Six months passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, Sword Holding Pavilion sent word.
Sword Holding Pavilion was Shu Mountain's mission hall. Disciples from every peak had to go to Sword Holding Pavilion to accept missions.
Every year, each peak had a certain mission quota.
And Sword Holding Pavilion's message today concerned exactly that.
It informed Li Xuanxiao that their mission quota for this year had not been completed.
A large part of the reason was that Eldest Senior Brother Xue Yun had gone down the mountain.
There was no helping it. In the past, Xue Yun had been Silver Sword Peak's mainstay.
There was no helping it. Silver Sword Peak had few people to begin with.
He had no choice but to take on this mission himself.
Li Xuanxiao arrived at Sword Holding Pavilion to report in.
There, he saw the people he least wanted to see on this mission: Murong Mo, Jiang Luoshui, Fourth Senior Sister Su Wan...
Li Xuanxiao's expression did not change.
After hiding for so long, he had ultimately failed to avoid them.
They had still met.
"I'll be leading this mission. Our target is the Human-Faced Serpent in Mount Wu Wang at the edge of the Southern Border," Murong Mo said.
Li Xuanxiao hesitated for a moment.
The instant he saw Murong Mo and Jiang Luoshui in the team, he had considered pretending to be sick.
As long as he swallowed the pill he had refined himself, he would soon be foaming at the mouth with his breath in disarray.
But when he heard that this mission involved going to Mount Wu Wang in the Southern Border to find a Human-Faced Serpent—
Li Xuanxiao abandoned that thought.
Mount Wu Wang lay at the edge of the Southern Border.
Poisonous insects and venomous snakes were everywhere there, but to cultivators, that also meant resources.
The Mechanical Puppet he had refined truly needed materials, and Mount Wu Wang was clearly the best place to find them.
Besides, although Murong Mo was leading this time, because they were going to Mount Wu Wang in the Southern Border, a Young Elder would be accompanying them as well.
After the group left Sword Holding Pavilion, Murong Mo summoned his Spirit Pet.
A huge white bird emerged from the vast, roiling sea of clouds. With a gentle beat of its wings, it blew away the surrounding mist.
When the white bird was fully revealed before them, its silky feathers gleamed with a faint silver radiance, as though moonlight had spilled over them.
"Only Senior Brother Murong could afford to raise a Spirit Pet like this," someone immediately said enviously.
Murong Mo called for everyone to board the Spirit Pet.
"The Southern Border is far away. Traveling by sword would consume too much energy."
The group climbed onto the Spirit Pet one after another.
Su Wan seemed unwilling to ride Murong Mo's Spirit Pet, but seeing everyone else board, she silently followed them up as well.
The Young Elder was named Feng Yun, and she was currying favor with Murong Mo.
There were many Young Elders like Feng Yun in Shu Mountain.
They had merely endured long enough to build seniority. At Feng Yun's age, this was likely the limit of her life.
But Murong Mo was different. He was young, gifted, and from a good family.
His future was boundless.
"Junior Brother Li."
Li Xuanxiao glanced at Fourth Senior Sister Su Wan.
Su Wan looked at him. She had not seen Li Xuanxiao for a long time.
Li Xuanxiao seemed to have been deliberately avoiding her.
That made Su Wan feel rather uneasy.
She worried that perhaps her matter had made Li Xuanxiao too embarrassed to face her, so he had simply hidden away.
Yet Li Xuanxiao now looked at her with a perfectly normal expression, without the panic she had imagined.
Su Wan could not help thinking, Sure enough, he's still like this. He pretends not to care on the surface, but inside, just because I spoke to him, his heart is probably beating so hard it's about to stop.
If Li Xuanxiao had heard what Su Wan was thinking, who knew what expression he would have made.
Senior Sister, you really know how to fill in the blanks~
"Junior Brother Li, when we reach the Southern Border, is there anything you need? I can help you look for it," Su Wan said.
"Thank you, Senior Sister, but there's no need to trouble yourself over such small matters," Li Xuanxiao tactfully refused Su Wan.
He was still nervous.
Su Wan thought to herself.
But Li Xuanxiao noticed that Murong Mo, who was speaking with Young Elder Feng Yun, kept glancing in their direction, deliberately or otherwise.
Was he bothered by him talking to Su Wan?
Senior Sister, please stop drawing aggro for me.
Li Xuanxiao felt somewhat helpless.
Three days later.
They arrived above Mount Wu Wang.
The group left the great bird and landed on a forest path.
The Southern Border was shrouded in poisonous miasma all year round.
Although Mount Wu Wang lay on the outskirts, it was still not to be underestimated.
Young Elder Feng Yun waited for them in the sky.
Murong Mo briefly assigned their formation.
The task of clearing the way was given to Fan Zhiyu, Li Xuanxiao, and two other disciples.
Because of the miasma in Mount Wu Wang, ordinary cultivators could not replenish their true essence in time.
But plants and Spirit Monsters, venomous insects, snakes, and ants would always block the road, so someone had to clear the way.
Murong Mo had the highest cultivation and was the main force against the Human-Faced Serpent.
So he could not waste his true essence on such matters.
"Xuanxiao, be careful."
Li Xuanxiao was the first to lead the way.
Murong Mo patted his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile.
Li Xuanxiao nodded indifferently.
"Senior Brother, my cultivation is weak. You have to protect me well~"
Jiang Luoshui said to Murong Mo in a coquettish tone.
Murong Mo indulgently rubbed her head.
Seeing this, Su Wan snorted coldly.
She turned to Li Xuanxiao. "Junior Brother Li, let me handle the path-clearing."
Though Su Wan meant well, why did Li Xuanxiao feel that something was off?
Am I also part of your play?
He shook his head and chose to refuse Su Wan's kindness.
The group swiftly moved forward.
Li Xuanxiao cleared the path, walking at the very front of the team.
After walking for about half an incense stick's time, they encountered their first obstacle.
A venomous snake, emerald green from head to tail.
It suddenly sprang out, catching Li Xuanxiao off guard.
"Watch out!"
Fortunately, a disciple behind Li Xuanxiao was quick-eyed and quick-handed. With a flash of the sword, he cut the venomous snake in two.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. Thank you."
The people behind them watched this unfold, and a trace of disdain inevitably rose in their hearts.
That emerald venomous snake was not highly cultivated. It had been hiding in a tree, and they had all noticed it. Li Xuanxiao had simply been moving too fast.
Su Wan stepped in front of Li Xuanxiao and took over the duty of clearing the path.
"I'll lead the way from here on."
Murong Mo watched it all with cold eyes.
The group continued onward, soon encountering an attack from a somewhat capable spider.
But with everyone working together, they settled the battle in no time.
Before they could draw the attention of other things in the forest, they continued onward.
At this pace, they needed only an hour to reach the Human-Faced Serpent's lair.
Murong Mo, who had remained still as a mountain until now, finally made his move!
With a flick of his wrist, the renowned Thunderclap Sword in his hand instantly transformed into a dazzling blaze of light, as brilliant as lightning streaking across the night sky.
In an instant, thunderlight roared and surged like raging waves, sweeping toward the Human-Faced Serpent.
The Human-Faced Serpent was clearly no ordinary foe. With an agile flash of its body, it barely evaded Murong Mo's incomparably fierce first strike.
Yet before it could breathe a sigh of relief, it discovered that it had already fallen into an even more perilous situation.
Murong Mo had long since set up a Sword Qi Cage, which bared its fangs and brandished its claws as it waited for the serpent to walk into the net.
Murong Mo gripped the Thunderclap Sword tightly in his right hand, every swing bringing forth a streak of dazzling thunderlight.
Meanwhile, his left hand continuously changed hand seals. Mysterious runes flew from his fingertips and merged into the surrounding Sword Qi, making the Sword Qi Cage increasingly fierce and domineering.
"Die!"
Before the others could make a move, the Human-Faced Serpent had already fallen to the ground beneath Murong Mo's attacks.
The others repeatedly voiced their admiration.
"As expected of Senior Brother Murong!"
"Senior Brother Murong truly is too well-rounded. We are ashamed to compare."
"We may as well have just accompanied Senior Brother Murong on a stroll."
The mission had been completed exceptionally smoothly.
Of course, with this mission concluded, according to the rules, the disciples carrying it out could now attend to matters of their own.
Each of them needed to search for the medicinal herbs or other items they required.
Before you continue