, but doing so would only arouse suspicion. He decided it would be better to simply scare him away with the Paper Maiden. Li Banfeng returned to his portable residence, retrieved the Paper Maiden, and when he looked outside again, the old man had taken another mountain path.

Li Banfeng let out a long breath and turned back towards Elder Yao's courtyard. It was just one old man; there was no need to be so nervous. What if he did see Elder Yao's courtyard? Pro Province had plenty of wilderness, and encountering a household now and then wasn't uncommon...

Wait.

Li Banfeng approached the courtyard, and his Thread-Pulling Earrings detected movement. It seemed more than one old man had arrived. Another old man had already entered Elder Yao's room. Upon hearing the old man's voice, sweat broke out on Li Banfeng's brow. He recognized this old man.

"Old Yao, stop pretending. Do you think I don't know? You just don't want to see me, do you? If you don't get up, don't blame me for being impolite. I'm taking all the good stuff in this room. This flag, this saber—where can you find such good things?"

Pan Dehai! This was Pan Dehai's voice! Why was he here?

"Where did you hide your contract?" Pan Dehai chuckled to Elder Yao. "Not telling, huh? If you don't say, I'll dig. I'll dig up this entire room; I don't believe I won't find it!"

Li Banfeng gritted his teeth. He was now a seventh-level Wanderer Cultivator plus a sixth-level Dwelling Cultivator. Could he defeat Pan Dehai? A head-on fight definitely wouldn't work, but if he could drag Pan Dehai into his portable residence, he might have a chance. His wife alone could handle the Mountain Puller, and if she teamed up with Hong Ying, they should be able to deal with Pan Dehai. He could provide support from the side, and his array of magic artifacts could also help. The key was how to lure him in.

As Li Banfeng was contemplating a strategy, he suddenly heard voices in the courtyard again.

"It seems we arrived late."

"Not late, it's just in time."

A strong sense of danger surged, and Li Banfeng instinctively reached for his key. No rush. He couldn't act rashly, or he might not even have a chance to hide the key. He was a sixth-level Dwelling Cultivator; with his Dwelling Cultivator abilities, he should remain unnoticed. But what caliber were these two people in the courtyard? They knew Pan Dehai was in the room, yet they remained so calm. Had they already discovered him? Relying on his familiarity with the terrain, Li Banfeng found a hidden spot. The visibility from there was decent, allowing him to barely observe the situation in the courtyard.

Coincidentally, the herb-gathering old man was walking towards the courtyard. Why did this old man have such impeccable timing? Anywhere else would be fine, but he had to come here.

"Is anyone here? I'm just passing by, could I get some water?" The old man stood at the courtyard gate, peeking inside.

In the courtyard stood a beggar and a lavishly dressed man. The man, in his fifties, glanced at the old man at the gate and said to the beggar, "Someone's here to die."

The beggar shook his head and said, "Don't mind him for now; he can't see us anyway."

Indeed, ordinary people couldn't see them. Li Banfeng, with his seven-plus-six cultivation, still needed to rely on his Golden Eye and Autumn Hair technique to perceive them.

The beggar called out to the room, "Great Virtue, come out. It's been a while since we last met."

Pan Dehai emerged from the room, looked at the two people in the courtyard, and said, "Gentlemen, it's been a long time. What auspicious breeze brought you here today?"

The middle-aged man said, "You speak as if this is your home. I was just about to ask you, what are you doing here?"

Pan Dehai chuckled, "I came to visit an old friend."

"Friend? You're worthy? When did Old Yao ever acknowledge you as a friend?"

Pan Dehai raised an eyebrow. "We grew up together, so we're naturally good friends. Old Yao has no children, so his assets naturally belong to me. Lin Dexing, you're certainly not Old Yao's friend. You know what kind of person you are in your heart."

Lin Dexing! Li Banfeng gritted his teeth. This foster child! Elder Yao's life was ruined by this person. He was still alive. And his cultivation had reached the Cloud Realm. He needed to find a way to kill him.

Lin Dexing looked at Pan Dehai and said, "Stop spouting useless nonsense. I can't even be bothered to look at you. While I'm in a good mood, get lost."

Pan Dehai straightened his expression and said, "That's not how it works, is it? I was here first."

"So what if you were first? If you want to die, just say the word!"

The beggar spoke up, "Let's talk this out nicely; don't ruin the harmony. Since Old Pan arrived first, let him reminisce with his old friend."

The beggar's voice sounded familiar; Li Banfeng seemed to have heard it somewhere before. However, due to the limited viewing angle, he couldn't clearly see the beggar's figure.

Pan Dehai looked at the beggar, his tone becoming much more polite. "Brother Lu, you are a Patriarch of a lineage, not like this scoundrel Lin Dexing."

Brother Lu? Greenwater Beggar? A tingling sensation ran through Li Banfeng's body. This time, it was trouble. What could he use to fight the Greenwater Beggar?

The newcomer was indeed the Greenwater Beggar. He chuckled, looking at Pan Dehai, and said, "Tell me, what's different about me and Brother Lin?"

Pan Dehai said, "You have status and standing; how could you lower yourself to be compared with such riff-raff?"

The Greenwater Beggar laughed, "I'm just a beggar, and you still hold me in such high regard?"

Pan Dehai waved his hand and said, "A hero is not judged by his origins. Between you, my brother, and me, this is a case of mutual admiration between heroes."

The Greenwater Beggar chuckled, his face covered in pustules, "You still call me a hero?"

Pan Dehai nodded and said, "I have always respected you as a hero. But since we are heroes, we must be reasonable. By age, I am your elder brother. By cultivation, I am your senior. In terms of righteousness, shouldn't we uphold respect for elders and the worthy? In terms of minor principles, shouldn't there be a first-come, first-served rule? In terms of etiquette, if I respect you by a foot, you should respect me by ten feet. Isn't that right?"

The Greenwater Beggar looked at Lin Dexing and said, "You know, he actually has a point."

"This Pan fellow is shameless! Let's not waste words with him!" Lin Dexing charged directly at Pan Dehai. His movements were precise, his footwork clean, without a single wasted motion. Such refined action clearly indicated he was a Martial Cultivator.

Pan Dehai frowned. "Young Master Lin, that's not right of you. How can you gang up on one person?"

Lin Dexing suddenly felt as if he had stepped on cotton; his legs became weak and powerless, and his steps faltered. Just as he approached Pan Dehai, he felt unable to unleash his martial arts or gain an advantage, so he retreated.

Virtue Cultivation technique: "Seeing Virtue, Think of Emulating."

Lin Dexing looked at the Greenwater Beggar, wanting him to join in the attack. The Greenwater Beggar looked at Pan Dehai and said, "I didn't make a move just now. Does that still count as ganging up?"

Pan Dehai said, "Don't put on your shoes in a melon patch; don't adjust your hat under a plum tree. Your standing there and watching would surely arouse suspicion, wouldn't it?"

The Greenwater Beggar's vision blurred; Pan Dehai's technique was affecting him. The Greenwater Beggar smiled and nodded, "Is it alright if I don't look?" He closed his eyes.

Lin Dexing was startled, feeling that the Greenwater Beggar's attitude was strange; he seemed unwilling to exert himself. If the Greenwater Beggar wouldn't contribute, Lin Dexing had to. Medicine King Gorge was very important to him; he wanted to use its popularity to maintain his cultivation.

He approached Pan Dehai again, who slowly said, "Propriety is the foundation of virtue. To attack without declaring is impolite, a loss of one virtue. The power of one virtue weighs over a thousand jun!"

Lin Dexing's steps became increasingly slow, as if a great mountain was pressing down on him.

Virtue Cultivation technique: "Great Virtue Carries All Things."

Lin Dexing angrily shouted, "You scoundrel, what virtue are you talking about? How many immoral deeds have you committed over the years? Can you even count them yourself?"

"Speaking rudely, another loss of one virtue."

Lin Dexing's back curved, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. He turned to the Greenwater Beggar for help. The Greenwater Beggar remained impassive, his eyes closed.

Pan Dehai said, "You are unable to fight on your own, yet you seek assistance. This action is despicable, another loss of one virtue."

Lin Dexing wanted to rush up and fight Pan Dehai, but Pan Dehai said, "Overestimating oneself is a loss of virtue."

Lin Dexing couldn't support himself and wanted to retreat, but Pan Dehai added, "Cowardice in battle is a loss of virtue."

With each loss of virtue, Lin Dexing had to bear an additional thousand jun of weight. In front of Pan Dehai, Lin Dexing hadn't even had a chance to strike before he was completely pinned to the ground.

Pan Dehai looked at Lin Dexing, "I've put a lot of effort into getting this advantage from Old Yao. Medicine King Gorge is very close to Sea-Eating Ridge. As the saying goes, 'those near the water tower get the moon first.' This place should belong to me. I advise you not to contend with me."

The Greenwater Beggar commented from the side, "If we're talking about proximity, Greenwater Bay should be closer to Medicine King Gorge."

Pan Dehai said, "Being close means you should even less interfere. As the saying goes, 'a rabbit doesn't eat the grass around its burrow.' You should find another place."

As he spoke, Pan Dehai subtly intensified his technique, causing Lin Dexing to vomit blood from the pressure.

The Greenwater Beggar frowned and said, "As the saying goes, when you beat a dog, you must look at its owner."

Pan Dehai chuckled, "The old saying also goes, 'killing a chicken to scare the monkeys.'"

As he spoke, Pan Dehai intensified his technique again. He wanted to kill Lin Dexing first, then slowly deal with the Greenwater Beggar.

The Greenwater Beggar sighed, "Old Pan, do you really want to take over Medicine King Gorge?"

"Brother Lu, I'm taking Medicine King Gorge for sure."

"I'm right in front of you, and you're still so bold. I wonder who gave you such courage!" The Greenwater Beggar wiped some sweat and flicked it towards Pan Dehai.

Pan Dehai quickly dodged, and his technique consequently went out of control. Freed from the heavy pressure, Lin Dexing rushed directly towards Elder Yao's room. His plan was for the Greenwater Beggar to deal with Pan Dehai while he dug for Elder Yao's contract.

Li Banfeng prepared to act, but unexpectedly, Pan Dehai suddenly blocked the doorway and began fighting Lin Dexing. If the two parties were more than two zhang apart, the Virtue Cultivator would have the advantage. But now they were only three to five chi apart; how could a Virtue Cultivator possibly defeat a Martial Cultivator? After three exchanges, Pan Dehai's face was covered in blood, and his round-rimmed glasses were shattered. Fortunately, he had many magic artifacts, and a long sword temporarily forced Lin Dexing back.

"This place is mine today; no one can take it from me!" Pan Dehai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spat on the ground.

Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment. He didn't understand why Pan Dehai was so bold today. Did he want Medicine King Gorge that badly? Had something happened at Sea-Eating Ridge?

The Greenwater Beggar opened his eyes and took two steps forward. "You're taking it for sure? What makes you so sure? I'll go dig up his contract right now. Let's see if you dare touch me."

Pan Dehai was very scared. He truly didn't dare to touch the Greenwater Beggar; if he did, it would be over. Yet, he didn't move, still standing at the doorway. Li Banfeng was ready. He planned to ambush the Greenwater Beggar.

In a flash, the Greenwater Beggar appeared near Pan Dehai. "Try to touch me!"

"Why are you so arrogant? Are you untouchable?"

A voice came from outside the courtyard. Everyone looked and realized that the old man who had asked for water hadn't left yet. He could actually see the three people in the courtyard? How could he see them?

The old man entered the courtyard. The Greenwater Beggar asked, "Who are you?"

"You don't need to know who I am." The old man waved his hand, and a young man suddenly appeared beside him. Li Banfeng was greatly surprised; he knew this young man.

The old man said to the young man, "Genzi, give me the bucket."

Little Genzi handed the bucket to the old man. The old man, holding the bucket, said to the Greenwater Beggar, "Today, I will touch you."