Accepting the Mission

Chen Yuan left the noisy front hall of the Task Wall, but his mind was far less calm than his steps.

That county yamen recruitment notice was like an invisible thread, faintly linking to the heavenly warning from the Tidal Stele buried deep in his heart—something he couldn't ignore.

He changed course and headed to the Steward Hall, which handled disciple affairs for the martial hall.

He wanted to try fishing for some wind about that recruitment notice from the duty steward disciples, even just a scrap or two.

Inside the Steward Hall, a few older inner-court disciples were busy at work.

Spotting Chen Yuan enter, one of them recognized this newly promoted personal disciple, put on a smile, and greeted him: "Senior Disciple Brother Chen, here to check the tasks? Plenty of new ones posted today—see anything that catches your eye?"

Chen Yuan returned the greeting with a cupped fist, keeping his expression casual as he asked offhandedly: "Junior Disciple Brother, you've worked hard. I did take a look—quite a variety, enough to make one's head spin."

"Especially that newest county yamen recruitment notice. The rewards look generous, but it's vague on details. I wonder what the actual procedure is? Does it require special conditions?"

The steward disciple's smile faded a bit. He glanced around, lowered his voice, and said: "Senior Disciple Brother, you're interested in that task too? To be honest, Captain Liu from the Criminal Affairs Office personally delivered it just now. Dropped it off and left without a word—tight-lipped as can be."

"All he said was it's an urgent matter personally overseen by the County Magistrate, and they need capable hands fast. No specifics at all—just that whoever takes the task goes to the county yamen's Criminal Affairs Office, signs a Life-and-Death Contract, and then they'll know... If you ask me, this is murky water best avoided."

He paused, looking at Chen Yuan's young face, and offered kindly: "Senior Disciple Brother, you've got talent. The Martial Hall Master values you at such a young age—bright future ahead. Tasks like this, with unclear origins and unpredictable risks, you'd best tread carefully."

"The rewards are generous, sure, but you've got to live to enjoy them, right? Why not look at the routine tasks—escort missions, clearing demonic beasts? Less pay, but steady and safe. You know what you're getting into."

Chen Yuan knew the man meant well. He nodded sincerely: "Thank you for the advice, Senior Disciple Brother. I'll weigh it carefully and act within my limits."

But inside, he was even more certain—this task was no simple matter.

Personally overseen by the County Magistrate, and in the East Sea region... The connection to those "Chishui Bandits" seemed more and more likely.

Leaving the Steward Hall, Chen Yuan pondered for a moment and decided to seek out Second Senior Disciple Brother Zhang Zhenshan.

As an instructor trusted deeply by their master, Second Senior Disciple Brother had far better information than ordinary disciples—he might know more inside details.

He arrived at the side courtyard where Zhang Zhenshan usually handled affairs, just in time to see him coming out, apparently heading somewhere.

"Second Senior Disciple Brother." Chen Yuan stepped forward and bowed.

"Junior Disciple Brother?" Zhang Zhenshan's usually stern face softened slightly. "What brings you here today? Stuck on something in your training?"

"Training's going fine, thank you for your concern, Senior Disciple Brother." Chen Yuan hesitated briefly, then spoke up.

"I just went to the front hall's Task Wall and saw a new recruitment notice from the county yamen. It seemed urgent and mysterious, and the location is in the East Sea region..."

"Got curious, so I came to ask you, Senior Disciple Brother—do you know the inside story? If the risk is manageable, it might be a good chance for some practical experience."

Zhang Zhenshan's eyes flickered. He checked their surroundings, led Chen Yuan to a quieter spot, and lowered his voice further: "You noticed that task too? The master just mentioned it to me."

His expression turned serious: "There are indeed some unusual movements at the county yamen. From the scraps of info we've gathered, the eastern coast near the county—especially around the Chishui River estuary—hasn't been peaceful lately."

"Quite a few fishermen have gone missing, and patrol boats have been attacked... The county yamen suspects something's wrong there, but they don't want to alert the enemy or make a big scene. So they're recruiting capable hands to investigate first. My guess is it's linked to some roving pirates or river bandits."

The Chishui River estuary! Chen Yuan's heart jolted. So it was connected after all.

Zhang Zhenshan continued, his tone growing graver: "The master's intent is for our martial hall to keep an eye on things quietly but not get involved for now. The county yamen's waters are murky—who knows what interests are tangled up behind this."

"That recruitment notice might look generous, but it's probably meant to send our martial hall disciples in as the vanguard, as scouting stones, or even... as scapegoats. Besides—"

He fixed his sharp gaze on Chen Yuan: "The master specifically instructed that you focus on training for the County Examination in the near future. Don't let yourself get distracted, and definitely don't take on dangerous, unclear tasks like this."

"Your safety concerns the martial hall's future. The master has high hopes for you—don't lose the big picture for small gains."

Chen Yuan's heart tightened. The master had already made arrangements and explicitly forbidden him from getting involved.

He kept his face neutral and replied respectfully: "I understand, Senior Disciple Brother. I'll follow the master's orders, train diligently, and won't act rashly."

Seeing Chen Yuan heeding his advice, Zhang Zhenshan's expression eased. He then asked: "You went to the Task Wall—were you looking to take on some tasks to sharpen yourself?"

"Exactly that." Chen Yuan nodded. "Along with training, I wanted to find some tasks within my ability to gain practical combat experience."

"Hmm. The master told you to focus on quiet cultivation, but some practical experience is indeed necessary. Sticking to closed-door training alone can lead to bottlenecks. Just remember—act within your limits, don't chase glory recklessly, and safety comes first."

Zhang Zhenshan approved, then asked carefully: "Which tasks caught your eye?"

Chen Yuan mentioned the "Investigate Dead Fish" and "Cold Pond Algae Harvest" tasks.

Zhang Zhenshan dismissed the first outright: "The west side of town has problems every year—mostly minor stuff. Running that errand would take three to five days, wasting time with little benefit to your training."

His gaze landed on the "Cold Pond Algae Harvest" task. He mused: "Cold Dragon Pond... now that place has some merit. The water there is freezing cold, which can temper the body for martial artists practicing water or ice techniques. But you can't stay long—cold poison will seep in."

"Ten-year Cold Pond Waterweed is a supplementary ingredient for refining 'Calm Heart Pills' and 'Summer Evasion Powder.' The Hundred Herbs Hall buys it year-round. There are cold-water beasts lurking in the pond, like 'Cold Water Vipers' and 'Iron-Toothed Ice Fish'—mostly around the first tier, equivalent to Qi and Blood Realm peak to early Skin Grinding Realm."

"With your current Skin Grinding - Minor Accomplishment cultivation, as long as you're careful, you can handle it. The reward is decent, and you can temper your qi, blood, and bones along the way. Worth a try."

With Second Senior Disciple Brother's approval and detailed analysis, Chen Yuan had a clear plan.

He returned to the Task Wall and, without hesitation, tore down the sheepskin scroll for the "Cold Pond Algae Harvest" task.

The steward disciple on duty recognized Chen Yuan. As he registered the task, he offered a friendly reminder:

"Senior Disciple Brother Chen, Cold Dragon Pond isn't like ordinary waters. The underwater cold is bone-piercing, and the currents are tricky. Be careful, act within your limits, and pull back immediately if something feels off."

"Thank you for the reminder, Junior Disciple Brother. I'll keep that in mind." Chen Yuan cupped his fist in thanks, carefully noting the task details and handover location.