Chapter 696: The Creditor

"Here we are!" the old coachman said, pulling back the curtain. Li Banfeng stepped out of the carriage.

"Is this Barren Road Town?"

The old man nodded. "See the town gate? You have to pay three yuan per person to enter."

Li Banfeng gazed for a moment. This place was a town, yet it had a city wall. The wall wasn't very high; it looked like it was built from earth and stones, and he wondered how sturdy it was.

As the old coachman was about to leave, Li Banfeng said, "Why don't you take me around the town?"

The old man turned back. "I've already brought you to your destination. What else is there to do?"

"I'll pay!" Li Banfeng pulled out a banknote.

"This money..." The old man looked at the banknote. He really wanted it, but after a moment's hesitation, he shook his head. "You'd better hire someone else once you're inside the town."

Li Banfeng frowned. "You don't want to earn this money?"

"Don't be ridiculous, who doesn't want to earn money? The problem is, it's not cost-effective for you if I go with you. My carriage and horse would both be charged a toll, plus me, that's fifteen yuan. Going in and out means thirty. Why bother? Just find someone in town; you'll save thirty yuan. You can use that for food and drinks, or whatever else you need."

"Do I look like I'm short on thirty yuan? I'm not looking for anyone else; just come with me." Li Banfeng tucked the banknote onto the old man's carriage.

The old man picked up the banknote and waved his hand. "First, make sure you know how much it is. I don't have any change."

"No need for change, it's all yours."

The two arrived at the town gate, where several burly men stood. The old man told Li Banfeng, "Get back in the carriage; it'll save you three yuan."

Li Banfeng waved his hand. "Three yuan isn't a problem. Let's just go."

"You're not carrying any weapons, are you? Barren Road Town strictly prohibits weapons; not even a screwdriver is allowed."

Li Banfeng didn't reply and kept walking forward.

As they passed the gate, the burly men came to search them. Li Banfeng walked right past, completely unnoticed by the guards. The coachman was stunned for a long time but didn't say anything. After the search was completed, the carriage inspected, and the fifteen yuan toll paid, the old man caught up with Li Banfeng.

"How did you sneak in?"

Li Banfeng turned his head. "Who sneaked in? I walked in openly. If they didn't see me, how is that my fault?"

The old man nodded. "Indeed! It was as if they couldn't see you."

Li Banfeng walked down the street, observing the town's appearance. The road was wide, and both sides were lined with identical two-story buildings, neatly arranged with a unique elegance.

This didn't look like a frontier town. Just this street alone was much better than Medicine King Gully, and even cleaner than some streets in Green Water City.

Li Banfeng asked the coachman, "What's your name?"

"My surname is Liu. You can just call me Old Liu the Coachman!"

"Old Liu, do you live on this street?"

Old Liu chuckled. "You think too highly of me. How could I afford to live here? I'm a horse herder; wherever there's water and grass, that's my home."

Li Banfeng asked, "Were all those horses I saw in the pasture yours?"

"Yes, I raised them all."

"Then you must be quite well-off."

"What's the use of being well-off? I never married, have no children, and remained a bachelor my whole life."

"With so many horses, you wouldn't need to work as a coachman anymore."

Old Liu shook his head. "That's ridiculous, isn't it? If I don't work, what would I do? Eat horse meat every day? Even those few horses wouldn't be enough."

"Sell horses, then. Isn't horse trading profitable?"

"I don't have that skill, and I don't know how to do business. As long as people hire my carriage, I have a carriage and horses, and I can get by."

Li Banfeng still couldn't understand Old Liu's way of life. "When you're out working, you just leave your horses in the pasture. Aren't you afraid they'll get lost?"

"No, I'm not! There's a lead horse. My lead horse is very clever; it leads all the horses back to the enclosure at night."

The two walked and chatted, arriving next to an inn. Old Liu said, "This is the best inn in Barren Road Town; both the food and lodging are excellent. If you're hungry, go in and eat. I'll wait by the entrance, and after you've eaten your fill and settled in, we can continue our tour."

Li Banfeng said, "I'll go in and eat, but what will you eat outside?"

Old Liu rummaged through the bundle on his carriage. "I have some flatbread with me."

"Flatbread? Come in and eat with me, it's my treat!"

Old Liu waved his hand. "That's not appropriate. I've already earned so much from you; how can I accept your food? Besides, my carriage is difficult to manage; what if something happens to it out here?"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "You're not afraid to leave your horses in the pasture, but you're afraid to leave them in front of the inn?"

Old Liu sighed. "Too many hands and eyes around here."

"Doesn't the inn have stable hands?"

"They do, but it costs money."

"That's fine, I'll pay."

Hearing this, Old Liu became emboldened. He drove his carriage closer and shouted, "Hey, stable hand, are you still breathing? Time to get to work!"

An old man, roughly the same age as Old Liu, walked out of the inn and stared at Old Liu for a moment. "You scoundrel, you're quite fierce, aren't you? Why are you shouting at me?"

Old Liu retorted immediately, "You old geezer, still putting on airs? Haven't I brought you some business? Hurry up and take good care of my horse!"

The old man led the carriage away. "You've struck it rich, kid?"

Old Liu laughed. "A rich gentleman has hired me for the day."

Hearing this, the old man was dumbfounded for a long time. "You son of a bitch, what did you sell?"

Old Liu frowned. "What else could I sell? Just get to work. I'll get you a few extra tips."

Inside the inn, Li Banfeng sat at a table and ordered. The inn had a good variety of dishes, and the prices weren't expensive. Li Banfeng ordered eight dishes—four cold and four hot—and two pots of wine.

Old Liu said, "Why did you order so much? We won't be able to eat all of this."

"If we can't finish it, you can take it with you. I ordered things that won't spoil easily, so you can eat them on the way back. Is that stable hand your friend?"

Old Liu chuckled. "Yes, we've been friends for many years."

"Call him over to eat with us."

Old Liu waved his hand. "He can't come. This place has rules; stable hands aren't allowed to dine at the tables. I already feel a bit awkward just being here."

Once the food and wine were served, the two ate and drank. Old Liu began to explain the geography of Barren Wilderness.

Actually, the geography was simple: Barren Road Town was the only town in the Barren Wilderness, and outside the town, it was all wilderness.

When Li Banfeng inquired about matters concerning Neizhou, Old Liu lowered his voice and said, "You're looking for the Gate of Neizhou, aren't you?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Can one still go to Neizhou through that gate?"

Old Liu quickly waved his hand, lowering his voice. "Saying you want to *see* the gate is fine, but you can't just talk about *going* to Neizhou like that; it's too alarming. That gate has been sealed for decades. There's nothing there, just a cave, and it's not worth seeing. If you ask me, you shouldn't go."

As they were talking, Li Banfeng shivered.

Old Liu said, "I've seen you shivering the whole way. Is it malaria? Or have you caught some illness?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "No illness, just probably caught a chill."

Old Liu told the waiter to warm the wine. "Don't worry about a chill; a couple of hot drinks will fix you right up. It's cold here; this is the coldest part of Puluo Prefecture."

"Is this place still Puluo Prefecture?"

"Why wouldn't it be? This is definitely Puluo Prefecture. Where did you come from?"

Li Banfeng said, "I came from Green Water City."

"That's a big place. I've heard of it; no one in Puluo Prefecture hasn't heard of Green Water City—"

Clatter, clatter.

Outside the inn, the sound of hoofbeats echoed. A troop of armed horsemen rode past the inn's entrance.

Li Banfeng asked, "Who are they? Didn't you say weapons aren't allowed in Barren Road Town?"

Some people in the inn looked at Li Banfeng. Old Liu lowered his voice. "Those are the Barren Age Iron Cavalry, great heroes of Puluo Prefecture. They follow the principle of never separating from their horses, never separating from their swords, and never separating from their armor. You mustn't speak carelessly about them."

Li Banfeng also lowered his voice. "Who are the Barren Age Iron Cavalry?"

Old Liu said, "The Barren Age Iron Cavalry are also known as the Valiant Riders. Back then, they followed General Huang and Princess Long, chasing Neizhou until they scattered in terror. Their contributions were immense."

General Huang was Huang Yuxian, who was his own wife. Li Banfeng knew this.

"Who is Princess Long?"

Old Liu looked slightly disdainful. "How can you know nothing? Princess Long is the daughter of the Heavenly Dragon King and General Huang's sworn sister."

Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment. "And who is the Heavenly Dragon King?"

Old Liu chuckled. "I don't even know where to begin with that. Someday I'll find you a storyteller, and you can just listen to their tales. Their stories alone would take years to finish. If I were to start from the Heavenly Dragon King, you'd have to settle down here, get a wife, and listen while you live your life."

Clatter, clatter.

Outside, there were hoofbeats again.

This time, Li Banfeng looked closely. This troop consisted of over a dozen people, appearing to be in their twenties or thirties. Their weapons were indeed mainly sabers, and they were all wearing armor.

Li Banfeng asked, "Is there something going on? Why are they riding back and forth like this?"

Old Liu said, "Nothing in particular; they're just patrolling the streets."

Li Banfeng checked his pocket watch. "Didn't they just patrol a moment ago?"

Old Liu drank a cup of wine. "The ones just now were from the Bao family. These are from the Fan family, and soon the Lu family will come. They are all Barren Age Iron Cavalry."

"How many families are part of the Barren Age Iron Cavalry?"

"The main ones are these three families, and below them are sixteen minor families. All nineteen families are Barren Age Iron Cavalry. They all earned military merits back then, and if we ever fight Neizhou again in the future, they'll still be the ones on the battlefield."

Not long after, the Lu family's cavalry also passed by. Li Banfeng asked, "When was the last time the Barren Age Iron Cavalry fought?"

Old Liu thought for a long time. "It's been over forty years, hasn't it? Maybe even longer—"

Li Banfeng said, "How old are these people? How did they become Barren Age Iron Cavalry?"

Old Liu whispered, "You wouldn't understand this. The Barren Age Iron Cavalry is passed down through generations, from father to son, and from grandson to son. They fight Neizhou to the end, generation after generation. They patrol the town once every day, and if Neizhou ever launches a surprise attack, they're ready to fight on the spot with their weapons. We shouldn't discuss these matters. In Barren Road Town, everything related to the Barren Age Iron Cavalry is considered confidential and not to be spoken about lightly."

Watching the cavalry pass by the inn's entrance one by one, Li Banfeng felt a deep admiration. It was as if he saw the brave warriors of White Falcon County.

As the two continued eating and chatting, they suddenly saw several armored cavalrymen tie their horses outside the door and enter the inn.

The innkeeper quickly went to greet them. "Fourth Master Lu, what would you like to eat?"

The man named Lu Si pushed the innkeeper aside and walked directly to Li Banfeng's table. "Where are you from?"

Old Liu quickly said, "I'm a coachman, a local of Barren Wilderness."

Lu Si shoved Old Liu past him and turned to Li Banfeng. "I wasn't asking him."

Li Banfeng chuckled. "Then who are you asking?"

"Who else do you think? I'm asking where *you* are from."

On the inn's first floor, everyone in the room quickly paid their bills and left, not daring to cast another glance.

Li Banfeng said, "Does where I'm from concern you?"

Lu Si looked down at Li Banfeng. "I am Barren Age Iron Cavalry, from the Lu family. I now suspect you have ties with Neizhou, and this is a routine interrogation. You were just casually discussing the Barren Age Iron Cavalry, and many people heard you. Are you going to deny what you did?"

Li Banfeng frowned. "Why should I deny it? I was just asking what the Barren Age Iron Cavalry does. Is that not allowed?"

Fourth Master Lu shook his head. "No, it's not allowed! You don't have that right. We shed blood and risked our lives on the battlefield; we won't tolerate people like you pointing fingers."

Li Banfeng chuckled. "Let's not talk about 'pointing fingers' yet. First, tell me when you shed blood and risked your life. Have *you* ever fought in a war?"

Fourth Master Lu raised his head. "That's none of your business. Someone in my family has fought in wars; my ancestors finished the fighting for me. Disrespecting the Barren Age Iron Cavalry is disrespecting my ancestors. I demand you kneel and kowtow a hundred times and pay a hundred silver dollars. Do you comply or not?"

Li Banfeng stared at Fourth Master Lu for a long time.

He was extorting Li Banfeng.

Logically, this man should have already lost his life, but Li Banfeng wanted to observe a little longer.

He wanted to see why this kind of despicable person could make him misunderstand, could make him feel like these were the warriors of White Falcon County.

Lu Si lost patience and drew the long saber from his waist. "I'm asking you, do you comply or not?"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "What if I don't comply?"

"Then today I'll cut you down to appease the spirits of my ancestors in heaven." As he spoke, Fourth Master Lu raised his saber.

"Alright, cut." Li Banfeng continued to drink and eat, completely ignoring Fourth Master Lu.

Old Liu stood by, unable to resist saying, "A wise man doesn't suffer immediate loss—"

Lu Si glanced at Old Liu. "Don't worry, you're next!"

He truly wanted to cut down Li Banfeng. He himself was a second-level martial cultivator, making short work of easy targets.

Under him, he had a formidable individual named Pei Rufeng, a fifth-level scholar-cultivator.

What kind of person was a fifth-level scholar-cultivator? In this frontier town, with such a person by his side, Lu Si acted without any restraint.

However, Pei Rufeng had some reservations. He had traveled the martial world and felt that Li Banfeng was unusual. He advised Lu Si, "Fourth Master, it's best to show leniency when possible. Let's drop this matter."

"No! I won't let him off today!" Lu Si raised his saber, about to strike, when he suddenly heard someone speak at the door.

"Innkeeper, prepare a table of food and wine."

A man around fifty years old entered the inn. He had a full beard, wore a gray cloth short jacket, and a wide-brimmed straw hat. He carried a shoulder pole covered with cloth, resembling a peddler selling various goods.

He sat down at a table and ordered from the menu.

The inn's waiter, unsure where this ignorant person came from, quickly advised, "We're not serving anymore. Please go to another inn."

The peddler didn't take it seriously. "Why go somewhere else? Don't you serve food and wine here?"

Lu Si looked at Pei Rufeng. "Get rid of the irrelevant people."

Pei Rufeng ordered two cavalrymen to escort the guest out. The cavalrymen stepped forward and pushed the peddler. "Barren Age Iron Cavalry are on official business; irrelevant people must leave!"

The peddler looked up at the two cavalrymen. "You conduct your business, and I'll eat my meal. How does that concern you?"

The two cavalrymen grew angry. They had already lost face with Li Banfeng, and now they encountered another disrespectful person.

One cavalryman stepped forward and tried to trip the peddler, but missed. The peddler dodged; his movements were agile.

The other cavalryman stepped forward, intending to kick over the peddler's shoulder pole.

This cavalryman was experienced; he clearly had extensive knowledge. Flipping stalls and kicking over poles wasn't just to humiliate the opponent; the more important goal was to make the opponent bend down to pick things up.

As soon as the opponent bent down, a kick downwards could step on their hand, and a kick upwards could strike their face. A few kicks would be enough to subdue them.

But the shoulder pole was too heavy. The cavalryman kicked several times but couldn't overturn it, only managing to kick off the cloth cover.

The cavalryman looked inside the pole's contents and saw various knives and tools of all sizes: cleavers, sickles, choppers, and boning knives.

The cavalryman shouted loudly, "Aha! Bringing weapons into Barren Road Town! This requires a severe penalty!"

The peddler smiled faintly. "How do you intend to penalize me?"

Pei Rufeng stepped forward, glanced at the knives, and realized the peddler was no ordinary person. He asked, "How do you sell these knives?"

The peddler chuckled. "They're not for sale; I'll give them to you for free. If you use them well, I'll come back to collect payment in a few days."

Pei Rufeng frowned. "Are you a deferred payment knife peddler?"

The peddler nodded. "Only good knives dare to be offered on credit. Don't believe me? Try it."

Pei Rufeng said, "How do you want me to try?"

The peddler picked up a cleaver, felt its edge, and said, "I heard the Barren Age Iron Cavalry's armor is quite tough. How about we test it on armor?"

All five cavalrymen under Lu Si drew their weapons. Pei Rufeng took a writing brush from his sleeve and prepared himself.

The peddler chuckled. "Don't just pose. Is anyone coming to fight?"

Lu Si gritted his teeth. "Hold this person first; I'll deal with this one—"

The peddler seemed displeased. "No need to hold me. Just cut me down. Do any of you know how to cut someone?"

Li Banfeng said, "I doubt it. He's been holding that saber for ages and still hasn't struck."

Lu Si angrily said, "Alright, don't you all worry. I'll send you on your way right now."

The peddler said, "Then be quick about it. Why are you dragging your feet?"

The inn became chaotic. Pei Rufeng sensed the situation was bad and bellowed, "I won't ask, you won't speak!"

He used his "Shared Script, Shared Rules" technique to stabilize the situation first.

Lu Si couldn't speak, and his cavalrymen couldn't speak either.

The peddler looked at Pei Rufeng and chuckled. "You say 'no speaking,' and there's no speaking? Do you really think you're someone important?"

Li Banfeng looked at Lu Si. "Are you going to cut or not? How long do we have to wait?"

A chill ran down Pei Rufeng's spine. His technique was completely ineffective against these two.

Lu Si's limbs felt numb; he didn't know whether to keep holding his saber up or put it down.

Pei Rufeng twirled the writing brush in his hand, preparing to use his "Counting Ink, Tracing Lines" technique. Logically, he wouldn't dare use this technique lightly, as it could easily injure Lu Si.

But now he couldn't worry about Lu Si; he had to save his own life first.

A line of ink splashed out, and hundreds of characters began attacking indiscriminately.

The peddler wielded a cleaver, and all the characters were chopped into tiny pieces.

Li Banfeng casually splashed some wine. Within five meters, not a drop missed; the wine completely drenched the characters, turning them into a puddle of ink on the floor.

Pei Rufeng tried to rush out the door, but his left leg snapped off at the thigh, and he fell onto the threshold.

The other cavalrymen, some with broken arms, some with broken legs, all lay on the ground.

However, Lu Si, Old Liu, the innkeeper, and the inn waiter were temporarily unharmed. They were standing relatively close to Li Banfeng, and the peddler had not yet engaged Li Banfeng in combat.

Li Banfeng turned to look, and the inn's wall had cracked open, forming a path leading outside.

"Quick, go!" Li Banfeng turned back and said. Old Liu, the innkeeper, the waiter, and Lu Si all scrambled to run outside.

Li Banfeng grabbed Lu Si and pulled him back. "You wait a moment."

Lu Si was trembling with fear, unable to speak clearly. "You, what do you want?"

Li Banfeng asked him, "Why did you pick a fight with me just now?"

"I, I am Barren Age Iron Cavalry, this is what I should—"

Lu Si was too scared to speak coherently.

Pei Rufeng, from the side, said, "He just got beaten by Second Master Fan and came back to vent his anger and make some money. I'm just trying to make a living by his side. Please spare my life."

A fifth-level scholar-cultivator, who rarely had rivals in this frontier town, Pei Rufeng never dreamed he would encounter two such individuals.

Now he couldn't care about loyalty or honor. Whoever could save their life, that was their fortune.

The peddler lowered his head and searched in his basket for a long time before taking out a human head and asking Lu Si, "Are you saying that Second Master Fan is this one?"

Lu Si trembled all over, almost unable to stand.

The peddler shook his head. "These Barren Age Iron Cavalry are no good; not one of them can withstand a single slice."

"That's not necessarily true," Li Banfeng tossed Lu Si to the peddler. "Try him. His bones are hard, aren't they?"

The peddler chopped off one of Lu Si's legs. Lu Si rolled on the ground, wailing.

"I am Barren Age Iron Cavalry! I am the Fourth Young Master of the Lu family! How dare you touch me? I'll tell my father! I'll make my father—"

The peddler then chopped off Lu Si's head. Lu Si was no longer wailing.

"His bones aren't hard either," the peddler looked at Li Banfeng. "Are your bones hard?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Not bad."

The peddler waved his cleaver. "I have a good knife here. Want to try it?"

Li Banfeng looked at the cleaver and shook his head. "This knife is a bit lacking."

The peddler smiled, then looked at the crack in the wall. "You're a journey cultivator, aren't you? I'll give you a faster knife!"

He put the cleaver back into his basket. After careful selection, he took out a boning knife. "How about this knife?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "This knife is good. Name your price."

The peddler nodded. "A hundred silver dollars. Do you think that's expensive?"

Li Banfeng thought for a moment. "I don't think it's expensive. It's a good knife and worth the price. I'll give you a hundred silver dollars now; give me the knife."

The peddler shook his head. "I won't take your money now. Another day, when the Barren Wilderness has a master, I'll come find you again. Then I'll collect two hundred silver dollars from you."

This was the custom of the deferred payment knife peddlers: they would give a knife, leave a prophecy, and when the prophecy came true, they would return to collect a higher price for the knife.

The peddler made his intentions clear.

Li Banfeng asked, "Did you come to Barren Road Town to pave the way for your master?"

The peddler stroked the boning knife, his expression serious. "That's not just my master; that's the master of all under heaven."

Li Banfeng knew who this person was. "Is this master you speak of currently in the Earth Element Nation, wagging his tail for the Demon Lord?"

The peddler frowned. "I've told you all this because I believe you're a promising young man. I've shown you a path to survival; whether you take it is up to you. This knife is right before your eyes, do you dare to take it on credit?"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "Why wouldn't I dare? Your master can't come to this place, so this knife is a free gift to me, and you won't collect any money for it."

"Alright then, if you want the knife so badly, I'll give it to you. Let's see if you can even hold it!" The peddler flicked the boning knife with his fingernail, and the blade rang crisply.

An invisible sharp blade flew towards Li Banfeng.

For an ordinary person, it would be difficult to dodge this invisible blade, but Li Banfeng saw it clearly with his "Golden Pupil Autumn Hair" ability. The blade was aimed at his neck.

If he dodged by leaning back, the opponent would undoubtedly chop down from above, and he wouldn't even have the strength to parry.

Li Banfeng directly used his "Carefree and Unrestrained" technique to move his neck aside, allowing the blade to pass through. Behind him, the wall was sliced open, leaving a narrow, perfectly straight slit, demonstrating the blade's incredible sharpness.

The dodge was incredibly perilous; the opponent's speed was astonishingly fast.

This was a blade cultivator, a very powerful one.

Li Banfeng slapped the table. "No old grudges, no new hatred. Why are you so ruthless?"

The peddler paused. "Why are you slapping the table?"

Li Banfeng roared, "I'm angry!"

This couldn't be just anger. Had he done something else?

But looking at Li Banfeng's angry expression, the peddler actually felt a bit ashamed.

Was it a bit too much—?

Why think about that?

The peddler held the boning knife between two fingers and spun it around his fingertips.

Li Banfeng heard a whooshing sound, looked up, and saw a sharp blade spinning like a fan above his head, descending to cut him down.

This was designed to counter the "Carefree and Unrestrained" technique. Against such a rotating blade, Li Banfeng had nowhere to maneuver.

Moreover, the attack was incredibly fast. Even with his "Golden Pupil Autumn Hair" activated to its maximum, Li Banfeng couldn't discern the blade's trajectory.

The peddler's fingertips brushed the blade several more times, and dozens of sharp blades struck from all directions, blocking Li Banfeng's escape routes.

Li Banfeng charged directly at the blade peddler, moving against the onslaught of blades. The peddler smiled, raising the boning knife, and thrust it towards Li Banfeng's forehead.

The boning knife pierced his forehead, and Li Banfeng bled.

A considerable amount of blood flowed, dripping down his cheek onto the ground.

However, the stab only pierced the skin; it failed to penetrate the bone.

The peddler frowned slightly. He couldn't understand how, with his skill, this one stab failed to pierce the skull of a journey cultivator.

Li Banfeng slapped the table. "Your hand is too heavy!"

The peddler paused for a moment. "Why are you slapping the table again?"

Li Banfeng said angrily, "Because it hurts!"

This time, it genuinely hurt. It hurt so much that tears welled up in Li Banfeng's eyes. The knife was indeed too sharp; even with his "Benevolent Heart of the Home" ability, he almost couldn't withstand it. If he took another blow in the same spot, Li Banfeng might lose his life.

Seeing Li Banfeng tear up, the peddler thought it truly might be from pain.

"Let's see if this hurts now?" The peddler flicked his wrist, and the boning knife in his hand was suddenly replaced by a sickle. The speed was so incredible that Li Banfeng didn't even see him change the weapon.

The peddler swung the sickle at Li Banfeng's face. Li Banfeng stepped back, and the blow missed.

It didn't matter if the physical blade missed; the blade edge, cutting through the air, could still conjure an invisible sharp blade to continue the pursuit.

Li Banfeng stepped back again, but the invisible blade still couldn't reach him.

The peddler flicked his wrist, and the sickle in his hand unleashed more than a dozen invisible sharp blades in quick succession, yet none of them could strike Li Banfeng.

It wasn't just that he couldn't be hit from the front; even the blades attempting to intercept him from behind missed.

This was definitely not "Carefree and Unrestrained"; the peddler's blades were coming from different directions.

So why couldn't he be hit?

Li Banfeng suddenly closed in, pulled a sickle from his robes, and slashed it across the peddler's face.

From his temple to his mouth, the peddler's face immediately bled.

Unfortunately, it didn't kill him. Li Banfeng had thought this one strike would be fatal.

The peddler was pondering why Li Banfeng's strike had hit him.

Was it just because the journey cultivator was fast?

The peddler was not lacking in speed. He was certain it wasn't a matter of speed.

Holding the sickle, Li Banfeng offered a plausible explanation. "I am also a blade cultivator. In fact, I am the founder of your Daoist sect. You're too young to recognize me."

"Why don't you become a storyteller?" The peddler snatched up a chopper and swung it twice at Li Banfeng. Dozens of sharp blades flew, still failing to strike Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng returned the attack with a single slash, hitting the peddler squarely on the body.

A half-foot-long bloody gash appeared on his chest. This time, the peddler understood. He lowered his head and looked under the table.

There was a chopstick stuck under the table!

"When you slapped the table just now, you were actually inserting a chopstick, right?" The peddler chuckled. "Your right hand slapped the table as a feint, while your left hand inserted the chopstick into the ground. Isn't that right?"

Li Banfeng looked surprised. "You actually figured that out! Then quickly pull the chopstick out!"

The peddler frowned, seemingly a bit angry. "What's the use of pulling out the chopstick? The chopstick is just a marker. Once the technique is executed, it won't be affected. And I suspect your technique has already expired."

Li Banfeng was even more surprised. "You are very knowledgeable!"

The peddler chuckled. "Young people nowadays are so arrogant. Do you think I haven't seen proper journey cultivators? When I fought Old Train, it's debatable whether your grandfather was even born yet. Your deceptive tricks are quite clever, though. You also used a 'Foolish Cultivation' technique, didn't you?"

Li Banfeng was truly surprised this time. Those who could recognize "Foolish Cultivation" techniques were no ordinary individuals.

The knife peddler continued, "How did you learn the 'Foolish Cultivation' technique? Are you a disciple of Sun Tiecheng? I truly didn't expect that old geezer to actually take on students—" He coughed up a mouthful of green liquid and looked at Li Banfeng. "What's this now?"

Li Banfeng lowered his voice. "Don't tell anyone, but my sickle has poison on it!"

The knife peddler wiped his mouth and chuckled. "I'm having such a fun time playing with a young man like you. If others saw, it would be quite embarrassing. What other tricks do you have? Show them all to me—"

Before he could finish speaking, the peddler felt some pain in his foot. He looked down and saw a halo of light slide past.

"This is a Home Cultivator's Boundary—" The peddler looked at Li Banfeng in surprise. "A Home Cultivator can also cultivate as a Journey Cultivator?"

"You were too rough. I'm bleeding." Li Banfeng wiped the blood from his forehead and shivered.

He knew this deferred payment knife peddler was absurdly strong. Even though the boundary had passed through his body, the peddler didn't show much reaction.

But as long as he was within the boundary, there should still be a fight to be had.

"You haven't bled much; this isn't enough. Such a rare young man, it's a pity," the deferred payment knife peddler chuckled. "Do you know you've come to the wrong place? This place is mine. There's no way I'll let you leave alive."

"Is this place that good? I want it too." Li Banfeng pulled down the brim of his hat, covering the wound on his forehead, and walked towards the deferred payment knife peddler, accompanied by a group of shadows.