Chapter 19: Incompatible as Water and Fire

The firelight played on his face as Li Banfeng slowly opened his eyes.

The peddler’s face suddenly appeared close by, wearing a look of genuine concern as he gazed at Li Banfeng.

“You’re awake? Here, drink this fruit syrup—it’ll perk you up.”

Fruit syrup, an old-fashioned drink, looked like juice but had nothing to do with juice—it was made from food coloring and saccharin.

This bowl was orange-flavored.

Li Banfeng’s mouth was dry and bitter; drinking this was better than nothing.

Li Banfeng drained the syrup, then asked about initiation. The peddler’s smile turned sincere: “Congratulations, young man. You’ve escaped the threat of Tian Guang and become a cultivator—the same as what outsiders call a Dark Energy User.”

Why did the peddler’s tone sound so strange?

His speech carried an official formality; the earlier streetwise charm was gone.

Li Banfeng asked again: “Which Dao gate did I enter?”

“Didn’t you want to become a Traveling Cultivator? That wish has been fulfilled!” The peddler poured Li Banfeng another bowl of syrup.

“Good,” Li Banfeng said, lifting the bowl and taking a large sip. This one was pineapple-flavored, its golden liquid thick with the fruit’s distinctive aroma.

Seeing the golden color, Li Banfeng remembered the scene before he passed out—he’d seen golden powder mixed with faint blue halos.

“Just a Traveling Cultivator?” Li Banfeng studied the peddler again.

The peddler’s smile remained sincere: “You just asked another guest whether one could cultivate two Dao gates simultaneously. Let me answer for him—it’s possible.”

Indeed!

Something was definitely wrong!

Li Banfeng asked: “Which two Dao gates did I cultivate together?”

The peddler paused a long while before saying: “Traveling Cultivator and Homebound Cultivator.”

The blue powder was for Traveling Cultivator.

The golden powder was for Homebound Cultivator.

Li Banfeng sat motionless for a long time, then asked: “How do you cultivate both Traveling and Homebound Cultivator at once?”

These two Dao gates were clearly incompatible.

The peddler explained patiently: “The guest who just left said cultivating two Dao gates makes achievement nearly impossible. I think that’s wrong.

A cultivator who masters two Dao gates should be stronger than one who masters only one, at the same level.

Even if they’re one level lower, they can use techniques from both Dao gates to outmaneuver their opponent.

Isn’t that an advantage? Isn’t that potential? I believe dual cultivators have a bright future!”

Li Banfeng nodded: “I agree it’s promising. So how do you cultivate Traveling and Homebound Cultivator together?”

“Let’s start with Homebound Cultivator,” the peddler explained. “Due to its unique nature, it pairs well with many Dao gates—for example, Spy Cultivator.

Spy Cultivators excel at surveillance and tracking. A Homebound Cultivator who also cultivates Spy can sit at home and track someone’s movements. Even if discovered, they’re protected by their Home Spirit and remain safe.

Moreover, the Home Spirit enhances Spy Cultivator’s abilities, allowing pursuit across thousands of miles, even tens of thousands, and piercing through barriers.

So Homebound Cultivator is ideal for dual cultivation.”

Li Banfeng nodded: “Perfect. So how do you combine Homebound and Traveling Cultivator?”

The peddler continued: “Now consider Traveling Cultivator—it’s also ideal for dual cultivation. Take Madame Han from Baisheng Pharmacy in Yaowang Gou.

Everyone in Yaowang Gou knows she’s a Medicine Cultivator, but few know she also cultivates Traveler.

She’s traveled countless mountains and rivers, gathering rare treasures, which is how she built Baisheng Pharmacy.

Isn’t Traveler perfect for dual cultivation?”

“Perfect, absolutely perfect,” Li Banfeng agreed wholeheartedly. “So how do you combine Homebound and Traveling Cultivator?”

“Both Homebound and Traveling Cultivator are ideal for dual cultivation. Putting them together isn’t bad either…” The peddler’s voice trailed off.

Li Banfeng asked seriously: “What’s good about it?”

“Let me make up a story for you…” The peddler wiped sweat from his forehead.

“Fine, I’m listening. Make it up.” Li Banfeng remained utterly serious.

After several minutes of silence, a cold wind blew. The peddler’s forehead glistened with sweat: “I can’t make one up.”

“Then what?” Li Banfeng’s forehead was sweating too.

This was serious.

The peddler forced a smile, as if comforting Li Banfeng: “Homebound and Traveling Cultivator cannot be dual cultivated. They’re natural enemies. But you can look on the bright side.”

“What’s the bright side?”

“The bright side is you’re still alive,” the peddler said, his smile vanishing. From now on, every word he spoke concerned Li Banfeng’s life.

“Homebound and Traveling Cultivator have nothing in common. Their natures clash violently. Normally, ingesting both powders would kill you instantly.

But you’re still alive, proving your body has some unique qualities—though this is mostly due to your exposure to Tian Guang.”

“What exactly is Tian Guang?”

The peddler shook his head: “This is too profound—I can’t explain it to you.”

“Take your time. Maybe I’ll understand!” Li Banfeng had to know what had happened to him.

The peddler thought a moment: “Do you know what dark matter is?”

“Of course I do.”

In truth, Li Banfeng didn’t know. At humanity’s current technological level, no one knew what dark matter truly was.

But Li Banfeng was well-educated—he’d at least heard the term.

“You really know?” the peddler confirmed again.

Li Banfeng nodded: “I do. I had a higher education.”

“I don’t!” the peddler puffed out his chest. “I don’t know what dark matter is, so I can’t explain this!”

Li Banfeng scratched the back of his head. The peddler’s logic made sense: “Then let’s skip dark matter.”

The peddler continued: “What you call exposure to Tian Guang—in your outer states, it’s called a dark matter radiation stream.

Dark matter exists everywhere, but some is special. In Nei Jiuzhou, we call this Dao Yuan surging.

Intake of Dao Yuan through proper methods causes little harm, but if the surge is too violent, no mortal can withstand it.

If struck by a surge, your body will rupture quickly. Any remaining Dao Yuan may continue to harm you.

So if you want to survive, you must enter Dao quickly. Use the herbal catalyst to guide the Dao Yuan in your body along a specific path…”

The peddler explained the mechanism of Tian Guang in simple terms. Li Banfeng quickly grasped the core idea.

A Dark Energy User—the term locals used for cultivators—was a mortal who had undergone mutation after being invaded by special dark matter.

Mutation was chaotic and mostly fatal.

The peddler’s medicine could turn chaotic mutation into orderly mutation.

Small, regulated intake of dark matter—as with Ma Wu and Qin Xiaopang—caused slow erosion. Only when the mutation reached a certain stage could the peddler’s medicine guide them to become Dark Energy Users.

But Li Banfeng had been struck by a dark matter radiation stream. His body was flooded with dark matter in moments, risking spontaneous explosion. Immediate guidance was essential.

There were many medicines, each guiding mutation along different paths, granting different supernatural abilities.

Li Banfeng’s body held enough dark matter—he could choose any path, or even two similar ones.

But he’d chosen two opposing paths.

But he hadn’t chosen them!

Li Banfeng’s eyes widened: “Qiao Yuesheng! That bird who just bumped into me—this is all his fault…”

The peddler pointed to the straw mat beside him: “You mean him?”

Li Banfeng hadn’t noticed the mat beside the peddler—he’d assumed it held supplies.

Now, as the peddler pointed, he saw it clearly contained a person.

Li Banfeng gasped: “That’s Qiao Yuesheng?”

The peddler nodded: “This incident started because of him. He’s already paid me sufficient compensation.

And since you had an accident at my stall, I bear responsibility too. So I must compensate you—it’s my duty as a merchant.

Judging by your condition, you’ve survived initiation. But your future cultivation will be extremely difficult.

According to Traveling Cultivator’s nature, even if you don’t seek advancement, you must walk at least twenty li daily.

According to Homebound Cultivator’s nature, you must return home at least once a day and stay for at least two hours.”

Li Banfeng calculated the time: “That’s not hard!”

Indeed, it wasn’t.

A twenty-li walk? Just a ten-kilometer slow jog.

Go home, sleep, or watch a novel or drama—two hours was effortless.

So far, the two Dao gates didn’t seem that conflicting.

The peddler shook his head: “This is only the beginning. As you advance, Traveling Cultivators must walk farther and farther, while Homebound Cultivators must stay home longer and longer. Soon, they’ll become incompatible.

Moreover, once a Traveling Cultivator advances, they can’t stay in one place. But a home is fixed. A Homebound Cultivator can’t wander. So these two Dao gates are natural enemies.

Of course, that’s later. We’ll deal with it then. Right now, there’s another problem: To advance as a Traveling Cultivator, you must spend one full day and night in a perilous place.

That’s troublesome. Homebound Cultivators must return home daily. Miss one day, and you might die. How will you stay out for a full day and night?”

Li Banfeng blinked: “What’s a perilous place?”

The peddler stared, astonished: “You went to school? You don’t know what a perilous place is? It’s anywhere that can kill you instantly.”

“How do you define it? Sleeping in the middle of the road could get you crushed by a car!”

The peddler nodded: “That’s actually a good idea. Try sleeping in the middle of the road. If your cultivation accepts it, you’ll advance!”

“Does cultivation even recognize that?”

How wouldn’t it? Your cultivation base is now part of you—you feel it, so your cultivation base feels too. Have you decided to sleep on the street?

“I was just saying that…” Li Banfeng fell into thought.

Zhaixiu must return home every day.

But what about someone like me, who has no home?

I never had a home to begin with—where am I supposed to return to?

Thinking of this, Li Banfeng asked directly: “I currently have no house—I have no home to return to. Even if I sleep outdoors, exposed to wind and rain, I’m not violating the rules of Zhaixiu, right?”

The peddler nodded: “That’s true.”

Li Banfeng smiled: “Then it’s settled—I’ll go to a dangerous place, endure a full day and night, reach the first level of Lvxiu, then buy a house. Won’t that solve everything?”

The peddler shook his head: “That won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“It’s equivalent to abandoning Zhaixiu. Dual cultivation requires both paths to be practiced simultaneously. If you abandon one, you’ll lose your life.”

Li Banfeng hurried to say: “I’m not abandoning it—I’m just practicing Lvxiu first, then…”

“What good is just talking?” The peddler cut him off. “Your cultivation base is part of your body. Your actions reflect your true intent.”

You’ve reached the first level of Lvxiu—your cultivation has made some progress—but you still don’t even have a suitable house. Zhaixiu hasn’t even begun properly. Isn’t that the same as abandoning Zhaixiu?”

“That’s stretching it! My intent isn’t like that!”

The peddler shrugged: “Talking to me won’t help. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and try.”

“Try… I can’t try that,” Li Banfeng sank into thought again, then gritted his teeth: “I’ll just stay at my current level and stall—until I figure something out!”

“Like him?” The peddler lifted the straw mat, revealing Qiao Yuesheng’s mangled corpse.

“Mangled” was even too mild—it was just a pile of shredded flesh.

Had the peddler not said this was Qiao Yuesheng, Li Banfeng would never have recognized him.

“How did he end up like this?”

The peddler covered the mat again: “He was an An Nengzhe—a glutton, also known as a Shixiu.”

Compared to Lvxiu, Shixiu aren’t especially fast—but once fed, they’re far quicker than ordinary people.”

According to Waizhou rules, An Nengzhe are barred from athletic competitions—it’s cheating. But this kid, desperate for fame and fortune, took the risk.”

Dark matter can’t be observed; no one can detect his cultivation. Yet he feared someone might notice his abnormality.”

Shixiu must eat five jin of rice daily. He was afraid of being exposed, so he dared not eat, and even more so, dared not ascend a level.”

He kept using his innate physical gifts without cultivating properly—just stalling, as you said. And that’s how he ended up like this.”

You can’t stall forever. At least one of Zhaixiu or Lvxiu must reach a level. If you delay too long, your fate will be the same as his.”

“Can I stop once I reach the first level?”

“No. Even if you have no ambition, your daily foundational cultivation must never be neglected.”

Li Banfeng stared at the straw mat wrapped around the corpse: “How long must I cultivate before it ends?”

“There is no end,” the peddler said, shaking his head. “Once you chose this path, you’re doomed to walk it for life.”

Li Banfeng looked up at the peddler: “Then tell me—how do I get past this hurdle?”

The peddler met his gaze: “Two paths. Choose one. First: find a perilous place to settle down. I’ll provide you with a house.”

PS: Thank you, Zhidengsheng Shaxingxiu!

Two chapters today—another at 5 PM.

(End of Chapter)