Han Yu stood up, rolling his parchnt carefully and slipping it into the inside of his robe.
The plan had begun to take shape. What started as idle curiosity born from survival had now grown into sothing tangible—sothing real.
The first step was clear.
He needed rit points.
A lot of them.
After compiling his notes and forming a rough plan for gathering the materials he needed, Han Yu made his way to the Mission Pavilion the next day.
If he couldn’t afford to buy the herbs outright, he would earn the rit points necessary to do so—or, better yet, complete missions that allowed him to acquire so of the rarer materials directly.
The Mission Pavilion was one of the busiest structures within the Outer Sect. Built like an open-air coliseum, the walls were inscribed with thousands of glowing runes. Each one hovered in mid-air, detailing a separate task, bounty, or exploration request. A constant hum of conversation, footsteps, and spiritual fluctuations filled the space.
Disciples flowed in and out like rivers, gathering in small groups before the mission boards, debating loudly or whispering in conspiratorial tones. The ambient scent of ink, old paper, and the faint trace of burnt incense gave the place a strange yet scholarly air.
Han Yu passed through the main archway and approached the section designated for high-tier missions. He began sifting through listings, ntally filtering out all the tasks that didn’t match his goals.
"Pest extermination... no. Escort caravan—only hundred rit points? Useless. Guarding a dicinal field... hmm... still not what I need."
He scrolled through glowing mission runes with a calm yet discerning gaze. So of them promised good rit rewards, but none of them granted any of the seven materials he was after.
’Not that I expected to find Spirit Anchor Iron listed under official sect missions.’ He snorted ntally. ’But even things like Reverse Bloodfruit or Three-Cycle Soulgrass aren’t offered. These are simply too rare...’
Just as he was about to move on, a mission flickered into view, catching his attention with a strange pang of familiarity.
[High-Risk Solo Mission: Mist Eye Sect Border Surveillance]
Mission Type: Investigation / Infiltration
Reward: 50,000 rit Points
Optional Bonus: Discovery or Recovery of Restricted Artifacts or Suitable intel
Location: North of Broken Fang Ravine, near Slumbering Caldera
Target: Mist Eye Sect Border Activity
Restrictions: Must be Inner Court Disciple OR Peak Qi Refining Realm Cultivator
Status: Available
Ti Limi: 30 Days
Mission Duration: One Year
Notes: Stealth Required. High Danger. Casualties Expected.
Han Yu’s heart sank slightly the mont he saw the na: Mist Eye Sect.
Just reading it sent an involuntary chill down his spine. Images of shadowy figures, mind-manipulating cultivators, and whispered threats from his past surfaced unbidden. His hands clenched slightly, eyes narrowing.
’Why does it always co back to such dangers...’
He shook his head and forced himself to breathe. Now was not the ti for fear. It was ti for information.
He tapped the glowing rune, causing a detailed topographical map to unfold in the air in front of him. The mission’s region was clearly marked—a jagged frontier beyond the infamous Broken Fang Ravine, situated dangerously close to the Mist Eye Sect’s claid lands.
But what drew Han Yu’s gaze wasn’t the mission itself. It was the location.
Slumbering Caldera.
His eyes lit up.
According to every alchemical book and bestiary he’d read, Slumbering Caldera was the ideal habitat of Fireborn Beasts. An ancient volcanic zone, thick with fire-aligned qi, and layered with spirit-forged stone that retained heat for centuries. So even said the caldera had never gone cold, as if it harbored the breath of a sleeping deity beneath it.
And now, this mission—a seemingly unrelated reconnaissance job—offered a legitimate reason to go there.
"It’s too good to be a coincidence," Han Yu muttered under his breath.
But with the benefits ca significant risks.
For one, this was a solo mission, and not a low-level one either. The task not only required the ability to survive in enemy territory, but also the capacity for stealth and observation. Direct conflict was discouraged, but clearly anticipated.
And worse...
"You need to be at the Peak of the Qi Refining Realm, or an Inner Court Disciple, just to qualify..." Han Yu frowned deeply.
While his cultivation had grown rapidly over the past year, and his abilities often exceeded his stage, he was still only in the Early Stage of the Qi Refining Realm. Stretching his capabilities was one thing, but outright disqualifying himself was another.
Still, a part of him stirred at the challenge. The reward alone—Fifty thousand rit points—was enough to buy the Reverse Bloodfruit and have change left over.
And if he managed to hunt a Fireborn Beast while near the caldera... well, that would knock off another key item on his list.
He walked over to one of the mission stewards—a sharp-eyed older disciple in long blue robes who was calmly sipping tea while watching the crowd like a hawk.
"Senior Brother," Han Yu said with a bow. "About this mission." He pointed to the hovering rune.
The man looked up from his tea and squinted. "The Mist Eye surveillance job? Dangerous one. What about it?"
"Is there a way to reserve the mission or get a grace period to qualify? I’m nearing the Peak of Qi Refining and would like to prepare before undertaking it." Han Yu straight up lied. ’Technically with my Soul Initiate cultivation Base, I can match Peak Qi refining realm cultivators.’ He thought to himself.
The steward tilted his head, examining Han Yu with new interest. "You’re an Outer Court Disciple?"
"Yes, but I’ve completed high-grade missions before and have a special alchemical clearance under Alchemist Li i," Han Yu added smoothly, with a bit of exaggeration.
"Hmm..." The man rubbed his chin. "It’s not often soone asks to delay a mission for preparation, but it’s not forbidden. I can set a reservation since it doesn’t look like it’ll be taken anyti soon. You have one additional month. After that, it goes back into open circulation."
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