Chapter 194: Those Thirty Thousand Contribution Points

Behind Zhang Yunlu, Chi Jiuyu remained silent for a long while, then quietly extended his spiritual sense to observe.

He saw Zhang Yunlu standing motionless, her eyes flickering with uncertain light.

She seemed stunned.

emm……

Hearing such news all at once, it's understandable she didn't react right away.

Chi Jiuyu turned around: "Hehe! Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Yeah, didn't see it coming." Zhang Yunlu nodded.

She admitted it outright, leaving Chi Jiuyu to smack his lips.

"Actually, I think your silence just now, followed by my explanation, would've been more appropriate."

"Want to try again?"

"No need for that."

Trying again would be too stupid—she wouldn't do anything so foolish.

"So, the reason everyone in the Xiang Jianzong calls you Little Xiao Shu Zu is because your master is actually…"

Zhang Yunlu looked upward, where mist curled around her, faintly revealing a corner of the Xiang Jianzong's inner sect.

A vast floating continent hung above the Xiang Jianzong's outer sect, yet did not block the sky's light, as if existing in another world.

Upon that inner sect stood two tallest mountains, their peaks sheared off, atop which rested two grand halls.

"Correct." Chi Jiuyu tilted his chin slightly, "I am the Sword Sovereign's eldest disciple."

Correct, I'm damn awesome like that!

So it's true! Zhang Yunlu's heart settled.

Little Xiao Shu Zu, the Sword Sovereign assigned the mission…

Ever since receiving the mission, she'd guessed most of it—but hearing it spoken aloud now still stirred an indescribable feeling inside her.

Even among the many myths passed down through ages, the Sword Sovereign remains a legendary figure.

And such a being is Chi Jiuyu's master…

And soon will become her own master too…

But then Zhang Yunlu suddenly remembered something: "Chi Jiuyu, you're the eldest disciple?"

After all, she hadn't formally become his disciple yet, so she kept using her old title.

"That's right!"

"But you're only in your twenties, right?"

"You mean this?" Chi Jiuyu understood her meaning. "Because my master has extremely high standards for disciples, and becoming her student is dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

Countless others have begged for the chance to become the Sword Sovereign's disciple.

How could it be dangerous?

"Take your mission this time—it was supposed to involve only the Xiahua Clan's king and the bio-weapon core, yet suddenly a powerful figure appeared, nearly as strong as I was at Foundation Establishment!"

That wasn't wrong—she had indeed been just slightly weaker than that thing when she reached Foundation Establishment.

Just a tiny bit!

"That's because this mission was assigned by my master, so such anomalies occur."

"Misfortune never ends, calamities keep coming—perfectly suits your tendency to court death."

No doubt this is why her master took an interest in Little Yunlu? Zhang Yunlu's gaze flickered.

Misfortune never ends, calamities keep coming…

"What about you?"

By that logic, Chi Jiuyu should've encountered similar anomalies too.

"Hmph! I'm different, of course. I'll tell you when you reach Nascent Soul!"

"…"

At that moment,

A hand suddenly appeared—fingers distinct, bones long—reaching into the bowl and grabbing a handful of nuts.

"It's not just because of that, though. More importantly, my senior sister never wanted to take disciples before."

Both turned toward the voice.

"Senior Brother?!"

"Elder!"

The hand's owner was none other than Xu Xing—he had appeared without warning, seated on a stone stool beside the table.

Behind him stood Yan Ming, the current head of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

"Senior Brother, why are you here?" Chi Jiuyu ignored Yan Ming entirely. Zhang Yunlu, unfamiliar with him, said nothing.

"To take a look."

"Ohhh! Of course—after all, Little Yunlu was jointly guided by both of us and watched over as she grew." Chi Jiuyu declared with feigned epiphany.

Yan Ming glanced at her in surprise.

This guy is as shameless as ever. Xu Xing paid no mind, turning to Zhang Yunlu: "You did well."

"Thanks to Elder's bestowed opportunity," Zhang Yunlu said solemnly.

Her progress to this point owed mostly to Xu Xing's help!

Without that opportunity, she'd still be in Xuanjian City.

She had a clear understanding of herself.

"Don't undervalue yourself," Xu Xing tossed a nut into his mouth. "Are you adjusting well in the Xiang Jianzong?"

"Mm, everything's fine."

"Relax, Uncle, I'm here too!" Chi Jiuyu added.

Yan Ming couldn't hold back: "Oh, come on."

Xu Xing glanced at him.

Yan Ming shuddered all over, then dared not speak again.

Whoa!

Chi Jiuyu was startled.

He could actually be this afraid! "Now let him explain to you."

Xu Xing pulled the bowl of nuts closer to himself, then looked to the side.

His gaze seemed to stretch across infinite distance, landing far away.

Zhang Xiu, the first to discover me, should have arrived at Longxiang Qingtianzong by now, alongside that Return-to-Void body cultivator.

With my letter of introduction, joining Longxiang Qingtianzong shouldn't be a problem.

Huh? Uncle, what are you looking at? Chi Jiuyu followed his gaze—but saw nothing.

"I will now distribute your mission rewards," Yan Ming said solemnly.

"Due to unforeseen events during this mission, causing an imbalance in difficulty."

"According to relevant regulations, the reward must be increased to a certain extent from the original amount."

The increase was requested by Master Bo—not only because the mission's difficulty was unusually high, but also because the two of you thwarted the Cang Clan's scheme, making your contribution genuinely substantial.

"Zhang Yunlu, your total mission reward is three hundred thousand contribution points."

"Chi Jiuyu, your total mission reward is thirty thousand contribution points."

Three hundred thousand contribution points?! Chi Jiuyu, who received only thirty thousand, shot up in shock: "Why am I only getting thirty thousand?!"

She had fully completed the mission!

"Chi Jiuyu, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, completed a Foundation Establishment-level mission; the reward should normally be reduced to a certain extent."

"But since his role was essentially that of an escort, no adjustment is made."

This was mainly because Master Bo had previously granted one million contribution points and showed no intention of retracting them.

"Are there any other questions?"

Yan Ming's demeanor was utterly bureaucratic, making Chi Jiuyu's teeth itch with rage.

If it were any other number, it'd be fine—but it was three hundred thousand contribution points…

You dare say you're not still holding a grudge over my last blackmail? Damn it! "Xiao Yunlu, I recall an elder in the Scripture Hall held you in high regard, didn't they?"

Come on, let's see who blinks first.

"I was merely fortunate enough to receive guidance from that elder," Zhang Yunlu replied honestly, unaware of the hidden tensions.

Holy shit!

Is this damn fish planning to betray me?! Yan Ming glanced at Xu Xing, anxious but not daring to move.

Lì Kē had been looking at him with pity every time they met these days.

And his master's gaze? It was the kind that promised to hang him up and whip him.

Though he hadn't acted yet.

But Yan Ming felt his death was imminent.

Don't tell me I'll be exploded by this damn fish!

Third update. Requesting subscriptions. The first volume is finished; the title should be "Leaving Seclusion."

The main purpose was to introduce the world's background. For the second volume, I originally planned to name it "Ascension."

But I won't split it into volumes—just mentioning it briefly.

(End of Chapter)