"My cultivation talent is indeed not very good."
Feeling the weak spiritual energy within his body, Han Xing couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
Three years ago, when Han Xing passed the Purple Cloud Sect's outer disciple examination and became a disciple of the Purple Cloud Sect, Elder Wu Yugang, who was in charge of disciple selection, had told Han Xing that he had no cultivation talent and advised him to leave. But Han Xing didn't take it to heart and insisted on joining the Purple Cloud Sect, becoming an outer disciple.
"If I can't break through to the fifth level of spiritual energy in the outer disciple competition, I will be expelled from the sect."
Three years had passed, but Han Xing's strength was still only at the third level of spiritual energy.
Thinking of this, Han Xing couldn't help but sigh.
The Purple Cloud Sect recruits some outer disciples through disciple examinations every year. Outer disciples who can break through to the fifth level of spiritual energy can apply to be promoted to official disciples of the Purple Cloud Sect, but if they cannot cultivate to the fifth level of spiritual energy within three years, they will be expelled from the Purple Cloud Sect.
In other words, if Han Xing couldn't break through to the fifth level of spiritual energy before the outer disciple competition two months later, he would be expelled from the Purple Cloud Sect.
Just as Han Xing was troubled by this matter, an indifferent voice came from outside Han Xing's cave dwelling.
"Han Xing, you haven't completed any disciple tasks this year. If you can't complete one within seven days, you won't even have to wait for the outer disciple competition; you can just get out of the Purple Cloud Sect."
Han Xing cursed inwardly, but as he walked out of his cave dwelling, his gaze towards Li Haiye held a hint of a smile.
"Don't worry, Deacon Li, I will definitely complete a disciple task within seven days."
Outer disciples of the Purple Cloud Sect are required to complete at least one disciple task every year. If they fail to complete a task, they will be directly expelled from the Purple Cloud Sect.
In the cultivation world, it's not difficult to break through to the fifth level of spiritual energy in three years. There aren't many outer disciples like Han Xing who have been selected into the Purple Cloud Sect for almost three years and still haven't broken through to the fifth level of spiritual energy.
Now, with less than two months until the outer disciple competition, Li Haiye didn't think Han Xing could break through to the fifth level of spiritual energy and become a regular disciple of the Purple Cloud Sect in the next two months.
Li Haiye glanced at Han Xing, then turned and left.
"If you can't complete the task, don't come back."
Watching Li Haiye's portly figure gradually disappear, the smile on Han Xing's face also faded.
"What a snobbish bastard."
Although he disdained Li Haiye's character, thinking of the serious consequences of failing to complete the task, Han Xing sighed helplessly and hurried towards the Task Hall.
The Task Hall is where disciples of the Purple Cloud Sect receive and submit tasks. After completing tasks from the Task Hall, disciples can earn merit points. With these merit points, disciples can exchange for the necessary items for cultivation, such as elixirs and cultivation techniques.
However, most of these tasks are assigned to ordinary disciples, and there are very few tasks that outer disciples like Han Xing can complete. Moreover, as soon as such a task appears, it will be snatched up by the outer disciples who are waiting there.
After glancing at the task list, Han Xing's expression became somewhat grim.
"These tasks all require a cultivation level of Spirit Qi Rank 5 to complete. With my current cultivation level, even if I accept them, I'll probably just be going to my death."
"Hey, isn't that Han Xing?"
A man appeared in front of Han Xing, his face full of mockery.
"It's already been three years, and you still haven't broken through to Spirit Qi Rank 5."
Han Xing glanced indifferently at Jin Zhonghao, who had appeared, and didn't say anything. He simply walked up to the elder of the task hall and respectfully said,
"Elder, I'll take the task of obtaining a Fire Wolf beast's demon core."
"Han Xing, you should think carefully. The Fire Wolf beast has a cultivation level of Spirit Qi Rank 5."
Wu Yugang had previously advised Han Xing to leave, but Han Xing still insisted on joining the Purple Cloud Sect. Because Han Xing was polite, Wu Yugang had a good impression of him.
"You are only at Spirit Qi Rank 3 cultivation now. Even if you complete the disciple tasks, it's impossible to break through to Spirit Qi Rank 5 within two months. You might as well give up this task and leave the Purple Cloud Sect sooner."
"Thank you for your kindness, Elder, but I've made up my mind."
Han Xing's attitude was very firm, just like when he insisted on joining the Purple Cloud Sect and becoming an outer disciple.
Knowing that it was useless to say anything more, Wu Yugang sighed helplessly.
"Then be careful yourself, and don't lose your life."
Han Xing smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful."
Taking his identification badge from Wu Yugang's hand, Han Xing completely ignored Jin Zhonghao and left the mission hall, making Jin Zhonghao's face turn ashen, but he didn't dare to get angry.
"What do you want?"
Wu Yugang glanced at Jin Zhonghao indifferently and said coldly.
Wu Yugang felt that if it weren't for Jin Zhonghao's deliberate targeting, Han Xing wouldn't have accepted the mission to hunt the Flame Wolf and obtain its demon core. Coupled with Jin Zhonghao's harsh attitude towards Han Xing just now, Wu Yugang didn't have a good impression of him at all.
Jin Zhonghao was angered by Wu Yugang's differential treatment, but while he dared to be arrogant in front of Han Xing, he didn't dare to be presumptuous in front of Wu Yugang.
Helplessly, Jin Zhonghao directly blamed Han Xing for this, which Han Xing would surely find very unfair if he knew.
"Elder, I need to hand in a mission."
...
...
In the mission hall, Han Xing's attitude was very resolute, but after leaving the mission hall, Han Xing's face turned into a bitter expression.
"What should I do now?"
As Wu Yugang said, the Flame Wolf has a cultivation level of Spirit Qi Rank 5, and since demonic beasts' physical bodies are inherently stronger than cultivators', hunting a Flame Wolf requires at least Spirit Qi Rank 6 strength. For Han Xing, with his Spirit Qi Rank 3 cultivation, taking on this mission was tantamount to suicide.
However, this was already the simplest mission on the mission board that Han Xing could complete in the shortest time.
Other missions were either more dangerous or required a lot of time. Currently, Han Xing needed to complete his disciple mission while also giving himself enough time to break through to Spirit Qi Rank 5 before the outer disciple competition. Under these circumstances, this mission was arguably the most suitable for Han Xing.
"I can only try my luck."
Shaking his head helplessly, Han Xing returned to his cave dwelling, retrieved the iron sword he usually used for martial arts practice, and headed towards the outside of the Purple Cloud Sect.
Han Xing was able to pass the Purple Cloud Sect's outer disciple trial and become an outer disciple of the Purple Cloud Sect because of the martial arts he practiced.
In the eyes of cultivators, martial arts were merely inferior techniques, not worth mentioning, but Han Xing's cultivation level of three stages of spiritual energy was only slightly stronger than that of ordinary people. To complete the task of hunting the Flame Wolf, Han Xing could only rely on the martial arts he had cultivated in the mortal world.
The place where Han Xing was located was called the Hengyu Continent. The Monster Beast Mountain Range stretched across the entire Hengyu Continent, and the Purple Cloud Mountain Range outside the Purple Cloud Sect was just a branch of the Monster Beast Mountain Range.
But even though the Purple Cloud Mountain Range was only a branch of the Monster Beast Mountain Range, it was not a place that ordinary people could casually wander into.
At the entrance of the Purple Cloud Mountain Range, there were only monster beasts with one or two stages of spiritual energy, only slightly stronger than ordinary people, but the deeper one went into the Purple Cloud Mountain Range, the stronger the monster beasts became. It was said that in the deepest part of the Monster Beast Mountain Range, there were powerful demon beasts that could transform into human form.
The Flame Wolf lived in the Blazing Flame Valley of the Purple Cloud Mountain Range, where many fire-attributed monster beasts resided. Purple Cloud Sect disciples usually went to the Blazing Flame Valley to complete tasks of hunting fire-attributed monster beasts.
Generally, Purple Cloud Sect disciples would form teams when entering the Monster Beast Mountain Range, but Han Xing's strength was too weak, and no one was willing to team up with him. Even if someone did team up with him, Han Xing worried that they might kill him to silence him.
Although killing was strictly prohibited within the Purple Cloud Sect, this rule was virtually meaningless in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, and if a murder did occur, the blame would mostly be shifted to the monster beasts.
After Han Xing left the Purple Cloud Sect, an outer disciple emerged from behind a large tree behind Han Xing, looking in the direction Han Xing had gone, with a hint of coldness on his face.
"Han Xing, don't blame me, blame yourself for offending someone you shouldn't have offended."
...
After leaving the Purple Cloud Sect, Han Xing followed the mountain path towards the entrance of the Purple Cloud Mountain Range. The Purple Cloud Mountain Range was only a few miles from the Purple Cloud Sect, and Han Xing arrived in less than half an hour.
At the entrance of the monster mountain range, Han Xing saw many Purple Cloud Sect disciples looking for fellow disciples to form teams to complete tasks. Some people initially wanted to recruit Han Xing, but after discovering that he only had a cultivation level of Spirit Qi Rank Three, they left disappointed.
Watching the disappointed Purple Cloud Sect disciples leave, Han Xing didn't say much, but quickly entered the monster mountain range and headed towards the Blazing Flame Valley.
The Blazing Flame Wolf Beast possessed a cultivation level of Spirit Qi Rank Six and lived in the Blazing Flame Valley, feeding on Blazing Flame Grass.
In the task hall, Wu Yugang had already transmitted the Blazing Flame Wolf Beast's habits to Han Xing's identity token.
Normally, this information wouldn't be of much use to cultivators, but for Han Xing, whose cultivation was insufficient, it was a great help.
Upon arriving at the Blazing Flame Valley, Han Xing didn't immediately take action, but instead cut a lot of Blazing Flame Grass outside the valley. Then, he found a safe place outside the Blazing Flame Valley to cultivate and restore himself to his best condition, preparing to hunt the Blazing Flame Wolf Beast.
As night fell, the entire Monster Beast Mountain Range became quiet, and many monster beasts fell into a deep sleep.
Han Xing finished his cultivation and glanced at the Flame Valley, muttering,
"I hope this time I can succeed."
Taking a deep breath, Han Xing carried a bundle of Flame Grass and walked towards the Flame Valley, approaching the Flame Wolf closest to the valley's exit.
Seemingly smelling the scent of the Flame Grass, the sleeping Flame Wolf opened its eyes and groggily followed Han Xing out of the Flame Valley.
Seeing the Flame Wolf gradually leaving the Flame Valley with him, a hint of joy appeared on Han Xing's face.