Qi Chuan appeared at the entrance of the Mission Hall. He looked up at the three large characters, "Mission Hall," on the plaque, then stepped inside.
The interior of the Mission Hall was exceptionally spacious and bright. Its floor was like a mirror, and the many displays around it were particularly eye-catching. Compared with the Qi Family's Mission Hall, it was like a great shaman beside a little shaman.
On three of the surrounding walls hung enormous Jade Walls, displaying a vast amount of mission information.
Quite a few Inner Sect Disciples in the main hall were looking up at the missions on the three Jade Walls, their expressions extremely focused.
"Among these people, quite a few should be at the middle or late Qi Refining Stage. There are even no small number at the Late Qi Refining Stage."
Qi Chuan roughly swept his gaze across these Inner Sect Disciples. He could vaguely sense their realms, though not with complete accuracy; he could only estimate a general range.
Many among them were Inner Sect Disciples from previous years, so there was no shortage of those at the Qi Refining Fifth or Sixth Layer.
Some were even at the Late Qi Refining Stage. These were genuine veteran disciples, almost all over thirty or forty years old.
After glancing around, Qi Chuan turned his attention to the three Jade Walls and began examining the missions listed upon them.
"True Disciple Liu Ying has recently been studying the art of alchemy and requires two female Inner Sect Disciples capable of providing Fire Attribute Spell Power. Cultivation base must be Qi Refining Sixth Layer or above; preferably, Fireball Technique must have reached Minor Accomplishment. The process will take roughly one month. Reward: five Sect Contribution."
"Five hundred li away, within Black Wind Valley, kill a Late Qi Refining Stage Black Spirit Blood Ape and retrieve the blood essence from its heart. Reward: eight Sect Contribution."
"Most of these missions aren't very good..."
Qi Chuan could not help shaking his head slightly.
Whether it was the Qi Family's internal missions from before or the sect missions now, they shared the same flaw: most took a long time and offered little reward.
Serving as a fire-providing attendant for True Disciple Liu Ying offered five Sect Contribution for one month, which was considered fairly good. Within the Inner Sect, one Sect Contribution was roughly equivalent to ten Low-grade Spirit Stones—meaning a reward of fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Qi Chuan's Fireball Technique had reached the Perfected Stage, surpassing the required Minor Accomplishment. Unfortunately, his cultivation base was insufficient, and the other party required female disciples.
As for the killing mission in Black Wind Valley five hundred li away, Black Wind Valley was a famously dangerous place. Qi Chuan had no desire to provoke a Late Qi Refining Stage Black Spirit Blood Ape. There was no need to take that risk.
"Is there not a mission that has little to do, takes little time, is safe, and still offers decent rewards?"
Qi Chuan looked again and again but found nothing. Remembering how he had accepted missions in the Qi Family before, he immediately decided to wait and see whether any better new missions would appear.
That wait lasted half a shichen.
Some nearby Inner Sect Disciples shared Qi Chuan's thoughts and were waiting there as well.
During that half shichen, several missions refreshed. Some Inner Sect Disciples took a liking to them and accepted them, but Qi Chuan never made a move.
"...Cloud Rising Mountains. Kill Water Cloud Crocodiles. One set of fangs for three Sect Contribution."
Just then, another mission refreshed and caught Qi Chuan's attention.
"This mission is actually not bad."
After pondering for a moment, Qi Chuan ultimately accepted it.
The Cloud Rising Mountains were actually very close to Wind Moon Lake. They were a long mountain range extending outward from the mountains beyond Wind Moon Lake.
Shrouded in dense clouds and mist all year round, they contained quite a few Demonic Beasts. Since one end connected to the mountains outside Wind Moon Lake, they could, in a sense, even be considered Wind Moon Sect's "inner mountains." They received the Wind Moon Sect's invisible protection and were relatively safe.
As for the Water Cloud Crocodile, it was a Tier 1 Mid-grade Demonic Beast, and among Tier 1 Mid-grade Demonic Beasts, it was relatively weak. Compared to human cultivators, it was roughly equivalent to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
Although Water Cloud Crocodiles liked living in groups, their nature made them vulnerable to Fire Attribute power. Qi Chuan possessed Fireball Technique at the Perfected Stage, so as long as he was careful, dealing with them should be fairly easy.
By and large, this mission should pose no problem.
Moreover, the reward was fairly good. One set of Water Cloud Crocodile fangs was worth three Sect Contribution, equivalent to thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones. Killing a few more would provide enough Gathering Yuan Pills for a long while.
Thus, Qi Chuan held the Wind Moon Sect Inner Sect Disciple Token, infused it with Spell Power, and waved it toward one Jade Wall. A ray of light flew out, struck the mission, and accepted it.
Afterward, he went to a nearby counter and recorded the mission details before a sect steward.
Once the procedures were complete, he left the Mission Hall and headed for the Cloud Rising Mountains.
Because it was nearby, Qi Chuan arrived before long.
"So this is the Cloud Rising Mountains?"
Qi Chuan looked up and saw dense, gloomy gray fog enveloping nearly the entire Cloud Rising Mountains, making them appear rather sinister and terrifying. Yet compared with other dangerous lands, this mountain range was actually safer.
Thus, Qi Chuan plunged straight inside, carefully making his way through the forest of towering trees.
Howls rose and fell all around him. From time to time, swift birds and beasts darted past in the distance.
After a while, Qi Chuan came upon a vast Black Swamp. It was filled with black, fetid sludge, unknown worms wriggling within it. Occasionally, a bubble would burst, and the stench would immediately spread through the air.
This was the swamp where the Water Cloud Crocodiles mentioned in the mission lived.
"But why can't I see any Water Cloud Crocodiles?" Qi Chuan swept his gaze around but found none.
After thinking it over, Qi Chuan formed a Hand Seal with both hands, chanted an incantation, and used the Levitation Technique to lift himself into the air. He then flew briefly deeper into the Black Swamp.
After a while, he finally saw what looked like a small piece of Black Wood floating atop a patch of liquid-like black muck.
"I finally found one."
Qi Chuan smiled at the sight.
Though it had hidden itself well, Qi Chuan knew that this "Black Wood" was merely a Water Cloud Crocodile's nose protruding above the water.
At once, Qi Chuan formed a hand seal with one hand, moved his lips casually as he muttered a few words, then waved his palm. A Crimson Fireball larger than a fist shot forth, clusters of dim flames curling around it. Its temperature was terrifyingly high, scorching the air as it plunged into the Black Swamp and struck the "Black Wood" directly.
The entire process was incredibly fast. The "Black Wood" had only just begun to move before the Crimson Fireball arrived, yet it was already hit.
"Screech! Screech!" A miserable cry rang out.
The black sludge exploded, foul water splashing everywhere. Crimson flames spread out, wrapping around a monster corpse more than a zhang long as it floated on the water's surface.
Qi Chuan waved his hand, and the crimson flames immediately dispersed, revealing a charred crocodile-shaped monster corpse over a zhang long. Bony protrusions covered its head, while vicious scales spread across its body, making it look quite unsettling.
This was the Water Cloud Crocodile.
The creature itself was only one of the weaker Tier 1 Mid-grade Demonic Beasts, equivalent to a human cultivator at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. Qi Chuan's Fireball Technique restrained it and had furthermore reached the Perfected Stage. Even among the Late Qi Refining Stage, its power was not weak.
Thus, he killed it in a single strike. That was only because Qi Chuan had held back; after all, he needed to collect its fangs. Otherwise, Fireball Technique would have burned even its entire monster corpse clean away.
"Let's collect the fangs first."
Qi Chuan then used the Levitation Technique to bring the Water Cloud Crocodile's corpse before him. The High-grade Magic Tool dagger Flying Ash transformed into a Grey Shadow and shot forth, weaving through the creature's head several times before slicing off bloodstained fangs one after another.
After putting away those fangs, he withdrew the Levitation Technique. The corpse fell straight into the Black Swamp with a bang, sending sludge flying.
Almost all of a Water Cloud Crocodile's value lay in its fangs. Its other parts were worth relatively little, and Qi Chuan had no storage bag, so naturally he could not take them away.
As for a Demonic Beast Inner Core, only Tier 1 High-grade Demonic Beasts had a chance of forming one. This Water Cloud Crocodile naturally could not have one.
"Three Sect Contribution in hand—equivalent to thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones and three Gathering Yuan Pills. That can support three months of cultivation... I'll continue deeper and see whether there are any more Water Cloud Crocodiles."
After killing one Water Cloud Crocodile and collecting a set of fangs, Qi Chuan smiled faintly. He continued using the Levitation Technique and headed deeper into the Black Swamp.
Over the following period, Qi Chuan found another two Water Cloud Crocodiles, killed them, and collected two more sets of Water Cloud Crocodile fangs.
"That's equivalent to ninety Low-grade Spirit Stones in income. Not bad, but why are there so few Water Cloud Crocodiles? Weren't they supposed to live in groups?"
On a Small Stone Island within the Black Swamp, Qi Chuan sat cross-legged atop a black stone. Holding a Low-grade Spirit Stone, he circulated the Evergreen Art and drew out its Spiritual Qi to restore his Spell Power. Yet his brows were slightly furrowed in confusion.
"I'll look a little longer. If I find nothing, it'll be about time to head back."
After his Spell Power recovered somewhat, Qi Chuan used the Levitation Technique and continued searching for Water Cloud Crocodiles in other directions.
Unfortunately, after searching for a while, Qi Chuan did not find a single Water Cloud Crocodile.
"Forget it. Time to go back."
Thus, Qi Chuan prepared to return to the sect.
Bang! Bang!
However, at that moment, Qi Chuan suddenly heard activity from ahead, mixed with the roars of numerous Water Cloud Crocodiles. There was even a muffled groan from a girl with a clear, youthful voice.
"Is someone fighting Water Cloud Crocodiles? And there are quite a few of them..." Qi Chuan listened carefully for a while, his expression stunned.
No wonder he had encountered so few Water Cloud Crocodiles earlier. Could it be that the Water Cloud Crocodiles nearby had all been drawn away by this person?
"And why does this person's voice sound so much like..."
Qi Chuan's expression turned strange.
After pondering for a moment, he used the Levitation Technique and headed toward the source of the battle.
A short while later, he saw four Water Cloud Crocodiles surrounding and attacking a Red-clothed Girl on a Small Stone Island. Blood flowed from her lips, and she seemed unable to hold on much longer.
"So it really is her..."
Qi Chuan shook his head slightly.
That Red-clothed Girl was none other than Qi Chan'er, whom he had parted ways with several months ago when she entered the Wind Moon Sect Outer Sect.
He had not expected her to come to this Black Swamp as well. Was she here to hunt Water Cloud Crocodiles too, or for another mission?
But how had she ended up surrounded by four Water Cloud Crocodiles? That was a little too careless.
Before you continue