Taking Another Mission

Lu Yi did not take long to reach the Martial Arts Stage area.

The entire area was enormous, spanning several kilometers in every direction. It was paved with dark blue-green stone slabs, forming a vast plaza dotted with arenas for Outer Sect Disciples to spar on.

At the center of the Martial Arts Stage stood an even larger arena, known as the Central Arena. Life-and-death battles and certain important matches were generally held there.

At that moment, quite a few people were practicing techniques in the Martial Arts Stage plaza. With so many Outer Sect Disciples, some preferred to cultivate alone in peace and quiet, while others liked training in crowded places. After all, if they encountered difficulties in cultivation, they could exchange ideas and discuss them with fellow disciples. There were many such people.

Not only that, even cultivators who usually trained alone would come to the Martial Arts Stage to find sparring partners when they hit a bottleneck, hoping to deepen their insights.

As Lu Yi entered the Martial Arts Stage, a Qi Refining Third Layer disciple practicing swordsmanship nearby glanced at him, then abruptly froze. His eyes widened, and he greeted him, "Senior Brother Lu Yi? Why have you come to the Martial Arts Stage too?"

Lu Yi smiled faintly. "After the lecture, I gained some insights and wanted to find someone to spar with."

As Lu Yi spoke, he strode into the Martial Arts Stage plaza. The Qi Refining Third Layer disciple's eyes lit up. He was also learning the sword—perhaps he could learn something from Senior Brother Lu Yi's sparring matches?

A sword technique at the Return-to-Simplicity level! During the previous lecture, only the disciples on the platform had been able to watch the sword demonstration. The hundred thousand Outer Sect Disciples below the platform had not been fortunate enough to see it. They too wanted to witness such a powerful sword technique, but their strength had been insufficient at the time.

Yet who could have imagined that Senior Brother Lu Yi would come to the Martial Arts Stage to spar? Was this not a heaven-sent opportunity?

That disciple hurriedly followed after him.

The voices of Lu Yi and that Outer Sect Disciple were also heard by several disciples nearby, and they began discussing it as well.

"Senior Brother Lu Yi... is he the senior brother who cultivated the White Cloud Swordplay to the Return-to-Simplicity realm and earned Senior Sister Liu Ningshuang's favor?"

"It's him! I never expected him to come to the Martial Arts Stage too. No, I have to go take a look. Maybe I'll gain some insights!"

"Senior Brother Lu Yi is truly generous... We couldn't watch the Basic Technique demonstrations during the lecture before, but this time we're fortunate too."

"..."

As word spread, many disciples followed Lu Yi into the depths of the Martial Arts Stage.

Like White Sheep Peak, the areas closer to the center of the Martial Arts Stage were generally where stronger Outer Sect Disciples trained. Lu Yi only needed to head inward.

Before long, Lu Yi saw a familiar person approaching him. It was Wang Xinqi, who had sparred with Lu Yi on the platform before. He had not expected to find him here as well.

"Junior Brother Lu Yi, I heard the commotion outside and realized you had come. I never expected you to visit the Martial Arts Stage," Wang Xinqi said with a smile.

"So it's Senior Brother Wang Xinqi. I've recently gained some insights and wanted to find someone to spar with."

Hadn't he just found an opponent? Lu Yi thought happily.

Lu Yi silently said to himself, I want to defeat Wang Xinqi.

The panel remained silent. There was no response, and no mission appeared.

Hm? Why isn't there a mission? Lu Yi was rather bewildered.

There had clearly been two Perfect Qi Condensation Pills before. Why was there not even a mission this time?

Then Lu Yi thought of something, and his expression turned strange. Could it be because his strength had improved too quickly?

After all, Lu Yi had now reached the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, and both his White Cloud Swordplay and White Cloud Technique had risen to level 7. Compared to two days ago, his strength was as different as heaven and earth.

According to the panel's judgment, the gap between Wang Xinqi and him was too great, so it was only natural that it could not count as a mission.

That was the only possibility.

Lu Yi scratched his head. It seemed he would need to spar with cultivators at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer or above to earn rewards.

Fortunately, Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivators posed no threat to him either.

Wang Xinqi did not know what Lu Yi was thinking. His eyes lit up. "Since you're looking for someone to spar with, Junior Brother, how about we have a match? I happen to have gained some insights as well."

Lu Yi felt a little helpless upon hearing that. Why spar if there was no reward... Senior Brother Wang Xinqi was too weak for him. When the time came, he would even have to consider the man's pride and avoid defeating him in a single move. Wasn't that a waste of time?

Lu Yi smiled faintly, then released the aura of the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

"Qi Refining Seventh Layer?!" Wang Xinqi's eyes widened in shock.

Then he said enviously, "I didn't expect you to break through, Junior Brother. Of course, Senior Sister Liu gave you a bottle of Top Grade Qi Condensation Pills before."

At this point, Wang Xinqi sighed and shook his head. "When you were at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, Senior Brother was already no match for you... and now..."

Wang Xinqi did not bring up sparring again, which suited Lu Yi just fine.

Wang Xinqi continued, "With your current strength, Junior Brother, you'll probably only gain anything from sparring with senior brothers and sisters at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. Two senior brothers I'm close with happen to be inside, and they're both at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. Why not come with me?"

Lu Yi's eyes lit up. He did not even need to look for opponents himself?

He nodded. "Then I'll trouble you, Senior Brother."

"Hahaha, Junior Brother, you're too polite. Those two senior brothers have nothing but praise for you, Junior Brother Lu. They've long wanted to get acquainted with you," Wang Xinqi said.

Lu Yi nodded, and the two of them headed inward together.

Before long, Wang Xinqi led Lu Yi to the edge of an arena. Two youths were sitting cross-legged there, discussing the Dao. Both carried longswords on their backs, so they were clearly Sword Cultivators.

Lu Yi looked over their faces but did not recognize them. After all, there had been around a thousand people on the platform at the time, and Lu Yi would not deliberately remember every one of them.

Wang Xinqi brought Lu Yi over. The two youths sensed their arrival and both turned to look.

When they saw Lu Yi, their expressions shifted slightly before they rose to their feet.

The refined youth on the left smiled. "Junior Brother Lu has come as well?"

The youth on the right was more sturdily built. He grinned. "I knew I had a feeling something good would happen today. Turns out I was going to meet Junior Brother Lu."

"Greetings, Senior Brothers," Lu Yi said with a smile.

Wang Xinqi introduced them. "This is Senior Brother Lu Ling, and this is Senior Brother Wang Wulian. Both are at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and rank among the top hundred in the Outer Sect."

Then he looked at the refined youth and said, "Senior Brother Lu, Junior Brother Lu has already broken through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and plans to find someone to spar with. Are either of you interested?"

"Qi Refining Seventh Layer already?!" The refined youth, Lu Ling, widened his eyes as he looked Lu Yi over in surprise.

Wang Wulian seemed to think of something, his face full of envy. "Senior Sister Liu Ningshuang gave Junior Brother a bottle of Top Grade Qi Condensation Pills on the platform before. It seems they were very useful."

Lu Yi chuckled. "Senior Sister Liu is kind-hearted."

He said to himself, I want to defeat Lu Ling.

Mission:

Defeat Lu Ling (Progress: 0/1)

Reward: Top Grade Qi Condensation Pill ×10 / Perfect Qi Condensation Pill ×1

Accept: Yes/No

Lu Yi: "..."

His feelings were complicated. He was happy that there was finally a mission, but saddened that even Lu Ling at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer was worth only one Perfect Qi Condensation Pill. How miserable.