I want to tread the heavens

The Tianji Pavilion branch is located in a relatively quiet and elegant area slightly north of the center of Luoxing City. It is not the heavily guarded fortress that strangers are forbidden to enter as one might imagine. It is a seven-story tower with an ancient appearance and flying eaves and brackets, built entirely of a dark gray "sinking star wood" and covered with dark blue tiles, which shimmer with a faint glow in the sunlight.

There was no conspicuous plaque hanging on the tower. On either side of the ground floor entrance of the main gate, two stone beasts, neither lions nor tigers, crouched, gazing at the stars, their eyes being some kind of black crystal, deep and unseen. There was no wall, only low, neatly trimmed shrubs and a white stone path leading to the tightly closed, pitch-black gate.

During the day, the tower was almost deathly silent, with few people seen entering or leaving. But its interior was far from empty. Several deep, obscure auras lurked within, accompanied by the faint sounds of pages turning, jade slips clinking, and the subtle hum of some intricate mechanism operating. Occasionally, an inconspicuous side door would open, and one or two people would enter or exit. They were always in a hurry, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their auras perfectly concealed. Their clothing was ordinary, but their brows held a quiet, almost indifferent calmness, unlike that of ordinary wandering cultivators or merchants.

After observing from a distance for nearly an hour, Ling Xiao did not approach rashly. He memorized the main streets around the tower, the possible blind spots in surveillance (which were few), and the intervals between the patrols of the City Lord's Mansion. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion clearly did not rely on high walls and guards to ensure its security; its own profound foundation and deterrent power were its greatest barrier. Without an appointment or a clear purpose, one probably wouldn't even be able to get through the door.

Crush the jade slip for help? That's a last resort, not to be used lightly.

"Over there, at Sihai Tower. A lot of people have gathered at the entrance, looking at the newly posted items. The smell... there's 'blood rust,' 'scorched earth,' 'rot,' and... a very faint but very uncomfortable 'cold stench.' It's a bit like the smell I've gotten from the Void Remnants and the Zhao family's thugs, but this time it's much stronger and much 'fresher.' They're talking about 'Ghost Cry Town,' 'dead people,' 'the City Lord's bounty,' and 'a letter of recommendation.'"

The thought of getting rich suddenly echoed in Ling Xiao's mind.

Ling Xiao's eyes flashed. He glanced at Fa Cai, then casually walked towards Sihai Tower.

The square in front of Sihai Tower was quite lively. Many people gathered in front of the mission notice board, discussing the matter. Ling Xiao blended into the crowd, his eyes scanning the newly posted bounty notices.

"...Investigation: 120 li north of Luoxing City lies 'Ghost Cry Town.' Recently, a series of townspeople have died mysteriously, their life essence depleted, their souls fragmented, and lingering demonic energy at the scene. It is suspected that 'Yin Demons' or remnants of 'Shadow Fiends' are causing havoc and harming the area. A reward is now offered for cultivators to go and eradicate them..."

"...Mission requirements: Investigate the source of the evil spirits, eliminate or expel them, and bring peace to the townspeople."

"...Task Rewards: Depending on completion and contribution, a reward of ten to fifty low-grade spirit stones will be given! Furthermore, those with outstanding performance may receive a direct recommendation from the City Lord's Mansion for the 'Ascension Conference'!"

"...Requirements: Teams of three or more. The team leader must be at least at the early Foundation Establishment stage, and team members must be at least at the late Qi Refining stage. You must register at the Four Seas Pavilion to receive your mission token. Time limit: Five days. If you fail or suffer excessive losses, the mission will be cancelled, and the City Lord's Mansion will dispatch an expert to handle the situation."

"...Warning: The demonic energy is treacherous and extremely dangerous. Those who accept this task should proceed with caution and bear full responsibility for their own lives."

The moment the bounty was posted, the crowd erupted in chaos.

"Fifty low-grade spirit stones! Good heavens, that's enough to buy a decent magic weapon!"

"Direct recommendation qualification! With this, you can directly go through the 'Path of Inquiry' and practical exercises, saving so much trouble from the preliminary selection!"

"A Yin Demon? A remnant of the Shadow Fiends? These things are difficult to deal with; they specialize in harming people's souls and sucking their life essence. They're impossible to guard against!"

"That wretched place, Ghost Cry Town, is near the 'Black Swamp,' so it's naturally filled with yin energy. No wonder it attracts these things..."

"Leading a team in the early stages of Foundation Establishment? And we have to form a team? This is clearly not designed for lone wolves like us!"

"Quickly find someone! Are there any Foundation Establishment seniors willing to team up? I'm at the eighth level of Qi Refining, with fire-based techniques, specifically effective against evil spirits!"

"..."

Discussions rose and fell. Some were tempted by the reward, some feared the danger, and many more looked around, searching for suitable teammates.

Standing on the perimeter, Ling Xiao quickly scanned every word of the bounty notice. Fifty low-grade spirit stones—this was an absolute fortune, enough to solve his immediate crisis. The direct recommendation qualification was even more coveted, allowing him to skip the most unpredictable preliminary selection stage.

As for the mission targets—the remnants of the Yin Demons and Shadow Fiends—this instantly reminded him of the demon spies from the old lands, the Shadow Clan remains in the void, and the faint, unsettling aura emanating from the Zhao family servants. The residual demonic energy bore similarities to what he had sensed before.

The danger is undeniable. But the opportunity is equally enormous. Moreover, this mission is officially issued by the City Lord's Mansion, with clear rewards and a formal process, making it far more reliable than trying your luck at the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion or bribing minor officials.

He had to accept the assignment! But a team was required, and the team leader needed to be in the early Foundation Establishment stage. He happened to meet the team leader's cultivation level requirement, but... he didn't know anyone.

His gaze swept over the faces of the lone cultivators around him, eager to find a team or sizing up others. Most were in the late Qi Refining stage, and quite a few were at the Perfection stage, but Foundation Establishment cultivators were extremely rare. Even if there were any, they had long been snatched up by more experienced or better-equipped teams. For a stranger like him, a young, poorly dressed early Foundation Establishment cultivator, it wouldn't be easy to gather a reliable team.

Just as he was quickly weighing whether to openly recruit or try to join an existing Foundation Establishment team leader, a slightly slick but powerful voice rang out beside him:

"Brother, you look unfamiliar. Are you here for the bounty too? Early Foundation Establishment stage, not bad! Interested in teaming up? I'm Zhou Tong, Qi Refining level nine, a local from Luo Xing City, know the ropes!"

Ling Xiao turned his head and saw a slightly overweight man in his thirties, wearing a worn silk shirt, approaching with a businessman's smile. His small eyes shrewdly sized up Ling Xiao and Fa Cai. Behind him were two people: a taciturn, dark-skinned, lean man carrying a thick-backed machete (level eight of Qi Refining), and a young woman with a scar on her face, wary eyes, and her hand on a water-splitting thorn (level seven of Qi Refining).

"Brother Zhou." Ling Xiao nodded, neither confirming nor denying, his gaze sweeping over the three. They looked like a small team that often hustled at the bottom of society, taking odd jobs. Zhou Tong was at the ninth level of Qi Refining, but his aura was somewhat unstable, clearly boosted by pills or tricks; his actual combat strength was probably inferior to that dark-skinned, thin man at the eighth level. The young woman had a cold aura and sharp eyes, seemingly possessing considerable combat experience.

"Brother, what should I call you? This is a golden opportunity! Forget spirit stones, there's the direct recommendation qualification—tsk tsk, so many people are envious! If we join forces, it'll be mutually beneficial, and our chances of success are much higher! I, Old Zhou, am familiar with this area and have excellent connections. Brother Wang Meng (the dark-skinned, thin man) has a fierce and powerful swordsmanship, specializing in countering evil spirits. Miss A Li (the scarred woman) is agile and skilled in reconnaissance. With your Foundation Establishment cultivation here, this trip is bound to be very successful!" Zhou Tong persuaded enthusiastically, his small eyes gleaming, clearly regarding Ling Xiao as a "hot commodity" who urgently needed a team and possessed some strength.

Ling Xiao didn't immediately agree. He needed a team, but not burdens, and certainly not someone to stab him in the back. "What's the specific situation in Ghost Cry Town? How much do you know about that Yin Demon?"

"Hey, brother, you've hit the nail on the head!" Zhou Tong lowered his voice. "Ghost Cry Town used to be a mining town. Later, the mines dried up, and most of the people left, leaving only the old and weak. It's near the edge of the Black Swamp, so it's always filled with yin energy. I've heard that low-level 'yin spirits' occasionally appear, but they don't pose a big threat. This time, the commotion is so fierce, so many people have died, and it even alarmed the City Lord's Mansion. It's probably not just simple yin spirits; it's mostly 'yin demons' that escaped from the Black Swamp, or... like the bounty says, it's the claws left behind by those damned 'Shadow Clan'! These things are troublesome; they can hide and ambush, and they specialize in sucking people's essence and soul. But we outnumber them, have abundant yang energy, and have techniques to counter them. As long as we're careful, find their lair, and surround and kill them, our chances of victory are not small!"

He spoke casually, but Ling Xiao sensed the risk. Both the Yin Demon and the Shadow Fiend were unpredictable and difficult to guard against, and the environment near the Black Swamp was complex. This week, Tong clearly seemed to be downplaying the dangers and emphasizing the benefits.

"How should it be allocated?" Ling Xiao asked more directly.

"We'll divide it according to effort! As for the spirit stones, Captain... oh no, Brother Ling, you have the highest cultivation level, you're the captain, so you get the lion's share, fifteen stones! The rest we three will split. As for the direct recommendation qualification..." Zhou Tong rubbed his hands together and smiled obsequiously, "There's only one of those, so naturally it's yours, Brother Ling! Let's just consider it making friends. That way we can look out for each other in Luo Xing City!"

It sounded "fair," even a bit "generous." But Ling Xiao knew that being the "captain" and "leader" meant taking on the greatest risks and bearing the greatest responsibility for command. While directly recommending him seemed like a bargain, it actually pushed him to the forefront. If the mission failed or went wrong, and the City Lord's Mansion investigated, he, as the captain, would be the first to be implicated.

However, he needs the qualifications and is confident in handling the danger. This temporary team, as long as they don't hold him back or cause trouble behind his back, can provide basic restraint and assistance.

"Sure. But I have conditions. First, you must follow my orders. In critical moments, you must not act without authorization or retreat. Second, the spoils (excluding the bounty) belong to whoever gets them, but if cooperation is needed, they will be distributed according to contribution. Third," he glanced at Fa Cai at his feet, "my spirit beast will participate in reconnaissance and vigilance. You must not interfere, and even less must you have any malicious intentions."

Zhou Tong and the other two looked at Fa Cai, a look of surprise flashing in their eyes. Fa Cai sat quietly, his silver eyes calm, but the spirituality and subtle intimidation he exuded made them dare not underestimate him.

"No problem! I'll do whatever Brother Ling says!" Zhou Tong patted his chest to assure him. Wang Meng nodded silently. A Li also nodded slightly, but her gaze lingered on Fa Cai for a moment longer.

Immediately, the four entered the "Four Seas Connecting Tower" to register. Ling Xiao presented his temporary identity token and registered as the team leader, with the team name "Temporary Demon Extermination Team" (Zhou Tong's idea). They received a bronze token engraved with the mission number and the city lord's seal as proof, along with a more detailed map of Ghost Cry Town and a summary of known intelligence.

Intelligence indicates that Ghost Cry Town is currently under temporary lockdown by the city lord's mansion. The remaining residents are being held under protection in the town's central shrine. The death toll has exceeded ten, all murdered during the night in gruesome manners. Night patrol guards reported seeing a blurry black shadow and hearing mournful cries (hence the name "Ghost Cry Town"). Preliminary investigations suggest that the remaining demonic energy is chilling and possesses soul-corroding properties, suspected to be the work of a "Yin Demon" or a low-level "Shadow Monster."

The task must be completed within five days, starting today.

"There's no time to lose, let's set off immediately." Ling Xiao put away the token and map, and looked at Zhou Tong and the other two. "What do you need to prepare? Hurry up, we'll meet at the North Gate in about an incense stick's time."

Zhou Tong and his two companions were clearly prepared, or rather, they had all their belongings with them and indicated that they needed no preparation. Ling Xiao turned and walked ahead towards the north gate of Luo Xing City. Zhou Tong and his companions quickly followed.

Leaving the mission hall area, they passed through the bustling market and headed towards the city gate. Fa Cai followed closely beside Ling Xiao, its silver eyes lowered, but its nostrils twitching occasionally. Its thoughts were subtly transmitted to Ling Xiao: "Fat Zhou, smells of cheap spices and copper coins. His heart is beating faster than before; he's a little nervous and excited. Big Black Guy, smells strongly of blood; he's killed quite a few, but he's straightforward. Scarface Woman, smells of herbs and snakes. Her eyes keep glancing at me and your knife. She seems to have a very faint reaction to the smell of demonic energy… very faint."

This makeshift team is indeed extraordinary. Zhou Tong is slick, Wang Meng is likely the main fighter, and Ah Li is mysterious—does she react to demonic energy? Is it due to her special cultivation method, or… is there another hidden reason?

However, this is not the time to delve into the matter. Beyond the north gate lies the official road leading to the wasteland and the Black Swamp. One hundred and twenty li is not far for cultivators, but the journey may not be peaceful.

"I'm counting on you to make me rich," Ling Xiao thought to himself.

Fa Cai raised his head, his silver-gray figure casting a lithe shadow in the afternoon sunlight. A cold, sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes. "Leave it to me. Those 'stinking things'... can't hide."