Mirror Dream Tree V.3.25. New Task

rin steps inside the Four-Gate building and finds the lobby as empty as always, except for Li i seated behind the counter.

She notices him, straightens a little, and when he walks up to stand on the other side, she asks, "Do you want to take another task?"

rin nods, resting his hand on the counter. "Is there any task where I can earn more rit?"

She looks him over before replying, "There is. It ca a few hours ago. The task is for three days—to escort a convoy to Liulan Prefecture City."

rin asks, "How much rit?"

"One hundred rit," she answers.

rin nods slowly. "How will the rit be divided?"

He asks because escorting a convoy to Liulan Prefecture City takes three days, and one person alone cannot protect it. Normally, a team of Celestial Masters would be hired. With a reward of one hundred rit, he expects two others to be included.

But Li i’s reply makes him pause. "No need to divide. You are the only one for this task."

rin raises an eyebrow and quickly says, "Then give another task."

Li i shakes her head. "They don’t want you for protection. The convoy already has three Blood Yang martial artists. They are there to protect. You are there to detect."

Martial artists in the Blood Yang Realm can fight against evil creatures, but they still lack the variety and precision of a Celestial Master.

rin exhales softly. "Oh… then I’ll take it."

She hands him a thin task paper. "They are staying at Golden Spring Inn. Discuss the pay and departure ti with them."

rin pockets the paper and nods. "Thank you."

She waves her hand lazily. "You can go."

rin lingers a mont, then says, "I have another question."

Her black eyes fix on him as she blinks once. "What?"

"Why have I never seen other Celestial Masters here?"

"You co at odd tis," she replies calmly. "This is only the fourth ti you’ve stepped into the building. Keep coming and you’ll see them. They’re busy, sa as you—earning rit."

rin nods, satisfied, and turns to leave the building.

He walks toward the Golden Spring Inn. It stands close to the Four-Gate building, both positioned along the city’s central street. A few monts later, he steps inside.

The inn radiates wealth—an inn for the rich and noble. Even in the lobby, he notices carved runes releasing a faint floral fragrance into the air.

rin walks to the receptionist’s desk. The young woman behind it greets him politely, "Do you need sothing?"

"I have co for…" rin takes out the task paper and glances at the employer’s na. "Miss Mu Jingyi."

The receptionist straightens at the na, her tone shifting. "Can you show the paper for confirmation?"

rin only looks at her in silence.

She quickly explains, "Lady Mu is an important guest of our inn. We cannot disturb her just because soone claims to see her."

rin responds evenly, "I am a Celestial Master," and hands her the task paper.

She reads it carefully, then returns it with a nod.

rin pockets the paper again. The receptionist waves at another attendant—a woman in the inn’s uniform—who approaches quietly.

"She is ilu," the receptionist says. "She will take you to Lady Mu’s room."

Turning to ilu, she adds, "Escort the Celestial Master to Lady Mu."

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ilu bows her head slightly, then looks at rin with a polite smile. She gestures with her hand. "Sir, please follow ."

rin gives a faint smile of his own, nods, and follows her.

They ascend the staircase, passing through quiet corridors lined with ornate lanterns, until they stop before an elaborate door.

ilu knocks softly. After a pause, the door opens, revealing a woman’s face. "Who?"

"Miss, this Celestial Master ca seeking Lady Mu," ilu answers respectfully.

The woman’s eyes scan rin from head to toe. "Wait," she says curtly, before closing the door.

Minutes pass in silence. Finally, the door opens again, and the sa woman steps aside. "Co in."

rin follows her inside. The room is lavish, draped in silks and perfud with faint incense, and guarded by several strikingly beautiful won. Their beauty does not stir him—after all, he is a thousand-year-old monster who has seen every kind of woman, and even married four of the most beautiful himself.

His eyes settle on the figure hidden behind a delicate paper curtain. That must be Lady Mu.

A lodic voice drifts out from behind the curtain. "What is your na?"

rin answers calmly, "My na is Lin Yu."

"You are rather young, Mr. Lin Yu," the voice observes. "How many tasks have you completed?"

"Two," rin replies.

Silence lingers for a mont before she speaks again. "Is there any reason the Four Gates would assign you this task? They would not entrust a Celestial Master with sothing beyond his eligibility."

rin says smoothly, "Perhaps because my first two tasks were outside the city."

"What were they?"

"An inferior ghost," rin answers, "and a demon rat."

"It seems you have strength," the voice admits. "But I want to confirm it."

rin doesn’t want to lose such a high-rit task, so he asks directly, "What do I need to do?"

"You will fight one of my maids."

rin nods. "When?"

The woman’s voice carries a faint smile. "You are not going to ask the realm of the maid you will face?"

Inside, rin reminds himself—stay in character. He cannot appear too monstrous. He is truly a third-ring Celestial Master now, but revealing that would be reckless. In this fight, he will show the strength of a peak first ring, then, in two weeks, display a breakthrough to the second ring. That way, his rise will seem believable.

Aloud, he says, "My realm is only a first-ring Celestial Master. So the lady should not assign an opponent higher than the second realm of martial artists."

The voice replies, "Wu Si will fight you. She is a Blood Yang realm martial artist. But don’t worry, she will only gauge your strength. If she says you pass, you are accepted."

rin exhales a convincing sigh of relief. "When will the test be held?"

"The room is large enough," the woman answers lightly. "Do it right here and now."

rin frowns slightly. "I didn’t bring my sword, nor the runes I have drawn."

"No worries," the voice assures him. "This is not a fight to the death. She will only test your skill—and we have plenty of swords."

rin nods. "Ok."

A maid steps forward and hands him a sword. rin tests its weight awkwardly, like a novice. Another maid, Wu Si, walks out from the side and raises her blade, facing him with calm composure.

rin studies her, then slashes forward with the clumsy movents of soone untrained in swordsmanship. Wu Si blocks his strike easily, as expected. In truth, if rin had used even a fraction of his real skill, blood would already be flowing. To his eyes, her defence is riddled with gaps, but he keeps his disguise.

After only a few exchanges, rin staggers back, panting. Lin Yu’s body is still that of a mortal, and swinging such a heavy sword without technique eats away at his strength quickly.

"Be careful," he warns.

He pulls a rune paper from his sleeve and presses it to his right hand. With a flicker of spirit power, the rune ignites. "Spirit Hold!"

A giant palm of light manifests and grasps toward Wu Si.

Wu Si instantly flares her Blood Yang energy, shattering the palm. The rune disperses, and rin lowers his hand, stepping back.

He turns to the paper curtain. "This is my full strength."

Silence follows until the lodic voice speaks. "Wu Si?"

Wu Si bows slightly. "His physical skill is inadequate. Even a mortal with proper training could defeat him. But his rune technique—if aid at anyone under Blood Yang Realm—would be extrely difficult to block. For martial artists below my realm, his spirit attacks are dangerous."

The voice says, "So, he passed."

"Yes, my Lady," Wu Si answers.

The woman behind the curtain speaks again. "Mr. Lin Yu, please arrive with your belongings at the western city gate in a couple of hours. We will be leaving today."

rin bows lightly, then walks out of the room.

As he makes his way back ho, his thoughts darken. I must find a way to strengthen this body. It is far too weak.

But martial arts are barred to him. Martial Artists walk the Yang path of the body, while Celestial Masters tread the Yin path of spirit.

The two cannot be cultivated together. If one advances too far as a Celestial Master, they lose the foundation to form qi for the third realm of martial arts.

If one advances too far in martial cultivation, their spirit cannot grow to beco a Celestial Master.

rin knows this is not the truth; Yin and Yang can be cultivated together.

But not in weak realms, and now he is only a sliver of divine consciousness of the main body.

He does not have the strength to suppress the conflict of Yin and Yang.

Yet with his knowledge of vitality, he can create a body-tempering technique that only strengthens flesh without cultivating energy.

Until then, his spirit is his only weapon—though he knows he cannot remain so fragile forever.

rin returns ho and informs his brother and sister that he will be away for a task lasting a week.

Both are reluctant for him to leave, since he has been gone for not more than two days before, and now he will vanish for much longer.

Travel to Liulan City is far more dangerous than walking to nearby villages.

He softens their worry with a promise that he will bring them gifts upon his return.

After eating the al his sister cooks, he leaves the house.

As he rides away, he thinks to himself that his sister is already ten years old.

After returning, I should admit her to a school.

Riding his donkey, rin arrives at the western city gate.