Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'-Chapter 830 - 500: Puluo State’s Way Out (4)

The sickle spoke: "What if it can’t be opened? Anyway, Brother Seven can open the boundary, and the Old Man can break through it, we can still carry on as usual."

The Wine Gourd said: "I think Sister Sickle makes sense."

Meng De nodded on the wall: "I also think we shouldn’t go to the Outside Provinces."

The Phonograph knew Li Banfeng’s thoughts weren’t that simple. After a moment of silence, she spewed steam and sang slowly: "Married to a chicken, follow the chicken; married to a dog, follow the dog. Since I’m married to my husband, Little Servant belongs to him, wherever he goes, Little Servant follows."

Li Banfeng stepped forward to embrace the Phonograph, rubbing his face against the speaker for a while.

The Phonograph laughed, feeling tickled: "Husband, first ask our house to see if it can go to the Outside Provinces."

This was the critical issue; if the Portable Residence couldn’t go to the Outside Provinces, Li Banfeng definitely wouldn’t go there to become a Balancer. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Li Banfeng asked: "Old Man, can you go with me to the Outside Provinces?"

The Portable Residence was silent for a moment and said: "There’s a boundary between the Outside Provinces and Puluo State. What kind of boundary is it? I forget, but I remember it’s thinner than the boundary between Puluo State and Inner State.

I have eight tracks now, should be able to break through, but if I can’t...

"Then our whole family won’t go to the Outside Provinces." Li Banfeng had no hesitation on this point.

The wife said: "The most important thing now is your cultivation level; these days your soul seems stable, and your physique has recovered quite a bit; perhaps you’ve reached the Cloud Top First Layer."

Li Banfeng asked: "Can this be tested?"

"Yes!" The Phonograph said, "Try using the Land Seal; there must be human energy in Bridge Yesong’s Land Seal. If you put the Land Seal on your head and sense cultivation progress, then you’ve reached Cloud Top First Layer."

The next day, Li Banfeng went to Ye Qingshan and found the two branches inserted by Sun Tiecheng in the woods.

Sun Tiecheng insisted these two branches were an Array; others couldn’t see them, nor could they see where the Contract Book was buried. He repeatedly reminded Li Banfeng to remember their positions and not insert them incorrectly next time.

But Li Banfeng could clearly see these two branches. Sun Tiecheng explained it was the insight of a Foolish Cultivation disciple!

He dug up the earth and took out the Land Seal; beneath the Land Seal was the Contract Book. Digging too deep and exposing the Contract Book would be a big problem.

He placed the Land Seal on his head, and the human energy from Bridge Yesong poured into his head.

Feeling it!

Sensing cultivation progression!

Li Banfeng could absorb human energy, proving he had officially reached Cloud Top First Layer!

This feeling made Li Banfeng both delighted and excited; the only issue was it was too brief, lasting less than a minute.

The human energy in the Land Seal was quickly released, cleaned out. The Coachman had harvested once two months ago, leaving limited stock in the Land Seal.

After burying the Land Seal and rearranging the branches, Li Banfeng remembered another issue: could he collect human energy from his territory?

Within the Portable Residence, the wife replied: "You can collect human energy, but the New Land’s Land Seal is special; it contains both human energy and cultivation. The human energy is raised by Strange Monsters, and the cultivation is to raise the Strange Monsters. Husband, don’t confuse them."

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said: "Can I choose what to collect when I place the Land Seal on my head?"

"You can choose, the New Land’s cultivation is chaotic, husband can block it with his mind."

"Can I leave Bridge Yesong now?"

"Husband has reached Cloud Top First Layer; leaving the territory is naturally no problem."

Li Banfeng used the Portable Residence to immediately return to his territory, entered the Local Deity’s dwelling, and took out the Land Seal.

He put the Land Seal on his head, and a torrential flow instantly surged into his head.

This felt distinctly different from human energy; human energy resembled clean water, almost without impurities, but this torrent seemed mixed with much sand, like mud.

Li Banfeng immediately used his mind to block the torrent, and shortly, it receded into the Land Seal, and clear human energy slowly flowed down.

Since the Mountain-Uprooting Master died, the human energy in the Land Seal hadn’t been absorbed, although New Land’s human energy doesn’t compare to Proper Land, its stock exceeded Li Banfeng’s expectations, taking a full five minutes to completely absorb.

Removing the Land Seal, Li Banfeng felt refreshed, gaining much strength in his body.

Indeed, his cultivation advanced, but upon close sensing, the progress was quite limited.

Considering First Layer and Second Layer cultivation as a whole, could the combined human energy from two places bring a one percent increase?

Clearly not.

Before dying, the Mountain-Uprooting Master was still at Cloud Top First Layer; the Coachman killed all high-level cultivators in the territory to improve cultivation. The cultivation path Above the Clouds is truly challenging.

The cultivation in the Land Seal should also be distributed; the Strange Monsters guarding this territory naturally need to reap rewards.

The Portable Residence previously used the Sky Heart Stone to build a major station in Li Qi’s territory, with a stopping time of one hour. Li Banfeng used the Projector as disguise, took the Land Seal and quickly toured the territory, seeing a Strange Monster, first placing it atop their head.

The first covered Strange Monster, due to excess cultivation, directly fainted.

Initially lacking experience, after dozens of covers, his techniques became increasingly proficient, with cultivation distributed more evenly.

All Strange Monsters were covered once; residual cultivation remained in the Land Seal, which Li Banfeng gave to the dwelling Strange Monsters. These Strange Monsters lost their eyes, diligently guarding the Local Deity’s abode; earning this bit of cultivation is their hope for survival.

Having mostly handled things in his territory, Li Banfeng looked towards Bei Wushuang’s territory.

Only Li Banfeng knew where Bei Wushuang’s Contract Book was buried; how this territory should be dealt with will require future planning.

Back at Bridge Yesong, Li Banfeng went to the Defense Agency and found Liao Zihui.

"Regarding becoming a Balancer, I can agree, but three conditions must be met."

Liao Zihui nodded: "Reasonable conditions can be negotiated."

Li Banfeng took out the Contract Paper: "I’m not interested in negotiating, either agree and sign the Contract Book, or assume the deal failed,

First condition, end the Xia Shumin incident here; no participants need to bear further responsibility, otherwise, it’s considered a declaration of war."

Liao Zihui nodded: "This is necessary, I’ll sign the Contract Book."

"Second condition, immediately restore the transportation of Bridge Yesong; if you interrupt transportation in Puluo State again, you must inform me beforehand, or it’s considered a declaration of war."

Liao Zihui hesitated for a moment and nodded: "I agree."

"Third condition, even if you no longer serve as Chief Defense Envoy, the above points remain effective, or it’s considered a declaration of war."

Liao Zihui said: "If I cease to be Chief Defense Envoy, I’ll have the next Chief Defense Envoy sign the same Contract Book. Since Contract Paper is used, it concerns my life, I definitely won’t renege."

Li Banfeng handed the Contract Book to Liao Zihui: "I’ve stated my conditions."

Liao Zihui immediately applied a blood handprint: "Brother Li, we’ve concluded matters in Puluo State; now let’s talk about your concerns, aren’t you worried about your safety in the Outside Provinces?"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "Not worried, I remember the people in the Outside Provinces are quite kind; I can get along happily with them."

PS: Ban Feng is indeed a pleasant person.

In June, Lord of Puluo’s achievements continued to rise steadily, with subscription numbers nearing thirty thousand, thanks to the trust and support from all esteemed readers.

Shala really wants to update more, but recovery from pneumonia is still incomplete and truly constrained. Apologies once again to esteemed readers.

As July approaches, I earnestly ask all of you to save your precious monthly tickets for Lord of Puluo. Shala sincerely thanks you all here.