The Way Forward, the Way Home

In the bridal chamber, Li Banfeng had the Light Bulb sit on the bed first.

The Light Bulb was nervous; he wanted to remove the Red Veil, but Li Banfeng refused.

It's fine to cover it like this. The Light Bulb under the cover is very nervous. The more nervous he is, the better he cooperates.

As expected, after a moment of silence, before Li Banfeng could ask any questions, the Light Bulb spoke up:

"Are you Li Qi? If so, please answer me first."

Li Banfeng remained silent.

The Light Bulb sobbed twice and said, "Seventh Master, it was my fault for being ignorant. I didn't know my place, I was too arrogant."

I went to Carefree Dock by myself without even saying hello. I actually just wanted to see Jiang Mengting's Song Festival, but I didn't have a ticket, so I could only stand at the entrance. I absolutely didn't mean anything by it.

Li Banfeng smiled and said, "Since you like listening to music so much, I'll find you a job in Carefree Dock. You can listen to music every night without needing a ticket."

The Light Bulb cried, "You're too kind, Seventh Master. Carefree Dock has no use for someone like me. All the mistakes I made before were my fault. I've suffered so much; consider it punishment."

"Seventh Master, if you're still not satisfied, hit me a couple more times. If two hits aren't enough, keep hitting me until you're satisfied. I just beg you to spare my life!"

Li Banfeng was somewhat surprised. He remembered that when he saw the Light Bulb at school, the kid was quite tongue-tied and nervous when he spoke, which gave Li Banfeng the opportunity to sneak up on him.

Later, when I met Light Bulb in Carefree Dock, I could tell that he had matured a bit, but he still wasn't very good at talking.

It's been a while since we last met, Light Bulb has changed quite a bit. He spoke very fluently, which Li Banfeng appreciated. Even if he didn't speak fluently, it wouldn't work. At the hunter's camp, although Shen Xueyong was there to look after him, he still had to speak clearly when talking to others, otherwise it would cause unnecessary misunderstandings. These were lessons learned through blood and tears.

Li Banfeng said, "I'm sending you to Carefree Dock for your own good. You're fair-skinned and have captivating eyes. If you train hard for a few days, you might become a pop star."

"I'm not cut out for this, Seventh Master!"

"How will you know it won't work if you don't try? Being a singer earns much more than being in the Dark Star Bureau."

Even if Li Qi was referring to the Guanfang Hall, the Light Bulb could still argue for a while longer.

But since Li Qi has already mentioned the Dark Star Bureau, there's no point in trying to argue anymore.

The Light Bulb was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "You know me inside and out, so I can't keep anything from you anymore."

I'm from the Dark Star Bureau, sent to Pro State for further training. I know nothing about it. I was ordered to go to Carefree Dock to monitor you, so I went, and ended up in your hands.

"I was just a lackey in the Dark Star Bureau, and I'm still a lackey in the Guanfang Hall. I do whatever they tell me to do. Seventh Master, please spare my life."

Li Banfeng lit a cigarette. "I'll spare you, but I'll offer you a job at Carefree Dock. Will you agree or not?"

"Seventh Master, don't joke around, I really can't be a singer!"

"It's fine if you don't become a singer, but you can be my inside man from now on."

"Huh—" The Light Bulb was stunned for a long time. Could someone really say something like that? And so directly?

"What do you mean by 'insider'?"

"What else could it mean? Whether you're in the Dark Star Bureau or the Guanfang Hall, if you find out anything about me in the future, you must inform me in advance. Can you do that?"

The Light Bulb shook his head repeatedly and said, "Seventh Master, aren't you asking me to be a spy? How could I possibly have the guts?"

If you insist on forcing me like this, you might as well just kill me.

"Killing you won't do; there are plenty of men outside waiting to consummate their marriages with you." Li Banfeng got up to leave.

The Light Bulb shouted loudly, "Seventh Master, please don't go! I promise, I promise, okay?"

Li Banfeng stopped and said, "What did you promise? I didn't hear you clearly."

"Whatever you say, I'll agree to!"

"Those are all my brothers outside. I want you to consummate your marriage with them. Will you agree?"

"I can't agree to that. What I agreed to was the inside man."

Li Banfeng asked with a smile, "To put it more clearly, what is the matter concerning the inside man?"

The Light Bulb said, word by word, "I will act as your inside man. Whether it's the Dark Star Bureau or the Guanfang Hall, I will inform you of any news about you immediately."

Li Banfeng brought over a piece of Contract Paper, wrote the contract, and had the Light Bulb press his fingerprint on it.

The Light Bulb said, "I've already pressed my fingerprints, so at least let me see what's written on the contract."

"No rush, there's plenty of time to see," Li Banfeng lifted the Red Veil from the Light Bulb. "From now on, you're mine."

The Light Bulb trembled and asked, "Seventh Master, what are you going to do?"

Li Banfeng said, "I'm going to teach you some things. You must remember them, or you'll lose your life."

Guanfang Hall, Xia Shumin, holding a document, went to Liao Zihui's office. "General Envoy, some things can no longer be concealed. The Dark Star Bureau knows that the Light Bulb is missing and wants us to give an explanation."

Liao Zihui didn't even look up. "I know about this. Just leave the document here."

Xia Shumin sensed something was wrong. Why was Liao Zihui so calm?

Seeing how anxious he was before, he must have already figured it out. Could something have gone wrong?

"General Envoy, the Dark Star Bureau is pressing us hard. We need to give them some feedback. My phone is ringing off the hook."

"A telephone?" Liao Zihui was taken aback. "You can make telephone calls?"

Xia Shumin blurted out, " In Pro State, you can't get through by phone; you need special communication equipment to contact Outer State."

He quickly tried to cover it up. "They contacted me through communication devices."

"Are you using the communication equipment provided by our department, or your own?" Liao Zihui kept looking at Xia Shumin. "If it's equipment provided by our department, I should know about this. But if it's your own equipment, then this is not right. Setting up communication equipment without authorization violates our department's regulations."

Xia Shumin looked embarrassed, while Liao Zihui just stared at him without saying a word.

For a full two minutes, neither of them spoke. Liao Zihui smiled and said, "Xia, you really didn't handle the Light Bulb thing properly. Of course, your intention was good; you wanted to train the newcomer. But because you weren't familiar with the situation in Pro State, your good intentions backfired."

This isn't entirely your fault; I also bear some responsibility. You've been here for so long, and I haven't urged you to strengthen your learning and understanding of Pro State.

You'll be assigned some foundational tasks next; this is an important opportunity for growth and development, so make the most of it.

There are a few thugs in the Goat Horn Garden who have been engaging in gang fights lately, injuring quite a few people and causing a very bad impression. Could you take some time to deal with them?

Are you asking me to handle a fight among thugs?

Is this a warning to me, or an insult to me?

Xia Shumin pondered for a moment and said, "General Envoy, I think the most urgent matter is still with the Light Bulb. The Dark Star Bureau sent people over, but there's still no news of Xiang. We are really—"

Before Xia Shumin could finish speaking, Liao Zihui waved his hand and called over his secretary, Ling Sujun: "Send the information on those thugs from Goat Horn Garden to General Envoy Xia. Also, call over Light Bulb."

Xia Shumin was taken aback. "Who are you calling?"

Liao Zihui laughed and said, "Light Bulb!"

Which Light Bulb?

"Who else could Light Bulb? Dong Xiaoning, the trainee from the Dark Star Bureau!"

Before Xia Shumin could react, Ling Sujun had already brought the person over.

The Light Bulb had its hands crossed below its belt, and it looked hunched over with its head down, appearing flustered.

Xia Shumin stared at it for a while, then realized it was indeed Light Bulb: "Why, why are you still—"

Liao Zihui laughed and said, "You mean to ask why he's still alive, right?"

Xia Shumin quickly stood up, grabbed the Light Bulb's hand, and said, "You've worried me to death! What have you been doing all these days? I haven't heard a thing."

The Light Bulb said, "You asked me to go to Carefree Dock to keep an eye on Li Qi. I went, but Li Qi Running East and West. There were some places I wasn't familiar with, and I lost him after following him for two days."

"Come back if you lose me!"

The Light Bulb shook its head and said, "I didn't dare to come back before the mission was completed. I checked the information you gave me and looked for Li Qi's properties. I actually found him in Blue Poplar Village."

Xia Shumin asked in surprise, "You found Li Qi?"

"Found him. His men are suppressing bandits near Blue Poplar Village, and Li Qi himself went there as well."

"Didn't he notice you?"

"No." The Light Bulb shook its head.

"He's a level five Dark Energy User. With his abilities, how could he not have detected you?" Xia Shumin said in disbelief.

The Light Bulb paused for a moment, then said, "General Envoy Xia, were you certain that Li Qi would discover me?"

Xia Shumin realized he had said something wrong and quickly explained, "This is not a prediction, but a deduction based on the strength of both sides."

The Light Bulb paused for a moment and said, "You can deduce that I will definitely be discovered by him?"

"So you want me to monitor him?"

Xia Shumin was speechless; he couldn't explain himself anymore.

Don't assume that someone of his caliber doesn't make mistakes. People at his level often make mistakes, but no one dares to point them out.

But today, the Light Bulb dared to point it out, and even embarrassed Xia Shumin.

The reason is simple: Liao Zihui was watching from the side, which gave the Light Bulb the confidence to speak.

Liao Zihui laughed and said, "Xia, I had Su Jun put the materials on your desk. Go and check on those hooligans at Goat Horn Garden first, and try to come up with a preliminary plan by tomorrow."

Liao Zihui offered a way out, and Xia Shumin quickly accepted the task and left the office of the Guanfang Hall.

Back in his office, Xia Shumin frowned and looked displeased.

Things were handled very poorly today; we were put on the defensive from the very beginning.

The reason for his passivity was simple: he lacked sufficient information. He didn't know that the Light Bulb was still alive, let alone that Light Bulb had returned to the Guanfang Hall.

This incident also served as a wake-up call for him.

The Guanfang Hall is Liao Zihui's territory. As long as Liao Zihui is still here, it will be difficult for others to cause any trouble.

At the Bai Le Men, Liao Zihui brought Light Bulb into the Famous Courtesan Room and invited the popular singer Chang Hongjiao to perform.

This is a special arrangement for the Light Bulb, meant to calm Light Bulb spirits; no one else is brought along.

Is Liao Zihui treating Light Bulb (a derogatory term for someone who is overly protective of their subordinate) this way because he cares about his subordinates?

Not entirely. The Light Bulb was just there for further training; strictly speaking, he wasn't Liao Zihui's subordinate.

He was worried that the Light Bulb would go back to the Dark Star Bureau and spread rumors.

No, Liao Zihui's status is vastly different from that of the Light Bulb." As long as the Light Bulb" is alive, no matter what nonsense he says, it won't have much impact on Liao Zihui.

The purpose of this trip was to investigate the relationship between the Light Bulb and Li Qi. Liao Zihui didn't believe that the Light Bulb had followed Li Qi so many days without being discovered by him.

But he didn't intend to press for answers; instead, he wanted to extract information from the Light Bulb.

In this kind of setting and atmosphere, it's easy for people to let their guard down and say things they shouldn't.

After singing two songs, Liao Zihui asked Chang Hongjiao to leave temporarily and asked in a low voice, "Xiao Ning, what do you think of this girl?"

The Light Bulb shook its head and said, "I think it's just so-so."

"This is just average?" Liao Zihui said. "With her looks, figure, and singing voice, is she really inferior to singers from Outer State?"

"She's way better than the singers in our area. Besides, with my status, I don't have access to any decent singers. When I say she's average, I'm referring to her compared to Jiang Mengting."

"You've also been to Jiang Mengting's Song Festival?"

The Light Bulb lowered its voice and said, "I've seen it. Li Qi took me there."

Liao Zihui asked in surprise, "You know Li Qi?"

"I guess we know each other," Light Bulb scratched his head. "We didn't know each other in Blue Poplar Village, but after we came back from suppressing the bandits Blue Poplar Village, Li Qi went back to Carefree Dock, and I went with him. I wanted to see what he planned to do next."

As a result, Li Qi sent someone to invite me in, saying I could watch a Song Festival. So I went in and watched it in a private room.

I was quite scared at the time. Li Qi even came into the private room once and said a few words to me.

"What did they say?"

"He said I've had a tough time and told me not to come again," the Light Bulb said, looking somewhat ashamed, and lowered its head. "General Envoy, did Li Qi already know I was spying on him?"

Liao Zihui didn't know how to comment. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I feel ashamed," the Light Bulb- shaped head sank even deeper. "Am I General Envoy that useless?"

Liao Zihui smiled slightly, called Chang Hongjiao back, and continued singing.

Just as he expected, Li Qi had already seen through the identity of the Light Bulb. However, he did not expect that Li Qi would not harm the Light Bulb, but instead bring the matter to light.

Is this Li Qi taking the initiative to ease tensions?

Let's just say that.

It would be good to have a couple of peaceful days.

Portable Abode, Li Banfeng said to Hong Ying, "Yingying, is there a technique that can kick someone a long way?"

Hong Ying thought for a moment and said, "This doesn't seem to be a technique. When I was learning martial arts, I practiced a move called 'Ma Duan Dan Tian,' which could lift a person more than two zhang away with one kick."

"More than two zhang!" Li Banfeng waved his hand and said, "It can be carried for several li."

"Several miles?" Hong Ying didn't quite understand.

Li Banfeng scratched his head and said, "It might be more than that. I fought with that person at Yellow Earth Bridge. Afterwards, I went to Yellow Earth Bridge to look for him, but I never saw him again. Could it be that I kicked him outside Yellow Earth Bridge?"

And he flew out, and so did I, flying directly from Yellow Earth Bridge to Green Water Bay.

Hong Ying said, "Seventh Son, before you use your technique, do you ever lose your sense of direction?"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "I couldn't tell them apart before, but I don't know why I was able to tell them apart later."

Hong Ying exclaimed joyfully, "Seventh Son, you've used the A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique!"

Li Banfeng had heard some descriptions of the A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique before, and he thought it sounded very similar. After hearing what Hong Ying said, it seemed to be true.

"How did I learn this technique? I don't know the key points, and this is Ninth Layer skill from the Travel Cultivator."

"The A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique' isn't as complicated as 'Intent Travels a Thousand Mountains,' and there are indeed examples of people who have mastered it without a teacher," Hong Ying said, holding Li Qi's hand. "Seventh Son, you've learned the Ninth Layer the skill, which proves you've become Ninth Layer cultivator. From now on, you'll definitely be able to distinguish between different sects!"

Snap!

The record player smacked Hong Ying hard on the back. "What does this have to do with social status?"

"Hiss~" Hong Ying rubbed the peach and hissed several times. "You shrew, that was a really hard hit."

Li Banfeng explained, "I may have inadvertently borrowed the technique from Yingying at the time."

The record player said, "My dear husband, look closely. Did you use the Ninth Layer the technique on your own, or did you Willful and Determined use a technique that exceeded the required level?"

Li Banfeng had also thought about this problem.

The chances of using techniques across levels are slim. While it is true that using Willful and Determined Technique can forcefully elevate one's level, once one uses techniques across levels, one will suffer severe damage. Li Banfeng has experienced this firsthand.

Hong Ying also felt that Li Banfeng had advanced. "Seventh Son has been walking on Knife Ghost Ridge for several days, so his cultivation should have increased dramatically. Of course, it's not that easy to say that he has increased his cultivation by an entire level."

However, Seventh Son said that the situation at Knife Ghost Ridge had changed; DaoLao Ghost could now emerge without waiting for a thunderstorm, making it significantly more dangerous than before. Therefore, it was reasonable for Seventh Son to move to a higher level directly.

The record player sighed, "With such a rapid promotion, how can the body handle it?"

Hong Ying laughed and said, "Xiao Wan, didn't Seventh Son say that this technique was borrowed?"

"You still dare to talk back!" Zhao Xiaowan grabbed Hong Ying and gave her a good beating.

As Hong Ying was being beaten, she shouted, "He said those words, why are you hitting me?"

Li Banfeng asked, "Yingying, where did that person I kicked out go?"

Hong Ying rubbed the peach and said, "That depends on where Seventh Son wants to send him."

"Where can I send it?"

Hong Ying nodded and said, "That's true, but it's not that simple to use. The A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique '..."

The key to the technique lies in the way out and the way back.

The destination refers to others, specifically the people Seventh Son wants to send away. Before sending someone away, Seventh Son can send that person wherever he envisions them.

But there are two things to do beforehand. First, you must be clear about the route; it must be a familiar place. Every Hao Capital be clear in your mind, because even the slightest ambiguity will lead to mistakes.

When I was in the army, I once tried to send the enemy leader to my own camp so that Xiao Wan could deal with him. In the heat of battle, my mind became a little clouded, and I inadvertently sent the man into my own granary.

For this, that Wicked Woman beat me a full one hundred and twenty times. Just thinking about it makes me feel so wronged.

At this point, Hong Ying's voice trembled slightly, and she roared in fury, "One hundred and twenty lashes? Because of your trembling, you worthless woman, the entire army's food supplies were burned!"

Hong Ying continued, "The second thing is that you must distinguish the direction. If you can't distinguish the direction,..."

The techniques can be used, but it's hard to say where the enemy will fly off to, and you yourself don't know where they'll end up.

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "In other words, there is a discrepancy between the destination and what we imagined."

Hong Ying shook her head and said, "It's not so much a deviation as it is a complete irrelevant issue. In my haste..."

I once used the A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles to describe my mother.

My mother was about to discipline me, and I just wanted to push her into the garden so I could find a chance to escape. But I didn't know which way was which, and I accidentally pushed her into the outhouse, where she fell into the pit and almost drowned.

After I came out of the outhouse, my mother beat me for two whole days. Thinking about it makes me feel wronged.

Li Banfeng comforted her, "Yingying, don't cry. You didn't hit her enough. Please explain the direction-distinguishing thing in more detail."

Hong Ying said, "This matter involves the journey home. No matter how high one's cultivation level is, when Travel Cultivator uses the A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique, he will inevitably lose his way. To find his way back, he must leave a tether beforehand. This tether is called the journey home."

What is a bond?

"Entanglements are like the banner of a camp, like the anchor hook on a ship; I can't quite explain them."

I used to have two ropes, which were rare treasures and my most useful bonds.

During battle, I would tie one rope around my waist and bury the other rope in a safe place.

After using the Separation by A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique, the rope around my waist will tighten and connect with the rope buried in the ground. This will allow me to orient myself and find my way home. After sending the enemy away, I will follow the path back to safety.

It's such a pity that these two ropes were lost on the battlefield. Thinking about it, my heart aches—"

The record player said, "Yingying, don't be sad. I'll make you a chain someday and tie it around your neck."

Hong Ying snorted coldly and said, "This kind of magic weapon is definitely hard to find, but there are other ways to arrange the return journey, such as carrying a superior communication magic weapon and finding a reliable helper to send a message at a critical moment."

This method is quite common. The only problem is that if it's taught too early, before the technique is even used, it's useless.

If the message gets out too late, neither side will know where it has gone, so the helper must be quick-witted, and the plan must be thorough.

The record player laughed and said, "Hey, husband, are you regretting it now? This A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles Technique is really not very useful."

Hong Ying retorted, "Who says it's not useful? Bring out your Ninth Layer House Cultivator technique, and let's compare which one is better!"

Li Qi said, "Wife, we can't let this go unpunished. Let's show her the Ninth Layer House Cultivator Technique!"

The phonograph sighed, "Why is my husband in such a hurry? Let you rest for a few days, and Little Slave will naturally take you to the Ninth Layer. But once we reach the Ninth Layer, my husband must be prepared: will you relinquish your physical body to ascend to the Tenth Layer, or will you cross the Tenth Layer and ascend to the clouds?"

Li Banfeng said, "Wasn't this matter already settled? I acquired a piece of Local Earth God to impersonate the local deity."

Isn't it all about crossing Tenth Layer to ascend to the clouds?

"That's true, but my husband's advancement is so rapid, I'm afraid his physique can't keep up. If we were to forcibly seize his cultivation level, Little Slave think it would be too dangerous."

Li Banfeng also felt that he had been promoted too quickly. "Then I'll take good care of my health."

"My lord, you not only need to rest, but you also need to keep the news a secret. Don't let anyone know that you've advanced to the Ninth Layer."

Li Banfeng knew the importance of concealing one's cultivation level, but his Wife's reminder this time was clearly different from before.

"Is there anything special about the Ninth Layer?" Lu Dongliang is known to everyone Ninth Layer, Bao Yingchen, the Big Gold Seal the Three Heroes Gate, would occasionally hint to others that he was also from the Ninth Layer.

The Wife said, "The Ninth Layer is for the most outstanding people. Reaching this level will attract the attention of the Inner State. If you want to go to the Inner State to cultivate in the future, you should not only not hide your identity, but also reveal it. If you can make some friends in the Inner State, you can have some help when you arrive."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I'm definitely not going to Inner State. I've already eaten most of the friends I made Inner State."

The record player said, "Therefore, my lord must teach you properly. Those who have seen my Ninth Layer skill must not be allowed to go out and spread rumors."

So far, only Wan Jinxian has seen Ninth Layer technique.

Where did I send this old man?

At the time, I was thinking of Knife Ghost Ridge, but it wasn't convenient for me to go there to investigate.

Bastard Slope, Songde Village.

The corpse of a man was mangled beyond recognition by the DaoLao Ghost.

Cui Tike stepped forward, frowning, and said, "Senior brother, what happened to you?"

He tried to move the body away, but the DaoLao Ghost) beside him lay prostrate on the ground, letting out a mournful cry.

"Oops!"

Cui Tike still moved the body away. "Senior brother, you shouldn't eat this kind of thing anymore. I have human food here."

He handed DaoLao Ghost a can of food.

DaoLao Ghost picked up the can, sniffed it, and threw it aside; he really disliked the taste of the seasoning.

Cui Tike picked up the can and lifted the tin lid. "Senior brother, try it again and see if you can regain some memories."

DaoLao Ghost held the can of food, stuck out his tongue, and licked the broth inside.

The familiar taste touched his taste buds, seemingly reminding DaoLao Ghost of something.

He ate a piece of beef, and as he chewed carefully, some expression seemed to appear on his swollen and numb face.

Cui Tike leaned closer and asked, "Senior brother, have you remembered something? How did you get here?"

The DaoLao Ghost was like a clay sculpture, half of it frozen in place.

After a long while, he suddenly raised his head and slapped the can of food, soup and all, onto Cui Tike's face.

"Squeak, squeak~" He meant that it tasted terrible.

This DaoLao Ghost, formerly known as Wan Jinxian, left the village on all fours with light steps.

Outside the village, a female DaoLao Ghost was waiting for him. The two faced each other, prostrated themselves on the ground, circled twice, let out a few mournful cries, and then went into the grove together.

Upon seeing this, Cui Tike sighed, "Senior brother seems to have forgotten the troubles of this world."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Jinxian ran out of the grove with light steps.

The female DaoLao Ghost followed behind, her roars seemingly laced with curses and sarcasm.

Cui Tike glanced at his Pocket Watch, shook his head, and said, "It seems some troubles are still lingering."

Wan Jinxian could no longer tolerate the female DaoLao Ghost's harassment, and the two began to fight.

After observing for a moment, Cui Tike noticed that the female DaoLao Ghost had developed a rash.

Rash-

After Wan Jinxian left, Cui Tike went to the female DaoLao Ghost and indicated that he was a better man.

The female DaoLao Ghost accepted Cui Tike.

In the woods, Cui Tike carefully observed her back; the rashes were growing at an alarming rate, which was indeed a technique of Disease Cultivator.

Wan Jinxian can still use techniques!

What about the other DaoLao Ghost?

Cui Tike smiled. If DaoLao Ghost could truly retain some of his cultivation and skills from his previous life, his plan could proceed ahead of schedule.

P. S.: Biological weapons may soon become a biological army.

Salad has been coughing for several days and can't sleep. Dear readers, please give all your monthly votes to Salad.