Chapter Seventeen: Sect Mission

Humming a cheerful tune and stepping lightly, Zhang Yan walked along the bluestone path.

“They’re here…”

The four men’s eyes lit up. They drew out the heavy clubs they’d prepared and swiftly pulled cloth masks over their faces.

“Hey!”

A loud shout startled Zhang Yan out of his wits. He spun around, eyes wide in alarm.

Four dark clubs came crashing down from above. Caught off guard, he had no choice but to take the blows head-on.

Thud! Thud!

Four muffled strikes landed. Stars burst before Zhang Yan’s eyes, and his body swayed on the verge of collapse.

It should be known that the strength of these four was nothing like before; even Lin Cheng alone could beat him now, much less when all four launched a surprise attack together.

In his fury, Zhang Yan didn’t even look at the black-robed figures. With a roar, he unleashed a deadly move.

“Heavenly General’s Wild Advance, third form—Dominating Flame!”

He struck with lethal intent.

Lin Cheng was the first to move. He leapt into the air and landed before Zhang Yan in a flash, wielding his club like a sword to slash down furiously.

Blood spurted from Zhang Yan’s lips. His body flew backward like a severed kite, crashing hard into the ground.

Seeing this, the four closed in instantly, laying into him with their clubs.

In moments, the foothills echoed with Zhang Yan’s pig-like howls of pain.

…

At the Azure Sun Sect’s mission square, the place was packed. Disciples crowded around, eyes fixed on the sect’s task board.

Slay a three-headed Fire Hound and submit its spirit core for a bottle of Yang Essence Pills!

Slay a three-striped Black Tiger and submit its spirit core for three neutral spirit stones!

Help Black Mountain Town eradicate the demon wreaking havoc on the villages for a bottle of True Spirit Elixir!

Find a Glazed Jade Grass and exchange it for ten neutral spirit stones!

…

Before the task board, Lin Cheng and his three companions discussed the various missions and the rewards offered, weighing their options.

“Did you hear? Senior Brother Zhang Yan of Azure Sun Peak got ambushed at the foot of his own mountain.”

“I heard too. Apparently, some black-robed men clubbed him from behind…”

“Yeah, four of them. His wailing even alarmed Elder Sun De.”

…

The square buzzed with gossip among the disciples.

Lin Cheng’s group exchanged glances, the corners of their mouths curving into sly smiles.

If everyone knew the culprits stood right before them, they’d be avoiding them like the plague.

“Hey, Lin Cheng, look at this task—the reward is actually a metal-element spirit stone!”

Investigate the cause of the spirit beast rampage at the Lava Veins and report back to the sect. Reward: one metal-element spirit stone!

Lin Cheng had originally planned to take the mission to help Black Mountain Town eliminate the demon for a bottle of True Spirit Elixir.

He was eager to advance his own cultivation, and as he understood, True Spirit Elixir was the most common pill for cultivating in the True Qi Realm—more effective than absorbing neutral spirit stones.

But seeing this task, with its reward of a metal-element spirit stone, he was tempted.

In the cultivation world, neutral spirit stones were the most common and widely used—the universal currency for cultivators of any elemental root.

But special stones also existed: gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder—stones imbued with these elements held unique properties.

Yet they also had limitations. For example, a fire-element stone was useless to someone with a metal root; but in the hands of a metal-rooted cultivator, a single metal-element stone was immensely valuable, containing a trace of pure metal essence.

Without hesitation, Lin Cheng accepted the mission. The others soon picked their own tasks, ready to set out together.

“Are we really just going to walk all the way to the mission sites?” Niu Shisan’s comment made them halt mid-step.

Lin Cheng said, “You’re right, it’s a long journey… We can’t fly yet, and on foot we’d never make it.”

“How about each of us finds a horse?” suggested Lin Hu.

Niu Shisan rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“How did I end up with such country bumpkins? Haven’t you heard of griffins? Those spirit beasts can travel ten thousand miles in a day, and they’re much safer in the air.”

Pang Bo asked, “Where are we supposed to find such flying mounts?”

Lin Cheng and Lin Hu both looked to Niu Shisan.

“They’re right in our own sect! But rentals cost one neutral spirit stone for ten days. Honestly, you guys should get out more. You don’t even know this and you’re talking about horses…”

The three of them blushed in embarrassment.

“Remember, we’re immortals now,” Niu Shisan intoned.

The other three fell silent.

With that, he seemed to get carried away, and they gave him a playful knock on the head before heading to the Spirit Beast Yard.

The Spirit Beast Yard lay not far from the foot of Jade Maiden Peak.

Looking up at the peak, wreathed in immortal mist and serene as a maiden, the four of them could not help but exclaim in wonder.

“Greetings, Elder. We’d like to rent four griffins,” Lin Cheng said respectfully, bowing to a gray-robed Daoist nun at the yard entrance.

She glanced at the four, and when she saw Lin Cheng in black, she returned the gesture.

“Four neutral spirit stones. Ten days.”

With a whistle, she summoned four majestic griffins with lion bodies and eagle heads. They emerged from the yard, standing before them.

Opening the storage pouch given by Senior Sister Han Meng, Lin Cheng handed over four neutral spirit stones. The four of them leapt onto the griffins and soared into the sky.

Watching the buildings shrink below and the white clouds drift past, with the wind whistling in their ears, they felt, for the first time, like true immortals.

Before setting out, they had agreed to first investigate the Lava Veins together. With the spirit beast unrest, Pang Bo and the others hoped to find the beasts for their missions there.

The Lava Veins lay over ten thousand miles from the Azure Sun Sect. Even with griffins, it took them a full day’s flight to arrive.

It was already deep night when they found a cave and lit a campfire, planning to rest and investigate the area at dawn.

At first light, they set out. Deciding to scout from above, they observed the terrain of the Lava Veins before making their plans.

From the sky, the four griffins circled overhead. The Lava Veins were surrounded on three sides—east, south, and north—by mountain ranges. To the west, ten thousand miles away, lay the Azure Sun Sect’s territory.

The landscape below was a sea of crimson. At its heart rose a towering active volcano, so tall it pierced the clouds. Even from afar, they could feel the scorching heat rolling off it.

The closer they got, the more agitated their griffins became, almost out of control. Realizing this, the four quickly retreated to a safer distance.

Seated on the red hillside, they discussed their findings.

“I think there’s something wrong with that volcano.”

“I agree. The source of the trouble must be there.”