Chapter 22: Personal Residence

The peddler was about to leave, so Li Banfeng quickly asked, "When will you be back?"

"Once every three months. The day and place will be the same. Do you need anything else?"

Only once every three months.

In three months, he might not even be in this place anymore.

This was a rare opportunity; he had to buy something.

"I'll buy two candles!"

The small room was too dark, so candles were a necessity.

The peddler handed Li Banfeng two candles. "Do you need any matches?"

Li Banfeng originally had a lighter, but it must have fallen out on the bumpy road.

"I'll take a box."

"Two candles and a box of matches. Will you be paying with Huan Kingdom notes or silver dollars?"

Li Banfeng gave a simple, honest smile. "You actually want money?"

The peddler raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I?"

Each candle cost two dimes, and the matches were five cents. Li Banfeng didn't have small change, so he handed over a hundred-dollar note.

The peddler actually broke it, giving him a handful of various small denominations, including even long-lost fen coins.

With the transaction complete, the peddler left.

Li Banfeng was in a predicament.

Without a phone and unfamiliar with the area, where could he find He Jiaqing?

He had experienced too much that day. Although he had dozed off twice, Li Banfeng still felt exhausted.

And he hadn't eaten much all day.

He used the bronze key to open the "residence." Before entering, he tossed the key into the tall grass. It was well-hidden yet easy to find; within five meters, he never missed.

Inside the pitch-black room, Li Banfeng lit the purchased candles, took off his backpack, and rubbed his aching shoulders.

Since getting off the train, Li Banfeng had been carrying his backpack. Everything else was fine, but the bronze lotus was incredibly heavy.

He opened his backpack, took out a box of instant noodles, and chewed them dry.

He had no water, but fortunately, he had drunk two bowls of fruit syrup earlier, so he wasn't too thirsty.

As he ate, he recalled the day's events. Li Banfeng felt signs that his mental issues were healing.

"After getting off the train, I was exposed to 'heavenly light,' meaning I was hit by a dark matter radiation stream, for reasons unknown. The moment I stepped out, I couldn't move, and then two 'Forward Cap' agents chased me. For some inexplicable reason, I became a cultivator of two incompatible Daoist schools and acquired a movable house. Who would dare call me crazy now? Could anyone have a crazier experience than this?

If I can't find He Jiaqing, what should I do? Go back to the train station, buy a ticket, and return directly to Yuezhou? What was I thinking? I'm already at Yaowang Valley. How could I just go back? If I found a place to charge my phone, wouldn't the problem be solved?"

Li Banfeng lay down on the cold floor, using his backpack as a pillow.

The room was a bit dark and small, but it was actually quite good.

From now on, he'd call it the "Portable Abode."

This was his house.

He had a house.

Li Banfeng's brow relaxed, and a faint smile appeared.

Although he didn't know He Jiaqing's current situation.

Although he didn't know where he truly was.

Still, Li Banfeng was in high spirits.

He fell into a deep sleep in the "Portable Abode." When he woke up, he had no idea what time it was. Li Banfeng didn't have a watch, his phone was dead, and no daylight entered the room, so he seemed to have lost all concept of time.

The cold, hard ground left Li Banfeng's entire body aching. He rubbed his neck and stretched his limbs.

*Crack!* His bones popped painfully.

Li Banfeng suddenly felt much stronger than usual.

Was there strength surging within him?

Was this what the peddler meant by "recognizing the residence"?

Li Banfeng was delighted. He walked a few circles inside the Portable Abode and indeed felt much lighter and swifter on his feet.

He changed into a shirt and trousers.

Compared to a T-shirt, the shirt looked much less out of place.

He still had to carry his backpack, but there was nothing inside it.

If there was nothing inside, why carry an empty bag?

Li Banfeng had a plan.

The two "Forward Cap" agents he encountered at the station were after him, but Li Banfeng racked his brain and couldn't figure out any connection he had with them.

This was Li Banfeng's first time in Puro Province. The only possible connection was the bronze lotus.

The bronze lotus was He Jiaqing's treasure, and He Jiaqing was from Puro Province, so someone in Puro Province must know about the bronze lotus.

Someone wanted to seize this treasure, and that's why they had set their sights on him.

If he were targeted by these people again, the best way to escape would be to give them the backpack as bait and then seize the opportunity to run.

The backpack was torn; when it got stuck under the berth, Li Banfeng pulled hard, and many seams ripped open.

A few tears didn't matter; it wouldn't interfere with his main purpose.

After leaving the Portable Abode, Li Banfeng didn't forget the peddler's instructions; the first thing was to retrieve the key.

He was about to bend down to pick up the key when he realized he wasn't in yesterday's wilderness.

It was still pitch black in front of him, with no sign of night or daylight.

Had he not left the Portable Abode?

Li Banfeng was startled, thinking he was trapped in the residence, but he quickly calmed down.

This wasn't the Portable Abode. Although he couldn't see anything, the scent here was different from that inside the residence.

The Portable Abode had been uninhabited for too long, and it only smelled of dust.

The air here seemed fresher, carrying the scent of nature, especially a fresh, musky odor.

Furthermore, it wasn't completely dark; the light was just very faint.

After spending a night in the completely dark residence, Li Banfeng's vision was highly sensitive. Using the faint light, he could make out some outlines.

Rocks.

Rock walls.

This looked like a cave.

Could it be some wild animal's lair...?

Li Banfeng's guess was correct. Beside him, two eerie green eyes slowly opened.

The moment he saw those eyes, Li Banfeng bolted.

*Roar!* A muffled roar came from behind him, and Li Banfeng immediately heard heavy breathing and footsteps.

What kind of animal was this?

Judging by the footsteps, it must be quite large.

Where was he running to?

Was he running towards the cave entrance?

What if he ran into a dead end?

Why was he in this cave?

Was this beast intentionally ambushing him here?

Was he being set up again?

A series of questions swirled in his mind, and as he ran, the answers gradually revealed themselves.

First, Li Banfeng hadn't run in the wrong direction; he saw light ahead, confirming he was indeed running towards the cave entrance.

As for why he picked the right direction, Li Banfeng had no time to ponder.

The sliver of light was tiny, indicating the cave entrance was far away.

Inside the slippery cave, Li Banfeng didn't believe he could outrun a wild beast.

But as it turned out, he *could* outrun it!

The cave was indeed slippery, but Li Banfeng's steps were steady and fast. The beast never managed to catch up to him, even as he burst out of the cave entrance.

Only after he was outside the cave and had run several tens of meters did the beast finally stumble out, pursuing him.

Li Banfeng looked back and saw a bear—a massive black bear on all fours, its height reaching his shoulder.

Li Banfeng had seen many bears in zoos, but never one of such exaggerated size. He ran for his life, desperate to shake off the black bear.

But it didn't seem to be that difficult.

On the rugged mountain path, Li Banfeng ran incredibly fast. The black bear pursued him for a moment, then gradually slowed its pace.

It stopped chasing because it couldn't keep up.

The black bear, having lost its prey, was quite unwilling, but it wasn't stubborn. It let out two roars at Li Banfeng's retreating figure, then turned and went back into the cave.

It stopped chasing!

I succeeded!

Surviving the ordeal, Li Banfeng was overjoyed!

I succeeded!

Had he truly succeeded?

If he could just keep his life, that would truly count as success.

But what about the key?

Li Banfeng turned his head and looked at the black bear's retreating figure.

Although the distance was considerable, Li Banfeng's eyesight was much better than before.

He saw a faint golden glint on the black bear's back.

The key was stuck to the black bear's back.