C17 A Joke During Meals and Leisure Time

In a secluded cave within Six-union Valley, part of the Profound Heaven Sect:

"Yun, that kid's up to something strange again. He was seen copying down a Body Tempering Technique from the Profound Arts Pavilion, and not just any—it's the 'Flesh Condensing Technique,' which no one ever bothers with," Lee Sanshui remarked with a mocking tone to Yun Shaoqing.

Before Yun could respond, Liu Tieniu growled, "That punk embarrassed me yesterday. I can't wait a whole month. After dinner, I'm going to his cave to teach him a lesson."

"Don't be rash," Yun Shaoqing cautioned, chuckling softly. "The steward who delivers meals has already warned us. If we act hastily and he catches wind of it, we might stir up unnecessary trouble. What's the harm in waiting a month? Besides, even with all the time in the world, he won't make any progress with that technique. We can have some fun watching him struggle."

This was the day after Woo Zhengyang returned from the Profound Arts Pavilion. The buzz about his infamous incident was still fresh, and now a new wave of gossip was spreading.

Body Tempering, once a formidable practice, has now become a forgotten path. It's typically chosen by those who have no hope in refining their energy—a harsh truth that labels it as the path of the hopeless.

Woo Zhengyang had just managed to pass the first level of the Trial Mirror, earning the last place token, and chose the declining path of Body Tempering. Yet, his name was on everyone's lips, almost rivaling the top outer disciple, Zhongli Huo. In the outer sect, he was well-known, though often as the subject of jokes during casual conversations.

Another day passed, and Woo Zhengyang once again became the talk of the town. He had gone to the outer sect hall to take on a task! Given that the entrance assessment day didn't count, Woo Zhengyang had only been in the sect for three days, with just a day and a night of actual training. Even those who had passed the fourth or fifth levels of the Trial Mirror had never attempted to take on a task so soon.

As word spread, many considered Woo Zhengyang a madman seeking attention. A lot of outer disciples headed to the sect hall, eager to see this infamous last-place disciple and whether he truly intended to take on a task.

The outer sect hall was soon packed, all eyes fixed on Woo Zhengyang.

"Are you sure you want to take on a task? You must realize that completing a task is the least of your worries; your life is on the line. Even the simplest task could be a death sentence for someone with your skills," the task steward questioned him. Being familiar with the happenings in the outer sect hall, he was well aware of Woo Zhengyang's reputation.

"I'm sure!" Woo Zhengyang replied with resignation.

In just one day, Woo Zhengyang's training hadn't yielded much. He had only managed to compress and refine nine strands of Sword-shaped Genuine Qi.

Nine streams of sword-shaped genuine qi were not many, but they had already pushed Woo Zhengyang to his limit. If he forced himself to continue training, his meridians would inevitably suffer damage, which would have significant consequences.

With no time to waste, Woo Zhengyang reluctantly shifted his focus to body tempering. This practice could refine his flesh and blood, and naturally strengthen his meridians. Only by enhancing the strength of his meridians could he continue his training.

Realizing this, Woo Zhengyang began to doubt the "Sword Sacrifice and Void Breaking Technique." What kind of technique was this, with so many restrictions on cultivation? If it weren't for his unique physique and the fact that his body tempering had already been crazily refined to the level of a three-star martial disciple, he might have only been able to condense one or two streams of sword-shaped genuine qi. Could it be that this technique was meant to be practiced alongside body tempering?

This possibility seemed quite likely, given that the era of the "Sword Sacrifice and Void Breaking Technique" was before a great catastrophe, a time when body tempering cultivators were incredibly powerful, and dual cultivation of qi and body was quite normal.

Despite his doubts, Woo Zhengyang had chosen this path and was determined to see it through. He initially planned to train in the stone chamber for a while, but soon realized that although the stone walls were hard, they no longer posed much of a challenge to his body. After some thought, Woo Zhengyang concluded that if he wanted to make rapid progress, there was only one way forward: take on tasks and head down the mountain for experience.

Woo Zhengyang was confident, and the task officer had nothing more to add. He retrieved a Green Steel Sword from behind and handed it to Woo Zhengyang, saying, "Since this is your first mission, you’re given a Green Steel Sword. It's a standard sword, but if you want something better, you can exchange it with contribution points."

"Thank you, sir," Woo Zhengyang replied, accepting the sword and examining it.

As he unsheathed the sword, a sharp aura emanated from the blade. Although it was a standard sword, being crafted by the Profound Heaven Sect made it sharper than most on the market.

"That kid hasn't learned any martial skills yet. Giving him a sword is just a waste."

"Maybe he just wants to show off with a fancy sword when he goes back home, and then come right back. There's no penalty for failing a mission, so do you really think he's going to complete it?"

"True, a lot of people join the outer sect just to go home and brag a bit. This guy might be using the mission as an excuse to show off."

"Quiet in the outer hall!" the task officer reprimanded the noisy outer sect disciples, pointing to the stone wall behind him. "That's where the missions are posted. Choose a task and then register it with me. But let me warn you, don't bite off more than you can chew. Even the simplest one-star mission will be tough for you right now. However, you're in luck; there's a mission from Liu Village that you might want to consider."

"Thank you for the reminder, sir!" Woo Zhengyang expressed his gratitude once more and headed toward the stone wall.

The wall was covered with numerous tasks, categorized by difficulty from one star to five stars, with one star being the simplest and five stars the most challenging.

Woo Zhengyang wasn't one to seek attention or take on more than he could handle. He focused on the one-star task section, carefully comparing the options.

One-Star Task: Head northwest for about 12 miles to Liu Village, collect spring water from the mountain behind the village, and deliver it to Elder Wang Shengyuan. Task Reward: 10 contribution points.

Note: The spring water from the mountain behind Liu Village contains trace amounts of jade essence and cannot be carried in ordinary containers. Those taking on this task can collect the necessary equipment from Elder Wang before proceeding.

This was the task recommended to Woo Zhengyang by the task steward. It was indeed as simple as could be, and among the one-star tasks, it was the least dangerous. Naturally, the contribution points offered were meager.

Contribution points had various uses, such as exchanging for elixirs, weapons, armor, and even secret technique manuals.

Woo Zhengyang wasn't particularly eager for contribution points at the moment, but this task didn't align with his goals, so he had to pass on the steward's kind suggestion.

Resolving to find something more suitable, Woo Zhengyang continued scanning the wall. Soon, a task caught his eye.

One-Star Task: Head southeast for about 6 miles to the Falling Leaf Mountains, hunt a level-one Iron Armored Beast, and collect ten of its inner cores to deliver to Elder Wang Shengyuan. Task Reward: 100 contribution points.

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