After her breakthrough, Liu Meng did not linger long in her master's cave dwelling.
As for those "discarded pieces" Su Meier had left lying about in the hall, she no longer cared. They were left to her master's disposal.
Now that she had stepped into the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the most urgent task was to head for the Mission Hall and claim the token that symbolized her status as an official disciple of the sect.
This was something no one could do in her stead. She had to go herself.
Fortunately, the Mission Hall was not far. With her current swiftness, the journey took no more than the burning of a single stick of incense. Soon she arrived at the place Su Meier had described.
Before her stretched a barren field of jagged stones. At its very heart yawned an enormous opening, shaped like an ancient coin. From the depths below, a low, eerie hum occasionally drifted upward.
Without hesitation, Liu Meng leapt in.
Moments later, her vision cleared.
She stood within a vast underground palace—the place where disciples from all four sect branches came to receive their tasks.
The Mission Hall.
The interior was austere, without excess decoration. Along the walls hung rows upon rows of jade tokens, carefully arranged by category. Each bore neat scarlet script, glowing faintly with spiritual power—the sect's missions, recorded and preserved.
The instant Liu Meng stepped inside, several threads of spiritual sense swept across her body, lingering only briefly before receding.
The hall was sparsely populated, but every figure here radiated formidable pressure. The weakest among them was, like herself, at the mid stage of Qi Refining.
Liu Meng kept her expression calm as her eyes roamed the hall. Today, there were no wandering souls lingering here.
It seemed that last time, Qingyue had been lucky indeed—stumbling upon a group of souls just before they were shipped off to Luofeng City.
Since that was the case, Liu Meng let the matter rest and turned toward the mission tokens.
She was curious.What sort of tasks would the sect impose?
After all, as a formal disciple now, she would be required to complete one mission every month. Better to examine them early, to prepare in advance.
But at her first glance, her brows drew together.
Qingyue… had deceived her.
The tasks were not limited to Qi Refining mid-stage.Though rare, there were missions available even for those below the third layer, occupying a small corner of the wall.
Yet when Liu Meng read them more closely, she immediately understood why Qingyue had chosen to conceal the truth.
[Mission: Humanitarian Care]
Requirement: Qi Refining, First Layer and above
Description: The 28th great-grandson of Elder Six from the Three Talents Court is mentally deficient and often depressed. Three female disciples are required to provide him with seven days of special "humanitarian care" to help him regain his passion for life.
Reward: 3 spirit stones
The corner of Liu Meng's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Anyone with half a mind could see what this so-called "humanitarian care" meant.
Suppressing her disgust, she lowered her gaze to the next token.
[Mission: Spirit Beast Midwifery]
Requirement: Qi Refining, Second Layer and above
Description: The Blood Feast Valley's spirit beast, the "Eight-Clawed Demon Fish," has repeatedly failed in spawning, causing violent mood swings and hostility toward humans. A female disciple skilled in the Xuanpin Art is required to soothe the beast's emotions and assist it in laying eggs. The disciple must also ensure the eggs are protected until hatching.
Reward: 5 spirit stones, 1 demon fish egg
Liu Meng's stomach lurched.This was even more revolting. That "protecting the eggs" was anything but simple.
[Order: Permanent Purchase of Human Organs]
Requirement: None
Description: A batch of fresh human organs is urgently needed to refine the Five Elements Blood Pill. Organs must be taken less than one hour from the body, intact and undamaged.
Reward: 1 spirit stone per 100 sets
By now, Liu Meng fully understood.
In the Grand Dao Heavenly Demon Sect, disciples at the early stages of Qi Refining were not regarded as people at all.
The missions they were permitted to take were steeped in humiliation and blood.
Qingyue's deception… could hardly be blamed.
For the first time, Liu Meng even felt that Su Meier and Qin Shuang's silence about the Mission Hall had not been out of malice, but perhaps out of protection.
She exhaled slowly, turned away, and focused on the tasks available to those at the fourth layer and above.
At last, these missions looked… normal.
[Mission: Explore Abandoned Cave Dwelling]
Requirement: Qi Refining, Fourth Layer and above, at least two disciples
Description: Five hundred li outside the sect, in the Black Wind Mountain Range, an abandoned cave dwelling has been discovered, suspected to be the remains of an ancient cultivator. Filled with prohibitions and mechanisms, it requires exploration.
Reward: Dependent on submitted items' value
[Mission: Harvest Yin-Congealing Grass]
Requirement: Qi Refining, Fifth Layer and above
Description: In the depths of the Ghost Marsh grows century-old Yin-Congealing Grass, the main ingredient for refining Soul-Congealing Pills. Disciples must collect it and return safely.
Reward: 20 spirit stones
[Mission: Capture Golden-Feathered Skylark]
Requirement: Qi Refining, Sixth Layer and above
Description: A rare spirit bird of dazzling speed and stealth, beloved pet of the Seventh Elder of the Xuanpin Sect, has escaped its bindings. The disciple must capture it alive and return it.
Reward: 50 spirit stones, 1 elder's token
Liu Meng frowned again.
These missions were far too normal.So normal… it was abnormal.
Hadn't Su Meier said the Xuanpin Sect's tasks mostly revolved around torture and discipline?Yet not a single such mission was here.
Then she looked up at the plaque above and realized.
These tokens belonged to Blood Feast Valley.
Of course.No wonder these missions reeked of blood and battle.
The cultivators of Blood Feast Valley trained in the domineering Blood Feast Art—their path to Dao paved with slaughter. Among peers of the same realm, their combat strength was unmatched.
Such perilous missions were perfectly suited to them.
As she browsed, Liu Meng's gaze suddenly froze on one particular token.
[Mission: Bloodline Selection]
Requirement: Qi Refining, Fourth Layer
Description: Gather one hundred mortals and bring them to the designated site for the final trial. The last survivor shall be admitted into Blood Feast Valley as a new disciple.
Reward: Depends on the survivor's talent
So it was true.
A glint of understanding flashed in Liu Meng's eyes.
Everything Shen Qingyun had experienced was nothing more than a sect mission.
She silently committed the task to memory. Someday, it might prove useful.
Drawing her gaze back, she turned away, intending to proceed deeper into the Mission Hall to locate the sect emissary and claim her disciple's token.
But just as she turned, her eyes caught a familiar figure.
A round-bellied man, his face ever wreathed in a kindly, foolish smile.
The very same fat man who had once gifted Liu Wu the Soul Banner in Luofeng City.
What was he doing here?
Liu Meng's eyes narrowed. The bizarre events of Luofeng City, the mysterious True Explanation of Severing the Three Corpses and Condensing the Dao—all surged back into her mind.
She had long wished to know: what was the true connection between that secret art and Luofeng City?
This fat man seemed harmless enough, yet knew far too much about that place. If she questioned him, perhaps she could obtain invaluable answers.
But… should she?
Reason whispered caution.The fewer entanglements, the better. Approaching this unknown man rashly could expose her secrets, or worse, endanger her true self.
Thus far, her main body remained her greatest safeguard. Her path was to steadily grow stronger, ensuring her absolute survival—not meddle in secrets that were not hers to touch.
With that thought, she decisively turned away.
At the depths of the hall lay the sect's emissaries. It was time to collect her token.
Yet when she searched the cavernous hall, she found… nothing.
No emissary, no attendant. Only rows of empty counters, silent and desolate.
What was going on?
As confusion stirred within her, a warm, smiling voice suddenly rose behind her.
"Looking for someone? The Mission Hall's emissary, perhaps?"
Liu Meng's heart jolted. She spun around, pupils contracting sharply.
The fat man was standing right behind her. At some point, without the faintest sound, he had drawn close.