Chapter 524: Anzongding, You Have Arrived

He Jiaqing rubbed a ball of fire between his fingertips and burned Mu Yuejuan's painting.

Mu Yuejuan was still negotiating with Feng Chongli at that moment. Everything He Jiaqing said to her was true. The first time he went to Lvshuigong's home, it was because he was ambushed by Lvshuigong. As soon as he entered, he indeed saw Lvshuigong waiting for him by the door.

He truly didn't know whether Lvshuigong was alive or dead; he only knew that Li Banfeng had sent Lvshuigong away.

But the truth can also deceive. Gu Rusong, Sun Tiecheng's eldest disciple, said that Tang Changfa was dead, which was the truth.

Tang Changfa had indeed been dead for a long time.

This truth struck Tang Changfa where it hurt, leaving him no room to retaliate. This was the essence of the "Leveraging Weaknesses" technique in "Foolish Cultivation."

He Jiaqing was not talented in Foolish Cultivation, but he was quite skilled in the "Leveraging Weaknesses" technique. He seized Mu Yuejuan's weaknesses.

First, greed.

Mu Yuejuan desperately wanted Lvshuigong's territory. Although she didn't need the popularity, this territory held significant weight in her heart, so much so that she dared to risk exploiting the peddler's rules.

Second, lust.

If Zhang Gunli had tried to deceive Mu Yuejuan, it would have been much harder, as Zhang Gunli had a fierce appearance and a common, vulgar air. He Jiaqing, however, was handsome and from a wealthy family.

By grasping these two weaknesses, the "Leveraging Weaknesses" technique took effect.

Unfortunately, this technique was stolen, and its uses were limited.

He Jiaqing contacted several subordinates from the Brotherhood Alliance, instructing them to continue gathering information on Gu Rusong. He wanted to find an opportunity to steal the technique again.

"Well, I'll be! This sassy girl's notes actually work!" The Phonograph looked at Teacher Song's lecture notes, gradually improving Lvshuigong's alms bowl. The bowl originally contained only one spoon, but now it had three: one red, one yellow, and one blue.

"Husband, you must remember, the yellow spoon is for direction, the blue spoon is for opening doors, and the red spoon is for locking doors. Don't use them incorrectly." The Phonograph knew Li Banfeng's temper was a bit impatient and feared he might use the wrong tool at a crucial moment, so it simply assigned the bowl's three functions to the three spoons.

Li Banfeng wasn't idle either. He found another dark dimension in Lvshui City, on Fuyun Avenue in Yuanzhu Workshop.

Yuanzhu Workshop was an old district in the south of Lvshui City. When Lvshui City was first built, Yuanzhu Workshop was once the wealthiest area in the city. However, as Lvshui City continuously expanded and the city's center shifted, Yuanzhu Workshop was gradually abandoned by major wealthy families, becoming a gathering place for rogues and scoundrels.

Li Banfeng bought a three-story Western-style building in Yuanzhu Workshop. The building was old, but its area was considerable. The large yard, neglected, was overgrown with weeds.

The rooms inside were also spacious, with mottled walls and thick dust. Walking and talking produced echoes, making it quite eerie to be there alone.

He bought this residence because he found the entrance to the dark dimension there, right next to the closet in the second room on the second floor.

Second floor, second room—it truly had a connection to the number two. Li Banfeng named this dark dimension the "Second Residence."

The conditions inside the Second Residence were not pitch black, but they were also different from Lv Huazi's dwelling.

In Lv Huazi's home, one could clearly see outside, but the objects corresponding inside were completely different from those outside.

Inside the Second Residence, one could also clearly see outside, and the corresponding objects inside were also different from those outside. However, a person's directional perception inside the house was completely reversed.

Li Banfeng entered the Second Residence and saw a chair to his left. He wanted to test what this chair corresponded to in the dark dimension, so he fumbled to the left.

He fumbled for a long time but found nothing, because Li Banfeng had misjudged the direction; he had reached to the right.

This wasn't Li Banfeng's fault. Not only could he not distinguish directions, but even the Gloves couldn't. It smelled treasures near a flowerpot, but when it tried to reach for them, it ended up under the bed.

Li Banfeng tried to step with his left foot, but his right foot moved instead, causing him to stumble.

Tang Dao rushed to support him but couldn't distinguish between the hilt and the blade, nearly impaling Li Banfeng.

Fortunately, this dark dimension was not too large, similar to the main dance hall in Xiaoyaowu. The entire family, stumbling and falling, gradually adapted to the place over several hours.

Because of the reversed directions, Li Banfeng initially thought the layout of this dark dimension was very complex. Only after exploring did he realize it was completely empty.

Since there was nothing, choosing a place to bury the deed was difficult.

Li Banfeng could only use the external scenery as a reference. Under the desk in the sixth room on the second floor, he dug a deep pit. He first sprinkled blood on the iron certificate, then wrote a paper deed and also sprinkled blood on it.

Before long, a line of text appeared on the iron certificate: "Li Qisheng, Zhao Nongbao, obtains the entire territory."

From then on, Li Banfeng became the local deity of Lvshui Bay.

He carefully buried the deed, first adding a layer of soil. Just as he was about to retrieve the local deity's seal, he suddenly felt a dull pressure in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Little brother, don't rush, have a sip first." The Wine Gourd, mouth-to-mouth, fed Li Banfeng a mouthful of wine.

After drinking it, Li Banfeng felt much better.

This was medicinal wine specifically prepared by the Wine Gourd as per the Phonograph's instructions, because the Phonograph knew that Lvshui Bay's prestige was too heavy. With Li Banfeng's current cultivation, carrying such a heavy prestige all at once might cause him to suffocate.

Once he caught his breath, Li Banfeng felt his chest gradually clear. He then put the local deity's seal into a box and buried it in the soil.

With the deed and local deity's seal buried, Li Banfeng exited the dark dimension, used the red spoon to turn clockwise three times, counter-clockwise two and a half times, and then clockwise one more time, creating a password to lock the door.

With his own matters settled, Li Banfeng returned to his Portable Residence and asked his wife and Pendulum to help him disguise himself.

Disguised as Lv Huazi, he returned to Longmen Road at ten o'clock at night.

Lv Huazi's home must still contain many good things. The Gloves had only found pills, deeds, and the local deity's seal; not even a single magical artifact was seen.

Lvshui Bay was so prosperous, and Lv Huazi was so powerful. How could his home not have magical artifacts? This completely did not fit his status.

Li Banfeng wasn't greedy for Lv Huazi's magical artifacts. He just felt that since he had sent Lvshuigong to Dao Gui Ridge and he wouldn't be returning home anytime soon, if so many good things were stolen by others, Li Banfeng would feel uneasy.

Walking to a streetlight, Li Banfeng fumbled with the alms bowl, intending to open the door, when two malicious presences attacked him from front and back.

One came from directly opposite, which was Lv Huazi's home.

The other came from behind, from Muyuan Teahouse.

Something was wrong. Li Banfeng quickly fiddled with the red spoon a few times—two counter-clockwise turns, one and a half clockwise turns, then half a counter-clockwise turn—adding another lock to Lv Huazi's front door.

After fiddling with it, Li Banfeng carried the bowl and left.

Fortunately, Li Banfeng left quickly and did not enter Lv Huazi's home.

Inside Lv Huazi's home, Feng Chongli and Mu Yuejuan were searching for the deed. They could clearly see every movement outside. When they saw Lv Huazi approach the lamppost, both their hearts leaped.

They weren't afraid of being unable to defeat Lv Huazi; both their cultivations were above his.

But they had to abide by the peddler's rules. Given their identities, they couldn't casually harm Lv Huazi in Lvshui Bay.

Seeing Lv Huazi leave, Feng Chongli breathed a slight sigh of relief. Mu Yuejuan was still very tense: "He might come back in a bit. Perhaps we made a mistake and he saw us."

Feng Chongli looked towards Muyuan Teahouse: "Don't worry, we have our people in the teahouse."

Not long after, an old man with white hair and beard walked out of the teahouse and quietly followed Lv Huazi.

Mu Yuejuan recognized this person: "Isn't that An Zongding? What's his cultivation level?"

One shouldn't casually inquire about cultivation levels, but the situation was special now. If An Zongding's cultivation exceeded the "Above the Clouds" level, he couldn't harm Lv Huazi in Lvshui Bay without cause either.

Feng Chongli manipulated a delicate abacus, continuing to search for treasures in Lv Huazi's residence: "Don't worry, his attacking Lv Huazi won't break the rules."

Mu Yuejuan was still worried: "If Lv Huazi is alive, we shouldn't touch his deed!"

Feng Chongli moved an abacus bead: "If it were anyone else, we truly shouldn't touch him. But now that we're backing you, what are you afraid of? Do you really think the peddler can affect Xuehuapu?"

Mu Yuejuan felt a surge of anxiety. She really didn't want to get involved in this turmoil, but now she couldn't find an opportunity to escape.

Li Banfeng walked ahead, with An Zongding trailing behind.

If the real Lvshuigong were here, he might not have discovered An Zongding, as An Zongding's demeanor was natural, looking just like an old man walking, without any flaws.

But Li Banfeng possessed the "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune" technique, directly passed down by the Coachman. Although An Zongding's tracking skills were superb, Li Banfeng still noticed him.

Passing through Longmen Road and entering Chuanzi Alley, Li Banfeng headed towards a less populated area.

An Zongding followed unhurriedly, all the way to Yangjiao Garden.

Yangjiao Garden was a park. In Prozhuo Prefecture, parks were a new concept; only large cities like Lvshui City and Heishipo had them.

This park was built by the Customs and Defense Office, originally intended to provide a public place for residents to visit and relax, and thereby also establish the Customs and Defense Office's reputation.

However, the Customs and Defense Office at the time clearly misjudged the customs of Prozhuo Prefecture. Residents here had no habit of visiting parks.

Instead, this park became a good place for gangs to fight and compete.

At 8:30 PM, Yangjiao Garden was silent. Li Banfeng was preparing to find an opportunity to test the old man's abilities. An Zongding, an Above the Clouds cultivator, had already deployed his ghost servants and was ready for a sneak attack.

Both sides wanted to seize the first move, but neither expected a scrawny young man to emerge from the bushes and snatch the initiative!

This scrawny man was none other than Qin Tianjiu!

Qin Tianjiu raised his axe and chopped down towards An Zongding's head.

Li Banfeng was stunned, and so was An Zongding.

This kid had been hiding in Yangjiao Garden, and neither of them had discovered him.

Did Fatty Qin have such ability?

No.

The one who truly hid him was his wife, the Green-Clad Lady, Feng Yuqiu.

Feng Yuqiu was a Cold Cultivator, highly skilled in concealment.

When An Zongding had visited Fatty Qin's home, he brought many gifts and offered many pointers on cultivation. Feng Yuqiu genuinely considered An Zongding a friend. The next day when An Zongding returned, Feng Yuqiu was unprepared and was unfortunately captured alive by him.

Now, Feng Yuqiu discovered An Zongding's tracks and had hidden with Fatty Qin in Yangjiao Garden in advance, actually deceiving An Zongding.

But could deceiving him lead to defeating him?

Fatty Qin stuffed a bag of dried rations into his mouth, risking his life to fight An Zongding from the front, while Feng Yuqiu circled around from behind, intending to ambush An Zongding.

They had to win in one strike. Fatty Qin's current cultivation was only at the third level. Relying on being full, his strikes were quick and fierce, quite intimidating.

Feng Yuqiu's cultivation was quite high, and the Dao Sect also gave her an advantage, but she was a ghost. For a ghost to attack a demonic cultivator, even a slight mistake would mean delivering themselves as food.

An Zongding saw Fatty Qin approach. He didn't parry or bother to dodge. He casually summoned a ghost servant, who kicked Fatty Qin onto the ground.

Feng Yuqiu couldn't go to save Fatty Qin, nor could she even spare him another glance. She had to completely cool her heart to unleash her full combat power.

She had a sleeve arrow in her sleeve. With a tremor of her fingertip, the short arrow shot towards An Zongding.

A ghost servant stepped forward, blocking the short arrow for An Zongding. The arrow was quite powerful; the ghost servant was injured and fell to the ground, unable to get up.

Feng Yuqiu flicked out a quiver from her sleeve, using it as a weapon to stab another ghost servant directly in the forehead. Her attack speed was comparable to a sixth-level Wanderer cultivator—this was the terrifying aspect of a Cold Cultivator.

The ghost servant fell, also unable to get up.

Only An Zongding remained. When Feng Yuqiu was about to attack again, she suddenly felt her wrist become unresponsive.

Those two ghost servants had bought An Zongding less than a second, and in that brief time, An Zongding had gained control over Feng Yuqiu.

This was the ability of an Above the Clouds demonic cultivator.

"I sold you, and you came back to find me again. Do you really want to serve me that badly? How pathetic are you?" An Zongding walked over, smiling, looking at the immobilized Feng Yuqiu.

Fatty Qin scrambled to his feet and shouted, "An Zongding, you old thief, I'll fight you!"

Before he finished speaking, Fatty Qin was pinned to the ground again by another ghost servant.

Any ghost servant of an Above the Clouds cultivator could easily overpower Fatty Qin.

An Zongding looked down at Fatty Qin: "I spared your life at Haichi Ridge. You didn't leave; you insisted on coming back to your death. You're also pathetic. You two pathetic people, you really make quite a pair!"

Lvshuigong laughed: "They've made a pair. Why don't you become their adopted son and make a family of three? Isn't that perfect?"

An Zongding's expression was calm. After Fatty Qin's commotion, he knew Lv Huazi must have discovered him.

"Lv Huazi, do you know this young man?" An Zongding pointed at Fatty Qin.

Lvshuigong shook his head: "No, I don't. I heard he's your godson, so I specifically came to see. And indeed, you father and son look quite alike. You followed me from the teahouse all the way to Yangjiao Garden. What do you want? Are you tired of living? Why are you so pathetic?"

An Zongding commanded all his ghost servants to form a formation: "Lv Huazi, you've been rampant for so many years. Your good days are over. Don't think no one dares to touch you. I'm here to take your life today."

This wasn't An Zongding boasting. There truly were Dao Sects that countered Illness Cultivators, and Demonic Cultivation was one of them.

Under normal circumstances, demonic cultivators don't directly engage enemies; they rely on ghost servants to fight.

Did Lvshuigong have techniques that could make ghosts sick?

Yes, but not many.

Some illnesses could indeed harm souls, but An Zongding had brought a total of eighty-six ghost servants this time, and each ghost servant's combat power was not low. Lv Huazi couldn't make all of them fall ill. An Zongding planned to overwhelm Lv Huazi with sheer numbers of ghost servants.

Lvshuigong stroked the phonograph in his hand and said to An Zongding, "If you've got skill, don't use your subordinates, those dead ghosts. Come fight me directly!"

An Zongding burst out laughing: "Lv Huazi, are you talking nonsense? When have you ever seen a demonic cultivator fight without ghost servants? Considering you created your own path and have struggled in Prozhuo Prefecture for so many years, you have some reputation. I advise you to leave Lvshui Bay quickly, save your own life, and find another place to make a living!"

Upon hearing these words, Fatty Qin's face turned pale.

Having stayed in Sanying Gate for so long, he had some knowledge. He knew who the local deity of Lvshui Bay was and had heard what kind of person Lv Huazi was.

Now, Lv Huazi was right before his eyes.

An Zongding directly called him Lv Huazi and intended to fight him. From the looks of it, An Zongding even seemed confident he could defeat Lv Huazi.

He actually dared to ambush a person of this caliber. Wasn't this pure foolishness?

It was too late to realize his mistake now. Fatty Qin looked at Feng Yuqiu, his heart full of regret.

Feng Yuqiu still wanted to break free from her restraints. The moment her gaze met Fatty Qin's, Feng Yuqiu burst into tears.

She knew this situation was perilous, but seeing Fatty Qin's eyes, her emotions stirred, and her already limited strength completely vanished.

An Zongding had no time to bother with the two of them. Although there was a counter in the Dao Sect, An Zongding dared not take Lvshuigong lightly. He didn't need talismans or incense; with just a command, his ghost servants would attack at any moment.

But An Zongding noticed something was off with Lvshuigong's situation.

Wasn't he holding an alms bowl?

When did he switch to holding a phonograph?

Was this a magical artifact?

"Why are you holding a phonograph?" An Zongding, sly and cunning, didn't rush to attack. He probed first.

"Seeing your time is up, I'm playing a tune for your funeral." Lv Huazi shook the phonograph and began playing a famous suona piece, "The Grand Funeral Procession."

Earlier, when Qin Tianjiu and An Zongding fought, "Lv Huazi" didn't appear immediately because he had returned to his Portable Residence to make some preparations.

This record was not ordinary; it had just been carved by the Phonograph.

This piece of music was even more extraordinary. Seventy percent of the ghost servants present were lonely spirits who had never had a funeral or a chance for a proper burial in their lives. Hearing this music made them incredibly sad.

The remaining thirty percent had indeed experienced funerals, but recalling the scenes of their burials made them even sadder than the lonely spirits.

All the ghost servants stopped moving. An Zongding was stunned.

These were the ghost servants who had followed him for many years. How could they lose control in an instant?

He tried to control them with his techniques several times, but the ghost servants showed no reaction. An Zongding grew nervous.

He didn't know where Lv Huazi got the phonograph, nor did he expect this phonograph to be such a powerful magical artifact.

Without ghost servants, a demonic cultivator was almost completely deprived of combat power. However, An Zongding also possessed magical artifacts, and more than one.

With Above the Clouds cultivation, An Zongding was naturally no ordinary person. In this critical moment, his thoughts remained clear. He carefully considered which magical artifact could deal with Lv Huazi.

Lvshuigong's ailments were extremely difficult to resolve, and he had a martial cultivation foundation. Engaging him in close combat with a magical artifact clearly offered no advantage.

All his ghost servants were out of control. Using a long-range magical artifact to contend with Lvshuigong and prolong the battle, then finding a way to regain control of his ghost servants, seemed like a viable option.

But what kind of magical artifact could withstand Lv Huazi?

If it couldn't resist, and Lvshuigong got close, it would be too late to find a retreat.

This approach was too risky and not advisable.

Take two pills to forcibly boost combat power, regain control of the ghost servants, and then fight Lvshuigong.

But what if he couldn't regain control and was then ambushed by Lvshuigong? How would he defend himself then?

An Zongding, a seasoned veteran of countless battles, pondered for a moment and quickly made a decision.

He pulled a golden pearl from his懷 and put it in his mouth, then turned and ran.

This pearl was a Wanderer cultivator's magical artifact. Holding it allowed one's speed to rival an eighth-level Wanderer cultivator.

Although Lv Huazi's cultivation was high and his ailments fierce, he ultimately couldn't outrun a Wanderer cultivator. In the blink of an eye, An Zongding had already run out of Yangjiao Garden.

Abandoning all his ghost servants and fleeing like this seemed a bit pathetic, but An Zongding didn't see it that way.

"Where there's life, there's hope." For now, he would not contend with Lvshuigong.

This battle wasn't fought in vain. He knew that Lvshuigong possessed a magical artifact that countered demonic cultivators. In the future, once he was prepared, he would destroy that phonograph first, and then he would surely take Lvshuigong's life.

His immediate priority was to return to Lv Huazi's residence, find Feng Chongli, and tell him not to touch Lv Huazi's deed yet.

Lvshuigong asked from the side, "Are you going to Longmen Road?"

"Yes!" An Zongding's words were muffled as he held the pearl in his mouth.

He responded, then stared blankly at Lv Huazi.

Why was he running so fast—

Lv Huazi was running side-by-side with An Zongding, seemingly effortlessly.

An Zongding reached for a magical artifact but was caught by Li Banfeng's right hand, which broke his arm bone.

An Zongding turned to dash into the woods but was kicked by Li Banfeng, breaking his leg bone.

An Zongding bit into a stack of talismans, trying to summon nearby lonely spirits. Li Banfeng stepped forward again with another kick, breaking An Zongding's mandible. The talismans fell to the ground, unused.

With similar Above the Clouds cultivation, a demonic cultivator without ghost servants was simply no match for a Wanderer cultivator.

An Zongding dragged one leg, crawling forward with his remaining hand, muttering indistinctly as he crawled: "I am from Xuehuapu. If you dare to kill me, Xuehuapu will not spare you. You will have no way out in Prozhuo Prefecture in the future..."

"You secretly investigated me, harmed my brother, and stole my brother's wife. You've already had no way out in Prozhuo Prefecture for a long time." Li Banfeng grabbed An Zongding's hair with his right hand, opened the door to his Portable Residence with his left, and threw An Zongding inside.

After closing the door, Li Banfeng returned to Yangjiao Garden.

Qin Tianjiu was still trying to rescue Feng Yuqiu. Feng Yuqiu couldn't move, and Qin Tianjiu couldn't carry or drag her.

Seeing "Lv Huazi" return, Qin Tianjiu's eyes reddened. He pulled out a bag of dried rations, stuffed them into his mouth, and prepared to fight to the death.

"Run—" Feng Yuqiu cried out anxiously. She hadn't spoken in many years. It wasn't that she didn't want to; cultivators of her Dao Sect, beyond a certain level, lost their ability to speak. Today's situation forced her to speak.

How could Qin Tianjiu run?

He was clumsy and didn't know what to do. At this moment, he only knew he had to stand in front of Feng Yuqiu.

"Lv Huazi" stood in the center of Yangjiao Garden, looking first at Qin Tianjiu, then at Feng Yuqiu, and then at the eighty-odd ghost servants around them.

An Zongding had been sent into the Portable Residence, and the ghost servants were on the verge of losing control.

The Phonograph's music also stopped, and its suppression of these ghost servants was slowly fading.

About ten seconds later, some ghost servants gradually began to move.

These ghost servants had followed An Zongding for many years, and the technique's imprint was deep, making it difficult for them to break free immediately.

Feng Yuqiu moved her shoulders; her technique had worn off first.

She pulled up Fatty Qin and ran away.

"Lv Huazi" even called out, "Don't leave! Stay and chat with me."

Feng Yuqiu didn't dare to look back and rushed out of Yangjiao Garden.

The ghost servants swayed continuously. The first ghost servant to break free from the technique suddenly rushed towards "Lv Huazi." "Lv Huazi" snatched Prince Chun's horsewhip and whipped the ghost servant to the ground.

The rest of the ghost servants swarmed him, some shouting, "Save Master An!"

These ghost servants were truly loyal. Li Banfeng ran ahead, and they pursued him closely.

If An Zongding were directing them at this moment, it would be truly difficult for Li Banfeng to deal with this group of ghost servants.

But the demonic cultivator wasn't here. Although the ghost servants were loyal, their battle tactics were chaotic. They only knew to relentlessly pursue Li Banfeng, without considering how their speed could possibly catch up to an Above the Clouds Wanderer cultivator. Li Banfeng led them on a few laps, then opened the door to his Portable Residence, first collecting more than half of the ghost servants inside.

The remaining thirty or so ghost servants were unwilling to go in. But they had no choice. His wife began to sing a song of longing in the house: "In spring, in the radiant sun, the east wind sways the weeping willows, a pitiful sight. Gossamer threads entangle peach blossoms, spring beauty is before us. Yet, where is my beloved?"

This old song sang of the pain of longing so deeply that the group of ghost servants couldn't control their steps and streamed into the house.

An Zongding lay against the wall, motionless, feigning unconsciousness.

He didn't know where this place was, but he knew Lv Huazi could open an unnameable place, so this was likely another of Lv Huazi's lairs.

By the firelight, he saw a phonograph, a bed, a miscellaneous shelf, and a wardrobe in the room.

There was a table, and on the table, a mirror. In front of the mirror sat an indescribable object, grooming itself.

Just as he clearly observed his surroundings, over eighty ghost servants suddenly entered the room. An Zongding gritted his teeth and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall.

Although he had a broken leg, he had to stand now.

All the ghost servants were here; it was time for the decisive battle!

Even though the ghost servants were not acting normally, still listening to the music blankly around the phonograph, An Zongding had nowhere to escape now and had to fight desperately.

"Listen, all of you!" An Zongding shouted loudly.

A whirlwind blew from the Phonograph's speaker, sucking all eighty-plus ghost servants into its belly.

An Zongding was silent for a moment, then, leaning on the wall, he lay back down on the ground.

"Lv Huazi" walked up to An Zongding and kicked him: "Is it a bit late to play dead now?"

An Zongding didn't move. At this moment, he had to keep his composure; there was still a chance to turn the tide.

The object grooming itself in front of the mirror was the key to victory or defeat. An Zongding smelled the scent of a departed soul on it and could sense that this soul's combat power was not low.

Why would Lvshuigong's lair contain such a powerful departed soul?

Now was not the time to ponder that.

As long as it was a departed soul, there was a way to control it.

An Zongding silently used his technique on the grooming departed soul. An Above the Clouds demonic cultivator's techniques were silent and extremely vicious. In just a few seconds, An Zongding sensed his technique had taken effect.

The departed soul grooming itself in front of the mirror quietly stood up. "Lv Huazi" did not notice.

An Zongding issued a command with his mind, telling the departed soul to ambush "Lvshuigong."

Victory or defeat rested on this one move. An Zongding gambled everything he had learned in his life.

Hong Ying came before An Zongding and kicked him squarely in the face.

"Qi Lang is asking you a question, are you mute?"

A large section of An Zongding's cheek collapsed. He gritted his teeth and endured, continuing to use his technique.

The outcome was not yet decided; there was still a chance!

Hong Ying kicked him again: "I asked you if you're mute?"

This time, An Zongding couldn't use his technique; this kick made his consciousness somewhat blurry.

Hong Ying raised her foot to kick again but was stopped by the Phonograph: "Yingying, leave him some breath. My husband has something to ask him."

Li Banfeng said to An Zongding, "First, open your eyes. If you don't open them, I'll pluck them out."

An Zongding opened his eyes.

Li Banfeng asked, "An Zongding, first tell me this: Are you truly from Xuehuapu?"

An Zongding nodded, muttering indistinctly, "You should know what kind of status people from Xuehuapu have."

Li Banfeng said, "Why did you investigate me?"

An Zongding replied, "Because we want to take the territory of Lvshui Bay. Lv Huazi, you've occupied Lvshui Bay for so many years and taken enough advantage. It's time to give up the place."

Li Banfeng peeled off the pus sores on his face, took a毛币 (a type of coin) and wiped the dirt from his face: "I'm asking why you were secretly investigating me?"

"You're not Lv Huazi? Who are you?" An Zongding looked shocked. He didn't know the background of the person in front of him.

Thinking back to what he had said earlier—he mentioned harming his brother and stealing his brother's wife—was he talking about Qin Tianjiu?

And that ghost earlier, who looked like a long spear, called him Qi Lang. Could he be Li Qi?

How could Li Qi be here?

An Zongding didn't know how to respond. His only hope was Feng Chongli, hoping Feng Chongli could come and save him soon.

Longmen Road, Lv Huazi's residence.

An Zongding had been gone for a long time and hadn't returned. Feng Chongli was a bit worried.

His abacus magical artifact hadn't found Lv Huazi's deed, so it was best not to stay here long.

At Mu Yuejuan's urging, Feng Chongli went to open the door to the unnameable place.

He couldn't open it.

Mu Yuejuan said, "What are you waiting for? Open the door quickly!"

Feng Chongli tried again, but the door still didn't open.

"Someone added a lock," Feng Chongli said to Mu Yuejuan, "This lock is hard to open!"

Special thanks to Alliance Leader 20181128120528990 for their strong support, becoming two alliance leaders at once. Salad is immensely grateful.