Chapter 16: Yun Zhi's Natural Talent

Beside Lu Yang, a senior brother noticed the task as well and laughed softly under his breath, "Every time I see this long-term mission, it always brings back memories of the Senior Sister's magnificent exploits."

Another joined the conversation, "Back then, when it came to light that the Senior Sister had fabricated her own cultivation techniques and passed them off as relics unearthed from an ancient grotto-heaven, it caused quite a storm."

"I heard from Master that there is a grotto-heaven in Lingnan known as the Sishui Grotto-Heaven. The most precious treasure within it was the Chaos Dawn Art, a technique left behind by the master of the grotto-heaven before his passing."

"The Senior Sister once falsely claimed she had discovered a manual called the Chaos Dawn Art in the Sishui Grotto-Heaven, asserting that achieving great mastery in it could tear through chaos and perceive all the truths of the world."

"Not long after her lie was exposed, someone stumbled their way through numerous perilous obstacles to reach the deepest depths of the Sishui Grotto-Heaven and obtained the genuine Chaos Dawn Art."

"Yet, when the sect compared the two, they discovered that practicing the authentic technique was nowhere near as smooth as the one the Senior Sister had made up, and the ultimate efficacy of the two was worlds apart."

"Since then, various cultivation techniques and secret manuals have been successively discovered in ancient grotto-heavens. Without fail, any that shared a name with the Senior Sister's fabrications were inferior to her versions. When the elders learned of this, they fell into a dead silence that lasted for several days."

Lu Yang: "..."

Lu Yang had never seen the Yunzhi Section of the Scripture Library. He reasoned that because the techniques authored by the Senior Sister were so defying of the natural order, they were likely stored on the highest floor, restricted from view and practice without special clearance.

In other words, what was colloquially known as taboos.

"The Senior Sister possesses peerless talent, rare across the ages, with a mind that encompasses heaven and earth and a profound depth of character. Otherwise, everyone wouldn't be saying it's a blessing that the Sect Master entered secluded meditation and left her to fulfill the duties of Acting Sect Master."

"I also heard a rumor that the Senior Sister staged a coup to usurp power, locking the Sect Master away so she could become the true master of the sect. It's said she holds leverage over the eight grand elders, leaving the upper echelons powerless to resist. Someone even heard sobbing coming from Tianmen Peak at night; they claim that's the voice of the Sect Master from the dungeon!"

"Hahaha, that must be utter nonsense. Such a thing is absolutely impossible."

Lu Yang had never heard any so-called sobbing from the Sect Master on Tianmen Peak, so he paid the rumor no mind and continued browsing for tasks.

Finally, he found one that met his criteria.

"According to the residents of Taiping Village in Quhe County, an avian demonic beast has appeared in their locality. It is capable of human speech, though its exact species remains unknown. There are no records of it harming humans or employing demonic arts. The villagers request a Daoist Master from the Dao Sect to resolve this avian anomaly."

Lu Yang pondered for a brief moment before accepting the task.

Judging by the description, it seemed to be a demonic beast that had wandered into human territory by mistake, or perhaps one that had inadvertently stumbled upon a celestial fortune to awaken its intelligence. The cultivation of such a beast would not exceed the Foundation Establishment Stage, its aggression would be low, and it might even be well-disposed toward humans—making it perfectly suited for a newcomer like him.

Furthermore, the reward offered by the Mission Hall confirmed this assessment.

A reward of thirty contribution points.

The absolute minimum reward for a task.

The rewards for these tasks were calculated by a dedicated specialist of the Dao Sect and subsequently verified by another person. Under this double guarantee, errors were exceedingly rare.

The lower the reward, the simpler the task.

Lu Yang stepped up to the front desk, "Senior Brother, I will take this task to resolve the avian demonic beast."

"I will take this task to resolve the avian demonic beast," another voice rang out, speaking almost in unison with Lu Yang.

The speaker was a young girl dressed in a pale pink gown. Her features were delicate and refined, her fair skin resembling blossoming peach petals, exceptionally enchanting.

With her sweet appearance and her status as a fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator, the young girl's identity was immediately obvious.

"Junior Sister Tao Yaoye, what a coincidence," Lu Yang said with a smile. He had only seen Tao Yaoye during the entrance trials, and having spent the subsequent year on Tianmen Peak, he rarely encountered outsiders.

Lu Yang had placed first in the entrance trials; until a re-ranking took place, he remained the senior brother of this cohort.

In truth, Tao Yaoye's choice of this task was no mere coincidence. There were very few tasks suitable for the Foundation Establishment Stage to begin with, and if their cohort wished to complete a mission, there were only a handful available to them.

"So it is Senior Brother Lu. Congratulations on reaching Foundation Establishment. There are few tasks for our stage; why don't the two of us join forces to complete it and split the reward evenly?" Tao Yaoye smiled sweetly, harboring a touch of curiosity toward this Senior Brother Lu who so rarely showed his face.

Lu Yang readily agreed.

Undertaking tasks was not entirely about the rewards; they were more interested in gaining experience through the process.

"Quhe County is quite far from here. Shall we take a flying boat?"

...

"Junior Sister Tao Yaoye, do you know that we humans are a rather contradictory species? More often than not, people simultaneously fear something while also worshipping and yearning for it."

"I have heard that in ancient eras, demons ran rampant, natural disasters were unceasing, and humanity was weak, struggling to survive in the crevices of the world."

"Those grand demons relied on the bloodlines of their ancestors, their robust physiques, and their innate divine abilities to lord over the wild wastes."

"Humankind feared the grand demons, viewing them as irresistible natural disasters, yet they also worshipped them, hoping to obtain power akin to theirs."

"Thus, the ancient ancestors forged the methods of cultivation, learning divine abilities from the bloodlines of demonic beasts. Overcoming countless hardships, they stood atop the summit of the continent to carve out a new realm for humanity. The endless continuity of mankind began from that very point!"

"Take the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, for instance. While the ancient ancestors certainly feared them, they also yearned for them. That is the grand power and authority of nature, an irreversible natural will!"

"Humankind yearned for them and desired to possess that grand power and authority. The ancient ancestors questioned heaven and earth nine times, faced the lightning directly, and comprehended within the wind and rain, realizing the truth that man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature, thereby understanding forms of Daoist arts one after another!"

"Have you noticed? This contradictory mindset is the essential element that allowed humanity to become the hegemon of the continent!"

"Take the sky as another example. Humankind yearns for the sky, wishing to soar freely through the heavens like birds, yet they also revere it, feeling that the sky is mysterious and unfathomable. This reverence flows within our bloodlines; it is a psychological state possessed by every single human, whether manifest or hidden..."

Aboard the flying boat, Lu Yang's heart swelled with emotion. Reaching a point of excitement, he suddenly stood up, gesturing with both hands as he spoke with grand eloquence.

Tao Yaoye reflected calmly for a moment before interrupting Lu Yang's lengthy discourse.

"So, is this the reason why you are afraid of heights?"

"Yes."

Tao Yaoye: "..."

The two sat within the cabin of the flying boat as it sailed among the clouds. Engraved upon the hull was a stabilizing formation mass-produced by a formation master, ensuring that those inside would not feel the slightest tremor even if struck by violent winds and torrential rain.

At this moment, the surrounding sky was clear and bright, presenting a perfect opportunity to meditate and enjoy the view while sunbathing on the deck. Tao Yaoye had suggested they step outside for a stroll, but unexpectedly, Lu Yang's Dao heart remained unyielding, and he absolutely refused to comply.

Possessing a stronger curiosity than most, Tao Yaoye questioned him repeatedly. Left with no choice, Lu Yang had to begin from ancient history to explain why he feared heights, citing classics, drawing extensive references, and speaking volubly to prove that acrophobia was a rational and ancient psychological trait—one that, in the grand scheme of things, even contributed to human progress.

Fortunately, Tao Yaoye did not believe a single word.