Chapter 90: Mission Hall Registrar
The Mission Hall was mostly empty, as the outer disciples were busy betting on their choice of participants for the upcoming tournaments, while others were simply passing time, chatting in small groups or lounging around.
As Xu Mo approached the counter, the registrar, Shen Yuze, barely lifted his gaze from his steaming cup of tea. He let out a long, exaggerated sigh, his expression that of a man who had seen far too many eager disciples come and go.
"Newcomer, huh? Haaah... Another one off to poke spirit beasts and chase bandits. You outer disciples are always so eager," he muttered, shaking his head. "Let me guess... you want something 'challenging but not too dangerous'? Something to prove your worth but not make your ancestors weep? Hah... Fine, fine."
He lazily waved his hand, causing a stack of mission scrolls to shift slightly on the counter. His half-lidded eyes scanned Xu Mo for a moment before a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You don't look stupid enough to take the 'Exterminate the Bloodthirsty Tiger King' mission, at least. Good. That means you might live long enough to take a second mission."
With a flick of his fingers, he pulled out a few scrolls, shuffling through them absentmindedly before pushing them toward Xu Mo without bothering to explain.
"Read them yourself. If you die, don't blame me—my job is just to hand them out, not dig your grave."
Despite his sluggish demeanor, there was a sharpness in his gaze. Though he acted indifferent, it was clear that he did not recklessly assign missions to those unprepared.
...
On his way to the sect's outer boundary, Xu Mo couldn't help but think back to the encounter. Shen Yuze hadn't even asked for his opinion, simply stacking a bundle of mission slips in front of him before waving him off.
Well, he wasn't about to complain. He preferred people who minded their own business and didn't impose themselves more than necessary. That type of attitude was easier to deal with than the overzealous types who believed in unnecessary speeches about honor and duty.
Xu Mo looked down at the mission he had selected.
Gathering Spiritual Herbs
A nearby valley contains a patch of low-grade spiritual herbs, but wild beasts and rogue cultivators often lurk around.
Mission Difficulty: E-
Requirement: 3rd or 4th Stage Qi Condensation (1/1) or 1st or 2nd Stage Qi Condensation (0/6)
He had deliberately chosen a task of mild difficulty, one he could complete without much effort. For now, he wanted to test the waters rather than dive headfirst into bloodshed. Missions like Clearing Out a Wolf Den, Bandit Scout Elimination, or Protecting a Merchant's Caravan demanded too much blood and courage. He wasn't afraid, but he also wasn't foolish. His first mission needed to go smoothly—he had no interest in an early-life trauma.
He would build his confidence step by step, slowly raising the bar instead of charging into reckless danger.
As he approached the outer sect's exit, a guard stationed at the entrance halted him. The man's sharp gaze flickered toward him as his fellow guard mirrored his movement, crossing their spears to block the path.
"Reason for leaving the sect?" the guard asked, his tone firm yet indifferent.
Xu Mo stopped just short of the crossed weapons and retrieved the mission slip from his robe, handing it over without a word. His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant—calm and indifferent, carrying himself with quiet confidence, neither seeking conflict nor backing down.
The guard inspected the slip thoroughly, lifting it toward the sunlight to examine the unique seal embedded within. In recent years, some disciples had become bold enough to forge mission slips to escape the sect for extended periods. The verification process had since become much stricter.
After a moment, the guard grunted and nodded. "You can go."
He withdrew his spear, and his fellow guard followed suit. Xu Mo took back his slip, giving them both a short nod. They, however, didn't bother acknowledging him further, already shifting their attention to the next disciple in line.
The moment Xu Mo stepped outside the sect for the first time in nearly a year, he felt it—
The change in spiritual energy concentration.
When he had first entered the sect for the entrance test, he had been overwhelmed by the richness of Qi within its boundaries. But after nearly a year of cultivation, he had grown used to the atmosphere inside, never realizing how much he had come to depend on it.
Now, standing outside, he could feel the difference. The air was thinner, the Qi far less abundant. His body immediately noticed the loss.
Looking back, he chuckled at his own arrogance. It wasn't that the sect's outer grounds had insufficient Qi—it was simply that his body had become greedy. He had been unknowingly gorging himself on a feast of Qi every day, and only now did he realize how much he had taken it for granted.
He smirked at his own thoughts before pulling out a small, worn map from his sack. It wasn't very detailed—maps of the world were notoriously unreliable. Through the sect's historical records, he had learned that no one had ever successfully charted the entirety of their world.
Why? Because the world was boundless.
"Hmm... let's see where this Readsack Woodland is," he murmured, scanning the map. He casually sat down with his back against the towering stone walls that acted as a fortress, preventing unauthorized individuals from sneaking into the sect unnoticed. From here, he could see the vast landscape stretching beyond the sect's domain—rolling hills, dense forests, and winding rivers carving their way through the land.
For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of adventure.
This was just the beginning. Even if the start was a little cowardly, it did not mean it wasn't an adventure.