17: Mission reward

‘The twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, attended the knowledge lecture by Deacon Wang of the Bureau of Unusual Matters. The protective power of You is suppressed by fire, yang, and other forces... Martial Artists below the Connecting Veins Stage cannot break through it!’

‘The fifth day of the second lunar month, assisted Commander Liu of the Bureau of Unusual Matters's Mystic Armored Guard in eliminating You... The You were no match, a great victory!’

‘The eighteenth day of the third lunar month, found a hundred-year-old blood ginseng on Cangmang Mountain.’

‘The ninth day of the fifth lunar month, accepted an invitation from an Elder of the Crimson Flame Sect to explore for treasure in the Black Rock Mountains.’

‘.........’

‘Encountered the You, 'Human-faced Giant Spider'. Everyone was no match. The 'white jade pendant' shattered. The person who recorded this today must quickly report to the Bureau of Unusual Matters in An Yan City!!’

‘Death, it's coming, kill...’

The handwriting on the next page of the diary was extremely sloppy, clearly indicating that the treasure hunter was likely losing his sanity and on the verge of death at this point.

"You, Connecting Veins..." Han Yi pondered for a long time, "It seems even the weak 'Yin Qi worm' can be considered a type of You!"

"And the Bureau of Unusual Matters, it seems to be an organization specifically for dealing with You..."

Han Yi had speculated about this long ago. After all, the Da Xuan Dynasty has a vast territory and a large population, so how could there be no way to counter these You!

"Let's keep this diary for now. The Bureau of Unusual Matters, An Yan County, it seems I should try to make contact if I get the chance in the future..."

This diary was extremely helpful to Han Yi, who desperately needed to catch up on related knowledge!

Dust to dust, earth to earth. The dead are dead, but life must go on for the living...

Of course, he also buried the ashes of that 'Human-faced Giant Spider' along the way.

After all, these mother and daughter were also pitiful people...

After finishing the burial, Han Yi couldn't help but sigh a few times.

"Time to go..."

He had a long knife tucked into his waist, which he had picked from a pile of broken weapons that was barely usable. He hid a 'blood plum handkerchief' in hisArms (chest/bosom) and had over a dozen taels of silver in his sleeves. He also rubbed a jade pendant in his hand as he quickly withdrew from the cave.

The sun set, and dusk arrived.

After coming out of the cave, Han Yi looked at the last rays of the setting sun, a feeling of surviving a catastrophe rising in his heart.

"Hurry up, if I don't go back soon, the camp might close!"

Han Yi used 'Swallow Flight' to quickly shuttle through the mountain forest, heading back to the camp.

"Han Yi, where have you been? Why are you back so late and looking so dishevelled?"

The person on duty at the camp today happened to be Meng Hu, who had been selected into the guard team along with Han Yi. He was assigned to the seventh squad where his Elder brother, Meng Long, was located.

Han Yi rushed back just in time before the camp's curfew.

Huff, huff.

He slightly calmed his breathing and used the excuse of going out to hunt demonic beasts to brush it off.

Inside the living quarters.

He hadn't noticed it during the fight with the 'Human-faced Giant Spider' in the cave, but now lying on the bed, he found himself covered in scrapes of various sizes, and his entire body ached incessantly.

Remembering the You and Martial Artists being no match that he saw in the treasure hunter's diary... Han Yi was silent for a while. He felt a faint sense of crisis in his heart.

"Perhaps I should be a bit more proactive and see if I can find an opportunity to go to An Yan County to gather relevant information!"

An Yan County is several hundred li away from the guard team camp. There wasn't enough time to go during the day. Moreover, even if he reached An Yan County, he probably wouldn't be able to enter the city gate without a travel permit and the Sect's permission...

The next day.

As the saying goes, train in the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter.

The sky had just broken dawn, and Han Yi was already sweating on the training ground.

"'Flying Swallow Kick' is only five points away from breaking through. Let's see if I can succeed and save five points ofWeirdness (Guili value)!"

Facing the wooden stake in front of him, he seemed slow but was actually incredibly swift as he kicked hard towards the stone lock beside it!

With his vital energy stimulated, Xu Yi leaped high like a flying swallow crossing the clouds. In mid-air, he was as agile and nimble as a bird!

In the next instant, he raised his right leg high and kicked down forcefully, the muscles on it bursting!

Bang!

With a full-force kick, the arm of the wooden stake was shattered!

【Martial Arts】: Mountain Shattering Fist (Mortal Rank, Trait: Crushing Stone, Minor Accomplishment 8/20, can be improved); Basic Knife Technique (Mortal Rank, Trait: Knife Dancing, Minor Accomplishment 2/20, can be improved); Flying Swallow Kick (Yellow Rank Low Grade, Entry 6/10, can be improved)

"I've mastered this move 'Swallow Piercing Cloud'. As expected of a Yellow Rank technique, it's much more powerful than Mountain Crushing Fist!"

"But this 'Flying Swallow Kick' is too slow to Cultivate. I've cultivated it for so long and only gained one point of proficiency..."

"Why not use Yuanli value..."

Han Yi retracted his leg and muttered.

"Han Yi, I knew you, this cultivation fanatic, wouldn't be in the room early in the morning, you must be cultivating!"

Just then, Pan Sheng hurried over, seemingly having something to say, interrupting his thoughts.

"The captain just returned from the Sect and has called us for a meeting!"

"Meeting as soon as he's back?" Han Yi's thoughts turned, "Did something happen..."

The two rushed to House Number Nine.

Houses Number One to Ten were places only captains were qualified to live in. This was Han Yi's first time entering.

"This house even has a front yard and a backyard..." He sighed inwardly, "It's so much better than the sheds ordinary Disciples live in!"

"That's nothing. If you can be promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple, you'll not only have an independent courtyard but also maidservants to attend to you," Pan Sheng seemed to see through Xu Yi's thoughts and gave Han Yi a knowing wink, looking like he understood.

"Han Yi, your discovery this time is very important. After I reported it, the Sect took it very seriously," Captain Li Feng said, looking travel-worn. "This time, Han Yi has earned a great merit!"

He turned to Pan Sheng and Wang Meng and said.

"Then, will the reward this time be...?" Wang Meng's eyes flashed with a few glints of light, looking like a money grubber.

"Hahaha!" Li Feng's lips curved up, showing a hint of a smile, "I knew you would ask that."

"Each person gets 45 contribution points for completing this mission, and most importantly, it counts as a great merit!"

In the Crimson Flame Sect, merits were recorded differently based on the difficulty of the mission, from easy to difficult: minor merit, medium merit, and great merit. One great merit was worth three medium merits, and nine minor merits!

And for Inner Sect Disciples like them who came for trials,

"A great merit?" Pan Sheng's pupils widened slightly, "Doesn't this mean that our chances of being ranked among the top in this trial have increased!"

The Inner Sect Disciple trial lasts for three months. After it ends, rewards are distributed based on the ranking. The first place not only receives a large amount of money but also Breakthrough pills like 'Pulse Breaking Pill' as a reward!

'Pulse Breaking Pill', as the name suggests, increases the chance of opening the body's Meridians and converting vital energy into Strength, thereby allowing Martial Artists to break through their limits and become powerhouses in the Tongmai Stage!

Inner Sect Disciples like Li Feng and Pan Sheng participate in the Inner Sect trial for various reasons. Some are assigned by the Sect, some are for fame, and some are to help out of friendship, but most Disciples are here for the 'Pulse Breaking Pill', especially Li Feng. His cultivation has reached the Middle Stage of Refining Blood, so naturally, he needs to prepare Breakthrough pills like 'Pulse Breaking Pill' early.

"But you must remember one thing!" When he said this, Li Feng's gaze was sharp and his expression was serious.