Li Banfeng set Zhuo Yuling’s head down in front of Lu Xiaolan and beckoned for her to come out.

Lu Xiaolan was no fool. Li Banfeng had already killed Zhuo Yuling, and the other two fifth-level experts were nowhere to be seen. Most likely, they had met the same fate.

She knew she was no match for Li Banfeng. The moment she stepped out of her domain, she would die without a doubt. She refused to come out, but Li Banfeng was certain he could lure her out.

The Fool’s Thousand Worries would work on anyone who felt hesitated and indecisive. As Lu Xiaolan stared at Zhuo Yuling’s severed head, Li Banfeng knew she wouldn’t be able to stay calm. Anger would take hold of her, and once it did, doubt would follow close behind.

As long as she was torn between decisions, she wouldn’t escape the Fool’s Thousand Worries. Sooner or later, she would make a choice that benefited Li Banfeng.

Lu Xiaolan stared at Zhuo Yuling’s head and her gaze drifted out of focus.

This was her biological mother. The woman who had devoted her entire life to turning her into a professional assassin.

The same woman who had never treated her with any gentleness, no matter how much she had suffered as a child.

She tried to marry Lu Xiaolan off to Ma Wu, then to He Jiaqing. Later, for the sake of the Crimson Lotus, she had even forced her to assassinate He Jiaqing’s own mother.

Even when Lu Xiaolan saw Zhuo Yuling’s head, she didn’t feel torn at all. She chose not to go out. If she didn’t go out, what could Li Banfeng do?

Should I force my way into her domain and fight Elephant Qiu? He’s a land deity… what level would that be? Around level ten?

A level-five Homebound Cultivator plus a level-four Wanderlust Cultivator makes nine. Slightly below ten. Then there are the two abilities from the Folly Cultivation… call that another two levels.

So if I add it all together…

Forget it.

No matter how reckless Li Banfeng could be, he had no intention of provoking Qiu Luoye for now. After all, they had once crossed paths in a life-and-death struggle.

Back then, Li Banfeng had nearly lost his life at Qiu Luoye’s hands.

But what should he do with Lu Xiaolan? She remained within her domain, refusing to step out. How was he supposed to deal with her? What method could he use to guard against her?

***

He Jiaqing touched the button and replied to Ling Miaoying, “Are you sure it was that friend of mine who killed Zhuo Yuling?”

“Lu Xiaolan said she saw Li Banfeng holding Zhuo Yuling’s head with her own eyes.”

“And Fan Baoxing and Cui Lisheng?”

“We still can’t reach them. They have most likely died at your friend’s hands as well.”

“That’s impossible. There’s no way he did this alone. He must have set up an ambush in advance.”

Ling Miaoying didn’t agree. “Jiaqing, I handled this with the utmost secrecy. There’s no way any information leaked beforehand. Your friend isn’t some fortune-teller either. He couldn’t have prepared everything so perfectly.

“I think you’ve underestimated him. He has the Arcane Crimson Lotus in his possession. Right now, it’s hard to say what level he’s truly at.”

“What level? You should know. You have fought him before.”

“I knew his cultivation was below mine back then, but I had the advantage of a sneak attack. By now, his cultivation level might be above level five.”

“Are you joking? He hasn’t even been in Puluo Province for a year!”

“Maybe he has put in a lot of effort using the Crimson Lotus.”

He Jiaqing was very firm in his judgment. “It’s not like you can solve everything just by working harder. He might have used the Arcane Crimson Lotus, but not much. The cost is too high. There’s no way he could handle it.”

The two fell silent for a while. Ling Miaoying had no intention of continuing the argument, while He Jiaqing considered his next move.

“Have Lu Xiaolan keep watch from her domain. Whenever you find a chance, plant a hook in Properfolk Village.”

“Jiaqing, Zhuo Yuling just died. Isn’t this a bit much to ask of Lu Xiaolan right now?”

“There’s nothing inappropriate about it. That mother and daughter didn’t even have a place to stay before. If you hadn’t brought them in, she wouldn’t have made it onto Iron Goat Mountain, let alone become a stronghold chief. People like her don’t need our sympathy.”

“I am not sympathizing with her. I am worried she’ll mess this up. I have a feeling your friend isn’t that simple. I think it’s better if I keep an eye on things myself.”

“You can’t go. Everything in Greenwater City depends on you, and this isn’t worth your attention. The new film is about to wrap up, and we can’t afford to be reckless. You hold a monopoly over the film industry in Puluo Province. We’ve invested so much into this film, so it has to sell well.”

Ling Miaoying was very confident about this. “Don’t worry about it. I have already arranged everything.”

***

The new film He Jiaqing spoke of was called The Legendary Bloodblade Detective. But it wasn’t just one film. It was a whole series, made up of ten parts.

Each part lasted about an hour and a half, and all of them followed the same story, with the same group of actors. In the Outer Provinces, this sort of thing was quite common. In simple terms, it was just a television series.

However, in Puluo Province, it was something entirely new. Most people there had never seen anything like it before, and the idea of a story told in parts was strange and exciting.

If the series succeeded, it would be a remarkable achievement. Ling Miaoying would have opened the door to a brand-new way of making films. And for the Ling Family, it could mean complete control over the entire market.

He Jiaqing understood this very well. He knew how much money it could bring in. But more than that, he knew its true value lay beyond profit.

Some of their plans had already gone off track, but He Jiaqing couldn’t allow the most important step to go wrong. He even contacted Ling Miaoying again three days before the film’s release.

“Is all the promotion ready?” He Jiaqing asked. “If it doesn’t seem strong enough, we can delay the release by a few days.”

“It’s all prepared,” Ling Miaoying replied. “On the premiere day, all the great families will send people to show their support.”

“I am not worried about the great families,” he said. “I am worried about the competitors. They won’t give up their livelihoods so easily and they will most likely try to stir up trouble.”

“I’ve already placed people in every film company across Puluo Province,” she said. “Whatever they do, I will know. Jiaqing, you don’t need to worry about that.

“What you should be worried about is Lu Xiaolan. There has been no progress on her side. Properfolk Village is sealed tight. The Madam Bagworm Moths are acting as the support hooks, and there are all sorts of strange creatures patrolling the area. Lu Xiaolan simply can’t get in.”

He Jiaqing let out a soft chuckle. “A thief may lie in wait for a thousand days, but no one can stay on guard for a thousand days. Just have Lu Xiaolan keep watching. That old friend of mine isn’t very patient either. Let’s see how long he can hold out.”

With that, the two ended their call. Ling Miaoying did not linger and quickly went off to prepare for the press conference.

The Legendary Bloodblade Detective had already caused quite a stir. Even before the press conference began, reporters from all the newspapers had crowded into the Ling Family’s grand reception hall, chattering eagerly among themselves.

The moment the main cast arrived, the room came alive at once. Bright flashes lit up the hall again and again, and the sharp clicking of cameras rang out without stopping, as everyone tried to capture the scene.

Several reporters quickly gathered around the female lead, Xiao Xiufei.

One of them asked, “As a former Singing Queen, did you feel a lot of pressure taking part in such a grand production?”

Xiao Xiufei gave a small nod. “Yes, there was quite a bit of pressure. It took a whole year to film The Legendary Bloodblade Detective. During that time, I heard many doubts, and sometimes I even began to doubt myself.

“But I especially want to thank everyone at Ling Family Film Studio. They gave me confidence and courage. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to keep going. Finishing this series is something I’ll always be proud of.”

Another reporter asked, “We have heard there are some rather bold scenes in this film. Could you reveal some details about it?”

Xiao Xiufei shook her head at once. “I am afraid I can’t share any details before the official release. That’s part of my professional duty, and also my responsibility to the film company. I only hope everyone will watch the film and appreciate my performance from an artistic point of view.”

Another reporter quickly spoke up. “There are rumors about one of your scenes with the male lead, Zhou Changhong. I heard the two of you became so involved that it went beyond acting. Is that true?”

Xiao Xiufei smiled calmly. “I can only say that Mr. Zhou and I were completely devoted to every scene. We went… very deep into our roles.”

“You just said very deep, right?”

Xiao Xiufei answered with certainty, “Yes, very deep.”

At once, the clicking of cameras burst out again, louder than ever. Flashes lit up the room one after another, as though no one wanted to miss a single moment. Even the reporters who hadn’t managed to ask a question looked quite satisfied. They had already caught the most important details.

The truth was that every one of these reporters had been carefully arranged by Ling Miaoying. This was exactly the kind of excitement she had hoped to create.

After the interviews with the lead actors came to an end, it was time to speak with the producers.

One reporter asked, “We have heard that some remote theatres have already begun showing pirated versions of The Legendary Bloodblade Detective. Is that true?”

Ling Miaoying smiled. “I can assure everyone here that such a thing is impossible. There is only one master copy of all ten parts, and duplication will not begin until the day before the official release.”

“I would also like to remind all those who work in the same field as us. I, Ling, welcome anyone who wishes to work with Ling Family Film Studio with open arms. However, for those thinking of causing trouble, it would be wiser to stop at the edge of the cliff and turn back while you still can…”

The press conference ended, and the reporters gradually dispersed.

Li Banfeng put away his camera, lowered the brim of his hat, and left the film company.

This wasn’t his first time here. This time, he had disguised himself as a reporter. The last time, he had been a stagehand. The time before that, he had pretended to be a food delivery worker.

He Jiaqing was right. No one could guard against a thief forever.

***

That night, He Jiaqing lay motionless on the bed while a caregiver changed his urine bag. Chen Changrui stood outside the ward, not entering.

He Jiaqing knew Captain Chen was outside. In front of a high-level Spycraft Cultivator, maintaining a disguise at all times wasn’t an easy task.

As fate would have it, Ling Miaoying sent a message at that very moment.

The button on his chest trembled slightly. The caregiver wouldn’t notice, but if Chen Changrui observed carefully, he would definitely catch it.

Should I answer it or not? If I answered, Chen Changrui might sense it and even hear it.

If He Jiaqing didn’t answer, the button would keep trembling like this. The moment Chen Changrui heard even the slightest sound, He Jiaqing would be exposed.

What the hell is so important that they must contact me at this time? He Jiaqing thought.

After a brief hesitation, He Jiaqing tapped the button at lightning speed. The caregiver didn’t notice, but Chen Changrui pushed the door open and walked in. He had heard the movement.

The caregiver froze for a moment. He recognized Chen Changrui. “Officer Chen, at this hour…”

Chen Changrui smiled. “Go on with your work. I’m just here to take a look.”

He Jiaqing lay on the bed without moving, showing no signs of anything unusual.

Ling Miaoying’s voice sounded in his ear. “Jiaqing, something’s happened. A fire happened at the office! We couldn’t save the film reels! They are all destroyed!”

He Jiaqing wanted to kill someone. His heart was bleeding.

He wished he could drag Ling Miaoying out and chop him to pieces on the spot!

However, he couldn’t move. Not only could he not move, he couldn’t show the slightest expression.

Neither his cheeks nor his brows could show even the slightest change.

Ling Miaoying kept talking. “Jiaqing, what should we do now? I know this was my oversight, but at least give me a solution.

“Jiaqing, say something…”

He Jiaqing didn’t move at all.

One had no idea how difficult it was for him!

Author’s Note:

P.S. He Jiaqing’s acting skills are quite good. I wonder what the scene will be like when He Jiaqing meets Banfeng again.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep