Initiation Trial Mission

Initiation Trial Mission

After leaving the monthly stipend area, Hu Donghan did not leave the Outer Affairs Hall. Instead, he went straight to the sect mission area.

The sect mission area was nothing like the quiet, deserted monthly stipend area. Dozens of disciples were browsing missions there.

Hu Donghan picked up a jade slip from the mission area, sent spiritual power into it, and examined the many sect missions within.

"Steward Niu Le of Skeleton Tomb Peak offers a reward for the death of the lone evil cultivator Lu Yu: one thousand Spirit Stones and ten bottles of Qi-Refining Pills—target cultivation: Qi Refining Peak; cultivation requirement: Late Qi Refining Realm or above. Three or more disciples are recommended to go together. Proof of completion: Lu Yu's head and spiritual power imprint. Mission danger level: high."

"Senior Brother Liu Mengde of Earthfire Hall urgently needs twelve front paws from Netherworld Ghost Panthers. Reward: two hundred Spirit Stones and twelve bottles of Qi-Refining Pills—Netherworld Ghost Panthers are peak first-level spirit beasts, incredibly fast. Three or more disciples at the peak of the Qi Refining Stage are recommended to go together. Proof of completion: twelve Netherworld Ghost Panther front paws. Mission danger level: fairly high."

"Senior Brother Song Yushu, an outer disciple of the main sect, offers a reward for one Low-Grade Ghost Demon: one thousand Spirit Stones and ten small Qi-Refining Pills—proof of completion: a Low-Grade Ghost Demon."

"Overlapping Peaks offers missions to its own disciples—The number of Yin Souls at Lonely Soul Ridge under Overlapping Peaks has surged. Qi Refining Stage disciples of the peak may go hunt Yin Soul ghost creatures. For every one hundred Qi Refining Stage Yin Soul ghost creatures killed, one Spirit Stone will be awarded. Reward mission time limit: three days; today is the final day. Mission danger level: low."

"Main sect extermination mission—The Rogue Cultivator Alliance managing the small market at Red Maple Ridge has killed two Yin Soul Sect cultivators and ten menial servants. One hundred Late Qi Refining Realm cultivators are urgently needed to join the extermination. One hundred Spirit Stones per cultivator. Recruitment ends when full."

Hu Donghan drooled at the sight of those various bounty missions, but there was nothing he could do except sigh in longing—those missions were not something his current Qi Refining First Layer cultivation could handle!

After drooling for a while, Hu Donghan finally turned his attention to the initiation trial missions beneath the sect missions.

Initiation trial missions were the simplest among all sect missions.

These missions were intended to let sect disciples understand their own strength. Generally, once newly inducted disciples reached the Qi Refining First Layer, such missions would be forcibly issued and they would be ordered to complete them.

Although these missions were not the sort that involved finding some fairy maiden's pet or babysitting some steward's child, their difficulty was not far from that level. The Yin Soul Sect's initiation trial missions generally required disciples to go to a graveyard, a Mass Grave Mound, or somewhere similar, and kill a few Yin Soul ghost creatures around the outskirts.

Any cultivator who had mastered the Spirit Bolt Technique could basically complete this sort of mission, so long as they were not foolish enough to charge headfirst into a crowd of Yin Souls.

"Initiation Trial Mission (Mandatory Mission)—Kill ten Yin Soul ghost creatures at the Ghost-Hunting Graveyard of this peak. Mission reward: ten Spirit Stones and one Low-Grade Soul Ring (may be claimed in advance; it will be reclaimed if the mission fails). Proof of completion: ten strands of soul breath. Time limit: complete within two months of accepting the mission."

Soul breath was the aura left behind by Yin Soul ghost creatures before they dissipated. Yin Soul ghost creatures of different strengths left behind soul breaths of differing intensity. However, soul breath had no use whatsoever beyond proving that a Yin Soul had once existed. If left alone, it would slowly dissipate. Thus, aside from cultivators with sect missions, few cultivators cared whether soul breath existed.

As for the Low-Grade Soul Ring among the mission rewards, although it was called a mission reward, in essence it was merely a basic benefit of the Yin Soul Sect.

Though the Low-Grade Soul Ring was also called a magic artifact, it had only one simple function: storing Ghost Wraiths and Yin Souls. Beyond that, it had no other use at all. Put bluntly, it was simply something ghost cultivators used to store ghosts. The Yin Soul Sect was originally an expert in playing with ghosts. If its disciples did not even have a tool for holding ghosts, it would naturally look bad on them. That was one of the main reasons these Low-Grade Soul Rings existed.

Of course, while Low-Grade Soul Rings were of poor utility and so numerous they had become a disaster, mid-grade and high-grade Soul Rings were comparatively precious. This was because these higher-grade Soul Rings could nurture souls, increase Ghost Wraith cultivation speed, rapidly heal Ghost Wraith injuries, and more. The higher the grade of the Soul Ring, the more obvious its effects. If one possessed an ultimate-grade Soul Ring, the boost to a Ghost Wraith's strength would simply be beyond measure!

No matter what, this initiation trial mission must be completed. Although the Low-Grade Soul Ring is rather useless, it is extremely important to me at this stage. It will take three to five days to stabilize my Qi Refining First Layer cultivation. Once those days have passed, I must complete this mission first... The deadline is two months, so it makes no difference if I accept it now.

With that in mind, Hu Donghan held the jade slip and walked up to a Foundation Establishment Realm steward. He said respectfully, "Martial Uncle, this junior wishes to accept the initiation trial mission. I would also like to claim the Low-Grade Soul Ring in advance."

The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator's expression did not change in the slightest. He reached out, took out a jade talisman and a ring, then handed them to Hu Donghan. He said indifferently, "Take them. The jade talisman records soul breath. Return the jade talisman within two months."

This Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator's handling of such an initiation trial mission was truly rough—but that was hardly surprising. Throughout the Yin Soul Sect's history, fewer than a hundred people had failed to complete this initiation trial mission. And those hundred or so had all been idiots who charged straight into packs of Yin Souls...

After successfully accepting the initiation trial mission, Hu Donghan gave the mission jade slip several reluctant glances before putting it down and walking out of the Outer Affairs Hall.

Just as he was about to leave the Outer Affairs Hall, he saw someone enter from outside.

The man was thin and small, his face covered in pockmarks, his features lewd and wretched. Yet he wore a set of luxurious robes, making him look utterly mismatched.

The moment this person saw Hu Donghan, his eyes lit up. He blocked Hu Donghan's path and sneered, "Oh my! Everyone, come take a look at who this is! Isn't this our Yin Soul Sect's Four-Spirit Root genius, Hu Donghan? Junior Brother Hu, have you finally reached the Qi Refining First Layer? Congratulations! Congratulations! Reaching the Qi Refining First Layer in three months—Junior Brother Hu truly is the Yin Soul Sect's number one genius!"

As he spoke, his voice was loud and deliberately raised, drawing the attention of quite a few disciples in the Outer Affairs Hall. They all turned toward Hu Donghan, their gazes filled with curiosity, mockery, or amusement.

Hu Donghan merely rolled his eyes in slight exasperation. With a casual shove, he pushed the skinny, pockmarked man aside and cursed lightly:

"Idiot!"

End of Chapter