Chapter 19: Water and Fire are Incompatible

With the bonfire shining on his face, Li Li Banfeng slowly opened his eyes.

The Peddler's face suddenly appeared close by, with a smile that looked very concerned, gazing at Li Li Banfeng.

"You're awake? Come, drink a bowl of fruit dew to refresh your spirit."

Fruit dew, a type of beverage from the old days, looked like fruit juice but actually had nothing to do with fruit juice; it was a drink mixed with pigment and saccharin.

This bowl was orange-flavored.

Li Li Banfeng's mouth was dry and bitter; having such a bowl of drink was not bad.

Li 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 already escaped the threat of the sky light and become a cultivator, which is what the Outer Provinces often call a Dark Energy User."

Why was the Peddler's tone so strange?

His tone had a kind of official formality, and the previous street-smart air was gone.

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

"Didn't you want to become a Travel Cultivator before? That wish has already been realized!" The Peddler poured another bowl of fruit dew for Li Li Banfeng.

"That's good." Li Li Banfeng held the fruit dew and took a large gulp. This bowl was pineapple-flavored, and the golden-yellow drink carried the unique, rich fragrance of pineapple.

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

"Only Travel Cultivation?" Li Li Banfeng re-examined the Peddler.

The Peddler's smile remained sincere: "You asked another guest just now if it was possible to dual-cultivate two paths. I will answer that question for him: dual-cultivating two paths is possible!"

Really!

Something really went wrong!

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Which two paths am I dual-cultivating?"

The Peddler pondered for a long time: "Travel Cultivation and Residential Cultivation."

The blue medicinal powder was Travel Cultivation.

The golden medicinal powder was Residential Cultivation.

Li Li Banfeng was stunned for a long time, then asked: "Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation—how should they be cultivated at the same time?"

These two paths clearly had a contradiction where water and fire were incompatible.

The Peddler explained patiently: "Just now, that guest said that dual-cultivating two paths is very difficult to achieve anything. I think this idea is incorrect.

A person dual-cultivating two paths, at the same level, should logically have stronger combat power than a cultivator of one path.

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

Isn't this an advantage? Isn't this potential? I think the prospects for dual-cultivators are bright!"

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "I also think they are bright. So, how should Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation be dual-cultivated?"

"Let's talk about Residential Cultivation first," the Peddler explained patiently. "Because of its special nature, Residential Cultivation can be dual-cultivated with many paths, for example, Peering Cultivation.

Peering Cultivation is good at peering and tracking. If a Residential Cultivator dual-cultivates Peering Cultivation, they can sit at home and investigate a person's whereabouts. Even if the matter is exposed, the Residential Cultivator is very safe under the protection of the Residence Spirit.

Moreover, the Residence Spirit can enhance the ability of Peering Cultivation, tracking enemies thousands of miles away, or even ten thousand miles away, and even break through barriers.

So, Residential Cultivation is very suitable for dual-cultivation."

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "Very suitable. So, how should Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation be dual-cultivated?"

The Peddler continued to explain: "Let's look at Travel Cultivation. Travel Cultivation is also very suitable for dual-cultivation. Not to mention far away, let's just talk about Manager Han of the Tie Baisheng Pharmacy in Yaowanggou.

People in Yaowanggou all know she is a Medicine Cultivator, but very few know that Manager Han dual-cultivates as a Traveler.

Walking through a thousand mountains and crossing ten thousand waters, collecting countless rare treasures, that's how she managed the Tie Baisheng Pharmacy.

You say, isn't this Traveler very suitable for dual-cultivation?"

"Suitable, very suitable," Li Li Banfeng agreed very much. "So, how should Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation be dual-cultivated?"

"Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation are both very suitable for dual-cultivation. Putting these two paths together, isn't it also very good..." The Peddler's voice grew smaller and smaller.

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

"Listen to me make it up..." The Peddler wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Okay, I'm listening, you make it up." Li Li Banfeng remained very serious.

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

"And then?" Sweat also broke out on Li Li Banfeng's forehead.

Something big had happened.

The Peddler squeezed out a smile, seemingly comforting Li Li Banfeng: "Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation cannot be dual-cultivated; these two paths are natural enemies. But you can look at the bright side."

"What bright side?"

"The bright side is that you are still alive." The Peddler put away his smile. From now on, every word he said concerned Li Li Banfeng's life.

"Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation, two paths with no common ground, have severely conflicting characteristics. Logically, if you used the medicinal powder of these two paths at the same time, you should have died on the spot.

But you are still alive, which proves your physique is somewhat special. Of course, this mainly has to do with you being hit by the sky light."

"What exactly is the sky light?"

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

"Explain it slowly, what if I understand it!" Li Li Banfeng had to figure out what he had encountered.

The Peddler pondered for a moment: "Do you know what dark matter is?"

"Of course I know."

Actually, Li Li Banfeng didn't know. With humanity's current level of technology, no one knew what kind of existence dark matter was.

But Li Li Banfeng was also a person who had received higher education; at least he had heard of the term "dark matter."

"You really know?" The Peddler confirmed again.

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "I know, I've received 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 matter clearly!"

Li Li Banfeng scratched the back of his head, feeling the Peddler's words made sense: "Then let's not talk about dark matter first."

The Peddler continued: "The so-called sky light, in the words of your Outer Provinces, is called a dark matter ray stream.

Dark matter is everywhere, but some dark matter is quite special. In the words of the Inner Nine Provinces, this is called a burst of path-affinity.

Taking in path-affinity through the correct method won't hurt the body too much, but a burst of path-affinity is too violent for mortals to withstand.

If you are hit by a burst, your body will soon explode, and the residual path-affinity might continue to hurt others.

Therefore, if you want to survive, you must enter the path as soon as possible and, through the medicinal guide of entering the path, guide the path-affinity in your body in a certain direction..."

The Peddler explained the mechanism of the sky light in as common language as possible, and Li Li Banfeng quickly understood the key essence.

Dark Energy Users, which is what this place calls cultivators, are actually superhumans who have undergone mutation after being invaded by special dark matter.

Mutation is disordered, and the probability of it being fatal is high.

And the Peddler's medicine can guide the disordered mutation into an orderly one.

Taking in dark matter in small quantities and with regularity, like Ma Wu and Qin Qin Xiaopang, the erosion of the mutation is relatively slow. When the mutation reaches a certain level, they can use the Peddler's medicine to guide them into becoming Dark Energy Users.

Li Li Banfeng, however, encountered a dark matter ray stream. His body was eroded by a large amount of dark matter in a short time, directly risking an explosion on the spot, so it had to be guided immediately.

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

Li Li Banfeng had enough dark matter in his body, so choosing any path would work, and choosing two similar paths was also barely possible.

But he chose two opposite paths.

But this wasn't Li Li Banfeng's choice!

Li Li Banfeng widened his eyes: "What about Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Yuesheng? What about that bird-man who crashed into me just now? This is all his..."

The Peddler pointed to a straw mat beside him: "Are you talking about him?"

Li Li Banfeng hadn't noticed the straw mat beside the Peddler, thinking it should be wrapped with some sundries.

Now that he pointed it out, what was wrapped inside seemed to be a person.

Li Li Banfeng was surprised: "This is Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Yuesheng?"

The Peddler nodded: "This matter started because of him, and he has already given me enough compensation.

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

Judging from your condition, you should have survived the entry hurdle, but the subsequent cultivation will be very difficult for you.

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

And according to the characteristics of Residential Cultivation, you must return home every day and stay at home for at least two hours."

Li Li Banfeng calculated the time: "This doesn't count as difficult!"

It really didn't count as difficult.

Go out for a walk when you have nothing to do, twenty *li*—just consider it a slow run of ten kilometers.

Go home and sleep, or watch novels and dramas—two hours was simply not too easy.

Looking at it this way, the conflict between these two paths wasn't that serious.

The Peddler shook his head: "This is the initial stage of cultivation. As you reach higher levels, the distance Travel Cultivators have to walk gets farther and farther, and the time Residential Cultivators have to stay at home gets longer and longer. The two will soon be unable to coexist.

Moreover, after Travel Cultivators reach a higher level, they cannot always stay in one place, while a residence is fixed. Residential Cultivators cannot run around everywhere, so these two paths are natural enemies.

Of course, that's a story for later; we'll think of a way later. Right now, there is another difficult matter: Travel Cultivators want to pass the test and promote to the first layer, they must live in a dangerous place for a day and a night.

This matter is troublesome. Residential Cultivators must return home every day. If you don't return home for one day, you might die suddenly. How can you live outside for that day and night?"

Li Li Banfeng blinked: "What is called a dangerous place?"

The Peddler was stunned: "Didn't you read books? You don't understand what a dangerous place is? It's a place that can take your life at any time."

"How is this place defined? Sleeping in the middle of the road might also be crushed to death by a car at any time!"

The Peddler nodded: "That's actually a pretty good idea. You can try sleeping in the middle of the road. If the cultivation base recognizes the account, you really can reach the first layer!"

"The cultivation base will recognize the account?"

"Why wouldn't it? The cultivation base is now a part of your body; you have perception, so the cultivation base naturally has perception. Have you decided to sleep on the road?"

"I'm just saying..." Li Li Banfeng fell into deep thought.

Residential Cultivators must return home every day.

But how does someone like me who has no home count?

I didn't have a home to begin with; which home do you want me to return to?

Thinking of this, Li Li Banfeng asked directly: "I don't have a residence right now, and I have no home to return to. Now, even if I sleep outside, it doesn't count as violating the rules of Residential Cultivation, right?"

The Peddler nodded: "That's true."

Li Li Banfeng laughed upon hearing this: "Isn't that easy to handle? I'll go to a dangerous place first, survive for a day and a night, become a first-layer Travel Cultivator, and then buy a residence. Won't this matter be resolved?"

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

"Why won't it work?"

"This is equivalent to abandoning Residential Cultivation. Dual-cultivation must be cultivated together. If you give up one of them, you will lose your life."

Li Li Banfeng hurriedly said: "I didn't give up; I'm cultivating Travel Cultivation first, then cultivating..."

"What's the use of just saying it with your mouth?" The Peddler directly interrupted Li Li Banfeng. "The cultivation base is a part of your body; your actions represent your intentions.

You've cultivated Travel Cultivation to the first layer, and your cultivation base has already achieved a little success, but you don't even have a suitable residence, and Residential Cultivation hasn't reached the right path. Doesn't this equal giving up Residential Cultivation?"

"What you're saying is a bit far-fetched, isn't it? My intention isn't like that!"

The Peddler shrugged: "It's useless for you to tell me; you can try it if you don't believe me."

"Trying... that can't be tried." Li Li Banfeng fell into deep thought again, then gritted his teeth: "I'll just not reach a higher level and drag it out like this first, and think of a way later!"

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

Calling it bloody and mangled is an understatement; it was a pile of minced meat.

If the Peddler hadn't said this was Lan Qiao Lan Qiao Yuesheng, Li Li Banfeng wouldn't have recognized him at all.

"How did he become like this?"

The Peddler covered the straw mat: "He was a Dark Energy User, a 'Glutton', which is Two Two Shi Xiu.

Compared to Travel Cultivation, Two Two Shi Xiu doesn't run particularly fast, but as long as they are full, they are much faster than ordinary people.

According to the rules of the Outer Provinces, Dark Energy Users cannot participate in sports competitions; that's considered cheating. But this kid, for the sake of fame and fortune, risked it all.

Dark matter cannot be observed, and no one could discover his cultivation base, but he was worried that someone would discover his abnormality.

Food Cultivators have to eat five *jin* of food every day. He was afraid of being exposed, so he didn't dare to eat, and even less dared to obtain a level.

He constantly used his body's talents, but didn't cultivate according to the correct method. Just like you said, he just dragged it out like that, and ended up in this state.

You cannot keep dragging it out. Residential Cultivation and Travel Cultivation, at least one must reach a level. If you delay for too long, your end will definitely be the same as his."

"Can I stop after cultivating to the first layer?"

"No, even if you don't seek progress, the daily basic cultivation still cannot be neglected."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the straw mat wrapping 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 were destined to walk it for a lifetime."

Li Li Banfeng looked up at the Peddler: "Then tell me, how should I pass this hurdle?"

The Peddler looked back at Li Li Banfeng: "Two paths, you choose one. The first path: settle down in a dangerous place, and I'll prepare a residence for you."

PS: Thanks to the star of life-taking lamp-lighting!

Two chapters today, another one at 5:00 PM.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 20 =====