Mission Briefing

The outer sect disciple lead Sheng Zhen to a side of the Alchemy tower, and into a large stone garden. Two people wearing Elder robes were standing in the front, talking to each other. One of them was the fat elder Jiang he briefly met before.

He was not alone there, many other inner and core sect disciples were also standing around, casually chatting. Not everyone was in Alchemist Hall's uniform, many were wearing the cultivator robes representing their respective sects. The moment he entered, a few of them turned their gazes towards him.

"Who is that. Seems too young."

"His name was Sheng something, I heard he refined many batches of superior grade pills."

"I heard he refined pills in entrance exam within two breaths."

"Pufff...as if, no one can do that."

Sheng Zhen did not react to the gossip, opting to stand in a corner. The outer sect disciple bowed and left.

"Little brother Sheng!"

Sheng Zhen turned to see the source of the shout. Wei Song, the girl from the reception was standing, waving at him. Instead of the red brocade robes, she was wearing a long ice blue skirt and blue cultivators robes which looked easy to move in. A deep blue snowflake was printed on the back of her robes and a pure white sword rested on her waist.

"Miss Wei Song", Sheng Zhen cupped his hands in greeting.

She just waved her hands, "No need for being so formal. Does little brother know why are we here?"

"Something about some alchemist's tomb?"

"Yes, the tomb of Yun Cang, the last Rank Seven alchemist of the continent. His tomb should have some good things."

"But then why are they sending juniors like us alone instead of elders going themselves? Will they not stand a better chance at finding the treasures", Sheng Zhen asked, despite clearly knowing the answer.

Wei Song smiled, "From what the elders who went saw, only those below the realm of Nascent Soul could enter. It is more of a trial ground than a tomb."

Just then a purple-robed elder floated down, and everyone quieted down. The two elders bowed to the newcomer, followed by everyone standing in the front.

Sheng Zhen could see Jin Cuifen floating behind the elder, wearing the same purple robes.

Wei Song whispered, "That is grand elder Jin Donghai. He is from the Alchemist Hall sect headquarters and came to Ifre a decade or so ago to specifically accept Cuifen as his disciple. Rumors say he is a Rank six Alchemist but no one is sure."

"He came just to accept Jin Cuifen as his disciple?"

"Yes, and he liked him so much he immediately accepted Cuifen as his Legacy Disciple and gave him surname Jin. Lucky Bastard."

Sheng Zhen noticed the elder Jin twitching when she cursed but he did not say anything after seeing Wei Song's uniform.

The Purple-robed elder Jin sat in the air and started speaking, his voice low yet clearly audible to all, "As you might know, a new inheritance ground just revealed itself in the Indigo Beasts Forest. You all are selected to enter it and get a chance to claim the inheritance for the Alchemist Hall. Anything you may find there is to be given to Alchemist Hall; even if you may belong to different sects, you are entering on behalf of Alchemist Hall."

Wei Song snotted, "We all find what we could but our spoils are going to be taken by Alchemist Hall and our sect. They most likely selected you because you do not belong to any sect, so any spoils you get will go only to the Alchemist Hall."

Sheng Zhen nodded in understanding. He was confused why they would send him because the cultivation he was showing was only that of the eighth realms of Qi Gathering. Someone weak like him should have no business in the Tomb.

Elder finished after giving them some threats wrapped in advice, which both Sheng Zhen and Wei Song ignored.

"Any Doubts?", he asked.

A bluff young man wearing golden brocade robes and with a heavy sword on his back cupped his hands and bowed to the elder before asking "Grand elder, who discovered the tomb? If we are getting to know now, someone must have discovered it first."

Elder Jin rubbed his long beard, "Oh yes, our runners had no concrete evidence but we believe it was Young Master Yi Jinagshi."

Everyone there collectively sucked a cold breath.

"But... But how was that allowed. Yin Sea sect is a demonic sect."

Elder just shrugged and did not say anything.

Sheng Zhen looked confused. He had read a little about the Yin Sea Sect while searching for culprits responsible for abducting his sister but his knowledge was quite limited. He looked towards Wei Song, "Who is this young master Yi Jiangshi?"

She turned, "You do not know who Yi Jiangshi is?"

Sheng Zhen just shook his head.

She shook his head in disbelief, "To not even know..." and started to explain,

"Ye Jiangshi, he is the heir to Yin Sea Sect, the largest Demonic Sect on the entire continent. But words are not enough to explain the horror that is Yi Jiangshi. Before him, there were more than a hundred heirs to the sect, a hundred. And you know what happened to all of them."

"They died, every last one of them. He killed them all and drank their blood."

"Drank their blood?", Sheng Zhen asked, frowning.

Wei Song nodded, "He practices a cultivation technique that allows him to increase his strength by drinking blood for his victims. He is proclaimed as the strongest of the last generation. No one his age was able to contend against him. Even fairy Mu could barely score a draw."

"Is that so", Sheng Zhen was deep in thought, he had read about the technique but never expected to hear about it in a lower realm.

"If someone does not want to go, leave now", Elder Jiang's rough voice sounded in the garden. Some looked unsure but in the end, no one left.

"Well then", Elder Jin waved his hand and a flying ship appeared in the air, "Get in"