Chapter 86: We Go to the Lighthouse

Li Banfeng kicked Zhong Desong into the boiling hot water.

Steam billowed, scalding Li Banfeng, who quickly withdrew his foot.

With his current cultivation level – a two-layer House Cultivator plus a one-layer Travel Cultivator – even a brief scalding caused Li Banfeng excruciating pain, let alone Zhong Desong being fully submerged in the hot water.

Zhong Desong struggled to raise his head, but Li Banfeng took out an iron ruler and stabbed it towards Zhong Desong's head, forcing him back under the water.

The iron ruler glowed red-hot. Li Banfeng quickly pulled it back and delivered another kick to Zhong Desong's head.

Zhong Desong swam to the opposite wall, trying to surface.

Li Banfeng leaped to the other wall and delivered another kick to his head.

Zhong Desong tried several times to escape the pool of hot tea, but Li Banfeng never gave him the chance.

He remained submerged in the hot water for nearly five minutes.

Ascetics can endure unimaginable pain.

However, this level of pain was unbearable for a two-layer Ascetic.

Li Banfeng held the teapot, unsure how to control this magical artifact, so he could only wait patiently.

Only when the teapot spout stopped spraying water did the tea, hotter than molten iron, slowly recede from the pool.

Zhong Desong lay on the ground, his skin completely peeled off, his flesh cooked through, utterly devoid of color.

Li Banfeng sighed softly and instructed Zhong Desong, "As the saying goes, 'only by enduring hardship can one endure greater hardship still.'

This suffering isn't for naught. Grin and bear it a little longer, and you'll soon meet old Granny Han."

Li Banfeng picked up the teapot, then hoisted Zhong Desong, planning to take him back to his portable residence, the *Suishen Ju*, to provide a hotpot meal for his wife.

Before he could open the *Suishen Ju*, Li Banfeng suddenly noticed sparks flickering from Zhong Desong's embrace.

"What is he doing?"

"He doesn't have explosives on him, does he?"

Startled, Li Banfeng immediately threw Zhong Desong away.

He didn't have explosives; he had two signal flares.

These two flares were wrapped in an oil film, keeping them dry. Zhong Desong used his last ounce of strength to ignite them.

In Puluo Province, explosives were sometimes effective and sometimes not.

This time, Zhong Desong was lucky; one of the two flares actually worked.

Bang! Whoosh!

The flare shot into the sky and exploded into a golden flower.

Li Banfeng rushed forward and dragged Zhong Desong into the *Suishen Ju*.

Zhong Desong's eyes were cooked, leaving him completely blind. He didn't know where he was or what Li Banfeng intended to do to him.

With his nearly ruined body, he struggled to cling to Li Banfeng, shouting hoarsely:

"Little thief, you can't escape! You can't go anywhere!

Do you think the dance hall incident is over? Do you think the matters with Du Hongxi and Zhou Yujuan are in the past?

Little thief, I sent someone to deliver a message to the Helm Master! He's coming soon! By offending the Jiangxiang Gang, you've already stepped one foot into the underworld!"

Li Banfeng kicked Zhong Desong away and said to the gramophone, "My dear wife, it's time to eat."

Hiss, hiss~

The gramophone whimpered twice, "My lord, you've starved your humble servant for so many days; finally, a meal! Oh dear~~"

Li Banfeng rebuked, "Don't speak like that in front of outsiders, as if I've been starving you!"

A cloud of steam enveloped Zhong Desong, tearing his soul apart piece by piece.

Li Banfeng sat by the bed, pondering Zhong Desong's words.

Zhong Desong said the Jiangxiang Gang's Helm Master has been looking for me. Is that true or false?

Li Banfeng believed it was highly likely to be true.

From the moment Li Banfeng blew up the Xianle Dance Hall to the Jiangxiang Gang's surrender and naming Jia Quansheng as a scapegoat, only one day had passed.

The Jiangxiang Gang's actions were too swift; even in Yue Province, handling similar matters wouldn't be so efficient.

The reason they settled the matter so quickly was to conceal certain objectives – objectives aimed at him.

They're looking for me!

They're still looking for me!

This isn't over yet!

Li Banfeng tickled the gramophone's 'armpit,' saying, "My dear wife, do you think your husband's thoughts are correct?"

Hiss, hiss, hiss~

The gramophone giggled, tickled:

"What is it my lord is thinking is correct?"

"I'm thinking about matters outside."

"Your humble servant rarely steps outside; how would I know about things beyond our doors?"

Li Banfeng sat silently by the bed, suddenly feeling a slight warmth in his embrace.

He took out the teapot and heard it repeatedly calling out, "Are you cold? Quick, tell me, are you cold?"

The teapot grew hotter and hotter, so Li Banfeng quickly tossed it aside.

Hiss, hiss~

The gramophone enveloped the teapot in steam, and the sounds from within the teapot grew softer until they gradually disappeared.

"Oh, my lord, where did this teapot come from?"

Li Banfeng looked at Zhong Desong on the ground: "I took it from him."

"This magical artifact is unusual; its inherent level is high, and it's been spoiled. If my lord uses it even once, it will make you suffer each time. A slight oversight, and you might even lose your life."

One use, one suffering.

The cost is too great.

Considering the artifact's ability, it creates an extremely harsh combat environment that affects both its owner and enemy equally.

Li Banfeng's expectations for the teapot plummeted. The gramophone slowly sang, "My dear husband~ this artifact is a treasure for ascetics, but not very useful for house cultivators. In your humble servant's opinion, it would be better to destroy it."

Destroy it?

Li Banfeng shook his head: "That would be a great pity."

His wife was right; this teapot was designed for ascetics. It worked well in Zhong Desong's hands but held little value for house cultivators.

However, fighting in harsh environments is also a specialty of travel cultivators. With the right terrain and that pool of hot tea, a travel cultivator could even have an advantage over an ascetic.

The only unbearable thing was the price of using this teapot.

Hiss, hiss~

"If my lord is reluctant to part with it, your humble servant has two other ways to handle it.

One is to give it directly to Honglian for re-refinement, but that wretch Honglian's temperament is unpredictable. It's hard to say if it would still be a magical artifact after she refines it; it might even turn into two pills.

The second is to set it aside for now, and perhaps my husband can control it once your cultivation level improves."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment: "Then let's set it aside for now."

"Your humble servant will obey my husband."

As the gramophone was about to seal the teapot with steam, Li Banfeng called out, "My dear wife, wait. I still need to use this thing."

"When do you need to use it?"

"Right now."

"So urgently?" Hiss, hiss~ The gramophone sounded a bit worried. "Husband, after you use it, hurry home and hand it over to your humble servant. You absolutely must not prolong the fight."

Li Banfeng nodded: "How do I use this teapot?"

"Rub it repeatedly on your body until the water inside boils. Then, just splash the tea water out to use it.

If my lord keeps rubbing it, the spout will continuously flow, and the tea water on the ground will keep gushing out.

My lord, please remember that as the water rises higher and higher, you must be careful not to scald yourself.

If my lord stops rubbing it, after five or six minutes, the spout will stop spraying water, and the tea water on the ground will dissipate.

After the tea water dissipates, the teapot will ask my lord if you're cold. My lord must not say you're cold, nor should you delay. Just return home immediately."

***

In a deep alley, Shi Boyu, the Second Helm Master of the Medicine King Hall of the Jiangxiang Gang, arrived with Red Stick Xiang Guicheng.

They had seen the signal flare and rushed over immediately, but the alley was empty, save for water stains everywhere, as if a heavy rain had just fallen.

Xiang Guicheng gritted his teeth, saying, "Old Zhong is in trouble. It must be that bunch, Man Pozi and Fatty Qin, who did this."

Sun Xiaoan, a trusted confidant, holding a water pipe, said, "The matter isn't settled yet; you should be careful with your words."

Xiang Guicheng retorted angrily, "Not settled yet? Old Zhong went to Fuhwang Baozi Shop tonight for drinks, invited by Zhang Liuze to celebrate Fatty Qin passing a cultivation level. Now he hasn't returned and something's happened. Can Fatty Qin truly be unrelated?"

Sun Xiaoan shook his head: "I can't say what Fatty Qin is thinking, but Zhang Liuze has been around the jianghu for decades; he would absolutely not do something so foolish.

He invited Old Zhong to a banquet; he would never lay a hand on him. That would not only bring trouble upon himself but also disgrace the Three Heroes Gate."

Xiang Guicheng sneered, "Zhang Liuze probably isn't as thorough as you think; he's a rough man. Instead of guessing wildly here, why don't we just go ask him?"

Shi Boyu nodded, preparing to lead his men to find Zhang Liuze.

Sun Xiaoan stepped forward, stopped the Helm Master, and whispered, "We can't go find Zhang Liuze tonight."

Shi Boyu asked in surprise, "I'm going to ask him about something. Why can't I go?"

"Asking about something is fine, but not accusing him. This isn't the time to inquire."

Going to a banquet in the middle of the night to find someone — wouldn't that imply an accusation?

Shi Boyu remained silent. Sun Xiaoan continued, "Old Zhong is missing now, and it's hard to say if something has happened. The top priority is to find Old Zhong first.

Leader, please return to the helm station and wait for news. Brother Xiang, I'll go with you to gather our brothers, and we'll go look for him immediately."

Xiang Guicheng was very displeased. Before he could speak, Shi Boyu spoke first: "Let's do it that way."

Shi Boyu turned and left. Xiang Guicheng, resigned, had no choice but to follow Sun Xiaoan to gather manpower.

"So indecisive, not like a man at all! What kind of Helm Master is he? We shouldn't have spared those scoundrels in the first place!" Xiang Guicheng complained endlessly along the way.

Sun Xiaoan took a puff from his water pipe: "Brother Xiang, our Helm Master never intended to spare them. It's just that things must be done with proper measure and strategy."

From across the alley, Li Banfeng heard everything clearly with his Silk-Pulling Earrings.

Just as he expected, the matter wasn't over.

You're not planning to let me off?

Looks like I didn't hit you hard enough!

Shi Boyu was returning to the helm station.

Good. I also know where your helm station is. Let's see who gets there faster!

PS: Dear readers, have a wonderful weekend.

I (Salad) happily write on the weekend; upon seeing your replies, I can't stop even if I wanted to.