CG C121: The Mission

The sun dipped low on the horizon as Kai made his way to the meeting spot just outside the Azure Sky Sect. Three days had passed since his encounter with Wang Lin, and Kai had spent every waking moment preparing for the mission ahead.

I can't believe I'm actually doing this, Kai thought, his eyes assessing the items in his inventory. It was filled to the brim with pills, talismans, and other supplies he'd either crafted or purchased. My first time leaving the sect since I became a disciple, and it might be my last.

He'd focused heavily on improving his qi control, remembering Wang Lin's critique. Hours of meditation and practice had yielded results, but Kai still felt unprepared.

Even with the trident mark, I'm not sure I'd survive if things go wrong, Kai sighed, his hand unconsciously rubbing his wrist where the mark lay hidden. These high-level cultivators could probably kill me a thousand times over without breaking a sweat.

As Kai approached the meeting area, he spotted a familiar figure. Shen Yu stood motionless, staring blankly into the distance. Kai raised a hand in greeting as he drew near.

"Shen Yu," Kai said with a nod.

The Legacy Disciple returned the nod but remained silent. As Kai drew closer, his eyes widened. The qi rolling off Shen Yu was... different. Stronger.

"You've broken through to Foundation Establishment," Kai said, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. "Congratulations."

Shen Yu's eyes flickered to Kai, narrowing slightly. "I know you'll join me soon.”

Kai nodded, thinking of his own progress. Only 700 XP to go before I level up. But that's not the same as a true breakthrough. I'll need to rely on my cultivation method for that.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Kai shifted his weight from foot to foot, then decided to break the ice.

"So, how do you feel about this mission?" Kai asked, trying to keep his tone casual. "Honestly, I'd rather not take the risk. It seems... unnecessarily dangerous."

Shen Yu was quiet for a long moment. Just as Kai thought he wouldn't answer, Shen Yu spoke. "I asked the Sect Master for a place on this mission."

Kai blinked in surprise. "You did? Why would you-"

Before he could finish his question, something on his map caught his attention. A large green spot had appeared nearby, seemingly out of nowhere. Kai's head snapped towards the location, Shen Yu's doing the same at the exact same moment.

There was nothing there. At least, nothing visible.

A few seconds passed, and then a young woman's laugh echoed from the empty space. The air shimmered and vibrated, and suddenly a figure stepped forward as if emerging from an invisible curtain.

The woman who appeared was striking, with long silver hair and eyes that seemed to shift color in the light. She looked between Kai and Shen Yu, a mix of surprise and amusement on her face.

"Well, well," she said, her voice lilting and playful. "Wang Lin said you were both impressive, but I didn't expect you to see through my disguise so quickly. Especially you," she added, nodding towards Kai. "A Qi Refining cultivator shouldn't be able to detect me at all."

Kai and Shen Yu exchanged a quick glance before introducing themselves.

"I'm Yin Mengshuang," the woman said with a slight bow. "A friend of Wang Lin and a member of his team. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Yin Mengshuang's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked between Kai and Shen Yu. "So, you're the new Legacy Disciples I've heard so much about. Wang Lin speaks highly of you both."

Shen Yu remained silent, his face an unreadable mask. Kai, for his part, tried to be polite, but his mind was still racing, trying to think of a way out of this mission.

"It's nice to meet you too, Senior Sister," Kai said, forcing a smile. "I look forward to working with you."

As Yin Mengshuang stepped forward, Kai's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in her status:

Name: Yin Mengshuang

Realm: Early Core Formation Realm

Age: 27 years

Kai's surprise at her cultivation level must have shown on his face, because Yin Mengshuang's smile widened. "Impressed? Don't worry, you'll get there someday. So, are you two excited for the mission? It's not every day junior disciples get to tag along on something like this!"

Shen Yu turned away, clearly uninterested in conversation.

"It's... an honor to be chosen," Kai said carefully. And a death sentence if things go wrong, he added silently.

Yin Mengshuang seemed about to say more when a soft voice cut through the air.

"Junior Sister, leave them be. They clearly aren't in the mood for conversation."

All three turned to see a new arrival. A tall man with long, dark hair and eyes as deep and calm as the sea approached.

"I am Qi Liaxuan. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Name: Qi Liaxuan

Realm: Late Core Formation Realm

Age: 29 years

Two Core Formation cultivators? And Wang Lin at Nascent Soul... This is a hit squad! What other kind of mission requires this level of firepower? The knot in Kai's stomach tightened as he gave the new arrival a light bow.

Yin Mengshuang's eyes lit up at Qi Liaxuan's arrival. "Oh, come now, Liaxuan. Don't be such a spoilsport. I was just getting to know our new teammates."

"Your idea of 'getting to know' someone often involves more prying than is polite.”

"You wound me," Yin Mengshuang said, placing a hand over her heart in mock offense. "I'll have you know I can be the very soul of discretion when I choose to be."

"And how often do you choose to be?"

As the two bantered, Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned closer to Shen Yu and whispered, "He's here."

No sooner had the words left Kai's mouth than Wang Lin appeared, seeming to materialize out of thin air. The chatter died instantly as all eyes turned to the Nascent Soul cultivator.

Wang Lin's gaze swept over the group, assessing each of them in turn. When his eyes met Kai's, there was a flicker of... something. Approval? Expectation?

"Good, you're all here, it’s time we discussed the mission in detail."

Kai nodded, hoping that he was overthinking the dangers, surely

"Our sect has gathered intelligence on the Boundless Earth Sect. A group of their members is heading towards the border between their territory and that of the Crimson Phoenix Sect. They plan to meet in secret with members of the Crimson Phoenix Sect."

Wang Lin's eyes hardened as he continued. "The Crimson Phoenix Sect members are bringing offerings to convince the Boundless Earth Sect to ally with them. Our task is to kill the Crimson Phoenix Sect members and then frame the Boundless Earth Sect for their deaths."

Kai felt a chill run down his spine. This wasn't just a simple mission - it was a powder keg waiting to explode. One wrong move could have both the Boundless Earth Sect and Crimson Phoenix Sect attack the Azure Sky Sect but being complacent could lead to the same outcome.

Wang Lin turned to Kai and Shen Yu. "You two will primarily be observing. However, if there are any Foundation Establishment cultivators present, it will be your task to deal with them."

Kai frowned, trying to keep his face neutral. Deal with Foundation Establishment cultivators? Is he serious? Kai knew Shen Yu, having just broken through, could probably handle most Foundation Establishment cultivators. But Kai himself was still in the Qi Refining realm. He might be able to keep an early Foundation Establishment cultivator busy for a while, but defeating one? That seemed impossible as this stage.

This has to be some kind of test, Kai thought, biting back the urge to protest. There's no point in complaining. I'll just have to find a way to make it work.

"Understood, Senior Brother.”

Wang Lin nodded, seemingly satisfied with their acceptance of their roles. He then reached into his storage ring, pulling out what looked like a miniature boat.

"We'll use this to cover most of the distance," Wang Lin explained, holding up the tiny vessel. "It's a high-grade flying artifact that can accommodate all of us. However, when we get closer to our destination, we'll need to rely on our own flight abilities to avoid detection."

As Wang Lin spoke, the miniature boat began to grow, expanding until it was large enough for all of them to stand comfortably on its deck.

"Any questions before we depart?" Wang Lin asked, looking at each of them in turn.

Kai had about a thousand questions, but he knew now wasn't the time to voice them. Instead, he shook his head along with the others.

"Very well," Wang Lin said. "Get on. We leave immediately."

As Kai stepped onto the flying boat, he couldn't shake the feeling that things won’t be as simple as Wang Lin assumes. He glanced at Shen Yu, expecting to see his usual stoic expression. Instead, Kai caught a fleeting glimmer in Shen Yu's eyes - was that anticipation? It vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving Kai to wonder if he'd imagined it.

What have I gotten myself into? But more importantly, how am I going to get out of it alive?