Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 839 - 503: Spiritualist

Li Banfeng stood on the eaves, quietly watching the battle.

No matter how you put it, this is a battle.

Light Bulb’s performance was fairly normal. After all, he is just a First Layer Oil Cultivator. Being able to protect himself in front of this Cooling Mat proves that he has improved to some extent in Puluo State.

As for Dumpling, Light Bulb previously said she was a Fourth Layer Cultivator.

That Fourth Layer is somewhat abstract...

It can be understood this way: Dumpling is not good at fighting herself; she is better at surveillance, eavesdropping, intelligence, and those kinds of tasks.

Let’s just say that Dumpling’s intelligence capabilities shown at Xiaoyao Lodge are really... on par with her combat abilities.

As for Ming Xing, he’s injured, and it’s hard to assess his combat ability now, but his act of playing dead looks quite real.

The Cooling Mat charged again, and Dumpling couldn’t dodge it.

Li Banfeng kicked the Cooling Mat away, and Dumpling shouted to Light Bulb, "Seventh Master is covering us, you take Ming Xing and temporarily retreat from the battlefield."

Li Banfeng covered his face.

In this situation, don’t mention me.

Restraint, must exercise restraint.

Can’t underestimate them, can’t mock them, can’t judge the overall combat strength of the Dark Star Bureau just by these three people.

A screeching sound of brakes came from a distance as more team members joined the battlefield.

The first to arrive was Qin Minghui.

This young man’s cultivation level isn’t high either, but his combat awareness is good. He fired a few shots first, found that the handgun had limited lethality against the Cooling Mat, and immediately changed tactics.

He slashed the Cooling Mat open with a dagger.

The Cooling Mat was infuriated and charged at Qin Minghui. Qin Minghui stabbed with the dagger again, and the dagger got stuck in the Cooling Mat, unable to be pulled out.

Qin Minghui was very calm, immediately abandoning the dagger, and picked up a piece of broken tile from the ground, using it like a knife, making another cut in the Cooling Mat.

This impromptu weapon-picking approach clearly marks him as a Martial Cultivator.

While the two cuts didn’t seem to impact the Cooling Mat’s combat strength, Qin Minghui successfully drew the Cooling Mat’s attention, giving Ming Xing the chance to retreat from the battlefield.

Light Bulb shouted, "It’s got oil on it, Qin Minghui, find an opportunity to set it on fire!"

Qin Minghui looked around; a bunch of junk was piling up around this soon-to-be-demolished apartment building.

"We can’t start a fire!" Qin Minghui responded to Light Bulb, "Even if we set it on fire, it might not subdue it, and it could start a fire!"

Li Banfeng watched Qin Minghui for a moment, nodding slightly.

Another screeching of brakes resounded, and a tall, slightly tanned, handsome woman rushed over to the apartment building.

Light Bulb exclaimed, "Candied Fruit Sister, you’re here!"

Candied Fruit Sister said calmly, "Hold it down."

Qin Minghui and Light Bulb restrained the Cooling Mat together. Candied Fruit Sister wetted her fingers with her tongue, leaving two water stains on the Cooling Mat, causing it to fall and roll on the ground, unable to move.

Li Banfeng cast a look of approval.

This woman called Candied Fruit Sister is a Binding Master, in her late twenties, with quite some experience as a team member, and her combat capability is decent!

Candied Fruit Sister assigned tasks to everyone, "Dumpling, you, Qin Minghui, and Ming Xing stay here to guard the Strange Monster. Wait for reinforcements. Light Bulb, you and I will go upstairs to evacuate those trapped!"

Li Banfeng covered his face again.

The combat ability is passable, but the command ability leaves much to be desired.

Qin Minghui raised an objection, "It’s currently uncertain if this Cooling Mat is a New Land creature."

Candied Fruit Sister was confused for a moment, saying, "Then what else could it be?"

Qin Minghui pointed to the label on the Cooling Mat, "This Cooling Mat was produced in March this year. It’s unlikely to become a Dark Energy Creature in such a short time."

Candied Fruit Sister thought for a moment and said, "It’s possible this is a Battle Spirit of a Spiritualist. I overlooked that point."

She overlooked it.

This oversight could easily cost lives.

Spiritualists are what Outside Provinces call Nightmare Cultivators.

This bundle of Cooling Mat is likely the Ghost Servant of a Nightmare Cultivator. Under these circumstances, subduing the Cooling Mat doesn’t mark the end of the fight. Rushing into the apartment is likely to lead to a Nightmare Cultivator’s ambush.

Li Banfeng looked once again at Qin Minghui. To date, only he has made the right choices.

Being the highest-ranked member among the team, Candied Fruit Sister immediately came up with a new distribution plan, "Light Bulb and Ming Xing, you guard the Battle Spirit here. Qin Minghui, you and Dumpling come with me upstairs to capture the Spiritualist!"

The new plan involves taking one more person upstairs, which is correct. With one more member, there’s one more way to deal with an ambush.

Before they entered the corridor, from the third-floor balcony, a flowerpot came flying straight at Candied Fruit Sister.

Candied Fruit Sister evaded the flowerpot with skill. The cactus inside it leaped out and poked Ming Xing in the face full of spines.

Ming Xing cried out in pain and fell to the ground, unable to get up.

Light Bulb wanted to help Ming Xing, but a drying rack fell from upstairs, hooking towards Light Bulb’s head.

Qin Minghui intended to support Light Bulb, but a mop fell from above, hitting Qin Minghui hard.

Dumpling wanted to join the fray but couldn’t find a chance to act.

The battle at the downstairs was fierce. From a window on the third floor, a man climbed outside, a rope tied around his waist, preparing to jump down.

Li Banfeng jumped to the window, grabbed the man, tied him with the rope, and tossed him back into the room, advising, "It’s dangerous outside, better wait here for a while."

This man was the Nightmare Cultivator, and the mop, flowerpot, drying rack, and the previous Cooling Mat were all his Ghost Servants.

This Nightmare Cultivator was obviously a resident of the apartment building. But why was he sending his Ghost Servants to attack residents in the building?

Is he deliberately exposing himself?

Li Banfeng had already guessed the reason, but he still couldn’t see through the strength of the Dark Star Bureau.