Chapter 94: Boundary Line

Outer Gully, Mazhu Mountain.

Li Banfeng, wearing a fedora and a fake beard, crouched in the bamboo forest, silently observing an open space ahead. The open space was covered in thick dust, not a blade of grass grew, but otherwise, it seemed unremarkable.

A butterfly flew towards the clearing. As it reached the center, it suddenly turned into a wisp of smoke and vanished.

A rabbit hopped onto the clearing, took two more leaps, and then dissolved into a puff of smoke mid-air, scattering with the wind.

A bamboo leaf, carried by the wind, floated across the clearing and also turned to dust.

A mosquito, buzzing, was shooed across the clearing by Li Banfeng and also turned into a tiny puff of dust.

Li Banfeng folded a paper airplane, tossed it over the border line, and it too turned into dust. He picked up a stone and threw it across; it also dissolved into dust.

A dark cloud passed overhead, letting fall a few raindrops. The border line crackled, and even raindrops evaporated instantly upon touching it.

Mazhu Mountain lay on the border between Yaowang Gully and Lüshui Bay. If one were to travel by train, they would first go to Lüshui Bay, then to Kudai Ridge, and finally to Yaowang Gully. However, geographically, Yaowang Gully, Kudai Ridge, and Lüshui Bay all bordered each other. It was just that the border between Lüshui Bay and Yaowang Gully was particularly remote.

Why go to Lüshui Bay? Why not Kudai Ridge? This was thanks to Li Banfeng having read many newspapers recently.

Kudai Ridge was also a town, nearly half the size of Yaowang Gully. Not only was it small, but Kudai Ridge had a very peculiar environment. In Yaowang Gully, medicine cultivators were more prevalent, but there were also many practitioners from other Daoist sects. However, those who lived long-term in Kudai Ridge typically belonged to only two groups: pleasure cultivators and their partners. For an outsider like Li Banfeng, visiting Kudai Ridge for a few days of entertainment would be normal, but staying longer would undoubtedly draw attention.

Lüshui Bay, however, was a completely different story. It was home to Lüshui City, the largest city in Puluo Prefecture, and a vast expanse of villages and towns outside the city. Lüshui Bay's area and population surpassed the combined total of Yaowang Gully, Kudai Ridge, Haichi Ridge, and several surrounding towns. Such a place, in Li Banfeng's view, was more suitable for hiding.

Of course, was Lüshui Bay without risks? Yes, the foundations of the four major families were all in Lüshui Bay. Once inside Lüshui City, it would be like operating right under their noses. But precisely because the four major families were all there, Li Banfeng was certain the Lu family wouldn't make any significant moves in Lüshui City. There were some things they surely wouldn't want the He family, let alone all four major families, to know.

But was Lüshui Bay so easy to reach? Li Banfeng walked along the border line for an entire day, but the current situation was not optimistic. Between Yaowang Gully and Lüshui Bay was an invisible border line. Anything larger than a speck of dust on the ground could not cross this boundary.

A man, dressed in white robes, was accompanied by a crane two heads taller than a person. The man glanced at Li Banfeng, hidden in the bamboo forest, and sneered, "Just a common mortal after all."

Li Banfeng retorted in surprise, "Aren't you a common mortal yourself?"

The man scoffed, "I've been cultivating in seclusion for twenty years and have attained an immortal destiny. How can you mere mortals compare? Do you wish to cross? I can give you a ride!"

Li Banfeng shook his head and replied, "Immortal, please go first. I'll observe from the side."

The man sat on the crane's back. The crane let out a long cry and soared into the sky.

What kind of Daoist sect was this? This man's cultivation wasn't low! Li Banfeng had seen people ride horses, donkeys, and camels, but this was his first time seeing someone ride a crane.

As they circled in the air, the person riding the crane spoke, "My Lord, this person is too ignorant of what's good for him."

The crane spoke, "He is but a mortal with flesh-and-blood eyes. Let him gain some insight."

Li Banfeng stared up at the crane for a long time. Had he seen wrong or heard wrong? Which of you is the Lord? The crane is the Lord? And you dare to ride your Lord?

The crane hovered in mid-air for a long time, estimated to be fifty to sixty meters high. With a long cry, it surged towards the border line, carrying the man, who was playing a tune on a flute that Li Banfeng couldn't comprehend. Li Banfeng took out his golden earring, preparing to carefully discern the style of the melody.

The moment they crossed the border line, the flute music abruptly ceased. The immortal and the crane both turned to ash, not even the flute remained.

That didn't work! What could he do now? Twenty years of secluded cultivation, and they couldn't fly across. How was he supposed to force his way through? Enter his portable dwelling, then throw the key across? Could the key withstand the destructive power of the border line? Li Banfeng believed it could not. If the key turned to ash, would he still be able to exit his portable dwelling? Li Banfeng believed he couldn't.

Previously, Li Banfeng had considered going to the train station, hiding the key in a passenger's suitcase, and then sneaking onto the train. The idea was good, but not practical. This was because the Lu family would undoubtedly set up heavy defenses at the train station, just as Chu Yunlong had ambushed Li Banfeng near the station before. But with accurate information, the Lu family would certainly dispatch masters, and Li Banfeng would be caught the moment he entered the station. Even if he successfully infiltrated the train station and slipped the key into a passenger's luggage, the subsequent issues would be just as difficult to handle.

Li Banfeng wouldn't know when to emerge from his portable dwelling. He wouldn't know when the passenger would disembark. Even if he managed to see the passenger's ticket, he still couldn't accurately predict their arrival time. One should definitely not rely on the train schedule; steam trains weren't that punctual. If Li Banfeng emerged too early and the passenger hadn't disembarked yet, Li Banfeng, without a travel pass or ticket, would face unpredictable consequences if he encountered that formidable conductor. A slight misstep could cost him his life. And if Li Banfeng emerged too late, and the passenger had already arrived home, unpacked, and discovered this key of unknown origin, what would they do? If they simply threw the key away, that would be fine. But if they were knowledgeable and handed it over to the Lu family or the Jiangxiang Gang, how would he respond? What if this passenger went to another prefecture and directly handed the key over to the Dark Star Bureau? How would Li Banfeng get out then?

Going to the station was impractical, but given the current situation, forcing his way across the border line was also impossible. Xiao Yeci had mentioned checkpoints on the border between the two regions. After much deliberation, Li Banfeng concluded he could only sneak through a checkpoint. But where were these checkpoints? Shopkeeper Feng's map, which he had bought, didn't mark the location of any checkpoints. Should he go to the village at the foot of the mountain and inquire?

Li Banfeng had always been hesitant about entering a village. Entering a village could easily attract attention, or even expose his identity. But aimlessly wandering along the border line wasn't a solution either. At the very least, he needed to know the general direction of the checkpoints. After much thought, Li Banfeng decided to visit the village. The Lu family hadn't tracked him this far yet, and instead of wasting time, it was better to find out soon.

Upon reaching the village entrance, Li Banfeng saw no signs or stone tablets marking its name. This mountain was called Mazhu Mountain, so was this village called Mazhu Village? Mazhu Village? This place sounded familiar, as if someone had mentioned it before.

Once inside the village, Li Banfeng didn't intend to ask for directions directly, as that would be too suspicious. He planned to buy some food first. The villagers, unaccustomed to outsiders, stopped whatever they were doing—farmers tilling fields, women doing housework, children playing by the roadside—and stared intently at Li Banfeng as he entered.

Li Banfeng felt nervous. What were they looking at him for? Were they going to rob him? Li Banfeng didn't dare go deeper into the village. He wanted to find someone nearby to strike up a conversation and ask about the checkpoints.

Seeing an old woman cooking, Li Banfeng approached and greeted her, "Madam, I'd like to buy some food." The old woman was a little hard of hearing and, seeing Li Banfeng, was somewhat frightened, unable to understand what he was saying for a moment. Li Banfeng took out a fifty-yuan banknote. This time, the old woman seemed less tense. She packed five bamboo-tube rice portions for Li Banfeng, and also gave him a jar of pickled fish and a jar of sweet potato liquor.

The old woman was a genuinely generous person. Li Banfeng felt she had given him too much and was about to offer more money, seizing the opportunity to ask about the checkpoints, when he suddenly saw the old woman's expression turn flustered and she quickly ran back into her house. She wasn't afraid of Li Banfeng; she was afraid of the person behind him.

Behind Li Banfeng stood a man, a man in a police uniform. The officer scrutinized Li Banfeng from head to toe and asked, "Where are you from?" Li Banfeng set down the food and drink in his hands and replied naturally, "I'm from Ligou." The reason he put down his items was to make it easier to draw his knife and gun.

The officer continued, "What are you doing here, coming from Ligou?"

"I'm here to visit relatives," Li Banfeng answered calmly as before.

"Which relative are you visiting?" the officer pressed relentlessly.

Li Banfeng's brow furrowed slightly. "Do you have to ask that?"

"Is there a problem with asking?" the officer sneered. "I've been watching you since you came up the mountain. You've been wandering back and forth along the border line. Are you trying to smuggle yourself across? If you tell me which relative you're visiting today, I'll personally take you. There's no one in this village I don't know. If you can't tell me, you'll come with me to the police station immediately."

Li Banfeng naturally refused to go to the police station. His own identity was unclear, and if he clarified it, it would only cause more trouble. During the stalemate, a woman suddenly called out, "You heartless wretch, you said you'd arrive yesterday! Why are you only just getting here?"

Li Banfeng froze, then turned to look. He saw a woman in a qipao walking forward, grabbing his arm.

"Officer Wu, this is my brother from Ligou. He came to see me today."

"Brother?" Officer Wu, the patrolman, scrutinized the woman, smiling. "Is he a biological brother or a sworn brother?"

The woman chuckled, "Biological brother, sworn brother, aren't they all brothers?"

The officer scoffed, "That's different. A biological brother is born from the same womb; a sworn brother is someone you've shared a bed with."

"Listen to you," the woman said, chuckling in response. The officer didn't press further. He looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Young man, you're quite fortunate. Just stay here and be her sworn brother, keep your energy for the bedroom, and don't go wandering around for no reason."

The officer left. The woman quickly pulled Li Banfeng deeper into the village. When they reached the front of a bamboo house, the woman smiled, "Brother Baisha, what brings you here?"

Baisha? Li Banfeng stared at the woman for a while, finding her familiar but unable to recall where he'd seen her. The woman turned her back to Li Banfeng, then looked over her shoulder and smiled. Li Banfeng looked her over from head to toe and exclaimed, "Peach!"

The fog on Kuwu Mountain was thick, making faces hard to see clearly, so Li Banfeng didn't have a strong impression of her appearance. But he wouldn't forget the shape of the 'peach'.

The woman gave a wry smile. "After all this time, you only remember a 'peach'. At least you remember a 'nectarine'."

Nectarine. You Xuetao.

She had once received Li Banfeng's help on Kuwu Mountain and had mentioned living in Mazhu Village. No wonder Li Banfeng found the place name familiar.

"Come, have a seat at my place." You Tao led Li Banfeng towards the bamboo house, but Li Banfeng hesitated, not keen on going inside. You Tao was a pleasure cultivator, and she herself had said her partner was a homebody cultivator. Li Banfeng was reluctant to enter a homebody cultivator's house.

You Tao pulled Li Banfeng again. "Don't you trust me? Come on, Wu Jinming is a suspicious man; he might come back." Wu Jinming was the officer they had just met.

You Tao pulled Li Banfeng into the bamboo house. The house had two floors. The first floor was spacious, with a coffee table and two chairs in the center, and a dish rack, clothes rack, and a standing cabinet along the walls. The furnishings were simple, but the house was very tidy, perfectly matching the temperament of a homebody cultivator.

"Brother Baisha, what are you doing in Mazhu Village?" You Tao poured Li Banfeng a cup of tea.

"Nothing much, just out for a stroll," Li Banfeng replied. He didn't drink the tea. When he came down the mountain, some mud had stuck to his shoes. He deliberately tapped them on the floor, and the mud that fell instantly vanished. There was a House Spirit in this room.

"Just strolling around Mazhu Village?" You Tao was taken aback; this was hardly a tourist destination. "Brother, tell your sister the truth, are you trying to sneak across the border?"

As Li Banfeng pondered how to reply, he suddenly heard someone coughing repeatedly upstairs. From the sound, it was a woman. You Tao frowned and called upstairs, "Don't be suspicious; this is my friend!" Li Banfeng understood: this homebody cultivator clearly didn't welcome him. This was normal; homebody cultivators generally disliked strangers entering their homes.

Li Banfeng stood up and said, "Thank you for helping me just now. It's getting late, so I'll be going."

You Tao stood up and stopped Li Banfeng. "Where are you going? Let me tell you, you can't just blindly cross the border line; it could cost you your life."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then said to You Tao, "I'm not forcing my way through. I have a friend who needs to cross the border. Do you know where the checkpoints are?"

"Checkpoints?" You Tao pondered for a moment and asked, "Are you talking about yesterday's, or today's?"

Yesterday's or today's? How many checkpoints were there?