Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 534 - 373 New Land Celestial Light and Proper Land Celestial Light

Can a House Spirit become so powerful that not even the Local Deity can stop it? Is that really possible?

There’s no need to doubt it. My lady is a case in point.

If my lady were released, ordinary Local Deities indeed wouldn’t be able to stop her.

But the current problem is, why do Oil Peach and Xiao Feng believe that I can stop this House Spirit named Ah Xia?

Local Deities have a cultivation level of at least Cloud Top First Layer, while my cultivation is still on the Earth Skin. Is Xiao Feng’s divination really reliable?

"You insist on pioneering here?"

Oil Peach looked ashamed. "Brother Bai Sha, I know I have no face to ask for your help. We’re strangers in this land and can’t find anyone else to assist us.

"We only want a piece of land with a radius of one li. The offerings have been laid out for several days, and several Contract Books have been burned, but the Local Deity has never responded.

"We don’t know why. We only beg for your guidance."

The offerings, the Contract Books, the whole process was correct. There was only one problem: the Local Deity wasn’t home.

Now the Local Deity is home. Will he agree to this?

"I’ll go ask an expert," Li Banfeng said, fobbing them off. He then found a Quiet Place and entered his Portable Residence.

"My lady, someone is pioneering on my territory. How should I handle this?"

"Don’t worry, my lord." The Phonograph took an adze, chisel, axe, and saw from the front cabinet, fetched two pieces of wood, and her two needles danced like lightning, quickly fashioning a small stool.

"Please sit, my lord."

Li Banfeng sat on the small stool, pondering the significance of the Phonograph’s actions.

Was she showing off her Craftsmanship Method?

"My lord, you are the Local Deity. It’s actually a good thing for someone to come and pioneer the land. In the long term, once you ascend Above the Clouds, every bit of human energy on your land will translate into cultivation level.

"In the short term, if someone successfully pioneers the land, Heavenly Light will appear. Gaining Heavenly Light is akin to gaining Taoist Fate. Accumulating more Taoist Fate will greatly benefit your future cultivation."

Heavenly Light? Taoist Fate?

Li Banfeng was surprised. "My lady, when I first arrived in Puluo State, I was exposed to Heavenly Light. That Heavenly Light indeed allowed me to accumulate Taoist Fate. But this isn’t the same as the New Land’s Heavenly Light, is it?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Red Lotus, far away in Bafang, shivered.

HUFF.

The Phonograph laughed. "My lord, the Heavenly Light you were exposed to was likely caused by that wretch Red Lotus. The world calls it Proper Land Heavenly Light.

"People say that Proper Land Heavenly Light is different from New Land Heavenly Light, but that’s a misconception. Although their sources differ, their properties are the same. It’s just that Proper Land Heavenly Light is more intense than New Land Heavenly Light.

"Proper Land Heavenly Light is like a thunderbolt; ordinary people struck by it will soon perish.

"New Land Heavenly Light is like a gentle rain, sprinkling down. Humans cannot benefit from it, and some cannot even perceive it."

Li Banfeng was stunned. "Cannot benefit from it? Doesn’t that mean it’s useless?"

"Humans cannot use it, but your territory, my lord, can. The Heavenly Light, like a gentle rain, will fall upon the earth. Combined with the unique earth energy of the New Land, it will transform into exotic flowers and herbs.

"These exotic flowers and herbs, when refined, become potent medicine for accumulating Taoist Fate. If you need Taoist Fate, my lord, you can consume these medicines yourself."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I’ve been exposed to Heavenly Light once. I shouldn’t lack Taoist Fate."

"Logically, being exposed to Heavenly Light once should provide enough Taoist Fate for you to cultivate to Above the Clouds, my lord. However, others manage a single business, while you are juggling two endeavors here. Ultimately, accumulating more Taoist Fate is beneficial."

Li Banfeng wiped the sweat from his brow. "My lady, what do you mean by ’juggling two endeavors’? I’m a bit confused."

"Little Servant means that you, my lord, are keeping two House Spirits. Hong Ying, isn’t that right?"

"Who asked him to keep me?" Hong Ying lowered her spear tip shyly. Her figure had become more voluptuous recently, and her old clothes barely fit anymore.

Li Banfeng gave a dry laugh, not daring to interject.

The Phonograph continued, "You may not want Taoist Fate, my lord, but Hunters will come to collect these exotic flowers and herbs.

"As more Hunters arrive, the territory’s reputation will grow. Then, Pioneers will come. Successful pioneering will draw Heavenly Light again, and the human energy on your land, my lord, will flourish."

This is a complete and beneficial cycle.

The more Li Banfeng listened, the happier he became.

But the Phonograph also cautioned, "Once the Wilderness is pioneered, it’s like acknowledging the landlord. Changing hands later is no easy matter.

"A territory spanning a one-li radius isn’t small. You must carefully vet the Pioneer, my lord. The necessary assessments cannot be skipped. Don’t let your own land be ruined.

"If the landlord truly lacks the ability to manage the land, causing it to become deserted through neglect, it will be difficult for the entire territory to transform into Proper Land in the future."

Li Banfeng pondered the entire cycle, a sudden doubt arising in his mind.

"My lady," Li Banfeng asked, "what if Heavenly Light, like a gentle rain, were to shine on Proper Land? What would happen then?"

The Phonograph remained silent. Li Banfeng also felt his question was absurd. How could the Heavenly Light of New Land appear on Proper Land?

Hong Ying turned from the mirror and said, "Qi Lang, there really is such a place."

"You wretch, hold your tongue!" the Phonograph scolded. Hong Ying turned her face away and said no more.

"My lord," the Phonograph said, "it’s not that Little Servant doesn’t want to tell you the truth. But you are impetuous, my lord, and I worry you’ll take risks again."

Li Banfeng puffed out his chest. "I always heed my lady’s words."

"If you are willing to listen to Little Servant, my lord, then Little Servant will say a bit more. If the gentle, rain-like Heavenly Light shines on Proper Land, it will combine with the vital energy of Proper Land, creating not Taoist Fate, but cultivation level."

Cultivation level!

Li Banfeng was momentarily astonished. A location surfaced in his mind.

Kuwu Mountain!

The Snake-Patterned Chrysanthemums on Kuwu Mountain could be refined into City Serpent-spotted Pills, and those Snake-Patterned Pills could be exchanged for cultivation level.

Following the thought of Kuwu Mountain, Li Banfeng also remembered Xu Han, the Gold Cultivation Ancestor.