Chapter 177: Brother

The pendulum, as it happened, had once studied painting.

As a famous courtesan of her era, she had been trained in the arts, and painting was one of her core skills. Though most of her memories from life had long since faded, her foundation in painting endured, just as the Songstress Flower had retained her singing.

The round, gleaming pendulum pressed against Li Banfeng's hand and guided him, stroke by stroke. He practiced all night, and by dawn he was finally able to sketch a proper human figure.

From a basic sketching standpoint, the drawing showed a modest sense of perspective and depth. The proportions were, at the very least, those of a normal human being.

Li Banfeng focused his mind and let a single drop of blood fall onto the painting. The blood spread across the paper at once, as though it knew exactly where it was meant to go.

The sheet gave a faint shiver. It folded in upon itself. It puckered and twisted in a most dramatic fashion. And then, very slowly indeed, a slender woman stepped out from the drawing.

She was tiny, not even thirty centimeters tall. Could she be considered a beauty?

Li Banfeng studied her for a moment. Then, without saying a word, he found a scrap of cloth and carefully covered her face. Even though he had drawn her himself, he could not bear to look at her face any longer.

The pendulum hovered at his side and tried to comfort him. "The drawing of facial features is not something you can master in a day or two. Master, you have excellent talent. With more practice, you will surely paint a peerless beauty."

"How long would that take?"

The pendulum hesitated. "I cannot quite remember. Perhaps two or three years."

"Two or three years?"

That would mean Li Banfeng might not master the fourth-level ability for another two or three years.

A faint irritation crept across Li Banfeng's face.

Seeing this, the pendulum fell silent and did not dare say another word.

Huff~

The gramophone released a small puff of steam that sounded almost like a sigh. "Husband, the Blood-Drinking Pendulum has been teaching you Western painting techniques. Those are difficult to master. Two or three years is not long at all. You are simply too impatient."

"It may be ugly, but we'll test it first," Li Banfeng said. He carried the thirty-centimeter-tall woman out of the house to find her a suitable opponent. In the end, he chose a mimosa plant.

Like an ordinary mimosa, this one would fold its leaves at the slightest disturbance. However, it was somewhat stronger. Its leaves were sharp enough to tear the flesh of an ordinary person.

Li Banfeng instructed the thirty-centimeter-tall woman, "Pluck that mimosa and bring it back."

The tiny woman stood exactly where she was and did not move.

"GRASS.[1]. THAT. GRASS. Bring that grass back. Do you even know what grass is?"

Li Banfeng gestured as he spoke and spent quite some time explaining before the girl finally seemed to understand. She wobbled forward toward the mimosa.

"This is worse than the clay figurines I made," he muttered. "At least those understood after I said it once."

The pendulum spoke up at his side. "Master, when you painted her, you only gave her long hair. You did not draw her ears."

"Her ears were covered by her hair. Did I really need to draw them separately?"

"I do not understand the reasoning either," the pendulum admitted. "But perhaps they should have been drawn."

"When I shaped clay figurines, I did not make ears either."

"I recall that you used a toothpick to poke holes on both sides..."

Rip~

While the two of them were still arguing about ears, the tiny woman had already been torn apart by the mimosa.

Li Banfeng hurried over and gathered what was left of her. He carried the pieces back into the Pocket Dwelling. Before long, the fragments turned into a small pile of shredded paper, lightly stained with blood.

That meant she was completely gone. The beauty he had spent the entire night creating had failed once again.

Seeing the disappointment on his face, the gramophone released a soft puff of steam. "Husband, the fourth-level ability is difficult to master in the first place. Being able to reach this stage in just one night is already impressive."

Li Banfeng refused to accept it. "If we were in the Outer Provinces, not only will I be able to buy such paper figurines, I can even buy the rubber ones in bundles!"

"What rubber ones?" Wifey asked, completely confused. "Husband, you can't simply buy one. The beauty must be crafted by your own hands. That is the foundation of the ability."

"I am a Homebound Cultivator. Now I have to learn painting and sculpt clay figures too? Doesn't that make me an Artificer Cultivator instead?"

Pop... crackle... pop...

The gramophone laughed softly. "A Homebound Cultivator doesn't need to master everything, but he must understand a little of everything. Husband dear~ In time, you will realize there is still much to learn."

That did fit the temperament of someone who hardly ever went outside and lived in his own little world. People like that tended to pick up bits of knowledge about all sorts of things.

Li Banfeng took out paper and pen and continued practicing.

Unfortunately, he possessed only a single dip pen that he had purchased from Feng's General Store. After drawing through the entire night, the poor nib had split into two sharp prongs.

The pen was useless now. What else could he use?

After a brief moment of consideration, Li Banfeng reached for the Judge's Brush.

"Don't..." the Judge's Brush said weakly. It was far too lazy to accompany Li Banfeng in another night of artistic struggle. On the other hand, it was also far too lazy to explain itself properly.

Li Banfeng did not bother listening. He dipped the brush into ink and began drawing at once.

And thus, the suffering continued.

The Judge's Brush was, after all, a weapon. Its tip was extremely sharp. The moment it touched the paper, it pierced straight through.

The gramophone advised, "Husband dear~ You should rest. This is not the right tool. Wait until you have proper paper and brushes before continuing."

Li Banfeng, however, was completely absorbed. He ignored every warning. Holding the Judge's Brush with care, he controlled his strength and drew the beauty one careful stroke at a time.

After a while, Li Banfeng began to feel a wave of laziness. It wasn't just that he didn't want to draw anymore. He felt too lazy to do anything at all.

"Hmph!" The Judge's Brush let out a cold laugh.

That single sound explained everything.

Li Banfeng was finally paying the price for using the Judge's Brush. He should have paid it long ago, when he had used it to fly across the Iron-Thread River. But so much time had passed, and the Judge's Brush had been far too lazy to collect what it was owed.

Now that Li Banfeng had forced it to draw, the Brush decided it was time.

For the next half day, no matter what Li Banfeng attempted, an overwhelming laziness clung to him. Even lifting a finger felt like an extraordinary effort.

***

Ma Wu sat quietly on the plot of land, watching the pocket watch in his hand.

In another half day, the land activation would be complete.

Little Gen sat beside him and examined the wounds scattered across Ma Wu's body. There were quite a number of them.

The centipede mother and daughter had felt emotionally aroused. However, they were not human, and whatever affection they showed could never be gentle.

The first time they encountered the centipede woman, Little Gen had thought the entire situation ridiculous. The second time, when Ma Wu stood before the centipede mother, Little Gen finally understood. Ma Wu had truly been risking his life.

He had risked his life to activate the land. He had risked his life to cultivate. That had been the very reason he came to the New Land.

Seeing Ma Wu's perseverance, Little Gen felt a deep swell of admiration. He could not help but think,

Young Master Wu is destined for greatness.

Little Gen felt that he had chosen the right Daoist path and the right master to follow. He believed, with absolute certainty, that he would one day achieve something remarkable as well.

The two of them fixed their eyes on the pocket watch, waiting for the land activation to succeed.

As they waited, a faint rustling began to creep closer in the darkness.

Little Gen lifted his ladle and shouted angrily, "Who's there?"

"WAKHAHAHAHA! Young man, you seem interesting."

The moment Ma Wu heard that voice, his entire body began to tremble.

Before coming to the New Land, he had prepared for countless dangers. He had known how dangerous the journey would be and what he might have to face. However, there was one thing he had hoped he would never have to confront.

In Puluo Province, there was a name that could make both Li Banfeng and Ma Wu go stiff as frozen dumplings.

It was not He Haiqin. Not Chu Huaijun. Not even Monkey Qiu from one of those grand, puffed-up families who liked to pretend they owned half the province.

The two of them had seen quite a bit of the world already. They had crossed paths with the Greenwater Beggar. They had dealt with Old Mister Yao and his powders. They had met Feng Daiku. They had even tangled, in one way or another, with Pan Dehai.

However, the moment someone so much as whispered the name Madam Bagworm Moth, they would run. Even if Li Banfeng was here, Ma Wu would have done the same.. Madam Bagworm Moth was the kind of creature who made you feel as though you had already stepped into hell

The Madam Bagworm Moth wriggled her plump body as she reached the edge of the plot.

Unlike the one they had encountered before, this Madam Bagworm Moth looked younger. By human standards, she seemed to be around thirty years old.

She was quite pretty. However, no matter how pretty she was, Ma Wu felt no desire whatsoever.

Seeing that Ma Wu did not dare face the enemy, Little Gen lifted his ladle and flung a stream of "golden" liquid straight at Madam Bagworm Moth.

Though Madam Bagworm Moth was plump, she was not clumsy in the least.

With a slight sway of her body, she easily dodged the splash of golden liquid. Then her gaze lingered on Little Gen's ladle for a long moment.

"Little brat, you dare throw that at me?" she said coldly. "You have truly angered me."

According to the local land deity's rules for the trial of worthiness, aberrant creatures in the New Land could only attack after stepping inside the boundary of the plot.

However, Madam Bagworm Moth was not here for the trial. She was a roaming aberration, which meant that she did not have to abide by the rules of land activation.

Madam Bagworm Moth lifted a feeler and lashed out at Little Gen.

She did not particularly enjoy killing. She preferred to toy with people. Even so, that single strike was more than enough to end Little Gen's life.

At that critical moment, the bucket strapped to Little Gen's back swung around to his chest and intercepted the blow.

This was a first-level ability of the Gold Cultivation: Golden Bucket Guarding the Body.

The golden bucket worn on the back could automatically shield its master from an attack.

The strike was blocked, but the force behind it still sent Little Gen flying. He slammed heavily onto the ground and lost consciousness.

Madam Bagworm Moth stormed into the plot in a rage, her eyes fixed on Little Gen as if she meant to savor every moment of his suffering.

Ma Wu stepped in front of Little Gen and blocked her path.

"Handsome little fella, what do you think you're doing?" Madam Bagworm Moth asked as her gaze traveled slowly from Ma Wu's face down to his feet.

Ma Wu forced the trembling in his body under control and stared back at the Madam Bagworm Moth for a full two minutes.

As the seconds passed, the sharpness in her expression gradually faded, and a faint warmth replaced it. Ma Wu's ability had begun to take effect.

"Young man," she said in a coaxing tone, "do you want to play with big sister?"

Ma Wu nodded. "Yes. Let's play."

Madam Bagworm Moth laughed. "Can you endure it?"

Ma Wu took a deep breath. "I can."

She threw her head back and laughed loudly before surging forward in a sudden charge.

Ma Wu clenched his teeth and charged at her as well.

High above the plot, the land deity hovered in midair and stared down for a long while, unable to tear his eyes away.

He was stunned.

The boy is only at the first level, yet he really dares to rush forward? Is that not the same as

courting death? Why is he so stubborn? Why doesn't he just give up on this plot of land?

Madam Bagworm Moth was on an entirely different level from the centipede mother and daughter.

By human cultivation standards, the centipede woman had been at the third level, and her mother had barely touched the fourth.

Madam Bagworm Moth, however, was at the eighth level. She was one of the fiercest aberrations in the entire New Land.

Even with the innate talent Feng Daiku had bestowed upon him, Ma Wu would only be throwing his life away in front of her.

The land deity had lured Madam Bagworm Moth here to frighten Ma Wu into retreat, yet he had never expected the boy to charge straight at her instead.

As he looked down at Ma Wu, a trace of approval flickered through his eyes. "He truly is a brave one. Perhaps he will be useful in the future."

The land activation trial was, at its core, a test. It tested whether one could shoulder the responsibility of a plot of land.

For a plot of half a kilometer, Ma Wu was worthy.

With that thought, the land deity stirred his will and quietly lent Ma Wu a measure of strength.

Madam Bagworm Moth, who had been laughing wildly a moment before, suddenly stiffened, her expression shifting at once.

"Handsome little fella, y-you slow down..."

***

Five hours later, Little Gen woke up.

Ma Wu was kneeling beside him, carefully feeding him medicine. After swallowing the last mouthful of herbal broth, Little Gen pushed himself upright.

The moment he saw Ma Wu, he was startled. His young master was covered in wounds, and his face was so swollen and bruised it was almost unrecognizable.

"Young Master, where did that moth go?" Little Gen demanded as he scrambled to his feet. "I'll fight her to the death!"

Ma Wu laughed. "She left."

Little Gen froze for a moment, then laughed as well. "Young Master, you won? I knew you wouldn't be afraid of that moth!"

He had no idea how terrifying Madam Bagworm Moth truly was. In his eyes, Ma Wu's victory was only natural.

Ma Wu returned the smile, though it carried a trace of bitterness. Even he did not understand how he had survived that battle.

He had nearly passed out twice, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself through it.

"Young Master, how much longer?" Little Gen urged eagerly. "Let's grit our teeth a little more. I think we are almost done."

Ma Wu did not reply.

Little Gen glanced around and noticed that the surroundings seemed noticeably brighter than before. He tilted his head toward the sky and saw a faint halo of light forming above them.

"It's bright! There's Heavenly Light!" Little Gen cried in delight. "It's done. We activated this plot of land!"

Ma Wu was smiling. As he smiled, tears gathered in his eyes. He had succeeded. He had truly activated this plot of land.

Relying on his own strength, Ma Wu had claimed this half-kilometer stretch of barren land.

Little Gen pulled out a signal flare and asked, "Shall we inform Master Qi?"

Ma Wu gave a small nod.

Little Gen flicked the flare open, and sparks leapt to life at once. Their luck seemed unusually good that day, for the very first flare ignited without the slightest delay.

***

Li Banfeng had been wandering through the wilderness. Learning to draw was too difficult. Plus, he might have to learn sculpting and pottery. He was just wondering whether there might be some clever shortcut when a sudden streak of fire split the sky.

A signal flare! Something happened to Ma Wu!

The thought struck Li Banfeng like a jolt of lightning. He broke into a run at once, boots pounding against the rough earth as he raced toward the plot they had been trying to activate. As he sprinted, he saw the halo of light in the sky.

Did they successfully activate the plot of land?

Li Banfeng pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. He had been so absorbed in practicing the fourth-level ability that he completely forgot the time.

When he finally came back to himself, the realization struck him hard. The three-day period for land activation had already passed.

He ran faster and faster. When he reached the edge of the plot, he saw Ma Wu standing there, covered in wounds and soaked in blood, yet smiling at him.

The halo around the land had vanished. The plot had truly been activated.

Li Banfeng stepped inside. The moment he looked at Ma Wu, he burst into laughter.

"Brother!" Ma Wu shouted hoarsely. "I did it!"

"You did it! Well done!" Li Banfeng shouted back. Their laughter rang out across the wasteland and echoed for a long time.

***

The three of them spent half a day digging a well, sweating and grumbling and flinging clumps of dirt over their shoulders. By the time they struck water, their arms felt like boiled noodles.

Ma Wu built a bonfire while Li Banfeng hauled up a bucket of muddy water and set it aside to let the silt settle down to the bottom.

Little Gen carried his bucket away at once. He had spent three whole days activating the land, and his precious golden liquid had been drained nearly dry. At this point, he needed to replenish it quickly.

Ma Wu and Li Banfeng sat by the fire and drank a few cups.

"Brother Li," Ma Wu asked suddenly, "how old are you this year?"

The question stumped Li Banfeng. He was an orphan. Birthdays were vague, foggy things. According to the orphanage records, he should be twenty-two this year.

"Let's just say twenty-two," Li Banfeng replied.

"I'm twenty-three," Ma Wu said. "A year older. Calling you Brother Li feels distant. Can I call you Old Qi?"

Li Banfeng nodded at once. "Then I'll call you Old Wu."

"Er..." Ma Wu had clearly expected that Li Banfeng would call him Brother Wu. But as he thought about it, Old Wu would be fine as a term of address.

"Old Qi, we have stumbled all the way here together. I always felt I was dragging you down. Not that this plot of land has been successfully activated, I feel that I am a useful person. From now on, we'll build houses, lay foundations, do business, and cultivate properly. Each of us has our own strengths. If we activate a few more plots, we will carve out a world of our own!"

Li Banfeng felt the same heat in his chest. He was just about to agree in grand fashion when a furious voice exploded in his ears. "Bah! You two shameless brats!"

The land deity had admired Ma Wu's grit. He had even felt a little impressed. But hearing that these two intended to repeat this outrageous method and activate more plots of land was too much. He spat in disgust and vanished.

At once, a heavy rain came crashing down and drowned the bonfire with a miserable hiss.

The two scrambled to gather dry branches, determined to relight the flames. Just then, Li Banfeng's ears twitched. He froze and looked into the distance.

Through the Threaded Earring, a sound slithered into his mind. Something enormous was writhing. The dry branches slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground.

He shouted, "Old Wu, spill blood!"

Madam Bagworm Moth had returned! Just hearing her crawl was enough to make Li Banfeng's tongue tie itself into knots. This was the evil creature that had once injured his wifey!

Ma Wu stepped in front of Li Banfeng and said calmly, "Don't panic. Leave her to me."

"It's yours to handle anyway. This is your plot. Spill blood now!" Li Banfeng urged.

According to the contract with the land deity, if Ma Wu spilled blood, he would be invoking the deity's protection. If Madam Bagworm Moth forced her way in, the land deity would have to protect him.

However, Ma Wu had no intention of doing so. He stood at the edge of the plot and waited for Madam Bagworm Moth to appear.

"Brother, I won't drag you down again," he said, his expression firm as Madam Bagworm Moth's enormous body slid into view.

When Madam Bagworm Moth saw Ma Wu, she froze. Her body trembled. Then she began to retreat.

"Young man, I came to the wrong place. It's dark. I couldn't see the path," she said hurriedly. "I'm not here for you. Truly not. I'm leaving now. I'll go at once..."

What is going on?

Li Banfeng thought as he stared at Madam Bagworm Moth moving farther and farther away.

He felt so confused. What puzzled him even more came next.

Ma Wu suddenly leapt forward and landed squarely on Madam Bagworm Moth's back.

She let out a miserable cry. "No, truly no. I can't today. I really can't. Young handsome fella, I know I was wrong. I came the wrong way. Spare me..."

The strength the land deity had lent Ma Wu had long since faded. He was no longer that powerful. Yet Madam Bagworm Moth was terrified.

She thrashed and bolted in every direction, trying to shake him off. Her massive body churned up dust as she tore across the land.

Ma Wu sat firmly on her back, steady as a stone.

Madam Bagworm Moth shrieked and charged wildly across the land. Dust flew up in thick clouds as she thrashed and tried to throw him off. Still, Ma Wu did not budge.

Inside the plot, Li Banfeng stood frozen, staring in stunned silence.

What in the world just happened?

Author's Note

PS: This battle was crucial for Ma Wu personally. It proved to himself that he was Banfeng's brother and not Banfeng's burden.

Madam Bagworm Moth did not enjoy killing. She preferred to toy with people. This time, she had paid dearly.

1. It sounds like he is saying Fuck. I think this has a double meaning. ☜