Mu Jinyu took on three tasks that, within the Heavenly Sword Faction's list of assignments, were relatively difficult; ordinary Outer Sect Disciples wouldn't dare to accept them. Only Inner Sect Disciples who were short on Spirit Stones or happened to be coming to the Yuntian Mountain Range would take them on in passing.
Therefore, the Contribution Points awarded for these tasks were very high.
This was why he had spent more than a day, killing over a hundred fierce beasts, including over thirty of the Second Rank Ferocious Beasts from the Divine Realm, and yet he couldn't complete them all.
However, Mu Jinyu didn't care much about these things. Completing Sect tasks was secondary; honing himself was the key.
Hadn't you seen how his originally awkward "Great Freedom Heavenly Wood Sword Qi" had become smooth within a day, evolving from merely releasing Heavenly Wood Sword Qi to now being able to manifest solid wood?
If by the time the Outer Gate's grand examination was about to start, the last task he accepted remained unfinished, then he could simply pick up a common task when he returned. With the fierce beast materials he had on hand, completing it would be a piece of cake.
"I'm a little hungry, let's see how this deer meat tastes."
After storing away the deer antlers and deer skin, Mu Jinyu had planned to leave directly, but seeing the corpse of the Five-Colored Deer still emanating a faint light, he felt it would be a waste to just discard it.
Since he hadn't resolved lunch, he might as well eat it.
With that thought, he immediately set up a grill, placed the deer meat on it to roast, and soon enough, a faint aroma of meat began to waft through the air.
After sprinkling some seasonings, the smell became even richer, tantalizing enough to pervade the surroundings and almost make Mu Jinyu drool.
"Awoo!"
The rich aroma of the meat not only made Mu Jinyu salivate, but also attracted the greed of nearby fierce beasts. Sure enough, a grey wolf, enticed by the scent, emerged from the underbrush, its eyes glowing green as it fixed its gaze on the roasted meat over the fire!
"I don't like wolf meat, another failed addition to the meal."
Seeing the appearance of the grey wolf, Mu Jinyu's eyes showed a hint of slight disappointment, then with a flick of his finger, a Heavenly Wood Sword Qi mercilessly snatched away its life.
Three days later.
Only the last day remained until the start of the Heavenly Sword Faction's Outer Gate grand examination.
And yet, the three tasks Mu Jinyu had accepted were still incomplete, with the last one remaining.
The first two tasks he took involved collecting certain materials from specific fierce beasts, while the last one was to find a particular Spiritual Medicine.
In these three days, he delved more than a thousand miles deep into the Yuntian Mountain Range. The active fierce beasts here all possessed the strength of the later stage of the Advanced Divine Realm, qualifying them as Second Rank High-Level Fierce Beasts—such distant locations were rarely visited by anyone.
And naturally, the Spiritual Medicines here were far more abundant than in the outer areas.
Regrettably, Mu Jinyu had searched for three days but was still unable to find the Spiritual Medicine required for the task.
"I didn't expect this Spiritual Medicine to be so hard to find. If I can't find it, so be it. It's time to go back and get ready for the Outer Gate grand examination."
Mu Jinyu was already quite satisfied with his gains over these four days. He had gathered countless amounts of Spiritual Medicines and various fierce beast materials—enough to fill at least ten hemp sacks, nearly overfilling the Shennong Cauldron.
He wasn't the type to be insatiable; having gathered so much treasure was enough for him. Venturing deeper into the Yuntian Mountain Range might bring him face to face with Third Rank Ferocious Beasts, which he, being in the Divine Realm, wouldn't be able to handle.
Hauling a crudely made Snake Skin Bag that was chock-full of valuable Spiritual Medicines, Mu Jinyu shouldered it and started heading back.
He had traveled over two hundred miles, killing quite a number of fierce beasts along the way and spotting numerous Spiritual Medicines.
However, Mu Jinyu couldn't be bothered to pick most of them up anymore; he had no more room to carry them. He would only stoop to pick up the really valuable ones.
Just then, Mu Jinyu suddenly stopped in his tracks, his ears twitching, faintly hearing sounds of fighting and cursing not far ahead?
"Tsk, all this fighting and killing over some trifle, how pointless,"
Mu Jinyu listened for a moment, then shook her head slightly, not bothering to get involved, and continued to walk on her own.
She didn't particularly intend to avoid them and didn't think she would run into them, but as luck would have it, that group of people, while fighting and cursing, stumbled their way toward her.
"Gu, you've got guts. We've already given you the 'Starblue Grass,' what more do you want? Do you really intend to wipe us out? Aren't you afraid of Mingyue Valley's revenge?!"
The two women running in front were wearing moon-white garments, stumbling toward Mu Jinyu and shouting back at a fierce-looking young man dressed in red.
Upon hearing the women's words, the young man in red laughed coldly, casually following behind them like a cat toying with a mouse, while sending out a four- or five-meter wave of Sword Qi to tear their clothes again, retorting:
"Afraid? By the time you die in the Yuntian Mountain Range, who will know you were killed by Gu Changqing?"
"Besides, what's Mingyue Valley in the grand scheme of things? The lowest amongst the Four Great Sects. If not for the various forces restraining each other, unwilling to break the balance, your Mingyue Valley would have been exterminated by our Blood Sword Sect long ago!"
"Even if you do let Mingyue Valley know it was I, Gu Changqing, who killed you, would your sect dare to seek an explanation from my Blood Sword Sect? Hmph!"
His tone was extremely arrogant, filled with disdain and contempt for Mingyue Valley.
Upon hearing this, Mu Jinyu realized they were from another of the Four Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom. The Blood Sword Sect was indeed as domineering and tyrannical as the rumors suggested.
This thought crossed her mind, and Mu Jinyu suddenly felt like helping the two women in front of her.
At this moment, the two stumbling disciples from Mingyue Valley also saw the stationary Mu Jinyu, and hope shone in their eyes.
To have ventured over eight hundred miles into the Yuntian Mountain Range, they must be masters of the Seventh to Eighth Level of the Divine Transformation Realm, and now there was a chance for them to be saved.
However, just as they were hopeful and about to call for Mu Jinyu's help, they saw her ability clearly, the Fourth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm...
Their hearts immediately sank.
They weren't sure how someone of Mu Jinyu's strength had managed to go so deep and hesitated. Not wanting to involve others and have Mu Jinyu's death delay for them, they turned and ran in another direction!
"Whoosh!"
Their moment of hesitation had allowed Gu Changqing to catch up, and once he noticed someone ahead, he became cautious. Dismissing the notion of toying with them, he swung his sword, grievously wounding the two Mingyue Valley disciples, who fell in a pool of blood.
It was then that Gu Changqing finally put effort into evaluating Mu Jinyu, filled with caution and unsure how much she had overheard.
"Hmm? The Fourth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm?" Gu Changqing sized up Mu Jinyu and quickly ascertained her strength. With a dismissive curl of his lips, he said, "I wondered who it was that made me feel nervous. Turns out it's just a waste from the Heavenly Sword Faction!"
"Hm? What's that smell?" In that moment, Gu Changqing's nose twitched, detecting a faint scent of medicine, and then his gaze shifted to the snake skin bag on Mu Jinyu's shoulder, demanding, "What's that on your back?"
Mu Jinyu, having been moved by the Mingyue Valley female disciples' decision to run in a different direction to avoid involving her, had already decided to help them.
Hearing Gu Changqing's words, she thought to herself with a laugh that his nose was truly as keen as a dog's and replied, "Oh, this? Just some money I picked up in there."
As she spoke, she placed the snake skin bag on the ground and loosened the opening to reveal a dazzling array of Spiritual Medicines inside.
Instantly, a rich fragrance filled the air, causing even the grievously injured ones from Mingyue Valley to feel a surge of spirit.
"Nine Leaf Soul Herb, Blue Green Flower, Heavenly Heart Wood Marrow..."
Gu Changqing was mesmerized, enumerating the various Spiritual Medicines inside.
Mu Jinyu sighed and said, "What a pity. I didn't bring enough sacks this trip. There's money everywhere, yet I can't carry much. What a waste. Next time, I'll bring ten carts to load it all!"