Chapter 747: Dead and Forsaken

"Old Seven, you've met Ah Yu, you've met Sun Tiecheng, and you know where Fool's City is. Can you help me this once? Give me a chance to explain this matter clearly to Sun Tiecheng," Old Train pleaded sincerely.

Li Banfeng, however, felt very conflicted. "Brother, I don't think this matter can be explained clearly. To this day, I still don't know who was in the wrong."

Old Train also pondered for a long time. "To be precise, we were both at fault."

"Yes, both at fault, but where exactly did we go wrong? How can it be explained clearly? And would explaining it even help?" Li Banfeng still couldn't find an answer.

Grandpa Train sighed deeply. "Never mind, consider it unsaid."

The room was silent for a long time. Then, Li Banfeng stood up and said, "I'll go to Fool's City and tell City Lord Sun about this. Whether he wants to see you or not is up to him."

That same day, Li Banfeng went to Fool's City.

Sun Tiecheng and Ah Gui were stewing meat at home. When Sun Tiecheng saw Li Banfeng, he happily exclaimed, "You rascal! You still remember to come back? Did you smell the meat? Come, let's have a couple of drinks together!"

Li Banfeng hadn't come empty-handed. He brought two roasted chickens and two jars of good wine from Righteous Village. As the three ate and drank, Sun Tiecheng asked, "Old Seven, I heard there was a battle at Three-Headed Fork."

"Senior Brother, your news travels fast," Li Banfeng refilled Sun Tiecheng's cup. "We won that battle decisively."

Sun Tiecheng nodded. "Ah Gui got the news. I heard Old Xu even joined the fight. I never thought he'd be able to handle things outside of that small piece of land. I heard he led his disciples and wiped out the Bandit Extermination Camp."

The Bandit Extermination Camp was a sore spot for Sun Tiecheng, so Li Banfeng chose his words carefully. "This Bandit Extermination Camp is different from the one back then. Their combat strength is far weaker."

Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "You don't need to try to smooth things over. I heard Eighteen Wheels went too. He surely knows what kind of quality the Bandit Extermination Camp has. What did he tell you?"

"He said—" Li Banfeng raised his wine cup and smiled. "Senior Brother, you're setting this up a bit too quickly."

"Am I rushing?" Sun Tiecheng also smiled. "You've grown up, kid. It's not easy to trick information out of you anymore. I won't beat around the bush. Just tell him to come find me directly."

Li Banfeng put down his wine bowl. "Senior Brother, you guessed it?"

Sun Tiecheng laughed. "What's there to guess? It's just that old matter from back then, isn't it? Ah Gui, isn't that right?"

Gui Jianchou, the Smiling Ghost King, picked up a large bowl and said, "I'll go get you some more meat."

Sun Tiecheng turned to Gui Jianchou. "What are you scared of? Haven't you always been stubborn and refused to admit anything? Why are you scared now?"

Gui Jianchou served the soup bowls, lowered his head, and drank, not daring to say a word.

Sun Tiecheng picked up a piece of meat, three parts lean and seven parts fat, and, with a mouthful of broth and oil, put it in his mouth. He chewed a couple of times, swallowed it with a swig of wine, and then said, "Old Seven, after we've eaten and drunk our fill, I'll write you a letter. You must give this letter to Eighteen Wheels. You have to promise me you won't read it. If you do, I'll definitely know, and then everything in the letter won't count."

Li Banfeng nodded. "I won't read it. But I'll ask you directly, what's written in the letter?"

Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "You rascal, you just ask directly without any preamble? The letter states the time and place of the meeting. This is between him and me, Old Seven, and you can't come along. You absolutely must not show your face. If you do, it'll be difficult for both of us. You really must promise me this."

Li Banfeng said, "I can promise, but I also need a definitive answer."

Sun Tiecheng raised his wine bowl. "You'll have a definitive answer the next day. If he doesn't come back to find you, then you come find me."

Li Banfeng delivered the letter back. Old Train tore it open, read it once, and with a tremor of his fingertips, burned the letter to ash. "I've memorized the location."

"What about the time?"

Old Train thought for a moment, then quickly gathered the ashes, rubbed them together, and they transformed back into a piece of paper. He read it again from beginning to end, memorizing the time as well.

Li Banfeng asked, "Are you really going tomorrow?"

Old Train nodded. "You absolutely must not follow me. I won't let you follow me either. Brother, I'm tired. I want to rest. I'll meet Sun Tiecheng tomorrow."

Li Banfeng walked to the door, then turned back and said, "Sun Tiecheng may not want to hear you admit fault."

"I know," Old Train said, lying down to sleep.

Li Banfeng took two steps, then turned back again. "And you might not even be going to admit fault."

Old Train began to snore.

The next morning, Old Train rushed to New Land.

The agreed-upon location with Sun Tiecheng was near Righteous Village. Logically, Old Train didn't need to leave so early.

But based on a traveler-cultivator's intuition to seek good fortune and avoid disaster, Old Train felt it was better to go early than late.

By the time he reached Righteous Village, it was still early before the agreed time, but Old Train felt the situation becoming increasingly dangerous.

Was it because he hadn't come early enough?

Could Sun Tiecheng have arrived the night before to prepare?

Why was this danger getting closer?

Sun Tiecheng chose this place, so he should have been prepared, possibly ambushing him there. Why was he actively coming forward?

Old Train was assessing the situation when he suddenly saw several people carrying a sedan chair, making celebratory music, approaching him.

Who would be getting married in New Land?

As the sedan chair drew closer, Old Train realized he should probably get far away. Suddenly, Ah Yi lifted the sedan curtain and shouted, "Quick, welcome the groom!"

The moment he saw Ah Yi, Old Train's face twisted.

Why was Ah Yi here?

Did Sun Tiecheng do this?

It shouldn't be.

Facing an opponent like Old Train, Sun Tiecheng would surely not put his daughter forward.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. Ah Yi wouldn't listen to him.

So, who brought Ah Yi here?

The sedan bearers sprinted towards Old Train. Ah Yi leaped onto the top of the sedan, holding a steel fork in her left hand and a fishing net in her right, laughing loudly at Old Train.

"Quick, everyone bring your weapons! Catch him alive! Don't let him escape!"

Old Train turned and ran. After only two steps, he suddenly felt the ground give way beneath his feet, as if he had stepped into a trap.

A trap was no problem; Old Train could fly!

He flew over eight feet high, but then Old Train suddenly felt his body become heavy and he rapidly plummeted.

Qiu Luoye grabbed Old Train's legs from below and used a move called 'Elephant's Thousand-Ton Press' to pull him down.

Old Train gritted his teeth and said, "Old Elephant Qiu, I treated you well back then!"

Qiu Luoye replied, "Brother Wheels, don't hate me. As long as you go to Calabash Village, I can go home!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ah Yi, holding the fishing net, arrived nearby.

Thirty li south of Righteous Village, around a road bend, there was a tea pavilion. Sun Tiecheng had taken over the tea stall and sent the tea seller away.

Having prepared the stove and tea, Sun Tiecheng clasped his hands and humbly squatted on the ground, waiting for Old Train to arrive.

A quarter to ten, someone approached.

Sun Tiecheng stood up and poured a cup of tea. "Quite early, aren't you? Have some tea."

"Tea?" A man rounded the corner of the road and walked towards the tea stall. He looked younger than Old Train, perhaps in his fifties, and was leaner, as if he could be blown over by the wind.

It wasn't Old Train who came, but Sun Tiecheng recognized this person: Dan Chengjun.

Hearing Sun Tiecheng's voice, Dan Chengjun was greatly surprised.

Seeing Dan Chengjun's appearance, Sun Tiecheng was also very surprised.

Dan Chengjun had only heard that there was an entrance to Fool's City near Righteous Village, and he had come to try his luck, never expecting to meet Sun Tiecheng like this.

Sun Tiecheng had set up the tea stall for Old Train, and he never expected Dan Chengjun to be the first customer.

Dan Chengjun's arrival was fine; it was an open business, so any customer was welcome.

Both men remained calm.

Dan Chengjun sat down at the tea stall and, smiling, said, "Old Sun, when did you switch to this business?"

Sun Tiecheng handed the tea to Dan Chengjun. "Just took over the stall today. My skills aren't great yet, so just bear with it and have a taste."

Dan Chengjun took the tea, took a sip, and asked, "Is it poisoned?"

Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "That's a pointless question. You come here, and I wouldn't poison it?"

Dan Chengjun tasted it. The poison was potent. He put down the teacup and swallowed. "You're even more pointless. Do we have such a great feud that you'd hold a grudge until today?"

Sun Tiecheng clasped his hands and thought. "Isn't our feud significant?"

Dan Chengjun shook his head. "To me, it's really not that big. The Sage destroyed my family back then, but didn't I still help the Peddler fight? Did I hold a grudge?"

Sun Tiecheng clarified the logic. "That's not right. You did hold a grudge, but that was your feud with the Sage. Didn't you get your revenge by destroying the Sage?"

Dan Chengjun said, "You only know part of the story. Nowadays, I still work for the Sage. That's called letting bygones be bygones."

Sun Tiecheng gave a thumbs-up. "I admire you for that. How you treat your enemies is not my concern. But shouldn't our feud be resolved?"

Dan Chengjun smiled. "Don't rush. First, let's clarify what feud we have."

Sun Tiecheng fanned the stove, seriously brewing the tea. "You destroyed Fool's City. Isn't that a feud?"

Dan Chengjun helped Sun Tiecheng add some charcoal. "How many good men under me did you kill? Which of them didn't have wives, children, or parents? How do you account for that grudge?"

Sun Tiecheng checked the heat. "Back then, we were each serving our own masters. Can that be considered a feud?"

Dan Chengjun helped Sun Tiecheng add some water. "The Peddler beat you into submission, and you surrendered. Does that mean the feud is over?"

Sun Tiecheng nodded. "If the Peddler says it's over, then it's over!"

Dan Chengjun said, "Then I'll surrender to you today. Does that mean our feud is also over?"

Sun Tiecheng put down his fan. "Are you messing with me?"

Dan Chengjun shook his head. "No messing around. I'm here to reason with you. I wanted to reason with the Peddler back then, but he wouldn't listen!"

"Is that reason?"

"Let's discuss it properly. Tell me, why is that not reason?"

Sun Tiecheng wasn't angry at all. He pulled up a stool, sat in front of Dan Chengjun, and calmly reasoned with him. "On the battlefield, when eyes are red with rage, some things simply can't be let go. I understand that principle."

Dan Chengjun nodded. "You understand!"

Sun Tiecheng continued, "Humans die for wealth, birds die for food. Everyone wants to take advantage when there's an opportunity. I understand that too."

Dan Chengjun agreed wholeheartedly. "Since you understand all that, you shouldn't hate me!"

Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "I don't hate you because of that. Greed isn't wrong, but you need to know your own capabilities. Did you really dare to accept the army when the Peddler handed it over to you?"

Dan Chengjun paused. "Was there such a thing? When did he ever hand the army over to me?"

Sun Tiecheng went on, "Do you know who was in that army? People like Dan Chengjun and Shu Wanjuan. Could you control them?"

Dan Chengjun still didn't understand. "Who are you talking to?"

"If you don't have the skills, don't take on difficult tasks. Two days later, you went mad, Dan Chengjun rebelled. Do you think I couldn't hate you?"

Dan Chengjun frowned. "Are you mistaking me for Eighteen Wheels? Open your eyes and look closely, who exactly am I?"

"You're not Eighteen Wheels?" Sun Tiecheng was also surprised. "I invited Eighteen Wheels here. Why are you here? I thought Eighteen Wheels was deliberately pretending to be this way to trick me."

"You invited Eighteen Wheels?" Dan Chengjun looked a bit nervous, then chuckled. "If you really invited him, you wouldn't say it. Using that kind of rhetoric on me really underestimates me."

Sun Tiecheng waved his hand. "I certainly don't underestimate you. Let me guess, if you're not Eighteen Wheels, then you're the Peddler."

Dan Chengjun was startled. "Is he coming too?"

"No, no!" Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "If I really invited him, I definitely wouldn't say. Are you really the Peddler?"

Dan Chengjun smoothed his hair and wiped his face. "Look clearly, I'm not the Peddler."

"Then you're Eighteen Wheels. You're truly dishonest, you went mad, and you harmed Fool's City."

Dan Chengjun said, "Did I go mad, or did you?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, you went mad. Eighteen Wheels went mad, the whole world knows that. The Peddler was also useless; he promised to guarantee Fool's City's safety, but he handed it over to a madman. Eighteen Wheels couldn't protect Fool's City at all. Ultimately, you were the one who ruined Fool's City!"

Dan Chengjun stood up from the stool. "I don't know if you're pretending to be crazy or foolish. I came to find you today about Red Lotus."

Sun Tiecheng nodded. "You came to the right place. Red Lotus is in my hands. Let's see if you have the ability to take it!"

Dan Chengjun rolled up his sleeves. "Finally, a serious word. I want to borrow Red Lotus for a few days. It's truly a loan, not a snatch. I'll leave you an IOU, and when I return it, I'll give you some elixirs as interest. You definitely won't suffer a loss."

Sun Tiecheng shook his head. "I don't believe your words. You promised to help me guard Fool's City back then, and you failed to do that!"

"I never promised you that. Go find whoever did!" Dan Chengjun prepared to make a move.

Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "You don't want to reason, do you? Shall we do this the hard way?"

"It should have been the hard way from the start!" Dan Chengjun shook his hand, revealing the Peddler's wheel.

This was a deterrent and a warning to Sun Tiecheng.

Sun Tiecheng was indeed discerning. "Is that the Peddler's wheel?"

Dan Chengjun spun the wheel. "Do you still want to fight me?"

Sun Tiecheng asked, "Where's your cart?"

"I don't have a cart!"

"If you don't have a cart, why do you have a wheel?" Sun Tiecheng casually threw the teapot at Dan Chengjun's head.

Dan Chengjun didn't dodge, and hot steam rose from his hair.

It wasn't because Sun Tiecheng was fast, but because Dan Chengjun was thinking about something: why have a wheel without a cart?

This was a Fool's Cultivation skill!

Dan Chengjun quickly reacted.

Although he only thought for less than a second, he was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even dodge when doused with boiling water.

And it hurt quite a bit. Dan Chengjun asked, "What kind of water are you boiling?"

Sun Tiecheng honestly replied, "Molten iron!"

Dan Chengjun looked at the teacup. "Then the tea I drank earlier was...?"

"That was molten iron with tea leaves added!"

Dan Chengjun picked up the teacup and threw it at Sun Tiecheng. Sun Tiecheng ducked, and the teacup pursued him. Dan Chengjun seized the opportunity to strike, sandwiching Sun Tiecheng between himself and the teacup, about to land a hit.

Sun Tiecheng suddenly switched places with the teacup. Dan Chengjun couldn't dodge in time, and the flying teacup slammed squarely into his face.

It hurt a bit, but it wasn't really an injury. Dan Chengjun just didn't understand why Sun Tiecheng's position changed. Did he use a Fool's Cultivation skill, or an illusion?

A Fool's Cultivation skill was more likely, it seemed vaguely familiar.

Dan Chengjun charged forward with the wheel, without a word, just attacking. He was now trying to avoid talking to Sun Tiecheng.

"This wheel is powerful!" Sun Tiecheng drew a short knife, a fine weapon he forged from Red Lotus. After two exchanges, its spokes were severed by the wheel.

The wheel's edge was sharpened, making it a knife, a shield, and when spun, it could even launch hidden weapons. With such a handy weapon, coupled with Dan Chengjun's skill, he steadily drove Sun Tiecheng back.

Yet, despite holding the upper hand, his attacks always missed by a fraction. The wheel grazed Sun Tiecheng's face, even shaving off hairs, but couldn't cut his skin.

Was this Hundred Steps Across?

When did Sun Tiecheng learn a Traveler-Cultivation skill?

Sun Tiecheng dodged the wheel, stabbed Dan Chengjun, and chuckled, "You stand there like a wooden stake, how can you fight me? A traveler-cultivator needs to run; only by running can they have power."

Dan Chengjun took a stab, but it wasn't a big deal. He just couldn't figure out why Sun Tiecheng's knife, which had been broken, was still intact when he stabbed him.

Was it a different knife?

Sun Tiecheng started running, and Dan Chengjun followed. Once they were running, his attacks indeed became smoother.

The wheel swept horizontally, striking Sun Tiecheng's back, drawing blood.

He hit him!

He really had to run and fight!

In mid-stride, Dan Chengjun snatched up the wheel and brought it down vertically, slicing across Sun Tiecheng's chest, opening a cut over half a foot long.

Sun Tiecheng was right; a traveler-cultivator had to run and fight. Only by running could they unleash their power.

Banfengzi lay flat on the ground, watching very carefully.

This was the essence of a challenge, wasn't it?

Dan Chengjun chased Sun Tiecheng, fighting faster and crazier.

Sun Tiecheng sustained many injuries, his body covered in blood.

Taking advantage of Sun Tiecheng's instability, Dan Chengjun suddenly stomped, using a move called 'Crushing Ten Thousand Rivers', preparing to end the battle.

This stomp was powerful. Dan Chengjun's strength was great, his speed fast. He created a pit and kicked up a large cloud of dust.

Sun Tiecheng burst out of the dust, plunging a knife into Dan Chengjun's chest.

The cold blade twisted inside his chest, and only then did Dan Chengjun regain clarity.

He wasn't a traveler-cultivator.

That wasn't 'Crushing Ten Thousand Rivers' either.

It wasn't any skill; he had fallen for Sun Tiecheng's trick.

With the knife churning in his gut, Dan Chengjun felt his entire body lose strength. He asked Sun Tiecheng, "Why didn't you cut my neck? One strike, and my head would have fallen off."

Sun Tiecheng chuckled. "Your neck isn't that easy to cut, and your head isn't that easy to drop. But with this stab, you'll definitely die."

Dan Chengjun's mouth filled with bloody froth. He felt as if countless blades were mincing him from the inside.

He asked Sun Tiecheng, "What skill is this? Can you teach me a move? Fool's Cultivation is too useful."

"You want to learn? First, listen to me explain the essentials of the skill: it's called 'Seeing Through Life and Death'. Calm your mind, don't dodge, don't block, just let the knife cut. There's no hope of living; if you die, you die willingly. Once you see through this step, the skill is mastered."

"That's it? It's mastered?" Dan Chengjun smiled, his eyes rolling upwards. "Dying willingly, I must have mastered it."

Sun Tiecheng twisted the hilt of the knife, quickly increasing the force.

Dan Chengjun felt thousands of blades and edges tearing through his body. This wasn't an illusion. This weapon, specially crafted from Red Lotus, carried the 'Vague and Unclear' skill. It looked like a single knife, but it was actually composed of hundreds of tiny knives. It had been severed by the wheel earlier, but it was actually dispersed. As long as Sun Tiecheng used some more skills, the knives could quickly reassemble.

Now, inside Dan Chengjun's body, these knives had dispersed again, thoroughly shredding Dan Chengjun's internal organs. Sun Tiecheng was confident he could kill Dan Chengjun.

Dan Chengjun's consciousness gradually blurred, completely devoid of any thought of resistance.

But Sun Tiecheng was certain Dan Chengjun wasn't dead.

Not only was he not dead, but Dan Chengjun was changing. Inside his body, something was killing.

After a long stalemate, one by one, tiny knives were pushed out of Dan Chengjun's body, covered in blood and flesh. They rolled on the ground for a moment, then gradually lost their vitality.

Were these knives injured by Dan Chengjun?

No, they weren't injured by Dan Chengjun. Sun Tiecheng could perceive that Dan Chengjun had no combat awareness.

These knives were injured by Dan Chengjun's internal organs.

Sun Tiecheng's judgment was correct; he now had to differentiate between Dan Chengjun and Dan Chengjun's internal organs.

How could his internal organs injure knives?

Sun Tiecheng sensed some methods: bones were pounding, muscles were intertwining. Could this really destroy a weapon refined from Red Lotus?

Were Dan Chengjun's internal organs also his weapons?

Sun Tiecheng continuously increased the force on the knife, only wanting to kill Dan Chengjun as quickly as possible, when Dan Chengjun's right hand suddenly pushed Sun Tiecheng away.

It was Dan Chengjun's right hand, not Dan Chengjun himself. This also needed to be distinguished.

Sun Tiecheng could perceive that Dan Chengjun was still under the control of the Fool's Cultivation skill, but every part of his body could act independently.

When Sun Tiecheng approached again, Dan Chengjun sent out all the knives remaining in his body, accurately striking Sun Tiecheng.

These knives were Sun Tiecheng's weapons, but Dan Chengjun used them with remarkable ease.

Sun Tiecheng used a skill to make the small knives emerge from his body, gather into a single knife, and pointed it at Dan Chengjun. "You're already dead, you can't even speak. Your eyes are rolled back. You've been dead for a long time. Why are you, a walking corpse, fighting me?"

The skill was used, and it worked.

Dan Chengjun truly walked like a zombie, his legs stiff, his body swaying, as he approached Sun Tiecheng.

But he just wouldn't die!

Sun Tiecheng pulled a large cotton-bowing tool from his sleeve. Such a large object; he wondered how it fit in Sun Tiecheng's sleeve.

This bow was formidable; it was a top-tier magic weapon. Sun Tiecheng didn't even need to use his hands; the bow itself rushed towards Dan Chengjun, plucking its string and twanging at him.

One twang from this bow would tear skin and flesh. Two twangs would separate bone from muscle. Three twangs, and a person would fall apart.

Sun Tiecheng and the bow jointly attacked Dan Chengjun, but neither Sun Tiecheng nor the bow could land a hit on Dan Chengjun.

Dan Chengjun didn't use any special means; he merely dodged, but each dodge was incredibly precise, avoiding injury from the bow and leaving no opening for Sun Tiecheng.

"Why are you standing there, dead man? Just lie down already!" Sun Tiecheng felt something was wrong. He unleashed a skill, and it worked again, but Dan Chengjun still didn't lie down.

Sun Tiecheng flicked his sleeve, revealing over a dozen weapons.

This was extremely risky. In a fight with Dan Chengjun, many weapons would become Dan Chengjun's.

But Sun Tiecheng felt that prolonging the fight was even riskier. He had never seen a martial cultivator in Dan Chengjun's state before.

The dozen or so weapons helped Sun Tiecheng attack. Under their combined assault, Dan Chengjun remained unharmed.

He suddenly grabbed the cotton-bowing tool and twanged it three times at Sun Tiecheng. Sun Tiecheng couldn't dodge and fell heavily to the ground, unable to get up.

Sun Tiecheng was not a living person, but his flesh and bones were real. He felt his flesh sliding off his bones, and his bones slowly separating from each other.

Dan Chengjun, carrying the wheel, scattered the other weapons, drew the bow, and prepared to twang it at Sun Tiecheng again.

The bowstring vibrated, and Sun Tiecheng couldn't dodge. If he forced a dodge, his skeleton would fall apart.

But this time, it missed. Old Train, embracing Sun Tiecheng, leaped aside.

Logically, Dan Chengjun should have shown some fear seeing Old Train and Sun Tiecheng together.

But Dan Chengjun showed no reaction whatsoever. He held the bow in his left hand and the wheel in his right, continuing to pursue and strike Sun Tiecheng.

Sun Tiecheng said to Old Train, "Dan Chengjun's abilities have grown. I gave him all the good stuff I saved for you, and in the end, I still can't beat him."

Old Train looked at Dan Chengjun's appearance. "It's natural you can't beat him. Your Daoist sect is no longer effective."

Sun Tiecheng stood up. "What are you talking about? The world's number one Daoist sect isn't effective?"

Old Train shook his head. "It's hard to say who's number one now. I met Old Xu earlier, and he told me that martial cultivators now have skills. I never believed it."

Sun Tiecheng was stunned. "You mean this is a skill?"

Old Train nodded. "This is Dan Chengjun's unique skill, 'Giving Up All Hope and Thoughts'."