Chapter IX: Assessment Task

"Accumulating thick and issuing thin, only then did I break through to the Dao Palace Realm, the Eldest Senior Brother flatters me too much."

"Since your realm has reached the Dao Palace Realm, then according to the rules of our Shushan, as long as you complete the assessment of the Dao Palace Realm, elders of the Dao Palace Realm can claim more cultivation supplies required every month."

"Please, Eldest Senior Brother, explain in detail."

Lu Changsheng knew that Shushan elders had to complete an assessment once they reached the Dao Palace Realm.

By passing the assessment, as an elder of the Dao Palace Realm, he could obtain more cultivation resources from Shushan every month.

That was right, nature selected the fittest, and even in the world of immortal cultivation, resources were limited, and the strong were qualified to allocate more resources because Dao Palace Realm elders could make greater contributions to Shushan than Nascent Soul Realm elders, and could also protect the sect for a longer time.

The elder's assessment task should originally have been issued by Sect Master Taiyuan True Person, but Taiyuan True Person was in closed-door cultivation, so it was changed to be issued on his behalf by Eldest Senior Brother Li Changye.

"You have cultivated in Shushan for a hundred years, yet you have never entered the mortal world. Shutting yourself up to build a chariot behind closed doors makes it easy to suffer Qi Deviation. You might as well use this assessment to go out and experience the world. Do you know about the Desolate Province?"

"Mm. The Desolate Province is located in the far south, with a million great mountains. It is entirely deep mountains and old forests, with countless Savage Wilderness tribes. The forces of the Wilderness Tribe and the Demon Race are interlocked like dog teeth, and its size is no less than our Xiazhou."

"Indeed. Fifty years ago, turmoil appeared in the Desolate Province, and the Wilderness Tribe and the Demon Race fought endlessly, which is likely to spread to our Xiazhou. Do you know the Liang Kingdom?"

"Eldest Senior Brother speaks of the Liang Kingdom located in the southern part of Xiazhou?"

"The Liang Kingdom is one of the top ten vassal states by population in Xiazhou, bordering the Desolate Province, and is also within the sphere of influence of the Ask Immortal Pavilion, one of the Six Great Orthodox Sects. Recently, a branch hall established by the Ask Immortal Pavilion in the borderlands of the Desolate Province was attacked, and three Nascent Soul Realm elders along with several hundred disciples met with no survivors."

"Since it is within the sphere of influence of the Ask Immortal Pavilion, matters of the Liang Kingdom should be resolved by the Ask Immortal Pavilion."

Lu Changsheng was secretly startled.

The Ask Immortal Pavilion was one of the Six Great Orthodox Sects. Although its foundation was not as profound as Shushan's, it had also existed for two hundred thousand years. Yet someone actually dared to slaughter a branch hall of the Ask Immortal Pavilion?

"Logic is such logic, but the Desolate Province is in turmoil, and not only the Ask Immortal Pavilion will be affected. Therefore, the Ask Immortal Pavilion has requested that our Shushan Sect send an elder to head to the borderlands of the Desolate Province with their elders to investigate this matter. This is both the intention of the Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion and my intention."

"Eldest Senior Brother is truly worthy of being the disciple most valued by the Sect Master, possessing far-reaching foresight. Therefore, Eldest Senior Brother intends for me to go?"

"Not bad. Exactly as you have reached the Dao Palace Realm, you can go out and experience the world. The Ask Immortal Pavilion will send three Dao Palace Realm elders, and the one leading the team is Elder Kumu. If I remember correctly, his cultivation is roughly the Fourth Layer of the Dao Palace Realm. One can see the importance the Ask Immortal Pavilion attaches to this matter. With Elder Kumu of the Fourth Layer of the Dao Palace Realm leading the team, plus you, there will be a total of four Dao Palace Realm elders, so it should not be overly dangerous. Of course, when traveling outside, utmost caution is the top priority."

Li Changye briefly explained the content of the assessment task.

Lu Changsheng understood after all; this task was primarily to be resolved by the people of the Ask Immortal Pavilion.

As for his own identity, it was equivalent to an observer.

As the number one righteous path in Xiazhou, Shushan had to guard against potential threats.

With a strong practitioner of the Fourth Layer of the Dao Palace Realm leading the team, nothing should go wrong, right?

After the Shushan Apprentice-Selection Ceremony, Lu Changsheng had not yet scouted out the next suitable disciple.

Going out of the mountains to experience the world this time, he might perhaps scout out candidate disciples along the way.

Lu Changsheng had the Apprentice-Teaching Simulator, which could automatically search for suitable disciples nearby without requiring him to rack his brains.

"Then when do we set off?"

"Within ten days, it will suffice to arrive at Southguard Pass in the Liang Kingdom."

"Mm."

"Upon your return, report to me on what happened in the borderlands of the Desolate Province, and that will count as completing the assessment."

After Li Changye handed down the assessment task, he left by flying on his sword.

With the Apprentice-Teaching Simulator, Lu Changsheng truly did not care about the monthly stipend issued by Shushan.

However, completing Shushan's sect tasks could accumulate contribution points to redeem for rare Law Treasures, Cultivation Methods, and pills at the Treasure Pavilion.

Furthermore, Lu Changsheng going down the mountain once was also to see if there were any natural prodigies who could be taken in as disciples.

Before leaving, Lu Changsheng did not forget to fleece the system one more time.

Lu Changsheng summoned his disciple Lin Qingzhi and continued to transmit Qi for empowerment.

This time, Lu Changsheng consumed three hundred days of cultivation, Lin Qingzhi actually obtained sixty days of cultivation, and Lu Changsheng obtained an eightyfold reward, getting four thousand and eight hundred days of cultivation returned.

Lu Changsheng felt that the Spiritual Qi inside his Dantian had increased quite a bit, and his Dao Palace was even more stable.

"This third-grade pill, the 'Soul-Returning Pill', can consolidate your Dao heart after your soul suffers an attack. Your master bestows it upon you for preserving your life."

Lu Changsheng took out a third-grade pill.

"Many thanks, Master."

Having been bestowed various Law Treasures, pills, and Cultivation Methods by Lu Changsheng over these past few days, Lin Qingzhi was already numb to it.

If he did not accept the bestowal, Lu Changsheng would even fly into a rage.

In Lin Qingzhi's eyes, Master was undoubtedly a freak.

[Ding, you bestowed a third-grade pill to your disciple 'Lin Qingzhi', obtaining a ten-thousand-fold apprentice-teaching return reward: the seventh-grade pill 'Nine Nether Soul-Gathering Pill'.]

[Ding, today's available bestowals -1.]

Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills?!

Lu Changsheng was also startled by this apprentice-teaching return.

This time it actually triggered a ten-thousand-fold reward, and what was returned was a seventh-grade pill!

Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills! Even in Shushan, they were rare treasures.

As for the Nine Nether Soul-Gathering Pill, even for a practitioner of the Dao Palace Realm, if their soul suffered an attack, as long as their soul and corporeal soul were not completely scattered, taking the Nine Nether Soul-Gathering Pill could also re-gather the soul.

"Your master needs to make a trip down the mountain recently, and you shall refine the Spiritual Qi I transmitted to you."

"This disciple will definitely cultivate diligently."

Lin Qingzhi knew that Lu Changsheng did not want to over-explain, so he did not ask further; cultivating earnestly was the best repayment to his master.

Lin Qingzhi took his leave. Carrying the Nine Heavens Thunder-Controlling Sword on his back and wearing the Taiyi Daoist Robe, Lu Changsheng prepared to go down the mountain.

Even though this task seemed relaxed, for the sake of prudence, Lu Changsheng still brought along various Law Treasures and pills.

The affair of the Desolate Province, capable of simultaneously arousing the attention of two major righteous sects, Shushan and the Ask Immortal Pavilion, and requiring four Dao Palace Realm powerhouses to go and investigate the truth, was definitely not that simple.

When walking the rivers and lakes, how could one avoid getting stabbed.

Lu Changsheng understood this logic, and it was no exception in any world.

Xiazhou was vast and boundless, but with Lu Changsheng's cultivation, flying on a sword required only a few days' time to reach the Liang Kingdom.

Shushan was located in central Xiazhou, while the Ask Immortal Pavilion was in southern Xiazhou, and the Liang Kingdom was within the sphere of influence of the Ask Immortal Pavilion.

The original owner of this body of Lu Changsheng's had a total of two hundred and fifty years of cultivation, and spent most of his time in Shushan, so his memories did not hold much understanding of the world outside Shushan.

This time, Lu Changsheng was precisely taking advantage of the opportunity of going down the mountain to come into contact with immortal cultivators outside Shushan.

If his luck was good, perhaps he could also take in one or two monstrous disciples.

"The Ask Immortal Pavilion ranks fifth in strength among the Six Great Orthodox Sects. The pavilion master once visited Shushan fifteen hundred years ago to spar with Taiyuan True Person, losing three matches out of three..."