Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Li Banfeng struggled mightily to keep his leg from shaking as he listened to his wife describe the Third Layer Technique.

"Well, husband, First and Second Layer Home Cultivators actually don't have any techniques. They possess two innate abilities: the first is home ground defense, meaning when a Home Cultivator enters their home, their combat effectiveness increases by a level, and the second is unseen presence, meaning that when Home Cultivators leave their homes, they won't draw attention."

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "I can do that too. But aren't Hundred Flavors Delicate, Golden Gaze Autumn Hair, and Insightful Spirit Sound techniques?"

Not only was his leg shaking, but it seemed to also be stretching.

"Those are techniques, but they are also a token of my affection for you. Other Home Cultivators might not necessarily know how to use them."

This was the unique aspect of Home Cultivation and the reason others were reluctant to fight Home Cultivators. Part of a Home Cultivator's techniques were granted by the House Spirit and were difficult to predict.

His wife continued, "But it's different for the Third Layer Technique. This technique is the same for all Home Cultivators in the world and is called Arrow Homing. Once Home Cultivators feel the compulsion to return home, wanting to be back at home, their combat power greatly increases. But how much it increases and how long it can be maintained depends on your own skills, husband."

Li Banfeng slapped his thigh, "I can last for a very long time, as you are aware."

HMPH~ The Phonograph let out a somewhat mocking laugh. "The Arrow Homing Skill depends on two things: first, your cultivation level, husband, and second, how urgent the compulsion to go home is. The higher the cultivation level and the more pressing the compulsion, the stronger and more enduring the technique will be."

"I see. I'm going to go out and try it right now." Li Banfeng got up and ran outside. He could no longer hold back.

He felt an uncontrollable urge to run. If he tried to keep his upper body still, it seemed his legs would take off on their own.

The Phonograph cautioned him, "Husband, Home Cultivation has its rules for each layer. You must spend at least two hours at home each day. Upon reaching the First Layer, it's no less than three hours; for the Second Layer, no less than four hours; and now that you've reached the Third Layer, it cannot be less than five hours. Ordinarily, when you're busy with your livelihood, whether you return early or late, I haven't made an issue of it. But after advancing to the Third Layer, you must be more mindful of the rules. I can be accommodating, but the residence itself won't be so easily appeased."

Li Banfeng promised her and immediately left the Portable Residence.

In the outer chamber, a bead of dew formed on the Copper Lotus Flower.

She wasn't about to spit; she was breaking out in a cold sweat.

He ran like the wind, dashing out of Blue Poplar Village and onto the open wilderness, running wildly without direction.

Only by running wildly could he contain the near out-of-control tremble in his legs.

While running, Li Banfeng pondered:

The last few reminders from the Phonograph were crucial. The cultivation practice of Home Cultivation depended on a balance among the Cultivator, the home, and the House Spirit.

If a Home Cultivator didn't return home for a long time, or if they spent insufficient time at home, it would lead to an estrangement between the Home Cultivator and the home, and could even induce backlash from the dwelling.

If the Portable Residence wanted to retaliate against me, would it act directly or would it team up with my wife to deal with me?

That question seemed a bit redundant.

If my wife wanted to deal with me, she wouldn't need to join forces with the Portable Residence. The key was...

The key was when I could stop!

Li Banfeng had already been running for a long time.

He ran from Blue Poplar Village to the wilderness, from the wilderness to a small town, and from one town to another. Li Banfeng ran more than thirty miles until he was back at his little wooden cabin, yet he had absolutely no desire to stop.

Once he stopped, Li Banfeng's legs began to tremble unconsciously again.

He had underestimated this so-called backlash. If he encountered an enemy now, Li Banfeng hardly had the ability to retaliate.

Continuing to run didn't seem to solve the problem, unless he could advance to the Second Layer by running. Ten years of running fifteen miles every day... That seemed an eternity.

How could he solve this problem?

Li Banfeng controlled his trembling arm and fumbled in his bosom for the Gold Yuan Elixirs he had just refined.

There were thirty-eight in total, each representing one hundred days of cultivation.

Three thousand eight hundred days—more than ten years of cultivation. By taking these elixirs, Li Banfeng could advance his Traveling Cultivator level to the Second Layer, reducing his deficit to just one layer compared to his Home Cultivation level.

Could he really consume so many elixirs at once?

After only a brief pause, Li Banfeng felt the urge to start running again.

There was no choice but to run; his legs felt as if they were about to fly off his hip bones.

This wasn't an illusion of perception; his legs were truly about to detach—he heard the sound of his joints rubbing together.

Blood seeped from his thighs; parts of his skin had been torn by his own legs.

It wasn't just his legs; all the joints in his body wanted to sprint wildly.

His left hand wanted to run east, his right hand west, and his neck wanted to fly up to the Heavens!

His legs needed to run, to keep running without stopping, for if he stopped, his whole body felt like it would fall apart!

He couldn't go on like this.

If I take fewer elixirs, I still won't reach the Second Layer, and the backlash won't be much improved.

Running aimlessly like this, until I drop dead, I'm afraid I still won't be able to stop.

What if I run into an enemy? It could easily cost me my life.

Should I go back to the Portable Residence to consume the elixirs?

That won't do.

The fact that I'm also a Traveling Cultivator—this Dual Cultivation—cannot be known to the Phonograph.

The Phonograph despises Traveling Cultivators; the specific reason is unknown.

If the Phonograph were to learn that I'm taking elixirs to advance my Traveling Cultivator path, she might prevent me from advancing and could even go berserk and take my life.

No half measures!

I'll just take them now! If it comes to the worst, I can return to the Portable Residence to detoxify.

Li Banfeng ran back to the little wooden cabin in a frenzy. Ma Wu, holding a newspaper, walked out of the bedroom. "Brother Li, guess what happened? The Lu Family, they…"

"Don't talk about that now. I can't go to the New Land tonight. Help me guard the door; don't let anyone in."

"Brother Li, what exactly happened? Why are you shaking so much?"

"Sh-shaking? What's s-so bad about shaking? N-no, isn't it… isn't it quite alright?" Li Banfeng stuttered, unable to explain clearly, so he said no more.

He quickly ascended the stairs, entered the bedroom, poured out the thirty-eight elixirs, stuffed them into his mouth, and swallowed them with a gulp of water.

This was the first time Li Banfeng had taken any elixirs since arriving in Puluo State.

The Gold Yuan Elixirs slid down his throat smoothly, without any sensation of obstruction.

After swallowing thirty-eight elixirs, Li Banfeng didn't feel anything special.

He just felt that the urge to tremble wasn't as strong anymore.

Is this it? Have I advanced to the Second Layer of Traveling Cultivation?

Has the backlash from my cultivation level disappeared?

Was the effect this quick?

Was the advancement this smooth?

Li Banfeng felt a surge of joy and examined his body, only to sense that something was wrong.

His body was still trembling, and the shaking was still intense.

The reason his urge didn't seem as strong was that he couldn't feel his body anymore.

He tried to move his arm, but it wouldn't respond.

Is the Pill's Poison this fierce?

I need to get back to the Portable Residence to detoxify! Quickly!

How do I explain this to my wife?

I'll just say I went crazy and gobbled down the elixirs!

Is such an explanation believable?

I think it's quite believable!

After all, I've already taken them. We just won't mention being a Traveling Cultivator; the rest is just deceiving her!

Besides, which man hasn't lied to his wife at home?

Li Banfeng tried to reach for his keys but couldn't, as his hands had completely lost control.

I must get home! I need to get home! I must get home!

Li Banfeng's veins bulged, the whites of his eyes turned bloodshot, and his fingertips trembled slightly as they reached into his trouser pocket.

With the Arrow Homing instinct kicking in, his desire to return home was extremely urgent. This caused a rapid improvement in his physical condition, temporarily allowing him to overcome the influence of the Pill's Poison.

He twisted the key, opened the door, and then threw the key under the bed.

As soon as he entered the Portable Residence and took a couple of steps, Li Banfeng collapsed on the floor.

The moment he was back in the Portable Residence, his desire to be home was fulfilled. The urgency vanished, and the boosted strength disappeared along with it.

HISS~ Seeing Li Banfeng collapsed on the floor, the Phonograph exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, husband, what happened to you?"

Li Banfeng could still barely speak. "I took elixirs… Gold Yuan Elixirs."

"Husband, why would you take those?"

"They felt like a big boost, so I took them."

"How many did you take?"

"Thirty-eight, all of them!"

"Heavens— You madman! Have you lost your will to live, or what?"

A cloud of Steam lifted Li Banfeng onto the bed, where he lay flat for a moment. Enveloped in the swirling Steam, he gradually calmed down.

The Pill's Poison was terrifying, and Li Banfeng would need a long time to regain full sensation in his body.

But that was much better than the cultivation backlash. The moment before taking the elixirs, he had even suspected his body would be torn apart.

Li Banfeng's legs were still shaking, as if they wanted to leave his body.

But he could see that the shaking was clearly not as severe.

On the Copper Lotus Flower, dewdrops trickled down, one by one.

…

Ma Wu flipped through the newspaper downstairs. Today's news was indeed extraordinary.

The Lu Family's affairs were published. Lu Dongjun accused He Yuxiu of secretly harming Lu Dongliang, while He Yuxiu claimed that Lu Dongjun wanted to kill his brother and usurp power.

Both sides stuck to their own story, and there was no conclusion to the matter yet.

Lu Dongliang's whereabouts also remained unknown.

Ma Wu couldn't be bothered to read the news analyses from famous commentators. He was more interested in less pressing items.

The Ma Family was gathering funds from multiple sources to develop New Land.

Although the Ma Family had been in decline these past years, they shouldn't have needed to gather funds from multiple sources just to develop New Land.

Based on Ma Wu's understanding of his father, the Ma Family's real goal was to withdraw the money stored in the Lu Family's bank; his father wanted to stay as far away from this dispute as possible.

Another piece of news stated that the Chu Family's Second Miss, Chu Huaiyuan, had clarified the false rumors about killing her husband and had gone to the Hundred Joy Gate to support the Singing Empress, Jiang Mengting.

Chu Er had gone to the Hundred Joy Gate again.

She had always coveted the Hundred Joy Gate, but it was Lu Family property, so she couldn't get involved. Now, an opportunity had arisen.

This also represented the Chu Family's stance: they wanted to get involved in the conflict and hoped to reap more benefits.

Ma Wu's heart itched with anticipation.

With the Lu Family in chaos, the power structure in Puluo State was about to be rewritten, and Ma Wu smelled opportunity.

A major event had occurred in Puluo State. With so much turmoil in the Lu Family, they probably couldn't spare any attention for Li Banfeng.

At this thought, Ma Wu began to worry about Li Banfeng's condition again.

He had thought about going upstairs to inquire, but then he heard a knock on the door.

Upon opening the door, he saw a middle-aged man standing outside, about fifty years old, wearing a dark blue-black long gown, with a pale, beardless face, round-framed sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed top hat.

"Whom are you looking for?" Ma Wu asked politely.

The middle-aged man smiled. "I am looking for you, Young Master Wu."

Ma Wu's heart tightened, but he maintained his composure. "May I ask your name?"

"My name is Yang Yanzheng. I am a manager for the Chu Family."

Hearing the name, Ma Wu remembered what Landlord Wei had said before he died.

It was this Yang Yanzheng, one of Miss Chu Er's men, who had been instructing others to harass him all along.

"What brings you here?" Ma Wu asked, standing at the door, his demeanor still calm.

Yang Yanzheng chuckled. "My young miss is celebrating her birthday this month and would like to invite you. I've brought the invitation."

Ma Wu took the invitation and glanced at it, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Your young miss wants to invite me? I've been kicked out of my family. Is it appropriate for someone of my current status to attend her birthday?"

Yang Yanzheng replied, "Our young miss believes you've done nothing significantly wrong and shouldn't have suffered so much. She doesn't care what others say. As long as you are willing to grace us with your presence, the Chu Family's doors will always be open to you."

Ma Wu paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "And what if I choose not to grace you with my presence?"

Yang Yanzheng fell silent for a long moment, then sighed. "Young Master Wu, you truly have suffered a great deal recently. You wouldn't want to experience that suffering all over again, would you?"