A Heart-to-Heart Talk

"First, seep your spiritual power into it and sense its structure. Once your spiritual power merges with it, you can control it and alter its shape."

Feng Xu was instructing Iron Pillar on how to refine wood at the edge of the forest.

"This is pretty simple. I thought artifact refining would be difficult, but it's actually easier than crafting things by hand."

Iron Pillar chuckled foolishly, like a child who had discovered a new toy.

"This hardly counts as artifact refining. For cultivators with a proper inheritance, it's something they can do as long as they possess spiritual power."

Feng Xu patiently explained.

Whether Iron Pillar was a transmigrator or not, Feng Xu needed to maintain a good relationship with him.

"After that come techniques such as pulling, stretching, bending, pressing, breaking, striking, carving, melting, joining, and so on."

These were the most basic methods, followed by enlarging or shrinking an object without changing its original form.

Feng Xu demonstrated each one repeatedly until Iron Pillar had learned them all.

Different materials and techniques consumed different amounts of spiritual power.

After playing around for a while, Iron Pillar began making a table for Feng Xu, while Feng Xu prepared to make a bathtub.

Just as the two were having a great time, Qu Shan came looking for them.

"Feng Xu, the Lord wants to see you."

Feng Xu asked Iron Pillar to help carry the wooden tub back, then followed Qu Shan to the Lord's house.

"Feng Xu, speak properly when you meet the Lord later. Don't be as evasive as before. This is an opportunity I worked hard to secure for you."

Qu Shan gave him a solemn warning.

"Looks like the Lord doesn't think much of me. But it's fine. At worst, I'll just go back and live my own quiet life."

"Don't act rashly. Our Lord is actually willing to listen to others. Just speak honestly."

When they reached the Lord's house, Qu Shan gestured for Feng Xu to enter while he found a place to sit outside.

The Lord's room was simply furnished, containing only an earthen bed.

When Feng Xu entered, the Lord was sitting by the bed, flipping through the dictionary.

Upon seeing Feng Xu, he invited him to sit.

"I have looked through these characters. They are indeed useful, but there is a problem. They will only be useful if many people learn and use them. The learning process is rather dull and takes time. Ordinary people will not find them easy to learn, will they?"

As soon as Feng Xu sat down, Yunfeng voiced his thoughts.

"What the Lord says is correct. Education is something that requires long-term investment. It is difficult to see results in a short time."

Feng Xu had not expected the Lord to immediately identify the weakness of writing. As expected of a Primordial Dao Embryo—his talent and comprehension far surpassed those of ordinary people.

"Other than carrying and transmitting information, what other uses do these characters have?"

"Is that not enough?"

"If that is all, then compared to the time invested, it is not worth it. The same amount of time could be used to do many other things."

"What things? Hunt more prey, or gather more wild fruit? And once there is enough food, what then? Sleep or fight? If this continues, then even ten thousand years from now, the Central Wilderness Tribe will still be nothing more than a pack of wild monkeys.

"My Wind-Fire Tribe, however, needed only ten years to grow from a small tribe of a few dozen people into the great Eastern Wilderness tribe it is today, with ten thousand members. Make full use of things, make full use of people's abilities, ensure abundant food and clothing, and let everyone enjoy peace and comfort."

Feng Xu smiled faintly.

What primitive tribes lacked least was time, because once their basic needs were met, they had nothing to do. Yet judging by the Lord's expression, their time seemed quite precious.

Time in the Eastern Wilderness truly was precious, but as for the Central Wilderness, any amount of time given to it would be wasted.

Yunfeng sensed a trace of arrogance in Feng Xu's tone, yet he did not become angry. Instead, he carefully considered Feng Xu's words.

"So learning itself is actually a way of making full use of time?"

"That is one way to put it, Lord. Moreover, the value of writing lies not in the writing itself, but in the content it carries."

Sensing the shift in the Lord's attitude, Feng Xu also became solemn.

"What do you mean?"

"If it is used to convey everyday chatter or useless nonsense, then naturally it has little value. But if it conveys important intelligence—such as where enemies have appeared, where reinforcements are needed, where food is lacking, or where someone has rebelled..."

Feng Xu watched Yunfeng's eyes, observing the changes in his expression. When Feng Xu mentioned rebellion, something flickered in Yunfeng's gaze.

It seemed the waters of the Central Wilderness Tribe ran deep.

"Writing can preserve life experience and cultivation method inheritances. It can also record the actual conditions in every region. Even without leaving his home, the Lord could know everything happening throughout the tribe."

The Central Wilderness Tribe's population was not especially concentrated, and its territory was vast, covering roughly five to six thousand square kilometers.

News from other parts of the tribe traveled slowly.

The accuracy of transmitted information was also difficult to ensure, because without a unified writing system, people understood the same words and gestures with slight differences.

Yunfeng was somewhat tempted.

"Furthermore, writing can be used for education. Many people do not know what they may do and what they may not do, so they easily make mistakes. Mistakes breed disorder, disorder loses the people's hearts, and once the people's hearts are lost, turmoil becomes endless."

Having said this, Feng Xu paused to observe Yunfeng's expression.

Yunfeng had already been moved by Feng Xu's words. What Feng Xu described was precisely the problem Yunfeng had always wanted to solve, yet had not known where to begin.

He immediately sat upright and bowed as he sought instruction.

"Please enlighten me!"

Feng Xu turned aside to avoid the bow and helped Yunfeng up.

"I have only just arrived here and am unfamiliar with both the place and its people. How could I dare accept such words? Let me inspect the area for a while first. Once I understand the situation here, I will find a way to assist the Lord."

"Very well. Then in the coming days, let Qu Shan show you around."

Yunfeng's favorable impression of Feng Xu deepened by a few more degrees.

At least Feng Xu was reliable, unlike certain people who knew nothing of the actual situation and could only spout lofty theories.

Yunfeng personally escorted Feng Xu outside. Qu Shan, waiting outside, smiled and nodded when he saw them.

It worked!

On the way back, Qu Shan asked Feng Xu about what had happened. When he learned that Feng Xu intended to inspect the Great Wilderness first, he found the idea quite reasonable.

"In that case, I'll have Dashan and the other two show you around these next few days, so you can familiarize yourself with the tribe."

Dashan and the other two were more familiar with Feng Xu, so they truly were the best candidates.

"Yes, that was my thought as well, but the three of them alone won't be enough."

"Oh? Should we add Iron Pillar too? You two seem to get along rather well."

Feng Xu still shook his head.

"Give me two hundred people first. Their strength does not matter."

"What do you need so many people for?"

"To make them work, of course. The grain from our earlier trade needs somewhere to be stored, and preparations for the Blood Pool need to begin as well."

Both matters required considerable time. While handling them, Feng Xu could mingle with the workers, become familiar with them, and learn more about the situation.

There were some things those below did not know, and some things only those below knew.

By the time they returned to their residence, it was already dark. Iron Pillar was heating water for a bath.

Feng Xu soaked in the wooden tub and told Iron Pillar about the work ahead.

He did not continue testing him, nor did he reveal that he was a transmigrator.

Until he fully understood Iron Pillar, it was best to remain cautious.

The next morning, Feng Xu finished a set of Taiji Fist outside the door, but Iron Pillar beside him showed no unusual reaction.

It was impossible to tell whether Iron Pillar had never seen Taiji Fist before or was deliberately playing dumb.

Qu Shan brought over two hundred people, who milled about casually outside the door.

"The tribe's capable fighters have gone out hunting, so these people will have to make do."

"No matter. We are only doing construction work. The Innate Realm is sufficient."

In the Great Wilderness, those in the Innate Realm belonged to the very bottom tier. Normally, they only chopped wood near the tribe and caught small prey, and they were often looked down upon.

Feng Xu divided the crowd into three groups, each led by one of Dashan's group.

As an outsider himself, it was more appropriate to let their own people manage them.