Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 510 Unwavering Will
Chapter 518

With a hand, he can truly interact with the world on a "physical" level, pick things up, attack, and unleash more methods.

However, just as he was preparing to begin this magnificent "creation" project, a feeling of being spied on rose from the bottom of his heart once again.

This time, it's not the naked greed and brutality of the skeleton predators, but a colder, more cunning scrutiny.

Xu Ran's will instantly subsided, and the brilliance on the Dao Source Finger Bone completely disappeared, turning into an ordinary gray bone, lying quietly in the shadow of the Dragon Elephant Leg Bone, like an ordinary stone.

He "looked" in the direction from which the spying came from.

In the distant sky, a black dot glides silently closer as it approaches.

That was... a crow?
It was not large, similar in size to an ordinary crow, but its body was not jet black; instead, it was a ghastly white, as if formed from bone powder ground from countless bones. Its eyes were neither flesh nor soul fire, but two deep, black-hole-like crystals that shimmered with a chilling, all-seeing wisdom.

It made no sound, not even the flapping of its wings, like a ghost wandering in the land of the dead.

"Unknown unit detected!"

Species: Bone-Worshipping Crow (??)

"realm:???"

"Description: The ancient inhabitants of the Abandoned Ruins make their living by collecting and exchanging high-value bones and soul essences. They are the maintainers of order and the merchants of death. Extremely dangerous and extremely cunning."

"Warning: This creature possesses extremely high intelligence and unknown, bizarre abilities. It is strongly recommended that the host remain hidden and not reveal their presence!"

Worship the crows!
Xu Ran's heart skipped a beat. The system's description made him instantly understand the creatures' role. They weren't just simple predators; they were more like "merchants" or "corpse collectors" in this desolate graveyard.

The Bone-Worshipping Crow circled above the battlefield, its deep, crystalline eyes sweeping over the bone fragments scattered on the ground. Finally, it landed precisely in the shadow of the dragon-elephant leg bone where Xu Ran was hiding.

It found me!
Xu Ran's heart sank, but he still did not act rashly. He knew that in the face of this unknown, intelligent creature, any rash action could lead to his death.

The Bone Raven circled three times in the air, seemingly confirming something.

Finally, it landed slowly and gracefully atop the shattered, enormous skull belonging to the skeletal predator.

Instead of immediately collecting the bone fragments, it tilted its head, its crystal-like eyes fixed intently on the direction where Xu Ran was.

An invisible, cold wave of will crossed space and directly entered Xu Ran's consciousness.

This surge of will, without language or words, clearly conveyed a set of information.

“Outsider… an unfamiliar presence… ‘Wilderness’…”

“You…killed the 'Scavenger'…”

"No, you borrowed the power of the 'King'..."

"Interesting...little guy..."

Xu Ran's will suddenly contracted, as if he had been pricked by a needle.

It could see through so much! Not only did it know he was an outsider, but it could also recognize the aura of "Wilderness" and accurately determine that he had borrowed the power of the dragon-elephant leg bone!

That kind of insight is terrifying!

This is by no means a low-level creature; behind it must lie a deeper secret of this "Primordial Bone Sea".

Immediately afterwards, a second wave of willpower surged forth.

"This place...has its own rules..."

"In the slumbering place of the 'King,' all things are silent. The 'Scavenger's' clamor shattered the tranquility, and deserved to die."

"But its 'legacy' does not belong to you."

"According to the ancient covenant, all 'ownerless items' produced here will be collected by us 'gravekeepers'."

The gravedigger!
Xu Ran caught this key word. It turned out they called themselves "gravekeepers".

The will of the Bone Raven grew even colder, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

"Hand over the soul source you devoured, and... its most valuable piece, the 'core bone.' Then, leave. I can... pretend nothing happened."

Xu Ran fell silent.

Handing over the Soul Source? That would be tantamount to him severing his own foundation. His newly grown soul would be immediately reduced to its original form, or even weaker.

Hand over the core bone? The skeleton predator has thirty-four bones, and one of them must be the core of its power, far more valuable than the others.

This is blatant extortion!

But does he have any room to resist?

The other party's level is "???", which means that with the system's current permissions, it is simply impossible to analyze it. This in itself represents an insurmountable gap.

Moreover, the other party's strange ability to see through everything filled him with apprehension.

A direct confrontation is a dead end.

Escape? They probably couldn't outrun this eerie crow.

Are we really going to hand over the fruits of our hard work to someone else?
Xu Ran's will was racing at this moment. His entire life had been spent dealing with enemies far stronger than himself, searching for a glimmer of hope in desperate situations.

Compromise is necessary, but not complete compromise.

You need to make the other party feel like they've gotten a good deal, while also securing the greatest benefit for yourself.

"Dear gravedigger."

For the first time, Xu Ran proactively released his will fluctuations outward. His fluctuations were peaceful and humble, without the slightest hostility, and even carried a trace of awe for the ancient beings.

“I did not intend to offend the rules of this place. I am merely a remnant soul who has been awakened by chance in the silence of death, and I resorted to this desperate measure in order to protect myself. I have great respect for the great ‘King’.”

He first lowered his stance and acknowledged the other party's status.

Bai Guya tilted his head, the light in his crystal eyes flickering as if he were trying to discern the truth in his words.

"The Soul Source has already merged with my essence and cannot be separated." Xu Ran continued to convey the information, his tone sincere. "If you forcibly separate it, I will dissipate, and the Soul Source will also collapse, which will be of no benefit to you."

"As for the 'core bone'... I can offer it to you as compensation for disturbing the peace of this place."

This was the biggest concession he could make. He traded a core bone for his own survival, as well as the remaining thirty-three strands of bone energy.

The Bone Crow listened quietly without responding immediately.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze. On the desolate, skeletal land, only the newly born remnant soul and the ancient tomb guardian were engaged in a silent struggle.

Xu Ran's heart was in his throat. He knew that success or failure hinged on this moment. In order to increase his bargaining power, he subtly transmitted a trace of the extremely faint aura of "desolation" within his will fluctuations.

This is not a provocation, but a "demonstration".

Showcase your "value" and "potential".

Sure enough, when the Bone Raven sensed that even clearer aura of "wildness," a genuine emotional fluctuation flickered in its deep crystal eyes for the first time.

It was a feeling that was... a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and even a hint of... greed.

"'Wilderness'... It's a scent I haven't smelled in a long time... The last 'variable' to possess this aura tried to take over the entire Abandoned Ruins..."

The will of the Bone Raven fluctuated, carrying a hint of wistful vicissitude.

"He failed. But he was very strong."

Xu Ran's heart skipped a beat as he caught a startling piece of information. Before him, there had actually been someone who possessed the Dao of "Wilderness" and had stirred up trouble in this graveyard!

This world is more complex than he imagined!

“Your ‘wilderness’ is still very weak, like a seed that has just sprouted.” The Bone Raven’s will turned cold again. “But it’s very interesting.”

“Soul Source, you can stay.”

Xu Ran felt a sense of relief, knowing that he had made the right bet on the first step.

“I want the core bone. In addition, as the price for you retaining your soul source, you must use your ‘wild’ origin to do one thing for me.”

"What is it?" Xu Ran immediately became alert.

Bai Gu Ajte's crystal eyes turned to the dragon-elephant leg bone that stood like a colossal pillar.

"The will of the 'King' has been dormant for too long, covered with too much 'dust of logic.' This dust has polluted the purity of the bones. Your 'wilderness' can 'devour' it."

Xu Ran instantly understood the other party's intention.

The Dao Lord's will contained within the dragon-elephant leg bone was too strong; even the powerful Bone-Worshipping Crow dared not touch it lightly. As for those so-called "dust of logic," they were probably the imprints left on this immortal skeleton by the power of the rules of the Matrix world over countless eras, like rust.

His own "Wilderness" path is essentially a form of reverse pollution, devouring everything and turning it into nothingness. It has a restraining effect on these "rust" elements.

Bai Guya wanted him to be a "cleaner" and clean up the dragon and elephant leg bones!
This inevitably involves enormous risks. Every touch of the dragon-elephant leg bone is like dancing on a knife's edge.

But this is also a huge opportunity!

Isn't the process of clearing away the "dust of logic" also an opportunity to get up close and personal with the profound mysteries of the "Dao Master's" remains?
“Okay, I promise you.” Xu Ran replied without hesitation.

"Smart choice."

Baiguya seemed quite satisfied with his reply.

Without further hesitation, Xu Ran channeled his will and began to carefully search among the bone fragments scattered on the ground.

Soon, among a pile of broken bones, he found a unique fragment. It was a piece of sternum, about the size of a palm, crystal clear, with naturally formed complex patterns on its surface, faintly forming a node where energy flowed. This was the other core of power for the Skeleton Predator, besides its skull soul fire.

He controlled the Dao Source Finger Bone, silently absorbing the thirty-three weaker strands of bone energy into it and storing them. Then, he lifted the most crucial fragment of the sternum and slowly pushed it in front of the Bone-Worshipping Crow.

The Bone Raven's crystal eyes swept over the breastbone and nodded in satisfaction.

It opened its mouth, and a pale white light shot out, sweeping the fragment of the sternum into its mouth and swallowing it.

After finishing its meal, it did not leave immediately.

Instead, it opened its mouth again and spat out a small clump of... black soil that exuded a strong aura of death.

The soil was only the size of a fingernail, yet it seemed to contain the weight of an entire world, pitch black and deep, with countless stars seemingly born and dying within it.

"Ultra-high-order matter detected!"

【Item Name: One Coin - Burial Soil from the Ruins】

"Item Description: One of the most primordial substances in the Abandoned Ruins, formed from the ultimate dust created by the crushing and sedimentation of countless formatted cosmic remnants through a high-dimensional matrix. It contains the paradoxical principle of 'end' and 'new life'."

"Function: It can greatly nourish all Dao bodies or magical treasures related to 'death,' 'annihilation,' and 'desolation,' and can perfectly conceal their aura and isolate them from cause and effect."

Xu Ran's will stirred up a monstrous wave!

Return to the ruins and be buried in the earth!

This...this is an incredibly powerful treasure!
He initially thought it was an unfair transaction, and that he would suffer a huge loss. But to his surprise, this bone-worshipping raven, after taking the core bone, actually gave him a "return gift"!
This doesn't seem like extortion; it's more like... an exchange of equal value?
"This is your reward." The will of the Bone Raven resonated, still cold. "The gravedigger does not take advantage of the nameless. Use your 'wilderness' to polish the bones of the 'King,' and this handful of burial soil is your deposit."

"There will be additional compensation after the matter is completed."

Having said that, it didn't linger. With a flap of its wings, it transformed into a white streak of light and vanished instantly into the gray-white sky, as if it had never existed.

All that remained was a small clump of black soil exuding endless mystery, and Xu Ran, who was still in a state of profound shock.

"Gravekeeper...transaction...contract..."

Xu Ran muttered to himself, feeling as if he had touched an invisible net that covered the entire "Abandoned Ruins".

This place was not the chaotic, lawless primeval jungle he had imagined.

Above those ferocious "scavengers" are even higher-level "gravekeepers" who maintain some kind of ancient order.

He, this outsider, was unexpectedly drawn into this vast network due to the unique nature of the "Wilderness" Path, becoming one of its "pawns."

"A chess piece... is fine too." Xu Ran's will returned to its calm and serene state. "As long as there is value to be used, it means there is a reason to survive. As long as it can survive, a chess piece will eventually overturn the chessboard!"

He suppressed the myriad thoughts in his mind and focused his gaze on the two "trophies" in front of him.

Thirty-three strands of bone evil, and one coin returned to the burial ground.

Instead of immediately disturbing the invaluable burial soil, he devoted all his attention to the great undertaking of "bone forging."

"The 'Primordial Dao Bone Scripture: Bone Forging Chapter' uses the spirit as fire and evil as material to forge the Dao bones and reshape the true body!"

Xu Ran's will transformed into an invisible furnace. His divine soul power, which had just reached the minor completion stage of the Concentration Realm, was the forging hammer.

He carefully drew out a wisp of "bone evil" from the Daoyuan finger bone.

It was a gray-black current filled with violence and destruction. As soon as it appeared, it struggled frantically, trying to erode Xu Ran's will.

"town!"

Xu Ran's will was as firm as a mountain, pressing down hard. At the same time, a wisp of pure "wild" aura coiled up, like the strongest chain, binding the bone demon tightly.

(End of this chapter)