The Programmer Cultivator

Zhang Deming gave Song Huidong an uncertain look, unable to tell if his words were meant as bitter sarcasm or if he was being genuine.

’If it was sarcasm, Song Huidong’s expression was far too earnest. But if he was being serious, the words carried a heavy dose of mockery. A guy like him was perfect for telling dry jokes!’

"I suppose so!" Unsure of how to take it, Zhang Deming could only offer an ambiguous reply.

Song Huidong paused, seemingly thrown off for a moment. He quickly changed the subject. "In any case, things in the Sect are bound to get hectic soon, so you should stay in more, Junior Brother.

Demon Cultivators of the Heart Soul Cultivation Path use exceedingly cruel methods. The Nine Lives Substitute Death Soul Path, in particular, is a type of Disgusting Soul Path. It’s best to be careful. Once you fall prey to them, the consequences are dire."

Zhang Deming nodded. "Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. I think I’ll go into seclusion for a while."

"In that case, Junior Brother, you should go ahead and add the permissions," Song Huidong said. "The main thing is, during the handover a couple of days ago, the senior brother in charge repeatedly instructed me to deliver this to you personally and watch you activate it."

At these words, Zhang Deming reached out and picked up the Protective Talisman from the table. With a flip of his hand, he also took out his Identity Card.

He pressed the jade pendant-like Command Token to the card. With a soft pulse of Spiritual Power, a Light Screen appeared on the Identity Card. A flurry of windows seemed to flash across the screen before quickly closing.

A moment later, when the display stabilized, the jade pendant disintegrated into a pile of ash that trickled through Zhang Deming’s fingers. Meanwhile, a host of new permissions had appeared on his Identity Card, each one accompanied by a notification.

’They’ve done a great job with this; it’s already quite intelligent,’ he thought. ’If Hongmeng’s Array Dao keeps developing at this pace for a few more years—especially once they figure out Rune Life—it’s practically guaranteed to leapfrog all competitors.’

Seeing that Zhang Deming had finished, Song Huidong said, "Junior Brother, you can now use your Identity Card to go to the main Scripture Pavilion and browse the Core Daoist Canon."

"Your contribution this time was immense, and Ancestor Dang also pulled a lot of strings. I have no idea what he promised the Guardian Tower to win them over.

So, for this viewing session, I hear you can choose from any of the Tier Five Cultivation Technique Dao Canons. And, uh, it seems there’s no limit on the quantity. Apparently, you could even take them all.

But this is just hearsay. You’ll have to check the specific permissions for yourself to know for sure."

"What about other Techniques?" Zhang Deming asked.

Song Huidong froze, his expression stiffening as he stared at Zhang Deming. He was doing his best to remain composed. ’You get your pick of the Sect’s absolute best Core Daoist Canon and you’re still not satisfied? What more could you possibly want? A free pick of every single Magic too?’

’Is he serious?

Is he just trying to be difficult?

Or is this payback for my joke earlier?’

After a pause, Song Huidong said, "I’m not too clear about that; I only know what I was told during the handover. If you’re interested in other Techniques, Junior Brother, you can just ask the staff at the Celestial Spirit Scripture Pavilion."

Zhang Deming said, "I understand."

"As for the other rewards, such as your share of material resources, those will be delivered later. It’s mostly resources for Technique development and some cultivation aids.

Since your contribution this time was primarily related to the Daoist Canon, the main part of your reward comes from the Scripture Pavilion and is, therefore, also access to the Daoist Canon. These material goods are more of a formality, the standard allotment," Song Huidong explained.

"I see," Zhang Deming replied.

"Well then, I won’t disturb you any longer, Junior Brother. I still have quite a few things to attend to," Song Huidong said, rising to his feet.

Zhang Deming nodded. "Then I won’t keep you, Senior Brother."

The two exchanged courteous nods and parted ways.

······

Zhang Deming watched Song Huidong leave, then sat in the small courtyard, lost in thought for a long while. Instead of returning to his room, he stood up. Magnificent Light Wings unfurled from his back, and he flew toward Celestial Spirit Peak.

His original plan had been to use the Bean Soldier he’d secretly left behind to get a preliminary look beneath mission site number two.

Even though he had left and no longer had a living anchor like Li Shifan to provide a waypoint, the Scattering Beans into Soldiers skill had evolved.

Now, when Mirror Image Bean Soldiers left the anchor’s range, they merely turned into skill-less pawns instead of instantly disintegrating into motes of Spiritual Power.

Furthermore, to maintain its state, he had fused the Bean Soldiers into a single, tiny unit before he left. Extensive exploration was likely impossible.

However, it would have been enough to go down and see, to try and confirm whether the spherical mainframe was below.

That was his initial intention, but now that he had access to new Cultivation Techniques, he decided to acquire one first. He would increase his strength before making any attempts. A short delay wouldn’t make a difference, anyway.

Having visited the Celestial Spirit Scripture Pavilion once before, Zhang Deming was already familiar with the path.

Aided by his Tier Four Flying Skill, Zhang Deming reached the summit of the Celestial Spirit Sect in no time. Retracting his wings, he landed in front of the Celestial Spirit Scripture Pavilion.

Reaching the Scripture Pavilion’s unique protective barrier, he took out his Identity Card and pressed it against the shimmering field.

Affiliation: Spirit Nurturing Peak

Status: Core Disciple

Permission: Verified

As the information displayed, a door-shaped opening slowly materialized in the protective field, centered on his Identity Card.

Zhang Deming retrieved his Identity Card, passed through the barrier, and stepped into the Scripture Pavilion. Behind him, the entryway sealed itself shut.

Upon entering the barrier and arriving in the main hall of the Scripture Pavilion, Dang Mengfu, who had been slacking off while reading a novel, suddenly paused. As if sensing something, he looked up in surprise.

When he saw it was Zhang Deming, he faltered for a second before a rare smile spread across his face. "Ah, it’s you!" he said with surprising warmth.