Chapter 12: Yun Zhi's Talent

A senior disciple beside Lu Yang also noticed the task and chuckled softly, "Every time I see this long-term task, I'm reminded of Senior Sister's magnificent achievements."

Another person added, "When it was revealed that Senior Sister had written her own cultivation method and pretended it came from an ancient ruin, it caused quite a stir."

"I heard Master say that there's an ancient ruin in Lingnan called Sishui Grotto-Heaven, and its most precious treasure is the Chaos Cleansing Art, a cultivation method left behind by the grotto-heaven's owner."

"Senior Sister once claimed to have found a cultivation method called the Chaos Cleansing Art in Sishui Grotto-Heaven, stating that mastering it would allow one to break through chaos and perceive all truths in the world."

Not long after Senior Sister's lie was exposed, someone stumbled upon the true Chaos Cleansing Art by chance, navigating through perilous obstacles to reach the deepest part of Sishui Grotto-Heaven.

However, upon comparison by the sect, it was discovered that the true cultivation method was harder to practice than the one Senior Sister had devised, and the ultimate results were vastly inferior.

Subsequently, many more cultivation methods and secret manuals were unearthed in the ancient ruins. Any that shared names with Senior Sister's creations were invariably less potent. The elders remained silent for several days after learning of this.

Lu Yang was speechless.

Lu Yang had never seen the Cloud Ganoderma section of the Scripture Pavilion. He presumed it was because the cultivation methods Senior Sister had authored were too extraordinary, thus stored on the highest floor of the pavilion, inaccessible for study or practice without special authorization.

In other words, they were taboos.

"Senior Sister's talent is unparalleled, rarely seen in eons. She possesses extraordinary wisdom and strategic depth. Otherwise, no one would say that it's a good thing for the sect leader to go into seclusion and entrust Senior Sister with the duties of acting sect leader."

"I also heard a rumor that Senior Sister seized power, imprisoned the sect leader, and intends to become the true sect leader herself. She supposedly holds compromising information on the eight great elders, so the higher-ups dare not resist. Some even claim to have heard whimpering sounds from Heavenly Gate Peak at night, supposedly the sect leader's cries from the dungeon!"

"Hahahaha, that's definitely nonsense. It's utterly impossible."

Lu Yang, however, had never heard the supposed whimpering of the sect leader on Heavenly Gate Peak. He paid it no mind and continued searching for a task.

Finally, he found one that met his criteria.

"According to the villagers of Taiping Village in Quhe County, a bird-like demon beast has appeared in their village. It can speak human language, its specific species is unknown, and there are no records of it harming anyone or using demonic arts. A Daoist master from the Wen Dao Sect is requested to deal with this demonic bird."

Lu Yang pondered for a moment before accepting the task.

Based on the description, it seemed like a demon beast that had accidentally strayed into human territory, or perhaps one that had gained sentience through a fortuitous encounter. Such demon beasts typically wouldn't exceed the Foundation Establishment stage in cultivation, weren't highly aggressive, and might even be friendly towards humans, making it ideal for a newcomer like him.

The reward offered by the Mission Hall also confirmed this.

The task offered thirty contribution points as a reward.

This was the minimum reward for any task.

Task rewards at the Wen Dao Sect were calculated by one specialist and then verified by another, ensuring accuracy with very few errors due to this double-check system.

The lower the reward, the simpler the task.

Lu Yang approached the counter. "Senior Brother, I'll take this task to deal with the bird-like demon beast."

"I'll take this task to deal with the bird-like demon beast," another voice chimed in, almost simultaneously with Lu Yang's.

The voice belonged to a young girl in a pale pink dress. Her features were delicate, her skin fair, and she possessed a captivating charm, like blooming peach blossoms.

With her sweet appearance and being at the Foundation Establishment stage like Lu Yang, the girl's identity was obvious.

"Junior Sister Taoyao Ye, what a coincidence," Lu Yang chuckled. He had only seen Taoyao Ye when he first joined the sect; for the past year, he had been on Heavenly Gate Peak and rarely met outsiders.

Lu Yang was ranked first in the entrance examination, so until the rankings were reset, he was the senior disciple of this cohort.

In reality, Taoyao Ye choosing this task was no coincidence. There weren't many tasks suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators, and for their cohort to complete a mission, there were only a few options available.

"So it's Senior Brother Lu. Congratulations on reaching Foundation Establishment. There aren't many Foundation Establishment tasks; why don't we complete this together and split the reward?" Taoyao Ye smiled sweetly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes towards this Senior Brother who rarely showed himself.

Lu Yang readily agreed.

Completing tasks wasn't solely about the reward; more often, it was about gaining experience through the process.

"Quhe County isn't exactly close to here. How about we take a flying boat?"

...

"Junior Sister Taoyao Ye, did you know that we humans are a rather contradictory race? Often, what people fear, they also worship and yearn for."

"I heard that in ancient times, demons and monsters ran rampant, natural disasters were constant, and humanity was weak, struggling to survive in the cracks."

"Those great demons relied on their ancestral bloodlines, powerful physiques, and innate divine abilities to wreak havoc in the barren lands."

"Humans feared the great demons, seeing them as irresistible natural disasters. Yet, they also worshipped them, hoping to gain similar power."

"Thus, the ancient ancestors developed cultivation methods, learning divine abilities from the bloodlines of demon beasts, overcoming numerous difficulties to stand at the peak of the continent, forging a new world for humanity. This was the beginning of humanity's endless proliferation!"

"Take wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, for instance. The ancient ancestors certainly feared them, but they also yearned for them, recognizing them as nature's immense power and authority, an irresistible natural will!"

"Humans longed for them and wished to attain nature's immense power and authority. The ancient ancestors questioned heaven and earth nine times, confronted thunder, and meditated amidst wind and rain, comprehending the principle that humans emulate the earth, the earth emulates heaven, heaven emulates the Dao, and the Dao emulates nature, thus realizing various Daoist spells!"

"Do you see? This contradictory mindset is an essential element for humanity to become the overlords of the continent!"

"Or take the sky, for example. Humans yearn for the sky, hoping to soar freely like birds, yet they also revere it, finding it mysterious and unfathomable. This sense of awe flows in their blood, an inherent mentality in every human, whether manifest or latent..."

Aboard the flying boat, Lu Yang was impassioned. As he spoke excitedly, he suddenly stood up, gesturing with both hands, expounding at length.

Taoyao Ye calmly considered for a moment, then interrupted Lu Yang's lengthy discourse.

"So this is why you have a fear of heights?"

"Yes."

Taoyao Ye was speechless.

The two sat inside the flying boat's cabin, soaring through the clouds. The boat's bottom was engraved with balance arrays mass-produced by formation masters, ensuring that those inside felt nothing even during strong winds or heavy storms.

The sky around them was clear and bright, presenting an excellent opportunity to sunbathe, meditate, or enjoy the scenery on the deck. Taoyao Ye suggested they go out, but to her surprise, Lu Yang's Dao heart was firm, and he adamantly refused.

Taoyao Ye's curiosity was stronger than most. Under her repeated questioning, Lu Yang was forced to explain his fear of heights starting from ancient history, citing scriptures, quoting widely, and speaking volubly, all to prove that acrophobia was a reasonable and ancient psychological trait that, broadly speaking, even contributed to human progress.

Fortunately, Taoyao Ye didn't believe a word of it.