(Explosion at 12 o'clock! Vote now!

Another update at 3 o'clock!) A divine ability of Yellow-tier Rank Three, with only three stances remaining out of the original thirteen thousand five hundred sword forms. If all thirteen thousand five hundred forms were present, what kind of divine ability would that truly be?

Without hesitation, Feng Zikang exchanged five hundred merit points for this single divine ability. Before leaving, he exercised caution and asked Elder Wu a question.

“Among our sect members, are there any senior brothers or martial uncles who practice this specific divine ability? If I encounter anything I don't understand, I could seek their guidance…” Elder Wu’s eyes widened in disdain.

“Didn’t I tell you? Everyone considers it an inauspicious divine ability.

Since General Lu, no one has ever practiced it!” “……” Feng Zikang fell silent, unsure if he had just stumbled upon a great bargain or foolishly wasted his resources. However, he preferred to trust his intuition; this Starlight Great Extinction Sword Technique was bound to hold a remarkable efficacy!

He took his leave from the Scripture Hall and headed towards the Merit Hall next. The Fa Qi Zan Xin Ding required a replenishment of its divine power, and he also needed to see what else he could coax out of Elder Yun.

Today, Elder Yun had not gone out to compete with crickets, toads, or fleas in their contests of skill. Instead, he was diligently seated in the Merit Hall, meticulously transcribing the latest merit tasks.

It was clear, however, that he was profoundly bored; his white beard was somehow smeared with ink, and streaks of it had even marked his face. Upon seeing Feng Zikang arrive, he broke into a wide smile, tossed his brush aside, and hurried out.

“Martial Ancestor Uncle, your disciple returns from Cold Mountain Cave without failing my charge!” “Good! Good!” Elder Yun beamed, his eyes crinkling.

“I knew you, little Fengzi, were sharp; you truly have ability! I never thought you could slay the Flood Dragon of Wuduyaji—remarkable!

You have the spirit of your Martial Ancestor Uncle in his youth!” He circled Feng Zikang once, muttering praises. “Not bad, not bad.

To reach the fifth layer of Qi Induction at such a young age. Practice for another century or two, and you might be able to trade a few blows with this old man…” Feng Zikang ignored his rambling, pulling the Zan Xin Ding from his robes and placing it on the table.

“Martial Ancestor Uncle, this Zan Xin Ding has been used once… you must recharge its divine ability for me!” “Easy, easy!” Elder Yun was in high spirits. He casually took the Zan Xin Ding, restored its power, played with it for a moment, and then reluctantly handed it back to Feng Zikang.

Feng Zikang slowly tucked the Zan Xin Ding into his robes, tapped the table, and repeated his opening line. “Martial Ancestor Uncle, your disciple returns from Cold Mountain Cave without failing my charge, having endured myriad hardships!” “Yes, yes…” Elder Yun nodded in appreciation, then suddenly caught on.

“Wait a minute, little Fengzi, didn’t you just say that already?” “I did?” Feng Zikang smiled faintly. “Then, Martial Ancestor Uncle, this is a reminder that the reward for that private commission should now be settled!” “Re-reward?” Elder Yun was dumbfounded.

“Didn’t I already give you this Zan Xin Ding? I heard you completed the task, and I even transferred a hundred merit points to you privately—that’s the upper limit for private task merit transfers.

What else… what else do you want as a reward?” Feng Zikang widened his eyes in return. “Martial Ancestor Uncle, isn't this Zan Xin Ding something you gifted me for self-defense?

While the merit points are certainly part of the reward, if I risked my life venturing into the desolate Southern Barbarian territories, am I only to receive a mere hundred merit points? If word of this got out, wouldn't it tarnish the reputation of Elder Yun of the venerable Merit Hall?” “This…” Though Elder Yun was consumed by cultivation, he certainly valued his reputation.

Winding the conversation around like this, it seemed he truly did owe Feng Zikang an additional reward. “Fine, fine!” He sighed, reaching into his robes and pulling out a worn, stubby brush.

“It’s your luck, kid. I just heard you managed to acquire the Confucian School’s treasured South Sea Hemp Paper.

I was actually planning to ask you for a few sheets to play with. Now it seems, I’m the one who should be giving you this Qiankun Ruyi Brush…” “The Qiankun Ruyi Brush?” Feng Zikang eyed the bamboo pen, which had only a few wisps of white hair left, with suspicion, doubting such a grandiose name.

“Hmph! This Qiankun Ruyi Brush has miraculous effects; don’t belittle it!” Seeing Feng Zikang’s ignorance, Elder Yun puffed out his beard and glared, eager to demonstrate the pen’s power.

He lightly waved the brush across the tabletop, drawing a large circle. Around this large circle, he drew five smaller ones.

Then, in one of the small circles, he dotted two points to serve as eyes, and scribbled haphazardly within the large circle. Finally, he tossed the brush aside, laughed heartily, and lightly slapped the table.

A charmingly naive little green turtle poked its head out from the tabletop, diligently opening its mung-bean-sized eyes, swiveling them around, extending and retracting its tiny claws, and tentatively crawling forward. “How about that?” Elder Yun gently flicked his hand, and the turtle dissolved into a wisp of green dust, vanishing without a trace.

“This Qiankun Ruyi Brush materializes whatever you draw… but only as an illusion,” Elder Yun chuckled dryly. “But paired with the South Sea Hemp Paper, those illusions can genuinely become reality.

Be it gold, silver treasures, or beautiful concubines—if you can draw it, it becomes real…” “What use is such a thing to us cultivators…” Despite saying this, Feng Zikang had already snatched the Qiankun Ruyi Brush and tucked it into his robes. He was still only in the Qi Induction stage, meaning he hadn't truly left the mortal realm.

Even if he reached the Foundation Establishment stage, this item would have its unique applications; there was no reason to refuse it for free. “If you can acquire the Ice Crystal Jade Heart Inkstone and the Vast Sea Fragrant Floating Ink in the future, the combination of these Four Treasures of the Study will be even more potent…” Elder Yun offered the helpful reminder, though such things were matters of chance and could not be sought through effort.

At least giving away one item had finally placated the persistently demanding junior. Elder Yun settled into a sense of relief, but then recalled something, becoming slightly awkward.

“That… little Fengzi, walk a bit slower…” “Ah?” Feng Zikang, who was about to depart, paused. “What is it?

Martial Ancestor Uncle, do you have another generous gift for me? Oh my, how can this disciple be so undeserving?” “No… no…” Elder Yun’s face flushed crimson, and he waved his hands frantically.

How could Little Bamboo Forest’s Ye Tiansheng have taught such a master blackmailer? He always managed to circle back to demanding things.

If he visited a few more times, wouldn't all the treasures this old man had accumulated over the years end up in his pocket? “Oh, if there is nothing else, then this disciple will take his leave…” With nothing more to gain, who had the time to chat with this old mischief-maker?

Feng Zikang bowed respectfully and turned to go. “Wait!” Elder Yun stamped his foot, sighed, his aged face bright red, bristling his beard and glaring, finally asking the question he needed to ask.

“Is… is she… well these years?” The ‘she’ he referred to was likely the Poison Fairy, who had waited devotedly for three hundred years only to dissolve into a pool of green water. In the end, even this carefree and unrestrained old man harbored a tiny corner of concern for her.