CHAPTER 366: CHAPTER 251 PRINCE CHUN’S MANSION

Li Banfeng entered the abandoned mansion and examined it thoroughly.

What a vast estate!

It stretched seven courtyards deep from north to south and five layers wide from east to west, a complex of interconnected courtyards of various sizes.

After pacing back and forth twice, Li Banfeng did not sense any danger nor see a single soul. He returned to the front of the mansion to signal everyone to enter.

None of them, including Xiao Yeci, had ever seen such a massive estate. As they entered the first courtyard, they all looked around curiously, with some heading toward the Hanging-Flower Gate.

Behind the Hanging-Flower Gate lay the second courtyard, but Li Banfeng stood in front of the gate and instructed, "Find a place to take shelter from the rain immediately. You can only stay within the first courtyard. As soon as the rain stops tomorrow, we’ll leave this place right away."

Compared to the other courtyards, the first one was not very large, but it had the most rooms.

These rooms were known as the gatehouse; since all the houses were on the shady side, they were also called backward seats. From east to west, there were more than thirty rooms altogether—the place where servants lived.

Xiao Yeci was quite satisfied, "There are so many rooms here; each of us could have one to ourselves!"

Li Banfeng shook his head, "We can’t have one room per person; at least three people per room. The living quarters must be adjacent so that we can look out for each other. I will go and scout around the vicinity. You all must be very careful."

Though he said he was scouting, Li Banfeng retreated to his Portable Residence.

"Dear, I suppose I have emerged from Cheap Person Ridge, but in the wilderness, I stumbled upon an abandoned estate."

After listening to Li Banfeng’s description of the abandoned mansion, his wife thoughtfully sang, "Seven layers deep and five layers across, it must be a prince’s mansion. Abandoned and untended for so long, my dear, could it be that you have arrived in Old Land?"

Arrived in Old Land?

Could that be possible?

Indeed, it could.

Based on his experience heading to Fool’s City, the condition to enter Old Land was using a specific pace over a peculiar trajectory.

Continuous travel combined with the heavy rain had slowed their pace significantly that day.

Slow also constituted a specific pace.

Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying both felt they had not lost their way; a desolate house had suddenly appeared on the path to Greenwater Bay, reminiscent of when Li Banfeng unknowingly entered Old Land.

Li Banfeng nodded, "I’m also worried we’ve reached Old Land. Previously, there was a distinction between day and night, but upon reaching this estate, it was already deep into the night; it’s hard to determine what territory we’re in."

"Old Land is more dangerous than New Land. Tonight, it’s best you do not venture outside needlessly, my dear."

Li Banfeng pondered for a long time, "I’ve traveled through Old Land and know a little more than the rest. It was I who led them out of Cheap Person Ridge. If I don’t help them through this, wouldn’t it be the same as leading them to their deaths?"

The Phonograph sang, "You make sense, dear. Our home has always been kind to you, so going out to check on them for one night shouldn’t be a problem,

but you must be exceedingly careful. Only come back immediately if it’s absolutely necessary and never act impulsively."

Li Banfeng agreed, took his Magical Treasure, and left the Portable Residence.

Hong Ying murmured, "Is there really still a prince’s mansion in this world that has survived until now?"

The Phonograph scoffed, "Jezebel, still dreaming of becoming a Princess Consort? Is that why you sold me out?"

Hong Ying remained silent for a long time before replying, "Wicked woman, don’t force me to speak of things I don’t wish to remember. Keep your word."

...

Late at night, in a small room, clothes soaked through were roasting over a fire. Xiao Yeci dozed off by the bedside.

The bed was unusable, the wooden planks rotten to the core. The bed still had its original bedding, but it was so decayed that a mere tug turned it to dust.

At least the room didn’t leak, and after trudging through rain for an entire day, having a dry place to sleep was enough to satisfy Xiao Yeci.

However, after sleeping for less than two hours, she was awakened by Lu Chunying nudging her, "Mom, come with me to the latrine."

Xiao Yeci’s eyes were still closed, "There’s a bucket in the room; just make do with that."

If it was just the two of them in the room, Lu Chunying would have made do, but Li Banfeng had said that at least three people should share a room, and there was another young girl sleeping with them.

Though from humble origins, Lu Chunying, guided by Xiao Yeci, had received a proper education and inevitably felt reserved with others present. She had no choice but to venture out.

The rain was still heavy, and she didn’t know where the latrine was. As she searched around, a clap of thunder made her shiver.

It wasn’t the thunder that scared her; it was the lightning.

In the flash of lightning, Lu Chunying thought she saw a figure in the courtyard.

"Who’s there?" she bravely called out.

No one in the courtyard responded; in the darkness, she couldn’t see anyone moving.

Did I see wrong?

The Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill did not alert Lu Chunying to any danger, but she felt she shouldn’t linger in the courtyard.

Unable to find the latrine, Lu Chunying relieved herself in a corner.

"TSK TSK TSK..."

As she relieved herself, it seemed as if someone was smacking their lips.

I must have heard wrong. It’s just the sound of the rain.

Lu Chunying pulled up her pants and ran back toward the house as fast as she could. She had barely taken two steps when she suddenly heard a burst of laughter.

"HUMPH HUMPH HUMPH..."

Lu Chunying looked around, not daring to linger any longer, and continued running back. Reaching the door and pushing it open to enter, she discovered that Xiao Yeci and the young girl they were sharing a room with were gone.

Where had they gone?

A Woman in Green Clothes sat inside the room, combing her hair in front of a bronze mirror. Her back was to Lu Chunying, who heard her sing out, "Hey, little sister, relieving yourself in someone else’s courtyard, aren’t you shameless?"

Lu Chunying trembled all over, retreating repeatedly.

She didn’t know where this woman had come from, and in the pitch dark, she couldn’t make out the woman’s appearance.

CRACK!

Another roaring clap of thunder!

Through the mirror, Lu Chunying saw the woman’s appearance clearly.

If it weren’t for the fact she had just relieved herself, Lu Chunying would have wet her pants.

The woman’s complexion was pure white, even whiter than snow.

Her eyebrows were pitch black, and the corners of her eyes were bright red, as if her face was painted on.

An Actor?

Not giving it much thought, Lu Chunying took two steps back and quickly left the room.

She had just reached the courtyard when the Woman in Green Clothes had already given chase.

Lu Chunying tried to dodge to the left, but the woman blocked her on that side. She went right, took a few steps, and the woman appeared in front of her again.

The other’s steps were quicker than hers!

Lu Chunying didn’t panic; standing in the yard, she shouted loudly, "Benefactor, Mother, a villain has entered the yard!"

She shouted for quite a while but no one responded.

Because the people inside the house couldn’t hear her at all.

The Woman in Green Clothes, shaking her water sleeves, approached and sang in a measured pace, "As a woman, I must reprimand you,

One, for lacking shame, and two, for not knowing proper conduct. Dirtying my courtyard, today you must pay with your life as punishment."

Lu Chunying shivered as she spoke, "All this over a puddle of urine, does it really merit the forfeiture of one’s life?"

"Humph~ Girl, once you enter my territory, you must abide by my rules! If not your life, what else can you compensate with?"

CLATTER!

As soon as the voice fell, three silver coins were thrown at the feet of the Woman in Green Clothes.

"I’ll compensate you with some money," Li Banfeng sang as he walked, "This piece of silver, three taels and three, I present to my sister-in-law for honesty’s sake. Use it to buy silk, tailor new clothes, craft jewelry, acquire hairpins, and we as a young married couple shall live for a few more years!"

The Woman in Green Clothes was taken aback, looking at the Ocean Dollars on the ground as if she had just been greatly insulted, and sang back at Li Banfeng, "This piece of silver, I do not want. Take it to your mother for settling down. Buy treasure, tailor new clothes, purchase white paper, paste white banners, and earn a reputation as a filial son across the world!"

Peking opera, "Wujia Slope".

In the days leading up to this, Li Banfeng had been learning to sing from his wife, conveniently matching the Woman in Green Clothes with these lines.

How did Li Banfeng know there was commotion in the yard when no one else could hear it?

This was the gap brought about by the difference in cultivation levels; Li Banfeng, a Fifth Layer Traveling Cultivator, had sensed the danger while inside the house and saw Lu Chunying walking opposite the house as soon as he stepped out.

She had been fooled by a ghost, pushing not a room door, but the Hanging-Flower Gate leading to the Second Courtyard.

Once she entered the Second Courtyard, no matter how loudly she shouted, no one outside could hear her.

Luckily, Li Banfeng had followed her in.

After glancing at Lu Chunying, no words were necessary, and she immediately got the hint and hid in a corner.

The sound of gongs and drums echoed in the Double Courtyard, the Actor still wanting to sing. Li Banfeng suddenly stepped forward and kicked the Actor.

The Actor was enraged, "How dare you assault someone?"

Li Banfeng said, "That was an act of civility, now it’s time for a martial play."

The Actor shouted angrily, "You actually fight in a martial play?"

Li Banfeng laughed, "What are you saying, you were just trying to take that girl’s life seriously, weren’t you?"

"Fine, let’s show off our skills and see who’s better!" The Actor, from nowhere, pulled out a Flower Spear and lunged at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng had the choice to dodge, block with his sickle, or rely on his quick movements to close in for a counterattack.

But no matter what he chose, he would be at a disadvantage in the end.

Because he had used his Golden Gaze Autumn Hair to see that the Actor before him, glowing with a green light, was not human at all.

For Ghosts like this, capable of switching between form and formlessness, Li Banfeng stood no chance in a fight.

So rather than fighting, Li Banfeng raised his voice, and shouted at the Actor, "WAH, demon, meet your death!"

This roar made the Actor go limp, nearly scattering her soul.

It was a Deep House Technique, the singing method of a Bronze Hammer Painted Face role, which Li Banfeng learned from his wife, with vocals that could deter Lost Souls.

Seizing the moment as the Actor was weakened, the Blood-Thirsty Pendulum rushed forward. Able to injure Ghosts, it first made a cut on the Actor’s body.

Enraged, the Actor shrugged off the pendulum and charged at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng retreated all the way and ended up behind a rockery.

The Actor, familiar with the path, went through the rockery and caught up to Li Banfeng.

At that moment, Li Banfeng had already unlocked the Portable Residence with a key.

Seeing Li Banfeng stand still, the Actor bellowed, "You don’t run or hide, are you just waiting for death?"

Li Banfeng laughed, "You can’t bear to strike, could it be you’ve taken a fancy to me?"

As long as the Actor charged forward, Li Banfeng was confident he could force her into the Portable Residence.

Waving the Flower Spear, the Actor revealed their true voice, "Humph, you’re a man, what would I see in you?"

UH...

This voice suddenly became very rough.

The Actor was a man?

The door of the Portable Residence was open, and Hong Ying spoke in a low voice, "Listen, wasn’t that Prince Chun’s voice just now?"

The Phonograph sneered coldly, "Jezebel, do you still dream of becoming a Princess?"

"If I remember correctly," Hong Ying’s body trembled uncontrollably, "it was him."