The Overlord of Puluo

”Who’s the Star of Misfortune?”

Old Mister Yao said, ”The land deity of Yellowclay Bridge. No one remembers his real name anymore. All anyone knows is that he is a Mourning Cultivator, and he might even be the foremost figure of that entire Daoist path. Those who know him all call him the Star of Misfortune.”

Even saying the name Star of Misfortune made Old Mister Yao feel unlucky, and there was a hint of fear in his voice. ”He has sent every disciple he has. He wants to destroy Medicine King Gully.”

Li Banfeng asked, ”Why would he want to destroy Medicine King Gully?”

Old Mister Yao sighed. ”That was the same trick he used back then to take Yellowclay Bridge.

”Yellowclay Bridge was Old Train’s territory. Ever since it fell into the Star of Misfortune’s hands, it has declined day by day. I just never expected it to become the wretched state it is today.”

Old Train? Is that Grandpa Train? Li Banfeng thought. With that thought, he intentionally asked, ”Who’s Old Train?”

”Old Train is the grandmaster of both the Wanderlust Cultivation and the Artificer Cultivation,” Old Mister Yao said.

”Is the grandmaster of a path the same as the founding cultivator?”

Old Mister Yao shook his head. ”A grandmaster is different from a founding cultivator. A founding cultivator is the one who creates the cultivation path. Old Train was not the one who created the path. However, he is the one who has achieved the most in these two cultivation paths. His achievement has surpassed the founding cultivators of the two cultivation paths and that’s why he is also called the Grandmaster of Two Paths.”

”Why is he called Old Train?”

Li Banfeng wanted to confirm the number of people that knew about the Pocket Dwelling.

Old Mister Yao said, ”He loved trains. He was always studying trains, and he liked pretending he was one too, running madly along the tracks like a lunatic.

”He was a lunatic, but he was really capable. Yellowclay Bridge, Blackstone Slope, Blue Wispy City, Hundredcraft Ridge, and Soda Kiln all used to be his territories.

”But that old lunatic could not stay put anywhere. In the end, he handed those territories to his disciples. The disciple at Yellowclay Bridge was useless. He failed to guard against the Star of Misfortune, and lost the territory.

”After that, the disciple who used to own Yellowclay Bridge went everywhere looking for his teacher, hoping to take Yellowclay Bridge back. As for where Old Train has run off to now, no one knows.”

Li Banfeng knew. Grandpa Train had gone to the Inner Provinces.

However, Li Banfeng just didn’t understand why the Star of Misfortune would send his disciples to the Medicine King Gully. What could be the purpose of that?

Old Mister Yao sighed. ”Fifteen Mourning Cultivators came all at once. He must have sent every disciple under him. He is trying to ruin my cultivation.”

Li Banfeng still did not understand.

Old Mister Yao did not hide the truth from him. ”My cultivation is at level-three of Cloudborne Layer, which is the same as the Star of Misfortune. He sent the Mourning Cultivators here to stir up unrest in my territory and drive people away from this territory. Once that happens, my cultivation will start to drop. When it drops to the second level, that old wretch will come for me.”

Li Banfeng asked, ”Then what about Old Train? He gave away all his territories. Did his cultivation not drop?”

”Old Train is at a different cultivation layer,” Old Mister Yao said. ”He does not need the auras of humans for cultivation anymore. Wait here for a while. I need to go inside and prepare something.”

Old Mister Yao returned to the house. No one knew what he was preparing there.

From what Old Mister Yao had said, the cultivation level of land deities rose and fell with human vitality. When people gathered and the place prospered, their cultivation rose. When people scattered and left, their cultivation fell.

This was exactly what Meng Yuchun had told Li Banfeng. The reasoning sounded clear enough on the surface, but Li Banfeng soon noticed a serious flaw.

He turned to Qiu Zhiheng. ”Yellowclay Bridge has already fallen into that state. There shouldn’t be much human auras left in that territory, so how is the Star of Misfortune still at level three of Cloudborne Layer?”

Qiu Zhiheng knew far more about land deities than Li Banfeng did. Since they were standing in Old Mister Yao’s courtyard, Old Mister Yao could hear every word he said, so there was no need to be careful anymore.

”The cultivation methods of land deities are not all the same,” Qiu Zhiheng said. ”Old Mister Yao uses living water while the Star of Misfortune uses dead water.”

Living water? Dead water? What kind of analogies are these? Li Banfeng thought.

Qiu Zhiheng looked at Old Mister Yao’s liquor jug. ”Take that jug, for example. To us, it looks like an ordinary liquor jug, but it is really connected to a liquor vat.

”When the vat is full, the jug has plenty of liquor. When the vat runs low, the jug runs low too.

”Old Mister Yao’s cultivation works the same way. The more people there are in Medicine King Gully, the more lively and prosperous the place becomes, and the more cultivation Old Mister Yao gains from it. In return, Old Mister Yao uses his cultivation to bring good fortune back to Medicine King Gully. The place supports him, and he supports the place.

”This is what it means by cultivating living water. When the territory thrives, the land deity grows stronger. When the territory declines and the people leave, the deity’s cultivation falls with it. Most land deities cultivate this way.

”But some land deities do things differently. They only take from the land. They do not give fortune back to it. When there are more people on their territory, their cultivation rises. When the auras of humans decline in their territory, their cultivation level does not fall right away. Their cultivation level would only drop if the territory turns from Proper Land to Old Land.

”Yellowclay Bridge is already in a wretched state, and it is showing signs of turning into Old Land. The Star of Misfortune is afraid that his cultivation level will drop, so he is now scheming to take Old Mister Yao’s territory.”

Scheming to take the Medicine King Gully?

Li Banfeng asked, ”If he only takes the life[1]of the land and never gives fortune back, wouldn’t any territory under him eventually become Old Land?”

Qiu Zhiheng said nothing. He did not know much about the Star of Misfortune either.

”That dog-bred Star of Misfortune has always been like this. Who knows how many good territories he has ruined by now!” Old Mister Yao came out of the house as he spoke.

He wore a three-pronged purple-gold crown on his head, a red brocade robe embroidered with flowers over his shoulders, and cloud-treading lotus silk boots on his feet. In his hand, he carried a three-pointed, double-edged saber. Most striking of all, four flags rose from his back.

In opera, those four flags were called back flags, or armor flags. They marked the power and authority of a military general.

Old Mister Yao strode toward the gate with a fierce air, singing in a long, ringing voice.

”Aaaah, first drum sounds, and the battle meal is made!

”Second drum sounds, and the war robe is drawn tight!

”Third drum sounds, and the bright saber leaves its sheath!

”Fourth drum sounds, and the soldiers clash with soldiers!

”Step forward, and rewards await you all! Step back, and the saber shall fall!”

Old Mister Yao sang the passage with such force and ringing power that it seemed to shake the mountains and rivers themselves.

Li Banfeng could not help praising him. ”Excellent singing! Old Mister Yao, where are you going dressed like that?”

Old Mister Yao struck an operatic pose and sang, ”To slaughter those dog-bred Mourning Cultivators down to the last one! Waaah-ya-ya-ya-ya!”

”Why are you dressed like this?”

”You don’t understand,” Old Mister Yao said. ”Killing Mourning Cultivators brings foul luck. This battle robe and this weapon can suppress that foul luck, so when I face that old dog Star of Misfortune, my good fortune will not be weakened.

”You two will come with me. You do not need to fight. Just point out those filthy birds for me. Waaah-ya-ya-ya!”

Qiu Zhiheng was not sure whether Old Mister Yao’s outfit would actually work and he was not even sure whether Old Mister Yao had really sobered up.

He cast a glance at Li Banfeng.

Just as Old Mister Yao reached the door, Li Banfeng felt his heart jolt. The feeling passed almost at once, and everything returned to normal.

What was that? Li Banfeng thought. Is that a warning of danger?

”Old Mister Yao, wait a moment.”

Old Mister Yao seemed to not hear him. He kept up his grand, fierce bearing and continued toward the gate.

”Old Mister Yao, wait.”

He still kept walking. That momentum of his was not something a normal call could stop.

Li Banfeng shouted, ”Stand right there!”

Old Mister Yao was in full fighting spirit, with his momentum burning at its fiercest. How could he possibly tolerate being shouted at like that?

Old Mister Yao spun around and roared, ”What are you trying to do?”

Qiu Zhiheng nearly jumped out of his skin.

He had no idea why Li Banfeng would shout at Old Mister Yao like that. Among land deities, Old Mister Yao was considered one of the pleasant ones. However, it did not mean that he would allow anyone to simply bark at him.

The Liquor Gourd leapt out from beside Li Banfeng and blocked the space between them. ”Old Mister Yao, please calm down. Little Bro must have something important to say.”

Li Banfeng did have something to say. He might have lacked common sense in many areas, but he had dealt with quite a few local land deities. More importantly, he had already lived through two battles between them. The situation before him now reminded him of Shui Yongquan.

”Old Mister Yao, is it possible that the Star of Misfortune has already arrived?”

Old Mister Yao froze. ”What do you mean by that?”

”Those Mourning Cultivators he sent over,” Li Banfeng said. ”Could they be bait? What if he is trying to lure you out? Once you leave, he slips into your home.”

”Why would he come to my home?”

”What do you think?”

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Old Mister Yao slowly calmed down. He turned back into the courtyard, planted the three-pointed, double-edged saber against the ground, and looked at Li Banfeng. ”That old dog wants to dig my contract?”

Li Banfeng gave a slight nod.

Qiu Zhiheng was secretly amazed. Li Banfeng had not been in Puluo Province for long, yet he had already thought that far ahead.

Of course, Qiu Zhiheng had no idea what Li Banfeng had been through before. When Shui Yongquan fought Qiu Luoye, he had used this exact tactic. More importantly, Li Banfeng had sensed danger just now.

With the Star of Misfortune’s cultivation, if he really wanted to hide his malicious intentions, Li Banfeng should not have been able to sense anything at all. Yet the moment Old Mister Yao stepped toward the door, that danger had pricked Li Banfeng in the heart.

It must have been because the Star of Misfortune had gotten excited. Of course he had! The moment Old Mister Yao walked out that door, the plan would succeed!

The Star of Misfortune failed to hide that brief moment of excitement, and Li Banfeng sensed it.

Old Mister Yao stood in the courtyard like a clay statue, silent for a long while.

Then he picked up the wine jug on the table and gulped it down.

From the sound of it, he must have swallowed another few catties. After that, Old Mister Yao wiped his mouth and said, ”Brothers, come with me. We are going down the mountain!”

Li Banfeng froze. ”Why are we still going down the mountain? Did we not just say you cannot leave this courtyard?”

”Hide here?” Old Mister Yao said. ”And hide until when? Until Medicine King Gully loses all its people, my cultivation drops, and the Star of Misfortune comes to finish me off?”

As Old Mister Yao spoke, he suddenly smiled. He raised the three-pointed, double-edged saber and gave it two sharp flourishes. At the same time, the four armor flags he carried on his back fluttered in the wind.

”Even if I would end up not being a land deity after today, even if I have to gamble this old life of mine, I will not let that old dog ruin Medicine King Gully!”

Qiu Zhiheng quickly stepped forward to stop him. ”Old Mister Yao, you have shown me great kindness. Leave the Mourning Cultivators in town to me. You do not need to worry about them.”

Old Mister Yao shook his head. ”Little Qiu, you are a good lad. I cannot let that foul luck cling to you for the rest of your life.

”And Li Qi, you do not need to say anything either. You are both good lads. I cannot drag you into this.

”I will handle this myself. I will leave a clone here, along with a few enchanted items to guard the house. Even if the Star of Misfortune really comes, they should be able to hold him off for a while.”

Old Mister Yao has a clone, so this should be easy. Li Banfeng thought and said, ”How’s this? Why don’t you stay and have your clone kill the Mourning Cultivators? Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

”That will not work,” Old Mister Yao said. ”A clone cannot suppress foul luck. If my clone kills the Mourning Cultivators, the bad luck will still come back to me. In the end, I would still suffer at the hands of the Star of Misfortune!”

Old Mister Yao breathed out a mist of wine. The mist swirled in the air and slowly took his shape, turning into a clone that would stay behind to guard the house.

The clone looked exactly like Old Mister Yao. It wore the same battle robe, carried the same three-pointed, double-edged saber, and even had the same flags rising from its back.

Unfortunately, Old Mister Yao had drunk a bit too much. The moment the clone appeared, its mind was muddled. It did not even recognize itself as the clone.

It raised its saber at Li Banfeng and Qiu Zhiheng. ”Brothers, down the mountain we go!”

Old Mister Yao flew into a rage and barked at the clone, ”Why are you going down the mountain? I told you to stay home and guard the place!”

The clone flew into a rage as well. It raised its long saber at the real Old Mister Yao and shouted, ”And who do you think you are? Since when do you get to give the orders?”

Li Banfeng and Qiu Zhiheng knew Old Mister Yao had always been an eccentric old fellow, so neither of them took it seriously at first.

Then they realized the clone was not joking. It shoved Old Mister Yao, Old Mister Yao shoved it back, and in the next moment, the two of them were wrestling and tearing at each other in the courtyard.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, someone happened to be burning paper money in the inner gully and sent a message to the real Old Mister Yao.

That distracted him. In that very moment, the clone slashed him with the three-pointed, double-edged saber, driving it straight into his skull. The weapon bit into the bone and stuck there, hanging from his head.

Qiu Zhiheng stared in shock. He had not expected the clone to actually go for the kill.

Li Banfeng froze for a moment as well, though his surprise quickly turned into admiration as he thought, This clone’s martial skill is rather impressive.

The clone finally stopped, as if only then realizing he had done something wrong.

With the saber still hanging from his head, Old Mister Yao looked at Li Banfeng and Qiu Zhiheng. ”Does this count as foul luck?”

Does this count? Li Banfeng thought. This should count as an accident. But is such an accident caused by foul luck?

Old Mister Yao yanked the long saber out of his own skull and looked at the two of them as he said, ”That girl Yu Nan told me just now that the Mourning Cultivator from earlier died at the train station.”

Yu Heshun died? Who did it? Li Banfeng thought.

Old Mister Yao wiped the blood from his face and continued, ”The Mourning Cultivator had only just died, and here I am, getting chopped in the head by my own clone. Tell me, did the Star of Misfortune set up a Formation of Misfortune in Medicine King Gully ahead of time?

”Is that how this works? As long as a Mourning Cultivator dies in Medicine King Gully, I cannot dodge the bad luck no matter what I do?

”If that is true, then does it mean these Mourning Cultivators cannot be killed at all?”

Author’s Note:

PS: If a Mourning Cultivator decides he no longer wants to live, would that not make the whole thing impossible to solve?

1. The raw is really saying auras of humans but I decided to just translate it as life. This is not a strict one-to-one translation mapping. ☜