Chapter 31: Wind Beasts and Highwaymen

Another morning, another visit to the Contribution Hall. Lin Fan stepped into the familiar bustle, his objective clear and singular: secure a task worth at least 220 Contribution Points to finally cross the 1000 CP threshold. His recent successes had made him a known quantity; the clerks gave nods of recognition, and nearby disciples often paused their conversations, watching to see what impossible task the rapidly rising disciple would undertake next.

He bypassed the lower-level listings, his eyes scanning the tasks recommended for sixth layer cultivators. He needed a significant reward this time. His gaze caught on an urgent dispatch mission offering a generous payout.

Task: Urgent Delivery to Greenleaf Pavilion Outpost Location: Greenleaf Pavilion Outpost (Via Blackwind Forest - Map Coordinates Provided) Description: Deliver a sealed medicinal supply package (Box ID: GLP-774) to the allied Greenleaf Pavilion's forward outpost. The usual supply route was disrupted by recent beast activity. Delivery must be completed within 48 hours due to dwindling supplies at the outpost. The Blackwind Forest is known for intense gales, territorial Wind Element beasts (Layers 5-6), and opportunistic bandit groups. Speed and discretion are paramount. Package seals must remain intact. Recommended Cultivation: Minimum sixth layer Qi Refinement (Solo) with high-speed movement ability. Fifth layer with 'Excellent' rating accepted. Reward: 250 Contribution Points upon confirmation of timely and intact delivery by Greenleaf Pavilion outpost master. Time Limit: 48 Hours. Severe penalties for failure or package tampering.

250 CP. More than enough to push him over 1000. The requirements played directly to his strengths – his 'Excellent' rating qualified him, and his enhanced Wind Step fulfilled the need for speed. The dangers – wind beasts and bandits – were challenges he felt confident handling.

Lin Fan took the task slip to the counter. The clerk, recognizing him, processed the acceptance with minimal fuss, though he offered a standard warning. "Blackwind Forest is treacherous, Disciple Lin. The winds can disorient even experienced cultivators, and the Gale Raptors there hunt with blinding speed. Bandits have also become more active recently, preying on those attempting shortcuts. Maintain vigilance."

He then produced a sturdy, sealed box, roughly the size of a small chest, made of dark wood reinforced with metal bands and etched with minor protective runes. "Package GLP-774. The seals are magically reinforced. Do not attempt to open it. Confirmation will be sent via communication talisman by the Greenleaf Pavilion master upon your successful delivery."

Lin Fan accepted the box. It felt solid but not overly heavy. He used Basic Appraisal: [Sealed Box. Material: Reinforced Spiritwood. Quality: Low-Grade Spiritual Container (Minor Protective Array Active - Tamper Seal). Contents: Unknown (Medicinal Supplies Suspected).]. Confirming the basics. He stored it securely in his Mid-Grade Storage Ring. With a nod to the clerk, he turned and left the Contribution Hall, departing the sect grounds immediately via the western gate this time.

The journey required speed. Lin Fan pushed his enhanced Wind Step, becoming a blur across the landscape. He bypassed familiar territories, heading towards the distinct region marked on the map as the Blackwind Forest. The terrain gradually shifted, becoming more rugged, with unusual rock formations carved by millennia of wind erosion. Trees grew at odd angles, their branches permanently swept in one direction.

As he entered the forest proper, the namesake wind became immediately apparent. It wasn't just a breeze; it was a constant, powerful gale that howled through the strangely shaped trees and canyons, carrying dust and leaves, making movement and hearing difficult. Weaker disciples would be significantly hindered, constantly fighting against the buffeting force. Lin Fan, however, used his Qi and Wind Step control to cut through the gales, his movements still swift, though requiring slightly more focus than usual.

He traveled for several hours, deep into the heart of the forest where the wind howled loudest. The map indicated a narrow pass ahead – a notorious ambush spot according to the task's supplementary notes. As he approached, his spiritual sense picked up movement high above – fast, predatory shapes circling on the wind currents.

Suddenly, three large avian beasts dove from the sky like feathered missiles. Gale Raptors. They had razor-sharp talons, powerful beaks, and feathered wings that allowed them to ride the fierce winds with incredible agility. Their screeches were sharp, cutting through the gale, and their auras pulsed solidly at the fifth layer, with one slightly larger specimen nearing the sixth layer.

They attacked simultaneously, using the wind to enhance their dives, talons aimed to shred him.

Lin Fan didn't slow down. As they dove, he launched himself upwards with Wind Step, meeting them head-on in the air. His Flowing Shadow Sword unsheathed in a flash. He twisted, dodging the talons of the first raptor while his sword lashed out, severing a wing joint. The bird shrieked and tumbled uncontrollably in the fierce wind.

He used the brief moment to fire off two Wind Blades at the second raptor, forcing it to veer sharply to avoid being hit. The third, the near-sixth layer leader, unleashed a blast of concentrated wind pressure, like a cannonball of air, attempting to smash Lin Fan out of the sky.

Lin Fan activated Iron Skin Art, met the wind blast with his sword point, channeling Qi to disperse the impact, then used the force to propel himself backwards slightly before diving under the raptor. A quick upward thrust with his sword found its mark in the beast's less-protected underside. Another screech, and the second raptor fell.

The leader, seeing its companions dispatched in seconds, shrieked in fury and dove again, its talons glowing with condensed wind energy. Lin Fan met the dive, his enhanced Wind Step allowing for impossible aerial maneuvers, dodging and weaving around the razor-sharp attacks while peppering the raptor with disruptive Wind Blades. Finding his opening, he executed a Piercing Shadow Thrust, pouring Qi into his sword and piercing the raptor's chest cavity.

With a final, despairing cry, the leader plummeted from the sky. Lin Fan landed lightly on the path below, sheathing his sword. The entire aerial battle took less than a minute. He harvested the cores quickly – wind-attribute cores were valuable – and continued on his way without pause. Time was crucial.

He navigated the narrow pass without further incident from beasts. The wind howled, but his speed was relentless. According to the map, the Greenleaf Pavilion outpost was only another hour or so ahead.

He rounded a bend, where the pass widened slightly into a small clearing blocked by a crudely constructed barricade of felled trees and rocks. Several figures stepped out from behind the barricade, clad in mismatched leather armor, wielding an assortment of rusty swords, axes, and crossbows. There were six of them, their faces hardened, eyes greedy as they took in Lin Fan's lone figure and likely sensed the valuable package he carried (perhaps via instinct or having scouted previous couriers). Their cultivation levels varied, mostly fourth layer, but their leader, a burly man with a scar across his face, radiated a fifth layer aura.

Bandits. Just as the task warning and the clerk had mentioned.

"Hold it right there, disciple!" the leader barked, hefting a large, notched axe. "Nice and easy now. Hand over that box you're carrying, and any valuables you have, and we might just let you walk away... mostly intact." His companions chuckled menacingly, readying their weapons.

Lin Fan stopped, his expression unreadable. He had faced down spectral Wraiths and enraged Alphas. These common highwaymen felt almost... quaint.