Every disciple who had just entered the sect had one chance to choose a Human-grade, beginner-stage cultivation technique and martial skill. After that, they would need Contribution Points to obtain anything else.
In Wuji Sect, Contribution Points were equivalent to currency and could be used for practically anything.
Outer Sect Disciples could earn them by accepting missions that did not require leaving the sect, or by cultivating martial skills and cultivation techniques to a certain level and meeting the required assessment standards.
They could also obtain them through the various trials organized by the sect.
In short, there were many ways to earn them—as long as one was willing to work hard.
As a disciple who had just entered the sect, Lu Ming naturally had the same opportunity.
However, he had no need for a cultivation technique. He could exchange it for a martial skill instead.
Yet he felt that he would soon be able to break through to the Zhen Qi Realm. Cultivating a Human-tier Mid-grade martial skill would be useless and merely waste his time.
He wondered whether he could exchange it for Contribution Points instead.
Thus, he asked the person who was showing him around.
He received an affirmative answer.
"Lu Ming, it looks like you've already joined our Wuji Sect."
On the way to the Martial Skill Pavilion, he happened to encounter Chu Yunxiao, whom he had not seen for several days.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Chu."
The person leading Lu Ming was an Outer Sect Steward Disciple. Upon seeing Chu Yunxiao, he hurriedly bowed in greeting.
Chu Yunxiao waved his hand. "It's fine. You may go. I'll show Junior Brother Lu around."
"That's wonderful. Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother Chu."
The Steward Disciple did not insist and left with a smile.
After the man had gone, Chu Yunxiao asked Lu Ming, "How is it? What arrangements has the sect made for you?"
Lu Ming did not hide anything. "I'm an Outer Sect Disciple of Wuji Sect now."
"That's all?"
Chu Yunxiao clearly did not believe him. Although he still did not know exactly how long Lu Ming had been cultivating, judging by his current age and counting from when he had been twelve, his cultivation speed was already astonishing.
The sect should have made some special arrangements for him.
"What else could there be?" Lu Ming shrugged. He did not know how to explain it either.
After thinking for a moment, Chu Yunxiao suddenly muttered to himself, "With your talent... No, there's someone in the Outer Sect whose cultivation speed is even faster than yours. She's already an Inner Sect Disciple."
"She also joined halfway through, just like you. That makes sense, then."
"Her cultivation speed is faster than mine?"
Although the other man's words were somewhat incoherent, Lu Ming still more or less understood what he meant.
He was therefore rather curious. Who could cultivate to the Zhen Qi Realm within five months?
Chu Yunxiao came back to himself and explained, "Come on, I'll tell you as we walk."
As Chu Yunxiao told the story, Lu Ming finally learned the details.
Before he arrived, there had been another genius disciple in the Outer Sect who had only recently joined the sect. She had begun cultivating at the age of twelve, and at just thirteen years and two months old, she had become a Zhen Qi Realm cultivator.
This achievement had caused a sensation throughout the entire sect.
She was hailed as the fastest cultivator in the past century—not only in all of Wuji Sect, but even in the entire Zhao Kingdom.
"Huh? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Seeing Lu Ming stroking his chin with a strange expression, Chu Yunxiao asked in confusion.
Lu Ming felt that he was the fastest one. However, when he thought about how he still had not broken through to the Zhen Qi Realm, he hesitated.
Although he had complete confidence, who could say for certain about something that had not happened yet?
Thus, he kept silent and merely asked, "What's her name?"
"Zhu Ningyun."
Chu Yunxiao replied, "Let me tell you, she's already the apple of those elders' eyes. We ordinary disciples are all terribly envious of her."
Lu Ming was not surprised. After all, geniuses were always highly sought after.
"All right, you'll learn about these things after you enter the Inner Sect. For now, I'll take you to the Martial Skill Pavilion."
Lu Ming nodded.
The Martial Skill Pavilion was a sect's vital and restricted area, so it naturally stood in the core region under heavy guard.
Led by Chu Yunxiao, Lu Ming first arrived at a large hall and square. Countless people came and went, all of them Inner Sect Disciples in the Zhen Qi Realm. The place was bustling with activity.
"What is this place?"
Lu Ming felt that this place did not look like the Martial Skill Pavilion.
"This is the Mission Hall. Inner Sect Disciples have to complete at least one mission each year. Speaking of which, when I went to Shuofeng City last time, it was my first time undertaking a mission."
Chu Yunxiao explained briefly, then prepared to pull Lu Ming through the area. At that moment, a sudden commotion erupted in the square.
"Make way! Something terrible has happened! Senior Brother Yun Jianhai's mission to exterminate the Black Wind Bandit Leader failed, and his corpse was sent back by a bodyguard agency!"
"What?!"
A person suddenly rushed in from outside the square. As he ran and shouted, the words from his mouth left everyone utterly stunned.
"I saw that mission before. According to the intelligence, the Black Wind Bandit Leader was only at the peak of the early stage of the Zhen Qi Realm, while Senior Brother Yun Jianhai was at the mid stage of the Zhen Qi Realm. How could the mission have failed?"
"Exactly. Aside from his realm, Senior Brother Yun Jianhai also possessed the Human-grade, peak-stage Mountain-Shaking Fist. He could even shatter a mountain with one hand. How could he have been no match for that bandit leader?"
"Could the other side have had reinforcements?"
"It must be!"
The square instantly erupted into a heated discussion.
Chu Yunxiao's expression dimmed. "Senior Brother Yun Jianhai ranked four hundred and sixty-second among the Inner Sect Disciples. I never expected him to have fallen."
Lu Ming did not know what to say either. Once again, he felt the cruelty faced by Martial Artists. Even after joining a top sect in the kingdom, one still could not escape death and injury.
"These things are unavoidable. Every year, many people in Wuji Sect are injured while carrying out missions, and quite a few lose their lives. Senior Brother Yun Jianhai was merely one of them."
Chu Yunxiao sighed again, then quietly explained to Lu Ming:
"The various forces in the Zhao Kingdom aren't on friendly terms. When disciples from different factions meet, they often clash head-on, especially those from the three Seventh-Rank Sects. As for the consequences, the lighter ones suffer some injuries, while the more serious ones may lose their lives."
"Even if they are Eighth-Rank or Ninth-Rank Sects, as long as the conflict is an ordinary dispute between disciples, the higher-ups of the sects will not intervene."
"There are also evil Martial Artists and similar existences. Because of them, accidents can happen at any time when we travel through the Jianghu."
Lu Ming nodded. He somewhat understood the sect's way of thinking. It did not want to raise flowers in a greenhouse.
"I'll take this mission! I want to see just how strong that bandit leader is!"
A mid-stage Zhen Qi Realm disciple suddenly shouted.
"Count me in. Senior Brother Yun Jianhai and I had a good relationship. I'll personally avenge him."
"I'm going too. That bandit leader might have quite a few helpers."
In the square, the discussion eventually turned into a wave of collective fury.
"What kind of decorum is this, making such a racket?"
At that moment, the commotion outside finally drew over an elder. With a stern expression, he said:
"The Jianghu is cruel. If your skills are lacking, this is the consequence. Also, never underestimate anyone. Even if your opponent is a cripple or a blind man, carelessness and overconfidence can still make you die with regrets, no matter how powerful you are."
He was using the opportunity to warn all the disciples.
Only then did the disciples quiet down.
"All right. A batch of new missions has been posted. Assess your own strength before accepting one. Do not overreach."
The elder left them with those words before turning and entering the hall.
The disciples then went off to attend to their own affairs.
The disciple who had previously said he would accept the mission to exterminate the bandit leader had originally intended to leave the hall, but he now kept his word and entered it again.
Several people followed behind him.
"Let's go too,"
Chu Yunxiao said.
Lu Ming nodded. He no longer felt like wandering around, so he went to the Martial Skill Pavilion and exchanged his two choices for Contribution Points.
Then he bid farewell to Chu Yunxiao and went straight back to his residence.
The matter of Zhu Ningyun, along with what he had witnessed outside the Mission Hall, suddenly made him eager to break through to the Zhen Qi Realm.
After that, he would accept a mission.
To him, the Jianghu was dangerous, but it was also highly attractive.
Therefore, he planned to devote himself wholeheartedly to cultivating his inner qi from then on.
Before you continue