Shui Yongquan hovered in midair, still in the appearance of a middle-aged man, looking down at Qiu Luoye.
Qiu Luoye looked up at Shui Yongquan and shouted angrily, "If you have the guts, come down here and fight me!"
Shui Yongquan sneered, "You’ve already lost. What’s there to fight?"
"I haven’t lost! I’m still standing here!"
"What’s the use of you being here? I’ve taken over your stronghold. My people are sitting in your house, and if they dig up your Contract Book from underneath it, you’ll become nothing but a lonely ghost."
Ma Wu fed Li Banfeng some healing medicine while listening to the negotiations between the two Local Deities.
Li Banfeng was still alive, his hand fumbling in his pocket; it was unclear what he was searching for.
In his hand, he held a flower with deep purple petals and golden pistils, the petals continually revolving around the pistil.
Ma Wu was anxious and wanted to take Li Banfeng for treatment, but Yanzi reminded him not to move rashly as the two Local Deities were close by and could kill them at any moment.
Qiu Luoye roared at Shui Yongquan, "That’s bullshit! What right do you have to break into my house? I have a massive army outside my home."
Shui Yongquan laughed, "You have twenty-two guards outside your house, all your trusted followers, you knuckleheaded fool. You used all your trusted followers to guard your doors.
"They’re loyal, and they’re strong fighters, but they’re all dead—a total of twenty-two. Am I right?
"And that motley crew at the valley entrance? They all surrendered after I casually beat them up. Look at the useless bunch under your command; not a single one of them is useful."
Qiu Luoye stood in place, speechless for a long moment.
Shui Yongquan continued, "If you still refuse to accept your defeat, I can have my men dig up the Contract Book now and bring it before you to see!"
Qiu Luoye roared, "Then I’ll rush into your house and dig up your Contract Book as well! Let’s both be ghosts without a home!"
Shui Yongquan’s face darkened. "Are you just being unreasonable?"
"Yes, I am! What can you do about it?" Qiu Luoye charged towards Shui Yongquan’s territory again.
Impossible.
Apart from the dozen followers by his side, Qiu Luoye had suffered a complete defeat. Shui Yongquan couldn’t beat him in a one-on-one fight, but it wasn’t necessary to fight one-on-one anymore.
What Qiu Luoye was doing was downright foolish.
But if he really decided to be foolish, Shui Yongquan would indeed have a hard time dealing with him.
Qiu Luoye was a formidable fighter. If he was willing to risk his life, it was likely that half of the living beings in these two territories would die, and Shui Yongquan would get injured as well.
TRUMPET~
Qiu Luoye let out a long cry, about to rush out of the valley when Shui Yongquan gave in. "Alright then. Since you lost anyway, just cede thirty miles of land to me, and we’ll call it even. What do you say?"
This concession wasn’t small; in theory, Shui Yongquan could take over all of Qiu Luoye’s territory.
But Qiu Luoye was not grateful. "I don’t accept it! I won’t give it! I’ll fight you to the end!"
Having been neighbors for so many years, Shui Yongquan understood Qiu Luoye’s temperament well.
Qiu Luoye was not the kind of rogue who wouldn’t admit defeat; his acting up was purely because he couldn’t swallow his pride.
Shui Yongquan looked around at everyone and said, "Everyone, please return. I, Shui Yongquan, won’t forget the help you’ve given me today. The rewards I promised will not be shortchanged."
Ma Wu, taking Li Banfeng with him, was about to leave when Shui Yongquan called out, "Brother Ma Wu, wait a moment. This belongs to Brother Li Qi."
He handed over the Judge’s Pen and Month Plate to Ma Wu and then took out a pack of healing medicine from his chest. "Take him back to his territory, use the spring water there, and have him consume the medicine. Perhaps he could still save his life.
"These two Waterfall Gates also belong to Brother Li Qi. It doesn’t seem like he can carry them right now. I’ll send them over another day.
"After I take care of things here, ten miles of land will also be yours."
Ma Wu took the healing medicine, rode Yanzi, and, carrying Li Banfeng, headed for their territory.
Li Banfeng kept moving.
His hand was ceaselessly searching inside his pocket.
"Old Qi, what are you looking for?"
"Old Qi, what’s in your hand?"
"Old Qi, don’t move recklessly..."
Li Banfeng was looking for a key; his arm was broken, his fingers too. He couldn’t pull it out.
After traveling for about fifteen minutes, Li Banfeng suddenly opened his eyes. With a violent gasp, he tumbled off the Bagworm Moth.
Home Cultivation Third Layer Technique, Arrow Homing.
"Old Seven!" Ma Wu was shocked and had Yanzi stop immediately.
Yanzi was in the midst of a mad dash; stopping such a large body was not easy.
She slid a considerable distance before Ma Wu could leap off her back, but by then, Li Banfeng had already disappeared.
"Old Seven!" Ma Wu searched everywhere with his men, but Li Banfeng was nowhere to be seen for a long time.
「...」
Powered by the energy of Arrow Homing, Li Banfeng finally managed to retrieve the key and opened his Portable Residence.
There was no sound inside the house.
No breathing sounds from his lady.
Li Banfeng dragged his body across the floor towards Red Lotus.
Crawling up close to Red Lotus, Li Banfeng patted her and then pointed to the Phonograph.
Red Lotus looked at the bloody mess that was Li Banfeng, secretly pleased.
Li Banfeng placed the flower in front of Red Lotus.
He had guarded it carefully; not even a single petal was damaged.
The petals revolved around the flower heart; this was one of the most precious medicinal plants, the Revolving Noble Flower.
Li Banfeng held up the flower, pointing to his lady, and looking at Red Lotus.
Red Lotus blossomed, and Lotus Heart produced a whirlwind, pulling the Revolving Noble Flower into the Lotus Heart.
A Light Halo rippled, and Red Lotus pondered quietly.
Li Banfeng was staring at Red Lotus.
His eyes, full of blood, seemed to pierce through Red Lotus’s thoughts.
Red Lotus glanced at the silent Phonograph, the Light Halo around her growing a few more layers.
「...」
In the canyon, Qiu Luoye was still roaring, "Shui Yongquan, I will fight you to the end! I won’t accept this, I just won’t!"
Vines and mud were flying around as Qiu Luoye, like a madman, stomped back and forth in the valley.
Shui Yongquan sighed and said, "Have you had enough? Once you’ve had enough, we should talk business."
"I have nothing to say to you!" Qiu Luoye turned and looked at his dozen or so subordinates. "Brothers, shred this old thing into pieces, and there will be a generous reward!"
The dozen Strange Monsters looked at each other, none of them moving.
Qiu Luoye shouted angrily, "At a time like this, you’re still afraid to fight!"
Shui Yongquan looked at the Strange Monsters and spoke bluntly, "If Qiu Luoye is no longer the Local Deity, would you still be willing to follow him?"
Everyone stayed silent, except for the Pine Tree Man, a frank creature.
He stood up straight and said to Shui Yongquan, "Shopkeeper Qiu has been kind to me. If he is no longer the Local Deity, I definitely will not follow him anymore..."
BANG!
Qiu Luoye, in a fit of rage, knocked the Pine Tree Man to the ground with his trunk. "I was blind to place my faith in you, a worthless scoundrel! All of you leave, just leave! Shui Yongquan and I will fight one on one!"
The dozen Strange Monsters obliged Qiu Luoye’s wishes and all ran away.
Qiu Luoye screamed at Shui Yongquan, "Come on, old ghost, let’s fight!"
"Fight my ass!" Shui Yongquan bellowed. "Everyone has left! Who are you throwing a tantrum for? If I really dug out your Contract Book just now, how would you live your life in the future?
"Go back to the Inner State and serve as someone’s servant, carrying tea and water, making beds and folding quilts? At your age, don’t you feel ashamed?"
Qiu Luoye roared, "I’m not staying in the New Land anymore! I will make my way in the outside world. I’ve been sick of this damn place for a long time!"
Shui Yongquan sneered, "Stop blowing hot air here. With your blockhead, you might just manage to survive in the New Land. Try stepping out and see! In less than eight days, your funeral would already be over!"
Qiu Luoye sat down on the ground, speaking dismissively, "You talk big. Tomorrow, I’ll go out there and carve out a territory to show you."
Shui Yongquan nodded. "Go ahead. Don’t wait until tomorrow; go today. You don’t have to go far. Just go to Greenwater Bay and meet Green Flower. Forget about seizing territory—if he lets you live there for more than ten minutes, you’ll be lucky!
"Qiu Daxiang, if you throw another tantrum, I will really dig out your Contract Book. Think about it yourself: how much suffering have you endured to achieve today’s territory? Know when to stop!"
Qiu Luoye calmed down a bit and said to Shui Yongquan, "Thirty miles is too much. Can you ask for less?"
"No!" Shui Yongquan said sternly. "If I had lost this battle, would you have spared me? I’ve been lenient enough with you!"
Qiu Luoye twitched his long trunk. "I have only a hundred miles of territory, and now I have to concede thirty percent to you."
Shui Yongquan couldn’t help but laugh. "Do you know how to count? A hundred-mile square is ten thousand square miles, and a thirty-mile square is only nine hundred. I’m asking for less than ten percent of the territory. What are you so distressed about?"
Qiu Luoye coiled up a twig with his trunk and calculated on the ground for a long time but couldn’t figure it out.
Shui Yongquan observed his method, which was the simplest form of addition.
Shui Yongquan closed his eyes and shook his head repeatedly. "How on earth did you manage to earn such a high cultivation level with that brain of yours? Stop counting; I’m not deceiving you. Hurry up and demarcate the land for me. I still have other matters to discuss with you."
"What else is there?"
"We’ve been set up," Shui Yongquan said as he drifted towards the entrance of the valley. "Three consecutive times, attempts to clear land were made at the borders of our territories, and all three attempts failed. Those people are not here to clear the land; they’re clearly here to stir up trouble."
"Not here to stir up trouble," Qiu Luoye shook his trunk. "I’ve asked them. They are all hunters from Greenwater Bay, inexperienced in clearing land and wanting to give it a try."
"Trying three times just at the boundary? Is that a coincidence? That’s why I say your brain doesn’t turn. They might indeed be ordinary hunters, but someone is giving them advice from behind. We must be more cautious," Shui Yongquan warned.
Qiu Luoye stood up, ready to demarcate the territory for Shui Yongquan. On the way, he suddenly asked, "That young man guarding Hundred Vine Valley, who is he?"
"A man I hired."
"How much did you pay him? I’ll hire him too, and we can have another fight."
Shui Yongquan genuinely did not know how to communicate with him. "Old Elephant, are you joking, or are you serious?"
"I’m serious. I think he’s not bad, and I’m even considering recruiting him as a top general!"
"Top general? More like a flat cake!" Shui Yongquan said, as he considered which patch of Earth Skin would be suitable, "Let me tell you, don’t set your heart on him. He’s not the kind to be someone’s servant."
"Hmph, if he doesn’t want to be a servant, what does he want to be? Even if he makes something of himself, he’ll end up serving in the Inner State," Qiu Luoye remarked and glanced at the canyon once more. "I wonder if that boy is still alive?"
「...」
MMM~
Li Banfeng suddenly awoke, trying to rise but unable to.
He was still lying on the ground, the blood on his body coagulated in a large patch, sticking him to the surface.
He didn’t know how many bones were broken, and he couldn’t muster any strength in his limbs.
Li Banfeng struggled to raise his head and saw Red Lotus in front of him.
Li Banfeng stared at Red Lotus angrily.
Red Lotus unfolded her petals, but there were no Lotus Seeds inside Lotus Heart.
"You weren’t refining the Elixir? Where is my flower? Where is the Revolving Noble Flower?"
Red Lotus did not know how to explain, but she didn’t need to.
"Fragrant~"
Li Banfeng painfully turned his head.
HUFF~
He had misheard; the sound was not "fragrant"; it was "dear."
The breath was unsteady, naturally a bit off-key.
GASP~
"Dear~"
A cloud of Steam enveloped Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng murmured, "My lady, I have returned."
PS: Banfeng made it through, and the lady endured as well.
What exactly has the Local Deity been through?