Chapter 65: Taking on a mission, Chen Xiaoyu

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Taking on a mission, Chen Xiaoyu

For a brief moment, none of them spoke.

Chen Yuexin was the first to look up.

"That’s more than ten thousand contribution points? Am I seeing this right?"

Chen Minghao took the mission paper from Chen Yichen’s hand and held it out with both hands, carefully unfolding it as he examined the marked location.

His brows furrowed slightly as he compared the directions with their surroundings.

"Wait... this is somewhere further east in the eastern region, isn’t it?"

"North of Jade River City?"

Chen Yuexin suddenly kicked Chen Minghao in the back and snatched the paper from his hands. He lurched forward, nearly stumbling, before turning around to glare at her.

"It’s ladies first. Don’t you remember the usual custom?" Yuexin said, holding the paper up to examine the marked location.

The marked location was far beyond the areas surrounding their family grounds.

Even following the route drawn on the paper, they would have to travel across a considerable stretch of the eastern region.

Thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of kilometers.

"That’s extremely far away," she said. "Why would the family send someone all the way there just to investigate?"

Chen Yichen looked down at the reward again.

"Ten thousand points..."

Chen Minghao glanced at him. "Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about taking it."

"Why not?"

"Because look at the map! We don’t even know what we’ll find, and it’s that far from home."

Chen Yuexin looked at the paper and examined the details more carefully.

"The risk assessment says low, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Maybe the report is incomplete, or something might have changed since it was issued."

"That’s what investigating is for," Chen Yichen replied.

She gave him a look. "You make it sound so easy."

"Look at the reward!" He pointed at the paper. "Most of the missions outside offer only a few dozen points. Even the harder ones barely reach a few hundred. This one gives us over ten thousand."

"There’s probably a reason for that, Chen Yichen. There are no free things in this world. Everything comes at a price," Chen Minghao said.

"Yeah. It’s extremely far away, so most people probably don’t want to go."

"That doesn’t make it any less suspicious."

Chen Yichen grinned, clearly unwilling to let the matter go.

"The risk assessment is low, and we’re only supposed to investigate and report. It’s not like we’re being sent to hunt some powerful spiritual beast."

Chen Yuexin handed the paper back to him.

"And if the assessment is wrong?"

"Then we leave."

"Just like that?"

"Of course. I’m not going to stay somewhere dangerous just for a few contribution points."

Chen Minghao gave him a doubtful look.

"You’d better remember that when we get there."

"I will."

Chen Yuexin and Chen Minghao exchanged glances. Neither seemed particularly convinced, but the reward had caught their attention too.

Even if the ten thousand contribution points were divided among them, they would still receive several thousand each, enough to purchase quite a few cultivation resources. It was far more than they could earn by completing ordinary missions one after another.

Chen Yichen noticed their hesitation and nudged the paper toward them.

"Come on. We came here to find a mission, didn’t we? This is the most interesting one we’ve seen so far."

Chen Yuexin sighed.

"You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?"

"Pretty much."

Chen Minghao looked over the mission again before folding his arms.

"Fine. But let’s ask the people inside about it first. I want to know why it’s worth so many points."

Chen Yichen nodded. "That’s what I was thinking."

"You were?"

"Well, I was thinking about accepting it first. Asking questions comes after."

"Of course it does."

Chen Yichen folded the paper and led them toward the Mission Hall.

The three entered the building, leaving the crowd and the large mission board behind.

The interior was more spacious than its modest exterior suggested.

Several rows of wooden benches stood along the walls, while a few long tables provided space for members to read missions or discuss their assignments.

On one side of the hall stood another large board displaying the items available for exchange with contribution points.

Unlike the mission board outside, its entries were arranged by category, with the required points listed beside each item.

Chen Yichen slowed down as he passed it.

Contribution Point Exchange

Low-grade spiritual stones.

Mid-grade spiritual stones.

Beauty Preserving Pill — First Grade.

Qi Gathering Pills — First Grade.

Body Tempering Pills — First Grade.

Common Spiritual Herbs — First Grade.

Basic Cultivation Techniques — First Grade.

Weapon-refining Materials — First Grade.

Other Cultivation Resources — First Grade.

Etc.

"Look at that. We can exchange points for spiritual stones and pills too."

"Obviously," Chen Minghao replied. "What else would we use them for?"

Chen Yuexin leaned closer to examine the board.

"The exchange rates are written beside each item. We should come back and have a proper look later."

While saying so, her eyes were immediately drawn to one of the pills listed on the exchange board.

"Later," Chen Yichen said, tapping the folded mission paper against his palm. "Let’s get this registered first."

They approached the main desk at the far end of the hall.

Several family members sat behind it, sorting through mission records and speaking with cultivators who had come to accept missions.

One clerk was checking a stack of mission papers, while another recorded the names and details of cultivators accepting new assignments.

A young man behind the desk looked up as the three approached.

"Welcome. Are you here to accept a mission, report a completed task, or exchange contribution points?"

Chen Yichen placed the folded paper on the desk.

"We found this outside. We’d like to accept it."

The clerk unfolded the paper and glanced through its contents. When he reached the reward, his eyes paused.

"Investigation of the Uncharted Region..."

He looked up at the three.

"Are you sure about this? The mission requires travelling quite a distance from the family grounds."

"Yes," Chen Yichen answered.

The clerk looked at the map attached to the paper.

"The location is in the far eastern part of the eastern region. Even following the route marked here, you’ll have to travel a considerable distance. It could take several weeks, perhaps longer, depending on the conditions along the way."

Chen Minghao nodded. "We noticed that."

"And the risk assessment is only based on the information currently available," the clerk continued. "Things might be different by the time you arrive."

"We understand," Chen Yichen replied.

The clerk still seemed hesitant. His gaze moved between their faces, lingering briefly on their young appearances.

"Why don’t you consider another mission first? There are plenty of tasks closer to the family. You can always take on something farther away after gaining a little more experience."

Chen Yichen leaned forward.

"But this mission only asks us to investigate and report. We’re not supposed to fight anything, right? And the risk assessment is low. We’re all Qi Condensation cultivators, so we should be able to handle ourselves."

"That may be true, but the distance is still a concern."

"We’ll prepare properly before leaving," Chen Yichen insisted. "And we’re not going to charge into anything dangerous. If the situation looks wrong, we’ll just come back."

Chen Yuexin glanced at him before addressing the clerk.

"We understand why you’re worried. We’ll be careful. If we find something beyond our ability, we’ll report it and leave."

Chen Minghao nodded.

"We won’t take unnecessary risks just to complete the mission."

The clerk studied them for a while. He was responsible for handling missions, and sending three young cultivators so far away was not something he could approve without consideration.

Still, the mission had been issued to the family, and its requirements were within their cultivation level. There was no rule preventing them from accepting it.

After another glance at the paper, he finally reached for a wooden stamp.

"All right. Since you understand the risks, I’ll register it under your names. Just remember that your task is to investigate and report. Don’t attempt anything beyond that."

"We understand!" Chen Yichen replied.

The clerk pressed the stamp onto the mission paper, leaving the Mission Hall’s seal beside the written details.

He then recorded their names and handed the approved mission back to Chen Yichen.

"Your mission has been registered. When you return, bring this along with your report. Your contribution points will be awarded after your findings have been verified."

Chen Yichen accepted it with a satisfied smile.

"Thanks, Senior Brother."

The three stepped away from the desk. Chen Yichen immediately turned toward the others.

"Since we’ve got it, why don’t we leave today?"

Chen Minghao stared at him, slightly startled by his suggestion.

"Today?"

"Yeah. We can go back, pack our things, and meet at the main gate."

Chen Yuexin frowned.

"We haven’t even prepared anything."

"That’s why we’re going back to prepare."

"You’re really eager to leave, aren’t you?"

Chen Yichen shrugged.

"We’ve already accepted the mission. What’s the point of waiting around?"

Chen Minghao thought about it before nodding.

"We should have enough time to gather what we need. Let’s meet at the main gate once we’re ready."

Chen Yuexin looked between them and sighed.

"Fine. But don’t expect me to leave without proper supplies just because you’re impatient."

"Wouldn’t dream of it."

With that settled, the three left the Mission Hall and went their separate ways to prepare.

Chen Yichen returned to his residence and began gathering what he might need for a journey across the eastern region.

Chen Minghao and Chen Yuexin did the same, making sure to bring enough spiritual stones, pills, and other necessities for several days on the road.

By the time they reached the main gate, the sun had risen higher above the mountains.

Chen Yichen arrived first, carrying a storage bag over his shoulder. He waited near the entrance, occasionally looking down the path leading back into the family grounds.

Chen Minghao appeared not long afterward with his own supplies. Chen Yuexin arrived shortly after him, carrying a small pack and wearing a slightly displeased expression.

Chen Yichen looked at the two and grinned.

"Everyone’s here. Shall we go?"

Chen Yuexin adjusted the strap of her pack.

"Before that, let’s make sure you haven’t forgotten anything important."

Chen Yichen blinked.

"...Why are you looking at me?"

"Because you’re the one who was in such a hurry to leave. I wouldn’t be surprised if you forgot something."

"Like what?"

"Food. Pills. Spare clothes. Anything useful, really."

"I brought all of those!"

"Then you won’t mind showing us."

Chen Yichen opened his mouth, but Chen Minghao had already started laughing.

Before he could defend himself, the three began checking their supplies, comparing what they had brought and making sure none of them had overlooked anything important.

Above the main gate, two figures hovered quietly in the air.

Chen Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze following the three young cultivators below.

From their preparations to their final exchange, he had watched everything without making his presence known.

The morning wind passed through his robes, carrying the distant sounds of the family grounds with it.

Beyond the gate, Chen Yichen was already turning toward the road, apparently eager to begin the journey.

Beside Chen Yuan, Chen Feng watched them leave with a thoughtful expression.

"Do you think they can do it? We hid the tomb rather well. I’m worried they might get injured if they can’t get past the early traps we set."

Chen Feng looked toward the three young cultivators leaving through the gate, his brows drawing together.

"And I’ve read their records, Chen Yuan. They’ve never truly experienced the outside world. Chen Haoran protected them too well. I’m afraid they might not be able to handle what awaits them out there, let alone follow our script..."

Chen Yuan smiled, keeping his eyes on the three as they passed beyond the gate.

"That’s why I want you to accompany them and cooperate with me. It’s time we tempered the three geniuses of our family. At the same time, we can use this opportunity to raise the credibility of the tomb."

Chen Feng turned toward him, looking at him as though he had guessed something.

Chen Yuan met his gaze and replied, "Only through that can they understand. The world isn’t as peaceful as it seems."

"I understand."

Chen Feng nodded, his expression turning serious.

Just as the three were about to leave, a hurried voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

"Senior Brothers! Senior Sisters! Please wait!"

The three stopped and turned toward the sound.

A young cultivator was sprinting along the path toward them, her robes fluttering as she hurried forward.

She seemed to have run all the way from the inner grounds, and by the time she reached them, her breathing was already uneven.

She stopped a few steps away, bent slightly to catch her breath, then quickly straightened and cupped her hands toward the three.

"Please allow me to join your mission!"

The three looked at her for a while. The young woman was a petite beauty with short, uneven silver hair that curled slightly at the ends. A thin braid hung beside her face, decorated with several colorful beads, while a small beauty mark rested beneath her left eye.

Her bright amber eyes darted between them, and her dark green robe, pale yellow sash, and little travel pouch gave her a rather unusual appearance.

Chen Yuexin and Chen Minghao exchanged a glance. Neither said anything at first, but they seemed to reach the same conclusion.

’She doesn’t look particularly reliable.’

Seeing their hesitation, the young woman hurriedly cupped her hands again.

"Ah, I haven’t introduced myself properly!" she said hurriedly. "My name is Chen Xiaoyu, and I’m currently at the Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation."

She hesitated, then continued in a slightly stuttering voice.

"I usually take care of the medicinal garden, b-but this time, the elders allowed me to leave and take on a mission."

Chen Yichen’s expression relaxed.

His eyes seemed to glow briefly, though the change was so subtle that neither Chen Minghao nor Chen Yuexin noticed anything unusual.

Chen Xiaoyu, however, caught it.

Her amber eyes lingered on his face for a fraction of a second before she quietly lowered her head, pretending not to have noticed anything.

Chen Yichen examined her briefly. Although her appearance was somewhat unusual, her cultivation was genuine, and there was nothing particularly suspicious about her presence.

More importantly, she was a member of the Chen Family. Since they were only going to investigate and report, having another family member accompany them was not necessarily a bad thing.

He smiled.

"Since you want to join, then come along!"

"Yichen!" Chen Minghao turned toward him, surprised by how quickly he had agreed.

"What?" Yichen shrugged. "She’s a member of our family, and her cultivation isn’t much weaker than ours."

"Besides, we’re only going to investigate and report. Having another person along isn’t a bad thing."

Chen Yuexin glanced at the young woman, then back at Yichen.

"You make it sound like we’ve already agreed."

"Well, I have."

The young woman looked up, her amber eyes brightening.

"Really? Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"Don’t thank us too early yet," Chen Minghao said. "We still need to make sure you understand what you’re getting into."

"I do!" Chen Xiaoyu replied quickly. "I won’t cause trouble, and I’ll listen to your instructions."

Chen Yuexin looked at Chen Xiaoyu, then glanced at Chen Yichen.

"Then, how did you know we were going on this mission?"

Chen Xiaoyu stiffened. Her eyes shifted between the three before she lowered her head, looking rather embarrassed.

"I... I overheard your conversation in the Mission Hall."

Chen Yuexin narrowed her eyes.

"You overheard us?"

"Yes. I wasn’t trying to listen in! I just happened to be nearby when you were discussing the mission, and then I heard you were leaving today..."

Chen Minghao narrowed his eyes at her.

"So you stalked us?"

"N-no!" Chen Xiaoyu hurriedly shook her head, her face turning red. "I didn’t follow you! I only heard you talking in the hall, and then I thought... I thought I could ask to join you when you left!"

She quickly waved her hands, trying to explain herself.

"I wasn’t watching you or anything! I promise!"

Chen Yichen waved a hand.

"Then it’s settled. Let’s go before the sun gets any higher."

Chen Minghao sighed, while Yuexin gave Yichen a doubtful look. Still, neither objected further.