D-grade Mission

Within the Profound Nether Platform stood a large courtyard residence.

The large courtyard residence consisted of three smaller courtyards, and Zhao Zhi occupied one of them.

The Profound Nether Platform was vast, but it was not built entirely of residential courtyards.

The Scripture Pavilion, Mission Hall, Artifact Tower, and a series of other special buildings, along with artificial hills, flowing water, gardens, and martial arts grounds, occupied most of the space.

There were places to live within the Profound Nether Platform, but anyone who could occupy an entire courtyard held no low status—at the very least, they were Junior Banner Officers, perhaps even Banner Commanders.

For a Formal Profound Nether Guard to have an independent room was already quite good, let alone Zhao Zhi, who had yet to become a Formal Profound Nether Guard.

Clearly.

This was Yan Qing's handiwork.

Yan Qing possessed quite a few means—or rather, connections—within the Profound Nether Platform of Jing Prefecture.

After moving into the small courtyard, Zhao Zhi found a booklet and a martial arts manual on the table in his room.

The booklet recorded matters related to the Profound Nether Guard, chiefly how to accept missions, complete them, submit them, and thereby obtain corresponding merit. Merit could be exchanged for cultivation resources in the Scripture Pavilion, Artifact Tower, and Pill Dispensary. At the same time, it could also be exchanged for worldly riches of gold and silver, or even the positions of Junior Banner Officer and Banner Commander.

The Profound Nether Platform's official rank system resembled that of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, yet differed from it in that it did not have nearly as many positions.

From lowest to highest, the ranks of the Profound Nether Platform were Strongman, Junior Banner Officer, Banner Commander, Pacification Commissioner, Commander, and Platform Master.

Any martial artist who became a Formal Profound Nether Guard would automatically receive the position of Strongman.

To become a Junior Banner Officer, one needed to reach the Meridian Opening Realm and complete a C-grade Mission; to become a Banner Commander, one needed to enter the Astral Condensation Realm and complete a B-grade Mission; to become a Pacification Commissioner, one needed to advance into the Mountain-Shaking Realm and complete an A-grade Mission.

As for the position of Commander, it was not something one could obtain merely by meeting the martial realm requirement and completing missions. One had to report to the Profound Nether Platform Headquarters and obtain the imperial family's approval before being granted the position.

Martial realm.

Missions.

Zhao Zhi carefully flipped through the booklet, light gathering and shifting in his eyes.

The promotion of official ranks within the Profound Nether Platform was, broadly speaking, still earned through strength. So long as he possessed sufficient strength and merit, he could obtain what he deserved within the Profound Nether Platform.

After finishing the booklet, Zhao Zhi turned to the martial arts manual.

It was a martial arts manual that led directly to Innate Perfection, named the Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique.

The Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique was of the same grade as the Innate Unity Qi Technique. Both could cultivate vast and vigorous inner qi, so it was not bad at all. It was a martial art that anyone entering the Profound Nether Platform could cultivate.

In the past, Zhao Zhi might have cultivated this Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique to add another stream of inner qi to himself.

But now, through the Merit Panel, he had already deduced a Foundation Establishment martial art perfectly suited to him: the Primordial Unity True Art: Foundation Establishment.

In terms of profundity, the Primordial Unity True Art: Foundation Establishment far surpassed the Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique. There was simply no need for him to cultivate the Profound Nether Platform's standard martial art.

Moreover, having cultivated the Primordial Unity True Art: Foundation Establishment, Zhao Zhi could penetrate the origin and discern the subtle, seeing with the seasoned insight of an old hand. With a single glance, he saw through the core of the Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique and felt no need whatsoever to cultivate it.

He then set the Cloudsea Qi Tempering Technique aside and settled down in the Profound Nether Platform.

Two days later.

Yan Qing came to see him.

Looking at Zhao Zhi reclining in a lounge chair with his eyes closed, calmly resting his mind, she found it difficult to connect him with the decisive, lethal man he had been at Flying Cloud Stronghold. A breeze drifted past, and a strand of hair fell across Zhao Zhi's handsome face, lending him a few more shades of peaceful, tranquil years.

Such peaceful years were exceedingly rare within the Profound Nether Platform.

"Lady Yan."

Hearing footsteps, Zhao Zhi opened his eyes. Upon seeing Yan Qing, he rose to his feet.

"Just call me Yan Qing."

"Yes, Lady Yan."

Yan Qing did not dwell on the matter. She tossed a small scroll to Zhao Zhi. "This is your D-grade Mission. You only need to complete this one mission to become a Formal Profound Nether Guard."

Zhao Zhi caught the small scroll. It felt faintly cool in his hand and had been made from a special kind of fabric.

The Mission Hall of the Profound Nether Platform displayed small scrolls bearing different missions. Taking down a scroll counted as accepting that mission. Once the mission was completed, the scroll was returned to the Mission Hall to submit the mission.

There was a hint of apology in Yan Qing's voice. "Originally, I would have accompanied you on this mission. But there happens to be a C-grade Mission in the Mission Hall suitable for me, so I cannot accompany you on this D-grade Mission. Still, with your strength, a mere D-grade Mission should be nothing."

A C-grade Mission?

That meant entering the Meridian Opening Realm and becoming a Junior Banner Officer.

Zhao Zhi looked Yan Qing up and down. He could indeed faintly sense that she was unable to perfectly control the circulation of her inner qi. He cupped his hands and congratulated her. "Congratulations, Lady Yan, on entering the Meridian Opening Realm."

Yan Qing could not conceal the trace of a smile on her face. "With your talent and strength, I imagine it will not be long before you become a Meridian Opening Realm martial artist as well." After pausing for a breath, she continued, "Although I cannot accompany you on this mission, I will have He Peng go with you. He Peng has undergone two missions and understands the circumstances of D-grade Missions."

Zhao Zhi had originally intended to refuse, but after a second thought, he did not speak.

A D-grade Mission posed almost no difficulty for him. He could handle it alone.

But after all, this was his first mission for the Profound Nether Platform, and he did not understand its methods of operation.

With He Peng, a Profound Nether Guard who could barely be considered an old hand, assisting him, he should be able to avoid quite a few troubles.

"I'll have He Peng come over shortly. Tell him when you intend to carry out the D-grade Mission." As she spoke, Yan Qing looked around the small courtyard and said lightly, "Are you accustomed to living here? Do you have any other requests?"

Zhao Zhi shook his head. "Thank you, Lady Yan. I have no requests for the time being."

"That's good."

Yan Qing glanced around several times, yet did not know what else to say.

Usually, she followed Tang Chuxue and learned her aloof coldness, her fresh elegance. Instead, she had forgotten how to communicate normally with people.

Three breaths later.

After instructing Zhao Zhi to complete the mission properly, Yan Qing left the small courtyard.

Zhao Zhi watched Yan Qing's departing figure, his eyelids lowering.

This Lady Yan seemed somewhat too enthusiastic.

Though Zhao Zhi had saved her at Flying Cloud Stronghold, she had recruited him into the Profound Nether Platform, provided him with a small courtyard within it, personally delivered the D-grade Mission scroll, and had even intended to accompany him on the mission.

He could not help but suspect Yan Qing's purpose.

But what purpose could Yan Qing have?

Zhao Zhi was merely an ordinary blue-clad constable from Qingfeng County. Aside from being somewhat outstanding in martial arts, there was nothing about him that someone like Yan Qing—a Profound Nether Guard from the Profound Nether Platform with seemingly considerable backing—should think highly of.

Could it be...

Zhao Zhi thought of the True Martial Mountain-Suppressing Technique.

Only the True Martial Mountain-Suppressing Technique could make her take such interest in him.

Yet what was so special about this incomplete True Martial Mountain-Suppressing Technique? Zhao Zhi still needed to learn more about it.