At midnight, Ma Wu finished setting up the cinema and was about to call it a day when, just at the entrance, he saw a lady with delicate features approaching him.
The woman was quite pretty, but her expression was very stiff. Encountering her in the middle of the night was indeed a bit chilling.
"Junyang, long time no see."
Ma Wu also felt that the woman looked somewhat familiar but couldn’t recall who she was at the moment.
Zuo Wugang immediately recognized her: "Miss Dongchun!"
The newcomer was indeed Lu Dongchun. She seldom went out and had met Ma Wu only twice, so it was normal for Ma Wu not to remember her. But Zuo Wugang, having once been the Chief Custodian for Lu Dongliang, had met Lu Dongchun many times.
Lu Dongchun was Lu Maoxian’s daughter. Lu Maoxian had always been at odds with Seventh Master. Zuo Wugang worried that Lu Dongchun might mean harm to Ma Wu, so he signaled him to keep his distance from her.
Lu Dongchun watched Ma Wu with an expressionless face; her eyes were so clear that Ma Wu could see his own reflection in her pupils.
"Can we find a place to talk?" Lu Dongchun asked.
Ma Wu led Lu Dongchun into the cinema, opened a private room, and Zuo Wugang stayed closely by his side, not moving an inch.
Lu Dongchun, her tone completely flat, said, "I’m here to discuss avenging my father with you."
Ma Wu knew the rules. He had paid Hua Hong to the Lu Family and was considered an external force allied with them. It was only right for him to help out when the Lu Family was in need. But external allies were different from the core family. Ma Wu had reasons to decline if he didn’t want to help.
He followed the rightful line of the Lu Family; there was no need to heed Lu Maoxian’s orders. He could even make the break more definitive, saying he no longer needed the Lu Family’s support and sever ties right there and then.
But Ma Wu was a cautious man. Lu Dongchun’s arrival was too sudden. Ma Wu was unprepared, and without preparation, he never rushed to make decisions.
"Aunt Dongchun, let’s have a drink first." Ma Wu went to pour some wine for Lu Dongchun, but Zuo Wugang stopped him, gesturing for him not to pour the wine for her.
Lu Dongchun’s eyes were fixed on Ma Wu, making him feel very uneasy.
He put down the wine glass and dropped the formalities: "I need to think carefully about this matter and will give you an answer within a day or two."
After sending Lu Dongchun off, Ma Wu found Li Banfeng and told him about the situation.
"Old Qi, should we get involved in this?"
"Of course, we should. If the Lu Family has just had an incident and we just walk away, who would dare to deal with us in the future?"
Ma Wu understood this rationale, but he still felt uncomfortable: "I really don’t want to help that old dog Lu Maoxian."
"Who said we are helping him? We have our own people."
Ma Wu was taken aback: "Are you talking about Lu Chunying?"
Li Banfeng nodded: "She is part of the core family. Monkey Qiu will definitely involve her; it’s a good opportunity to establish her authority. Ling Miaoying is currently eyeing us, and this is a good chance to deal with him."
Ma Wu nodded. "To deal with Ling Miaoying, relying solely on Zuo Wugang definitely won’t do. I’ll take a trip to Zhengjing Village, discuss it with Qiu Luoye, then borrow Ah Qin and the Swearing Woman. Both of them are skilled hands."
Having settled the matter, Ma Wu went to Zhengjing Village that night. Upon finding Qiu Luoye and explaining the situation, Qiu Luoye pondered seriously:
"The person you’re dealing with is a Seventh Layer Peeping Cultivator, ruthless and ferocious, and he has a bunch of Magical Treasures. Ah Qin and the Swearing Woman are both at the Sixth Layer. If you send them, I’m afraid you won’t have the advantage. I’ll find you another useful person."
With the Local Deity being so enthusiastic, Ma Wu couldn’t easily refuse. He worried Qiu Luoye would find someone like the Straw Moth Lady or some other Strange Monster, which wouldn’t be easy to take to Greenwater City.
Unexpectedly, Qiu Luoye had thought it through quite thoroughly. He brought a tall and robust woman, around thirty in appearance and quite beautiful.
"Her name is Huoling. She’s a Fire Spirit with a Seventh Layer cultivation level and good skills. She holds an advantage in the Taoist Sect. In my territory, she’s rarely met her match. I’m lending her to you. Some other day, just have someone build a few more small buildings here to liven up the place, and that will be thanks enough," Qiu Luoye suggested.
Qiu Luoye was really decisive. Ma Wu took Huoling to Shui Yongquan to conceal her Strange Monster aura.
Shui Yongquan recognized Huoling and took Ma Wu somewhere secluded to ask privately, "What are you taking her to Proper Land for?"
Ma Wu didn’t hide anything and roughly recounted the situation.
Shui Yongquan frowned. "This task should be given to Ah Qin; she’s a top-notch assassin. The Swearing Woman would also be suitable; she’s thorough and won’t easily reveal any flaws."
Ma Wu said, "Qiu Luoye mentioned that Huoling has a higher cultivation level, is more capable in combat, and is more assured in her actions."
Shui Yongquan smacked his lips. "I’ve done plenty of this sort of thing when I was in the mortal world. Choosing assistants requires discernment; it isn’t always the case that those better in combat are more useful. Since you and Qiu Daxiang have already agreed, it’s not my place to interfere. Just make sure to handle Huoling well; she doesn’t have the best temper."
Shui Yongquan concealed Huoling’s aura.
Indeed, her temper was not good. Shui Yongquan was a Water Cultivator, and the Technique he used made Huoling somewhat disgusted. They even argued a couple of times during the process, but Shui Yongquan didn’t take it to heart.
It was Ma Wu’s first time meeting Huoling as well. Seeing her temperament, he gathered she wasn’t very easy to get along with. They hardly spoke on the journey, mostly just trying to sleep in the carriage.
Once they returned to Xiaoyao Lodge, Huoling complained the carriage ride was too bumpy and she hadn’t slept well. They found a room and took another nap.
After two naps, the tension between them eased.
In the afternoon, Ma Wu received a message sent by Lu Dongchun, indicating that they would confront Ling Miaoying that very night.
Ma Wu felt that things were happening too quickly, while Huoling didn’t think it was urgent at all. "Let’s settle this matter quickly, finish up, and then we can continue to sleep. Killing one person, and you’re making such a fuss? With all this time you’re taking, I could have wiped out everyone in a one-li radius!"
Li Banfeng received the message and also felt the timing was just right. "If we delay further, Ling Miaoying might also get wind of this. Despite the Lu Family hiring so many people, Ling Miaoying is a Peeping Cultivator with a lot of Magical Treasures and not a few assistants. If he’s fully prepared, it’s really hard to say who will win and who will lose."
He returned to his Portable Residence to prepare for the fierce battle that night.
Staying in the house before the fierce battle not only allowed him to maintain his best combat strength but also kept him under the radar.
Last time he encountered Ling Miaoying, Li Banfeng had been away from the Portable Residence for more than seven hours, managing to deceive Tu Yinghong but not Ling Miaoying’s sharp eyes. If he had just come out of the house, perhaps at the moment he showed up, Ling Miaoying might not have been able to detect him.
Wait a minute!
Li Banfeng suddenly sat up in bed.
This matter couldn’t be inquired about because, under normal circumstances, one cannot engage in both Home and Traveling Cultivation. It’s hard to find a precedent like Li Banfeng.
Cultivation of visual power!
Li Banfeng lay back down on the bed, let his blood circulate smoothly throughout his body, concentrated his thoughts on his eyes, and took out the photos he had taken at Black Stone Slope.
While looking at the photographs and recalling the scene at the time, he tried to see through the pictures with his eyes to the actual event.
His wife beside him reminded, "Hey, Darling, don’t bulge your eyes too much. Be careful or your eyeballs might fall into that girl’s peaches."
Li Banfeng’s train of thought was interrupted, and the rise in his cultivation level also came to a halt.
He switched to another photo to continue, but suddenly something felt off.
"My dear, are you hungry again?" Li Banfeng had recently been going out often to buy groceries, but the quality of the items was really not up to par. Only two ruffians had advanced to the First Layer; the rest were all White Lambs.
His wife chuckled lightly and said, "Darling, don’t worry, Your Little Servant isn’t hungry."
Hearing her speak so weakly, Li Banfeng felt his heart wrench.
Hong Ying teased from the side, "Wicked woman, if you can’t get a full meal again, never mind helping him reach the Sixth Layer, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to maintain your own cultivation level, right?"
The Phonograph snorted coldly. "Don’t listen to that vile woman’s nonsense. Little Servant truly is not hungry."
Li Banfeng gently stroked the Phonograph’s turntable. "My dear, don’t worry. Your husband will go buy groceries tonight. I’ll bring back some really good food."
He lay back down and continued to train his visual power with the photographs.
Ma Wu, on the other hand, distributed the Spiritual Objects and Magical Treasures he had to Zuo Wugang and Huoling. Huoling found the items cumbersome and pushed them back to Ma Wu.
"These things are useless. When the fight starts, you will see what I can do."
Qiu Zhiheng brought Tan Fucheng to a mansion in the east of the city.
Lu Chunying and Xiao Yeci had been waiting in the hall early on.
Xiao Yeci was very afraid: "Butler Qiu, please take good care of Nannan! You promised just to let her show her face and not let her make a move!"
Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "Don’t worry."
Lu Chunying said, "Big Brother Qiu, when the real fight starts, don’t worry about me. I can’t say I’m brave enough to fight, but I can certainly run. You should take care of yourself and don’t have any accidents."
Qiu Zhiheng smiled and didn’t say anything. Tan Fucheng said from the side, "Miss Chunying, your two brothers call him Uncle Qiu. You calling him Big Brother Qiu, is that appropriate?"
Lu Chunying puffed out her chest. "We don’t look at seniority, but the depth of our feelings!"
Qiu Zhiheng smiled and nodded, then left the mansion with Lu Chunying and headed to Lu Maoxian’s residence to meet with Aunt Dongchun.
Seeing that it was about time, Li Banfeng straightened his clothes and touched the horn of the Phonograph. "My dear, be patient for a little while longer. The good food will be here soon."
The Phonograph was somewhat worried. Li Banfeng had been looking at photos for several hours, and she feared he was exhausting himself. "Darling, please be extra careful."
Li Banfeng put on his top hat, pulled the brim down low, and left the Portable Residence, ready to get his keys.
Li Banfeng stared at the ground for a while. He realized this wasn’t the wooden floor of Xiaoyao Lodge; it was the red brick floor of a factory.
A familiar voice came to his ears:
"Come, lift your hair so it doesn’t cover your face. Bend down a little more, and hold the peaches up higher..."
CLICK, CLICK!
The shutter clicked continuously.
Li Banfeng walked over and asked, "Qiusheng?"
Bai Qiusheng put down the camera, turned around, and saw him. "Seventh Master, what brings you here?"
PS: What if it wasn’t photos of Black Stone Slope that were looked at?