Three days had passed since Chu Ying took down the mission slip.
Outside the Mission Hall, a graceful and slender woman with exquisitely refined features, wrapped in an aura of cold nobility that kept others at a distance, walked in with elegant steps and, in the blink of an eye, entered the hall.
Upon learning that someone had taken on her mission but had yet to complete it, she flew into a rage.
“Disgusting! Which filthy piece of trash dared to take my mission slip randomly?!”
Lin Zhixue was furious.
Although anyone could post missions at the Mission Hall as long as they offered a matching reward, only one mission could be posted at a time.
She was on the verge of a breakthrough and urgently needed a Profound Grade spiritual herb compatible with her cultivation. Unable to find one quickly, she tried her luck by posting a mission.
Truth be told, she hadn’t held much hope that anyone would complete it. After all, the Frostjade Ginseng was incredibly rare.
So her mission had stayed pinned at the top of the Profound Rank board for over half a month with no takers. She had already given up.
Then, a few days ago, she came to check and found someone had actually taken her mission slip!
She had been overjoyed, thinking someone might really complete it.
Yet now, with the deadline approaching fast, there was still no record of her mission being completed in the hall!
This infuriated her even more!
What made it worse was that posting missions at the Mission Hall wasn’t free. If no one picked it up, she wouldn’t be charged. But once someone did, whether or not they completed it, the Mission Hall would deduct ten percent of the reward as a handling fee!
In other words, the reward she posted—10,000 spirit stones, 1,500 contribution points, and a personal favor—meant she had to give the Mission Hall 1,000 spirit stones and 150 contribution points on top of that!
The favor wasn’t counted in the calculation, as it was her personal promise.
If the mission were completed, it wouldn’t matter. But now, not only was it incomplete, she had no idea who had even taken it!
The feeling was like having swallowed a fly—disgusting!
If some greasy loser disciple from the outer or inner sect took her mission slip with some filthy intentions, that would be even more revolting!
There was only half an hour left before the mission deadline.
Lin Zhixue’s heart had gone completely cold.
She stood outside the Mission Hall, stomping in frustration, gritting her teeth and muttering, “If I find out who took my mission slip, I’ll break his third leg!”
Just as Lin Zhixue finished venting her anger, a tall and handsome figure appeared atop the peak where the Mission Hall stood.
Having just returned from the Myriad Beast Forest, Chu Ying came straight to the Mission Hall.
But as he approached, he heard a girl’s resentful voice.
Instinctively, Chu Ying looked over.
The girl wore a stream-blue robe that rippled like water, highlighting her graceful curves. She was the embodiment of beauty like flowing water. Her snow-white arms peeked out from her wide sleeves, hands resting on her waist, her eyes filled with anger. This added a touch of earthly fire to her otherwise ethereal presence.
Even in her rage, she was still breathtaking.
“Wow! How did I never notice such a stunning beauty here in the Holy Land before?” Chu Ying was taken aback.
“Though she’s got quite the temper… what’s with breaking a guy’s third leg?” Chu Ying couldn’t help but complain inwardly.
Lin Zhixue noticed someone brazenly staring at her. Already seething with anger, she grew even more furious.
A single glance might’ve been tolerable. But this man dared to fix his gaze on her for several breaths!
Without hesitation, Lin Zhixue immediately lumped Chu Ying in with those disgusting, creepy disciples.
“Even dares to provoke a Holy Son Candidate like me? Courting death!”
With a cold shout, Lin Zhixue gracefully raised her hand and struck toward Chu Ying.
Snapping back to his senses, Chu Ying activated the Azure Phoenix Art and vanished on the spot.
“My apologies, miss. I got a little distracted just now,” Chu Ying reappeared at a distance, deliberately keeping space between them.
Surprise flashed in Lin Zhixue’s furious eyes.
He was fast—so fast she hadn’t even seen how he dodged!
“Who are you?” Lin Zhixue immediately realized that this wasn’t an ordinary inner sect disciple.
In the Supreme Profound Holy Land, disciples were categorized into outer sect disciples, inner sect disciples, and then Holy Son and Holy Son Candidates.
Disciples at the Blood Refining Realm were outer sect disciples. Those at the Spirit Sea Realm and above were inner sect disciples.
As for Holy Son Candidates, they were exceptionally talented and possessed outstanding combat strength far beyond their peers. They met the requirements in both power and contribution points.
In other words, Holy Son Candidates represented the best talent among disciples, though not necessarily the highest cultivation.
There were many disciples who had cultivated to the Cave Heaven Realm over time and were still inner sect disciples. Their cultivation was built through long, steady progress.
Above Holy Son Candidates were the true Holy Sons—representing the face of the Holy Land. They were nurtured to become its strongest disciples.
That was the essential difference between them.
“Could he be a second-tier inner sect disciple?” Lin Zhixue wondered.
“Holy Son Candidate, Chu Ying,” Chu Ying replied indifferently. He wasn’t some nobody. This story is hosted at g.com.
Being the No.1 Holy Son Candidate in the Supreme Profound Holy Land—who hadn’t heard of him? Even if she hadn’t seen him before, surely she’d heard the name.
As expected, Lin Zhixue’s beautiful eyes widened in shock upon hearing his name.
“So you’re the No.1 Holy Son Candidate? That simp for Yao Ruoxi?” Lin Zhixue blurted without thinking.
Chu Ying’s expression darkened.
With a cold snort, he walked straight into the Mission Hall.
Lin Zhixue stood frozen on the spot, surprise gradually rising in her eyes. “Wasn’t it said that Chu Ying had crippled himself through cultivation? How did he dodge my strike so easily?”
She was already at the peak of the 9th stage Spirit Sea Realm, just one step away from the Cave Heaven Realm. As long as she acquired the Frostjade Ginseng, not only could she break through to the Cave Heaven Realm, she could even form a 9th-grade Dharma Image!
Even now, her strength was formidable, ranking 7th among all Holy Son Candidates.
Compared to equally ranked Holy Son Candidates, she wasn’t weak at all.
Yet Chu Ying—who was said to have crippled himself—had effortlessly dodged her strike?
While she was still confused, her identity token at her waist let out a few beeps.
[Your posted mission has been completed. Please proceed to the Mission Hall to deliver the reward.]
Lin Zhixue froze. A second later, her face lit up with joy.
She had the Frostjade Ginseng now!
She immediately rushed into the Mission Hall.
At that moment, inside the hall, Chu Ying was speaking with the presiding elder.
“As expected of the No.1 Holy Son Candidate. You even managed to retrieve the extremely rare Frostjade Ginseng—remarkable! May I ask if you found it in the Everfrost Ridge within the Myriad Beast Forest?” Elder Xu couldn’t help but ask.
“That’s right,” Chu Ying nodded calmly.
“Ah, you’ve come just a bit late. The one who posted this mission—Holy Son Candidate No.7—left just moments ago. She probably thought the mission had failed. Please wait here for a moment.”
Just as Elder Xu finished speaking, Lin Zhixue burst into the hall.
“Elder Xu, who completed my mission?!”
As she shouted, she finally saw the person standing in front of Elder Xu—Chu Ying!