Submitting the Mission, Elders Astonished

The many people of Hui Ping Town who had suffered at the hands of the Roving Bandits had now returned to relatively peaceful lives.

The Armor and Weapons seized earlier had also all been sold off by now.

Lin Lin knew it was time for him to return.

When he left Hui Ping Town, many of its residents came of their own accord to see Lin Lin off.

Xia Da, along with the Three Clan Leaders and the Clan Elders, represented the many residents of Hui Ping Town in presenting Lin Lin with farewell gifts.

"These are three Old Ginseng roots. They can replenish your qi and blood and improve your martial arts progress. It is only a small token of our appreciation, but we hope Senior Brother Lin will accept it."

Xia Da spoke with a smile.

Lin Lin opened the box and gave it a cursory glance, immediately discovering that all three Old Ginseng roots had been growing for many years.

Even with his merely introductory knowledge of medicinal herbs, he could easily tell that the youngest of the three was more than two hundred years old.

The oldest one was likely an Old Ginseng root over three hundred years old.

Not only could this Old Ginseng be consumed directly to replenish qi and blood, it was also an indispensable main ingredient in many Cultivation Secret Medicines that aided martial arts progress.

In terms of actual value, these Old Ginseng roots together were worth only a little over two thousand taels of silver. Yet given their rarity, even paying three to five times that price might not be enough to buy them.

Compared to the small amount of silver and food he had spent before, these Old Ginseng roots were of greater value to him.

Medicinal herbs that could be considered treasures across the entire Divine Continent were now being given to him as farewell gifts.

It seemed that the people of Hui Ping Town had seen and remembered Lin Lin's recent consideration and efforts on their behalf.

"Thank you."

Lin Lin looked around at the crowd, then accepted the ginseng box beneath everyone's eager gazes.

He committed this kindness to heart.

After waving farewell to everyone, Lin Lin mounted his horse and set off toward the Hundred Flowers Valley residence.

Nothing happened along the way. As he rode onward while cultivating his internal energy, Lin Lin returned to Hundred Flowers Valley.

By then, Lin Lin felt that his internal energy cultivation had advanced another step, with the number of illuminated acupoints reaching forty-three.

The moon shone brightly amid sparse stars as Lin Lin returned the horse he had borrowed in Hundred Flowers Town.

Then, with light steps, he made his way to the Mountain Gate residence of Hundred Flowers Valley.

After showing his identity token to the Patrolling Disciple, Lin Lin entered the Mountain Gate and headed toward the Hall of Affairs.

Elder of Affairs Zhang Zhou, who had become so engrossed in reading novels that he had unknowingly worked overtime until now, had just risen to go home when he saw Lin Lin walk in.

"Oh, Junior Nephew Lin, you finally decided to come back?"

"You've been gone seven or eight days. Martial Uncle thought that since it was your first time going out, you'd gotten lost outside."

Zhang Zhou, who had been about to stand, sat back down and spoke with a smile.

Previously, Zhang Zhou had called Lin Lin "boy," but now he addressed him as his junior nephew.

In Hundred Flowers Valley, Official Disciples were merely apprentices. Although they counted as members of Hundred Flowers Valley and were its future hope and support, only upon becoming Elite Disciples did they truly gain the sect's recognition.

To members of Hundred Flowers Valley with the status of Elder of Affairs or above, only Elite Disciples could truly be considered close juniors of their own generation.

Throughout Hundred Flowers Valley's long history, quite a few Official Disciples had failed to meet the requirements for promotion to Elite Disciple due to neglecting cultivation because of their personalities, external factors such as Cultivation Deviation, and so on. Those people either ended up expelled from the sect or voluntarily graduated and left.

Or, if they were less fortunate, they simply died without a sound in some corner of the Divine Continent while carrying out a mission.

Had Lin Lin not changed during this recent period and begun cultivating diligently, this would likely have been the outcome awaiting him as well.

Since Lin Lin had returned with such relaxed confidence, he had presumably completed the Elite Disciple Promotion Mission.

"This disciple did not get lost. This is the mission dossier; I ask Martial Uncle Zhang to review it."

Lin Lin handed over a dossier filled with writing. His form of address for Zhang Zhou had naturally changed from "senior" to "Martial Uncle."

Zhang Zhou accepted the dossier somewhat absentmindedly, thinking that it merely recorded the course of Lin Lin's investigation.

The reason he had taken so long to return was surely that his abilities were lacking and his progress had been slow, delaying him.

His teasing remark about Lin Lin getting lost outside had only been a way to preserve the boy's dignity.

Yet after Zhang Zhou carefully read the contents, an astonished expression gradually appeared on his face.

The dossier indeed recorded the entire course of the mission.

Through the written description alone, Zhang Zhou learned how Lin Lin had spotted the enemy's likely location and origins at a glance, planned before acting and seen through the enemy's hidden cards, then relied on the local militia while personally taking the lead to break through the Mountain Stronghold and wipe out the enemy in one stroke.

It gave him a sense of being there in person.

Precisely because of that, Zhang Zhou found it somewhat like a novel, carrying a slightly exaggerated feeling that departed from reality.

However, the words of gratitude jointly signed and sealed by the many local gentry at the end of the dossier could not be false. They fully proved that events had unfolded exactly as described in the dossier.

This style of action, both decisive and meticulous, was something even some True Inheritor Disciples did not possess.

Yet the one who had achieved all this was merely a thirteen-year-old youth. Given time, he would surely become a pillar of the sect, perhaps even surpassing his father, Lin Yue, in accomplishment.

Zhang Zhou could not help but feel admiration and appreciation for the junior nephew before him.

Picking out a report from the intelligence documents at the side, one that had been sent back several days ago regarding Hui Ping Town, Zhang Zhou found information in this inconspicuous report that largely matched the contents of the mission dossier Lin Lin had submitted.

The intelligence gathered through Carrier Pigeon Dispatch was not as detailed as the dossier, but this comparison nevertheless confirmed the authenticity of Lin Lin's mission dossier.

"Junior Nephew Lin, you completed this mission beautifully. You have greatly displayed the prestige and bearing of our Hundred Flowers Valley."

"Since you exceeded the requirements of this mission, Martial Uncle will give you a Grade A+ mission evaluation."

"With this evaluation, Elder of Teaching Skills may grant you an additional reward."

Zhang Zhou spoke with a smile as he picked up his brush and wrote a Credentials Letter certifying the completion of the Elite Disciple Promotion Mission.

Once he had finished, he handed the Credentials Letter to Lin Lin and said with a smile, "It is late now, so visit Elder of Teaching Skills tomorrow. Before that, though, you can go to Rainbow Dress Pavilion with this Credentials Letter to collect an Elite Disciple's Robe. Wear it home and make your elders happy."

Lin Lin thanked him before accepting the letter, then headed to Rainbow Dress Pavilion, located on the cliff face in the Middle Section of Hundred Flowers Valley.

Since Hundred Flowers Valley disciples often damaged their clothes while traveling outside, and since neither their departure times nor return dates were fixed, someone was always on duty there.

When Lin Lin arrived, he saw a woman in her thirties dozing beneath the lamplight.

Lin Lin's arrival woke her. Upon learning why he had come, she was clearly displeased at having her sleep disturbed.

However, once she saw the Credentials Letter bearing Lin Lin's Grade A+ evaluation, the impatience on her face vanished and was replaced by a faint smile.

When Lin Lin then took out one tael of silver for her, she became even more enthusiastic.

She directly brought Lin Lin twelve sets of clothes in total, enough for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, including changes of clothes. She quickly selected sizes that fit him, and even altered some that were slightly unsuitable.

Her post here came with a fixed amount of Sect Contribution and silver as a reward, but the money Lin Lin had given her was extra income.

Moreover, that Grade A+ evaluation represented Lin Lin's extremely promising future. Thus, within the bounds of her authority, she naturally served Lin Lin with the utmost care.