On-Duty Mission

The Lingmu Sect has twelve halls.

First is the Ancestor Hall, where the Sect Master cultivates his personal disciples. It has the best conditions among all the halls.

Disciples selected for the Ancestor Hall are always those with exceptional aptitude and profound comprehension, or those who have made unparalleled contributions to the sect, possessing extraordinary fortune.

There are generally no more than five disciples in the Ancestor Hall at the same time. Almost every one selected achieves extraordinary success in the future.

It is said that there are only two people in the Ancestor Hall this generation.

Both of these individuals are cultivators in the late Golden Core stage. During the Sect Master's seclusion, they became the de facto leaders of the Lingmu Sect.

Following that are the halls for inner disciples.

These are the Law Enforcement Hall, Law Enforcement Hall, Alchemy Hall, Refining Hall, and Talisman Creation Hall.

Although the conditions in these halls are slightly inferior, disciples from each hall generally do not leave the sect to venture out. They can enjoy various conveniences provided by the sect, and their daily cultivation is not delayed by various tasks. These halls are the top choice for disciples who have completed their studies after three years.

After that are the halls for Outer Sect disciples.

These are the Special Service Hall, Gathering Treasure Hall, Supervision Hall, Four Seas Hall, and Scattered Leaves Hall.

Disciples in these Outer Sect halls are frequently dispatched on missions, experiencing various dangers. Not only do they fail to enjoy the sect's conveniences, but the density of spiritual energy outside is also incomparable to that on Qingming Mountain. Their cultivation speed is significantly reduced as a result.

This leads to Outer Sect disciples not only being unable to maintain their health and extend their lifespan but also losing their own lifespan due to daily injuries, or living monotonous and boring lives day after day. This is the last resort for disciples who have not achieved success after three years.

Finally, there is the Advanced Study Hall.

The Advanced Study Hall can be considered the talent cultivation base of the Lingmu Sect, and also its logistical base for maintaining daily operations.

A large number of low-level disciples serve as porters, cooks, gatekeepers, cleaners, repairmen, spirit beast tenders, lamp lighters, and timekeepers within the Lingmu Sect, ensuring its orderly functioning.

Through their labor, these disciples can enhance their sense of belonging to the sect.

They can also earn Spirit Stone rewards and sect contributions. By consuming sect contributions, they can gain opportunities to attend lectures by high-level cultivators.

After three years.

Individuals from the Advanced Study Hall will be assigned to various halls based on their cultivation level and the results of their graduation assessments.

Early morning.

Li Mo, as a first-year disciple of the Advanced Study Hall, arrived at the hall's main office to receive his rotation task.

Tasks in the Advanced Study Hall are divided into two types: daily rotation tasks and temporary commission tasks.

Daily rotation tasks are basically fixed and assigned by the sect. They involve various daily maintenance duties within the sect. These tasks are usually low in difficulty but require a significant amount of time, energy, and physical strength. Only after completing these daily tasks can one receive their monthly Spirit Stone salary and sect contributions.

As for temporary commission tasks, they are often issued by inner disciples or Foundation Establishment cultivators. These tasks occasionally involve some danger, and the rewards are commensurate with the effort required. There is also a certain probability of befriending Foundation Establishment seniors within the sect.

However, such commission tasks that require going out generally have a rule: they must be taken by Advanced Study Hall disciples who have been in the sect for over a year. First-year Advanced Study Hall disciples rarely have the opportunity to undertake commission tasks.

"Uncle-Master Ding, disciple Li Mo is here to receive this month's rotation task."

Typically, Lingmu Sect rotation tasks are rotated monthly.

Ding Wei nodded and took out a waist token, handing it to Li Mo.

"You are responsible for being the gatekeeper for the Gathering Treasure Hall this month. You will take over your shift daily at Weishi (1-3 PM) and rest at Xushi (7-9 PM). You will be responsible for relaying messages for the Gathering Treasure Hall and maintaining daily cleanliness."

"Yes!"

Ding Wei nodded and added a few more instructions.

"Since this is your first time accepting a sect daily task, you will receive ten free opportunities to attend lectures by Foundation Establishment cultivators this month. After completing your task, you will receive one Spirit Stone and ten sect contributions at the end of the month."

Li Mo took the waist token and examined it carefully. The words "Gatekeeper of the Gathering Treasure Hall" were engraved on it. He immediately bowed in thanks and turned to leave.

It was still early before Weishi (1-3 PM).

Before that, he could wander around the sect for a bit to familiarize himself with the Lingmu Sect environment.

After wandering around, Li Mo discovered that Qingming Mountain was actually larger than he had imagined.

There were over a hundred courtyards. Among them, over twenty were restricted areas, over thirty were off-limits to outsiders or low-level disciples, and some courtyards required an application to enter.

Li Mo noted them all down.

In addition to these, Qingming Mountain had three public gathering areas.

One was Wudao Peak on the back mountain, which was where low-level cultivators of the Lingmu Sect learned spells. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators also built their cave dwellings on the mountainside, but they were protected by formations, so there was no need to worry about accidentally intruding.

Another was Sacred Tree Plaza in the center of Qingming Mountain, which was the area for daily activities and exchanges among low-level cultivators of the Lingmu Sect. It covered an area of several thousand mu.

The last was Qingming Hall, which was the gathering place for the Lingmu Sect during major conferences. Low-level disciples were generally not allowed to enter.

Unknowingly, time arrived at Weishi (1-3 PM) in the afternoon.

After having an early meal, Li Mo changed into his gatekeeper attire and arrived punctually at the entrance of the Gathering Treasure Hall.

Three people were standing at the entrance at this moment.

Two of them were likely gatekeepers who had been waiting there for a long time.

Seeing Li Mo arrive, the two carefully explained the specific details of the task to him and another boy who had also accepted the gatekeeper duty for this place before leaving.

The boy who would be performing the gatekeeper duty with Li Mo was slightly chubby, looking like he had just come of age, around fifteen or sixteen years old, and younger than Li Mo.

So, Li Mo took the initiative to greet him.

"Hello, my name is Li Mo."

The boy responded with a bright smile, "Hello, my name is Wang Zhu. My family are basket weavers. What about you?"

Basket weavers, also known as bamboo craftsmen, are artisans who weave bamboo strips into various tools for daily life and production. Bamboo strips can also be understood as strips of bamboo.

"My family are Traveling Doctors."

Li Mo replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhu gestured to Li Mo, "Shall we go sweep the fallen leaves first?"

"Okay."

The two picked up their brooms and began sweeping the path. As they worked, they quickly became familiar with each other.

Wang Zhu was an honest and upright person, not very talkative, but very diligent in his work. He tended to get stuck on details, reminding Li Mo of his past self.

The task of guarding the gate was divided into three shifts. Li Mo and Wang Zhu were on the last shift.

After their shift ended at Xushi (7-9 PM), they had a rest period from Hai Time (9-11 PM) until Chou Shi. After that, the first group of gate-keeping disciples would start their shift at Yin Shi.

The Gathering Treasure Hall was vast. It took them about half an hour to sweep the entire path.

As a hall within the Outer Sect, disciples of the Gathering Treasure Hall were required to manage and operate the sect's businesses in various prefectures and counties of Muzhou, maintaining the sect's assets and accumulating wealth for the sect. Therefore, the number of resident disciples in the hall was not large, with many not returning for years.

Those who joined the Gathering Treasure Hall might not have high cultivation or strength, but they were certainly sharp-minded. Although they wouldn't achieve great things in the future, becoming wealthy landowners was well within their reach.

Thus, the Gathering Treasure Hall rarely received visitors.

After finishing sweeping the roads of the Gathering Treasure Hall, the two returned to the main gate, waiting for time to pass.

As night fell, bored, they began to find ways to pass the time. Li Mo decided to try cultivating his qi using the Lesser Heavenly Cycle while standing.

It had to be said, this was indeed quite difficult.

Standing caused changes in the meridians. After trying for a long time, Li Mo couldn't grasp the technique and had to give up for the time being, knowing there would be other opportunities.

At this moment, Li Mo noticed that Wang Zhu beside him had been silent for a long time.

So he turned his head to look. Wang Zhu, separated only by a door, was currently picking his nose, with an expression of utmost concentration, enjoyment, and bliss.

This stunned Li Mo for quite a while.

Every movement he made was incredibly careful, as if he were handling a precious work of art. It even made Li Mo a little nervous, wondering if there was a worm in his nose, afraid that applying too much force would push it deeper into his nostril.

After a long while.

Wang Zhu let out a long sigh, emitting a pleasant groan.

Li Mo saw a large piece of booger on Wang Zhu's finger and couldn't help but show a look of disgust.

"I thought there was a bug in your nose."

Wang Zhu raised his right hand, still sticky with booger, and excitedly showed it to Li Mo.

"This is a top-grade booger!"

"Huh?"

Li Mo was dumbfounded, not understanding.

Wang Zhu excitedly explained.

"A true top-grade booger must be dry on the outside and very moist on the inside!"

"What?"

"When you breathe, you'll feel a subtle sense of suffocation as it's drawn into your nasal cavity. At this point, you need to gently loosen it with your pinky finger, allowing it to gradually relax. Then, use your index finger and thumb to repeatedly pull and rub it. During this process, you must be extremely careful and do your utmost to maintain the booger's integrity. As this booger gradually slides out of your nasal cavity, with the moist end drawing a sticky thread in your nose, that feeling... will absolutely make you forget all your troubles. And when you witness this booger completely appear on your finger, feeling its elasticity, stickiness, temperature, and color, that sense of accomplishment is something you'll never understand unless you've experienced it. Once you experience it yourself, you'll never forget it!"

Listening to the other person's eloquent and vivid descriptions, Li Mo felt his worldview shattered by his words.

If there were truly three thousand Great Daos in this world, then this Wang Zhu was undoubtedly the foremost master of the "Booger Dao"!

This person has a pure heart and a diligent, down-to-earth attitude. He will surely achieve something in the future.

Li Mo thought to himself. Seeing the other person gradually rolling the large booger between his thumb and index finger into a ball with a look of enjoyment, he quickly turned his head away, unable to watch any longer.

He suddenly felt that circulating the Lesser Heavenly Cycle while standing didn't seem so difficult anymore.

The next day.

Li Mo had nothing to do in the morning. He went to the hall, hoping to try his luck and see if he could pick up any temporary commission tasks.

After confirming with Uncle-Master Ding that there were no commission tasks he could take, Li Mo went to a blackboard and looked at the introductions of the three Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts who would be lecturing at the Advanced Study Hall that day.

Deputy Captain Zhang Wei of the Law Enforcement Hall's Geng Squad, skilled in wind and wood elemental spells and restraint techniques, would lecture at 9 AM in Classroom Jia of the Advanced Study Hall. Attending the lecture required one sect contribution point.

Captain Chen Rong of the Alchemy Hall's Grade A team, skilled in refining Blood Replenishing Pills, Qi Nourishing Pills, and Foundation Establishment Pills, would lecture at 11 AM in Classroom Yi of the Advanced Study Hall. Attending the lecture required one sect contribution point.

Deputy Captain Wei Cang of the Law Enforcement Hall's Kui Squad, skilled in lightning elemental spells and flanking ambush techniques, would lecture at 3 PM in Classroom Bing of the Advanced Study Hall. Attending the lecture required one sect contribution point.

"Alchemy!"

Li Mo remembered Zhang Dongliang's instructions. He had never forgotten his goal.

After some thought, he was very interested in Chen Rong of the Alchemy Hall and Wei Cang of the Law Enforcement Hall.

He was already a Traveling Doctor, and he believed that learning alchemy would be twice as effective with half the effort.

As for the sermon by Uncle-Master Wei Cang, it involved lightning-attribute spell techniques. Since he possessed the Lightning Spirit Root, and currently only mastered the Spirit Eye technique that came with his sect's main cultivation method, he naturally wanted to try learning a low-level lightning-attribute spell for self-defense.

Unfortunately.

Uncle-Master Wei Cang's lecture was scheduled for the afternoon Weishi (1-3 PM), a time when Li Mo had to be on duty guarding the Gathering Treasure Hall. He simply had no time to attend, so he had to reluctantly give up for now.

"Alright, this way I can focus wholeheartedly on learning alchemy."

At noon.

Li Mo arrived at the Yi Classroom on time and entered using his opportunity to audit classes for free.

After the Aunt-Master Chen Rong entered the classroom, there were only nine people inside, including Li Mo. However, Aunt-Master Chen Rong didn't seem surprised.

She greeted everyone with a smile, appearing quite approachable.

"From now on, you can call me Aunt-Master Chen. The path of alchemy is not a matter of a single day. To learn alchemy well, you not only need to be proficient in the properties of various spirit herbs but also have a good grasp of flame control. Therefore, disciples with a Fire Spirit Root have a certain advantage. Of course, those without a Fire Spirit Root can also control Spirit Stone fire through extensive alchemy experience, and in the process, gain insight into the changes of fire, from the perspective of enlightenment..."

Chen Rong slowly explained the basic knowledge of alchemy.

Among the nine students in the audience, some were enraptured, some were confused, and some were filled with regret.

When Li Mo heard that cultivators with a Fire Spirit Root had an advantage in learning alchemy, his heart suddenly sank. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

Why wasn't he a cultivator with a Fire Spirit Root?

At the same time, he realized that the content of alchemy was a completely different system from the medical arts he had learned.

Li Mo sat on the futon, listening attentively while lost in thought.

He realized that transitioning from a Traveling Doctor to an alchemist was not as simple as he had initially imagined. It would certainly not be achieved overnight. The resources required for this process would also be far beyond what could be met by the sect's daily tasks, let alone dividing his attention to learn spells, artifact refining, talisman crafting, puppet making, and inscription formations.

"However, you all don't need to be discouraged."

Chen Rong offered some words of comfort to everyone before leaving.

"During the three years in the Advanced Study Hall, there will be an annual year-end assessment. Besides the highly anticipated arena combat, the Advanced Study Hall also has specialized assessments for alchemy, talisman crafting, artifact refining, and puppet arts. If you can achieve something in alchemy, you will also receive special attention and training from the sect. Once you gain the status of an alchemist, earn Spirit Stones, improve your cultivation through elixirs, then purchase high-quality spirit artifacts, master spells, and participate in the final combat assessment, it would also be a good path."

After Li Mo heard this, his imagination soared.

This was indeed a viable path, just not as easy as he had initially thought. He couldn't seamlessly transition from his medical skills.