Chapter 19: Water and Fire Cannot Coexist

The bonfire shone on his face, and Li Banfeng slowly opened his eyes.

The peddler's face suddenly appeared close by, gazing at Li Banfeng with a seemingly concerned smile.

“You’re awake? Here, drink a bowl of fruit syrup to perk up.”

Fruit syrup, a type of old-fashioned beverage, looked like fruit juice but had no actual relation to it. It was a drink made from coloring and saccharin.

This bowl was orange flavored.

Li Banfeng’s mouth was dry and bitter, so having a bowl of this drink wasn't bad at all.

Li Banfeng finished the fruit syrup. When he asked about entering the path, the peddler's smile was filled with sincerity: “Congratulations, young man, you have escaped the threat of Celestial Radiance and become a cultivator, or what outsiders often call an Dark Energy user.”

Why was the peddler’s tone so strange?

His speaking tone had an official formality, and his previous streetwise demeanor was gone.

Li Banfeng asked again, “Which sect did I join?”

“Didn’t you want to become a Wanderer Cultivator earlier? That wish has come true!” The peddler poured Li Banfeng another bowl of fruit syrup.

“That’s good.” Li Banfeng picked up the fruit syrup and took a big gulp. This bowl was pineapple-flavored, the golden-yellow drink carrying the distinctive rich aroma of pineapple.

Seeing the golden-yellow color, Li Banfeng recalled the scene before he fainted: he had seen golden-yellow powder, mixed with a faint blue-green glow.

“Just a Wanderer Cultivator?” Li Banfeng re-examined the peddler.

The peddler's smile remained sincere: “You just asked another customer if it’s possible to cultivate two paths simultaneously. I’ll answer that for him: yes, it is possible to cultivate two paths!”

Indeed!

Something was definitely wrong!

Li Banfeng asked, “Which two paths am I cultivating simultaneously?”

The peddler pondered for a moment before saying, “Wanderer Cultivation and Dweller Cultivation.”

The blue powder was for Wanderer Cultivation.

The golden powder was for Dweller Cultivation.

Li Banfeng remained expressionless for a long time before asking, “How can Dweller Cultivation and Wanderer Cultivation be practiced simultaneously?”

These two paths clearly had irreconcilable contradictions.

The peddler patiently explained: “That guest just now said it’s difficult to achieve much by cultivating two paths simultaneously. I believe that idea is incorrect.

A person cultivating two paths simultaneously should, at the same level, have slightly stronger combat power than a cultivator of a single path.

Even if they are one level lower than their opponent, they can still contend and spar using techniques from both paths.

Isn’t that an advantage? Isn’t that potential? I believe the prospects for dual cultivators are bright!”

Li Banfeng nodded and said, “I also think it’s bright. So, how does Dweller Cultivation and Wanderer Cultivation work together?”

“Let’s talk about Dweller Cultivation first,” the peddler patiently explained. “Due to its unique nature, Dweller Cultivation can be combined with many other paths, such as Observer Cultivation.

Observer Cultivators are skilled at spying and tracking. If a Dweller Cultivator also practices Observer Cultivation, they can track someone’s whereabouts from home. Even if their actions are exposed, the Dweller Cultivator remains very safe under the protection of their Dwelling Spirit.

Moreover, the Dwelling Spirit can enhance Observer Cultivation abilities, allowing one to pursue enemies thousands of miles away, or even beyond, and even break through barriers.

Therefore, Dweller Cultivation is very suitable for dual cultivation.”

Li Banfeng nodded and said, “Very suitable. So, how does Dweller Cultivation combine with Wanderer Cultivation?”

The peddler continued to explain: “Now let’s look at Wanderer Cultivation. Wanderer Cultivation is also very suitable for dual cultivation. For instance, consider Manager Han from Baisheng Pharmacy in Yaowang Gorge.

Everyone in Yaowang Gorge knows she’s a Medicine Cultivator, but few know that Manager Han also practices Wanderer Cultivation.

She traveled through countless mountains and rivers, collecting innumerable rare treasures, which is how she managed to establish Baisheng Pharmacy.

Don't you agree that Wanderer Cultivation is suitable for dual cultivation?”

“Suitable, very suitable,” Li Banfeng agreed wholeheartedly. “So, how does Dweller Cultivation combine with Wanderer Cultivation?”

“Both Dweller Cultivation and Wanderer Cultivation are very suitable for dual cultivation. Putting these two paths together, isn't that also very good…” The peddler’s voice trailed off.

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

“Listen, I’ll make something up for you…” The peddler wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Alright, I’m listening. Make it up.” Li Banfeng remained very serious.

After a few minutes of silence, a cold breeze blew, and sweat beaded on the peddler's forehead. “I can’t make it up.”

“Then what?” Sweat also appeared on Li Banfeng’s forehead.

Something serious had happened.

The peddler managed a strained smile, seemingly to comfort Li Banfeng: “Dweller Cultivation and Wanderer Cultivation cannot be practiced together. These two paths are archenemies, 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 gone. From this moment on, every word he uttered concerned Li Banfeng's life.

“Dweller Cultivation and Wanderer Cultivation have nothing in common, and their characteristics are severely conflicting. Logically, using the powders from both paths simultaneously should have killed you on the spot.

But you’re alive, which proves your physique is somewhat special. Of course, this is mainly related to your exposure to Celestial Radiance.”

“What exactly is Celestial Radiance?”

The peddler shook his head: “This matter is too profound for me to explain to you clearly.”

“Tell me slowly. What if I understand!” Li Banfeng desperately needed to understand what had happened to him.

The peddler pondered for a moment and said, “Do you know what dark matter is?”

“Of course I do.”

In truth, Li Banfeng did not know; at humanity's current level of technology, no one knew what dark matter truly was.

However, Li Banfeng was also a highly educated person and had at least heard the term ‘dark matter’.

“You really know?” The peddler confirmed again.

Li Banfeng nodded: “I know, I’m highly educated.”

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

Li Banfeng scratched the back of his head, feeling that the peddler’s statement was sound. “Then let’s not talk about dark matter for now.”

The peddler continued: “What you refer to as being exposed to Celestial Radiance is, in your outer provinces’ terms, a dark matter ray stream.

Dark matter is everywhere, but some dark matter is special. In the Inner Nine Provinces, this is called a burst of Dao Affinity.

Ingesting Dao Affinity using the correct method won't cause too much harm, but a Dao Affinity burst is too intense for mortals to withstand.

If struck by a burst, the body will quickly explode, and any remaining Dao Affinity could continue to harm others.

Therefore, if you want to survive, you must enter the path as soon as possible. Through the path-entry medicinal guide, you must direct the Dao Affinity within your body in a specific direction…”

The peddler explained the mechanism of Celestial Radiance as simply as possible, and Li Banfeng quickly grasped the key points.

Dark Energy users, or what are called cultivators here, are essentially superhumans who undergo mutations after special dark matter invades their bodies.

The mutations are chaotic and, in most cases, fatal.

However, the peddler’s medicine could guide this chaotic mutation into an orderly one.

For those who ingest dark matter in smaller, regular amounts, like Ma Wu and Qin Xiaopang, the mutation’s erosion is relatively slow. Only when the mutation reaches a certain degree can the peddler’s medicine be used to guide them into becoming Dark Energy users.

Li Banfeng, however, had encountered a dark matter ray stream, and his body was rapidly infiltrated by a large amount of dark matter, putting him at risk of instant explosion. Therefore, immediate guidance was crucial.

There were many types of medicine, guiding one toward different directions and paths, and thus conferring different superhuman abilities.

Li Banfeng had enough dark matter in his body to choose any path, and even choosing two similar paths simultaneously was barely permissible.

But he had chosen two opposing paths.

Yet, Li Banfeng hadn't chosen them!

Li Banfeng’s eyes widened as he asked, “Where’s Qiao Yuesheng, that damn guy who bumped into me? This whole mess is because of him…”

The peddler pointed to the straw mat beside him. “Are you referring to him?”

Li Banfeng hadn’t noticed the straw mat next to the peddler, assuming it contained miscellaneous goods.

Now, with the peddler’s gesture, it seemed to be a person wrapped inside.

Li Banfeng was stunned: “Is that Qiao Yuesheng?”

The peddler nodded: “This matter originated with him, and he has already compensated me sufficiently.

Since the accident occurred at my stall, I also bear some responsibility, so I must offer you compensation. This is my duty as a merchant.

Judging by your condition, you seem to have survived the initial entry, but the subsequent cultivation will be very difficult for you.

According to the characteristics of Wanderer Cultivation, even if you don't seek advancement, you must walk at least twenty *li* every day.

And according to the traits of Dweller Cultivation, you must return home at least once a day and stay there for at least two hours.”

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

Indeed, it wasn't difficult.

Just going out for a walk, twenty *li* was like jogging ten kilometers.

Going home to sleep, or reading a novel or watching a show, two hours was incredibly easy.

From this perspective, these two paths weren't as severely conflicting as he thought.

The peddler shook his head: “This is just the initial stage of cultivation. Once you advance to higher levels, Wanderer Cultivators will need to travel increasingly far, while Dweller Cultivators will need to stay at home for increasingly longer periods. The two will quickly become incompatible.

Furthermore, once Wanderer Cultivators reach higher levels, they cannot stay in one place indefinitely, but a dwelling is fixed, and Dweller Cultivators cannot wander around. Thus, these two paths are archenemies.

Of course, that’s a problem for later; we'll figure out a solution then. For now, there’s another difficult issue: for a Wanderer Cultivator to pass a trial and advance a level, they must reside in a perilous place for a day and a night.

This poses a serious problem. Dweller Cultivators must return home every day; if they don’t come home for even a day, they could die suddenly. How can you stay outside for a day and a night?”

Li Banfeng blinked and asked, “What constitutes a perilous place?”

The peddler looked astonished: “Haven’t you studied? You don’t understand ‘perilous place’? It’s a place where your life is constantly at risk.”

“How is such a place defined? Sleeping in the middle of the road could also get you run over by a car at any moment!”

The peddler nodded: “That’s actually quite a good idea. You could try sleeping in the middle of the road. If your cultivation acknowledges it, you truly might advance a level!”

“Cultivation acknowledges things?”

“Why wouldn't it? Cultivation is now a part of you. If you have perception, your cultivation naturally has perception. Have you decided to sleep in the road?”

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

Dweller Cultivators had to return home every day.

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

I never had a home to begin with, so which home do you expect me to return to?

At this thought, Li Banfeng directly asked, “I don’t currently have a dwelling and nowhere to return to. So, even if I sleep rough outside, it wouldn’t violate the rules of Dweller Cultivation, right?”

The peddler nodded: “That’s correct.”

Hearing this, Li Banfeng smiled: “Then it’s simple! I’ll first go to a perilous place, endure a day and a night, become a first-level Wanderer Cultivator, and then buy a dwelling. Wouldn’t that resolve the issue?”

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

“Why not?”

“That would be abandoning Dweller Cultivation. Dual cultivation requires practicing both paths simultaneously. If you abandon one, you’ll lose your life.”

Li Banfeng hurriedly said, “I’m not abandoning it. I’m just cultivating Wanderer Cultivation first, then…”

“What good is just saying it?” The peddler directly interrupted Li Banfeng. “Cultivation is part of your body; your actions represent your intentions.

If you cultivate Wanderer Cultivation to the first level, achieving some success, but you don’t even have a suitable dwelling and Dweller Cultivation hasn’t started properly, wouldn’t that be equivalent to abandoning Dweller Cultivation?”

“Isn't that a bit far-fetched? My intention isn't like that!”

The peddler shrugged: “It’s useless to tell me. If you don’t believe me, you can certainly try.”

“Try… that’s not something I can try,” Li Banfeng fell into thought again, then gritted his teeth and said, “I simply won’t advance levels for now; I’ll just keep going like this until I figure something out!”

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

“Mangled” was an understatement; it was a mass of fragmented flesh.

If the peddler hadn’t previously said it was Qiao Yuesheng, Li Banfeng wouldn't have recognized him at all.

“How did he end up like this?”

The peddler covered the straw mat: “He was an Dark Energy user, a glutton, also known as a Gluttony Cultivator.

Compared to Wanderer Cultivators, Gluttony Cultivators don't run exceptionally fast, but once full, they are much faster than ordinary people.

According to the rules of the outer provinces, Dark Energy users cannot participate in sports competitions; it’s considered cheating. But this kid, for fame and fortune, went all out.

Dark matter cannot be observed, so no one could detect his cultivation. However, he worried someone might discover his abnormality.

A Gluttony Cultivator needs to eat five *jin* of food every day. He was afraid of being exposed, so he dared not eat, nor dared to advance levels.

He continuously used his physical talents but didn't cultivate according to the correct methods. As you said, he just kept putting it off, and this is what he ended up like.

You can’t keep procrastinating. At least one of your paths, Dweller Cultivation or Wanderer Cultivation, must reach a certain level. If you delay for too long, your fate is bound to be the same as his.”

“Once I cultivate to the first level, can I stop?”

“No, even if you’re not striving for advancement, your daily basic cultivation must not be neglected.”

Li Banfeng looked at the straw mat covering the corpse: “When will this cultivation ever end?”

“There is no end,” the peddler shook his head. “Once you chose this path, you are destined to walk it for a lifetime.”

Li Banfeng looked up at the peddler: “Then tell me, how do I get through this?”

The peddler looked back at Li Banfeng: “Two paths. You choose one. The first path: find a perilous place to settle down, and I will prepare a dwelling for you.”