Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 406 - 281: The Best Train in the World (High Energy Continuation)

Whenever trains were mentioned, Grandpa Train became extremely excited.

"My train is marvelous; it can carry lots of stuff and many people. Where I go, the train follows."

Li Banfeng laughed and said, "Isn’t that nonsense? You said it yourself, people follow where the train goes. Since when does the train follow people?"

Grandpa Train shook his head. "My train is different; it has a Spirit Attribute and can follow me."

"But trains need rails to move, don’t they? How does it follow you where there are no tracks?"

"It lays the tracks itself. Impressive, isn’t it?"

Li Banfeng was even more surprised. "A train that can lay its own tracks? It lays them as it goes?"

"Yes, it lays them as it goes!" Grandpa Train said, growing more and more excited.

"Then there must be quite a few tracks on the train, right?"

"Not that many. A dozen or twenty are enough. My train can lay and also remove tracks. Used rails are immediately taken up and reused."

Li Banfeng thought hard but couldn’t figure out this train’s working principle.

Grandpa Train still tried to explain, "My train has a special carriage just for laying tracks. That carriage is the smartest; it’s always moving around the other carriages, and it has never laid the tracks wrong."

To describe a carriage as smart was a first!

Li Banfeng increasingly couldn’t make heads or tails of the train’s structure, but seeing Grandpa Train speak of it with such an infatuated look, it seemed as if such a train really existed.

Li Banfeng chuckled. "If you have a train following you wherever you go, wouldn’t that scare people to death?"

Grandpa Train seriously replied, "Others can’t see my train. My train can turn invisible. Sometimes, even I can’t see it."

Li Banfeng stopped laughing.

He remembered something.

When he first learned the Insightful Spirit Sound Technique, Li Banfeng had heard voices from the walls, the sound of hissing Steam.

Li Banfeng cautiously asked, "Senior, if you can’t see the train, how do you usually board it?"

"I have the key!" exclaimed Grandpa Train, his eyes wide. "A car key, have you heard of it? It opens doors and also starts cars!"

Li Banfeng exerted his utmost Restraint, not showing any sign of abnormality.

The train Grandpa Train spoke of was very similar to something extremely important to him.

He recalled the Peddler’s words when he received his Portable Residence:

"This is a shelter built by a Traveling Cultivator Grandmaster. Later, because his cultivation level grew more profound, that Grandmaster didn’t need this thing anymore and sold it to me."

Li Banfeng looked at the senior Traveling Cultivator before him and asked, "How did this train come about?"

"I made it myself!" Grandpa Train said proudly.

"Why did you make a train?"

"We Traveling Cultivators are always on the move; we need a place for shelter from the wind and rain."

"Since you’re a Traveling Cultivator, how could you make a train?"

Grandpa Train snorted coldly. "Can I just casually tell you such a thing? Can you just casually ask others about their cultivation level?"

Li Banfeng didn’t dare to offend this Grandmaster and quickly apologized, "I was disrespectful. Please pretend I didn’t ask."

Grandpa Train harrumphed again. "If this were any other time, I definitely wouldn’t tell you. But now we’re in a dream, so it doesn’t matter if I tell you. I’ll have forgotten about this when I wake up."

Li Banfeng repeatedly praised, "Senior, that makes sense!"

Grandpa Train said, "I am a Traveling Cultivator and also a Craftsman Cultivator."

"A Traveling Cultivator can also be a Craftsman Cultivator?"

"Why not?" Grandpa Train said proudly when speaking of Traveling Cultivators. "Traveling Cultivators can practice Dual Cultivation with any Taoist Sect except for Home Cultivation!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, they can all practice Dual Cultivation!"

Grandpa Train added, "We Traveling Cultivators belong to the best Taoist Sect in the world!"

Li Banfeng agreed loudly, "Yes, Traveling Cultivators are the best Taoist Sect!"

Grandpa Train went on, "Home Cultivators are the worst, all damnable bastards!"

Li Banfeng remained silent.

Grandpa Train looked back at Li Banfeng. "Do you agree that they are damnable bastards?"

"Uh-huh," Li Banfeng nodded slightly.

Grandpa Train gave two blasts of his whistle and continued to dash forward.

Li Banfeng asked, "Such a great train, why would you sell it to others?"

HUFF... HUFF...

Grandpa Train’s pace slowed. "Because I wanted to buy better things."

"Did you manage to get them?"

"I did, but I still miss that train. There are countless good things in the world, but there was only one that was so fun."

Li Banfeng said, "Then why don’t you make another train?"

HUFF... HUFF...

Grandpa Train’s speed slowed even more.

"The train can be made, but the materials are hard to find. I had to go to the Inner State to get them. I had found more than ninety percent of the materials in the Inner State when I was ambushed by those Bird People there. I’ve been asleep ever since."

Li Banfeng exclaimed, "You’ve been sleeping in the Inner State?"

"Yes! Why do you ask? Are you planning to harm me?" Grandpa Train suddenly became alert.

"Not at all," Li Banfeng shook his head repeatedly. "I have no grievances with you, nor any reason to harm you."

Grandpa Train released a bit of murderous intent. "Why should I believe you?"

Why even ask?

"I’m in Puluo State, and you’re sleeping in the Inner State. We are separated by tens of thousands of miles. How could I possibly hurt you if I can’t even touch you?"

This answer was completely faultless.

But unexpectedly, after hearing this, Grandpa Train’s suspicion toward Li Banfeng deepened.

"Who told you that you’re in Puluo State?"

Li Banfeng replied, "I have always been in Puluo State! Wasn’t our meeting place Black Stone Slope?"

CHUGGA-CHUGGA... CHUGGA-CHUGGA...

Grandpa Train’s speed suddenly slowed considerably.

His speech also became very slow. "This isn’t Puluo State. This is the Inner State."

Uh...

Has Grandpa Train gone crazy again?

CHUGGA-CHUGGA... CHUGGA-CHUGGA...

Grandpa Train continued, "The place where you and I met isn’t Black Stone Slope; that’s the border between the Inner State and Puluo State."

I came to the Inner State?

Li Banfeng’s expression was momentarily dazed.

"Senior, could you be mistaken?"

"No mistake. Black Stone Slope used to be my territory. The people there were wild and unruly, somewhat like me."

Li Banfeng said, "I’m not talking about Black Stone Slope; I’m talking about the Inner State and Puluo State..."

HISSSSSSS!

A long whistle blew as Grandpa Train braked.

"Zhao Dajun Station has arrived. Passengers getting off here, please collect your luggage and disembark at this stop."

Grandpa Train’s tone was quite similar to that of a train conductor.

Li Banfeng got off Grandpa Train’s back and looked around.

Zhao Dajun, that programmer.

Why is this place named Zhao Dajun Station? Is it because this is his dream?

Grandpa Train looked at Li Banfeng and said, "If you get off here, the fare is one hundred and fifty yuan. If you don’t get off, then we’ll continue on."

Li Banfeng looked at Grandpa Train, hesitating slightly.

From this senior, he could still obtain a lot of important information.

But if he kept running around with him, it was hard to say where they might end up. This Grandpa Train was mentally unstable, and one had to be cautious when dealing with the mentally ill.

Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "Can I wander around this place for a bit?"

Grandpa Train was taken aback. "You mean you want me to wait a bit longer?"

Li Banfeng nodded.

"It’s not impossible!" Grandpa Train agreed readily. "Half an hour, three hundred yuan."

Li Banfeng handed over three hundred Huan Country Banknotes and asked again, "Senior, can you accompany me for a stroll around?"

"You mean, you want me to be your guide?"

"Yeah."

Grandpa Train thought for a moment. "Half an hour, three hundred."

Li Banfeng gave another three hundred.

He wasn’t sure if he had really given the money, nor was he sure what state he was in now.

But Grandpa Train was satisfied and led Li Banfeng deeper into the wilderness.

There was no path ahead, but that didn’t affect the steps of the two Traveling Cultivators.

At first, the surroundings were filled with man-high, robust wild grass. After dozens of miles, the wild grass became shorter, and the path turned into gravel.

The gravel path grew smoother. After another dozen miles, it became a stone slab path.

The stone slab path led to a lake, where Li Banfeng saw Zhao Dajun at the shore.

Zhao Dajun held a small twig, deeply engrossed in calculation by the lakeside.

Li Banfeng was curious about what he was calculating. He took a closer look and saw matrices drawn on the left side and integral equations on the right.

It seemed he had been calculating for a long time.

Just as Li Banfeng was about to look elsewhere, he saw Zhao Dajun stand up and say to him, "Friend, you’ve come!"

He can see me?

Grandpa Train raised an eyebrow. "This is his dream. Of course he can see you."

But it appeared that Zhao Dajun couldn’t see Grandpa Train. Excitedly, he said to Li Banfeng, "I’ve figured it out!"

"What have you figured out?"

Zhao Dajun excitedly took a ruler and measured around the lake, chose a spot, made a mark, brought over a chair to sit down, and began fishing.

Li Banfeng said, "You put in so much effort, calculating for so long, just to find a spot to fish?"

Zhao Dajun nodded. "I’ve calculated it. After a deep analysis of over five hundred sets of historical data, I’ve concluded that this spot yields the fastest bite!"

While speaking, Zhao Dajun caught a Cleaner Fish.

He pursed his lips. "It’s just that the quality of this fish is a bit lacking."

Li Banfeng couldn’t understand Zhao Dajun’s reasoning. Grandpa Train scoffed, "That’s Arithmetic Cultivators for you!"

Looking at Zhao Dajun, Li Banfeng asked, "Brother, don’t you have any other hobbies?"

"I do!" Zhao Dajun looked seriously at Li Banfeng, clearly annoyed by his questioning.

He led Li Banfeng into a three-story villa.

In the garden on the first floor, Teacher Anxi and Teacher Mikami were tending to the plants. Seeing Zhao Dajun return, they both saluted respectfully.

Entering the hall, dozens of teachers greeted in unison, "Master, you’ve returned!"

Zhao Dajun gave a ceremonial nod in response, did a quick inspection round, and eventually chose Teacher Lisa.

He smacked Teacher Lisa’s Peach hard, producing a very crisp sound.

Teacher Lisa turned her head, looking at Zhao Dajun with a slightly reproachful expression, as if it hurt but also as if it wasn’t enough.

Zhao Dajun revealed a sinister smile.

Teacher Lisa was a little scared, yet somewhat expectant.

Next, Zhao Dajun took out a pen. He drew a matrix on the left side of Teacher Lisa’s Peach and sketched quadrants on the right. After meticulous calculation, he found the optimal ratio and made some adjustments to Teacher Lisa’s Peach.

After the adjustments, he began to silently admire the result.

Li Banfeng took a deep breath. "You have to calculate even for this..."

Grandpa Train said with disdain from the side, "You see? That’s all the interest Arithmetic Cultivators have!"

Li Banfeng expressed his agreement. "That’s really pathetic!"

Grandpa Train said, "Besides Home Cultivators, they’re the most pathetic. Don’t you think?"

"Yeah," Li Banfeng responded quietly.

Grandpa Train looked at Zhao Dajun, his tone grave. "He can’t get out anymore. Do you still want to leave?"