Chapter 814: Old Heroes of the Past

Jiang Ling'er used scissors to cut open Li Banfeng's shoulder, then inserted the scissors into the wound, snipping away a lot of viscous flesh.

Yu Cuilou warned, "Girl, be steady. Don't rupture the sac. If it breaks, the marrow will spill out, and the suffering will be in vain."

Zhao Xiaowan wiped sweat from Jiang Ling'er's brow. Jiang Ling'er rotated the scissors inside the wound, cutting around, then used tweezers to pull out a fleshy ball. "Dan Chengjun's bone marrow," she declared, "it's all here."

Jiang Ling'er placed the fleshy ball in front of Li Banfeng. Just as Li Banfeng breathed a sigh of relief, Yu Cuilou reminded him, "Son-in-law, use your 'Carefree Rest' technique to examine the wound, and then carefully move your limbs to see if you have any discomfort elsewhere."

Li Banfeng moved around the Yu Cuilou building for several rotations, feeling no abnormalities. Still uneasy, Yu Cuilou repeatedly instructed, "I'm afraid some of that old scoundrel's marrow might still be left. If you feel anything unusual in your body, use your 'Carefree Rest' technique to concentrate the foreign matter in one spot, then quickly return home and let my daughter extract it for you."

Jiang Ling'er, holding the fleshy ball, asked, "How should we dispose of this?"

Li Banfeng was about to take it back for Copper Lotus to refine into elixirs. However, Yu Cuilou spoke up, "Son-in-law, this is a priceless treasure. I'd truly be uneasy if it were kept anywhere else."

Her words were subtle, but she clearly intended to keep the item.

Li Banfeng replied, "Then let's keep this marrow here at home."

Yu Cuilou immediately accepted it, saying, "Since it's a gift from my son-in-law, I'll keep it as a treasure to guard the house."

Back at the Portable Residence, Li Banfeng recuperated at home. His wife wanted to stay and care for him, but Li Banfeng gave her two hundred silver dollars and told her to take Hong Ying and Jiu'er shopping.

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Yingying and I don't need to shop. We've already searched every corner of the Ink Scent Shop when we were looking for you. Let Jiu'er go."

Jiu'er shook her head. "I don't need to shop either. I've already scoured the entire city when I was chasing that old scoundrel with Master."

Hong Ying glared at Jiu'er. "What 'Master'? Have you consummated your marriage? You shameless girl!"

Jiu'er scoffed, "I'll call him Master. What are you going to do about it?"

Li Banfeng took out another box of silver coins and said to Zhao Xiaowan, "You remind me, I almost forgot. Dan Chengjun and I fought all the way here, burning down many houses and smashing many stalls. This money needs to be compensated to the owners."

Zhao Xiaowan knew Li Banfeng's nature; if he said he would compensate, it truly couldn't be delayed.

She took the money box and left with Hong Ying and Jiu'er.

After resting for a moment, Li Banfeng first went to the Fourth Chamber to visit Murong Gui.

Murong Gui lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Li Banfeng estimated that he could breathe roughly once every minute and a half.

He and the Projector escaped from the clouds. They ran to the Willow Garden to check his contract, and after confirming it was intact, the Projector called Li Banfeng.

The Projector had a frequently used phone, and Li Banfeng had a spare. Only after learning Li Banfeng was still at the Ink Scent Shop did Murong Gui and the Projector successfully return to the Portable Residence.

After entering the Portable Residence, Murong Gui had been lying down, his recuperation period even longer than Li Banfeng's.

Li Banfeng said, "You weren't injured. Come down and move around. When I saw you lying motionless just now, I thought you had no breath left.""Moving around is fine," the Judge's Pen flew up beside Murong Gui.

The Glove exclaimed, "Well, I'll be! You're back?"

"My body is safe now, so I don't need to be inside it," the Judge's Pen said. It was silent for a moment in front of the bookshelf, then chose a spot that wasn't too windy, too bright, or too conspicuous. It lay down, then used its technique to bring a newspaper and covered itself with it.

The Glove scurried to the shelf and asked, "I say, brother, are you really comfortable leaving your body here? Aren't you afraid Copper Lotus will refine it?"

"If she refines it, then so be it. At least it won't benefit anyone else."

The Judge's Pen fell asleep, ignoring the Glove no matter what it said.

Li Banfeng went to the Fifth Chamber, where the Fifth Lady was picking flowers, and Copper Lotus was refining Dan Chengjun's corpse.

Copper Lotus showed no reaction to Li Banfeng's arrival, while the Fifth Lady, holding fresh flowers, looked somewhat nervous.

Li Banfeng pulled up a chair and sat by the wall. "There's something I've always wanted to ask you. You're the Food Cultivation Patriarch. How have you managed to go so long without eating?"

The Fifth Lady shook her head. "Being here in our home, surrounded by the warmth of our family, I've never felt hungry."

Li Banfeng looked at Copper Lotus. "Listen to her, how well she speaks!"

Copper Lotus chuckled. "Some things, you already know. You're deliberately testing her. Which meal in this family could she possibly miss? You always say I take kickbacks, but do you know how much she's consumed from you over the years? She knows how to speak to people and ghosts; she also knows you're testing her and will use ambiguous words to play along. What's so special about that skill? Do you think I can't do the same?"

The Fifth Lady shook her head vigorously. With her slightly reddened eyes and student attire, she appeared exceptionally sincere and pure. "Seventh Brother, every word I say to you is from the heart."

After she finished speaking, Copper Lotus shivered.

Li Banfeng looked at Copper Lotus and asked, "Are you convinced now?"

"Not convinced, just disgusted!" Copper Lotus slowly rose from the ground and flew towards the Sixth Chamber. "You two chat. I'll find another place to refine elixirs. Listening to such nauseating words might spoil the medicinal properties."

Only Li Banfeng and the Fifth Lady remained in the room. Li Banfeng asked, "It's said that no lies are spoken on Bloodtooth Mountain. What exactly is your relationship with the Bloodtooth Monster?"

The Fifth Lady replied, "I do know her."

"To what extent do you know her?"

"To the extent that we tell each other everything."

"Let me be more direct: Are you two the same person?"

"No!" the Fifth Lady answered very directly.

Li Banfeng picked up a feather duster from the empty table. The Fifth Lady had no idea where it came from.

Li Banfeng said with a smile, "I am an honest and straightforward person, and I don't like to exploit loopholes in words. For example, if you say you were once the same person but aren't anymore, playing with such words is very uninteresting to me."

The Fifth Lady saw the feather duster, put her hands behind her back, and looked somewhat nervous. "I truly didn't lie to you. She and I are not the same person. Why do you think I lied?"

Li Banfeng tidied the feathers on the duster. "Because you possess similar methods. She can also consume certain things and then use some method to create elixirs, which is too similar to your 'Hundred Blossom Kill' technique."

The Fifth Lady nodded slightly. "Some of her methods are indeed similar to mine because we have similar talents."

Li Banfeng said, "This makes me a bit curious. Why do you have similar talents?"

The Fifth Lady sat on the grass, placed the fresh flowers beside her, tucked the short hair from her cheeks behind her ears, and suddenly asked Li Banfeng, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then nodded. "You could say I do."

"What are their names?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Don't worry, I won't harm them. If I truly wanted to, I could find out information about them from other sources anyway."

Li Banfeng said, "My brothers and sisters are named Banluan, Banling, Bangang..."

The Fifth Lady asked, "Why do all your names contain the character 'Ban'?"

Li Banfeng said, "It's a naming custom. Sharing a common character among peers is a very traditional way of naming."

The Fifth Lady smiled. "We have the same custom in our place. My sisters and I also use the same character. Do you and your siblings have similar physical talents?"

"No," Li Banfeng answered very definitively. "My relationship with them is not quite like normal siblings." The Fifth Lady's large eyes sparkled, and she nodded. "My relationship with her is also a bit different. We are a special pair of sisters, much closer than ordinary siblings. In fact, you've met sisters like us before. They were born in the same place as us, share the same traditions, and also used the same character."

Li Banfeng was pondering who these special sisters might be when the scene on the wall suddenly turned gloomy.

The warm hues of the setting sun vanished, replaced by a dreary wasteland interspersed with thick, black lines, like an old film strip, appearing desolate.

The Fifth Lady's wind-swept hair and long robe seemed to reflect her current mood.

"Every time I think of her, I feel pained," the Fifth Lady said, squatting down to pluck the fresh flowers from the ground. "There are some questions I cannot answer for you because I cannot mention her name, nor can I mention her identity."

"You can't even mention her?"

"Yes," the Fifth Lady nodded vigorously, and the image on the wall disappeared.

Li Banfeng rested for a whole day. His wife returned with Hong Ying and Jiu'er. "Husband, all the necessary compensation has been paid. Here are today's newspapers."

His wife had bought newspapers from several news agencies. Li Banfeng picked one up. The front-page headline reported that two grandmasters had fought in the Ink Scent Shop, with the reason, outcome, and identities of the grandmasters all unknown.

This news was expected by Li Banfeng. His battle with Dan Chengjun had ravaged the entire Ink Scent Shop, so it was inevitable that it would be reported.

The report was vague because, from the perspective of the onlookers, that was all the information they had gleaned from the fierce battle.

However, the second newspaper somewhat surprised Li Banfeng.

This newspaper was called *Ink News Express*, and its headline read: "High-Ranking Martial Cultivator Dies Tragically in Ink Scent Shop: What Grudge Lies Behind?"

At first glance, the headline of this newspaper seemed to be about a different event than the previous one.

The news didn't directly mention Dan Chengjun's name but repeatedly emphasized the deceased's extraordinary status and position among martial cultivators, analyzing and speculating on his purpose in coming to the Ink Scent Shop.

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, when your humble servant saw this newspaper, I also felt it was different."

"It's alright; the speculation isn't too deep," Li Banfeng said, carefully reading the headline. "He merely speculates that martial arts grandmasters came to the Ink Scent Shop to vie for interests and also points out the Ink Scent Shop's significant status in Puro Province. The stir caused by this news isn't too big, but what I don't understand is, how did the person who wrote this news know that a high-ranking martial cultivator had died? Did he know Dan Chengjun?"

The other newspapers were largely similar, with no valuable information revealed in their headlines. Zhao Xiaowan then produced another newspaper, *Ink Scent Weekly*, whose headline carried a deeper meaning.

The headline of *Ink Scent Weekly* didn't describe the fierce battle but focused on the Ink Scent Shop's unique situation. The article implicitly highlighted that the Ink Scent Shop currently had no local guardian deity and would eventually become a target of contention for various factions.

Among the various factions, the newspaper specifically mentioned the local hero Li Qi and Dan Chengjun, who was affiliated with Neizhou. The article didn't mention the fierce battle at all but clearly laid out the chain of events.

Li Banfeng placed *Ink News Express* and *Ink Scent Weekly* side by side. These two newspapers were not from the same news agency, and their authors were different.

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, the publishing and newspaper industry in Ink Scent Shop is no less developed than in Blackrock Slope. Although these two news agencies have different names, they may not be unrelated behind the scenes."

Li Banfeng left the Portable Residence and called Ma Wu, asking him to investigate the origins of these two news agencies.

Ma Wu quickly replied, "Seventh Brother, I've also kept an eye on these two news agencies. On the surface, they are two separate brands, but they actually share the same owner. This owner is named Shao Yingzhen, in his thirties, and he's a rising figure this year, with deep roots in both Ink Scent Shop and Blackrock Slope."

Shao Yingzhen.

Li Banfeng had never heard of this person.

Ma Wu provided a detailed account of the man's background. Shao Yingzhen started his business in Blackrock Slope with paper manufacturing and stationery, and only recently ventured into the publishing and newspaper industry in the past few months.

Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence and stared at the two newspapers for a long time.

Upon learning the details, Hong Ying burst into anger. "Who does this Shao Yingzhen think he is? What business does he dare meddle in? Find out where he is and deal with him today!"

Li Banfeng shook his head slightly. "Powerful figures emerge in Puro Province every few years. When Ma Wu and I started, we also put a lot of effort into the news agencies. Even if we silence Shao Yingzhen now, it won't be much use. It seems the Ink Scent Shop is about to get lively."

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, I'll take a good look around the Ink Scent Shop these next couple of days to see if I run into anyone familiar. You should rest and recover, and don't show yourself for now."

Li Banfeng recuperated in the Portable Residence for three days. During these three days, Zhao Xiaowan saw many familiar faces. "The Demonic Cultivation Patriarch Chang Jiuhai, the Charm Cultivation Patriarch Sui Chanxin, the Glue Cultivation Patriarch Qi Wujian, the Clothing Cultivation Grandmaster Feng Xuanzhen, the Wine Cultivation Patriarch Liu Hutian—all these figures have arrived."

Looking at the list Zhao Xiaowan had compiled, Li Banfeng was very surprised. "All these old fellows are still alive? Are they all in Puro Province?"

Zhao Xiaowan nodded. "Those who defected to Neizhou are ultimately a minority, and those who consistently followed the Peddler are also a minority. Most are those who maintained a certain distance from him. These patriarchs and grandmasters of the Dao sects usually stay out of worldly affairs, living reclusive lives throughout Puro Province. I thought they had truly retired, but I didn't expect this incident to draw all of them out."

Hong Ying exclaimed, "Xiaowan, you know all these people?"

Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "Not all of them, but the Sound Cultivation Grandmaster Shang Yuwei has also arrived, and I've gathered a lot of information from her. Besides these figures, there's also the Bitter Hag, Phantom Impermanence, He Jiaqing, the Flirtatious Woman—Husband, all these people are here for the Ink Scent Shop."

Li Banfeng's eyes twitched slightly, revealing a hint of coldness. "With such high statuses, they still want to seize territory?"

Zhao Xiaowan gently rubbed Li Banfeng's forehead. "I gathered some information from Shang Yuwei. The reason they're here is because they received news that the Ink Scent Shop has no local guardian deity, and since the Ink Scent Shop concerns the cultural heritage of Puro Province, they are uneasy and all wanted to come and see for themselves."

Li Banfeng said, "Wife, what does 'uneasy' mean? I don't quite understand."

"To put it plainly, they want to claim it for themselves."

Li Banfeng looked towards the Second Chamber, his brows furrowing.

Zhao Xiaowan gently caressed Li Banfeng's cheek. "My dear husband, don't rush. They won't dare to act for a while."

Hong Ying was ready for battle. "So many patriarchs and grandmasters have arrived, and they still won't make a move? Are they here for a feast?"

Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "Precisely because so many people have come, none dare to act rashly. There's only one Ink Scent Shop, and no one wants to be the first to make a move and pave the way for others. Moreover, they also received news that Dan Chengjun just died in the Ink Scent Shop. When Dan Chengjun is mentioned, tell me, who among these people wouldn't be intimidated? As long as my husband is still in the Ink Scent Shop, they likely won't be able to stir up too much trouble."

Hong Ying expressed some concern. "I just fear that over time, these people will unite, and then even if our whole family goes in together, we might not be able to fight them."

Zhao Xiaowan smiled. "I don't think they'll unite. The people of Puro Province don't have the natural inclination to band together."

Just as they were speaking, Copper Lotus called from the Sixth Chamber, "The elixir is refined!"

Li Banfeng retrieved the lotus seeds, and a black-and-white elixir popped out.

"What kind of elixir is this? A Serpent-Spot Elixir?"

Copper Lotus chuckled. "Given Dan Chengjun's status, how could a Serpent-Spot Elixir be refined from him? This is called a Two-Cycle Yin-Yang Boundary-Breaking Elixir. This elixir is highly poisonous. If a living person consumes it, they'll suffer severe physical damage and are ninety percent likely to die. If a departed soul consumes it, they can reverse yin and yang, and have a ninety percent chance of being resurrected."

Zhao Xiaowan, holding the elixir, said, "Ninety percent is a bit lacking. If it fails to revive someone, would you say it's due to that missing ten percent, or that the elixir itself isn't potent enough?"

Copper Lotus sighed, "How many perfect things are there in this world?"

Zhao Xiaowan squeezed a lotus leaf. "Why not make a simpler elixir to help my husband increase his cultivation? Wouldn't that be better than anything else?"

Copper Lotus pulled back the lotus leaf and touched Li Banfeng's face. "What level is he at? What difference would an elixir to increase his cultivation make compared to this Yin-Yang Elixir?"

"How can you say there's no difference?" Hong Ying mused, recalling what Copper Lotus had just said. "Isn't this Yin-Yang Elixir not supposed to be given to living people?"

"They're all the same," Copper Lotus sighed. "All elixirs in this world are the same, just of different qualities."

Hong Ying didn't understand Copper Lotus's meaning. She suggested giving the elixir to Jiu'er. "Jiu'er has avenged her great grudge. If she takes an elixir to come back to life and returns to Fool's City to be a young lady again, wouldn't that be perfect?"

Jiu'er shook her head. "I'm not in a hurry. This elixir should be for Yingying."

Hong Ying waved her hand. "It's useless for me to take this. My body is almost fully formed; there's no difference from being alive. Besides, if I were resurrected, who would be the house spirit for Seventh Master later?"

"Me!" Jiu'er said, blushing as she looked at Li Banfeng. "I'm willing to stay in this house and guard Master my whole life."

"Why should it be your turn? How long have I waited to reach this day?" Hong Ying sulked at the dressing table, feeling that Jiu'er had been too close to Li Qi these past few days.

Jiu'er stepped forward to comb Hong Ying's hair. "Why are you still bickering with me? I suggested you take the elixir because I genuinely want you to be well. What kind of look is it, always having a spear tip on your head?"

Hong Ying also found it strange. "My body has fully grown, so why can't this spear tip be removed? I should have eaten Dan Chengjun's flesh earlier!"

Jiu'er shook her head repeatedly. "You absolutely mustn't eat that! What happened to Master when he got some of that bone marrow on him? Only Copper Lotus can consume that old scoundrel's flesh and blood. If you ask me, you should just take the Yin-Yang Elixir."

Zhao Xiaowan looked at Li Qi. For such a valuable elixir, its disposal would certainly depend on her husband's decision.

Li Banfeng's mind wasn't on the elixir. He repeatedly looked at the list his wife had written, thinking about how to deal with these old individuals.

Zhao Xiaowan still advised Li Banfeng not to show himself. "Husband, let them stew for a few more days, and they'll start to lose their composure."

Li Banfeng waited two more days. He owned several residences in the Ink Scent Shop, and his wife received an invitation at one of them.

The Wine Cultivation Patriarch Liu Hutian, along with over thirty others who had arrived at the Ink Scent Shop, collectively invited Li Banfeng to a discussion at the Wild Goose Sand Pavilion. "Husband, will you go?"

Li Banfeng looked at the invitation; the meeting was set for three days later.

An invitation three days in advance showed proper etiquette and gave Li Banfeng ample time to prepare. Not attending at this point would be seen as capitulation.

If Li Banfeng showed weakness, these individuals would immediately move to seize the Ink Scent Shop.

"Let's go take a look!" Li Banfeng checked his injuries. He wasn't fully recovered, but he had at least sixty to seventy percent of his fighting strength.

The Portable Residence was in poorer condition, with less than half of its fighting strength.

Hong Ying took out a whetstone, preparing to sharpen weapons. "Seventh Master, just go. If a fight breaks out, give me a shout."

Zhao Xiaowan was worried about this. "Husband, listen to me. You can go, but absolutely do not make a move."

Chaoge City, Qiao Manor.

Nian Shangyou handed a letter to Qiao Yi. "Lord, Li Qi has agreed to the invitation."

Qiao Yi read the letter and sighed deeply. "Given Li Qi's temperament, I'm afraid he won't be able to swallow this indignity."

Nian Shangyou said, "Rumor has it he killed Dan Chengjun. If he truly possesses such power, the heroes of Ink Scent Shop might not be able to control him."

Qiao Yi smiled. "The outcome here doesn't matter. It's enough to see what Li Qi is truly made of."

Nian Shangyou dared not ask aloud, but he truly couldn't understand why Qiao Yi had put so much effort into laying out his plans in the Ink Scent Shop. What was it all for? Every time he asked, Qiao Yi would say it didn't matter. He seemed indifferent to the Ink Scent Shop.

Was it still the same as before, just to disrupt Puro Province?

Nian Shangyou presented another list. "Lord, these are the reported losses from Hao Province. Since the Imperial Envoy's arrival, over two hundred thousand people have died throughout Hao Province."

"I see," Qiao Yi said, glancing at the list before casually setting it aside.

He didn't care about the Ink Scent Shop, nor Hao Province City. What *did* he care about?

Nian Shangyou then presented another document. "Lord, your humble servant has located the whereabouts of the Craft Cultivation Patriarch. He has promised your humble servant that the Grand Smeltery can be repaired within three months."

Qiao Yi looked at the document, which detailed the labor, materials, and specific methods required for repairing the Grand Smeltery.

It was evident that the Craft Cultivation Patriarch had put effort into this matter, yet Qiao Yi still set the document aside.

"Since he defected to the Earthly Realm, he cannot be easily employed. Let's wait a few more days."

Nian Shangyou left the study, pondering Qiao Yi's thoughts as he walked.

Now he didn't even care about the Grand Smeltery. What *did* he care about?

In the study, Qiao Yi picked up the list sent from Hao Province, nodding continuously as he looked at the number of people who had died from the epidemic.

"Two hundred thousand, that's enough."