Task

The next morning, brilliant sunlight streamed through the exquisitely carved windows of the External Affairs Hall, falling across the ground in mottled patches like scattered gold.

Zhang Tie stood silently, holding a thick mission register in his hands as he examined it carefully.

The catalog within was packed with numbers like stars in the sky, each followed by detailed mission information, with key details such as time, location, and reward all clearly listed.

Zhang Tie looked through it closely and discovered that there were very few missions available for Outer Sect disciples to accept.

Among the missions requiring one to leave the sect were escorts transporting precious goods. One had to remain on guard throughout the journey in case bandits launched a sudden attack; a single mistake could leave one dead in a foreign land.

Missions to gather confidential intelligence were even worse. One had to venture into danger alone, and the slightest misstep could lead to a hopeless situation.

Missions to capture deserters or particular targets often meant facing vicious criminals with nowhere left to run, where life and death could be decided in an instant.

There were also missions to collect protection fees outside the sect. Sooner or later, one would run into some fool willing to fight to the death over silver.

The missions within the sect were no easier.

For example, missions requiring the submission of designated rare herbs. Such herbs were often hidden in perilous places, making them nearly impossible to find. Buying them would cost a fortune, but he had no silver to spare.

There were also missions to work for certain elders. A slight oversight could bring harsh reprimands or even enormous compensation for losses.

There were even missions to assist certain elders in testing poisons. Those were like walking along the edge of life and death. If the antidote was wrong, one would ascend to heaven ahead of schedule.

Of course, there were seemingly risk-free missions as well, such as mining copper ore outside the sect for six months. The labor was heavy, but it was safe.

There were also six-month assignments in the logistics department. The work was tedious and dull, but there would be some private income as well.

And there were missions to maintain order in designated towns for eight months. They were somewhat tiring, but safety was assured within the city, and the food and lodging conditions were far better than those in the gang.

In summary, all these missions shared one thing in common: they were safe and easy, but time-consuming and laborious. Once accepted, there would be almost no spare time left for cultivation.

Zhang Tie felt that the path of cultivation was already rugged and difficult. How could success possibly come without paying a price? If one was always afraid of risk and greedy for comfort, how could one stand out in this martial world and earn a great reputation?

He furrowed his brow and flipped through the mission register over and over for a long while. His gaze slowly swept across each mission as he continuously weighed their advantages and disadvantages.

In the end, a mission to escort a batch of valuable goods to Phoenix Crown City, the Capital City of the Black Phoenix Kingdom, stirred something within him.

On one hand, the mission carried some risk. The journey was long, and they might encounter all kinds of unknown dangers.

But on the other hand, experts from the Sky Eagle Sect, the number one force in the Great Capital Kingdom, would be leading the way. An elder from his gang's Black Bear Hall would also be in charge, accompanied by five stewards. Such a lineup reassured him somewhat. Outer Sect disciples like them would only be handling logistics and running errands, so the danger should not be great. If the sky fell, the tall ones would hold it up.

Moreover, this mission would take only about a month. Compared to those missions that took half a year or longer, it would not delay his cultivation too much.

At the same time, the reward of fifty taels of silver would greatly improve his current financial situation. He was anxious to exchange for a new cultivation technique, and the five contribution points could also be traded for quite a few precious cultivation resources.

In the end, his eyes fixed firmly on this mission.

Holding his Identity Token, Zhang Tie found Senior Brother Liu, who was on duty at the External Affairs Hall. Senior Brother Liu was seated at a table, intently sorting through a pile of complicated documents.

"Senior Brother Liu, I've chosen this mission. Please help me register for it." Zhang Tie pointed at the mission with his finger.

Hearing this, Senior Brother Liu raised his head and let his gaze rest on Zhang Tie for a moment. He then accepted the Identity Token and carefully recorded the details.

After the registration was complete, Zhang Tie cupped his fists and bowed deeply to Senior Brother Liu. "Thank you, Senior Brother Liu. Then this Junior Brother will take his leave first."

Senior Brother Liu nodded slightly. "You must be careful on this journey. I hope Junior Brother returns soon."

Zhang Tie nodded solemnly in acknowledgment, then turned and left the External Affairs Hall, striding swiftly toward his Stone house.

Time passed like a white colt flashing by, and in the blink of an eye, the day of departure had arrived.

Zhang Tie carried his pack and arrived at the gathering place early.

At this time, the other participants were also arriving one after another. Half an hour later, everyone had gathered. A burly man with the back of a tiger and waist of a bear approached from afar and stood at the front of the group.

"I am Zhou Zhenye of Black Bear Hall. You may call me Elder Zhou." His gaze swept across the crowd, and he continued in a voice like a great bell, "This mission concerns the illustrious reputation of our Iron Bear Gang. You must all give it your utmost effort. There must not be the slightest negligence or carelessness."

Everyone answered in unison, their impassioned voices echoing through the valley for a long time.

Then, led by the elder, the group mounted their horses and set off for the border in a grand procession. Zhang Tie followed closely behind, feeling both anticipation and nervousness.

Along the way, everyone remained cautious and did not dare relax in the slightest. Zhang Tie held the standard-issue longsword newly distributed by the gang for this mission as he followed at the rear of the group.

After several days of travel, they safely arrived at the border and successfully joined up with the Sky Eagle Sect's team.

Leading the Sky Eagle Sect was a white-haired old man. His hair was white as snow, yet combed with meticulous precision. When the breeze stirred it, those snowy strands fluttered gently, giving him a unique air of transcendence, untouched by the worldly dust.

The old man's face was thin, its crisscrossing wrinkles like deep ravines, as though silently recounting the changing storms of the martial world in years past. His eyes were as deep as an abyss, and the occasional gleam within them made it clear at a glance that his inner strength was profound.

A simple ancient longsword hung diagonally across the old man's back, with a blue gemstone set into its hilt.

Though it looked somewhat worn, it still emitted faint threads of cold light. The old man sat steadily on horseback. His frame appeared thin and frail, yet it possessed a sense of power. No matter how the fine horse beneath him jolted and leaped, his body did not sway or shift in the slightest.

Watching from the side, Zhang Tie could not help clicking his tongue inwardly. This is the bearing of a true expert. I wonder when I'll possess such heroic poise and extraordinary presence.

After the two teams joined forces, they only exchanged brief introductions. Then the Sky Eagle Sect's group led the way, with the Iron Bear Gang members following closely behind. The eye-catching old man remained beside the carriage transporting the goods, advancing slowly with the convoy.

At noon a few days later, the group entered a deep valley and finally halted their hurried steps.

By then, the sky had gradually darkened. Black clouds piled up layer upon layer like heavy clumps of ink, seeming ready to press down from above, weighing so heavily on everyone's chests that it was almost hard to breathe.

The trees in the valley trembled beneath the ravages of the wild wind. Their branches and leaves swayed madly, producing mournful howls as though telling of their fear of the coming storm.

The distant peaks were shrouded beneath the dim sky as mountain mist slowly rose, blurring their outlines and quietly drawing the curtain on the great tempest about to unfold.

As the convoy advanced, the wind grew ever fiercer, howling through the valley like a crazed beast. It swept up fallen leaves and dust from the ground, forming small whirlwinds spinning at high speed. The air was thick with dampness, a clear sign that torrential rain was about to fall.

Seeing this, everyone moved quickly and changed into rain capes, standing ready to face the sudden storm.

All at once, a dazzling bolt of lightning flashed across the sky like a sharp sword, instantly tearing apart the dark canopy overhead. Its intense light illuminated the entire valley, making everything as clear as day.

Immediately afterward, a rider came galloping from the distance. In the blink of an eye, the figure had reached a spot not far from the white-haired old man. He leaped down from his horse, hurried over, stopped beside the old man, and whispered something to him.

Then the old man said in a deep voice, "A violent storm is coming. There is a black bear's cave ahead, and the black bear has already been slain. We will rest there for the time being and continue after the rain stops." The old man's voice was not loud, yet it carried as clearly as a great bell into everyone's ears.

Not long afterward, the rain began to fall. Everyone arrived at the cave. The white-haired old man, Elder Zhou, and several others entered first. A few men carrying several crates of important goods followed close behind the white-haired old man into the cave. Zhang Tie and several others, meanwhile, were ordered to search the surrounding area for dry firewood and clean water.

After receiving the order, Zhang Tie entered the valley with several companions as the storm grew fiercer. The wind roared like an enraged beast, while the rain flew like silver arrows, stinging wherever it struck. Zhang Tie tightened his rain cape, hoping only to gather the firewood quickly and return.

They searched the valley with difficulty, the earth beneath their feet becoming muddy and slippery. Zhang Tie's eyes constantly swept the surroundings, hoping to find usable dry firewood before the rain soaked every branch.

But just then, a tremendous boom suddenly came from the direction of the cave, as though the mountain itself had split apart. Shouts of battle followed, and Zhang Tie immediately felt that something was wrong.