CHAPTER 451: CHAPTER 317: THE RESIDENCE OF MOUNTAIN-UPROOTING MASTER

The best way to sneak into the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s residence unnoticed was to use the Unobstructed Technique.

Li Banfeng’s own Unobstructed Technique alone might not be sufficient; he would have to borrow it from Hong Ying.

Hong Ying could also be considered Li Banfeng’s House Spirit. Borrowing a Technique from her using the Deep House Technique would be technically easy to implement.

But that was provided Hong Ying was willing.

Hong Ying had changed a lot recently, but Li Banfeng hadn’t paid her much attention.

Now that he had a favor to ask, trying to get close to her again would make Li Banfeng seem very insincere.

At the very least, he needed to bring Hong Ying a gift first.

Her hair has grown long; should he bring her a hair tie?

A gift too light wouldn’t convey the sentiment.

How about bringing her some rouge?

The amount of rouge also didn’t seem quite enough.

Bring a couple of pieces of jewelry?

In these desolate mountains and wild valleys, where would one go to buy them?

Li Banfeng thought about buying some jewelry from Meng Yuchun, but it turned out she didn’t like wearing jewelry and didn’t even use rouge.

What to do then?

After thinking for a long time, Li Banfeng finally thought of an appropriate gift.

He knew what Hong Ying truly liked in her heart, a gift that seemed as distant as the horizon yet was as close as right in front of him!

There was no gift better than his own sincerity!

Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence, sat down next to Hong Ying, and with a hint of awkwardness and nervousness, said, "Miss Hong, I have a matter to discuss with you."

Hong Ying, knowing Li Banfeng had returned, was sitting demurely to one side, shyly eating the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s flesh.

Upon hearing Li Banfeng initiate conversation, Hong Ying lightly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with a Silk Handkerchief. With the poise of a well-bred lady, she said softly, "Why call me Miss Hong? It makes us sound like strangers."

Li Banfeng ardently called out, "Ying Ying, I’d like to borrow your Technique."

Hong Ying turned away, pouting. "You think you can borrow it just by asking?"

Li Banfeng grabbed Hong Ying’s hand and said fervently, "Ying Ying, I know your feelings, and I won’t let you down."

"Qilang, are these words truly from your heart?" Hong Ying gripped Li Banfeng’s hand in return.

"Truly from my heart!" Li Banfeng stuffed ten Ocean Dollars into Hong Ying’s hand. "I am a sincere person; I never bother with false pretenses."

Clutching the Ocean Dollars, Hong Ying’s right hand trembled for a moment. "You’re giving me Silver Yuan... and only ten of them?"

Li Banfeng added another ten. "There’s more if it’s not enough!"

Hong Ying suppressed her anger, counted the Ocean Dollars, then put them away.

"What Technique do you want to borrow?"

"The Unobstructed Technique."

"What will you use it for?"

"To enter the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s lair and find her Contract Book!"

"Twenty Ocean Dollars is not enough!"

"Then you name your price!"

After a moment’s thought, Hong Ying suddenly laughed. "You ’oil up’ that wicked woman every few days. I just want to know how that ’oiling’ is done!"

"Why ask about that?"

"I don’t just want to ask; I want to try it myself."

Li Banfeng looked at Hong Ying seriously and asked, "Do you have gears?"

Hong Ying replied, "No."

"Do you have chains?"

"No."

"Do you have bearings?"

"No..."

"Then what do you have to oil?"

Hong Ying didn’t know how to respond.

Li Banfeng handed another ten Ocean Dollars to Hong Ying. "Let’s consider the matter settled then."

"Okay." Hong Ying agreed, seemingly in a daze.

Li Banfeng used the Deep House Technique to make a pact with Hong Ying and then left the Portable Residence.

Hong Ying tidied her hair, then continued eating the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s flesh.

After a couple of bites, Hong Ying lost her appetite.

What’s the point in eating this? Even if it grows, nobody covets it.

The Phonograph, who had been watching the entire time, couldn’t help but laugh. "Hey, you wretch! Didn’t he give you thirty Ocean Dollars? Out there, it’s only three Ocean Dollars. Your price isn’t low at all."

"What’s three Ocean Dollars?"

"The Changsan Book Residence, don’t you know?"

Hong Ying genuinely didn’t know, and the Phonograph refused to explain. So, she grabbed the Tang Sword. "What is the Changsan Book Residence?"

The Tang Sword said in a trembling voice, "This humble general is an upright individual. I have never frequented such establishments."

Hong Ying threw down the Tang Sword and sighed.

The other Magical Treasures, seeing she wasn’t eating anymore, all came over to share the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s flesh.

"Wretch," the Phonograph cautioned, "being able to regain your human form is your good fortune. Don’t debase yourself over a moment of pique."

"Who am I having a fit of pique with?" Hong Ying snorted. "So what if I’ve taken a liking to that madman? Can’t I?"

"What do you see in him? You’re just trying to spite me, aren’t you? You can’t fathom that madman’s temperament; don’t waste your efforts on this."

While they spoke, the group of Magical Treasures had eaten their fill, but the room was still a mess.

"Look at this mess! Hong Ying, go and bring that wretch Red Lotus here. Let her clean it up."

Hong Ying spat at the Phonograph. Perhaps because she was used to taking orders from it in the past, Hong Ying obediently went to the Seventh Room and brought Red Lotus over.

Looking at the scattered remnants on the floor, Red Lotus said to the Phonograph, "Vile woman, are you treating me like a swill pail?"

"Oh, my dear," the Phonograph cooed, "how can you say that? Whose swill pail would contain so many good materials to eat?"

Red Lotus suppressed her anger and ate all the flesh and blood on the ground until it was spotless.

「 」

Li Banfeng returned to the edge of the cliff and first asked Meng Yuchun, "What does the Contract Book look like?"

Meng Yuchun took a stick and drew a picture on the ground.

Home Cultivators generally have decent drawing skills; this is a foundation from the Golden House Concealing Beauties Technique.

However, Li Banfeng didn’t see anything like a scroll in the drawing. He only saw a box containing something that resembled a seal.

"This is the Contract Book?"

Meng Yuchun pointed at the drawing. "This is not the Contract Book. This is the Land Seal and the Seal Box."

"The Seal Box is entirely yellow, with a silver-white circular ring carved on its lid. As long as you find this box, you’ll find the Land Seal. The Contract Book is buried directly beneath the Land Seal; you’ll only need to dig about half a foot down to find it."

Li Banfeng was puzzled. "Why is that?"

Meng Yuchun explained, "The Contract Book can gather the territory’s cultivation but cannot store it.

"Once the Contract Book is buried, it must not be unearthed. Otherwise, the Local Deity will lose its position and soon after lose its Cloud Top Cultivation. So, you definitely can’t see the Contract Book on the surface.

"The Land Seal can store cultivation. It usually presses down on top of the Contract Book, drawing out the cultivation within the Contract Book to distribute to the creatures of the territory.

"However, the cultivation inside the Land Seal dissipates easily, so it must be kept inside the Seal Box.

"The Contract Book, Land Seal, and Seal Box are all bestowed by the Inner State. These three items cannot be replicated by a Local Deity; not even a Local Deity with Craftsman Cultivation could replicate them.

"So, as long as you can find the Seal Box, you will definitely be able to find the Contract Book."

Having understood the details, Li Banfeng observed the shapes of the Land Seal and the Seal Box more carefully.

After sending the others away, Li Banfeng borrowed Hong Ying’s power and, using the technique taught to him by Grandpa Train, plunged headfirst into the cliff face.

Hong Ying’s strength was far greater than Li Banfeng’s. With her power, Li Banfeng, while using the Unobstructed Technique, could travel deeper and even turn corners.

Li Banfeng delved more than two li deep within the rock and finally saw the residence of the Mountain-Uprooting Master.

The residence of the Mountain-Uprooting Master was a three-sectioned mansion.

Li Banfeng struck a match and saw two Mountain Wolves guarding the entrance.

"Someone is coming."

"It’s not the Master. The footsteps are wrong, and the scent is wrong too."

"What scent did you pick up?"

"There’s a smell of smoke and fire."

"It seems there’s also the smell of blood. This person seems to be covered in a lot of blood."

These two Mountain Wolves could speak human words, but they could only identify newcomers by sound and smell.

Li Banfeng looked closer and realized that the wolves’ eyes had been gouged out, leaving only two dark, empty sockets on their faces.

"Who are you! How did you get in here?" one of the Mountain Wolves roared at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng looked at the Mountain Wolf and asked, "Was it that old hag who gouged out your eyes?"

The other Mountain Wolf shouted, "What concern is that of yours? To be able to serve the Master as slaves is our good fortune!"

Li Banfeng advanced step by step towards the two Mountain Wolves, his voice calm. "The Mountain-Uprooting Master is dead. You will have to serve a new master."

One Mountain Wolf roared, "Don’t speak such nonsense! A loyal minister does not serve two lords! As long as we draw breath, you won’t even think of entering this gate!"

Li Banfeng stared at that Mountain Wolf, and then his figure suddenly vanished.

The eyeless Mountain Wolf could not see Li Banfeng. It tried to locate him by sound but couldn’t perceive his position.

The other Mountain Wolf felt something viscerally—the sticky sensation of fresh blood splattering its face.

The Mountain Wolf that had been guarding the gate with it had exploded, showering its face with flesh and blood.

Li Banfeng crouched down, patting the surviving wolf’s head. "If you don’t want a new master, you can go and join the Mountain-Uprooting Master."

The Mountain Wolf gritted its teeth. "I am not that spineless!"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "Then take out your spine for me to see?"

"No need to take it out! You can see it!"

The Mountain Wolf straightened its spine and walked into the courtyard, shouting loudly to everyone inside, "We’re changing masters! Everyone, stand aside! Hey, you sweeping there, are you blind? The Master has arrived, and you’re still blocking the path!"

The one sweeping was a rabbit. She was indeed blind, her eyes also gouged out by the Mountain-Uprooting Master. Hearing the Mountain Wolf’s yell, she was momentarily unsure where to stand.

The Mountain Wolf turned back to Li Banfeng. "Master, this way, please."

Is it reliable to let a blind person lead the way?

The Mountain Wolf was very confident. "Master, aren’t you looking for the Contract Book? These others are useless. I know where the Contract Book is!"

"How do you know that?"

"My ears are sharp! I can’t see, but I can hear clearly."

Can one really know where the Contract Book is hidden just by listening?

This Mountain Wolf actually knew.

He led Li Banfeng to the entrance of a cellar in the back courtyard. "Master," he said, "please go inside and take a look. As long as you recognize what the Contract Book looks like, you’ll definitely find it."

Li Banfeng frowned. "How do you know the Contract Book is definitely in the cellar?"

The Mountain Wolf answered, "Every year, during the twelfth lunar month, the Mountain-Uprooting Master distributes cultivation to the creatures of the territory. We also get a little.

"Each time she distributes cultivation, the Mountain-Uprooting Master comes into this cellar. I’ve listened for so many years; it’s absolutely true, there’s no mistake."

Li Banfeng looked at the cellar entrance. The heavy stone door was shut tight. There was no visible lock, nor any obvious way to open it.

Then I won’t bother trying to open it.

Li Banfeng passed directly through the door and descended the cellar steps, the light of a struck match illuminating his way.

The cellar was large, cluttered with various items: bolts of cloth, furs, many medicinal herbs, as well as cabinets, chests, and some dilapidated furniture.

This didn’t look like a place where a Contract Book would be hidden.

Li Banfeng scanned the clutter and noticed a peculiar object.

A stone lion, as tall as a man.

What was a stone lion doing in a cellar?

Could it be that there was something beneath the lion?

Li Banfeng tried to move the stone lion. As a Sixth Layer Traveling Cultivator and Home Cultivator, his strength far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

But it was unclear what kind of stone the lion was made of; Li Banfeng tried three times, but the stone lion didn’t budge in the slightest.

The Mountain-Uprooting Master was a Strength Cultivator. Anything she used to guard something would certainly be immovable by Li Banfeng.

What he was looking for was very likely underneath this stone lion.

Should he just dig directly under the stone lion?

Li Banfeng tapped the floor; the stone slabs were as hard as steel.

Digging directly was unrealistic.

Time to drill!

Li Banfeng used the Unobstructed Technique again, burrowing into the ground beside the lion’s paw, then quickly turned towards the lion.

With this turn, Li Banfeng broke through a wall and entered another chamber.

Striking another match, Li Banfeng finally made out the layout of this new space.

Beneath the main cellar was a smaller one.

The smaller cellar had an entrance in its ceiling, upon which rested the immovable stone lion, making it inaccessible by normal means.

Inside the smaller cellar, only one item was placed in the center of the floor—a small yellow wooden box, one foot long, half a foot wide, and half a foot high.

A silver-white ring was engraved on the box.