Li Banfeng shook his head. "Not really. I walked a bit too much yesterday, and my legs are sore."
Qiu Zhiheng knew Li Banfeng was a Traveling Cultivator. When he saw Li Banfeng’s body and legs trembling, cold sweat streaming down his face, he recalled Lu Dongliang had once experienced a similar situation. "Are you about to advance?"
Traveling Cultivators advance rapidly in perilous environments. Medicine King Valley had been afflicted by the Deathgate Formation, a highly perilous situation. Li Banfeng had traversed nearly the entire valley by following the train. Moreover, he had been constantly on the move recently without rest and had been secretly consuming Elixirs. It truly seemed like time for his advancement.
Qiu Zhiheng supported Li Banfeng. "Come back to my home to rest."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "First, we need to find a way to mend the wall."
"Leave that to me."
"We can’t let others know about Elder Yao’s residence."
"Don’t worry. I bought a Spiritual Object of Craftsman Cultivation last month. It’ll be enough."
Qiu Zhiheng still wanted to take Li Banfeng down the mountain, but Li Banfeng said, "I need to stay here and guard Elder Yao’s home. Don’t worry about me; advancement isn’t a big deal. Resting here will suffice."
Unable to persuade Li Banfeng, Qiu Zhiheng hurried down the mountain.
The onset of this advancement was fierce, and Li Banfeng genuinely struggled to bear it. After running dozens of laps around the estate’s courtyard, he returned to his Portable Residence.
Seeing Li Banfeng’s pale face, the Phonograph asked, "Beloved husband, what’s happened to you?"
"I’ve probably been too exhausted these past couple of days."
"Quick, come rest on the bed."
Li Banfeng lay on the bed, a cloud of Steam nestled tightly beside him.
「...」
In the Jiang Xiang Gang, at the Medicine King Hall, Hall Master Luo Zhengnan sat on a deck chair on the rooftop, leisurely listening to the radio.
The weather was clear today, and Hall Master Luo was in a pleasant mood. He inserted the antenna into his skull and carefully attuned his senses.
Just as Luo Zhengnan was drifting off to sleep while listening to the radio, Staff Bearer Sun Xingbing suddenly appeared on the rooftop. "Reporting to Hall Master!"
"Report what?" Luo Zhengnan asked unenthusiastically.
"Han Jinwei has arrived."
"Bring him up!"
Han Jinwei came to the rooftop. As expected, he really did want to go to Loess Bridge.
Luo Zhengnan patiently persuaded, "Hall Master Han, don’t be hasty. Wait a little longer. Medicine King Valley has some matters to attend to recently. Once they’re dealt with, I’ll go with you."
Han Jinwei nodded and left the rooftop.
Luo Zhengnan wasn’t just brushing him off; he truly planned to visit Loess Bridge in a few days. If Han Jinwei really wanted to stay at Loess Bridge, Luo Zhengnan would let him. Luo Zhengnan didn’t care about the Loess Bridge territory. However, having someone like Han Jinwei around actually unsettled him.
But Han Jinwei didn’t see it that way.
He clenched his teeth all the way back to his residence and summoned the newly appointed Helm Master, the Nightmare Cultivator Mo Jiansheng.
Mo Jiansheng, nearly sixty years old, was utterly subservient before Han Jinwei, not even daring to lift his head to speak.
Han Jinwei said, "Pack your things. Bring the Grieving Cultivator’s Lost Soul. Tonight, we set out for the Outside Provinces."
Mo Jiansheng was stunned. "To the Outside Provinces? A Guide Token will be difficult to arrange."
"Do you even need to worry about a Guide Token?" Han Jinwei used to go to the Outside Provinces frequently for errands. He possessed a Guide Token for the Outside Provinces, which even allowed him to bring a few accompanying personnel.
Mo Jiansheng was a bit frightened; he had never once been to the Outside Provinces in his entire life. "For such a major matter, we should still inform Hall Master Luo."
Han Jinwei frowned. "Tell him what? Am I not the Hall Master?"
"But... but I’ve been following Hall Master Luo for so many years..."
"Since you’re so loyal to him, you shouldn’t have come to me in the first place! At your age, you haven’t even made Helm Master. If it weren’t for my recommendation, you’d still be a mere Xunfeng! Aren’t you ashamed?"
Mo Jiansheng dared not speak.
"Hurry back and pack your things!"
Mo Jiansheng returned home and packed his luggage.
His son, Mo Linping, asked, "Father, where are you going?"
"Don’t ask. Wait at home for news from me for the next few days. If, after ten days, there’s still no word, go find our Hall Master Luo. Tell him something has happened to our Local Deity."
"Local Deity?" Mo Linping exclaimed in shock.
"Stop shouting!" Mo Jiansheng glared at his son. "Apart from the Hall Master, don’t tell anyone else about this."
「...」
That night, Han Jinwei took Mo Jiansheng and secretly boarded a train.
The next day, Luo Zhengnan received word that Han Jinwei had disappeared.
He summoned Staff Bearer Sun Xingbing and instructed him to hurry to the station and use his connections to investigate Han Jinwei’s whereabouts.
Soon, Staff Bearer Sun Xingbing returned with news. "Hall Master, Han Jinwei has gone to the Outside Provinces."
Luo Zhengnan was startled. "The Outside Provinces?" He frowned. "What would he be doing there?"
Sun Xingbing didn’t know. "He’s probably running an errand for the Gang Leader. The Gang Leader also frequently sent him to the Outside Provinces in the past."
"Impossible. Was there no hint of this beforehand?" Luo Zhengnan frowned deeply, a sense of impending trouble washing over him.
「...」
In Yuezhou, Xiao Zhenggong was taking a short rest in his villa when his bodyguard came to report Han Jinwei’s arrival.
Xiao Zhenggong’s expression darkened; he had no desire to see him.
Due to Han Jinwei’s previous poor performance at Iron Gate Fort, Xiao Zhenggong held a strong aversion to him.
After a brief pause, figuring Han Jinwei must have urgent business to have traveled so far, Xiao Zhenggong got dressed and went to the main hall.
"What do you want?"
Han Jinwei glanced around. Xiao Zhenggong gestured for the others to withdraw.
"Gang Leader, I’ve received word that something has happened to the Local Deity in Medicine King Valley."
"Local Deity? Old Yao? What happened?"
"He fought a fierce battle with Deathgate Star. Deathgate Star deployed a Deathgate Formation in Medicine King Valley. I estimate that old fellow won’t be able to hold on much longer."
Xiao Zhenggong paused. "Is the information reliable?"
"The information is reliable. Deathgate Star had a Grieving Cultivator’s ghost under his control. It escaped while the two were fighting—this is what it witnessed firsthand. This Lost Soul was captured by my subordinate, Helm Master Mo Jiansheng."
"Where is this Mo... Jiansheng?"
"He is waiting just outside."
"Call him in!"
Mo Jiansheng, trembling, came before Xiao Zhenggong with the Grieving Cultivator’s Lost Soul.
Xiao Zhenggong smiled faintly. "Helm Master Mo, don’t be afraid. Tell me the whole story from beginning to end."
Mo Jiansheng dared not say much himself. He released the Grieving Cultivator’s Lost Soul, letting it recount the events directly to Xiao Zhenggong.
Once the Lost Soul had recounted the events, Xiao Zhenggong nodded. "Who else knows about this?"
Han Jinwei said, "Helm Master Mo only reported this matter to me."
Xiao Zhenggong looked at Mo Jiansheng. "You didn’t tell Luo Zhengnan?"
Mo Jiansheng didn’t know how to answer. Han Jinwei had already prepared for this. "Hall Master Luo has been getting too close to Qiu Zhiheng recently. There are some matters I dared not let him know about."
"Qiu Zhiheng? Monkey Qiu? What dealings does he have with Luo Zhengnan?"
"It’s hard to say." Han Jinwei gave Xiao Zhenggong a profoundly meaningful look.
Xiao Zhenggong nodded. "Well done. As long as the news hasn’t leaked, that’s good. You two have performed a great service and shall be rewarded. First, accompany me for a drink."
Xiao Zhenggong retrieved a bottle of champagne from the liquor cabinet. A smile spread across Han Jinwei’s face.
Xiao Zhenggong shook the champagne bottle. POP! The cork shot out, piercing Han Jinwei’s skull.
Han Jinwei was still standing. Mo Jiansheng was scared witless.
He wanted to run, but his legs felt like jelly, and he couldn’t move a step.
"Don’t be afraid. Drink." Xiao Zhenggong poured a glass of champagne and tossed it at Mo Jiansheng.
The champagne glass embedded itself in Mo Jiansheng’s skull.
The Grieving Cultivator’s Lost Soul rapidly turned invisible. Xiao Zhenggong took out a Copper Coin, flicked it casually, and struck the Lost Soul. In an instant, the Lost Soul disintegrated into dust, vanishing without a trace.