73 Chapter 72: New assignmen (1/2)
”Okay, I should finally be done…”
After seven days, I scraped the last scales off the Sapphire Scorpions and carefully placed them on a tray. Covering the tray with plastic, I then disposed of the corpses – as Tang Qi Hong told me to – and wiped the perspiration off my face.
”Time to let her know.”
Retrieving my cellphone, I called Tang Qi Hong to inform her that I had finished my task.
”WHAT?!”
Tang Qi Hong shouted from the other side of the phone so loudly that I winced and almost dropped my phone.
”It's only been a week! I gave you nine days!”
”Yeah, well…I finished early. I'll bring them over right now.”
Hanging up before Tang Qi Hong could protest, I picked up the tray and began my journey to Tang Qi Hong's personal VIP pavilion.
It didn't take me long before I reached it, and when I did, I gave her the tray. Tang Qi Hong raised the plastic wrap and inspected the sapphire scales before nodding in satisfaction.
”Good.”
”What's good?”
”The scales, of course! Looks like you didn't manage to break most of them.” Tang Qi Hong breathed a sigh of relief. ”You'll be rewarded another 5 gold coins for this assignment. Take a good rest, I'll give you a new task in two days or so.”
”Thanks.”
”I should be the one thanking you,” Tang Qi Hong corrected with a giggle. ”Your work might not be perfect, but at least you're fast. That's admirable.”
”Uh…okay.”
Glancing at the bench where Tang Qi Hong was seated on before I arrived, I couldn't help but feel curious.
”What are you working on?”
”Hmm? Didn't I tell you? I'm working on armor right now. That's why I had you scrape all the sapphire scales off those Sapphire Scorpions.”
”I mean right now.” I pointed toward a half-finished armament on the bench. Tang Qi Hong tilted her head and sighed.
”Oh, that. It's also meant to be armor, but one that's of a higher rank and quality than the Sapphire Scorpion armor. But I'm missing the main ingredient right now – the armored scales of an Ice Soul Python. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to find such a high-ranked magical beast in the market. I'll probably have a group of disciples or seniors from the Blood Blades hunt it for me next week, while I work on the Sapphire Scorpion armor sets.”
”Heh…” I had heard of an Ice Soul Python before. It was a high-ranking magical beast…about rank 5 or 6. It was much larger than the Shadow Leopard I had tricked into fighting the Diamondback Crocodile before, and a lot more powerful, but obviously a bit slower. Placing a finger on my chin, I wondered out loud. ”Do you mind if I hunt it for you?”
”Huh? Are you crazy? Even I wouldn't want to fight something as vicious as that.” Tang Qi Hong was aware that I didn't receive any artificial qi, and assumed that I was weaker than her. ”Don't be too reckless!”
”Oh, I have ways of dealing with magical beasts. And I probably won't go alone. I'll just join the Blood Blades group that you were planning on hiring.”
”Hmm, that's a good idea.” Tang Qi Hong contemplated for a bit before nodding. ”It's true that you're more interested in combat than forging equipment, and as my assistant you're of more use as a bodyguard than an assistant blacksmith. All right then. I'll let you know tomorrow! For today, just take a break and resume your training.”
”Got it.” then suddenly I remembered something. ”Oh, and do you mind if I take one or two scales from the Ice Soul Python?”
”Sure. I'll set aside five pieces for you, if you and that Blood Blades team succeed in hunting the Ice Soul Python.”
That was a fair enough condition, and I nodded gratefully.
”Thank you!”
”Well, you're the one risking your life hunting it, so I think that's a fair reward,” Tang Qi Hong explained, feeling a little embarrassed. ”Anyway, run along now. I've to complete a hundred sets of Sapphire Scorpion armor by next week, so I would prefer not to be disturbed!”
That suited me fine, especially since I had stuff to do. Such as physical training. Waving goodbye, I headed back to my apartment to begin my training as usual.
*
The next day, I received word from Tang Qi Hong that a group had indeed accepted the job, but she didn't sound very happy over the phone.
”They say to meet them outside the outer sect area,” she told me snappily before hanging up. I just gaped for a moment, not sure how to respond.
”Wait, what? Who are they? At least tell me their names or how I'm supposed to identify them!”
Unfortunately, the line was dead, and Tang Qi Hong wouldn't take any of my calls in either case. Shaking my head in resignation, I proceeded toward the outskirts of Tushan City. Preparing my stuff, I slung my haversack over my shoulder and departed.
While walking toward the exterior of the outer sect sector, I passed by the platform floating on the Lake of Fire. As usual, there were many inner sect and outer sect disciples gathered under the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars.
It was quite a common sight as there was plenty of people who wanted to try their luck, hoping to divine some sort of understanding from the engravings inscribed onto the elegant surfaces of the Spirit Engraved Pillars, and some even fantasized over being able to trigger a reaction from any of the pillars, hoping that there was some sort of fate at work.
As I drew closer, I saw that it wasn't just the old disciples, but even the twenty or so new disciples who had only just been recently admitted into the sect had also arrived. Like the rest, they also wanted to attempt to trigger a reaction from the pillar in hopes of attaining some sort of enlightenment from the Spirit Engravings.
I recognized Tian Jian Hao from the Dark Asura Sect, who tried to cut queue when we first took the examination. Naturally Liang Shao Yang from the Divine Shadow Sect was also there, as was Yin Jing Jing from Snow Valley Sect. to my surprise, even Tong Xue, who was supposedly not interested in forging armaments, was also sitting under a Spirit Engraved Pillars, meditating and doing his best to commune with it.
Shaking my head, I passed by the platform. Unfortunately, if I wanted to leave the outer sect sector and exit Tushan City, I had to walk past the platform. That meant I had to tolerate unwanted attention when the people on the platform spotted me.
Ugh.
Trying to square my shoulders and appear as inconspicuous as possible, I tried to distance myself from the plaza while heading for the outskirts.
Pang Feng's younger sister, Pang Yun, the inner sect disciple Hao Ying, Liang Shao Yang and even Tian Jian Hao scrutinized me intently, their eyes boring deeply into me as if they could drill right into the center of my heart and discover my real nature or some bullshit like that. I felt like a virus under a microscope.
”Are you heading out?” Tong Xue asked with a smile when I walked past him. I stopped and nodded, then cocked my head to the side with a perplexed expression.
”Um, I thought you weren't interested in forging Spirit Armaments?”
”No, of course I'm not,” Tong Xue replied sheepishly. ”But I wanted to try as well. I want to see if I'll be able to comprehend the Spirit Engravings on the Spirit Engraved Pillars, or if I can trigger a response from these Spirit Engraved Pillars. After all, everyone who passed the exams will consider themselves special, and believe they're smarter and more talented than the rest. So they would want to try. Even though I'm not that interested in forging spirit armaments, I can't say I'm completely immune to this sort of hubris.”
”Good luck!” I wished him. ”I hope you succeed!”
”Ha ha ha,” Tong Xue chuckled. ”I wish. What about you? Do you want to try?”
”Not today. I have a mission today.” Glancing at my cell phone, my eyes widened. ”Whoa! It's already this late! Sorry, I've to go meet up with my group. I'll see you when I get back!”
”Sure, sure! Have a safe trip!”
Tong Xue waved as I scurried away hastily, rushing toward the outside of the outer sect sector. Once my figure vanished from view, he then focused his attention back on the Spirit Engraved Pillars and meditated seriously.
”He's been in the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect for a little over two weeks, but he hasn't even sat under the Spirit Engraved Pillars and study their Engravings yet? Does he not possess the desire to do so? Or maybe he has no intention of testing out his talent?”
”I doubt it. I'm sure he wants to. If anyone can comprehend the Spirit Engravings on one of the Spirit Engraved Pillars, and trigger a reaction from it, then they will instantly be promoted into the inner sect and the Sect Leader, Sect Mistress and all the elders will personally take care of them, and nurture them to be the core of the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. They will be entitled to all sorts of special privileges. There's no other method that is faster or more direct.”
”Then why hasn't this guy tried it yet?”
”Isn't it because he's too busily assisting Senior Tang? She's been giving him a few difficult tasks. I heard that he even volunteered to hunt an Ice Soul Python just so she can work on her next project. So he probably doesn't have the time to attempt to commune with the Spirit Engraved Pillars yet. He's too busily doing everything he can to make her happy.”
”Yeah, Senior Tang seems pretty happy.”
”Ugh, that bastard! I'm so jealous!”
”Why a sly bastard…”
Wow, those scoundrels were really going at it, gossiping all sorts of nonsense about me behind my back. Good thing I had already left, or I would be pretty pissed off at them. As it was, I was blissfully unaware of the bullshit they were spouting until Tong Xue told me much later.
Liang Shao Yang and Tian Jian Hao, who were under two separate Spirit Engraved Pillars, listened to the rumors, and their expressions darkened considerably. Oh come on. I knew Tian Jian Hao was an idiot, but surely Liang Shao Yang was intelligent enough not to believe this nonsense, right? Or was I overestimating him?
I guess jealousy does really horrible things to affect one's reason and composure.
*
”Over here!”
”…eh?”
At first, I was stunned, wondering why Zi Xiao Ji was waving at me, of all people. She beckoned for me to come over, which I was reluctant to do so because I was going to be late for my meeting with the Blood Blades group at this rate.
And then I realized, I saw no sign of the Blood Blades group except for Zi Xiao Ji, who was standing next to a slender girl with long, braided hair and a huge, bulky guy who was almost as big as Pang Feng.
Even though I had a sinking feeling, without any sign of the group I was supposed to meet, I had no choice to venture over to Zi Xiao Ji's group.
”Um…hello.”
”It's so good that you can join us!” Zi Xiao Ji beamed brilliantly as she almost bounced up and down excitedly.
Join you? Could it be…?