A single mission could earn them both internal contribution points from the Heavenly Union Association and Outer Sect contribution points.
No wonder everyone wanted to squeeze their way into the Heavenly Union Association.
It was like gaining another path forward.
And now Chen Yu finally understood why the disciples who had surrounded his house no longer dared to come after he joined the Heavenly Union Association. It turned out the association specialized in catching people like them-they were mice seeing a cat.
Considering that entering the archive room required contribution points, Chen Yu did not refuse.
On their way to Heavenly Flame Peak,
the Heavenly Flame Peak disciple leading the group explained:
"Xu Xingyao is very strong, but we have two people at the sixth layer of Qi Refining and two at the fifth layer. Even if he fights back with everything he has, we should be fine."
At this point, the leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple looked at Chen Yu and asked:
"By the way, junior brother, what is your current cultivation level?"
"The fourth layer of Qi Refining."
Chen Yu nodded.
He had used the Qi-Concealing Art to disguise his cultivation as the middle stage of the fourth layer of Qi Refining.
"Oh." The Heavenly Flame Peak disciple smiled. "If a fight breaks out later, you can hide off to the side, junior brother, so you don't get caught in it."
It was not out of kindness.
It was simply because this mission required a team of five.
They had invited Chen Yu only so they could successfully begin this mission.
Having been taken out on a mission with other members just after joining the Heavenly Union Association, Chen Yu still knew little about how things worked here. If he could really idle on the sidelines and collect contribution points, that would naturally be ideal.
Soon,
the five entered Heavenly Flame Peak's territory.
A medicinal smell so strong it was almost acrid immediately filled their nostrils, and the temperature they felt rose considerably as well.
Passing the alchemy furnaces and smelting furnaces again, Chen Yu could hardly bear to look at the flames roaring beneath them.
"Xu Xingyao is in the elder's Lecture Hall. Although we're carrying out a mission issued by Elder Zheng, we must not offend Elder Hao. So we'll wait until the lecture ends and arrest Xu Xingyao after he comes out!" the leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple said.
"All right!"
Everyone answered.
Elder Hao of Heavenly Flame Peak enjoyed playing the teacher and occasionally gave lectures to the disciples.
The five arrived outside the elder's Lecture Hall on Heavenly Flame Peak. Chen Yu stood by a window and looked inside. A scattering of Heavenly Flame Peak disciples sat within, while Elder Hao sat cross-legged on a cushion at the front, speaking.
"Although almost no disciples practice the Flame-Transforming Art, it is indeed a fine cultivation method."
"If we compare their flame-transforming effects alone, the Fire-Calling Art cannot hold a candle to the Flame-Transforming Art, whether in flame temperature or grade. In fact, at the same cultivation level, flames produced through the Flame-Transforming Art can directly devour and absorb those of the Fire-Calling Art. That shows just how great the gap between them is!"
"However, choosing a cultivation method requires taking the sect's actual circumstances into account. Looking only at power while ignoring reality is the behavior of a rash fool. Under our current circumstances, the Fire-Calling Art is indeed better suited to the disciples of Heavenly Flame Peak."
"Then why are we discussing the Flame-Transforming Art today?"
"To broaden everyone's knowledge and help you understand one thing through another."
"We'll begin with how the Flame-Transforming Art is cultivated. First, its preparatory requirements differ from those of the Fire-Calling Art..."
"Blah, blah, blah..."
Chen Yu stood outside the window, listening to Elder Hao explain the Flame-Transforming Art inside.
Some things could clearly have been summed up simply, yet Elder Hao insisted on putting on an air of profundity, shrouding his explanations in clouds and mist and making them terribly obscure.
Chen Yu's brows knitted as he listened. What's all this gibberish?
Just munch on chili peppers.
What, you don't have a system?
Never mind, then.
After they waited outside for almost an hour, Elder Hao's lecture finally ended.
The leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple immediately perked up. Watching Xu Xingyao, who was about to emerge from the classroom, he told the others around him, "Let's go!"
The four immediately moved.
Chen Yu followed.
Xu Xingyao was a middle-aged man with ordinary features and very dark skin.
As soon as he left the Lecture Hall, four Outer Sect disciples surrounded him. Wariness appeared on his face. "What is this, everyone?"
The leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple said calmly, "Elder Zheng of Jade Yao Peak would like you to come over."
Xu Xingyao's expression changed at those words.
He immediately asked:
"You're from the Heavenly Union Association?"
"Yes."
The leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple nodded.
Xu Xingyao hurriedly said, "The contribution points I owe Sun Zheng Credit won't be overdue for another month. I'll definitely save up enough within that month! Please go back and tell Elder Zheng to give me another month!"
The Heavenly Flame Peak disciple shook his head. "Tell Elder Zheng that yourself. We're only responsible for taking you there."
"Well..."
Xu Xingyao gritted his teeth.
He swept his gaze over the five Heavenly Union Association disciples, then nodded through clenched teeth.
"Fine!"
"I'll go with you!"
The leading Heavenly Flame Peak disciple smiled at his response. "That would be best."
With that, the four Heavenly Union Association members positioned themselves in front of, behind, and on either side of Xu Xingyao, enclosing him in the middle, while Chen Yu followed behind.
Watching Xu Xingyao ahead of him, Chen Yu felt an inexplicable unease. He did not know whether he had imagined it, but when Xu Xingyao's gaze had swept over him just now, he had seen a trace of viciousness in the man's eyes.
He stayed on guard.
Chen Yu kept his eyes on Xu Xingyao, who was surrounded by the others.
The group headed down Heavenly Flame Peak.
Then they turned onto a branching path.
Throughout this time,
Xu Xingyao, enclosed in the middle, made no move.
Soon, they were already heading up Jade Yao Peak.
Just as Chen Yu began wondering whether he had been mistaken and was about to lower his guard,
suddenly-
Everything changed!
Xu Xingyao, walking between the four, suddenly erupted with powerful spiritual energy. His right hand clenched into a fist, and he slammed a punch into the chest of the disciple on his left.
"Guh-"
The disciple on his left was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining. Faced with the sudden attack from Xu Xingyao, who was at the sixth layer, he was sent flying.
He spat out a mouthful of blood and hit the ground.
He had already passed out.
At the same time Xu Xingyao struck the disciple on his left, the Heavenly Union Association members on the other three sides instantly reacted, and the leading
Heavenly Flame Peak disciple snarled, "Xu Xingyao, you're courting death!"
"Courting death?" Xu Xingyao's eyes brimmed with ferocity as he grinned. "No, I'm looking for a way to live!"
"If Heavenly Union Association members are killed by a debtor while carrying out a mission, they become that debtor's 'assets.' That's a debtor's last road to survival! Did you think I didn't know?"
Hearing this, Chen Yu immediately understood.
There really were no benefits in this world that came for free. If these debtors were so easy to bring before the elders, why send so many people? Why even require a team of five?
As for the rule in the Code of Conduct Manual prohibiting fighting,
he would have to survive first before worrying about that.
Clearly,
the Xu Xingyao before him had already reached a dead end where he had no choice but to stake his life...