Li Yan's Passage into the Mission Array
Li Yan took one determined step forward and entered the magical formation designated for receiving missions. The moment he crossed its threshold, his body was suddenly bathed in a dazzling, searing white light. He strained his eyes to see what lay beyond, yet within the swirling white radiance nothing was clear. In that shifting brilliance, he was unsure what immortal technique this formation employed. Remarkably, every disciple who entered seemed automatically transported—without even being aware of what lay immediately around them—to a spot that was completely vacant. All around him, the space was filled with white light in every direction. However, when he turned to look behind him, he discovered the unmistakable outline of a dark hole; this, he presumed, was the exit.
Raising his eyes again, Li Yan noticed the enormous white jade tablet suspended in midair. The panel's surface featured rows of golden characters that seemed to jump and dance continuously. Occasionally, an entire row would shift from bright gold to a dull gray—the sign, he knew, that someone had already claimed that corresponding mission. In other cases, certain trailing numbers rolled upward, clearly indicating that a multi-person mission was being refreshed by a group of cultivators.
Li Yan's gaze eventually settled upon the column labeled for the "spiritual plant garden." At the top of that column, a large, bold numeral "2" was displayed—a direct correspondence, he recalled, to the stone plaque on the roadside that bore two thin, deliberate cracks. In that column there were roughly forty or so individual mission entries. He began to read aloud in his mind:
"Mission Type: 2, Water (irrigate) fifty mu of Long'an Leaf, Single Person; requires a rudimentary mastery of the 'Mist Breathing Technique' and knowledge of the growth elixir properties of Long'an Leaf. Must be performed at a fixed interval every day; for every three days, one low-grade spiritual stone is rewarded; if one plant is damaged, a penalty of one low-grade spiritual stone applies…"
"Mission Type: 2, Harvest two hundred mu of Spiritual Rice, Multi-Person; the amount per mu may be freely chosen. Requires completion of the wood-type 'Qing Ren Technique' to a state of almost perfection; every ten mu yields one spiritual stone, but if fifty rice stalks are lost, a penalty of one low-grade spiritual stone is incurred. Must be completed within two months; for every mu beyond the deadline, a penalty of one spiritual stone applies…"
"Mission Type: 2, Apply medicine to Guang Si Zi over one hundred mu, Multi-Person; the amount per mu is freely selectable. Requires water-type 'Fen Shuang Jue' at the initial stage of great accomplishment, and a correct understanding of the timing of the medicine's dispersion. Every mu pays out two spiritual stones, a loss of one mu results in a penalty of four low-grade spiritual stones; to be completed within one month, with an additional penalty of three low-grade spiritual stones per mu for tardiness…"
"......"
Line after line, Li Yan absorbed the details. A deep sigh escaped him. The rewards in spiritual stones appeared to be exceedingly hard to earn. In many of these tasks, if any damage were incurred, the compensation might cost a one-to-one penalty or even several times the original value. Moreover, he noted that many of these missions—by their very design—required continuous effort for several months or even a year and a half before they could be fully completed. He recalled that an outside-door disciple in the early phase of the Condensation Qi stage might earn only three low-grade spiritual stones in a month, totaling a mere thirty-six per year. For instance, harvesting two hundred mu of Spiritual Rice might net just twenty stones—and since it was a multi-person mission, the actual gains would be even more diffused.
As he continued reading, Li Yan also noticed that many missions imposed strict criteria regarding one's current level of immortal arts and elemental attributes. He was aware that certain spiritual herbs or elixirs reacted differently depending on the elemental attributes of the instruments or the type of immortal art employed. For example, even if one used the "Qing Ren Technique," if it were combined with fire, certain herbs might be completely ruined. In contrast, missions that required higher-grade immortal arts typically carried higher spiritual stone rewards.
Eventually, his eyes fell on one particular entry: "Mission Type: 2, Water (irrigate) fifty mu of Mo Wang Bamboo, Single Person; requires water–wood dual 'Yun Yu Shu' at the minor mastery stage. Perform a daily, fixed-time task for a total of eighty-one days; receive one low-grade spiritual stone for every ten days; if fifty bamboo culms are lost, a penalty of one low-level spiritual stone is imposed."
"Mo Wang Bamboo, Mo Wang Bamboo…" Li Yan murmured softly, caught in thought. "Could this be the same kind of bamboo I've seen here on Little Bamboo Peak?" After a brief pause, he shook his head resolutely and said to himself, "Never mind—it's at least bamboo I'm familiar with. The other missions I've never seen before, and I'd have little confidence in them anyway. In any case, I have to accept a mission, so I'll trust my intuition."
Standing there, stroking his chin as he ruminated, Li Yan finally made up his mind. Without further delay—so as not to be beaten to it by another disciple—he let his divine sense anchor onto that particular mission information on the white jade panel. In the very next moment, he saw a burst of red light shoot from his waist token. Simultaneously, the line displaying the Mo Wang Bamboo mission on the white jade board faded into grayscale. His divine sense then sank deep into the token; instantly, the complete mission information imprinted itself in his mind. There was no doubt now—it was the Mo Wang Bamboo task.
After confirming his choice, Li Yan walked out of the Mission Hall. He found himself on a winding mountain path encircled by the constant murmur of bamboo leaves. Not far along this path, Lin Daqiao had already returned. Li Yan glanced over at a stone plaque by the roadside—etched visibly with two thin cracks—and smiled lightly before continuing down the path.
A New Trial in the Bamboo Forest
After the passage of a half-cup of tea's time, Li Yan found himself on a familiar small path he had once visited years ago. Without lingering, he plunged directly into the phantom array formed within the dense bamboo forest. In a sudden flash of radiant light, the world around him transformed. When his vision cleared, he discovered that he now stood in a vast valley. This valley spanned an impressive expanse—by his estimation, for several hundred li—with an undulating terrain populated by a dazzling variety of plants. There were vast fields of vibrant flowers and grassy meadows, extensive herbal gardens, and enormous patches of cereal-like crops that reminded him of wheat. Intermittent groves of towering trees intermingled with all these, and a soft breeze carried an intoxicating floral aroma. The very air was charged with a lively, almost palpable spiritual energy.
After standing in silent wonder for a short while, Li Yan chose a particular direction and began to walk forward. Amid the lush green grass and blossoming flowers, he noticed a patch of land dominated by a dense, pulsating yellow mist. Before long, he arrived at this mysterious clearing enveloped by the haze. As he stared at the surging yellow mist, uncertainty flashed in his mind—he was momentarily at a loss as to what step to take next. He recalled that when he had inquired earlier with his Seventh Brother, Lin Daqiao had explained that within these three distinct mission areas, one must first locate the responsible senior—someone who would then arrange the necessary tasks—and that the locations of the mission offices in these areas had been clearly outlined.
Just as Li Yan was about to try activating his waist token, the yellow mist churned vehemently. In an instant, an opening—a passageway—emerged from within the swirling haze. Unsure whether the formation had sensed his presence or if a refined divine sense from within the area had caused the corridor's creation, Li Yan hesitated no longer. He holstered his token, steeled his resolve, and stepped into the passage.
Inside, he found himself in a quiet yet well-appointed Bamboo Courtyard composed of several discrete structures. Although the courtyard itself was large, it was also filled with numerous apparatus. Wooden stakes were arrayed in crisscrossed patterns, rough-edged sand pits dotted the ground, and sturdy wooden beams spanned the area. Several stone locks lay scattered on the floor, almost as if placed deliberately to serve some protective or regulating function. The sight of these items caught Li Yan off guard—they reminded him distinctly of the training grounds he had once seen outside the Military Strategist's compound, where battalions of soldiers lived and practiced. He couldn't help but wonder for a moment: might this explain why Sixth Senior Sister, Gong Chenying, is reputed to be a robust physical cultivator?
In his readings, Li Yan had learned that cultivation paths could be broadly divided into two categories. On one hand, there was magical cultivation (fa xiu), which centered on refining spiritual qi and mastering long-range techniques; though potent, these practitioners were typically vulnerable in close combat and often relied on protective talismans or symbols. On the other hand, there was physical cultivation (ti xiu), which emphasized the development of the body—producing individuals with exceptional natural defensive capabilities who could engage in hand-to-hand combat with little reliance on external protections. Yet, rather than the refined forms taught in the classics, the instruments before him appeared almost crude—more like everyday tools used for conventional training.
Even so, Li Yan assessed his own abilities. Although he prized his skills as a magical cultivator, his physical body had grown extraordinarily resilient. He was capable, without expending any magical energy, of hefting four or five hundred jin with a single hand. In that light, these primitive training devices might be of little consequence to him; after all, a physical cultivator at his level could effortlessly lift several thousand jin without assistance. But what startled him more—and caused his face to flush with an involuntary warmth—was the sight of a short-haired, tall young woman standing before a set of parallel bars. Her expression was cool and indifferent. Li Yan recognized her instantly: it was none other than Sixth Senior Sister, Gong Chenying.
At this moment, Gong Chenying was dressed in a tightly fitted, short-sleeved top and matching shorts that revealed her strong, sun-kissed legs up to the knees. Each of her toned limbs was defined by smooth, graceful musculature, and her concave waist and well-rounded hips were unmistakable. Her upper body was accentuated by subtle curves, and her long neck—adorned with small beads of perspiration—glimmered with an almost crystalline sheen.
Li Yan's cheeks burned red with embarrassment. Throughout his short history of encounters with women—aside from his own elder sister—he had come to know only Zhao Min, whose gentle allure and delicate fragrance had always made his heart flutter. Yet now, the direct presence of Gong Chenying struck him with an intensity he was unprepared for. He stood frozen, uncertain whether to retreat or to approach her.
"Are you here to accept a mission?" Gong Chenying asked coolly, her tone as detached as if she were unaware of Li Yan's inner turmoil. In a casual manner, she picked up a pristine white towel and briskly wiped the sweat from her face and neck.
"Y-yes, I… am," Li Yan stammered, hastily nodding and quickly diverting his gaze, as if trying to focus on the nearby apparatus rather than the overwhelming scene unfolding before him.
"Hand me your waist token," she ordered, her voice unyielding. She draped the towel atop the parallel bars before stepping forward toward him.
"Senior Sister," Li Yan replied in a mix of haste and nervousness as he fumbled to produce his waist token from its pouch. At that moment, as Gong Chenying advanced to within a few steps, Li Yan caught a subtle but unmistakable scent—akin to the delicate aroma he associated with Zhao Min, though now intensified by the warmth of the moment. His heart thumped rapidly in his chest.
Without a word of emotion, Gong Chenying raised her hand in a graceful, almost imperceptible gesture. In an instant, Li Yan's token flew out of his grasp; it seemed to merge briefly with her own refined divine sense before she returned it to him.
"Mo Wang Bamboo mission," she stated coolly. "You have a multi-element spiritual root, which means you naturally possess both water and wood affinity. But tell me—have you achieved minor mastery of the 'Yun Yu Shu'? If not, then even if you try, the power you can manifest will be insufficient. Worse still, your effort will merely squander your 'Xue Xi Jing.' Demonstrate your ability now; otherwise, you will end up having to pay penalties amounting to several low-grade spiritual stones."
Though Li Yan understood only parts of her explanation—especially the reference to "Xue Xi Jing," the term was still unfamiliar—he said nothing in protest. Instead, he simply crossed his arms over his chest. Almost immediately afterwards, as if in response to his unspoken challenge, dark clouds began to gather overhead, swirling ominously and heralding the promise of rain. Yet, curiously, no droplets fell at that very moment. Gong Chenying merely nodded, an acknowledgment that this controlled state was exactly what one expected at the minor mastery stage of an immortal art.
At this point, the narrative detailed the classification of immortal arts mastery levels—from the entry stage to proficiency, followed by the early, mid, and late stages of minor accomplishment, then progressing to a state of perfection and further advanced stages. Li Yan had, in the span of three short years, reached a major stage in his "Flowing Sand Technique," while his other techniques—including "Yun Yu Shu"—remained around the mid-to-late minor stage. This rapid progression, he knew, was largely due to the sect's preferential allocation of resources that had accelerated his development. His current state of "Yun Yu Shu," now at mid-minor level, allowed him to channel its power in a single breath and hold that force in reserve.
"Hold on a moment—I'll take you over," Gong Chenying interjected without further commentary. With that, she turned and strode purposefully into the bamboo house. Moments later, she emerged, now adorned in a flowing dark-green robe that exuded both elegance and authority.
Leaving the secluded Bamboo Courtyard, the protective yellow mist reasserted itself, once again concealing the small courtyard behind a veil of shifting color. With a flourish of her hand, Gong Chenying summoned a small jade boat out of thin air. The vessel materialized gracefully, and without hesitation, she leapt onto it. Li Yan, marveling at this superior magical instrument—which far surpassed the capabilities of his own flying spirit device—followed suit, jumping aboard with determination.
They soared together through the serene valley for roughly seventy to eighty li, until at last they reached the edge of another bamboo forest—a vast expanse spanning about forty li. In this new forest, bamboo was arranged in alternating grids; some stems were slender and exhibited a light ink hue, while others were thicker and boasted a deep, robust dark-green color. Although the bamboos were reminiscent of those on Little Bamboo Peak, Li Yan sensed subtle differences that he could not quite articulate.
After their aerial journey, they descended onto the ground. Before them stretched a sizable patch of bamboo plantation, covering several dozen mu. In this plantation, each bamboo was remarkably diminutive—only about as thick as a thumb and barely reaching half a person's height. Their delicate branches and leaves were tinged with a gentle, light ink color.
"This entire area is dedicated to watering fifty mu of Mo Wang Bamboo seedlings," Gong Chenying explained steadily. "Based on the area affected by your 'Yun Yu Shu,' you'll probably only be able to cover half a mu at a time. More importantly, during the rainfall process, a wood-element spiritual force must successfully merge four units of 'Xue Xi Jing' into the raindrops as they descend and are suspended in midair. This entire process requires flawless synchronization—if the 'Xue Xi Jing' isn't completely melted when the rain reaches the ground, the Mo Wang Bamboo will suffer from a nutritional imbalance. This imbalance, in turn, means that for every half mu that fails to receive the proper infusion, fifty bamboo culms will be lost, and you'll be penalized one low-level spiritual stone. Moreover, if the loss of 'Xue Xi Jing' exceeds the preset quota, you may lose ten, with additional penalties applied as necessary."
Li Yan's mind reeled with the barrage of technical details. It felt as though spiritual stones were being flung from his storage bag, drifting off and disappearing into the distance. He understood that many of these tasks were designed to span extensive periods—some lasting several months or even up to a year and a half. Considering that an outer-door disciple in the early Condensation Qi stage might earn a modest three low-grade spiritual stones a month (adding up to only thirty-six in a year), a mission like harvesting two hundred mu of Spiritual Rice might only yield around twenty stones in total. And because such tasks were logged as multi-person missions, gathering enough of a reward would be extremely challenging.
Furthermore, many of these tasks came with strict limitations regarding the level of one's immortal arts and elemental affinities. Li Yan, drawing on his prior knowledge, understood that certain spiritual herbs and medicines reacted differently depending on which instrument or immortal technique was employed. For example, if one were to use the "Blue Blade Technique" in conjunction with fire, some herbs might be immediately destroyed. In contrast, tasks that required higher levels of skill in immortal arts tended to award a higher number of spiritual stones.
Line by line, Li Yan read and re-read the displays. Sighing inwardly at the monumental challenge of earning spiritual stones under such stringent conditions, he acknowledged the difficulty: most tasks meant that any incurred damage would lead to a penalty that might be equal to—or even several times—the reward. And with the duration of these tasks reaching nearly a year and a half for some, the overall return seemed dreadfully low for an unseasoned disciple.