Test of strength
The first rays of dawn painted the sky in soft hues of orange and blue as Long Jian stepped onto the training grounds. His breath was steady, but his body ached from last night's training. He had barely made any progress. The flow of Qi in his body was still sluggish, his cultivation stagnant.
The Outer Sect was unforgiving. Without talent or background, he was just another nameless disciple struggling at the bottom.
As he made his way to the Task Hall, the area was already bustling with disciples gathering to receive their assignments. The monthly tasks had been handed out the day before, but there was still an opportunity for extra missions—if one was willing to risk it.
Long Jian approached the notice board, where several scrolls were pinned.
Most tasks were menial—cleaning, assisting in the herb garden, maintaining training equipment—but his eyes landed on something different.
> Task: Escort a Herb Gathering Team to Misty Forest.
Rewards: 10 Low-Grade Spirit Stones
Ten spirit stones. That was twice his monthly allowance.
He clenched his fists. If he wanted to accelerate his progress, he couldn't just rely on the basic sect resources. He had to fight for more.
Just as he was about to step forward, a voice sneered behind him.
"You? Taking an escort mission? Hah!"
Wei Shen.
The same arrogant disciple who had mocked him the day before. He stood with a few of his lackeys, all smirking at Long Jian as if he had just said something absurd.
"Do you even know what Misty Forest is like?" Wei Shen folded his arms. "That place is crawling with wild beasts and low-level spirit creatures. You think a weakling like you can handle that?"
Long Jian's expression remained calm, but inside, his irritation simmered.
"You're not taking the mission, are you?" he asked, voice even.
Wei Shen snorted. "Of course not. I have better things to do than risk my life over a few herbs. But watching someone like you sign up for it? That's a joke."
Long Jian ignored him and turned toward the Task Hall Manager, Senior Disciple Han.
"I'll take the escort mission," he said firmly.
Han glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure? The Misty Forest is unpredictable. You'll be accompanying some alchemy disciples to gather materials, but if you run into danger, you're on your own."
"I understand."
Han sighed and handed him a small jade token. "Show this to the gathering team at the Sect Gates. They'll be leaving before noon. If you die, don't blame the sect for it."
Long Jian nodded and walked away. Behind him, Wei Shen and his lackeys were still laughing.
"Dead man walking," one of them muttered.
Long Jian didn't bother to respond. He had
no time to waste on useless words.
----
The Sect Gates were made of heavy stone, standing tall as the boundary between the sect and the outside world. A small group of disciples had gathered, their robes embroidered with the insignia of the Sect's Alchemy Division.
These were not combatants. They were herb-gathering apprentices, focused solely on their craft. Their job was to collect rare ingredients for refining pills, but since some spirit herbs grew in dangerous areas, they needed protection.
A young woman, no older than seventeen, looked up as Long Jian approached.
"You're the escort?" she asked, doubt clear in her voice.
"Yes," Long Jian replied, handing her the jade token.
She examined it before nodding. "I'm Lin Yue. We'll be going into Misty Forest for Spirit Grass and Moonlight Ginseng. Stay close and don't cause trouble."
Her tone was indifferent, but Long Jian could tell she didn't think much of him.
The group was small—four alchemy disciples and him. That meant if they encountered trouble, he would be the only one protecting them.
He took a deep breath as they stepped past the sect gates, heading toward the dense forests beyond.
The air within the Misty Forest was thick with moisture, a faint mist hanging between the towering trees. The sunlight barely penetrated through the canopy, casting eerie shadows across the forest floor.
The alchemy disciples spread out, carefully searching for herbs while Long Jian kept watch.
For the first hour, everything was quiet. The occasional rustle of leaves and distant bird cries were the only sounds breaking the silence.
Then, the first sign of trouble appeared.
A faint growl.
Long Jian's muscles tensed.
From the bushes ahead, a Scarlet Fang Wolf emerged, its crimson eyes glowing hungrily. Its fur bristled as it snarled, saliva dripping from its fangs.
Lin Yue and the others froze in fear.
"A mid-tier Qi Condensation Realm beast," Lin Yue whispered.
Long Jian's heart pounded. He was only at the early stages of Qi Condensation. This was not an opponent he could take lightly.
The wolf crouched, muscles coiling.
And then, it lunged.
Long Jian barely had time to react. He rolled to the side, dodging its strike, but the force of its movement sent leaves scattering around them.
He gritted his teeth.
He had no weapons,no cultivation technique. Just his fists and his determination.
The wolf circled him, growling.
Lin Yue and the others were still frozen, fear etched into their faces. They wouldn't be able to run in time.
That meant he had no choice.
He had to fight.