Chapter 40: Avoiding Misfortune and Seeking Good Fortune

Li Banfeng hadn't expected a first-level Traveler Cultivator to possess two techniques.

Li Banfeng was surprised. "Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Disaster—how is that technique used?"

The rickshaw puller remained silent, his head down as he continued pulling the rickshaw.

As Li Banfeng was about to ask another question, he suddenly felt a chill and shivered involuntarily.

An inexplicable fear welled up in Li Banfeng's subconscious.

He had a premonition that asking one more question would lead to his death at the rickshaw puller's hands.

The rickshaw puller looked back and asked, "Are you scared?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, I am."

The rickshaw puller chuckled. "I just harbored killing intent towards you. Don't worry, I wasn't actually going to kill you; I was just helping you test your technique.

"Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Disaster is the most basic technique. Your decision to ride my rickshaw today, for example, is 'seeking good fortune.'

"Feeling uneasy, hands trembling, shivering, or getting goosebumps can all be signs of impending danger. When you encounter such a situation, you must avoid it at all costs—that's 'avoiding disaster.'

"The technique is simple, yet some people never grasp it, especially the careless ones who don't pay attention to these subtle cues.

"As a Traveler Cultivator, you traverse thousands of mountains and rivers; you must be meticulous. Every step you take, you must consider your own life."

This technique greatly surprised Li Banfeng. "So, Traveler Cultivators can always detect danger?"

The rickshaw puller shook his head. "It's not that simple. It depends on your cultivation level, your magic artifacts, and even your opponent's path.

"If an opponent's cultivation is two levels higher than yours, they can conceal their malice, and you won't detect their intent to harm you.

"Similarly, if they possess a magic artifact or technique for concealing malicious intent, you still won't sense it.

"Some secluded places can mask danger, and if your cultivation isn't sufficient, you won't perceive it either.

"And if you encounter a Home Cultivator at your level, you won't be able to discern any of their thoughts or detect any malicious intent."

Home Cultivators could evade attention; Li Banfeng hadn't realized they could also conceal their malice.

Truly, a Home Cultivator's thoughts were impossible to predict.

Wind from Flat Ground, Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Disaster!

Li Banfeng had learned a great deal from the rickshaw puller; the five hundred yuan was well worth it.

"Big brother," Li Banfeng said, "from what you're saying, it seems Home Cultivators have a significant advantage over us Traveler Cultivators."

"More than just 'some advantage'," the rickshaw puller said with a wry smile. "Let me put it this way: we usually have to avoid Home Cultivators, and they avoid us too. But if you end up fighting a Home Cultivator of the same level, you'd better be ready to fight to the death.

"Enter a Home Cultivator's dwelling, and we're dead. Send a Home Cultivator to a dangerous place, and they're dead.

"I once encountered a Home Cultivator who was about to force me into his dwelling. I risked being battered the whole way, hoisted him up, and rushed to the edge of a cliff.

"We Traveler Cultivators have steady footing, so I could stay balanced. But they, Home Cultivators, aren't like that; he couldn't keep his footing and fell to his death at the bottom of the cliff. That's how I won.

"Don't ever think of just sparring or stopping midway; there's no such luxury. These two paths are natural enemies. The one who lets down their guard, even for a moment, loses their life!"

Li Banfeng seized the opportunity to ask, "Big brother, do you know what techniques Home Cultivators possess?"

"It's hard to say," the rickshaw puller replied, shaking his head. "Some Home Cultivator techniques are similar, others vary. What's consistent is that they're all difficult to recognize. Every Home Cultivator I've encountered has had their own unique tricks.

"Home Cultivators are already rare, and the nature of their 'Home Spirits' is impossible to deduce, making them very difficult to deal with. If you encounter one, it's best to avoid them entirely."

Li Banfeng wanted to ask a few more questions, but then the rickshaw puller stopped. "We've arrived at the station. Take care."

In what felt like no time at all, they had reached the station.

As he dismounted, Li Banfeng asked one last question: "Aside from Wind from Flat Ground and Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Disaster, do Traveler Cultivators possess other abilities?"

"Yes, there are plenty of abilities," the rickshaw puller replied, "but you've reached your destination."

Li Banfeng pulled out his wallet. "Pull me a little further, or even if you don't, just chat with me. I'll pay; name your price."

The rickshaw puller chuckled. "Save your money. Our journey together ends here today. If fate brings us together again, I'll tell you more then."

With that, the rickshaw puller wiped his face with a towel and pulled his rickshaw away from the plaza in front of the station.

Just a few days ago, Li Banfeng had emerged from this very station. Now, he was about to embark on another journey, heading back to Yuezhou.

After returning, should he still visit He Jiaqing?

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

Even if it were him, he would inevitably become entangled with the Dark Star Bureau. Li Banfeng hesitated, wondering if he should still get involved in He Jiaqing's affairs.

He decided to buy a ticket first.

Once back in Yuezhou, he could...

...find a place to do some grunt work.

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

The station was small, consisting of a row of single-story buildings. The waiting hall was slightly taller, and next to it was the ticket office.

Following the rickshaw puller's instructions, Li Banfeng first tried to control his hips, then his knees, and finally his ankles and toes.

The theory was sound, but controlling the subtle force, described as being thinner than a hemp rope, proved difficult. The moment Li Banfeng lifted his leg, his entire body shot uncontrollably into the ticket office.

Fortunately, the ticket office was empty. Li Banfeng managed to stop just in time, halting before the ticket counter.

The ticket agent was dozing and didn't notice Li Banfeng's unusual entry. Li Banfeng called out several times, "Ticket!"

The agent rubbed her eyes, yawned, and asked, "Where to?"

"Yuezhou."

"Seat or sleeper?"

Definitely not a seat. He needed a sleeper berth, and it had to be first-class!

The agent prepared to print the ticket. "Train 1160, first-class sleeper is thirteen thousand. The next departure is tomorrow night at nine."

Thirteen thousand!

So expensive!

Li Banfeng froze for a moment. He didn't have that much money on him; most of it was stored in his portable dwelling.

Just as he was about to retrieve money from his portable dwelling, he heard the agent say, "First, your travel permit."

"A travel permit? What's that?" Li Banfeng asked, confused.

The agent frowned. "Without a travel permit, how do you expect to buy a ticket?"

Why couldn't he buy a ticket?

What kind of rules were these?

While Li Banfeng was still pondering the concept of a travel permit, a man in a peaked cap entered the ticket office and silently watched him.

He had been waiting there for a long time.

His name was Chu Yunlong, a Daji—a patrol team leader—under Xunfeng of the Second Branch, Medicine King Hall, Jiangxiang Gang.

The Sect Master had been right; Li Banfeng would definitely show up.

Chu Yunlong slowly approached Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng was still arguing with the agent. "You need a travel permit to ride a train? Why not a customs clearance document too? Is this train going to the Western Paradise to fetch scriptures?"

Li Banfeng was furious, trembling with rage. He felt the agent was deliberately trying to make things difficult for him.

"Have you ever taken a train before? Don't you know this basic rule?" The agent was also annoyed; in her eyes, Li Banfeng was being completely unreasonable.

As the two argued, Chu Yunlong steadily approached Li Banfeng.

His hands in his pockets, he wore no expression, seemingly waiting in line behind Li Banfeng to buy a ticket.

In reality, if he could just touch Li Banfeng, he'd be able to control him, make him reveal the whereabouts of the Copper Lotus, and then take his life.

He was still seven or eight meters away from Li Banfeng, and the argument between Li Banfeng and the ticket agent was growing louder.

"Why didn't anyone mention a travel permit when I arrived? How come you have so many rules here?"

"I don't care where you came from," the agent retorted. "No travel permit, no ticket. It's useless to argue with me; these are the rules. Buy a ticket or get out!"

Good, keep arguing.

Chu Yunlong's lips curved into a slight smile as he continued to close in on Li Banfeng.

"What kind of rules are these? Show me your rules!" Li Banfeng roared, his emotions spiraling out of control.

"Why should I show you? Who do you think you are?" the agent snapped, refusing to back down.

"If you can't show me the rules, it means there aren't any! I'm going in there right now to get a ticket, and I'd like to see you try to stop me!"

Chu Yunlong was now standing directly behind Li Banfeng, slowly extending his hand.

*Argue, keep arguing, don't look back, just like that... Wait!*

What was happening?

Chu Yunlong's hand didn't make contact with Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng had jumped onto the counter, attempting to force his way into the ticket room!

The agent was stunned. "How dare you! Just try to come in!"

Li Banfeng truly intended to enter; he wasn't someone who would tolerate being unfairly treated.

Both Chu Yunlong and the ticket agent shared the same thought at that moment: *Was this man insane?*

Chu Yunlong couldn't make a move now, as Li Banfeng was perched on the counter.

The agent quickly pulled the alarm, and a deafening bell rang through the ticket office.

Li Banfeng didn't attempt to force his way into the ticket room again. Squatting on the counter, he glanced at Chu Yunlong behind him, then at the ticket office's main door.

Two uniformed individuals rushed in from outside the ticket office. Li Banfeng didn't recognize them, but Chu Yunlong did.

They were the station's patrol officers.

The agent pointed at Li Banfeng and yelled, "He's trying to force his way on without a ticket! He has no travel permit, he's trying to stow away!"

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

Chu Yunlong quickly moved out of the way; he certainly didn't want to get into trouble.

Li Banfeng jumped off the counter, looked at Chu Yunlong, and said, "Brother, hurry up and go! What are you just standing there for?"

"No, wait..." Chu Yunlong blinked, unsure what to say.

Li Banfeng bolted, moving at an astonishing speed. He broke through the two patrol officers' attempts to block him and, in the blink of an eye, had already rushed out of the ticket office.

Seeing this, the two patrol officers immediately turned and surrounded Chu Yunlong instead.

Chu Yunlong licked his lips, looking at the patrol officers rushing towards him, unsure how to explain himself.

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