A Simple Level 1 Task

Li Shiyin and Tian Wenjin came to Dao Sword Sect's main peak's administrative hall together. With Tian Wenjin's help, Li Shiyin accepted her first sect mission by showing her identity token.

Going out, she stuck the identity token on her forehead and viewed the mission content with her spiritual sense.

"Mission Name: Da Shan Ridge Demon Expulsion

Mission Description: On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, evening, some villagers from Da Shan Ridge came to file a report, saying that in recent days, their village was filled with spider webs and out of thin air appeared many white little spiders. On the morning of the eleventh day of the twelfth month, villager Zhao Xiping mysteriously disappeared; at noon, villagers Zhao Xishun and Zhao Xichang went out and did not return; in the evening, Zhao Xichang's wife and daughter disappeared; on the twelfth day, three more villagers disappeared. It is inferred that it is probably a level one demonic beast Rat Catching Demon Spider preying on the villagers."

This was a level one mission, and that kind of relatively simple demon expulsion mission. Although nearly ten villagers had already died, the fact is just so. This is a simple level one mission.

Based on the villagers' description, the administrative hall disciples made inferences and deduced that the demonic beast behind the attacks was a level one low-level demonic beast, the Rat Catching Demon Spider.

The demonic beast to be expelled was a level one demonic beast, so the difficulty level of this mission was level one.

Regarding the difficulty level divisions of Dao Sword Sect's sect missions: because the sect is located in the Hengduan Mountains with numerous demonic beasts, most missions are demon hunting and expelling. Therefore, for convenience, the sect mission levels are rated according to the level of the demonic beasts involved in the mission.

A level one mission means level one demonic beasts will be encountered during the mission; A level nine mission means level nine demonic beasts will be encountered during the mission. And for other types of missions, they are also relatively converted based on the difficulty of the mission itself.

If there would be missions issued for the previous Devouring Demon Willow disaster, then that would be a level nine mission.

"Level one demonic beast, killed eight people?!" Li Shiyin looked at the mission description, extremely shocked, "Then how many people are killed by demonic beasts in the Hengduan Mountains every year?"

"Don't know." Tian Wenjin shook her head.

Li Shiyin also thought of Li Shiwen guarding the Hengduan Mountains. She used to think she could go hunting in the mountains every day, it would be very fun... She didn't expect the heavy responsibility inside.

"But don't underestimate level one demonic beasts. After all, even common fierce beasts that ordinary people often see, lions, tigers and the like, are not considered demonic beasts."

Tian Wenjin said, "Level one demonic beasts are already comparable to Qi Refining stage cultivators."

She looked at Li Shiyin and continued, "And although it’s said to be just a level one demonic beast, the actual situation of the mission can be very complicated, and any unexpected situation may occur.

"You should know that the sect only recommends disciples to take on missions below their own cultivation level." "I know..." Tian Wenjin was afraid that she was overreaching herself, Li Shiyin could tell, she nodded and said, "I just think I have to take on more missions and kill more demonic beasts in the future."

"We'll talk about that kind of thing later." Tian Wenjin said.

The two of them read the mission carefully, then found information on the Rat Catching Demon Spider and a map of Da Shan Ridge based on the mission content before finally setting off from the sect, flying by sword towards Da Shan Ridge.

The Rat Catching Demon Spider, a level one demonic beast, is called that because it generally feeds on forest mice, but it is not a difficult demon to deal with, especially for Li Shiyin, because the Rat Catching Demon Spider's killer weapon is poison.

Poison? She, Li Shiyin, was alchemist Qin Ran's disciple. Would she be afraid of poison? Besides, she also had a snake demon at home who specialized in playing with poison.

"It looks like this mission will be very simple!" Riding her sword in the air, Li Shiyin seemed very relaxed, chatting casually with Tian Wenjin.

Tian Wenjin also felt that this mission would be relatively simple... Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically taken this mission to let Li Shiyin practice. But she still reminded Li Shiyin, "Don't get careless no matter how simple it is."

"Hey!" Li Shiyin laughed, "Wenjin, your way of speaking now is almost exactly the same as my master's. Always having stability, prudence, don't get careless and so on hanging from your mouth, with a strong sense of being mature and calm."

Hearing this, Tian Wenjin looked at Li Shiyin several more times.

What kind of person knows they need to be steady and prudent?

People who have been beaten in the immortal cultivation world and lived to tell about it know that one needs to be steady and prudent to survive in the immortal cultivation world.

What kind of person looks down on being steady and prudent?

People who have not been beaten in the immortal cultivation world yet.

Tian Wenjin looked at Li Shiyin's appearance, her eyes full of envy. No girl... No, no one wants to become mature, if possible.

Isn't it good to live carefree and content in an ivory tower for a lifetime? Do they have to be beaten by the immortal cultivation world, do they have to become mature perforce?

Who wouldn't want to have a master who dotes on them, loves them, protects them vigorously, and props open a piece of light for them in this dark immortal cultivation world, just like Li Shiyin's?

"She's so lucky." Tian Wenjin thought. "If on the day of the Trial by Fire, I had also said that I wanted to concoct pills and became apprentice to Master Qin... would everything have turned out differently?"

Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

"It's still better to be more prudent." She finally just said heavily.

Da Shan Ridge was not far outside the Hengduan Mountains, only a few hours away from Dao Sword Sect by sword flight, located in a very lucky position, having narrowly avoided contamination by the Devouring Demon Willow's willow catkins. Li Shiyin and Tian Wenjin flew by sword and soon arrived at the outskirts of Da Shan Ridge.

It was a small hillside village, the mountain was not big and neither was the village. From the entrance to the end of the village, from the foot to the top of the mountain, there were about thirty households.

Outside the village, at the foot of the mountain, there were many tall Chinese fir trees, circling the small mountain a whole round... That was probably why the village was called Da Shan Ridge.

It was still snowing from the sky. The ground was a vast expanse of white, the tall Chinese fir trees also white.

Li Shiyin and Tian Wenjin each landed on the top of a Chinese fir tree, gazing towards the village.

Perhaps due to the snowy weather, there was no one walking around in the village, no sight of smoke either, very desolate.

"Be more careful." Tian Wenjin felt something was wrong.

Li Shiyin took out two Bai Du Dans and gave one to Tian Wenjin while taking one herself. She was still optimistic, "Maybe everyone's inside their homes around the fire?"

"No smoke." Tian Wenjin looked at the pills and still swallowed one.

"Then it's..." Li Shiyin thought for a bit, tried to make up reasons, "Probably the impact of the Devouring Demon Willow incident, the villagers don't have the firewood stockpiled to get through winter, so are all wrapped under quilts on the bed keeping warm."

"Maybe!"

Tian Wenjin pulled out the Imperial Thunder Sword on her back, jumped down from the tree, vigilantly walked into the village.

Li Shiyin pulled out the Qingxing Sword in her hand, but the sword was not drawn. She followed behind Tian Wenjin, also adopting a vigilant stance.

The village was indeed cold and desolate without even a barking dog.

But the moment Li Shiyin stepped into the village, the door of the household closest to the village entrance was suddenly pushed open. The sound arising out of nowhere in the silent environment made people jump in fright.

Li Shiyin frowned to look over and saw a middle aged man wrapped in a thick padded jacket emerge from inside the door. His face was dirty, rough, without a trace of cultivation base fluctuations, looked like an ordinary commoner.

He leaned against the door looking at her and Tian Wenjin and asked in a loud voice, "What do you do?"

Tian Wenjin grasped her sword in salutation and said, "Dao Sword Sect disciples, here to expel demons."

"Oh, sect immortals!" That man nodded then told Tian Wenjin, "Come with me, I'll take you to the village chief's place."

"Thanks for your trouble!" Tian Wenjin said.

That man then took the lead, following the stone path of the village upwards through the mountain.

Tian Wenjin did not say much, taking Li Shiyin with her to follow that man up the mountain. But she did not put her sword back in its sheath, keeping it in her hand.