They returned to the sect under the shroud of the late night sky. As their carriage passed the towering sect gates, a gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh earth.
With a soft thud, Xiao Tuheng hopped down from the carriage. Stretching his stiff limbs, he turned to the coachman, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Goodbye for now, Old Man Mo," Tuheng said warmly. "Maybe we'll meet again when I need your services."
The old coachman chuckled, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening.
"Safe travels, young one. May fortune favor your steps," he replied, giving the reins a slight shake as he rode off toward the Beast Hall.
Tuheng watched the carriage disappear into the dim-lit road, a faint frown pulling at his brow.
'Why does it always feel like he knows something I don't...' he mused, shaking off the odd feeling. He turned back to his companions.
"So... what now?" he asked.
Bao Liang clapped him on the back with his usual easy grin. "First stop, Mission Hall. We need to turn in our mission and claim our hard-earned rewards! After that, we're free until next week. A mini-vacation!"
His enthusiasm was infectious. Even the usually reserved Feng Mei gave a small nod of approval.
Together, they made their way up the stone path toward the glowing lights of the Mission Hall. Inside, the hall was quieter than usual, only a few disciples wandered between the mission boards.
'Guess everyone is already asleep,' Tuheng thought, glancing at the half-empty scroll boards. 'And here I thought I might find another interesting mission... not that I'd pick one now anyway.'
They approached the counter. Bao Liang stepped forward, pulling out the jade slip and a gleaming beast core.
"We've completed the mission to take care of the Bloodfang Pack," he announced.
The disciple behind the counter nodded and took the items.
"Hold on. I'll verify it," he said, disappearing behind a side door.
Tuheng yawned discreetly, tapping his fingers on the counter. It took only a minute before the disciple returned, handing the core back with a nod.
"Confirmed. Congratulations on completing the mission. Please hand over your Sect Tokens for point allocation."
Tuheng's hand froze halfway to his pouch. His heart sank.
'...Crap.'
While Bao Liang and Feng Mei smoothly handed over their tokens, Tuheng gave an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his neck.
"Ah... I, uh, might have left mine back in my hut..." he confessed.
Bao Liang's shoulders shook as he fought to suppress his laughter. Even Feng Mei's lips twitched into a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk.
The clerk stared at Tuheng with the tired patience of a man who had seen every kind of mistake. "...I'll transfer your points to your teammate. He can pass them to you later once you have your token. Sound good?"
"Yeah, send them to Bao Liang, please," Tuheng said, pointing at Bao's token with a sheepish grin.
The clerk nodded, took the tokens, and disappeared once again, this time returning in under thirty seconds. He handed them back with mechanical efficiency.
"If there's nothing else, you're free to go," he said, already half-turning to deal with the next group arriving.
As soon as they exited the Mission Hall, Bao Liang exploded.
"Hahahaha! How did you forget the most important thing in the entire sect?!" he cried, slapping his knee for emphasis.
Tuheng flushed, laughing awkwardly as he tried to remember what the token actually was.
'I guess the Sect Token is like my ID, bank card, and access pass all rolled into one... and I left it at home.'
"It was my first mission. I guess nerves got the better of me," he admitted with a shrug.
Feng Mei shook her head, her voice as sharp as ever. "You're lucky no elder caught you. It's a serious offense to leave the sect without your token."
"I'll... consider myself blessed by the heavens, then," Tuheng replied, half-joking, half-terrified at the thought of sect punishments.
Bao Liang finally calmed down, wiping a tear from his eye. "Alright, alright, about your points. Meet me at the Dining Hall tomorrow morning. I'll transfer them to you then."
They chatted a little more as they strolled down the moonlit paths, but fatigue soon caught up to them. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, shadows stretching long under the lantern lights.
Tuheng practically sprinted back to his little hut, excitement buzzing under his skin. The familiar creak of the door felt like the sweetest sound in the world.
Collapsing onto his cultivation mat, he summoned the system window with a thought.
Name:Xiao Tuheng
Cultivation:6th Layer of the Qi Gathering Realm (24%)
Stored Energy:5.23
Spirit Roots:4-Elemental Spirit Roots (Earth, Water, Fire, Metal)
Skills:
- Golden Mountain Manual (Qi Gathering Realm) - Mastery (1%)
- Stone Skin Technique (Qi Gathering Realm) - Proficient (8%)
Tuheng let out a low whistle.
'Not bad. I barely even cultivated on the way back, and I still made progress.'
Chuckling to himself, he pulled out the three beast cores from his bag. After a quick inspection, he funneled their energy into the system, watching the Stored Energy numbers rise.
Taking a deep breath, he made his decision.
'All in on the Golden Mountain Manual. Let's see how far we can go.'
As the system energy flowed into the technique, a surge of warmth coursed through his body. His eyes lit up with an earthy brown glow...
...and then everything went black as he slumped backward, snoring softly.