Rewarding Chu Yunxiao

All the tasks within the sect were divided into six levels, and each level was further divided into one to five stars according to difficulty.

The reason they were divided so finely was to make it easier for disciples to carefully assess their own strength.

That way, they would not accept tasks far beyond their abilities. Failure was one thing, but losing their lives over it would truly be a poor bargain.

Generally speaking, Early Zhen Qi Realm disciples were suited to accepting Level One or Two tasks, while mid-stage disciples could handle tasks up to Level Three. Late-stage disciples were suited to Level Four tasks, whereas Level Five tasks usually required several people to undertake them together, or were taken by Core Disciples.

Of course, that was only the general situation. The monstrous geniuses with formidable strength could not be judged by ordinary standards.

Like Feng Chao, who ranked eleventh among the Inner Sect disciples and whom Lu Ming had just heard about.

However, the consequences of failure could only be borne by oneself.

As for Level Six tasks, they rarely appeared and were not posted here. Those were directly assigned to the Gang Qi Realm elders.

Lu Ming felt it would be better to first accept a lower-level task to practice with, so he began by looking over the Level One task area.

At a glance, the first task was a Level One, one-star task: eliminate an Early Stage Level 2 Demonic Beast, an Ink Leopard, that had taken up residence in the back mountains of Xiaxi Village.

The rewards for completion were ninety Contribution Points and three thousand silver coins, with the Demonic Beast materials belonging to the person who completed the task.

After that came a string of Level One, one-star tasks, until he spotted a Level One, two-star task.

Content: Slay the river bandit Yu Yuan.

Below was his introduction: Peak Early Zhen Qi Realm, relying on his martial strength to run rampant and commit all manner of evil...

Whereabouts: Recently appeared near He Le Town.

Rewards for completion: All seized goods would belong to the individual, along with one hundred Contribution Points, fifty thousand silver coins, and ten Low-grade Yuan Stones.

The rewards could be called extremely generous, especially with the ten Low-grade Yuan Stones that could assist cultivation. They were exceedingly rare.

In theory, a Level One, two-star task should not offer such high rewards. However, Yu Yuan was a river bandit, and the relatives and friends of those he had harmed had issued many bounties for him.

Thus, the rewards were generous, making this kind of task extremely popular as well.

With quick eyes and nimble hands, Lu Ming hurriedly tore down the task. A disciple beside him, who had been one step too slow, was left deeply frustrated.

"Brother, this Yu Yuan isn't easy to deal with. Quite a few people have died at his hands, including people from other sects. You won't be able to handle him, so let me take it."

Since both of them were at the Early Zhen Qi Realm, neither could tell whether the other was a senior or junior brother, so the man addressed him as "brother."

Hearing the somewhat comical remark, Lu Ming held back his laughter and shook his head. "Sorry, I can handle him. I won't trouble you."

"Why don't you think it over again?"

The man still did not want to give up.

"I've thought it through." Leaving those words behind, Lu Ming went straight to the counter to register.

"Ugh..."

The man wanted to say more, but seeing Lu Ming walk away, he could only helplessly search for another task.

Without paying any further attention to him, Lu Ming completed the registration and went straight to the Beast Garden to rent a fine horse. He did not want to waste too much time on the road.

Once he was fully prepared, he left the sect and galloped away in a cloud of dust.

"That little fellow has left."

By a mountain peak beside the sect gate, two people stood with their hands behind their backs. One of them was none other than Inner Sect Elder Gongsun He.

The other was a middle-aged man with an elegant, scholarly air.

Judging by their positions, it was obvious that he was the leader.

He had been the one who spoke just now as well.

"He began accepting tasks after only four months. He's faster than we expected," Gongsun He replied.

The middle-aged man continued, "Didn't you say he cultivated four martial arts this time? To master four martial arts in a mere four months, such comprehension and physical aptitude are exceedingly rare."

At this point, he turned and asked, "At his age, if you had wanted to completely master two Human-grade, high stage martial arts and two Human-grade, peak stage martial arts, how much time would you have needed?"

Gongsun He smiled and shook his head. "I can't compare with him. I'm afraid I would have needed more than a year. However, judging from the purchase records of the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, his Iron Elephant Art should only have reached the first stage."

"That's already extraordinary."

The middle-aged man was already very satisfied. "I have a feeling that at the next Ten Nations Hegemony Competition, he will surely bring great glory to our Wuji Sect."

"Yes. With his talent, if he keeps it up, he certainly will."

Gongsun He agreed wholeheartedly, then asked, "Sect Master, how should we arrange for that girl Zhu Ningyun? She's wanted to go out and undertake tasks for experience more than once."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned and thought for a while before replying:

"She's being watched very closely. The moment she leaves the sect, I'm afraid she'll encounter an ambush. We'd better send her to the sect's secret grounds to gain experience."

"That's the only option."

Gongsun He sighed, then continued, "I heard that a sword-wielding genius has recently emerged in the Nine Heavens Sect as well. His name is Yang Xuan. As it happens, he's also from Shuofeng City, just like Lu Ming."

"Oh? Is the information accurate?"

The middle-aged man was somewhat surprised. He had not expected a small place like Shuofeng City to produce two geniuses in succession.

It was somewhat unbelievable.

"Absolutely true. Speaking of which, if Inner Sect Disciple Chu Yunxiao hadn't brought Lu Ming back, he would have gone to the Nine Heavens Sect according to his original wishes."

Gongsun He added one more sentence.

"Reward Chu Yunxiao handsomely."

"He's already been rewarded."

"Reward him again."

Adjacent to He Le Town was an even smaller town called Rouyun Town. It had been formed by three villages merging together, so its population was not large.

Naturally, it did not have any Martial Artists of particularly high strength either.

On this day, a sudden clattering and banging erupted from a mansion in the center of town, larger than all the others around it.

Then came a loud laugh. "Hahaha, your young miss has quite a pretty face. I, Yu, will gladly accept her!"

Following the laughter, a scar-faced man flew out while holding a woman in a goose-yellow dress in his arms.

The commotion drew the people on the street to a halt.

"It's the river bandit Yu Yuan! I can't believe he's come to our Rouyun Town."

"This is bad. With his strength, I'm afraid the only person in town who can stand against him is the proprietor of Fuyun Restaurant."

"He kills without batting an eye. Hurry and hide first."

In the blink of an eye, the main street became utterly deserted.

By then, the river bandit Yu Yuan had already appeared in the street with the woman in his arms. Seeing the crowd flee in terror, he was extremely pleased with his own reputation.

Then three more figures leaped out of the mansion and surrounded Yu Yuan.

"Yu Yuan, let go of my daughter!"

The speaker was an old man at the Early Zhen Qi Realm. The other two were a man and a woman, both only in their thirties or forties. They said nothing, but each held a long sword and stood ready for battle.

"Hahaha, old thing, wouldn't it be easy for me to let your daughter go? Beat me first, then we'll talk. Take this!"

Faced with the three-person encirclement, Yu Yuan did not panic in the slightest. Still wild and domineering, he extended his palm and took the initiative to strike at the old man.

Crack!

The gray-white palm force tore through the air with a thunderous boom. The old man's expression changed, and he hurriedly circulated his power to block it, only to be blasted backward in an instant.

Whoosh, whoosh!

At that moment, the man and woman charged over with their swords. "Yu Yuan, today happens to be convenient. Let us show you the might of the Plum Ridge Twin Swords."

Hearing this, Yu Yuan laughed disdainfully. "What the hell are the Plum Ridge Twin Swords? I've never even heard of you. Take my Whirlwind Sweeping Leaves Leg!"

Facing the incoming twin swords, Yu Yuan suddenly spun into the air while holding the woman, then swept out more than a dozen leg shadows in succession.

Boom, boom, boom!

The surging forces collided. Beneath the leg shadows, the Sword Qi of the Plum Ridge Twin Swords instantly shattered into nothing, causing both their expressions to change dramatically.

"Get out of my way!"

Another leg shadow swept in, and the Plum Ridge Twin Swords immediately spat blood and flew backward.

"Hahahaha, a pack of mud chickens and clay dogs! I'm in a hurry today and can't be bothered to kill you."

Having dealt with three opponents in succession, Yu Yuan was clearly in an excellent mood. "Old fellow, I'll send your daughter back tonight."

"Father, save me!"

Seeing the three people in her family defeated in the blink of an eye and hearing what Yu Yuan had said, the woman in his arms cried out in terror.

"You... my daughter..."

The old man lying on the ground was so enraged that he nearly lost control of his breathing. Yet he was powerless to stop anything, and could only watch helplessly as Yu Yuan strode away.

However, at that moment, a figure suddenly appeared standing on the street ahead, which had been empty only moments before.

The figure wore a black robe and a bamboo hat covered by a black veil. He seemed to have a saber or sword in his arms. With his back to them, his features could not be seen.

Only the black veil on the bamboo hat fluttered in the wind.

"Who are you?"

Yu Yuan could not help stopping. He looked rough and boorish, but was actually careful as well. Otherwise, after committing evil for so many years, he could not possibly have survived until now.

Years of vigilance told him that this newcomer was no simple character.

"Inner Sect Disciple Lu Ming of the Wuji Sect. I've come to take your life."