Chapter 507: Who Is the Ship Captain

Puluo Prefecture, Haichi Ridge, Toudao Ridge.

Ma Wu looked at Qin Tianjiu on the bed and asked the medical cultivator beside him, "How much longer can he last?"

The medical cultivator answered truthfully, "With my abilities, he can last at most one more day."

"One day isn't enough," Ma Wu shook his head and said, "Doctor Cui won't arrive until the day after tomorrow. Think of something else."

The medical cultivator lowered his head and said, "Fifth Master, you think highly of me, and I'll certainly do my best, but I truly can't think of anything else. Ninth Master is too severely injured. Not only are so many bones broken, but his internal organs are also damaged. If he were strong enough to withstand elixirs, perhaps I could extend his life by another day, but with his body so weak, I wouldn't dare give him any."

Ma Wu's face was grim as he remained silent.

Fearing Ma Wu's anger, the medical cultivator found an excuse and quickly left the room.

The nurse, saying she needed to prepare to change Little Fatty's dressing, also took the opportunity to slip away.

Only Ma Wu remained in the room. In truth, Ma Wu couldn't think of a good solution either; at this point, his only hope was Cui Tike.

But what could make Cui Tike come to Haichi Ridge sooner?

As he was at his wit's end, someone pushed open the door and entered the room.

Ma Wu frowned and asked, "Who is it?"

Li Qi said, "Old Fifth, don't wait for Cui Tike."

Ma Wu shivered in surprise and whispered, "Old Seventh, why are you back?"

Li Qi locked the door and took the wine gourd from his waist.

The wine gourd scanned Qin Tianjiu and said to Li Qi, "Give him two *liang* to try first."

Ma Wu did not possess the ability to discern spirit sounds, so he naturally couldn't hear what the wine gourd said. He only saw Li Banfeng pry open Qin Tianjiu's mouth and start pouring wine into him.

Ma Wu was very nervous: "Old Seventh, will this work? Little Fatty is too weak; he can't even take elixirs."

Li Banfeng said, "He's not weak. His frail appearance is due to the *changlu can* in his stomach."

After two *liang* of wine, Little Fatty coughed twice but didn't wake up.

The wine gourd observed for a moment and said, "He can have one more *liang*."

Li Banfeng continued to pour the wine.

Ma Wu said, "Old Seventh, if you ask me, let's just wait for Doctor Cui to arrive. Doctor Cui has already promised me he can save Little Fatty."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Don't listen to his nonsense. He's not a medical cultivator or a pharmaceutical cultivator; he's not skilled at healing injuries. He probably agreed to come because he wants to experiment on Little Fatty. His temperament is unpredictable, so be extremely careful when dealing with him."

After another *liang* was consumed, a little color returned to Little Fatty's face.

Li Banfeng put away the wine gourd. "Let the doctor come in and check on him in a bit. And find me some dry clothes."

Only then did Ma Wu realize that Li Banfeng was completely drenched.

Once Li Banfeng had changed, the two moved to a quieter room to talk. Ma Wu punched Li Banfeng lightly. "You didn't even tell me when you left! Do you know I looked for you all night?"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "I was just afraid you wouldn't want me to leave."

"How's the Outer Prefecture? Are you settling in?"

Li Banfeng took a sip of wine. "I wasn't used to it at first, but now it feels pretty much the same."

Ma Wu laughed. "How could it be the same? The things they do in the Outer Prefecture are unimaginable in Puluo Prefecture."

Li Banfeng set down his cup and said, "Give it some time, and perhaps the two places will become similar."

Ma Wu didn't quite understand Li Banfeng's meaning but didn't press him. "Jiang Mengting has been missing you terribly. You'll stay for a few days this time, won't you? Will you go back to Xiaoyao Dock to see her?"

"No, I won't. After Little Fatty wakes up and I ask him a few questions, I need to hurry back to the Outer Prefecture."

Li Banfeng had run from Huahu Park's New Land to Tiemen Fort's New Land, and then all the way from Tiemen Fort to Haichi Ridge.

Ma Wu was unaware of the arduous journey. Seeing that Li Banfeng didn't want to elaborate, he didn't ask further.

The two had endless things to talk about. Li Banfeng first inquired about Little Fatty: "How did you find him?"

Ma Wu sighed. "At first, we looked in the wrong place; everyone thought Little Fatty was in Lushui City. Later, Miss Feng sent someone to give me a message, saying Little Fatty was in Haichi Ridge."

Miss Feng? Feng Daiku?

Li Banfeng asked, "How did she know Little Fatty was in Haichi Ridge?"

"She said an old friend asked her to pass on the message."

Old friend?

Feng Daiku must be talking about Pan Dehai!

Pan Dehai is the local deity of Haichi Ridge, so it made sense that he could find Little Fatty. But why would he ask Feng Daiku to relay the message? Did their past conflict just disappear? Had the 'piece of meat in his heart' healed?

Ma Wu continued, "When I arrived at Haichi Ridge, I had just sent people to gather information when Old Zuo unexpectedly saw dozens of people ganging up on Little Fatty in the street. He led our brothers to rescue Little Fatty. Those people were really ruthless; Old Zuo himself was badly injured."

Li Banfeng thought carefully. Zuo Wugang was a sixth-level martial cultivator. He had followed Li Banfeng for over a year, earned many elixirs, and diligently practiced, already on the verge of reaching the seventh level. And yet, they managed to injure Old Zuo.

"What's the background of these people?"

Ma Wu shook his head. "They were very sharp. According to Zuo Wugang, the fight lasted less than a minute. They didn't gain an advantage but also couldn't take down Old Zuo, so they retreated."

Li Banfeng asked Ma Wu, "Have you heard of the Ferry Gang?"

Ma Wu was startled. "Are you talking about river bandits?"

"Not river bandits. They're a gang that conducts business between the Outer Prefecture and the Inner Prefecture."

Ma Wu shook his head. "I've never heard of such a gang."

"Perhaps this gang isn't very well-known in Puluo Prefecture."

Ma Wu still shook his head. "A less prominent gang probably couldn't do business in the Outer Prefecture. Those who can conduct business in the Outer Prefecture are not ordinary people; they all have deep roots in Puluo Prefecture. It was difficult enough for us brothers to secure business in the Outer Prefecture. In Puluo Prefecture, apart from the major families, the only gangs capable of doing business in the Outer Prefecture are first-tier gangs like Sanying Gate, Qingyun Association, and Baihua Gate. I truly haven't heard of a Ferry Gang among them."

Li Banfeng had asked Luo Zhengnan, who also hadn't heard of the Ferry Gang.

Among the powerful figures, Ma Wu was widely amiable and well-connected. Among the gangs, Luo Zhengnan was seasoned and experienced. Both were knowledgeable individuals, and neither knew of the Ferry Gang. This proved that the Ferry Gang had another identity in Puluo Prefecture.

Now, the only one who knew their identity was Qin Tianjiu.

The two waited and chatted. Unbeknownst to them, two hours passed. The medical cultivator returned to report that Qin Tianjiu had woken up.

Li Banfeng sat in the corner, unmoving and unnoticed; the medical cultivator didn't even perceive his presence.

Ma Wu looked at the medical cultivator with disdain. "Didn't you just tell me he'd last at most one day?"

The medical cultivator was also ashamed. "Fifth Master, with a master assisting you, please don't mock a foolish man like me."

Ma Wu smiled, gestured for the medical cultivator to rest, and then he and Li Banfeng entered Qin Tianjiu's room.

A nurse was attending inside the room. Ma Wu sent her out, and only then did Li Banfeng speak: "Little Fatty, how are you?"

Before he spoke, even Qin Little Fatty hadn't noticed Li Banfeng.

Upon seeing Li Banfeng, Qin Little Fatty teared up. "Seventh Brother, Fifth Brother, I owe you again..."

Ma Wu smiled. "We're brothers; don't mention such things."

Li Banfeng frowned. "What happened to you before? Why didn't you tell us?"

Qin Tianjiu pursed his lips and said, "I came to Haichi Ridge to cultivate for a while, but I ran into a few bastards who wanted to steal my money. I fought them, and that's how I got beaten like this."

Ma Wu blinked. "Steal your money? How much money do you have?"

Qin Little Fatty said, "I had three hundred silver dollars on me."

Ma Wu laughed. "Are you kidding? Those people with such skills, risking their lives for three hundred silver dollars?"

Qin Little Fatty nodded. "They were also greedy people..."

Ma Wu smiled but said nothing, clearly not believing his words.

Li Banfeng asked Little Fatty, "Explain yourself more clearly. Was it for the silver dollars or for a wife?"

Ma Wu was stunned. "Brother, you have a wife?"

Qin Tianjiu pursed his lips and stammered for a long time, "Seventh Brother, how did you know?"

Li Banfeng frowned. "Don't ask me how I knew. I'm asking you, was that your wife?"

Qin Tianjiu's eyes reddened. "I don't know if she's my wife. I don't know what we are to each other. Seventh Brother, you're capable; you probably saw it a long time ago. When I was in Yaowang Gully, there was a girl in my courtyard. I didn't know her name or where she came from. I only saw her occasionally when I'd eaten too much. I saw her, and she saw me. She'd sit foolishly in the tree, and I'd stand foolishly beneath it. We'd just stare foolishly at each other for an hour or so."

When a Food Cultivator eats properly, their combat ability and perception increase, so seeing spirits isn't surprising.

Ma Wu exclaimed in surprise, "You just kept watching, and didn't do anything else?"

Qin Tianjiu said, "She was so beautiful; just looking at her made me content. What more could someone like me want? I'm useless at everything, can't even take care of myself. When there's a lot of work in the gang, I even forget to eat. A Food Cultivator can't go without food; I can't endure missing even one meal. That day, I was starving, so I got up in the middle of the night to find something to eat. When I opened the pot lid, I found cooked rice. I ate the whole pot of rice. I looked up at the tree and saw her. For the first time, she smiled at me. From then on, I went home to eat every day. She cooked for me, sewed clothes for me, and washed my clothes. I saved up some money and bought her jewelry. She didn't wear it; she just hung it on the locust tree and looked at it every day. I knew she truly liked it. Later, I had to go to Lushui City, so I told her about it. I said I wanted to take her with me. She broke off a locust tree branch for me, and I planted the branch at my residence. The locust tree lived, and she came too, but the sapling was too small for her to climb, so I invited her inside the house to sit."

Ma Wu nodded. "You're quite sensible. What happened after she came inside?"

Qin Little Fatty said, "We still just looked at each other..."

"You just kept looking?"

"I wanted to kiss her, but I never dared. Thanks to Seventh Brother and Fifth Brother looking out for me, I had gained some standing in Sanying Gate, and we had many guests at home. One time, a man named An Zongding came to my door with gifts, insisting on having a casual meal at my place. I usually don't like keeping others for meals at home, but he was a friend of the Great Golden Seal, so I couldn't refuse him. I had my subordinates order food and drinks from a restaurant and set up a table at home. After that meal, I thought everything was fine. Who would've thought that bastard An Zongding was actually scouting my place? The next day, I came home to find the girl missing. I asked the neighbors and learned that An Zongding had brought people over. I took my brothers to look for that bastard. Later, I found out he had gone to Haichi Ridge. I wanted to take my brothers there, but after we bought the tickets, my brothers got scared and wouldn't go."

Li Qi asked, "Why wouldn't they go?"

Little Fatty sighed. "As I just said, An Zongding is a friend of the Great Golden Seal. My brothers secretly told me that An Zongding's influence is immense; even the Great Golden Seal has to speak respectfully to him. They didn't dare offend such a formidable person."

Li Banfeng's eyebrows shot up. "So, your Great Golden Seal knew about this all along?"

Little Fatty said, "I never brought it up with him, but he must have guessed. That day, I went to Haichi Ridge alone, searching everywhere for An Zongding's whereabouts. Later, I really did find him. He was at the Shiweitian Restaurant, discussing business. I waited for him outside the restaurant and finally caught him. But I didn't realize he had so many ruthless subordinates. I couldn't defeat them. If I hadn't eaten enough to endure, I surely would have died at their hands in that fight."

Ma Wu frowned. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Little Fatty shook his head. "I just couldn't bring myself to say it. I couldn't very well tell you I found a ghost as my wife, and now she's missing, asking my two brothers to help me find her, and having to offend a ruthless person like An Zongding. I just couldn't..."

Ma Wu frowned. "What's wrong with a ghost wife? A wife is a wife. No matter what she is, she's your wife. Why are you fussing about that?"

In this matter, Little Fatty was indeed in the wrong. Ma Wu, in this regard, truly never cared.

His brother's wife had been messed with, which made Ma Wu very angry. "What's the background of this An Zongding? I've never heard of this jerk."

Li Banfeng said, "Shen Jinzhong, the Great Golden Seal of Sanying Gate, definitely knows who An Zongding is. Shen Jinzhong knew why Old Ninth disappeared, yet he kept it hidden from us, even spouting a bunch of lies to mislead us. Old Fifth, go back to Lushui City, call Shen Jinzhong out directly, and ask him about An Zongding's true background. If he still refuses to say, then Sanying Gate's Golden Seal should be replaced!"

Ma Wu nodded. "Once I uncover An Zongding's background, I'll kill that bastard immediately."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Don't rush to deal with him yet. Wait for my news. This guy should be connected to the Ferry Gang. I'll investigate their background further in the Outer Prefecture."

Ma Wu asked, "What about Old Ninth's wife?"

Qin Tianjiu lowered his head, not daring to speak, his heart filled with anxiety.

Li Banfeng looked at Qin Tianjiu and scolded him, "You good-for-nothing! How many times have I told you to tell us if something's wrong? You just don't listen, and now you deserve all this suffering. Don't worry about your wife anymore; I've already found her and brought her back."

Little Fatty's face lit up with surprise. "Seventh Brother, is that true? Where did you find her?"

Li Banfeng said, "In the Outer Prefecture. I'll have Old Luo bring her back to you in a couple of days. This matter is big, and many acquaintances are involved. You need to recover quickly. We brothers have a tough fight ahead of us."

Qin Tianjiu ate something and went to sleep. Li Banfeng gave Ma Wu some instructions; it was time for him to return to the Outer Prefecture.

Ma Wu was reluctant to see Li Qi leave. "You came back and didn't even get to eat a meal. At least take something to eat on the way."

Li Qi was indeed hungry. Haichi Ridge was just like that; after two hours, anyone would feel hungry.

"Then let's eat something!"

"What do you want to eat? I'll have the chef make it fresh for you."

Li Banfeng waved his hand. "No need for such trouble. I want *guokui*, specifically *guokui* with fresh meat filling. Haichi Ridge has the most authentic *guokui*; I've been thinking about it even in the Outer Prefecture."

Ma Wu nodded. "Haichi Ridge's *guokui* is indeed good; I like it too."

He had someone buy twenty pieces of *guokui* for Li Banfeng to take. Li Banfeng frowned. "I can't eat all these pancakes."

Ma Wu said, "Eat what you can. Just don't go hungry on the way."

Li Banfeng accepted the *guokui* and cautioned, "One more thing, be careful with the Ferry Gang. They might come looking for you."

Ma Wu was even more worried for Li Banfeng. "You're alone in the Outer Prefecture, so you must be even more careful. If things look bad, come back immediately!"

After bidding each other farewell, Li Banfeng quickly headed for Tiemen Fort. Following Old Yao's map through the New Land, it would take a normal person over ten days, but with Li Banfeng's swift pace, he arrived in half a day.

Upon reaching Tiemen Fort's New Land, ten pieces of *guokui* remained. Li Banfeng put them into his *Suishenju*. Over an hour later, he emerged from the lake and returned to Huahu Park.

When he reached his residence, Luo Zhengnan was waiting at home. Li Banfeng handed the green-clad girl, Feng Yuqiu, to Luo Zhengnan. "Old Luo, can you see this girl?"

Not every Taoist sect could see spirits. Old Luo's sect had strong perceptive abilities, but it still took him a great deal of effort to perceive the green-clad girl's figure.

Li Banfeng handed the deed to Luo Zhengnan. "Old Luo, make a trip to Haichi Ridge, give this girl to Qin Tianjiu, and while you're there, help me find out about this An Zongding person."

At the mention of An Zongding, Old Luo did have some recollection. "He seems to be a merchant. I'll inquire more thoroughly when I return to Puluo Prefecture."

Li Banfeng said, "I've asked Ma Wu to go to Sanying Gate to ask about this as well. Keep an eye on Shen Jinzhong's movements. If he really dares to turn hostile, help Ma Wu deal with that jerk."

Luo Zhengnan agreed, took the green-clad girl, and returned to Puluo Prefecture that very night.

At eleven fifty-eight, Li Banfeng, fully equipped with his magic artifacts and weapons, went to the Cultural Palace.

Today was the day he had arranged to meet Yin Siniang, and also the day the Ferry Gang was supposed to deliver goods to her.

Inside the private room, Yin Siniang said, "I heard them say the Boat Boss is personally delivering the goods tonight, but I can't say for sure if he'll actually come."

"Where are they being delivered?"

"Right here to me."

Li Banfeng chuckled. "You operate your business here, and he delivers here. It's pretty much like how a supermarket works."

Yin Siniang sighed. "I'm not running a supermarket; I'm just a vendor within one. Receiving goods at the Cultural Palace means I have to give a commission to the snack seller, and I'm the one who pays it."

Li Banfeng said, "If you don't want to pay the commission, then change where you receive the goods."

Yin Siniang shook her head. "That won't do. If I change locations and there's a problem with the goods, where would I go to complain? How could I possibly stand up to the Ferry Gang?"

She couldn't take on the Ferry Gang, so why would the snack seller be able to?

With the spirits already bought by Li Banfeng, Yin Siniang had no other business, so the two sat in the private room, chatting idly.

Yin Siniang reminded Li Banfeng, "If you have a grudge with the Ferry Gang, it's best to engage them outside. The boss of this black market isn't easy to deal with either. If you cause trouble on his turf, you might suffer losses."

Li Banfeng chuckled. "I don't know the boss of this black market yet. I was just looking for an opportunity to make friends with him."

Yin Siniang was very nervous, sweat dripping down her cheeks. "Big Boss, people of your status cause earth-shattering commotion when they fight. Please don't involve a little ant like me. Just imagining you fighting is enough to scare me to death."

Li Banfeng also reminded her, "It's okay to be scared, but don't wet your pants. Even if you absolutely have to, tell me beforehand."

"If I could control it beforehand, I would..." Yin Siniang scoffed as her phone vibrated.

She received a message and quickly told Li Banfeng, "Big Boss, the Boat Boss is here. He'll be up in a moment. You should wait downstairs."

"Why go downstairs? I'll just hide right here." Li Banfeng chuckled, standing in the corner of the private room. Light from the cinema screen shone into the room, creating a shadow that perfectly concealed Li Banfeng.

Yin Siniang said, "My goodness, that's not hiding. Kids playing hide-and-seek do a better job than you."

Li Banfeng said, "I know illusions; they definitely won't find me."

Yin Siniang was terrified. "The Boat Boss's cultivation is very high; what good are illusions? I'm telling you, if I pee my pants in a bit, don't blame me."

Li Banfeng glared. "If you dare to pee, I'll sew your mouth shut!"

"What good is sewing my mouth shut? It doesn't come out of my mouth!" Yin Siniang trembled as she waited for the Boat Boss to arrive. Soon after, there was a knock at the private room door.

Yin Siniang adjusted her expression and opened the door.

Three men stood at the door, wearing sleeveless jackets and wide, low-brimmed straw hats. Beneath the hats were masks.

There was nothing special about this; the Ferry Gang always dressed this way for deliveries. From their appearance alone, it was impossible to tell if the Boat Boss was among them.

The man standing in the middle didn't move, gesturing for the two men on either side to hand over the goods.

The man on the left pulled out a stack of deeds and handed them to Yin Siniang. The man on the right pulled out a manifest and also gave it to Yin Siniang.

Yin Siniang first checked the manifest, then opened each deed one by one for inspection.

They had delivered a total of eight spirits, and each one was of superior quality.

Looking at the quality and price of these spirits, and observing that the man in the middle hadn't moved, Yin Siniang concluded that he must be the Boat Boss.

According to the rules, she couldn't say much, and with the price listed on the manifest, she couldn't haggle either.

Naturally, the wholesale price was cheaper than the retail price, and Yin Siniang profited from this difference. Ten suitcases full of cash were successively delivered. The snack seller acted as a witness in the middle. After the other party confirmed the count, they took the money and left.

Once the Ferry Gang and the snack seller had left, Yin Siniang let out a long breath and said to Li Banfeng in the corner, "Big Boss, you're really something! They didn't even notice you. They've all gone. Did you get a clear look? I suspect the one in the middle was the Boat Boss. What do you think... Big Boss, are you there? Big Boss?"

Yin Siniang felt as if someone was in the shadows, but when she approached, she found nothing.

This Big Boss truly was an expert. When did he leave?

Where did he go?

The Boat Boss and his two companions were in an SUV, driving on the highway outside Yuezhou City.

One man was driving, another was in the back seat guarding the cash, and the Boat Boss sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone.

It was four in the morning, and there wasn't much traffic on the highway. The SUV was driving smoothly when suddenly a figure flashed past in front of it.

The driver quickly slammed on the brakes. "Who the hell—"

Bang! A splatter of blood obscured the windshield.

The driver exploded into a bloody mess.

The Boat Boss quickly grabbed the steering wheel, steadying the vehicle. The man in the back seat asked, "Boss, who was that person—"

The man in the back also exploded.

The Boat Boss didn't look back.

He knew what *Zouma Guanhuo* was.

The man in the back had already seen the opponent, proving it was too late for everything.

Li Banfeng was beside the SUV, currently walking on the highway's median strip.

He had killed two of the Boat Boss's subordinates. What would he do next?

Next, he planned to kill the Boat Boss.

If he could capture the Boat Boss alive and uncover the truth about the Ferry Gang, that would be a good outcome. But if capture wasn't possible, Li Banfeng would kill him without hesitation.

Li Banfeng wasn't afraid of losing clues; there were plenty of clues to be found. But an enemy only had one life. Compared to clues, Li Banfeng valued the enemy's life more, so he had to take their lives first.

He reappeared beside the Boat Boss's car. The Boat Boss, needing to watch the road, naturally saw Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng's figure vanished in an instant. The Boat Boss stopped the car and stuck his head out the window, trying to track Li Banfeng's form, but he failed.

The opponent's movements were too fast. The Boat Boss had a premonition that Li Banfeng's gaze was already fixed on him, and he could be made to explode at any moment.

He guessed correctly. Li Banfeng's gaze was on him, and at the point of his focused vision, Li Banfeng intended to make him explode right then.

The Boat Boss suddenly pulled his head back inside. Li Banfeng raised an eyebrow and activated his technique.

It exploded.

The entire car exploded.

Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding the situation before him.

The power of *Zouma Guanhuo* was indeed astonishing, but it was limited to living entities.

Why did the car explode with it?

Li Banfeng's gaze wasn't even focused on the car!

Before the car exploded, there was a buzzing sound. What caused that?

The exploding car was still on fire. Li Banfeng jumped next to it and saw banknotes scattered everywhere by the blast and a pile of shattered bones and flesh.

Among these bones and flesh were the driver and the cash guard. Was the Boat Boss among them?

Li Banfeng couldn't reassemble the bodies to check, but he suspected the Boat Boss had most likely not died.

He touched his Qiansi Earring, and it responded, "Master, I'm so dizzy!"

Not only did the Qiansi Earring feel dizzy, but Li Banfeng also felt a bit dizzy.

There was a sound, a strange sound.

Li Banfeng activated his ability to discern spirit sounds. After listening for a moment, a low melody reached his ears.

The sound was too faint, the tone too low. Li Banfeng couldn't make out the overall melody of the music, only vaguely hearing a few lyrics.

"Flour..."

"Scallions..."

"Sesame..."

This didn't seem like a song; it sounded like narration from a cooking show, with music in the background.

Was it coming from the car radio?

Li Banfeng tried to search for the source of the sound. During the search, his dizziness intensified.

This was a sound cultivation technique.

The man in the straw hat was a sound cultivator.

He saw him!

At the distant tunnel entrance, Li Banfeng saw a man wearing a straw hat.

They were over five hundred meters apart. If Li Banfeng rushed over now and used 'Stepping Over Ten Thousand Rivers,' even if he couldn't kill him, he could gain the initiative.

The man in the straw hat stood silently at the tunnel entrance, a low singing emanating from beneath his mask.

The two confronted each other for a moment. Li Banfeng tapped his toes, just about to move forward, when he suddenly sneezed.

At such a tense moment, the sneeze felt a bit comical.

But at such a critical juncture, the opponent was standing at the tunnel entrance, waiting to engage a high-level journey cultivator. Wasn't that also a bit comical?

Seeking good fortune and avoiding ill luck!

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead. The opponent's singing not only made him dizzy but also affected his thoughts.

The opponent just standing there meant he must have set a trap. What kind of trap it was, Li Banfeng couldn't yet determine.

Li Banfeng's figure vanished again, and the man in the straw hat immediately tensed up.

Boom!

Li Banfeng activated *Zouma Guanhuo* again.

The spell's range was too far, so Li Banfeng hadn't expected too much power from the technique, but its actual power was astonishing.

A hole was blasted into the mountain above the tunnel.

The man in the straw hat wasn't dead, but blood flowed from beneath his mask. He was injured, and his clothes were soaked with blood.

A voice came to his ear: "Follow me!"

As the words fell, the man in the straw hat disappeared.

Li Banfeng saw a man in black appear beside the straw-hatted man and lead him away.

This was the straw-hatted man's trap: someone was lying in ambush beside him. If Li Banfeng had rashly charged forward just now, he would have been ambushed.

What level of cultivation did this man in black possess? Could he fight two against one? Should Li Banfeng pursue?

Li Banfeng chose to pursue. If he couldn't defeat them, he'd figure it out then.

He jumped near the tunnel entrance, quickly came up behind the two, and unleashed 'Stepping Over Ten Thousand Rivers.'

His foot felt as if it had landed on cotton; he couldn't exert any force.

What was happening? Was there a trap on the ground?

This had nothing to do with the ground; it had to do with Li Banfeng's own condition.

He couldn't exert force because he had no strength. He suddenly felt an intense hunger, so ravenous his legs turned weak.

The man in black and the straw-hatted man both turned around and charged towards Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng turned and left. Under extreme hunger, he ran slower and slower, while the man in black and the straw-hatted man drew closer and closer.

When they reached the highway, Li Banfeng's figure suddenly vanished. The man in black and the straw-hatted man searched around but found no trace of Li Banfeng.

The man in black asked, "Who was that? Was it Li Qi?"

The straw-hatted man shook his head. "Li Qi doesn't have such cultivation, but this person might be connected to him."

As he spoke, the straw-hatted man looked at the cash in the SUV.

Several boxes of banknotes hadn't caught fire. The straw-hatted man and the man in black took the boxes and disappeared into the night.

Inside his *Suishenju*, Li Banfeng was eating *guokui*, having six in one sitting.

The Phonograph asked with concern, "My dear husband, why are you so starved?"

Li Banfeng said, "I just had a fight with two people, and halfway through, I suddenly got hungry!"

The Phonograph thought for a moment and said, "You must have encountered a Food Cultivator of the Clouds."

Li Banfeng said, "Don't Food Cultivators all eat to make themselves stronger?"

The Phonograph said, "A Food Cultivator of the Clouds can force others to eat. If the opponent refuses to eat, they will feel hunger to the point of losing the strength to fight."

Li Banfeng picked up the seventh *guokui*. "This technique is quite powerful. I've eaten so much, but I still don't feel full."

Hong Ying looked at the *guokui* and asked curiously, "What's this pancake made of? Why does it smell so delicious when you eat it?"

"What's it made of? Flour, of course!" Li Banfeng chuckled. "With some scallions, sesame seeds, and meat filling..."

Li Banfeng paused, then began to repeatedly utter these three words: "Flour, scallions, sesame."

He remembered the straw-hatted man's lyrics.

Hong Ying thought the ingredients weren't special and simply took a bite to taste.

The Phonograph reminded Hong Ying, "You haven't fully revived yet; don't consume earthly food."

Hong Ying wasn't too concerned. "It's just a small piece; it won't matter. It doesn't taste like much to me. Qilang, what does it taste like to you?"

Li Banfeng muttered to himself, "Loincloth..."

Hong Ying burst into laughter. "Qilang, you like to eat that? I'll take mine off and give it to you in a bit."

"Shameless hussy!" The Phonograph grabbed Hong Ying, pulled down her pants, and gave her a good spanking.

Li Banfeng was still muttering, "Loincloth..."

The Phonograph sensed something was wrong and asked, "My dear husband, what are you saying about a loincloth?"

Li Banfeng asked the Phonograph, "My dear wife, in sound cultivation techniques, is there any way to counteract *Zouma Guanhuo*?"

Hong Ying sneered. "If there were such a technique, that wicked woman wouldn't have been able to blind me."

The Phonograph swatted Hong Ying and then said to Li Banfeng, "The technique does exist, but it's extremely difficult to use. It requires one's most proficient song to counter it, and even then, success isn't guaranteed."

One's most proficient song.

Li Banfeng said, "I know who that straw-hatted man is now. He revealed the loincloth."

Hong Ying rubbed her backside and said, "Why reveal that? It's disgusting."