In the center of the crowd, Yun Wan'er, dressed in a white robe, resembled a small white flower swaying in the wind and rain.
This proud young woman, who had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, was facing a disciple, her eyes brimming with tears, threatening to spill over but not falling. Coupled with her slightly trembling shoulders, she looked as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"What do you mean, deacon?"
Yun Wan'er's voice was choked with sobs, yet every word was clear and precise, carrying across half the street: "Do you look down on my cultivation level?"
"Although I am only at the Qi Refining stage, I am still a disciple of the Tianyan Sect. My master said that only through actual combat can one hone oneself. I... I just want to take on a task within my capabilities. Why are you humiliating me like this?"
The disciple of Baixiaoge was an ordinary-looking middle-aged cultivator. At this moment, he also had a helpless expression on his face, as if saying, "What did I do to deserve this?" He spread his hands and tried to keep his tone as calm as possible.
“Fellow Daoist, I have no intention of looking down on you, but this task of exterminating demonic beasts requires cultivators to be at least at the Foundation Establishment stage…”
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: You took this task, weren't you going to deliver vegetables?
Upon hearing this, Yun Wan'er's voice immediately carried a sense of accusation that the world had let her down: "I know my cultivation is low, but can't I even be given a chance to try?"
"Is this how you, Baixiaoge, conduct business by publishing the 'Four Directions Road List'?"
"Only cultivation level is recognized, not people's hearts and will?"
A crowd of onlookers gradually gathered, and a buzz of discussion arose.
A huge crowd gathered around, all filled with righteous indignation, their spittle nearly drowning the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion disciple in the middle.
"What kind of attitude is that? They kindly accepted the mission; they're doing you a favor by accepting the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion!"
"Exactly! You snobbish jerk! Do you even know who this is? He's the personal disciple of the Heavenly Evolution Sect's leader!"
"So what if she's practicing Qi? My junior sister Wan'er is exceptionally talented; challenging opponents of higher levels isn't impossible for her! What do you know!"
The crowd chattered amongst themselves, and Yun Wan'er seemed to thoroughly enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention, with everyone bowing down to her.
She continued to look pitifully at the disciple whose forehead was already sweating, her voice carrying just the right amount of grievance: "If the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion continues to be so aloof, I'm afraid that in the future, no one will care about the tasks on your list of all directions."
As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding "protectors of the flower" immediately became excited and responded one after another: "That's right! If Junior Sister Wan'er doesn't accept, we won't accept either!"
"Look at this lousy task of yours, no one will claim it in the end. How are you going to explain this to your employer, Baixiaoge!"
"Just wait to rot on the list!"
Hearing the overwhelming support, Yun Wan'er could barely suppress the smug smile on her lips. She even slightly raised her delicate chin, adopting the posture of a victor, just waiting for the poor disciple to bow his head and compromise.
The disciple's face turned pale, and his lips trembled. He even felt as if he was about to be devoured alive by this group of lunatics in the next second.
However, at that moment, a figure quietly approached the task leaderboard.
Disguised as Xiao Jingrui, Shen Zhaozhao extended her fair finger and gently touched the task jade slip that Yun Wan'er had her eye on. The cyan jade slip seemed to sense her presence, and faint runic light immediately flowed across it.
However, Shen Zhaozhao did not continue to make any moves; her fingers remained hovering over the edge of the jade slip, as if she wanted to lift it but did not.
This subtle movement instantly drew the attention of everyone present.
The disciple of Baixiaoge stared intently at Shen Zhaozhao's life-saving finger, his eyes burning with a passion as if he were seeing a peerless hero riding on auspicious clouds to save him.
Shen Zhaozhao's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she let out a light "hiss," as if she had encountered a huge problem: "Oh dear, this task... looks quite tricky?"
The finger hovered dangerously at the edge of the jade slip, and the disciple's heart clenched with a sudden jolt.
Shen Zhaozhao continued her act, her tone full of "sincere" difficulty: "Let me see the reward... only two hundred low-grade spirit stones? That's a bit too little, isn't it?"
His finger retracted halfway.
The disciples' hearts were in their throats. No!
"Should I accept it? If the reward is bigger, I definitely won't hesitate..."
Shen Zhaozhao tilted her head, her finger frantically bouncing back and forth on the edge of the jade slip. The hearts of the disciples were also tossed up and down repeatedly, tossed up and then crashed down again, following that finger.
He felt like he was about to have a heart attack.
This isn't a mission to uncover the truth; it's practically torturing his nerves!
Finally, as Shen Zhaozhao feigned withdrawing her finger again, the disciple seemed to reach his breaking point. He let out a blood-soaked wail, almost a roar: "Brave warrior! If you accept this mission! The reward! I'll double it!!! Four hundred! Four hundred low-grade spirit stones!!!"
The moment the words left her lips, Shen Zhaozhao's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly.
The next second—
"Sizzle!"
A crisp, clear sound.
The jade slip that everyone was looking forward to was decisively peeled off by Shen Zhaozhao and held firmly between her fingers.
Yun Wan'er looked at Shen Zhaozhao in disbelief. She didn't give her any face at all and just tore off the jade slip. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her fair cheeks like broken beads.
She bit her lower lip hard: "Fellow Daoist... what did Wan'er do to offend you? If you can't stand Wan'er, just come at her alone..."
"But... but why are you helping the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion to aid and abet evil? You're boosting the morale of others while diminishing the prestige of us cultivators... are you pleased with yourself?"
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