"Huh! Someone actually set up a formation here!"
Xu Yun walked to the edge of the cliff and examined it carefully. When she discovered traces of a formation, she spoke.
"Let's go back and report this to the sect. This is beyond what we can handle."
Xu Yun looked around and thought for a moment, then summoned her flying sword and jumped onto it. Chen Ming followed her and climbed on behind her.
The two returned to Spirit Beast Mountain and jumped off the flying sword at the sect entrance. Xu Yun pulled Chen Ming along to the Mission Hall, where she explained what had happened during their mission!
The Mission Hall elder took out a message-transmitting jade talisman and reported the general situation to his superiors.
Before long, two inner sect elders at the Golden Core Stage arrived. They asked Xu Yun to guide them, then took her with them as they flew away!
Watching the three leave, Chen Ming wandered over to the mission board out of curiosity. There were all kinds of missions, and the rewards were mostly contribution points. He currently had only five contribution points!
"This mission looks good!"
Suddenly, he spotted a posted mission: one Level Two Monster Core for five hundred contribution points. Seeing the generous reward, he could not help remarking.
"Are there monster beasts in this world?"
As far as Chen Ming remembered, there did not seem to be any monster beasts within the Zhao State. He muttered to himself in confusion.
"Of course there are! And not just monster beasts. There are monster beasts, spirit beasts, and even legendary sacred beasts! Why else do you think this place is called Spirit Beast Mountain? You must be new! You don't even know that."
A young man had appeared beside him at some point. Hearing Chen Ming's question, he rolled his eyes at him and spoke.
"Thank you for clearing that up, senior brother! Then where can I find these monster beasts?"
Chen Ming hurriedly thanked him, then asked another question.
"Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, naturally. Go over there and collect a Geographical Guide for cultivators, and you'll know. Don't tell me you haven't collected yours? Who brought you into the sect? Didn't they teach you these basics?"
The young man, who had initially looked at Chen Ming with disdain, now regarded him with great curiosity as he spoke.
Chen Ming recalled the day he had joined the sect. Yuan Wulang had only had him register, then given him an identity token and two sets of outer disciple robes. That was all; he had simply sent him on his way.
After hearing the young man's explanation, Chen Ming immediately ran to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall directly opposite the Mission Hall. He explained his situation and collected the Geographical Guide, Beginner Spells, the Monster Illustrated Guide, two Qi Refining Pills, and the cultivation manual for the Qi Guiding Art!
"What the hell!"
Looking at all these things, Chen Ming thought, Yuan Wulang really is far too unreliable, and could not help cursing aloud!
He returned to the Mission Hall, accepted the mission for the Level Two Monster Core, and headed down the mountain.
Chen Ming walked for seven days straight before he finally left Lan Province and reached Miaonan City in Qing Province.
Suddenly, Chen Ming realized that this mission felt like a trap. He had walked for so long and only just left Lan Province. At this rate, when would he ever arrive?
The Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range lay on the edge of the Zhao State, three hundred li outside Mobei City in You Province! To get from Lan Province to You Province, he first had to pass through Qing Province, Quan Province, and Anyang.
In truth, this mission was never meant for fledglings in the Qi Refining Realm like him. It required at least late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation!
With his strength, reaching the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range would take at least a year. Even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator flying on a sword at top speed would need at least seven days!
Chen Ming looked through the Geographical Guide and already wanted to turn back. Then he thought it over and did the calculations. There were only a little over two years, roughly three, until the Evil Cult Demon Sect invaded.
He began to hesitate. When those evil cultivators invaded, he would have to leave the Zhao State anyway. Perhaps he should take the opportunity to leave early!
Ten days later.
At the Mo Mansion in Jiayuan City, Chen Ming gathered Li, Liu, Yan, Wang, the eldest daughter Mo Yuzhu, the adopted daughter Mo Fengwu, the youngest daughter Mo Caihuan, Zhang Tie, and the others after his return. They sat together in the main hall.
"I came back this time because I've decided to leave the Zhao State. I don't know when I'll return. Perhaps by the next time I come back, none of you will still be alive."
"Unfortunately, none of you has a spirit root. Otherwise, I could take you along to cultivate."
"Do you remember what I said when I first came back? Cultivators often appear here, and it's too dangerous. What I really wanted was for you to move somewhere without cultivators, or at least somewhere they don't appear so often."
"Whether you move or not is up to you. Tell me what you think!"
Chen Ming looked at everyone and laid out his thoughts.
"What's wrong? Why isn't anyone saying anything?"
Seeing everyone remain silent, Chen Ming asked again.
They looked at one another and ultimately decided not to move. Chen Ming said nothing more!
Before leaving, he gave them some pills that could strengthen their bodies.
Chen Ming had originally wanted to tell them about the evil sect's invasion in a few years. But after thinking it over, he realized those evil cultivators would mainly target the Zhao State's cultivators. It had nothing to do with mortals like them!
As he passed Spirit Beast Mountain, he glanced up at it, then turned and headed toward You Province.
"I finally broke through to the twelfth layer of Qi Refining!"
After more than a year, Chen Ming reached Mobei City in You Province. He did not rush to the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range upon arriving. Instead, he found an inn and stayed there to break through to the next layer of cultivation!
Chen Ming did not head toward the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range. He had never truly intended to complete the mission; he only wanted to leave the Zhao State early.
Yet just as Chen Ming left the Zhao State, the Evil Cult Demon Sect formally began its invasion.
After leaving the Zhao State, he walked for another three days before a city appeared ahead. Just as Chen Ming approached it, a voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Fellow Daoist, please wait!"
Chen Ming's expression darkened. The first thought that came to mind upon hearing those words was, Don't tell me this is Shen Gongbao!
"Excuse me, fellow Daoist, your name wouldn't happen to be Shen Gongbao, would it?"
Chen Ming did not turn around. He merely asked the question instinctively.
"Fellow Daoist! You actually know me? May I ask who you are?"
The voice behind him rang out again.
"Shrouding Smoke Steps! Skywalking Art!"
Chen Ming's face darkened further at those words. He hurriedly activated his techniques and raced toward the city ahead, driving his spiritual power to its limit. In mere moments, he vanished from the spot and disappeared into the city.
Dust billowed in his wake. Watching the figure disappear at lightning speed, Shen Gongbao stood rooted to the spot in bewilderment. He had never imagined that simply trying to ask a question would lead to such a scene.
"Am I really that frightening? The moment he learned my name, he acted as if he'd encountered a raging flood or a savage beast, fleeing for his life!"
Shen Gongbao touched his face and muttered to himself, utterly baffled.
Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that all of this had been caused by his name and the words, "Fellow Daoist, please wait."
Chen Ming charged into the city, turned left and right through seven or eight corners, and only stopped when he felt certain no one was following him.
"Isn't this the world of A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality? How could Shen Gongbao appear here?"
Chen Ming was truly bewildered. Thinking it over, something seemed off. Could he just happen to have the same name? He shook his head and laughed. "He must just have the same name! I scared myself!"
"Waiter, a pot of tea!"
Chen Ming went to a teahouse called Autumn Moon, took a seat, and casually asked about the area.
This was Wu'an City in Yinchuan Commandery of the Wangshui Kingdom. Its population was only seventy or eighty thousand, and it had three great cultivation families: the East City Liu Family, the West City Wu Family, and the South City Shen Family.
Each of the three great cultivation families publicly had two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Whether they had more hidden away was unknown.
Shen Gongbao, who had called out to Chen Ming earlier, was the Shen Family's young heir and the eldest son of its patriarch, Shen Cheng'an!
Chen Ming thought, Shen Cheng'an certainly knows how to pick a name!
"What did you say? You encountered a cultivator of unknown origin outside the city today, and he ran away as soon as he heard your name?"
After returning home, Shen Gongbao described the strange man he had encountered outside the city that day. Shen Cheng'an immediately rose to his feet upon hearing his account!
"Go investigate! The Evil Cult Demon Sect has invaded the Zhao State, and its cultivators are fleeing to other countries. This man most likely fled here from the Zhao State, but he could also be a spy sent by the Evil Cult Demon Sect."
Shen Cheng'an immediately deduced where Chen Ming had come from, though he was still more worried about agents sent by the Evil Cult Demon Sect. After all, the Zhao State's Seven Great Sects had offered virtually no resistance and chosen to flee outright.
Chen Ming gave them no time to investigate. After eating something at the teahouse and learning that there was a Falling Moon Sect on Wan'an Mountain in Yinchuan Commandery, he left Wu'an City.
Chen Ming had now reached the twelfth layer of Qi Refining and needed further cultivation methods and Foundation Establishment Pills. Staying here was utterly pointless.
Not long after leaving Wu'an City, he saw two groups fighting in a bamboo grove ahead. Fireballs flew and sword light flashed wildly. It was actually a battle between cultivators!
Chen Ming watched from the side, ready to scoop up any spoils at a moment's notice. But just then-
A rush of wind sounded behind him. Chen Ming darted to the left as a streak of sword light slashed down behind him, sending dust flying.
Before his attacker could recover from the strike, Chen Ming turned and slammed his palm into the attacker's face, shattering his skull. The man collapsed limply to the ground.