Chapter 482: The Road Home

In the bridal chamber, Li Banfeng told Bulb to sit on the bed.

Bulb was very nervous and wanted to remove his red veil, but Li Banfeng refused. "It's better this way," Li Banfeng thought. The more nervous Bulb was under the veil, the better he would cooperate later.

As expected, after a moment of silent sitting, before Li Banfeng could even ask, Bulb spoke up first:

"Are you Li Qi? If so, please acknowledge me."

Li Banfeng remained silent.

Bulb whimpered twice, "Seventh Master, it was my fault for being ignorant, for not knowing my place or the immensity of the world. I went to Xiaoyao Dock on my own, without even greeting you. I just wanted to watch Jiang Mengting's concert. I didn't have a ticket, so I could only stand by the entrance. I absolutely had no other intentions."

Li Banfeng smiled, "Since you enjoy listening to songs so much, how about I find you a job at Xiaoyao Dock? You could listen to music every night without needing a ticket."

Bulb cried, "You're too kind, Seventh Master. Xiaoyao Dock has no use for someone like me. All my countless mistakes before were my fault. I've suffered so much; consider it my punishment. Seventh Master, if you're still angry, just hit me a couple more times. If two aren't enough, hit me until you're satisfied. I just beg you to spare my life!"

Li Banfeng was somewhat surprised. He remembered Bulb being quite clumsy with words and very nervous when speaking back when they first met at school, which had given Li Banfeng an opportunity for a sneak attack. Later, when he encountered Bulb at Xiaoyao Dock, he could sense a bit more maturity, but Bulb still wasn't very articulate. After not seeing him for some time, Bulb had changed considerably. His words flowed very smoothly, and Li Banfeng found them quite pleasant to hear. It had to be smooth; at the Hunter's Camp, even with Shen Xueyong looking out for him, speaking clearly was essential to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. These were lessons learned through blood and tears.

Li Banfeng said, "Sending you to Xiaoyao Dock is for your own good. You have a fair complexion and captivating eyes. Practice for a few days, and you might even become a singer."

"I'm not cut out for that, Seventh Master!"

"How will you know if you don't try? Being a singer earns far more than working for the Dark Star Bureau."

Even if Li Qi had mentioned the General Defense Office, Bulb might have tried to argue a bit longer. But Li Qi had mentioned the Dark Star Bureau directly, making further pretense pointless.

Bulb was silent for a moment, then sighed, "You know everything about me, so there's no point in hiding anymore. I'm from the Dark Star Bureau, sent here to Proland for training. I don't understand anything. My superiors ordered me to monitor you at Xiaoyao Dock, so I went, and I ended up in your hands. I'm just a nobody in the Dark Star Bureau, and still a nobody at the General Defense Office. Whatever they tell me to do, I do it. Seventh Master, please spare my life."

Li Banfeng lit a cigarette. "I can spare you. I'm inviting you to work at Xiaoyao Dock. Will you accept or not?"

"Seventh Master, stop joking, I really can't be a singer!"

"You don't have to be a singer. From now on, you'll be my informant."

"Uh..." Bulb was stunned for a long time. Could such a thing really be said? And so directly?

"What do you mean by informant?"

"What else could it mean? Whether you're in the Dark Star Bureau or the General Defense Office, if you learn anything about me in the future, you'll inform me in advance. Can you do that?"

Bulb repeatedly shook his head. "Seventh Master, aren't you asking me to be a spy? How could I have the courage for that? If you're going to force me like this, you might as well kill me."

"I can't kill you. There are still many people outside waiting to celebrate the bridal night with you." Li Banfeng stood up, as if to leave.

Bulb shouted loudly, "Seventh Master, don't leave! I agree, isn't that enough?"

Li Banfeng stopped and said, "What did you agree to? I didn't hear clearly."

"Whatever you say, I agree to!"

"Those outside are my brothers. I want you to celebrate the bridal night with them. Do you agree?"

"I can't agree to that. I agreed to the informant matter."

Li Banfeng asked with a smile, "To be clearer, what exactly about being an informant?"

Bulb said, word for word, "I will be your informant. Any information about you, whether from the Dark Star Bureau or the General Defense Office, I will tell you immediately."

Li Banfeng took out a contract paper, wrote up the agreement, and had Bulb press his handprint on it.

"I've already pressed my handprint," Bulb said. "At least let me see what's written on the contract."

"No rush, you'll have plenty of time to read it later," Li Banfeng said, lifting Bulb's red veil. "From now on, you are my person."

Bulb stammered, "Seventh Master, what are you going to do?"

Li Banfeng said, "I'm going to teach you some things to say. You must remember them, or it will cost you your life."

In the General Defense Office, Xia Shumin arrived at Liao Zihui's office with a document. "Chief Commissioner, some matters can no longer be contained. The Dark Star Bureau knows Bulb's whereabouts are unknown and demands an explanation from us."

Liao Zihui didn't even look up. "I'm aware of this. Just leave the file here."

Xia Shumin sensed something was off. Why was Liao Zihui so calm? He had seemed so anxious before, surely he was already on the right track. Could there have been some unforeseen development?

"Chief Commissioner, the Dark Star Bureau is pressing hard. We need to give them some kind of response. My phone is almost ringing off the hook."

"Phone?" Liao Zihui was taken aback. "You can still make calls?"

Xia Shumin had spoken carelessly. In Proland, regular phones didn't work; special communication devices were needed to contact other prefectures. He quickly corrected himself, "They contacted me through a communication device."

"Was it our office's communication device, or your own?" Liao Zihui kept his gaze on Xia Shumin. "If it was our office's equipment, I should know about it. If it was your own, then something's wrong, as setting up private communication devices violates our office regulations."

Xia Shumin's expression was awkward. Liao Zihui simply watched him, without saying a word. For a full two minutes, neither side spoke. Then Liao Zihui smiled and said, "Little Xia, your handling of Bulb's matter was indeed improper. Of course, your intentions were good; you wanted to train a newcomer. It's just that you weren't familiar with the situation in Proland, and your good intentions led to a bad outcome. It's not entirely your fault; I also bear some responsibility. You've been here for so long, and I haven't urged you to enhance your learning and understanding of Proland. Next, some foundational tasks will be assigned to you. This is an important opportunity for growth and experience, so you must seize it well. There are some ruffians in the Goat Horn Garden area who have been frequently engaging in group fights, injuring many people and causing a very bad impression. Please take some time to handle them."

"He wants me to handle brawling ruffians? Was this a warning, or an insult?"

Xia Shumin thought for a moment before saying, "Chief Commissioner, I believe the most pressing issue is still Bulb. The Dark Star Bureau sent someone, and now there's no news of him. We really..."

Before Xia Shumin could finish, Liao Zihui waved a hand, calling over his secretary, Ling Sujun. "Bring the information on those ruffians from Goat Horn Garden to Commissioner Xia. Also, call Bulb in."

Xia Shumin was stunned. "Call who?"

Liao Zihui smiled, "Bulb!"

"Which Bulb?"

"Which other Bulb? The trainee from the Dark Star Bureau, Dong Xiaoning!"

Before Xia Shumin could fully grasp the situation, Ling Sujun had already brought the person in. Bulb stood with his hands crossed below his waist, chest sunken, head bowed, looking flustered.

Xia Shumin stared for a while and realized it was indeed Bulb. "How... how are you still...?"

Liao Zihui laughed, "You want to say, 'How is he not dead yet,' right?"

Xia Shumin quickly stood up, grabbed Bulb's hand, and said, "You nearly killed me with worry! Where have you been all these days? There was no news at all."

Bulb said, "You sent me to Xiaoyao Dock to keep an eye on Li Qi. I went, and Li Qi moved around a lot, going to many places. Some places I wasn't familiar with, and after two days, I lost him."

"If you lost him, why didn't you just come back?!"

Bulb shook his head. "I couldn't come back with the mission incomplete. I checked the information you gave me, searched Li Qi's various properties, and indeed found him in Lanyang Village."

Xia Shumin was astonished. "You found Li Qi?"

"Yes, I found him. His subordinates were suppressing bandits near Lanyang Village, and Li Qi himself was there."

"He didn't notice you?"

"No," Bulb shook his head.

"He's a fifth-level Dark Energy user. With his abilities, he didn't notice you?" Xia Shumin found it hard to believe.

Bulb paused for a moment and said, "Commissioner Xia, did you expect Li Qi to discover me?"

Xia Shumin realized his words were inappropriate and quickly explained, "That wasn't an expectation; it was a deduction based on the strength of both parties."

Bulb paused again and said, "You could deduce that I would definitely be discovered by him? Then why did you still send me to monitor him?"

Xia Shumin was speechless; he couldn't talk his way out of this one. Don't assume that people of his rank don't make mistakes in their speech; they often do, it's just that no one dares to point it out. But today, Bulb dared to point it out, putting Xia Shumin in an awkward position. The reason was simple: Liao Zihui was watching nearby, and he had given Bulb the confidence to speak up.

Liao Zihui smiled, "Little Xia, I've had Sujun place the materials on your desk. Go and look into those ruffians in Goat Horn Garden first, and try to come up with a preliminary plan by tomorrow."

Liao Zihui offered an exit, and Xia Shumin quickly accepted the task and left the General Defense Office. Back in his own office, Xia Shumin's brows were tightly furrowed, his face tinged with anger. Today's events had been handled very poorly; he had been put on the defensive from the very beginning. The reason for being on the defensive was simple: he had severely insufficient information. He didn't know Bulb was alive, much less that Bulb had returned to the General Defense Office. This incident also served as a warning to him. The General Defense Office was Liao Zihui's territory. As long as Liao Zihui was there, it would be difficult for others to make waves.

At the Paramount, Liao Zihui brought Bulb into a star performer's private box and invited the popular singer Chang Hongjiao to perform. This was a private invitation for Bulb, specifically to calm his nerves; no one else was brought along. Was Liao Zihui entertaining Bulb like this out of concern for his subordinate? Not entirely. Bulb was only there for training; strictly speaking, he wasn't Liao Zihui's subordinate. Was he worried Bulb would spread rumors back at the Dark Star Bureau? No, that wasn't it either. Liao Zihui's status was vastly different from Bulb's. As long as Bulb was alive, whatever he might say wouldn't significantly affect Liao Zihui. The purpose of this was to investigate the relationship between Bulb and Li Qi. Bulb had followed Li Qi for so many days and hadn't been discovered; Liao Zihui also found this hard to believe. But he didn't intend to interrogate him. Instead, he wanted to subtly extract the information from Bulb. In this kind of setting and atmosphere, it was easy for people to let their guard down and say things they shouldn't.

After two songs, Liao Zihui asked Chang Hongjiao to step out temporarily, then lowered his voice and asked, "Xiao Ning, what do you think of this girl?"

Bulb shook his head. "I think she's just average."

"Just average?" Liao Zihui said in surprise. "Her looks, her figure, her singing – can't she compare to singers from other prefectures?"

"She's much stronger than the singers from my area. Besides, with my status, I don't get to interact with decent singers. When I said she's average, I was comparing her to Jiang Mengting."

"You've seen Jiang Mengting's concert too?"

Bulb lowered his voice. "Yes, I have. Li Qi took me."

Liao Zihui was surprised. "You know Li Qi?"

"Sort of," Bulb scratched his scalp. "I didn't know him when I was in Lanyang Village. After he returned from suppressing bandits there, Li Qi went back to Xiaoyao Dock, and I followed him. I wanted to see what he would do next. But then Li Qi sent someone to invite me in, saying he wanted me to watch a concert. So I went in, and I even watched it from a private room. I was quite scared at the time. Li Qi even came into the private room once and said a couple of things to me."

"What did he say?"

"He said I had it pretty hard and told me not to come again," Bulb said, feeling ashamed and lowering his head. "Chief Commissioner, did Li Qi know I was monitoring him all along?"

Liao Zihui didn't know how to respond. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I was ashamed," Bulb buried his head even deeper. "Chief Commissioner, am I useless?"

Liao Zihui smiled faintly and called Chang Hongjiao back to continue singing. It was just as he had suspected: Li Qi had long seen through Bulb's identity. What he hadn't expected was that Li Qi didn't act against Bulb but instead brought the matter out into the open. Was Li Qi actively trying to ease relations? Let's assume so. A couple of peaceful days wouldn't hurt.

Back at the portable residence, Li Banfeng asked Hong Ying, "Yingying, is there a technique that can kick someone really far away?"

Hong Ying thought for a moment and said, "That doesn't sound like a technique. When I was practicing martial arts, I learned a move called 'Horse Kick to Dantian,' which could kick a person about two *zhang* away."

"More than two *zhang*!" Li Banfeng waved his hand. "It can kick them several *li* away."

"Several *li*?" Hong Ying didn't quite understand.

Li Banfeng scratched his head. "Maybe even more. I fought that person at Yellow Earth Bridge. Afterwards, I went back to Yellow Earth Bridge to look, but I never saw him again. Could it be that I kicked him beyond Yellow Earth Bridge? And he flew away, but I flew away too, directly from Yellow Earth Bridge all the way to Green Water Bay."

Hong Ying said, "Seventh Brother, before you used the technique, were you unable to distinguish directions?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I really couldn't distinguish them before, but then, for some reason, I could again."

Hong Ying happily exclaimed, "Seventh Brother, you used the 'A Thousand Miles Apart' technique!"

Li Banfeng had heard descriptions of the 'A Thousand Miles Apart' technique before and thought it sounded similar. Hearing Hong Ying confirm it seemed to solidify the matter. "How did I learn this technique? I don't know the key points, and it's a ninth-level traveling cultivation technique."

"'A Thousand Miles Apart' isn't as complex as 'Intent Traveling Thousands of Mountains'; there are indeed cases of people learning it spontaneously," Hong Ying said, holding Li Qi's hand. "Seventh Brother, you've learned a ninth-level technique, which proves you've become a ninth-level cultivator! From now on, you'll definitely be able to distinguish between doors and households!"

The Gramophone sharply slapped Hong Ying. "What does that have to do with doors and households?"

"Hiss," Hong Ying rubbed her bottom, hissing several times. "You shrew, that really stung."

Li Banfeng explained, "I might have inadvertently borrowed the technique from Yingying at that time."

The Gramophone said, "My dear, you need to look carefully. Did you use a ninth-level technique on your own at that time, or did you use 'Willful Determination' to apply a technique beyond your level?"

Li Banfeng had also considered this question. The chance of using a technique beyond one's level was small. While 'Willful Determination' could indeed forcibly elevate one's level, using a technique beyond one's level would cause severe damage, a fact Li Banfeng knew well.

Hong Ying also believed Li Banfeng had advanced. "Seventh Brother walked on Ghost Blade Ridge for several days, so his cultivation should indeed have surged. Of course, gaining an entire level of cultivation isn't that easy. However, Seventh Brother mentioned that the situation on Ghost Blade Ridge had changed; the Blade Ghosts could now appear without waiting for thunderstorms. This is clearly more dangerous than before, so it's reasonable for Seventh Brother to have advanced directly to a higher level."

The Gramophone sighed, "Advancing so quickly, how can the body possibly withstand it?"

Hong Ying smiled, "Xiaowan, didn't Seventh Brother say that this technique was borrowed..."

"You dare to be so glib!" Zhao Xiaowan grabbed Hong Ying and gave her a good beating.

While being beaten, Hong Ying cried out, "He said it, why are you hitting me?"

Li Banfeng asked, "Yingying, where did that person I kicked away end up?"

Hong Ying rubbed her bottom and said, "That depends on where Seventh Brother wanted to send him."

"Anywhere I want?"

Hong Ying nodded. "That's what they say, but using it isn't so simple. The key to the 'A Thousand Miles Apart' technique lies in the 'departure path' and the 'return path.' The departure path refers to the other person, the one Seventh Brother wishes to send away. Before sending them away, wherever Seventh Brother thinks of is where that person will be sent. But two things must be done beforehand. First, you must think clearly. The destination must be a familiar place, and every detail must be pictured clearly. Even the slightest blur will lead to an error. When I was in the army, I once wanted to send an enemy leader to our own camp to have Xiaowan deal with him. During the fighting, my intent became a little vague, and I accidentally sent him into our own granary. Because of that, this wicked woman beat me with a hundred and twenty rods. Whenever I think of it, I feel wronged..."

At this point, Hong Ying's voice trembled slightly. The Gramophone was furious: "A hundred and twenty military rods is too much? Just because you, you wretch, flinched for a moment, the entire army's grain was burned!"

Hong Ying continued, "The second thing is that you must distinguish directions clearly. If you can't distinguish directions, the technique can still be used, but it's hard to say where the enemy will fly, and you won't know where you yourself will fly."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "So, there's a deviation from the imagined destination."

Hong Ying shook her head. "It's not a deviation; it should be said that there's absolutely no connection. In a moment of desperation, I once used 'A Thousand Miles Apart' on my mother. At the time, my mother was about to discipline me, and I just wanted to push her into the garden and then find a chance to escape. But I didn't distinguish directions clearly at the time, and I accidentally pushed my mother into the latrine, where she fell into the pit and almost drowned. After she got out of the latrine, my mother beat me for two whole days. Thinking of that, I feel wronged..."

Li Banfeng comforted her, "Yingying, don't cry. You were beaten too little. Tell me more about distinguishing directions."

Hong Ying said, "This involves the 'return path.' No matter how high a Traveling Cultivator's cultivation, when using 'A Thousand Miles Apart,' they will inevitably lose their sense of direction. To regain it, they must first leave a 'tie,' and this tie is called the return path."

"What is a tie?"

"A tie is like a large flag at a camp, or an anchor on a boat. How exactly to explain it, I can't quite say. I used to have two ropes, rare magical artifacts that were my most useful ties. During battle, I would tie one rope around my waist and bury the other in a safe place. After performing 'A Thousand Miles Apart,' the rope around my waist would tighten, creating a connection with the buried rope. This allowed me to distinguish directions and find my return path. After sending the enemy away, I would follow the return path back to a safe place. Unfortunately, those two ropes were lost on the battlefield. Thinking of that, my heart aches..."

The Gramophone said, "Yingying, don't be sad. Someday, I'll make you a chain and tie it around your neck."

Hong Ying snorted coldly. "Such magical artifacts are definitely hard to find, but there are other ways to set up a return path. For example, carrying a high-grade communication artifact and having a reliable helper send a message at a critical moment. This method is quite common. The only trouble is that if you send it too early, before the technique is used, it's useless. If you send it too late, both sides won't know where they've flown to. So, the helper must be alert, and the plan must be thorough."

The Gramophone scoffed, "Oh, my dear, do you regret it now? This 'A Thousand Miles Apart' technique is truly not easy to use."

Hong Ying was unconvinced. "Who says it's not easy to use? Bring out your Dwelling Cultivation ninth-level technique, and let's compare which one is better!"

Li Qi said, "My dear, we can't take this loss. Show her the Dwelling Cultivation ninth-level technique!"

The Gramophone sighed, "Why are you so impatient, my dear? Just wait a few days to rest, and your humble servant will naturally guide you to the ninth level. But once you reach the ninth level, you must be prepared: will you abandon your physical body to ascend to the tenth level, or will you bypass the tenth level to ascend to the clouds?"

Li Banfeng said, "Hasn't this already been decided? I created a territory to impersonate a local deity, precisely to bypass the tenth level and ascend to the clouds, didn't I?"

"That's true, but you've advanced so quickly, I'm afraid your physique won't keep up. If you forcibly take on cloud-level cultivation, your humble servant believes it would still be too dangerous."

Li Banfeng also felt he had advanced too quickly. "Then I'll focus on strengthening my physique."

"You not only need to rest, but you also need to keep your advancement a secret. Don't let anyone know about reaching the ninth level."

Li Banfeng knew the importance of concealing one's cultivation, but his wife's warning this time was distinctly different from before. "Is there anything special about the ninth level?" Lu Dongliang was a publicly known ninth-level cultivator, and Bao Yingchen, the Great Gold Seal of the Three Heroes Sect, would occasionally hint that he was also ninth-level.

His wife said, "The ninth level is like a dragon among men. Reaching this level will attract attention from the Inner Prefecture. If you wish to cultivate in the Inner Prefecture in the future, not only should you not hide your identity, but it would be best to reveal it. If you can make some friends in the Inner Prefecture, you'll have some connections and support when you get there."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I'm definitely not going to the Inner Prefecture. Most of the 'friends' I made in the Inner Prefecture ended up in my stomach."

The Gramophone said, "So, my dear, you need to go over it carefully. The people who have seen your ninth-level technique cannot be allowed to go around blabbing."

Currently, only Wan Jinxian had seen his ninth-level technique. Where did I send that old geezer? At the time, I was thinking of Ghost Blade Ridge, but that place isn't convenient for me to check.

Jianren Ridge, Songde Village.

A man's corpse lay tattered, gnawed by Blade Ghosts.

Cui Tike walked forward, frowning. "Senior Brother, what has happened to you?"

He tried to move the body, but a Blade Ghost nearby, prostrate on the ground, let out a mournful cry.

"Squeak!"

Cui Tike still moved the corpse. "Senior Brother, don't eat this kind of thing anymore. I have human food here." He handed the Blade Ghost a can. The Blade Ghost took the can, sniffed it, then threw it aside. It disliked the taste of seasoning.

Cui Tike picked up the can, opened the tin lid, and said, "Senior Brother, try it again. See if you can recall some memories." The Blade Ghost took the can, extended its tongue, and licked the broth inside. The familiar taste touched its taste buds, seemingly making the Blade Ghost remember something. It ate a piece of beef, and as it chewed carefully, some expression seemed to appear on its bloated, numb face.

Cui Tike leaned closer and asked, "Senior Brother, do you remember anything? How did you get here?"

The Blade Ghost remained still, like a clay sculpture. After a long time, it suddenly raised its head and smacked the can, broth and meat included, onto Cui Tike's face. "Squeak, squeak," it seemed to convey that it was unpalatable.

This Blade Ghost, who was once Wan Jinxian, moved on all fours with nimble steps and left the village. Outside the village, a female Blade Ghost was waiting for him. The two faced each other, prostrated on the ground, first circling each other twice, then letting out a few mournful howls before entering a small grove together.

Cui Tike sighed at the sight. "Senior Brother seems to have forgotten the troubles of this world."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Jinxian emerged from the small grove with nimble steps. The female Blade Ghost followed behind, her growls seemingly laced with curses and mockery.

Cui Tike glanced at his pocket watch, shook his head, and said, "Some troubles seem to remain."

Wan Jinxian couldn't stand the female Blade Ghost's pestering, and they began to fight. Cui Tike observed for a moment and saw rashes appearing on the female Blade Ghost's body. Rashes...

After Wan Jinxian left, Cui Tike approached the female Blade Ghost, signaling that he was a more superior male. The female Blade Ghost accepted Cui Tike. In the grove, Cui Tike carefully observed her back. Rashes were growing at an astonishing speed, confirming it was indeed a technique from the 'Illness Cultivation' path.

Wan Jinxian could still use techniques! What about the other Blade Ghosts? Cui Tike smiled. If Blade Ghosts could indeed retain their cultivation and techniques to some extent from their former lives, his plan could be initiated earlier.