Chapter 129: Tearing off Faces

Li Banfeng stayed inside the Pocket Dwelling for more than half a day. When the sun reached mid-afternoon, he stepped out and began the journey home.

He had already advanced to a level-two Wanderlust Cultivator. With all his frequent trips to the new land and other dangerous places, he had made quite a lot of progress in his Wanderlust Cultivation.

In addition, he had taken a Golden Essence Pill yesterday. That single pill granted another hundred days of cultivation to his Wanderlust Cultivation. Altogether, his progress now amounted to roughly twelve years of cultivation, assuming an ordinary Wanderlust Cultivator only completed the basic daily requirements.

Twelve years of cultivation still placed him in the early stage of level two, yet it was already far greater progress than anything he had managed at level one. He sprinted toward Blue Poplar Village, and the journey of more than one hundred li would take him no more than an hour.

When he crossed Jueding Mountain, he deliberately glanced toward the roadside.

The same group was still lying in wait, braving the cold without complaint. Their ability to endure hardship was genuinely impressive.

The truth was that Li Banfeng’s judgment was not entirely accurate. The rest of the ambushers remained in place, but Liu Changyu himself was missing.

He had fallen ill with a persistent high fever. His entire body trembled like chaff in a sieve, and he could barely speak. He was receiving treatment in a nearby village.

The cause was simple: he had caught a cold from the wind. He had taken some herbal decoctions and needed several days of rest.

However, the young man was stubborn. The moment he felt even a little better, he dragged himself back to the roadside to lie in wait. He refused to believe the Ma Family would not send goods out from Greenwater City.

One of his men reported to Liu Changyu, "A group of carts and horses really did pass through this mountain road just now."

Liu Changyu frowned and asked, "Why didn’t you stop them?"

Another subordinate explained, "Young Master, he didn’t make himself clear. That group was traveling from Greenwater City toward Blue Poplar Village. They definitely weren’t carts carrying goods out of the village."

"Fools!" Liu Changyu snapped. "Ma Junyang is a cunning man. If he doesn’t dare send goods out, he’ll simply have people from Greenwater City come in to buy instead!"

Hearing his reasoning, the men nodded to themselves. Liu Changyu’s explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.

"Young Master, you don’t need to worry," one of the men said. "Even if we let them through, they still won’t be able to get the goods out. If they want to return to Greenwater City, they have to pass this road again. We can just rob them then."

Liu Changyu still looked worried. "If the two sides have already settled the payment, the goods might no longer count as either party’s property."

"No matter who the goods belong to, once we rob him and scare him enough, he’ll never dare come back to buy again."

This reasoning sounded plausible to Liu Changyu, so he continued lying in wait by the roadside.

***

Li Banfeng had just returned to the village. On his way back to the wooden hut, he passed the noodle shop when something suddenly tugged at his foot.

He looked down and saw that it was a strand of spider silk clung to his shoe.

Li Banfeng’s heart skipped a beat. The detective had tracked him down.

He rushed straight into the noodle shop. The shopkeeper jolted in fright and stammered, "Sir, we just sold out of noodles."

Li Banfeng ignored him, slipped through the kitchen, and darted out into the backyard before leaping over the wall.

He had barely escaped when Daboinsky strode into the noodle shop. He gave the shopkeeper a polite smile and asked, "Did someone come by just now?"

The shopkeeper did not know how to answer. "This is a noodle shop. People come all the time."

Daboinsky shoved the shopkeeper aside and charged into the backyard. He followed the footprints up the wall, but once he leapt down from the top, the trail had disappeared without a trace.

"Was it him? Judging from the weight of the steps, it should be, but they felt lighter than before," Daboinsky murmured to himself.

"If his steps are lighter, it means his cultivation may have improved," Cedric reminded him from the side.

Daboinsky nodded, then turned to say, "Foreign devil, must you follow me?"

Cedric replied earnestly, "Fake foreign devil, I must follow you."

Daboinsky suddenly pulled out the cocoon. At once, a layer of blisters rose across Cedric’s face, and fluid began to ooze down.

The two were just about to start fighting when a line of carts and horses rolled into the village.

Who are they?

Cedric thought.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Cedric did not recognize them immediately, but Daboinsky reacted immediately and quickly hid far away. He knew that his convoy belonged to the second daughter of the Chu Family.

The carriage curtains were made from Miss Chu’s favorite red fabric, embroidered with golden floral patterns. Most people would have walked past without noticing a thing, but Daboinsky was not most people. He had served Miss Chu before, and the moment his eyes fell upon that particular fabric, recognition struck him as sharply as a pebble against glass.

What in the world is the Chu Family doing in Blue Poplar Village?

Daboinsky wondered

He initially wanted to move closer for a better look, but he eventually gave up on the idea.

He had found himself entwined with the great families far too many times recently, and some instinct deep in his gut told him it would be far wiser not to return to Blue Poplar Village again.

***

Miss Chu, Chu Huaiyuan, swept into the village in a flurry of red curtains and polished wheels. Her carriage rolled to a gentle stop at Ma Wu’s doorstep, and she stepped down.

Ma Wu hurried outside to greet her. He felt a flutter of nerves when he first saw Miss Chu, but they were old acquaintances, so once they settled into the living room and exchanged a few familiar words, his uneasiness faded like frost under the morning sun.

"Miss Chu, I trust you have been well. What brings you to my humble place today?"

"What else could I do if I did not come in person?" Chu Huaiyuan let out a cold laugh. "Young Master Wu refuses to give me any face. I sent you an invitation, yet you would not attend."

Ma Wu quickly explained, "Miss Chu, as you can see, I had only just fought hard to secure this property. Things were tense at the time, and I truly could not get away."

Miss Chu let out a long, weary sigh. "Since you have been so busy and I am apparently so free with my time, I specially came to pay you a visit."

Even though Chu Huaiyuan had nearly killed Ma Wu before, the moment they met face-to-face, they chatted and laughed as if they had always been the closest of friends.

When Ma Wu asked about her business, Miss Chu responded with a few crude remarks. "Ever since you left, those three singing queens have not sung properly at all. Jiang Mengting and Xiao Xiufei went off to act in films, and Xu Qiulan married into money.

"I truly do not understand. When they were working for you, they were always obedient and well-behaved. What method did you use? Did you manage to make them that way in bed?"

Ma Wu waved his hands at once. "Miss Chu gives me far too much credit. I have no such ability."

Miss Chu laughed. "I have heard that Young Master Wu’s abilities go far beyond that."

Ma Wu let out a soft sigh. "Rumors cannot be trusted, and even what people see may not be the truth. Real skill is always kept out of sight. How could I possibly let others witness it so easily?"

Hearing this, Miss Chu widened her heavily shadowed eyes in a show of mock surprise. "Then shall I try it out with Young Master Wu another day?"

Ma Wu laughed. "There is no need to wait for another day. Today is a perfect day for it. Miss Chu, are you interested?"

Miss Chu gave a playful smile. "Listen to yourself. What sort of person are you taking me for? Do you think I travelled all this way just to deliver myself to your doorstep?"

A few crude jokes were shared, a few teasing words exchanged, and a few small gifts passed between them. None of this mattered. As long as he did not do business with Chu Huaiyuan, there would be no real trouble.

However, Miss Chu had come precisely for business. "Young Master Wu, your shop has only just opened. I really must buy at least two items to show my support."

Ma Wu waved his hands again and again. "I cannot allow that. You have already given me so many gifts today. I would not dare let you spend anything more."

Miss Chu smiled. "Why be so distant? And besides, I am not buying much. I only want a little good luck."

Hearing that, Ma Wu felt he really should not refuse. He brought Miss Chu to the warehouse and introduced several specialties from the new land. He thought she would choose one or two items as a token gesture, but he was wrong.

Miss Chu had brought such a mountain of gifts for Ma Wu that all ten carriages were packed to the brim.

After the gifts were unloaded, Miss Chu instructed her people to load the carts. "Empty this warehouse. I want everything."

Ma Wu was taken aback. "Miss Chu, wait a moment, the price..."

"Use the price written in your ledger. I won't bargain with you today. Load the carts."

"This really is not proper."

Miss Chu paused for a moment. "Young Master Wu, whatever are you saying? You opened your doors for business, I came to buy your goods, and now you tell the buyer she is being improper?"

Ma Wu had nothing to say to that. Miss Chu had not bargained in the slightest, so she had not broken any rule at all.

Dozens of subordinates moved back and forth with boxes in their arms while the accountant beside them tallied the costs as they went. Miss Chu had come prepared for everything.

In no time at all, the warehouse stood completely empty.

The accountant carried over several crates of banknotes and set them before Ma Wu. Miss Chu lifted one of the crates herself and placed it directly into Ma Wu’s hands, and a photographer nearby snapped photo after photo as if afraid to miss a single moment.

After the photographs were taken, Miss Chu gave a small wave of her hand before boarding her carriage and taking her leave.

Ma Wu stood in the warehouse without moving at all. Why had he not resisted?

Miss Chu was a level-two Ascetic Cultivator.

She also commanded Yang Yanzheng, a level-four expert, along with a level-five top enforcer, and more level-two and level-three guards than one could count.

Ma Wu had neither the opportunity nor the strength to resist.

***

Miss Chu rode her carriage back toward Greenwater City. When she reached the stretch of road beside Jueding Mountain, the Liu Family’s junior shopkeeper, Liu Changyu, spotted her from afar and noticed the goods piled high on the carriage.

Earthen longevity peaches!

The peaches were unmistakable. They were one of the well-known specialties from the new land in Blue Poplar Village.

Miss Chu had not boxed the peaches, nor had she bothered to cover them with tarps. She had no intention of hiding them at all. She wanted everyone to see, as plainly as possible, that these goods had come from Ma Wu’s home.

When Liu Changyu caught sight of the earthen longevity peaches, he understood at once. These were the people delivering goods to the Ma Family.

The junior shopkeeper ordered everyone to prepare themselves, but the convoy never entered the ambush circle. It stopped well before reaching the ambush point.

What's going on? What's happening? Are they on guard? Naturally they had. How could they not?

Miss Chu had Yang Yanzheng at her side, a level-four Wanderlust Cultivator. With such malice aimed in their direction, how could he possibly fail to sense it?

Being on guard was fine. Liu Changyu had no desire to injure innocent people in the first place.

He had his men prepare the fire lances and rolling logs before calling out toward the convoy on the mountain road, "Friends passing by, leave your carriages and horses behind and be on your way. We do not want to hurt anyone."

No one in the convoy responded, nor did anyone leave.

Liu Changyu shouted again, "We truly do not want to hurt you. You were not even our target. But you must leave these goods behind. Let this serve as a reminder not to buy from Blue Poplar Village in the future. Their goods will never make it past Jueding Mountain."

The convoy still did not move.

Beside Liu Changyu stood a level-three martial cultivator named Guo Shanqi. Holding his rifle, he murmured, "Junior Shopkeeper, we need to let them see a little blood, or they will never learn fear."

Liu Changyu frowned. "My father told us to take the goods only and not hurt anyone."

Guo Shanqi shook his head. "Junior Shopkeeper, you still do not understand what the old shopkeeper meant. If we do not harm anyone, how are we supposed to take anything?

"The old shopkeeper meant that we should keep the deaths to a minimum, not avoid them altogether. Killing half of them is nothing. Those cart drivers and loaders have lives cheaper than dog filth. And you care about them..."

Guo Shanqi fell abruptly silent. A chill ran through Liu Changyu as he turned, only to find that Guo Shanqi’s head had vanished.

Behind him stood a thin, middle-aged woman. Her arms were unusually long, each one bending lightly at the elbow in a way that faintly resembled a mantis’s blades.

In her right hand, she held Guo Shanqi’s severed head. She seemed strangely fond of it as she pried open the skull and began to lick at the exposed brain matter.

This mantis-like woman was Wen Hongyan, Miss Chu’s top thug and a level-five Physique Cultivator.

Everyone around them fell silent in terror. A few brave souls raised their guns and fired at Wen Hongyan.

Wen Hongyan’s figure vanished in an instant. When she appeared again, every person who had fired a shot had their head on the ground, neatly arranged around her.

Each head had its skullcap cleanly sliced away, looking like coconuts with their tops cut open, set out as though waiting for Wen Hongyan to feast.

Liu Changyu froze where he stood, utterly unsure of what he should do. Being a level-one Nightfiend Cultivator, he wanted to summon his ghost servants over to defend for a bit.

But before he could act, Yang Yanzheng suddenly appeared before him and grabbed him by the hair.

With a bright smile on his face, he said, "So you are the bandit leader? Our young lady would like to see you.”

Liu Changyu was too weak to resist, and everyone around stood frozen, too afraid to intervene.

Yang Yanzheng dragged Liu Changyu over to Miss Chu’s carriage. Miss Chu stepped out, looked him over, and asked gently, “You want to rob me?”

Liu Changyu’s face turned deathly pale, and he could not say a single word.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Miss Chu clicked her tongue before letting out a sigh. “Such a handsome young man. Why choose the life of a robber? What a waste of such a pretty face.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she dug her fingernails into Liu Changyu’s cheek.

She dragged her nails and tore the flesh at once, lifting Liu Changyu’s whole face away in a single, perfect piece.

Author's Note:

PS: This is literally tearing off faces.