"Who is Deathgate Star?"
Elder Yao replied, "The Local Deity of Loess Bridge. Nobody remembers his real name; they only know that he is a Grieving Cultivator, and he might be the head of their cultivation path. Those who know him just call him Deathgate Star."
Speaking of Deathgate Star, Elder Yao felt an omen of bad luck and also a bit of wariness. "He has sent all his disciples here because he wants to destroy Medicine King Valley."
Li Banfeng asked, "Why does he want to destroy Medicine King Valley?"
Elder Yao sighed and said, "That’s the tactic he used to seize control of Loess Bridge. Loess Bridge used to be Old Train’s territory. Ever since it fell into the hands of Deathgate Star, the situation has worsened by the day. I just never imagined it would end up in such a state."
Li Banfeng deliberately asked, "Who is Old Train?"
Elder Yao replied, "Old Train is a Grandmaster of Traveling Cultivators and Craftsman Cultivation."
"So, a Grandmaster is the same as a sect’s founding Grandmaster, right?"
Elder Yao shook his head and said, "A Grandmaster and a sect’s founding Grandmaster aren’t the same. A sect’s founding Grandmaster is one who founded a Taoist Sect. Old Train didn’t found the Taoist Sects of Traveling Cultivators or Craftsman Cultivation, but his achievements in these two Taoist Sects are the highest, even surpassing those of the sects’ own founding Grandmasters, so he is called the Grandmaster of both Taoist Sects."
"Why is he called Old Train?"
Elder Yao said, "He loves trains. He’s always researching them and even pretends to be a train, running aimlessly along rail tracks. The man is a lunatic, but he’s highly skilled. Loess Bridge, Black Stone Slope, Green Smoke City, Hundred Skill Ridge, and Soda Kiln were all once under his rule, but that old fellow couldn’t stay put anywhere. He handed all those territories over to his disciples. The disciple at Loess Bridge was incompetent. He couldn’t guard against Deathgate Star and lost the territory. Now that disciple is searching everywhere for his master, trying to take back the territory, but no one knows where Old Train has gone."
Elder Yao sighed and said, "With fifteen Grieving Cultivators arriving at once, it means he has sent all his disciples. He’s trying to destroy my cultivation level."
Elder Yao didn’t shy away from disclosing the truth. "I have a Third Layer cultivation level, not based on the ’Earth Skin.’ Deathgate Star also has a Third Layer cultivation level. He’s sending his Grieving Cultivators here to scatter the people’s morale and ruin the human energy in my territory. My cultivation level will then drop, and once it falls to the Second Layer, he will make his move on me."
Li Banfeng asked, "Old Train handed over all his territories; didn’t his cultivation level drop?"
"His cultivation level is no longer at this stage. He no longer relies on human energy. You all wait here for a bit. I need to go back and make some preparations." Elder Yao went back into the house, to get something, though it wasn’t clear what.
Li Banfeng asked Qiu Zhiheng, "How much human energy could be left in Loess Bridge after becoming so desolate? How could Deathgate Star still have a Third Layer cultivation level?"
Qiu Zhiheng knew much more about Local Deities than Li Banfeng. They were in Elder Yao’s courtyard, and Elder Yao could hear whatever Qiu Zhiheng said, so he didn’t hold back anymore. "Local Deities cultivate in different ways. Elder Yao uses Living Water; Deathgate Star uses Dead Water."
Qiu Zhiheng glanced at the Wine Gourd and said, "Like Elder Yao’s Wine Gourd. To us, it seems just a Gourd, but in reality, the Gourd is connected to a wine vat. If the wine in the vat is deep, the Gourd will be full; if the wine in the vat is shallow, the Gourd will have less. The human energy in Medicine King Valley adds to Elder Yao’s cultivation level, and Elder Yao uses his cultivation level to bestow good fortune upon Medicine King Valley; the two complement each other. If the human energy in the territory increases, the Local Deity’s cultivation level rises. If it decreases, their cultivation level falls. This is Living Water cultivation, and most Local Deities use this method. However, a few Local Deities don’t use this method. They only gather human energy and don’t give back fortune. If human energy increases in their territory, their cultivation level increases. If it decreases, their cultivation level does not change unless their territory changes from a Proper Land into an Old Land, at which point their cultivation level will drop. Loess Bridge is in a very desolate state, already showing signs of turning into an Old Land. Deathgate Star, fearing a drop in his layer, intends to scheme for Elder Yao’s territory."
Li Banfeng said, "He only gathers human energy but doesn’t bestow good fortune. With his methods, won’t any territory in his hands eventually turn to Old Land?"
Qiu Zhiheng said nothing; he didn’t know much about Deathgate Star either.
"That son-of-a-bitch Deathgate Star is just like that! I don’t even know how many good territories he’s ruined!" Elder Yao came out of the house, wearing a Triple-pronged Purple Gold Crown, draped in a Red Brocade Hundred Flowers Robe, with Lotus Silk Cloud-walking Shoes on his feet, and holding a Three-pointed Double-edged Sword in his hand.
The most distinctive feature was the four flags inserted behind Elder Yao. In the world of opera, these flags are called Supporting Banners, also known as Back-protecting Banners. Such a set of Four-Sided Banners symbolizes the authority and power of a Military General.
Elder Yao marched toward the door with an imposing aura, singing as he walked:
"First drum call, the battle meal is made,
Second drum call, tighten the battle robes,
Third drum call, swords out of scabbards,
Fourth drum call, engage the enemy!
All who advance will be rewarded; those who retreat will inevitably taste the blade!"
His song was powerful and uplifting, shaking mountains and rivers. Li Banfeng praised, "Well sung! Elder Yao, where are you going?"
Elder Yao bellowed, "To slaughter that dog-spawned brood of Grieving Cultivators clean! YAAARGH!"
"Why are you dressed like this?"
Elder Yao replied, "You don’t understand. Killing Grieving Cultivators will attract misfortune, but my battle clothing and Weapon can suppress that inauspicious Qi. So when I battle that old dog Deathgate Star, I won’t lose my favorable fortune. You all follow me. No need to lift a finger, just point out those bastards for me! YAAARGH!"
But as Elder Yao reached the door, Li Banfeng suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. It was just that one flutter before everything returned to normal.
"Elder Yao, please wait a moment."
Elder Yao, as if he hadn’t heard, maintained his imposing momentum and continued to walk outside.
"Elder Yao, wait a moment."
He kept walking, the momentum unstoppable.
Li Banfeng shouted loudly, "Stop right there!"
Elder Yao suddenly turned his head, bellowing, "What do you intend to do?"
Qiu Zhiheng was terrified.
The Wine Gourd leaped out from Li Banfeng’s side, positioned itself between the two, and said, "Elder Yao, please calm down. The young brother must surely have something he wants to talk to you about."
"Elder Yao, is it possible that Deathgate Star has already arrived?"
Elder Yao was startled. "What do you mean by that?"
"Elder Yao, by sending his Grieving Cultivator disciples, is it possible he just wants to lure you out? If you go out, wouldn’t he then target your home?"
Elder Yao asked, "What would he want at my home?"
"What do you think?"
After a moment of eye contact, Elder Yao calmed down. He immediately returned to the courtyard, propped up his Three-pointed Double-edged Sword, and said to Li Banfeng, "Does that old dog want to dig out my Contract Book?"
Li Banfeng nodded slightly.
Elder Yao stood in the courtyard, silent as a clay statue for a long time. He picked up the wine jug on the table and guzzled it down, as if he had downed three to five catties, then wiped his mouth and said, "Brothers, come, let’s head down the mountain!"
Li Banfeng was taken aback. "Why go down the mountain? Didn’t we say you can’t leave this courtyard?"
"Hide here? Until when? Hide until Medicine King Valley loses its human energy, my cultivation level drops, and then wait for Deathgate Star to come and deal with me?"
As he spoke, Elder Yao laughed, lifting his Three-pointed Double-edged Sword and brandishing it a couple of times, as the Four-Sided Banners fluttered in the breeze behind him. "Even if it means abandoning my role as the Local Deity and risking this old life, I won’t let that old dog ruin Medicine King Valley!"
Qiu Zhiheng stepped forward to stop Elder Yao. "You have been kind to me. You need not worry about the Grieving Cultivators in town; I will handle them."
Elder Yao shook his head. "Xiao Qiu, you’re a good kid, and I can’t let this misfortune entangle you for life. Li Qi, no need to say more. You’re both good kids, and I can’t drag you into this. I will handle this matter myself. I will leave a Clone here along with a few Magical Treasures to watch the house. Even if Deathgate Star truly comes, it can hold him off for a while."
Li Banfeng suggested, "How about this? Your true self stays here, and let the Clone go and slay the Grieving Cultivators. Wouldn’t that solve everything beautifully?"
"That won’t do. The Clone can’t suppress the misfortune. If I use the Clone to kill the Grieving Cultivators, I’d attract bad luck; in the end, I’d still suffer at the hands of Deathgate Star!"
Elder Yao exhaled a mist of alcohol, which turned into his Clone, leaving it to guard his home. The Clone looked identical to Elder Yao, dressed in battle attire, festooned with banners, and wielding a Three-pointed Double-edged Sword.
Because he had drunk a little too much, the Clone became slightly disoriented upon appearing, unable to distinguish if it was the Clone or the real body, and shouted at the two, "Brothers, let’s go down the mountain!"
The real Elder Yao became angry and shouted at his Clone, "What mountain are you going down? I told you to guard the house!"
The Clone also became angry, brandishing the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword at the real body and retorted, "Who do you think you are? Since when do you get to call the shots?"
Li Banfeng and Qiu Zhiheng, knowing Elder Yao’s penchant for jest, didn’t take the matter seriously.
Unexpectedly, the Clone was dead serious and started to grapple and scuffle with Elder Yao.
The real body had more than enough skill to handle the Clone, and Elder Yao could have easily dealt with his Clone.
But someone happened to be burning paper money in Li Gou, sending a message to Elder Yao. This distraction split Elder Yao’s attention.
And in that lapse of concentration, the real Elder Yao was struck by the Clone’s sword, the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword burying into his skull, hanging from the bone.
The Clone ceased its attack, realizing it had done something wrong.
With the sword hanging from his head, Elder Yao asked Li Banfeng and Qiu Zhiheng, "Does this count as having attracted misfortune?"
Elder Yao pulled the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword out, looking at them both and said, "Just now, that girl Yu Nan told me that the Grieving Cultivator from before died at the train station."
Elder Yao wiped the fresh blood from his face, then continued, "The moment that Grieving Cultivator died, I got slashed by my own Clone. Could it be that Deathgate Star had set up a Deathgate Formation in Medicine King Valley in advance? As long as a Grieving Cultivator dies in Medicine King Valley, there’s no escaping this misfortune for me? If that’s the case, does it mean these Grieving Cultivators are unkillable?"