Chapter 476: Who Created the Taoist Sect

Li Banfeng sprinted up the hillside as the Judge's Brush flew low, trying to lift him. The forest was dense, making it difficult for the Judge's Brush to fly alone; lifting Li Banfeng was an even greater challenge. Li Banfeng held his breath and kept running forward, gesturing for the Judge's Brush to go on ahead.

A Blade Wraith sprayed a cloud of black mist at Li Banfeng. He dodged with a Kuibu step, then used Tapo Wanchuan to kick the Blade Wraith, riddling its body with holes. To his surprise, the Blade Wraith's body didn't shatter; it was tougher than Li Banfeng had anticipated.

Ahead, two Blade Wraiths blocked his path. Li Banfeng focused his gaze, intending to use Zouma Guanhua, but above him, two more Blade Wraiths moved back and forth through the trees, ready to ambush. If he tried to guard against all the surrounding Blade Wraiths, he couldn't keep his gaze fixed on one spot. What would happen if a Blade Wraith sprayed him? Li Banfeng suspected that the painter Fu Taiyue had transformed into his current state after being sprayed by a Blade Wraith.

The dense thicket ahead made progress difficult. Li Banfeng used Duanjing to force a path, pushing the trees aside. After bursting through the foliage, he felt his throat tighten and a dull pain in his chest. Holding his breath for so long, sprinting continuously, and using techniques, Li Banfeng was starting to falter.

The terrain ahead opened up slightly. The Judge's Brush observed for a moment, then called out, "Take a breath!" Just as Li Banfeng inhaled, a Blade Wraith charged from the left, spewing black mist. Strange. Why hadn't he sensed the danger beforehand?

The Wine Gourd sprayed a cloud of alcohol mist at the Blade Wraith. Li Banfeng flicked a match, setting the creature ablaze. The Blade Wraith, still fully engulfed in flames, continued its pursuit, seemingly unaffected. Li Banfeng didn't linger to fight. He just dashed downhill. Ahead, over a dozen Blade Wraiths leapt and charged towards him. The Teapot splashed tea water, creating a barrier to block them. Li Banfeng detoured, continuing his frantic run.

Boom! Thunder rumbled continuously, and rain poured down. More and more Blade Wraiths appeared, shrouded in black mist. Li Banfeng couldn't catch his breath, and there was no space left to dodge. As the Blade Wraiths gradually sealed off every escape route, Li Banfeng's situation grew increasingly perilous. If he could use Guanmen Bihui, he could probably eliminate a large number of Blade Wraiths, but his Traveling Dwelling wasn't with him.

In this life-or-death moment, Li Banfeng recalled the mud pit outside the Wuginxiang Restaurant. The pit was deep and soft; anyone who stepped in sank very quickly. He used Yixing Qianshan to move the mud pit. Seeing a Blade Wraith leap into the air, Li Banfeng placed the mud pit exactly where it would land. Splish! The Blade Wraith landed squarely in the mud pit, its body rapidly sinking. Using this brief opening, Li Banfeng stepped on the Blade Wraith's head and burst through the encirclement. As the technique vanished, so did the mud pit, leaving the Blade Wraith stuck in the ground, unable to escape.

This move worked! In the Lan-Yang Village New Land, on the path to the orange grove, there was a Red Clay Hill. Its marshy ground was also very soft. Li Banfeng had walked there many times and was very familiar with it. He used all his strength to move a large section of the swamp, trapping dozens of Blade Wraiths. This maneuver was extremely successful, gaining Li Banfeng considerable time and space. However, the cost was severe; moving such a large marshland had nearly exhausted his stamina.

Stumbling down the hillside, Li Banfeng didn't forget what Fu Taiyue had said. Getting off the mountain wasn't complete safety; he still needed to run a few more miles. Taking advantage of the absence of black mist around him, Li Banfeng caught his breath and dashed forward with all his might.

Chu Er was on her plot of land, preparing for a final battle, when she saw Li Qi rushing toward her from afar. "What happened?" Li Qi waved to Chu Er, signaling her to quickly lead her people away. Chu Er wanted to rush over and help Li Qi, but someone beside her warned, "Second Miss, you can't go. We're still reclaiming land; we can't cross the boundary, or the reclamation will be considered a failure."

The ground churned, and several Blade Wraiths burst out. Li Banfeng was thrown to the ground with the churned earth. A Blade Wraith lunged at him, but he rolled to dodge. Another Blade Wraith stood by, which Li Banfeng kicked away. A third Blade Wraith waited nearby, holding black mist in its mouth. Li Banfeng couldn't dodge. He took off his top hat, hoping to block the poisonous mist, unsure if it would help.

Just as the Blade Wraith opened its mouth to spray the black mist, Chu Er ran over, kicked the creature away, and pulled Li Qi up from the ground. Li Qi stood up. Chu Er's body trembled, but she gritted her teeth and ran forward. Seeing Chu Er was slow, Li Banfeng hoisted her onto his shoulder and charged forward. After running for more than a mile, the remaining Blade Wraiths stopped chasing. They didn't want to stray too far from Blade Wraith Ridge.

Li Qi set Chu Er down and was about to thank her, but he saw Chu Er trembling all over, collapsing to the ground. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Li Banfeng tried to help her up. Chu Er crawled to the side, shaking her head. "Don't touch me. Don't get infected." Drops of black liquid, mixed with bright red blood, flowed down the back of Chu Er's head. She had been sprayed by the Blade Wraith's black mist.

Chu Er endured the pain and quietly asked, "That was a Blade Wraith just now, wasn't it?" A young lady from a wealthy family indeed had good discernment. Li Banfeng nodded. A healer stepped forward and said, "Miss, please sit down and rest. While the poisoning isn't too deep, let's think of a way." Chu Er scoffed, "What way could you possibly think of? The only way to cure Blade Wraith poisoning is to cut off the affected part."

Li Banfeng remembered Fu Taiyue's conversation with his portrait. Fu Taiyue had rushed down the mountain, poisoned in his right hand. If he had cut off his right hand, he could have survived. But Chu Er was injured at the back of her head.

"Come on, do it," Chu Er drew a curved blade and threw it to Li Banfeng. "Do what?" Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment. "Cut off my head," Chu Er replied calmly. "Are you mad?" "What else can I do? Become like them." Chu Er pointed to Blade Wraith Ridge in the distance. Once poisoned by a Blade Wraith, after the poison takes effect, one transforms into a Blade Wraith.

Li Qi stared blankly at Chu Er. Chu Er lowered her head, eyes rolling upwards to look at Li Qi. The back of her head swelled at a visible rate. After a moment of eye contact, Chu Er felt extremely dry-mouthed and wanted to swallow. Another healer stepped forward and said, "Second Miss, whatever you do, don't swallow. Your mouth is full of toxic liquid now. Please bear with it for a while. Don't eat or drink. Let's think of a way together. I remember reading in a medical book that there's a 'Shattered Heart Orchid' in Kucai Zhuang. If you crush it and hold it in your mouth, you'll be cured in three days."

Li Banfeng told Chu Er, "Wait here. I'll be back soon." Chu Er shook her head. "No need to go. Shattered Heart Orchid is useless." The healer by her side insisted, "Second Miss, I truly saw it in a medical book..." "Throw that medical book away; it's all lies," Chu Er said, clearly knowledgeable about Kucai Zhuang. "I've seen people go to Kucai Zhuang for Shattered Heart Orchid specifically to cure Blade Wraith poison. That person held dozens of Shattered Heart Orchids in their mouth, lasted five whole days, and still turned into a Blade Wraith."

Another healer said, "There's a 'Three-Eyed Bamboo' in Qishui Yao New Land. Wrapping its leaves around the wound can detoxify it!" Li Banfeng was about to go to Qishui Yao, but Chu Er stopped him, shaking her head. "That's useless too." "Have you seen Three-Eyed Bamboo?" Chu Er thought for a moment, her expression a little dazed. "Have I seen it? I think I have. Where did I see it? Was it in Qishui Yao? Have I even been to Qishui Yao...?" The healer said, "Second Miss, please don't rush. If you forget some things, it's fine, but whatever you do, don't forget what's important." "What's important?" Chu Er retorted. "It means, the most important thing in your life..." The healer couldn't explain it clearly either.

Cui Tick said, "If you're poisoned by a Blade Wraith, you must remember who you are. Once you forget yourself, you'll immediately turn into a ghost." Fu Taiyue had painted so many portraits of himself, from youth to old age, precisely to remember who he was. Chu Er suddenly let out a laugh. "Whether I change early or late, it's still changing. Why suffer? Oh, right, I'm a bitter cultivator! I remember now, I can endure a lot of hardship, but why do I have to endure it...?" Her memory was rapidly fading.

Li Qi touched the Judge's Brush. The Judge's Brush sighed. He didn't know the method of detoxification. Li Qi tapped the Wine Gourd. The Wine Gourd sighed, "Even when Old Yao was alive, there was no way to cure Blade Wraith poison."

Li Qi told Chu Er, "Keep remembering who you are. Don't drink water or eat anything. Wait here for me to return." Fu Taiyue had held on for so many days, so Chu Er could definitely endure it too. As long as she could hold out, he could definitely find a way to cure her. The key was who to find. First, he'd ask his wife, then the Traveling Dwelling. If no one in his household knew, he'd go to Kucai Zhuang to find Granny Ku. Granny Ku would certainly look after her disciple, but could Granny Ku cure Chu Er? Chu Er had just said that someone had transformed into a Blade Wraith in Kucai Zhuang, so Granny Ku might not have a solution either. Then he'd find the Peddler. If the Peddler couldn't help, he'd find Sun Tiecheng. If Sun Tiecheng couldn't, there was Old Xu... He couldn't let Chu Er die like this. He couldn't owe her a life like this.

"Don't go!" Chu Er cried out, gritting her teeth. "I saved you. You should be the one to see me off for this last journey!" Li Qi didn't respond, continuing forward. Chu Er took a knife from a subordinate. "Forget it. If I live, you'll despise me, and if I die and turn into that ugly ghost, you'll despise me even more. I'll just end it myself." She was about to commit suicide. Li Banfeng snatched the knife away and prepared to tie Chu Er up with a rope. Chu Er shouted, "If you dare tie me up, I'll die right now. I can poison myself just by swallowing my saliva." Li Banfeng put down the rope.

Chu Er shouted to everyone, "You all leave. Let me speak to Li Qi alone. While I still remember, I need to say all these things!" Cui Tick, standing nearby, said, "Before you send me away, could you allow me to attempt a treatment?" Almost forgetting about the foreigner, Chu Er looked at Cui Tick, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Li Banfeng was deeply skeptical. Cui Tick was good at treating illnesses, but not at detoxification. Was he going to experiment on Chu Er?

Cui Tick said candidly, "I have read descriptions of Blade Wraiths in some books, but I have never actually seen such a creature. In all the medical texts I've encountered, Blade Wraith poison is incurable. I am going to make an attempt now. I can't say how high the success rate of this attempt will be, but I can guarantee that it won't delay you too much. That is to say, even if I fail, Li Qi will still have enough time to try other treatment methods, and you will have enough time to say what you want to say." Chu Er looked at Li Qi and nodded. She had resolved to die, but she hadn't given up the desire to live. Li Qi had no reason to stop Cui Tick. The treatment began immediately.

Cui Tick requested everyone to clear the area, leaving only Chu Er and Li Qi. He told Li Qi, "Her injury is too close to the brain. During the treatment, I don't want Miss Chu Er to succumb to the poison due to memory loss. This would not only ruin all my efforts but also endanger my life. Therefore, I need your help. While I'm treating her, you must keep Miss Chu Er's self-awareness clear. Simply put, don't let her forget who she is."

Cui Tick's treatment began. There were no medicines, no instruments. He simply had Chu Er lie flat on the ground. Cui Tick sat beside Chu Er, motionless as a clay sculpture. Li Banfeng asked Chu Er, "What's your name?" "Chu Huaiyuan." "What cultivation path do you follow?" "Bitter Cultivation." "Are you male or female?" Chu Er glanced at Li Qi. "Do you want me to take off my clothes to show you?" Li Qi didn't know what to ask. He had never had much to say to Chu Er.

"Why did you save me?" Chu Er chuckled, "Don't pretend to be ignorant when you know perfectly well. I'm interested in you. Didn't you realize?" "Why are you interested in me?" "With me, there aren't so many 'whys'." "Did you do all that to Ma Wu, making him like that?" Chu Er shook her head. "A small part was me, but mostly it was the Ling brothers. I dealt with Ma Wu because he stole my business; I wanted revenge. As for why the Ling brothers dealt with Ma Wu, I don't know the reason. They're part of the Brotherhood Alliance, so it might be related to Lu Xiaolan."

Li Qi was startled. "You know about the Brotherhood Alliance?" Chu Er chuckled. "In your eyes, I'm just a stupid, clumsy madwoman, aren't I?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "I don't think you're mad." Chu Er clenched her fists, then let out a long breath. "Not only do I know about the Brotherhood Alliance, I also know that its leader is He Jiaqing. I know He Jiaqing is in another prefecture, but he's actually been secretly controlling the Brotherhood Alliance. His reason for targeting Ma Wu might be for the Brotherhood Alliance's interests, or it could be personal animosity, since both of them were once Lu Xiaolan's fiances." The probability of it being personal animosity was low. As far as Li Banfeng knew, neither Ma Wu nor He Jiaqing cared much about Lu Xiaolan.

Li Banfeng then asked Chu Er, "You clearly know the Brotherhood Alliance's goals and complexity, so why did you still cooperate with them?" Chu Er blinked. "We've known each other for a while now. Do you really think I overthink things when I do them?" "So buying Bailimen was also at the Brotherhood Alliance's instigation?" "I genuinely wanted Bailimen, though, yes, their instigation was certainly a factor." Li Banfeng would need to re-evaluate Chu Er, assuming she managed to survive.

Chu Er looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Are you feeling a little bit sorry for me?" Li Banfeng touched his chest and shook his head. "No pain." Chu Er sat up, her face filled with anger. "Do you even have a heart? You gnawed your own heart out and ate it long ago!"

Li Qi stared at the back of Chu Er's head for a long time. The swelling on the back of her head seemed to have vanished. Li Qi's gaze shifted to Cui Tick. Cui Tick's cheeks twitched repeatedly, slowly swelling up. Had he transferred the poison from Chu Er to himself? This shouldn't be possible. In Li Banfeng's impression, Cui Tick could only transfer lesions, not toxins.

Chu Er looked at Cui Tick in surprise. "You cured me?" Cui Tick looked at Chu Er and smiled faintly. "Miss, I didn't cure you for your sake. Could you please leave for a moment? I have something to say to Li Qi." Chu Er looked at Cui Tick's condition, then at his gaze towards Li Qi. After a long moment of bewilderment, Chu Er lowered her head and walked away into the distance, looking crestfallen.

Cui Tick looked at Li Qi and slowly said, "Don't ask me why I did this. With me, there aren't so many 'whys'." Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "I won't ask." Cui Tick then asked, "In your eyes, am I a paranoid, crazy foreigner?" Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer. "Seeing me like this, do you feel a little bit sorry for me?" Cui Tick's face swelled up, the lumps on his forehead almost covering his eyes, and the swelling in his cheeks nearly submerging his lips. Li Banfeng touched his chest and said, "I truly don't feel any pain."

Cui Tick looked at Li Banfeng, breathing with difficulty. "I, I still have one unfulfilled wish. I, I hope you can help me achieve it. If anyone asks what Blade Wraith poison is like, you must tell them..." "Tell them what?" "Tell them it's simply... delicious!" Cui Tick took a deep breath, and his swollen cheeks slowly receded. He seemed to be sucking something from inside his cheeks. Gulp! Gulp! Cui Tick swallowed several gulps of an unknown liquid, and his entire face gradually returned to normal. His face was normal, but Cui Tick's stomach was in distress. He clutched his chest, coughing incessantly, until he coughed up blood, and his breathing finally eased. "The taste... so primal, so pure, as perfect as sashimi."

Li Qi looked at Cui Tick and said, "You've deciphered the Blade Wraith poison?" Cui Tick shook his head. "Not precisely. First, it's not a poison; it's a lesion. In the parlance of foreign lands, it should be called a prion. Biologically, prions are classified in different ways, but to me, a prion is a form of life. Controlling living lesions is a fundamental principle of my cultivation path. The virus in Blade Wraiths is very potent. Whether I can control it depends on my strength and luck. I didn't originally possess such power, but the Ancestor's strength greatly assisted me, and my luck today was also exceptionally good."

"So, you've controlled the virus in the Blade Wraiths?" "Not yet," Cui Tick shook his head. "It's not as easy as it seems. Once infected with the Blade Wraith virus, it's incurable unless the corresponding body part is amputated. Doesn't this characteristic sound familiar to you? Does it remind you of a certain infectious disease? Does it remind you of the Ancestor of my cultivation path? The lesions he caused are also incurable." Li Banfeng nodded slightly. When considering only this characteristic, there were indeed some similarities.

Cui Tick continued, "But there's one thing that needs to be verified: Was the Ancestor there first, or the Blade Wraiths? Puluo Prefecture has no well-formed history, and some historical stories lack clear timelines. This is very similar to my homeland; stripping history is an effective way to strip souls. However, from some rough estimations based on existing documents, I believe Blade Wraith Ridge existed before the Ancestor of my cultivation path." Li Qi said, "So you think the Ancestor of your cultivation path was a Blade Wraith, not a Greenwater Beggar?"

Cui Tick pondered for a moment. "That explanation is still not precise. Blade Wraiths possess a special ability, which comes from the prions within them, and the prions' ability comes from dark matter. From this perspective, Blade Wraiths can be called 'dark energy users,' very primitive ones, but still a far cry from a true cultivation path. In my homeland, there are many such dark energy users; they are called shamans. They have dark abilities but cannot use them freely, requiring many complex rituals. I know a witch who spent two full days preparing rituals to use wall-passing sorcery, while for you, it was merely a simple use of a fourth-tier Traveling Cultivation technique. The shamans in my homeland don't have the concept of a cultivation path, let alone mature techniques. When facing hunters, they have very few means of resistance. Who truly founded the cultivation path, and who was the progenitor of disease cultivation—that is the crux of the matter."

Cui Tick's description reminded Li Banfeng of the Inner Amikan Nation that Ling Miaosheng had mentioned. But at this moment, Li Banfeng was more concerned about another question: "You've actually been interested in Blade Wraith Ridge for a long time, haven't you?" Cui Tick nodded. "Did you move Blade Wraith Ridge here?" "I don't possess that kind of power." Li Banfeng then asked, "You must have been to Blade Wraith Ridge before." Cui Tick shook his head. "Blade Wraith Ridge is on Yangcha Mountain. In Puluo Prefecture, only a specific type of person can ascend Yangcha Mountain." "What kind of people?" "Those who can find the entrance to Yangcha Mountain. Yangcha Mountain belongs to the 'Right Land.' The Right Land has three divisions: the front three-tenths, the middle three-tenths, and the rear three-tenths. Besides these nine-tenths of land, there is also one-tenth of 'Unidentified Land,' and Yangcha Mountain belongs to the Unidentified Land." Li Banfeng was familiar with this concept; Ma Wu had told him about it.

"Is Yangcha Mountain similar to Kucai Zhuang?" "Similar, yet different," Cui Tick explained. "Both Yangcha Mountain and Kucai Zhuang are Unidentified Lands; in that respect, they are the same. But Kucai Zhuang has entrances everywhere; every region in Puluo Prefecture can reach Kucai Zhuang. Yangcha Mountain is the opposite; it has no entrances, or rather, no entrances that can be reached through normal means. As for why an entrance appeared in this New Land, I can't figure it out either." At this point, Cui Tick suddenly smiled. Li Banfeng knew why he was smiling. "No need to worry about why. This entrance suits you perfectly. You can go and investigate the origins of the cultivation path."

Cui Tick nodded. "My luck is good, but if I truly want to investigate thoroughly, I still need the help of the local land god." "What does that have to do with the local land god?" Cui Tick stood up, looking at the distant mountain. "The appearance of Blade Wraith Ridge is good for others, but a big trouble for the local land god. The local land god will soon seal off the entrance to this mountain. Then it will be difficult for me to go up. Li Qi, I saved Chu Er's life, and Chu Er saved yours, which means I saved your life. You must help me with this." "How can I help you?" "Talk to the local land god and get me three days, so I can freely enter and exit Blade Wraith Ridge every day." "Three days, that long?" "I have no choice. Blade Wraiths only appear on Blade Wraith Ridge during thunderstorms. I can't predict which day it will rain."

Woo-woo, woo-woo! The train whistled, urging Li Banfeng to return quickly. Li Banfeng stood up. "I'll go ask for you and see if three days is possible." Letting Cui Tick go up the mountain was easy, but blocking the mountain entrance wouldn't be as simple. But not blocking it wasn't an option either; otherwise, in a while, the entire area would be overrun with Blade Wraiths. How exactly did this Blade Wraith Ridge come to be here? Was there a way to send it away?

Passing Chu Er's camp, he saw her packing her belongings. Li Banfeng cleared his throat. "You saved me just now. I haven't thanked you yet." "Don't thank me. Thank that foreigner instead. A life for a life; we're even now." "Are you leaving in such a hurry?" It was rare for Li Banfeng to ask an extra question. Chu Er lowered her head, packing her clothes as she said, "What else would I do but leave? I crossed the boundary, so the land reclamation has failed. According to the New Land's rules, I can't reclaim land within this hundred-mile radius anymore." "There's room for discussion. I'll talk to the local land god. Your land reclamation here could barely be considered successful for three days." Chu Er put down her clothes. "You know the local land god?" "We have some acquaintance." "Alright then. I'll wait for your news." Li Banfeng pulled down the brim of his hat and left. Chu Er sat in her tent, thinking about Li Qi's appearance just now, and couldn't help but smile. "This taste is still the same."

Back in the Traveling Dwelling, the Phonograph was frantic. "Husband, did you go to Blade Wraith Ridge!" Li Banfeng was startled. "My dear wife, how did you know? Even I didn't realize I was on Blade Wraith Ridge. With the thunderstorms and Blade Wraiths everywhere, I almost lost my life." He recounted his experience on Blade Wraith Ridge, and his wife was terrified. "Oh, husband, this is my fault. You first said a painter came and painted a mountain, and I truly thought it was a painter's technique. But seeing your cultivation rapidly increase these past two days, I suspected you went to Blade Wraith Ridge." "Where was Blade Wraith Ridge originally? Why did it appear in my territory?" "My dear husband, no one can say for sure where Blade Wraith Ridge truly is. Many things about the Unidentified Lands cannot be clearly explained. As for why Blade Wraith Ridge appeared in your territory, it might be related to the Heavenly Heart Stone." "Does Blade Wraith Ridge produce Heavenly Heart Stones?" "No, that's not it. Heavenly Heart Stones have guiding properties. I suspect someone deliberately placed a Heavenly Heart Stone in your territory, drawing the entrance to Blade Wraith Ridge here."

Li Banfeng stroked his chin. "Who is trying to harm me?" Hong Ying said, "No matter who is trying to harm you, if you send the Heavenly Heart Stone away, you can send Blade Wraith Ridge away too." The Traveling Dwelling heard this and was furious. "No, that won't do! The Heavenly Heart Stone has already been made into a station. It's too late to dismantle it." The Gloves popped out of Li Banfeng's pocket. "Old Man, we need to be reasonable! You dismantled the Huantu Station before, and that Huantu was usable too. Why can't the Heavenly Heart Stone be dismantled?" The Traveling Dwelling snorted. "This is a crafting method! What would a mere scoundrel like you know?"

Li Banfeng was still pondering who had placed the Heavenly Heart Stone here. Was this person targeting him? Could it be that his identity as the local land god had already been exposed? "My dear wife, is there a way to temporarily seal off the entrance to Blade Wraith Ridge? I want to investigate some matters." "About that..." His wife seemed hesitant. Hong Ying said, "It can't be sealed. No matter what methods you use, someone will always take risks to go up." "What's so good about that place? Why does everyone want to go up?" "Qilang, Blade Wraith Ridge is a treasured place for cultivation. Traveling Cultivators can explore dangerous terrain there, Literary Cultivators can inspire their literary thoughts, Martial Cultivators can fight against Yin energy and temper their bodies, and Nightmare Cultivators can collect Yin energy and command spirits. If I'm not mistaken, thirty-three different cultivation paths can gain great advantages on Blade Wraith Ridge. After going up the mountain, their cultivation advances by leaps and bounds. How many people do you think can resist such temptation?"

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead, finding the situation increasingly difficult. But he also gained a very important piece of information: Hong Ying knew about Blade Wraith Ridge but not about the Greenwater Beggar. This suggested that Blade Wraith Ridge likely existed before the Greenwater Beggar, confirming Cui Tick's hypothesis. The Phonograph consoled him, "Oh, husband, Blade Wraiths all want to return to Blade Wraith Ridge. They generally don't stray far, so you don't need to worry too much." Indeed, the few Blade Wraiths that chased Li Banfeng hadn't gone far. But with Blade Wraith Ridge here, all the strange creatures unable to resist the temptation would go up the mountain, and very few would return alive. Once the news spread, who knew how many people would come seeking it. By then, many people would notice Li Banfeng's territory, and Li Furong's identity would quickly be exposed.

Just when he was at a loss, the Traveling Dwelling spoke. "There are still two Heavenly Heart Stones left; they're not unusable. You think of a destination, and I'll figure out a way to send Blade Wraith Ridge away." Send it away. But where could it be sent?

"Where did you send Blade Wraith Ridge when I told you to bring it here?" On Sage Peak, in the Sage's Residence, the Sage sat in his study, waiting for Chu Shaoqiang to give him a reasonable explanation. Chu Shaoqiang sat opposite him and replied, "There was an unexpected turn of events midway; the guiding Heavenly Heart Stone was suddenly lost." The Sage asked, "Where was it lost?" Chu Shaoqiang replied, "It should be in the New Land. I'm still investigating." "When will you have results from your investigation?" Chu Shaoqiang disliked the Sage's attitude, but given the other's status, he maintained sufficient restraint. "I'll give you an answer in three days at most."