Chapter 649: Cloud Observation in the Sky

Guan Huodong believed he had critically wounded Li Banfeng, but it was merely a shadow that collapsed; the real Li Banfeng had already moved around behind him. Had it been anyone else in that spot today, being outflanked by Li Banfeng would have meant certain death. However, Guan Huodong was unique. His sect was unusual, and he knew the area intimately. He could pinpoint Li Banfeng's location and anticipate his intentions.

Li Qi was a meter behind him, holding a coin. This was likely Li Qi's weapon. Having followed his master for a long time, Guan Huodong was knowledgeable, and as a Gazer Cultivator, he had seen the appearance of the mark. He knew the mark within his body was a copper coin, and that the token inside him was also very similar in shape to a copper coin. So, what was the origin of the coin in Li Qi's hand? There was no need to ponder; it had to be the token. With Li Qi holding the token and Guan Huodong bearing the mark, their positions were clear: Li Qi held Guan Huodong's life in his hands.

Guan Huodong remained calm. He sidestepped behind a fisherman, using the man to obstruct Li Qi's line of sight. For the token to be effective, one's gaze must remain fixed on the opponent. This is the fundamental requirement for controlling it; only with sufficient visual concentration and the token's perception can the mark be used to inflict severe damage. This was Guan Huodong's assessment of the situation, highlighting the disparity in their experience. Guan Huodong had dominated the underground city for decades when, *Pfft!* Li Banfeng touched the coin, and Guan Huodong immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. The mark moved? The sensation was incredibly familiar. Guan Huodong had previously been punished by his master; the moment the mark stirred, the pain was excruciating, tearing through him. This was exactly that feeling! His line of sight was blocked, so Li Qi shouldn't have been able to control the coin. Why could he still manipulate the token?

What he didn't know was that the token in Li Banfeng's hand was different. Under Li Banfeng's tutelage, the coin simply followed commands without adhering to rules, striking anyone it was told to, entirely without conditions.

The fisherman caught between them jumped in surprise and looked back at Guan Huodong. He didn't recognize the man but simply felt something sprayed on him from behind. "What did you just spray on me?" the fisherman asked, feeling a warm sensation on his back. Guan Huodong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled, "Nothing, I just saw you were handsome and wanted to give you a little something." The fisherman, disgusted, quickly moved away. Guan Huodong, unhurriedly, stepped onto a fishing boat, gradually putting distance between himself and Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng's coin lost its connection with the copper coin inside Guan Huodong. Guan Huodong stood on the fishing boat, waiting for Li Banfeng to pursue him. Tan Jinxiao whispered, "Seventh Master, be very careful. He specializes in traps." Li Banfeng didn't rush to pursue. He sensed danger, and Tan Jinxiao was right; there were indeed traps around the fishing boat.

Guan Huodong was on the boat, and Li Banfeng was below. After a brief gaze, the boat owner approached from a distance. He looked at Li Banfeng's clothing and asked, "Sir, do you need the boat?" Tan Jinxiao told the boat owner, "You should step away for now!" The boat owner was displeased. "This is my boat! Why should I hide?" Li Banfeng pulled out two banknotes. "Yes, I need the boat. Here's a deposit." The boat owner took the money, his anger turning to delight. "Please wait a moment; I'll just tidy up the boat!"

The boat owner returned to the boat and looked at Guan Huodong. "My boat has been hired by that gentleman. If you need a boat, you'll have to find another." Guan Huodong chuckled, "I'd like to hire your boat too. I'll offer a higher price, so hire it to me instead!" The boat owner waved his hand. "No, that won't do. I've already accepted a deposit from them. That's not how you do business." As the two were speaking, Li Banfeng's figure suddenly vanished.

Guan Huodong nodded to the boat owner. "Alright, I'll find another one." He jumped off the boat and gave chase. The Gazer Cultivator's pace was swift; Li Banfeng observed that Guan Huodong was even faster than the martial cultivators from the Clouds. Although faster than martial cultivators, he was still no match for a Travel Cultivator. Li Banfeng quickly widened the gap between them, but his "Galloping Horse Viewing Flowers" technique didn't seem to work, as he never escaped Guan Huodong's sight. This was Guan Huodong's territory, riddled with his 'hooks.' As long as Li Banfeng remained in the Sea Market, Guan Huodong would always know his whereabouts.

Li Banfeng stopped running, turned, and walked towards Guan Huodong. Guan Huodong turned and waded into the sea, bending down to retrieve half a fishing net. If Li Qi came closer, Guan Huodong would use the fishing net to ensnare him; there were also mechanisms hidden beneath it. If Li Qi didn't approach, Guan Huodong would maintain his lock on Li Banfeng's position, waiting for an opportunity to launch a surprise attack. Li Banfeng stood at the water's edge, neither entering the water nor moving away. He tilted his hat brim up, his gaze fixed on Guan Huodong.

Tan Jinxiao cleared his throat nearby, preparing to spit. Guan Huodong was a bit nervous; it would be one against two, and he certainly wouldn't survive. Li Banfeng signaled Tan Jinxiao to hold still. Tan Jinxiao lowered his voice. "Seventh Master, this is no time for chivalry. This is Guan Huodong's domain; his influence is everywhere here. In this place, you might not see him, but he will certainly see you. You cannot ambush him, but he can ambush you at will. Gazer Cultivators also possess considerable physical prowess. I'm afraid you can't win this fight alone."

Li Banfeng didn't want Tan Jinxiao to intervene, not because he wished to fight Guan Huodong alone, but because he didn't want to draw too much attention. From a distance, Xiao Yeci observed, "What is Benefactor doing? Why is he constantly staring at that fisherman?" Liangcai said wistfully, "He's watching the fisherman because, deep in his heart, there's a longing for fish." Liangwu thought for a moment and then said, "Are you saying he wants to buy fish? I recall Seventh Master doesn't like to eat fish."

This battle was truly peculiar. The beach was bustling with people, yet apart from Tan Jinxiao, no one could discern that these two individuals were engaged in a deadly struggle. Guan Huodong sensed Li Banfeng's intentions: Li Banfeng didn't want to alarm the fishermen and farmers present. Especially the farmers, as the 'soil exchange' was critical for their annual harvest, and this matter absolutely could not be disrupted. Guan Huodong cleverly exploited this, unhurriedly maneuvering against Li Banfeng.

A boatman called out to Guan Huodong, "Hey, fisherman, pull in your net. You can't cast nets here; don't get it tangled in my boat later." Guan Huodong smiled at the boatman. "Isn't that exactly what I'm doing? Pulling in my net?" In a flash, Li Banfeng had vanished again. Guan Huodong remained completely unperturbed; he knew Li Banfeng was directly above him. This was a Gazer Cultivator technique called 'Penetrating the Obscure and Illuminating the Subtle.' Li Banfeng ascended from the ground, flying close to the cave ceiling. Even the faint shadow he cast on the sea surface couldn't escape Guan Huodong's keen eyes.

Guan Huodong remained outwardly calm, waiting for Li Banfeng to fly directly overhead. As soon as he was directly above, Li Banfeng touched the coin in his hand, preparing to manipulate Guan Huodong's mark. Guan Huodong acted first, shrinking into the seawater and once again putting distance between himself and Li Banfeng. He always seemed to act a step ahead. Did he possess a way to read minds? Li Banfeng's judgment was correct. The first time he visited the Wonderful Sound Record Shop, Ling Miaosheng had heard the singing from deep within Li Qi. This was a Gazer Cultivator technique called 'Discerning the Inner from the Outer,' allowing Guan Huodong to some extent perceive Li Banfeng's thoughts.

As Li Banfeng contemplated whether to continue fighting in the water or temporarily retreat to shore, Guan Huodong seized the opportunity. He yanked his fishing net from the water, cast it into the air, and directly covered Li Banfeng, dragging both man and net into the water. A nearby fisherman asked, "What are you netting there?" "A bat!" Guan Huodong chuckled. "There was a huge bat in this cave just now!" The fisherman was also excited. "How big was it? Over a hundred *jin*? Why didn't I see it earlier?" Bats were considered rare treasures in the Sea Market of the underground city; the larger they were, the more valuable. Catching one over a hundred *jin* could fetch a price high enough to secure food and drink for several years without needing to go back out to sea. Guan Huodong looked at the water's surface and chuckled, "I'll pull it up and see; it should be over a hundred *jin*." Li Banfeng remarked from the side, "I doubt it. Your net seems to be empty!"

Guan Huodong was taken aback. The net had clearly caught him just now, so how did he break free again? Anyone else would have assumed the Travel Cultivator was simply too fast, and the net was indeed empty. But what kind of eyesight did Guan Huodong possess? He had seen Li Banfeng get caught in the net with absolute clarity, even distinguishing his features as he was dragged into the water. Guan Huodong simply couldn't comprehend how Li Banfeng had escaped the netting. The situation was now critical, as Li Banfeng was very close to Guan Huodong. Guan Huodong shouted, "It seems he really got out of the net! I'm going in to chase him!" With that, Guan Huodong plunged headfirst into the water. "I'll go see too!" Li Banfeng said, following him into the water, in close pursuit.

The boatman paused for a moment, also wanting to go into the water to investigate. Suddenly, he heard someone shout, "Gather your things, time to get on the boat!" The boatman reluctantly made his way to the boat, glancing back to see the seawater had turned slightly red. Was the bat injured? It wasn't the bat that was injured, but Guan Huodong. Li Banfeng flicked the coin, and Guan Huodong vomited another mouthful of blood.

Fleeing like this was clearly not a solution. Guan Huodong led Li Banfeng towards a cluster of reefs, which were riddled with fishing lines and hooks beneath them. Guan Huodong stood guard by the reefs, waiting for Li Banfeng to take the bait. Such traps naturally posed no challenge to Li Banfeng. He used his 'Severing Paths to Clear the Way' technique to move the fishing lines and hooks aside. The traps near the reefs were not the only danger. There was also a magic array next to Guan Huodong; if Li Banfeng stepped on it, he would be instantly sucked to the seabed by a vortex. Just one step from the magic array, Li Banfeng halted. Guan Huodong had a bad feeling. Li Banfeng rubbed the coin in his hand, and Guan Huodong vomited another mouthful of blood. The problem lay with this coin. Guan Huodong was forced to abandon the reefs and swim to the surface. Li Banfeng pursued him unhurriedly, always maintaining a careful distance.

Ahead, there was a pit trap on the beach. Guan Huodong stood beside it, but Li Banfeng didn't step in, instead continuing to rub the coin. Enduring intense pain, Guan Huodong's steps faltered slightly as he led Li Banfeng onto an abandoned old ship. The ship was quite large, with a very spacious deck. Guan Huodong stood at the bow, his right hand behind his back, gently pinching a section of cable. There were clearly mechanisms within the cable, and Li Banfeng wouldn't approach carelessly. On the deck, he touched the coin. Guan Huodong clutched his chest, and another mouthful of blood splattered onto the deck. Blood flowed down the cracks in the wooden planks. Guan Huodong neither fled nor hid, simply standing before Li Banfeng. Was he giving up? No!

Li Banfeng sensed imminent danger. With a sudden *crack*, the deck beneath his feet shattered. He had assumed the trap was in the cable, but now it appeared the cable was merely a diversion; the real trap lay beneath Li Banfeng's feet. Beneath Li Banfeng's feet lay a magic array, triggered by Guan Huodong's blood. Li Banfeng possessed the skill of 'Riding the Wind and Soaring through Clouds,' so even if the deck beneath his feet shattered, he should theoretically have been able to fly. Yet, Li Banfeng struggled briefly before falling below the deck. He looked down to see a human face beneath his feet—bald, red-eyed, and with a gaping maw—which swallowed him whole. This was an Eater Cultivator array, 'Devouring the Eight Desolations.'

Guan Huodong rarely deployed this array because resetting it came at an enormous cost. Now that Li Qi had been swallowed by the array, he certainly wouldn't break free anytime soon, yet Guan Huodong's heart remained uneasy. The instant Li Banfeng dropped below the deck, Guan Huodong noticed something. Li Banfeng himself fell, but his shadow seemed not to. Had he seen wrong? For a Gazer Cultivator to claim he saw incorrectly was akin to a Martial Cultivator admitting he couldn't use a knife. Li Qi's shadow had definitely changed just now. Li Qi had fallen into traps multiple times and always managed to escape smoothly; this must also be related to his shadow. As he pondered, Li Qi suddenly flew up from beside the ship's rail.

Gazer Cultivators were truly formidable opponents; they were impervious to sneak attacks and always managed to seize the initiative. The highly vigilant Guan Huodong first clearly located Li Banfeng, then deduced his intentions, and preemptively pulled the cable in his hand. The cable wasn't a diversion after all. A strong gust of wind swept across the bow, transforming into three sharp blades that slashed towards Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng used his 'Carefree and Unfettered' technique to shift his body's vital points, dodging two of the sharp blades. However, one blade couldn't be avoided and severed Li Banfeng's right hand.

Guan Huodong was ecstatic. He leaped forward, picked up Li Banfeng's severed hand, and took the coin from it. This coin had been Guan Huodong's tormentor, and now it was finally in his grasp. With this coin... Wait, this wasn't the coin; it was a silver dollar. And this hand wasn't right either. Why was it so dark? Was this the hand of a shadow? Li Banfeng flew from the ship's rail onto the deck, accompanied by a shadow with a severed hand standing beside him. The shadow moved its shoulder, and the severed arm slowly regenerated, though its color was slightly paler. Guan Huodong's face drained of color; he finally realized the immense disparity between their abilities. He threw away the severed hand and the silver dollar, desperate to flee for his life. The severed arm sprouted limbs and a head, transforming into a foot-tall Li Banfeng, who then delivered a fierce kick to Guan Huodong. Guan Huodong's breastbone shattered, and he fell to the ground. Though the foot-tall Banfeng was small, his 'Foot Stepping Through Ten Thousand Rivers' kick carried considerable power.

Guan Huodong looked around. There were still many traps on the ship, including a Fire Cultivator trap near the cabin. Did he still have the strength to activate this trap now? Guan Huodong was too severely injured. No matter how difficult, he had to try. He couldn't just wait here to die. As long as he acted quickly enough, there was still... The silver dollar slashed across Guan Huodong's throat. Logically, with Guan Huodong's cultivation, the silver dollar shouldn't have been able to cut his neck. But Guan Huodong was too severely injured; half his neck was severed, with only a few tendons remaining, leaving his head dangling against his chest.

Li Banfeng stepped onto the deck and had just helped Guan Huodong up when he suddenly heard an old boatman from below shout, "Sir, don't go on that ship! It's haunted, and many people have died on it." "Thank you for the warning," Li Banfeng replied, supporting Guan Huodong. "My friend is drunk and wandering aimlessly; I'll get him off the ship now." As they stepped off, Pendulum swiftly absorbed the bloodstains from Guan Huodong's body, leaving no trace. After exchanging a few casual words with the old boatman, Li Banfeng found a secluded corner and brought Guan Huodong into his Portable Abode.

A host of magical artifacts entered the Portable Abode with Guan Huodong. The Gramophone quickly began consuming the soul while it was still intact, and the Projector continuously adjusted its shooting angle nearby. The Gramophone was displeased. "I'm trying to eat here; what are you filming? Are there no rules in this house?" The Projector explained, "Madam, I'm not filming you; I'm filming this person. Director Qi said this person will still be useful." The Gramophone didn't consume the entire soul, leaving some for Pendulum. "Sister, come eat." This was a soul from the Clouds, a genuinely valuable entity, very different from the earlier Zhu Yugui. Pendulum felt a little ashamed, but the Gramophone chuckled, "Eat quickly. We're all family, and I genuinely care for you."

The Projector captured a few angles, then turned and went to the Fifth Room. A field appeared on the wall. The Fifth Room girl, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, approached the Projector. "Beautiful lady, I need your help," the Projector said, displaying an image on the opposite wall. The scene depicted Li Banfeng and Guan Huodong in combat. Because both moved very quickly, the Projector had been continuously tracking them, resulting in a somewhat shaky image. The Fifth Room girl took out a notebook and diligently recorded Guan Huodong's physical characteristics. After reviewing the entire fight, she and the Projector continually reconstructed Guan Huodong's movements in detail through the images.

After more than ten minutes, the Projector's lens flickered, and under a dazzling halo, the body lines of a man were slowly outlined. First came the outline, then the shading, and finally the colors. Pendulum stood at the doorway, peering curiously into the room. "Madam, why is he putting in so much effort?" In Pendulum's experience, the Projector could effortlessly create a person's image in the blink of an eye. Yet at this moment, he seemed to be painting a delicate oil painting, each stroke rendered with meticulous care. Pendulum, proficient in Western painting, knew the extreme difficulty of this "oil painting." The Gramophone reminded her from the side, "Watch carefully, this isn't a painting; it's real." "Real?" Pendulum paused, then understood what the Gramophone meant. What the Projector created was indeed not a flat image; he had drawn a person—a remarkably lifelike, flesh-and-blood human being. The Gramophone said, "I've told you before, the Projector's Taoist art is unfathomable. He can create newspapers, he can create vases—all real. And now, he can create a person." This person's appearance, physique, and clothing were identical to Guan Huodong's.

The next scene was even more incredible: the Projector's halo shone upon "Guan Huodong," and "Guan Huodong's" legs slowly began to move. The real Guan Huodong lay in the main room, while his family members were eating. The Guan Huodong created by the Projector could now move. Even Honglian walked to the door of the Fifth Room, silently observing the Projector's technique. The Projector's skill was far from comparable to Honglian's; in Honglian's eyes, this 'Guan Huodong' had countless imperfections. Nevertheless, the Projector's technique still astonished Honglian. After several attempts, "Guan Huodong" finally took a step. The Gramophone cheered for the Projector. But the Fifth Room girl was not entirely satisfied. "The movements are too stiff; they need more refinement." Pendulum regretted it even more; if she had known the Projector possessed such capabilities, she wouldn't have needed to seek out Honglian for this. The Gramophone gently scraped Pendulum's cheek with its stylus. "In the future, if you need anything, try not to seek help from outsiders."

Li Banfeng entered the old ship's cabin and, with considerable effort, rescued Banfeng C from the magic array. Because it was an Eater Cultivator array, Banfeng C was covered in stomach acid. Feeling disgusted, he went to the seaside and washed for a long time. And Banfeng B, who had been in the fishing net, was soaked in seawater. After emerging from the net, he shivered in the cold wind for a long time.

After gathering all the shadows, Li Banfeng found Tan Jinxiao. "Hire a boat; let's go out to sea and have a look." Tan Jinxiao looked around. "Where did Guan Huodong go?" "He'll be here soon. He's one of us now." "Guan Huodong is one of us?" Tan Jinxiao stared at Li Banfeng, thinking he was joking. "You had a misunderstanding before, but it's resolved now. You should get along well in the future." Li Banfeng lifted his hat brim, gazing out at the deep sea. He patted his gloves, then touched the Judge's Brush, lowering his voice. "This is the sea! Let's go out together and broaden our horizons." "Hmph!" the Judge's Brush scoffed, saying five words, "Nothing special about it." Li Banfeng retorted, "This isn't special? Have any of you ever seen a sea this vast?" "Master, I've seen the sea," the Gloves declared, wagging its index finger. "Puluo Province has a huge sea!"

"This set of shots requires filming at sea, which is very costly," Duan Shuqun said, glancing at the ledger. *Blade of Blood Detective Nine*, currently in production, was already over budget again. He Jiaqing, however, was optimistic. "The budget can be adjusted again; spending a bit more is fine." Duan Shuqun felt there was no need to film at sea. "Other provinces have synthesis technology. We can simply film in the studio, then process it afterwards, and it will look exactly like it was filmed at sea. I've prepared two sets of footage; we can take a look." He Jiaqing shook his head. "No need to look. I'm aware of the synthesis technologies you mentioned, and I don't want to use such deceptive methods." Duan Shuqun didn't see it as deception. "Everything in films is fake. The fights and killings are fake, so why must the sea view be real? Li Qi's film company constantly churns out movies. In cinemas, at least six out of ten films screened are theirs. Their film production costs are not high, but they certainly earn a significant amount from the box office." He Jiaqing put down his newspaper and patiently explained to Duan Shuqun, "I make films not only for profit, but also to create art that will stand the test of time. I won't deceive my audience with fake scenes." Shen Rongqing nodded repeatedly. "On this point, I agree with Jiaqing's idea." He Jiaqing had made up his mind, so Duan Shuqun didn't say much more.

With the film matter settled, He Jiaqing asked Big Head, "How is the procurement of that batch of medicine we discussed earlier progressing?" Big Head shook his head. "Things aren't progressing smoothly. I heard there have been a lot of problems at Three Head Fork, and it's a bit difficult to find supplies." He Jiaqing had instructed Big Head to purchase a batch of medicines for accumulating Dao affinity, but Big Head had only managed to acquire less than thirty percent so far. "What kind of troubles could there be at Three Head Fork?" He Jiaqing repeatedly scanned the newspaper but couldn't find any related news. Shen Rongqing said, "I'll host a dinner tonight and invite some friends from the Defense Bureau. We can see if they have any information." He Jiaqing nodded. Shen Rongqing, when not temperamental, was still remarkably capable.

The butler entered the living room and informed He Jiaqing, "Mr. Peng has arrived." "Please show him in quickly!" He Jiaqing stood up and straightened his clothes. Mr. Peng was a newly acquainted friend who had provided He Jiaqing with considerable business assistance. A moment later, the butler escorted Mr. Peng into the living room. Mr. Peng, in his forties, had shiny, slicked-back hair and wore a diagonal-front long gown, holding a pipe in his hand. His mannerisms and speech were reminiscent of an old-school merchant from Puluo Province. Shen Rongqing, Duan Shuqun, and Zou Guoming had never met Mr. Peng before and spoke with some reservation. Mr. Peng was affable. "Please, everyone, there's no need for formalities. Since you are Jiaqing's friends, you are naturally my friends too." As he spoke, Mr. Peng ran a hand through his hair. He Jiaqing faintly heard some sounds. "Rongqing, Shuqun, Guoming, please attend to your respective tasks. Mr. Peng and I need to speak privately." Duan Shuqun glanced at Shen Rongqing; this was not what they had discussed beforehand. He Jiaqing had previously stated that they would all discuss business with Mr. Peng together today, and they had even prepared for it. How could they be dismissed the moment he arrived? Big Head didn't