"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 one place and absorb spiritual energy.
"This house drifts unpredictably. Wherever the key goes, it goes. Naturally, it cannot put down roots."
"Without a Home Spirit, can it still be used for cultivation?"
The Peddler rubbed his chin. "It definitely won't work for advancing to higher levels, but it's fine for getting started. It can also sustain your daily basic cultivation, as long as you're willing to acknowledge this house."
"I'm willing to acknowledge it?" Li Banfeng was puzzled.
"That's right. As long as you treat this house as home, you've acknowledged it. But remember, acknowledging a house must come from the heart."
Treat this as home?
That was a little difficult!
Li Banfeng found it hard to understand this house's condition. "You can't see it or touch it, and it can move. What exactly is this house?"
"Didn't I say? It follows the key. Wherever the key is, it is there too. But exactly how it moves, I don't know either.
"This was a shelter built by a master Travel Cultivator. Later, as that master's cultivation grew deeper by the day, he no longer needed it and sold it to me.
"If you think it suits you, I'll give this house to you. Though it has no Home Spirit, so you can't gain levels as a House Cultivator, living in the house every day at least means you'll be cultivating on the proper path, and for now, your life won't be in danger."
Li Banfeng asked, "So I can devote myself fully to cultivating as a Travel Cultivator, while merely maintaining my current state as a House Cultivator?"
"Of course not." The Peddler shook his head. "When cultivating two paths together, the difference between their levels cannot exceed three levels.
"Without a Home Spirit, your House Cultivator path cannot advance, meaning it isn't even at the first level. If your Travel Cultivator path reaches the first level, things will still be manageable. But if it reaches the second level, the House Cultivator path will backlash against you.
"If the Travel Cultivator path reaches the third level, the House Cultivator path will endanger your life. If the Travel Cultivator path reaches the fourth level while the House Cultivator path still has not reached the first level, the cultivator will undoubtedly die. Remember this well: the difference between the two must never exceed three levels."
Li Banfeng pinched his chin. "Then the conflict between House Cultivation and Travel Cultivation still hasn't been resolved."
"How should I put this?" The Peddler smiled. "You're from Outer State. You've seen cars, haven't you?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I have."
"If a car kills someone, does it have to pay compensation?"
"Of course."
"After compensation is paid, can the dead person come back to life?"
"Definitely not."
"Since they cannot come back to life, why pay compensation?"
Li Banfeng was stumped at once.
The Peddler smiled. "That is the principle of it. If you do something wrong, you must provide corresponding compensation.
"You cultivated two paths that are like fire and water. I bear some fault in this matter, so naturally I must give you equivalent compensation.
"That is my rule, a reasonable and fair rule. I have given you compensation, reasonable and fair compensation.
"But whether this compensation can save your life depends on your own fate. There are two paths: one, cultivate a house in a dangerous place; two, take this movable house. Choose one yourself."
The two paths seemed capable of solving the problem, but in truth, neither could truly solve it.
Li Banfeng considered the first path first. "If I cultivate a Home Spirit in a house located in a dangerous place, can I move if I no longer want that house?"
No one wanted to live in a dangerous place for the rest of their life.
The Peddler nodded. "House Cultivators can change houses, but the Home Spirit must be properly dealt with.
"If a Home Spirit is abandoned, it will become a Vengeful Spirit. It will lure others into living in the house. As long as someone stays there for one night, they will become the Home Spirit's prisoner.
"Unless someone comes to replace the imprisoned person, the Home Spirit will imprison that person until death, after which it will continue harming others.
"The more people a Home Spirit harms, the stronger its magic becomes. If it cultivates a means to leave the house, it will certainly seek revenge on its owner.
"Many House Cultivators have died at the hands of Home Spirits. Changing houses must be handled with caution. It is best to find another House Cultivator to take over the old house, and you must also obtain the Home Spirit's consent."
This had become much harder!
Where was he supposed to find someone to take it over?
House Cultivators all stayed at home, so they were difficult to find in the first place. Even if he found one, they might not be willing to accept it. They had their own Home Spirits—why would they take a house in such a perilous place?
Of the two paths, the first could cultivate a Home Spirit and was better for the long term.
The second could only solve the immediate problem. It was not a lasting solution.
After weighing the pros and cons, Li Banfeng chose the second path.
The reason was simple. Right now, he lacked the capital to choose a long-term solution.
Since boarding the train, Li Banfeng had encountered too many things that overturned his understanding of the world. If not for his exceptionally good luck, he most likely would not have survived until now.
And this was only daily life in Medicine King Gully. If he truly went to a dangerous place, he probably would not last even a day. Dreaming of obtaining a Home Spirit after half a year? By then, he would likely have become a wisp of wronged ghost, nourishment for someone else's Home Spirit.
Once the matter was settled, the Peddler handed the brass key to Li Banfeng on the spot.
Li Banfeng tested it several times and confirmed that there was no mistake. The transaction was thereby complete.
"Profits and losses cancel each other out; neither of us owes the other anything. I took a loss on this deal, but I care about my reputation. Since you've accepted my goods, you cannot go around tarnishing my name. You must not mention this matter to anyone. Agreed?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Agreed."
"Then it's settled. Do you have any relatives in Medicine King Gully?"
Li Banfeng frowned slightly. "Why do you ask?"
The Peddler raised his brows. "There was once a man who was originally a Fire Cultivator. He regretted it and wanted to change paths, so he switched to Water Cultivation.
"Nothing happened on the first day. On the second day, he turned to ashes."
Li Banfeng's cheek twitched. "You mean...?"
"It means you might not survive. Long-term matters are none of my concern, but if you cannot even make it through tonight, I can transfer this compensation to your relatives." The Peddler truly was a man who kept his word.
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I have no relatives."
That was the truth. Whether in Medicine King Gully or anywhere else, Li Banfeng had no relatives.
"Then you can't blame me. Either way, I've given you the house. The rest depends on your fate." The Peddler smacked his lips and added a warning.
"Remember this: sleep one night in the house. If strength surges within your body, that proves you have sincerely acknowledged the house, and your cultivation will be compatible with it. Then you will have endured the first trial.
"Inside the house, a House Cultivator's combat power is at its fullest, far surpassing that of ordinary people. After leaving the house, that combat power will gradually decline, but once you return, it will swiftly recover. This is the crucial point for House Cultivators.
"A Travel Cultivator has the greatest advantage in the wilderness. The more dangerous the terrain, the stronger the combat power. If trapped indoors, a Travel Cultivator's life may be in danger at any time. This is the crucial point for Travel Cultivators.
"Every day, spend at least two hours in the house and walk at least twenty li. This is the foundation of daily cultivation. Once the foundation is met, you will receive a sensation. If you fail to complete the foundation, you will suffer backlash. Qiao Yuesheng is an example.
"If you truly run into difficulties, you must at least return home once a day and find some way to walk three to five li. If you cannot even do that much, all you can do is wait to die suddenly.
"If a Travel Cultivator spends one night in a perilous place, he can advance one level. If a House Cultivator pleases the Home Spirit, he can also advance one level. Upon advancing, there will be a sensation as well. Remember this, remember it well."
The Peddler tied the mat containing the corpse onto his cart and prepared to leave.
Li Banfeng asked, "Do you have a power bank?"
"A power bank? No." The Peddler shook his head. "I don't carry anything that uses electricity."
Li Banfeng looked at the pitch-black wilderness. Thinking of everything he had seen and heard along the way, he asked, "Does this place have electricity?"
"Electricity?" The Peddler did not know how to answer for a moment. "Some households use electricity, but there is no power grid.
"In Pro State, electricity is very difficult to transmit over long distances. In the terms you Outer State people use, the line loss is too great.
"That power bank you mentioned should be for mobile phones. In Pro State, it's best to use mobile phones as little as possible.
"There should not be any signal here to begin with. The signals you receive may not necessarily come from any proper place. They may bring calamities that should not come, or perhaps people who should not come.
"Especially Spy Cultivators. In Outer State, they most like using mobile phones as hooks."
"What are hooks?"
"Hooks for fishing. Spy Cultivators' Wind-Following Ears are often hung on mobile phones." The Peddler did not explain further. He waved to Li Banfeng.
"This deal is now complete. Though there were some small twists, my signboard remains unchanged and my sincerity remains the same. Farewell, customer. Please favor me with your business next time as well."
PS: Three updates today, and there will be another at midnight. Dear readers, give all your monthly votes to Salad, all of them to Salad!
(End of Chapter)
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