Chapter 28: Outside the Sect

The four of them made their way to the mission hall, where a large board displayed various tasks assigned to outer disciples. The hall was crowded, with disciples gathered in small groups, scanning the available missions and discussing their choices.

Jiang Hao, ever the most enthusiastic, immediately stepped forward. "Alright, let's find something easy. Preferably something where we don't have to do much."

Liu Feng rolled his eyes. "You mean something where you don't have to do much."

Jiang Hao smirked but didn't deny it. "We should also avoid anything dangerous," he added. "After all, only one of us has sensed Qi and is still no different from human, and the rest are just normal humans." (None of them knew about Adrian's progress, so as far as they were concerned, he was just like them.)

Wei Ren nodded in agreement. "Anything that involves forests or unknown territories is a bad idea. Even low-level beasts can be a problem for us."

They began scanning the mission board, skipping past tasks that required them to venture into the wilderness or deal with potential dangers. Some missions involved gathering herbs from the outskirts of a nearby forest, while others required escorting a merchant caravan. Each of those carried risks they weren't willing to take.

Finally, Liu Feng pointed at one of the missions. "What about this one?"

The others leaned in to take a closer look.

Mission: Resource Collection

Objective: Travel to Willow Village and retrieve a batch of materials prepared for the sect.

Distance: Half a day's travel from the nearest town.

Reward: Standard contribution points.

Jiang Hao raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Just go there, pick up some materials, and come back?"

Wei Ren nodded. "It's the safest option. No fighting, no dangerous terrain, just a simple delivery task."

Liu Feng crossed his arms. "And we get to leave the sect for a bit, so it works."

Adrian glanced at the mission details. It did seem like the best choice, given their current situation. He wasn't worried for himself, but the others were still at the stage where a single mistake could be fatal. This mission, at least, had minimal risk.

"Alright," Adrian said. "We'll take this one."

The group approached the counter, where a disciple sat behind a desk, managing mission assignments.

"We'd like to take the collection mission to the nearby village," Wei Ren stated.

The disciple glanced at them, then tapped a glowing tablet on the desk. Instantly, the mission details on the floating display vanished. "Confirmed. Your group has been registered. You leave by tomorrow morning."

Liu Feng exhaled in relief. "That was easy."

Jiang Hao smirked. "Now, time to pack up. We leave at dawn."

With their first mission outside the sect officially set, the four of them made their way back to prepare for the journey ahead.

As the group made their way back to their courtyard, Adrian split off and returned to his room. The wooden door creaked slightly as he pushed it open, stepping inside the simple yet tidy space he had grown used to.

With their journey set for tomorrow, he decided to check what he would bring along. His gaze swept over his belongings, but there wasn't much to consider. When they first left their clans to join the sect, they were only allowed to bring basic necessities—some clothes and a few personal utilities. Weapons and other valuable items had been strictly prohibited.

After a quick inspection, he realized that the only thing truly useful to him was the small stash of pills he had been using to sustain himself during refinement. He frowned slightly. Is this really all I have?

As he searched for anything else worth bringing, his eyes landed on a jade slip resting at the corner of his bed.

His thoughts stalled for a moment before realization hit him.

The storage jade slip!

Back when they first joined the sect, they were told that the slip contained a personal storage space, but it could only be accessed once they had sensed Qi. He had completely forgotten about it.

He picked up the smooth, cool jade slip, feeling a bit foolish. If he had remembered that it contained a storage space of one cubic meter, he might have checked it much sooner.

Curious, he channeled a small thread of Qi into the slip. Immediately, his mind registered something unusual—an empty void, about the size of a one-meter cube.

Amazement flickered in his eyes. So this is a spatial storage?

The space wasn't large, but it was still incredibly useful. He could store small weapons, books, food, or any number of items. Though it wouldn't fit something like a person or a large chest, it could easily hold a set of clothes, a few weapons, or various supplies.

He thought about the possibilities. If cultivators can create something like this, then just how deep does the world of cultivation go?

Still marveling at the slip's function, another question came to mind. "Cosmo, who makes things like this?"

The voice of Cosmo echoed in his mind.

"Such items are crafted by Spatial Artisans, a profession that specializes in manipulating spatial materials to create storage tools, teleportation arrays, and spatial formations."

Adrian's curiosity deepened. "Spatial Artisans? I haven't heard of them before… Are there other professions like this?"

"There are many," Cosmo replied. "Weaponsmiths forge weapons, Alchemists refine pills, Formation Masters create formations, and Inscriptionists engrave mystical runes onto artifacts. The path of cultivation extends beyond mere strength."

Hearing this, Adrian's interest was piqued. He had never thought much about professions within cultivation, but now he found himself wondering—how did weaponsmiths forge weapons? What kind of materials did they use? How were formations created?

For a while, he simply sat on his bed, lost in thought.

Eventually, he set the jade slip aside and decided not to refine today. He had been constantly pushing himself, and with their journey ahead, a break wouldn't hurt.

He spent the rest of the day walking around the sect, visiting familiar spots and taking in the atmosphere. By evening, he returned to his room, feeling more relaxed than he had in a while.

As the sky darkened and the sect lights dimmed, Adrian lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The thought of stepping outside the sect tomorrow stirred a mix of anticipation and uncertainty within him.

Soon, his thoughts faded, and he closed his eyes, drifting into sleep.

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the sect as Adrian stirred awake. After stretching his limbs, he got up and went through his usual routine—freshening up, tidying his room, and making sure everything was in order for their trip.

Once he was ready, his eyes landed on the jade slip he had experimented with last night. While he had managed to access the spatial storage, he hadn't fully tested how to use it efficiently.

Picking it up, he asked, "Cosmo, how exactly do I store things inside?"

"The process is simple," Cosmo responded. "First, circulate your Qi around the object you wish to store. Then, sense the cubic space within the jade slip and establish a connection using your Qi. Finally, focus on placing the object inside, and the slip will automatically store it for you."

Adrian nodded and looked around for something to test it with. He grabbed a small, smooth stone from the corner of his room. Following Cosmo's instructions, he carefully moved his Qi around the stone, then connected it with the jade slip's internal space. With just a thought—

The stone vanished from his hand.

Adrian's eyes widened slightly as he checked the slip's space. The stone was now floating inside the cubic storage.

This is incredible…

Feeling a rush of excitement, he tested it a few more times—storing and retrieving different objects, including a wooden cup, his spare robe, and even the stash of pills he had prepared. Each time, the process was seamless, as if the items were simply slipping in and out of existence.

After satisfying his curiosity, he exhaled lightly and placed the jade slip back into his robe.

Now it was time to leave.

—

Adrian made his way toward the sect gate, where they had agreed to meet.

The gate stood tall and imposing, crafted from dark stone with intricate carvings of mythical beasts running along its surface. Golden symbols lined the archway, glowing faintly with a protective formation. The massive doors were slightly ajar, revealing a glimpse of the world beyond.

When Adrian arrived, two people were already waiting—Wei Ren and Liu Feng.

It wasn't surprising. Wei Ren, being the most responsible among them, would naturally arrive on time. As for Liu Feng, he wasn't the most punctual, but since this was their first trip outside the sect, he probably made an effort to show up early.

Jiang Hao, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Adrian exchanged a glance with Wei Ren, who sighed. "You already know who's late."

Liu Feng crossed his arms. "He probably overslept."

As if summoned by their words, a familiar voice called out from behind.

"Ah, come on! I'm not that late."

They turned to see Jiang Hao jogging toward them, slightly out of breath.

Wei Ren shook his head. "We said to meet at sunrise."

Jiang Hao grinned shamelessly. "And the sun just rose, didn't it?"

Liu Feng smirked. "I bet you only woke up when it was already bright outside."

Jiang Hao waved them off. "Details, details." Then, rubbing his stomach, he added, "I am really excited to go today."

Adrian chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

With their group finally gathered, they turned toward the open gate.

"Alright," Wei Ren said. "Let's go."

And with that, they stepped forward, leaving the sect behind for the first time since they had arrived.

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