C42 Accepting the Mission

Yu Kun's standing in the Outer Sect now guaranteed that no one would dare to hassle him anymore. The kind of oppression he experienced from Lee Qiang before was a thing of the past.

When the disciples in the Mission Hall caught sight of Yu Kun, they couldn't help but offer him words of flattery. These disciples, a mix of Elite and ordinary Outer Sect members, were well aware that Yu Kun was on track to become an Inner Sect disciple. Currying favor with someone destined for the Inner Sect could only benefit them.

Yu Kun, for his part, enjoyed the adulation.

During his visit to the Mission Hall, Yu Kun engaged in light conversation with several disciples, but he didn't pick up the same kind of mission as before. Previously, Zhou Xingtian had urgently needed the Shadow Soul Grass, prompting him to increase the mission's reward. Now, to earn a reward of that caliber, Yu Kun would have to tackle a far more challenging Sect Mission—a feat he wasn't ready for.

"Venture to the Northern Chill Realm's border to battle demonic beasts? I might stand a chance against mutated beasts, but demonic beasts are a whole other level. There's no way I could take them on!"

"Assassinate a Great Scholar from Qinfeng Country? Qinfeng is a nation on par with Chuhan Country. How could I, a mere Qi Refining Stage cultivator, possibly kill a Great Scholar from there?"

After much searching, Yu Kun couldn't find any missions that were both lucrative and manageable.

With no other choice, he settled for second-tier missions, taking on three at once. The combined rewards for these were nothing to scoff at.

With three gold medals in hand, Yu Kun expressed his gratitude to the Mission Hall disciples and then departed from the Flying Cloud Sect.

As soon as Yu Kun was out of sight, his departure was swiftly reported to Yan Changge.

Yan Changge pondered for a moment, seemingly coming to a resolution. He quickly left his dwelling and made his way to the Spearhead Pavilion.

The pavilion should have been deserted following Chen Feng's death, yet the sound of weeping echoed from within. As Yan Changge entered the somber space, he saw mourning items adorning the walls and caught sight of someone weeping, half-kneeling in the pavilion's main hall.

Yan Changge entered the grand hall of Spearhead Pavilion and found Chen Rui kneeling on the ground, weeping. As Yan approached, Chen quickly stood, wiped away his tears, and respectfully said, "Senior Brother Yan, I'm just gathering my brother's things." He then tucked away a Space Ring, which had belonged to Chen Feng.

Yan Changge nodded, his voice tinged with sorrow, "Chen Feng and I were friends. His murder grieves me deeply."

Hearing this, a flash of hatred sparked in Chen Rui's eyes. "That lowlife had the audacity to kill my brother! If only I were stronger, I..."

Yan Changge offered a wry smile and posed the question, "What would you do if you had strength equal to Chen Feng's?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Rui declared, "If I were a warrior of the Soul Refining Stage, I'd kill him without question! I'd avenge my brother!"

At this, Yan Changge couldn't help but laugh heartily. "As Chen Feng's brother, it's only right that I offer my assistance."

He continued, "Let me be clear: Yu Kun has left the Flying Cloud Sect to undertake a sect mission."

Hope flickered in Chen Rui's eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by doubt. "I was no match for him before. Now that he's killed my brother, I stand even less of a chance."

"Not necessarily," Yan Changge said with a hint of arrogance, producing an object. It was a sphere, cracked and dark, devoid of shine, yet pulsing with a strange, profound energy.

"This is the shattered core of a Martial Soul, extracted from Chen Feng's body. Swallow this, and you'll temporarily wield the power of the Soul Refining Stage—perhaps even surpassing a true Soul Warrior."

He paused before adding, "This core once belonged to another. With Spiritual Energy channeled into a Spirit Stone, your power will be boundless."

The light reignited in Chen Rui's eyes as he clenched his jaw and said, "Senior Brother Yan, I'm in your debt. I'll go and exact vengeance for my brother."

Chen Rui reached out to take the Martial Soul core, but Yaen Changge pulled his hand back. He warned, "However, you need to understand that this power isn't yours. So, if you choose to wield it, be prepared to face the consequences."

Holding the core firmly, Yaen Changge drove the point home to Chen Rui, "Using this power seals your fate; you will surely die."

Chen Rui froze, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

He then turned his gaze to the Spearhead Pavilion, now serving as a shrine.

"It doesn't matter. He had the audacity to kill my brother; I will make sure he pays with his life. Senior Brother Yaen, I'm going after him right now. If I get the chance, I won't hesitate to take him down."

Yaen Changge handed over the Martial Soul core and a small cloth bag to Chen Rui.

"The ten Spirit Stones inside are all you need to unleash the core's power," he explained.

"Chen Rui, you must get justice for your brother," Yaen Changge urged.

With a determined nod, Chen Rui thanked Yaen Changge and quickly departed from the Spearhead Pavilion, items in tow.

Watching Chen Rui leave so readily, Yaen Changge let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"The fool falls for it every time. True, Yu Kun killed Chen Feng, but there's no remorse. And Chen Feng, he wouldn't have ever agreed to the Death Match Arena on his own—it was only at my insistence. But you don't need to know any of that. All that matters is that you kill Yu Kun for me."

With those thoughts, Yaen Changge turned and walked away from the pavilion.

Meanwhile, as Yu Kun left the protection of the Flying Cloud Sect, the Azure Snake Patriarch awoke within the cave of the Mutated Beast Python in the Cloud Connecting Mountain Range.

"I've detected the human's presence. The Flying Cloud Sect's shelter prevented it before, but now that he's left their domain, he's walking a path to his demise. He killed my offspring; his fate is sealed—I will have his life."

With no time to waste, the Azure Snake Patriarch surged out of the cave, intent on finding Yu Kun.

If only Yu Kun knew of the unfolding events, he would surely be overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness.

Chen Rui, along with a formidable demonic beast, both had their sights set on taking his life. For him, this represented a crisis of a magnitude he had never before encountered.