"What mission?" Fang Xing looked at him, somewhat surprised.

’A mission that requires both me and Shen Ye must be far from simple.’

"This is a mission concerning Demons and Monsters," Shen Ye said.

"A mission about Demons and Monsters!"

"Does this mission involve a Great Demon Level monster?" Fang Xing asked, looking at him in surprise.

Shen Ye looked at him. "It’s not certain if there’s a Great Demon yet, but there will definitely be more than one or two Demons and Monsters."

’More than one or two...’ Fang Xing’s eyes flickered.

Shen Ye continued, "If we complete this mission, our quarterly rating might even break into the top three. When that happens, you and I will get a reward of at least ten thousand Merit."

"That much?!"

Fang Xing stared at Shen Ye, stunned by his words.

’A single mission could get us into the top three.’ Along with the shock, Fang Xing also felt the pressure.

’The possibility of a Great Demon being involved must be very high.’

"The mission is a bit difficult, but the reward for the mission itself is quite substantial. If we split it, we can each get three thousand Merit," Shen Ye said.

Hearing this, Fang Xing was immediately interested.

’Three thousand Merit each, even after splitting it!’

’That’s really tempting!’

"The mission is located at Dongting Lake, within Jiang Province," Shen Ye said.

"Dongting Lake..."

Hearing Shen Ye, Fang Xing immediately thought of the famous lake in Jiang Province.

"You mean the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake?" Fang Xing asked.

Shen Ye nodded. "Yes, the Eight Hundred Li Dongting Lake. There are Water Demons causing trouble in the lake, and quite a few of them. They’ve become a serious threat to the local area."

"When do we move out?" Fang Xing asked after a moment of thought.

"In three days. That gives you more time to stabilize your new level and also gather some more information," Shen Ye said, looking at him.

"Alright, I’m in. We’ll set off in three days," Fang Xing nodded.

Shen Ye smiled slightly and patted his shoulder. "Okay, I’ll let you know when it’s time."

Then, Shen Ye went inside, came out a moment later, and handed him a file. "Here’s the current intel. You can take a look first to get a general idea."

Fang Xing nodded and took the file, beginning to read.

After reading through it, Fang Xing’s expression grew solemn. "It seems these Demons and Monsters appeared in Dongting Lake suddenly. Could this be related to the Evil Cult?"

’Demons and Monsters colluding with the Evil Cult... the last mission at Baima Temple was a prime example.’

’The possibility is very high.’

Shen Ye nodded. "It’s possible, but there’s no information on the Evil Cult’s tracks yet."

"More intel should come in over the next few days. Regardless, we should make more preparations."

Fang Xing nodded. After discussing things with Shen Ye for a while longer, he left.

Watching Fang Xing’s departing figure, Shen Ye took a sip of tea and then stepped out of the courtyard.

A moment later, Shen Ye arrived at the Marshal’s Mansion.

He knocked and entered the mansion.

In no time, Shen Ye was in front of the study.

"Sir, I have something to report," Shen Ye said, bowing at the door of the study.

"Since when are you so polite, you brat? Come in!" Nangong Qing’s voice came from inside. Shen Ye entered the study.

At the desk, Nangong Qing was looking at a report in his hand.

Hearing Shen Ye enter, he spoke without looking up. "Find a seat for yourself first. I’m still a bit busy."

Shen Ye casually sat down in a chair and helped himself to a cup of tea.

After a while, Nangong Qing finished with the report and turned his gaze to Shen Ye.

"You brat, you don’t show up unless you need something. Spit it out, what is it?"

At his words, Shen Ye smiled, immediately stood up, and walked over to Nangong Qing.

"Uncle Qing, I’ve accepted that mission from before. I guarantee I’ll complete it."

Nangong Qing looked at him, somewhat surprised. "What mission?"

"The one at Dongting Lake," Shen Ye said.

Hearing this, Nangong Qing’s face immediately darkened. He slammed his hand on the desk. "Nonsense! Do you think you can complete that mission alone?"

"I never said I’d do it alone. We still have other people on our team, don’t we?" Shen Ye said with a grin.

"Without True Qi Realm Cultivation, how can you complete it with them? If something goes wrong, how will you answer for it?" Nangong Qing said with a cold expression.

Shen Ye beamed. "Uncle Qing, that brings me to my second point. Our team now has a second person in the True Qi Realm."

"Hm?"

Hearing this, a trace of surprise appeared on Nangong Qing’s face. "A second person in the True Qi Realm?"

"Who is it?" Nangong Qing looked at him.

"Fang Xing. You’ve met him," Shen Ye replied.

"...You’re not pulling my leg, are you, brat? How could he possibly break through to the True Qi Realm so quickly?" Nangong Qing asked, a look of astonishment on his face.

Seeing the astonished look on Nangong Qing’s face, Shen Ye felt a little proud. "Uncle Qing, it is indeed a bit unbelievable, but it’s truer than True Gold. I’ve already seen him. He really has broken through."

"!!!"

At these words, Nangong Qing’s pupils contracted, and his mind reeled.

The study fell into a brief silence.

Shen Ye looked at him and said with a wide smile, "So, Uncle Qing, what do you think? The guy I picked is pretty good, right? He reached the True Qi Realm before he even turned twenty."

"He might even have a shot at reaching the level of a Commander in the future."

Nangong Qing was silent for a long moment before speaking. "The True Qi Realm before the age of twenty... This person is a true talent. With the two of you working together, it’s possible you could complete it."

"So you agree, Uncle Qing?" Shen Ye blinked, looking at him with anticipation.

Nangong Qing pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, you can give it a try. But be careful above all else. If something happens, I’ll be sure to hold you accountable."

"Thank you, Uncle Qing," Shen Ye nodded with a grin, then turned and left the study.

Nangong Qing: "..."

"That damn brat..." Watching Shen Ye leave, Nangong Qing shook his head.

’Fang Xing... True Qi Realm before twenty. It seems that brat really did dig up a talent. When there’s a chance, I should get to know him better.’

Looking out the window, Nangong Qing mused to himself.

In his room in the courtyard, Fang Xing stared at the file, searing almost every word into his mind.

"Dongting Lake..."

’If this goes smoothly, I should be able to harvest a good amount of Enhancement Points.’

Fang Xing’s eyes flickered.

Having entered the True Qi Realm, the costs would be even more staggering.

’Cultivating Top Level Martial Arts without sufficient resources makes it difficult to reach the peak.’

After entering the True Qi Realm, he could now obtain sixteen Enhancement Points per day.

It was double what he got at the Neutralizing Force stage, but for him, this daily accumulation was still just a drop in the bucket.

Advancing in the True Qi Realm was different from advancing in Neutralizing Force.

It not only required more resources, but also stronger ones.

Enhancement Points were crucial.

Even with a Top-Grade Root Bone, one’s Cultivation speed would slow down upon reaching the True Qi Realm.

The True Qi Realm—a realm of masters who could dominate a region!

But in this world overrun with Demons and Monsters, it still came with great danger.

’Three days. I wonder if I can advance my Red Fire Divine Skill any further.’

Pushing aside his stray thoughts, an idea flashed through Fang Xing’s mind.

After breaking through to the True Qi Realm, his Red Fire Divine Skill was already showing signs of a breakthrough.

’I’ll give it a try first.’

’There’s no rush.’

Fang Xing closed his eyes and immediately began his Cultivation.

He circulated the Red Fire Heart Method, and Blue Flame True Qi flowed through his body.

Red Flame was the second stage.

Its power far surpassed that of Blue Flame.

If his Red Fire Divine Skill broke through, the probability of completing the mission would be that much greater.

「Three days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Early in the morning, Fang Xing sat cross-legged in his room, a faint red glow surrounding him. It was as if he were cloaked in a layer of red fire, a truly remarkable sight.

BZZZZ—!!!

An invisible wave pulsed out from his body, and the red glow enveloping him instantly flared.

The temperature in the room climbed rapidly.

In that instant, Fang Xing opened his eyes. Within his pupils, a red flame seemed to burn fiercely.

A powerful aura filled the entire room.

The red glow around him dissipated, and the red flame in his eyes vanished with it.

’Success!’

Fang Xing shot to his feet. He condensed his True Qi, and a ball of red flame ignited in his palm.

Red Flame True Qi!