Cultivation: But Not a Game-Chapter 250 - 160: Bounty Mission, The Defected Former True Inheritor
Foreign Affairs Peak is a place specifically for issuing sect missions.
From elders to outer sect disciples, anyone within or outside the sect can release various tasks here, and the sect disciples can come here to claim them.
Whether it’s merit tasks, sect contribution tasks, or demon hunting tasks, all can be found here.
Su Yu arrived at the Foreign Affairs Peak area and directly called up the panel, which then popped up a new task interface filled with numerous sect missions.
He didn’t immediately take on any task but spent some time carefully reviewing the multitude of tasks.
The sect missions are divided into two types: one is the tasks issued in the name of the sect, which typically reward more sect contributions, with money as a supplement, and occasionally some magical treasures as rewards.
The other type is tasks released under personal names, whether by sect elders or ordinary disciples, which usually reward more money, sometimes flying swords or magical treasures, and rarely sect contributions.
Su Yu wanted to gain merit and sect contributions, as well as engage in demon hunting, so it would be best to choose sect missions.
And sect missions are generally divided into three types.
The first type is bounty hunting tasks, targeting either various local menacing demon beasts, demon countries and demon territories occupying certain areas, opposing sect disciples, or wicked demon cultivators who offend the sect. These tasks require exceedingly strong martial prowess.
The second type involves resource collection tasks. Whether it’s alchemy or artifact refining within the sect, a large quantity of materials is needed. The sect’s resource outputs are insufficient, needing disciples to donate in exchange for sect contributions.
The third type is miscellaneous tasks, encompassing all other types besides the two mentioned above.
It is worth mentioning that while reviewing the second type of sect missions, Su Yu found that there seemed to be a shortcut in the second trial task.
If one has enough funds, they can directly purchase a large amount of materials and submit them, quickly completing the resource collection task and swiftly gaining a large amount of sect contributions.
According to what Ding Lingyu said, this shortcut is allowed since family background and wealth are also potential forms.
However, the sect contributions gained through shortcuts will be halved during final evaluation.
This shortcut method requires substantial financial support, difficult to accomplish without a wealthy background.
Su Yu glanced at his remaining money and decisively abandoned the shortcut method.
"If I can’t use shortcuts, then I have to earn the sect contributions and merit honestly by doing tasks."
Su Yu carefully reviewed numerous tasks and, considering his situation, he had already drafted a plan in his mind.
"Some bounty tasks grant sect contributions and also yield merit by themselves. I will specifically choose such tasks so I can accumulate both merit and sect contributions, along with occasional other rewards."
Particularly, tasks targeting demon cultivators will undoubtedly yield merit, and certain bounty targets over Level 100 can even simultaneously complete demon hunting tasks.
There are quite a few such tasks; after a careful look at the task list, there are hundreds of them.
He pinched his chin, carefully examining the detailed information and rewards of these tasks, pondering internally:
"If I can think like this, others will too. The competition for this is surely going to be fierce; if I want to stand out, I must come up with a surprising strategy, accomplishing what others cannot."
"And this is....."
His gaze fell on a few specific tasks.
"Bounty Task (Earth Grade, Low Grade): True Disciple Sikong Xiang of Blood Demon Hall has repeatedly hunted our disciples, practicing the Blood God Manual to slaughter spirits, committing numerous crimes. Therefore, a bounty is offered. Reward for killing Sikong Xiang once: 1000 sect contribution points, small merit, demon hunting +5."
"Note: If you can incapacitate the bounty target, reward 3000 sect contribution points, small merit three, demon hunting +15."
"Note: If you can completely kill the target, reward 10,000 sect contribution points, big merit one, demon hunting +50, true disciple condition +1."
"Bounty Task (Earth Grade, Low Grade): True Disciple Wang Bohong of Yin Yang Demon Sect has repeatedly hunted our disciples, practicing the Yin Yang Demon Scripture to slaughter spirits, and committed numerous crimes. Therefore, a bounty is offered....."
"Bounty Task (Earth Grade, Top Grade): Former True Disciple Long Qianqiu stole the sect’s treasured artifact and defected from the sect. Reward for killing him once: 2000 sect contribution points, small merit, demon hunting +10."
"Note: If you can incapacitate the bounty target, reward 6000 sect contribution points, big merit one, demon hunting +30."
"Note: If you can completely kill the target and reclaim the sect’s treasure, reward 18,000 sect contribution points, big merit three, or 100 years ownership of the reclaimed sect treasure, demon hunting +100, true disciple condition +1."
"Note: Solely reclaiming the sect’s treasure, reward 10,000 sect contribution points, big merit two, pick one item from the sect’s inner treasury, either a Tier Nine Flying Sword or Treasure, or 100 years ownership of the reclaimed sect treasure, demon hunting +60, true disciple condition +1."
There are over twenty bounty tasks above Earth Grade level, the lowest being true disciples of various demon sects.
To become a true disciple, one must be at least Level 100+, with a minimum Top Grade Dao Foundation, either Second-Layer or First-Grade.
The First-Grade Dao Foundation has three celestial levels; only those above Third-Grade have the potential to become Immortals. Below Third-Grade, unless consuming a Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir or similar Immortal Pill, becoming Immortal through self-cultivation is impossible, as constrained by the Dao Foundation.
True disciples of major sects must have a Dao Foundation above Third-Grade to qualify for application; becoming a true disciple requires at least a Second-Layer Dao Foundation.
Su Yu’s second elder brother has a Third-Grade Dao Foundation, theoretically making him a candidate for true disciple, but realistically it is nearly impossible, unless excelling significantly in other areas.
But the Dao Foundation typically reflects one’s comprehensive strength, and a low Dao Foundation makes it difficult to excel in other aspects.
These bounties are extremely challenging. Many have been posted for ten or even decades, with a few having been up for over a century without completion. Su Yu believes his competitors definitely can’t complete them either, but if he can, and complete them perfectly by crippling or completely eliminating the targets, one task would be worth dozens of others.
Take the first bounty, for instance: killing the True Disciple Sikong Xiang of the Blood Demon Hall. Completely killing him could earn up to 100 demon-slaying and monster-exorcising points, equivalent to hundreds of others combined, ensuring victory if this trial is completed.
This so-called demon-slaying and monster-exorcising, simply put, is the equivalent of monster kill counts.
If the target is a player, generally only level 100+ official sect disciples count as one demon-slaying and monster-exorcising point.
If the target is a demon beast or native NPC, at least level 150 and above with a terrifying template count as one.
Crippling or completely killing will triple the kill count.
Below this level, regular mini-bosses don’t count.
Su Yu, aiming to surpass all his rivals alone, must emerge victorious by surprise.
So after carefully reviewing about twenty difficult tasks, he chose a few that suited him.
One is the first bounty for True Disciple Sikong Xiang of the Blood Demon Hall.
Another is for True Disciple Wang Bohong of the Yin Yang Demon Sect.
The third is for pre-sect-defection True Disciple Long Qianqiu.
Sikong Xiang, True Disciple of the Blood Demon Hall, level 136, Second-Layer Dao Foundation, mainly cultivates the Supreme Tier Magic Blood God Scripture of the Blood Demon Hall and is confirmed to possess a Tier Nine Treasure, a Tier Eight Treasure, and several Tier Seven Treasures. He is the fourth president of the top guild Blood God Association.
Wang Bohong, True Disciple of the Yin Yang Demon Sect, level 143, Second-Layer Dao Foundation, mainly cultivates the Supreme Tier Magic Yin Yang Demon Manual, and is confirmed to possess a Tier Nine Treasure and several Tier Seven Treasures. He is the second president of the top guild Nine Yin Gang.
Long Qianqiu, former True Disciple of the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect, hailing from the Nine Extremes Lineage, one of the six main branches of the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect, level 172, First-Grade Dao Foundation, primarily cultivates the Supreme Nine Extremes Mirelun Immortal Scripture and is confirmed to have stolen the teaching-suppressing Tier Ten Supreme Treasure Nine Extremes Immortal Banner of the Nine Extremes Lineage.
To be honest, Su Yu doesn’t really understand why Long Qianqiu would defect from the sect.
True Disciple of the main sect line, First-Grade Dao Foundation, cultivating Supreme Immortal Skill, and holding the teaching-suppressing Tier Ten Supreme Treasure of the Nine Extremes Lineage, already reaching the disciple pinnacle.
Yet such a status and he defected....
"Could it be some melodramatic twist?"
It’s worth mentioning that although the task claims he stole the sect’s treasure, in reality, it wasn’t theft. The Nine Extremes Immortal Banner in Long Qianqiu’s hand was an opportunity for all true disciples to attempt to subdue treasures from the sect’s secret vault upon promotion. Good luck might grant right of mastery over a Tier Ten Supreme Treasure.
But it’s just mastery, with usage rights only—the treasure master remains the sect. When close to demise, it must be returned to the sect’s vault.
With his status, waiting for the older generation to retire, he would undoubtedly reach the sect’s top echelons.
Such a status yet defected, it’s simply unbelievable.
But the records don’t indicate why he defected, only a sect kill order. Reward exists for killing him, task or no task taken.
If the treasure is recaptured, one could inherit its usage rights for 100 years.
Of course, provided the treasure recognizes them. Without recognition, no treasure power can be invoked.
Regardless, one could definitely obtain a Tier Nine Treasure from the sect’s vault.
Such rewards are tempting.
Yet so far, no one has managed to reclaim the treasure.
Killing has happened several times—many true disciples in the sect also hold Tier Ten Supreme Treasures, defeating Long Qianqiu is one thing, killing is another, and crippling or utterly killing is entirely something else.
With a Tier Ten Supreme Treasure at hand, it’s uncertain an Earth Immortal could easily handle it.
The main reason Su Yu took this task is incidentally because his primary target, the True Disciple Sikong Xiang’s active area, overlaps with Long Qianqiu’s.
Primarily tackling Sikong Xiang, if encountering Wang Bohong and Long Qianqiu and capturing them, that would naturally be better.
If any one of these three targets could be captured, this trial would be guaranteed.
With the True Dragon transformation, eliminating an unguarded Sikong Xiang poses little problem.
Moreover, for someone like Sikong Xiang with negative karma, the Star Shifting Divine Technique can be used without stress, seizing the chance to ruthlessly extract over a century’s worth of life to condense a Human Life Fruit. This gain would be enormous.
With such thoughts, Su Yu quietly accepts the task and then leaves the mountain gate for Xuanzhen Immortal City to begin a shopping spree.
He’ll be away for quite a while, so sufficient preparation is needed.
First are various elixirs. Given his current Qi and Blood and Mana, Qi Blood Elixir requires a Low-grade Dragon Blood Elixir costing 50 gold per pill, recovering 600,000 Qi and Blood initially.
Mana Elixir needs a Low-grade Jade Dew Elixir costing 50 silver per pill, recovering 100,000 Mana initially.
Thus, he bought 1 Dragon Blood Elixir for backup and a flat 100 Jade Dew Elixirs to restore Mana, totaling 100 gold.
