Chapter 40: Avoiding Misfortune, Seeking Good Fortune

A level-one traveler cultivator has two techniques, and Li Banfeng never expected this.

Li Banfeng was startled: “Qūjí Bìxiōng—how do you use this technique?”

The coachman said nothing, only kept his head down and pulled the cart.

Li Banfeng wanted to ask more, but suddenly felt a chill, involuntarily shivering.

In his subconscious, Li Banfeng felt an inexplicable fear.

He felt that if he asked one more question, he would die at the coachman’s hands.

The coachman turned back and asked: “Afraid?”

Li Banfeng nodded: “Afraid.”

The coachman smiled: “I just now harbored murderous intent toward you. Don’t worry—it wasn’t real. I was just testing the technique for you.

Qūjí Bìxiōng is the simplest technique: today you came to ride my cart—that’s Qūjí.

Feeling anxious, trembling hands, shivering, goosebumps—all could be omens of danger. When you experience this, avoid it at all costs—that’s Bìxiōng.

The technique is easy, but many can’t grasp it, especially careless people who never take these small signs seriously.

Traveler cultivators cross thousands of mountains and ten thousand rivers; their minds must be sharp. Every step must be weighed against their own life.”

This technique thrilled Li Banfeng: “So whenever danger approaches, a traveler cultivator will always sense it?”

The coachman shook his head: “There’s no such luck. It depends on your cultivation base, your magic treasure, and your opponent’s Dao path.

If your opponent is two levels above you, he can conceal his malice—you won’t sense a thing if he intends to harm you.

Or if he possesses a magic treasure or technique that hides malice, you still won’t sense it.

Some hidden places can conceal danger itself; if your cultivation is insufficient, you won’t sense it either.

If you encounter a Zhai Xiu of the same level, you won’t perceive any of his thoughts, not even his malice.

A Zhai Xiu could evade attention—and now he learned they could also conceal their own malice.

The intentions of a Zhai Xiu truly couldn’t be guessed.

Wind rises from flat ground—Qūjí Bìxiōng!

Li Banfeng learned much from the coachman; five hundred pieces were worth every bit.

“Brother, hearing you say this, it seems Zhai Xiu have some advantage over traveler cultivators.”

“Not just some advantage,” the coachman chuckled bitterly. “Let me put it this way: we traveler cultivators avoid Zhai Xiu, and Zhai Xiu avoid us. If you fight a Zhai Xiu of the same level, you must be ready to kill or be killed.

Enter a Zhai Xiu’s dwelling, and you die. Take a Zhai Xiu to a dangerous place, and he dies.

I once faced a Zhai Xiu who was forcing me into his dwelling. I endured being beaten all the way, dragged him to the cliff’s edge.

We traveler cultivators have steady feet—I could stand. He couldn’t. He fell off the cliff and died. That’s how I won.

Don’t think you can just exchange blows and stop. No such luck. These two Dao paths are mortal enemies. One moment of slackness means death.”

Li Banfeng seized the chance to ask: “Brother, do you know what techniques Zhai Xiu have?”

“Can’t say,” the coachman shook his head. “Zhai Xiu techniques vary—some are the same, some aren’t. They’re hard to identify. One thing’s certain: every Zhai Xiu I’ve met had his own tricks.

Zhai Xiu are rare, and their spirit’s nature is unpredictable. That’s why they’re hard to deal with. When you encounter one, avoid them.”

Li Banfeng wanted to ask more, but suddenly the coachman stopped: “Station’s here. Go slowly.”

In just that short while, the station had arrived.

As he stepped down, Li Banfeng asked one more question: “Besides Wind Rises from Flat Ground and Qūjí Bìxiōng, do traveler cultivators have other abilities?”

“Yes, plenty. But you’ve reached your destination.”

Li Banfeng pulled out his wallet: “Pull me a bit farther. Or don’t pull—just keep me company. I’ll pay you. Name your price.”

The coachman smiled: “Save your money. Our connection ends here. If fate brings us together again, I’ll tell you slowly.”

With that, the coachman wiped his face with a towel and pulled the cart 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 embark again, returning to Yuezhou.

After returning, should he visit He Jiaqing?

Who knew if the man lying in that hospital was even He Jiaqing?

Even if it was him, he’d still get tangled with the Dark Star Bureau. Li Banfeng hesitated—should he still involve himself in He Jiaqing’s matter?

First, buy a ticket.

When I return to Yuezhou, I can…

I can find a place to haul bricks.

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

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

Following the coachman’s advice, Li Banfeng first controlled his hips, then his knees, then his ankles and toes.

The approach was correct, but the force—thinner than a hemp rope—was hard to grasp. As he lifted his leg, his entire body shot forward into the ticket office.

Luckily, the ticket office was empty. Li Banfeng stopped just in time and reached the ticket counter.

The clerk was dozing and hadn’t noticed Li Banfeng’s odd movement. He shouted several times: “Ticket!”

The clerk rubbed her eyes, yawned, and asked: “Where to?”

“Yuezhou.”

“Seat or berth?”

Seat was out of the question—he needed a berth. First-class berth!

The clerk prepared the ticket: “Train 1160. First-class berth, thirteen thousand. Next departure, nine p.m. tomorrow.”

Thirteen thousand!

So expensive!

Li Banfeng froze. He didn’t carry that much cash—most of his money was in his Personal Dwelling.

He was about to retrieve money from his Personal Dwelling when the clerk added: “First, get a travel permit.”

“Travel permit? What’s that?” Li Banfeng asked.

The clerk frowned: “Without a travel permit, Pingshenme do you buy a ticket?”

Why can’t he buy a ticket?

What kind of rule is this?

As Li Banfeng pondered the concept of a travel permit, a man wearing a forward cap entered the ticket office and silently watched Li Banfeng.

He had been waiting here a long time.

His name was Chu Yunlong, a Da Jiu under the Patrol Squad of the Medicine King Hall’s Second Branch of the Jiangxiang Sect.

The Sect Master was right—Li Banfeng would come.

Chu Yunlong slowly approached Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng was still arguing with the clerk: “You need a travel permit just to ride a train? Why not demand a passport? Is this train going to the Western Heavens to fetch scriptures?”

Li Banfeng was furious, trembling with rage. He felt the clerk was deliberately Diaonan him.

“Have you ever ridden a train? Don’t you know this basic rule?” The clerk was angry too—she thought Li Banfeng was being unreasonable.

While they argued, Chu Yunlong drew closer to Li Banfeng.

Hands in pockets, expressionless, he seemed to be lining up behind Li Banfeng to buy a ticket.

In truth, as soon as he touched Li Banfeng, he could control him, force him to reveal the location of the Bronze Lotus, then kill him.

He was still seven or eight meters away. The argument between Li Banfeng and the clerk grew louder.

“When I came, no one mentioned any travel permit! Why are there so many rules now?”

“I don’t care where you’re from. No travel permit, no ticket. Talking to me won’t change anything. This is the rule. Buy it or leave!”

Perfect. Keep arguing.

Chu Yunlong’s lips curled slightly as he edged closer to Li Banfeng.

“What kind of rule is this? Show me your rules!” Li Banfeng roared, losing control.

“Why should I show you? Who do you think you are?” The clerk shot back.

“If you won’t show me the rules, then there are no rules! I’m going in to get my ticket—see what you can do to stop me!”

Chu Yunlong stood directly behind Li Banfeng and slowly reached out his hand.

Keep arguing. Don’t turn around. Just keep… wait!

What’s happening?

Chu Yunlong’s hand didn’t touch Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng leapt onto the counter—trying to force his way into the ticket room!

The clerk was stunned: “You dare! Try stepping in!”

Li Banfeng really meant to step in—he was a man who refused to be wronged.

Chu Yunlong and the clerk shared the same thought: “Is this man insane?”

Chu Yunlong couldn’t act now—Li Banfeng was on the counter.

The clerk immediately pulled the alarm. Deafening bells rang through the ticket office.

Li Banfeng didn’t force his way into the room. He crouched on the counter, glancing behind at Chu Yunlong, then at the ticket office entrance.

Two uniformed men burst through the door. Li Banfeng didn’t recognize them—but Chu Yunlong did.

They were station constables.

The clerk pointed at Li Banfeng and shouted: “He’s trying to steal tickets! He has no travel permit—he’s attempting illegal passage!”

The two constables charged at Li Banfeng without hesitation.

Chu Yunlong quickly stepped aside—he didn’t want trouble.

Li Banfeng jumped off the counter and looked at Chu Yunlong. “Brother, run, what are you standing there for?”

“No, I mean…,” Chu Yunlong blinked, at a loss for words.

Li Banfeng bolted off, moving with astonishing speed, dashing past the two constables blocking his path and vanishing from the ticket hall in an instant.

Seeing this, the two constables immediately advanced to surround Chu Yunlong.

Chu Yunlong licked his lips, staring at the constables charging toward him, unsure how to explain himself.

PS: Dear readers, if you’ve finished, give Banfeng a like, and also give the phonograph a like—Banfeng’s future depends entirely on you, dear readers.

(End of Chapter)