Chapter 138: Chapter 137: Scouring Assignment_1
「The next day.」
The morning sun had just risen, and the camp was already bustling with activity. The elite talents of the major sects here weren’t here to sleep and play; they were here to sharpen their skills and earn battle merits. Thus, at the crack of dawn, many people entered the Task Camp to start accepting tasks.
Not far from Ling Chen’s tent stood two men and a woman: Feng Piaoliu, Xu Ruoyan, and Xie Feng.
Xie Feng looked at Ling Chen’s tent, a mocking smile on his face. "Ling Chen, that kid, has some luck with women, eh? Sharing a tent with that female disciple from the Divine Intent Sect, spending an amorous night, and he still hasn’t come out."
Yesterday, he happened to see Xiao Muyu enter Ling Chen’s tent and immediately reported it to Xu Ruoyan. Today, the three of them wanted to confirm if the story was true.
"That lecher! He’s utterly audacious." Next to him, Xu Ruoyan’s beautiful face darkened slightly.
However, Feng Piaoliu found this somewhat perplexing. "Junior Sister Xu, what does Ling Chen’s private life have to do with you? Haven’t you already severed all ties with him?"
Hearing this, Xu Ruoyan paused for a moment, then retorted coldly, "This is a military camp! For Ling Chen to commit such a shameless act, disgracing military discipline—as disciples of the Sky Void Palace, how can we stand by and do nothing?"
This argument held no weight for Feng Piaoliu. In his impression, Xu Ruoyan wasn’t one to meddle in others’ affairs. If this matter didn’t concern Ling Chen, she likely wouldn’t have bothered at all.
In their line of sight, the tent flap was soon lifted. Xiao Muyu walked out, and the next moment, Ling Chen also emerged.
WHOOSH!
Feng Piaoliu felt a gust of wind sweep past. He shook his head, only to see Xu Ruoyan’s Cloud and Water Sword already at Ling Chen’s neck.
"Ling Chen, you irredeemable lecher! To commit such a filthy and sordid act in a sacred place like a military camp! I never thought your character was so base. Today, I will enforce military regulations and castrate you, then send you to the palace!"
Before Ling Chen could even speak, Xu Ruoyan had already declared his guilt.
After the incident at Chiyu Mountain Manor, where Ling Chen had taken a sword strike for her, she had felt a sliver of guilt towards him. She hadn’t expected that, in the blink of an eye, Ling Chen would commit such a shameless act.
As her words fell, she thrust her sword towards the space between Ling Chen’s legs.
The move startled Ling Chen. This woman is vicious!
"Xu Ruoyan, Ling Chen is a disciple of my Divine Intent Sect. It’s not up to you to pronounce him guilty." Just as Ling Chen was about to retreat, Xiao Muyu appeared before him. She swung her sword, deflecting Xu Ruoyan’s descending Cloud and Water Sword, and said coldly, "Besides, how can you be so certain that Ling Chen and I did anything filthy and sordid? Nothing happened between us last night."
"Nonsense! A lone man and woman spending the entire night together in one tent? Who would believe that nothing happened?" Xie Feng sneered, his face full of disbelief.
"It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t believe it. You should." Ling Chen’s expression turned exceptionally solemn. He reached out, gently pressing down on both their Treasure Swords. Then, his gaze fell upon Xu Ruoyan, looking directly at her. "You, of all people, should know very well what kind of person I am."
"Last night, Muyu said she was afraid of the dark and came to my tent. You’re a woman too; I’m sure you can understand.
"I allowed her to rest in my tent for the night, but nothing improper occurred between us."
These words made Xu Ruoyan fall into contemplation. She recalled the time in the cave; even when she was in heat, Ling Chen hadn’t done anything untoward to her. Instead, he had taken care of her until she regained consciousness.
Perhaps this fellow is telling the truth. She didn’t believe her own allure was any less than Xiao Muyu’s.
"Junior Sister Xu, this man is silver-tongued and speaks eloquently, but at heart, he’s a lecher! Not a single word he says can be trusted. Don’t let him deceive you!" Seeing Xu Ruoyan somewhat swayed, Xie Feng quickly interjected.
"You, shut up!" Xu Ruoyan glanced coldly at Xie Feng. "I will judge the truth of the matter for myself. There’s no need for your interference."
"Besides, what happened between them last night has nothing to do with me, does it?"
With that, Xu Ruoyan sheathed her Treasure Sword and turned to leave.
Feng Piaoliu could only shrug. Women often say the opposite of what they mean. Especially his Junior Sister; she changes her mind faster than one can flip through a book. If she truly didn’t care, as she claimed, she wouldn’t have caused such a commotion just now.
Xie Feng shot Ling Chen a venomous glare and also followed.
"What on earth is Xu Ruoyan thinking? She attacks you so fiercely, yet it seems like she cares a lot about you. It’s truly baffling." Xiao Muyu gazed at Xu Ruoyan’s retreating figure, her jade-like hand cupping her fragrant cheek, speaking thoughtfully.
"If even you can’t figure her out, how could I possibly understand?" Ling Chen shrugged with a helpless smile. "However, one thing is certain: she probably holds no animosity towards me. The resentment in her heart should have mostly dissipated by now."
"Let’s go and check out the tasks."
Ling Chen had no intention of proactively provoking Xu Ruoyan, and she likely wouldn’t go out of her way to bother him either. After all, until he properly explained things to her, Xu Ruoyan was unlikely to acknowledge him.
Arriving at the large encampment where tasks were posted and accepted, Ling Chen surveyed the dazzling array of mission notices with some surprise. This place was much larger than he had imagined, easily accommodating over a hundred people.
Many Sect Disciples and figures from the Martial World were observing the notices posted on the walls.
There were many types of tasks: intelligence gathering, assassinating enemy commanders, guarding allied commanders, transporting provisions and armaments, destroying Demonic Sect strongholds, and various other assignments.
Tasks were rated from one to five stars in difficulty. Different difficulties offered different amounts of battle merits as rewards.
One-star task: Avoid enemy scouts, survey the topography of Lingyin Valley, and draw a relatively detailed map of the terrain.
Ling Chen considered it for a moment, then shook his head. This task holds little difficulty.
Ling Chen’s gaze fell upon a golden notice. At its top were five brilliant gold stars—it was a five-star task. Looking further down, the text clearly stated: Five-star task: Kill Yao Fang, the ’Demon Flame Gun,’ who has been exceptionally rampant recently.
Yao Fang, one of the Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect, possessed the cultivation of a Ninth-level Martial Master. Eliminating such an individual would be an incredibly difficult undertaking.
Tasks like these were not something Sect Disciples of their caliber could complete.
"One and two-star tasks are too easy, and five-star tasks are too difficult. Let’s start by looking at three or four-star tasks."
Ling Chen and Xiao Muyu went to the area for three-star tasks. Before long, they had found a suitable one.