Chapter 44 – The Fight for the Spirit Fruits
Liu Ming looked at the unconscious disciple with fair skin lying down at his feet and let out a sigh.
There was a great difference between the fight with these cultivators and the previous fights that he had experienced. A simple Icicle Technique transformed into something out of his expectations.
What was even more alarming was that his opponent was just a Middle Spirit Apostle who probably did not practice many Secret Techniques.
If Liu Ming had faced someone who had cultivated longer, or a Spirit Apostle who had a strong Spell or Secret Technique, it would be even more tough for Liu Ming to win.
After reminiscing about how dangerous it was to win fights between cultivators, Liu Ming exercised his shoulder slightly. Ensuring that everything was alright, he started to search the three disciples for their valuables.
After a careful search, Liu Ming found three Practitioner Weapons, more than thirty Spirit Stones, half a bottle of Pills of Fastening and some odd materials. Some of the materials looked like medical herbs while others were some unknown bones.
Liu Ming packed all these things together and carried them on his shoulder. He then rose up and flew back to the Barbarian Ghost Sect.
Half a day later, when Liu Ming had once again entered the second floor of the sect’s Duty Hall, the hall was filled with people. However, half of the people were squeezed in front of the crystal task monument and were talking about something on the monument.
When Liu Ming saw this, he felt curious. However, he was not hasty to walk over and instead walked toward a stone table on the other side.
He then placed his fish basket on the stone table.
A middle-age Enforcer quickly looked into the fish basket. He then nodded his head and praised.
“Not bad, this is the real Eagle Beak Fish. Although Junior Bai is still young, recently you have completed quite a number of missions. I have good expectations for you junior. Keep working hard.”
At the same time, the Enforcer took the nameplate of Liu Ming easily. He then touched the nameplate with a golden stick and threw out a bag filled with Spirit Stones.
“Thanks for your praise, senior. What is the new mission? Why were there so many seniors gathered around?” Liu Ming asked with a smile as he took back his nameplate and the bag.
“He he. The task is from Martial Uncle Bai from Poisonous Spirit Faction who needs a few number of disciple to look after his forge. The Contribution Point reward is almost negligible when compared to the other reward of having a chance to learn the art of Alchemy. That is why so many people are interested in it. In addition, Martial Uncle Bai is also the best Alchemist in our Barbarian Ghost Sect.” The middle-aged Enforcer said while sarcasm dripped off his face.
“Senior, is there some trickery?” Liu Ming asked when he saw the Enforcer’s face.
“Hehe, junior can look back and see what kind of people are lining up to take the chore?” The middle-aged Enforcer said while slightly laughing.
Liu Ming heard these words and was a bit surprised. Turning his head, Liu Ming looked back.
After a while, Liu Ming could not help but show surprise on his face as the middle-aged Enforcer started speaking again.
“Martial Uncle Zhang gave out several chores like this before and there were… who knows how many disciples who went to take it, but there was not a single person who actually completed it. The disciples who went complete the chore, besides being scolded fiercely by Martial Uncle Zhang and wasting several months, did not even receive anything on the art of Alchemy. Therefore, when this mission gets posted again, it gets ignored by older disciples. Only those young juniors think that they have a chance at becoming an Alchemist and attempt it.”
“So that is how it is, thank you senior for your advice,” Liu Ming realized the truth behind the mission.
Although the Enforcer did not say much, Liu Ming clearly realized that this ‘Martial Uncle Zhang’ from the Poisonous Spirit faction was not someone who could be served easily; so he gave up on the thought of taking this mission.
Failure of the mission could be acceptable, but wasting several months was definitely not worth it.
From before, Liu Ming had realized that Alchemists, Spirit Formation Masters, Spirit Plant Masters, and Spirit Beast Masters were people who had special abilities and were greatly popular in the cultivation world. The Alchemists were the rarest of all these groups and were absolutely essential to a sect.
Deep in Liu Ming heart, he was definitely interested in becoming an Alchemist.
After all, if Liu Ming was an Alchemist then he could have refined the Huge green rat’s meat into pills and consumed them for the greatest effect.
As Liu Ming thought of the potential benefits for an Alchemist as he left the stone table. When he passed by the crystal monument, he glanced upward and quickly found the mission posted by the Martial Uncle Zhang.
Like the words of the middle-aged Enforcer, tending the forge for three months would result in a hundred Contribution Points and knowledge of Alchemy. However, there was an extra condition of having to meet the standards of Martial Uncle Zhang or else none of the rewards would be given.
Liu Ming grinned at the new disciples who all looked excited and left the Duty Hall without hesitation. He then started flying far away.
…
In the next two months, Liu Ming did not leave the Nine Infant Mountain and instead focused on cultivating the Dark Bone Method.
One day, Liu Ming who was cultivating in his room suddenly felt his body lighten. In addition, a feeling that made his soul tremble was emitted from his Dantian. Instinctively, Liu Ming opened his mouth and started roaring.
Liu Ming’s roar was like the waves of an ocean, unceasing and overlapping. After half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Liu Ming finally stopped.
With anticipation, Liu Ming started to examine himself and feel the abundant Fa Li in his body.
He had finished the second level of the Dark Bone Method and was finally a Middle Spirit Apostle!
At the same time, in a hall at the peak of the Nine Infant Mountain, the Scholar Spirit Master listened attentively to the roar and after hearing it stop, he smiled to the shaggy haired Spirit Master opposite of him.
“From the intensity of this roar, it seems as if a disciple of our sect has successfully become a Middle Spirit Apostle. Quite good luck for our faction. This might even be a foreshadowing of the success of what will happen.”
“I hope so to. I never knew that something I did so carelessly would bring our faction such an opportunity. However, because of my lack of enthusiasm and effort back then, those two geezers will definitely not be content in following our agreement.” Hearing this, Zhu Chi bitterly smiled.
“Hmph. Unless they don’t want to keep the face of the Nine Enlightenment Mountain, I want to see how they will open their mouths to break our agreement. After all, they proposed this in the first place.” Martial Aunt Zhong who was also sitting to the side lifted her eyebrows as she spoke.
“Break our agreement? Those two are Spirit Masters with a reputation to keep. They wouldn’t do such a low thing. However, if they proposed some other requirement, it’s hard for us to reject it.” Zhu Chi said slowly.
“What? Junior Zhu, did you receive any messages?” Hearing this, Gui Ru Quan looked toward Zhu Chi.
“Yes, right before I came, I received a letter from a disciple of the Nine Enlightenment Mountain. Senior Gui and Junior Zhong might as well look at it.” Zhu Chi sighed as he flicked his wrist and took out a faint yellow scroll. Afterward, he threw it at the scholar.
After catching it, Gui Ru Quan immediately started looking through it.
However, after a couple of seconds, Gui Ru Quan’s face darkened.
Seeing this, Zhong Spirit Master also showed curiosity.
“Junior, come look at it.” The scholar finally gave the scroll to his junior and closed his eyes to meditate.
“What? They actually requested to have a competition for those Spirit Fruits? And the participants can only be new disciples that have not been in the sect for three years yet? Aren’t they taking advantage of how our disciples haven’t been training for very long? The Nine Enlightenment Mountain is known for their Puppet Techniques and as long as their disciples have one or two powerful Puppets, their strength will immediately increase. How can our faction’s disciples fight with them!” After reading the letter, Zhong Spirit Master immediately flew into a rage.
“The Spirit Fruit Trees are under their control. In addition, according to my understanding, the new disciples in the Nine Enlightenment Mountain are only one year older than our disciple. Finally, they even agreed that their disciples would not use any puppets above the third tier.” Zhu Chi said.
“However, we only have five new disciples. In addition, only Xiao Feng has advanced to become a Middle Spirit Apostle. How can the other disciples even contend against them?” Spirit Master Zhong quickly asked.
Hearing this, Zhu Chi’s brows furrowed.
“Hmph, since they are providing the details, we definitely have room to argue. We definitely can’t have five fights with them. So respond by telling them that we will have three fights. This way, no matter how bad we are, we will have the chance of getting one-third of the Spirit Fruits.” Gui Ru Quan opened his eyes and said forcefully.
“Three fights? That’s a good idea! With Feng Er’s strength, there is quite a high chance of winning one match.” Hearing this, a smile surfaced on Zhu Chi’s face.
“What about the other two matches? Who do send? Do we just forfeit them?” The Zhong Spirit Master cried out.
“For the other two people. Yu Cheng has been training quite hard recently. Why don’t we count him. As for the other person, the disciple called Bai Chong Tian who has been at the Beginning Spirit Apostle level since half a year ago. At the least, he should have a bit more Fa Li and he does have some experience in fighting. Even if both of them lose, it’s fine. As long as one person wins, we will have earned a lot.” Gui Ru Quan said after a slight thought.
Both Spirit Master agreed after hearing Gui Spirit Master’s words.
After discussing finer details for a while, Gui Ru Quan took out a blank scroll and quickly wrote a reply. Then, he beckoned for a disciple and gave the return letter to him.
A while later, a gray cloud rose up from the Nine Infant Mountain and left the Barbarian Ghost Sect. The direction it was flying in was toward the Nine Enlightenment Mountain.
…
Half a month later, Liu Ming, who was still trying to comprehend the third level of the Dark Bone Method, suddenly heard a clear male voice from outside his room.
“Junior Bai, are you there? I’m here to call you up the mountain per request of teacher.”
The voice’s owner was Shi Chuan.