Chapter 40: Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity

Li Banfeng truly hadn't expected that he would have two abilities as a level-one Wanderlust Cultivator.

He uttered in surprise, "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity. How do I use this ability?"

The rickshaw driver said nothing and simply pulled the cart with his head down.

Just as Li Banfeng was about to ask again, a chill swept over him, making him shiver.

Somewhere deep in his subconscious, Li Banfeng felt an inexplicable fear.

He sensed that if he asked one more question, he would die at the hands of the rickshaw driver.

The rickshaw driver turned to face him and asked, "Are you afraid?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I am."

The rickshaw driver chuckled. "I just directed killing intent toward you. Don't worry, I'm not actually going to kill you. I was just helping you test the ability. Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity is the simplest ability to use. You came to ride in my rickshaw today. That is seeking fortune. When your heart pounds, your hands tremble, chills run through you, or you break out in goosebumps, those may all be signs of peril. If that happens, you must avoid the path ahead. That is called avoiding calamity.

"The ability is very easy to use, but there are always people who fail to grasp how it works, especially the careless ones who never pay attention to details like that. A Wanderlust Cultivator traverses through thousands of mountains and tens of thousands of bodies of water. You must be meticulous. You have to feel the weight of your life with every step you take, consider the pros and cons with every decision."

Li Banfeng was delighted by this ability. "So, as long as danger arises, a Wanderlust Cultivator will always be able to sense it?"

The rickshaw driver shook his head. "Nothing in life is that easy. It depends on your cultivation level, your enchanted artifacts, and even the Daoist path your opponent follows. If your opponent's cultivation is two levels above yours, they can hide their malice. If they intend to harm you, you won't sense it. You won't sense it either if they possess an enchanted artifact or ability that conceals malicious thoughts.

"There are also hidden regions that can conceal peril. If your cultivation level isn't high enough, you won't sense those either. And if you encounter a Homebound Cultivator of the same level, you won't be able to see through any of their thoughts, nor will you sense any of their malice."

Li Banfeng knew that Homebound Cultivators could avoid being noticed, but he hadn't expected that they would be able to conceal their own malice as well.

Indeed, it's impossible to guess what a shut-in is thinking.

I've got two abilities now! Raising a Gale on Level Ground and Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity!

Li Banfeng had learned quite a lot from the rickshaw driver. The five hundred yuan he spent was well spent.

"Elder Brother, from what you said, it sounds like hearing you say this, it seems that Homebound Cultivators pose a bit of a challenge for us Wanderlust Cultivators," Li Banfeng said.

"A bit? Oh, it's far worse than that," the rickshaw driver replied with a bitter smile. "Let me put it this way. Usually, we avoid Homebound Cultivators, and they avoid us. But once you clash with one of the same level, you must be prepared to fight to the death. If we step into a Homebound Cultivator's dwelling, we're doomed. If we drag them into a region of peril, they're doomed.

"I once encountered a Homebound Cultivator, and he nearly forced me into his dwelling. I let him give me a savage beating, then I tackled him, charging all the way to the edge of a cliff. We Wanderlust Cultivators have a steady footing, so I could stand firm. But Homebound Cultivators can't do the same. He lost his balance. He fell off the cliff and died. That's how I won.

"Don't even think about a fight ending with both sides going easy. There's no such luck. Cultivators on these two Daoist paths are mortal enemies. Whoever relaxes even a little will lose their life!"

Li Banfeng seized the chance to ask, "Elder Brother, do you know what abilities Homebound Cultivators have?"

"Hard to say." The rickshaw driver shook his head. "Homebound Cultivators share some of the same abilities, but they have other varied abilities. The one thing they all have in common is that it's hard to identify what their abilities are. Every Homebound Cultivator I've met had tricks of their own. Homebound Cultivators are rare to begin with, and the temperaments of dwelling spirits are impossible to predict. That makes them very hard to deal with. If you encounter one, it's best to get away from them if you can."

Li Banfeng still wanted to ask a few more questions, but the rickshaw driver suddenly stopped walking. "We've arrived at the train station. Safe travels."

Just like that, they had arrived at the train station.

As Li Banfeng got off the rickshaw, he asked one more question. "Aside from Raising a Gale on Level Ground and Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity, do Wanderlust Cultivators have other abilities?"

"Yes, we have plenty of abilities. But we've reached your destination."

Li Banfeng took out his wallet. "Take me a little further, or just stay and chat with me. I'll pay you. Just name your price."

The rickshaw driver laughed. "Save your money. Our fate together ends here today. If we're destined to meet again, I'll tell you more then."

After that, the rickshaw driver wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and pulled his rickshaw away from the station square.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Li Banfeng had walked out of this train station just several days ago, and now he was about to set off on another trip, this time back to Yuezhou.

When I get back, should I visit Jiaqing? But who knows if the person lying in the hospital is truly Jiaqing?

But... even if it is him, that would mean I would still inevitably get entangled with the Dark Star Bureau again.

That made Li Banfeng quite hesitant to get involved with He Jiaqing again.

Either way, I should buy a train ticket first.

Once I return to Yuezhou, I'll be able to... find a place to carry bricks for money.

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead.

What exactly is so good about Yuezhou?

The train station was very small, nothing more than a row of single-story buildings. The departure lounge was slightly taller, and right beside it was the ticket office.

Recalling what the rickshaw driver had taught him, Li Banfeng first controlled his thighs, then his knees, and lastly, his ankles and toes.

The walking method was correct, but it was difficult to figure out how to control the force in his legs and make it narrower than a hemp cord. When Li Banfeng lifted his leg, he shot forward straight into the ticket office.

Fortunately, the ticket office was empty. Li Banfeng managed to put the brakes on his step just in time, coming to a stop right in front of the ticket counter.

The ticket clerk was dozing off and hadn't noticed Li Banfeng's unusual entrance. Li Banfeng called out several times, "I want to buy a ticket!"

The ticket clerk rubbed her eyes and yawned. Then she asked, "Where to?"

"Yuezhou."

"Seat or sleeper?"

A seat was out of the question. He had to get a sleeper, and it had to be a first-class sleeper!

The ticket clerk inputted the information to print the ticket. "Train 1160, first-class sleeper, thirteen thousand yuan. The earliest one departs tomorrow night at nine o'clock."

Thirteen thousand!

That expensive?!

Li Banfeng froze. He hadn't brought that much money with him; most of his money was stored in the Pocket Dwelling.

Just as he was about to excuse himself to go grab the money from the Pocket Dwelling, the ticket clerk said, "Show me your travel permit first."

"travel permit? What's that?" Li Banfeng asked in confusion.

The ticket clerk frowned. "Without a travel permit, what right do you have to buy a ticket?"

Li Banfeng was puzzled.

What right do they have to stop me from buying a ticket?

What kind of rule is this?

At that moment, a man in a Gatsby cap entered the ticket office and silently fixed his gaze on Li Banfeng.

He had been waiting there for a long time.

He was Chu Yunlong, also known as the Ninth Patrol Captain. He was the leader of the ninth patrol squad under the Wind Watcher[1] in the second branch of the Medicine King Hall in the Jiangxiang Gang.

Boss Xiao had been right that Li Banfeng would definitely show up at the train station eventually.

Chu Yunlong slowly walked toward him.

Li Banfeng was still quarreling with the ticket clerk. "You need a travel permit just to ride a train? Why don't you just ask for a customs clearance document too? Is this train headed to the West to fetch Buddhist scriptures?!"[2]

He was shaking with rage. He was convinced that the ticket clerk was deliberately making things difficult for him.

"Have you ever even taken a train before? Don't you know the basic rules?" The ticket clerk got angry too. In her eyes, it was Li Banfeng who was being unreasonable.

While the two argued, Chu Yunlong stepped closer and closer.

With both hands in his pockets and a blank expression on his face, Chu Yunlong looked as if he were simply lining up behind Li Banfeng to buy a ticket.

In reality, all he needed was to touch Li Banfeng. Once he did, he could control him, force him to reveal the whereabouts of the Arcane Crimson Lotus, and then take his life.

However, there were still seven or eight meters between them. In the meantime, Li Banfeng and the ticket clerk's argument grew louder.

"When I got here, nobody mentioned anything about a travel permit. Why do you suddenly have so many rules?"

"I don't care where you're from. Without a travel permit, you can't buy a ticket. Complaining won't change that. Those are the rules. Buy a ticket if you want. If you're not buying one, then get lost!"

Perfect. Keep arguing like this,

Chu Yunlong thought.

The corners of his mouth curved up slightly as he continued to approach Li Banfeng.

"What kind of rule is this? Show me your rules so I can see them for myself!" Li Banfeng roared, his emotions slipping out of control.

"Why should I show you? Who do you think you are?" the ticket clerk retorted, unwilling to back down.

"If you won't show me the rules, that proves there aren't any! I'll go in and grab the ticket myself. Let's see how you'll stop me!"

By this point, Chu Yunlong was standing right behind Li Banfeng, slowly reaching out his hand.

Keep arguing, don't turn around. Yes, just like that—wait!

What's going on?

Chu Yunlong's hand did not make contact with Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng had leaped onto the counter, about to force his way into the internal part of the ticket office!

The ticket clerk was stunned. "How dare you! Just try coming in!"

However, Li Banfeng really was going in. He was not the type to silently accept a loss.

At that moment, both Chu Yunlong and the ticket clerk shared the same thought:

Is this man insane?

Chu Yunlong couldn't make his move now, not while Li Banfeng was on top of the counter.

The ticket clerk quickly yanked the alarm, and a deafening bell rang out through the ticket office.

Li Banfeng stopped trying to break in. Crouching on the counter, he glanced back at Chu Yunlong, then toward the main entrance of the ticket office.

Two men in uniform burst through the doors. Li Banfeng didn't know them, but Chu Yunlong did.

They were station patrol officers.

The ticket clerk pointed at Li Banfeng and shouted, "He's here to snatch a ticket! He doesn't have a travel permit. He's trying to cross the border illegally!"

Without a word, the two patrol officers charged at Li Banfeng.

Chu Yunlong quickly stepped aside. He had no intention of getting caught up in the trouble.

Li Banfeng jumped down from the counter and shouted to Chu Yunlong, "Brother, run! What are you standing there for?"

"No, what...?" Chu Yunlong uttered. He blinked in shock, at a loss for words.

Then Li Banfeng bolted. He moved extremely fast, dashing past the two patrol officers and out of the ticket office in the blink of an eye.

Seeing that, the two patrol officers immediately turned to block Chu Yunlong instead.

Chu Yunlong licked his lips, watching as the patrol officers charged toward him. He didn't know what he should say to explain this away.

1. This is a position in the gang ☜

2. This is a reference to

Journey to the West

, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It tells the story of a Buddhist monk, Tang Sanzang, and his companions Sun Wukong the Monkey King, Zhu Bajie, a half-man, half-pig, and Sha Wujing, a sand demon, who are tasked with traveling from China to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures that will save the world. ☜