Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

In the Portable Residence, the wife was evenly and deeply exhaling steam as she slept.

Li Banfeng lay on the bed, tallying up every single hole in his body. While Home Cultivation's recovery ability was strong, the Iron Thread Worm's burrowing skills were equally formidable. Li Banfeng had rested for a day and still had not fully recovered.

But he had to go out today. This wasn't just the nature of a Traveling Cultivator, but also the fear of unfamiliar environments. It sounded contradictory. Wasn't a Traveler meant to wander in unfamiliar environments? That depended on how unfamiliar it was.

When Li Banfeng first got off the train, he at least knew the place was called Medicine King Valley. Now, he had no clue where he was, having seen only a wasteland before. He wasn't comfortable leaving the key in such a place for long.

Li Banfeng ate something, put on his top hat, and left the Portable Residence.

The key was still on the wasteland, more than twenty meters from the relentlessly flowing "Iron Thread River." This wasteland was very flat, with no mountains, trees, or grass; not even a stone was in sight. In such an environment with almost no reference points, it was easy to get lost, but Li Banfeng knew how to get back.

Walking upstream along the river, at his speed, it wouldn't take long to return to familiar ground. Having barely walked for two days, Li Banfeng felt his joints were stiff. After running nearly three li, he was gasping for breath and sweating profusely. Li Banfeng leaned on his knees, panting heavily for a long time.

That's not right! Even if his condition was poor, a Traveling Cultivator of the Second Layer shouldn't be unable to run three li.

Moreover, his cultivation level wasn't as simple as just the Second Layer anymore. During this New Land reclamation, he had encountered both Feng Daiku and the Iron Thread Worm. His cultivation level had increased over more than half a year, bringing him close to the Third Layer. Yet, running these three li was so exhausting; it really made no sense.

Li Banfeng opened his water bottle and took a big gulp. He looked at the "incessant flow" of the "Iron Thread River" and slowly walked along its bank.

After walking a little over two more li, Li Banfeng stopped. He couldn't walk any further; his legs felt as if they were dragging thousand-pound shackles, unbearably heavy. And he didn't know which direction to go.

He had thought it through before: just walk upstream along the "Iron Thread River" to get back to his starting point. But he hadn't expected the "Iron Thread River" to have tributaries. Ahead, three tributaries converged to form the "Iron Thread River" before him. Which tributary should I follow back? he wondered. Should I judge by their width? All three tributaries looked about the same size.

The very thing Li Banfeng worried about had happened—he was lost in the New Land. He recalled what Ma Wu had said about such situations: everyone who had gotten lost in the New Land and survived shared only one piece of wisdom—leave it to fate.

In the New Land, much common sense didn't apply. Judging direction relied entirely on memory and instinct. If one's instincts were accurate, they might find their way out. If their intuition was off, no one knew what might happen, because those with poor intuition were all dead.

What should I do now? Li Banfeng calmed himself and pondered his strategy. He didn't believe in intuition.

He decided to retrace his steps along the first tributary on the left. He had been unconscious in his Portable Residence for twenty hours, meaning the key had followed the Iron Thread Worm for the same duration. Li Banfeng felt he could move faster than the worm. If he walked back for twenty hours and found himself in familiar territory, it would prove he was on the right path. If not, he would just turn around and retrace his steps again, which would amount to forty hours at most. Maybe even fifty, he thought.

My current condition is a bit off; I might not actually be quicker than the worm. With three rivers to choose from, if I pick the wrong one twice, it would take at most a hundred hours. The last river would surely lead in the right direction. Considering the current situation, the worst-case scenario means walking for no more than about one hundred and twenty hours. If I walk sixteen hours a day, I could get out in eight days.

There's enough food in the Portable Residence, though water is a bit tight. If I really can't go on, I'll have to ask the Phonograph for help. It's not that I don't trust the Phonograph; she's been sleeping all this time, and it's uncertain when she'll wake up. She ate special ingredients, and waking her forcibly could have unknown consequences. If I wait until she awakens naturally, the water might be gone, and it would be too late for anything.

Besides, the Phonograph has always stayed inside the Portable Residence and knows nothing of the outside environment, so she probably wouldn't have many solutions. Even if she did come up with something, discussing the route with her might inadvertently reveal my unusual speed. If the wife planned a five-hundred-li route and I completed it in three hours, that would be very problematic. She might deduce I'm a Traveling Cultivator. Of course, I could tell her I've been on the road the entire time, but she's not so easily fooled. Any slip could put my life in danger.

However, if things get dire—say, more tributaries appear ahead—then I'd have no choice but to ask the wife for help, maybe even consider moving the Phonograph outside. Of course, the wife might not be willing to come out. That would require careful negotiation.

Li Banfeng started along the first tributary on the left. He gritted his teeth and walked for over a dozen li until he could barely lift his legs. He checked his pocket watch: covering those dozen li had taken three hours! It seems my physical condition really is poor, he thought.

Li Banfeng sat by the roadside for a brief rest. It turned out that as long as he wasn't walking, his strength recovered quite quickly. This must be an effect of Home Cultivation, he mused. I'd probably recover even faster back in the Portable Residence.

Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence; the wife was still deep in slumber. After sleeping for over half an hour and regaining some strength, Li Banfeng walked another dozen li until his energy was once again depleted.

When he ran out of energy, he would return to the Portable Residence to rest, eat something, and then continue. After repeating this process for several dozen li, a dense thicket of Thorn Bushes blocked his path.

The Thorn Bushes spread across both banks, extraordinarily dense. Li Banfeng now faced two choices: pass through the Thorn Bushes, or re-enter the "Iron Thread River" and rush forward along its surface.

He adamantly refused to enter the "Iron Thread River" again. But the Thorn Bushes didn't seem easy to navigate either.

Each thorn looked like it had grown for countless years; the upper half was green, while the lower half was charred black, appearing almost like charcoal. Li Banfeng touched one of the thorns, breaking off a piece. This could serve as a phonograph needle for the wife, he noted.

Without Copper Skin Iron Bone, how will I get through this? Having no other choice, he took out his Tang Sword.

The Tang Sword, facing the Thorn Bushes, said in surprise, "Master, surely you don't mean for me to clear the path? A sickle would be more appropriate for such a task."

"How big is the sickle?" Li Banfeng retorted. A sickle just over ten centimeters long was clearly not a good weapon for carving a path through Thorn Bushes of this scale.

"My lord, I can only strike three times," the Tang Sword said. "Whatever situation that creates, we'll have to leave to fate."

Just as the Tang Sword was about to strike, Li Banfeng shouted, "Wait! Let me think about which direction to cut first."

Which direction to cut? Isn't it right to cut upstream, against the river's flow? Yet, Li Banfeng felt something was amiss. Looking in the direction directly opposite the river's current, he felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

There's danger here, he sensed, but what kind? After using his Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill for a while, Li Banfeng chose a spot slightly to the left and instructed the Tang Sword to strike with full force.

A large swath of Thorn Bushes fell, but more Thorn Bushes lay behind them. The cleared path was barely two meters deep, which disappointed Li Banfeng.

It seems there's no danger here, but this direction hasn't brought any surprises either. Li Banfeng continued to use his Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill to sense the area. The most favorable direction still seemed to be slightly to the left.

What's so special about this spot? Li Banfeng commanded the Tang Sword to strike again.

This time the cut went over three meters deep, and the Thorn Bushes seemed to have softened a bit. Using his Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill again, the same direction beckoned.

Li Banfeng resolutely ordered the third strike. This time, he saw a pathway. It wasn't a path he had created, but an existing path within the Thorn Bushes, stretching out to his left and right.

Li Banfeng stepped onto the path within the Thorn Bushes and looked around. It wasn't wide, just enough for two or three people to walk abreast. On both sides, the Thorn Bushes grew densely like a hedge, not encroaching upon the path itself.

This path should lead through the Thorn Bushes, but which way should I go? Left or right?

Li Banfeng took out the Silk-pulling Earrings and commanded, "You've been well fed with oil; it's time you earned your keep."

Could the Earrings discern direction? No, they could not. But they could detect changes in sound.

In the Thorn Bushes, only two sounds could be heard: the whistling wind and the "wriggling" of the "Iron Thread River" nearby.

Li Banfeng walked to the right along the path, drawing closer to the "Iron Thread River." Once I get through these Thorn Bushes, I should still be near the riverbank, he reasoned.

After walking to the right for a short while, the path turned left. After the turn, a fork appeared. Li Banfeng continued to choose the path that kept him closer to the "Iron Thread River."

He walked for five long hours through the Thorn Bushes, encountering over a dozen forks. Each time, he chose the path that took him closer to the "Iron Thread River."

The journey was exhausting. To Li Banfeng, every li walked felt like an entire day of frantic running.

After traveling over three li, Li Banfeng sat by the roadside to rest. Through the Silk-pulling Earrings, the sound of the river's wriggling remained audible, confirming he hadn't strayed from the correct direction.

He closely examined the Thorn Bushes on either side. He didn't understand why they didn't grow onto the path. Is some force holding them back, or does someone regularly prune them? But how could someone be pruning them out here?

Li Banfeng chuckled at the absurdity. He got up, ready to continue, but suddenly heard another sound through the Silk-pulling Earrings.

WHOOSH! A gust of wind swept through. The sound was high-pitched and loud, indicating a fierce wind approaching rapidly.

Li Banfeng sniffed the air and detected a faint smell. Smoke. Faint as it was, his Hundred Flavors Delicate Skill identified it.

The smell of smoke was drawing nearer, as was the strong wind. This isn't good! he thought. There might be a fire!

Li Banfeng pulled out his key, opened the Portable Residence, tossed the key into the Thorn Bushes, and quickly shut the door.

After more than half an hour, Li Banfeng cautiously opened the door again. There was no apparent danger outside, so he hurriedly stepped out to retrieve the key.

The path was empty except for traces of ash. Faint smoke exuded from the roots of the Thorn Bushes on either side; some spots still held embers. The key was hot to the touch, clearly having been scorched by fire.

The Thorn Bushes caught fire? And now it's out? This place is incredibly dangerous!

Heedless of his fatigue, Li Banfeng dashed rapidly along the path. More than seven hours passed. Once again, he smelled smoke and quickly returned to his Portable Residence to take refuge.

He was slower entering this time. At the end of the path, around a corner, he saw a human head about three meters in diameter. It was bald but had complete facial features. Its eyes roved back and forth, and its mouth exhaled flames as it moved slowly along the ground.

How is it moving? How can a legless head walk? It looks like there are feet beneath its neck!

Li Banfeng dared not observe more closely. Every living thing on the path—including Worms on the ground, insects in the air, and any occasional Thorn Bush that overgrew its boundary—was instantly reduced to ash by the flames spewed from the head.

So, someone *is* pruning these Thorn Bushes, Li Banfeng realized. This head constantly patrolled all the paths, never resting.

Li Banfeng quickly tossed his key into the Thorn Bushes. At the same time, the head's eyes snapped open and fixed on him.

It had been a long time since it had seen a living person. The head seemed very interested in Li Banfeng.

A mere glance from the head made Li Banfeng feel as if his entire body was about to ignite. He *was* indeed about to catch fire; smoke began to rise from his clothes.

Without daring to delay another moment, he immediately shut the door and retreated into his Portable Residence.