Chapter 353: Travel Cultivation Level Seven Technique

Luo Zhengnan gathered his thoughts and roughly outlined a lead, then went to find Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng was drinking with Ma Wu. Luo Zhengnan felt a bit awkward upon seeing Ma Wu, but Ma Wu showed no discomfort whatsoever.

Ma Wu was naturally open-minded and had no prejudice against people from the martial world. Most importantly, Luo Zhengnan was someone Li Banfeng had brought. Such a person, even if they originated from a place like the Jiangxiang Gang, was entirely reliable.

"Brother Luo, have a drink. You deserve the most credit for what happened last night."

Luo Zhengnan was startled. "What happened last night?" he asked.

Li Banfeng lowered his voice. "What happened in his bed last night," he said.

Luo Zhengnan had heard of Ma Junyang's reputation.

"How could his bedroom affairs be considered my top achievement?"

Luo Zhengnan was somewhat nervous. He kept a certain distance from Ma Wu and said to Li Banfeng, "Seventh Master, I've sorted out a few things..."

Mid-sentence, Luo Zhengnan looked towards the private room door.

Through the door, everyone heard the sound of sweeping.

Ma Wu pointed upstairs, signaling Li Banfeng and Luo Zhengnan to exit through the private room's secret door and find another place to talk.

He opened the main door of the private room, called in the cleaner, and told him to thoroughly sweep the room.

"Sweep it clean," Ma Wu instructed, deliberately giving the cleaner a Huanguo banknote. He kept his eyes on the man. "Important guests will be here soon, so be diligent."

The cleaner was quite anxious. He had seen Li Qi bring a stranger back to Xiaoyao Dock, but he didn't recognize the man and wasn't sure whether to report it to Wan Jinxian.

Since he couldn't find Li Qi and Ma Wu was still watching, he could only hold his broom and dutifully sweep.

Upstairs, Luo Zhengnan told Li Banfeng the entire lead. "Seventh Master," he asked, "are you aware there's a Saint in Gang?"

"I've heard of it," Li Banfeng replied, not mentioning his own visit to Gang.

"Do you know this Saint's identity?"

Li Banfeng shook his head.

"Just now, I overheard He Jiaqing and that woman talking. It seems that Saint is an emperor."

Li Banfeng was startled. "An emperor from which dynasty?" he asked.

Luo Zhengnan shook his head. "I can't say for sure," he replied. "To be honest, I've been investigating this Saint for a long time. They have very close ties with the Jiangxiang Gang."

"Are you talking about the human trafficking?" Li Banfeng already knew about this. "Anyone who can sell people to Gang must have special connections."

"No connections needed!" Luo Zhengnan waved his hand. "All Jiangxiang Gang branches do this. It's their livelihood. Many branches in impoverished areas rely on this to survive."

"Gang pays handsomely, and if they're lucky, they can even get some elixirs from the Saint. I have a rule that the Medicine King Hall is not allowed to engage in human trafficking, and my subordinates have quite a few complaints about that."

"If you've been to Gang, you'd know what it's like. If it were me, I'd rather stay in Kucai Village than go to that place."

"The people there live a miserable life. They toil all year for a living, neglecting marriage and childbirth. Gang's population has been decreasing year after year, relying entirely on the Jiangxiang Gang for support."

Li Banfeng thought of Xiao Zhenggong. "It seems the Jiangxiang Gang leader also has dealings with this Saint," he mused.

"There must be dealings," Luo Zhengnan confirmed. "According to the leads I've investigated, it's precisely because of the Saint's connections that Xiao Zhenggong became a 'balancer'."

Li Banfeng was startled. "What's a 'balancer'?" he asked.

"A person with a special status, acting between the Outer Province and Pro Province," Luo Zhengnan explained. "I haven't yet figured out the specific details of what makes them special."

The Saint was an emperor.

Xiao Zhenggong was a 'balancer'.

Now, the Saint was also recruiting He Jiaqing. Would He Jiaqing team up with the Saint?

It likely wouldn't be up to him.

Returning to the Portable Residence, Li Banfeng's face was grim as he approached Hong Ying.

"Follow me!" Li Banfeng snapped. Hong Ying followed behind him, obediently.

The Phonograph was startled and asked the others, "What did Hong Ying do wrong? Why is Master so angry?"

"Miss Hong has always had a bad temper," Dream Weaver commented from the wall. "The Master must have tolerated her for too long. Today, he's probably going to administer some family discipline."

The Phonograph laughed. "A beating would do her good! It's about time to curb her arrogance!"

Then, upon second thought, the Phonograph expressed some doubt. "Can Master really beat her?"

"With the Lady here, how would Miss Hong dare to fight back?" Dream Weaver replied.

The two arrived at the seventh room. Li Banfeng moved Red Lotus outside and said with a serious expression, "How have I treated you?"

Hong Ying lowered her head. "Seventh Brother has treated me quite well," she said.

"There's still a piece of Lin Dexing's flesh left; The Glove hid it for you. I already know about this. Eat it."

Hong Ying shook her head. "I don't eat that," she said. "Seventh Brother promised me he wouldn't force me to."

"My wife ate it. Is it appropriate for you not to?"

"Anyway, I won't eat it!" Hong Ying declared stubbornly.

Li Banfeng sighed. "Fine, let's put this aside for now," he said. "I've encountered a formidable journey cultivator as an opponent, with ninth-level cultivation. Before fighting him, I need to know his techniques. No need to mention the first six levels; I already know all those. Tell me about the seventh, eighth, and ninth-level techniques."

Asking level by level was too troublesome.

Especially high-level techniques; very few people knew them and were unwilling to disclose them.

He wanted to seize this opportunity to learn all the techniques.

Li Banfeng knew he was a bit greedy by nature, but he believed he could control himself and certainly wouldn't learn techniques beyond his current level.

He probably wouldn't learn across levels.

At most, he would study the intricacies of higher-level techniques and occasionally practice them. This, most likely, shouldn't count as learning techniques beyond his current level.

"Seventh Brother, you want to ask about journey cultivation techniques?" Hong Ying asked, looking troubled.

"Come on, let's go find my wife, and you can eat Lin Dexing's flesh in front of her."

"No, I'll tell you!" Hong Ying quickly said. "The seventh-level journey cultivation technique is called 'Reckless Pursuit'."

"How is this technique used?"

"It needs to be used in conjunction with the first-level technique. The first-level journey cultivation technique is fundamental; all other techniques rely on it."

"'Galloping on a Horse to View Flowers' corresponds to 'Wind from Flat Ground,' primarily requiring fast movement. 'Reckless Pursuit' corresponds to 'Seeking Fortune, Avoiding Disaster,' but you have to go the opposite way."

Li Banfeng was confused. "'Going the opposite way'? What does that mean? Are you saying one has to walk into dangerous places?"

Hong Ying nodded her head. "Yes, it means heading towards danger," she explained. "As long as 'Reckless Pursuit' is used, the more dangerous the place, the more sharply your combat power increases."

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "If there's a ninth-level cultivator ahead and I charge straight at them, isn't that just seeking death?" he asked.

Hong Ying was stunned for a moment. "What do you mean 'charge straight at them'?" she asked Li Banfeng. "You're not a journey cultivator."

"Indeed, I'm not a journey cultivator," Li Banfeng said calmly. "I'm just putting myself in a journey cultivator's shoes and thinking about it from their perspective!"

"That is indeed the principle," Hong Ying replied. "If you were a seventh-level journey cultivator encountering a ninth-level cultivator, and you used the 'Reckless Pursuit' technique, you should charge forward."

"Of course, the chances of winning by charging forward are very slim, but if there's no way to escape, 'Reckless Pursuit' is an option. After charging forward, your combat power will approach the eighth level. If the situation is extremely perilous, your combat power might even exceed the eighth level, giving you a fighting chance against a ninth-level cultivator."

This was a technique that gambled with one's life.

"According to what you've said," Li Banfeng commented, "a seventh-level journey cultivator in a desperate situation could at any moment fight to the death."

Hong Ying shook her head. "Not exactly," she said. "There's more to it..."

When it came to the key details of the technique, Hong Ying hesitated.

All cultivators wanted to protect their techniques, especially high-level ones.

Li Banfeng sighed softly. "Fine, let's go eat that meat after all!" he said.

"Seventh Brother, spare me!"

Hong Ying wasn't as skilled at acting cute as his wife; when she spoke sweetly, Li Banfeng found it awkward to listen to.

Softening was impossible; if she didn't explain clearly, he absolutely wouldn't spare her.

Hong Ying, having no choice, revealed the crucial detail: "Under severe injury, one cannot use the seventh-level technique. The seventh-level technique has extremely strict physical requirements; if your body is damaged, the technique cannot be used."

You also couldn't wait until you were severely injured to use it. This meant that as soon as the battle began, one had to be determined to fight to the death.

This technique was a test of one's resolve.

"What are the essentials of the technique?"

"Courage," Hong Ying said, "the courage to head into perilous places. Seventh Brother, if your formidable opponent disregards their life and doesn't care about death, charging straight at you, then you must pay close attention."

"He might have already activated the seventh-level technique. If he has ninth-level cultivation, his combat power could very likely have surged to the tenth level or higher. You must absolutely avoid his direct attack and not engage him head-on."

Hong Ying's attitude was good.

"What about the eighth-level technique?" Li Banfeng asked.

Hong Ying rubbed her hands, just about to answer, when she suddenly heard the Phonograph shouting from outside: "Oh, Master, what's this smell? How is there still a piece of meat stored in this third room?!"

The Portable Residence instantly fell silent.

Hong Ying clutched Li Banfeng's hand, her palm slick with sweat.

The magical treasures couldn't endure the interrogation. The Tang Saber was the first to speak: "The meat was hidden by The Glove. The third room smells so awful, I don't even sleep there anymore."

The Lady then turned to The Glove. "Did you refuse to eat the meat, so you hid it?" she asked.

"I ate it, I really did! This piece of meat isn't mine!" The Glove protested. "This piece of meat belongs to Miss Hong; she asked me to hide it!"

Actually, this matter had been Li Banfeng's idea, but The Glove absolutely couldn't betray the Master at a time like this.

Hong Ying was terrified. The Phonograph roared, "Get out!"

Hong Ying shakily walked out. No matter how much animosity she harbored toward the Phonograph, she was genuinely afraid when things went wrong.

Li Banfeng offered a conciliatory remark. "My wife," he said, "this meat has been left for so many days, and the smell is quite strong. Hong Ying really can't eat it, so let's give it to Red Lotus."

Red Lotus manifested a body of dew. She originally wanted to spit at Li Banfeng but held back.

The Phonograph actually didn't bother with Hong Ying. "Since Master pleaded for you, I'll spare you this time," she said. "Master, I've benefited too much these past two days and need a few days of rest. After resting, it'll be time to take Master to the seventh level."

"Master, have you asked anyone about the seventh-level residence cultivation technique these days?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Is there even a need to ask about that?" he said. "I'll just wait for my wife to guide me!"

"Oh, Master," The Phonograph exclaimed, "I knew you trusted me the most! Master, please don't go around asking randomly. Learning techniques beyond your level is a big taboo; something fatal might happen if you're not careful."

"How could I do such a thing?" Li Banfeng said, waving his hand.

"Oh, Master, you're a bit impatient. I'm truly worried about you," The Phonograph cautioned. "Master, please remember, at the seventh level, we only learn seventh-level abilities. Don't covet anything else."

"Mm-hmm," Li Banfeng assented, then left the Portable Residence.

Hong Ying stood beside the Phonograph.

The Phonograph asked, "What did you just do with Master?"

"I didn't do anything!" Hong Ying hurriedly replied. "We're innocent!"

"Innocent my foot!" The Phonograph gnashed her teeth. "If it weren't for Master, I would have killed you long ago!"

Hong Ying snorted coldly but remained standing obediently beside the Phonograph.

The Phonograph then turned to Red Lotus. "And you, haven't this batch of elixirs been refined for too long?"

Two days later, Luo Zhengnan received another message: "That Saint's disciple, Zhong Huaien, arranged to meet He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing sent that woman to the appointment. It's set for tomorrow evening at seven o'clock, at the Lotus Pond Teahouse."

Li Banfeng chuckled. "They really are going to cooperate. Let's go join the fun."