The Mission Begins, Pursuing the Prey

Hui Mountain

After leaving the imperial capital, Qin Yi headed for Hui Mountain, traveling day and night. He managed to cut what was originally a journey of nearly a month down to twenty-one days.

"Come take a look! Fine Demon Beast inner cores, both first and second tier! You can't lose out or be cheated buying these!"

"Freshly arrived Heavenly Cloud Grass and Crimson Flame Flowers! Anyone want some?"

Hui Mountain was the barrier separating humanity from the Blood-Colored Forest, where Demon Beasts gathered. It fell under the jurisdiction of the Eight Gods Pavilion, whose elders and disciples were stationed there. They had established the Eight Treasures Tower, and so a market had naturally sprung up around it, where passing cultivators could exchange resources.

Qin Yi looked at the splendid, eight-story tower before him and thought, Isn't this a bit too extravagant?

As he entered the tower, a disciple immediately came forward and asked with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, what are you looking for?"

Qin Yi did not answer directly, instead showing him his token. The disciple's smile grew even wider. "So you're a senior brother of the same sect! My name is Jin Peng. I presume you're here to accept missions and earn contribution points, Senior Brother?" What a joke-that was a personal disciple's token. How could he not recognize it?

Qin Yi nodded. "I'd like to accept three first-tier missions and one second-tier mission. Is that possible?"

"Of course." A middle-aged man walked out from behind a screen. He was slightly plump, and he held a chicken leg in one hand as he spoke, his mouth greasy.

"Jin Peng, go cultivate." The man wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he spoke to Jin Peng.

Jin Peng knew Qin Yi's status was no simple matter and obediently withdrew. After spending so long making his way here, he naturally knew that someone the deacon would personally receive was probably a disciple taken in by an elder with profound mastery of the Dao.

The man led Qin Yi into an inner room, took a Jade Slip from his Storage Bag, and handed it to him. "Elder Tang gave me this before going into seclusion. He said that if someone came to accept three first-tier missions and one second-tier mission, I was to give him the Jade Slip."

Qin Yi accepted the Jade Slip but did not examine it immediately. Instead, he smiled and asked, "May I ask how I should address you, Deacon?"

"My name is Qian Jin. If you need anything here on Hui Mountain in the future, you can come straight here and find me."

"Many thanks, Deacon Qian."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Qian Jin, Qin Yi left the Eight Treasures Tower and found an inn on the edge of the market. The place was a mix of fish and dragons, and murders for treasure happened often. He did not dare trust anyone lightly; away from home, he could rely only on himself.

Qin Yi sat cross-legged on the bed and formed a seal with both hands as Song Qi had taught him, sending a strand of spiritual power into the Jade Slip. A flash of golden light passed over it, and then Song Qi's voice rang in Qin Yi's ears. "Yi'er, the missions I've given you this time aren't difficult. What matters is honing your practical combat skills."

"I want you to go to the Blood-Colored Forest and hunt a Golden-Horned Rhinoceros, two Nine-Eyed Demon Spiders, and a Silver Moon Wolf King."

A bitter look touched Qin Yi's lips. The Golden-Horned Rhinoceros and Nine-Eyed Demon Spiders Song Qi had mentioned were among the strongest first-tier Demon Beasts. The former had extremely strong defenses, while the latter moved swiftly and carried deadly venom. As for the Silver Moon Wolf King, it was comparable to a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator and was guarded by a pack of first-tier wolves. One careless move and he would be torn to pieces by the pack.

"Lastly, the Eight Treasures Pavilion will hold an auction in three months, and a Foundation Establishment Pill will appear there. You must get your hands on that Foundation Establishment Pill. As for how, that's for you to decide."

After listening to Song Qi, Qin Yi slumped onto the bed. "I was wondering why he gave me six months. Turns out he planned it all along." With a soft sigh, Qin Yi closed his eyes and began thinking about how to complete the missions.

That afternoon, Qin Yi went out to the market to see if it had anything he needed. Worry-Free Fruit attracted Golden-Horned Rhinoceroses, but the beasts were relatively rare, and few people hunted them. As a result, very few people sold Worry-Free Fruit, so Qin Yi could only try his luck.

"Fellow Daoist, fellow Daoist! Want a Healing Pill? No? Then I've also got Raging Blood Pills and Soul-Bewitching Incense. If nothing else, how about some Hehuan Powder?"

"Freshly killed first-tier Demon Beast, a Fire-Patterned Tiger! Its fur's still warm! Come take a look!"

The cries of vendors rose and fell all around him. They sold a jumble of things: cultivation methods, weapons, pills, talismans, and even hidden weapons. Everything one could want was there.

Just before nightfall, Qin Yi finally found a vendor selling Worry-Free Fruit in a corner. He walked over and asked, "Fellow Daoist, how much for the Worry-Free Fruit?"

The stall owner immediately perked up at the sound of someone wanting to buy Worry-Free Fruit. "You must be planning to hunt a Golden-Horned Rhinoceros, Fellow Daoist. I only trade this Worry-Free Fruit; I don't sell it. Three Worry-Free Fruits for one Qi Guiding Pill."

Qin Yi found the price acceptable. Qi Guiding Pills were useful only below the Qi Refinement Seventh Layer, and to him now they were no different from trash. He happened to have some left in his Storage Bag, so he took out three Qi Guiding Pills and said to the vendor, "Three Qi Guiding Pills for ten Worry-Free Fruits."

"Deal."

After stocking up on a month's worth of dry rations, Qin Yi returned to the inn with the Worry-Free Fruit. He planned to rest for the night and head to the Blood-Colored Forest the next day to hunt a Golden-Horned Rhinoceros first. As for the Nine-Eyed Demon Spiders, he would take things one step at a time. If he ran into them, his strength should be enough to handle them.

After going over everything he needed to do, Qin Yi sat cross-legged and began circulating the Blazing Yang Thunder Asura Scripture. After all, he could not neglect his cultivation.