The Legend Begins

Boom!

In the morning, as the bell rang once more, it heralded another update to the Golden Ranking.

Of course, aside from the talented ones who had achieved success in cultivation, most people were still seizing every moment to break through their realms, so few paid it any attention.

Bai Jing had already grown accustomed to rising early. Sitting before his hut, he focused intently on absorbing the Morning Glow Spiritual Tide.

"Phew~!"

After finishing his morning cultivation, he took a deep breath and suppressed the restlessness in his heart.

After months of bitter cultivation, with nothing but eating and training day after day, the long, repetitive process had left him feeling stifled. He desperately wanted to slack off for a few days.

Yet the bell from the base was like an alarm bell, forcing Bai Jing to suppress such thoughts time and again.

"Bai Jing!!"

Just as Bai Jing was about to return to his room to cultivate, a delighted shout stopped him in his tracks.

He turned around and saw Xu Shan, whose face was full of smiles and excitement.

"You really did it!!"

Xu Shan pushed open the door to the grass hut himself. Once inside, he could not stop praising him.

"Brother Bai, you're still the one!" he said with a grin. "Over these seven days, I took on two missions. Just as expected, both received Grade A ratings!!"

"Brother Xu has achieved Perfection of the Five Viscera. Naturally, completing missions comes more easily to you. There's nothing surprising about this result." Bai Jing smiled, envy flickering in his eyes.

"Come with me. Let's celebrate at the Immortal Canteen." Xu Shan grabbed him and started pulling him outside. "The rankings are announced today. I've already claimed my special reward, so I won't have to scrimp on meals anymore."

"Since Brother Xu has received Ascension Coins, you should first settle your own debts," Bai Jing advised.

"That's a different matter. Without Brother Bai, I might have been like Chen Ping and his kind—getting smug over a little talent, unable to resist taking missions early. How could I have earned these special rewards?"

"Today, I'll make sure Brother Bai is satisfied!"

"You really shouldn't!" Bai Jing waved his hands repeatedly, but he could not withstand the other man's enthusiasm.

Clatter!

At the dining table, Bai Jing looked at the two plates of Spiritual Meat before him, then at the two plates before Xu Shan.

A full eight Ascension Coins!

"You really shouldn't." Bai Jing pushed the plates slightly closer to himself with both hands.

"Eat as much as you like." Xu Shan smiled.

Bai Jing did not stand on ceremony any longer. He was poor enough to hear the copper coins clatter in his pockets, and fortunately, he had met a kind and generous good man like Xu Shan.

As the Spiritual Meat continuously entered his stomach, he felt the qi and blood within him surge dramatically. This sensation of rapidly improving his cultivation was truly wonderful.

"By the way, Brother Bai." Xu Shan thought for a moment before asking, "At present, barring any surprises, all my mission ratings should be Grade A. Once I finish ten missions, should I keep taking missions to earn Ascension Coins, or should I focus on raising my cultivation?"

"You should decide for yourself. It's fine if you want to earn Ascension Coins, but improving your cultivation is also extremely important." Bai Jing spoke with his cheeks puffed out and his mouth slick with grease.

"Give me some advice, Brother Bai." Xu Shan looked at Bai Jing expectantly.

For some reason, he felt that Bai Jing's ideas were surely the most correct.

But to his disappointment, Bai Jing shook his head. "It's hard to say. Cultivation is still the most important thing. I'm only afraid that Ascension Coins may provide tremendous help in the later assessments."

"Wait here." Xu Shan stood up as he spoke.

Bai Jing watched as Xu Shan walked to a distant dining table and spoke with someone there.

"Ling Qinghe?" Looking at the back of the person Xu Shan had approached, Bai Jing felt an inexplicable familiarity.

Then he saw Xu Shan take many Ascension Coins from his robes. Gritting his teeth, he handed them to that familiar figure.

Only when the figure took out a sachet and put Xu Shan's Ascension Coins inside did Bai Jing confirm that she was Ling Qinghe, the girl who sold pills.

Afterward, Ling Qinghe leaned close and said something into Xu Shan's ear.

"Brother Bai, I found out." Xu Shan returned and spoke happily.

He lowered his voice. "The final assessment is related to mission ratings, and the missions are extremely difficult. They may involve far more than simply eliminating demons."

"Ling Qinghe told you that?"

"Yes. It cost me eight Ascension Coins too. It hurts just thinking about it." Xu Shan wore an expression of heartfelt pain.

"Why go that far? In a little over a month, the contents of the later assessments will naturally become known."

"There must be benefits to knowing earlier."

"Is the information reliable?" Bai Jing asked.

"Brother Bai, you don't know Ling Qinghe's identity?" Xu Shan looked at him in surprise, leaving Bai Jing somewhat puzzled.

"Ling Qinghe has grown up on Shangqing Mountain since childhood. She joined this assessment because she wanted to have some fun. You understand what I mean, right?"

"No wonder." Bai Jing came to a realization.

Then, after pondering for a moment, he said, "In that case, my advice is to earn Ascension Coins."

"Then that's what I'll do!"

Bai Jing looked at Xu Shan seriously. "Brother Xu, we still don't know the exact contents of the later assessments. I think you should consider it carefully. The advice I gave is merely my own idea; it may not be reliable. If it delays your cultivation, the gains won't make up for the losses."

"It's fine, I'll listen to you." Xu Shan waved a hand, clearly having already made his choice.

"Don't worry. Even if the decision turns out wrong, I won't blame Brother Bai. This is my own choice."

To put Bai Jing at ease, he added another sentence.

Bai Jing shrugged and said no more.

Not long afterward, the two finished breakfast.

"That was a wonderful meal. Brother Bai, wait for me to return from my next mission."

When they parted, Xu Shan laughed heartily.

Bai Jing had wanted to say more, but Xu Shan had already gone far away.

Just as he had expected, over the next half month, every time Xu Shan returned from a mission, he invited Bai Jing to eat. His sincerity was overflowing, and each time he bought one or two plates of Spiritual Meat.

Until only one final month remained before the assessment ended.

"Brother Bai, I'm back from my mission!"

One morning, Xu Shan called out loudly before Bai Jing's grass hut.

There was no need to think about it. He was surely inviting Bai Jing to eat Spiritual Meat again.

Bai Jing emerged from the hut and stretched lazily.

"Eight Grade As!"

Seeing his friend emerge, Xu Shan held up his fingers to make the number eight.

"Come on, let's meet at the usual place!" he said with a smile.

This time, Bai Jing did not refuse and went straight to the canteen with him.

"Brother Xu, tell me honestly. Why do you generously treat me to Spiritual Meat every time? Even if I gave you advice, there's no need to thank me like this."

As they walked, Bai Jing asked earnestly.

"Ascension Coins are cultivation resources for you, yet you're willing to spend them on me. There should at least be a proper reason."

Xu Shan looked at him. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Because I truly consider Brother Bai a very good friend."

"What do you mean?"

"Brother Bai, I speak bluntly, so don't be offended," he said. "For a genius like me, no matter what happens, passing Shangqing Mountain's assessment is definitely not a problem."

"However, for Brother Bai, it should be extremely difficult, right?"

"I—" Bai Jing was about to speak, but Xu Shan interrupted him.

"That's why, although we chat happily whenever we eat together, Brother Bai has never mentioned anything about your own cultivation. It must be difficult to speak of, so you are unwilling to say it. Naturally, I respect Brother Bai, and I have never looked down on you."

"Now, only one month remains before the assessment ends, and the competition is growing ever fiercer. I think Brother Bai will likely find it difficult to pass this trial."

"Although I'm deeply reluctant, I must accept reality."

"Once I go to Shangqing Mountain, we may never meet again in this lifetime. So from now on, every meeting between Brother Bai and me is one less meeting we will have. And when it comes to a friend about to part ways, of course I should be generous, lest I be left with regrets."

After hearing Xu Shan's heartfelt words, Bai Jing fell silent.

Seeing Bai Jing's silence, Xu Shan said nothing more.

Alas, parting between friends was always sorrowful.

Once they entered the canteen, Xu Shan took the lead and went to the Spiritual Meat counter, ordering four portions.

Yet Bai Jing took out six Ascension Coins and ordered two more portions. Then he turned to Xu Shan with a mysterious smile.

"Not necessarily!"

"Huh?" Staring at the Ascension Coins in Bai Jing's hand, Xu Shan was dumbfounded.

Since when had Brother Bai possessed so many Ascension Coins?

P.S. Thanks to reader Mr. Soy Sauce King for supporting with two monthly tickets, thanks to I'm a Luck Emperor Every Day for the 100-point reward, and thanks to everyone. I'm late again.