Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 550 - 383: Home Cultivation Eighth Layer Technique

Li Banfeng knew that learning techniques across different cultivation layers was extremely dangerous, yet the "Close Doors and Shut Windows" technique was of great importance to him.

It was not so much that the technique itself was crucial, but rather, the principle behind "Close Doors and Shut Windows" seemed to Li Banfeng to bear certain similarities to territorial Border Lines around different areas.

Convinced by Li Banfeng’s persuasion, Meng Yuchun considered the bigger picture and shared the principle of the technique with him. "After reaching the Eighth Layer of Home Cultivation, one first scatters blood around the house, usually in four spots. Connecting these four points outlines the shape of the boundary. Some people only scatter blood in three places, making the technique easier to form, while others do it in six spots, resulting in a more even border line. Ultimately, it depends on the different methods of various individuals."

Scattering blood served to define the position and shape of the boundary.

Li Banfeng asked, "After scattering the blood, you use the technique, and then can you light up the border?"

"That’s not enough," Meng Yuchun shook her head. "You need to utilize the power of the dwelling to make the house resonate with the bloodstains. This is the hardest part. Usually, you can’t leave the house for several months, working in conjunction with it to light up the Boundary. For those with insufficient talent, it may even take years.

Once successful, the bloodstains will resonate with the house. As long as the Home Cultivator is inside the house or not too far from it, casting the technique will trigger the Boundary. This creates layers of defense around the house, safeguarding the cultivator. As the connection between the house and the bloodstains deepens, the Boundary can also expand outward. For those with inadequate talent, the Boundary clings close to their homes, but for those with exceptional gifts, as their cultivation levels rise, the Boundary can stretch miles away."

At this point, Meng Yuchun’s pride was evident, showing she possessed considerable talent in the "Close Doors and Shut Windows" technique.

Li Banfeng asked, "You often talk about sealing off the territory. Does that mean you can extend the Boundary across the entire Hundred Miles of Land?"

Meng Yuchun’s expression soured; the question was hitting a sore spot.

"I’m not trying to probe into your technique. We’re about to wage war, and to make thorough preparations and responses before the battle, I must at least know how far your technique can extend..." Once again, Li Banfeng appealed to her emotions and reasoned with her, prompting Meng Yuchun to tell the truth.

"My technique can extend at most twenty miles away. It cannot cover my entire territory. Claiming that I can seal off my territory is just meant to deter the enemy."

Meng Yuchun seemed innocent in her thoughts, but she was not modest in boasting about her abilities.

However, being able to extend the Boundary to beyond twenty miles, the power of the technique was indeed astonishing.

But the key to the technique lay in scattering the blood around the house, which proved to be a difficulty for Li Banfeng. He couldn’t pinpoint the concept of ’around’ the Portable Residence. More importantly, the Portable Residence could move.

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment, then asked, "What if you change houses? What happens to the blood previously scattered around the house?"

"It becomes useless," Meng Yuchun replied. "After ascending from the Ninth Layer to the Tenth, I went to the Inner State and gave up my house in Puluo State. The House Spirit was killed by the Inner State People. When I reached the Cloud Top First Layer and became the Local Deity of a New Land, I had to rebuild my house and find another House Spirit. The scattering of blood naturally had to start over. Thinking back on it, I still feel a sense of loss. If I hadn’t changed houses and continued to use the bloodstains around my previous house, I estimate my Boundary could have possibly extended to thirty miles away. After changing houses and starting to expand bit by bit from around the new house, reaching twenty miles now is somewhat forced."

Li Banfeng said, "You’ve already reached the Cloud Top First Layer in cultivation, changed houses, scattered blood, and still have to slowly expand outwards from around the house?"

Meng Yuchun said, "This has nothing to do with the level of cultivation. The resonance between the house and the bloodstains takes time. No matter how high one’s cultivation is, this process cannot be omitted."

The Eighth Layer Technique of Home Cultivation is a joint accomplishment of the house and the bloodstains. Blood is spilled around the house, and through a period of resonance, a Boundary is formed.

The Portable Residence is constantly moving. Where should I scatter the blood? It’s inappropriate to scatter it anywhere. Once I leave the Portable Residence, I can’t see it at all. I have no idea where the Portable Residence is. Even if the Portable Residence tells me where it is, even if I scatter blood around it, how could I possibly stay inside for several months to let it resonate with the bloodstains? I am a Traveling Cultivator; I need to move around. Staying put for months would cost me my life. Even if I gave up on life and braved the backlash of cultivation, staying inside the Portable Residence to successfully light up the Boundary, what’s the use? Once I leave, and the Portable Residence moves with me, the bloodstains remain behind, and all efforts are wasted...

Li Banfeng thoroughly considered it several times over and realized something—he had no chance of mastering the Eighth Layer Technique. This was the compatibility problem between Home and Travelling Cultivation, an issue that couldn’t be resolved even with the Portable Residence.

Seeing Li Banfeng’s somewhat despondent expression, Meng Yuchun asked, "What are you worried about?"

Li Banfeng diverted the topic. "I thought your technique could also protect my territory, but it seems you have difficulty even protecting yourself."

Meng Yuchun’s face showed shame. "Now we can only hope they don’t extend their vicious battle to our territory."

This issue, for Li Banfeng, wasn’t something that could be resolved by just defending his territory. Common sense dictated that the Local Deities of new, remote areas typically had cultivation at the Cloud Top First Layer. Pan Dehai was the Proper Land Local Deity, with his cultivation likely at the Cloud Top Third Layer. Bei Wushuang had a considerable gap in strength compared to Pan Dehai. If the two were to engage in a decisive battle, Pan Dehai might very well kill Bei Wushuang. After killing Bei Wushuang, Pan Dehai would likely dig up his Contract Book.

After obtaining the Contract Book, what would Pan Dehai do? If Pan Dehai handed this book over to the Inner State in exchange for longevity, the Inner State might see the records of the battle between Bei Wushuang and the Mountain-Uprooting Master as noted in the book. By comparison, the Inner State may notice that the accounts of the same battle in two separate Contract Books don’t match. In the other book, the Mountain-Uprooting Master’s name had been changed to Li Furong. If things developed to this stage, it would completely reveal the deception. From the perspective of Li Banfeng’s interests, it would be best if Pan Dehai didn’t win this battle. Should he give some help to Bei Wushuang? What a joke! Bei Wushuang was one of the culprits behind the insect plague; how could Li Banfeng possibly aid such a bastard!

This would be his third involvement in a Local Deity war. Unlike the previous two times, where he played the role of an assistant helping a Local Deity fight, this time he would participate in the battle as a Local Deity himself. Exactly how he should fight this war, Li Banfeng hadn’t yet figured out. There was still too little information. But where could he acquire information of this level? Old Xu should know some inside stories; it might be worth paying a visit to Medicine King Valley to inquire. Or he could get Ma Wu to seek out Feng Daiku to probe for news.

「...」

The wooden house was built, and He Yuxiu was scolding Oil Peach inside. "Why were you always squeezing onto me while we slept last night?"

Oil Peach replied with an innocent face, "It was cold."

"Didn’t I give you both blankets? Why did you still squeeze onto me?"

Oil Peach said with concern, "I was afraid you’d be cold."

He Yuxiu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Peach, don’t think I don’t know. You’re a mirror polisher."

Oil Peach lowered her head and bit her lip.

"Don’t be scared," He Yuxiu lit a cigarette and stuck it in Oil Peach’s mouth. "I’ve seen it all; I’ve even played with polishing mirrors myself. It’s no big deal to join you occasionally, but I really don’t like it. I like men."

Oil Peach blushed and said, "Actually, there are men that I like too."

He Yuxiu laughed. "You’re young, but your techniques are truly wild. You handle both long and flat ones?"

Oil Peach blushed. "It also depends on the person."

He Yuxiu nodded. "That’s the spirit Lust Cultivation should have. Once this storm passes, I’ll take you to Greenwater City. Pick anyone you like, man or woman, just go for it."

"Thank you, sister," Oil Peach was very grateful, but the smile on her face gradually faded. "It’s just that I feel... we’re doing something wrong."

He Yuxiu was taken aback. "What do you think is wrong?"

Oil Peach’s expression grew even more serious, her stutter worsening. "I, I feel that I can’t do this. It’s too, too shameless."

「...」

"Yu Chun, have we become a little too shameless?" Yellow Butterfly pushed Meng Yuchun away and crawled out of the bedding.

Meng Yuchun was stunned. "What did you just say?"

Red Butterfly also crawled out of the bedding. "Yu Chun, she’s not wrong. We’re all women, doing these kinds of things all day; it doesn’t look good."

Meng Yuchun looked at Yellow Butterfly and Red Butterfly in surprise, then felt a stir in her heart.

People had arrived on her territory.

「...」

Li Banfeng toured Meng Yuchun’s territory and even went to check out his own three-acre plot. The entire plot was well-managed by the toad, with considerable help from the Mountain Wolf and the eagles. It was just that the construction of these houses was somewhat lacking. Initially, Li Banfeng had hired a group of earth-swines as workers, and those earth-swines had constructed the houses underground. Underground was fine. The earth-swines’ Craftsmanship Method was excellent, and the ventilation was well done. New Land was originally dark, with only a smidge of Heavenly Light from above. The difference between above ground and underground wasn’t significant.

Li Banfeng was very satisfied with the plot and took out many Mysterious Red Pills to reward them for their merits. However, to his surprise, they refused to accept the Elixirs.

The toad lowered its head and said, "Master, I’m too ashamed to take this Elixir; I haven’t fulfilled my duties."

Li Banfeng was startled. "How have you not fulfilled them? Isn’t everything at home quite nice?"

The toad sighed. "Previously, a group of Two-faced Sheep came and nearly grazed all the grass off our territory. I tried to persuade them to leave, but they wouldn’t listen. They had strength in numbers; I dared not fight them."

Li Banfeng laughed. "What’s the big deal about that? Don’t all sheep eat grass? Next year, new grass will grow. I have no use for all that grass anyway."

The toad shook its head. "Useful or not, we must obey the master’s orders. I was wrong in this matter; I dare not accept the master’s reward."

The Mountain Wolf interjected from the side, "This matter isn’t the toad head steward’s fault; it’s mine. I’m the Chief Custodian, and I shouldn’t have let these Two-faced Sheep into master’s territory. I’m too ashamed to stay here."

The Male Eagle spoke up as well, "I’m also a Chief Custodian. I saw that flock of Two-faced Sheep coming from afar. If I had notified someone in advance, perhaps we could have driven them away earlier. But that day my wife insisted on..."

The Female Eagle kicked the Male Eagle in the side. "Why do you have to tell everything to others?"

The Male Eagle retorted angrily, "Am I not supposed to speak? Did I say anything wrong? You shameless woman, all you ever do is pester me! You were just with me twice earlier; the thought of it makes me cringe."

What was going on here? The grass on the territory was eaten by sheep, and such a trivial matter caused such a big commotion.

Li Banfeng’s eyes darted around, and he said to everyone, "Take these Elixirs, all of you."

"Master, we can’t accept them."

"If you don’t accept them, it’ll be seen as disloyalty. Take them right now, then go hide in my house."

The toad shook its head. "That’s not right; that’s the master’s house. We Servants can’t just go in there willy-nilly."

"If I’m telling you to go, then hurry up and go. Don’t come out without my order!"

The group all hid in Li Banfeng’s underground residence.

Li Banfeng activated the Golden Gaze Autumn Hair Technique and, taking advantage of the Traveling Cultivator’s nimble footsteps, began searching Meng Yuchun’s territory.

Approaching a tree, an old man with a round dome hat, round-framed glasses, and a mustache, looking like a relic of a bygone era, smiled at Li Banfeng. "Li Qi, it’s been a while. I’m a few years older than you, and you don’t offer a greeting when you see me?"

Pan Dehai had arrived.

Li Banfeng truly wanted to offer a bow to Pan Dehai, but he barely managed to control himself. He found an excuse to convince himself: I don’t bow to the unprincipled.

"You’re calling me unprincipled?" Pan Dehai was taken aback. "How so?"

"You’re peeking at a couple in private; that’s being unprincipled!" Li Banfeng was referring to the eagle couple.

Pan Dehai denied it. "I didn’t peek!"

"If you didn’t peek, why are they ashamed?"

"They should be ashamed for doing that in broad daylight."

"What did they do? How do you know? Are you still saying you didn’t peek? You old shameless man!"

Pan Dehai glared at Li Banfeng with wide eyes but couldn’t say a word for a long time.