At the frontlines, the Li Clan had designated several areas and assigned defense missions. As long as the number of dark forces passing through these regions remained below a certain threshold, additional rewards would be granted. These missions were set to a weekly reward cycle, making them significantly more attractive.
Qian Ye’s heart stirred slightly upon seeing this task setup, recalling the organized dark armies that Aiden had escorted. It seemed the Li Clan had also discovered the movement patterns and methods of the dark races. However, based on the tasks they issued, it appeared that the Li Clan intended to continue relying on independent strong individuals to open up the battlefield rather than deploying their private army on a large scale.
Although the present independent strong individuals didn’t have Qian Ye’s firsthand information, they were not fools either. A mission with such rich immediate rewards must come with equally significant risks. After all, which noble family or clan’s money was easy to earn? For a moment, no one responded.
Li Tianquan, unperturbed, smiled and continued, “This month has just begun. From this month onward, whoever reaches the top of the military merit list in three months can choose either the Mirror Water Purification or the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl as a reward.”
“Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl? What is that?” Most people, like Qian Ye, had never heard of the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl, but its value was evident from the fact that the Li Clan placed it alongside the Mirror Water Purification.
Seeing the confusion, Li Tianquan, with a calm expression, said, “The main use of this item is to elevate the bottleneck of talents below the rank of divine general by one level.”
Instantly, the room buzzed like a pot boiling over, with several conflicting force auras rising, quickly turning into murderous intent.
Apart from Qian Ye, most present were renowned strong individuals, many of whom had reached their cultivation bottlenecks. Without special opportunities, they would likely remain at this level for life.
With their levels, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a small family to serve in the inland empire. If not for the hope of accumulating resources and breaking through, who would risk their lives here?
Lu Sha was no different; he had been stuck at the 14th level for years. Though theoretically, there was still a chance to advance, the sixth force vortex had shown no signs of condensation, making the prospect extremely dim.
Satisfied with the reaction, Li Tianquan continued, “However, elevating the bottleneck is just one of the uses of the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl. Our Li Clan possesses some minor skills in strategic calculations. Observing the current situation on Floating Land, perhaps soon, this item will have a greater purpose. Even if you can’t use it yourself, you’ll have ample opportunities to sell it, fetching a price far beyond your imagination.”
Smiling, Li Tianquan’s gaze swept over Qian Ye and a few others who had shown little reaction upon hearing about the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl’s efficacy.
Most strong individuals were still reeling from the shock of the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl. Perhaps someone noticed Li Tianquan’s subtle actions, or perhaps no one did. Regardless, Li Tianquan left without giving anyone a chance to ask further questions, leaving only a Li Clan warrior to record the task acceptances.
The room fell silent, and the atmosphere became tense. The Li Clan using the Mirror Water Purification as a reward was already well-known, and for those without specific needs, it was just an expensive item, and whether to risk their lives for it was debatable.
But the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl changed everything. The other mysterious uses Li Tianquan hinted at were disregarded, but even those who hadn’t yet reached their cultivation bottlenecks couldn’t guarantee they would never encounter obstacles.
Suddenly, one person stood up, pointing at the map recently hung on the wall by a Li Clan warrior, “I want this defense zone!”
Everyone immediately understood: choosing a defense zone was a shortcut to earning military merits. Moreover, with such a vast battlefield, there was a chance that no dark races would appear for a week. And if the enemy was too strong, they could simply avoid confrontation. At worst, the mission would fail, but there would be no loss.
All being smart individuals, they gathered around to select their defense zones. The Li Clan had marked dozens of zones, each with varying sizes and locations, and annotated with military points. Everyone chose areas outside or on the edge of the Misty Forest, even if the military points were slightly lower.
Qian Ye thought for a moment, took a pen from the Li Clan warrior, and circled a region deep within the Misty Forest. Unfamiliar with the other independent strong individuals and having no intention of befriending them, he took the task and left.
After he departed, the remaining strong individuals began to whisper among themselves.
“Another one who doesn’t fear death, choosing the Misty Forest!” One clearly knew something more.
Someone promptly asked, “Brother, tell us, what’s the deal?”
Now that everyone had chosen their zones, the man didn’t hold back, “It’s said the black-blooded scum have unraveled some of the Misty Forest’s secrets. Recently, any squad entering the forest has seen a significant increase in casualties. Whether scouts or hunting teams, the same applies. In a while, this damned forest might become the home ground of those black-blooded scum!”
Several faces turned green, as seasoned warriors, they understood the significance of a home ground.
“Earning money from the Li Clan is getting harder,” someone sighed.
A few days later, an airship landed at the base. Unremarkable, it was about the size of a medium escort ship, with visible rust and damage. Yet, the dozen or so people disembarking made their way unimpeded to the main command building.
One, shrouded in a cloak, was indistinguishable, like a common hunter. Upon entering the non-public central command building, reaching the top floor, and stepping into Li Tianquan’s office, he lowered his hood, looking around the elegantly furnished room.
He acted as if at home, picking up a jade piece, examining it, then putting it down and playing with a vase.
Li Tianquan entered, and seeing the man, he froze.
The man, in his thirties, looked ordinary, blending into any bustling city crowd.
His eyebrows were slightly short, his eyes not large, with grey irises showing neither hostility nor brilliance. His build was slightly shorter than average, with no distinguishing features. In short, he was an unremarkable individual, a dime a dozen in the imperial underclass.
Seeing Li Tianquan, the man paid no mind, setting down the vase and grabbing a teapot from the desk corner, tossing it up and down. “Second Elder, your place is quite tidy. If I weren’t awake, I might think I’m in the Imperial Palace.”
The teapot was Li Tianquan’s treasured possession, centuries old, a rare work by Master Tongzhi, who had produced only a handful of items.
Seeing the teapot flip, Li Tianquan’s face twitched, but he held back, “Young Master Qingyun, what brings you here suddenly?”
“I came to check on the mission progress, and to see if everyone in this base is working hard.”
Li Tianquan was surprised; though Li Qingyun had a peculiar temper, he wouldn’t fabricate a reason. This was a role akin to an inspector, yet there had been no prior word. “Whose idea was this?”
“The First Elder, not the Council. Do you have a different opinion, Second Elder?”
“No, I don’t.” Li Tianquan gritted his teeth.
“Good.” Li Qingyun finally put the teapot back, letting the Second Elder’s heart settle.
Li Tianquan fetched a detailed map from a cabinet, laying it on the table. This map was much more intricate than the version provided to the strong individuals, marking dozens of regions in a semicircle, guarding the Li Clan base.
Over half of the regions were labeled with names and dates, indicating claimed defense missions. Some regions bore black star markers, denoting places where particularly notable strong individuals from the Evernight side had appeared.
Seeing this, Li Qingyun’s expression relaxed, seemingly satisfied. He flipped through the past military records, frowning, finding no standout figures, “First Elder has raised the reward twice, yet still no one impressive?”
“There is one, the Qian Ye who, during the Blood War, was known as one of the Empire’s Twin Stars along with Zhao Jundu. He’s on the temporary guest list.”
“Qian Ye, from the Zhao Clan?” Li Qingyun raised an eyebrow, unconcerned, flipping back to Qian Ye’s page, “Just this?”
Li Tianquan smiled, “The Blood War was unique. Now, how can it be the same? Despite his talent, he’s only at the 10th level. Surviving multiple trips into the Misty Forest is already remarkable.”
Li Tianquan’s words were fair. Since the war, the Li Clan’s recruited independent strong individuals had a high casualty rate, especially in the last ten days, with dark races infiltrating through the Misty Forest, even impacting the Li Clan base.
Li Qingyun’s face showed disappointment, “Only the 10th level. I thought there would be a more interesting opponent.”
Li Tianquan’s eyes glimmered, “Young Master Qingyun, finding an opponent is easy. News of the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl is out. Soon, all clans will send people. With such bait, they won’t resist.”
Returning to the Misty Forest, Qian Ye felt differently. The forest’s malice had increased, but to him, the terrifying trees were endless sources of original liquid.
He casually cut a tree bark, filled a pot with sap, found a quiet spot, and drank it, then silently activated the Radiant Chapter, refining the force.
Soon, the sap was transformed into pure Dawn force, absorbed into the force vortex. Suddenly, Qian Ye felt a swelling in his chest, like a lump. But looking down, his chest appeared normal.
This indicated the force vortex had reached its limit, unable to absorb more. Next, he needed to create a second force vortex to accommodate the growing force. Soon, Qian Ye would reach the 11th level.
Despite a simple level-up, given his already condensed force with crystalline particles, adding a new vortex would hold several times more force than an ordinary warrior.
Now, advancing was a natural progression, and Qian Ye wasn’t in a hurry. He continued deeper into the Misty Forest, towards his defense zone.
This journey took Qian Ye twenty hours, stopping periodically to practice. After consuming countless pots of tree sap, a new force vortex had almost formed, needing only the final push.
The Misty Forest remained unchanged, with seemingly tranquil giant trees, strangely colored substrates, and mist disrupting perception. Even with his battle experience, Qian Ye gradually lost direction, relying on force equipment to correct his path.
He suddenly stopped, sensing a familiar danger without any aid.
“No way…” Irritated, Qian Ye drew his twin pistols, firing into the dense fog.
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