Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

He hadn't expected that upon surviving the calamity, the greatest fortune would promptly follow.

It was as if from despair came prosperity, as the saying goes.

Since the moment he had advanced a layer, the Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill had never disappointed him!

He was a Ninth Layer Traveling Cultivator, just a stone's throw away from the Tenth Layer.

But the cultivation at the Ninth Layer was too arduous. Lu Dongliang couldn't bear it any longer, nor did he want to wait.

He could consume Elixirs. Money was not an issue.

However, ordinary Elixirs contained too many impurities and were too toxic. Pure Elixirs were exceptionally rare, effectively priceless, and almost impossible to find on the market. This made it difficult for Lu Dongliang to maintain his cultivation through Elixirs alone.

With the Mysterious Red Life Lotus, all of this could be resolved, and reaching the Tenth Layer would be a breeze. Even transcending the Tenth Layer, reaching another realm, is no longer an unattainable dream.

What Lu Dongliang needed to do now was to recover his combat strength as quickly as possible.

Though he was currently too weak to defeat even an ordinary adult man, if he could just rest for half an hour, he would recover to Third Layer combat strength.

An hour later, he would recover to Fifth Layer combat strength.

Resting for ten days would allow him to recover to Seventh Layer combat strength; such was the physique and power of a Ninth Layer Cultivator.

Beyond the Seventh Layer, he would need to recover slowly.

But he didn't need to recover to Seventh Layer combat strength.

Although one's cultivation level is invisible, Lu Dongliang judged from experience that Li Banfeng's could not possibly exceed the Third Layer.

Now, I shouldn't think about anything else. By concentrating my spirit and recovering to Third Layer combat strength, I will be able to kill him. Of course, it would be even more secure if Li Banfeng returned later, allowing me to recover to Fifth Layer combat strength before killing him.

The wounds on his forehead and chest were healing rapidly, and Lu Dongliang's strength was also slowly returning.

HISS. HISS.

While focused on recovering, Lu Dongliang couldn't help but open his eyes.

It was the sound of the Mysterious Red Life Lotus.

Bathed in the Red Lotus's Light Halo, he saw its petals bloom.

The Red Lotus has blossomed! This is a response to fate! This is a recognition of a powerful being! The Red Lotus has acknowledged me as its master!

In fact, he was overthinking it.

The Red Lotus Flower indeed sensed him.

But what it sensed was not fate, nor a powerful being, and certainly not a master.

PSST. PSST. Steam was released.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

The Phonograph played a slow beat, accompanied by gongs and drums, and slowly sang, "That madman once boasted that he would bring back a Ninth Layer as an ingredient.

"I repeatedly mocked him, but now, I feel somewhat ashamed. It was I who underestimated our man.

"Ladies, one's cultivation level is invisible, but judging by his speed of recovery, he should be a Ninth Layer, right?"

Lu Dongliang was horrified.

He couldn't comprehend what this Phonograph truly was, but he could sense danger—a danger he was unable to defend against.

After recovering for a few minutes, Lu Dongliang already possessed First Layer combat strength. He got up and fled, using the Wind Rises on Flat Ground Technique. He tried to dash out of the room but was tightly hooked by two phonograph needles on his shoulders.

The Phonograph now had three needles and three turntable trays; she had upgraded her hardware.

Two phonograph needles immobilized Lu Dongliang, while two records embedded themselves into his Soul and began to slice.

"Ladies, good stuff is hard to come by," the Phonograph called out. "Let's not stand idle. Let's get moving with the chopsticks!"

The Blood-Thirsty Pendulum flew up, pierced Lu Dongliang's neck, and began to suck his blood.

The Copper Lotus Flower's Lotus Heart Dewdrops began to flow, as if impatient.

Lu Dongliang's cheeks twitched, his expression despairing.

After welcoming the greatest fortune of his life, he had once again fallen into calamity, but this time, he could not escape.

It shouldn't be like this.

According to the guidance from the Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill, Lu Dongliang couldn't understand why things would end this way.

Before he completely lost consciousness, he figured it out.

He had found Li Banfeng; that was indeed seeking fortune. Li Banfeng had also genuinely wanted to save him. But the calamity brought by the Phonograph and the Red Lotus was not something he could have foreseen. Especially this eerie house—that was even further beyond his predictive abilities. It was because his level was insufficient; he was far, far too outmatched.

PS: Ban Feng is going to have a big meal.

Ban Feng had once wondered: what was the origin behind the newspaper? Why did it dare to report on everything?