A Mission to the Gu Sect and the Shadow Tiers

Seeing this, Yao Guang sighed inwardly.

“So be it. While the Xuantian Dao Sect is fully occupied investigating the Demonic Pill incident, you must depart at once and travel to the Gu Sect again. You absolutely must find a woman named Yu Qianlan.”

Yao Guang’s words were measured and calm.

“This woman is an old friend of mine, with whom I share a deep bond. She possesses considerable expertise in the path of Gu and may be able to find an effective solution to break the Gu-worm within you.”

Having spoken, Yao Guang raised her hand. She picked up a Spirit Brush, its tip lightly touching the inkstone. Ink as thick and dark as night was instantly drawn by her spiritual power, dancing and winding across the pristine white scroll, stroke by careful stroke. The densely packed characters shimmered like mysterious stars in the night sky.

A moment later, Yao Guang channeled her spiritual power once more. Like a gentle mountain spring, it carried a touch of warmth as she carefully sealed the scroll and handed it to Lin Xingjian, who stood beside her with a bewildered expression.

“Remember this: you are to identify yourself as my disciple—Yao Guang’s disciple—and request Yu Qianlan’s assistance in removing the Gu-worm from your body. That old woman certainly won’t refuse.”

Yao Guang’s expression radiated undeniable confidence. Lin Xingjian took the scroll, a ripple of thoughts stirring within him. Though he had followed Yao Guang for many years, he had never once heard of his Master having such an old acquaintance.

“Master, are you truly certain that with this explanation, she will help me resolve this Gu-worm affliction?” Lin Xingjian’s voice held a cautious, probing tone.

Yao Guang waved her hand dismissively, her movements casual and unrestrained.

“Do not worry; that old woman owes me a life-saving debt. If I hadn’t risked myself to save her back then, Yu Qianlan would likely have long since turned to dust, and the grass on her grave would be feet high by now.”

At this pronouncement, Lin Xingjian was momentarily speechless. His Master’s manner of speaking remained as blunt and unreserved as ever. He shook his head helplessly, swallowing the silent complaints in his heart, his expression outwardly calm. Lin Xingjian carefully put away the scroll, resolving to delay no longer and set off immediately.

After a hasty farewell with Yao Guang, Lin Xingjian was about to employ his Ghost Shadow Steps to depart when he inadvertently looked up and spotted Li Xingtong not far away, gazing at him with a worried expression.

“Junior Sister, what’s wrong?” Lin Xingjian paused slightly, the embarrassing scene of her catching him undressing flashing through his mind, and a blush crept quietly onto his cheeks.

“Senior Brother, are you going out?” Li Xingtong asked softly, her tone filled with concern. She deliberately ignored the small incident from moments ago, yet the lingering blush at her earlobes stubbornly betrayed the shyness and fluster in her heart.

Lin Xingjian mused inwardly on this. This girl’s shyness was truly unfathomable. Normally, she would change in front of him with a perfectly calm demeanor, as if nothing were amiss, yet merely seeing Yao Guang help him remove his outer robe had made her blush to such an extent.

“Indeed, Junior Sister,” Lin Xingjian strove to keep his voice gentle and steady. “Senior Brother has been quite busy recently. You should rest and recover within the sect and avoid taking on too many tasks. Those minor missions hold little training value for you anyway.”

Having spoken, he raised his hand and gently stroked the top of Li Xingtong’s head. The girl instinctively closed her eyes and tilted her head back, her docile and yielding posture making her resemble a contented black cat enjoying its owner’s affection—utterly adorable.

“Understood, Senior Brother!” Li Xingtong chirped, her voice clear and melodious. “It’s just that once you leave, I’ll be all alone.” She sighed softly, a subtle hint of loneliness in her tone.

“How could that be? After I leave, won’t Junior Sister Wen be with you?”

Li Xingtong lightly stamped her delicate foot, her face a picture of helpless exasperation.

“Don’t even get me started! Senior Brother, you have no idea how hard Junior Sister Wen pushes herself. She’s only in the Qi Condensation realm and still recovering from injuries, yet instead of staying safely within the sect, she ran off to take on a mission!”

As she spoke, Li Xingtong’s small face puffed up, making her resemble a grumpy little pufferfish. Clearly, Wen Qianyue had been subjected to considerable dissuasion before her departure.

“This girl… how did she run off again when I wasn’t looking?” Lin Xingjian’s lips twitched slightly. “Quickly, show me what mission she took. If it’s too dangerous…”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a simple Human-tier commission. Junior Sister Wen can now complete Yellow-tier commissions with ease.”

Upon hearing this, the knot of worry in Lin Xingjian’s heart finally loosened. The Shadow Sect’s commissions typically underwent rigorous multi-layered screening and were broadly categorized into five tiers based on their level and difficulty. From lowest to highest, these were Human-tier, Yellow-tier, Profound-tier, Earth-tier, and Heaven-tier.

Tasks such as crafting simple traps, conducting investigative missions, or offering minor assistance to other cultivators were all classified as Human-tier commissions. For newcomers, these served as indispensable trials. Once a Shadow Sect cultivator had accumulated over a hundred Human-tier commissions, they became eligible to undertake Yellow-tier commissions. These presented greater challenges, such as investigating cases of mysterious disappearances or delving into secretive organizations suspected of Demonic Path involvement.

Once one could independently complete more than ten Yellow-tier commissions flawlessly, they would then be qualified to participate in Profound-tier commissions. This signified one had matured into a competent, official Shadow cultivator. Profound-tier commissions were extensive in scope and usually required the collaborative effort of at least two Shadow cultivators. Lin Xingjian’s previous mission to dismantle the Demonic Path hideout was classified as a low-difficulty Profound-tier commission, which is why he had brought Wen Qianyue along for experience.

In recent years, Earth-tier commissions had become exceedingly rare. A century ago, when the Shadow Sect flourished, many undertook these missions, which had an alarmingly high mortality rate. They involved tasks like infiltrating other sects to steal foundational treasures or assassinating core prodigies.

As for Heaven-tier commissions, they had been vanishingly rare since the Xuantian Dao Sect established the Shadow Sect. Each time one was accepted, it meant the Shadow Sect would spare no expense. This was a tragic journey concerning life and death.

Legend had it that the Shadow Sect once experienced a ten-year hiatus in its lineage due to a Heaven-tier commission issued by the Xuantian Dao Sect. Although the commission was successful, nearly all the cultivators involved were annihilated. Only Yao Guang and a few companions, who had been away on a separate Earth-tier commission, narrowly escaped that disaster. Even then, all of Yao Guang’s senior disciples perished on that mission, leaving her the sole survivor and the sect’s only ember of hope.

Lin Xingjian’s thoughts galloped until Li Xingtong’s soft call jolted him back to reality. He bade a soft farewell to the girl, then turned and strode purposefully towards the Gu Sect. This time, he had made thorough preparations. To prevent an accidental encounter with Bai Qingxue, he had cleverly disguised himself.

System, tell me, can my Master’s command for me to meet Yu Qianlan truly be considered a Shadow Sect commission? Lin Xingjian muttered to himself.

[…]