Ascension Mission

The Immortal Boat streaked across the sky like a flashing meteor, growing faster and faster.

"Which mission are you on now, sir?"

"I'm no great talent—I just completed my second."

"Same here."

On the deck, the assessment disciples gathered in little groups, chatting amongst themselves.

In truth, aside from Chen Ping, the ostentatiously wealthy genius, nearly everyone else had chosen to stay on deck.

Ascension Coins were an important currency for exchanging all kinds of resources. They could not bear to waste them.

Bai Jing sat alone to one side, listening closely to their conversation.

It seems many people have already begun their second mission over the past half month, he thought.

But Bai Jing was in no hurry. There was still more than a month left—more than enough time.

Besides, these three missions were only meant to help everyone adapt to the environment. From what he had learned from Ling Qinghe, beginning with the second-tier missions, they might start screening out the unqualified.

Rumble!

Just as Bai Jing was considering his plans, a thunderclap exploded without warning, and the Immortal Boat began to shake violently.

He made a snap decision, gripping the railing with one hand as he moved behind someone else.

In this life, he sought immortality and eternal life. How could he fall to his death simply because he was riding an Immortal Boat? He had to find someone to use as a cushion.

The others also cried out in alarm, having no idea what had happened.

Yet the spare "cushion" in front of Bai Jing remained calm. She slowly turned around and fixed him with a dark, unreadable gaze.

"Daoist Ling." Bai Jing wore a gentle smile, while inwardly sighing in relief. The Immortal Boat had already steadied.

"Why do I feel that, if something had gone wrong, you would have used me as a shield?" Ling Qinghe gave him a half-smile, her eyes locked on him.

"Oh? Senior Brother is here." Bai Jing hurriedly changed the subject, looking behind her.

"Junior Brothers, please remain calm. The sect has an urgent mission, so we passed through this route. Nothing like this will happen again."

Before the Shangqing Mountain senior brother could finish speaking, everyone's gazes had already shifted away.

Above their heads, a vessel dozens of times larger than the Immortal Boat they rode sailed past, a spectacular sight to behold.

The entire ship blazed with light. Even amid the darkness, its outline stood out with exceptional clarity, like the only flame beneath the night.

Yet waves of spiritual pressure, as though a god had descended, bore down on them, leaving everyone oppressed to the extreme.

Only after the enormous Immortal Boat had sailed far away did they finally breathe easy.

"One day, I'll stand aboard one of those too!" An assessment disciple watched the Immortal Boat's retreating figure, his heroic spirit surging.

"Same here!"

Boom!

Another violent sound made everyone look around.

This time, however, it was no accident.

"We're here!" someone said happily, pointing at the rows of towering buildings below.

Bai Jing looked down. By starlight, he could vaguely make out one ancient, towering mountain range after another, stretching endlessly into the distance. Ever-present mist covered the upper halves of the mountains, as if draping them in a veil of mystery.

This was the famed Hundred Thousand Great Mountains within Yunzhou.

Shangqing Mountain Stronghold lay on the plains before the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

Over a thousand pavilions stood at the center of the plain, like Jade Palaces built long ago. Spiritual energy swirled within them, immortal cranes flew across the skies, and lights shone brilliantly.

Naturally, those were not where assessment disciples like them lived.

The small, uneven, crude thatched huts farther outside were.

Boom!

Once the Immortal Boat docked, more than a hundred assessment disciples leaped down from the deck.

The Immortal Boat had not carried only Bai Jing's group. It had stopped at several stations afterward, and a single trip could carry over a hundred people.

After Bai Jing and the other disciples disembarked, they hurried along the way, heading straight for the buildings.

"Once we hand in our missions this time, we can cultivate in peace. Let's strive to break through to the third stage before the next assessment arrives."

Chen Ping still stood out like a crane among chickens as he spoke with a smile.

"Indeed. I hear the real assessment begins next, and the missions will be extremely difficult." The youth traveling with Chen Ping nodded. He too was an exceptional youth who had completed his third mission.

"I'm so envious. We still have one mission left, and it'll probably take us several more days." The surrounding disciples smiled bitterly.

"Let's go. The earlier we hand in our missions, the earlier we can rest. We still have to travel again at dawn tomorrow."

Beneath the starlight, the group passed through the thatched huts together and entered the brightly lit buildings.

"It truly refreshes the heart and clears the mind. I've heard that a Shangqing Mountain expert laid down a formation within these buildings, and the spiritual energy is abundant. Sadly, we're only in the Blood Qi Realm and still cannot come into contact with such power," an assessment disciple said, looking around.

Before long, Bai Jing and the others arrived before an enormous building.

Though it was deep into the night, people constantly entered and exited through its doors, while the sound of conversation never ceased.

This was where assessment disciples handed in and accepted missions.

Ascension Tower!

"We have already completed three missions, so there is no rush for us. Everyone, please go ahead!" Chen Ping stood at the very front of the group, yet stepped aside with a smile.

Several others then joined him.

"Brother Chen is truly considerate." Ling Qinghe glanced at him and was the first to enter Ascension Tower.

Bai Jing followed behind the main group, wholly unremarkable.

The moment he entered, he found that the hall, which had seemed spacious the first time, was now packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.

"There are only thirty thousand assessment disciples. Surely it shouldn't be this crowded in the middle of the night." He was somewhat surprised.

After thinking it over, he guessed they had simply arrived at an unfortunate time.

There was no helping it. He could only queue up obediently.

"What is your name?"

"Ling Qinghe."

After an unknown length of time, it was finally Bai Jing's group's turn.

A name that had left a deep impression on him sounded from beside him. He glanced sideways and only then noticed that the girl who sold pills was in the neighboring line.

Ling Qinghe handed a Bounty Notice to the steward across the window. In turn, he handed her two Ascension Coins.

"Only two Ascension Coins for one mission—just enough to ride the Immortal Express," Bai Jing muttered as he looked at the girl's coins.

Soon, it was his turn.

"Name."

"Bai Jing."

After accepting two Ascension Coins, Bai Jing headed directly to the Mission Hall next door.

Inside, many assessment disciples selecting missions were already standing about.

He walked to a massive White Jade Pillar and picked up a Bounty Notice from it. "We sincerely beg the Immortal Masters of Shangqing Mountain to lend aid. For many days, our town has been plagued by a man-eating demon, and the people cannot live in peace.

Evaluation: White Tiger Demon, strength at the first stage of the Blood Qi Realm. Mission reward: two Ascension Coins. Time..."

These Bounty Notices were both missions and letters of plea for help from the people of Yunzhou.

"Unfortunately, I am seeking resources at present. Otherwise, since I have seen it, I would have been willing to take this mission." Bai Jing shook his head and returned the Bounty Notice to its place.

He picked up a second Bounty Notice. "Immortal Masters of Shangqing Mountain, please save us. A water monster is causing trouble in our town's lake, and fishermen have suffered... Evaluation: water monster, strength at the second stage of the Blood Qi Realm. Mission reward: three Ascension Coins."

Bai Jing looked through the missions in the Mission Hall for a long while before making up his mind.

The demons in the hall's missions ranged in strength from the first to the third stage of the Blood Qi Realm.

The rewards also differed according to the demons' strength. Missions involving demons at the third stage of the Blood Qi Realm offered as many as five coins!

"Sadly, my talent is insufficient. If I were at the second stage of the Blood Qi Realm right now, I might have had the courage to consider a five-coin mission." Bai Jing sighed and decided to take a three-coin mission.

It was impossible for him to take another two-coin mission. Other than completing the assessment requirement, there was no profit in it at all.