This mission is simple: guard a village called Wanghu Village for half a year. However, it requires a minimum Realm of Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 or above.
Logically, such an easy mission should have been taken long ago.
The reason no one has taken this mission yet is because it requires leaving the Lingding Immortal Sect, and every Disciple of the Lingding Immortal Sect knows there's a Spiritual Vein underground.
Cultivating on a Spiritual Vein yields twice the results with half the effort.
Conversely, the Cultivation speed will be greatly reduced.
Spiritual Veins are rare and highly sought after, and all Spiritual Veins are already claimed.
This is also why the Cultivation speed of Loose Cultivators is far inferior to that of Sect Disciples.
After a brief consideration, Chen Er Zhu decided to take on this mission. For him, Cultivating with or without a Spiritual Vein made no difference.
For a pseudo-Spiritual Root like his, with all Five Elements, an ordinary Spiritual Vein doesn't have a significant effect.
Instead, by leaving the Lingding Immortal Sect and going to Wanghu Village, he wouldn't have to be as cautious as he was now, fearing that someone might discover the secret of his bronze mirror.
He first went back, found a place to use the bronze mirror to replicate a Gathering Qi Pill, and after consuming both the Top Grade and Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills, he successfully advanced to Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3.
Upon arriving at the Mission Hall, Chen Er Zhu successfully accepted the mission to guard Wanghu Village.
What he didn't expect was that after accepting the mission to guard Wanghu Village, half of the mission reward, a full fifteen Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills, was disbursed in advance.
Furthermore, because those who could accept the mission to guard Wanghu Village were at least Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Cultivators, they were automatically considered Outer Sect Disciples.
Outer Sect Disciples receive a monthly stipend of two Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Since Chen Er Zhu needed to guard Wanghu Village for six months and stay there for the entire duration, the Lingding Immortal Sect disbursed the six months' worth of Outer Sect Disciple stipends in advance, which amounted to a full twelve Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Before taking on this mission, he knew that half of the mission reward would be immediately disbursed upon acceptance.
What he didn't expect was that the entire monthly stipend would also be disbursed in advance.
Previously, with a full seven Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills on him, Chen Er Zhu already felt quite wealthy.
Now, he had a full twenty-one Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills and twelve Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
In other words, he also possessed twenty-one Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills.
If the bronze mirror could also replicate Spirit Stones, then he would also possess twelve Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
According to the Cultivation world's exchange rate of one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones for one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for one High-Grade Spirit Stone, and one hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones for one Top-Grade Spirit Stone...
This meant he possessed twelve million Elementary Spirit Stones.
And this was just the normal exchange price.
Top-Grade Spirit Stones have always been priceless, so one Top-Grade Spirit Stone exchanges for far more than one million Elementary Spirit Stones.
Just thinking about it made Chen Er Zhu incredibly excited.
Wanghu Village is about a hundred li from the Lingding Immortal Sect. At Chen Er Zhu's current Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Realm, it would take him roughly half a day to travel there.
Strictly speaking, a Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Cultivator is only slightly more powerful than an ordinary person, and may not even be stronger than some Martial Forest masters who roam the Jianghu.
Only by Breaking Through the Qi Condensation Realm and entering the Foundation Establishment Realm can one be considered a true Cultivator.
They can fly through the air, and their speed can increase tenfold or even dozens of times.
If they Cultivate a Spell like Shrinking the Ground into an Inch, they can instantly teleport dozens or even hundreds of li away.
Although the current Chen Er Zhu cannot fly through the air or use Shrinking the Ground into an Inch.
However, he could use some spiritual pets or Low Grade flying Magical Artifacts for transportation, but these items require Spirit Stones to purchase.
Chen Er Zhu was currently unwilling to waste Spirit Stones on such things, so he planned to travel to Wanghu Village on his own.
After accepting this mission, he needed to arrive at Wanghu Village within twelve hours.
So he still had plenty of time to prepare thoroughly.
He went to the Outer Sect Affairs Hall, registered as an Outer Sect Disciple of the Lingding Immortal Sect, received a set of gray Dao robes exclusive to Lingding Immortal Sect Outer Sect Disciples, and a token representing a Lingding Immortal Sect Outer Sect Disciple.
Then he arrived at the Library.
After the Library Elder verified Chen Er Zhu's identity, he handed him the identity token and said, "Outer Sect Disciples can only browse the books on the first floor; going to the second floor or above is forbidden. After choosing the Cultivation Technique and Spell you need, copy a version yourself, return the original manuscript to its place, and then you may leave. Remember, you absolutely cannot take any original manuscript from the Library."
Chen Er Zhu respectfully replied, "Understood, Elder."
"Go."
Chen Er Zhu eagerly walked into the Library.
The Cultivation Techniques and Spells on the second floor of the Library were certainly much better than those on the first floor.
To go to the second floor, one had to be at least an Inner Sect Disciple, and with his current status, he had no chance.
For the current Chen Er Zhu, the Cultivation Techniques and Spells on the first floor were completely sufficient.
He roughly scanned the area.
He was attracted by a book titled "Records of Cultivation Common Sense."
What he lacked now was common knowledge about Cultivation.
He quickly flipped through it, spending more time carefully reading the parts that interested him.
When he read the section on Spirit Stones, he realized that Spirit Stones were even more useful than he had imagined.
One particular description greatly piqued his interest.
It stated that as long as there were enough Spirit Stones, a Spirit Gathering Array with the effect of a Spiritual Vein could be set up.
Although he had the bronze mirror to replicate Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills, Chen Er Zhu wasn't worried about Cultivation in that regard. However, if he could set up a Spirit Gathering Array himself, then even Cultivating in Wanghu Village would yield twice the results with half the effort.
Subsequently, Chen Er Zhu found another book titled "Compendium of Formations."
It detailed many Formations, including the Spirit Gathering Array.
After carefully reading the method and process for setting up a Spirit Gathering Array, Chen Er Zhu immediately gave up.
Even ordinary Formation Masters couldn't set up a Spirit Gathering Array, and Chen Er Zhu wasn't even a Formation Master, so it was even more impossible for him to set up a Spirit Gathering Array.
Due to limited time, Chen Er Zhu did not continue to waste time on the Spirit Gathering Array.
The matter of setting up a Spirit Gathering Array could only be considered later when he had time.
He then spent a full hour browsing the Library, which left Chen Er Zhu dizzy. He wished he could learn all the Cultivation Techniques and Spells in the Library.
Biting off more than one can chew is a taboo for Cultivators.
So, in the end, Chen Er Zhu chose the complete "Azure Origin Qi Cultivation Scripture," along with "Wind Manipulation Technique" and "Fireball Technique."
The complete "Azure Origin Qi Cultivation Scripture" was enough for Chen Er Zhu to Cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Realm, while "Wind Manipulation Technique" could increase the Cultivator's movement speed, and if there was enough Spiritual Qi, they could even fly by manipulating the wind.
However, according to the description in "Wind Manipulation Technique," to fly using "Wind Manipulation Technique," one's Realm needed to reach at least the Foundation Establishment Stage.
And learning "Fireball Technique" could be used for combat.
After copying these three Cultivation Techniques, Chen Er Zhu left the Library.
"Senior Brother Chen, I knew you'd be here."
Just as he walked out of the Library, Hao Lei quickly approached Chen Er Zhu.