As it was her first mission, Xu Yuxiu wasn’t entirely sure what she needed to prepare. She simply brought along the standard-issue sword the sect had provided. This weapon was not a spirit tool, though it had the potential to become one; if she could subsidize the materials and hire a blacksmith to refine it, it would be upgraded. Lacking both the materials and the funds to hire a master, she had no choice but to make do as it was.
The distribution of missions for Taixuan Sect disciples was handled by the Contribution Hall. It was crowded, and the moment Xu Yuxiu stepped inside, she drew many gazes. Given her age, anyone in the hall could tell at a glance that she was a new disciple. They were curious: what was a newcomer doing here? Was she here to take on a mission, too?
Ignoring their inquisitive stares, Xu Yuxiu scanned the room and located the mission board—a smooth stone wall visible to anyone entering the hall. Light flickered across its surface, projecting text like a display. Moving closer, she saw that each shifting line of text described a specific task.
She searched through the list, only to feel a sense of bewilderment: there were very few missions suitable for someone below the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer. Did outer disciples below that level not have to perform missions?
In reality, she didn't realize that most outer disciples in the Taixuan Sect were already at or above the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer; only new disciples were lower. Since these beginners weren't required to take missions, and because the contribution rewards for those low-level tasks were meager, few outer disciples wanted them. Most were shunted off to the Miscellaneous Hall to be distributed among the chore disciples—a way for those with poor aptitude and little strength to earn contribution points and survive.
Unaware of why these missions were so scarce, Xu Yuxiu locked her eyes on the few she could actually perform:
"Capture mission at Bailang Mountain: capture three snow rabbits. Reward: 10 contribution points."
"Mining mission at Shenduan Mountain: mine 100 catties of black cloud sand. Reward: 100 contribution points."
"Herb gathering mission at Wind Wolf Ridge: collect twenty stalks of Wind Spirit Grass. Reward: 20 contribution points."
"Herb gathering at Wind Wolf Ridge—this is the one!"
Having settled on Wind Wolf Ridge, she stepped up to the deacon disciple beside the stone wall and handed over her identity token. "Deacon, I would like to take the herb gathering mission for Wind Wolf Ridge."
The deacon glanced at the token and paused. "Once a mission is accepted, failure to complete it carries a penalty: the deduction of double the mission's contribution value. Are you certain you want to take it?"
"I am."
Xu Yuxiu gave a firm reply. Seeing this, the deacon said nothing more. He swiped her token against the wall, and the Wind Wolf Ridge mission vanished from the display.
"Here are the details for the mission."
As the deacon returned her token, he handed her a jade slip.
"Thank you, Deacon!"
After taking the token and the slip, Xu Yuxiu thanked him and headed straight out of the hall.
Watching her go, the deacon muttered to himself, "Usually, only inner disciples dare to take missions during their protection period. To think a newcomer from the outer sect has such guts—this is interesting."
Leaving the hall, Xu Yuxiu went directly to the sect gate. After registering with the guards, she successfully passed through. Wind Wolf Ridge lay to the southeast of the Taixuan Sect. Once she had confirmed her direction, she set out.
The journey was over twenty miles—not too far, and a cultivator flying on a sword could reach it in moments. However, sword flight required at least the Qi Condensation 6th Layer. Xu Yuxiu had to travel on foot. Fortunately, she was already at the Qi Condensation 2nd Layer, and such a distance would not exhaust her.
After half a day of travel, she arrived at a small town on the outskirts of Wind Wolf Ridge called Qingfeng Town.
Qingfeng Town was a settlement established by cultivators; there were no mortals here. As she entered, she saw a large number of cultivators—some from the Taixuan Sect, others independent rogue cultivators. The small town even hosted a marketplace where vendors displayed their wares. Some were shouting their sales pitches, while others sat in stony silence, seemingly full of confidence in their items.
Xu Yuxiu’s arrival drew many eyes. Her Taixuan Sect outer disciple robes were quite striking. The Tianlan Continent was vast and home to many sects, but the Ten Great Sects possessed the most terrifying foundations. The Taixuan Sect was among them, ranking in the top three even within that elite group. Such was the prestige of the sect that even as an outer disciple, she attracted significant attention. Realizing this, she thought to herself, "I should change my clothes next time I go out. This is too eye-catching!"
Ignoring the attention, she didn't rush to Wind Wolf Ridge. Instead, she became interested in exploring the marketplace. In her ordinary life, she had rarely had the chance to shop, and now, in the Cultivation World, she felt a sudden, playful impulse. After all, at her age, she was still just a child, and such whims were inevitable.
"Come and see! Come and buy! Superior cultivation techniques! Fair prices for young and old alike—don't miss out!"
As she entered the market, she was greeted by the cries of a rogue cultivator as thin as a bamboo pole, sitting before a stall filled with beautifully bound thread-stitched books. Xu Yuxiu glanced at them and moved on. Seeing that he hadn't managed to hook this novice, the thin man stopped shouting.
"Little fairy, it’s dangerous to be out alone! Buy some talismans to protect yourself!"
As she walked, she was stopped by a voice like grinding sandpaper. Turning, she saw a sharp-featured rogue cultivator wearing a sly grin. "My talismans are the best! Look at this Fireball Talisman—the markings are full and brimming with spiritual energy. A single one can break the defense of a Qi Condensation 5th Layer monster beast. It's an essential item for entering Wind Wolf Ridge!"
Talismans were one of the Four Arts of the Cultivation World—pills, talismans, formations, and artifacts—known to all. Xu Yuxiu had heard of them but never seen one. She wasn't sure if his claims were true. "A Fireball Talisman? How does it compare to the Flame Technique?"
She asked because the Flame Technique could also manifest as a fireball, making her skeptical of his pitch.
"Oh, you! The Flame Technique is just a basic art; how can it compare to my Fireball Talisman? Even if you master the Flame Technique to perfection, at best you can only hold your own against a Qi Condensation 3rd Layer monster..."
"Stop! Goodbye!"
Hearing that the Flame Technique—even at perfection—could only handle a 3rd Layer monster, she knew he was trying to swindle her. Losing patience, she left without looking back.
"Hey, don't go, little fairy! If you don't like the Fireball Talisman, I have others! This Water Arrow Talisman..."
Seeing that she was already far away, the man stopped calling out.
Having witnessed various swindling techniques along the way, Xu Yuxiu’s eyes were opened. She realized that in this Cultivation World, one truly could not easily trust the words of others.
With that, she gripped her sword and made straight for Wind Wolf Ridge.