"Kill the notorious bandit Huai Kui, reward: 1000 contribution points, 50 lower-grade spirit stones. Suggestion: Two Transcendence Realm First Layer or one Transcendence Realm Second Layer martial artist! Note: This person is currently at the Huaxi Inn in Anqing County. If you accept the task, proceed quickly!"
This was a Copper Level Second Level task. Upon seeing it, Chu Ming immediately took the task slip and walked towards the Elder to register for the task, as it was mandatory to do so.
Regarding the task's rewards, the sect would deduct a 20% fee for itself, which was normal as the sect nurtured its disciples and needed to maintain its normal operations. However, unexpected gains during the task would not be interfered with by the sect.
"Oh? This task?"
The Task Elder glanced at the task details and then at Chu Ming, frowning slightly.
"The reward for this task is generous, but it's not suitable for you!" The Task Elder pushed the task slip back towards Chu Ming and said calmly.
"Elder, I can handle this!" Chu Ming responded, knowing the Task Elder meant well.
"Alright then!" the Task Elder considered for a moment and said. Having given his warning, he decided it was up to fate. He registered Chu Ming and handed him a copper token. "You have three days to complete this task; if not, the task will expire!" the Task Elder instructed.
Chu Ming nodded, took the token, and walked out.
"This junior brother actually accepted the task to kill Huai Kui; he's courting death!"
"He probably hasn't seen a Transcendence Realm in action, overconfident prick."
"He seems to be the first in this time's Wooden Man Lane challenge. Does he think being first is everything? Huai Kui is a Transcendence Realm First Layer Late Stage martial artist!"
The other disciples, seeing Chu Ming's actions, displayed mocking expressions on their faces. His cultivation, though not hidden, revealed he was only at the Postnatal Eighth Layer peak, daring to contend with a Transcendence Realm First Layer Late Stage martial artist - it was courting death.
Chu Ming listened to their words without the slightest change in expression. His mastery of Starfire Swordsmanship meant his explosive force was comparable to a Transcendence Realm Second Layer martial artist, though his spiritual power was somewhat lacking.
"Chu Ming, dare to have a fair duel with me?"
Suddenly, a loud voice came from outside the hall, followed by a young man drenched in blood walking in with a snakeskin bag on his back - Li An!
"It's Junior Brother Li An!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, I heard that the original first place in the Wooden Man Lane challenge was Senior Brother Li An, but Chu Ming snatched it halfway!"
"Doesn't that mean Li An lost big time? That was thousands of contribution points!"
The surrounding disciples gathered around, watching as if anticipating a good show.
"What's there to fear?"
Chu Ming said calmly. A tense atmosphere spread, even without Starfire Swordsmanship, Li An wasn't his match.
"Fine, then outside the Task Hall!" Li An said confidently, his clothes fluttering without wind. The Transcendence Realm was not something Postnatal Realm could compare to.
Chu Ming and Li An walked outside the Task Hall, standing ten steps apart, ready for a tense confrontation.
"Recover your spiritual power first." Chu Ming said, glancing at the bloodstains on Li An's body. Although the blood wasn't his, his spiritual power was surely depleted.
"To deal with you, it's enough!" Li An said confidently, extending his hands as a red, mellow spiritual power spread across them.
Hum
Li An's body flashed and charged at Chu Ming. The mellow spiritual power evaporated all moisture it touched, surging powerfully under Li An's control.
Chu Ming clenched his fists, a golden light radiating from his hands. A month of cultivating Cyan Yuan Technique had brought him to the Fifth Layer, making his spiritual power no weaker than Li An's.
Bang Bang
A sound of collision ensued, the surrounding airwaves were continuously pushed out, creating a vacuum between the two. The surrounding disciples' eyes widened at the unexpected turn of events.
Boom
Both took three steps back, Chu Ming with a calm expression while Li An didn't look so good.
He knew that as the champion of the Wooden Man Lane, Chu Ming had chosen a Profound Level martial technique. Though it was only Low Tier, his understanding of Chu Ming suggested that he must have picked a sword technique. With the sword technique yet to be used, they were equal. But once it was, Li An wasn't confident.
"Heaven-Burning Palm!"
Li An waved his right hand, sending a red light akin to a scorching sun, overwhelmingly hot and restless, making nearby disciples back off, watching the duel in silence.
The Heaven-Burning Palm was a Top Tier Yellow Level technique he had just exchanged for. It wasn't yet perfect but had reached great success, allowing him to spar with a Transcendence Realm Second Layer.
Chu Ming squinted, and his Refined Iron Sword immediately unsheathed. A fiery flame burst from the sword, scattering sparks filled with destructive power, evaporating all the moisture around into nothingness.
"Starfire Extinction!"
Boom
The two flames collided silently, continually obliterating each other.
Thud
A figure retreated in a somewhat disheveled state. The disciples saw it was Li An, with a scar on his chest, looking quite wretched.
"No wonder Chu Ming dared to take that task; he's hiding his strength! Just then, he displayed a power equal to any Transcendence Realm Second Layer martial artist!"
"You're only seeing the surface. A Transcendence Realm Second Layer martial artist's spiritual power is far superior. They only need to drag the fight out to kill him!"
One disciple said sarcastically. The others nodded in agreement, finding it very reasonable.
It was well known that the stronger the technique, the more spiritual power it consumed. Even if they had Earth Level techniques, they didn't have enough power to sustain them, possibly being drained instantly.
Hearing their words, Chu Ming remained unmoved. The power of a Profound Level martial technique far exceeded his expectations. He had only used 80% of its power; at full strength, he could have instantly killed Li An.
However, Chu Ming's exceptional talent allowed him to master the Starfire Swordsmanship in a short time. If it were another martial artist, they simply couldn't compare.
"I'll defeat you next time!" Li An said coldly, tidying his clothes. He believed Chu Ming won relying on the Profound Level technique. If he could obtain one, his strength wouldn't be any weaker.
"Next time then!" Chu Ming said indifferently, turning away. He needed to hurry to Huaxi Inn in Anqing County; otherwise, if Huai Kui escaped, the task would fail.
Leaving behind many stunned disciples, Chu Ming rented a Qingzhi horse and headed for Anqing County.
…
In a bustling inn in the county, the customers were numerous, and the waiters were extremely busy.
On the second floor.
A burly man sat near the window. He wore a brown outfit, his wild long hair draped over his shoulders, and his hands gripping a wine cup had rough knuckles, thick calluses, and were as hard as iron, slightly blackened. His terrifying face, crisscrossed with scars, was almost disfigured, but his eyes shone with a brutal gleam.
"Who are you? You seem to have been watching me..." The terrifying man asked the white-robed youth at a nearby table.
"You are the notorious bandit Huai Kui?" The white-robed youth asked, exuding an aura of heroism.
"That's right!" Huai Kui sneered, baring his white teeth and setting down his wine cup.
"Remember, the one who kills you is an Inner Sect disciple of Martial Extreme Sect, Yang Feng!"
The white-robed youth drew his sword from his back, emitting a sharp aura that cut marks into the wooden tables and chairs around them.
"Hahaha, many have tried to kill me, but I've killed them instead. What makes you think you won't be next?"
Huai Kui laughed fearlessly, mocking Yang Feng. Sect disciples were often pampered, especially those new to the world.
They had never experienced the harshness of the world. The scar on his face came from a fight with an Inner Sect disciple of Celestial Star Sect. Though evenly matched, Huai Kui's combat experience allowed him to kill the disciple, leaving him with many scars but alive.
"Die!"
Yang Feng roared, sending a blade of light from his sword, transforming into thousands of blade fragments that shot out, smashing the wooden windows on the second floor.
Huai Kui pushed forward with both hands, his red energy waves cutting through the blade light. The two then jumped into the streets of Anqing County.
The second floor of the inn was half-ruined, with customers fleeing. Some were crushed and killed.
"Blood Cloud Palm!"
A red blood cloud spread from Huai Kui's hand, filled with a bloodthirsty scent, roaring toward Yang Feng with his palm wind.
Yang Feng's great sword slashed horizontally, sending out a bright blade light at great speed with a ripping sound.
Thud
The blade light shattered into white fragments. Yang Feng staggered, his face paling slightly.
The crowd quickly scattered. Marks of their battle were left on rooftops, streets, and the second floor of the inn.
Bam Bam Bam Bam Bam...
Palm winds howled, shadows intertwined, and the air burst repeatedly. Chu Ming stood behind the crowd with his Qingzhi horse, frowning.
"I didn't expect the task to be snatched by a Martial Extreme Sect Inner Sect disciple. This is troublesome!"
He thought, watching the shadows. The task had been posted to all Five Great Sects in the Great Yan Kingdom, meaning not just Cyan Yang Sect, but the other four sects too had the same task. The final kill depended on their own abilities.