Early the next morning, Qin Tiexin went to the mission pavilion and went straight to the combat commission area.
There were many more task lists here than in the forging area, and they were densely packed all over the wall. He looked at them one by one, scanning them quickly.
"Twenty points for chasing stolen repairmen 'Black Hand', Qi Refining Seventh Layer, Merit Points."
"Eradicate the Clear Water Pool Ironback Crocodile group, Qi Refining Sixth Layer to the eighth floor, Merit Points thirty o'clock."
"Exploring the abnormal movement of Yin Qi in the ancient tomb, suspected Peak of Qi Refining ghost, Merit Points forty points."
Mostly in the Qi Refining Late Stage category.
Qin Tiexin Skip those with too low cultivation level - they have no training value for him. Also skip those marked "Foundation Establishment Early Stage or above" - they can't be dealt with yet.
When he reached the third row, he stopped.
"Unknown Demon Beast, Peak of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment Early Stage appeared in the Mystic Rock Valley area, and seventeen Maple Creek Village villagers have been killed. Ask for help. Reward: fifty Merit Points."
There is a note below. "Mystic Rock Valley is located within the protection area of the Flowing Cloud Sect. The sect has the responsibility to protect the civilians under its rule, and Merit Points is paid by the mission pavilion."
Qin Tiexin watched it twice.
This is suitable.
Demon Beast's combat power is generally lower than that of monks of the same level. Even if it is Foundation Establishment Early Stage, he has a way to deal with it - there is Edgeless Heavy Saber, a wolf fang bracelet, thirty javelins, and Body Tempering Eighth Layer's body. And if it is Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Beast, there is also a chance to get Spirit Bone.
He took off the task sheet and walked to the registration desk.
There was a young deacon disciple sitting behind the stage, lowering his head to sort out Jade Slip. When he saw Qin Tiexin approaching, he raised his head and asked, "Take the mission?"
"Yes." Qin Tiexin handed over the task order and his identity token.
The deacon disciple took it, looked at the task list first, then looked at the token, frowning slightly. "Demon Beast from Mystic Rock Valley...Peak of Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment Early Stage, are you sure? You are Qi Refining Sixth Layer, right?"
"OK."
The deacon disciple stared at Qin Tiexin for a few breaths, and suddenly remembered something. "Are you Luo Ling's new disciple? Are you the first in the outer sect competition?"
"Yes."
The deacon disciple nodded and made a note in the register, "Task number Wu Er1, clean up Mystic Rock Valley Demon Beast. The time limit is ten days. If it is not completed within the time limit, ten points will be deducted Merit Points. Do you need a map?"
"Yes."
The deacon disciple took out a piece of Jade Slip from under the table and handed it to Qin Tiexin: "This is a map of Mystic Rock Valley and the surrounding area. The location of Maple Creek Village is marked in red. The range of Demon Beast is uncertain, you have to find it yourself."
"Thank you."
Qin Tiexin put away Jade Slip and the task list, and left the task pavilion.
Returning to cave abode, he began to pack his equipment.
Edgeless--Weights 6,300 kilograms, main battle weapon.
Short knife--gift from Luo Ling, Middle-Grade Law Artifact, for close use.
Wolf Fang Bracelet--just finished refining, remote control.
Javelins - thirty handles, all put into the unified Storage Bag, hung on the waist for easy and quick access.
Pills: A few, try to eat as little as possible. Qin Tiexin found that he has taken too many pills recently, and it seems that he has some erysipelas in his body.
After all inspections are completed, Qin Tiexin hangs the javelin bag, puts the knife on his waist, puts on the bracelet on his left wrist, and lifts Edgeless with his right hand.
Go out.
Standing at the foot of Luo Ling Peak mountain, Qin Tiexin ran "Primordial Unity Instruction" and mobilized Wood Element's spiritual power.
The green spiritual energy flowed along the meridians to the legs, and gathered at the Yongquan point on the soles of the feet, forming a circulation. He took a deep breath and took the first step.
There is a weak suction from the soles of the feet, like stepping on elastic grass. The landing is light, the feet are quick, the spiritual energy flows in the cycle, and every step can recover part of the energy.
The second step, the third step...
The speed gradually increased.
First it was a trot, then it was a medium speed run, and finally it was a full sprint.
The mountain road retreated rapidly underfoot. The bamboo forests, rocks, and streams on both sides turned into blurry blocks of color. The wind whistled in my ears, but my breathing was steady and my spiritual energy was consumed very slowly.
Qin Tiexin can clearly feel the beauty of Wood Phase Steps.
When traveling long distances, the most important thing is to be durable. In normal travel, spiritual power will be consumed linearly as the distance increases. But the cyclic nature of Wood Phase Steps makes the consumption curve smoother - 10% of spiritual power is consumed in the first ten miles, and only half of it may be consumed in the next ten miles, and even less after that.
Because the spiritual energy recovered at every step is being replenished and consumed.
Of course, this is not without consumption. The recovered spiritual power cannot be more than the consumption, but the efficiency is greatly improved.
Qin Tiexin traveled three hundred miles in only two hours.
When we arrived outside Mystic Rock Valley, the sun was just past noon.
He stopped, adjusted his breath for a moment, and recovered. Wood Phase Steps Although he saved his spiritual energy, it put a heavy load on his physical body. After running for two hours in a row, his legs were slightly sore.
In front of you is a village built on the mountain, with about a hundred households. There is a wooden sign at the entrance of the village, with the three words "Maple Creek Village" engraved on it, and the handwriting has been mottled.
But the scene inside the village is completely different from the peaceful name of the village.
Many houses collapsed and broken walls were scattered on the ground. There were dried blood stains on the ground, which were dark brown and looked like splashed ink spots. There was no one on the village road, and the doors and windows of every house were closed. Occasionally, the cry of a child came from the house, but it was quickly muffled.
The air was filled with a faint smell of blood, and... a cold atmosphere.
Qin Tiexin frowned, held Edgeless tightly, and walked into the village.
After walking a few steps, a wooden door next to him opened a crack with a creaking sound. An old man in his fifties stuck his head out and saw the Flowing Cloud Sect clothes on Qin Tiexin. His eyes lit up and he hurriedly opened the door and came out.
"Immortal Master! Are you the Immortal Master of the Flowing Cloud Sect?" The old man's voice trembled, and he burst into tears with excitement.
"Yes." Qin Tiexin nodded, "Who are you?"
"The old man is the village chief of Maple Creek Village." The old man wiped away his tears, "The immortal master is here. If he doesn't come, our village... the village will all die."
He was incoherent, Qin Tiexin listened patiently.
According to the village chief, something happened in the village starting half a month ago.
At first, two families living on the edge of the village heard strange noises at night and discovered that their family members were missing the next morning. They searched the village but could not find them. Three days later, their bodies were found in the woods outside the village - they were shriveled, "As if their blood had been drained."
After that, every two or three days, villagers disappeared at night. It started with marginal households, and then became more and more rampant, and even broke into the house and dragged people. So far, seventeen people have died.
"No one can see what it is?" Qin Tiexin asked.
"No." The village chief shook his head, "I only saw a black shadow, which came and went silently, as fast as a ghost. Some people got up at night and saw the black shadow passing by the window. They were so scared that they collapsed on the ground. When they came to their senses, the family next door was gone."
Qin Tiexin was silent for a moment. "Is there a body? Take me to see it."
"There are... there are still three bodies that have not been buried and are parked in the village temple." The village chief said, "The others have been buried."
"Lead the way."
The village chief led Qin Tiexin to the village temple.
On the road, Qin Tiexin looked around carefully. Most of the collapsed houses were wooden structures, as if they had been knocked down by Great Strength. The blood stains on the ground were scattered, not like battle marks, but more like... dragging.
The village temple is in the center of the village. It is a dilapidated adobe house. When you open the door and walk in, a cold and cold air hits your face.
Three corpses lay side by side on straw mats, covered with white cloths.
Qin Tiexin approached and lifted the white cloth.
The first one was a middle-aged man with gray-white skin and sunken sunken skin, like a fish that had been dried in the sun. His face was distorted and his eyes were wide open. He had obviously suffered great pain before his death. There were four finger-sized holes in his neck.
The second body was a woman and the situation was similar.
The third body was that of a boy, the youngest and the most miserable - the whole chest was collapsed, as if something had sucked out the internal organs.
Qin Tiexin squatted down and carefully inspected the wound.
The edges of the four holes were neat. He stretched out his hand and lightly touched the edges of the holes with his fingertips, feeling the remaining cold air.
He ran Divine Sense and investigated carefully.
There was a very light black Sha Qi remaining around the wound. When it was touched with Divine Sense, it felt cold and biting, like touching an ice cube.
This Sha Qi... is very similar to the Sha Qi on Demon Beast Spirit Bone, but it is colder and more evil.
"Demon Beast only appears late at night?" Qin Tiexin asked.
"Yes." The village chief nodded, "It disappeared as soon as dawn. We tried lighting a bonfire and playing gongs and drums at night, but it didn't work. That thing is not afraid of fire or sound."
Qin Tiexin stood up and looked around the temple.
Except for the three corpses, the temple was empty. There was only a shabby offering table with a few moldy offerings. There were cobwebs in the corners and dust on the ground.
But in the dust, he saw a few shallow footprints, the toes Sharpness.
He noted the shape of the footprints and walked out of the village temple.
The village chief followed him out and asked cautiously, "Master Immortal, can... can you get rid of that thing?"
"I will try my best." Qin Tiexin said.
The sun sets in the west, and the orange-red afterglow shines on the village road.
Qin Tiexin stood at the door of the village temple and looked around. As if they heard the village chief's voice, the villagers boldly opened the doors and windows, and when they saw Qin Tiexin coming out, they all looked at him with anticipation and fear.
But Qin Tiexin was keenly aware that these villagers were all shrouded in a very light, vague layer of black Sha Qi.
That Sha Qi is integrated with them, as if it has been eroded for a long time.