After dealing with the Lost Souls in the third courtyard, Li Banfeng opened the fourth gate. He had only taken a few steps into the yard when the sound of war drums thundered from all directions, relentless and unending.
Li Banfeng scanned his surroundings. In the vast courtyard, various troops began to appear, including cavalry, infantry, crossbowmen, and even those armed with firearms.
He couldn’t tell if these soldiers were real or fake, but one thing he could confirm was that they shouldn’t be human—they were all Lost Souls.
Li Banfeng darted back and forth through the rain of arrows and spear thrusts, gently touching the Clock Pendulum.
Understanding his intent, the Clock Pendulum moved behind Li Banfeng. It sliced his suit open, picked out a vinyl record from the inner layer, and then, using its pointed end, traced evenly over the grooves of the record.
Phonographs operate on a principle unrelated to electromagnetism, relying solely on the friction and vibration between the needle and the record.
In this moment, the Clock Pendulum took on the role of the needle, a tactic that Li Banfeng and his wife had come up with together.
Li Banfeng could imitate his wife’s singing with the Deep House Technique, or he could use the Phonograph to directly play her records.
But Li Banfeng’s singing skills were far inferior to his wife’s. There were some enemies that he could not deal with using his singing alone.
And sometimes, it was inconvenient for Li Banfeng to bring out the Phonograph. In critical situations, using the Clock Pendulum as a makeshift Phonograph could just barely suffice.
"Ancient paths and desolate mountains fought bitterly, the blood of the commoners flew red. Lanterns illuminate the sands as heaven and earth darken, dust clouds the stars, and ghosts wail."
This was a segment from Zhao Zilong’s "Changsaka Slope."
It was a Martial Male Role’s piece, but cut by his wife. It was common for celebrated actors in the Pear Garden Troupe to perform in drag. This section of lyrics also contained his wife’s unique throat sounds.
The power of the "Changsaka Slope" segment was immense, and for a moment, it seemed to subdue the thousand troops filling the courtyard.
Li Banfeng glanced around.
Xiao Yeci was indeed nowhere to be found. Li Banfeng turned to leave but suddenly saw an Actor standing in front of him. The Actor had changed from wearing the costume of a young female role to that of a young male lead.
"My friend, please hold on a moment," the Actor said. "Where did that segment you just sang come from?"
Li Banfeng looked at the Actor and produced a record from behind him. "It came from here. Have you seen a record before? Should I play it again for you to listen to?"
This was a common ruse of Li Banfeng’s—start with the truth to gain the trust of the enemy, making it smoother to use the technique of Words Carved in Stone when needed.
He was about to use the Clock Pendulum to trace the record when he suddenly heard the Actor loudly exclaim, "Don’t use a weapon! Don’t scratch the record!"
Li Banfeng was taken aback for a moment, then angrily replied, "What are you shouting about? Without a phonograph, this is how the music must be played!"
"I have a Phonograph!" The Actor’s voice trembled slightly. "Let me listen to it one more time, and I’ll return the person to you!"
With that, the Actor waved his hand, and several Lost Souls brought Xiao Yeci forward.
Xiao Yeci was bound at the hands, gagged, and wore an expression of terror.
Li Banfeng had the Actor send Xiao Yeci back to the first courtyard, and the Actor obliged.
A few Ghosts carried a Phonograph over to Li Banfeng. The Actor kicked away the other Ghosts and meticulously wiped the Phonograph clean with his sleeve.
The Phonograph hadn’t been used for years, and it was covered in a thick layer of dust. The Actor cleaned it diligently and even took an Oil Pot to lubricate it.
With everything ready, the Actor looked at Li Banfeng expectantly.
Li Banfeng placed the record on the turntable. The Actor started cranking the handle with care, and the Phonograph began to emit the lyrics from "Changsaka Slope."
The opera piece was fierce, and his wife’s singing was incredibly moving. Every time Li Banfeng heard this segment, he felt his blood boil with fervor.
However, the Actor across from him did not boil. He cried.
Li Banfeng did not expect a Lost Soul to shed tears, and the Actor wept inconsolably.
After his cry, the Actor looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Can you give me this record?"
Li Banfeng waved his hand dismissively. "That’s out of the question! This is a Magical Treasure I use to fight my battles."
The Actor sobbed out, "How is this a Magical Treasure? This is an exquisite rarity! You don’t understand..."
Li Banfeng frowned. "How do I not understand? With this record, dealing with Lost Souls and ghosts is a small matter."
"See? That’s why you don’t get it. You use this record to fight battles, which is a waste of a precious treasure!" The Actor sobbed even harder, as if Li Banfeng had desecrated something of great importance.
Before Li Banfeng could reply, the Actor, crying, began to sing, "Even the eternal skies and lands have their ends, this endless resentment knows no bound. If you won’t give it, I’ll buy it—please, name your price, I beg you to name your price..."
The Actor’s tears grew more intense, and he became too distraught to speak.
Li Banfeng put the record away. "Don’t cry just yet. Let’s find a place to talk."
Although nearly a whole night had passed in battle, Li Banfeng could tell that the Actor was still trustworthy.
The two entered the main house, and the Actor ordered tea to be served.
A Ghost Servant brought over a Teapot and cups, but Li Banfeng didn’t drink—the aged tea’s year was unknown to him.
The Actor wanted to buy the record, which wasn’t necessarily out of the question.
Li Banfeng named his price: three requests.
"First, let us go," he specified.
"That can be easily arranged," the Actor agreed readily.
"I’m not talking about just leaving this residence—I mean leaving this territory," Li Banfeng clarified.
The Actor pondered for a moment. "You want to leave Worry-Free Plain?"
"Worry-Free Plain?" Li Banfeng was unaware that the place even had a name.
"It’s not a problem," the Actor said. "Worry-Free Plain connects to everywhere within Puluo State; you can go anywhere."
"Anywhere?" Li Banfeng was stunned. "It connects to every territory within Puluo State?"
The Actor nodded. "And you won’t need a Guide Token, either."
After a moment of thought, Li Banfeng asked, "How is it similar to Bitter Vegetable Manor then?"
The Actor sighed. "There’s a mystery to this place, but I’m not willing to tell you."
"You won’t tell?" Li Banfeng stood up. "The record is not for sale then."
"Wait a moment!" the Actor stopped Li Banfeng. "What you said has actually hit the mark. Worry-Free Plain was indeed part of the Back Three-Land of Puluo State, but in recent years, it’s nearly become an unknown land. For what reason, I can’t quite say clearly."
It was the first time Li Banfeng had heard of such a thing.
The Actor continued, "Since you’ve come to Worry-Free Plain, I’ll send you a map in a bit. Follow it closely and you won’t get lost. But you must hurry, otherwise you might stray into the Old Land."
Li Banfeng made a second condition. "Without this record, I’m missing a powerful weapon against Lost Souls. You’ll need to compensate me with a Magical Treasure."
A look of embarrassment crossed the Actor’s face. "If you had asked in past years, I did indeed have a few such treasures, but times have changed and I can no longer offer such treasures. However, I do have a Spiritual Object."
He had a Ghost Servant bring over a wooden box, and when he opened it, the Ghosts immediately hid far away.
The Actor took out a Horsewhip from the box and handed it to Li Banfeng. "Lost Souls without cultivation level can be shattered with a single strike of this whip, and those with cultivation levels below the Third Layer will be gravely injured upon being hit. Those with cultivation levels below the Fifth Layer will feel immense pain when struck. If the opponent’s cultivation level is above the Fifth Layer, the whip can still be used, but it will be nothing more than an ordinary weapon."
Li Banfeng picked up the whip, wanting to give it a swing to try it out.
The Actor shouted loudly, "What do you think you’re doing?"
Li Banfeng listened to the sound of the whip using the Insightful Spirit Sound Technique. The whip was quiet, making no sound at all.
Li Banfeng frowned and asked, "Does this thing possess Spirit Attribute?"
The Actor replied, "This is a Spiritual Object refined by Ethereal Spirits; it cannot advance in power or recognize a master, so it naturally cannot be compared to a Magical Treasure. But the Spirit Attribute is sufficient."
Li Banfeng put away the whip and put forth a third condition. "Since I’m going to sell you the record, I need to know its origin. Who exactly is singing in it?"
Of course, Li Banfeng knew who it was. His main purpose in asking was to test the waters.
The Actor let out a long sigh. "The mystery within is inconvenient to disclose..."
Li Banfeng took out the Horsewhip again. "The deal for the record is off."
The Actor stopped Li Banfeng. "The singing in the record comes from Valiant Cavalry General Zhao Xiaowan. She was a famous general of the Great Huan Dynasty."
"When exactly was the Great Huan Dynasty?"
"The former dynasty."
"How long ago was the former dynasty?"
"I truly can’t remember, I really can’t."
The Actor was speaking the truth. As a Lost Soul living in a place like the Old Land, he had no concept of time.
Li Banfeng asked, "What sort of person was Zhao Xiaowan?"
"A famous general and also a famous actor."
A famous general, Li Banfeng could understand.
A famous actor, Li Banfeng could also fathom.
But these two identities were in clear conflict.
"How did a famous general come to be an actor?"
"You have it backwards," the Actor laughed. "You should ask, how did an actor become a famous general? Zhao Xiaowan was originally an actor. She debuted at seven, was famous by ten, and in the year she turned twelve, the Troupe Master was imprisoned for colluding with Demon Land. Zhao Xiaowan, implicated, was exiled and enlisted in the army. At seventeen, she made military achievements on the frontier, shedding her criminal charges, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel. By twenty-three, she had accumulated enough military honors to return to the capital and receive her title as Valiant Cavalry General."
Li Banfeng was very curious. "Originally being an actor and exiled to the military, at most she would be an Odd-Jobs Worker. How did she become a Colonel?"
The Actor spoke with reverence. "It was because she was extraordinarily talented. Her comrades in the army said Xiaowan was a natural at leading troops into battle. She once held off over a hundred enemy soldiers with just thirty-odd civilians for an entire day. Such a remarkable woman is truly unique in this world."
"Did you ever see her?"
"I did!" boasted the Actor. "I’ve seen her in battle and heard her sing in plays. Even now, the memories are vivid."
"What did she look like?"
"Beautiful—the most beautiful woman in the world!" The Actor appeared enthralled. "This is not just my opinion; many in the court at that time said she was a peerless beauty."
That fact, Li Banfeng did not doubt.
The Actor lamented, "It was said that on the battlefield, upon seeing the Valiant Cavalry General, half the enemy would fall under her spell and lose the will to fight."
Li Banfeng inquired, "And the other half?"
According to descriptions in novels, the other half would be terrified by Zhao Xiaowan’s majestic presence.
The Actor’s description differed from the novels. "The other half of the enemy," he said, "would be scared witless by her deputy Hong Ying."
"What did she look like, to scare the enemy so badly?"
The Actor recalled for a moment and said, "She was also beautiful! Slightly less so than Xiaowan, yet still a remarkable beauty. As it happens, I should have had a marriage alliance with Hong Ying, but she and Zhao Xiaowan were later caught in the misfortune of imprisonment, and that marriage was never to be."
"Why were they imprisoned?"
"I can’t say," the Actor suddenly looked terrified and shook his head repeatedly. "This is an enormous disrespect, absolutely not to be spoken of!"
Li Banfeng lowered the brim of his hat and stood up. "You won’t say? Then the record isn’t for sale!"