Incompatible Elements

The bonfire light shone on his face, and Li Banfeng slowly opened his eyes.

The peddler's face suddenly appeared close by, gazing at Li Banfeng with a seemingly very concerned smile.

"You're awake? Here, have a bowl of Fruit Dew to perk up."

Fruit Dew, a type of beverage from the old days, looked like fruit juice but had nothing to do with it. It was a drink made from coloring and saccharin.

This bowl was orange flavored.

Li Banfeng's mouth was dry and bitter, so having a bowl of this drink was quite nice.

Li Banfeng finished the Fruit Dew. When he asked about entering the path, the peddler's smile was full of sincerity: "Congratulations, young man, you have escaped the threat of heavenly light and become a cultivator, also known as a Dark Energy User in the outer provinces."

Why was the peddler's tone so strange?

His speaking tone had an official formality, and his previous common touch was gone.

Li Banfeng asked again, "Which path did I enter?"

"Didn't you want to become a Travel Cultivator before? That wish has come true!" The peddler poured Li Banfeng another bowl of Fruit Dew.

"That's good." Li Banfeng picked up the Fruit Dew and took a big gulp. This bowl was pineapple flavored, the golden yellow drink carrying the unique rich aroma of pineapple.

Seeing the golden yellow, Li Banfeng remembered the scene before he fainted. He saw golden yellow medicinal powder, mixed with a hint of cyan-blue halo.

"Just a Travel Cultivator?" Li Banfeng re-examined the peddler.

The peddler's smile was still sincere: "You just asked another guest if it's possible to cultivate two paths concurrently. I will answer this question for him. It is possible to cultivate two paths concurrently!"

Indeed!

Something was indeed wrong!

Li Banfeng asked, "Which two paths am I cultivating concurrently?"

The peddler pondered for a moment and said, "It's Travel Cultivator and Shut-in Cultivator."

The blue medicinal powder was for Travel Cultivator.

The golden medicinal powder was for Shut-in Cultivator.

Li Banfeng was stunned for a long time before asking, "How can Shut-in Cultivator and Travel Cultivator be cultivated simultaneously?"

These two paths clearly had a contradictory relationship, like fire and water.

The peddler patiently explained: "That guest just said that cultivating two paths concurrently makes it difficult to achieve anything. I think that idea is incorrect.

A person cultivating two paths concurrently should, at the same level, have stronger combat power than a cultivator of a single path.

Even if they are one level lower than the opponent, they can still contend and compete with the opponent through the means of two paths.

Isn't this an advantage? Isn't this potential? I believe the future of dual cultivators is bright!"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "I also think it's bright. So, how do Shut-in Cultivator and Travel Cultivator cultivate together?"

"Let's talk about Shut-in Cultivator first," the peddler patiently explained. "Due to its special nature, Shut-in Cultivator can be cultivated concurrently with many paths, such as Peeping Cultivator,

Peeping Cultivators are skilled at peeping and tracking. If a Shut-in Cultivator also cultivates Peeping, they can sit at home and track someone's whereabouts. Even if exposed, Shut-in Cultivators are very safe under the protection of their Home Spirit.

Moreover, Home Spirits can enhance the abilities of Peeping Cultivators, allowing them to pursue enemies thousands, or even tens of thousands of miles away, and even break through barriers.

Therefore, Shut-in Cultivation is very suitable for dual cultivation."

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "Very suitable. So, how does Shut-in Cultivation dual cultivate with Travel Cultivation?"

The peddler continued to explain, "Let's look at Travel Cultivation. Travel Cultivation is also very suitable for dual cultivation. Without going too far, let's talk about Manager Han of the Hundred Life Medicine Shop in Medicine King Gully.

Everyone in Medicine King Gully knows she is a Medicine Cultivator, but few know that Manager Han also cultivates as a Traveler.

She traveled over thousands of mountains and across ten thousand waters, collecting countless rare treasures. Only then did she manage to build up the Hundred Life Medicine Shop.

Tell me, isn't being a Traveler suitable for dual cultivation?"

"Suitable, very suitable," Li Banfeng agreed wholeheartedly. "So, how does Shut-in Cultivation dual cultivate with Travel Cultivation?"

"Shut-in Cultivation and Travel Cultivation are both very suitable for dual cultivation. Isn't it also very good to put these two paths together..." The peddler's voice grew softer and softer.

Li Banfeng asked very seriously, "What's good about it?"

"Listen to me make something up for you..." The peddler wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Okay, I'll listen. You make it up." Li Banfeng was still very serious.

After a few minutes of silence, a cold wind blew, and sweat appeared on the peddler's forehead. "I can't make it up."

"Then what?" Sweat also appeared on Li Banfeng's forehead.

Something big had happened.

The peddler forced a smile, seemingly comforting Li Banfeng. "Shut-in Cultivation and Travel Cultivation cannot dual cultivate. These two paths are natural enemies. But you can think of the good side."

"What good side?"

"The good side is that you're still alive," the peddler put away his smile. From now on, every word he said was related to Li Banfeng's life.

"Shut-in Cultivation and Travel Cultivation, these two paths have nothing in common, and their characteristics are severely conflicting. Logically, if you had used the medicinal powders of both paths at the same time, you should have died on the spot.

But you're still alive, which proves that your physique is somewhat special. Of course, this is mainly related to you being illuminated by the Heavenly Light."

"What exactly is the Heavenly Light?"

The peddler shook his head. "This matter is too profound, and I can't explain it clearly to you."

"Speak slowly. What if I understand!" Li Banfeng had to figure out what he had encountered.

The peddler pondered for a moment and said, "Do you know what dark matter is?"

"Of course I know."

In fact, Li Banfeng didn't know. With the current level of human technology, no one knew what dark matter truly was.

But Li Banfeng was also a highly educated person, and he had at least heard the term dark matter.

"You really know?" The peddler confirmed again.

Li Banfeng nodded. "I know. I received a higher education."

"But I don't know!" The peddler puffed out his chest. "I don't know what dark matter is, so I can't explain this clearly!"

Li Banfeng scratched the back of his head, thinking the peddler's words made sense. "Then let's not talk about dark matter for now."

The peddler continued, "What you call 'struck by heavenly light,' in your outer province terms, is called a dark matter radiation stream.

Dark matter is everywhere, but some dark matter is special. In the terms of the Inner Nine Provinces, this is called a Dao affinity eruption.

Ingesting Dao affinity using the correct method won't cause too much harm, but a Dao eruption is too violent for mortals to withstand.

If you're hit by an eruption, your body will quickly explode, and the remaining Dao affinity might continue to harm others.

So, if you want to survive, you must quickly enter the Dao. Through the medicinal primer for entering the Dao, you can guide the Dao affinity in your body in a specific direction..."

The peddler explained the mechanism of heavenly light as simply as possible, and Li Banfeng quickly grasped the key points.

Dark Energy Users, or cultivators as they are called in this place, are actually superhumans who have mutated after special dark matter invaded their bodies.

The mutation is chaotic and highly likely to be fatal.

And the peddler's medicine can guide the chaotic mutation into an orderly one.

Ingesting a small amount of dark matter regularly, like Ma Wu and Qin Xiaopang, results in relatively slow mutation erosion. Only when the mutation reaches a certain level can they use the peddler's medicine to guide them into becoming Dark Energy Users.

However, Li Banfeng encountered a dark matter radiation stream, and his body was invaded by a large amount of dark matter in a short time, putting him at risk of exploding on the spot. Therefore, he had to be guided immediately.

There are many types of medicine, guiding different directions and paths, thus leading to different supernatural abilities.

Li Banfeng's body has enough dark matter, so he can choose any path, and even choosing two similar paths is barely possible.

But he chose two opposite paths.

But Li Banfeng didn't choose this!

Li Banfeng's eyes widened. "What about Qiao Yuesheng, that birdman who just bumped into me? This is all his fault..."

The peddler pointed to the straw mat beside him. "Are you talking about him?"

Li Banfeng hadn't noticed the straw mat beside the peddler and thought it contained some miscellaneous items.

Now that the peddler pointed it out, it seemed to be wrapping a person.

Li Banfeng was surprised. "Is that Qiao Yuesheng?"

The peddler nodded. "This matter started because of him. He has already given me sufficient compensation.

And since you had an accident at my stall, I also have a responsibility, so I must also give you compensation. This is my duty as a businessman.

From your condition, it seems you have survived the initial stage, but the subsequent cultivation will be very difficult for you.

According to the characteristics of a Travel Cultivator, even if you don't seek advancement in cultivation, you must walk at least twenty li every day.

And according to the characteristics of a Shut-in Cultivator, you must return home at least once a day and stay at home for at least two hours."

Li Banfeng calculated the time. "This isn't difficult!"

It really wasn't difficult.

Going out for a walk, twenty li, just treat it as a ten-kilometer jog.

Going home to sleep, or watching novels and dramas, two hours is simply too easy.

From this perspective, these two Daoist sects are not in such severe conflict.

The peddler shook his head and said, "This is in the early stage of cultivation. After reaching a higher level, Travel Cultivators will travel farther and farther, and Shut-in Cultivators will stay at home longer and longer. The two will quickly become incompatible.

Moreover, after Travel Cultivators reach a higher level, they cannot always stay in one place, while a house is fixed, and Shut-in Cultivators cannot run around everywhere. Therefore, these two Daoist sects are natural enemies.

Of course, that's a matter for later, we'll figure it out then. Right now, there's still a difficult matter. For a Travel Cultivator to pass the test and advance to the next level, they must stay in a dangerous place for a day and a night.

This is troublesome. Shut-in Cultivators have to go home every day. If they don't go home for a day, they might die suddenly. How can you stay outside for a day and a night?"

Li Banfeng blinked and asked, "What is a dangerous place?"

The peddler was stunned and said, "Didn't you read books? You don't understand what a dangerous place is? It's a place where your life can be taken at any time."

"How is this place defined? Sleeping in the middle of the road could also lead to being run over by a car at any time!"

The peddler nodded and said, "That's actually a pretty good idea. You can try it in the middle of the road. If your cultivation acknowledges it, you might really advance to the next level!"

"Cultivation will acknowledge it?"

"Why wouldn't it? Cultivation is now a part of you. You have perception, so cultivation naturally has perception. Have you decided to sleep in the middle of the road?"

"I was just saying..." Li Banfeng fell into deep thought.

Shut-in Cultivators have to go home every day.

But what about someone like me who has no home?

I didn't have a home to begin with, so which home do you want me to go back to?

Thinking of this, Li Banfeng directly asked, "I don't have a house right now, so I have no home to return to. Even if I sleep outside exposed to the elements now, it doesn't violate the rules of Shut-in Cultivation. Is that right?"

The peddler nodded: "That's right."

Li Banfeng smiled upon hearing this: "Isn't that easy then? I'll go to a dangerous place first, endure for a day and a night, and after becoming a first-level Travel Cultivator, I'll buy a house. Won't this problem be solved?"

The peddler shook his head: "That won't work."

"Why won't it work?"

"That's equivalent to abandoning Shut-in Cultivation. Dual cultivation requires cultivating both sects. If you abandon one of them, you will lose your life."

Li Banfeng quickly said, "I didn't abandon it, I'm cultivating Travel Cultivation first, then cultivating..."

"What's the use of just saying it?" The peddler directly interrupted Li Banfeng, "Cultivation is a part of your body, and your actions represent your intentions.

You've cultivated Travel Cultivation to the first level, and your cultivation has achieved a small success, but you don't even have a suitable house, and Shut-in Cultivation hasn't even started properly. Isn't that equivalent to abandoning Shut-in Cultivation?"

"What you're saying is a bit far-fetched, isn't it? That's not my intention!"

The peddler shrugged and said, "It's useless to tell me. If you don't believe me, you can try it."

"Try it... I can't try that," Li Banfeng fell into deep thought again, then gritted his teeth and said, "I'll just not advance for now, and wait until I figure out a way!"

"Like him?" The peddler lifted the straw mat, revealing Qiao Yuesheng's bloody and mangled corpse.

Saying bloody and mangled is being reserved; it was a pile of minced meat.

If the peddler hadn't mentioned that this was Qiao Yuesheng, Li Banfeng wouldn't have recognized him at all.

"How did he end up like this?"

The peddler covered him with the straw mat: "He's a Dark Energy User, a Glutton, which is a Food Cultivator.

Compared to Travel Cultivators, Food Cultivators aren't particularly fast runners, but as long as they're full, they're much faster than ordinary people.

According to the rules of the outer provinces, Dark Energy Users can't participate in sports competitions; it's considered cheating. But this kid risked it all for fame and fortune.

Dark matter can't be observed, so no one could detect his cultivation. But he was worried someone would notice his abnormality.

Food Cultivators need to eat five catties of food every day. He was afraid of being exposed, so he didn't dare to eat, much less gain levels.

He kept using his physical talent but didn't cultivate in the correct way. Just as you said, he just kept wasting away, and the result is this appearance.

You can't keep wasting away. At least one of you, the Shut-in Cultivator or the Travel Cultivator, must cultivate to a level. If you delay for too long, your fate is bound to be the same as his."

"Can I stop cultivating once I reach the first level?"

"No, even if you're not ambitious, you still can't slack off on your basic cultivation every day."

Li Banfeng looked at the straw mat covering the corpse: "When is the end of cultivation?"

"There is no end," the peddler shook his head. "From the moment you chose this path, you are destined to walk it for a lifetime."

Li Banfeng looked up at the peddler: "Then tell me, how do I get through this hurdle?"

The peddler looked back at Li Banfeng: "Two paths, you choose one. The first path is to find a dangerous place to settle down. I will prepare a house for you."

PS: Thanks to Zhiden Shengshaxingxiu!

Two updates today, another one at 5 PM.

(End of this chapter)