Chapter 761: Words Crying Blood

Shumanjuan and Li Qi had fought before. Although Shumanjuan was severely wounded, he still looked down on Li Qi's combat strength. If it hadn't been for the sudden arrival of daylight and the absence of Dalian, Shumanjuan believed he could have easily subdued Li Qi.

The current problem was Zhou Wencheng. Shumanjuan knew his disciple well. To subdue him, Shumanjuan would need to maintain a decisive advantage, relentlessly pressing him until he was exhausted and unable to retaliate. Therefore, Shumanjuan's objective was clear: focus on Zhou Wencheng, while dealing with Li Qi casually, as Li Qi seemed to have disappeared.

Shumanjuan's chest split open, erupting in a large splatter of ink. "This kid is fast!" Shumanjuan possessed a Sky Unity skill. Although he was hit by a "Passing Glance" attack, he wasn't actually injured; his wounds were replaced by text. He flicked two scrolls from his sleeve, surrounding Li Qi.

Seeing Li Qi engulfed by a mass of text, Shumanjuan warped near Zhou Wencheng, sprinkled a few drops of blood into the ink, and then wielded his brush to write the four characters: "Might," "Weariness," "Rage," and "Despair." This was a high-level Literary Cultivator skill, where every character was imbued with blood and tears.

Although there were only four characters, each possessed astonishing power. The character "Might" appeared like a colossal mountain before Old Man Lu, its peak invisible even when craning one's neck, making him feel utterly insignificant at its base. Old Man Lu had to avoid the "Might" character as much as possible, or its intimidation would make him lose the courage to continue fighting. He splattered a trail of ink on the ground and moved along it, circumventing "Might" only to encounter "Rage."

A single glance at "Rage" ignited a fiery fury in Old Man Lu. Another look brought forth all the humiliations he had suffered during his student days. Old Man Lu yearned to charge forward immediately and fight Shumanjuan to the death. Fortunately, he knew Shumanjuan's habits and swallowed his rage, refraining from reckless action.

He meticulously observed the battlefield and noticed that Li Qi was already engaged in a desperate struggle in a corner of the courtyard, in a very dangerous situation. When Li Qi had attacked Shumanjuan earlier, he showed no hesitation. This led Old Man Lu to conclude that Li Qi was not here to watch the fight from the sidelines, nor to seize the Imperial Seal amidst the chaos; he was here to help him. Why Li Qi chose to help him was unclear to Old Man Lu for now, but as a friend, he couldn't just stand by and watch Li Qi suffer. He bypassed the "Rage" character and silently flicked a line of text from his robe. The characters slithered across the ground like a wandering snake, rushing to Li Qi's aid.

Old Man Lu thought his move was discreet enough, but Shumanjuan still detected the line of text. Shumanjuan waved his brush, and the character "Weariness" pursued it. The next stroke of "Weariness" blinked like a sleepy eye at the "wandering snake." The characters, once as agile as a wandering snake, instantly lost their power, scattering into a blob of ink just as they reached Li Qi. "Strange, Li Qi doesn't seem to be here." Through this scattered text, Old Man Lu realized that the one being attacked was not Li Qi, but a shadow. "Is this a Shadow Cultivation skill? Where is Li Qi's main body?"

As Old Man Lu's text dissipated from weariness, Li Qi suddenly appeared in mid-air and landed a kick directly on Shumanjuan's face. Shumanjuan's entire body disintegrated into a puddle of ink, spilling onto the ground. Shumanjuan's form reappeared in the flower bed. That kick had been quite powerful; although Shumanjuan endured it using his Sky Unity skill, he lost half a scroll in the process. Despite the setback, Shumanjuan still didn't consider Li Qi his primary opponent.

Using Shadow Cultivation to restrain and Journey Cultivation for sneak attacks – Shumanjuan had seen similar tactics before and knew how to counter them. The greatest weakness of Shadow Cultivation lay in its connection to the shadows: if a shadow was damaged, the Shadow Cultivator's main body would also suffer. Shumanjuan decided to besiege both the shadows and the main body with text, to see how long Li Qi could last!

"He seems to be able to last a long time." The two scrolls he had sent out earlier were depleted, but there were still dozens of shadows left. Shumanjuan frowned slightly. He realized he had underestimated Li Qi's proficiency in Shadow Cultivation; it seemed his shadow cultivation was no less formidable than his journey cultivation. "More shadows won't matter; I'll just kill them all. Once they're gone, we'll see if Li Qi can still stand." A dozen more scrolls flew from his sleeve. Shumanjuan maintained his strategy, continuing to overpower Li Qi with text.

Old Man Lu seized the opportunity to grab a brush washer and splash out clean water. The clean water transformed into a torrential downpour, washing away most of the surrounding ink. This caught Shumanjuan off guard. Old Man Lu was about to press his advantage, but to his surprise, the water couldn't wash away the "Despair" character. When "Despair" collided with Old Man Lu, his eyes dulled, and he instantly lost all thought of pursuing.

"What's the point of pursuing? Even if I catch him and land a hit, it still won't hurt Shumanjuan, will it? Can't Shumanjuan use text to block? With his Sky Unity skill, what good would it do to keep fighting him? Besides, Shumanjuan can quickly replenish the text that was washed away. Who knows how many scrolls he has hidden on him? He has an endless supply of usable text." Under the influence of "Despair," Old Man Lu lost all will to fight, standing rooted to the spot, seemingly utterly disheartened.

In truth, Old Man Lu hadn't given up hope; he subtly wrote a series of "Fight" characters on himself, quickly restoring some of his fighting spirit. However, Shumanjuan didn't give him a chance to recover further. He tore out a "Revere" character from a book and pressed it towards Old Man Lu. Old Man Lu felt his breath constrict, a thought repeating endlessly in his mind: "I shouldn't attack my master." The "Revere" character pressed closer, and while Zhou Wencheng struggled to parry, Shumanjuan threw out a scroll titled *Hundred-Foot Cage*. This was an early work by Zhang Xiuling, which centered on a prisoner trapped in a dungeon, telling the story of an ordinary person breaking free from a mental cage. The book was widely circulated in Puluo Prefecture, and its first half meticulously described the dungeon's structure. Shumanjuan intended to use this description to trap Old Man Lu in a cage.

*Rustle, rustle, rustle* – the pages trembled in the wind, rapidly expanding to five meters long and three meters wide. A cage, formed by layers upon layers of steel bars, slowly emerged from the pages, quickly looming over Old Man Lu's head. As the cage was about to descend, with Shumanjuan intending to imprison Old Man Lu, Li Qi used his Five Horses Dividing Families skill, tearing the scroll to shreds. The steel cage vanished in an instant. Old Man Lu, in turn, dispersed the "Revere" character, dismantling Shumanjuan's technique.

Shumanjuan was startled. He wasn't surprised by Zhou Wencheng, as Zhou Badou possessed that capability. What truly surprised him was Li Qi. Li Qi was surrounded by a dozen books, yet he still had the energy to support Zhou Wencheng in such a situation? A dozen books contained millions of characters. After fighting for so long, how many of Li Qi's shadows could possibly be left? Over a hundred remained. Shumanjuan looked closely; he hadn't miscounted. There truly were over a hundred. "How are his shadows increasing as I kill them?" Seeing the shadows charge forward, Shumanjuan finally realized one thing: he could no longer ignore Li Qi.

Shumanjuan shed his outer robe, waving it back and forth in mid-air. Hundreds of scrolls flew from his clothes into the air, their pages scattering and drifting everywhere. The characters on each page fell to the ground, transforming into armored soldiers that surrounded Li Qi. This was Shumanjuan's ultimate technique, "Vast Scrolls." Back on the battlefield, Shumanjuan had defeated many armies using this very move. These text-transformed armored soldiers weren't individually strong, but their sheer numbers made any attempt to fight them head-on seem disadvantageous.

Li Banfeng released a boundary line that extended all the way beyond the wall. During its extension, the boundary line was silent and caused no damage. Once the boundary line was in position, Li Banfeng slowly retracted it. The line still showed no glow, but this time Li Banfeng activated its destructive power. Large sections of text turned into puddles of ink as the boundary line passed through them. Simultaneously, Old Man Lu held his brush and wrote twenty-eight "Spring" characters in the courtyard. Twenty-eight spring eyes erupted with water, and the flowing clear springs washed the entire courtyard clean of text.

Zhou Wencheng's counterattack was so swift that Shumanjuan, who had previously held the upper hand, now found himself in a difficult predicament. He had lost many of his scrolls, yet Zhou Wencheng was unharmed, and a large number of shadows still accompanied Li Qi. His earlier offensive had vanished into thin air in an instant. Dealing with both of them simultaneously was proving to be too much for Shumanjuan. Seeing Zhou Wencheng raise his brush again, Shumanjuan prepared to retreat.

However, retreating wasn't simply a matter of wanting to. Li Banfeng, along with his shadows, quickly positioned himself, blocking Shumanjuan's escape route. Shumanjuan looked at Li Qi, a smile on his face, and said, "Your Royal Highness, why press so hard? Are you trying to fight to the death?" Li Banfeng replied, "If you're not daring enough to fight to the death, then how did you have the audacity to come find me?"

Shumanjuan really wanted to explain to Li Qi that he hadn't come looking for Li Banfeng; rather, Li Banfeng had sought him out. But on second thought, what was the point of explaining that to him? He was a Grandmaster of a school; why should he explain himself to a junior? Even if he explained it clearly, it wouldn't help his current situation. Shumanjuan waved his hand, and a mass of text blocked Li Banfeng's path. Li Banfeng pursued by carving paths through the text, while Shumanjuan continuously blocked the way with more text. Although this wasted many scrolls, it temporarily halted Li Banfeng's pursuit.

He ran all the way to the base of the wall, where two giant pythons burst from the ground, nearly coiling around Shumanjuan. These two giant pythons were formed from the ink splattered on the ground. Old Man Lu had gathered the scattered ink and written two "Snake" characters. Don't underestimate these two characters; they contained Old Man Lu's ultimate skill. If Shumanjuan dared to force his way through, Old Man Lu was absolutely confident he could subdue him. But Shumanjuan didn't rush to break through. He let his text hold them off for a moment. When he turned back, Li Qi and his shadows had already approached.

Shumanjuan still intended to maintain his strategy and continue to resist with text, but as he picked up his brush, he poked his own forehead. "What am I doing? Li Qi is chasing me, and I'm just going to block with text? Is this how a Literary Cultivator fights? How is this any different from that crude fellow, Dan Chengjun?" Shumanjuan truly didn't understand. Ever since he fought Li Qi, his tactics had been a complete mess.

"Do not pursue a desperate foe!" Shumanjuan shouted. Li Qi found himself unable to move, standing rooted to the spot beneath the wall. Shumanjuan smiled. With a single phrase, "Shared Text, Shared Rules," he froze Li Banfeng in place. But Old Man Lu had a way to counter "Shared Text, Shared Rules." Seeing that he was about to be caught, Shumanjuan shouted again: "You who betray your master and obliterate your ancestors, what face do you have to be so presumptuous here? Retreat at once!" The words became reality! Old Man Lu's calves cramped backward, and after struggling for a moment, he was forced to retreat.

One couldn't pursue, the other couldn't chase. Shumanjuan calmly scaled the wall, smiling, and walked from the back garden to the front garden of the residence. Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng were waiting in the front garden. Shumanjuan pondered what had just happened and found it illogical. He had been fighting in the front garden, jumped over the wall, ended up in the back garden, and then was back in the front garden. "What's the meaning of this?" Shumanjuan paused for a moment, then said, "I'll leave first; do not pursue a desperate foe."

"Alright, we won't pursue!" Li Banfeng agreed readily. Shumanjuan turned and walked towards the back garden again, passed through the back gate, and once more saw Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng. This was awkward. For a moment, Shumanjuan didn't know what to say. Li Qi proactively said, "You can go, we truly won't pursue." Shumanjuan didn't rush to leave. The back garden connected to the front, and the front to the back. Having experienced many battles, Shumanjuan immediately realized he was caught in an illusion array.

"Mere tricks, daring to show themselves! Weapons cease, array disperse!" Shumanjuan waved his hand, smiled calmly, and glanced back at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng nodded and said, "Walk faster!" Being urged by Li Qi left a bitter taste in Shumanjuan's mouth. He had expected to surely leave the residence this time, but he hadn't anticipated a boundary line waiting for him just beyond the courtyard wall. Li Banfeng's "Close Door, Shut House" skill, having been guided by Jiang Ling'er, was now far more powerful than before. As Shumanjuan passed through it this time, his left leg snapped, and his right leg became a bloody mess. Caught completely off guard, Shumanjuan hadn't used his Sky Unity skill, and this time he was truly injured.

"Where did this trap come from?" Li Banfeng's boundary lines could appear without a glow, so Shumanjuan couldn't detect any traces, nor could he determine what had wounded him. Even more alarming, after crossing the courtyard wall, he still saw the same three-story Western-style building, and Li Qi and Zhou Wencheng were still waiting in the courtyard. "Didn't I just use 'Shared Text, Shared Rules' to dispel the array? Why is this illusion array still here?" This wasn't an illusion array; this was Li Qi's "Connected Wide Chamber." Shumanjuan had said not to pursue, and Li Qi could indeed choose not to, but Li Qi had never said he would let Shumanjuan leave.

"Do not pursue a desperate foe!" Shumanjuan's voice was loud, but his heart was unsettled. "Are you going or not?" Li Banfeng and a group of shadows watched him leave. Passing through the courtyard wall again, Shumanjuan used a substitute this time and also realized the problem. This was a Residence Cultivation boundary line, set up very discreetly. "Are there other Residence Cultivation masters nearby?" As his thoughts raced, two pythons burst from the ground.

One python coiled around Shumanjuan. Shumanjuan transformed into ink, which the python then devoured, making its body visibly thicker. Shumanjuan reappeared among another mass of text, and another python immediately burst from the ground, coiling around him again. Shumanjuan escaped again using a text substitute, but as soon as he reappeared, he was immediately ensnared by another python. The two pythons attacked alternately, continuously sucking away the text on Shumanjuan. Shumanjuan didn't have time to use other techniques, and the text on him was rapidly being depleted.

Old Man Lu stroked the whiskers at the corner of his lips, gazing sternly at Shumanjuan. "Master," he said, "from now on, you won't have to feel as if I'm a thorn in your side, or lose your appetite because of this disciple." Shumanjuan didn't even have a chance to speak. He now had to use all his strength to resist Zhou Wencheng's technique. This technique was specifically designed for Shumanjuan. The pythons were made of ink, and the ink originated from Shumanjuan, allowing these two pythons to constantly track him. Shumanjuan's speed in switching between his true body and substitutes was too fast for one python to keep up; it required two pythons to alternately ensnare him. If Shumanjuan revealed his true form, these two pythons could severely wound him. If Shumanjuan used a substitute, the pythons would destroy his substitutes repeatedly, continuing to absorb ink from them. The entire process was like blood-sucking; Shumanjuan grew increasingly weak, and his chances of escape became ever more remote. This was why Shumanjuan dared not let Zhou Wencheng seize the initiative. Once Zhou Wencheng gained the upper hand, he could push Shumanjuan to the brink of death.

Watching Shumanjuan struggle desperately against the technique, Old Man Lu's expression turned sorrowful, his eyes reddened, and tears slowly streamed down his face. Li Banfeng carefully observed Old Man Lu's expression. "Was Old Man Lu going to use his 'Ironclad Evidence' skill to finish Shumanjuan off? Does he know Foolish Cultivation skills? Why is he crying so genuinely? Could it be out of consideration for their master-disciple bond?" Old Man Lu genuinely seemed to have softened. The two pythons gradually lost power, their speed slowed, and their fighting will significantly diminished. Shumanjuan found an opening in the pythons' alternating attacks and escaped.

Li Banfeng couldn't let him get away. He charged forward, preparing to surround Shumanjuan with shadows, when suddenly, he heard sounds of crying erupting all around him. Some wept loudly, others sobbed softly, some tried to hold back tears but couldn't help but sniffle. Some cried while singing, their lyrics sometimes clear, sometimes indistinct. Some cried while shouting, at times desperately pleading, at times unleashing curses. Amidst the cries, Li Banfeng felt his eyes swell, his nose sting, his mouth become sticky and salty, and tears involuntarily fell. With this crying, the "Connected Wide Chamber" loosened, and "Close Door, Shut House" also weakened. This momentary slackening was quicker than a blink, yet Shumanjuan had the means to seize the opportunity. A row of scrolls formed a bridge, and Shumanjuan stepped on them, running out of Li Banfeng's residence.

As Shumanjuan landed, he worried about escaping, knowing Li Qi was a Journey Cultivator who could pursue him at any moment. Yuan Youshang suddenly appeared. "Marquis," he said, "follow me!" The array activated, and more than a dozen ghost servants turned to ash. Shumanjuan and Yuan Youshang vanished without a trace.

Inside the residence, Old Man Lu and Li Qi were still crying. Old Man Lu wiped his eyes and said to Li Banfeng, "That was a Cry Cultivation skill, 'Wails of Despair.' There's a very high-level Cry Cultivator nearby." Li Banfeng took his shadows and searched all around, but couldn't find any trace of Shumanjuan or the Cry Cultivator.

Yuan Youshang and Shumanjuan fell out of the array together. Yuan Youshang landed steadily, but Shumanjuan collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a while. "Marquis, you're injured." Yuan Youshang reached out to help Shumanjuan up, but Shumanjuan gently waved him off. His injuries weren't severe; he had only been wounded once by the boundary line. However, his combat strength was severely impaired. He had been close to full recovery, but this latest incident nearly cost him everything. The more desperate the situation, the less Shumanjuan trusted others.

Yuan Youshang looked around. Although they had left Green Water Bay, they were still within Puluo Prefecture, so he was still uneasy. "Marquis," he said, "this place is not suitable for a long stay. Let's talk somewhere else." Shumanjuan remained silent. He tore some strips of cloth from his clothes and bandaged his wounds. Given his cultivation, what use could such bandaging possibly be? He clearly wanted nothing to do with Yuan Youshang.

Yuan Youshang felt a little aggrieved. He looked at Shumanjuan and said, "Marquis, I genuinely came to rescue you, with no other intentions." Shumanjuan didn't even raise his head. "Thank you. Your name is Yuan Youshang, isn't it? Swordsman Yuan, I recall you're not very old, perhaps in your early forties. Indeed, every generation produces talented individuals." "Marquis, do you know how much it cost me to save you?" This wasn't Yuan Youshang seeking praise; to save Shumanjuan, he had used two layers of arrays and sacrificed countless ghost servants. Shumanjuan nodded. "Don't worry, I won't mistreat you. Once we return to Chaoge, I'll help you request a reward. As for the amount, that will depend on Sir Qiao's discretion." Yuan Youshang's face remained impassive as he silently stood aside.

In Old Man Lu's study, the attendant warmed wine, prepared tea, and set out refreshments and appetizers. Old Man Lu first raised a cup of wine to Li Banfeng. "Master Qi," he said, "this old man owes you a life." "Let's not talk like that between us," Li Banfeng said, looking at the paper and brush on the desk. "How about you write me an IOU?" Old Man Lu immediately pulled out an IOU. "This old man has already prepared it." "You really are something," Li Banfeng said. "I was just joking, and you took it seriously." He took the IOU, read it carefully twice, and after confirming it was correct, he put it into his pocket.

They exchanged cups, drinking both wine and tea. Old Man Lu then asked, "Master Qi, you didn't come to Yuanzhu Lane today specifically to save this old man, did you?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "I just happened to be passing by. How did you encounter Shumanjuan in Yuanzhu Lane?" Actually, he wanted to ask, "You didn't intentionally come to my house to scribble all over it, did you?"

Old Man Lu sighed. "It's only because I can't shake my love for books. I let my guard down when I saw a scholar. My master disguised himself as a down-and-out scholar selling books, and I fell for his trick." "He tricked you into going out just to kill you?" "He also wanted to ask about some other things, but never mind, let's not dwell on that." Old Man Lu asked Li Banfeng to wait a moment, then went to his bedroom and brought out two treasured books, handing them to Li Banfeng. "These are my personal treasures," Old Man Lu said. "Please accept them as a small gift, Master Qi. Don't misunderstand, this has nothing to do with repaying a favor; it's simply my heartfelt gesture."

Neither book had a title on its cover. Li Banfeng picked up one, and Old Man Lu introduced it: "This is *Portraits of Beauties*, which compiles thirty peerless beauties from ancient and modern times." Li Banfeng looked displeased. "Old Man Lu, you shouldn't give me this kind of book. Although I'm a book lover, I don't just enjoy looking at pictures. Although this picture is quite beautiful... where is this picture, anyway?" After flipping through dozens of pages, Li Banfeng didn't see a single picture. Old Man Lu said, "The pictures are between the lines. It depends on whether Master Qi is willing to witness the elegance of the beauties." "Between the lines?"

Li Banfeng checked the table of contents and turned to a page. The content was as follows:

The beauty, Xiao Wan, her face like morning clouds reflecting snow, her eyes like stars quenched in a cold pool, with hidden sharpness in her glances. Red makeup cannot conceal her heroic bones; a rouge tigress whose might shakes the eight directions. Her dark hair gathered high into a silver-scaled helmet, a three-inch vermillion bird feather slanted, swaying like a flame; she wears crimson-gold chainmail, a six-foot Dragon Abyss sword hanging from her waist, its light illuminating the nine heavens. Her frosted crimson lips, a smile that can break the courage of a thousand armies; her willow brows hold menace, her rage can cleave layers of clouds for ten thousand miles. In battle, her rouge turns to blood, her delicate hands hold the commander's seal, and wherever her command flag points, the three armies thunder. When she sheds her armor, her heroic spirit softens, her silk robe replaces iron, and as her lotus steps move, the entire courtyard radiates brilliance.

He turned to this page because it described Zhao Xiaowan, Li Banfeng's wife, who held a place among the thirty peerless beauties of ancient and modern times. "Could he truly see his wife within these lines of text? No steam and no loud speakers, is this really my wife?" The phrases were somewhat abstruse, but Li Banfeng was still engrossed. Old Man Lu said, "Master Qi, the other book is called *Drifting Clouds Ask the Post*, a travelogue. You can also read it to pass the time." Li Banfeng accepted both books, and after chatting for a moment, Old Man Lu handed him *Ink Harmony Studio*. "This was written by a friend of mine," he said. "Please, Master Qi, offer your corrections." After flipping through a few pages, Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly. "This book is well-written; it has character!" "How does it compare to *Jade Fragrance Records*?" Li Banfeng compared them carefully. "I think it's more enjoyable than *Jade Fragrance Records*." Old Man Lu took a sip of wine, smiling with evident satisfaction.

Back at Suishen Residence, Li Banfeng showed Hong Ying the description of Zhao Xiaowan from *Portraits of Beauties*. Jiu'er, standing nearby, smiled playfully. "It's written in classical style. Can Yingying understand it?" Hong Ying snorted. "Who are you talking to? How about I show it to you first, and if there's anything you don't understand, I'll explain it?" This was no empty boast; Hong Ying genuinely possessed the ability. She was a well-bred young lady and a literature enthusiast, so reading these classical sentences was effortless for her. "Honestly," Hong Ying said after reading it, genuinely praising it, "this truly leaps off the page. Xiaowan was exactly like this back then." "'Leaps off the page!'" Li Banfeng fell into deep thought. Jiu'er had no strong reaction after reading it; she wasn't as familiar with Zhao Xiaowan's military persona. Li Banfeng carefully confirmed with Hong Ying, "Is this passage really so vivid?" Hong Ying nodded. "When I read this passage, all I could see in my mind was Xiaowan's appearance when she was in the army."

Li Banfeng pondered for a long time, then fetched paper and brush and meticulously copied the description from *Portraits of Beauties*. After finishing the transcription, Li Banfeng took the copy outside Suishen Residence, sprinkled a drop of blood onto it, and activated the "Golden House Hiding Beauty" skill. The characters merged and converged within the blood, and his wife, clad in military attire, emerged from the paper.