"Master Pei, how many years has it been since we last met!" Luo Zhengnan arrived in the living room.
"Hall Master Luo, this is my fault. There have been too many messes in our hall these past few years, and I haven’t come to visit you."
"Visit? Are you insulting me? Since when did we brothers become so estranged?"
Pei Yuzeng, the Green Smoke City Hall Master of the Jiang Xiang Gang, was extremely familiar to those who knew him well; they all knew he had a nickname, Pei Yikou.
This man was burly, with well-proportioned features, a friendly face, and a pleasant manner of speaking that gave others a sense of kinship at first meeting.
After exchanging a few courtesies, they each took their seat.
Pei Yuzeng got to the point. "Brother Luo, I’ve come this time because there’s an important matter I need to discuss with you."
Luo Zhengnan quickly dismissed his subordinates and took Pei Yuzeng into the study. "Brother Pei, what’s the matter?"
"A big incident has occurred within our gang; our Gang Leader has encountered a mortal enemy in the Outside Provinces."
Luo Zhengnan was taken aback. "Which mortal enemy?"
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, Pei Yuzeng spewed out a jet of fierce flames.
The unresponsive Luo Zhengnan was instantly burned to a pile of ashes.
Pei Yuzeng removed his outer clothes, rolled them toward the room, and neatly collected all the ashes, leaving not a single trace in the clean room.
Pei Yikou, the man who killed without leaving ashes, possessed this unique assassination technique.
This technique was not at all complex. Frankly, it boiled down to just three tactics.
The first was the absence of any anticipation. From the moment Pei Yuzeng Entered the Path, he had practiced this move diligently. Before striking, his face showed no expression, and his body made no movement. He might be talking, eating, or even standing side by side in a latrine urinating with someone—his sudden blast of fire came without warning, sending the person off in an instant.
The second was the intensity of the flames. He wouldn’t act unless he was certain, but once he did, he had the confidence to turn the person to ash. Many of those in the Fifth Layer of Fire Cultivation could breathe fire, but Pei Yuzeng had perfected this technique to the utmost.
The third was leaving no trace. Apart from the person he intended to kill, Pei Yuzeng damaged nothing. For instance, not a single book in the study was harmed, the walls bore no scorch marks, and even the smell of smoke was absorbed by his clothes.
The room looked exactly as it did when he entered, except Luo Zhengnan was gone. Otherwise, nothing else had changed.
This was the art of perfecting a simple method. However, while such a tactic worked on strangers, wouldn’t acquaintances be more cautious?
Luo Zhengnan was an acquaintance, so how did he fall for it?
Pei Yuzeng had ways to lower one’s guard, a skill honed through decades of experience and assisted by various Spiritual Objects on his person. Before taking action, he would arrange everything meticulously, pondering every word and action, and accounting for any contingencies that might arise.
However, in special circumstances, if someone didn’t want to see him, or kept a distance of ten meters while still surrounded by a group of Support, how should he handle it?
In such situations, Pei Yuzeng wouldn’t make a move, and this was also key to why he never failed.
When he came to find Luo Zhengnan today, Pei Yuzeng was prepared not to act, as he knew Luo Zhengnan was an exceedingly cautious man.
However, things progressed much more smoothly than anticipated. Donning his outer clothes, Pei Yuzeng left the study and headed straight for the main door.
Staff Bearer Sun Xingbing stepped forward and asked, "Master Pei, are you leaving already?"
Pei Yuzeng sighed. "I had a bit of a disagreement with your Hall Master Luo. Well, it’s all internal matters of the gang. Please advise Hall Master Luo not to let this disrupt our harmony when you see him again."
He spoke with just the right measure, not arousing the slightest suspicion in Sun Xingbing.
Indeed, Sun Xingbing was genuinely concerned about not damaging their rapport. Since Hall Master Luo didn’t see him out, Sun Xingbing escorted Pei Yuzeng himself.
From the rooftop, Luo Zhengnan watched Pei Yuzeng’s departing figure in silence.
Luo Zhengnan hadn’t been burned to death. What burned was a Puppet he had hidden in the room, crafted from bones and flesh.
While the Puppet could walk, move, and talk, it had a slight facial difference from Luo Zhengnan.
The reason he dared to use it just now was twofold. Firstly, his subordinates, upon seeing the guest, stood respectfully in the living room, not daring to scrutinize him closely.
Secondly, Pei Yuzeng hadn’t seen him for many years and couldn’t discern the minute difference between the Puppet and Luo Zhengnan.
At this moment, an antenna was attached to Luo Zhengnan’s head, tracking the ashes on Pei Yuzeng’s body.
Before long, Luo Zhengnan heard a noise.
"Boss, it’s done."
"Well done, a hefty reward awaits."
Pei Yuzeng was on the phone with Xiao Zhenggong.
「 」
Li Banfeng arrived at Qiu’s Pharmacy, causing Qiu Zhiheng to jump with surprise. "Old Qi, why are you back?"
It wasn’t even the scheduled day for shift rotation.
Li Banfeng said, "Big Brother Qiu, we don’t need to stay in the mountains anymore; someone else is looking after Elder Yao’s place."
"Who?"
"Someone beyond our expectations. Big Brother Qiu, every once in a while you should visit Elder Yao and maybe get to know this eminent person." Li Banfeng roughly explained the situation but did not reveal Old Xu’s identity. Whether Qiu Zhiheng could meet Old Xu depended on his own fortune.
That night, Li Banfeng stayed at the pharmacy. The next morning, the apprentice Ding Youming brought news. "Luo Zhengnan has disappeared; the members of Jiang Xiang Gang are all going mad looking for him."
Qiu Zhiheng was stunned. "How could Luo Zhengnan possibly disappear?"
Luo Zhengnan was astute and had been in Medicine King Valley for many years. There weren’t many who could outwit him there.
Qiu Zhiheng continued to send people to gather information, and by the afternoon, the details were mostly confirmed.
Pei Yuzeng, the Green Smoke City Hall Master of the Jiang Xiang Gang, had visited the night before. After he met with Luo Zhengnan, there was no further news of Luo.
"Pei Yuzeng, Pei Yikou, the man who kills without leaving ashes." Qiu Zhiheng had heard of his reputation. "Old Qi, it looks like the Jiang Xiang Gang sent someone to kill Luo Zhengnan."
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Why kill Luo Zhengnan? Is it related to Elder Yao’s matter? Was the leak of Elder Yao’s residence also related to the Jiang Xiang Gang?"
Qiu Zhiheng lit a cigarette and sighed softly. "I can’t figure this out for now. It was rare for the Jiang Xiang Gang to have someone with a human touch, and just like that, he was gone. Old Qi, be extra careful these days. I’m worried the Jiang Xiang Gang might be targeting us."
"I’m planning to leave Medicine King Valley. You should be careful as well."
A few days later, Li Banfeng arranged a Guide Token and a train ticket for Xiao Genzi, letting him go back to Greenwater City on his own.
Root always carried a bucket. Li Banfeng, worried that he might clash with other passengers, specifically bought a private compartment for him.
In his own compartment, Root was preparing Alchemy Juice when someone smelled it and came straight in.
Upon seeing this, Root quickly put away the bucket and sat down calmly, asking, "Is there something you need?"
The visitor was a man with a long face, small eyes, and gaunt cheeks, carrying a suitcase. He looked at Xiao Genzi and said, "You were the one preparing Alchemy Juice just now, right?"
Root shook his head repeatedly. "Where would I have any Alchemy Juice? I think you’re in the wrong place. Try the next compartment."
The man smiled. "Your bucket is still there. How could I be mistaken? Don’t worry, I’m here to talk business with you."
"Talk business with me?" Xiao Genzi was taken aback. "What business?"
The man gazed at Xiao Genzi’s bucket and asked, "I’d like to buy a bucket."
"You want to buy this?" Xiao Genzi doubted he heard right.
"Twenty thousand per bucket. If you think that’s not enough, we can negotiate the price," the man quoted.
Root frowned. "What do you need this for?"
"Don’t worry, it’s definitely not for anything bad," the man laughed. "I’m Zhang Wanlong, a Farming Cultivation practitioner. If this deal goes through, we can do bigger business in the future."
"You’re a Farming Cultivator?" Xiao Genzi sized up Zhang Wanlong; he wore a grey-and-white checkered suit that hardly looked like a farmer’s attire.
"You don’t believe me?" Zhang Wanlong took out a small flowerpot from his suitcase, much smaller than the palm of his hand. He dropped a seed into it, watered it, and in less than five minutes, the seed sprouted, grew a stem, leaves, and flowered into a jasmine plant.
Expecting Xiao Genzi to be astonished, Zhang Wanlong was surprised to see his calm demeanor.
He was a man of experience, having adventured with a Grandmaster of Farming Cultivation. What was this little trick to him?
"My friend, it’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that this trick doesn’t prove you’re a Farming Cultivator."
Zhang Wanlong was taken aback. "What do you mean? Is there another Taoist Sect with this ability?"
"Yep, there’s Grass Cultivation, and Grass Cultivation grows even faster than yours!"
Zhang Wanlong gave a thumbs-up. "Brother, knowing about Grass Cultivation shows your knowledge. Grass Cultivation is one of the origins of Farming Cultivation. The Grandmaster of Farming Cultivation came from Grass Cultivation. Indeed, it’s hard to distinguish between the two. Now, look at this trick of mine!"
While speaking, Zhang Wanlong dropped two droplets of a potion onto the jasmine. After about fifteen minutes, a Sunflower bloomed on the branch where the potion had been applied.
A Sunflower blooming on a jasmine branch was not something Grass Cultivation could achieve.
But the real show of skill was yet to come. The large disc of the Sunflower turned towards the window, and a mouth suddenly appeared on it. It chuckled twice, sounding like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl in her prime.
Root nodded in admiration. "That’s a great skill, Brother Zhang. We can do this business!"
「 」
Deep in the mountains, in Elder Yao’s cabin, Old Xu sighed softly, murmuring to himself, "When fate arrives, no one can stop it. Whether you’ve learned well or he’s learned poorly, it’s all up to your destiny."
「 」
Li Banfeng trekked through the New Land, following Elder Yao’s map to Iron Gate Fort.
The journey through the New Land wasn’t too difficult. Elder Yao’s map helped him avoid most dangers, and the few Strange Monsters he encountered posed no threat to Li Banfeng.
Yet Li Banfeng wasn’t careless. In the New Land, fighting Strange Monsters wasn’t just a matter of strength. Figures like Weng Fangqu and Playful Matron posed special risks, and a moment’s carelessness could lead to a trap.
Arriving at Iron Gate Fort, Li Banfeng emerged from Peach Blossom Lake. With no one around, he quickly retreated to his Portable Residence to get dressed.
This visit to Iron Gate Fort was for a specific purpose: to withdraw some money to pay back Gloves and also to check up on the situation inside the fortress.
Li Banfeng had even altered his appearance, dressing like a vegetable farmer and carrying two baskets of greens as he entered Iron Gate Fort.
At the entrance, the Gatekeeper stopped Li Banfeng and asked, "Are you here to sell vegetables?"
Li Banfeng nodded.
"Have you paid the deposit?"
To do business in Iron Gate Fort, one had to pay a deposit. If anyone sold subpar goods or cheated, the deposit was confiscated, and the offender was barred from entering the fort in the future.
Feigning ignorance, Li Banfeng replied, "It’s my first time here. I’ve never heard that doing business requires paying a deposit."
"You haven’t heard? Well, now you know. You can’t sell here without paying a deposit."
Putting down the vegetable baskets, Li Banfeng said, "Then I won’t sell. I just want to go inside and see if business is good."
This was no problem; they could let him in.
Once inside the fortress, Li Banfeng admired Iron Gate Fort, his favorite place. He felt he could never get enough of its streets and alleys, every blade of grass, every tree.
Some changes had taken place inside the fort. Without the Fortress Lord’s oppression, the Home Cultivators were doing well. Many had renovated their houses, while others had even expanded theirs.
Of course, some things hadn’t changed. A woman collecting finished clothing was constantly haggling over the price. Home Cultivator Li Zhijuan was a skilled tailor and relied on it for her living. Even though the price was pushed so low she barely made a profit, Li Zhijuan still agreed.
The reason was simple: she always did business with this woman and was used to it; she didn’t want to create discord.
Li Banfeng was about to step forward to reprimand the woman collecting the clothing when he heard someone shout, "Sir, check out this premium sorghum liquor."
Turning around, Li Banfeng was stunned for a long moment.
Luo Zhengnan, holding a jar of sorghum liquor, said, "Fortress Lord, I’ve been waiting for you for several days."