The first mission

Dusk seeped into the sky over Still Garden like thick ink. Eight black-robed cultivators stood motionless in the courtyard, like stone statues.

Jing Wen wore a black robe that concealed his figure. He stood at the rear of the group with his head lowered, deliberately making himself as inconspicuous as possible.

Steward Li stood at the front. He was tall and imposing, his black robe snapping in the breeze like a black battle flag.

His cold gaze swept over them, and his voice was low and icy. "Today's mission is to capture three rogue cultivators.

"The targets are hiding at the Green Maple Inn. All three are around the qi refining seventh layer and are skilled in concealment and escape arts.

"We must strike swiftly and end this quickly. There is no room for the slightest mistake!"

At those words, Jing Wen secretly activated the Heavenly Eye Technique, his expression unchanged.

In an instant, strands of spiritual power appeared before his eyes, and everyone's cultivation became clear in his mind.

Four members of the group were at late qi refining. Among them, the pockmarked cultivator Wang Zheng surged with spiritual power, having already reached the qi refining ninth layer. He was undoubtedly the main force in this operation;

the other three had spiritual power as steady as flowing streams, all at the qi refining sixth layer.

"Even qi refining fourth layer trash is here to make up the numbers?" As though sensing something, Wang Zheng abruptly turned his head. In the dim light, the dense pockmarks on his face looked particularly hideous, like wriggling insects.

He deliberately raised his voice, making it shrill and grating. "Don't drag us down when we move in, or you'll be sorry!"

Jing Wen's shoulders trembled slightly, and his voice shook just enough. "Yes, I... I'll be extra careful..."

As he spoke, his fingers anxiously twisted the hem of his robe, as though fear had left him at a loss.

His cowardly appearance drew snickers from several other cultivators. Their laughter echoed through the courtyard, brimming with mockery and disdain.

Steward Li frowned deeply at the sight, his blazing gaze sweeping over them. "Enough! Remember, we need them alive."

With that, he swept his sleeve and shot toward the courtyard entrance like a bolt of black lightning. "Move out!"

Beneath the night sky, nine black shadows skimmed silently over the blue-tiled eaves like night owls.

Jing Wen secretly regulated his aura and deliberately slowed his pace, keeping himself hidden at the rear.

The Green Maple Inn stood alone in the slums on the western side of the city.

Above its rotting wooden door, half a tavern banner shivered in the night wind, its lettering long since faded beyond recognition.

A crooked fence enclosed the separate courtyard behind the inn. Dim yellow lamplight shone through several paper windows that trembled gently in the night breeze.

The Black Fiend Cult's target was precisely that separate residence in the Green Maple Inn's rear courtyard.

"Follow the plan," Steward Li said quietly, taking out three talismans glowing with azure light. With a sharp flick of his fingertips, they streaked toward three sides of the inn. In an instant, an invisible barrier silently formed-the Soundproofing Talismans could cut off every sound.

The four late qi refining cultivators moved as nimbly as phantoms, vaulting over the courtyard wall with light leaps.

Jing Wen followed close behind Steward Li, tapping his toes against the eaves before leaping onto the opposite rooftop.

From this excellent vantage point, he could see the inn's entire rear courtyard.

Boom! With a muffled blast, the wooden window frames shattered, sending splinters flying everywhere.

Three figures shot into the sky like arrows loosed from a bow, carrying fierce momentum.

Almost simultaneously, sounds of intense fighting erupted inside the inn.

Various magical artifacts collided, bursting with dazzling light.

Flying swords flashed back and forth like meteors, brilliant and eye-catching;

The Protective Shield flickered incessantly beneath the impacts of spiritual power.

The Black Fiend Cult members and the three rogue cultivators were instantly locked in a fierce battle.

Clang!

Wang Zheng's Black Iron Flying Sword collided with the Blood-Colored Long Saber, scattering sparks.

A Bronze Bell Magical Artifact summoned by another Black Fiend Cult cultivator spun rapidly in the air, emitting a soul-shaking hum.

The three rogue cultivators stood back-to-back in a Triangular Formation, their magical artifacts weaving an airtight web of death overhead-

Both sides traded blows, shifting between attack and defense. Waves of spiritual power surged like a raging sea, one after another, as though they would drown the little inn completely.

"They have reinforcements!" The scar-faced burly man suddenly looked up, his hawklike gaze piercing the darkness and striking straight toward Jing Wen's hiding place.

He turned his blade and cleaved through two spiritual talismans, roaring, "Don't get bogged down! Break out!"

Watching the situation unfold, Steward Li inwardly regretted his decision.

He had thought this mission would be easy, never expecting these three rogue cultivators to be so troublesome.

Under the Black Fiend Cult's usual practice, a single outpost could handle the capture of two late qi refining cultivators;

four required cooperation between two outposts.

This time, there happened to be three late qi refining cultivators. Wanting all the credit for himself, Steward Li had not contacted another outpost. Now he was riding a tiger with no way to dismount.

"Stop them!" Steward Li shouted sharply, leaping into the courtyard.

A silver cord shot from his sleeve like a venomous snake leaving its den, heading straight for the scar-faced man's throat.

Seeing this, Jing Wen and the other three followed him in.

Jing Wen had the weakest cultivation and deliberately lagged behind. While controlling his Middle-Grade Flying Sword to feign attacks, he carefully watched the entire battle unfold.

Under their combined assault, the rogue cultivators gradually fell into a disadvantage, the encirclement tightening around them.

Seeing that things were going badly, the scar-faced man shouted again, "Split up and break out!"

As soon as he spoke, he swiftly recalled his magical artifact and took two spells head-on with his Protective Shield. His flight light briefly dimmed, but without hesitation, he fled in one direction.

The other two rogue cultivators followed his example, enduring several attacks before fleeing in different directions.

"After them!" Steward Li's voice seethed with frustration.

The Black Fiend Cult members immediately gave chase.

After a moment's consideration, Jing Wen chose to pursue the short rogue cultivator.

Two late-stage Black Fiend Cult experts were already chasing the short rogue cultivator.

The short rogue cultivator moved nimbly, darting left and right through the streets and alleys. Every so often, he swung his magical artifact behind him to drive back the two Black Fiend Cult cultivators in relentless pursuit.

For a time, both sides twisted and dodged through the narrow alleys, the clashes of magical artifacts and howling spiritual power ringing out without pause.

Jing Wen watched keenly, his feet touching down lightly as he followed at an unhurried pace.

His gaze remained fixed on the battle as he controlled his flying sword from afar.

The flying sword flickered beneath the night sky like an agile streak of azure light, attacking at opportune moments.

Using his familiarity with the terrain, the short rogue cultivator tried several times to shake off his pursuers. He was on the verge of escaping the three men's attack range.

At that critical moment, Jing Wen's gaze sharpened, and his sword-control hand seal changed instantly.

The azure-glowing flying sword traced a strange arc through the air, cutting off the short rogue cultivator's escape at tremendous speed. Forced to change direction, he became entangled in the fight again.

After fleeing through the tangled streets and alleys for a long time, the spiritual qi around the short rogue cultivator grew increasingly thin. Even the flying sword he controlled had developed several cracks, its glow dimming.

His long experience hovering on the edge of life and death told him clearly that, trapped in this tightening encirclement, his chances of escaping today were exceedingly slim.

Yet his instinct to survive burned in his chest like a raging fire.

A trace of resolve flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, he threw caution to the wind, completely ignoring the fierce attack from the other Black Fiend Cult cultivator on his flank. He poured the last of his spiritual qi into his flying sword, sending it streaking like black light toward the Black Fiend Cult cultivator directly ahead with all his strength.

The Black Fiend Cult cultivator under attack curled his lips into a cold, contemptuous smile.

Their earlier exchanges had convinced him that he understood the short rogue cultivator's limits. Without the slightest panic, he swiftly summoned his defensive magical artifact-the Black Iron Shield-and poured all his spiritual power into it without reservation.

At first, everything went exactly as he had predicted. Carrying the short rogue cultivator's remaining strength, the flying sword struck the Black Iron Shield and was firmly blocked.

The Black Fiend Cult cultivator felt secretly pleased. Yet in the instant his attention wandered, the ground beneath him split without warning, and a succession of sharp earth spikes erupted from the soil.

Having poured almost all his spiritual power into the Black Iron Shield, the Black Fiend Cult cultivator had left his Protective Shield so faint that it was virtually useless.

The earth spikes surged upward, easily piercing his Protective Shield.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Seven sharp earth spikes burst from the ground, trapping the Black Fiend Cult cultivator in the center of a Northern Dipper arrangement.

To his horror, he discovered that his protective spiritual glow was rapidly dimming. Maintaining the Black Iron Shield at full strength had exhausted his spiritual power reserves.

He let out a piercing scream as the first earth spike penetrated his ankle.

The second stabbed into his thigh, and blood streamed down the grooves in the stone spike.

As the third pierced his abdomen, the Black Iron Shield finally slipped from his control and clattered to the ground.

"Im... possible..." The Black Fiend Cult cultivator lowered his head to look at the tip of the flying sword protruding from his chest. Old bloodstains from a battle the day before yesterday still marked its blade.

Even as he died, he could not understand how this rogue cultivator, seemingly an arrow at the end of its flight, had still managed to unleash so many Earth Spike Techniques.

At the same time, the other Black Fiend Cult cultivator's flying sword pierced the short rogue cultivator's Protective Shield and struck his body.

The short rogue cultivator was hurled backward, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. After landing, he staggered back several more steps. Yet when he saw that he had successfully killed one opponent, his desire to survive flared anew.

The short rogue cultivator had no time to investigate where the earth spikes beneath his feet had come from. With life and death hanging in the balance, he forced out his final trace of spiritual power and once again sent his battered flying sword lunging at the sole remaining Black Fiend Cult cultivator.

Having witnessed his companion die through carelessness, this Black Fiend Cult cultivator remained shaken. He concluded that his companion had died for two reasons: underestimating the enemy and distributing his spiritual power poorly.

Facing the short rogue cultivator's all-or-nothing attack, he decisively summoned his own flying sword and chose to meet it head-on. At the same time, he set aside some spiritual power to maintain his protective barrier, determined to leave his opponent no opening.

In an instant, the two flying swords crashed together in midair, spiritual power spilling outward in dazzling light. For a moment, neither gained the upper hand. However, the short rogue cultivator's spiritual power was already nearly exhausted. Within a few exchanges, cracks appeared in his flying sword under his opponent's fierce assault. Finally, with a crack, it snapped in two and fell to the ground.

"It's over." The Black Fiend Cult cultivator guided his sword with two fingers, turning its edge straight toward the rogue cultivator.

Just then, every hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. Sensing a lethal threat, his protective barrier lit up automatically-

Crack!

A white flying sword darted from the shadows like a venomous snake, easily piercing the hastily raised barrier.

As its tip emerged from the Black Fiend Cult cultivator's chest, disbelief remained frozen in his wide eyes.

He fell stiffly to the ground, dying without ever understanding where the fatal flying sword had come from.

The short rogue cultivator slumped in a pool of blood. Looking at the pursuer who had suddenly dropped dead, his clouded pupils contracted violently.

He opened his mouth, only to see the timid black-robed young man raising a palm toward him beneath the moonlight.

An orange-red fireball gathered in Jing Wen's palm, its scorching heat distorting the air.

Boom!

The fireball instantly engulfed the short rogue cultivator's face.

His eyes, nose, and tongue turned to ash in the searing heat. The short rogue cultivator let out a piercing scream, then went limp and lost consciousness.

Jing Wen stood where he was, gazing coldly at the charred body on the ground. He raised a hand and beckoned from a distance, drawing the Storage Bag into his palm.

Then he turned, his gaze settling on the corpse of the other Black Fiend Cult cultivator-the wound left by the flying sword still remained on his back.

Jing Wen swiftly formed hand seals. Several fireballs coalesced amid billowing waves of heat, then shot toward the corpse with a whoosh.

With several bangs, the fireballs struck the wound precisely. In an instant, flames engulfed the corpse's back, and the smell of scorched flesh spread through the air. The area around the wound burned black, completely erasing the once-clear traces of the flying sword.

Jing Wen deftly took the two Black Fiend Cult cultivators' Storage Bags, then stowed the magical artifacts scattered on the ground inside a Storage Bag.

Once he had finished, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he swept his surroundings with a sharp, vigilant gaze.

Moonlight spilled across the streets and alleys. The scattered bloodstains and broken fragments of magical artifacts on the ground could all become clues exposing his movements.

After confirming that he had overlooked nothing, Jing Wen reached out and grasped at empty air. An invisible force lifted the short rogue cultivator.

His toes tapped lightly against the ground, and he rose like a night owl. Within a few flickering movements, he vanished into the boundless darkness.