At dusk, a group of elderly people returned to the village, weeping and shouting, all voicing the cruelty of the robbers.
If Li Banfeng were there, he would have certainly tried to reason with them.
Cruelty is to be expected; how can one rob without being ruthless?
They had tried both soft and hard approaches to no avail.
After discussing among several villages, they decided to seek out the Saint’s Disciples for help.
Their sincere offerings to the Saint had been stolen by the bandits, and the Saint’s Disciples couldn’t just stand by and watch!
But the Saint’s Disciples weren’t so easy to talk to and could become violent if things didn’t go their way.
The villagers were very sincere, willing to endure beatings and scoldings, all for the sake of their devotion to the Saint.
Kneeling in front of the Saint’s Disciples’ residence, they refused to rise, pleading only for their plight to be conveyed to Sage Peak.
Now the disciples were in a difficult position.
The villagers were demonstrating sincere devotion to the Saint, and as his disciples, they could not ignore the matter.
They were all tough characters, who wouldn’t hesitate to hit even the smallest child.
But hitting a child is one thing; dealing with robbers is quite another.
A child might endure a beating without fighting back.
The robbers, on the other hand, would strike back without mercy.
In the end, three disciples with enough courage agreed to take on the task and traveled overnight to the mountain to deliver the message to the Saint.
Could they make it to Sage Peak?
Yes.
These lands were made up of connecting mountains, and there was more than one path to Sage Peak. Li Banfeng couldn’t possibly lie in ambush on every path.
Furthermore, he was after wealth and wouldn’t just attack anyone passing by.
Dressing in coarse clothes and disguising themselves as peasants, the three disciples successfully delivered the news to Sage Peak.
As disciples of the Saint, did they possess no cultivation level at all?
Indeed, they did not.
There were differences among the disciples. Those with cultivation levels resided on Sage Peak and did not descend to give lectures.
Inside a large estate, the young man who had opened the gate for Li Banfeng stood under the porch, waiting for commands from his Master through the door.
Inside the room, urgent breathing could be heard. The Master was in the midst of cultivation.
Once the breathing settled slightly, the young man finally heard the Master’s voice, "This person claims to be the Peddler’s senior brother?"
The young man replied, "That’s what the villagers say, but it’s probably nonsense."
"That may not be the case. This man came uninvited and stirred up such trouble. He must have some backing. Send Jingzhang and Wenlie down the mountain to teach him a lesson first."
The young man acknowledged the order, and the urgent breathing from inside the room resumed. The Master had returned to his cultivation.
Leaving the estate, the young man went to two other courtyards and called over his elder fellow disciples, Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie.
Understanding the Master’s command and the situation at hand, these two disciples immediately set off to find Li Banfeng.
Finding Li Banfeng wasn’t difficult.
In recent days, more than two hundred people from various villages had come to join Li Banfeng. These were outsiders who wanted to leave but couldn’t.
With an increased number of people came increased prominence. Initially residing in caves, the group soon outgrew them, and people began constructing wooden huts. Linked together, these formed a stronghold on the mountain.
Li Banfeng named the stronghold Benefactor’s Stronghold.
Both Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie, being in their early fifties, changed into short coarse cloth tunics patched with several layers, the attire of the impoverished.
Arriving at Benefactor’s Stronghold, they approached Niu Guangda and Fang Lianfu, who were patrolling outside, and asked for a drink of water.
Fang Lianfu questioned, "Are you outsiders here begging?"
Qu Jingzhang shook his head. "We’re not beggars. We’re from around here. We don’t want food, just some water to drink."
Niu Guangda frowned. "You’re locals, but instead of going to the village, you come to these remote woods to ask us for water?"
Ren Wenlie sighed. "Young man, what kind of way is that to speak? With our age, are we really going to swindle you for a drink of water? Even if you fetched us a bowl of cold water from the well, we would be grateful. Yet you question us back and forth, treating us like we’re here to steal."
Niu Guangda blinked. "I was just asking. Nothing more..."
Fang Lianfu blushed. "We’re young and not so versed in manners. Please wait, I’ll have someone brew tea and bring you some snacks."
Two peasants seeking water in the wilds was indeed suspicious.
Yet with just a few words, Niu Guangda and Fang Lianfu felt quite ashamed.
After drinking tea and having snacks, Qu Jingzhang burped contentedly. "Young man, not to lecture you, but respecting elders is the foundation of humanity. Don’t you too grow old one day? When you reach our age and are questioned like a thief just for asking for help, how would you feel inside?"
Niu Guangda and Fang Lianfu were both flushed with embarrassment and at a loss for words.
Ren Wenlie stretched. "Young man, is there a place to rest? We won’t stay long, but we’re truly tired and would like to sleep for a while."
Niu Guangda and Fang Lianfu were troubled.
The stronghold’s rules, set by the Benefactor, were clear. Outsiders couldn’t be casually accommodated.
But these two old men, of such an age, just wanting to nap a bit—if even that was denied, it would weigh on their consciences.
The two young men conferred briefly before telling the two men, "We’ll take you to our dwelling to rest a bit, but you both must leave before it gets dark."
Ren Wenlie smacked his lips and said, "What’s the meaning of this? Are we the sort to overstay our welcome? What’s become of the younger generation? How did your parents raise you?"
Without another word, the young brothers quietly led the two elders back to their own room. Just as the elders were about to enter, they saw a man wearing a formal hat with a full beard walking towards them.
"What are you doing here? Instead of properly patrolling, you’re slacking off in your room?"
Upon seeing Li Banfeng, both Niu Guangda and Fang Lianfu bowed their heads, not daring to speak.
Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie exchanged glances; it seemed that this big-bearded man was the person they were looking for.
Ren Wenlie spoke up first, "My good man, don’t blame these young ones. We’re just passing by and looking for a place to rest our feet. These kids have good hearts and found us a place."
Qu Jingzhang followed up, "At our age, seeking shelter here, could it really break any rules?"
Li Banfeng hurriedly replied, "The two of you have misunderstood. Respecting the elderly is the foundation of human decency. No matter the rules, respecting elders comes first. The children’s room is messy and dirty. It’s not suitable for you venerable gentlemen to rest here. Sires, follow me. You may stay at my place instead."
Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie, without changing their expressions, followed Li Banfeng into the cave.
Ren Wenlie looked around and asked, "You live here?"
Qu Jingzhang sighed. "I tell you, man, why are you lying to us? You’re the head of this bunch, how can you live in a place like this?"
Li Banfeng hung his head. "My apologies, Sires. I just don’t like living in houses; I prefer caves."
Qu Jingzhang frowned. "Is it appropriate to tell such jokes to us two old men?"
Ren Wenlie said, "Didn’t your parents teach you how to talk to your elders?"
Li Banfeng answered honestly, "That, they really didn’t teach."
As they talked, Li Banfeng was sweating profusely. Fortunately, the brim of his hat was pressed down low enough that the others didn’t notice.
The technique used by the other party was Virtue Cultivation’s Ethical Act.
Under the effects of the technique, they set a high moral standard for Li Banfeng, causing him to fall into self-blame and guilt under their reproach.
Could this technique be defended against?
It depended on the cultivation levels of both parties.
From the current situation, both Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie had cultivation levels around the Fifth Layer, equal to that of Li Banfeng’s Home Cultivation, but together they put Li Banfeng at a significant disadvantage.
"Little brother, can you hold on?"
The Wine Gourd and Blood-Thirsty Pendulum were using Mental Cultivator’s techniques to help Li Banfeng maintain his clarity, but Li Banfeng had too many thoughts, and the situation was hard to reverse for the moment.
Meng De, hanging on the cave’s rocky wall, was also covertly offering support.
It was only thanks to Li Banfeng’s thorough preparations that he had lasted this long. Otherwise, it would have been impossible.
Looking at the two men, he spoke with a smile, "I offered you tea and snacks, found you a place to stay, yet here you are, constantly complaining and finding fault. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners? Living to such an age and still so unruly, don’t you feel ashamed?"
The men were taken aback. They hadn’t expected Li Banfeng to respond like that.
Qu Jingzhang angrily said, "How can you speak to the elderly like this?"
Ren Wenlie said, "Have you no upbringing? Don’t you understand respect for the elderly?"
Li Banfeng glanced at them and asked, "Isn’t that what we should be asking you? Do you understand respect for the elderly? I’m older than both of you, did you know that?"
Qu Jingzhang was speechless for a long time.
Ren Wenlie let out a cold laugh. "Aren’t you afraid of being the laughingstock for saying that?"
Li Banfeng stared at Ren Wenlie and demanded, "How many teeth do you have? They fall out that easily? I’m Peddler’s senior brother. I’ve eaten more salt than the bridges you’ve walked across. What seniority are you trying to flaunt before me? When you were born, I didn’t even know where I was. You two, born of a mother but not raised by one, how do you speak to your elders? Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?"
Li Banfeng’s words were a jumble, but mostly true.
However, Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie weren’t focused on the truth. They were only concerned with one thing: was this man really the Peddler’s senior brother?
If he genuinely was the Peddler’s senior brother, flaunting their techniques in front of him might be foolish.
Seeing their conflicted looks, Li Banfeng gained confidence, securing both Words Carved in Stone and Fool’s Thousand Concerns.
Li Banfeng, pointing at them, barked, "Have you no shame? If you have any sense of decency, get out and reflect on your behavior!"
Qu Jingzhang and Ren Wenlie couldn’t be sure whether Li Banfeng was telling the truth or not, and after some hesitation, they decided to leave this troublesome place for the time being.
If Li Banfeng truly was the Peddler’s senior brother, their survival so far was entirely thanks to his mercy.
If Li Banfeng was not the Peddler’s senior brother, they had already discovered his residence anyway. Finding an opportune moment to sort him out later wouldn’t be too late.
Without another word, they turned and left the cave.
It was a blunder.
With Fool’s Thousand Concerns, they were plagued by indecision.
It was the choice that most favored Li Banfeng.
No other Taoist Sect should ever leave their back exposed to a Traveling Cultivator, or else there would be no turning back.
Li Banfeng suddenly stepped forward, shattering a stone on the ground.
Several stone fragments hit the two men in the back of their heads.
PS: "I’ve eaten more salt than the bridges you’ve walked across." Is this sentence right or wrong?