Chapter 701: Cultivation Leader

Scattered branches and withered seedlings—Li Banfeng could hardly believe his eyes.

This was Li Banfeng's first territory, newly acquired from the Mountain Puller Lord. Its local earth god was Li Furong.

Li Furong's contract was complete, and under Zhang Wanlong's management, the territory had originally thrived. Li Banfeng had returned to check on Genzi's condition and collect the realm's popularity, but he was shocked to find it in such a desolate state.

The farmlands lay in ruins. Li Banfeng went to the village Zhang Wanlong had built; the buildings were still standing, but the villagers were all gone.

Neither the villagers with unique characteristics and complex behaviors, nor those who resembled Zhang Wanlong and performed only simple labor, were anywhere to be found.

Li Banfeng walked to Zhang Wanlong's residence. The furnishings were still clean, and there was some rice left in the pot. Though cold, it hadn't molded.

Zhang Wanlong should still be living here. Where had he gone? And where was Genzi?

Stepping outside, Li Banfeng sniffed the air; the entire village was permeated with a sense of ruin and desolation. Even Zhang Wanlong's home felt unfamiliar, a stark contrast to the residence Li Banfeng had known.

Li Banfeng searched the fields and finally spotted Zhang Wanlong in one of them.

Zhang Wanlong was watering seedlings with a dipper, while Genzi followed, fertilizing with a spoon. Li Banfeng asked, "Brother Zhang, what happened?"

Zhang Wanlong hadn't noticed Li Qi's arrival; a fourth-layer House Cultivator's stealth was incredibly potent.

"Seventh Master, please watch your step. Don't trample the seedlings," Zhang Wanlong said, looking far more haggard than usual. He kept his gaze fixed on Li Banfeng's feet, genuinely worried he might crush the remaining sprouts.

Little Genzi's eyes reddened when he saw Li Banfeng, and his voice trembled. "Seventh Master, all the crops withered and died. Only these few seedlings are left, just this little bit—"

Unable to cry despite the urge, Genzi's words were a bit muffled.

Li Banfeng frowned. "Speak clearly. What exactly happened? Was there an attack?"

Genzi shook his head. "No one attacked."

"Pests?"

"No."

"Hail?"

Zhang Wanlong's eyes also reddened. "Seventh Master, there were no natural disasters, no pests. The crops in this ten-mile radius just vanished!"

Li Banfeng stopped asking questions. He was an amateur at farming, and Zhang Wanlong was a master; he shouldn't interfere.

But this situation required thorough investigation. This was his territory. Who had dealt Zhang Wanlong such a cruel blow here?

He Jiaqing? Or was it Xuehuapu?

Li Banfeng summoned the nearby aberrations. Old Ox, the most learned among them, reported the situation to him. "Seventh Master, we get along well with Brother Zhang, especially those of us who are vegetarians; we've received plenty of grain from him. Just these past few days, for some unknown reason, the crops were completely wiped out, field after field. We don't know who caused this, but if we find them, we'll make sure they pay!"

Li Banfeng instructed Old Ox, "Go inquire further and see if anyone knows the inside story."

Old Ox nodded. "Seventh Master, rest assured, I will investigate thoroughly."

"Good. If you find any clues, I'll speak with the local earth god. You'll receive full credit and be rewarded with cultivation!"

Despite his words, he knew relying on these aberrations would likely not yield results.

Li Banfeng visited the adjacent territory. Upon hearing Li Qi had arrived, Meng Yuchun's heart swelled with joy. She took his hand and led him directly into the inner room.

Half of Meng Yuchun's territory had been developed, entirely thanks to the three-headed beings Li Banfeng had lent her. What's more, Li Banfeng had given her the other half of the contract.

Meng Yuchun was unsure how to repay Li Qi. As a House Cultivator, she wasn't well-versed in etiquette and simply felt that a benefactor like Li Banfeng deserved everything she possessed.

"This is where I sleep, this is my bed, and over there is another room where my house spirit sleeps. Go in and take a look."

She pulled Li Banfeng into the house spirit's room, where he saw a mahogany dressing table with a bronze mirror on it.

Meng Yuchun said, "This is my house spirit."

Li Banfeng used his Golden Sight of Autumn skill to peer into the bronze mirror, where he saw a woman appearing to be in her mid-twenties. Her age seemed similar to Meng Yuchun's, and she was certainly pretty, though less striking than Meng Yuchun herself. She was peering curiously out of the mirror, wondering what kind of person Li Qi was. But then she felt Li Qi was looking at her, which startled her, making her quickly avert her gaze.

Meng Yuchun continued, "That's my treasure room. All my magical artifacts are kept in that room. And there's another room for small trinkets, all women's curios. If you'd like, you can see them too. And that door—that's my escape route. I need to keep a path open for myself."

"Stop!" Li Banfeng waved his hand. "You don't need to tell me all this."

Meng Yuchun shook her head. "I should tell you everything about myself. I shouldn't hide anything from you!"

"I came to you for something," Li Banfeng said. "In my territory, there's a master of Plough Cultivation. You know him."

Meng Yuchun nodded. "You mean Zhang Wanlong, right? I've bought quite a bit of grain from him, so we're acquainted."

"Did you know something happened to him recently?"

"I know a little. His crops withered, and to this day, no one knows why. I suspect a bug cultivator or a poison cultivator harmed him, but that's just a guess. I have no solid leads."

Meng Yuchun had no clues either.

Who could have done it?

Li Banfeng returned to Zhang Wanlong's village, where Zhang Wanlong was still tending the seedlings. Li Banfeng intended to ask if he'd made any enemies lately, but to his surprise, someone else posed the question for him.

"Wanlong, have you offended anyone recently?"

Although Li Banfeng sensed no malice, he still retreated to a distance.

Zhang Wanlong startled, and little Genzi shivered. Both quickly bowed. "Master."

Xu Han had arrived.

Li Banfeng had heard from Old Yao that Old Xu had matters to attend to. Could he have come specifically to deal with Zhang Wanlong?

Xu Han squatted down and plucked a leaf from a seedling. "Didn't you hear me ask you a question just now? Did you offend someone?"

Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "I haven't offended anyone."

Xu Han examined two more leaves. "Think carefully again."

After a long pause, Zhang Wanlong recalled three people. "A Dance Cultivator once came. He wanted to buy seeds, but I didn't sell them to him."

He was referring to Du Wenming.

Xu Han waved his hand. "Not a Dance Cultivator. Tell me about someone else."

"Then there was He Jiaqing. He also wanted to buy seeds, but he and Seventh Master don't get along, and I didn't want to cause trouble because of him, so I didn't sell to him."

Xu Han was silent for a moment. "He's a Thief Cultivator; it could be him. Tell me about someone else."

Zhang Wanlong continued, "There was also a foreigner named Cui Tik. He also came to buy seeds, but since the incident at Desong Cliff had just occurred, I didn't want to be implicated, so I didn't sell to him—"

"Say no more," Xu Han sighed. "Even as a farmer, one can't escape these troubles!"

Zhang Wanlong wept. "Master, of the few acres I painstakingly cultivated, only these few seedlings remain. And these leaves... something seems wrong with them too."

Xu Han held the leaf, examined it again, then tossed it to the ground. "Follow me."

Zhang Wanlong, seeing a glimmer of hope, excitedly followed Old Xu, taking Genzi with him.

Li Banfeng followed behind. The four of them walked out of the fields, where Old Xu took out his pipe and smoked a bowl. Halfway through, Old Xu flicked the ashes from his pipe. The ashes flew into the sky, transforming into countless sparks that rained down on the farmlands.

Zhang Wanlong wailed, "Master, what are you doing!"

He tried to rush into the fields, but Xu Han stopped him. "These crops are diseased. I've never seen these symptoms before. If they spread, the devastation will be endless!"

Diseased? Symptoms?

Li Banfeng's heart sank. According to Old Xu, the perpetrator of this disaster had been confirmed.

Could it truly be Cui Tik?

Zhang Wanlong was still crying out. Xu Han frowned. "Why are you crying? Can't you bear the loss? As a farmer, you are so naive; you deserve to be taken advantage of!"

"Master, put out the fire! I'll find another way!"

Old Xu shook his head. "This fire cannot be put out. It must burn for three days to completely purge these symptoms. They absolutely cannot be allowed to spread beyond this territory. Wanlong, wipe your tears. This fire will burn away the disease and the insects, and the ash will nourish the soil. Once everything is thoroughly cleansed, you can sow seeds again. As for the previous harvest, consider it stolen. We are farmers; when we fall, we must learn to get back up ourselves."

Zhang Wanlong squatted on the ground, weeping. Little Genzi cried alongside him, tears silently streaming down his face, deeply upset but seemingly afraid to make a sound.

Old Xu turned to Li Banfeng. "Old Seven, whose man is Cui Tik, exactly? Is he yours, or the Peddler's?"

Li Banfeng replied, "He's a friend of mine."

Old Xu nodded. "Since he's your friend, please relay a message to him. He and my disciple did have a past dispute; I no longer wish to debate who was right or wrong. My disciple suffered a loss this time, and I won't hold it against him. But if there's a next time, I will demand an explanation."

With that, Xu Han turned and vanished into the night.

Little Genzi cried, "Brother Zhang, Master is gone. Let's hurry and put out the fire!"

Zhang Wanlong shook his head, weeping. "Brother, don't be foolish. What kind of methods does our Master use? If he said this fire must burn for three days, then it must burn for three days, not a day less."

Li Banfeng advised, "Don't be sad, both of you. Let's talk about it when we get home."

Zhang Wanlong also said he wanted to go home, but his home was gone. The village and houses he and little Genzi managed were all burned. Old Xu's fire had covered nearly all territories within a ten-mile radius.

Li Banfeng had previously built wooden houses in the territory, so he temporarily arranged for them to stay there. The territories of Youtao and He Yuxiu were still operational, providing water and food, so the two would not lack provisions.

The surrounding aberrations rushed over, bringing them many supplies. It must be said that Zhang Wanlong was indeed popular; with everyone's consolation, his emotions gradually settled.

After seeing off the others, Li Banfeng asked Genzi, "How is your cultivation progressing?"

Little Genzi replied, "With Brother Zhang's guidance, I'm almost at the sixth layer now."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Keep working hard. When you reach the seventh layer, remember to find me."

Zhang Wanlong had suffered a great loss. Li Banfeng offered him some elixirs, but Zhang Wanlong repeatedly waved his hand. "This is too much, Seventh Master. This conflict is mine alone; it has nothing to do with you."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I'm not apologizing for Cui Tik; I'm thanking you on Genzi's behalf. With your level of cultivation, these elixirs might not be of much use to you. Feel free to exchange them for money or anything else. Just grit your teeth and rebuild your land."

After a brief conversation, Li Banfeng departed, with Zhang Wanlong and Genzi seeing him off.

As they parted ways, Genzi sobbed, tears streaming down his face again.

Zhang Wanlong sighed. "Brother, stop crying. You've cried enough. If you cry more, Seventh Master will see you as a joke!"

Genzi wiped his eyes. "I'm not crying; the wind and sand got in my eyes."

Li Banfeng nodded. "I'm leaving now. Remember to find me if you need anything."

As he walked away, the firelight behind him remained clearly visible, yet Li Banfeng never heard Genzi cry out.

Should Genzi have cried aloud? He should have!

Li Banfeng had seen Genzi cry before; when he stole the medicine powder and forced his way into the Gold Cultivation Gate, Genzi had wept openly. That was his nature: to laugh loudly when triumphant, to cry openly when disheartened, and to bravely face conflict. He wasn't one to grit his teeth and hold back tears.

The wind and sand got in his eyes. Was there really such strong wind and sand here?

Li Banfeng took a detour, using his Unhindered Travel skill to pass through the cliff and enter the Earth God's residence.

The blind mountain wolf smelled Li Banfeng's return and was overjoyed. Worried they might lack food, Li Banfeng had specially brought them plenty to eat and drink.

The mountain wolf wagged its tail. "Master, you rarely return. How could we let you provide for us? The aberrations in the mountain often bring us food. I'll have the kitchen prepare a meal for you; you simply must eat at home!"

Li Banfeng first went to the backyard, retrieved the territory seal, and absorbed the popularity. The territory seal was brimming with popularity, which was expected, as Zhang Wanlong's crops were known to generate it, a fact previously verified.

Holding the territory seal, Li Banfeng distributed cultivation to the aberrations within the residence, then returned to the territory to do the same for the aberrations there. Once the seal was empty, he brought it back to the residence.

The mountain wolf's earlier words were not just polite; he truly had ordered food and drinks. "Master, if you would honor us, let's share a meal."

Li Banfeng ate a meal in the residence. He returned so infrequently that his family members were somewhat intimidated by him. However, during the meal, everyone found their master quite approachable. Knowing they were blind, Li Banfeng personally helped pour drinks and serve dishes.

After eating and drinking his fill, Li Banfeng went to the backyard and returned the territory seal to its original position. The moment he set it down, Li Banfeng sensed something was amiss.

The territory seal reacted; it had received popularity.

Li Banfeng waited a moment, then took the territory seal from the contract and placed it on his head. There was popularity, not a large amount, but Li Banfeng could sense it.

Only a few hours had passed since he took the seal, collected popularity, distributed cultivation, had a meal, and returned it. Why would popularity be accumulating during those few hours?

If this were Greenwater City, it would make sense, with its dense population naturally generating popularity. But in such a desolate territory, where Zhang Wanlong's plant-human army was gone, where was this popularity coming from?

Li Banfeng returned the territory seal and sat in the main hall of the residence, deep in thought. Zhang Wanlong's crops were diseased. Was it really Cui Tik who did it?

Cui Tik was indeed a ruthless man, Li Banfeng acknowledged. But Zhang Wanlong had merely refused to sell him seeds. Was that reason enough for Cui Tik to seek revenge? Furthermore, Li Banfeng had already resolved the seed issue for Cui Tik. If Cui Tik were to retaliate against Zhang Wanlong, how would he explain it to Li Banfeng? This didn't seem like something Cui Tik would do.

Who was truly responsible?

After much deliberation, Li Banfeng picked up the territory seal again. The territory seal once again registered popularity, and its accumulation speed greatly surprised Li Banfeng.

Could Zhang Wanlong's plant-human army still be here? Where were they?

Amidst the great fire, Li Banfeng moved back and forth through the flames. He held the green flower's bowl, quietly observing the changes in the three spoons. The fierce flames left by Xu Han were intense. Relying on his Auspicious Avoidance, Traceless Steps, and Cloud Riding skills, Li Banfeng walked, paused, and traversed through the fire for two full hours before finally finding an entrance.

When he opened the entrance, the scene before him stunned him.

He saw a road flanked by lush, thriving crops. The road led to a village, at the entrance of which an old man was squatting, smoking a dry pipe. A woman, carrying a child on her back, was threshing corn. A shy girl sat inside, an oil lamp lit, diligently tracing characters on a calligraphy copybook.

Zhang Wanlong's two wives were washing clothes in the courtyard. Li Banfeng entered Zhang Wanlong's courtyard, sat at a table, looked at the two women, and smiled. "Please ask your husband to come see me. Tell him Li Qi is looking for him."

The women dared not ask further questions and quickly left the residence. Shortly after, Zhang Wanlong arrived.

"Seventh Master."

The moment he saw Li Banfeng, Zhang Wanlong felt a moment of awkwardness. But after a brief awkward pause, Zhang Wanlong's expression returned to normal.

"You've seen everything, so there's not much more for me to say."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Brother Zhang, can you tell me the origin of this place?"

Zhang Wanlong explained, "After cultivating here for so long, I discovered this unnamable place. So I built a new village inside it, just to give myself an extra layer of protection."

Li Banfeng looked up, lifting the brim of his hat. "Who are you guarding against?"

Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "Seventh Master, I'm certainly not guarding against you. I know you're the Earth God of this territory."

Li Banfeng didn't deny it. "How did you know?"

Zhang Wanlong replied, "It wasn't hard for me to figure out. Plough Cultivators rely on the land for their sustenance. You've been to the underground city of Three-Headed Fork; there's a place called the Soil Market there. I spent a long time there. I have a deep connection with the land, and this specific land resonates with you. Every time you arrive, this land becomes extremely lively. I've always cultivated this land, and I've never once guarded against you. I did all this to guard against my Master."

Li Banfeng asked, "You knew your Master was coming?"

Zhang Wanlong nodded. "In my life, the person I've always feared most is my Master. I have to stay aware of his movements."

Li Banfeng ran a hand over the dining table, finding it familiar; he had eaten here before. "So you rebuilt such a large village?"

Zhang Wanlong sighed. "There was no other way. I've painstakingly managed this for so long, finally building something significant. I couldn't let my Master ruin it all."

Li Banfeng picked up a teacup, also familiar to him from previous visits. "Couldn't you have just spoken to Old Xu about it?"

Zhang Wanlong gave a bitter smile. "Seventh Master, you don't understand the complexities here. I want to do things differently, but in my Master's eyes, everything I do is wrong. You just saw it yourself. He claimed the crops were diseased, and while there are many ways to eradicate disease, he insisted on setting them on fire. Seventh Master, do you think my Master truly trusts me? That fire burned the crops, the village, and scorched the land three feet deep. If I hadn't prepared in advance, I fear not a single seed would have survived."

Li Banfeng looked up. "So, you built this village anew?"

Zhang Wanlong nodded. "I built it anew, and I did it right. At least I saved what was important. Seventh Master, for the sake of our friendship, can you not tell my Master about this? If you do tell him, you'll have nowhere to get those good seeds in the future."

Li Banfeng didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "What exactly happened to the crops in the territory? Why did so many wither, and what method did you use to deceive Old Xu?"

Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "I didn't deceive him. Those crops were indeed diseased, but I was the one who caused it."

Li Banfeng gasped. "You have disease cultivation methods?"

Zhang Wanlong shook his head. "No, but a friend of mine does. He always wanted my seeds, so I made a deal with him."

Li Banfeng asked, "Is this friend of yours Cui Tik?"

Zhang Wanlong did not deny it.

Li Banfeng put down his teacup, stood up, and said, "I will not reveal this matter to anyone for now."

Zhang Wanlong nodded. "Thank you, Seventh Master." He didn't see Li Qi out, knowing that Li Qi would not want to be followed at that moment. He trusted Li Qi's promise, but the word "temporarily" left him unsettled.

Li Qi's presence here was Zhang Wanlong's biggest concern. Could this be related to Genzi? Genzi was still at the small wooden house; should he go check on him?

As Zhang Wanlong stood up, he suddenly heard a crisp jingle. A silver coin dropped to the ground. Someone had placed a silver coin on him! Who put it there? And when?

Zhang Wanlong picked up the silver coin and examined it under the oil lamp. The front of the coin was engraved with two characters: "Plough Cultivator." The back read: "Champion."

Zhang Wanlong clutched the silver coin, a mixture of fear and excitement making his body tremble uncontrollably.

Li Banfeng walked along the village road, contemplating whether to go to Cui Tik and ask for the truth. Every plant, every tree, every passerby felt incredibly familiar to Li Banfeng. He had been here before; a Journey Cultivator never forgot the paths they'd traveled.

Zhang Wanlong hadn't been entirely truthful. This village wasn't newly built; it was Zhang Wanlong's original one. The village Old Xu burned was the one Zhang Wanlong had newly constructed, and that was the one Li Banfeng found unfamiliar. But how had Zhang Wanlong moved an entire village into an unnamable place? Did he move it in, or did he lock it in?

Li Banfeng had seen the Lock Cultivation technique in Desolate Path Town, but the Peddler had claimed it was lost. How then did Zhang Wanlong use it? If not for Genzi's mention of "wind and sand," which reminded Li Banfeng of the sandy land, he might never have found this place. Genzi had also mentioned earlier that Zhang Wanlong possessed iron-tendon bamboo, though it wasn't yet the ten-tendon variety.

Now, to think about Cui Tik again. If Cui Tik truly created a disease that could harm crops, what kind of deal would he make with Zhang Wanlong? Zhang Wanlong had just put on a performance for Old Xu, shifting all blame onto Cui Tik. In such a deal, Cui Tik would have taken an extremely high risk, potentially even facing retaliation from Old Xu. Facing such a high risk, he surely wouldn't have merely asked for some seeds. What else did he demand?

Li Banfeng walked out of the unnamable place, and amidst the raging fire, he felt a recurring chill down his spine. Could it be that Zhang Wanlong had already—

The Peddler, standing nearby, said, "He might have already cracked the Lock Cultivation's powder."