Chapter 777: Imperial Commissioner

"I don't understand travel cultivation techniques. Why am I being promoted to travel cultivator?" Li Banfeng asked, his expression icy as he looked at A Yu.

A Yu replied with an innocent expression, "Old Seven, you can't blame me for this. Promotion is about things happening naturally when the time is right. Your travel cultivation level is clearly superior to your home cultivation. If I were to force your promotion to home cultivator, what kind of risks would that entail?"

Li Banfeng frowned. "Why is travel cultivation superior to home cultivation? I've absorbed so much life force; does it make a difference whether I use it for travel cultivation or home cultivation?"

A Yu shook her head repeatedly. "Little brother, promotion isn't just about life force; it also depends on the time you've spent cultivating. No matter what level you reach, this fundamental principle remains constant. You must have traveled to many places recently, and most importantly, you've certainly experienced many dangers. In dangerous places, travel cultivation advances extremely quickly, surpassing home cultivation. This is perfectly reasonable."

Li Banfeng didn't believe A Yu, but Zhao Xiaowan thought there was some truth to what she said. After fiercely battling Shan Chengjun, then Shu Wanjuan, then Xiao Qianshou, then Mu Yuejuan, and stealing the Yuanmiao Screen, he then faced an extremely difficult struggle with A Yu and the Heavenly Maiden. Li Banfeng had indeed experienced quite a lot of danger recently, so it was reasonable for his travel cultivation to surpass his home cultivation.

But Li Banfeng had plenty of life force. Why did A Yu insist on choosing travel cultivation? Zhao Xiaowan wouldn't believe that this move was simply to ensure Li Banfeng's safety; Li Banfeng wasn't that fragile, nor was A Yu that considerate. What was her true purpose?

A Yu tried to reassure Li Banfeng. "A major battle is imminent. Travel cultivators can move freely on the battlefield, so this promotion is a good thing!"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, the battle!" Li Banfeng grew even more agitated. "I planned to use the 'Mystic Light to Purge Evil' technique to eliminate large numbers of the Bandit Suppression Army. Now that this technique is gone, how are we supposed to fight the Bandit Suppression Camp?"

A Yu looked at Li Banfeng, quite surprised. "Brother, you've just learned the technique, and you already want to slaughter enemies en masse? What do you take 'Mystic Light to Purge Evil' for? Do you know how much 'Mystic Light to Purge Evil' consumes? Are you mistaking this technique for an Outsider Region's laser cannon? How much effort do you think it takes to truly master it to the point of 'Mystic Light Illumination'?"

A Yi eagerly said, "Brother, you'll need to rely on me to fight the Bandit Suppression Army. I've made the latest explosives; one blast will take out a large area."

A Yu shook her head. "No."

A Yi's face fell as she said, "You say no and it's no? My brother hasn't even spoken yet. What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

A Yu nudged A Yi with her foot. "Because I'm your mother."

A Yi was unconvinced. "What's so great about being a mother? Without my brother, where would you be, Mother?"

From a certain perspective, there was some truth to that; without Li Banfeng, A Yu wouldn't have come to Gourd Village.

A Yu ignored A Yi and called downstairs, "Little sister, lend me some building blocks."

The little girl was very reluctant. "You can borrow them, but you have to return them. The blocks always seem to diminish the more you play with them."

A box of building blocks emerged from the floor. A Yu then laid out a rough layout of Dingye City on the ground. It was very similar to the map Zuo Anna had drawn. Dingye City was densely packed with grids, and the size and shape of each grid varied. There were rectangles, squares, and rhombuses. The only commonality was that all grids had four walls.

A Yi looked at the blocks and shook her head slightly. "This isn't like the Dingye City I saw."

A Yu said, "Of course it's different. The number of blocks is limited, so it's impossible to lay out the entire Dingye City."

A Yi was very serious. "There's no place in Dingye City that looks like this." Her statement was clear, and A Yi's intention was obvious: she was telling A Yu that she had been to Dingye City. She had once opened a path to Dingye City, and this time she was repairing the original path. Given that a fierce battle was at stake, it was best if no one played games.

A Yu poked A Yi with a finger. "What do you mean by that? Do you think your mother would lie to you? Go back to Dingye City now and see if the city's layout is still the same as what you saw before."

A Yi said, "Sister, I know the Inner State's land can change, but a city wouldn't become completely unrecognizable."

A Yu shook her head. "Dingye City is different. It has nine cauldrons. When these nine cauldrons are stationary, Dingye City doesn't change much. But if they move, Dingye City changes drastically. If you visited yesterday, you might not recognize it today."

A Yi remained silent. She needed to verify this herself, but scouting Dingye City required extreme caution; a slight mistake could expose their presence.

A Yu, holding the blocks, pointed to a rhombus-shaped grid and said, "If different materials are brewed within the Nine Cauldrons, the city's layout can change instantaneously. Even if A Yi has located the Bandit Suppression Camp, by the time you rush into that grid, it might no longer be a camp."

A Yi shook her head. "Mother, isn't what you're saying a bit too bizarre?"

"That's just your limited experience!" A Yu glared at A Yi and said, "I suffered losses in Dingye City myself. Back then, it was just to cut off the Inner State's grain supply. Now, the Bandit Suppression Camp is stationed inside Dingye City. Imagine how much effort the Inner State must have put in?"

A Yi was still unconvinced. "The path will be repaired tomorrow. We'll see how much it changes then."

Zhao Xiaowan interjected, "Let's hear Sister finish. Since Dingye City is so unpredictable, how do you think we should fight this battle?"

A Yu replied, "First, we must strike accurately. Second, we must be able to afford mistakes!"

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Please elaborate, Sister."

Everyone present was intelligent, so A Yu didn't have to exert much effort to explain, especially to Zhao Xiaowan, who grasped things with minimal explanation. "'Strike accurately' means we must pinpoint the camp's location. If we can see where the Bandit Suppression Camp is, we must lock onto its direction. When we rush into Dingye City, no matter where we land, we must run towards the camp's position."

Li Banfeng said, "How can we fix the position?"

A Yu made a mark on the rhombus block. "There are two methods. One is to use a Divination Compass to directly lock onto the camp's position. No matter how Dingye City changes, the Divination Compass can point the way. However, Divination Compasses are rare treasures; the Inner State has very few of them, so don't count on that."

The little train blew out half a puff of steam, suppressing the other half. He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. Although A Yu's hearing was damaged, she could still hear if he laughed too loudly. The little train had a Divination Compass, which he had exchanged with Chu Shaoqiang for Chu Shaoqiang's Heavenly Heart Stone.

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Sister, if we don't have a Divination Compass, what should we do?"

A Yu's expression grew serious, and she sighed. "Then there's no other way. I'll have to take action personally, using all my lifelong knowledge to pinpoint the Bandit Suppression Camp's location and lead you all there."

Zhao Xiaowan stared at A Yu for a long moment.

A Yu frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that? I genuinely want to help you fight! I'm a citizen of Proland State, and I never hesitate when it comes to fighting the Inner State."

The old lady upstairs snorted. "Whose accountant is doing their sums? The abacus beads are flying off!"

A Yu didn't bother with the old lady and continued, "Just striking accurately isn't enough. In this battle, we must also be able to afford mistakes, because Dingye City is constantly changing, and getting lost is inevitable. Moreover, with the Inner State using some illusionary tactics, our errors would be understandable. That's why A Yi isn't suitable for the battlefield. Her methods don't allow for mistakes. Once explosives are detonated in a grid, it exposes our position. If we blow up something other than the enemy's camp, they'll go on full alert, and not only will our efforts be in vain, but we might not even have a chance to escape."

Zhao Xiaowan asked, "Then, Sister, who do you think is suitable?"

A Yi looked at the Heavenly Maiden, feeling she had guessed A Yu's true intention. But unexpectedly, A Yu didn't mention the Heavenly Maiden. "When I was at the Dark Star Bureau, I heard of a rising star among the 'Affliction Cultivators.' This person would be very suitable."

Li Banfeng said, "Are you talking about Cui Tik?"

A Yu nodded. "This foreigner reportedly created a technique in Affliction Cultivation. We can have him send the 'pathogen' into the Bandit Suppression Camp. Even if it's the wrong location, as long as we control it and prevent it from manifesting immediately, we'll still have a chance to adapt."

Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "I'll go find Cui Tik."

A Yi used Gourd Village to send Li Banfeng to Blade Ghost Ridge. Cui Tik was crouching in the temple, collecting idols from sunflowers.

"My friend, you've come at the perfect time. A large portion of the idols I've collected belong to you. For the sake of our friendship, I've gathered all these idols for you. I believe your perception of our shared research has also improved—"

Li Banfeng looked around, afraid that someone might overhear. "I'm grateful for the idols. I've come to you today to discuss a big business matter."

Cui Tik lowered his voice. "Is it a very dangerous business?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "It's very dangerous, but the rewards are substantial."

Cui Tik asked again, "Do I need to leave Blade Ghost Ridge?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, you do."

Cui Tik rubbed the idols in his hands and gently shook his head. "Don't tell me. I'm afraid you'll reveal information, and I'm also afraid I won't be able to resist saying yes to you."

"Why can't you agree?"

"There are two reasons. First, I've recently accepted a very important mission and cannot easily leave Blade Ghost Ridge. Second, I am under very strict surveillance. If I leave Blade Ghost Ridge, the Inner State might discover my movements, and then all your plans could be exposed."

Li Banfeng was startled. "Blade Ghost Ridge is under Inner State surveillance? Do you know the identity of their spy? Let's get rid of him."

"It's no use," Cui Tik shook his head. "Proland State is almost defenseless, and I'm not good at evading surveillance and tracking. I had a similar premonition when I previously raided the Vanguard Camp of the Earthbound State and Mo Wilderness City. I destroyed a city, so the Inner State will monitor my every move from now on. Moreover, it's not just the Inner State; I've found that the Outer State is also monitoring me. I must adapt to this. Because of my special Daoist sect, I have to live openly. Actually, there's nothing wrong with that; there are rules for living openly. But there are some things I'd rather not know; that's very important for both you and me."

Li Banfeng asked, "Can you reveal anything about your recent important mission?"

Cui Tik hesitated for a moment, then unbuttoned his collar. The same five characters were still on his chest: "I Love Proland State!"

Li Banfeng said, "I've never doubted your feelings for Proland State."

Cui Tik wiped his chest, and three of the five characters changed to: "I Love Grand Shang!"

Li Banfeng said, "Now I highly doubt your feelings for Proland State."

The characters shifted and intertwined on Cui Tik's chest. Cui Tik was trying hard to explain something, but he was also worried Li Banfeng wouldn't understand. Fortunately, they shared a deep understanding. Li Banfeng watched for a moment and basically understood.

Li Banfeng said, "Is this mission so complicated?"

Cui Tik nodded. "I don't know if I'll return alive, but I've made very thorough preparations for it."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Your preparations aren't thorough enough. I still need to help you out."

Cui Tik looked at Li Banfeng's chest. "Show me."

"I won't show you now," Li Banfeng shook his head slightly. "Just proceed with your original plan. The person who helps you will appear at the right moment."

Leaving Blade Ghost Ridge, Li Banfeng returned to Gourd Village. Once inside the residence, Li Banfeng asked A Yu, "If Cui Tik can't go to Dingye City, do you have any other good ideas?"

A Yu pursed her lips and said, "There are indeed other ways, but I'm afraid you won't trust me, Sister. I just said that even if you learned 'Mystic Light to Purge Evil,' you wouldn't be able to kill many enemies. However, this technique is different in the Heavenly Maiden's hands. She has already mastered it to the level of 'Mystic Light Illumination,' where for miles around, wherever the mystic light passes, not a blade of grass grows."

As she spoke, A Yu took a building block and placed it in the rhombus area. "With the Heavenly Maiden assisting, as long as we find the correct camp, we can win with a single strike." A Yu then took another block and placed it in a distant rectangular grid. "It doesn't matter if we get the wrong place. The Heavenly Maiden can cast spells from a distance. As long as we lock onto the camp, we'll still have plenty of opportunities."

Li Banfeng said, "You've been talking all this time, but this is the real point, isn't it? You don't want me to learn 'Mystic Light to Purge Evil'; you just want to take the Heavenly Maiden out of Gourd Village, right?"

A Yu looked slightly annoyed. "Brother, what you're saying is very hurtful. I just suggested you take Cui Tik. It's only because that foreigner couldn't go himself that I thought of the Heavenly Maiden."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "You knew Cui Tik couldn't go. Cui Tik is being monitored by the Outer State, and the Dark Star Bureau certainly has information about him. Nothing like that could be hidden from you."

The woman next door snorted. "They say beautiful women lie, and your deceptive methods are truly ingenious."

A Yu's expression darkened. "Since none of you believe me, what's there to discuss? Just go fight the battle yourselves!"

Zhao Xiaowan didn't press further on the details. She was more concerned about the next steps. According to A Yu's description, Dingye City would indeed be difficult to attack. "Sister, does that mean that even from tens of miles away, the Heavenly Maiden can send the Mystic Light to the Bandit Suppression Camp?"

A Yu smiled. "What are a few tens of miles? Anyone who has touched the Red Lotus can be pursued by the Heavenly Maiden, even from a thousand miles away. You should know this."

Zhao Xiaowan looked at the Heavenly Maiden lying on the ground. "We never doubt the Heavenly Maiden's abilities, but whether *this* Heavenly Maiden is capable, that's hard to say."

A Yu frowned. "There's only one Heavenly Maiden in this world. If she can't do it, who can?"

Zhao Xiaowan said, "If she were truly capable, why didn't Sister use the Mystic Light when we fought?"

A Yu raised her eyebrows. "I was also being considerate of our friendship then."

Zhao Xiaowan smiled without a word. Laughter filled the room.

A Yi whispered to Li Banfeng, "Our Big Sister isn't reliable. Let's stick with explosives."

Li Banfeng nodded. "I think so too. If we detonate in the wrong place, we'll just blow through the wall and try again somewhere else!"

A Yu picked up a building block and told Li Banfeng and A Yi, "Dingye City's walls cannot be blown through."

A Yi scoffed. "I'd really like to see that."

A Yu's expression was very serious. "The stones used to separate the various areas in Dingye City are called Indestructible Rock. Forget your explosives; even the Heavenly Maiden's Mystic Light can't burn through this rock."

A Yi looked back at the Heavenly Maiden. "Is she so amazing? If she can't burn through it, does that mean I can't blow it up?"

"That's enough of your nonsense! This isn't the time for your temper tantrums!" A Yu's voice suddenly rose. Whatever her other intentions, she didn't want her daughter to go to her death on the battlefield.

A Yi laughed. "If there really were such hard stones, why would they leave them in Dingye City to make stone walls? Why not use them to make armored pills? I've never seen an armored pill that could withstand my explosives."

A Yu placed the model on the floor. "Indestructible Rock grows on Dingye City, just like crops. It has roots and is connected. Once pulled from the ground, the rock becomes useless. A Yi, unless you can pinpoint the location accurately on your first try, your explosives absolutely cannot blast through these stone walls. Not even Old Coal Cart's 'Path-Breaking' technique can open these stone walls!"

A Yi didn't argue with A Yu. She leaned close to Li Banfeng's ear and said, "Brother, come with me to see the explosives. This formula is much crazier than before."

"Even crazier than before?" Li Banfeng stood up and said, "Then I definitely need to see it."

Seeing Li Banfeng about to leave, A Yu quickly asked, "Once you open the path, how will you find the Bandit Suppression Camp? If you're fighting in Dingye City and I'm left in Gourd Village, your 'Deep Residence' technique won't be able to borrow my cultivation methods!"

A Yu was talking about something serious. This house on the clouds wasn't a portable residence. If the battlefield was too far from the house, the Deep Residence technique wouldn't be effective.

Li Banfeng turned back and said, "Using 'Linked Cave Persimmons' should work."

A Yu understood Li Banfeng's intention: he wanted to use 'Linked Cave Persimmons' to connect this residence with the little coal cart. "But this isn't a long-term solution. How long can you sustain 'Linked Cave Persimmons'?"

Li Banfeng said no more and followed A Yi to inspect the explosives.

Zhao Xiaowan remained in the residence. "Sister, I know you've fought battles before. Could you tell me more about Dingye City's characteristics?"

A Yu packed up the model, preparing to return it to the little girl downstairs. "What's the use of talking? You don't believe me at all."

"I believe you," Zhao Xiaowan looked earnestly at A Yu. "If Sister truly wants to go to the battlefield, that's something we can discuss. If Sister is genuinely helping us, anything can be discussed."

Qiao Yi sat in his study, carefully reading a special document. This document was personally written by the new monarch of Grand Shang, sealed with a jade imperial seal carved by Xiao Chuanzi himself, and delivered by Luo Lijun in person. The letter's content was to dispatch an imperial envoy to Zhaoge.

"The new monarch of Grand Shang, sending an imperial envoy to Zhaoge to inspect government affairs?" Qiao Yi sneered and handed the letter to Shi Shangyou.

Shi Shangyou also laughed after reading it. "Our new monarch doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth; he truly thinks he's the emperor."

Qiao Yi shook his head repeatedly. "Shangyou, you're pretending to be confused again. This couldn't be the new monarch's intention."

"I suspect Li Qi is behind this again. I'll draft a letter and just brush him off with a few sentences."

Qiao Yi shook his head. "We definitely can't just brush him off. This letter comes from the new monarch himself. Refusing the imperial envoy would be unreasonable. Furthermore, this move certainly has a probing intent. Proland State is currently engaged with the Earthbound State; although there's no full-scale war, skirmishes are constant. It's said that Peddler Gu Jing has personally intervened. If we show hostility now, Proland State will surely heighten its alert, which would be extremely detrimental to any future surprise attacks."

Shi Shangyou confirmed, "Lord, you mean to receive this imperial envoy?"

Qiao Yi nodded. "Receive him with the courtesies due to a prince."

Shi Shangyou read the letter once more. "The letter doesn't mention the envoy's identity."

Qiao Yi gave a bitter smile. "Who else could it be? It must be Li Qi stirring up trouble again. Although we'll accord him the courtesies of a prince, everything should be kept simple. In the reply, make sure to emphasize that he will only be received in Zhaoge and absolutely not allowed to go to Xiao City."

The next day, there was chaos in front of Qiao Yi's mansion. Numerous ministers and regional lords came to Qiao Yi, demanding an explanation.

Shi Shangyou was distraught. "Lord, they've somehow gotten word that Li Qi is coming to Zhaoge and are insisting on getting an explanation from you."

Qiao Yi was a 'Peeker'; just by listening to the commotion, he could estimate how many people were outside his mansion. "Only a few hundred have come; that's better than I expected."

Shi Shangyou pointed towards the harbor. "Lord, many more are on their way to Zhaoge. When Li Qi arrives tomorrow, who knows what a mess Zhaoge will become!"

"It won't be a mess," Qiao Yi stood by the window, listening carefully to the shouts outside. "They want an an explanation, so we'll give them one. Since Li Qi dares to come, I'll make sure he suffers a harsh loss, and he won't even be able to complain!"

Seeing Qiao Yi's confident demeanor, Shi Shangyou felt a little more at ease.

Another day passed, and it was the imperial envoy's arrival day. Zhaoge was even livelier, and the area in front of Qiao Yi's gate was packed to the brim. Some held deeds for enslaved people, demanding justice; others carried weapons, vowing to kill Li Qi with their own hands. Several high officials, whose literary talent was extraordinary, wrote a 'Proclamation Against the Traitor,' listing Li Qi's ten crimes, and intended to open a public court to directly interrogate and convict him in Zhaoge.

One high official led the shouts: "Strip him of his rank, display his head, and restore justice to the land!"

The numerous people outside the gate echoed his words, their roars like mountains and seas, reverberating like thunder!

Shi Shangyou entered the mansion through the back door and hurried to the study. "Lord, things are bad, the imperial envoy is coming soon!"

Qiao Yi stood up, straightened his clothes, and said calmly, "No need to panic. He's coming at just the right time. I'll make Li Qi profusely apologize, and he won't even have a single complaint!"

Shi Shangyou shook his head. "Lord, the one arriving might not be Li Qi."

Qiao Yi was startled. "Who is it then?"

"We just received a secret report: this morning, Cui Tik left Blade Ghost Ridge and went to Soda Kiln."

"Ah?" Qiao Yi's eyes widened, his body swayed, and he nearly lost his footing. "Why is he coming? He's a foreigner! How can he be an imperial envoy?"

Shi Shangyou's beard trembled with anxiety. "Lord, let's not quibble over these minor details now. What if he arrives?"

Qiao Yi ordered, "Quickly notify the navy! Intensify defenses! This man absolutely must not be allowed to disembark!"

Shi Shangyou nodded. "I'll order the navy to sink his ship directly!"

Qiao Yi roared, "Are you mad? Can you just attack an imperial envoy's ship? Wouldn't that give others grounds for criticism? Just force him to retreat!"

Cui Tik was right; Grand Shang's attention on him was too high. Zhaoge dispatched over a dozen warships to meet Cui Tik twenty miles out. The Luo family had specially prepared a passenger ship for the imperial envoy. Cui Tik stood on the deck, preparing to visit the soldiers who had come to greet him.

The soldiers were at a loss. This was the imperial envoy's ship, and with Qiao Yi's orders, they certainly couldn't attack it. But if they didn't attack, this imperial envoy was coming right over! The warships retreated all the way, immediately sending a message to Qiao Yi.

Qiao Yi, left with no choice, sent Shi Shangyou to meet the imperial envoy.

Shi Shangyou looked horrified: "Lord, I'll go meet him—"

Qiao Yi nodded. "This matter is serious; you must be extremely cautious."

"Lord, what good is mere caution? What can I use to stop that fellow—"

Shi Shangyou didn't want to go, but Qiao Yi forced him. As he walked to the harbor, the entire city of Zhaoge had quieted down considerably. When the various lords heard that the arriving envoy was Cui Tik, the 'Affliction Cultivator,' no one demanded justice anymore. They all rushed to the harbor to find ships, afraid of being even a step too slow.

Shi Shangyou boarded a ship to meet Cui Tik. He had expected them to communicate across the distance between their ships, but unexpectedly, the enthusiastic Cui Tik came aboard Shi Shangyou's ship. Cui Tik wanted to shake Shi Shangyou's hand.

Shi Shangyou bowed slightly: "Sir, this courtesy is not acceptable—"

"I know, the Grand Shang people are all warm-hearted!" Cui Tik gave Shi Shangyou a hug.

As a fish, the moment he was embraced by Cui Tik, Shi Shangyou's face turned ashen.

Ma Junyang saw everything crystal clear from Boundless City. There should be no need to worry about Cui Tik's situation anymore.

Luo Yanjun said, "Junyang, Winged City is approaching."

Qin Xiaopang said to Ma Junyang, "Fifth Brother, it's time for us to go to Bristle City."

Xiao Yutzu carefully asked, "Is that Winged City also like this one, made of bugs?"

Fang Erdao smiled, "Yes, they're all made of bugs, and they'll eat you in one bite!"

Ma Junyang looked back at the numerous people. These people were absolutely reliable, but he felt they weren't suitable for fighting.

He Yuxiu laughed, "What are you afraid of? Didn't Old Seven say we don't need to win, just make a commotion!"

Hearing that Cui Tik was getting closer to Zhaoge, the nobles gathered at the harbor fell into a chaotic scramble. Many began fighting to seize a ship departing the port.

He Jiaqing disguised himself as a servant and, amidst the chaos, slipped into First Fortress City.

A Yi opened the passage to Dingye City, revealing a stretch of farmland. Just yesterday, A Yi had scouted the path. This place was originally a camp, but now there were no tents or soldiers, only many granaries and laborers. A Yu was right; in just one day, Dingye City had changed again.

Zhao Xiaowan's face was grim. This battle wouldn't be easy. Hong Ying gripped her long spear, awaiting Zhao Xiaowan's command. Jiu'er helped Jiang Ling'er straighten her silk threads. Jiang Ling'er hadn't left home in a long time, and the unfamiliar environment made her a bit nervous.

A Yi's face lit up with delight: "How about we burn their grain?"

A Yu snapped angrily: "What time is it, and you're still fooling around? Move the exit ninety-six miles north!"

"Ninety-six miles? That precise?"

A Yu nodded. "I smell smoke from the camp."