Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 135: 135 Task Handover

”Late Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm!”

Yun Xiao stood up from atop a tree branch, clenched his fist which seemed the same yet was more than twice as strong, and felt quite pleased with himself. He thought to himself that coming to Yurong Mountain this time was indeed the right decision.

”Hehe, I also owe you some thanks, little guy!”

Yun Xiao chuckled lightly and then stretched out his hand. The palm-sized Fire Cloud Rat leaped onto his palm, staring at him with its small eyes in a dazed manner.

”Little guy, have you decided to follow me from now on?” Yun Xiao pondered for a moment before asking. In fact, communicating with a creature like the Fire Cloud Rat was somewhat difficult for him, but he knew that the little guy could understand his words.

”Squeak!”

The Fire Cloud Rat seemed a bit hesitant, glanced over at a certain part of the Yulin Mountain Range, then finally turned its head and squeaked at Yun Xiao, seemingly agreeing to what Yun Xiao had just asked.

”If that’s the case, then I will give you a name. It’s not too affectionate to always call you ’little guy’,” Yun Xiao was thrilled, and upon saying this, the Fire Cloud Rat seemed visibly excited.

Thinking about how the Fire Cloud Rat had been cultivating alone in the Yulin Mountain Range since its birth, enduring the elements without family or friends, finding companionship with Yun Xiao was indeed a change in its fate.

Watching the expectant look of the Fire Cloud Rat, Yun Xiao lowered his head in contemplation for a moment and muttered, ”You are all red and can spew fierce flames, so how about I call you ’Chi Yan’?”

”Squeak Squeak!”

Upon receiving the name ”Chi Yan,” the Fire Cloud Rat excitedly called out twice, then flipped a couple of somersaults in Yun Xiao’s hand, seeming very pleased with the name.

”Chi Yan!”

”Squeak!”

”Chi Yan”

”Squeak!”

”...”

The man and the rat played joyously for a while, and finally leaped down from the tree. Yun Xiao’s gaze then drifted toward the distant southwest, as if he could already see the bustling scene inside the Jade Pot Sect.

”Hehe, my old friends, are you still waiting for me at the Jade Pot Sect?” With a light chuckle, Yun Xiao swiftly moved, taking the little Chi Yan on his right shoulder with him, and in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared within the Yulin Mountain Range.

Several days later, Jade Pot Sect!

This was the Task Hall of the Jade Pot Sect Outer Disciples where they receive and return tasks, and this grand hall could be said to be the busiest place for the Outer Sect.

Today, the Task Hall was as bustling as ever. Aside from some young geniuses taking their daily tasks, a few other familiar figures were there, specifically the members of the small team Yun Xiao had been part of.

Leading them was Tan Yun, who had a slight smile on her face as she stood in front of a large table deep inside the hall. Behind this large table sat a middle-aged man with eyes that slightly opened and closed.

This middle-aged man named Qin Wang, served as the Steward of the Outer Sect Task Hall, specifically overseeing the completion and rewards of disciples’ tasks. His cultivation had already reached the Peak of the Meridian Rushing Realm.

”Put your task token and task items on the table!”

As Tan Yun approached, Qin Wang’s nearly closed eyes finally opened, and as he slightly nodded at the table in front of him, he spoke, his face showing little concern.

It’s worth mentioning that during this month or so, Tan Yun’s Meridian Qi Cultivation had advanced from the Late Stage of Meridian Introduction Realm to the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm; however, in Qin Wang’s eyes, this level of cultivation was still somewhat unimpressive.

Bang!

Heeding Qin Wang’s words, Tan Yun reached to her waist, then threw a several feet long hard horn onto the table. Cao Ju, the Cao Family’s second eldest who was not far away with a resentful gaze, seemed to find the horn vaguely familiar.

Following that, Tan Yun handed over her wooden task token. Qin Wang took it, glanced at it, and then nodded, saying, ”Mortal Rank Middle Level task, one horn of a Single-Horned Stone Rhinoceros, completed perfectly, rewarded three hundred points!”

”Are you a new disciple who just entered the Outer Sect?” As Qin Wang spoke, seeing Tan Yun nod, he pulled out a square object from his waist, drew something on it, and then tossed it in front of Tan Yun.

”This is your point card from now on, take good care of it. Here in the Jade Pot Sect, the point card is the most important thing!” Qin Wang spoke smoothly, apparently having said this to many people before.

”Hey, are you done? If so, move aside!”

As Tan Yun was carefully examining the task token, a somewhat rude voice suddenly erupted beside her, causing her eyebrows to slightly furrow. Turning her head, she indeed saw that it was Cao Luo, the eldest of the Cao family.

Tan Yun and her team formed a vendetta with the three Cao brothers in the Yulin Mountain Range, and later Cao Jun died in the Jade Pot Cave. Although Cao Jun ultimately perished under the horn of a lone-horned rhinoceros, Yun Xiao and Tan Yun were undoubtedly implicated.

Therefore, in a sense, the Cao brothers harbored deep hatred towards Tan Yun. If it weren’t for the presence of the Task Hall, perhaps the eldest of the Cao Family would have taken action long ago.

Facing such a person on the verge of breaking through to the Middle Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm, Tan Yun could only avoid conflict, immediately stepping aside to make room for Cao Luo to submit his task items.

It must be said that this eldest son of the Cao Family was indeed powerful. The task he took on involved obtaining a demon core from a Third Rank Low Level Vein Demon, which was also a Mortal Rank Advanced task.

When Cao Luo handed over the Third Rank Low Level demon core and received a reward of five hundred points, his gaze swept around somewhat smugly, especially pausing on Tan Yun for a moment.

Bang!

However, as Cao Luo received his five hundred points, on the other side, Zhao Family’s prodigy, Zhao Ningshu, also threw a corpse of a Third Rank Low Level Vein Demon onto the large table, evidently having completed a Mortal Rank Advanced task.

The Mortal Rank Advanced task completed by Zhao Ningshu rewarded him with the same amount of points as Cao Luo, five hundred, hence these two, who originally weren’t close, did not engage in any conversation.

Tap Tap!

Just as these thoughts surged in their minds, suddenly, footsteps were heard at the entrance of the hall, turning their heads, they saw Xuan Zhi, the Third Prince, striding in.

Beside Xuan Zhi, flanking him one on each side, were two robust figures. If Yun Xiao were here, he would recognize them as the Guan brothers who had once attacked him.

In just over a month, Xuan Zhi had impressively elevated his Meridian Qi Cultivation to the same level as the Late Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm, like Guan Hu. Indeed, the talent of this prince from the royal family was extraordinary.

However, at this moment, Xuan Zhi’s expression was rather unpleasant. It appeared he had already received news returned by Guan Tong from the Yurong Volcano. This time, Guan Tong personally took action but still failed to take Yun Xiao’s life, so it was not surprising that Xuan Zhi was in a bad mood.

Moreover, inside the Yurong Volcano, it wasn’t just Guan Tong who had acted against Yun Xiao, but also Feng Hang, who ranked first on the Mortal List. Despite this, Yun Xiao was still extremely lucky to have been saved by Mo Qing, which had profoundly irked Xuan Zhi for several days.

However, when Xuan Zhi saw the two demon corpses placed on the task submission table, his mood improved slightly. At least among these newly entered Outer Disciples, he still felt a sense of superiority.

Xuan Zhi did not bother to acknowledge the eager and strange glances of the surrounding people but proudly walked towards the task table, first handing over his task token to Qin Wang.

”Hmm, Mortal Rank Advanced task, where is your task item?”

Qin Wang, naturally aware of Xuan Zhi’s background, did not treat him as indifferently as he had other disciples and inquired as he spoke.

Bang!

As soon as Qin Wang’s words fell, Xuan Zhi reached to his waist and slung a gigantic demon corpse onto the wooden table with a thunderous noise.

”Third Rank Advanced Vein Demon?”

When everyone sensed the residual aura on that demon corpse, they all drew a sharp breath of air, secretly praising that the Third Prince really was extraordinary - to be able to kill such a Vein Demon?

It was known to almost everyone present that just a month ago, Xuan Zhi’s cultivation was only at the Middle Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm. Breaking through to the Late Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm in such a short period, how could he possibly defeat a Third Rank Advanced Vein Demon?

People like Cao Luo and Zhao Ningshu couldn’t help but sweep their gazes over the Guan brothers standing beside Xuan Zhi, secretly thinking that Xuan Zhi’s success in killing the Third Rank Advanced Vein Demon must have been with their help.

”Mortal Rank Advanced task, completed, reward points: seven hundred!”

Regarding who exactly had killed the Third Rank Advanced Vein Demon, Qin Wang genuinely had no interest. Since the demon corpse was presented by Xuan Zhi and matched the task description, he simply announced loudly and credited seven hundred points to Xuan Zhi’s task card.

Mortal Rank Advanced tasks differed in difficulty levels, as evidenced by the five hundred points awarded for the tasks completed by Cao Luo and Zhao Ningshu, clearly indicating Xuan Zhi’s task was evidently more challenging.

Watching everyone around him look on with envy, Xuan Zhi finally felt a sense of superiority befitting the Third Prince of the Empire. Just then, at the entrance of the Task Hall, a somewhat chubby young man walked in unhurriedly.

”Ling Wan!”

Tan Yun’s team clearly recognized this plump young man and immediately greeted him collectively, aware of the kind of task Ling Wan had taken on.

”Sister Tan Yun!”

Ling Wan still retained his chubby appearance, but the flicker of sharpness in his eyes indicated that he might be quite different from over a month ago.

Zhao Lingshu, the Zhao Family’s genius, who stood there with a calm demeanor, instantly looked as if fire could burst from his eyes upon seeing Ling Wan.

That’s because his brother-in-arms, Zhao Xingwu, who had always fought alongside him, had died at the hands of Ling Wan, a misfit and outcast within his own family. This was a grievance he simply couldn’t swallow no matter what.