I want to tread the heavens

Night ended and dawn broke. He awoke from his meditation as the faint crowing of a rooster echoed in the distance. His depleted mental energy had mostly recovered; the power of the falling stars flowed gently through his meridians, more solid than the day before. Only a faint pink mark remained on his left arm. He rose, walked to the window, and pushed open the creaking wooden pane. The cool morning air rushed in, dispelling the stuffiness in the room. In the distance, the massive outline of Falling Star City loomed faintly in the morning mist.

Fa Cai, who was almost blending into the shadows under the window, immediately looked up at the sound, his clear silver eyes full of energy. "It's quiet at night. There's a drunkard making a ruckus in the alley to the east, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arguing at the third house to the west. That's all. Nobody comes near here."

With Fa Cai around, at least he could get a good night's sleep. He quickly washed up, ate the last half of a coarse grain biscuit so hard it could break his teeth, and swallowed it with cold water. His stomach had a little something in it, but he was far from being "full." Spirit crystals, food, safe shelter, resources to repair the starship, elixirs and magical artifacts to enhance his strength... all these problems ultimately pointed to the same source—a lack of money and connections.

The most pressing matter right now is passing the preliminary selection for the "Ascension Ceremony." The wooden number plate in his pocket only grants him the right to queue. The jade slip mentions that the preliminary selection is divided into three steps: "Basic Examination," "Questioning the Heart," and "Practical Combat." Thousands upon thousands of rogue cultivators like him, without any background, must climb up step by step from the most basic preliminary selection. Not only is it time-consuming and laborious, but a slight mishap, or being secretly sabotaged by powerful figures (like the Zhao family), could render all previous efforts futile. However, there's an inconspicuous note in the jade slip, which he vaguely heard mentioned in the market and teahouse yesterday: "Those holding a valid letter of recommendation can be exempted from the preliminary selection and directly enter the formal selection." The words "letter of recommendation" lingered in his mind. This wasn't about using connections; it was more like a qualification certification. Issued by prominent figures or forces in Falling Star City, or certain official or semi-official institutions, it proved that the holder possessed certain potential or special talents, making it worthwhile to skip the most basic screening. This saves a lot of time, avoids the most basic and chaotic competition, and more importantly, it is an invisible "protective charm," meaning that you have at least one "referrer" behind you, so ordinary villains will have to think twice before trying to harm you.

The jade slip given by Deacon Su Mo was a "good deed" from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, but it wasn't a recommendation letter in itself. Su Mo's words were very clear—only by passing the preliminary selection could one qualify for the "Guest Elder Assessment," and only by passing the assessment and becoming a "Trainee Guest Elder" could one truly gain access to the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. This recommendation letter was one of the shortcuts to "passing the preliminary selection." He needed a "recommendation letter"—his goal was clear, but how to obtain one was a mystery. Sitting at the crippled table, dipping his finger in the remaining cold water in the bowl and tracing it across the dusty surface, the possible avenues were few.

First, he could align himself with a local power, such as a small family, merchant guild, or mercenary group, and serve them in exchange for a recommendation. This is the fastest route, but it also comes with the greatest constraints. Moreover, given his current lack of foundation and the fact that he has just offended the Zhao family, which power would be willing to take him in and vouch for him? High risk, low autonomy, ruled out.

Secondly, one must demonstrate a special and rare talent or value to attract the attention of a powerful figure, who will then bestow gifts upon them. For example, a genius in alchemy, weapon crafting, or talisman making, or possessing a rare spiritual root or special physique. The secrets of the Starfall Power and the *Zhou Tian Xing Chen Dao Jing* must never be revealed, nor should wealth be easily flaunted. Currently, the only thing one can offer is decent combat ability, but in Falling Star City, this is hardly considered "rare."

Third, complete a highly difficult, publicly announced official or semi-official task, and exchange the task rewards or evaluations for a recommendation letter. This is relatively fair and most suitable for a lone wolf like him. Falling Star City is so large that the City Lord's Mansion, various guilds, and even the three major sects' branch academies occasionally issue bounties or recruitment tasks, and the rewards sometimes include a "Recommendation Letter for the Ascension Assembly" or a certificate of equivalent value.

Fourth, there's the path Su Mo pointed out—the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's "Guest Elder Assessment." But this requires passing the preliminary selection first, which is a paradox. Unless… he can prove his potential as a "Guest Elder" in advance, causing the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion to make an exception and grant him some kind of "preliminary recommendation"? The possibility is extremely low. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion has strict rules, and Su Mo has already given him a jade slip; asking for more would seem disrespectful.

So, the most realistic option is the third path: find and complete a task that rewards a "recommendation letter." The problem is, where to find one? Where are tasks posted? And how can he sift through thousands of tasks to find one that suits him and includes a "recommendation letter" as a reward? His understanding of Falling Star City is still too shallow. "Fa Cai, we need to find a different place to gather information today." Wiping the water off the table, he stood up. "Let's not go to the teahouses or taverns; they're too scattered. Let's go... to where tasks are posted." Where are tasks posted? He recalled the scattered information in the jade slip and what he had seen and heard yesterday. The City Lord's Mansion definitely has a bulletin board, but it mainly posts official wanted notices, taxes, and corvée labor, which may not overlap with cultivator tasks. There might be private agencies like "All-Purpose Shops" in the market, but they are a mixed bag, and their credibility is hard to guarantee. The "All-Purpose Shop" that Su Mo mentioned might be an option, but that's where Steward Chen told him to find a stable job or gather information; it might not be a high-level task posting point.

Suddenly, he remembered seeing several large tents or sheds with banners bearing the words "Mercenary" and "Commission" on the edge of the square yesterday, with a constant stream of people. That was likely the "mission gathering place" open to all cultivators in Falling Star City. "Let's go to the vicinity of Jixian Square again. Not the registration area, but the place with the 'Commission' and 'Bounty' banners," Ling Xiao said to Fa Cai, carefully slinging his broken sword over his shoulder and putting away his jade pendant, jade slip, and wooden plaque. After thinking for a moment, he memorized the location of the buried iron piece, making sure there were no flaws. This time, they didn't approach the crowded registration area or the bustling city center, but instead went around to the relatively quiet area on the west side of the square. Sure enough, there were more than a dozen tents and temporary shacks of varying sizes there, each with a prominent sign: "Swiftwind Mercenary Station," "Iron-Blooded Mission Hall," "Falling Star City Hundred Trades Commission Office," and so on. The people coming in and out were clearly different from those who had registered. They were mostly sharp-looking, well-armed cultivators, covered in dust, with varying ages and cultivation levels. Their eyes held scrutiny and wariness, lacking the excitement of the younger registrants and instead displaying a coldness born of the pressure of making a living.

The air was thick with the smells of tobacco, sweat, and metal. Even the shouts had changed tone:

"We need two skilled late-stage Qi Refining experts to escort a caravan to Blackrock Town! Five days round trip, fee negotiable!"

"Collect 30 'Poisonous Fire Scorpion' stingers, with at least 80% intact! Payment in spirit crystals on the spot!"

"Exploring an abandoned mine in the southern suburbs, suspected of being haunted by evil spirits. Team recruitment required. Must know exorcism techniques or have abundant yang energy!"

……

Ling Xiao didn't rush into any of the mission halls. Instead, he took Fa Cai with him and strolled slowly around the perimeter of several mission halls. His eyes scanned the notices posted at the entrances, and his ears picked up snippets of conversation inside. He pricked up his ears, his nostrils flaring, filtering information from the mixed smells and fragmented conversations.

Soon, some clues were discovered. Over 90% of the tasks posted by these task halls were temporary jobs such as hiring, gathering, exploration, and guarding, with rewards mostly consisting of spirit crystals, pills, or materials. Occasionally, there would be more difficult tasks that might specify "you will gain favor with a certain merchant guild upon completion" or "you may have the opportunity to be recruited by a certain family," but not a single one directly rewarded with a "Recommendation Letter for the Ascension Conference."

"Over there, behind the largest tent, there's an alley. Someone came out, and the smell... is different. There's the smell of 'ink' and 'old paper,' and a little bit... a 'clean' aura, somewhat similar to that of Old Man Su (Su Mo). They're talking about 'quotas,' 'review,' and 'internal recommendations.'" The "clean" aura of Su Mo? Was that the unique scent of a calming incense or cultivation technique used by the deacons of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion? Immediately, without leaving a trace, I moved in the direction pointed to by Fortune. Passing by the large tent with the sign "Four Seas Mission Building" hanging on it, which was bustling with people, there was indeed a relatively quiet dead-end alley behind it. There was no one at the entrance of the alley, but deep inside, in front of an inconspicuous side door, two people were talking in hushed tones.

One of them was dressed in a dark blue uniform with a small sword and books crossed on his chest (Ling Xiao didn't recognize it, but guessed it might be related to paperwork). He held a notebook in his hand and had a serious expression. The other was a middle-aged cultivator in a gray robe with an ordinary face. He was smiling obsequiously, stuffing a small cloth bag into the other's hand, and whispered, "...Clerk Wang, thank you for your trouble. This is just a small token to help the child recover. I'm entrusting the review of my son's 'internal recommendation' quota entirely to you..."

The man called Wang the Clerk calmly put away the cloth bag, weighed it in his hand, his serious expression softening slightly as he lowered his voice and said, "Instructor Li, rest assured, your son's cultivation is solid, his family background is impeccable, and with the joint recommendation of your 'Martial Arts', there shouldn't be any problem. However, the rules are strict this year, the City Lord's Mansion is personally involved, and the final list still needs to be reviewed by the 'Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.' I can only guarantee that it will be submitted; whether it succeeds or not depends on what's above us."

"Yes, yes, yes, with you submitting it, there's hope! Thank you, Clerk Wang!" The middle-aged man in the gray robe bowed repeatedly. The two exchanged a few more whispered words, and Clerk Wang, carrying the book, hurriedly entered the backyard of the building through the side door. The middle-aged man in the gray robe breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his clothes, and quickly left the alley. Standing in the shadows at the alley entrance, he took in the entire scene. Fa Cai's ears also caught the key information—"The City Lord's Mansion personally intervened," "The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion reviewed," and "Internal recommendation quota." "Internal recommendation"... This was probably a more advanced and internal form of "recommendation letter," where certain qualified forces in Falling Star City (such as guilds like the "Martial Arts Guild") directly recommended quotas to the City Lord's Mansion, which were then reviewed by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. This process was obviously much more secretive and advanced than him going to the Mission Hall to find public missions to obtain recommendation letters.

That building… looking up, it was behind the “Four Seas Mission Building.” It seemed this “Four Seas Mission Building” didn’t just issue ordinary missions; it likely also performed some official or semi-official functions, such as… receiving and initially reviewing these “internal recommendation” materials? His mind raced. Should he directly bribe that Clerk Wang? He had no money and no connections; the risk was too great. Obtain internal recommendation qualifications through a guild like the “Martial Arts Guild”? He knew nothing about the guilds in Falling Star City, and it seemed to require “clean family background” and “joint recommendation,” neither of which he was interested in. Perhaps… he could try a different approach. Since the “internal recommendation” quota ultimately needed to be reviewed by the “Heavenly Mystery Pavilion,” and Su Mo seemed somewhat interested in him, even giving him a jade slip, if he could find a reasonable entry point that wouldn’t expose his secrets, perhaps he could indirectly inquire about “recommendation letters” or “internal recommendation” missions from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion? Even just knowing which official institutions were recently issuing high-difficulty missions that might reward recommendation letters would be helpful. She recalled Su Mo's words: "If you encounter a problem that you really can't solve... you can crush the rice-grain-sized bead at the end of the jade slip, which may temporarily relieve your immediate trouble. However, you only have one chance."

It's clearly not at a point where it's "completely unsolvable" yet. But perhaps it would be feasible to proactively visit the Tianji Pavilion's branch in Falling Star City under the guise of "thanking for the letter and inquiring about the guest elder evaluation details" to sound them out? As long as he doesn't directly ask for the recommendation letter, just seeking information shouldn't offend them. However, where is the Tianji Pavilion branch? He has absolutely no idea. "Fa Cai, can you smell anywhere nearby with a similar, stronger 'clean' scent to Old Man Su? Not scattered places like teahouses, but concentrated places, like strongholds," he asked in his mind. Fa Cai closed its eyes, its nostrils flaring rapidly, its silver eyes flashing slightly, as if it were trying its best to discern the extremely faint, unique scent in the air. After a moment, it opened its eyes and looked towards the north-central part of Falling Star City, where the buildings were taller and the spiritual energy was more concentrated. "Over there. Behind a very tall tower. The smell is faint, but persistent, like it's drifting up from underground. And there's also a lot of... the smell of 'books' and 'sealed' things. Many people are going in and out, their footsteps are light, and their voices are low." Behind a tall tower? The smell of books and sealed things? Many people going in and out but it's quiet? It sounds like the kind of atmosphere one would expect from a mysterious organization like the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.

He noted the direction. He didn't head there immediately; it was too early, and he was completely unprepared. He needed to gain a more concrete understanding of the Tianji Pavilion branch, such as the surrounding environment, the guard situation, and the characteristics of the people coming and going. "Let's go back first, and check the area again tonight," Ling Xiao decided. He was too conspicuous during the day; at night, with Fa Cai's night vision and keen senses, it was more suitable for reconnaissance. He took Fa Cai and left the mission hall area, rejoining the flow of people on the main street. But this time, he wasn't wandering aimlessly; he had a clear destination in mind—the Tianji Pavilion's Falling Star City branch. The path to obtaining the "recommendation letter" seemed more convoluted than he had imagined, but it wasn't entirely without clues. At least, he knew of the existence of "internal recommendations" and vaguely saw the path leading to the Tianji Pavilion.

The remaining task is to cleverly pry open a crack and obtain that crucial "ticket" without arousing suspicion or revealing one's hand.

The darkness of night might provide him and Fa Cai with the best cover.