Chapter 545: Inner State People's Bloodline (This Chapter Contains Nuclear Energy)

He Jiaqing pressed against the wall, his eyes fixed on the corner, wary of an ambush and ready to strike at any moment.

After a few seconds of stalemate, He Jiaqing realized his strategy was flawed. His opponent was so fast, likely a Traveling Cultivator. Leaning against the wall to guard against one was clearly pointless.

He Jiaqing knew nothing about Li Qi. He was more than capable against cultivators on the ground, but seemed inexperienced when facing opponents from the clouds. By the time he realized the problem, Li Banfeng had already passed through the wall using "Unimpeded Travel" and stood before He Jiaqing.

Li Banfeng swung his sickle down towards He Jiaqing's face. Simultaneously, the projector leaped out of his pocket and took its position. He Jiaqing ignored the projector. He had to dodge the sickle and keep his gaze fixed to prevent Li Banfeng from suddenly disappearing and using "Passing Glance."

The Rogue Cultivator's reaction speed was surprisingly quick in a short timeframe. He Jiaqing ducked under the sickle and jabbed at Li Banfeng's throat with a pointed ring. In close combat between a Rogue Cultivator and a Traveling Cultivator with similar cultivation levels, the key to victory lay in who could seize the initiative.

Li Banfeng dodged the jab. He Jiaqing swept his wrist horizontally, aiming to cut Li Banfeng's throat. It was his initiative now, and he should have pressed relentlessly, giving Li Banfeng no chance to breathe.

A whoosh sounded in his ear. He Jiaqing quickly dodged, but still took a blow to the back. Did his opponent have a helper?

Actually, Li Banfeng had no helper. That last strike was his shadow, wielding a Tang saber. Li Banfeng had used the "Shadow Twinning" technique, which allowed his shadow to act independently, but prevented him from using other techniques. This is why he opted for a weapon fight.

But He Jiaqing was terrified. Facing an opponent of similar cultivation and a one-against-many situation, He Jiaqing immediately changed tactics, using his nimble footwork to circle behind Li Banfeng. Getting behind was a good option, allowing for a swift escape and preventing Li Banfeng from locking onto him. He could also gain some time by ambushing from behind.

Li Banfeng saw through He Jiaqing's intention and constantly shifted his footwork, denying He Jiaqing any opportunity to attack from behind. Normally, seeing his opponent was prepared, He Jiaqing should have changed his approach. But he was incredibly persistent, as if executing a programmed routine, determined to get behind Li Banfeng.

Seeing He Jiaqing's persistence, Li Banfeng maneuvered for a few rounds, then pulled a key from his pocket. "If you want to circle so badly, then go ahead." Li Banfeng twisted his wrist behind him and opened the door to the Portable Residence.

He Jiaqing saw Li Banfeng's footsteps hesitate slightly, quickly seized the opportunity, slipped behind Li Banfeng, and stepped into the Portable Residence. Among all the opponents Li Banfeng had faced, many had 'visited', but this one was by far the most proactive.

Didn't He Jiaqing see a door right in front of him? He really didn't. The projector had preemptively concealed both their figures and altered some of the surrounding scenery, creating hidden combat conditions for Li Banfeng.

Once inside the Portable Residence, He Jiaqing froze, so did the phonograph, and so did Hong Ying. He Jiaqing didn't know where he was, nor why he had entered this room. He Jiaqing had walked this street twice and was quite familiar with it. When did a room appear next to the coffee shop on this corner?

The phonograph stared at He Jiaqing for a moment, finding him somewhat familiar. She had seen He Jiaqing's picture in the newspaper once, but it was an older photo, showing a younger, more inexperienced appearance. The phonograph asked, "Are you a friend of my husband?"

He Jiaqing didn't know the phonograph's origin, but he could sense that she was no ordinary being. He cupped his fists and bowed, saying, "May I ask your husband's name?" The phonograph replied, "He's called Li Qi. Do you know him?"

He naturally knew Li Qi; he was a key figure. According to He Haiqin's description, Li Qi should be Li Banfeng, and Li Banfeng was the holder of the Mysterious Lotus. Of course, that was in the past. The Lotus had been taken by the Outer State, and it was unknown who held it now. He Haiqin had said that He Jiaqing and Li Banfeng had a history. Should he admit his identity now?

As He Jiaqing hesitated, the phonograph instructed Hong Ying, "Go bring that hussy Red Lotus over here. Tell her her old flame has arrived."

A woman of indescribably beautiful figure and utterly indefinable appearance brought the Red Lotus closer. Mysterious Lotus! He Jiaqing was ecstatic! He had come to the right place!

He Jiaqing cupped his fists and said, "Sister-in-law, I am Li Qi's brother. I've come today simply to borrow the Red Lotus." The phonograph laughed, "Little Sister Red Lotus, your old flame is here to pick you up."

The Mysterious Lotus gently unfurled its petals, seemingly examining He Jiaqing. It spoke, "Jiaqing, do you remember Teacher Song?"

Teacher Song? He Haiqin hadn't mentioned him.

"Of course, I remember. He's my esteemed teacher; how could I forget?" He Jiaqing mumbled a fabricated reply, going along with the conversation. The Red Lotus then asked, "Have you met Teacher Song's wife?"

"Yes, once," He Jiaqing continued to fabricate. "My teacher's wife treated me very well."

The Red Lotus said to the phonograph, "This isn't He Jiaqing."

"He Jiaqing" felt a pang of discomfort. "What do you mean?"

The phonograph laughed, "Sister, pay close attention. If this isn't He Jiaqing, then he'll become dinner for us sisters."

The Red Lotus also laughed, "Look at you saying that. Even if he were He Jiaqing, once he's in this room, wouldn't he still become dinner? Teacher Song was a young woman; where would a 'teacher's wife' come from?"

The phonograph roared furiously, "I knew that 'esteemed teacher' was a hussy!"

"He Jiaqing" sensed something was wrong and immediately turned to run for the door. He tugged at the door for a long time, but it didn't budge.

The phonograph was still angry, grumbling incessantly, "I knew this person surnamed Song wasn't simple. Just her talent alone could make that madman lose his mind. Tell me, was she pretty?"

The Red Lotus thought for a moment, "It depends on how you compare. If you're talking about your appearance before you died, she couldn't compare. But as for your current appearance..."

The phonograph's voice trembled slightly, "What's wrong with my current appearance? Didn't that madman say he didn't mind?"

Hong Ying tried to console her, "Xiaowan, don't be angry. Don't listen to Red Lotus gossiping!"

"He Jiaqing" paused for a moment, wondering if he had overreacted. It seemed no one in the room was paying attention to him. Since no one cared, there was no need to be polite. "He Jiaqing" looked around and discovered two more doors in the room: one directly opposite, and another by the wall. Identifying the direction, "He Jiaqing" rushed forward, grabbed the Red Lotus with his left hand, and pushed open the second room's door with the fan in his right hand.

The door opened. The fan dropped to the floor. "He Jiaqing" was startled. How could the fan have fallen? It was his life; this fan never left his hand. He Jiaqing looked at his bare wrist and only then understood the reason: the fan hadn't left his hand; rather, his hand had fallen to the ground.

Hong Ying had chopped off "He Jiaqing's" right hand, picked up the fan from the ground, removed "He Jiaqing's" severed hand, and examined it carefully: "What kind of treasure is this? Why are you always gripping it?"

"He Jiaqing" tried to snatch the fan back. Hong Ying tapped her foot, retreated into the second room, and beckoned to "He Jiaqing," saying, "I'll walk backward. If you can catch me, I'll give you back the fan!"

"He Jiaqing" endured the intense pain and desperately gave chase. Hong Ying retreated from the second room to the third. The Red Lotus cried out, "Hussy, don't just mess around! Save me first!"

Hong Ying laughed, "Why save you? This person looks so much like your old flame. While my husband's not home, you two can have a good time."

Hong Ying chatted casually while backing away. "He Jiaqing" used all his strength but still couldn't catch up. He ran all the way to the eighth room. Seeing Hong Ying slow down, "He Jiaqing" felt he could finally catch her. He gathered all his strength, lunged forward, slipped, and fell to the ground. It was a bad fall. He Jiaqing couldn't get up for a long time, and the Red Lotus was also taken by Hong Ying.

A voice from within the room said, "That puddle of water was spilled just right."

A Calculator Cultivator lived in the eighth room. This cultivator had been subdued by Hong Ying and was always at her beck and call. In situations like this, when Hong Ying was fighting someone, the Calculator Cultivator in the eighth room would proactively assist without needing to be told. He had precisely calculated Hong Ying's stride and pace, and "He Jiaqing's" stride and pace, then made some positional adjustments based on the eighth room's furniture layout, causing "He Jiaqing" to step right into the puddle.

Hong Ying, holding the Red Lotus and the folding fan, continued to tease "He Jiaqing," "The fan's in my hand, and your old flame is in my hand. Keep chasing! It's rare to find some fun." After saying that, Hong Ying exited the eighth room and entered the seventh.

"He Jiaqing" could see the immense gap between himself and this indescribable woman. This woman could kill him at any moment; she had kept him alive until now purely for entertainment. If he wanted to die quickly, he really didn't need to chase anymore. But the fan was in her hand...

That was the logic, but understanding it clearly and accepting it easily were two different things. How could any living creature not cling to life?

"He Jiaqing" chased into the seventh room. Hong Ying was about to tease him further when she suddenly heard the phonograph call out, "Hussy, have you had enough fun? Bring Red Lotus back now, I have something to ask her!" Judging by the tone, it seemed she wanted to ask about Teacher Song. Xiaowan was in such a fury that Hong Ying didn't dare delay, quickly carrying Red Lotus back to the main room.

"He Jiaqing" watched helplessly as Hong Ying moved further and further away, the fan getting further from him, and his body becoming increasingly sluggish. He couldn't move. Was it over just like this...? "He Jiaqing's" thoughts ground to a halt.

Hong Ying carried Red Lotus to the phonograph, which snarled, "Tell me, what dealings did that hussy surnamed Song have with my husband?"

Red Lotus replied, "She was Li Banfeng's and He Jiaqing's teacher. She was innocent with He Jiaqing. As for her dealings with Li Banfeng, I can't say for sure, as I didn't recognize that madman back then."

"Was that person truly not He Jiaqing?" the phonograph demanded sharply.

Seeing her imposing demeanor, Red Lotus was a bit afraid. "How could I lie to you? He didn't even know if Teacher Song was male or female. He's definitely not the real one..."

"Who knows what you two are hinting at? Yingying, go bring that person over here. I'll question him myself!"

Hong Ying, holding the fan, hurried to find "He Jiaqing," only to discover that "He Jiaqing" was lying motionless in the seventh room.

"Xiaowan, he's..." Hong Ying didn't dare to act rashly. She could tell "He Jiaqing's" condition was wrong, and also that Zhao Xiaowan's mood wasn't right. Back when she was in the army, whenever Zhao Xiaowan got genuinely angry, everyone else had to be extremely careful in everything they did.

"Useless! I asked you to bring someone over, why is it so difficult!" Zhao Xiaowan entered the seventh room and struck Hong Ying with a plank. It was a painful blow, and Hong Ying rubbed herself for a long time.

The fan was now closer to "He Jiaqing." After a moment, "He Jiaqing" gradually began to react. His body rose and fell, as if he could breathe. The fluctuations grew larger, suggesting more than just breathing.

The phonograph stared blankly, "What's happening?"

Hong Ying observed for a moment, then quickly found an iron chain and bound "He Jiaqing." "Oh no, this person is about to explode!"

"Explode?" The phonograph didn't understand why he would explode.

Hong Ying tightened the chain, "I can't be mistaken. This person is about to explode, just like someone hit by 'Passing Glance.' Ask your questions quickly, he won't last long."

The phonograph asked, "What is your name?"

"He Jiaqing" replied, "My name is Qiu Daoyu."

The phonograph then asked, "Why did you impersonate He Jiaqing?"

"To become a high-ranking clan member."

"Are you from the Inner State?"

"Yes, now I am a high-ranking clan member."

Zhao Xiaowan didn't quite believe the man. Inner State residents shouldn't be this size; they were much larger than people from Proland.

"How did you change your appearance?"

"By being burned in a furnace."

Not only did he have to change his appearance, but he also had to learn He Jiaqing's characteristics and habits.

"How did you know about He Jiaqing's past?"

"He Jiaqing's father, He Haiqin, taught me bit by bit."

That matched; He Haiqin was indeed from the Inner State.

"What was the mission your clan gave you?"

"To use He Jiaqing's identity to seize control of Hundred Pleasures Gate."

"Where is He Jiaqing?"

"I don't know, I haven't found him..." Qiu Daoyu's voice grew weaker and weaker.

"How many of your clan members changed their appearance?"

"One hundred people entered the furnace with me. They all died; only I was refined. My cultivation is the highest, and my bones are the toughest..."

Clang, clang, clang. The iron chains rattled loudly. Hong Ying cried out, "Xiaowan, I can't hold on! This person is about to explode; let's get out of here!"

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Let him explode. Why should we retreat?"

Hong Ying said, "This force is different; it's definitely a fierce explosion. It might injure us. Let's leave him here and let the old master deal with him."

Just as the two were about to leave, a voice suddenly came from the seventh room, "No, he can't explode here!" The occupant of the seventh room spoke, actively warning Zhao Xiaowan, "If he explodes here, this room will be finished. He explodes his soul, not his body. If you eat his soul, he won't explode."

Hong Ying refused, "What if we eat him, and he explodes inside Xiaowan's stomach?"

The phonograph snapped, "Nonsense! How could he explode inside my stomach? You go farther away."

Hong Ying retreated to a distance, watching Qiu Daoyu's body slowly swell. The phonograph inserted two styluses into Qiu Daoyu's body, and all three speakers simultaneously emitted steam. Before long, Qiu Daoyu's body stopped expanding, and the phonograph retracted its styluses.

"Xiaowan, how is it?" Hong Ying approached, looking concerned.

The phonograph made no sound, but there was a clattering noise from its front compartment.

"Xiaowan, say something! Don't scare me, Xiaowan—" Hong Ying fumbled with the phonograph, her voice gradually trembling.

"Don't touch my belly!" The phonograph pushed Hong Ying away and walked two circles in the seventh room.

"Xiaowan, you're—"

"Gulp, burp," The phonograph let out a satisfied burp and exclaimed, "This Qiu Daoyu is even tastier than a toad!"

Hong Ying let out a long breath and sat on a chair. "Xiaowan, did you really want to scare me to death?"

"No scare, no scare. Go eat the meat quickly, this is indeed an Inner State specimen!"

Hong Ying looked at the swollen, unrecognizable corpse. "Really? Let me taste it."

"Don't eat it all. The others in our family have gone out to fight with my husband. Save some for them, and for our brother in the seventh room."

Hong Ying took a bite of the flesh and praised, "It is tastier than that toad. You in the seventh room, what's your name?"

The room replied, "If I knew my name, would I be living like this, neither human nor ghost?"

The phonograph said, "You have such good eyesight, able to discern the source of the explosion. You must be a Peeping Cultivator, right?" "Probably. It's been so long, I don't remember what sect I belong to."

The phonograph chuckled, "It doesn't matter if you don't remember; you can think about it slowly. The days are still long. Let's all look out for each other. Yingying, don't forget to save a portion for the eighth room too."

Hong Ying was in charge of distributing the food. The phonograph picked up Qiu Daoyu's fan. "This craftsmanship is extraordinary; there's another mystery inside."

"There certainly is a mystery. Could it be that we ate too much of the Inner State person?" Hong Ying looked up at the phonograph and said, "Xiaowan, I think my lips feel strange."

"Nonsense, you don't have lips."

"I think I do now."

The phonograph turned its large speaker and looked closely. "You're right, you really are..." Originally, the gun head only had two eyes, but now there was indeed a mouth beneath them.

The phonograph exclaimed, "Yingying, you've gained another business!"

"Is this territory really for me?" Chu Er was skeptical. She couldn't believe Li Qi would be so kind to her.

"I've brought it right to you, so of course it's for you. You were the first person I thought of; no one is more suitable than you."

"Say that again."

Li Banfeng thought Chu Er hadn't heard clearly, so he deliberately slowed his speech, "No one is more suitable than you."

"I mean, the sentence before that. Say it again."

"You were the first person I thought of."

Chu Er looked at Li Banfeng, sniffled, her lips trembled for a moment, and she actually started to cry aloud.

"Why are you crying?" Li Banfeng asked, puzzled.

Chu Er wiped her tears. "I've known you for so long, and this is the first time I've heard you say you miss me."

Miss you? Isn't that different from "thought of you"?

Li Banfeng was about to correct his wording when he saw Chu Er holding two deeds and saying, "If I take this deed, won't I become a local deity? And if all the barren land is cultivated, won't I become the local deity of proper land?"

"That's right!" Li Banfeng nodded. "Do you know how many people want this territory? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"I know you're good to me, and I'm sincere with you too," Chu Er said, lowering her head and blushing. "But I don't know if I have the ability. I'm afraid I won't be able to hold onto this territory."

"What's there to be afraid of? Our Second Aunt is backing us up!"

"Granny Ku can't always look after me. Speaking of which, when He Jiaqing came looking for me just now, it was probably for this land, right?"

"That's impossible." Li Banfeng shook his head. He was giving the territory to Chu Er, and no one knew about it except him and Qiu Luoye. He Jiaqing couldn't possibly have received the news. "Besides, I don't think that person was He Jiaqing."

Chu Er said, "Why wouldn't it be He Jiaqing? I've known him since I was a child. That fellow has been devious since he was young. I think he was He Jiaqing."

Li Banfeng said, "Think about it carefully. If He Jiaqing really wanted Hundred Pleasures Gate, would he act personally? He has many businesses, all managed by Shen Rongqing and Duan Shuqun. When have you ever seen him show up actively? The Outer State is still pursuing him. Would he dare come directly to your door to seize business? If the Defense Bureau found out, Liao Zihui would send people to arrest him. Even if he could fend off the Defense Bureau, doing so would be far too risky."

Chu Er nodded, "Brother Qi is right. Now that I think about it, that person really didn't seem like He Jiaqing."

"Hiss!" Xiang Fenglan gasped beside them. Just a moment ago, she said it was him; in the blink of an eye, it wasn't. That phrase, "Brother Qi is right," didn't even sound like something Chu Er would say.

"Sister Xiang, go see how Old Yang and Hong Yan are doing," Chu Er glared at Xiang Fenglan. "Brother Qi and I have something to discuss."

Xiang Fenglan sneered, "Do you have something to discuss, or something else to do? Can't I just watch from here?"

Li Banfeng stood up and said, "Everything has been discussed. Hurry up and bury the deeds, and take possession of the territory. You come from a prominent family; you know what to do with certain matters." Having said that, Li Banfeng prepared to leave.

Chu Er was reluctant to let him go and tugged at Li Banfeng's sleeve. "You must come visit me often. In this world, I'm the one who misses you the most."

Xiang Fenglan said, lowering her head, "Not necessarily. I heard Jiang Mengting is ill and has missed two consecutive song gatherings. If you don't go see her, she might be gone."

"I'll go check on Carefree Villa." Li Banfeng left the Chu family mansion.

Chu Er glared fiercely at Xiang Fenglan. "You hussy, how do you know Jiang Mengting is ill? Did Ma Wu tell you? I'll tell Granny about this in a bit!"

Li Banfeng went to Carefree Villa. Ma Wu was chatting with two young women. Seeing Li Banfeng approach, Ma Wu quickly introduced them, "Seventh Brother, these are two new confidantes I've met, one named A Chun, and the other A Se." These two confidantes had green flames on them, clearly indicating they were not from the mortal realm. However, Li Banfeng wasn't surprised. For Ma Wu, the so-called distinction between humans and ghosts was nothing but trivial!

He went to find Jiang Mengting. Jiang Mengting was indeed ill, looking terribly emaciated. Li Banfeng brought Jiang Mengting water and medicine, caring for her diligently.

The two young women continued to pour out their grievances to Ma Wu. A Se sighed softly, "Fifth Brother, we two are unlucky. We followed a cultivator and became servants. If we do anything even slightly wrong, we get punished. We don't know how long these days will last."

Ma Wu said seriously, "Don't worry, ladies. Now that you've met me, Ma Junyang, your hard days are over. Tomorrow, I'll speak with your master and have him write a document to transfer you two to me."

A Se tightly held Ma Wu's hand. "Young Master Wu is truly a good person!"

A Chun also held Ma Wu's hand. "Young Master Wu is indeed good, but what are we sisters here for?"

A Se said naturally, "Why even ask? Of course, we came specifically to visit Young Master Wu."

A Chun blinked and said, "Is that so?"

A Se was silent for a moment. "I suppose so..."

A Chun looked at Ma Wu. "Young Master Wu, was that Young Master Li Qi who just passed by?"

Li Banfeng looked at A Se's painting and clearly saw the entire process of Sun Tiecheng interrogating Huang Zenan, an Inner State resident. A Painter Cultivator was not a projector, and A Se didn't possess Mu Yuejuan's exceptional skill. The overall depiction wasn't overly realistic, but the meaning was conveyed clearly.

A Chun said from the side, "Young Master Li, City Lord Sun wants you to be very careful and vigilant. He specifically mentioned Zhang Gunli's abacus. He said that item is very peculiar and instructed our master to go to Black Rock Slope to find Tang Shijiang to research it."

Li Banfeng recalled the details of his fight with He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing had always held a folding fan in his hand, but this fan hadn't functioned as a weapon or a magic artifact. So what was he doing with the folding fan? Was its function similar to the abacus?

At Black Rock Slope, a merchant was troubled by land issues. The territory he bought was too small; the factory space was insufficient, and the equipment wouldn't fit. Recommended by a friend, he invited an experienced engineer for help. This engineer wore overalls, a hard hat, and was tall and robust with a full beard, yet wore a pair of glasses that seemed ill-suited to his appearance. He didn't look particularly special, but little did they know, this was the local deity of Black Rock Slope, Tang Shijiang. He held several identities at Black Rock Slope; an experienced engineer was one of them. Besides that, he was also a bricklayer, laborer, fitter, cook, newspaper editor, and magazine model, among others.

Tang Shijiang looked at the blueprints for a long time and shook his head. The factory space was simply not enough. The steam engine was the unchanging power equipment in Proland. Its complex steam-water circulation system resulted in its large volume, which meant this factory was destined not to house all the equipment. The problem of size was an insurmountable hurdle for steam engines. Tang Shijiang had conducted extensive research on it, but with minimal success. The merchant had no choice but to pay more money to buy land.

Tang Shijiang was helping him revise the blueprints. The pencil twirled twice in his hand before he tucked it behind his ear. He left the factory building and approached the wall, asking, "Senior, are you looking for me?"

Gui Jianchou smiled, "Don't call me Senior; there's no need to be so polite between us."

"Us?" Tang Shijiang didn't feel such a deep connection with Gui Jianchou. "What do you need me for?"

Gui Jianchou took out an abacus and handed it to Tang Shijiang, saying, "Take a look at this. What kind of item is it?"

Tang Shijiang took the abacus, gently shook it, and as he watched the movement of the abacus beads, his gaze grew deeper. After two hours of careful observation, Tang Shijiang moved six abacus beads. As these six beads moved, all the other beads also began to move.

Gui Jianchou didn't understand engineering cultivation and didn't know the principle behind this item. The ghost servant A Tie exclaimed, "He actually figured it out! He really did!"

Tang Shijiang shook his head. "I've only figured out the mechanism; I haven't found the power source yet. This is a treasure, a rare one."

"It truly is a treasure; the Inner State's engineering techniques are indeed formidable," the Portable Residence exclaimed, then said to the phonograph, "Girl, pull up the third rib of the fan, but don't use too much force."

The phonograph gently lifted the fan rib. A sharp whirring sound rang out. A stream of white mist flew out. The phonograph gasped, "This fan... is a steam engine?"

"That's right," the Portable Residence chuckled. "Girl, I finally know what kind of bloodline the Inner State people are. No wonder they're all so large!"