Chapter 427: No Relatives Hometown

Wuqin Township is a town, smaller than Yaowanggou and also smaller than Kudai Ridge. Of all the towns Li Banfeng had visited, Wuqin Township was the smallest.

The town wasn't populous, and people didn't converse much. The only abundance was swamps. Li Banfeng spent a day exploring and found swamps near wilderness areas, forests, farmlands, rural roads, and even between houses.

At dusk, Li Banfeng ate a bowl of braised pork noodles at a restaurant. The owner charged him thirty yuan.

The price was clearly steep, but Li Banfeng didn't quibble. The noodle shop's owner was a kind old woman who had stated the price of thirty yuan upfront.

As he was leaving, Li Banfeng gave her an extra twenty yuan and asked for directions to "New Land."

The old woman was very enthusiastic. "Child," she told Li Banfeng, "walk east close to the wall. At the second alley entrance, keep heading south. After you exit the alley, there's a mountain path; cross the mountain, and you'll see New Land."

In Wuqin Township, it was rare to find someone who gave directions so meticulously.

Li Banfeng thanked her profusely, but one thing she said puzzled him. "Madam, why do I have to walk close to the wall?"

The old woman lowered her voice. "Child, there are unclean things on this road. I'm afraid you might run into them. Since we're not related, I can't say much more, but you can't go wrong if you listen to me."

What a kind person!

Li Banfeng gave the old woman another twenty yuan. The moment he stepped out, he sensed danger.

What exactly was on this road?

Li Banfeng walked forward, keeping close to the wall, activating his Golden Eye and Autumn Hair technique to observe the center of the road.

Occasionally, pedestrians passed by, but he saw no spirits or anything similar. Could it be some kind of trap or mechanism...?

*Plop!*

Li Banfeng stepped into a mud pit.

There was a swamp right next to the wall.

The mud pit was bottomless and unmarked. The old woman, fearing passersby would discover it, had sprinkled a layer of loose soil over it beforehand, making it indistinguishable from ordinary ground.

Just as Li Banfeng was about to pull himself out, the old woman approached with a wooden pole. "Child," she said, "don't struggle; the more you struggle, the faster you'll sink. Don't worry, I'll pull you out."

She truly was a kind person.

Li Banfeng didn't need the old woman's help; with his skills, he could easily get out without even using any special techniques.

But the old woman was so insistent, holding the bamboo pole. "Child," she said, "we're not related, so I can't help you for nothing. How about this, you give me two thousand, and I'll pull you out."

Li Banfeng blinked. "Is two thousand appropriate?" he asked.

"Too expensive?" the old woman frowned. "Let me tell you, many people have drowned in this mud pit. Since we're not related, who else would bother to help you? If you think it's too expensive, then it's five thousand."

Li Banfeng was taken aback. "Is five thousand appropriate?"

"Ask again, and it'll be ten thousand!" The old woman's smile remained kind.

Li Banfeng nodded. "Ten thousand it is."

With that, Li Banfeng leaped out, grabbed the old woman, and tossed her into the mud pit.

Startled, the old woman spun on her toes, curled her body, and rolled out of the mud pit.

No wonder she dared to set a trap here; the old woman had cultivation, was very skilled, and wasn't afraid of retaliation.

Out of the mud pit, the old woman suddenly stood up, grabbed a handful of lime from her pocket, and tried to throw it in Li Banfeng's face.

Li Banfeng dodged, picked up the bamboo pole, and casually poked her, sending the old woman back into the mud pit.

The old woman tried to roll out again, but Li Banfeng, holding the pole, would send her back whenever she emerged. After several such back-and-forths, the old woman's strength failed, and she stayed still in the mud pit.

Li Banfeng stood by the mud pit, holding the bamboo pole, watching the old woman slowly sink. "So, you told me to walk close to the wall just to trap me here?" he asked unhurriedly.

"Who trapped you?" the old woman snapped. "Who told you to walk close to the wall? Ask anyone if they heard that!"

No need to ask. In this place, with no relations around, no one would have heard.

Li Banfeng said nothing, just quietly watched by the mud pit.

The old woman sank deeper and deeper, finally shouting, "I give up! Spare my life!"

"Ten thousand," Li Banfeng stated the price.

"You still want money?" the old woman fumed.

"Wasn't that the agreed-upon price just now?" Li Banfeng replied. "Since we're not related, why should I spare you if you don't pay?"

The old woman shouted to the people around, "Who will help me? I'll pay! I'll give two thousand!"

Two thousand was a good sum, but no one dared to approach.

Everyone could see Li Banfeng was not to be trifled with. Since they weren't related to the old woman, who would risk their life? Even the shop's assistants were just watching the spectacle.

The old woman gritted her teeth. "Ten thousand, I accept. Just let me out first."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Pay first."

The old woman yelled to an assistant inside the shop, "Bring ten thousand yuan!"

An assistant brought ten thousand yuan and handed it to Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng pocketed the money and asked, "I'm going to New Land. Those directions earlier weren't wrong, were they?"

"Absolutely correct!" the old woman replied crisply and loudly.

Li Banfeng remained motionless, watching as the mud rose past her waist. Finally, the old woman spoke the truth: "It's the third alley. Walk along the third alley until you reach the mountain path, then cross the mountain."

"How many entrances to New Land do you have here?"

"Just one!"

Li Banfeng left. The old woman struggled for a long time before finally freeing herself from the mud pit.

"Just you wait, you hear me!" the old woman gnashed her teeth incessantly. "Madam will definitely not let you off!"

Li Banfeng didn't trust the old woman, so he continued to ask people for directions to New Land's entrance along the way.

Asking for directions in Wuqin Township proved incredibly difficult. Li Banfeng never expected favors for free; he offered money. Yet, even with payment, he asked seven or eight people, and each gave a different location.

How did such a local custom develop? Even Lanyang Village wasn't this bad.

Night fell. Li Banfeng found a secluded spot, intending to hide his key and return to his portable residence for a sleep, when he suddenly felt a growing sense of danger.

Li Banfeng put away the key and saw a woman approaching from a distance, carrying a lantern.

The woman appeared to be around fifty years old, dressed in a diagonal-collared blouse with a blue background and small floral patterns. Her hair was tightly pinned with a hairpin on top of her head, and her temples were greased until they shined, likely with some unknown substance.

Such an old-fashioned attire was uncommon even in Puluo Prefecture. The woman approached Li Banfeng and said, "My name is Qiao Shaofen. Our Madam has sent me to invite you to her humble abode for a meeting."

"Who is your Madam?"

"Madam Wuqin, the master of Wuqin Township."

From her description, she sounded like a local deity.

Li Banfeng asked, "Since we're not related, why does she want to see me?"

Qiao Shaofen replied, "Our Madam admires your remarkable abilities and wishes to befriend you."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Your Madam has seen me?"

Qiao Shaofen nodded. "Earlier in the town, you encountered Madam's maid, Lü Dehua. Lü Dehua's cultivation is not low, yet she was powerless before you. Our Madam highly values talented young men like yourself."

"The Lü Dehua you mentioned, is she the noodle shop owner?"

Qiao Shaofen nodded.

Li Banfeng cupped his fist. "I thank Madam for her high regard. However, at this hour, it's not appropriate for a man like me to visit your Madam. Perhaps another day, I will prepare a gift and call upon her."

After saying this, Li Banfeng bid farewell and turned to leave, but Qiao Shaofen called out, "You're looking for directions, aren't you?"

Li Banfeng turned back. "How did you know?"

"Wuqin Township's east side used to border Moxian Store. For some unknown reason, an unfamiliar territory suddenly appeared there. The people in that territory are trapped and can't get out. Our Madam knew all along that you were here to rescue them."

Her understanding of the process was off; she thought Li Banfeng came from somewhere else.

However, the outcome was unaffected: Li Banfeng was indeed looking for a way out.

Qiao Shaofen continued, "Our Madam can show you the way, but if you refuse even a meeting, it would be disrespectful to her."

"That makes sense," Li Banfeng mused for a moment. "Would it be too much trouble for your Madam to meet me here instead?"

Qiao Shaofen frowned. "What kind of talk is that? For my Madam to come see you in the middle of the night, what kind of decorum would that be?"

Li Banfeng replied, "It's also improper for me to visit Madam's home. If Madam doesn't want to come, that's fine. Just give me a map, and I will be deeply grateful."

Qiao Shaofen's face darkened. "Wait here. I will report back to Madam."

She left, glancing back occasionally as if afraid Li Banfeng might follow.

Li Banfeng had no intention of tracking Qiao Shaofen.

Tracking required timing and skill. With the other party on high alert, even the best methods could easily fail.

Li Banfeng returned to his portable residence and asked his phonograph: "Wife, have you heard of Madam Wuqin?"

The phonograph replied, "Yes, I've heard of her. She's the local deity of Wuqin Township, but I know nothing about her. She doesn't easily associate with others."

"If she doesn't easily associate with others, why did she seek me out?"

The phonograph chuckled, "Perhaps she found my husband handsome!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yesterday, when I urinated, I looked at my reflection in a puddle. You know, I really am quite handsome."

The couple bantered for a while. Then, Li Banfeng took a knife, cut his palm, and let drops of blood fall onto a seed.

Qiao Shaofen returned, seeing Li Banfeng waiting by the roadside.

"Our Madam said it's indeed inconvenient to meet at this hour," she stated. "She asked me to lead the way for you. Since our two places are neighbors, it will be convenient for future interactions."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Thank you."

"The path is difficult in the dark; make sure to follow closely."

Li Banfeng bowed slightly. "I appreciate your effort."

The two walked one behind the other, following a mountain path over a small hill. Heavy fog lay ahead. Qiao Shaofen said, "We've reached New Land."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Thank you for the trouble."

They walked along the winding path for about ten miles. Qiao Shaofen pointed to an old tree stump ahead and said, "Let's rest here for a bit."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Thank you."

Before Li Banfeng could sit down, Qiao Shaofen suddenly spat at his feet.

Li Banfeng was startled. He felt the ground beneath his feet become wet, sticky, and soft. The once solid earth had turned into a mire, and his body began to sink rapidly.

What kind of Daoist technique was this?

He tried to struggle free, but Qiao Shaofen spat again.

The mire became even stickier and softer. Li Banfeng couldn't break free and was quickly submerged up to his chest in the sludge.

He stared at Qiao Shaofen in astonishment. Qiao Shaofen's expression was icy. "Since we're not related, who do you think you are, asking me to lead the way for you?"

Seeing Li Banfeng fully submerged in the mud, Qiao Shaofen took a breath, drew the two spatters of saliva back into her mouth. The mud pit on the ground vanished, leaving behind the hard, cold earth.

Qiao Shaofen turned and departed. After a few steps, she concealed her body and swiftly moved through the night.

Li Banfeng activated his Golden Eye and Autumn Hair technique and silently followed behind Qiao Shaofen.