Another Encounter with Qi Chan'er (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Qi Chuan appeared at the entrance of the Mission Hall. He raised his head to glance at the three large words "Mission Hall" on the plaque, then stepped inside.

The Mission Hall was exceptionally spacious and bright. Its floor gleamed like a mirror, while the many displays around it were exceedingly eye-catching. Compared to the Qi Family's Mission Hall, it was like a great shaman beside a little shaman.

Three of the surrounding walls held enormous Jade Walls, displaying a great deal of mission information.

Quite a few Inner Sect Disciples stood in the main hall, looking up at the missions on the three Jade Walls with grave expressions.

"Among these people, quite a few should be in the middle to late Qi Refining Stage. There are even many at the Late Qi Refining Stage."

Qi Chuan roughly scanned the Inner Sect Disciples. He could vaguely sense their realms, though not with complete accuracy, but it was enough to get a general range.

Many of 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 true veteran disciples, nearly all over thirty or forty years old.

After taking a glance around, Qi Chuan turned his gaze toward the three Jade Walls and began examining the missions displayed on them.

"True Disciple Liu Ying has recently been studying 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 around one month. Reward: five points of Sect Contribution."

"Five hundred miles away, in Black Wind Valley, kill a Late Qi Refining Stage Black Spirit Blood Ape and retrieve the blood essence from its heart. Reward: eight points of Sect Contribution."

"Most of these missions aren't much good..."

Qi Chuan could not help but shake his head slightly.

Whether the internal missions of the Qi Family before, or the sect missions now, they all shared a common flaw: most took a long time and offered little reward.

Working as a fire-provider boy for True Disciple Liu Ying earned five points of Sect Contribution for one month, which was already considered decent. Among the inner sect, one point of 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 miles away, Black Wind Valley was a famously dangerous place. Qi Chuan did not wish to provoke a Late Qi Refining Stage Black Spirit Blood Ape. There was no need to take that risk.

"Isn't there a mission with little trouble, a short duration, safety, and a decent reward?"

Qi Chuan looked again and again but found nothing. Recalling how he had accepted missions in the Qi Family before, he immediately decided to wait and see whether better new missions would appear.

That wait lasted half an hour.

Some of the Inner Sect Disciples nearby shared the same thought as Qi Chuan and were also waiting here.

During that half hour, some missions refreshed. A few 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, reward: three points of Sect Contribution."

Just then, another mission refreshed and caught Qi Chuan's attention.

"This mission isn't bad."

After considering it 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 stretching outward from the mountain clusters beyond Wind Moon Lake.

It was shrouded in dense Clouds and Mist year-round, and many Demonic Beasts lived within. Since one end of it connected to the mountains outside Wind Moon Lake, in a sense, it could even be considered Wind Moon Sect's "inner mountains." It enjoyed the Wind Moon Sect's invisible protection and was relatively safe.

As for the Water Cloud Crocodile, it was a Tier 1 Mid-grade Demonic Beast. Among Tier 1 Mid-grade Demonic Beasts, it was considered one of the weaker ones. Compared to human cultivators, it was roughly equivalent to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

Although Water Cloud Crocodiles liked to live in groups, their attribute made them vulnerable to Fire Attribute power. Qi Chuan possessed a Perfected Stage Fireball Technique, so as long as he was careful, dealing with them should be fairly easy.

Overall, this mission should pose no problem.

Moreover, the reward was not bad either. One set of Water Cloud Crocodile fangs earned three points of Sect Contribution, equivalent to thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones. If he killed a few more, he would have enough Gathering Yuan Pills for quite some time.

Thus, Qi Chuan held his Wind Moon Sect Inner Sect Disciple Token, infused it with Spell Power, and flicked it toward one Jade Wall. A streak of light flew out, struck the mission, and accepted it.

Afterward, he went to a nearby counter and recorded the mission information before a sect Steward.

Once the procedures were complete, he left the Mission Hall and headed for the Cloud Rising Mountains.

Because it was so close, Qi Chuan arrived before long.

"So this is the Cloud Rising Mountains?"

Qi Chuan looked up and saw dense, gray, heavy mist enveloping nearly the entire Cloud Rising Mountains, making them seem rather gloomy and terrifying. Yet compared to other dangerous places, this mountain range was actually safer.

Thus, Qi Chuan plunged straight in, carefully making his way through the forest of towering trees.

Howls rose and fell all around him. Occasionally, swift birds and beasts darted past not far away.

After some time, Qi Chuan came upon a vast Black Swamp. It was filled with black, foul-smelling mud, where unknown worms wriggled. Every so often, a bubble burst, and the stench 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 across the area but found none.

After thinking for a moment, Qi Chuan formed a Hand Seal with both hands and recited an incantation, casting the Levitation Technique. He floated into the air, then flew briefly deeper into the Black Swamp.

After a while, he finally spotted what seemed to be a small piece of Black Wood floating atop a patch of liquid-like black sludge.

"I finally found one."

Seeing this, Qi Chuan smiled.

Though it had hidden itself well, Qi Chuan knew that the "Black Wood" was merely a Water Cloud Crocodile's nostrils protruding above the water.

At once, Qi Chuan formed a spell with one hand and casually moved his lips a few times. With a wave of his palm, a Crimson Fireball larger than a fist shot forth. Clusters of dim flames coiled around it, and 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 extraordinarily fast. The "Black Wood" had only just begun to move before the Crimson Fireball arrived, and it was already hit.

"Screech! Screech!" A miserable cry rang out.

The black mud exploded at once, foul water splashing everywhere. Crimson flames spread out, wrapping around a ten-foot Monster Corpse floating on the surface.

Qi Chuan waved his hand, and the Crimson flames immediately dispersed, revealing a ten-foot crocodile-shaped Monster Corpse, charred black all over. Some bone-like protrusions grew from its head, while savage scales covered its body, making for a rather frightening sight.

This was the Water Cloud Crocodile.

It had only been 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 it had reached the Perfected Stage. Even among the Late Qi Refining Stage, its power was not weak.

Thus, it had died in a single strike. This was even with Qi Chuan holding back, since he needed to collect its set of fangs. Otherwise, the Fireball Technique would have burned its entire Monster Corpse to nothing but Flying Ash.

"First, I'll collect the fangs."

Then, Qi Chuan cast the Levitation Technique, bringing the Water Cloud Crocodile's Monster Corpse floating before him. The High-grade Magic Tool dagger Flying Ash transformed into a Grey Shadow and shot out. It darted around the creature's head a few times, cutting off bloodstained fangs one after another.

After collecting the fangs, he withdrew the Levitation Technique, and the corpse fell straight into the Black Swamp with a bang, splashing mud everywhere.

Nearly all of a Water Cloud Crocodile's value lay in its fangs. Its other parts were worth very little. Since Qi Chuan did not have a storage bag, he naturally 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 possess one.

"Three points of 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 more Water Cloud Crocodiles."

Having killed one Water Cloud Crocodile and collected one set of fangs, Qi Chuan smiled faintly and continued casting the Levitation Technique as he headed deeper into the Black Swamp.

Over the next period of time, Qi Chuan found two more 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? Aren't they supposed to live in groups?"

On a Small Stone Island in the Black Swamp, Qi Chuan sat cross-legged atop a Black Stone. Holding a Low-grade Spirit Stone in his hand, he circulated the Evergreen Art and drew out the Spiritual Qi within to restore his Spell Power. Yet his brows were faintly furrowed, and he was somewhat puzzled.

"I'll look around a little more. If I don't find anything, it'll be about time to return."

After recovering some Spell Power, Qi Chuan cast the Levitation Technique and continued searching for Water Cloud Crocodiles in other directions.

Unfortunately, after searching for a while, Qi Chuan found no trace of any Water Cloud Crocodiles.

"Forget it. I'm going back."

Thus, Qi Chuan prepared to return to the sect.

Bang! Bang!

But at that moment, Qi Chuan suddenly heard some commotion from ahead, mixed with the roars of many Water Cloud Crocodiles. There was even a muffled groan from a Girl, clear and youthful.

"Someone is fighting Water Cloud Crocodiles? And there are quite a few of them..." Qi Chuan listened carefully for a while, his expression turning astonished.

No wonder he had encountered so few Water Cloud Crocodiles earlier. Could it be that the Water Cloud Crocodiles nearby had all been drawn to this person?

"And why does this person's voice sound so much like..."

Qi Chuan's expression became strange.

After considering it for a moment, he cast 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. Bright red 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, who had parted ways with him several months ago and entered the Wind Moon Sect's outer sect.

He had not expected that she had also come to this Black Swamp. Was she here to hunt Water Cloud Crocodiles as well, or for another mission?

But how had she ended up besieged by four Water Cloud Crocodiles? That was rather careless.