The Time Has Come
Compared to days ago, the siblings managed to go relatively unnoticed, since others had more pressing things on their minds. Though there were still some who pointed at them with hushed whispers, still bewildered at the fact that the duo was changing from the 2nd layer "trash" just days ago.
In no time at all, Lei Jin and Lei Ya soon made it inside the mission center. A large, expansive hall greeted them. The design was as refined as any other buildings within the sect, giving off a prominent air meant to awe. But the atmosphere was heavily thick, the sense of danger at an all-time high here, where those with weak wills might shiver just entering the mission hall.
Dozens of disciples, both Inner and Outer Core, were bustling about. Some wore serious, solemn faces with determined gazes; others looked absolutely confident, while some appeared bored out of their minds.
Among them all, Lei Jin was curious about the bored disciples; that kind of indifference spoke more about their characters than the overconfident ones strutting across the hall.
The siblings didn't bother talking to anyone or going to the front desk. They swiftly made their way over to the mission board.
On the board were clean and organized columns detailing the different sets of missions: from common, middle, high, and finally, extreme missions. And on the extreme side of missions was where the clearing of the strange Nascent Beast request was.
The process of choosing a mission was streamlined, given that there were tens of thousands of disciples within the sect. All that one needed to do was pour their Spirit Sense into the insignia symbol carved into the mission request, and from there, they would gain the necessary items to complete the mission.
When the siblings did so, all they were given was a radiant purple spatial ring and a twinkling compass. This purple spatial ring was of a high-quality Spirit Grade, in which it could easily store dozens of large beasts or human corpses. While the twinkling compass would direct them to the general area of their mission.
Given that this mission in essence was simple beast extermination, all that the duo needed to do was kill the strange Nascent beasts and bring their corpses back here to be rewarded.
These strange Nascent beasts all had a specific marking pattern carved all along their fur, making them easy to identify. One couldn't even fake these marking patterns, as they were infused into their bodies to the point they could be seen along their internal organs and bones.
With everything they needed, Lei Jin and Lei Ya swiftly made their trek out of the mission halls.
Other disciples were taking note of them, their gazes lingering with a mix of curiosity and lingering disdain, but none bothered to call out to them, busy with their own tasks and preparations. Most went about their own plans, dismissing the siblings as a fleeting oddity.
All but two specific disciples, who identified the siblings more acutely than the others.
Huo Feng and Lin Yue. Looks of disgust crossed their faces, while a calculating gleam emerged in their eyes. Originally, the duo had come down here in preparation to also take on the strange Nascent Beast requests, hoping to gain some quick merits for Long Tian.
But their attention soon shifted when spotting the siblings.
As the siblings made their way out of the mission hall, Huo Feng sneered with disgust, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "Tch. 6th layer Mortal Awakening, and they're walking around as if they're not pathetic trash that any peak Mortal Awakening talent can crush. Truly delusional."
"Not just that." Lin Yue scoffed, as if she had witnessed a massively offending sight. "They actually signed up for that mission…hey!"
Her sneer soon began to curl into a malicious grin, a predatory glint in her eyes. "Isn't this just perfect for us? Now that they're out of the sect and into the Prowl Forest, we can finally target them without sect interference. They must either be desperate with us pressuring them, or delusionally overconfident after gaining a Spirit Art. Either way, they must be relying on some powerful Spirit Grade talismans or artifacts that Li Hua granted them. This will certainly make them tricky targets, but nothing too troublesome with our own items. We'll go at this smart. First, we'll send some of those Outer Core disciples to waste their talismans and artifacts. Naturally, even with a Spirit Grade Art, I doubt with their foundations that either of them can even contend with a top 100 Outer Core disciple."
Huo Feng's lips grew into an increasingly malicious smile, a cruel anticipation in his eyes. "And once most of their items are dried up, we lead them to a small pack of beasts, and 'save' them at the last moment. Naturally, Lei Ya has to live for Senior Brother. But that little Lei Jin? Heh, we're doing his sister a favor by getting rid of that useless waste."
"Perfect!" Lin Yue clasped her hands together, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Now come on, let's get going. We need to be faster than them so our plans don't go awry. Hopefully, Senior Brother will reward us handsomely for this."
With their insidious plan firmly in mind, the duo eagerly made their way out of the mission center, already envisioning their success.
After all, how could it ever be possible for mere average Mortal Awakening juniors to resist the schemes of people far above them in power and influence?
...
Lei Jin and Lei Ya didn't have to prepare much for the mission. Their personal spatial rings, acquired from their Inner Core disciple status, already contained all the basic necessities: a few healing pills, some energy replenishment elixirs, and a couple of spare mortal-grade weapons.
They quickly gathered what little else they needed and made their way out of the sect.
Lei Ya was bustling in her step, her lithe body trembling with a barely contained quiver, a vibrant excitement for the upcoming opportunity to truly unleash her powers.
All the while, Lei Jin followed with a profound calmness and an undercurrent of eager expectation. When one considered the situation, this would be his first time truly engaging in the life-or-death world of cultivation.
On modern Earth, the amount of times he had encountered a life-or-death situation was very minimal, confined mostly to movies or news headlines. The amount of time he had needed to kill a large animal or even a human was zero.
And here he was, ready to walk out of the sect where killing was a certainty, a necessary part of survival and advancement. He had never once trained or fought with a cultivator or spiritual beast before.
Perhaps others would feel a bundle of anxiety, or second thoughts on participating in such ruthless ventures near immediately.
But there was never a moment Lei Jin had ever hesitated. It was a strange thing he noticed, something he had to study upon later, but everything continued to feel natural to him. As if everything was just second nature, where he was already living and breathing in this world just like any other cultivator.
Lei Jin had to assume this couldn't be normal. He could barely remember anything about the childhood of the previous Lei Jin in this body. Nor could he really recall how the previous Lei Jin thought or acted in situations. And yet, memories, that truly seemed like his own, kept flowing into his consciousness, merging seamlessly. Memories that made it seem like he really lived one big, continuous life from Earth to this world.
Questions about his visions, his previous world, and this new world continued to emerge, swirling in the background of his mind. But nothing could be answered at this moment, at least not until his situation became more stabilized and his power undeniable.
Until that moment came, Lei Jin knew the best course of action was to continue to do what felt natural to him. He let himself be guided by his instincts, adapting to where every sensation of this new world felt perfect, a harmonious blend of his past and present.
It's why, with a confident pep in his step, he and Lei Ya had soon exited out of the Beloved Sky Sect. Given their Inner Core status, the siblings were able to come and go as they pleased out of the sect, their identities confirmed by the stoic guards at the gates.
On the bustling streets of Azure Dawn City, Lei Jin took a moment to take in the environment.
Sprawling structures, all alighted with powerful spiritual materials that exuded various types of auras, littered the streets. Every building, grand manor, quaint store, bustling pavilion—there wasn't a single thing that wasn't unique, each radiating its own subtle spiritual energy. It was easy to tell the purpose of everything here, from the shimmering storefronts of alchemists to the robust training halls.
Cultivators alike, from those from other sects and noble families, to loose cultivators and rogue cultivators, merchants, and common folk, all wandered the bustling streets in a vibrant, chaotic tapestry of life.
The divide between people was evident as well. A noble walked with pride filling their every step, their aura subtly pushing others away, while ordinary cultivators respectfully gave them wide berth.
The average cultivator made sure to mind their actions, as not to cause any unnecessary trouble with those more powerful. Though there were the few average, calm cultivators who strode through the city without a care in the world, their indifference speaking volumes about their hidden strength.
It all accumulated to a vibrant, lively city that would leave a mere mortal feeling utterly overwhelmed, especially by the thick, palpable aura imbuing the air because of the various natural auras of powerful cultivators.
To Lei Jin's slight shock but growing familiarity, he was able to take in the entire, complex scenery in but a couple of seconds, his enhanced senses processing everything at lightning speed. He managed to quickly move beyond the initial awe and focused on the mission.
Naturally, between the siblings, Lei Jin took the lead, his mission compass in hand. Lei Ya could only begrudgingly admit that, as of now, Lei Jin was more fit to take the lead, as he had a greater read on the situation than her, his instincts sharper, his mind more decisive.
Lei Jin poured his Spirit Sense into his mission's compass and was hit with a clear ping of where to go. He began to quickly make his way through the city with Lei Ya a step behind him, their movements fluid and coordinated.
Moving across Azure Dawn City was a simple task. Ordinary cultivators expectedly didn't try and get close to them. While other sect disciples and nobles took one or two glances at them before going their own way, dismissing them as just another pair of Inner Core disciples.
It wasn't long before the siblings made their way to one of the exits of Azure Dawn City.
A city guard stood there, an imposing aura flowing out of him, a silent threat to anyone daring to make trouble with the city. Lei Jin took split notice that said city guard felt to be similarly powerful as the Elders within the Beloved Sky Sect, an expert far above the Essence Gathering Realm.