The Overlord of Puluo

Li Banfeng knew that learning an ability of a level beyond his cultivation level was extremely dangerous, but the ability Hermit's Lockdown was very important to him.

It wasn't the ability itself that mattered so much. Rather, the principles behind Hermit's Lockdown seemed somewhat similar to the boundary lines on the many borders of the land.

After much persuasion from Li Banfeng, Meng Yuchun considered the bigger picture and explained how the ability worked. "Once a Homebound Cultivator reaches level eight, they must first sprinkle blood around their residence. Most people choose four spots. By connecting those four points, they can determine the shape of the boundary.

"Some people use only three points, which makes the boundary easier to form. Others use six, which creates neater boundary lines. In the end, it depends on the methods of the individual cultivator."

The sprinkling of the blood was used to determine the position and shape of the boundary.

Li Banfeng then asked, "So as long as you sprinkle blood and activate this ability, you can light up the boundary lines?"

Meng Yuchun shook her head. "Not yet. You must use the power of your home to create a connection between the house and the bloodstains. That is the most difficult step. Normally, a Homebound Cultivator must remain inside for several months and work together with the house before the boundary lines can be lit. For someone with less talent, it might take them several years.

"Once it succeeds, the bloodstains would become connected to the house. As long as the Homebound Cultivator is inside the house, or not far from it, activating the ability will trigger the boundary lines. The boundary line will be like layers of doors that protect both the house and the Homebound Cultivator.

As Meng Yuchun talked about this, she seemed a little proud. Clearly, she had quite a talent in the performance of this ability.

Li Banfeng asked, "You often say that you will seal off your territory. Does that mean you can extend the boundary lines across the entire fifty kilometers?"

Meng Yuchun's expression turned rather unpleasant. That question had struck directly at something she had been trying to hide.

"I really am not trying to pry into how strong your abilities are. It's just that we might go to war soon, and we need to prepare properly before it begins. At the very least, I need to know how far you can extend the boundary lines with this ability," Li Banfeng said. Once again, Li Banfeng tried to win her over with both reassurance and reason, and Meng Yuchun finally told him the truth.

"My boundary lines can extend no farther than ten kilometers, so they cannot cover my entire territory. When I claim that I can seal off the whole territory, I am only trying to frighten the enemy."

Meng Yuchun might have been simple and honest at heart, but when it came to boasting, she could do it splendidly. Still, it was already very impressive that she could extend her boundary lines across the entire ten kilometers.

The key of this ability was to sprinkle blood around the house. For Li Banfeng, however, this was the difficult part. He could not determine what counted as the area surrounding the Pocket Dwelling, and more importantly, the Pocket Dwelling could move.

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, then asked, "What happens to the blood you sprinkled around your old house if you move to a new one?"

"It becomes useless," Meng Yuchun replied. "After advancing from level nine to level ten, I went to the Inner Provinces. I abandoned my house in Puluo Province, and the people from the Inner Province killed the Dwelling Spirit in that house.

"Later, when I reached level one of the Cloudborne Layer and came to the New Land to become a land deity, I had to build a new home and find another dwelling spirit. Naturally, I also had to start sprinkling blood all over again.

"Speaking of that, I still think it is a great pity. If I never moved to a new place, I could have continued using the bloodstains around my old home. My boundary lines would probably extend more than fifteen kilometers by now. After moving, however, I had to start over from the area around my new residence and slowly extend them outward again. Even reaching ten kilometers is still rather difficult for me."

Li Banfeng asked, "Even though you have reached level one of Cloudborne Layer, you still have to extend the boundary lines little by little from the new house after moving?"

Meng Yuchun nodded. "This has nothing to do with cultivation. It takes time for the house and the bloodstains to develop a connection. No matter how high your cultivation is, you cannot skip that process."

This level-eight Homebound Cultivator ability depended on both the house and the bloodstains. The blood had to be sprinkled around the house, and over time, the house would form a connection with the bloodstains, eventually creating the boundary lines.

The Pocket Dwelling is always moving, so where am I supposed to sprinkle the blood? There is nowhere suitable. The moment I step outside, I cannot even see my home, let alone tell where it is.

Even if the Pocket Dwelling told me its location and I managed to sprinkle blood around it, how can I stay shut inside for several months to ensure that it forms a connection with the bloodstains? I am a Wanderlust Cultivator. I have to keep moving. The moment I leave, the Pocket Dwelling will follow me, while the bloodstains remain where they are. All that effort would be wasted...

Li Banfeng turned the problem over in his mind several times before finally realizing the truth. There was simply no way he could learn this level-eight ability.

This was the problem with the Homebound and Wanderlust paths being incompatible. Even with the Pocket Dwelling, he still couldn't solve this incompatibility problem.

When Meng Yuchun noticed the gloomy look on his face, she asked, "What are you worried about?"

Li Banfeng changed the subject. "I had hoped your ability might protect my territory as well, but now it seems you can barely protect yourself."

Meng Yuchun looked rather ashamed. "All we can do now is hope their terrible battle does not spread into our territory."

For Li Banfeng, this wasn't a problem that could be solved simply by defending his own territory.

Judging by common sense, land deities in remote parts of the New Land usually possessed cultivation at level one of the Cloudborne Layer.

Pan Dehai, however, was a land deity of the Proper Land, so he was probably at level three of the Cloudborne Layer.

There was a great difference in strength between Bei Wushuang and Pan Dehai. If the two of them fought to the death, Pan Dehai would most likely kill Bei Wushuang.

Once Bei Wushuang was dead, Pan Dehai would probably dig out his contract. What would he do with them afterward?

If Pan Dehai handed the contract over to the Inner Provinces in exchange for additional lifespan, the people there would see the record of the battle between Bei Wushuang and the Mountain-Uprooting Lord.

When they compared the records carved on the contract, they might notice that the two sets of contract described the result of the same battle differently. In one of the two contracts, the Mountain-Uprooting Lord's name had already been replaced with Li Furong's.

By then, he would be totally exposed. From Li Banfeng's perspective, it would be best if Pan Dehai didn't win this war.

Should I help Bei Wushuang? Li Banfeng thought. What a joke! Bei Wushuang was one of the culprits who caused the mosquito plague, how can I possibly help this bastard!

It was Li Banfeng's third time taking part in a war between land deities. However, this time was different. In the previous two wars, he had fought as someone else's helper. This time, he would be joining the battle as a land deity himself, and for the moment, he still had no clear idea how he should fight it.

He simply didn't have enough information, but who could tell him about matters at the level of land deity?

Old Mister Xu probably knew something about the situation. Li Banfeng could visit Medicine King Gully and ask him. Alternatively, he could have Ma Wu approach Feng Daiku and gather some information.

***

The wooden cabin had been finished, and He Yuxiu was lecturing Nectarine inside. "Why did you keep squeezing against me in your sleep last night?"

Nectarine looked completely innocent. "I was cold."

"Did I not give you both blankets? Why did you still keep pressing against me?"

Nectarine looked at her with concern. "I was afraid you would be cold."

He Yuxiu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Nectarine, don't think I cannot tell? You are the type that likes polishing a mirror[1]

Nectarine lowered her head and bit her lip.

He Yuxiu lit a cigarette and placed it between Nectarine's lips. "There is no need to be afraid. I have seen everything, and I have been with women before as well. I don't mind keeping you company once in a while, but it is not really to my taste. I like men."

Nectarine blushed. "There are some men I like too."

He Yuxiu laughed. "You are still so young, but your tastes are certainly adventurous. You are a wild one! You can do them flat, long, thin, and any kind?"

Nectarine blushed and said, "It just depends on who it is."

He Yuxiu nodded. "That is the spirit a Hedonism Cultivator should have! Once all this trouble is over, I will take you to Greenwater City. As long as you like the person, just take it. Don't give a damn about whether it's a man or woman!"

"Thank you, Sister." Nectarine looked deeply grateful, but the smile on her face slowly faded. "It is just... I feel like what we are doing is not really right..."

He Yuxiu froze. "What's not right?"

Nectarine's expression grew more serious, though her stammer only worsened. "I... I mean, I cannot do this. I feel so ashamed of myself..."

***

Goldwing pushed Meng Yuchun away and climbed out from beneath the covers. "Yuchun, do you think we have been acting a little too shamelessly?"

Meng Yuchun was stunned. "What did you just say?"

Redwing climbed out from beneath the covers as well. "Yuchun, I think she is right. We are all women, yet we spend every day doing things like this. It is hardly proper."

Meng Yuchun looked at Goldwing and Redwing in surprise. Then she suddenly sensed something.

Someone had entered her territory.

***

Li Banfeng walked around Meng Yuchun's territory and made a special trip to inspect his own one-and-a-half-kilometer plot.

The toad had kept the entire plot in excellent order, while the mountain wolf and the eagle had also helped a great deal.

The house was the only part that left something to be desired. Li Banfeng had hired a group of aardvarks to build it, and they had gone and built the house underground.

Still, an underground house wasn't such a terrible thing. The aardvarks were excellent builders, and they had made sure the place had plenty of fresh air. The New Land was dark anyway, with only a little Heavenly Light shining overhead, so there was hardly any difference between living above the ground and living beneath it.

Li Banfeng was very pleased with the plot. He brought out a large pile of Mystic Blazing Pills and began handing out rewards according to everyone's contributions.

To his surprise, nobody would take them.

The toad lowered his head. "Master, I don't deserve these pills. I failed to do my duty."

Li Banfeng blinked. "How did you fail? Everything here looks perfectly fine."

The toad sighed. "A flock of two-faced sheep came here some time ago and nearly ate every scrap of turf in our domain. I told them to leave, but they wouldn't listen. There were too many of them, and I didn't dare fight them."

Li Banfeng laughed. "Is that all? Sheep eat grass. That is what sheep do. New grass will grow next year, and I had no use for keeping so much of it anyway."

The toad shook his head. "Whether the grass was useful was for you to decide. I had no right to decide for you. I failed in my duty, so I cannot accept your reward."

The mountain wolf spoke from beside him. "This wasn't Steward Toad's fault. It was mine. I am one of the large support hooks, so I should never have allowed those two-faced sheep into your domain, Master. I am too ashamed to remain here."

The male eagle spoke up as well. "I am also one of the large support hooks. I saw those two-faced sheep coming from a long way off. Had I warned everyone earlier, we might have found some way to drive them away before they arrived. But that day, my wife insisted on..."

The female eagle kicked him. "Must you tell everyone everything?"

The male eagle flared up. "Why should I not say it? Did I say anything wrong? You shameless woman! All you ever do is pester me. You even did it with me twice just now. I feel embarrassed merely thinking about it."

What in the world is going on? It's just a flock of sheep eating some grass on the domain. It's such a small matter, but why did it cause such a big fuss? Li Banfeng thought. His eyes shifted as he thought of something and said to the others, "ALL OF YOU! ACCEPT THESE PILLS!"

"Master, we cannot."

"If you refuse, I will consider it an act of disloyalty. Take them at once, then go and hide inside my residence."

The toad shook his head. "We cannot do that. It is your residence, Master. How could servants like us enter whenever we pleased?"

"I told you to go, so go. None of you is to come out without my permission!"

At once, everyone hurried into Li Banfeng's underground residence and hid inside.

Li Banfeng activated Keen-Eyed Perception and began searching Meng Yuchun's territory with the swift steps of a Wanderlust Cultivator.

Beneath a tree stood an old man wearing a round cap and round spectacles. He had a thin moustache that curled down on either side of his mouth and looked every bit like an old loyalist from a fallen dynasty.

The old man smiled at Li Banfeng. "Li Qi, it has been a long time. I am several years older than you. Are you not even going to pay your respects when you see me?"

Pan Dehai has arrived.

Li Banfeng really wanted to bow to Pan Dehai, but he managed to stop himself. It was quite a struggle, but he came up with an excuse to convince himself. "I don't bow to men without virtue."

Pan Dehai blinked. "You say I have no virtue? Where did that accusation come from?"

"You watched a married couple doing private things. That is disgraceful!" Li Banfeng was talking about the two eagles.

Pan Dehai denied it at once. "I didn't watch them!"

"If you didn't, why did they suddenly feel ashamed?"

"They were doing such a thing in broad daylight. Of course they should feel ashamed."

"What were they doing? How did you know about it? And you still dare claim you didn't watch? You shameless old man!"

Pan Dehai stared at Li Banfeng with his eyes wide open. For a long while, he could not think of a single word to say.

Author's Note:

PS: "Polishing mirrors" is a certain kind of term. I am sure everyone understands it, so there is no need for any further explanation.

1. This is an old Chinese euphemism for lesbians. Check translator notes for more information. ☜