"Feng Bingwen! How could you have such a shameless attitude?"

A boy staggered to his feet from the bottom of the crater, looked up, and glared at a figure in armor holding a halberd above him. Thick black hair fell to his shoulders, and scalding lava submerged his feet, but he seemed oblivious.

"Brother Canglan, what is there for me to be embarrassed about?"

Feng Bingwen asked in a clear voice, his voice carried on the wind, echoing far and wide in this desolate mountain wilderness.

You've already lost!

"So, you're already better than me, how can you have the nerve to make me busy with those things while you go back to the mountain gate to cultivate in peace?"

Yi Canglan questioned him angrily.

"Hey, Brother Canglan, that's not how it works. You just fought me, but you didn't use your full strength from beginning to end. The water you released could fill the Three Rivers and Four Seas."

Feng Bingwen immediately retorted, "Winning is one thing, but some things shouldn't be denied."

"I heard that you nearly killed that Golden Crow half-demon with nine arrows, but when you sparred with me, you didn't even take out your bow. This shows that you were just playing with me. On the other hand, I took out my most treasured weapon and only then did I win by a small margin. Compared to you, the difference in skill is obvious."

"I simply didn't use the Starfall Bow. It's a fact that I was no match for you, fellow Daoist. There's nothing more to say. You should come with me; the capable should do more."

Yi Canglan sincerely invited Feng Bingwen. The suggestion made by this true disciple of the Supreme Dao was indeed good, but the process of implementation was too cumbersome. How could he be allowed to run around like this alone? If it was tiring, everyone should get tired together.

"Oh dear, Brother Canglan, how could you do this? You clearly lost to me on purpose just now, and now you're trying to put me down with these words. Your conscience is truly wicked!"

Feng Bingwen didn't even blink. He turned the tables on him. Although he came up with the idea, he was extremely unwilling to carry it out himself. How long would that take?

"Don't slander me, Brother Feng. Now that you've made up your mind, you must carry it out with me."

"But this is too much trouble!"

Feng Bingwen removed his helmet and armor, looking rather troubled. He rubbed his hair, and his angular face appeared even more handsome in the sunlight, though to another young man, it carried a hint of roguishness.

"You know it's troublesome, yet you still want me to do it?"

"Don't you have some kind of magical treasure on you? That makes things much easier for you than for me."

Feng Bingwen continued to make excuses.

"Heh, Brother Feng, my treasure is a bone from a Void King Beast. If you agree, I can give you a piece of it. What do you say?"

Clad in animal hide, with faint traces of blood at the corner of his mouth, Yi Canglan pulled out a beast bone that was half a zhang long, as thick as a bowl, and shimmering with a purplish-black luster. It seemed to be a rib that had been forcibly broken off.

The moment the beast bone appeared, it was half-hidden in the air, appearing and disappearing as if it could tear through space and vanish at any moment.

"The stuff is good, but it's too tiring!"

Feng Bingwen glanced at the beast bone with some regret. He wasn't surprised at all that such a naturally extraordinary scion of a powerful clan could produce such a valuable item. Even he, a cultivator who had only recently begun his cultivation, possessed a plethora of treasures, let alone someone as exceptionally gifted as this.

"Brother Canglan, you should put it away. Don't tempt me!"

"Brother Feng, you don't want it?"

"I want it, but I can't afford it."

Feng Bingwen answered very sincerely that with this Void Beast Bone, one could travel to any place in this world at will, depending on one's magical power.

For independent cultivators, this is an invaluable treasure that can save their lives from danger multiple times. They are willing to pay a certain price to obtain it.

However, for Feng Bingwen, joining the Supreme Dao was just a bit more troublesome, but he could still travel to all parts of the world. Therefore, the Void Beast Bone was not a necessity for him.

"..."

Faced with Feng Bingwen's obvious unwillingness to work, Yi Canglan didn't have a good solution for the time being. After all, it was he who had proposed the matter. However, this future Supreme Daoist had added some highly feasible suggestions to his viewpoint.

"Actually, this matter is not difficult. Haven't three Dao disciples and two Buddhist disciples already agreed? You can discuss it with them. With the power of their sects, it is not difficult for them to spread the word about this matter."

Feng Bingwen looked at Yi Canglan, who was standing in the crater with the magma beneath his feet beginning to cool and solidify, and gave him another suggestion. If he couldn't come up with a solution, this guy probably wouldn't let him off easily, and he could forget about cultivating in peace.

Will they agree?

"I find it hard to imagine why they would refuse. They might be able to salvage some of the face they lost earlier by using this opportunity for publicity."

"That's true."

Yi Canglan nodded thoughtfully. He had no prior knowledge of the matter, but after listening to Feng Bingwen's words, he suddenly understood and had an idea in mind.

"In that case, there's no need for me. The three major Daoist sects can handle it. It doesn't matter whether I'm there or not."

No, they're not the same.

Yi Canglan spoke up to refute Feng Bingwen, his mind now racing.

"Your current identity is that of a true disciple of the Supreme Dao. If you take another step forward, you will be able to obtain the position of Dao Child. If you, as the Dao Child, extend invitations to the various sects of the Dao and boost the morale of the human race, how many sects would disagree?"

"I'm not a Daoist yet!"

"Then please, Brother Feng, assume the position of Dao Child as soon as possible, and do not delay!"

Yi Canglan bowed deeply, making Feng Bingwen feel a little embarrassed.

I'll try my best!

"Fellow Daoist, is there anything else you need for your cultivation? I can lend you a hand!"

"That's true..."

Feng Bingwen was about to politely refuse, but he quickly remembered the man's identity and changed his mind.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony. I am currently studying supernatural powers and methods, and trying to deduce the most suitable method for myself. I wonder if Brother Canglan has any supernatural powers or methods that you can pass on to others and teach me?"

"To deduce the most suitable method for oneself? Brother Feng, you truly have great ambition!"

Yi Canglan gave Feng Bingwen a deep look. They both knew perfectly well that the battle just now was merely a game; neither of them had used their full strength, holding back considerably. After all, they were kindred spirits.

"However, I don't have many techniques that can be freely passed on. I once accidentally obtained a strange technique that might be useful to Brother Feng!"

As they spoke, the simple-looking young man dressed in animal skins took out a piece of golden bone and tossed it to Feng Bingwen. It is worth mentioning that the animal skins on his body had not been damaged in the previous battle.

"What kind of extraordinary technique?"

Upon learning that a technique could be called his by a direct descendant of an ancient clan, Feng Bingwen immediately became interested. He took the bone fragment, channeled his divine sense into it, and after scanning it, he couldn't help but show a look of surprise and praise.

"A genius! How could you dare?"

This is neither supernatural power nor magic, but a unique cultivation method. According to the current classification of cultivation circles, it should be classified as an unorthodox path—it can grant supernatural power, magic, and extraordinary strength, but it is difficult to achieve immortality.

"My great-grandfather once commented that the founder had extraordinary talent and a magnanimity that was hard to match in ordinary people, but unfortunately he did not perfect it, so practicing this method was extremely dangerous."

"It was indeed dangerous!"

Feng Bingwen carefully examined the golden bone fragment. The vessel containing the cultivation method was not simple; it was suspected to be a divine bone. However, the method contained within could be directly dismissed as unorthodox and heretical by orthodox cultivators.

Its cultivation method is different from any known traditional cultivation method. It is largely derived from the immortal path, but its cultivation method is not breathing exercises. Instead, it uses extraordinary means to inscribe the formation in the body, using the body as the formation to mobilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Once it is successful, even a mortal can possess unpredictable supernatural powers.

But this is the paradox: the mortal body cannot withstand any kind of array formation. The mere process of inscribing array patterns is enough to cause excruciating pain, no less than the most gruesome torture.

"Brother Feng, you can use this method as a reference only. If you are not confident, you should never practice it."

Seeing that Feng Bingwen had become interested, Yi Canglan gave him some instructions.

"Of course, I'm not a masochist, how could I possibly practice a method that's the same as self-harm?"

Feng Bingwen laughed and said that this method was indeed close to the evil way of demons and monsters, but it also gave him great inspiration.

The power of formations is self-evident. Even in the realm of immortals, it is a subject worth studying diligently. It can gather the power of many or mobilize the power of heaven and earth to change the world.

However, inscribing formations on one's body is indeed an extremely insane idea. Anyone who has such an idea is either a madman or a genius. The key is whether they can succeed.

Of course, regardless of success or failure, Feng Bingwen would not do such a thing. His body is precious, how could he waste it like that? He just wanted to try to see if he could also carry a large array that could be moved and used at any time, so as to maximize the advantages of his innate five elements body.

After all, Feng Bingwen has always had a problem: he has too much spiritual power. So much that even if he fights someone continuously and the opponent's realm is higher than his, if they cannot defeat him in a short time, they will eventually be worn down to death. There is no way around it; his recovery speed is also extremely terrifying.

As everyone knows, formations, regardless of their level, are always major consumers of spiritual energy. The more terrifying the power of a formation, the greater the amount of spiritual energy it consumes.

Therefore, Feng Bingwen pondered that he might be able to create a set of formations to carry with him, and ideally, he could refine it into a natal magic weapon with self-healing abilities.

"If that's the case, then that would be perfect. This item should be beneficial to your cultivation."

"Thank you very much, Brother Canglan!"

Feng Bingwen beamed with joy.

"If you are truly fortunate enough to thank me, then obtain the position of Dao Child as soon as possible, and then, as the Supreme Dao Child, invite the young prodigies of the Dao Sect."

"That's natural."

Feng Bingwen readily agreed.

"Brother Feng, please go and cultivate. I'll take my leave first; there's no need to see me off."

After saying that, the beast-skinned youth activated the Void Bone in his hand, and his figure sank into the lake as if entering the water, disappearing directly from Feng Bingwen's sight. Feng Bingwen looked at the spreading ripples in the void, and a trace of envy appeared in his eyes.

The Green Gourd Sword Immortal

After pondering for a moment, Feng Bingwen glanced at the amount of good deeds recorded in the Heavenly Book. He remained silent for a while, but still did not make a wish to the Heavenly Book. There was no need to waste good deeds like that. Every day's accumulation was not for nothing, and he should be very careful.

After praying to the Heavenly Book multiple times, Feng Bingwen had roughly figured out the level and realm corresponding to the good deeds consumed in praying to the Heavenly Book.

For him, who had not yet embarked on the path of cultivation, 10,000 good deeds were already an enormous amount, and the Dragon Ball he obtained through prayer was also a divine object that could change his destiny.

While that is indeed the case, looking back now that he has cultivated to this level, Feng Bingwen can realize that even if the owner of that dragon pearl were alive, he would only be at the Yuan Dan realm. In some desolate places, he could call himself a demon king, but that's about it; it's nothing special.

The dilapidated ancient tower that he obtained through his second wish should have originally been a celestial artifact, but because it was so badly damaged, he was able to acquire it at the cost of tens of thousands of merits, and it has not been of much use to this day.

As for the Mountain-Moving Cauldron, needless to say, the Heavenly Book spontaneously combusted, naturally consuming more than 200,000 merit points before he could successfully acquire this somewhat useless immortal artifact.

From this, Feng Bingwen can basically conclude that a celestial artifact requires at least six figures of merit, and is not particularly powerful, roughly corresponding to the Dongxuan realm, which is what ordinary cultivators call the realm of human immortals.

Nowadays, Feng Bingwen's consumption of good deeds is often in the hundreds of thousands, reaching an extremely terrifying level, and the accumulation of such good deeds is something that cannot be sought after.

Accumulating enough merit can even change one's fate, but it can also easily ruin a person, because every merit represents a cause and effect. Those who cultivate the Tao have always feared cause and effect like a tiger, and will avoid getting involved with it if possible.

Even so, it was still not enough. Not long ago, when he prayed for a blessed land with the Heavenly Book, Feng Bingwen realized that if he wanted to obtain everything he needed for free at the Earth Immortal level, he would probably have to spend seven figures of merit.

How many good deeds would it take to accumulate such a large amount of merit? The karmic consequences involved are what Feng Bingwen is like now; just thinking about it is terrifying.

"Ugh! This is tough!"

Thinking about the amount of merit he would need to accumulate, Feng Bingwen couldn't help but frown. In the past, he would be overjoyed for a long time if he could gain a few hundred merits. Now, he gains tens of thousands of merits every ten days or so, but he doesn't feel much joy.

"Well, there's always a way out. At worst, I can go and kill demons when my cultivation level is high enough. I've heard there are plenty of evil demons outside the Nine Provinces, all kinds of them. So I won't have to worry about not having enough good deeds."

Feng Bingwen muttered a few words and returned to Xiaxi Village. Then, through the Zhanmeng Dharma Seal, he returned to the Taishangdao Mountain Gate. He first went back to his cave to check if there were any major problems, and then went to find his master without stopping.

"Master, demons and other races have bullied our human race and humiliated our fellow practitioners. Upon hearing the news, I have been working day and night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep."

The young man's face was filled with righteous indignation, but inside the palace, a handsome young man sitting cross-legged on a cloud bed looked surprised.

"Do you still need to sleep?"

That's not the point!

---Aside---

I'm taking my medication now, sigh, I just stopped taking it for tuberculosis... If it doesn't hurt, I'll resume 6000-word updates tomorrow, 6000 words per chapter, is that okay? If not, I'll split it into two chapters.