The Overlord of Puluo

Li Banfeng stomped down and kicked Zhong Desong into the boiling water. Steam rose at once, scalding his foot, and he quickly pulled it back.

As a second-level Homebound Cultivator and a level-one Wanderlust Cultivator, Li Banfeng already found the heat painfully unbearable from a single touch, not to mention Zhong Desong, who was completely submerged in the boiling water.

With all his strength, Zhong Desong lifted his head out of the water. In that instant, Li Banfeng took out his iron ruler and thrust it into the top of Zhong Desong's head, pushing him back underwater.

The iron ruler burned red, and Li Banfeng quickly pulled it back before stomping hard on Zhong Desong's head again.

When Zhong Desong swam to the opposite wall and tried to lift his head above the surface, Li Banfeng leapt over and kicked him back down.

Zhong Desong tried again and again to escape the pool of scalding tea, but Li Banfeng never gave him the chance.

He was boiled alive in the water for nearly five minutes.

Ascetic Cultivators were known to endure pain beyond human imagination. However, this kind of agony was beyond what a second-level Ascetic Cultivator could endure.

Holding the teapot in his hand, Li Banfeng wasn't sure how to control the enchanted artifact, so he could only wait patiently.

When the spout finally stopped spraying, the pool of tea that was hotter than molten iron slowly began to subside. Zhong Desong lay sprawled on the floor, his skin completely peeled off and his flesh cooked through, leaving not a trace of color on his body.

Li Banfeng sighed softly and said, "As the saying goes, only by enduring hardship can one endure even greater hardship.[1]

"This suffering won't go to waste. Bite down and hang in there. You'll be meeting Old Madam Han soon."

Li Banfeng picked up the teapot and grabbed Zhong Desong by the collar, planning to take him back to the Pocket Dwelling so his wifey could enjoy some hotpot meat.

Before Li Banfeng could open the Pocket Dwelling, he noticed sparks flickering in Zhong Desong's chest. What's he trying to do? Don't tell me he's carrying explosives.

Li Banfeng was startled and immediately hurled Zhong Desong away.

The truth was that Zhong Desong didn't have any explosives. All he had were two flares that were covered in oily coating that kept out moisture.

With the last of his strength, Zhong Desong managed to set them alight.

In Puluo Province, explosives had a mind of their own. Sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't. This time, luck was on Zhong Desong's side as one of the two flares actually lit.

Bang! Whoosh!

The flare streaked into the sky and burst into a dazzling golden flower.

Li Banfeng lunged forward and dragged Zhong Desong into the Pocket Dwelling.

Zhong Desong's eyes had been scorched blind. He couldn't see where he was or guess what Li Banfeng was about to do.

Even as his body was almost mangled, he clung to Li Banfeng with what little strength he had left and screamed hoarsely, "You little thief! There's nowhere to run! Did you really think the dancehall mess was over? Did you think Du Hongxi and Zhou Yujun were the end of it?

"You idiot! I've already sent word to the branch master! He's coming for you! You've crossed the Jiangxiang Gang, and you've already got one foot in the grave!"

With a sharp kick, Li Banfeng knocked Zhong Desong aside and said to the gramophone, "Wifey, it's time to eat."

Hiss, hiss~

The gramophone let out two pitiful cries. "My dear husband, you've starved your poor wifey for so many days. At last, you're feeding me again, oh~"

Li Banfeng scolded, "Don't talk like that in front of outsiders! You make it sound like I've been starving you!"

A wave of steam burst out, tearing Zhong Desong's soul apart piece by piece.

Li Banfeng sat on the edge of the bed, mulling over Zhong Desong's last words, Zhong Desong said that the branch master of Jiangxiang Gang has been looking for me. Is that true?

Li Banfeng was almost certain it was true.

From the moment he blew up the Elysian Melody Dancehall to the time the Jiangxiang Gang admitted defeat and threw Jia Quansheng under the bus, only one day had passed. Their response had been far too fast. Even in Yuezhou, no gang could handle something like that so quickly.

The reason they had settled things so quickly was to hide their real target and he was the real target!

They are after me. They are still after me! This isn't over yet!

Li Banfeng reached over and tickled the gramophone under its arm[2]. "Wifey, do you think I'm right?"

Pop… crackle… pop…

The gramophone giggled at his touch. "Husband dear~ Right about what?"

"I'm thinking about what's happening outside."

"Within these walls your little wife remains. How could she know what stirs beyond these walls?"

Li Banfeng sat quietly on the bed. After a short while, a gentle warmth spread through his arms.

He took out the teapot, and at once it shrieked again and again, "ARE YOU COLD? TELL MEEEEEEEE QUICKLY! ARE YOU COOOOOLDDD?"[3]

The teapot grew hotter and hotter, and Li Banfeng hurriedly tossed it aside.

Hiss~

The gramophone released steam that coiled around the teapot. The voice inside grew fainter and fainter until it finally disappeared.