Accepting and Posting Tasks
Daoist Yu Lan announced to the newly recruited Yinglong Guards that becoming Yinglong Guard would allow them to control a vast territory within their tribe's domain, be protected by the Yinglong Guards while alive, and receive protection for a thousand years after their death. If they were to become Inner Guard, their tribe would be protected for ten thousand years. Although she tempted everyone to join the Inner Guard, no one agreed.
Afterwards, everyone went to the hall to demarcate their protected territories. Some people expanded their territories by extending them around their tribes, while independent cultivators mostly sold their qualifications in exchange for cultivation resources.
Ji An demarcated a ten-thousand-mile radius around the Ji Clan Myriad Swords City. After the registered cultivators verified the information, he received the Yinglong Guard Territory Protection Order, which required cultivators at the early Violet Palace stage or above to refine.
After leaving the hall, Daoist Yu Lan's voice echoed in the air: the newly promoted One-Clawed Yinglong Guard must complete at least one merit mission every ten years. Those who disobey will first be sent on a perilous mission, and those who disobey again will be expelled and stripped of their status.
After Daoist Yu Lan left, Ji An casually dealt with the other newly recruited Yinglong Guards who came to chat and make friends. He had no interest in such matters, so after exchanging a few simple pleasantries, he turned and walked towards the Yinglong Guard's Military Affairs Hall.
The Military Affairs Hall is located on another peak in the Red Dragon Mountain Range. Unlike the magnificent and exquisite Daoist Repository Palace, the Military Affairs Hall has a simple and solemn architectural style, exuding a faint sense of solemnity that inspires awe.
The hall was bustling with people, their atmospheres mixed. Most of them were One-Clawed Yinglong Guards, some browsing the missions in front of the huge jade list, others submitting missions at the counter.
Ji An's gaze swept across the hall, and he quickly found an empty counter. Behind the counter sat an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in gray hemp clothes. He squinted and leaned against a bamboo chair, playing with a warm and lustrous blue jade slip in his hand.
Ji An stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Senior, I am Ji An from the Yinglong Guard, here to accept this mission."
The old man didn't even lift his eyelids, nor did he glance at Ji An. He simply picked up an ancient book from the wooden shelf beside the chair and tossed it in front of Ji An: "Read it yourself, and then give me the number. Remember the rules of the Yinglong Guard: One-Clawed Yinglong Guard can only take on a maximum of five missions at a time. Do not overstep this limit."
Ji An steadily accepted the booklet, which felt incredibly heavy in his hand, clearly made of rare spiritual materials. On the gold-stamped cover of the booklet, four large characters were engraved in ancient divine and demonic script. "Book of Merit, Part A". The booklet contained countless tasks, all kinds of them, too numerous to count.
There are time-consuming tasks like sect guarding, gathering rare and precious materials, and garrisoning border fortresses, as well as swift and decisive battles like hunting down powerful demons.
It encompasses everything from clearing out demon lairs to exploring ancient forbidden lands.
The merit points for a task vary greatly depending on the level of danger and difficulty, ranging from a minimum of ten merit points to a maximum of over a thousand merit points, with clear tiers.
The goal of the vast majority of missions is to kill those who have committed heinous crimes.
The "sin" here is not judged by human power, nor determined by the Great Xia Dynasty, but is the sinful aura naturally derived from the Heavenly Dao. Anyone whose hands are stained with blood and who wreaks havoc on a region will have a strong sinful aura gathered on their body, be marked by the Heavenly Dao, and become the target of the Yinglong Guard.
Slaying these wicked individuals not only rids the people of harm and restores peace to the land, but also enhances the fortune of the Great Xia Dynasty. This is the core reason why the Yinglong Guard issues such hunting missions year after year.
The path of cultivation has two distinct paths: righteous and evil.
To walk the right path, one needs enlightenment and to cultivate one's resolve. One must take one step at a time, and although progress may be slow, the foundation will be solid.
Practicing evil ways may allow one to quickly increase their strength through dark and wicked methods, but it will also bring them sins. These sins will displease the Heavenly Dao, and when they undergo tribulations in the future, the power of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations will be several times, or even dozens of times, greater than that of ordinary cultivators.
Even if a heretical cultivator can temporarily withstand a calamity with their overwhelming strength, it will be difficult for them to do so for long.
Even if a righteous cultivator fails to transcend the tribulation, there is still a glimmer of hope for survival. They can transform into Loose Immortal and live for tens of thousands or even millions of years. However, evil cultivators have almost no chance of becoming Loose Immortals Heavenly Immortal, and those who become wandering immortals are extremely rare. This is because their heavenly Heavenly Tribulations are too terrifying, provoking the wrath of the Heavenly Dao, which they simply cannot withstand. They often perish and their souls are scattered when they transcend the Heavenly Tribulation.
The Redflame Old Devil, who was previously killed by Ji An in the Prison Mountain Great Marsh, was a typical example of someone burdened with sins.
He didn't even practice any evil methods; his body was simply filled with a strong aura of sin from years of intercepting and killing cultivators in the desolate swamp.
Such a character is merely a minor figure worth ten merit points on the Military Affairs Hall's mission list.
Ji An dared not delay. His goal was clear: to quickly accumulate 10,000 merit points to exchange for the "Golden Origin Scripture" hidden in the Yinglong Guard's secret collection.
Therefore, the tasks he chose were all hunting missions to kill those who committed great sins. Although these missions were extremely dangerous and could lead to death with the slightest carelessness, the merit points were also much more abundant, far surpassing those of guarding or gathering missions.
Ji An quickly flipped through the pages and selected five missions in a short time. All of them involved killing sinners who had reached the Myriad Phenomena Perfection Realm. There was a leader of a rogue cultivator who intercepted and plundered the trade routes, and Demon Race leader who wiped out the mortal villages. The five missions combined would earn him a total of one hundred merit points.
Although the number of tasks is not large, they are quick and effective, and with his abilities, he is more than capable of completing them.
"Senior, I've chosen. The numbers are Tianzi 79, 83, 91, 95, and 98," Ji An announced calmly.
The old man finally raised his eyelids, glanced at Ji An, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He obviously did not expect that this newly promoted One-Clawed Yinglong Guard would directly choose one of the five high-risk hunting missions.
He didn't say much more, "Go, the mission details are all in the book."
"Thank you, senior." Ji An put the book into his storage ring, turned around and left the Military Affairs Hall.
"It's time to return to Anchan City."
Ji An thought to himself, raised his hand and summoned the Void-Escaping Boat. A silver-gray streak of Flowing Light pierced the sky and disappeared into the void.
Before long, Ji An steered the Void-Escaping Boat and arrived at the east gate of Ancheng once again.
Ji An casually tossed a piece of Thunder Gold to the guard and then went straight into the city.
The moment you step into the East Gate, the familiar hustle and bustle and the boundless energy of Heaven and Earth rush towards you. The streets are teeming with people, a scene of prosperity and grandeur.
Without pausing, Ji An lightly touched the ground with his foot, his figure transforming into a faint shadow, heading straight towards the western city.
He entered Heavenly Treasure Mountain with ease.
Ji An walked through the Flowing Light passage, with countless magical treasures and elixirs on both sides, attracting many cultivators to stop and admire. However, he did not linger at those tempting places of pleasure or magical treasure trading areas, but went straight to the Myriad Affairs Hall on the third floor of Heavenly Treasure Mountain.
Unlike the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, which sells magical artifacts and elixirs, this place specializes in handling all kinds of commissions and hires. Whether it's escorting, delivering messages, hunting, treasure hunting, or guarding, all can be posted or accepted here, making it the unofficial Military Affairs Hall of the entire Anchan City. Although other forces also have similar institutions, none can match Heavenly Treasure Mountain in terms of reputation, scale, and strength. After all, behind Heavenly Treasure Mountain stands the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
Inside the vast hall of the Myriad Affairs Hall, there were many private quiet rooms and semi-open counters. The quiet rooms were for distinguished guests to discuss confidential commissions, while the counters handled ordinary tasks. The monks gathered around a huge water mirror, browsing the task information scrolling on the mirror.
Ji An walked toward an empty counter. Behind the counter sat a middle-aged manager dressed in the standard brocade robe of Heavenly Treasure Mountain. The robe was embroidered with the two characters "Tianbao" in light gold. The man had a gentle face and a slight smile on his lips, but his eyes were very sharp, as if he could see through people's hearts.
Upon seeing Ji An approach, the steward immediately put on a professional smile, stood up, and cupped his hands, saying, "Fellow Daoist, what are your orders? Do you wish to accept a mission or issue a commission?"
Ji An cut to the chase. "I need to issue a message escort mission."
"Fellow Daoist, please elaborate. We will comprehensively assess the corresponding reward based on factors such as the content, distance, and risks of the mission. There will be no inflated price." The steward said, taking out a blank jade slip to record the mission details.
Ji An reached into his storage ring and took out the Yinglong Guard territory protection token, placing it on the cabinet. He said in a deep voice, "Send this token to the Ji Clan West Prefecture in the Yan Mountain region and personally hand it to Ji Yichuan. There must be no mistakes."
This token is neither gold nor wood, but a very special material. Its surface is carved with a majestic dragon relief, and the dragon's body is surrounded by a faint sense of pressure. Even when it is not activated, it exudes an aura that cannot be violated. It is clear at a glance that it is no ordinary object.
"Mission Location: Yan Mountain Land, Ji Clan West Prefecture. Recipient: Ji Yichuan, must be personally entrusted to receive the token. Requirements: The recipient's cultivation level must be at least at the early stage of the Violet Palace, and the token must be personally handed over to Ji Yichuan without delay," Ji An said.
The steward's pupils contracted slightly, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes, clearly recognizing it as a token of the Yinglong Guard.
He became more respectful. "So this is Yinglong Guard's token. This item is of great importance, and the escort mission must be carried out with utmost care. We dare not be negligent in the slightest."
The steward, who handled various escort missions year-round, was intimately familiar with the distribution and risks of Anchan Commandery and the surrounding areas. After a moment's thought, he said, "The Yan Mountain region is about a million miles from Anchan City. For Wanxiang Adept realm, while not insurmountable, it still takes considerable time and carries a moderate risk. Based on this assessment, the reward should be at least fifty taels of Essence Liquid."
Essence Liquid is the universal hard currency in the cultivation world. It contains rich Heaven and Earth energy and is very beneficial to cultivators. Fifty taels of Essence Liquid is a considerable sum, enough to tempt ordinary Wanxiang Adept.
Ji An nodded slightly. The price was reasonable and considered to be in line with the risks and distance of the journey.
He added, "I can offer 100 Essence Liquid as payment, but I have one condition: the task must be completed within three months without any delay. If it is overdue, the task will be void."
One hundred Essence Liquid —this amount has doubled, enough to attract many powerful Wanxiang Adept.
A glint of light flashed in the steward's eyes. The escort mission for one hundred taels of Essence Liquid was a considerable commission for him. He quickly nodded, "No problem! Rest assured, sir, Heavenly Treasure Mountain will carefully select the most reliable and strongest personnel to ensure the token is delivered safely and on time to the Ji Clan West Prefecture. We will keep the token safe for now, and it will be handed over to the recipient to carry close to their body after the mission is accepted."
He quickly entered the mission details, requirements, and reward into the cyan jade slip, then handed it to Ji An for verification. After confirming that everything was correct, he said, "Please leave your contact information and prepay a portion of the commission as a deposit. The remaining amount will be paid upon completion of the mission. This is the rule of Heavenly Treasure Mountain, and we hope you will understand."
"No problem." Ji An readily agreed and paid ten Essence Liquid as a deposit.
Watching the steward carefully place the Yinglong Guard protection token into the jade box, Ji An nodded.
With this token, the safety of the Yan Mountain Ji Clan is guaranteed. Even if he is far away in Anchan City, he will not need to worry about his family when he carries out missions in the future.
At least, his unexpected appearance as a "butterfly" wouldn't alter the original trajectory and cause the Ji Clan to suffer an undeserved disaster.
After issuing the mission, Ji An knew that the cultivation world was a dog-eat-dog world, and strength was the foundation for survival. The protection of the Yinglong Guard was only an external guarantee. Only when one's own strength was strong enough could one truly protect oneself and one's clan.
The next goal is to improve strength as soon as possible, complete the five-sect hunting missions of Yinglong Guard, accumulate merit points, and exchange for the "Golden Origin Scripture" as soon as possible.
He turned and left Myriad Affairs Hall, returning to the specially designated cultivation area of Heavenly Treasure Mountain. This place was located on the back peak of Heavenly Treasure Mountain, far from the hustle and bustle, with a concentration of spiritual energy several times greater than that of the city center. It was also equipped with spirit-gathering arrays and mind-calming arrays, which could maximize the cultivation efficiency of cultivators while isolating them from all external interference. It was the best place for seclusion in Anchan City.
The cultivation areas are divided into four grades of cave dwellings: Grade A, Grade B, Grade C, and Grade D, based on the concentration of vital energy and the level of the formation. Grade A cave dwellings are the most advanced, rare, and have the most expensive rent.
With a clear goal in mind, Ji An headed straight for the area of the top-tier cave dwellings.
"My lord, this is the Jia Character No. 3 Grotto of the Class A rank. It is one of the most spiritually rich cave dwellings among the Class A rank, with a spiritual energy concentration three times that of a standard cave dwelling. It also comes with a top-tier calming array that can isolate all mental interference. The annual rent is one hundred Essence Liquid." The cultivator in charge of the rental was a young Violet Palace Cultivator. He quoted the price, his tone carrying an undisguised hint of awe. Anyone who could rent a Class A cave dwelling without hesitation was no ordinary cultivator.
One hundred Essence Liquid is comparable to the price of an ordinary Earth Rank magic treasure, a considerable expense that would take an ordinary Wanxiang Adept decades of arduous cultivation to accumulate. However, Ji An had just obtained a large amount of resources from the Prison Mountain Great Marsh and Jinchenzi and others, including as much as 5,500 catties of Essence Liquid alone. This expense was insignificant to him.
"That's it." Ji An paid the rental fee of one hundred Essence Liquid without hesitation and accepted the cyan cave dwelling token handed to him by the cultivator.
With the token in hand, Ji An followed the directions and arrived at Jia Character No. 3 Grotto), where he affixed the token to the stone door of the cave.
"Buzz!"
The stone door slowly opened, and a dense surge of Heaven and Earth energy, almost condensed into mist, rushed out. The moment the stone door closed, a powerful restriction was activated, completely isolating the cave from the outside world and keeping all the noise from the outside out.
The cave dwelling is spacious, but the furnishings are simple and unpretentious. Apart from the necessary jade cushions and spirit spring pool, there are no other decorations. The four walls are engraved with the array patterns of the spirit-gathering array, which constantly draws the primordial energy between Heaven and Earth and earth into the cave dwelling.
The jade futon in the center is made of millennia-old warm jade, which can nourish the cultivator's meridians and improve cultivation efficiency.
Ji An sat cross-legged on a jade futon, looking inward at himself. The divine power of the Seventh Layer of the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram" surged through his meridians, and he was only one step away from breaking through to the eighth level.
"Within six months, you will surely break through to the eighth level."
At the Seventh Layer, he was comparable to a late-stage Violet Palace God-Demon; once he broke through to the eighth level, he would rival Violet Palace Complete God-Demon.
With the addition of the "Law of Heaven and Earth" and the "Sharp Metal" Domain Stage, his normal combat strength will steadily reach the late stage of the Myriad Phenomena. Even when facing Primordial Spirit Daoist, he will have the confidence to maneuver or even fight head-on.
Time flies like an arrow; March has passed in the blink of an eye.
Ji An was in seclusion in his cave, focusing solely on breaking through to the eighth level of the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram." Everything outside was irrelevant to him.
The escort mission he posted at Heavenly Treasure Mountain had already been accepted by a Wanxiang Adept – the reward of one hundred taels of Essence Liquid was a considerable sum for Wanxiang Adept.
Millions of miles away, in the Yan Mountain, at the Ji Clan West Prefecture.
It has been almost half a year since Ji An left.
In the quiet room, Ji Yichuan watched as his wife, Yuchi Xue, meditated on the "Inner Contemplation of the Sun-Moon Radiance Buddha".
A gentle radiance surrounded Yuchi Xue. Although it could not completely cure the hidden injuries in her body, it greatly reduced her chronic cough and her spirits gradually improved.
On the training ground, Ji Ning wielded two swords, his figure as swift as the wind. Amidst the flashing sword light, the True Meaning of the Dao "Dripping Water" and "Thunder Thunderfire" subtly merged. His arduous training over the past few days had allowed his cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds.
Sudden--
A powerful pressure descended from the sky without warning, instantly enveloping the entire Ji Clan West Prefecture!
This oppressive aura far surpassed that of Violet Palace Cultivator, yet it was deliberately restrained, causing only a slight surge of qi and blood in the clansmen with low cultivation levels, without causing any substantial harm.
"Such a powerful aura!" Ji Ning sheathed her sword and stood still, her small face tense, her eyes full of vigilance. "Much stronger than Father, but—still not as good as Brother."
Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a figure in a blue Daoist robe stood out from nowhere—it was Xuanfengzi, who had accepted the escort mission.
Where is Ji Yichuan?
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached every corner of the Ji Clan West Prefecture.
Ji Yichuan appeared on the high platform of the mansion, Yuchi Xue and Ji Ning also rushed over and stood beside him.
A question lingered in his mind: Was it the remnants of an old enemy seeking revenge? Or had An'er caused trouble outside, implicating the family?
Xuanfengzi's gaze fell on Ji Yichuan, then swept over his wary wife and children behind him, and he said in a calm tone, "Fellow Xuanfengzi, entrusted by Lord Ji An to deliver two tokens."
As soon as he finished speaking, the oppressive aura that had enveloped the Western Prefecture dissipated.
Immediately afterwards, Xuanfengzi flipped his palm, and a token carved with an Yinglong floated in mid-air. At the same time, a letter also appeared in his palm.