Li Banfeng was sprinting up the hillside. The Judge’s Pen flew low, trying to lift him.
The dense forest made it difficult even for the Judge’s Pen to fly on its own, let alone carry Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng held his breath and ran forward, signaling the Judge’s Pen to go on ahead.
PUFF!
A Knife Labor Ghost sprayed a mouthful of black fog at Li Banfeng. He used Short Step to dodge and, with a foot utilizing Trample Over Thousands of Rivers, blasted a hole through the Knife Labor Ghost’s body.
The Knife Labor Ghost’s body surprisingly did not shatter. It was even more formidable than Li Banfeng had anticipated.
Two Knife Labor Ghosts blocked the way ahead. Li Banfeng locked his gaze, wanting to use Passing Glance. Above him in the trees, two more Knife Labor Ghosts moved back and forth, ready to ambush at any moment.
To guard against all the surrounding Knife Labor Ghosts, he couldn’t focus his sight on one spot.
According to Li Banfeng’s speculation, Painter Fu Taiyue had transformed into that state because he had been sprayed by a Knife Labor Ghost.
The vegetation ahead was dense and difficult to pass through, so Li Banfeng used the Path-breaking Technique to forcibly part the trees. As he rushed through the thicket, he felt his throat tighten and a stifling pain in his chest.
Holding his breath for so long while sprinting and using techniques was taking its toll; Li Banfeng was starting to struggle.
Ahead, the terrain opened up slightly. The Judge’s Pen, after observing for a moment, shouted, "Take a breath!"
Just as Li Banfeng took a breath, a Knife Labor Ghost surged from the left, spewing black fog.
The Wine Gourd sprayed a cloud of alcohol mist onto the Knife Labor Ghost, and Li Banfeng flicked a match, setting it ablaze.
The Knife Labor Ghost, engulfed in flames, continued its pursuit from behind, seemingly unaffected.
Li Banfeng did not linger to fight. He just charged down the mountain as a dozen or so Knife Labor Ghosts sprang and leaped towards him.
The Teapot poured out its contents, creating a barrier to block them. Li Banfeng detoured and continued to sprint.
Thunder rumbled loudly, and a torrential downpour began.
More and more Knife Labor Ghosts appeared. The surrounding area became shrouded in black fog, preventing Li Banfeng from taking another breath and leaving him no room to dodge.
As the Knife Labor Ghosts gradually sealed off all escape routes, Li Banfeng’s situation became increasingly dire.
At this life-and-death moment, Li Banfeng thought of the Mud Pit outside the inn in Wuqin Village. It was a pit so deep and soft that anyone stepping into it would quickly sink.
Using the Mind Traverse Thousand Mountains Technique, he transported the Mud Pit over. Seeing a Knife Labor Ghost in mid-jump, Li Banfeng placed the pit right where it was about to land.
SPLASH!
The Knife Labor Ghost landed right in the pit, its body swiftly sinking.
Seizing this brief opportunity, Li Banfeng stepped on the Knife Labor Ghost’s head and broke free from the encirclement.
When the technique dissipated, the Mud Pit also vanished, leaving the Knife Labor Ghost trapped in the ground, unable to emerge.
In the New Land of Blue Poplar Village, on the way to the Orange Orchard, there was a Red Mud Mound. The swamp there was also very soft. Li Banfeng had passed Red Mud Mound many times and was very familiar with it. He exerted all his strength to move a large section of the swamp, and dozens of surrounding Knife Labor Ghosts plunged into it.
This action was highly successful. Li Banfeng had gained considerable time and space for himself, but the cost was severe; bringing over such a large piece of swamp had nearly drained all his strength.
Stumbling down the hillside, Li Banfeng hadn’t forgotten what Fu Taiyue had said.
Taking advantage of the absence of black fog, Li Banfeng took a deep breath and dashed desperately onward.
Chu Er was preparing for the final battle on her plot of land when she saw Li Qi rushing over from afar.
Li Qi waved at Chu Er, signaling her to quickly lead her people away.
Chu Er wanted to rush over to help Li Qi, but someone beside her reminded her, "Miss Chu, you can’t go! We’re still reclaiming the land. We can’t cross the boundary line, or the reclamation will be a failure."
The ground erupted, and several Knife Labor Ghosts burst out.
Li Banfeng was thrown to the ground as the soil erupted. A Knife Labor Ghost pounced at him. Li Banfeng rolled to avoid it, kicking away another Knife Labor Ghost that was standing by.
The third Knife Labor Ghost, wreathed in black fog, waited nearby. Li Banfeng couldn’t avoid it this time.
He took off his top hat, trying to block the poisonous fog,
Just as the Knife Labor Ghost opened its mouth to spray the black fog, Chu Er ran up, kicked it away, and helped Li Qi up from the ground.
Li Qi stood up. Chu Er, shivering, gritted her teeth and ran forward.
Seeing Chu Er running slowly, Li Banfeng hoisted her onto his shoulder and charged ahead.
After they had run for over a mile, the few remaining Knife Labor Ghosts stopped their pursuit. They didn’t want to stray too far from Knife Ghost Ridge.
Li Qi set Chu Er down and was about to thank her when he saw her trembling all over before collapsing to the ground.
"What happened? Are you hurt?" Li Banfeng asked, trying to help her up.
Chu Er crawled to one side and shook her head. "Don’t touch me! Don’t get contaminated!"
Drop by drop, black liquid mixed with bright red blood flowed from the back of Chu Er’s head.
She had been hit by the Knife Labor Ghost’s black fog.
Enduring the pain, Chu Er asked softly, "That was a Knife Labor Ghost just now, right?"
Li Banfeng nodded.
A Doctor stepped forward and said, "Miss, please sit down and rest for a while. As the poison isn’t too deep yet, let’s think of a solution."
Chu Er scoffed. "What solution could you possibly think of? The only way to detoxify a Knife Labor Ghost’s poison is to chop off the poisoned area."
Li Banfeng remembered the conversation between Fu Taiyue and his portrait: Fu Taiyue had rushed down the mountain, his right hand poisoned. If he had amputated it, he could have survived.