42 Delivering the Misty Valley Mission and Plotting for the Battle of Soul-Devouring Mountain
After meeting the group, Qi Tian knew he had arrived just in time for the mission, which made him feel a slight sense of relief.
"So it's Senior Brother Qi Tian, greetings! I've heard a lot about your command over the thousand cranes, and I've always wanted to learn from you. Although I lead a thousand cranes, my command skills are lacking. I need to learn more from you about managing flying cranes," Fang Zheng said as he hurriedly greeted him.
"Junior Brother Fang Zheng, there's no need to be humble. At your age, commanding a thousand cranes is already extraordinary. You have great potential ahead. Seeing you reminds me of a friend from the southern border. You both look quite alike! If it weren't for the distance, I might have mistaken you for him," Qi Tian remarked with a thoughtful smile.
"Could it be my older brother?" Fang Zheng's heart stirred at the mention of his brother. Although he harbored deep resentment toward him, under the guidance of the Celestial Crane Elder, who had advised him not to discuss personal matters in front of others, Fang Zheng quickly regained his composure.
"Looks like Fang Zheng has deep resentment towards Fang Yuan!" Qi Tian teased lightly, but his true intent was to probe the Celestial Crane Elder.
Fang Zheng had reacted strongly just now, but with the Celestial Crane Elder's intervention, he calmed down quickly. The other disciples present noticed his brief unease but didn't take it seriously.
However, Qi Tian was more perceptive. Using his insect sense, he realized the Celestial Crane Elder's soul aura was particularly strong.
"This Celestial Crane Elder really has a profound soul foundation. No wonder He Fengyang placed so much trust in him," Qi Tian thought to himself.
The Celestial Crane Elder was a soul path Gu Master, someone who had spent a lifetime accumulating soul strength. His vast experience and long lifespan made his soul foundation far beyond Qi Tian's. If not for the Celestial Crane Elder's intervention just now, Qi Tian might not have noticed anything at all.
After the brief probing, Qi Tian decided not to push further, aware that further attempts might reveal his intentions. He quickly shifted the conversation to the task at hand.
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After the discussion, Qi Tian first headed to the mission hall to deliver the Misty Valley exploration mission.
The hall was crowded, with some applying for new tasks, others completing their missions and waiting for evaluations. Many disciples gathered in small groups, discussing which tasks to take on.
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"Damn it! The Blood Curse Sect has caused trouble again on Bai Tian Mountain. The blood path demons must be exterminated! Zhao Senior Brother, how about we take the task to hunt down the remaining demons like Xue Tianhe?" one disciple suggested.
"Junior Brother Zhi Ping, I know your family was killed by the blood path demons, and you've been training for years to seek revenge. But we must assess our strength. Xue Tianhe is at the peak of the Fourth Transformation, and the blood path sect is known for its powerful combatants. We wouldn't stand a chance against him. Besides, the blood path demons won't remain rampant for long. The sect elders will handle it," another disciple advised.
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"The task of feeding the flying cranes is too tiring, and the reward is too low. But now that I've obtained a new Gu, my combat strength has increased dramatically. This type of task no longer suits me," one disciple remarked.
"I encountered a pack of star wolves last time I went on a mission, barely surviving while losing all my Gu. Feeding the flying cranes is simple, though the rewards are minimal, but the difficulty suits me," another replied.
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"Collecting Jade Frost Stones from Cuihua Mountain. It's not difficult, but the journey is long. If I don't collect enough, it won't be worth it. But I have a snake-swallowing Gu, which may not be convenient to use but can store a lot. This collection task might be a good opportunity," one disciple discussed.
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The mission board in the hall was filled with flashing text, constantly changing and showing different tasks. They ranged from hunting demons to feeding flying cranes, from material collection to refining Gu… covering a wide variety of missions. Some were issued by the sect, while others were commissioned by elders or disciples.
Depending on the task's difficulty and the identity of the person commissioning it, the rewards varied. Tasks issued by the sect mostly offered contribution points and rare Gu insects, while commissioned tasks often rewarded with materials like Yuan Stones.
In the Celestial Crane Sect, contribution points held more value than Yuan Stones. Some rare Gu and materials could only be exchanged with contribution points.
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After completing the task handover, Qi Tian went to the reception area to report the Misty Valley mission.
The reception area was a hall with five desks. Four of them were staffed by disciples handling regular tasks, while one desk was managed by an elder for important tasks and evaluations. Qi Tian's mission, being a regular task, was processed by the disciples, but due to its significant findings, Qi Tian requested a task upgrade.
"Senior Brother, please wait for a moment. I'll submit your report to the elder," the receptionist said.
The efficiency was high, and soon Qi Tian's task level was upgraded, and he received a substantial reward.
After reporting many details about Misty Valley, which included some misleading information, Qi Tian made sure to leave out certain facts, causing some setbacks for the Celestial Crane Sect later, which delayed further exploration.
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After receiving his reward, Qi Tian replenished the crane flock to 20,000. With the Iron Feather Flying Crane, King of Beasts, it was easy to increase the flock.
Just after replenishing the flock, Qi Tian received a summons from the sect leader.
"Qi Tian, I've read your mission report. You've done an excellent job! Although you lost some cranes, the information you provided is invaluable. I will credit you with a major accomplishment for this," the sect leader said from his seat, overlooking Qi Tian below.
After a pause, the sect leader continued, "You're highly talented and diligent, already reaching the peak of the Fourth Transformation. You have the potential to become an elder of the sect. However, since you've only joined the sect recently, you need to continue working hard. Perform well in the upcoming grand exam, and you will become an official disciple. I have a task here that was originally assigned to other disciples, but now that you've returned in time, would you be willing to join this mission?"
"Disciple is willing to go," Qi Tian responded confidently, knowing this task was related to the Fox Immortal Blessed Land. Even if the sect leader hadn't asked, Qi Tian would have volunteered.
The sect leader, although phrasing it as a question, spoke in a tone of certainty. Qi Tian knew that refusing would waste the sect leader's goodwill.
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After agreeing, Qi Tian was handed a bookworm by the sect leader and given his assignment. Qi Tian politely took it and left.
He first exchanged all his contribution points for the necessary materials and Gu insects, knowing that if his plan proceeded smoothly, he might not return to the Celestial Crane Sect for a long time.
Additionally, Qi Tian used his elite disciple privileges to "borrow" some contribution points, with no intention of paying them back.
Once back at his quarters, Qi Tian delved into the bookworm, which contained the details of the Fox Immortal Blessed Land task, as well as instructions to assist a new disciple named Fang Zheng.
"He Fengyang, you placed your trust in Fang Zheng, but even without me, he has no hope of succeeding," Qi Tian thought, plotting his next steps.
For Qi Tian, the real prize lay in the Soul-Devouring Mountain. As a powerful soul path cultivator, Qi Tian knew that gaining control of the mountain would significantly enhance his soul foundation and support his future plans.
Moreover, if he could learn to use the Heart Gu, Qi Tian could monopolize it, turning it into a profitable venture.
"Fang Zheng, Feng Jinhuang, Fang Yuan—let's see who comes out on top in the Fox Immortal Blessed Land!" Qi Tian smirked, preparing for the upcoming competition.