Chapter 31: First experience of sect mission
The gloom surrounding the abandoned mines on West Mountain and the turmoil at the Law Enforcement Hall gradually subsided, but Ye Li knew the feud with Zhan Kuangfeng had already begun, and would undoubtedly lead to more attacks from both sides. However, she didn't retreat to Yundan Peak. Cultivation is like sailing against the current; if you don't advance, you retreat. Resources and contribution points still needed to be earned.
After a short rest and recovering her condition to its peak, she came to the Hall of Merit again.
This time, she was even more cautious. As her gaze swept over the mission jade disc, her spiritual power condensed slightly, carefully sensing any prying divine thoughts around her. Perhaps because she had fought back too fiercely last time, or perhaps the warning from the Law Enforcement Hall had worked, this time, she didn't detect the presence of Shi Feng, Gao Sheng, or the others.
She quickly scanned the missions. She skipped those with high rewards but remote locations, or those related to the sphere of influence of the War Crazy Peak. Finally, her eyes landed on a seemingly ordinary mission that was quite suitable for her current situation:
"Gathering Ice Condensation Flowers. Location: Ice Stream, north of the sect. Requirements: Ten complete Ice Condensation Flowers. Time Limit: Seven days. Contribution Points: One hundred."
Ice Condensation Flower, a top-grade, first-grade spiritual herb, favors cold and dampness, often growing near extremely cold streams. It's a useful ingredient in refining various ice-based elixirs and some healing elixirs. While the quest isn't difficult, the harsh environment of the Ice Stream is harsh, with the chill piercing the body. It's also home to a first-grade demonic beast called the Ice Scale Serpent, whose gallbladder is also a bonus item for the quest, which can be exchanged for Contribution Points. While the Contribution Points aren't high, it's a safe bet, and the environment may be a good match for her spiritual power from the "Youhuan Emperor Scripture."
Without further hesitation, she quickly walked to the window and presented the token: "Accept mission number T-93."
The deacon disciple behind the window seemed to recognize her, and a complicated look flashed across his eyes. He did not dare to delay and quickly completed the formalities without any difficulty.
After taking the token, Ye Li turned around and left the Merit Hall. Instead of leaving directly, he went to the Wanxiang Hall first.
The chill in the Ice Stream was overwhelming, requiring some preparation. She used her remaining spirit stones and contribution points to purchase a few low-level "Warm Cold Talismans" and "Detoxification Powder" (Ice Scale Snakes were slightly poisonous), along with some materials for drawing talismans. As for the elixir, she placed greater faith in what she was about to refine.
Returning to the Yundan Peak courtyard, she activated the meditation chamber formation. This time, she didn't attempt to draw a new talisman, but instead retrieved the ancient storage ring she'd found in the abandoned mines of West Mountain. Probing with her spiritual sense, she discovered the ring's interior was small, only about one square meter, filled with decaying debris and dozens of dull, low-grade spirit stones. Only a small jade box in the corner caught her eye.
When the jade box was opened, three longan-sized, round, ice-blue pills were found inside, emitting a pure chill and medicinal fragrance.
"Ice Heart Pill?" Ye Li was slightly startled. This was a top-grade, first-grade elixir, known to aid in the cultivation of ice-based techniques and to resist cold poisons to a certain extent. It was perfect for her! And judging by its color and aroma, it was of exceptional quality, far exceeding that of ordinary first-grade pills. It must have been something the original owner of the storage ring had prepared before his death, but never got around to using.
What a pleasant surprise! She carefully put away the pills, cleared the storage ring, and put away the dozens of low-grade spirit stones. Although the storage ring was small, it solved her problem of carrying items with her.
After completing her preparations, she set off for Hanbingjian the next morning.
The Ice Stream lies deep within the mountains north of Xuanyun Sect. The air grows colder the closer you get. It's already afternoon when we reach the creek's mouth. A deep, winding canyon stretches out, its cliffs draped with icicles. A surging stream flows through the valley, emitting a visible white mist. The temperature plummets, and the breath turns to ice.
Ordinary disciples in the Qiling realm need to constantly circulate their spiritual energy to resist the cold, which consumes a lot of energy.
Ye Li activated a cold-resistant talisman, and a faint yellow light enveloped her body, partially insulating her from the chill. However, she didn't rely solely on the talisman. Instead, she quietly circulated the "Youhuan Emperor Scripture." A faint trace of icy spiritual energy flowed through her body, actively absorbing the cold air in the surrounding environment and converting it into her own spiritual power. Not only did she not fear the cold, but she felt extremely comfortable, and her spiritual power even showed a slight tendency to increase!
"As expected." Ye Li was slightly delighted. The properties of the "Emperor's Scripture of the Underworld" actually complemented the extremely cold environment.
She cautiously walked deeper into the stream, her consciousness spreading out like a spider web, carefully searching for traces of the icy flowers while also being wary of any possible ice-scaled snakes.
Ice flowers are not difficult to find. They often grow in shady crevices or by streams. Their petals resemble ice crystals, emitting a faint blue fluorescence in the cold mist. However, collecting them requires care, as they must be dug up intact along with the roots, otherwise their medicinal properties will be greatly reduced.
Soon, she found the first one. She carefully dug it out with the jade shovel, roots and soil intact, and placed it in the prepared jade box.
The mission requires ten plants, which may not seem like a lot, but searching for them in the vast Ice Stream requires time and patience.
Along the way, she encountered several ice-scaled snakes. These beasts, covered in icy blue scales, blended seamlessly into the surroundings and specialized in stealth and sudden attacks. They were incredibly fast and could spew a paralyzing, icy mist from their mouths.
But for Ye Li, with her sharp perception and uncanny agility, these ice-scaled snakes posed little threat. With her Shadow Steps, she easily dodged their attacks, and with her precise Finger Wind strikes, she could often pierce their skulls with a single strike. She then expertly dissected the snakes' gallbladders and pocketed them. These gallbladders could also be exchanged for a significant number of Contribution Points.
As time passed, she gradually went deeper into the icy stream. She had already collected eight icy flowers and five snake gallbladders.
Just as she was looking for the last two ice flowers, her spiritual sense suddenly caught a violent fluctuation of spiritual power and the sound of fighting coming from not far ahead, mixed with the delicate shouts of a woman and the roars of monsters!
Anyone there?
Ye Li frowned slightly, and immediately restrained his breath, using the Shadow Step and the rugged ice rocks to approach quietly.
After walking around a huge ice wall, the scene before her made her eyes fixed.
Three disciples (two men and one woman) dressed in inner sect attire were besieged by seven or eight significantly larger ice-scaled snakes, their eyes gleaming with a ferocious red light! These ice-scaled snakes had clearly mutated, their strength nearing the peak of the first stage, equivalent to the perfection of the Qiling Realm. They also coordinated with each other in perfect harmony, spewing poisonous mist that practically enveloped the entire area!
The three disciples were clearly struggling. The leading male disciple had the highest cultivation level, roughly at the early stages of Condensing Veins. Wielding a longsword, he wielded it with dazzling brilliance, barely blocking most of the attacks, but his strength was already strained, and he was covered in wounds. Another male disciple, at the peak of the Spiritual Awakening Realm, stumbled as he cast his spells, his face pale. The only female disciple, at the advanced stage of the Spiritual Awakening Realm, seemed adept at assisting, constantly emitting a faint green aura to heal and bless her companions, but the effect was limited, and her spiritual power was nearly exhausted.
A mutated ice-scale snake that had been killed was lying on the ground, but there was also a disciple who was injured and fell to the ground, his life or death unknown.
"Brother! What should we do? These beasts have gone mad!" The male disciple at the peak of the Qi Ling realm shouted in panic.
"Hold on! Junior Sister Li, can you still hold on?" the male disciple in the early stage of Condensation of Meridians asked anxiously.
The female disciple's lips trembled and she shook her head, looking like she was about to collapse.
At this moment, a mutated ice-scale snake seized the opportunity, suddenly broke through the sword light, opened its mouth and spewed out a thick poisonous mist, rushing straight towards the female disciple whose spiritual power was exhausted!
"Junior sister, be careful!" The male disciple of Ningmai was furious, but he was entangled by several other demonic snakes and could not be rescued in time!
The female disciple looked at the poisonous fog coming towards her, her eyes filled with despair!
At this critical moment!
A gray figure flashed out from behind the ice rock like a ghost without any warning! It was so fast that it left a trail of afterimages!
The man did not attack the demon snake, but instantly stood in front of the female disciple. Facing the gushing poisonous fog, he did not dodge, but just flicked his sleeves lightly!
An extremely pure icy spiritual power surged out, not as an attack, but forming a rotating, thin ice-blue cyclone in front of him!
When the thick poisonous fog hit the cyclone, it was like a drop in the ocean. It was instantly frozen and disintegrated by the extremely cold air, and disappeared into thin air!
Immediately afterwards, the gray figure did not stop, and pointed his fingers like swords, with a heart-pounding ice-blue light lingering on his fingertips, pointing out like a butterfly flying through flowers!
Puff puff puff!
The speed was so fast that it was difficult to catch with the naked eye! Each finger accurately hit the vital point of the mutant ice-scale snake's seven inches or head!
The finger force, imbued with the ultimate chilling power of the "Youhuan Emperor Scripture," seemed to possess a deadly restraining power over these ice-type monsters! Those thick-skinned mutant ice-scaled snakes were as pierced through by the finger wind as if they were made of paper!
In the blink of an eye, four or five of the seven or eight mutant ice-scale snakes that were besieging the area suddenly became stiff and fell to the ground, dying on the spot!
The remaining two or three were also frightened by this sudden terrorist attack. They let out terrified screams and dared not move forward, hesitating to move forward.
It all happened so fast, from Ye Li's appearance to the instant rescue and killing of several monsters, it was all in a flash!
The three disciples who escaped death were all staring at Ye Li who suddenly appeared in amazement, as if they had seen a ghost!
Especially the male disciple in the early stages of Condensing Veins. He knew that even if he used all his strength, there was no way he could have killed so many mutant ice-scale snakes so easily and instantly! Who was this woman? Her cultivation level was clearly only at the peak of the Spiritual Awakening Realm, so why was her strength so terrifying?!
Ye Li ignored their shock. Her gaze swept over the retreating snakes, her eyes icy. She hadn't wanted to get involved, but since she'd taken action, she had to leave no room for further trouble.
The figure moved again, took the Shadow Step, and appeared in front of the remaining snakes as if teleporting, and the wind rose again!
There were a few more soft puffs.
The last few mutated ice-scale snakes became completely stiff and fell to the ground dead.
Silence instantly returned to the side of the cold stream, leaving only the rushing water and the heavy breathing of the disciples.
Ye Li then slowly turned around and calmly looked at the three frightened disciples. Her face was covered with a faint layer of cold mist (caused by the deliberate practice of the skills), and her specific features could not be seen clearly, only a cold outline could be seen.
"Thank you so much, Senior Sister, for saving my life!" The male disciple at the early stage of Condensation was the first to react. He quickly put away his sword and bowed, his tone filled with gratitude and fear. The other two also hurriedly followed suit, bowing and expressing their gratitude.
"Just passing by." Ye Li's voice seemed somewhat ethereal and cold through the cold mist. "It's not advisable to stay here for long. The cold air and the smell of blood might attract more things."
As she spoke, her eyes swept over the corpses of the ice-scaled snakes on the ground and... a few ice flowers growing on the edge of the battle circle that were not affected.
The male disciple immediately understood and said quickly: "Senior sister, do you need ice flowers? You killed these demon snakes, so the spoils naturally belong to you! We are lucky to be able to save our lives!" He was very tactful and even took the initiative to point out several ice flowers he found nearby.
Ye Li didn't hesitate and collected the mutant ice-scale snake gallbladders (which were more valuable) and the ice-condensed flowers. This way, not only did she complete her mission, she also gained something extra.
She glanced again at the injured disciple who had fallen to the ground and was unconscious.
The female disciple hurriedly said, "This senior brother has been poisoned by a snake. We need to send him back to the sect immediately for treatment..."
Ye Li pondered for a moment, then flicked out a Ice Heart Pill from her storage ring (she had already tested it to see if it was non-toxic). "This pill might be able to alleviate the cold poison. Feed it to him."
When the three of them saw the precious light and extraordinary medicinal fragrance flowing from the elixir, they knew it was an extraordinary item and they were moved to tears of gratitude.
"Thank you for the medicine, Senior Sister! I don't know your name, Senior Sister. We will definitely repay you in the future!"
Ye Li did not answer, but said lightly: "Leave as soon as possible."
After he finished speaking, his figure flashed and he disappeared as if he had melted into the cold mist, leaving only the three disciples standing there, looking at each other, their hearts filled with shock and gratitude.
After she had moved away, Ye Li finally revealed herself. She did not leave the Ice Stream immediately, but continued searching until she had gathered the last two Ice Condensation Flowers before leaving.
This mission was a safe and fruitful one.
More importantly, she had once again proven her strength, especially her advantage in extreme cold. While her brief attack hadn't been recorded, rumors of the "mysterious female cultivator of Ice Stream" would likely spread within the inner sect soon.
Her first experience in a sect mission not only demonstrated her combat capabilities, but also her calm judgment and... well-timed moves.
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