Chapter 20: Luxurious Home in a Region of Peril

The Peddler gave the first option: Li Banfeng could settle down in a region of peril. At first, it sounded like a great solution. But when Li Banfeng thought about it more, he realized how absurd this was.

This plan was good because it did solve the issue. By settling down in a region of peril, he would naturally fulfill the requirement of spending a night there. He could even stay for several nights. Inside his own home, he would stand a far greater chance of surviving the threats outside. But he thought it was absurd because how was he supposed to spend the rest of his life?

Li Banfeng questioned, "Am I supposed to spend the rest of my life in a region of peril?"

The Peddler tried to comfort him. "Don’t be so pessimistic. Once you cultivate a dwelling spirit, ordinary foes won’t even be able to cross your threshold. You can still live in peace."

"I can really cultivate a dwelling spirit?"

"Of course. Regions of peril are full of vengeful spirits, and they’re the best material for nurturing a dwelling spirit. Take the Valley of Endless Yin in Medicine King Gully as an example. That valley is thick with yin energy and crawling with vengeful ghosts. Countless people have died in the Valley of Endless Yin, so it’s the perfect example of a perilous land.

"It’s a great place. It's quiet, and no one dares to go near it. If you build your home in the Valley of Endless Yin and stay there for half a year, the foundation of the dwelling will be set. The dwelling spirit will feed on the vengeful spirits and grow stronger, which will in turn greatly aid your future cultivation."

Li Banfeng paused to think, then asked a question that seemed simple on the surface but carried deeper weight. "What exactly is a vengeful spirit?"

The Peddler blinked, clearly a little taken aback. "Didn’t you go through higher education? What do you mean by what’s a vengeful spirit? They’re just ghosts. Ghosts filled with resentment."

So they are ghosts...

Li Banfeng thought. His furrowed brow eased. He did his best to control his emotions and even forced a faint smile.

As he imagined a future life in a serene, secluded mountain valley, surrounded by vengeful ghosts, he thought,

What a heartwarming life that would be...

And maybe it wouldn’t just be a phase in his life. As a Homebound Cultivator cultivating inside his house, he might end up spending his entire life in that valley.

Looking at the Peddler, Li Banfeng asked seriously, "Won't the vengeful spirits in the valley...try to hurt me?"

"Good question," the Peddler answered earnestly. "Vengeful spirits will absolutely try to harm you, but your dwelling spirit will protect you from their attacks."

"What if my dwelling spirit can't protect me from their attacks?"

The Peddler’s expression turned even more solemn. "You must have faith. Trust in the strength of your dwelling spirit. Trust in your own will. There is no hardship in this world that cannot be overcome. Whether or not you believe in yourself, I believe in you. You can do it."

Li Banfeng mulled it over. The Peddler’s words seemed reasonable, but he still had one question. "Before I cultivate a dwelling spirit, who will protect me?"

The question struck right at the heart of the issue.

"Well..." the Peddler said as he pulled out a stack of yellow papers with different symbols drawn. "These should be enough to protect you for three to five months. By then, your dwelling spirit will be fully formed."

"And then what? Even if I have a dwelling spirit, I can’t stay hidden in my house forever. I still need to go out and find food, don’t I? I’m still a Wanderlust Cultivator. I have to move around. What happens when I leave and run into vengeful spirits?"

"If you could run faster..." The Peddler’s voice trailed off. He realized he couldn’t bluff his way through anymore and quickly changed the topic. "It doesn’t have to be the Valley of Endless Yin. There are other places..."

"So what if I went to other places? I’m a Wanderlust Cultivator. I still have to travel. With your method, the moment I step outside, it’s a death sentence."

If it only happened once or twice, that would be fine. But settling in a region of peril where even a simple grocery run could cost his life? How was he supposed to live like that?

The Peddler let out a quiet sigh. "In truth, tempering yourself in a region of peril has its benefits for a Wanderlust Cultivator. But if you are unwilling, then let it be. There is another path."

He slapped the side of his goods cabinet. A drawer sprang open, spilling out a jumble of items in all shapes and sizes.

After rummaging for a while, he drew out a brass-yellow key, short as a finger, mottled with spots of green copper

"Since you don’t want to settle in a region of peril, I’ll give you a different house."

"What kind of house?"

To Li Banfeng, no house could possibly resolve the conflict between being a Homebound Cultivator and a Wanderlust Cultivator.

"This one is special. It is a priceless treasure in this world. If I did not care so much about rules and reputation, I would never part with something so precious."

The Peddler raised the key and slowly turned it counterclockwise three times, as though he were opening an invisible door. He unlocked the air with solemn focus, moving as if a door truly stood before him.

Then he turned his head toward Li Banfeng and beckoned to him. "Come. I’ll take you inside to see the house."

Go inside? Into what? There is nothing but empty air in front of me!

Yet, the Peddler’s expression remained utterly serious. "Hurry up!"

Li Banfeng stepped closer and stood right beside the Peddler. Nevertheless, he still saw nothing, and yet, the Peddler remained dead serious.

Li Banfeng gave him a look and said, "I know a doctor with the surname Wang in the psychiatric department at Third Hospital in Yuezhou City. He’s a decent guy. You might want to pay him a visit..."

The Peddler gave Li Banfeng a push, sending him a few steps forward. At once, everything before him fell into darkness. The wilderness, the trees, the campfire, the cluttered cabinet, and even the straw mat all disappeared.

Flick!

The Peddler struck a match. Its faint glow lit up their surroundings, and at last Li Banfeng saw where they were.

They stood in a cramped room, barely three meters wide and two meters long, no more than six square meters in all. The space was empty. Aside from the mottled walls, there was nothing at all, not even a window to let in light or air.

As the match burned down toward his fingers, the Peddler paused at the threshold with one foot inside and the other still outside. His voice was low and steady. "The door is about to close. What happens next is very important. Before it shuts, you must throw the key outside, and it has to land in a suitable place."

With that, the Peddler tossed the key out.

Outside was nothing but mist, and Li Banfeng had no idea where the key had fallen.

Clang!

The door slammed shut. The match sputtered out, and the room was swallowed by total darkness.

Flick~

The Peddler lit a candle with another match and held it up. "Take a good look. This is the place I’m giving you."

Li Banfeng looked around. "If you called this a room, I would have believed you. But if you call this a house..."

This so-called "house" was really too small.

"This is a house, one of the most precious in the entire world."

"What makes it so precious? Is it because it can turn invisible?"

Before the Peddler opened the door, Li Banfeng hadn’t seen a trace of the place. The house had clearly been hidden from sight.

"It’s not just invisible," the Peddler said with a smile. "This house moves. Wherever the key goes, the house follows. As long as you carry the key, it will always be with you."

Li Banfeng stood frozen in place.

If what the Peddler said was true, and this house could really move, then the conflict between Wanderlust Cultivators and Homebound Cultivators would be completely resolved. However, does a house like this really exist?

"Don’t believe me?" The Peddler chuckled. "Then try it for yourself."

With that, the Peddler opened the door and led Li Banfeng outside.

The moment they crossed the threshold, a heavy fog swallowed their sight. But as soon as the door closed behind them, the fog dispersed. Li Banfeng looked down and saw that he was now standing in a patch of wild grass.

The Peddler bent down, picked up the brass key from the grass, and handed it to Li Banfeng.

"Let’s try another spot," he said as he led Li Banfeng a few hundred meters away into a grove. "Push the key forward until you feel it slot into the keyhole."

Li Banfeng did as told. He pushed the key into the empty air, but nothing happened.

The Peddler shook his head. "That’s not it."

"I guess I don’t know the technique yet..."

"There’s no technique. Just open it the way you would any door. It’s a simple task. Be quick and decisive, and don’t hesitate."

Li Banfeng tried again, this time with a swift and natural motion

Click, click, click...

He thought he heard the sound of a key sliding into a lock, and faint resistance pressed back against his fingertips.

"You’ve got it right," the Peddler said with a smile. "Turn the key to the left. Once you hear two clicks, the door will open."

Gripping the key tightly, Li Banfeng turned it counterclockwise.

Click!

Click!

The Peddler said, "Push the door open!"

Li Banfeng gave the door a push. He felt the rough texture of wood under his palm and even heard the hinges groan.

Creeeak~

Yet, no door appeared before his eyes, and the room from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

"Take one step forward. Just one step."

Li Banfeng did as he was told. Dense mist surged in, quickly smothering his vision.

If he took another step forward, the house should come into view.

The Peddler’s voice cut in at once. "Don’t move yet. Throw the key outside."

The Peddler continued explaining, "The exit of the house is tied to the key. If you bring it inside, the exit will only lead back into the house, and you’ll be trapped forever."

Li Banfeng prepared to toss the key away, but the Peddler quickly added, "Choose the spot carefully. Don’t make it too obvious, or someone else might take it. But don’t hide it so well that you can’t find it yourself."

The mist ahead was so thick that all Li Banfeng could see was a blur. Throwing the key with precision was no easy task.

No wonder the Peddler said this step was crucial!

Li Banfeng thought.

"Hurry up and toss the key," the Peddler urged. "The door is about to close!"

Fortunately, Li Banfeng had some skill. Relying on both sight and memory, he flung the key out and stepped into the doorway with his other foot.

Clang!

The door slammed shut, and Li Banfeng was inside the house. He turned back, pushed it open again, and stepped out into the forest. The key lay on the ground not far away, right under a tree. Even with blurred vision, a distance of five meters was nothing he could miss.

The Peddler smiled. "Still a bit obvious. Next time, choose a better spot."

Li Banfeng nodded and tightened his grip on the key.

"Satisfied?" the Peddler asked.

Li Banfeng nodded again.

Satisfied. Completely, utterly satisfied

"With this house, I can travel anywhere I want. When I’m tired, I can return to rest. It won’t hinder me as a Wanderlust Cultivator, and it won’t hinder my path as a Homebound Cultivator."

"Uh..." The Peddler’s smile froze, and his expression grew serious. "It’s not that simple. This house works well for a Wanderlust Cultivator, but if you want to cultivate as a Homebound Cultivator, you’ll need another solution. The house has one flaw."

Li Banfeng froze. "What flaw?"

The Peddler let out a sigh. "It cannot nurture a dwelling spirit into existence."