Chapter 229 - 202: Broken River Plains, The Sect’s Temptation
Chapter 229: Chapter 202: Broken River Plains, The Sect’s Temptation
The main hall of the Recruitment Bureau was as solemn and majestic as ever. Its obsidian floors were polished to a mirror sheen, and the air was filled with a heavy, contemplative scent—a mixture of sandalwood and ink.
Lu Zhao, dressed in the Profound Daoist Robe of an Inner Sect Steward, entered the hall with a steady gait. He was now a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and he had come today to receive his first mandatory mission since achieving his new rank.
Lu Zhao was mentally prepared. According to Sect custom, Foundation Establishment Cultivators had to complete one mandatory mission every five years. These missions were sometimes time-consuming or slightly risky, but they were generally within an acceptable range.
However, as he approached the reception area, he found that the person there was not the "old acquaintance" Chen Chumo, whom he had expected to see. In his place was an old man Lu Zhao had never met before.
The old man wore a Profound Robe of the same color as Lu Zhao’s, but the edges of its sleeves were embroidered with intricate silver-threaded cloud patterns, indicating his extraordinary status.
He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with a gaunt face, and his white hair and beard were impeccably groomed. His eyes, however, were anything but cloudy. They held a profound, sharp light, deep as an abyss, as if they could see right through a person’s heart.
His aura was harmonious and restrained, yet he exuded a profound stillness, as solid as a mountain overlooking a deep pool. He was, unmistakably, a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator!
Seeing Lu Zhao enter, the old man set down a faintly glowing Jade Scroll, a warm smile gracing his features. He gestured with his hand. "Please, sit. You must be Junior Brother Lu Zhao? I am Han Bufan, and I have the humble honor of being the Recruitment Bureau’s Chief Steward."
A chill ran through Lu Zhao. ’Han Bufan, the Chief Steward of the Recruitment Bureau!’ Although he had never met the man in person, he had heard of the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator who was in charge of the Recruitment Bureau.
An ordinary mandatory mission for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would never warrant a personal reception from the Chief Steward himself. A sense of foreboding crept into Lu Zhao’s heart.
He did as he was told, sitting on a meditation cushion before the desk and bowing with his hands clasped. "I am indeed Lu Zhao. Greetings, Brother Han." But as he spoke, the uneasy feeling in Lu Zhao’s heart intensified.
Han Bufan seemed to see right through Lu Zhao’s thoughts. His smile deepened, carrying a hint of reassurance. "Junior Brother Lu, no need to be nervous. You’ve guessed correctly—the mission I have for you is indeed a bit ’troublesome.’ It’s not particularly dangerous, but it is rather time-consuming."
’Time-consuming?’ Lu Zhao’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Foundation Establishment Cultivators had a Lifespan of three hundred years. A mission that a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Chief Steward would personally present and specifically describe as "time-consuming" had to be anything but ordinary.
He said in a low voice, "I ask that Brother Han explain."
Han Bufan picked up the Spirit Tea at his side, took a sip, and said in a slow, deliberate manner, "I’ve reviewed the records of the missions you undertook during your Qi Cultivation Stage. Years ago, you were sent to the Black Bone Mountain area in Northern Wilderness County for a patrol mission, weren’t you?"
’Northern Wilderness County? Black Bone Mountain?’ The memories of that experience flashed through Lu Zhao’s mind. A thought stirred, and a vague suspicion began to form. He asked tentatively, "Brother, are you saying this mission is also in Northern Wilderness County?"
Han Bufan nodded in approval. "Junior Brother is indeed sharp. That’s right. The location for this mission is in Northern Wilderness County, but we’re not sending you on another patrol. You’re being sent to serve as a Commander for a region."
"’Commander?’" Lu Zhao’s heart settled slightly. A Commander’s mission was generally less risky than a patrol. But Han Bufan’s next words made his heart jump again.
"It’s just the length of this command..." Han Bufan set down his teacup and held up two fingers. "At a minimum, it will be twenty years. At most, thirty years is not out of the question."
"Twenty years? Thirty years?!" Even with Lu Zhao’s mental tenacity, he couldn’t help but be slightly shaken.
When a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was assigned as a regional Commander, Sect custom dictated they be rotated out every five years, ten at the absolute most. This was to prevent a Cultivator from operating in a region for too long, establishing deep-rooted influence, and becoming an entrenched power that the Sect could no longer control—or worse, turning their territory into a small independent kingdom.
He suppressed his surprise, looked Han Bufan directly in the eye, and asked the most critical question. "Brother Han, forgive my bluntness. Isn’t the Sect worried that if I stay in one place for twenty or thirty years, I’ll build an impenetrable stronghold and become an uncontrollable power?" He asked so directly because this was a core tenet of the Sect’s system.
Hearing this, Han Bufan showed no displeasure. Instead, he laughed heartily, a flash of understanding and an indescribable complexity in his eyes. "Anywhere else, the Sect would naturally be afraid! But that place..." He paused, his tone carrying a strange certainty. "The Sect truly isn’t afraid! Not only are we not afraid, we’re actually worried that your control over the local area won’t be strong enough to effectively mobilize all its forces to hold back the endless waves of Demon Beasts!"
"’Hold back Demon Beasts?’" Lu Zhao keenly caught the keyword. Connecting it to Northern Wilderness County, a thought surfaced, and he cried out, "Brother! The place isn’t near Nine Prosperity Ridge, is it?! If it’s near Nine Prosperity Ridge, then please forgive me, but I must—"
Nine Prosperity Ridge! It was a paradise for Demon Beasts, its Core Area swarming with Tier Three Demon Kings. Even in its outer ranges, Tier Two Demon Beasts were as common as carp crossing a river—it was exceptionally dangerous. If that was truly the place, forget twenty years; Lu Zhao wouldn’t be willing to gamble his life there for even a single year. He would rather face punishment!
"Junior Brother, calm down! Don’t let your imagination run wild!" Han Bufan quickly waved his hand, cutting off Lu Zhao’s speculation. "The place isn’t Nine Prosperity Ridge. In fact, a natural chasm separates it from there. Of course, it’s not entirely unrelated to Nine Prosperity Ridge, but the Demon Beasts inside are Tier Two at most, and their numbers are definitely not too high."
Seeing Lu Zhao’s brow still tightly furrowed, Han Bufan explained further, "The place is called the ’Broken River Plains.’ As the name implies, it’s located on the banks of a great river called the ’Broken Dragon River.’"