There is no such thing as a free lunch.

  "Help!" The big man suddenly turned his head and shouted at me in a low voice.

  My heart skipped a beat, and it turned out that the old man had already been discovered by him. After hesitating for a moment, I didn't plan to take action, this guy was eerie and didn't seem like a good person. The big man's forehead broke out in cold sweat, and he anxiously shouted: "Help me, and I'll give you benefits!"

  As soon as I heard the word "benefit", my spirit was refreshed. Speak earlier, I still have a bit of chivalrous heart. With a blow of air, I instantly caught up with Night Hawk, and with a random slash, Night Hawk fell to the ground with a cry, "thud". A heart fell to the ground, still beating lightly.

  The big man grunted, a pained expression on his face. His heart had cracked open from the fall, but he still hadn't died. His bright yellow eyes stared tightly at me.

  "Brother, I've brought back your heart, you should...". I walked up to the big man and spread out my hands.

  "You first help me put my heart back in." The big man pointed laboriously at his chest.

  I frowned: "Such a disgusting thing I won't do, let your those pawns take action instead."

  "Where did these straw men come from? Their yin souls have already been scattered by you."

  I just realized that the grass people had scattered all over the place and turned into weeds. After some thought, I picked up my heart and pinched it in my hand, saying loudly: "Don't play any tricks! First tell me, who are you? Why are you sneaking around here? If there's even half a lie, I'll crush your heart immediately."

  The big Han shot a fierce light, his lips moved, and suddenly a bright thread appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around my right hand and tying a knot. Now my hand couldn't move at all, let alone crush the heart.

  "What the hell are you doing, trying to get yourself killed?" I bellowed, unleashing my Armed Aegis Technique. My right hand transformed into a sharp steel blade, intent on cutting through the crystal thread. But who would have thought that the thread was incredibly resilient, tightly wrapping around my blade and refusing to be severed? My heart skipped a beat as I slapped the ground, summoning over a dozen puppet grass men that charged at the giant with ferocity. My left fist was imbued with the power of the Long Life Evil Spirit Technique, coordinating with the grass men to attack the giant from all sides.

  Da Han muttered to himself, and dozens of crystal threads suddenly appeared out of thin air, wrapping around the straw men and tying them up. At the same time, one thread quickly wrapped around my left fist and tied a knot. This was bad, now my left hand couldn't move either.

  I feel a sense of unease, where did such a formidable guy come from? My magical powers can't even handle him. A good man doesn't take advantage of the situation in front of him, I quickly blew out a gust of wind and rode the wind to escape.

  "Don't go!" The big man was both angry and anxious, his heart still in my hands. I shouted in mid-air: "If not now, when? Do you take me for a fool?"

  "Except for me, there is no one in the world who can untie the curse on your hands. You killed me, and you also became a useless person, your hands will never be able to move again."

  "I rolled my eyes: 'My family has three thousand weak water swords, let alone a few strands of silk thread, even copper walls and iron walls can be cut off.'"

  "Ha! This is a curse knot, not a physical object. Even the heavenly sword cannot cut it off. Return my heart to me and I will help you untie the knot."

  I saw that the big man didn't seem to be bragging, so I believed him a bit. But my mouth still refused to yield: "You untie me first, and then I'll return your heart; otherwise, forget it." I made as if to leave.

  "Ah, you little scamp, so slick and cunning, nobody can trust you. Alright, a tiger fallen into a plain is bullied by dogs, I'll break your curse first." My lips moved a few times, the knots on my hands suddenly loosened, and the crystal threads vanished without a trace.

  I was stunned for a moment, didn't expect him to be so straightforward. The big man gasped rapidly several times, his face contorted: "Don't you return my heart to me yet?

  I smiled and said, "What about the benefits you promised me?"

  "What do you want? I'll agree to it." The big man's mouth curled up in a cold smile, his expression calm: "Don't play tricks on me, kid. I can untie the curse for you, and also retie it!"

  I had an idea, and with a burst of wind, I threw the heart back into the Han's chest cavity. "Thud - thud", the heartbeat slowly started again. The Han let out a sigh of relief, his hand gently stroking his belly, which was once again sewn up, without even a hint of a wound.

  "I didn't expect you to keep your promise." The big man said with some surprise, standing up straight, he was a whole head taller than me, looking quite imposing, his eyes gleaming brightly as they moved. But his entire demeanor was listless, like a sick cat.

  "I said solemnly: 'Don't measure a gentleman's heart with a petty person's mind. Let's be friends, after all, more friends mean more paths to take. Who are you, anyway? What do you plan on doing here?'"

  As soon as the words fell, a "hiss" sound came from my head, and a strand of pungent smoke rose up, drifting away. I was shocked in my heart, staring at the big man: "Did you do something to me?"

  The big man put his hands behind his back, looked me up and down carefully, nodded: "You're not stupid. That's right, I planted a destructive oath on you just now. If you hadn't kept your word and returned my heart to me, you would have been burned all over due to the broken oath. But you kept your promise, so the destructive oath was automatically lifted and dissipated into green smoke."

  I just realized I had just turned a circle at the Ghost Gate, and I was so angry that my teeth itched: "You're quite cunning, no wonder you were so happy to help me untie the curse, it turns out you had secretly left a hand."

  "In fact, just now you only needed to take my heart and escape far away, and after I died, the curse would naturally be lifted. Unfortunately, you were scared back by a few words from me." The big man chuckled: "I, Tuli Fan, have been roaming the demonic heavens for thousands of years, how could I capsize in this small ditch of yours?"

  I stared in shock: "You're a demon from the underworld? Turfan, what an ugly name, it's clear your dad isn't very educated. Wait, you said you've lived for several thousand years? Damn, you don't even blush when lying, it shows how thick your skin is."

  Turban roared: "I was born 5,999 years ago, and have gone through two Grand Calamities, twenty-nine Heavenly Calamities, and hundreds of minor calamities. In the Demon Realm, I can summon the winds and rains with a single call, my name alone is enough to scare those little monsters into not daring to cry at night. Why do I need to deceive someone as insignificant as you?" He bent down, coughing violently for a while, with fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

  I was startled. A great demon who had cultivated for nearly six thousand years? No wonder it was so formidable! I observed his expression and said, "You seem to have suffered a serious injury."

  "If I hadn't been injured, how would you have dared to be so arrogant?" Tulei said disdainfully: "Your magic is also passable, and you can even use the long-lost Blowing Wind Technique. Unfortunately, you are a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. Young man, why have I never seen you in the Demon Realm before?"

  I raised my chin, speaking loudly and unashamedly: "I'm Lin Fei, the so-called rising star of the Northern Border, a man who has mixed with the red dust of the world. You're not fortunate enough to know me. Cutting to the chase, you're sneaking around here, disemboweling and washing your intestines... are you treating an injury?"

  Turpan's eyes flickered uncertainly: "You're quite clever, yesterday my tracks were just discovered by you, and tonight you've already snuck up on me. Since you know I'm here treating my injuries, you'd better leave quietly, we don't interfere with each other's business. However, you have to make a vow, if you encounter me again, you're not allowed to reveal it to outsiders."

  "No problem, I won't say anything." I said casually, anyway, I'll just tell Haji later. Catching a glimpse of Tuluban's sinister smile on his face, my heart skipped a beat: "You're casting another spell on me!"

  Tulufan's eyes rolled over: "As long as you keep your promise and don't leak my whereabouts, the oath curse won't be triggered."

  Damn it, I should have known better than to agree to this. I cursed inwardly, yet felt curious: "I've heard Master say that apart from the Jia Yu Shu and Secret Path Technique, there's a mysterious technique called Mi Zhou that's extremely sinister. If you don't know how to dispel it, even if you're strong in magic or demonic powers, it's hard to get rid of."

  Tulufan said proudly, "You're right, in the entire Northern Territory, there won't be more than five people who understand the art of incantations. Farewell, young one." The towering figure quickly shrunk down to the size of an ant and disappeared into a clump of grass.

  "My goodness, wait a minute!" I shouted: "What about the benefits you promised me? You don't keep your word, and your whole family will be finished!"

  With a flicker of his eye, Tulei Fan suddenly appeared again, his body stretching out to meet the wind. With an annoyed expression, he said: "Running into you is my bad luck. Take it, this is Wuma from Moshatian, it can cure poisonous insect bites, worth 10,000 taels of silver, no more or less." He casually handed me a dark and shiny multi-branched plant.

  Strange, why is this guy so honest? I eyed him suspiciously, then thought for a moment and asked tentatively: "I see, you've promised to give me benefits, if you don't keep your promise, the curse will backfire on yourself, right?"

  Tuluban's face twitched and he let out a dry laugh, about to leave. I handed the wool back to him and shook my head: "I don't want this kind of thing."

  Turpan squinted his eyes: "What kind of trick are you trying to play?"

  "I want the benefit of---the curse!" I had already made up my mind when I agreed to return his heart. The crystal knot from Turpan is quite extraordinary, if I could also master this magic, during the final battle with Yun Dalang, as long as I tie a cursed knot on his black package, he won't be able to untie it, and I can rest easy. Thinking of this, my heart bursts into bloom, as if I see Yun Dalang being beaten by me, kneeling down and begging for mercy.

  "Hmph!" Tulei's eyes gleamed with cunning as he turned them: "I only promised you benefits, but didn't say what kind of benefits. If you want it, Uhma, then take it; if not, give it back to me."

  Damn it, this old demon is really cunning. However, no matter how sly you are, I'll make you drink my foot-washing water. I quietly threw down the black sesame seeds and left with a flourish.