Chapter 2: Kunlun Mountains

  Smoke and light scatter colors, the sun and moon shake off light, strange flowers spread brocade, jade grass gives off fragrance. Clouds and mist entwine, distant mountain peaks sometimes hidden, sometimes revealed, occasionally exposing a corner, yet it is an ancient thousand-year-old green cypress about to drip. From time to time, one can see immortal cranes flapping their wings and soaring above the ninth heaven, the crane's cry piercing through the top of the cloudy sky, and auspicious birds and phoenixes flying by, scattering five-colored light, truly beautiful.

  "This is the Kunlun Mountains, famous throughout the Honghuang Continent. It's truly a paradise on earth, a sacred place for immortals and sages. Indeed, it's extraordinary! Shengong Bao stood atop the precipitous Dan Cliff, gazing out at the entire Kunlun landscape, and couldn't help but exclaim in awe."

  After staying in his cave for several days, Shen Gong Bao finally left the cave and prepared to start his journey through Mount Kunlun. As for the Merit Board, it was impossible to refine it at this time. Not to mention refining the Merit Board, he currently had no clue how to take the most crucial step - creating the Embryo Vessel. Moreover, the enormous spiritual energy and various heavenly materials required after successfully creating the Embryo Vessel were also beyond Shen Gong Bao's current capabilities. However, Shen Gong Bao was not in a hurry. With his goal set, he believed that relying on his familiarity with the world of gods, he would eventually gather all the necessary materials to successfully refine the Merit Board.

  The most crucial thing now is to successfully refine the Merit Board embryo, but in his past life, the game directly gave him the embryo after completing tasks. However, in this real world of sealing gods, it's impossible to achieve. For a while, Shen Gong Bao was also worried, so he decided to go out and visit Mount Kunlun first, then ask Yuan Shi Tian Zun and other senior brothers for advice, to see if there's a way to refine the Merit Board embryo. Of course, all consultations must be done secretly, without revealing the heavenly secrets.

  After a moment of emotion, Shen Gong Bao unfolded his cloud-driving and fog-riding technique, and descended into a small stream in the nearby mountain valley to clean up his body. Although his Taoist robe had the effect of avoiding dust, the habit of washing his face for many years could not be changed for the time being.

  The brook babbles along, crystal clear to the bottom, and you can even see a few small fish swimming in the water, feeling carefree.

  He rolled up his sleeves, Sheng Gong Bao stretched out his hands to scoop up the water and simply washed himself. Suddenly, he stared blankly at the reflection in the water, then burst into a loud curse: "Damn! Is this what I'll look like from now on?"

  All that can be seen is the reflection in the water of a person wearing Taoist robes, with a Taoist hairstyle on his head and a few strands of long hair fluttering in the clear wind, giving off an air of elegance and refinement. However, if you take a closer look at his face, you will be shocked beyond measure, and then exclaim in your heart: "How can there be someone so ugly in this world?"

  Shen Gongbao wanted to cry but had no tears, thinking of his own slightly pretty face in his past life, and then looking at the extremely sinister reflection in the water, Shen Gongbao collapsed.

  Although he can cast an illusion to cover up his true appearance, in the eyes of a wise person it is unnecessary, they can easily see through the illusion.

  But looking at the reflection in the water, a sly brow and eyes, an eagle nose, and still sporting a small goat beard, it's simply all the lewd typical features combined together to form a face.

  At this time, Shen Gong Bao suddenly woke up. Why did the original say that Shen Gong Bao was not well received in Kunlun Mountain? Neither the Tianxian of the Xuanmen nor the Yuanshi Tianzun liked Shen Gong Bao. Just looking at his appearance, plus Shen Gong Bao's poor character, it would be surprising if he could mix well in the Xuanmen, which is like a noble family.

  Yuanshi Tianzun established the Xuankong Sect, which emphasizes the importance of innate roots and requires extremely good qualifications to be admitted. As for those with scales, feathers, or fur, they are not even given a glance, so the Xuankong Sect can be said to be the nobility of the world of sealed gods, with an extremely high threshold for birth.

  On the contrary, Tongtian Sect Master established a sect that cut off the line of life between heaven and earth, taking in disciples regardless of their background or birth, as long as they had some talent. This led to the phenomenon of uneven quality among the sect's members, with both brilliant individuals like Duobao Daoren, Zhao Gongming, and San Xiao, as well as those who were a scourge on society. Despite having the momentum of a gathering of ten thousand immortals, in the end they were outmaneuvered by Yuanshi Tianzun and nearly destroyed.

  The Demonic Sect can be said to have been a school for commoners in the beginning, and all sorts of people from the three teachings and nine streams were there. Moreover, the leader of the Tianxian Sect was originally a generous person, and apart from the basic rules and regulations, he did not restrain his disciples at all. Under such circumstances, Shen Gongbao naturally got along with everyone in the Demonic Sect, and eventually became the pawn that led to the downfall of the Demonic Sect, as calculated by Yuanshi Tianzun.

  In the original work, what is said to be the most powerful treasure is not the Taiji diagram, the Pangu flag or the Zhuxian Four Swords, but Shengong Bao's famous saying: "Fellow Taoist, please stay your step!"

  No matter who, as long as they are called out by Shen Gong Bao, they will absolutely be plagued with bad luck. Either they will die and enter the cycle of reincarnation, or a wisp of their soul will rush to the Sealing God's List, becoming a strange servant in the Heavenly Court from then on, never again able to cultivate the Dao.

  "Alas... forget it, I'll just be despicable then!" Shen Gongbao stood up, shook his head and stopped worrying. He then whispered to himself: "'Fellow Daoist, please stay', heh heh, what a great treasure! It seems I still need to plan carefully. That cheap master thought he could outsmart me, but he doesn't know that now I can also outsmart him. The player and the chess piece are not yet clear!"

  "Is that the bald one in front, the Southern Immortal Old Man?" Shen Gongbao thought to himself, "Next to him is a crane, probably the Southern Immortal Old Man's mount. Hmm, the crane looks quite plump, I wonder what it tastes like?"

  Shen Gong Bao hastily suppressed the thoughts in his heart. If Nan Ji Xian Weng were to find out what he was thinking, heaven knows how he would deal with Shen Gong Bao.

  Xian Gong Bao hastily stepped forward and bowed: "Greetings, Brother Nanji."

  Antarctic Immortal looked at the extremely despicable Shen Gongbao in front of him, feeling very anxious about why his master Yuanshi wanted to accept him as a disciple. The talent was ordinary, but this appearance really had some impact on the honor of the sect. However, the master must have had deep intentions, and it was not something that he could speculate about.

  "Hmm!" The Antarctic immortal nodded slightly, and then frowned again: "Shen Shidi, don't take advantage of your higher cultivation than Jiang Ziya Shidi to bully him recklessly in the future. Otherwise, don't blame me for telling Teacher about it and letting Teacher punish you severely!

  Shen Gong Bao's face turned red with rage, "Fine! I was just being polite and you're already acting like a senior brother, criticizing me harshly. I'm enduring this! Hmph, if you weren't the Great Luo Golden Immortal, I would have taught you a lesson!"

  Although he was furious in his heart, Shen Gong Bao still smiled and said: "Yes, yes, yes. My brother Nanji taught me a lesson, I will behave myself from now on, and I will go to Jiang Ziya's place to apologize."

  "It's all right, fellow disciples should help each other in harmony. Don't fight with each other!" said Nanji Xianweng slowly, but looking at Shen Gongbao's sly smile, he still felt a wave of disgust for no reason. Then he said: "I'm going to find a kind of spiritual grass to refine the elixir, Brother Shen can do as he pleases, I'll leave now!"

  A white crane let out a loud cry, and the immortal of the South Pole flapped his sleeves and soared to the top of the clouds, disappearing in an instant.

  Shen Gong Bao gazed at Nanji Xianweng as he departed, silently cursing: "Nanji Xianweng, humph, just you wait!" He then turned around and flew towards Qilin Cliff, disappearing into the distance in an instant. Unbeknownst to him, his mind was actually thinking: "Mmm, that crane looks plump, I wonder how long Nanji Xianweng has been raising it, and what its flavor is like."

  As he thought about it, his saliva flowed unknowingly. In his past life, he had no other hobbies, and the money he earned from work was spent on games and food. He had tasted many wild flavors, but now he saw a crane, how could Shen Gongbao not have evil thoughts?