Chapter 255: Chapter 255: 100 Mystic Crystal Stones
"Wind Evil, from now on, you are a yellow-level member of my Blood Slaughter Hall. Follow me."
A man with a golden robe and golden mask, who had approached Shi Xiaole is the Hall Master of the Blood Slaughter Hall.
The two walked along the mountain trail until they reached a huge flatland halfway up the mountain. There stood a not so luxurious hall with the words "Blood Slaughter Hall" inscribed on it.
Shi Xiaole looked around and was amazed to find that they were wrapped in a thick mist, or rather, the entire valley was covered in mist. That meant finding the location of the valley would be nearly impossible.
Becoming a yellow-level member of the Blood Slaughter Hall comes with a reward of twenty Mystic Crystal Stones. This is considered decent for a warrior in the Qi Absorption Realm, but for those in the Xuanqi Realm or higher, it may not be worth much.
After all, it’s merely a joining reward. Better than nothing.
Because Shi Xiaole placed first in the test, he received a total of forty Mystic Crystal Stones.
"The Blood Slaughter Hall usually operates freely. Here are some rules, take a look."
He handed over a booklet and left with his hands behind his back. A smart person doesn’t need to waste words. He believes that Shi Xiaole is smart.
After carefully reading through the booklet, Shi Xiaole felt his choice to come here was the right one.
Firstly, the entire Demon Alliance operates very freely, so much so that nobody would interfere even if you never accept tasks. But the reality is that everyone worries more about not getting tasks, because the rewards for each task are very generous at each level.
For instance, there are Xuanyang Flowers that can increase cultivation, Mystic Crystal Stones, Marrow Cleansing Grass that can enhance one’s aptitude, and other top-notch weapons. On the other hand, secret techniques are rarely rewarded.
Thinking about it, which member of the Demon Alliance would settle for ordinary secret techniques? Even those above the second-rate middle-ranking are rare for even a power like Demon Alliance to come by.
To the martial artists of this world, secret techniques are the most important things!
According to the book, tasks, like member levels, are divided into sky, earth, xuan, and yellow categories. On the first day of each month, they are released by the Elder Hall of the Demon Alliance. The more tasks a member completes, the greater chance they have of being promoted, and thus receiving more benefits.
The most ingenious aspect is that different areas have different tasks. This avoids delays in receiving information and the trouble of most people not getting tasks.
Currently, the place where Shi Xiaole is located is the Demon Alliance’s headquarters in Qingxue State. Ordinary members only get one chance in their lifetime to enter. If they wish to enter again, they must make outstanding contributions.
Under the guidance of a red-robed deacon, Shi Xiaole was taken to a vacant room. After the other party left, he immediately began to absorb the forty Mystic Crystal Stones he had received.
His cultivation had already reached the peak of the 8th layer of the Qi Absorption, and he wanted to use this opportunity to make a breakthrough.
As each Mystic Crystal Stone turned into ashes, Shi Xiaole’s internal power became more and more refined, but unfortunately, in the end, he still fell short.
"If I had twenty more Mystic Crystal Stones, I should have been able to break through."
Shi Xiaole’s heart clenched, the feeling of falling short at the last moment and not being able to break through was really frustrating.
"It’s time to go."
The sound of a bamboo stick hitting the ground echoed outside the door. It was the old blind man again.
Ordinary members do not have the privilege of loitering around the Demon Alliance headquarters. Once they’ve absorbed the Mystic Crystal Stones, they must immediately leave the headquarters.
Everything went dark, and Shi Xiaole passed out.
When he woke up, he found himself back in the broken temple, with the Qingfeng sword back at his waist. If it hadn’t been for the neatly packed black robe and mask in front of him, he would have doubted whether everything he had experienced was just a dream.
"Let’s see."
According to his calculations, it would be the first day of the month tomorrow. Shi Xiaole left the broken temple, hung his travel bag on Qingfeng, and sped towards the nearest Shun City.
In Shun City, at an inconspicuous iron shop.
"I want three pounds and two ounces of iron."
"Round iron or square iron?"
"Neither round nor square, pointed iron."
The shop owner’s face didn’t change as he replied, "The iron you want is under the bellows on the right. Take it yourself."
The secret passphrase was from the booklet given by the Blood Slaughter Hall Master. According to the booklet, each person must accurately recite the passphrase to pass. The people handling this do not know who they are serving.
After a total of eight times of this process, it wasn’t until late at night that Shi Xiaole put on his black robe and mask again, and arrived at the outskirts.
"Code name?"
"Wind Evil."
"This is the task list, take it."
In a flash, Shi Xiaole held a crumpled piece of paper listing the various tasks in the area.
Yellow-level tasks correspond to the Xuanqi Realm and Qi Absorption Realm’s cultivation.
Xuan-level tasks correspond to the Spiritual-Passage Realm’s cultivation.
As for earth-level and sky-level tasks, they’re not available every month and depend on the situation.
"Yellow-level task, exterminate the Demon Blood Sect branch. Reward, one hundred Mystic Crystal Stones."
"Xuan-level task, slay the One-legged Demon. Reward, a set of second-rate lower-ranking Stone Touching Skills."
After reading just two of them, Shi Xiaole’s eyes were glued to the page, his heart pounding.
He finally understood why everyone was scrambling for tasks.
For him, if he continued at the current pace, it would take him at least several months to break through his cultivation level. But now, if he can complete the first task, not only is his breakthrough practically guaranteed, but he would also save a lot of time.
The second task was even more appealing than the first.
Stone Touching Skills are too rare, even rarer than the Poisonous Skill and Pupil Skill. A set of second-rate lower-ranking Stone Touching Skills is worth about the same as a second-rate middle-ranking Inner Power Skill.
Maybe for the ordinary martial world master, this is nothing, after all, apart from the Stone Touching Master, no one can practice Stone Touching Skills. So, it’s probably why the Demon Alliance uses it as a reward.
But Shi Xiaole is different.
A defective second-tier, lower-grade Stone Touching Skill— the Illusory Form Great Method, had greatly increased his understanding.
It’s hard to imagine, once he cultivates a complete second-tier, lower-grade Stone Touching Skill, to what extent his understanding would increase. By then, wouldn’t cultivating higher-ranked martial arts skills be a piece of cake?
Moreover, once he finishes practicing the Stone Touching Skill, he could exchange it in the system for a martial arts skill of the same rank. This is simply killing two birds with one stone!
Of course, this mission isn’t easy, for the One-legged Demon is a master in the Spiritual-Passage Realm.
Glancing again at the missions on the paper strip, Shi Xiaole said, "Can I take on the first two tasks simultaneously?"
From the introduction of the first two missions, their targets just happen to be in the same direction.
The person facing him was silent for a while before finally saying, "You’re the first person to make this request. You’re being greedy, but also lucky. There’s no second person who can negotiate with me on time. However, if you do this, it means that some of our members won’t be able to receive missions. If you fail, I will give you a three-level punishment. Do you accept this?"
The so-called three-level punishment refers to the members having to finish new missions without any reward if their missions fail.
"I accept."
Shi Xiaole made up his mind.
A second-tier, lower-grade Stone Touching Skill, whether viewed from a far or near perspective, would be of great benefit to him. He had to obtain it.
"Good."
The masked man couldn’t quite comprehend Shi Xiaole.
Since the man took on the second mission, it proves he’s not afraid of masters in the Spiritual-Passage Realm. But why would such a person, be interested in the first mission? Perhaps he wants to give the Mystic Crystal Stone to his disciple.
Subconsciously, the masked man mistook Shi Xiaole for a master in the Spiritual-Passage Realm.
...
Pass City, a remote town in the Floating River Area.
The only martial world force in the town is the Curtain Covering Hall, its master being a good hand in the Martial World at the Sixth level of Qi Absorption Realm.
In a room at the headquarters of the Curtain Covering Hall, a red-faced big man sat cross-legged, a sinister aura circulating around him.
Few would think that the so-called Curtain Covering Hall was just a smokescreen. The person truly controlling this place was the Sixth Elder of the Demon Blood Sect, Wu Qing.
To avoid attracting attention from the Righteous Path, the Devil Path has kept a low profile these years, slowly nibbling away at the forces of the Righteous Path from the edges.
"After some time, my Demon Heart Great Method will breakthrough to the ninth level."
The demonic aura collected, a trace of a smirk at the corner of Wu Qing’s mouth.
This forty-year-old man, with his cultivation reaching the first layer of the Xuanqi Realm, seemed not high, but this was because the Demon Heart Great Method was difficult initially but easier afterward. In fact, just a few days ago, he even secretly killed a martial world master in the third Xuanqi Realm.
Once he successfully cultivates the Demon Heart Great Method to the ninth level, there will be a rapid advance, and he believes the Demon Blood Sect will arrange more important tasks for him.
"We, the Devil Path, will eventually dominate the world."
Thinking about his success, Wu Qing laughed heartily.
At this moment, a faint footstep sounded from the outside.
"Who’s that?"
With a flick of his hand forming a blade, Wu Qing powerfully slashed out, the wall exploded, and the door shattered. He leaped out and immediately saw a black-robed, masked man standing in the courtyard.
"Someone from the Anti-Demon Alliance."
Wu Qing’s face slightly changed.
As the primary targets of the hunt, many people from the Devil Path knew about the attire of the Anti-Demon Alliance. Of course, they from the Devil Path also had the Suxian Alliance going against the Righteous Path.
Some time ago, the Demon and Righteous Paths agreed not to kill young people under the age of twenty-five, but for others, there were no restrictions.
Swish.
Without wasting any words, a cold light flashed, and Shi Xiaole’s sword lunged at Wu Qing. The layered, omnipresent Sword Qi was green and hot.
Eclipse Eight Forms second move, Blade Stacked Brilliance.
"So he is at the Eighth-level of the Qi Absorption Realm."
Realizing Shi Xiaole’s aura, Wu Qing was instantly relieved. He activated the Demon Heart Great Method, and like a slippery fish, slipped away from the gap in the Sword Qi. A massive black claw shadow lunged at Shi Xiaole’s skull.
Crack!
Countless pieces of stone splashed out.
Just with this strike, Shi Xiaole could see that Wu Qing was stronger than Dong Hao of the Revenge Gathering. What was more terrifying was that the opponent seemed to be able to spot the flaw in the technique. If they dueled, it was estimated that Dong Hao wouldn’t be able to block more than ten moves from the opponent.
"Die."
His footsteps flashing, Wu Qing’s face was fierce but triumphant. He appeared in Shi Xiaole’s blind spot, taking advantage of the lull in his sword momentum, and heavily chopped out with his Demon Hand Blade.
A black ray cleaved through the air, a round of azure sun slowly rose, and its intense light illuminated the dark night as if it were daytime.
If it were a master of the same rank, Shi Xiaole would not have had an easy time dealing with it. The clever thing was, Wu Qing was a master of high techniques, making him unbeatable among his peers. However, once he encountered someone more skilled than him, he immediately fell short.
Moving continuously, each of Shi Xiaole’s sword strikes was faster than the last. Often, when Wu Qing had just blocked the previous attack, the next one arrived, and after several rounds, he ended up bleeding profusely.
"How can this be?"
Wu Qing was shocked. If his body couldn’t react, what was the point of seeing the flaw in the opponent’s move?
"Fire Scale Eclipse."
The net of swords densely covered, blocking out the sun, it immediately dampened Wu Qing’s spirit. The Wind Intent Realm was triggered, and Shi Xiaole decapitated him with a single sword strike.
Without stopping, he killed the rest of the martial world experts from the Devil Path who had heard the commotion according to the mission hints. Half an hour later, he received a hundred Mystic Crystal Stones from the contact in Pass City as a reward for the mission.
