Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity

A first-layer Travel Cultivator had two techniques. Li Banfeng truly had not expected that.

Li Banfeng was startled. "Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity—how is this technique used?"

The Carriage Driver said nothing, only kept his head down and pulled the rickshaw.

Li Banfeng wanted to ask more, but suddenly felt a chill and could not help shuddering.

Deep in his subconscious, Li Banfeng felt an inexplicable fear.

He felt that if he asked one more question, he would die at the Carriage Driver's hands.

The Carriage Driver turned back and asked, "Scared?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Scared."

The Carriage Driver smiled. "Just now, I felt killing intent toward you. Don't worry, I wasn't really going to kill you. I was only helping you test the technique.

Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity is the simplest technique. You came to ride in my carriage today—that is called seeking auspiciousness.

A racing heart, trembling hands, shivers, goosebumps—any of these may be signs of danger. When that happens, make sure to steer clear. That is called avoiding calamity.

The technique is easy, but some people simply cannot use it properly, especially careless people who never take such little things to heart.

Travel Cultivators cross a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers. Their minds must be meticulous. Every step they take, they must weigh against their own lives."

This technique delighted Li Banfeng. "As long as danger arises, will a Travel Cultivator definitely be able to sense it?"

The Carriage Driver shook his head. "How could there be such a good thing? It depends on cultivation, on magical treasures, and on the opponent's path.

If your opponent's cultivation exceeds yours by two layers, he can hide his malicious intent. If he wants to harm you, you will not sense it at all.

Or if he possesses a Magical Treasure of Hidden Malice or a technique for concealing malicious intent, you still will not sense it.

Some hidden places can conceal danger. If your cultivation is insufficient, you will not sense it either.

If you encounter a House Cultivator of the same layer, you cannot see any of his thoughts, and you likewise cannot sense his malicious intent."

House Cultivators could evade other people's attention. Li Banfeng had not expected them to be able to hide their own malice as well.

The thoughts of a homebody truly could not be guessed.

Sudden Wind on Flat Ground, Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity!

Li Banfeng had learned quite a lot from the Carriage Driver. Those five hundred had been spent far too well.

"Big Brother, from what you're saying, House Cultivators seem to have some advantage over us Travel Cultivators."

"More than just some advantage." The Carriage Driver gave a bitter smile. "Let me put it this way: we usually need to avoid House Cultivators, and House Cultivators need to avoid us too. Once we fight a House Cultivator of the same level, we must make up our minds that only one of us will survive.

If we enter a House Cultivator's house, we will surely die. If we send a House Cultivator into a perilous place, they will surely die.

I once encountered a House Cultivator. He was about to force me into his house, so I risked being beaten senseless all the way and carried him straight to the edge of a cliff.

Us Travel Cultivators have steady feet. I could stand firm, but House Cultivators could not. He lost his footing, fell to the bottom of the cliff, and was smashed to death. That was how I won.

Don't think either side will stop at the right point. There's no such good thing. These two paths are natural enemies. Whoever relaxes even a little loses his life!"

Li Banfeng took the chance to ask, "Big Brother, do you know what techniques House Cultivators have?"

"Hard to say." The Carriage Driver shook his head. "Some House Cultivators have the same techniques, while others do not. They are all difficult to identify—that part is the same. But every House Cultivator I've met had his own tricks.

House Cultivators are rare to begin with, and the temperament of Home Spirits cannot be inferred. That makes House Cultivators difficult to deal with. If you encounter one, avoid him if you can."

Li Banfeng still wanted to ask a few more questions when the Carriage Driver suddenly stopped. "The station's here. Take care."

In just that short while, they had reached the station.

As he got off, Li Banfeng asked one more question. "Besides Sudden Wind on Flat Ground and Auspiciousness and Avoiding Calamity, do Travel Cultivators have other abilities?"

"Yes, plenty of them. But you've arrived."

Li Banfeng took out his wallet. "Take me a little farther. Or don't pull the carriage—just keep me company and talk. I'll pay. Name your price."

The Carriage Driver smiled. "Save your money. Today's fate ends here. If the two of us are fated to meet again, I'll tell you more then."

With that, the Carriage Driver wiped his face with a towel and pulled his rickshaw away from the square before the station.

A few days ago, Li Banfeng had just walked out of this station. Now, he was about to set out once more and return to Yuezhou.

After returning, should he still visit He Jiaqing?

Who knew whether the man lying in the hospital really was He Jiaqing?

Even if it truly was him, Li Banfeng would inevitably become entangled with the Dark Star Bureau. Li Banfeng hesitated. Should he continue involving himself in He Jiaqing's affairs?

He should buy a ticket first.

Once I get back to Yuezhou, I can...

I can find somewhere to haul bricks.

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead. What exactly was so good about Yuezhou?

This station was very small, just a row of single-story buildings. The waiting hall was slightly taller, with the ticket office beside it.

Following the Carriage Driver's teachings, Li Banfeng first controlled his thighs, then his knees, followed by his ankles and toes.

The idea was correct, but the force, thinner than a hemp rope, was difficult to grasp. The moment Li Banfeng lifted his leg, his entire body shot straight into the ticket office.

Fortunately, no one was in the ticket office. Li Banfeng stopped himself in time and came before the ticket counter.

The ticket seller was dozing and did not notice anything unusual about Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng shouted several times, "I want a ticket!"

The ticket seller rubbed her eyes, yawned, and asked, "Where to?"

"Yuezhou."

"Seat or sleeper?"

A seat was absolutely out of the question. It had to be a sleeper, and a first-class sleeper at that!

The ticket seller prepared to print the ticket. "Train 1160. First-class sleeper, thirteen thousand. The nearest one departs tomorrow night at nine."

Thirteen thousand!

So expensive!

Li Banfeng froze for a moment. He had not brought that much money with him. Most of it was in the Portable Abode.

Just as he was considering going to the Portable Abode to get money, the ticket seller said, "Show me your Travel Permit first."

"Travel Permit? What's that?" Li Banfeng was bewildered.

The ticket seller frowned. "Without a Travel Permit, what makes you think you can buy a ticket?"

Why could he not buy a ticket?

What kind of rules were these?

Li Banfeng was still pondering the concept of a Travel Permit when a man wearing a Forward Hat entered the ticket office and silently watched him.

He had been waiting here for a long time.

His name was Chu Yunlong, Big Nine under the Jiang Xiang Gang Medicine King Hall's Second Helmsman Patrol Wind Seat, the head of a patrol squad.

The sect master had been right. Li Banfeng would definitely come.

Chu Yunlong slowly approached Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng was still arguing with the ticket seller. "You need a Travel Permit just to ride a train? Why don't you ask for a customs clearance document too? Is your train going west to obtain scriptures?"

Li Banfeng was furious, shaking all over. He felt that the ticket seller was deliberately making things difficult for him.

"Have you ever ridden a train? You don't even understand such basic rules?" The ticket seller was angry too. In her eyes, Li Banfeng was being utterly unreasonable.

While the two argued, Chu Yunlong drew closer and closer to Li Banfeng.

His hands were in his pockets, and his face was expressionless. He appeared to be lining up behind Li Banfeng to buy a ticket.

But in truth, as long as he could touch Li Banfeng, he had a way to control him, make him reveal the whereabouts of the Copper Lotus, and then take Li Banfeng's life.

He was still seven or eight meters away from Li Banfeng, while Li Banfeng and the ticket seller's argument grew louder and louder.

"Why didn't I hear anything about a Travel Permit when I came here? Why are there so many rules when I get to your place?"

"I don't care where you came from. Without a Travel Permit, you can't buy a ticket. There's no point saying any of this to me. Those are the rules. Buy one if you want, and get lost if you don't!"

Excellent. Keep arguing like this.

The corners of Chu Yunlong's lips rose slightly as he continued approaching Li Banfeng.

"What kind of rule is that? Take out your rules and let me see them!" Li Banfeng roared, his emotions somewhat out of control.

"Why should I show them to you? Who do you think you are?" The ticket seller refused to yield.

"If you won't show me the rules, that proves there are no rules. I'm going in to get my ticket now. Let's see what gives you the right not to sell it to me!"

Chu Yunlong was already standing behind Li Banfeng, slowly reaching out a hand.

Argue. Keep arguing. Don't turn around. Just like this... Wait!

What was going on?

Chu Yunlong's hand did not touch Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng jumped onto the counter, intending to force his way into the ticket office!

The ticket seller was dumbfounded too. "You dare? Try coming in here!"

Li Banfeng truly was about to go in. He was not someone willing to suffer a loss.

At that moment, Chu Yunlong and the ticket seller shared the same thought: "Is this man insane?"

Chu Yunlong could not make a move now, because Li Banfeng was on top of the counter.

The ticket seller swiftly pulled the alarm. An ear-splitting bell rang throughout the ticket office.

Li Banfeng did not continue forcing his way into the ticket office. Squatting atop the counter, he looked at Chu Yunlong behind him, then at the ticket office doors.

Two uniformed men rushed in through the ticket office doors. Li Banfeng did not know them, but Chu Yunlong did.

They were station constables.

The ticket seller pointed at Li Banfeng and shouted, "He's here to rob tickets! He doesn't have a Travel Permit—he's trying to sneak across!"

Without another word, the two constables charged at Li Banfeng.

Chu Yunlong quickly stepped aside. He did not want trouble sticking to him.

Li Banfeng jumped down from the counter and looked at Chu Yunlong. "Brother, run! What are you standing there for?"

"No, well..." Chu Yunlong blinked, unsure what to say at this moment.

Li Banfeng turned and ran. He was incredibly fast, breaking through the interception of the two constables and rushing out of the ticket office in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, the two constables immediately stepped forward and surrounded Chu Yunlong.

Chu Yunlong licked his lips and looked at the constables charging toward him, not knowing how to explain himself.

PS: Dear readers, after you finish reading, please give Ban Feng a like. While you're at it, give the phonograph a like too. Whether Ban Feng can rise to prominence depends entirely on you, dear readers.

(End of chapter)