Li Banfeng looked at the large bouquet of fresh flowers in Sui Donglan's hands and sniffed them one by one.

"You call these good flowers? They don't have any fragrance at all. How are these good flowers?"

Sui Donglan pulled a long face. "How was I supposed to know what kind of flowers you wanted? I thought you just wanted something that looked nice."

Li Banfeng pushed the flowers aside. "Do you think you can remove the words on your face with these trash flowers? Keep dreaming!"

"Please!" Sui Donglan grabbed him. "How about this? I will take you somewhere with flowers. They are extremely fragrant. You can pick as many as you want."

Honestly speaking, even though Sui Donglan was a swindler, she had put in real effort when it came to preparation.

The place she recommended was a bit far, but there were indeed many good flowers.

Li Banfeng picked all kinds of fresh flowers and wove them into a large garland. Even from a distance, the fragrance rushed straight to the nose.

He then had Sui Donglan recommend some rouge. Putting the color aside, the fragrance was truly exceptional.

After preparing all the gifts, Li Banfeng also prepared one thousand silver dollars. When the night came, he carried the box, took the garland and rouge, and entered the auxiliary building.

Han Juncheng was still lying at the entrance. He was already dead. Completely dead. Yet no one dared to go near him, let alone move the body.

Li Banfeng swallowed hard and kept walking. He remembered what the long spear looked like, but he had no idea where it was. Inside the auxiliary building, he did not dare wander around carelessly.

Fortunately, his nose was sharp, and even sharper than Han Juncheng's.

With the ability of Hundred Flavors at the Tip of the Nose, he followed the cold, sinister aura and made his way to the second floor.

When he reached the room at the end of the corridor, Li Banfeng did not push the door open. Instead, he took out the garland, opened the rouge box, and waited quietly.

The fragrance slowly drifted into the room, and with a soft creak, the door opened.

Li Banfeng saw the weapon rack, and he saw the long spear resting on it.

He stepped forward carefully, carrying the garland and rouge. As the scent drew closer, the long spear reacted and suddenly spoke. "Who are you?"

The voice was deep and cold. Its force swept over him, and Li Banfeng shuddered. He slowed his steps, but he kept moving forward.

The long spear roared again, "What are you trying to do?"

There was no need to answer, and he could not answer anyway as she would not be able to hear him.

Li Banfeng could only sense the shifts in that oppressive force and use them to judge how fast to move.

"Don't come any closer! Take another step and I'll take your life!" the long spear roared.

Li Banfeng trembled, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving forward. His pace slowed, yet he never stopped. He could not stop. His ability of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity told him he must not. Hongying was extremely suspicious at this moment. If he stopped, he might die in an instant.

From time to time, Li Banfeng touched the Tang saber and muttered, "Take the enemy's head when you strike. You have got to fight for me."

The Tang saber trembled from end to end, unable to utter a single word. It was a soldier, and now it had encountered its nemesis.

The other artifacts were trembling as well. In fact, even the liquor gourd and the old teapot had gone completely silent.

Li Banfeng moved closer to the long spear. Gathering his courage, he placed the garland on it.

"Flowers..." The long spear fell silent for a long while before asking, "Are they for me?"

Li Banfeng took a deep breath, dipped his finger into the rouge, and gently applied it to the spear.

"Why are you touching me? How dare you! This is... rouge?"

It had been a long time since she had used rouge. There were some things that Old He simply didn't quite understand.

Li Banfeng slowly wrote two characters on the spear with the rouge.

Hongying.

The long spear trembled, and Li Banfeng heard the faint sound of breathing.

"You know my name?"

Li Banfeng wrote it again on the spear.

Hongying.

"You... are calling my name?"

This was the most crucial step. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Sweat poured down Li Banfeng's body, soaking him through in an instant.

He gripped the key tightly in his hand. If the spear's domineering presence felt any stronger, Li Banfeng would flee right away back into the Pocket Dwelling. However, the pressure didn't change. In fact, it weakened slightly.

He waited for a full five minutes. During those five minutes, Li Banfeng almost suffocated.

At last, the long spear spoke. "You... want me?"

Li Banfeng gently stroked the spear.

"I am deaf and blind, and you still want me..."

How long have you been trapped here? Li Banfeng asked inwardly. Have you been waiting all this time for someone to accept you?

Meeting Old He must have felt like a stroke of fate. Now that he's gone... you must be worried that you will never meet another Homebound Cultivator again, right?

Hongying fell silent. It was hard to tell whether she was moved or still suspicious.

Li Banfeng knew he could not hesitate. He had to show sincerity. Not just a little, but enough to overwhelm any doubt.

He took out a silver coin and gently tapped it against the spear.

The long spear exploded at once. "What is this? What kind of person do you take me for?"

Li Banfeng jolted and trembled all over. For a moment, he nearly fled back into the Pocket Dwelling.

Fortunately, the spear quickly calmed down and asked, "That was a silver coin just now, right?"

Li Banfeng picked up two silver coins and tapped them lightly against Hongying.

"Only two? What kind of woman do you think I am?" Hongying demanded sharply.

"There's more," Li Banfeng said, though he knew she could not hear a word.

He scooped up a handful of silver coins and brushed them lightly over the spear.

"Hey! Don't touch my belly!" Hongying snapped. "That tickles terribly!"

Li Banfeng hurriedly moved his hand upward.

Hongying grew even more irritated. "I am a young lady. How can you touch there?"

Li Banfeng quickly moved his hand downward.

"Not there either!"

Where the hell am I supposed to touch then? This woman is far harder to deal with than my Gramophone Wifey!

Li Banfeng brushed each silver coin one by one over the spear.

The long spear let out a soft, cold laugh from time to time. "Vulgar man... bringing me such vulgar things. Do you really think I would take a liking to them?"

"Let me tell you! Don't be using the same silver coin to touch me twice. If you dare use the same coin twice, just watch how I deal with you!"

Before long, all one thousand silver coins had been used once. Li Banfeng dipped his finger into the rouge and wrote her name on the spear again.

Hongying.

"Why are you calling my name again?" The spear's domineering presence surged, then slowly subsided. "Haven't I already agreed?"

Li Banfeng gathered his courage and reached out, gripping the spear. The domineering presence was still there, pressing against him, but the spear did not resist.

He was still one step away from success. The last step was to deal with the house. If the house did not want Hongying to leave, Li Banfeng would have to fight it.

Hongying had already prepared for this. "I have stayed in this house for many years. It might try to keep me here by force. We must not get stuck dealing with it. Watch for the right moment and leave as quickly as possible!"

Li Banfeng wiped the sweat from his brow and carried the spear all the way to the entrance of the auxiliary building. However, the residence did not stop either him or Hongying.

Hongying had been worrying for nothing. The residence had long grown fed up with her. She felt a little embarrassed and explained, "You chose the timing well. This house is fast asleep and hasn't awakened yet. Hurry and take me to your home."

Li Banfeng brought Hongying into the Pocket Dwelling.

The liquor gourd did not dare make a sound.

The Blood-Drinking Pendulum pressed itself tightly against the Threaded Earring.

Dream Virtue in the calendar covered his eyes.

The old teapot pretended to be asleep.

The Judge's Brush was really asleep.

The Tang saber flew straight into the second room without a second thought.

Holding the long spear, Li Banfeng turned and looked toward the Gramophone.

The long spear had not stopped talking.

"Is this your home? We got here so quickly? Your home is quite close to where I used to stay. This house is strange. This is... what kind of place is this? Who are you?"

Hongying's tone changed. She had sensed it. Something was wrong.

"You lied to me!" she roared. "You dare lie to me! What place is this? This is...

She realized it wasn't just the house that was wrong, there were other things inside as well.

"Vile woman, I can smell you. This is your lair. I will..."

Li Banfeng gripped the spear tightly and shouted, "Do it!"

A mass of steam surged forward at once and wrapped itself around the spear. The spear trembled violently, then broke free from Li Banfeng's grasp and turned to stab him.

The steam was faster. It rushed in front of him and blocked the strike.

"Husband dear!" the Gramophone Wifey cried. "Leave the rest to me!"

When he grabbed the spear earlier, it had given his Gramophone Wifey the upper hand.

She sent a surge of steam forward, pushed Li Banfeng into the second room, and sealed the door behind him. Then she turned and began fighting Hongying.

Li Banfeng pressed himself against the door and listened as the two fought, their voices rising and falling as curses flew back and forth.

"Vile woman, you dare scheme against me? I have been looking for you! Let's settle this today!"

"Bitch, what nonsense are you spouting about settling things? You might as well clamp your face between your asses! You have already thrown away your shame anyway, so stop pretending!"

Li Banfeng listened anxiously.

Wifey, why are you cursing at her? She can't even hear you.

After fighting for a while, it was clear the wife was not gaining the upper hand.

This was Li Banfeng's house. She was his dwelling spirit, and the fight was happening inside the Pocket Dwelling. Even so, she did not seem to have the advantage.

What should I do? Li Banfeng thought. He could not think of any way to help her.

Huff, huff...

The wife's voice suddenly turned urgent, as if she had suffered a loss.

A sharp hiss came from the horn. "Husband, help me. Use your mind to unseal her orifices!"

"How do I do that?" Li Banfeng didn't quite understand.

"Husband, focus and unseal an orifice."

"Which orifice?"

"Her ears!"

Li Banfeng focused his mind, thinking only of the shape and form of ears. When he pictured the ear canal, a scream came from outside the door.

That scream came from Hongying. She could hear now!

Li Banfeng hadn't expected that a Homebound Cultivator and a dwelling spirit could coordinate in battle this way.

This was likely a new method the wife had created after taking the Profound Essence Pill.

Hongying had been deaf for many years. Now that her hearing had been restored, she should have felt happy. However, being able to hear while in front of the Gramophone was not a good thing.

The Gramophone Wifey began to sing.

「 In spring, green grasses grow, battle robes are stitched with care.

In summer, red flowers bloom, drums and horns resound in the air.

In autumn, yellow leaves fall, before the ranks, the enemy falls.

In winter, white snow flies, blood is shed to honor souls. ♪」

The Gramophone Wifey started singing this sad war song, and the moment Hongying heard this song, she lost her mind.

"Vile woman! I did nothing wrong! What right do you have to humiliate me!"

"Bitch, what right do you have to say you did nothing wrong? Do you even remember a warrior's duty?"

"I'll fight you to the death!" The spear lost control and thrust straight at the Gramophone.

The song echoed through the room, rising and falling like something alive.

Li Banfeng felt nothing. Neither did the other artifacts. Only the spear lay on the ground, completely still.

Li Banfeng stepped out of the room and looked at it. "Wifey, is she dealt with?"

The Gramophone let out a few heavy breaths before answering, "She's dealt with!"

A weight lifted from Li Banfeng's chest. He picked up the spear. "Good. I'll go deal with her."

He could sell it straight to Luo Zhengnan. His wife's grudge would be settled, and the matter of Iron Gate Fort would be resolved as well.

"Husband, wait!"

Li Banfeng froze. "What is it, wifey?"

"Husband... she's not dead yet."

"Not dead?" Li Banfeng quickly threw the spear away. "Wifey, this isn't a joke. This is such a fine dish. You should eat it while it's hot! Why would you keep her alive?"

"Husband, I have one thing to ask you. Let this wretch live a few more days. There are things I need to ask her. I have kept these questions with me for too many years. If I don't get answers to them, I won't ever be able to let it go."

"Wifey, but I don't feel safe keeping such a fierce woman at home."

"Husband, don't worry. She has been affected by my ability. Even if she has ways to fight back, she won't be able to use them."

"But this..." Li Banfeng felt troubled. He needed to get rid of this dangerous thing as soon as possible. Yet his wifey would not let him. He could not help but wonder what he should do.

The Gramophone knew Li Banfeng did not want to keep Hongying, but she knew she would feel horrible for the rest of her days if she didn't get answers to those questions.

"I have made things difficult for you, husband," she said softly. "But there are things I must understand. I beg you! Give me a few days. Husband, I beg you. Husband, I truly beg you."

Li Banfeng could understand his wifey's feelings, but he did not know how to handle the situation. He looked at the long spear lying on the ground, its domineering presence still pulsing in waves.

That domineering presence...

Li Banfeng took off his belt.

The Gramophone trembled. "Heyaaaaaaaaaa~ Husband... you are not about to discipline me, are you? If you have to hit me, then go ahead. I deserve it. Just... don't let the others see."

Li Banfeng didn't respond. He turned, walked into the second room, and came back with a weapon.

It was a long spear he had taken from Old Madam Han's house. Since he wasn't good with long weapons, it had been sitting in the Pocket Dwelling all this time.

With the belt in one hand and the spear in the other, he glanced at Hongying on the ground. "Wifey, can she still talk?"

"Yes. Once she wakes up, she'll be able to speak."

Li Banfeng nodded and tore off the buttons from his clothes.

***

A woman selling cloth came up beside Luo Zhengnan. Pretending to browse for vegetables, she lowered her voice and said, "Someone entered the Fort Lord's residence last night. This morning, the seals on the estate were removed."

Luo Zhengnan smiled. "Looks like it's a success!"

Author's Note:

P.S. It won't be easy to fool this old fox!