Outer Sect Tasks

Everyone followed Elder Su closely all the way to the External Affairs Hall.

The place was packed with people. Newly admitted disciples had formed long lines, waiting to receive the introductory items allotted to Outer Sect disciples.

Each person received a half-zhang-square Storage Pouch bearing the words "Flowing Cloud Sect."

Zhang Tie opened his and found two sets of Outer Sect disciple robes neatly arranged inside. Though the material was not particularly fine, they still carried the distinctive style of the sect.

There were also two Low-grade Spirit Stones emitting a faint glow and one Hundred Herb Pill.

These Low-grade Spirit Stones and the Hundred Herb Pill were the cultivation resources the sect distributed to Outer Sect disciples each month. Though not precious, they were still helpful.

There was also an Identity Token for Outer Sect disciples. Its material was unusual, and runes occasionally flickered across its surface, faintly exuding Spiritual Qi.

Lastly, there was a simplified manual of the Five Elements Basic Cultivation Technique. It detailed the basic Qi Refining methods from the first to ninth layers of the Qi Refining stage, along with some common Five Elements Spells. There was also a handbook of sect rules, warning everyone not to act recklessly.

After receiving their newcomer items, everyone hurried to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to claim the work tasks that Outer Sect disciples were required to undertake.

All Outer Sect disciples had to take on miscellaneous tasks, such as feeding Spirit Beasts, tending Herb Gardens, patrolling the outer perimeter, planting spirit fields, and more. There were no fewer than a hundred different tasks in total.

Everyone had to choose one task, and each assignment had to last at least one year. After a full year, they could switch tasks.

After Elder Su brought them to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, he informed everyone that their residences were at the foot of the back mountain.

Once there, they could use their Identity Tokens to choose any unoccupied house and move in.

With that said, Elder Su mounted his sword and flew away, vanishing from everyone's sight in an instant.

Zhang Tie obediently stood in line, waiting to choose an Outer Sect Task.

When it was finally his turn, the person in charge of registration was a youth with prominent cheekbones and shifty eyes.

Just as Zhang Tie was about to ask a question, the youth said without even raising his head, "Only feeding Spirit Beasts, tending Herb Gardens, mining at the Spirit Stone Mining Area, and patrolling the Spirit Beast Garden are left."

Zhang Tie frowned slightly upon hearing that. Feeding Spirit Beasts and patrolling the Spirit Beast Garden were obviously extremely dangerous tasks.

Tending an Herb Garden clearly required extensive knowledge of spirit plants. If he accidentally killed some spirit herbs, an elder might slap him to death.

As for mining in the Spirit Stone Mining Area, just thinking about it told him it would be exhausting and time-consuming. That would leave him with hardly any time to cultivate.

"Hurry up. Stop dawdling, there are plenty of people behind you!" While Zhang Tie was still hesitating, the shifty-eyed youth urged him impatiently.

Forget it. Of two evils, choose the lesser.

Zhang Tie gritted his teeth and said, "Senior Brother, I choose mining at the Spirit Stone Mining Area."

The shifty-eyed youth sneered, quickly registered Zhang Tie's name in a ledger, then handed him a token and a booklet. He immediately shouted, "Next!"

Zhang Tie took the items and left with a helpless sigh.

Before he had gone far, he saw the next disciple in line directly stuff the two Low-grade Spirit Stones he had just received into the shifty-eyed youth's hands.

Zhang Tie froze for a moment, then instantly understood why the tasks left for him had all been so terrible. Still, he could only shake his head and continue toward the back mountain.

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After arriving at the back mountain, Zhang Tie searched for a long time before finally finding a secluded, quiet house.

He slowly poured spiritual power into his Identity Token, and the array surrounding the house activated automatically. This array had no powerful defensive capability; it mainly served for soundproofing and warnings.

The furnishings inside were extremely simple: a small table, two slightly worn chairs, an ordinary bed, and a meditation cushion for cultivation. The room was quite clean, so the vacant house was likely cleaned regularly.

Zhang Tie walked to the bed and sat down cross-legged. Only then did he open the booklet on precautions for mining in the Spirit Stone Mining Area and begin reading it carefully.

Before long, Zhang Tie closed the booklet. He had roughly finished reading its contents, which mainly explained the entire mining process and its related requirements.

It turned out that the Spirit Stone Vein was located three hundred li from the sect. With the task token, one could go directly to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and use the Small Teleportation Array to arrive there instantly.

Furthermore, holding the token allowed two free teleportations per month. Each time one mined, once they entered the mining area, they could not open or use the Storage Pouch on their person. The moment it was opened, the array would detect it. Whether or not they had hidden Spirit Stones, they would be taken away and imprisoned by the Enforcement Hall.

When entering the Mine Cave, each miner would be issued a special Storage Pouch specifically for holding Spirit Stones. It had to be returned upon leaving the Mine Cave.

Detection Arrays had been set up at both the entrance and exit of the Mine Cave, so it was absolutely impossible to carry Spirit Stones out in secret. Once someone was detected carrying Spirit Stones privately, they would be taken away by the Enforcement Hall. At best, their Dantian would be crippled and they would be expelled from the sect; at worst, they would be killed on the spot.

The mining task required at least twenty Spirit Stones to be mined each month. After completing the requirement, one could choose to rest or continue mining. For every additional twenty Spirit Stones mined, they would be rewarded with one Low-grade Spirit Stone.

It was already the middle of the month, which meant he had to mine at least ten Spirit Stones.

Next, Zhang Tie put the mining booklet back into his Storage Pouch and took out the manual for the Five Elements Basic Cultivation Technique, carefully flipping through it.

Sure enough, it contained a Wood Attribute Cultivation Method. Although it differed somewhat from the Evergreen Skill he cultivated, their Spiritual Qi attributes were the same. He should be able to cultivate the Wood Attribute method of the Five Elements Basic Cultivation Technique to the fourth layer of Qi Refining within two months.

Next, Zhang Tie took out the Hundred Herb Pill. The moment he opened the porcelain bottle, a pure herbal fragrance rushed toward him.

This was Zhang Tie's first time seeing a medicinal pill specifically used for cultivation. He would be going mining tomorrow, and taking it now would not leave enough time to fully absorb its effects. He should wait until he completed the mining task before taking it for cultivation.

After putting away the pill, Zhang Tie calmed himself, cleared his mind, and began cultivating the Five Elements Basic Cultivation Technique.

Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Zhang Tie rose early and hurried toward the Alchemy Hall.

Without hesitation, he spent one Low-grade Spirit Stone to buy two bottles of Fasting Pills, each containing nine pills. After swallowing one Fasting Pill, he headed straight for the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

Upon arriving at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, Zhang Tie presented the token representing his mining task at the Spirit Stone Mining Area. Someone then led him toward the Teleportation Array.

This so-called Teleportation Array was about half a zhang square. Beneath it was a two-foot-high block of jade carved with complex, profound array patterns. The rune lines crisscrossed one another and flickered with mysterious light, as though they contained endless secrets of heaven and earth.

The entire Teleportation Array could barely accommodate five or six people at once. Around it stood more than a dozen similar arrays. Zhang Tie secretly wondered whether all these Teleportation Arrays led to the Spirit Stone Mining Area or whether some led to other mysterious places.

Filled with apprehension and curiosity, he carefully stepped onto the Teleportation Array.

At that moment, an attendant seated cross-legged beside the array rapidly formed hand seals and fired a spell directly into the array.

In an instant, the Teleportation Array lit up with a shimmering white glow so dazzling it was hard to look at directly. Zhang Tie felt dizzy as the world spun around him. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a small plaza.

Zhang Tie was still looking around curiously when a shrill, cutting reprimand suddenly rang out. "What are you standing around for? Get down, now!" The voice was like an arrow, instantly shattering his thoughts.

Zhang Tie hurriedly stepped down from the Teleportation Array and turned toward the speaker.

He saw a woman wearing the same sect uniform as him. Her short hair was neat and capable, her oval face soft in its lines, and her willow-leaf brows slightly raised, carrying a sharp edge.

Zhang Tie's heart tightened. He did not dare utter a word of defiance and silently followed the woman's instructions, quietly walking to the place she indicated and waiting calmly for what came next.

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