They were less than ten steps apart when Wu Yongchao suddenly spun around. He held a paintbrush, and with a flick of his wrist, stabbed it straight into Ma Dingfu’s chest.
Ma Dingfu clutched his chest and collapsed, his dagger falling from his grasp.
"Trying to ambush me?" Wu Yongchao gritted his teeth. "You’re not even worthy!"
"Bastard! Did you kill Old Hu?" Wu Yongchao strode forward and kicked Ma Dingfu. The man didn’t stir; he appeared to be dead.
Wu Yongchao charged straight into the boiler room and shouted to the people inside, "Open the gate!"
The people there exchanged confused glances, not understanding what Wu Yongchao meant.
Wu Yongchao wasted no more words and rushed directly to the steam valve, intending to open it.
Several boiler workers moved to stop him. "You can’t! We need the Fortress Lord’s orders for that."
Wu Yongchao and the workers began to scuffle in the boiler room.
...
The fighting outside was even fiercer. Li Banfeng felled two men with his sickle. As two more tried a sneak attack from behind, the Tang Sword suddenly unsheathed. With one strike per assailant, it lopped off two heads, then whirled around to cut down another man charging head-on.
Beheading with Every Blow! The Tang Sword immediately shrank and retracted into Li Banfeng’s pocket.
The Teapot splashed out a wave of scalding tea, killing two men.
The Wine Gourd sprayed a mist of alcohol. Li Banfeng struck a match, igniting the mist and burning three men to death.
The Clock Pendulum hacked into one man’s neck, sucking him dry in an instant before striking another in the back of the head.
None of these men had a cultivation level above the Second Layer.
Li Banfeng, a Dual Cultivator with both disciplines at the Fourth Layer, dispatched more than a dozen burly men in the blink of an eye.
Only Luo Dagui remained, and he appeared composed.
"Nice moves," Luo Dagui said, twisting the handle of the Big Horn to retract it. Ensuring it would no longer amplify sound, he asked Li Banfeng, "Which path do you follow?"
Li Banfeng shook the rattle in his hand. "I’m a Peddler. Naturally, I follow the Huo Lang Road."
"We usually have no grievances between us. When I first joined my sect, I even used your Medicinal Powder. So, you could say there’s a bit of fated connection between us."
"Is that so?" Li Banfeng feigned surprise. "You must have used my junior brother’s Medicinal Powder. But speaking of which, what Taoist Sect are you from? Judging by your methods, you don’t seem like a Martial Cultivator. Are you a Deceive Cultivator?"
Luo Dagui nodded. "You guessed it. I am a Deceive Cultivator, Seventh Layer."
Li Banfeng took half a step back.
Luo Dagui laughed. "Friend, whether you’re his senior or junior brother, you’ve gained enough today and caused enough trouble. I advise you to quit while you’re ahead.
"You claim to be a Peddler, but if I’m not mistaken, your level is far beneath a true one. If I were to actually make a move, you wouldn’t withstand a single strike.
"The only reason I haven’t attacked is my concern that you might genuinely have ties to the Peddlers. I don’t want to offend a real Peddler over the minor affairs of Iron Gate Fort.
"You know the standing of Flying Eagle Mountain in this region. There’s no need for us to become mortal enemies. Let’s both take a step back today and call it even. What do you say?"
The oppressive aura made Li Banfeng’s hands tremble slightly.
As Li Banfeng pondered, he suddenly heard the Steam Gate creaking and hissing.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Wu Yongchao had subdued all the workers in the boiler room and opened the large Steam Gate.
Li Banfeng gritted his teeth.
Li Banfeng sighed. "Fine. Today, we’ll both take a step back."
"Good!" Luo Dagui nodded in approval. "Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, understanding the bigger picture. You have a promising future..."
Before he could finish, Li Banfeng executed a Short Step and was upon him.
Li Banfeng swung his sickle at Luo Dagui’s throat.
A head tumbled to the ground. As Li Banfeng’s sickle blade swept past, Luo Dagui’s head had fallen.
Li Banfeng picked up Luo Dagui’s severed head and stared at it for a long time, his mind a maelstrom of thoughts.
The Steam Gate creaked open fully. Wu Yongchao stood in the entrance, looking anxiously at the "Peddler."
Behind him, a group of Home Cultivators also stared nervously at the "Peddler."
Li Banfeng held up Luo Dagui’s head and shouted to the crowd, "The leader from Flying Eagle Mountain is dead!"
The Home Cultivators couldn’t believe the "Peddler" would kill someone from Flying Eagle Mountain.
They didn’t understand why the "Peddler" was helping them.
They even doubted if the head in the "Peddler’s" hands was truly Luo Dagui’s.
Seeing their doubtful expressions, Li Banfeng removed Luo Dagui’s mask. "Look closely! Do you recognize him? Do you remember this face?
"You are Home Cultivators! No matter who attacks your homes, you must be able to take their heads! To defend your homes, that is the dignity of a Home Cultivator!"
The Home Cultivators were deeply moved; many even shed tears.
Li Banfeng also felt his speech had been quite stirring.
A woman shouted, "Fortress Lord!"
Li Banfeng froze.
Li Banfeng actually felt a little embarrassed.
Wu Yongchao’s voice trembled as he said, "You... you killed the Fortress Lord."
Li Banfeng stared at Luo Dagui’s severed head for a long moment.
He muttered with a complex expression, "Fuck..."
PS: How could he be the Fortress Lord? Didn’t the Fortress Lord just speak with him a moment ago?