Early the next morning, Ling Chen left his courtyard and headed to the Executor's Hall.
As usual, the Deacon Hall bustled with activity; disciples picking up and turning in missions were everywhere.
Without stopping, Ling Chen headed further into the hall.
"Ling Chen."
Just as Ling Chen was about to enter, a beautiful figure blocked his way. It was Xu Ruoyan.
Ling Chen halted, his brows slightly furrowed. It's you. "What is it?"
"I've accepted a mission and wanted to invite you to team up with me to complete it."
"I've already gathered the others," Xu Ruoyan said, her stunning face breaking into a captivating smile. "We're just missing you."
As she finished speaking, two men and a woman, all appearing over twenty years old, emerged from behind her. They were probably the teammates Xu Ruoyan had referred to.
"I'm not interested." Ling Chen was used to being alone. He didn't trust others enough to team up, especially strangers.
"This guy doesn't even give Sister Xu any face," the female disciple complained with dissatisfaction.
"Exactly. Does he still think he's our Young Sect Master? What a show-off," the accompanying male disciple also said, looking displeased.
"Enough, both of you, be quiet." Xu Ruoyan shot the two a glance before quickly catching up to Ling Chen and grabbing hold of him. "Hey, I haven't even told you the mission's details, and you're already saying you're not interested? Isn't that a bit much?"
"Then tell me," Ling Chen said. He knew she wouldn't give up easily, so he decided to hear her out before making a decision.
"Here's the mission scroll." Xu Ruoyan took out the scroll and handed it to Ling Chen.
Ling Chen opened the scroll and scanned it, quickly grasping the details.
The mission was to go to a place called Yun City, five hundred miles away, and capture a flower-stealing rogue known as "Scent that Lingers Ten Miles."
This "Scent that Lingers Ten Miles" had struck over ten times in Yun City, specifically targeting attractive young women from prominent families. His actions had caused great panic, leading many influential families and wealthy merchants to flee the city. With no other recourse, the City Lord of Yun City had posted the mission to the Divine Intent Sect.
"This flower-stealing rogue is no ordinary character," Ling Chen said solemnly, returning the scroll to Xu Ruoyan. "He's committed so many crimes, yet no one has ever seen his true face. Furthermore, he's killed many experts who tried to capture him. This indicates he's exceptionally dangerous. This mission's difficulty might exceed Silver One-star. I think we should choose a different one."
"How can you say that?" Xu Ruoyan's pretty face turned cold. "This flower-stealing rogue has committed heinous crimes and brought disaster to the region. As a Divine Intent Sect disciple, how can you shrink back just because a mission is difficult? With such an attitude, can you still claim to be a leader of the Righteous Path, the son of Supreme Sky Feather?"
"Forget it. We don't need you for this mission." Xu Ruoyan looked extremely disappointed.
"Wait," Ling Chen said, calmly stepping forward and taking the mission scroll back. "I was merely suggesting you reconsider. I never said I wouldn't go."
"Excellent! Then let's discuss our plan of action." A sly smile touched Xu Ruoyan's lips. It seems one has to invoke Supreme Sky Feather's name to get through to this stubborn fellow.
Just as Ling Chen's group left the Deacon Hall area, another group of people walked out of the hall.
Among them, Ling Chen recognized a familiar figure: Yun Tianhe. However, Yun Tianhe was not leading this group. The one in front was a robust young man dressed in grey, carrying a silver long spear on his back, giving him a rather imposing aura.
"Brother Song, they've taken the 'Scent that Lingers Ten Miles' mission. It looks like they're heading to Yun City," Yun Tianhe said quietly to the green-robed young man, his tone deferential.
This green-robed young man was his direct senior brother, Song Hailan, ranked third among their master's disciples.
"Don't worry," Brother Song said with a cold smile. "That 'Scent that Lingers Ten Miles' is no ordinary character. Even I wouldn't dare provoke him. For them to accept this mission is simply suicidal."
Yun Tianhe was somewhat taken aback. That flower-stealing rogue... is he really that intimidating?
"Just wait and see. This flower-stealing rogue is exceptionally formidable. Otherwise, he would have been eliminated long ago. How could he have been allowed to cause trouble until now?" Song Hailan stated, still utterly convinced.
A look of pity crossed Song Hailan's face. It's just a shame about the great beauty Xu Ruoyan. She'll have to be buried alongside that brat Ling Chen.
Hearing this, Yun Tianhe also grinned, a chilling light in his eyes. "Wouldn't that be perfect? Let them become a pair of ghostly lovebirds, inseparable forever. But Brother Song, what if they manage to escape the flower-stealing rogue's grasp? Wouldn't we lose a golden opportunity then?"
Ever since his defeat by Ling Chen, Yun Tianhe had thought of nothing but how to redeem himself. And the best way to achieve that, undoubtedly, was to kill Ling Chen; only then could he completely dispel the hatred in his heart.
"Junior Brother Yun, I know you're eager to kill Ling Chen with your own hands, but understand this: we'll have plenty of chances. With several senior brothers and sisters around, do you still worry you won't be able to avenge that defeat?" Song Hailan patted Yun Tianhe's shoulder. "Actually, Master hopes you can defeat Ling Chen yourself. By doing so, you can slay this Heart Demon and truly break through your Martial Arts bottleneck."
"Haven't you noticed? Since your loss to Ling Chen, your spirit and presence have significantly diminished. If this goes on, you'll likely lose your title as one of the Four Great Genius Disciples. You'll plummet from genius to mediocrity, and no one will be able to save you then."
These words pierced Yun Tianhe's heart like daggers. Song Hailan was right. Ling Chen had become a mental block in his Martial Arts cultivation. Even if someone else killed Ling Chen for him, this internal demon wouldn't be dispelled.
"I understand. I will kill Ling Chen with my own hands," Yun Tianhe declared, his voice firm as iron.
***
At this moment, Ling Chen, Xu Ruoyan, and their group of five had already left the Divine Intent Sect and were on their way to Yun City.
「Five hundred miles away, Yun City.」
「A luxurious mansion.」
In the inner courtyard of the mansion, a man and a woman were visible. The man, a young master, was dressed in green robes; his features were so handsome they bordered on an ethereal, androgynous beauty. The woman wore a bright red Embroidered Phoenix Dress and sat in the center of a pavilion. Her hair was styled in a high chignon, adorned with three golden hairpins. She possessed bright, beautiful eyes and crimson lips. Her flawless skin, delicate enough to break at a touch, was partially visible beneath a thin veil of gauze.
The woman appeared to be in her late twenties, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and exuded an alluring charm from every pore.
"Young Master," the woman said, walking over to the handsome young man and sitting before him, her ample bosom rippling with the movement. "If you fancy a woman, you could simply send someone to her residence to propose marriage. Why bother creating this 'Scent that Lingers Ten Miles' persona and causing such an uproar throughout the city?"
The handsome young man replied, "Some women just don't know what's good for them. You give them an inch, and they take a mile. I'm not saying I didn't give them chances. But in the end, I still have to resort to the simplest, most direct methods to obtain them."
The mature woman's face flushed, but she managed to contain her reaction. "It's said the City Lord of Yun City has already requested aid from all quarters. I fear it won't be long before more experts arrive to investigate."
A derisive look appeared on the handsome young man's face. Investigate? What could they possibly find? His hand movements quickened, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "I'd like to see who's fearless enough to dare meddle in this great one's affairs."