The Peddler was about to leave, and Li Banfeng hurriedly asked, "When will you come next time?"
"Every three months. The day doesn't change, and the place doesn't change. You don't have anything else, do you?"
Once every three months.
Three months from now, I don't even know if I'll still be in this place.
Opportunities are rare; I must buy something.
"I'll buy two candles!"
The little cabin is too dark; candles are a must.
The Peddler handed two candles to Li Banfeng. "Do you want 'foreign fire'?"
'Foreign fire' was their term for matches.
Li Banfeng originally carried a lighter, but it was jolted away on the road.
"Give me a box."
"Two candles and a box of 'foreign fire', will you pay with Huan Country Banknotes or Ocean Dollars?"
Li Banfeng smiled naively. "You still want money?"
The Peddler's eyebrows shot up. "Why shouldn't I!"
A candle cost two dimes, and a box of 'foreign fire' cost five cents. Li Banfeng didn't have small change and gave a one-hundred-dollar bill.
The Peddler actually made change, giving him a large handful of various coins, including some denominations that had been out of circulation for many years.
With the transaction complete, the Peddler left.
Li Banfeng was in a dilemma.
Without a cellphone and unfamiliar with the area, where am I to find He Jiaqing?
Too many things had happened today, and although Li Banfeng had passed out twice, he still felt exhausted.
And he hadn't really eaten much today.
Using the copper key, he opened the "Portable Residence." Before entering, he threw the key into the overgrown grass. It was concealed yet easy to find, always discoverable within five meters.
Entering the pitch-black house, Li Banfeng lit the purchased candles, took off his backpack, and massaged his sore shoulders.
From getting off the train until now, Li Banfeng had been carrying the backpack. Other items were manageable, but the Copper Lotus Flower was really too heavy.
He opened the backpack, took out a package of instant noodles, and munched on them dry.
He had no water on him, but luckily he had drunk two bowls of fruit syrup earlier, so he wasn't too thirsty.
While eating, he reflected on the day's events, feeling that his mental issues showed signs of healing.
After getting off the train, I was illuminated by Heavenly Light—which turned out to be a stream of Dark Matter radiation hitting me—but the specific reason is unknown.
I could hardly move when I first stepped out and was even chased by two people in forward caps.
I inexplicably became a Cultivator of two incompatible Taoist Sects and acquired a movable house.
In the future, who would dare call me crazy? Could there be an experience crazier than this?
If I can't find He Jiaqing, what should I do?
Go back to the train station, buy a ticket, and head straight back to Yuezhou?
What am I thinking? Now that I'm in Medicine King Valley, how can I just go back like this? I just need to find a place to charge my phone, and the problem will be solved, right?
Li Banfeng lay down on the cold ground, using his backpack as a pillow.
This house is a bit dark and a bit small, but it's actually quite nice.
From now on, I'll call it the "Portable Residence."
This is my house.
I have a house now.
Li Banfeng's brow smoothed, and a smile touched his lips.
Although he didn't know how He Jiaqing was doing.
Although he didn't know exactly where he was.
But Li Banfeng was in a good mood.
In the "Portable Residence," he fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, he had no idea what time it was. He had no watch, his cellphone was dead, and with no Heavenly Light in the room, he seemed to have lost all concept of time.
The cold, hard ground left Li Banfeng sore all over. He rubbed his neck and moved his limbs.
CRACK! His bones ached as he stretched them.
Li Banfeng suddenly felt much stronger than usual.
Is strength flowing through my body?
Is this what the Peddler meant by 'acknowledging the residence'?
Li Banfeng was delighted and walked a few laps inside the Portable Residence. Indeed, he felt much lighter, his steps quicker.
He changed into a shirt and trousers.
Compared to a T-shirt, a shirt was less incongruous.
The backpack still had to be carried, but without anything in it.
If there's nothing in it, why am I still carrying an empty bag?
Li Banfeng had his reasons.
The two men in forward caps he encountered at the station were after him. But no matter how hard Li Banfeng racked his brains, he couldn't figure out any connection between them.
This was Li Banfeng's first visit to Puluo State. The only possible connection could be the Copper Lotus Flower.
The Copper Lotus Flower was He Jiaqing's treasure, and He Jiaqing hailed from Puluo State. There must be people in Puluo State who knew of the Copper Lotus Flower's existence.
Someone wants to snatch this treasure, so they targeted me.
If that group targets me again, the best way to escape would be to use my backpack as bait and run for it.
The backpack had gotten torn when it got stuck under the bunk bed. Li Banfeng had pulled hard to get it out, and the stitching had come undone in quite a few places.
Being a bit torn doesn't matter; it won't get in the way of anything important.
After leaving the Portable Residence, Li Banfeng didn't forget the Peddler's warning; the first thing he did was to retrieve the key.
Just as he was about to bend down and pick up the key, he realized he wasn't in the wilderness of the previous day.
Everything was pitch-black, with neither the darkness of night nor any Heavenly Light visible.
Could it be that I haven't left the Portable Residence?
Li Banfeng was startled, thinking he was trapped in the house, but he quickly calmed down.
This isn't the Portable Residence. Although I can't see anything here either, the smell is different from inside the house.
The Portable Residence hasn't been lived in for a long time and only smells of dust.
The air here seemed fresher, with the scent of nature, especially a fresh, pungent animal odor.
And it wasn't completely dark here; there was some light, though very faint.
After sleeping in the complete darkness of the house for a night, Li Banfeng's vision had become very sensitive. Using the faint light, he made out some outlines: stones, rock walls. It seems to be a cave.
Could it be the den of some wild beast...
Li Banfeng guessed correctly. Next to him, a pair of luminescent green eyes slowly opened.
The moment he saw those eyes, Li Banfeng ran for his life.
WHOOSH!
A muffled roar came from behind, and Li Banfeng immediately heard heavy breathing and footsteps.
What kind of animal is this?
Judging from the sound of its footsteps, it must be big.
Where am I running?
Am I running towards the cave entrance?
What if I run into a dead end?
Why did I end up in this cave?
Did this beast deliberately lie in wait for me here?
Have I been schemed against again?
A string of questions tumbled through his mind as he ran, and the answers were gradually revealed.
Firstly, Li Banfeng hadn't run in the wrong direction; he saw a glimmer of light up ahead. He was indeed running toward the cave entrance.
As for why he chose the right direction, Li Banfeng had no time to think about it.
The spot of light was very small, indicating the entrance was far away.
In the wet and slippery cave, Li Banfeng didn't think he could outrun a wild beast.
But as it turned out, he could!
The cave was indeed wet and slippery, but Li Banfeng's footsteps were steady and quick. He didn't slow down until he burst out of the cave entrance, and the beast failed to catch up.
Only after he was outside the cave and had run several dozen more meters did the beast stagger out.
Li Banfeng looked back and saw a bear, a huge black bear whose stature on all fours was about shoulder-height to him.
Li Banfeng had seen many bears in zoos, but never one of such an exaggerated size. He ran as if his life depended on it, aiming to put as much distance as possible between himself and the black bear.
But this didn't seem to be that difficult.
On the rugged mountain path, Li Banfeng ran swiftly, and after a short chase, the black bear gradually slowed its pace.
It gave up the chase, simply because it couldn't keep up.
The black bear was reluctant to lose its prey, but it wasn't stubborn. After roaring twice at Li Banfeng's retreating figure, it turned and went back into the cave.
It stopped chasing!
I made it!
Overjoyed at his narrow escape, Li Banfeng was elated!
I made it!
But did I really make it?
If I've managed to save my life, then that's truly a success.
But what about the key?
Li Banfeng turned his head and looked back at the black bear's retreating figure.
Though the bear was far away, Li Banfeng's vision had improved a lot.
He saw a hint of gold shimmering on the black bear's back.
The key was stuck to the black bear's back.