Chapter 187: Beloved of My Heart

The land deity Shui Yongquan finally named his price: five kilometers of territory.

If Li Banfeng and Ma Wu could guard one passage, he would grant them five kilometers of land.

Five kilometers was no small stretch of ground. Back then, the Lu Family and the Chu Family had joined forces to activate a land with a five-kilometer diameter, yet they failed. Not only did they fail, the head of the Chu Family lost his life in the process.

Ma Wu glanced at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng did not answer right away. He lowered his gaze, thinking hard, as if turning the question over and over in his mind.

Only after a long pause did he ask quietly, "This gorge and that mountain cave... do they belong to you, or to Qiu Luoye?"

Shui Yongquan said, "They are mine. According to the rules of the land deities, neither side may step into the other's territory before the battle begins. You may set up mechanisms within the gorge and the cave. For the next three days, arrange them however you wish."

Li Banfeng asked again, "You said you would grant us five kilometers of land if we guard one vital route. Do you mean a circular territory with a diameter of five kilometers... or just a straight stretch measuring five kilometers?"

This had to be clarified. If it was only five kilometers in a straight line, then the entire offer would be nothing more than a joke.

Shui Yongquan lifted his teacup and took a sip. "Brother Li Qi, you are being overly cautious. Though I might not be a talented guy, I am still a land deity. Would I stoop to such childish tricks to deceive you? Naturally, it is a circular territory with a diameter of five kilometers!"

"And where," Li Banfeng asked again, "would this five-kilometer diameter of land be located?"

If it turns out to be five kilometers of swamp, that would be just as laughable

, Li Banfeng thought.

"The location can be negotiable," Shui Yongquan replied. "So long as you win this battle, you may choose any good land you desire. There is just one condition. You may not choose the ground where my own dwelling stands. I must have a place to live. You cannot kick me out of my own territory."

Li Banfeng nodded and asked further, "Once this five-kilometer diameter of land is chosen, we won't need to go through the land-activating process again, correct?"

"What are you saying? If I grant you the land, why would you still need to activate it?" Shui Yongquan replied. "It will see Heavenly Light, produce well water, and the plot of land will be yours directly!"

The offer of granting a land of five kilometers was really too tempting.

Li Banfeng had once entertained a clever idea.

If he activated half-kilometer-diameter plots a hundred times, wouldn't that add up to a territory with a five-kilometer diameter? On the surface, the logic seemed flawless. But according to Ma Wu's recollections, it did not work that way. Such a method would never work out.

First of all, no land deity would ever allow a single person to activate one hundred separate plots of land.

Even if someone, through a string of rare strokes of luck, truly managed to activate a hundred plots, they still wouldn't join together into one big territory. There would be gaps between them. Those gaps would constantly be attacked by strange creatures.

In the end, the land would stay scattered and unstable. It would never grow into something large or secure.

The land deity had already spoken so plainly. However, Li Banfeng slapped his thigh. "Words alone prove nothing!"

The land deity smiled faintly. "We can sign a contract. So, have you two agreed?"

"No." Li Banfeng shook his head. "I was only asking. I still need to discuss it with Ma Wu."

Shui Yongquan cursed inwardly.

Damn it. If you are not agreeing, then why ask so many questions?

Shui Yongquan turned to Ma Wu. "Brother Ma Wu, what do you say?"

Ma Wu stroked his chin and said, "I will do what Old Qi says."

Shui Yongquan swallowed his anger and said to the two of them, "Young men should have some fire in their blood. You two are talented, yet you hesitate too much. Three days from now, war will begin. If you reach a decision, inform me early. Otherwise, if someone else claims the merit, do not regret it."

With that, the land deity rose and left, leaving the map on the table. He was clearly trying to bait them.

Ma Wu had always been cautious. He said quietly, "Old Qi, stop looking.The battle between two land deities isn't something we can meddle in."

"I am not planning to interfere," Li Banfeng replied. "I am just taking a look."

He had already resisted Shui Yongquan's temptation once. Ma Wu trusted that he would not act recklessly.

"Old Qi, I have told the brothers to stop working," Ma Wu added. "If this place cannot be held, we may have to move at any moment."

"You handle that," Li Banfeng said as he folded the map and went back to his domain.

***

Inside the Pocket Dwelling, steam sprayed out in frantic bursts as his wifey gasped again and again.

"What is happening?" she cried. "I only swallowed one pill. Why does it feel like my soul is about to break apart?"

Noticing the gramophone behaving strangely, Crimson Lotus said coldly, "Wretched woman, your soul is incomplete, yet you dared to consume a Profound Essence Pill. I fear even your life cannot be saved."

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

The gramophone still spoke stubbornly. "It is only a single pill. I used to eat things like this as if they were ordinary meals."

The Crimson Lotus let out a cold sneer. "You are no longer what you once were, and this is no ordinary pill. That Insect Overlord was granted an unusual power. I should have made two pills from its flesh."

"You combined the two pills into one?" the gramophone cried out, her voice sharp with shock and panic. She knew her own condition too well. If she swallowed the power of two Profound Essence Pills at once, she would truly die.

The Crimson Lotus sighed and said, "I never intended to combine them, but I have not been exposed to the sun for many days, and I could not fully neutralize some of the Insect Overlord's power. In the end, the two pills fused into one. This pill would tempt even the immortals."

The gramophone's voice trembled violently. "You did it on purpose. You wanted that madman to carry the pill outside so the one above would catch its scent, track him down, and rescue you."

The Crimson Lotus gave a cold, amused laugh. "Do not twist it that way. I made the pill. The madman chose to take it out. And you were the one who grew greedy and insisted on swallowing it. In the end, this concerns the two of you. How can the blame fall on me?"

"I was not greedy," the gramophone said, her voice growing faint as her consciousness blurred. "He... he gave it to me willingly."

The Crimson Lotus's tone turned sharp. "If you had not coaxed him, would he have handed it over? Shameless wretch. You deserve to have your soul scattered."

"I will not die," the gramophone snapped back weakly. "Keep dreaming, you wretch!"

"Enough," the Crimson Lotus said coldly. "Stop clinging to pride. I know of a medicinal ingredient that can save your life. If you help me, I can save you."

"How do I help you?"

"You have not agreed yet," the Crimson Lotus replied. "So I cannot tell you."

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

The gramophone wheezed like an old kettle left too long on the stove. Even so, she was not fooled.

"Help you?" she rasped. "You still want to drag down the one in the heavens. If he truly comes sniffing after that pill, will that madman still be alive by morning?"

"And you are still worrying about him?" the Crimson Lotus replied. "You can barely hold your soul together and you are fretting over a man. Let me tell you something plainly. In all of Puluo Province, no one but me can save you."

"You were sold at the start. And just because he claimed he would give up a thousand gold, ten thousand gold, or ten thousand times that for you, you took him as the treasure of your heart? What man doesn't sugarcoat his words? Think. Really think. Is it worth watching your soul blow away like dust just for a madman?"

"Get out! Stay far away!" The gramophone slammed the outer room's door shut.

***

Li Banfeng returned to the Pocket Dwelling and immediately felt the air pressing down on him. The room was stiflingly hot.

Huff... huff...

Wifey's breathing came fast and uneven, as if something had gone wrong again.

"Wifey, what happened?"

"Heeeyaa... Husband dear... This little wifey is fine. It's just that after taking the pill, I feel a bit feverish."

Is this pill that powerful?

Li Banfeng thought.

Li Banfeng unfolded the map Shui Yongquan had left behind. "Wifey, the land deities are about to wage war on each other. This is the map of both territories and it shows that there is this mountain between them. A great mountain separates them, and there are only two routes through it. One is a gorge and the other is a cave. The battle starts in three days. Do you think we should join this fight?"

The gramophone stared at the map for a long while. "What exactly did that land deity promise you?"

How did my wifey guess so accurately?

Li Banfeng thought before answering, "He said that as long as we hold one of the passages, he'll grant us five kilometers of territory," Li Banfeng replied. "I think this gorge should be defensible."

The gramophone drew the map into her casing. Firelight flickered out and cast the terrain across the wall in shifting lines and shadows.

"Heyaa... Husband dear... Tell me. Why do you think this gorge is defensible?"

Li Banfeng had read his share of military fiction.

"The gorge is narrow, and the high ground on both sides overlooks it. If we hide ten thousand men up there, then however many enemies enter would die in equal numbers. Isn't that how you defend a choke point?"

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

Wifey let out a soft laugh. "Husband, you are talking about how mortals wage war. When Land Deities fight, they send cultivators. Those tricks won't work."

"How wouldn't they work?"

"Firstly, you don't even have ten thousand soldiers," she replied. "Within a fifty-kilometer domain, how many beings actually possess cultivation, intelligence, and any knowledge of warfare? At most one or two hundred."

"Husband dear... If you agree to guard the gorge for the land deity, he won't assign you any troops. However many subordinates you have, that's all you'll be fighting with. So tell me, Husband... how many capable fighters do you actually command?"

"Not many. Seven or eight, perhaps..."

Aside from Li Banfeng and Ma Wu, only Zuo Wugang, Cao Zhigang, Zhen Jincheng, and the three Madam Bagworm Moths could truly take the field. Little Chuan and Little Gen barely counted.

This was nothing like the grand army Li Banfeng had imagined.

Huff...

The gramophone let out a sharp breath and continued, "Even if the enemy enters the gorge, that doesn't mean they will suffer for it. The thick-skinned can take the blows head-on. The fast ones can charge straight through. Those who can fly can fight in midair. And if they fly high enough, they won't even need the gorge. They can cross the mountain directly.

"Husband dear... You don't really understand how cultivators wage war. Just because you hold the high ground doesn't mean you hold the advantage."

Li Banfeng scratched his scalp. "Then... what's the point of this so-called vital passage?"

"It does have its use. Not many aberrant creatures can easily fly over a mountain like that. And even if they try to cross directly, it would be like sheep walking into a tiger's jaws.

"If this little wifey isn't mistaken, the flying aberrant creatures would scout above the gorge while the main force charges through below. That would be the proper strategy. With only seven or eight men... on a land deity's battlefield, you wouldn't be defenders. You would be offerings delivered straight to the enemy.

"Your land deity never expected you to guard the gorge. He only wants you as bait. Your job is to delay them. It takes time to cross a five-kilometer gorge on foot. Add a skirmish or two, and you could stall them for twenty minutes. That's more than enough.

"Even if you fail to hold it, he will have a second plan in place. There will be an ambush waiting at the far end. As for the land deity himself, he will take the cave. It's more concealed. From there, he can launch a surprise attack, go straight for the enemy's nest, and catch them completely off guard."

"He wants me to be bait?" Li Banfeng muttered. He stood there in stunned silence for a long moment before finally speaking again. "What if I do not guard the gorge and choose the cave instead?"

"Oh, Husband, you would never choose the cave. You don't even know the way. If you get lost in there, that's no different from courting death."

"If I walk it a few more times, will I not become familiar with it?"

"Husband is truly stubborn. The battle begins in three days. How many times can you possibly walk it before then? And even if you can memorize every turn, do you think you can know it better than the aberrant creatures born and raised there?

"Not knowing the terrain can get you killed in battle. There is no light in that cave. When things turn critical, you might not even find your way out.

"Husband, though you are somewhat mad, you are also intelligent. You would never choose to guard the cave. The land deity has long since seen through your thoughts."

Li Banfeng suddenly sat upright and pressed his palm hard against his forehead. He hadn't thought it through. Not nearly enough.

A chill ran down his spine. Fortunately, he hadn't agreed to the land deity earlier. If a contract had already been sealed, no amount of reasoning now would have changed a thing.

Shui Yongquan is so cunning! He noticed my inexperience in warfare and tried to bait me with this. Strange. Why does wifey understand warfare so well?

Just as Li Banfeng was about to ask another question, Wifey spoke first. "Husband dear... Land deities are ruthless beings who have lived for countless ages. When dealing with them, you must tread with extreme caution.

"Honestly, I don't think your land deity is much of a commander. If he truly wanted to delay the enemy, he could have used his own forces. There was no need to trick you into risking your lives. But guarding the gorge isn't useless. It just requires the right strategy.

"Firstly, you show them the bait. It doesn't have to be a large force, but it has to look impressive. It should be a force that makes them want to attack, yet hesitate. If they hold back, they would then fear missing an opportunity. That hesitation alone buys time."

"When they enter the gorge, strike the upper route first. Take down the ones flying above. Do it quietly and cleanly. Blind them. Then strike the lower route. Target those thick-skinned but sluggish in movement. Beat them ruthlessly. This cripples the enemy's foundation."

"As for the Wanderlust Cultivators, the fast ones in the middle path, don't chase them. If you pursue, you will lose more than you gain. Let a few slip through if you must."

"If he dispatches enough forces, it wouldn't be difficult to delaying them for twenty minutes. By then, he can lead his own troops through the cave and strike straight at their nest. Once that happens, the battle is already decided."

After hearing her out, Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly. "If it's as what wifey says, then this battle won't be so hard to fight."

"Husband!"

The gramophone's voice rang out sharply, startling him so badly he trembled.

"What is it, wifey?"

"I did not teach you this so you could go to war!" she snapped. "When Land Deities fight, they fight to the death. If your land deity loses and you refuse to give up on your domain, you will die with him."

"I explained the strategy so you can judge the situation clearly. When the battle start, go to the gorge and observe. If the land deity deploys his forces poorly, then he has no real command of warfare. And if that is the case, he will lose."

"When that happens, you must abandon your domain immediately and leave this new land. Do not let yourself be dragged into this war."

"Husband dear... will you remember what this little wifey has said?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I have remembered."

"You must promise me you will absolutely not set foot on the battlefield!"

Wifey's voice sounded sharp and desperate. Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly. "I promise."

What happened to my wifey? Why is she suddenly so serious?

The offer of five kilometers of domain was tempting. Li Banfeng cherished the plot of land he had activated. However, he wasn't so mad that he would charge onto a battlefield and risk his life fighting a land deity. He knew exactly what he was capable of.

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

Wifey's voice softened again. "Husband, go out less these next two days. Focus on your cultivation. Temper your body properly. This little wifey will find a way to help you reach the fifth level.

"Wifey, there's no need to rush."

"Husband, this little wifey is anxious."

Li Banfeng knew better than to rush into the fifth level of Homebound Cultivation. The priority was clear: advance his Wanderlust Cultivation to the fourth level first.

That night, Li Banfeng fell asleep. A gentle mass of steam gathered around him, warm and soothing, like a silent embrace.

When he woke up, he noticed that his wifey was asleep. Moving quietly, Li Banfeng slipped out of the house. Inside the wooden hut, he swallowed a Golden Essence Pill, followed by a Blue Poplar Pill, steadily earning cultivation progress.

***

When the gramophone awoke and did not see Li Banfeng, she became very worried.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She was worried that he would end up not being able to resist the temptation and promise the land deity that he would fight in the war.

From the outer room, the Crimson Lotus let out a cold sneer.

"Wretched woman. You know your time is short, yet you wasted so many words on that madman. Were those your final farewells?"

"I fear that madman will die on the battlefield," the gramophone replied. "If he dies, none of us will ever leave this place."

"You warned him a thousand times, urged him ten thousand times, even promised to push him to the fifth level. Have you truly forgotten what you are? Do you take yourself for some blushing young bride?"

"What concern is that of yours, wretch?"

The Crimson Lotus flared with anger. "You dare insult me? Believe it or not, I could take your life this very instant."

Huff... huff...

The gramophone's breathing grew rapid. She was weak, but she was furious. "Wretch, I cannot be bothered with you. Stay far away!"

The Crimson Lotus sighed. "I truly wish to save you. Let us form a pact. If you are willing to help me..."

"Stay away!"

A surge of steam burst forth and sealed the door. The Crimson Lotus sensed the waves of killing intent within and fell silent.

Why argue with her?

the Crimson Lotus thought.

She would not live much longer anyway. There is no need to drag things to mutual destruction.

***

Could she still hold on? She could. No matter what, she had to wait for that madman to return.

Within the gramophone's casing, a mirror turned slowly and Li Banfeng's face was reflected upon the wall.

"Whether it's a thousand gold, ten thousand gold, or ten-thousand-times ten thousand gold... as long as my wifey eats it, I won't regret it in the slightest."

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

The gramophone started singing again.

「 Beloved of my heart,

You appear before my eyes.

All at once my breathing falters,

All at once my pulse runs wild.

Moved by love that cannot hide,

I hope you will turn and see.

Return to me a single thread,

A string of longing from thee ♪」

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

The gramophone smiled.

Author's Note:

PS: The gramophone wifey won't get killed off, right?

Salagus roared in fury and shouted at the other Salaguses, "Let me see which of you dares!"