Two Crucial Matters

"Why can't it produce a Home Spirit?"

"Because it has no foundation," the peddler explained. "For a house to produce a Home Spirit, it needs to take root in a place and absorb spiritual energy. This house is erratic; it goes wherever the key goes, so naturally, it can't take root."

"Without a Home Spirit, can it still be used for cultivation?"

The peddler stroked his chin and said, "It definitely can't reach higher levels, but getting started is no problem. Maintaining basic daily cultivation is also fine, as long as you're willing to acknowledge this house."

"I'm willing to acknowledge it?" Li Banfeng was puzzled.

"Yes, as long as you treat this house as your home, you've acknowledged it. But remember, acknowledging the house must come from the heart."

Treat this as home?

That's a bit difficult!

Li Banfeng found it hard to understand the state of this house: "Invisible, intangible, and it can move. What kind of existence is this house?"

"Didn't I say? It follows the key. Wherever the key is, it is. But how it moves specifically, I don't know. This is a shelter built by a Travel Cultivator Grandmaster himself. Later, as his cultivation deepened, that Grandmaster no longer needed this thing, so he sold it to me. If you think it's suitable, I'll give you this house. Although it has no Home Spirit, you can't reach higher levels in Shut-in Cultivation, but living in the house every day, at least you're cultivating on the right path and won't be in immediate danger of losing your life."

Li Banfeng asked, "So, you mean I can focus entirely on Travel Cultivation, and Shut-in Cultivation just needs to maintain the current state?"

"Of course not," the peddler shook his head. "When cultivating two paths simultaneously, the difference in levels cannot exceed three. Without a Home Spirit, your Shut-in Cultivation cannot reach higher levels, meaning it's not even at level one. If your Travel Cultivation reaches level one, the situation is still acceptable. But if it reaches level two, the Shut-in Cultivation will backlash. If Travel Cultivation reaches level three, Shut-in Cultivation will endanger your life. If Travel Cultivation reaches level four and Shut-in Cultivation hasn't even reached level one, the cultivator will surely die. Remember, the difference between the two must never exceed three levels."

Li Banfeng rubbed his chin: "So, it seems the conflict between Shut-in Cultivation and Travel Cultivation still hasn't been resolved."

"How should I put this?" The peddler smiled. "You're from an Outer State, you should have seen cars, right?"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "I have."

"If a car hits and kills someone, do you have to pay compensation?"

"Naturally."

"After paying compensation, can the dead person be resurrected?"

"Certainly not."

"Since they can't be resurrected, why do you still have to pay compensation?"

Li Banfeng was stumped by the question.

The peddler smiled and said, "That's the principle. When you do something wrong, you must provide corresponding compensation. You're cultivating two incompatible Dao Gates. There's my fault in this matter, so naturally, I have to give you equivalent compensation. This is my rule, a reasonable rule. I've given you compensation, a reasonable compensation."

but whether this compensation can save your life depends on your own fortune. There are two paths: one is to build your home in a dangerous place, and the other is to take this movable home. Choose one yourself."

The two paths seemed to solve the problem, but in reality, neither did.

Li Banfeng first considered the first path: "If I cultivate a Home Spirit in a home in a dangerous place, and I no longer want this home, can I move?"

No one wants to live in a dangerous place their whole life.

The peddler nodded: "A Shut-in Cultivator can change homes, but the Home Spirit must be handled properly.

If a Home Spirit is abandoned, it will turn into a Vengeful Spirit. It will lure others to live in the home. As long as they live in the home for one night, they will become prisoners of the Home Spirit.

Unless someone comes to replace the imprisoned person, the Home Spirit will imprison that person until death, and then the Home Spirit will continue to harm people.

The more people the Home Spirit harms, the higher its magic power. If it cultivates a way to leave the home, the Home Spirit will inevitably seek revenge on its master.

Many Shut-in Cultivators have died at the hands of Home Spirits. Changing homes must be done cautiously. It's best to find another Shut-in Cultivator to take over the old home, and you must get the Home Spirit's consent."

This is much more difficult!

Where can I find someone to take over?

Shut-in Cultivators stay at home and are already hard to find. Even if you find one, they might not be willing to take it. They have their own Home Spirit, why would they take over a home in a dangerous place?

Of the two paths, the first path allows for the cultivation of a Home Spirit, which is beneficial in the long run.

The second path can only solve the current problem and is not a long-term solution.

Weighing the pros and cons, Li Banfeng chose the second path.

The reason is simple: he currently doesn't have the capital to choose a long-term solution.

Since getting on the train, Li Banfeng had encountered too many situations that overturned his understanding. If not for extremely good luck, he would likely not be alive now.

This was just the daily life in Medicine King Gully. If he really went to a dangerous place, he probably wouldn't even last a day, let alone dream of getting a Home Spirit after half a year. He would probably have already become a wisp of a wronged soul, serving as nourishment for another family's Home Spirit.

With the matter settled, the peddler immediately handed the brass key to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng tried it a few times, confirmed it was correct, and the transaction was thus completed.

"Profit and loss, neither owes the other. I lost money on this deal, but I value my reputation. Since you've taken my things, you can't go out and ruin my reputation. You can't mention this to anyone, do you agree?"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "I agree."

"Then it's settled. Do you have any relatives in Medicine King Gully?"

Li Banfeng frowned slightly: "Why do you ask that?"

The peddler shrugged his eyebrows: "There was a person before, originally a Fire Cultivator, but then he regretted it and wanted to change to the Dao Gate, switching to Water Cultivation.

Nothing happened on the first day, but on the second day, he turned into ashes."

Li Banfeng's cheek twitched: "You mean?"

"It means you might not survive. Long-term matters are not my responsibility, but if you don't even make it through tonight, I can give this compensation to your relatives." The peddler was indeed a trustworthy person.

Li Banfeng shook his head: "I don't have any relatives."

This was the truth. Whether in Medicine King Gully or elsewhere, Li Banfeng had no relatives.

"This isn't my fault then. Anyway, I've given you the house. The rest depends on your destiny," the peddler smacked his lips and instructed,

"Remember this: sleep in the house for one night. If you feel energy surging in your body, it proves you've truly recognized the house, and your cultivation will be compatible with it. That's the first hurdle cleared.

In the house, a Shut-in Cultivator's combat power is strongest, far exceeding ordinary people. After leaving the house, their combat power will slowly decline, and after returning to the house, it will quickly recover. This is crucial for a Shut-in Cultivator.

A Travel Cultivator has the greatest advantage in the wilderness. The more treacherous the terrain, the stronger their combat power. If trapped in a house, a Travel Cultivator is in constant danger of losing their life. This is crucial for a Travel Cultivator.

Spend at least two hours in the house every day and walk at least twenty li. This is the basic cultivation requirement each day. If the basic requirement is met, you will have a sensation. If you don't complete the basic requirement, you will suffer backlash. Qiao Yuesheng is an example.

If you truly encounter difficulties, you must at least go home once a day and find a way to walk three to five li. If you can't even do this much, you can only wait for a sudden death.

A Travel Cultivator can advance a level by staying in a dangerous place for one night. A Shut-in Cultivator can also advance a level by pleasing the Home Spirit. When you advance a level, you will also have a sensation. Remember, remember."

The peddler tied the mat rolled with the corpse onto his cart and pushed it away.

Li Banfeng asked, "Do you have a power bank?"

"Power bank? I don't have that," the peddler shook his head. "I don't have anything that uses electricity."

Li Banfeng looked at the pitch-black wilderness, thought about what he had seen and heard along the way, and asked, "Is this place connected to electricity?"

"Connected to electricity?" The peddler didn't know how to answer for a moment. "Some households use electricity, but the electricity isn't connected.

Electricity is difficult to transmit over long distances in Pro State. In your Outer State terms, it's called excessive line loss.

The power bank you mentioned should be used for mobile phones. In Pro State, it's best to use mobile phones as little as possible.

There shouldn't be any signal here in the first place. You don't know where the signals you receive come from, and they might attract trouble that shouldn't come, or perhaps attract people who shouldn't come.

Especially Peeping Cultivators, they like to use mobile phones as hooks in the Outer State."

"What's a hook?"

"It's a hook used for fishing. Peeping Cultivators' Wind-Following Ears are often attached to mobile phones," the peddler didn't explain further, waved at Li Banfeng, and said,

"This business is done. Although there were some minor changes, my reputation remains unchanged, and my sincerity is the same. Please take care, customer, and please give me more business next time."

PS: Three updates today, another one at twelve o'clock. Dear readers, give all your monthly votes to Salad, all to Salad!

(End of this chapter)