Chapter 153 - 149: Returning from the Material Hunt, New Mission, Initial Refining of the Corpse Puppet
Chapter 153: Chapter 149: Returning from the Material Hunt, New Mission, Initial Refining of the Corpse Puppet
「Five months later.」
A cyan-gray silhouette of a crane broke through the biting Gang Wind, gliding steadily beneath the low, lead-gray clouds. The crane’s body was streamlined, its feathers glinting with a cold, metallic light. It was none other than Lu Zhao’s Cyan Feather Crane Puppet.
Atop the crane’s back, Lu Zhao sat cross-legged, his cyan robes whipping in the cold wind. His face was calmer than it had been half a year ago, yet his expression couldn’t hide the weariness etched there by his long journey.
When the familiar silhouette of Bixia Marketplace gradually came into focus on the vast horizon, the taut string in Lu Zhao’s heart finally, imperceptibly, slackened. A long-forgotten stirring quietly welled up from deep within him.
"Finally... I’m back." The low whisper was instantly snatched away by the howling wind, leaving no trace.
In these past five months, his travels had taken him through nearly half the counties of the Chen Country. The entire time, he continuously circulated the Breath Concealment and Shapeshifting Skill, endlessly cycling through a thousand faces and ten thousand auras.
He moved through dozens of marketplaces, large and small, handling every transaction with bated breath. He never dared to purchase more than ten pounds of any single material needed for refining the Corpse Puppet in one place, terrified of attracting prying eyes.
Even so, danger followed him like a shadow. On one occasion, he encountered a Late-stage Qi Cultivator who, relying on his powerful background, saw that Lu Zhao was alone yet spending lavishly. The man brazenly tried to ambush and kill him. The result? He simply became more Spirit Stones for Lu Zhao’s Storage Bag and a few more Magical Artifacts to be sold.
After that incident, Lu Zhao became even more cautious. Fearing that someone might discover his true purpose, he was exceptionally careful each time he changed his identity. Whenever he entered an unfamiliar marketplace and faced the wary gazes of the guards, his mind would grow taut, not daring to relax for an instant. Such constant mental strain was naturally exhausting. Now, gazing at Bixia Marketplace from afar was like being a lone, drifting boat that, after weathering countless storms, had finally spotted the faint, yellow glow of a distant lighthouse.
However, his early return was not due to this mental exhaustion. The main reason was that he had business with Wang Ping. Furthermore, he had gathered most of the necessary materials and could now begin the preliminary stages of refining the Corpse Puppet.
Seeing he was not far from the marketplace, Lu Zhao had the Cyan Feather Crane Puppet fold its wings and descend silently onto the leeward side of a secluded valley on the city’s outskirts.
He put away the precious Flying Puppet, sat cross-legged to regulate his breath for a moment, then changed into the black robe of a Bixia Sect Outer Sect Steward and headed for the marketplace entrance. Once inside, Lu Zhao followed his usual routine and first visited the Spirit Puppet Tower. He bought some Puppet Materials and exchanged a few pleasantries with Lin Yuanshan. Afterward, he left the Spirit Puppet Tower and went to find Zhao Xiaoshu to inquire about any intelligence gathered in the marketplace over the past six months.
Zhao Xiaoshu reported all the intelligence he had, leaving out no detail. After listening, Lu Zhao offered him a few words of encouragement, gave him several Spirit Stones, and then returned to the Bixia Sect.
Upon returning to the Bixia Sect, he immediately headed to the Recruitment Bureau in the General Affairs Hall. Lu Zhao navigated the place with ease and found Wang Ping, who was bent over, examining a Jade Scroll. Sensing someone approaching, Wang Ping looked up. When he saw clearly that the visitor was Lu Zhao, the serious look in his eyes instantly gave way to astonishment.
"Junior Brother Lu?" Wang Ping set down the Jade Scroll and leaned forward slightly, a smile spreading across his face. "You still have another month before your compulsory mission deadline, right? For you to come back early... don’t tell me something went wrong?" His gaze swept over Lu Zhao, as if to ascertain something.
Lu Zhao cupped his fists in salute and got straight to the point, his tone even and calm. "Senior Brother, you have a sharp eye. I’ve come to bother you today because I have a favor to ask." He looked directly at Wang Ping, his gaze open and sincere.
"Oh?" Wang Ping laced his fingers on the desk and leaned in even further, his posture intimate. "Go on, Junior Brother Lu. There’s no need for such formalities between us."
Lu Zhao’s voice was low and clear. "Senior Brother, you’ve been in the Recruitment Bureau for many years; you’re well-established and deeply connected. I know this is bold of me to ask, but... I was wondering if you might have a way to influence the assignment of compulsory missions?" He stated his request with perfect clarity. "I would like to ask you to pull some strings for me and find me a garrison post, something like the old one in Lingze County. Ideally, it would be the kind where completing one term earns me three or four years of peace, free from the constant hassle of compulsory missions." He paused, then added, "It wouldn’t matter if it’s more dangerous. I will remember the trouble you go through for me, Senior Brother. And regarding compensation... I will certainly make it worth your while."
Hearing the first part of the request, the warm smile on Wang Ping’s face froze. A flicker of vigilance appeared deep in his eyes, quickly replaced by a look of grave difficulty. ’Influencing mission assignments? That’s tantamount to tampering with the Sect’s rules and resource allocation—it’s a minefield! One wrong step, and getting burned would be a light punishment.’ He and Lu Zhao did have a friendly relationship, but it wasn’t nearly strong enough for him to risk his future on it.
His lips parted slightly as he searched for a tactful excuse to refuse this hot potato.
But after hearing the rest, Wang Ping swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. The room fell into a suffocating silence. A half quarter hour passed as if frozen. At last, Wang Ping looked up, scrutinizing Lu Zhao with a complex gaze. His voice grew lower, tinged with a subtle gravity:
"Influencing the compulsory mission assignments... I am of humble station and my words carry little weight. I really don’t have that kind of power. However..."
He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. "There is, however, an open position. It has a fearsome reputation, and very few people dare to accept it. But if you are willing to take it and serve the full one-year term... then for the next four years, Junior Brother Lu, you will be exempt from all compulsory missions!"
A ripple of light passed through Lu Zhao’s eyes, like a pebble tossed into a dark pool. "Please elaborate, Senior Brother. I wish to hear the details."
Wang Ping leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The Profound Ice Lake. On the border between Bixia County and Xuanfeng County, there’s a vast expanse of subterranean permafrost, and within it lies a great lake! If you garrison the post for one year, each month will be considered a completed compulsory mission, and you’ll receive twenty Merit points monthly! After one year, you’ll not only have a total of two hundred and forty Merit points, but you’ll also be credited with completing twelve compulsory missions!"