Grandpa Train said he would take Li Banfeng out of the Inner State, and Li Banfeng excitedly asked, "How are we going to get out?"
CHOO CHOO~
Grandpa Train looked at Li Banfeng and said, "The train is about to leave. Do you want to buy a ticket first, or get on and pay later?"
Li Banfeng blinked and said, "No, didn’t we just say... Never mind, I’ll buy a ticket first."
Li Banfeng took out three hundred yuan and said, "I want to buy a sleeper berth."
Grandpa Train became displeased. "Do you still want to get out?"
"Yes!"
"With a sleeper berth, can you still get out?"
Li Banfeng withdrew one banknote. "I’ll buy a hard seat then."
Grandpa Train took the money and said, "Get on!"
Li Banfeng climbed onto Grandpa Train’s back, who then blew his whistle and charged out with Li Banfeng.
This time, Grandpa Train moved very slowly.
"Dear passengers, the next stop is Miss Wang Chunfang’s dreamscape. As everyone knows, Miss Wang Chunfang is incredibly kind-hearted, so passengers might wish to pay more attention to the scenery outside the window."
This person named Wang Chunfang was indeed extremely kind. She was very friendly to others and hoped that others would treat her with the same friendliness.
Unfortunately, such things can only happen in dreams.
The dreamscape was ordinary, but Grandpa Train repeatedly reminded Li Banfeng to take note of the scenery outside.
Wang Chunfang’s dreamscape was a bright field of flowers. After passing through it, there was a black Boundary. Beyond the Boundary was an ancient city, under which an army stood ready in formation.
"Next stop, Mr. Feng Xiqing’s dreamscape. Feng Xiqing is an excellent Military General who has achieved numerous military exploits."
Li Banfeng saw what Feng Xiqing looked like. He did not resemble an ancient Military General. From his attire, he seemed more like a student from the Outside Provinces.
After the ancient city came another Boundary. On the other side was a vast ocean, where a robust and handsome man accurately speared a sea fish with a harpoon.
The man, holding up his harpoon, sang loudly amidst the wind and waves.
Grandpa Train said, "This is Mr. Lu Daping’s dreamscape. Mr. Lu Daping’s biggest dream is to become a fish."
Li Banfeng looked at the fish on the spear.
After passing through more than a dozen dreamscapes in succession, Grandpa Train, blowing his whistle, announced, "The train is about to enter a tunnel. Please sit tight, hold on, and mind your safety."
Li Banfeng was about to duck his head when the surrounding scenery suddenly vanished, plunging into emptiness again.
Grandpa Train asked Li Banfeng, "Did you see clearly just now?"
Li Banfeng replied, "I saw a bit of everyone’s dreamscape."
"I didn’t tell you to look at the dreamscapes, what’s there to see!"
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "You wanted me to look at the Boundaries between the dreamscapes?"
Grandpa Train nodded. "That’s the real exit of the Dream Tugging Tower. Can you break through it?"
Li Banfeng recalled the width of the Boundary and shook his head. "That Boundary is too narrow; I’m afraid I can’t get out."
"If I make the Boundary a bit wider, could you get out then?" Grandpa Train waved his hand, and a three-meter square rock appeared in the dreamscape.
He drew a black line on the rock and wiped it with his hand; the black line widened to more than a foot.
"Can you get through this?"
Li Banfeng looked at the thickness of the rock, which was only about ten centimeters.
"I could use the Unobstructed Technique to get through it."
"Try it."
Li Banfeng took a Short Step to the edge of the rock and activated his Skill, but then he crashed head-first into the rock.
This time he nearly cracked his head open.
Though it was a dream, Li Banfeng genuinely felt the pain.
Grandpa Train looked at Li Banfeng in astonishment and said, "Have you always used the Unobstructed Technique like this? Our Taoist Sect’s Unobstructed Technique is about using the Technique to pass through obstacles. Simply put, it’s Wall-Penetrating Sorcery, not about ramming your head against the wall."
Li Banfeng pursed his lips and forced a faint smile. "I didn’t mean to hit the wall with my head; there was just a problem with the Technique just now."
In the dreamscape, sometimes you can’t muster the strength in your legs.
It wasn’t too noticeable when running, but before using the Unobstructed Technique, you needed to launch a Short Step first, and the Short Step clearly malfunctioned just now.
Grandpa Train thinned the rock a bit more. "Try again."
Li Banfeng rushed to the edge of the wall once more. This time he didn’t crash into it; he realized beforehand that the Technique wouldn’t work.
Grandpa Train further thinned the rock. "Try again."
After another attempt, it was still not successful.
Grandpa Train didn’t manipulate the rock further. Looking at Li Banfeng, he shook his head. "You might as well not leave and just keep me company. You have no real intention of leaving."
Li Banfeng straightened up and said, "That’s not the case. This is a dream; I can’t exert strength."
"It’s indeed difficult to exert strength in a dream, but you haven’t exerted any at all. Look at the footwork you just used; it doesn’t look like someone trying to escape, more like a rickshaw puller!"
Li Banfeng honestly replied, "Indeed, I learned this footwork from a rickshaw puller."
"Your thighs lead your calves when you run. This method offers stamina, but it’s not fast enough. If you want to escape the Inner State, you need the footwork of a battlefield charge. It’s as if your heels are at the edge of a bottomless abyss; one step too slow, and you’ll be shattered to pieces. Do you understand?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Not quite."
Ever since arriving in Puluo State, he had always held the advantage in speed as a Traveling Cultivator; this was the first time he had heard that his own speed wasn’t enough.
Grandpa Train furrowed his brow and said, "You have Fifth Layer Cultivation, right?"
"Just reached the Fifth Layer."
"Can you use the Fifth Layer Technique?"
"Passing Glance. I’ve heard of it but never used it; that Technique is not easy to use."
"Who says it’s not easy to use?"
"The Fifth Layer Technique consumes too much energy. With my current cultivation level, I can at most kill a White Lamb. It’s not worth it."
Grandpa Train’s brow furrowed sharply as he stared at Li Banfeng. "You’re using it the wrong way. Let me show you once, and I guarantee you’ll blossom—blossom beautifully!"
"I will not!" Li Banfeng decisively refused. "Please, just give me a tip: what exactly does the footwork for a battlefield charge look like?"
Grandpa Train tapped the ground with his toe and, in an instant, passed through the stone slab. "Did you see that clearly?"
Grandpa Train didn’t explain but instead kept passing back and forth through the stone slab. "You see I’ve come over, you see I’ve gone back, you see I’m whistling, you see I’m emitting smoke. You understand now, don’t you?"
After a few back and forths, Li Banfeng began to grasp the gist.
The toes led the foot, the foot led the ankle, the ankle led the calf, the calf led the thigh; his Footwork was completely reversed from the Footwork Ban Feng was familiar with.
Grandpa Train pointed at the rock and said, "You try!"
Li Banfeng got up and had run only two steps when he fell straight onto the ground.
Grandpa Train glanced at Li Banfeng and pulled the whistle. "CHOO CHOO CHOO~ The train is leaving, this passenger, hurry up and get on."
"Get on what train!" Li Banfeng was very irritated. "I haven’t even mastered the footwork, how can I leave?"
"You’re still thinking about leaving?" Grandpa Train’s gaze suddenly turned sharp, and Li Banfeng felt a chill over his entire body.
Grandpa Train blew his whistle. "They can’t see me now, but soon they’ll send people to find me. When they do, where will you run? In battle, being a step too slow means being crushed to pieces. Do you finally understand?"
Li Banfeng stood up, pulled his hat brim lower, and charged at the rock again.
He remembered the scenes when he was chased by Qiu Luoye in the valley.
BANG!
As he approached the rock, Li Banfeng tripped and fell.
Grandpa Train shook his head. "Not fast enough, far from it!"
Li Banfeng got up and charged forward again.
BANG!
This time he reached the rock, but before he could use his Technique, he slammed into the stone slab.
Grandpa Train stroked the slab, distressed. "It’s cracked."
Li Banfeng shouted angrily, "Why are you worried about a Stone?"
...
In a vast space without the concept of time, after countless repetitions and covered in wounds, Li Banfeng finally passed through the rock.
Having succeeded just once, Li Banfeng wanted to practice a few more times, but Grandpa Train, sensing that the situation was getting critical, hoisted Li Banfeng on his back and charged into the Wilderness interwoven with dreams.
"They might send someone here soon. Let’s change location to talk."
After wandering on the Wilderness for a long time and seeing countless dreams, Grandpa Train blew the whistle again. "Passenger friend, the train is about to go through a tunnel. Please sit tight and hold on."
The two once again entered into emptiness, and Grandpa Train asked, "Do you remember the Boundary’s location?"
Li Banfeng limbered up and said, "I remember. Let’s practice two more times."
Grandpa Train shook his head. "There’s no time. They’ll find us soon. They can’t do anything to me, but it’s hard to say what will happen to you. We’ll set off again in a moment. When we find an opportunity, rush out immediately. If you can pass through the cracks of the dream realm, it proves your body is still in Puluo State. But if you pass through and find yourself in another dream, then it’s hopeless; you definitely won’t be able to get out."
Li Banfeng was somewhat worried. "After I get out, how will I be able to tell whether I’m in Puluo State or still in a dream?"
Grandpa Train laughed and said, "You’re my Brother, are you afraid you won’t be able to tell?"
As they spoke, a rustling sound reached their ears.
Li Banfeng shouted loudly, "Who’s there?"
The rustling sound abruptly stopped, and Grandpa Train’s face grew stern. "A dog has come."
Li Banfeng shouted again, "What dog?"
The other party did not respond.
Grandpa Train said, "A dog that wants to become a Local Deity!"
Li Banfeng looked at Grandpa Train. "Isn’t that a bit inappropriate to describe a Local Deity?"
"What’s inappropriate about that?" Grandpa Train sneered. "If you can get back to Puluo State, remember, don’t take any Elixir; rest well for two days. You have run for so long in the Inner State; once back, your cultivation level will soar, but your body may not be able to withstand it."
Li Banfeng was astonished. "I’ve entered the Inner State in the dream realm, and my cultivation level can still increase?"
Grandpa Train laughed. "In our Taoist Sect, at a certain level, what we traverse is not the Earth Skin. The Sixth Layer Technique in the Taoist Sect is called Path-breaking Technique. Its essence is to cut off paths where they exist and create paths where there are none; the methods of cutting and creating paths all depend on one’s intentions."
Li Banfeng said, "I’ve just reached the Fifth Layer. Isn’t it too early to learn the Sixth Layer Technique?"
"Not early, not at all."
As they spoke, the rustling sound arose again.
Grandpa Train said, "You get on, I’ll deal with the dog. There’s only one chance, and you absolutely must not screw up!"
PS: Why is Grandpa Train helping Li Banfeng so much?