Chapter 30: Wanzhong Mountains Range

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Wanzhong Mountains Range

"Hm?"

Liu Feng asked, confused, "He’s not joining the Sect? Martial Uncle, where do you intend to send him?"

Lu Ping glanced at Jin Fang and Tan Hu, then said flatly, "To expand the Sect’s territory."

Liu Feng exclaimed in surprise, "What? But he’s only at the second level of Qi Cultivation..."

Lu Ping shook his head. "Expanding our territory isn’t a death sentence. Besides, the most common cultivators there aren’t at the Pulse Condensation or Dao Foundation Realms. Most of them are Qi Cultivation Realm Cultivators."

"No matter how good his talent for controlling insects is, that faint elemental Spirit Vein of his means he’s destined to not get far."

"It’s better to have him make some contribution to the Sect."

Seeing the pensive Liu Feng, Lu Ping smiled faintly. "Letting him leave these beast pens is the greatest favor we can do for him."

Liu Feng nodded. Indeed, being able to leave the Beast Valley was the best possible outcome for him.

Then he asked curiously, "Martial Uncle, which territory are you planning to send him to?"

"Ten Thousand Mountains."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, all three men on the boat were shocked, especially Jin Fang and Tan Hu. The color instantly drained from their faces.

Judging by Lu Ping’s expression, it was very likely that the place they would be exiled to was the Ten Thousand Mountains.

They were all too familiar with its infamous name.

"Ten Thousand Mountains" wasn’t a single peak, but a vast, layered mountain range with one peak after another, stretching on endlessly. For this reason, it was also called the Wanzhong Mountains Range.

The heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and rare beasts within made the sects surrounding the mountain range drool with envy.

The Cyan Yang Sect was one of them.

But the masters of this treasure-filled land were not humans, but incomparably savage yaoguai.

The range was overrun with venomous insects, ferocious beasts, and all manner of yaoguai. A moment of carelessness could leave you without even a complete corpse.

Over several centuries, the Cyan Yang Sect had only managed to conquer a few peaks, using them as bridgeheads to continuously send disciples into the mountains to plunder resources.

The men on the boat fell silent.

As they passed row after row of empty beast pens, Lu Ping’s expression remained placid, betraying no change.

Jin Fang and Tan Hu’s minds raced, trying to figure out how to avoid being exiled.

「By noon, the jade boat had returned.」

Li Changsheng stood waiting in front of the beast pens, a bundle on his back.

Lu Ping said nothing. With a light wave of his hand, he circulated his Spiritual Power and pulled him onto the boat.

Li Changsheng looked a little ill at ease. He hastily cupped his hands in a fist. "Changsheng greets you, esteemed sirs."

Lu Ping grunted in acknowledgment and paid him no further mind as the jade boat shot away like a bolt of lightning.

Jin Fang and Tan Hu didn’t even spare him a glance.

Liu Feng, however, gave him a kind nod.

Li Changsheng returned a shy smile and began to curiously examine the jade boat.

The jade boat felt cool to the touch. Within its lustrous, jade-like hull, he could see a complex network of crisscrossing patterns.

Li Changsheng only stared for a short while before he felt dizzy and his vision blurred. A sense of awe filled his heart, and he dared not look any longer, obediently lowering his head in silence.

The jade boat flew past the entrance to the Beast Valley. A faint light glowed from its hull, forming a milky-white barrier. Its speed then skyrocketed as it soared into the air, plunging directly into the sky.

A white light flashed, and the jade boat vanished.

Li Changsheng felt a wave of dizziness. When he opened his eyes again, the world had completely changed.

The scorching sun hung high in a clear, cloudless sky.

The jade boat was now in a valley surrounded by mountains, filled with the singing of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

No one explained where they were. The jade boat shot up into the sky and sped along, flying past one mountain peak after another.

「After a Cup of Tea’s Time.」

A colossal mountain that pierced the clouds appeared ahead.

As they drew closer, cities as small as matchboxes began to appear in the surroundings.

The jade boat didn’t stop. As it got nearer to the mountain, it was gradually no longer the only vessel in the sky.

Some cultivators traveled by commanding demonic birds, others by controlling magical treasures, and there were also many other strange and bizarre flying mounts.

This was a real eye-opener for Li Changsheng, and a look of longing filled his eyes.

Just then, the jade boat suddenly plummeted downward at high speed.

「A moment later.」

The jade boat came to a stop at the foot of the colossal mountain, where a sprawling complex of buildings came into view.

Lu Ping waved his hand to retract the jade boat and led the group toward a large hall at the center of the complex.

As they drew near, two large, powerfully-written words came into view: "Task Hall."

As the group entered, a cacophony of noise assaulted their ears.

Li Changsheng snuck a peek. The Task Hall was very wide and spacious. At its center stood a thick, round pillar of white jade, inscribed with rows of text that scrolled continuously, just like the advertisements from his past life.

At this time, quite a few people were already gathered around the jade pillar in small groups, talking and observing.

Lu Ping, however, led them into a side room. He took out a jade tablet, said something to it that they couldn’t hear, and then they all began to wait.

Before long, an old man with a youthful face and hair as white as a crane’s feathers walked in.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Lu Ping called out respectfully, "Greetings, Elder He."

"Greetings, Elder He."

Liu Feng, Jin Fang, and the others also bowed respectfully, and Li Changsheng copied their actions.

Lu Ping handed over the Spirit Beast Bag from his waist. "Elder, this is the Beast Valley’s harvest for the year."

Elder He put away the Spirit Beast Bag, his gaze turning to Jin Fang and Tan Hu. He said flatly, "This old man will not ask why there were so many casualties. You will compensate the Beast Valley for all its losses."

"Your reward for garrisoning the valley is canceled. You will serve thirty years in the Wanzhong Mountains Range. You have three days to prepare."

"Alright, that is all."

With that, Elder He slowly rose and strode out.

The group said respectfully, "We bid you farewell, Elder."

After Elder He left, Jin Fang and Tan Hu exchanged a look, turned, and walked out of the room without a word.

Lu Ping said to Liu Feng, "You take him to get registered." He then left in a hurry.

He was very busy. Li Changsheng was just a minor character, not worthy of too much of his attention.

"Take care, Martial Uncle Lu." "Take care, sir."

Once they had left, Liu Feng breathed a sigh of relief, turned to Li Changsheng, and said with a smile, "Come with me. I’ll take you to get registered."

Li Changsheng quickly said, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Liu Feng shook his head and led him out of the Task Hall, heading toward a remote corner.

Before long, a two-story pavilion appeared before them.

Inside the pavilion, a middle-aged man with a refined face was talking with a handsome young man in his twenties.

When the two of them walked in, the expressions of the middle-aged man and the young man changed slightly. They quickly stood up and said respectfully, "Greetings, Inner Sect Senior Brother."

Liu Feng waved his hand, pointed at Li Changsheng beside him, and said, "He’s a newly-entered disciple. Register him." After a pause, he added, "His cultivation assignment is in the Ten Thousand Mountains."

Hearing this, both the middle-aged man and the young man were taken aback for a moment, then nodded quickly. "Yes, Senior Brother."

Liu Feng had no desire to linger. He nodded at the two men, patted Li Changsheng’s shoulder, and turned to leave.

After he left, the middle-aged man gave Li Changsheng a strange look and beckoned him over.

After briefly registering his name and cultivation level, the middle-aged man flipped his hand over, producing a transparent, crystal-like stone.

"Here, place both hands on the Pulse Testing Stone. Let’s see what kind of elemental Spirit Vein you have."