The Overlord of Puluo

Li Banfeng rubbed his eyes vigorously, trying to restore his vision as quickly as possible. However, this was not something that could be solved by rubbing his eyes. No matter how many times he tried, all he saw was a blinding sheet of white.

He could not hear anything either, save for that shrill ringing in his ears. Nevertheless, Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity warned him that danger was rapidly approaching.

Bei Wushuang had gotten back on his feet. His hump had exploded and left a huge hollowed space in his back, but he was still able to move. Objectively speaking, the fact that Bei Wushuang could still move meant he posed a tremendous threat to Li Banfeng.

Bei Wushuang, however, had no intention of attacking Li Banfeng. He had no intention of attacking Pan Dehai. Pan Dehai's cultivation level was far too high. Bei Wushuang had managed to immobilise him, but killing him would still be anything but easy.

Bei Wushuang was almost completely drained; he did not have much energy to fight. He had to make the most of this opportunity and flee for his life.

After swallowing a medicinal pill, Bei Wushuang galloped at full speed toward the southeast. As long as he could make it back to his residence, he still had a sliver of hope that he could survive. He had numerous traps and mechanisms installed in his residence to ward off intruders, and he kept many medicinal pills there. They could buy him some time.

Even if he only had three to five hours before Pan Dehai got to him again, Bei Wushuang could recover ten to twenty percent of his strength in that time. Even if he could not hold onto his territory, he could at least escape with his contract. Even if he ended up losing a cultivation level, he would still keep his life.

However, Bei Wushuang had not run very far before Pan Dehai was moving again.

Had he not been stunned to the point of losing consciousness? Nope.

Meng Yuchun had fainted, but Pan Dehai had not. Having known that Bei Wushuang was a Sound Cultivator, Pan Dehai had been thoroughly prepared for this. The instant he saw Bei Wushuang's hump swell, he combined two enchanted artifacts with his own cultivation ability to neutralize the effects of Blood-Splattering Thunderous Sound on him. He had only pretended to be unconscious so that he could find Bei Wushuang's home.

Pan Dehai knew a fair bit about Bei Wushuang, but he had no idea where he lived. As for Meng Yuchun, she was utterly useless in that regard. She rarely left home. She had not even known which Daoist path Bei Wushuang cultivated, let alone where he lived.

It was an extremely difficult feat to find a land deity's residence within a territory spanning fifty kilometers. Rather than searching for it himself, Pan Dehai knew it was far easier to let Bei Wushuang lead him there.

***

Sensing that the danger was now far from him, Li Banfeng began to relax. That was when he heard the whistle of a train.

Toot, toot~

He thought, A train's coming?

Then he noticed that it was not just a train whistle; he heard a sweet singing voice too.

「The lamps shine bright in the little bridal chamber,

Casting a light on the detailed engravings of the handrail.

A crimson canopy is draped around the ivory bed,

On which a pair of coral pillows are embroidered with mandarin ducks. ♪ 」

It's "The Little Bridal Chamber!"

It was one of the songs that Gramophone rarely sang. Because whenever she sang it, Li Banfeng would be overcome with the urge to... apply engine oil.

As the song continued, the blinding whiteness before his eyes faded away, and the shrill ringing in his ears vanished as well.

Li Banfeng got to his feet and hurried back to the battlefield. By then, neither Bei Wushuang nor Pan Dehai was in sight.

Where have they gone? Was this battle a victory or a loss?

Li Banfeng asked Meng Yuchun about it, but she gave no reply. Looking dazed, she held her forehead and returned to her residence. She had reached her limit.

Li Banfeng looked at the blood and chunks of flesh scattered across the ground. He had no idea where it had all come from, but the blood was thick with fat and carried an intense stench. He immediately activated his Hundred Flavors at the Tip of the Nose ability and followed the scent trail.

Before long, he spotted Bei Wushuang galloping desperately, with Pan Dehai calmly following behind him at an unhurried pace.

At this point, Bei Wushuang ought to be called Bei Wufeng—Humpless—because the only hump he had was gone.[1]

That old fox Pan Dehai must have been tailing Bei Wushuang this whole time. He's clearly planning to reap the fruits of our efforts alone. Once he's done, he'll dismiss Meng Yuchun and me with a lofty remark about being the Great Moral Paragon.

As if I'm going to let it be that easy for him! I'll just have to snatch the fruits. At the very least, I have to seize the contract. That's what matters most.

That said, why did I hear a train whistle just now? And why was my wifey's singing mixed in it? Has the Pocket Dwelling evolved?

***

Zhang Wanlong arrived at the battlefield and began gathering the blood and chunks of flesh from the ground.

He remarked, "Oh, this is good stuff, Little Gen. This is the real deal."

Little Gen said anxiously, "Didn't we agree we were going to save Master Qi?"

"Don't be so impatient!" Zhang Wanlong replied as he took out a seed. "This is a battlefield of the truly powerful. We're in no position to interfere. We can only lend a bit of help from the shadows. Master Qi knows what he's doing. There are some things we don't need to worry about. Isn't that right, Miss He?"

He Yuxiu had also arrived. She looked Zhang Wanlong up and down. "You know me?"

Zhang Wanlong smiled. "I've seen you in the newspapers. I was worried I might have been mistaken."

Nectarine was very nervous. She had no idea who Zhang Wanlong meant by "Miss He."

Nevertheless, there was no time for Zhang Wanlong to explain. He had to quickly find a suitable spot to plant this extraordinarily precious seed, which he had poured immense effort into creating.

***

Bei Wushuang's residence was not a house or a cave. It was a sand pit.

Upon reaching the edge of the pit, Bei Wushuang leaped down without hesitation.

Pan Dehai maximized the use of his concealment ability and hovered silently in midair as he studied the pit's structure. The pit was not very deep, less than five meters by visual estimate, and its bottom was perfectly level. This was definitely not the core of the residence; it was, at best, the entrance gate.

Standing at the bottom of the pit, Bei Wushuang stamped his forehooves as though activating some hidden mechanism. He stomped twice, but nothing happened. Then he stopped.

Pan Dehai thought he had been exposed and was about to conceal himself more deeply when he noticed something unusual on the wall of the sand pit.

Bei Wushuang called out, "Just come out."

A woman emerged from the wall. Judging by her attire, she looked like a fortune teller, with an enormous abacus strapped to her back.

"Gao Shuxia." Bei Wushuang let out a cold laugh. "You're here. Where's your sister?"

A second woman emerged from another wall. Dressed in a silver changshan, she walked with wide swaying motions that drew attention to her slender waist and curvy hips.

"Hundred-Eyed Fish, you're here too!" Bei Wushuang exclaimed with a bitter smile, looking like he had already foreseen his own ending.

Gao Shuxia looked at him and said softly, "Elder Brother, you look injured."

Hundred-Eyed Fish sounded even more concerned. "Elder Brother, are your injuries serious? Let your little sister have a look."

Bei Wushuang looked at the two women and spat onto the ground. "What? Are you both here to steal my contract?"

Gao Shuxia shook her head repeatedly. "Elder Brother, you've misunderstood us. We heard you went to deal with that old scoundrel Pan Dehai. We were worried someone might take advantage of your absence to cause trouble at your home, so we came over just to guard your home for you."

Bei Wushuang let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, look how hard you've worked. After searching for such a long time, I suppose you still haven't found the contract?"

Hundred-Eyed Fish said in admiration, "Elder Brother, you hid it so well that even I feel reassured on your behalf."

Bei Wushuang glanced at Gao Shuxia. "You're skilled in divination, aren't you? You couldn't divine its location?"

Gao Shuxia shook her head. "Elder Brother, you are profoundly skilled. I truly cannot divine its location."

Bei Wushuang looked around. There was no need for him to ask. He knew that his subordinates had long since fled by now.

"Enough nonsense," Bei Wushuang said with a derisive snort. "Are the two of you coming at me together, or one at a time?"

Gao Shuxia replied, "Elder Brother, why are you being so impatient? Just tell us where the contract is. My sister and I will safeguard it for you, and once you've recovered from your injuries, we'll return it immediately."

Bei Wushuang spread his four legs into a charging position and rushed at Gao Shuxia. Gao Shuxia did not dare try to withstand the blow. She knew Bei Wushuang was astonishingly strong.

Bei Wushuang had managed to pass off as a Physique Cultivator for so many years, and it was not merely because of his camel appearance. He had excellent physical abilities, his hide was thick and tough, and he possessed many characteristics of Physique Cultivators.

Gao Shuxia dodged Bei Wushuang's attack, and he immediately turned around to strike at Hundred-Eyed Fish instead. Hundred-Eyed Fish twisted at her waist, giggled, and effortlessly circled behind Bei Wushuang.

Bei Wushuang was too heavily injured. These two women's cultivation levels were still at the Terranean Layer, yet he could not grasp even the slightest advantage against them.

Then Gao Shuxia pulled out a counting rod and stabbed it into Bei Wushuang. Hundred-Eyed Fish lifted the hem of her skirt. One of her legs was covered entirely in eyes, and she brushed it against Bei Wushuang, ripping away a large patch of hide and flesh.

Pan Dehai sighed inwardly. These two women were truly vicious. Their attacks were not fatal, but they inflicted unbearable pain upon Bei Wushuang.

During the struggle, Bei Wushuang's steps became chaotic, and his anguished cries never ceased.

"Aaaahhhh!"

Thud, thud, thud!

"Aahh!"

Thud, thud!

Wait... they're not actually that chaotic, Pan Dehai realized, freezing in surprise. He noticed there was a distinct rhythm to Bei Wushuang's anguished cries and footsteps. This camel is about to unleash an ability.

"Aahh!"

With a final screech, Bei Wushuang created a dust devil that rose from the ground. The dust devil spun rapidly like a whirlpool, and Bei Wushuang followed it, going beneath the quicksand.

Pan Dehai had been correct. Bei Wushuang had indeed used an ability. However, it was not meant to deal with Hundred-Eyed Fish and Gao Shuxia; it was to activate a mechanism.

This sand pit was indeed the entrance to Bei Wushuang's home, but to unlock the gate, he had to perform a song using a Sound ability. Bei Wushuang's earlier footsteps combined with his anguished cries formed a song. That was the only way anyone could enter Bei Wushuang's residence.

Seeing Bei Wushuang step into the dust devil, Hundred-Eyed Fish followed him hurriedly. Not long afterward, she floated back up alone.

"He disappeared!" Hundred-Eyed Fish spat out a mouthful of sand. "He's so badly injured, yet he still ran so fast!"

Gao Shuxia picked up her abacus, moving the beads back and forth. After calculating for over half an hour, she finally reached an answer.

She took out a wooden sword, drew a mark on the ground, and said to Hundred-Eyed Fish, "We'll burrow into the ground here. We can find him down there!"

Hundred-Eyed Fish used an earth-escape ability to burrow underground, and Gao Shuxia followed closely behind.

Pan Dehai continued floating in midair, waiting to see how things would end.

These two women came at just the right time. It saved me from taking the risk.

If the two women could kill Bei Wushuang and dig out the contract from his home, that would make things much easier for Pan Dehai. He could simply take the contract from their hands afterward.

On the chance that they were unable to defeat Bei Wushuang and even ended up getting killed by him, Pan Dehai could simply go after Bei Wushuang. By then, Bei Wushuang would be further weakened, and the two women would not end up becoming trouble in the future. Would that not be killing two birds with one stone?

Pan Dehai watched from the sky, while Li Banfeng watched from behind a sand dune. Within the sand pit, waves of sand surged, showing how fierce the battle underground was.

Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity kept warning Li Banfeng not to approach the battlefield.

What should I do?

The thing that Li Banfeng wanted most right now was Bei Wushuang's contract. However, regardless of whether Bei Wushuang lived or died, it seemed impossible for that item to fall into Li Banfeng's hands.

Over an hour later, Gao Shuxia and Hundred-Eyed Fish crawled out of the dust devil, covered in wounds. They sat in the sand pit, struggling to breathe. Clearly, they had failed to defeat Bei Wushuang, and they had not obtained the contract either.

The battle should have ended with both sides suffering heavy losses. According to Pan Dehai's analysis, Bei Wushuang should be severely weakened, with little strength left to fight. He could no longer pose any threat to Pan Dehai.

Pan Dehai slowly revealed himself in midair and smiled at the two women. "Ladies, you've worked hard."

His sudden appearance made Gao Shuxia nearly wet herself, while Hundred-Eyed Fish actually did. They raised their weapons, preparing to fight.

Pan Dehai lowered his hand and said, "Ladies, remain calm. I have no grudge against either of you. I came here only to take Bei Wushuang's life."

Gao Shuxia pointed at the dust devil. "Bei Wushuang is inside. Go find him yourself!"

Pan Dehai chuckled. "The tunnels beneath this sand pit are extremely complicated. Since both of you are virtuous people, I must trouble you to lead the way for this old man."

Hundred-Eyed Fish shook her head. "We don't have that ability. If we go down there one more time, we may not come back alive."

"Ladies, you need not be so modest. If we were only comparing martial ability, even this old man would feel inferior."

Hundred-Eyed Fish swayed her hips and giggled. "Senior Pan, thank you for thinking highly of us, but we truly don't want to fight Bei Wushuang again. It's best if you go down there yourself."

Pan Dehai's expression darkened. He yelled, "Wenches whose words and actions are flirtatious are unvirtuous!"

Hundred-Eyed Fish staggered and nearly collapsed under the pressure of Pan Dehai's ability.

Gao Shuxia gritted her teeth. "You old scoundrel, we'll fight you!"

Hundred-Eyed Fish grabbed onto Gao Shuxia and signaled for her not to act rashly. The two of them were no match for Pan Dehai.

While the three of them were in a deadlock, the sound of shifting sand came from afar. Pan Dehai looked into the distance and saw a humpless camel galloping through the desert.

Bei Wushuang has escaped!

Pan Dehai transformed into an invisible form and gave chase. Refusing to give up, Gao Shuxia and Hundred-Eyed Fish chased after Bei Wushuang as well.

The sand pit was empty. Not a single person remained.

On his own five-hundred-meter plot of land, Zhang Wanlong said to Little Gen, "Brother, let's just see how long we can hold out for. The longer we can hold out, the more we can help your Master Qi, even if it's just a little bit more."

1. For the camel context, "Bei Wushuang" can be translated as “a camel without two humps”, i.e. saying he’s a one-humped camel. “Bei Wufeng” can be translated as “camel with no hump”. ☜