After spending 5, 000 vital energy crystals in the Dark Market, Austin left with his pocket empty. He
went back to Sun Sect with a long face.
At this point, the desire to make money was stronger than ever.
As soon as he arrived at Sun Sect, he headed straight to the Mission Hall.
It was a two-storey building. Normal missions came from the first floor, while the second floor was for
hard missions.
Generally, normal missions were suitable for outer disciples, while hard missions were for inner and
core disciples.
From the market, Austin headed directly to the mission hall on the building's first floor, ready to take an
assignment. Built into one wall of the hall was a wide crystal screen made with special materials. A list
of missions was flashing on screen for disciples to choose.
Several disciples, who were either seated, their arms crossed or leaning against pillars, were
engrossed in reading the various missions displayed onscreen.
Slay 15 level-one demon dogs and get their beast cores and teeth to receive a reward of 300 vital
energy crystals.
Slay 5 level-one demon pangolins and take their beast cores to be awarded 500 vital energy crystals.
Slay a level-2 magic fox and get its beast core to receive a reward of 800 vital energy crystals.
Pick three refreshing flowers to be rewarded with 400 vital energy crystals.
The list went on and on and disciples read them carefully. It was also with serious thought that Austin
studied the available missions.
After a while of going over the missions, he realized each one was only rewarded with a few hundred
vital energy crystals.
Among the missions with the highest reward of 1, 500 vital energy crystals was to kill a level-3 one-
horned demon wolf.
The truth was, a thousand vital energy crystals were nothing to Austin at this point after his previous
achievements.
He stared at the screen for a long time but still couldn't find a mission that inspired him.
Sighing, Austin quietly headed up to the second floor.
Missions from this floor were only fit for inner disciples or those with a higher ranking.
However, there was no official order against outer disciples taking on missions from the second floor.
As long as they were powerful, outer disciples were eligible to get missions from this floor. Austin once
received hard missions when he was still an outer disciple.
Now, he simply wanted to take a look at the available missions from that floor. Anyway, he was not
obliged to take them on.
The layout of the hard mission hall on the second floor was similar to that of the first floor's normal
mission hall, except that it was a little smaller in size.
The crystal screen was also scrolling with missions.
He found a dozen disciples concentrating on the scrolling screen. Keeping a low profile, Austin walked
in, careful not to disturb anyone.
Hunt and slay a level-3 purple fire python around the Great Desolation Mountain to be rewarded 1, 800
vital energy crystals.
Find snake salivary flowers around the Great Desolation Mountain for a reward of 2, 000 vital energy
crystals.
Be stationed at the Sect base in the capital for a year with full-board to get a reward of 15, 000 vital
energy crystals.
As in the normal mission hall, the list went on. ...
Assignments from the hard mission hall were quite unusual. But the rewards were generous, at least
over a thousand vital energy crystals, and occasionally, even tens of thousands.
As an example, killing an independent cultivator named Evil Dragon would give a reward of 30, 000
vital energy crystals. But while the reward was impressive, Austin could only shake his head and force
a smile.
The cultivation base of the Evil Dragon is the initial stage of the Earth Realm. Crazy was the typical
description for independent cultivators. They often committed crimes like murder, arson, and robbery,
so they gained a lot of experience from actual combat.
Moreover, they were always hanging around and moving from place to place. So, it was quite difficult to
find them.
An ordinary disciple of Sun Sect was not equipped with the skill and capability to cope with this kind of
assignment.
Finally, Austin chose three missions, all of which were located around the Great Desolation Mountain.
The young disciple had long wanted to experience going around the Great Desolation Mountain. And
actual combat was one of the most critical ways to strengthen one's power.
After registering for the assignments, Austin rushed back to his home, excited to get started.
Little did he know that a surprise was waiting for him. ...
At the moment, there was a commotion in front of Austin's house.
A couple of boys ganged up on Evan and punched him endlessly. His nose was swollen, and blood
spurted from his mouth.
Depleted of strength, Evan could not fight back. The boys who beat him up were all at the fifth or sixth
level in the Energy Gathering Realm, while Evan was only at the third level.
"Come on, where is that coward Austin hiding?"
One arrogant teen said aloud. As he was speaking, he would punch Evan in the stomach after each
question. He was in the fifth level of the Energy Gathering Realm, and always bullied people by
borrowing power from brothers Billy and Barton.
As Evan clenched his teeth in pain, he glared at his oppressors.
"Oh, you really have a backbone. Well, now I'll see how tough those bones are."
The boy said as he punched and kicked Evan again. There was a tingling pain all over Evan's body,
and he felt internal organs being displaced. But he kept his mouth shut and just continued to glare at
them.
"Well, I'll let you have a taste of my punches!"
Evan's insolence angered the boy more.
"Austin! Come out quickly! You have offended our older brother, Billy. Now you're done!"
"If you don't come out, I will peel off Evan's skin and fry him," the boy threatened.
Snorting in fury, he added," A newcomer is not allowed to be so cocky. What gives you the right to
offend Billy? You don't know how to spell the word death, do you?"
"You better come out now, and kneel before Billy to beg his mercy. He just might spare you," one of
them said.
Another spoke up," It's too late for him to kneel down for mercy. He's already upset Billy. This time, he's
done!"
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