Volume 1, Chapter 60: Leaving the Sect for Experiential Training

Five days later, news from Gu Mingyue arrived once more.

Just as Gu Mingxi was about to finish her meditation session for the day, she noticed a transmission talisman resting nearby.

Picking it up, Gu Mingxi recognized it as belonging to Gu Mingyue. "Could Mingyue have successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage already?" she murmured.

Cracking open the talisman, she heard Gu Mingyue's voice ring out: "Mingxi, I've successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage! Let's head over to the Mission Hall to pick up some tasks together!"

Gu Mingxi chuckled softly, amused by how eager Mingyue was to venture outside. No sooner had she achieved her breakthrough than she was already itching to take on missions and slip away beyond the sect's borders.

That being said, Gu Mingxi had grown quite weary of staying cooped up within the sect herself; she was more than ready to leave as well.

"As for that malevolent rogue cultivator who caused my death in the original plot—have you prepared yourself? This young lady is going to tear your lair down to the ground this time, or my name isn't Gu Mingxi!"

Far away in the Myriad Mountains, a man suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. He glanced around his surroundings, but finding nothing amiss, he simply resumed what he was doing.

Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue arranged to meet directly at the entrance of the Mission Hall.

Exchanging only a few brief words upon meeting, the two headed straight inside to browse the available tasks.

Once disciples of the Heaven-Evolving Sect reached the Foundation Establishment stage, they were required to leave the sect for experiential training. Most disciples typically chose to knock out their mandatory annual task simultaneously by selecting one as they departed.

This was precisely the plan Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue shared.

As disciples of the Heaven-Evolving Sect, regardless of their current realm of cultivation, everyone was assigned tasks to complete unless unavoidable circumstances arose—such as undergoing closed-door seclusion or being trapped in some perilous region. Aside from such exceptions, fulfilling one task a year was compulsory, though disciples always had the option of completing their assignments ahead of schedule.

As they sifted through the various postings, Gu Mingxi's gaze was suddenly caught by an investigation assignment.

Task: A small mountain village located near Wen City has recently been plagued by the mysterious disappearance of young children. Foundation Establishment disciples are required to investigate the cause and report back to the sect.

Children mysteriously vanishing from a village?

Surely this was the work of a rogue cultivator!

Wen City was situated very close to the Myriad Mountains—could it be that exact rogue cultivator?

Seeing Gu Mingxi linger on this particular task, Gu Mingyue leaned over to take a look and realized it was an investigation assignment.

"Mingxi, since this is just an investigation task, I think we can easily handle it. Besides, Wen City is right near the Myriad Mountains, so once we finish the task, we can head straight into the mountains for some proper practical training."

Gu Mingyue's words successfully recaptured Gu Mingxi's attention. Regardless of who was behind such vile deeds, they deserved execution.

"In that case, let's take this task!"

Since both of them had already prepared everything necessary for traveling and training outside, they left the sect immediately after claiming the mission.

Setting off from the sect grounds, Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue embarked on their journey toward Wen City.

Because Gu Mingyue had just broken through to Foundation Establishment and hadn't yet learned how to fly on a spiritual sword, Gu Mingxi guided her along the way, taking the opportunity to teach her the techniques of sword flight.

By the time the two of them arrived at the small mountain village, Gu Mingyue had already mastered sword flight quite proficiently.

Upon reaching the village, however, they did not rush in blindly. Instead, they first cast their divine sense forward to observe the area from a distance.

Under their joint surveillance, they quickly discovered that the mountain village was indeed exhibiting strange anomalies.

When Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue arrived, dusk was slowly falling. Normally, this would be the time for evening meals, yet every single household in the village had its doors and windows tightly barred. Not a single glimmer of light could be seen, and the eerie silence felt deeply unsettling.

Furthermore, Gu Mingxi's divine sense had vaguely detected abnormal fluctuations emanating from a hill situated just beside the village.

Entering the settlement, the two girls found the entire place as quiet and desolate as a ghost town.

Gu Mingxi furrowed her brow. Had the situation here truly deteriorated to such an abnormal degree?

Gu Mingyue walked up to the door of a residence and knocked, but after waiting for a considerable while, no one came to open it.

Clearly, people were living inside the house; both girls had sensed movement within when the knocking first sounded, yet stubbornly, no one emerged. Were they paralyzed by terror of whatever malevolent entity was plaguing them?

With the occupants refusing to show themselves, forcing their way in was out of the question.

Having no other choice, the two decided to leave for the moment and check other areas of the village.

After making a full sweep of the village without uncovering any further clues, Gu Mingxi's thoughts returned to the anomaly she had sensed earlier.

She shared her previous discovery with Gu Mingyue, and following a brief discussion, the two agreed to investigate that specific location.

Their intention was merely to scout the situation and gather details, not necessarily to resolve the crisis immediately—especially given that their cultivation realms were still relatively low. However, should they encounter danger while gathering intelligence, the defensive magic tools they carried were more than sufficient to protect them.

Arriving at the foot of the adjacent hill, Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue did not rashly approach the anomalous zone.

Instead, they circled the perimeter of the hill a few times before stopping at a safe distance away.

Landing on the ground, both girls frowned as they stared up at the hill. During their approach, each of them had sensed the unmistakable presence of malevolent Qi.

Gu Mingxi thought to herself that her guess had hit the mark.

In the original plot, the rogue cultivator who caused her death possessed a cultivation level at the late stage of Foundation Establishment—considerably higher than her own or Gu Mingyue's current state.

Even so, with careful planning, executing a counter-kill was not entirely out of the question.

While Gu Mingxi was well aware that a rogue cultivator was responsible, Gu Mingyue remained completely in the dark.

Gu Mingxi had no way of explaining how she knew this without raising suspicion.

If no one else in the world knew that a rogue cultivator had emerged, yet she alone possessed this knowledge, Gu Mingyue—who was far from foolish—would inevitably become suspicious.

Therefore, it was best not to act with such reckless haste.