"Keep your voice down!"
Ling Xiao then realized his slip of the tongue and quickly shut his mouth. But the shock in his eyes didnât diminish as he mouthed.
"How could this happen?"
Gu Shengâs face was grim. He expected that Qinghe Holy Land would not let him off easily, but he didnât expect them to publicly put a bounty on him.
This meant that the entire Holy Landâs disciples could become hunters chasing after him.
"Letâs first take a task and leave."
Gu Sheng quickly adjusted his mindset, searching for a suitable task on the task board.
Ling Xiao also calmed down, carefully reading the information on the light screen.
"Collect century-old Fire Ganoderma, deadline three days, reward three hundred points... too easy, prone to tracking. Escort a caravan to Skywind City, deadline half a month, reward eight hundred points... too long..."
Gu Sheng suddenly pointed to a less conspicuous entry.
"How about that one?"
Ling Xiao followed to look.
"Kill thirty Earth Palace Realm Poison Wing Elephants and take their tusks, deadline ten days, reward two hundred points... this task has few points for high difficulty, itâs been up for days without anyone taking it."
"Just what I wanted."
Gu Shengâs mouth slightly lifted.
"Poison Wing Elephants reside in Black Mist Canyon, where the terrain is complex, perfect to shake off pursuers."
The two reached a consensus and immediately headed to the task acquisition area to line up.
Behind the counter sat an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, lazily flipping through a Jade Scroll.
When it was their turn, the man didnât even look up.
"Azure Dragon Token."
Gu Sheng handed over his Identity Jade, the man took it and lazily swiped it over a black stone slab.
The slab emitted a faint glow, displaying Gu Shengâs basic information.
"Poison Wing Elephant task?"
The man finally looked up, scanning Gu Sheng up and down.
"Are you sure? Those beasts arenât easy to deal with, and their tusks are highly toxic."
Gu Sheng remained unfazed.
"This discipleâs cultivation is stuck at the peak of the Earth Palace Realm, and I need practical experience."
The man maintained neutrality, returning the operated Azure Dragon Token.
"The task details have been recorded in the jade. If not completed in ten days, itâs automatically considered a failure, and the corresponding points will be deducted."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Just as Gu Sheng was about to leave, Ling Xiao suddenly spoke up.
"Senior Brother, may I ask..."
Ling Xiao pointed to the top of a stone tablet in the distance.
"How long has that bounty task been posted? Has anyone taken it?"
The man behind the counter paused his actions, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp.
He slowly tidied the Jade Scroll on the table but lowered his voice significantly.
"Little Junior, in the Dragon Palace, some questions shouldnât be asked."
Gu Shengâs heart skipped a beat, quickly pulling Ling Xiao.
"Apologies, Senior Brother, my friend here is new and doesnât understand the rules."
The man gave them a deep look but said nothing more.
Gu Sheng dragged Ling Xiao away quickly, only breathing a sigh of relief after exiting the Dragon Palaceâs main entrance.
"Thereâs something off about that guy."
Gu Sheng said in a low voice.
"Seems ordinary, but I feel his cultivation is at least in the Taichu Realm."
Ling Xiao belatedly wiped his cold sweat.
"I was just curious... didnât think the bounty on you would be so popular."
Gu Sheng looked towards the distant Cloud Sea, his gaze deep.
"Next, letâs find Daoist Yongâan to say goodbye, then leave immediately."
"Still going to say goodbye?"
Ling Xiao said anxiously.
"Every moment we delay adds more danger!"
Gu Sheng shook his head.
"Daoist Yongâan has been kind to me, I canât leave without saying a word."
Seeing Ling Xiao was about to argue, he added.
"Donât worry, his place is secluded, few people know about it."
The two followed a seldom-known path down the mountain. Along the way, Gu Sheng suddenly stopped and took out a talisman from his sleeve.
The talisman self-combusted without wind, turning into ashes and dispersing.
"Blinding Technique."
Seeing Ling Xiaoâs confusion, Gu Sheng explained.
"It can interfere with tracking spells for an hour."
Only then did Ling Xiao realize that Gu Sheng, although he appeared calm, was actually stepping cautiously, having fully prepared.
This meticulousness earned his silent admiration.
Meanwhile, in an exquisite pavilion atop Nine Heavens Peak, Wang Yuchen was kneeling on one knee, reporting to Long Teng, who was seated above.
"Senior Brother, Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao took the Poison Wing Elephant task, seems like theyâre planning to leave the Holy Land."
Long Teng played with the jade cup in his hand, sneering at the news.
"Poison Wing Elephants? Quite the choice."
He stood up, his burly figure casting a large shadow under the sunlight.
"Black Mist Canyonâs complex terrain is perfect for... resolving troubles."
Wang Yuchenâs eyes gleamed with joy.
"Senior Brotherâs intention is?"
"No rush."
Long Teng raised his hand to stop him.
"Let them go first, weâll follow. Weâll deal with it deep in the canyon, quietly and without a trace."
By the Spirit River of Qinghe Holy Land, mist lingered, and spiritual energy floated daintily on the riverâs surface.
An old white-haired one-armed man sat quietly by the river, his back like a withered tree seeming to merge with the earth and sky.
In his hand was a Green Bamboo Fishing Pole, the line dipped into the Spirit River without causing any ripples.
"Daoist Yongâan."
Two figures quietly appeared behind the old man, greeting him respectfully. They were Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao.
Daoist Yongâan didnât turn around, his voice hoarse like the friction of old bark.
"Out so soon?"
Gu Sheng stepped forward, cupping his hands.
"Reporting to senior, the two of us took a task at the Dragon Palace and plan to train a bit."
"Oh?"
Daoist Yongâan finally turned around, his cloudy eyes scanning over the two.
"New disciples, instead of taking the opportunity to cultivate in the Holy Land, canât wait to head out?"
Gu Sheng, who had long prepared his excuse, showed the perfect wry smile.
"Senior sees clearly. While cultivating at Xuanming Divine Mountain, this disciple encountered a bottleneck, unable to make a breakthrough, so I thought maybe some external experience might help."
Ling Xiao stood by the side, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hilt of his sword.
His peripheral vision glanced at Gu Sheng, only to see his expression remain unchanged, with no trace of deceit.
"Xuanming Divine Mountain?"