Chapter 34 New Mission

The ancient cultivator observed Jasper's progress with satisfaction. "This child is proving to be quite hardworking. I've already recouped a hundred out of the two hundred wisps of Spirit Qi I invested in him. It shouldn't be too long before I start seeing some profit," he mused to himself.

Although the ancient cultivator had long decided against revealing his existence, that didn't mean he wouldn't strive to strengthen himself. In fact, using this system, he had devised two methods to accrue Spirit Qi.

The first and most obvious method was through the system coins and shop. Every time Jasper exchanged Spirit Qi for coins, the cultivator would claim that Spirit Qi and hide it away for his personal use, some of which would be used to create the items in the shop.

The second method was less straightforward and carried a certain degree of risk. Whenever Jasper circulated his cultivation technique, a few wisps of Qi would chaotically scatter, beyond Jasper's control. The ancient cultivator used these opportunities to siphon off the errant Qi for himself. He reckoned that this method should be safe for low-level cultivators below the Golden Core realm.

"But it's not enough, it could be much faster." Mired in thought, the cultivator stroked his imaginary beard. "Maybe I should help speed things up a bit." With this thought in mind, he began waving his arms, pulling Spirit Qi from his surroundings to circle around him. Soon, a blue screen materialized before him, displaying two messages:

[Mission Triggered:

Mission Name: Create a Cultivation Power Part: 1

Task: Become the Headmaster of the Martial Hall

Reward: Depends on result]

and

[Side Mission Triggered:

Mission Name: Information is Power

Task: Learn about the Structure and Powers in the Martial Hall

Reward: 1 Sub Realm Upgrade].

Upon reading the two missions he had created, he nodded in affirmation. Using these missions, he could subtly influence and learn more about the world. While he couldn't control Jasper directly, he could certainly guide him through the missions.

"There are three main goals right now," he mused, "First, to increase the amount of Spirit Qi under my control. Second, to learn about the strongest force on this continent. And most importantly, third, to obtain my freedom!"

With this thought in mind, he propelled the two screens forward, coursing through Jasper's meridians and embedding them into his mind.

***

Jasper was still traversing the grand corridor of the Spring Pavilion's third floor, but this time making his way out. He planned to rendezvous with Grant and Alexa before deciding on the next steps, when he was abruptly interrupted by the system's notifications.

[Ding. Ding.]

Startled by the unexpected alerts, Jasper halted in his tracks and read the information pertaining to the two new missions. "Become the headmaster?!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the quiet corridor. Upon his short outburst, he swiftly covered his mouth and darted nervous glances around. His previous meeting had made it clear that the situation wasn't as stable as he had thought, which made him want to remain on high alert.

Seeing that he was alone, he turned his attention back to the system. Staring at the screen, Jasper blinked repeatedly, as if what he was seeing must be a mistake. He had just become the Vice Headmaster and was already feeling uneasy about the entire ordeal. Now, the system was instructing him to become the Headmaster!

"How would I even-" he paused, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, "It's okay, I can figure it out," he murmured to himself. Then, resuming his walk, he turned his attention to reading about the second mission.

***

Grant's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "That doesn't make sense, isn't the headmaster someone who works directly under the Master?" Alexa questioned from her position next to Jasper.

The trio had met up outside of the Spring Pavilion after Jasper's meeting with the headmaster. Once together, they had moved to a private room of a restaurant business that was set up by the Valley Village, to discuss the meeting, which Jasper had just finished recounting. The majority of restaurants and inns for visitors to stay in within the Martial Hall were co-owned by the Zephyr clan of the Valley Village, and his father.

Grant, still looking pensive, addressed Alexa's query. "Alexa, in this world, everyone fights and struggles for power and wealth. The position of the headmaster offers both in great quantities, so it's a highly coveted position." Jasper, listening to this, chimed in, "But isn't the Martial Hall owned by my father? Wouldn't disobeying him be akin to rebelling?"

Grant agreed, "That's correct, but Jasper, you're not your father. As it stands now, you don't hold much sway over the Martial Hall." Seeing the confusion etched on Jasper's face, Grant relaxed his demeanor and further explained the predicament.

"So, father is grooming me to become the future leader of the Spring Village and the Martial Hall... But many people covet this position, so they will contest me for it. Is that the crux of it?" Jasper sought confirmation, to which Grant responded affirmatively, "Indeed, it's a challenging path. If the Martial Hall belonged solely to the Spring Village, the journey might be simpler. But currently, many interests intersect at the Martial Hall, and it's only going to get more complicated."

Grant's statement hung in the air for a moment as Jasper absorbed its implications. Alexa, seeing his contemplative expression, reached out and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "We're in this together, Jasper," she assured him, her voice steady and warm. "We'll figure it out."

Grant nodded, chiming in with his own reassurances. "Yes, young master, you won't be alone in this journey. I promise to aid you to the best of my ability, and I'm sure the same goes for Alexa."

Jasper looked at the two, his gaze softened, and he gave them a grateful smile. "Thank you, both of you. I'll need all the help I can get."

With that, they launched into a deep discussion, plotting strategies and potential approaches to the challenges Jasper would face in his new role as Vice Headmaster. They discussed a range of issues from how to build alliances and garner support among the other Martial Hall students, to learning about the intricacies of the administrative tasks he would need to oversee.

Hours passed as they talked, the conversation only interrupted by a meal served by the courtyard servants. By the time they wrapped up, the sky had turned dark and the moon was high. Despite the late hours, they had accomplished a lot from their discussion.

From their conversation, it was decided that Grant would move to the Admission facilities where students were accepted and trained. Utilizing Jasper's authority as the now Vice Headmaster, he would seek to gain a position and slowly infiltrate the system from within.

Meanwhile, Jasper was responsible for finding more trustworthy people to place in positions of power and steadily take over other posts. Additionally, he was also responsible for expanding his influence among the higher-ranking elders.

On the other hand, Alexa was tasked with being the liaison. She would receive reports from all of Jasper's subordinates - Grant being the only one at the moment - and deliver them to Jasper.

With this plan as the foundation, they aimed to expand their influence in the Martial Hall. Their ambitions may seem grand, but they were necessary for Jasper to secure his future position and power.