Chapter 20: The Ultimate Dwelling

The peddler pointed out the first path: for Li Banfeng to make his home directly in a perilous place.

It seemed like a good solution, but upon closer thought, it was utterly absurd.

It was good because it solved the problem—making a home in a perilous place perfectly resolved the issue of spending a night there.

Not just one night, but several nights were possible; hiding within your own dwelling increased your chances of surviving the dangers.

But it was absurd because how would you live the days that followed?

“Are you going to spend your whole life in a perilous place?”

The peddler comforted Li Banfeng: “Don’t be so pessimistic. Once you cultivate a dwelling spirit, ordinary enemies won’t even be able to enter your home—you can still live in peace.”

“I can cultivate a dwelling spirit?”

“Of course! Perilous places are full of resentful spirits; these spirits are perfect for nurturing a dwelling spirit.

Take the Lianyin Valley in Yaowang Gou, for example—this valley is heavy with yin energy and has nurtured countless resentful spirits; countless people have died on its mountains. This is a classic perilous place.

It’s a great spot: quiet, and ordinary people dare not disturb it.

Set up your home in the Lianyin Valley, live there for half a year, establish your foundation, and you’ll cultivate a dwelling spirit. The dwelling spirit will absorb the resentful spirits and grow stronger, greatly aiding your future cultivation.”

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment, then asked a question that seemed simple but carried great weight: “What is a resentful spirit?”

The peddler blinked, surprised: “Aren’t you a well-educated man? Do you really have to ask me what a resentful spirit is? It’s just a ghost—a ghost with intense resentment.”

So it was just a ghost.

Li Banfeng’s brow relaxed, and he struggled to control his emotions, forcing a faint smile.

Imagine his future life: living in a deep, quiet valley, surrounded by many resentful spirits—what a warm and peaceful era that would be.

Or perhaps not just an era—dwelling cultivators train within their dwellings; he might spend his entire life trapped in that valley.

Li Banfeng looked at the peddler and said seriously: “Will the resentful spirits in the valley harm me?”

“That’s a good question,” the peddler answered seriously. “Resentful spirits harming people is inevitable—but you’ll have a dwelling spirit, and it will shield you from their attacks.”

“What if the dwelling spirit can’t hold them off?”

The peddler’s expression grew even more serious: “You must have faith. Believe in the power of your dwelling spirit. Believe in your own will. Believe that no difficulty is insurmountable. Whether or not you believe in yourself, I believe in you! You can do it!”

Li Banfeng thought for a moment and found the peddler’s words reasonable, but he still had one question: “Who protects me before I cultivate the dwelling spirit?”

“This…” The question struck at the core. The peddler pulled out a stack of yellow paper, each sheet covered in various talismanic symbols. “These talismans will be enough to protect you for three to five months. By then, your dwelling spirit should be fully cultivated.”

“And then? Even with a dwelling spirit, I can’t stay locked in my home forever—I still need to go out and find food, right? I’m still a traveling cultivator. I still have to move around. When I leave my home, how do I face the resentful spirits?”

“If you could run faster…” The peddler couldn’t sustain the lie and switched topics. “You don’t have to choose the Lianyin Valley—there are other places…”

“What difference would other places make? I’m a traveling cultivator—I have to wander. According to your plan, every time I step outside, I’m walking to my death.”

Even once or twice would be tolerable, but making a home in a perilous place means even going out to buy groceries could cost you your life. How am I supposed to live like this?

The peddler sighed softly: “Actually, training in perilous places does benefit traveling cultivators. But if you refuse, then forget it—there’s another path.”

The peddler slapped the counter, and a drawer slid open, filled with all sorts of small items.

After rummaging for a while, he pulled out a key—a yellow copper key, slightly shorter than a finger, covered in patches of verdigris.

“Since you don’t want to make your home in a perilous place, I’ll give you another dwelling instead.”

“What kind of dwelling?”

In Li Banfeng’s eyes, no kind of dwelling could resolve the conflict between traveling cultivator and dwelling cultivator.

“This dwelling is extraordinary—it’s one of the priceless treasures of the world. If not for my adherence to rules and reputation, I’d never part with something this valuable.” The peddler held the key forward, turned it three times counterclockwise, and made a motion as if unlocking a door.

He turned the key toward empty air.

His movements were serious, as if a real door stood before him.

He turned to Li Banfeng and waved him over: “Come, I’ll show you the house.”

Inside?

Where?

Ahead was only empty air.

“Hurry up!” The peddler’s expression was utterly serious.

Li Banfeng stepped beside the peddler—but still saw nothing.

The peddler’s expression remained serious.

Li Banfeng looked at the peddler and said: “In the psychiatric ward of the Yuezhou Three Institutes, I know a Dr. Wang—he’s a good man. Maybe you should go see him too…”

The peddler shoved Li Banfeng forward—he took a few more steps.

Suddenly, darkness swallowed everything—the wilderness, the trees, the bonfire, the counter, the straw mat—all vanished.

Fssss!

The peddler struck a match. With its faint glow, Li Banfeng saw his surroundings.

It was a room—not large, roughly three meters wide, two meters long, about six square meters in area.

The room was empty, save for peeling walls. Not even a window.

The match was nearly burned out. The peddler stood with one foot inside the door, one outside, and said to Li Banfeng: “The door will close soon. What comes next is critical—you must throw the key outside before the door shuts, and place it somewhere suitable.”

He tossed the key out.

Outside was a swirl of mist—Li Banfeng couldn’t see where the key landed.

Clang!

The door slammed shut. The match went out. The room plunged into total darkness.

Fssss~

The peddler struck another match, this time lighting a candle, which he held in his hand.

“Look closely—this is the dwelling I’ve given you.”

Li Banfeng glanced around: “If you say it’s a room, I believe you. But if you call it a dwelling…”

This “dwelling” was far too small.

“It is a dwelling—one of the most precious dwellings in the world.”

“What makes it precious? Is it because it’s invisible?”

Before the peddler opened the door, Li Banfeng had seen no trace of this “dwelling”—clearly, it had an invisibility function.

“It’s more than just invisibility,” the peddler smiled. “This dwelling moves. Wherever the key goes, it follows. As long as you carry the key, it will follow you wherever you go.”

Li Banfeng froze.

If the peddler spoke the truth, this was a mobile dwelling—completely resolving the conflict between traveling and dwelling cultivators.

But could such a dwelling truly exist?

“Don’t believe me?” The peddler smiled. “Try it.”

He opened the door and stepped out, taking Li Banfeng with him.

As soon as their feet crossed the threshold, thick mist obscured their vision.

The moment the door closed, the mist vanished. Li Banfeng found his feet planted in a patch of tangled grass.

The peddler bent down, picked up the yellow copper key from the grass, and handed it to Li Banfeng.

“Let’s go somewhere else.” The peddler led Li Banfeng several hundred meters into a forest.

“Stick the key out until you feel it slide into a lock.”

Li Banfeng did as instructed.

He pushed the key into empty air—felt nothing.

The peddler shook his head: “That’s wrong.”

“I don’t understand the technique…”

“No technique needed. Just like unlocking a door—simple. Do it cleanly, decisively. Don’t hesitate.”

Li Banfeng tried again—this time, swift and natural.

Click-click-click~

He seemed to hear the key sliding into the lock, and felt a slight resistance against his fingers.

“Correct,” the peddler smiled. “Turn the key left—two clicks, and the lock opens.”

Li Banfeng gripped the key and turned it counterclockwise.

Click!

Click!

The peddler said: “Push the door!”

Li Banfeng pushed forward—he felt the texture of the wooden door, even heard the hinge creak.

Squeeee~

But he saw no door, no previous room.

“Take one step forward. Just one.”

Li Banfeng stepped forward. Thick mist surged, instantly blocking his vision.

One more step forward, and he should see the room.

The peddler immediately warned: “Don’t move yet. Throw the key out.

The dwelling’s exit connects to the key—if you bring the key inside, the exit will lead back into the dwelling, and you’ll be trapped forever.”

Li Banfeng turned to discard the key, but the peddler added: “Choose a good spot—don’t make it too obvious, or someone else might find it. But don’t hide it too well—you must be able to find it yourself.”

The mist filled Li Banfeng’s vision—he could barely see. Throwing the key accurately was extremely difficult.

No wonder the peddler said throwing the key was so important.

The peddler urged: “Hurry—throw the key out. The door’s about to close.”

Fortunately, Li Banfeng possessed a unique skill; half relying on his eyesight, half on memory, he tossed the key out and stepped his other foot through the doorway.

Clang!

The door shut.

Li Banfeng entered the house.

Li Banfeng turned around, pushed open the door, and stepped out of the house, only to find himself back in the forest.

He found the key on the ground—it hadn’t been thrown far, landing right beneath a tree.

Within five meters, even if he couldn’t see clearly, he wouldn’t miss.

The peddler chuckled: “It’s still a bit obvious. Next time, remember to pick a better spot.”

Li Banfeng nodded, gripping the key tightly in his hand.

“Satisfied?” the peddler asked.

Li Banfeng nodded again.

Satisfied—this was more than satisfied.

“With this house, I can travel freely; when I’m tired, I return to rest. It won’t interfere with my travel cultivation or my home cultivation.”

“Uh…” The peddler’s smile froze, his expression growing serious. “It’s not quite that simple. Travel cultivation is fine, but home cultivation requires another solution—this house has a small flaw.”

Li Banfeng froze: “What flaw?”

The peddler sighed: “It can’t produce a house spirit.”

PS: Even though today’s two chapters total over seven thousand words, dear readers, please give more monthly votes.

(End of Chapter)