C5 Senior Sister's Mission

"Ning Xiaofan, could you do me a favor? Do you have a moment?" asked Ling Keer.

"Senior Sister, what do you need?"

"I'm in need of several century-old Wind Leaf Herbs."

Wind Leaf Herb?

"Ding! The Wind Leaf Herb, a perennial plant, contains wind spiritual energy, aiding in breakthroughs and suitable for medicinal and pill use."

"You're asking me? I don't have any, though!"

Ling Keer chuckled, "I'm not asking for your stash. I need your help to harvest them. You're known as a cultivation dud but a prodigy at growing Spirit Herbs. That's why I'm entrusting you with this task—I don't want to risk losing their potency."

She can actually smile, he thought. She'd smiled at him twice in just a short time. If the sect members knew Ling Keer smiled at him, their jealous stares could kill.

"Oh, Senior Sister, I'm honored to help."

Watching Ling Keer's resolute demeanor, he found himself unable to refuse, even if his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.

"I'll come to find you in a few days, and we'll go together."

"Oh, Senior Sister, aren't we forbidden from leaving the sect for the next half-month?"

"Don't worry about it."

As Ling Keer walked away, Ning Xiaofan couldn't help but admire her beauty—her shapely figure and graceful movements brought him a sense of bliss.

It wasn't that Ning Xiaofan was harboring improper thoughts; it was just that Ling Keer's beauty was unparalleled. Even with all the technological enhancements of his previous life, none could compare to her natural allure, despite her icy demeanor.

Soon after, Ling Keer vanished from sight. She was impressively aloof, and he felt fortunate to have caught even a glimpse of her.

Ning Xiaofan shook off his thoughts and returned to his search for pill recipes. The books detailed the methods and processes of pill refining, but not a single Pill Recipe was to be found.

No Pill Recipe?

How then could he concoct medicine pills?

Ning Xiaofan was at a loss. He decided to check the sect's marketplace for any available Pill Recipes. Rumor had it that Pill Recipes were prized possessions among Inner Sect disciples, and those from the Outer Sect rarely had the chance to acquire them.

"Xiaofan, won't you stay a bit longer?"

"No, Elder Fong, I'll visit again when I have the chance."

"Off with you, then. Go have fun instead of watching an old man like me!" chuckled the elder, sweeping the path in front of the library.

Ning Xiaofan staggered slightly as he rounded a bend from the back mountain, just as streaks of spiritual light zipped out from the dense woods.

"Halt! This mountain is my domain, this path is mine to claim. To cross this way, you must pay a toll. Utter a word of refusal, and I'll slay without a second thought."

Great, he mused, why did I run into someone spouting lines like a bandit from a mountain song?

All five were masked, each wielding an Immortal Sword, though of inferior quality. Clearly, they were not Inner Sect disciples, but most likely from the Outer Sect.

He could tell their cultivation was weaker than his; the spiritual light around them flickered feebly.

Even without any special techniques or martial arts training, Ning Xiaofan could still rely on the boxing skills from his past life, along with some scattered fighting techniques he knew well.

"Big brother, check out that parrot. It's no ordinary bird; it's a spiritual beast and could fetch a handsome price."

"Are you sure?"

"Big brother, our family specializes in beast control. How could we mistake it? That half-feathered creature is certainly no ordinary animal."

Despite their masks, Ning Xiaofan instantly recognized one as Hsu Yiyuan.

Ling Tao was there too. These two had harbored ill intentions towards him back in the servants' quarters, and now here they were, lying in wait.

Ning Xiaofan acted as if he didn't recognize them, to avoid future trouble. "Gentlemen, I'm just a servant and have no say over the bird—it's free. But if you'd accept these two Spirit Stones, perhaps we could part as friends."

"Get lost, I want the bird."

The elder brother advanced, his Immortal Sword gleaming. A streak of spiritual light thrust towards Ning Xiaofan.

Ning Xiaofan dodged with a subtle shift, his inner spiritual energy whirling into action. He lunged forward, fists leading, and with a single move, struck his opponent squarely in the chest.

"No, it can't be. He's so... powerful."

Blood sprayed as the man crumpled to the ground. Ning Xiaofan hadn't specifically targeted him, yet the man had fallen by his own hand. There was no room for self-reproach.

In both the immortal cultivation world and the realm of mortals, without ruthlessness, one is perpetually at the mercy of others.

There's an adage: without ruthlessness and venom, a man cannot stand tall. With just one maneuver, Ning Xiaofan had quelled his assailants, scooping up the Immortal Sword that had clattered to the earth. But before he could turn it on them, two beams of light bore down on him.

Two assailants launched their attack, one from each side, their Immortal Swords shimmering as they descended. Ning Xiaofan reacted swiftly, launching a counteroffensive.

His right hand drove the sword straight into one attacker's heart, while his left fist hammered into the other's back. A sickening snap echoed as the man's chest and back collided, and he toppled over rapidly.

"You, you're not Ning Xiaofan? Who are you?"

Ling Tao and Hsu Yiyuan came to the realization together. The Ning Xiaofan they knew was too timid to harm a fly, let alone a person. Wasn't he just an ordinary mortal? Yet here he was, skilled in both martial arts and sorcery.

As the swordlight danced, a cry rang out.

Another body hit the dirt, cutting Ling Tao's shout short as the corpse thudded to the ground.

"Murderer! You're not Ning Xiaofan. Who are you?"

Hsu Yiyuan, Immortal Sword in hand, stumbled backward, his body quaking, terror mounting in his eyes. He was filled with regret for having sought favor with the Inner Sect disciples, only to meet his end here.

"Boys, it's your unlucky day. You've always picked on me, and now it's time for payback."

Ning Xiaofan advanced on Hsu Yiyuan, whose face had turned ashen with fear.

The sword gleamed as it thrust toward the adversary. Hsu Yiyuan appeared to be so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, limp.

A metallic clang resounded.

"Golden Spirit Shield activated. 1 Cultivation Point consumed."

Holy smokes, this kid's got some nasty tricks up his sleeve!

Hsu Yiyuan, you've got some chops! There goes another Cultivation Point, time for my secret weapon!

Many low-level cultivators possessed devices capable of launching attacks. While ineffective against higher-level cultivators, they could catch Qi Refining cultivators off guard with significant results.

Ning Xiaofan's scalp tingled. Without his shield, he might have been a goner.

"Damn!"

A radiant light burst from Ning Xiaofan's hand, and his Immortal Sword shot forth, pinning his foe to the ground. Hsu Yiyuan shuddered briefly before his breath stilled.

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, for slaying a villain. Your virtuous deeds are boundless, adding 5 Cultivation Points."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, on your first acquisition of virtue points. You are rewarded with the Heart Questioning Sword."

Eliminating a villain and earning virtue points, plus a bonus Immortal Sword, isn't too shabby.

Admiring the Immortal Sword, its blade aglow with spiritual light and etched with ancient patterns, Ning Xiaofan noticed the inscription 'Heart Questioning Sword' on the hilt.

The Heart Questioning Sword, a blade that probes the soul, is destined to wound. It reflects the wielder's heart, the sword's essence, and the unity of heaven and earth. Truly a fine piece!

"Master, shall the Heart Questioning Sword bond with you?" Ning Xiaofan, now accustomed to the mechanical voice, responded affirmatively.

"Bind."

The Heart Questioning Sword's spirit flared, sending a beam of light from the blade into Ning Xiaofan's left hand, drawing blood.

"Ding! Congratulations, Master! The Heart Questioning Sword has successfully bonded with you."

Awesome, I'm now the owner of a Magic Artifact, and this sword outclasses any on the ground.

Having dispatched his enemies, Ning Xiaofan swiftly moved to their sides and gathered the spoils of battle.

After some thought, he discreetly distributed the five storage spaces across five different locations nearby, ensuring they remained hidden. He planned to retrieve them once the commotion had subsided.

He also retrieved Wang Xiao's storage space and concealed it atop a large tree.

The Dissolving Powder worked wonders; five souls soared towards the sky, their final destination unknown—perhaps the Returning Ruins.

Holding the five storage spaces, Ning Xiaofan couldn't help but feel elated. These five had unwittingly delivered Spirit Stones to him. The quantity might not be substantial, but as the saying goes, every little bit counts.

Leaving the forest, an elder perched on a neighboring mountain peak mused, "This youngster is quite secretive! Where does he hail from? Could it be that he's not a disciple of Sky Burning Valley?"

Ning Xiaofan hastened back to Fanh Yichen's room in the Spirit Herb Garden, poured himself two more bowls of wine, gulped them down, and then sprawled out on the bed.

No sooner had Ning Xiaofan settled in than footsteps approached from outside.

"Fanh Yichen, wake up! There's been a serious incident! Oh, Ning Xiaofan's here too."

Bleary-eyed, Fanh Yichen inquired, "What's going on, Senior Brother Liu?"

Another Worker Disciple was speaking.

"Come on, we need to assemble. There's been trouble today."

"Xiaofan, wake up," urged Fanh Yichen, vigorously shaking Ning Xiaofan to consciousness.

"What's the matter? I was about to have another drink."

"No more drinking. Any more, and you'll be summoned to the Law Enforcement Hall."

Feigning shock, Ning Xiaofan followed Brother Liu to the Worker Disciples' quarters in the Spirit Herb Garden.

Upon entering, a heavy atmosphere enveloped him. He noticed Gongsun Zhuo, the deacon, standing there with a stern expression.

"Listen up, everyone. Two Inner Sect disciples have met their end within Sky Burning Valley today, and the culprit is still at large. I need your alibis to confirm your absence from the scene."

A shiver ran down Ning Xiaofan's spine, grateful for the alibi provided by his drinking session with Fanh Yichen, which otherwise would have made it difficult to dispel any suspicions against him.

"Sir, I was in the refining room, witnessed by Wang Wu and Chen Qi."

"Sir, I'm in the Spirit Herb Garden with the other two."

The distinguished figure's eyes swept the room, landing on Ning Xiaofan and Fanh Yichen. "Have you two been drinking?"

"We realize our mistake, sir. It won't happen again."

"Oh? Have you also killed someone?"

The figure's lips curled into a smile. Drinking was a luxury reserved for certain disciples. For Worker Disciples like them, it was no small feat to indulge.

"Sir, these two have absolutely no cultivation."

Gongsun Zhuo, standing behind, chimed in with a grin.

"No cultivation, and yet you dare to kill?"

"Ah, sir, I meant we wouldn't dare drink. As for killing, we're hardly capable of such a feat!"

Ning Xiaofan was nearly scared out of his wits. If they found out he had killed, no amount of cultivation points would save him from his fate.

"Who else has been drinking?"

"Sir, it's been ages since we last met. We only had a little to drink and have been together ever since."

Fanh Yichen faced the authority figure.

"Indeed. I'm just here for formality's sake. You could handle the entire Spirit Herb Garden, let alone killing two Inner Sect disciples, or even an Outer Sect one."

That was typically the case.

"Alright, everyone open your storage spaces. I need to inspect them."

The mood soured as faces fell. The contents of their storage spaces weren't meant for prying eyes. Only Ning Xiaofan, smiling, produced his storage space.

"Make it quick. I'm short on time, or I'll confiscate everything."

Deacon Gongsun Zhuo was the first to comply, presenting his storage space for inspection.

The rest followed suit, but the figure seemed uninterested, merely scanning them with his spiritual sense.

However, he paused at Ning Xiaofan's storage space. "Young man, did you gather these Spirit Herbs yourself?"

"Yes, sir."

"No need for formalities. Call me senior brother. I'm Liu Mang from the Inner Sect."

What an odd name, it sounded like 'hooligan.'

"Brother Liu, is there a particular herb you're interested in?"

"I'm in the middle of concocting a batch of pills and I'm missing this Purple Spirit Flower. Could you part with it, junior brother?"

A glimmer of light sparkled in Ning Xiaofan's hand as the Purple Spirit Flower took flight, "Senior Brother, consider yourself lucky to witness this. It's yours."

"Senior Brother, I wouldn't dream of taking your gift for nothing. Here, accept this Immortal Sword in exchange!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

All present were well aware of the Purple Spirit Grass's worth—at the very least, a handful of Spirit Stones. That old wooden sword? It might fetch a few silver coins, tops.

Liu Mang was not a man to cross, and while Ning Xiaofan seemed indifferent to the grass, the others couldn't help but mourn the loss on his behalf. Such a fine herb, and it had been effortlessly taken from him.

"Alright, everyone, gather your belongings. We've documented everything said here in the Spirit Herb Garden. You all have alibis, and they will be duly noted in the records."