Translator: AnubisTL
Lingyun Sect, Sect Affairs Hall.
"Senior Brother Xu, here for another Sect Mission? I thought you just completed Elder Jin's task not long ago. Why aren't you resting longer?"
A slender figure in white robes entered the Sect Affairs Hall, immediately recognized by a disciple.
This was Xu Xia, the man Li Qing had been secretly observing. He possessed a handsome face, a tall, lean frame, and an aura as serene as still water.
Hearing the question, Xu Xia clasped his hands in a respectful greeting toward the disciple on duty at the General Affairs Hall. "I didn't expect to see Junior Brother Lin here today. As you know, my talent is limited, so I must diligently take on Sect Missions to accumulate Sect Contribution points. My goal is to earn a second foundation establishment pill."
"My cultivation has stagnated at the perfected qi refining stage. Without a foundation establishment pill, I dare not recklessly attempt to break through to the foundation establishment realm."
Junior Brother Lin smiled warmly, expressing understanding, while secretly admiring Senior Brother Xu's resilience.
After accumulating so many Sect Contribution points to obtain a foundation establishment pill, only to fail in his attempt, most would have been discouraged for a long time.
Senior Brother Xu quickly recovered from his setback and resumed his role as a mission fanatic, constantly visiting the Sect Affairs Hall to accept various tasks and accumulate sect contribution points for a second foundation establishment pill.
This was the fundamental difference between sect disciples and rogue cultivators.
In the outside world, a foundation establishment pill was a rare treasure, akin to a precious immortal medicine.
Within the sect, however, it could be obtained through sect contribution points.
Of course, the sect's supply of foundation establishment pills wasn't limitless. They couldn't allow disciples to exchange for them without restraint.
The contribution points required for a disciple's first foundation establishment pill were relatively modest. But for each subsequent pill, the required points would multiply exponentially, becoming increasingly exorbitant.
As a result, most qi refining realm disciples could typically only acquire a maximum of three foundation establishment pills in their lifetime. The contribution points needed for a fourth pill would be astronomical, enough to make even Foundation Establishment Stage elders' eyelids twitch.
"Heh, Junior Brother Lin, any new missions lately?" Xu Xia asked with a warm smile.
Junior Brother Lin nodded eagerly. "Yes, I heard there might be remnants of the Shangqing Sect in the West Ridge area. It seems to be a group of late qi refining realm cultivators. The sect has issued a mission to eliminate them!"
"Senior Brother Xu, have you considered it? This extermination mission offers this many contribution points!" Junior Brother Lin gestured with his hand.
Xu Xia's eyes lit up at the sight of the gesture, his heart pounding with excitement.
A staggering 180 Sect Contribution points! Such a generously rewarded mission was a rare opportunity.
Typical extermination missions involving late qi refining realm cultivators rarely exceeded 100 contribution points, with anything over 150 being exceptionally rare.
The unusually high reward this time was likely due to the mission targeting remnants of the Shangqing Sect.
After a moment's contemplation, Xu Xia made his decision.
"I do have a few fellow disciples I'm close to within the sect. To ensure things go smoothly, I could team up with one of them for this mission."
With that thought, Xu Xia resolved to accept the mission.
"Alright, I'll take it!" Xu Xia declared after a moment's deliberation.
While extermination missions assigned to inner sect disciples weren't particularly dangerous, it was always prudent to team up with a fellow disciple for added security.
After all, no one could predict whether unexpected complications might arise during this mission, so erring on the side of caution was always wise.
Junior Brother Lin smiled and said, "Alright, Senior Brother Xu, please give me your identity token so I can register this mission under your name."
"Also, a foundation establishment elder has issued a material collection task in the West Ridge area. Would you like to take that on as well?"
This exchange revealed Xu Xia's excellent interpersonal skills as an inner sect disciple. Junior Brother Lin had even gone out of his way to alert him to this opportunity.
Naturally, Xu Xia had no reason to refuse.
If he could complete two missions in a single trip, he would definitely seize the chance.
"Thank you, Junior Brother Lin!" Xu Xia said gratefully.
He handed his identity token to Junior Brother Lin, who registered both missions under his name.
At that moment, a faint spiritual light secretly landed on Xu Xia's identity token, unnoticed by anyone.
"Alright, I wish you a safe journey, Senior Brother Xu!" Junior Brother Lin returned the token.
After receiving the identity token, Xu Xia made sure to thank Junior Brother Lin profusely before hurrying out of the Sect Affairs Hall to prepare for the mission.
Watching Xu Xia leave, Junior Brother Lin finally let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his face.
When he turned around, he found a tall, imposing figure standing beside him, having appeared unnoticed.
Before Lin Qi could even make out the figure's face, he immediately dropped to his knees.
"Ancestor Limitless, this disciple has already assigned the mission to Senior Brother Xu!"
The figure was none other than Li Qing. He nodded and said, "Good work. You didn't give anything away."
"Remember to keep this matter strictly confidential. Here's your reward!"
With that, Li Qing left a mid-grade spirit stone on the desk and strode out of the Sect Affairs Hall.
Before Lin Qi could express his gratitude, Li Qing's figure had already vanished.
Lin Qi pocketed the spirit stone, its spiritual energy pure and potent, and realized his back was soaked in a cold sweat.
"What exactly happened to Senior Brother Xu? Why would Ancestor Limitless personally assign him a mission?"
Hiss... Could he be Ancestor Limitless's illegitimate son? No, that doesn't make sense. Senior Brother Xu's surname is Xu, but I remember Ancestor Limitless's surname being Li.
A storm raged in Lin Qi's mind as he scratched his head, unable to fathom Ancestor Limitless's true intentions.
One thing was clear: this matter must remain secret! This was a task personally entrusted to him by Ancestor Limitless himself, and he wouldn't dare disobey.
Xu Xia spent two full days preparing within the sect before embarking on his mission.
During this time, he purchased several high-grade first-tier talismans and recruited a trustworthy fellow disciple to accompany him, leaving no stone unturned in his preparations.
Little did he know that this mission had been specially arranged for him by Li Qing, and the trials he would face along the way would be far from simple!
West Ridge, a mountain range west of the Azure Ridge Domain, lay a considerable distance from the Lingyun Sect, requiring a long journey.
This mountain range was sparsely populated and possessed meager spiritual energy, making it a rarely visited place.
Yet within this otherwise unremarkable mountain range grew peculiar ancient pines.
These ancient pines were not spiritual trees, but rather ordinary trees of extraordinary age.
Perhaps due to their ancient age, the pinecones from these ancient pines had become a favorite among certain rodent-like demon beasts.
Many cultivators who kept rodent-type demon beasts would gather these pinecones to feed their creatures.
This was precisely why the West Ridge had attracted the attention of numerous cultivators.
Impoverished cultivators with no particular skills would come to the West Ridge to harvest fresh pinecones from the ancient trees, selling them to cultivators who kept rodent-type demon beasts.
Though the profits were meager—only a few spirit stones—the venture required no initial investment. The main cost was the time spent traveling to and from the ridge.
In the immortal realm, low-tier demon beasts like treasure-seeking rats remained popular among cultivators.
The two missions Xu Xia had accepted were directly related to these ancient pines.
The collection mission required him to gather fresh pinecones for an elder of the Lingyun Sect, who needed them to feed his Gold-Seeking Rat.
The extermination mission involved remnants of Shangqing Sect's qi refining disciples who had survived the sect's downfall. They had occupied the West Ridge, ambushing and robbing rogue cultivators who came to harvest pinecones for profit.
Generally speaking, rogue cultivators who relied on Ancient Pinecones for a living were at the very bottom of the immortal realm's hierarchy, lacking exceptional combat prowess.
However, as more and more rogue cultivators went missing in short succession, news of their disappearances finally surfaced.
Both missions were genuine, not fabricated by Li Qing. He simply believed these tasks were well-suited for assessing the inner sect disciple's capabilities.
The journey from Lingyun Sect to West Ridge was long, and qi refining realm cultivators couldn't sustain prolonged flight. They would spend much of their time traveling on foot, making the journey ideal for Li Qing to set up trials and evaluations along the way.
East Wu Town was a small settlement inhabited by mortals, serving as a crucial node on the trade route connecting two major cities. Consequently, it saw a steady stream of travelers and merchants passing through.
"Senior Brother Xu, let's rest and resupply in this town," suggested the Lingyun Sect disciple accompanying Xu Xia.
Xu Xia pondered for a moment before agreeing.
Qi refining realm cultivators couldn't yet achieve complete abstinence from food. Throughout their journey, they had relied on Qi Replenishing Pills for sustenance.
However, after days without a hot, steaming meal, their appetites naturally grew stronger.
Xu Xia nodded. "Indeed, we've covered more than half the journey and endured considerable travel fatigue. It's time to find an inn and rest properly for a day."
"But remember," he cautioned, "we're here on a Sect Mission. We must avoid causing trouble and refrain from flaunting our status in mortal towns!"
His junior brother chuckled dismissively. "I know, I know—Sect rules. How could I possibly break them?"
With that, the two entered the bustling mortal town and settled into a random inn.
Unbeknownst to them, a tall, imposing figure materialized in the shadows.
"They're behaving themselves, at least, adhering to Sect rules while traveling. But mere compliance won't make them fit to be sect leader!"
Li Qing pondered briefly before vanishing once more.
The next day, after a full day's rest at an inn in East Wu Town, Xu Xia and his junior brother resumed their journey.
Meanwhile, from within a nearby gambling den, a mournful voice drifted out:
"Husband, please stop gambling! This is the money for our child's medicine!"
The woman's plea was met with a middle-aged man's furious roar:
"Get out! Don't interfere with my bets! This time, I'm betting big!"
The woman continued to wail inside the gambling den, "This is the last of our silver. My poor child hasn't had proper medicine for days. I've been boiling the same dregs over and over, but how can his cold ever get better like that?"
"Hmph, if you need money, go ask my father-in-law," the man sneered. "The old bastard can't just stand by and watch his own grandson die, can he?"
"And while you're at it, get some extra silver. I'm running low on capital—how am I supposed to win back my losses?"
As he spoke, the dice had already been rolled at the gambling table. As expected, the man lost his bet.
Enraged, he blamed his wife for ruining his luck. His eyes bloodshot with fury, he kicked the woman out of the gambling den.
The onlookers in the gambling den couldn't bear to watch any longer. They finally sent a few men to carry the weeping woman out of the den.
On the street, Xu Xia and his companion witnessed the scene.
They stopped to watch the woman slumped on the street, sobbing, and a pang of sympathy stirred within them.
"Sigh," Xu Xia sighed softly. He quietly approached the woman and pressed a few pieces of silver into her hand.
"Huh? Thank you, benefactor! Thank you so much!" The woman clutched the silver coins tightly, her tears still wet on her cheeks as she smiled.
Unbeknownst to them, this scene caught the eye of a man in the gambling den. His eyes bloodshot from gambling losses, he stormed out and lunged at the woman, trying to snatch the coins from her hand.
"Give it here!" the middle-aged man roared, his voice harsh and menacing.
The woman clenched her fist, refusing to let go. Trembling with fear, she pleaded, "Husband, our child is truly dying! Please stop!"
Slap!
Her only response was a sharp slap that echoed through the entire street.
Instantly, a crimson handprint bloomed on her sallow cheek, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
The middle-aged man snarled, baring his teeth. "Dare to defy me? Hand it over!"
"My luck's finally turned! Once I win, what medicine won't I be able to afford?"
"Hand over the silver now!"
But the woman refused to let go, burying her head and clutching the few silver coins in her hand.
The middle-aged man, finally losing his patience, began to punch and kick her with full force.
Finally, the woman couldn't endure any longer. She reluctantly released her grip, trembling as she handed over the coins.
"Damn it! Why didn't you do this sooner? Had to get a beating before you'd listen!"
The man grumbled as he pocketed the meager silver and strode back into the gambling den, completely ignoring the bruised and battered woman.
Xu Xia and his companion, who had witnessed the entire scene, clenched their fists involuntarily, their anger barely contained.
(End of the Chapter)
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